About Us
The Carvajal Group was founded by husband and wife, Jim and Deena Carvajal. After separating from the Navy in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Jim and Deena purchased their first home using their VA benefits. A few years later, a job transfer forced Jim and Deena into what they call ""reluctant landlords"". Basically, that meant that they never had plans to rent their home. Jim and Deena actually thought this was their forever home when they bought it. But as circumstances and opportunities often present themselves, they chose to keep this home and rent it out. They didn't have to look far to find a tenant because a family member needed housing so let her rent the house. It seemed like there were always issues to deal with (maintenance, damage, etc). And many days they wondered why even hold onto the property when it seemed so much easier to just sell it. But this family member needed affordable housing, so they held onto that home for a number of years. After a series of job transfers across various states, they found themselves in Florida and owning several rental properties they acquired along the way. Too good to pass up opportunities that presented themselves, and they were able to acquire different types of investment properties.
About 12 years after the initial job transfer out of Virginia Beach, Jim and Deena sold their first home and made an outstanding profit. After analyzing those last 12 years of headaches, they realized that for those years someone else had paid down their mortgage, and had given them a small amount of cash flow per month. Those “headache maintenance expenses” were really covered by the rent collected. This is when both Jim and Deena realized it was one of the best investments they had ever made. The conclusion was “investing in real estate was a great vehicle for building and maintaining wealth and security.” They preach this message to anyone who will listen.
At the same time, Jim and Deena were working in corporate America and had been investing in their respective company’s sponsored 401Ks focusing on mutual funds. This grew at a very modest rate 2-3%. But after leaving the corporate life in pursuit of real estate, they rolled those 401Ks into self-directed IRAs which now allowed them to buy additional properties and rent them out.
The Carvajal's have found so many reluctant landlords along the way whose stories were similar to theirs. They did not want to or could not sell their home, so renting it out was a tempting option. But many owners are afraid of this because of the horror stories they hear from other people who may have had a bad experience with renting their home.
The Carvajal Group Property Management Division was born out of necessity and today The Carvajal Group Property Management manages and leases out properties across Central Florida from Volusia county down to Polk County.
When we asked Jim what makes them different, here's what he had to say: We pride ourselves in excellent customer service and satisfaction. So much so that we believe our landlords will love to stay with us so we do not charge penalties for breaking their Management Agreement. If the landlord is not satisfied or if things do not work out for whatever reason, we only ask for 30 days to give our tenants the proper notice. We strongly believe our owners/clients have the right to use whomever they want to, and we strive to earn and keep their trust. We believe in pulling away the veil of secrecy in real estate and being completely transparent with our landlords and our tenants.
Jim continued by saying, "We ask that owners hand over an amazing property so we can get them amazing tenants that will care for their home like it's their own. If that home is not amazing when we first come in, we work with the owner to get it where it needs to be. Tenants want beautiful, clean housing and if you charge fairly for this, you can keep good tenants for years."
Deena also added: "We live in such transient times and tenants often get to the point where they may want to buy. So they look first to the home they are living in and are happy to be there to help them understand how to become homeowners. We have successfully helped landlords and tenants become seller and buyer to transfer that property to the tenants when they are ready to purchase. And so those reluctant Landlords have found the process is not as scary as they imagined it would be. We make all this sound so simple, and it really is for us. The less stress our clients feel, the better we feel that we're doing a great job.”
Meet the Team
Jim Carvajal
Broker/Owner/Property Manager
Licensing: #261209341
Specialties: Buyer's Agent, Listing Agent, Property Management, Consulting
US NAVY veteran, broker/owner at The Carvajal-group in Orlando, Florida and volunteer officer at the US NAVAL SEA CADET CORPS. Originally from the New York City area but the military brought me to Virginia Beach where I met my lovely wife, Deena, and then moved to Atlanta (1999) and finally Orlando (2002). Buying homes as investments to flip or rent out are are just two of my passions. I use my experience everyday to help a buyer understand from A to Z what the entire home buying process is really like. Not just what they watch on HGTV. I maintain my clients trust by always putting their best interests first and repeat business naturally follows. Working with buyers, sellers and rental owners over the years has afforded me the opportunity to get to know so many people; many of which are now close personal friends. Since about 50% of my client base is Spanish - no problem there as I am fluent in Spanish as well.
Deena Carvajal
Realtor
Licensing: MLS ID #261095446
Orlando Real Estate Home Specialist (23 years experience)
Continuously in the Top 10 Selling Agents for the last 5 years grossing over $12,000,000 in residential real estate sales year after year.
As a real estate professional in Orlando, FL, I have in depth local knowledge and can provide you with the information you need on home buying, home selling, financing and owning real estate in Orlando, FL. The Carvajal Group provides a wide range of real estate services and utilizes the most current technology, processes and systems to assist you with all of your home buying and home selling needs. Whether you are new to the market or an experienced investor, I have the expertise, proven track record, and resources to help you achieve your real estate goals.
Specialties: Buyer's Agent, Listing Agent, Short-Sale, Property Management, Landlord, Staging
Manny Arce
Realtor
As an Air Force veteran you are sure to guarantee a certain amount of discipline and tenacity. And as is with Manny Arce who is leaving his mark by transforming the way we do business each and every day with a strict moral code of ethics. Manny is a Listing and Buyer's Agent with The Carvajal Group with years of advanced management skills in the Education Sector and has an incredible Entrepreneurial Spirit that shines so bright. Manny is a go-getter who won't take No for an answer when fighting to get his clients the home they want and deserve. Manny's calm and assuring presence has clients coming back time and again and sending Manny referral after referral.
This super star has such a humble approach in all he does and leads by example of what a true real estate professional really is.
Specialties: Buyer's Agent, Listing Agent, Spanish speaker
Thomas Russell
Realtor
A US ARMY Veteran with a strong dedication to service, Thomas always brings a positive attitude with focus on accomplishment of goals. He has the innate ability to organize chaos and keep things always moving forward and on track. Thomas has accomplished everything from fighting in Iraq to building a successful family business. Real Estate has been a lifelong passion. Thomas is focused on the assisting fellow veterans, family, clients, and friends accomplish their goals in home ownership or finding the right investments.
Shulma Lozada
Leasing Agent
Licensing: 3505424
I think of myself as a lifelong learner, constantly wanting to gain knowledge through interacting with others and thinking outside of the box. One of my favorite aspects in life is experiencing new things. Being challenged, pushing the limits, and finding a way to elevate my skills is really inspiring to me. My persistence allowed me to accomplish one of the biggest goals I had more myself – earning my Real Estate License.
Being from Ecuador, I have a huge heart for my family and friends. I love that about my culture and people – Taking the time to learn about others and listening to their unique stories is something I enjoy doing while expressing that I care. Numerous things have shaped my life – the relationships I create and maintain, the family and friends I surround myself with. My faith in God is strong and I know whatever crosses my path, He has a plan for me, a purpose for me.
When I’m not closing deals, I love to escape the hustle and bustle of this world and go for bike rides and exploring nature. Reflecting and releasing my thoughts by writing them down in a journal is something that gives me peace and tranquility.
Johanna Garatuza
Property Management Assistan
Tranquil and relaxing are a couple of reasons why I love living in a small town in Sonora, Mexico. Being on the Pacific Coast I relish the beaches nearby and how unique they are with the dessert and ocean meeting together. As a single mother in Mexico, I stand tall and proud with how I’ve been able to provide for my son. As much as I try to shape him with all the values and morals I have, he has taught me more things than I could have imagined.
After I graduated from college studying Electronic Engineering, I hopped from being a team lead in telemedicine projects to entering the manufacturing industry. During this time, I sharpened my customer service skills, as I would work closely with clients – managing and exceeding their expectations. As my aspirations grew, I quickly realized I had a lot more to offer and outgrew the company. Taking a leap of faith, I found myself in the software industry working as a project manager. All these experiences allowed me to grow personally and professionally. It led me to eventually joining The Carvajal Group.
When I’m not being a superhuman in the office, I enjoy reading and going to the beach. Catching up with friends, drinking coffee, and eating really great food with really great people are just a few things I love doing in my spare time!