Specialties
★★★★★
"We were very happy with Lori & Marcy. They are very sincere and throughout the process were honest, up front, and if anything, tried to point out every potential negative with each property we looked at. When we started to get shopping fatigue and were considering settling for something that didn’t meet all the items on our wish list, their response was always “you can do better”. We almost went with a nice house on a busy street and they talked us out of it. I’m fairly high maintenance and want to check out all possible options before proceeding and they were very patient. There was never any pressure, yet they were always available with advice and suggestions. For the various advisors needed to complete the deal they had great recommendations. They’ve lived in the area for many years and have a lot of direct knowledge which led to
us buying a home before it was on the market."-Don B.
★★★★★
"We recently sold our house during the Covid-19 pandemic breaking highest price records in the Upper Eastside, Belle Meade and Bayside. We had spoken to a couple of other area realtors but we didn’t feel they had our best interest at hand, were very pushy, and we witnessed carelessness regarding the following of Covid precautions. Selling your home can be extremely stressful, especially considering we have 3 young children and a dog, but it was anything but that with Lori and Marcy. Our house did not even hit the market. We had a full price offer within 2 days. We couldn’t be happier with the service that we received. They will definitely be selling our next house!"-Danny and Roger, Bayside Historic District
★★★★★
"In the last 8 months we have sold two properties with Gimme Shelter and could not have had a better experience in both sales. The first sale was a condo in a difficult building to finance. They showed exceptional determination in sorting through multiple condo issues and closing with a new lender. We were blown away by the gorgeous photos they had taken, the great marketing, and most importantly shepherding the sale. Next we entrusted Marcy and Lori with selling our house in Buena Vista East. Their incredible knowledge of the market and their beautiful staging got us way over what we expected. By encouraging (but not pressuring) us to do minor repairs and staging, they got us $70,000 over the price we had expected. Their photos and styling were so beautiful we could not believe it was the same house! Moreover, they navigated several quick offers and got us $20k over asking price. It is vitally important to work with realtors who can present options, explain the complexity of the market, and give you real information without hype. We felt so well-guided by them on both sales that we've recommended them to several friends who have had the same superb experience. "-Rosa L. and Todd K., Design District
★★★★★
"I met with 3 other area realtors but from the moment I met Marcy and Lori they were the most engaged, thoughtful and informative. And once we got started...WOW! I've been in client services my entire career and can confidently say they went above and beyond my expectations (even my family loves them). From staging to pricing, and especially to handle my sale during COVID, it was a dream. Their responsiveness can't be beat. I feel extremely lucky to have worked with them and I still can't believe we were under contract in 5 days and closed in less than 30!" -Jessica C., Miami Shores
Marcy Kaplan and Lori Brandt, sisters, moved from NYC to Miami Beach in 1994 and soon became residents of Upper East Side’s neighborhoods, Morningside and Bayside. Seeing the area’s potential, they opened Crybaby, one of the MIMO District’s first boutiques back in 1998 and began their real estate careers soon thereafter. These longtime residents have established a proven track record of real estate success, specializing in the Design District, Morningside, Bayside, Belle Meade, Palm Grove, Shorecrest, El Portal, Biscayne Park and Miami Shores for the past 20 years calling themselves the "Gimme Shelter" team.
Marcy is a creative and visionary trendsetter. She attended SUNY Purchase, NYU, and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Lehman College. She enjoyed a successful career as a makeup artist, interior designer, and personal trainer before transitioning into real estate. Her artistic talents are well utilized in the team’s marketing, staging and styling properties for sale and matchmaking buyers with their perfect home. She is passionate about senior dog rescue and competitive amateur boxing. Marcy is enjoying a newfound interest in yoga and meditation. She owned historic homes in Morningside and Bayside before her recent move to Palm Bay Condo.
Lori brings coordination, organization and attention to detail to the team. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Vermont and a Master’s degree from NYU. Prior to real estate, Lori had a successful career in nursing at NY Hospital/Cornell Medical Center, Beth Israel Hospital, and Jackson Memorial Hospital. She was an adjunct professor at Barry University School of Nursing teaching community health and psychiatric nursing. Lori is conscientious and responsible, ensuring that every transaction is as smooth as possible, keeping you informed every step of the way. She resides in Miami Shores and is a proud single adoptive mother of a child from Kazakhstan and rescue dog Mama of her 2 fur babies.
Buyers and sellers delight in the team’s savvy negotiating skills, eye for unique and special properties, and personalized attention and care throughout each and every transaction.