16-year veteran and a top producer on an international scale, Carmen Massoni opens Bahama Islands Realty. Pictured left to right: listings manager Heather Joy Albury, sales associate Marilyn Ayearst, Bahama Islands Realty founder Carmen Massoni, operations manager Doretha Knowles, sales associate Kim Sweeting, and former Bahamas Chamber of Commerce President as well as sales associate Neil McKinney (Photo by Roland Rose for DP&A.)

Nassau, Bahamas - This is the year that many real estate brokers and agents around the globe wish they had chosen another profession. Creating a new kind of pizza. Re-training the jobless. Not Carmen Massoni. The award-winning, internationally recognised broker picked 2010 to launch her own real estate firm, fully staff it, buy and move into one of the most historic buildings on one of Nassau ’s quaintest streets and hit the ground running.

Massoni, a 16-year veteran and a top producer on an international scale, opened Bahama Islands Realty. Address: 30 Queen Street , Garrison House, built in 1792, and lovingly preserved. Number of staff: 6. Theme: “We’re the ultimate get it done, make it happen team in The Bahamas,” says Massoni, who is also multilingual and serves as the Honorary Consul of Chile to The Bahamas. Dream: “To make others appreciate the value of historic treasures while handling enough new real estate to satisfy a diverse clientele.”

Franchise: None.

Another trend-buster.

“Nowadays,” says the woman who walks and talks like she has energy bars three meals a day and can’t frame a sentence without a smile, “it’s not always about franchises. As an independent, I can pick and choose who I want to work with and many of the top producers work on their own. Through the years, I’ve been fortunate to work with many of them and develop relationships that will be valuable. The reality is that it’s not about the sign, it’s about the individual. Top producers want to work with top producers.”

She knows about top producers. Earning her license in 1994, by the year 2000 as a broker at Coldwell Banker Lightbourn Realty in The Bahamas, she was among the top 4% worldwide among all Coldwell Banker franchises. The following year, she was the top income earner among island sales associates worldwide and in the 1% club.

Massoni is frank about her limits – at this point, 21x7.

“To start with, at least, we are the people who know New Providence . For Family Island properties, we are linking with other agents or brokers. It’s important to do one thing and do it really, really well.”

Open only a matter of weeks, Bahama Islands Realty is already the top-selling firm for Palm Cay, an upscale, residential development with marina and clubhouse on the water near Yamacraw in southeast New Providence .

“We put together a great team and I’m excited about that and after all these years, excited about being my own boss,” says the go-getter who got up one morning and made the decision to make the move. Among those who have joined the Bahama Islands Realty team are three sales associates -- Kim Sweeting, Marilyn Ayearst and former Bahamas Chamber of Commerce President Neil McKinney, all of whom have had residential and commercial experience. Listings manager is Heather Joy Albury. Operations manager is Doretha Knowles.

Massoni, whose name and face gained popular attention through a long-running real estate column in The Tribune, was executive vice president of Coldwell Banker Lightbourn Realty prior to launching out on her own.

“It’s better than a dream come true,” she says. And smiles.