Long Island City resident Jermain Miller went from being homeless to being the founder and principal broker of a successful real estate firm.
Miller, who grew up in Staten Island, is the founder of boutique luxury real estate firm MiLL RE. The Long Island City-based company turns a year old on June 2. The firm employs 10 people and lists properties throughout New York City that range from a $2,000 studio rental to a $3 million apartment building in Williamsburg.
Just 11 years ago, Miller did not have a place to call home. After going through a divorce at 25, he became homeless and slept in friends’ houses and cars. The Delaware State University graduate, who majored in biology and chemistry, said a combination of “bad scenarios and bad decisions” led to his homelessness.
“I was sleeping on people’s couches and cars,” Miller said. “Pretty much anywhere I could stay at to get through the night.”
A close friend of Miller’s persuaded him to take a real estate course and even paid the $250 course fee because Miller “had probably about 90 cents” in his bank account. He said his friend recently confessed that his girlfriend was angry at him for letting Miller borrow the money – but it eventually paid off.
Miller worked as a real estate agent at several firms including Nest Seekers, Douglas Elliman and Modern Spaces. In 2008, Miller began exploring Queens and specifically Long Island City.
“I started coming out to Queens and I realized it would be an emerging market and a niche market if I could get my hands on it,” Miller said. “I came to Long Island City specifically because I saw the opportunity of an emerging market and I saw the opportunity to be in front of the market as a broker.”
After obtaining several years of experience in the real estate market, Miller decided to start his own company. MiLL RE is located in the Studio Square building at 35-33 36th St. Though he wants to expand, Miller said he is focused on investing in his current agents to “actively become better” before he starts expanding.
His interest in real estate stems from his desire to meet people and help them make one of the most important purchases of their lives, he said.
“One of the main reasons I love real estate is because I help people with the process of purchasing one of the best purchases in life and I get a thrill out of helping people,” Miller said. “I’ve had clients that were just clients from the beginning and I get to watch them get into relationships – I’ve been to weddings, baby showers and birthday parties.”
Now, Miller lives in the Court Square area with his wife and three sons. He has seen Long Island City change from a mostly industrial neighborhood to a family-friendly one.
“What I do love about Long Island City the most is the proximity to the city and Court Square specifically all of the train lines around it,” he said. “Now it’s starting to become a neighborhood and it’s a great place for families it’s a great place for commercial, it’s a great place for companies.”
Mill RE is in the process of updating its website, which will be ready next week. Miller will also launch a new app next month to make his company’s listings more easily accessible. He also hopes to further invest in his employees.
“[My goal is to] just to continue to grow top agents,” Miller said. “Growing them to become great people in life, whether it’s family, career, personally, professionally and the expansion of our company.”
