"This business has been very good to me," Jorge Cardenas said of his 21 years in the South Florida real estate industry. "And it's because I've always given quality service to my clients."

Jorge Cardenas (seated) is pictured with Rick Diaz.

Cardenas, the broker-owner of Century 21 Preferred Realty at 11020 N. Kendall Drive, was born in Cuba, but came to the United States in 1970 when he was just 8 years old. His family first settled in New Jersey, then moved to Miami three years later. He grew up in south Miami-Dade county, graduating from South Dade High School in 1977. He attended Miami-Dade Community College and went on to Florida International University.

"I began working in real estate shortly after I graduated from high school," Cardenas recalled. "I guess I became too involved in this business. I started making good money and decided not to continue college."

Cardenas began his real estate career as an agent with the venerable Keyes Company, but departed a year later when a group of managers from the company left to form Bradley Associates in the Cutler Ridge area.

"I was assistant to the president and ran the Latin American division for them," Cardenas recalled. "I stayed with them for four years."

But the itch to sail his own ship soon became too strong and Cardenas departed in 1985 to form Star Preferred Realty, which he describes as "a small independent company." He stayed with Star until 1990, then joined Coldwell-Banker, where he solidified his reputation as a top producer over a seven-year stretch.

In 1990, itching to run his own business again, Cardenas was presented with the opportunity to buy a Century 21 franchise.

"Ever since I was a little kid, I remember Century 21 as being the No. 1 real estate company in the country," Cardenas said. "So, when I had the opportunity to buy a franchise, I took it and established Century 21 Preferred Realty."

Cardenas said Century 21 had all the tools necessary to service any client, no matter how large or small.

"It is the biggest brand name and the most well-known name, nationally and internationally," he said. "It has offices in different countries around the world -- Japan, Germany, Canada, everywhere. And we probably have the biggest re-location department in the industry, which just adds to our ability to service the competitive, ever-changing business of real estate."

Looking to solidify his new company with a strong team of real estate professionals, Cardenas brought in Ricardo Diaz, who had his own realty firm and 11 years experience, to organize and run the new office. Next, he enticed Dmitri Kioseff, another veteran of his own real estate business, to conduct seminars and train the fledgling staff.

"I want this business to be just as good to the agents that decided to be on this team as it has been to me," Cardenas said. "After all, a company is the people in it. They're what really make the company. That's why I want high-caliber, well-trained, quality agents working in this company."

Now, after two-and-a-half years of business, Cardenas believes he has established a smooth-operating Century 21 team, one that delivers quality service to its clients.

"Quality service, of course, is what you hear everywhere," he said. "But, that really is our main focus. That's what I made my reputation on, giving that quality service to the customer. It's what kept me in business and made me successful.

"I have taken a concept that has proved successful for me -- that old quality service -- and expanded it here at Century 21 Preferred Realty," he said. "I know that if you give a lot of quality service, you will receive a lot of compensation."