Well-known name in luxury to enter Med City real estate

Jeff Kiger, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
·2 min read

Apr. 18—Med City entrepreneur Michelle Kalina is re-inventing herself again to bring a well-known name in luxury to Rochester real estate.

Kalina is known in Rochester for her previous experience operating a beauty boutique called About Face, marketing diamonds and as the chief yogini and wellness coach at Michelle K. Yoga Experiences.

Now, she is entering the real estate world as the Rochester representative of the luxury brand Sotheby's International Realty. The real estate arm of the well-known high-end auction house has 1,000 offices in 75 countries.

"I'm going to be focusing on the luxury market. Rochester has not anything like this here," she said. "What sets it (Sotheby's International) apart from other real estate firms, they specifically focus on the luxury market."

That means specializing in homes worth a million dollars or more. The number of high-end homes is increasing each year in Rochester, with several selling for more than $750,00 in recent weeks.

Kalina is working with Lakes Sotheby's International Realty, which is based in the Twin Cities and is owned by Jeff and Olivia Hornig. Beside the Twin Cities, the Hornigs also have a presence in popular ski communities, such as Jackson Hole, Wyo.

"They are launching this market with me. It's an untapped market for them, and they picked me to launch," Kalina said. "With more and more people moving here, it just makes sense."

She hopes to be ready to officially start seeing clients by mid-May. Sotheby's real estate signs should start popping up in Med City yards soon after.

Kalina sees Sotheby's presence in places like Scottsdale, Ariz., and Jacksonville, Fla., as a prime feature for Mayo Clinic staff selling a high-end home in Rochester to transfer to one of those communities.

While real estate is a new arena for her, the world of luxury is not. Kalina has worked with Neiman Marcus and the diamond industry as well as focusing on high-end products in her boutique.

"This goes with my background. I've always marketed luxury goods," she said.

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