MIAMI GARDENS, FL – Decades ago, when Willie Felton Sr. migrated south from Georgia “to get out of the cotton fields,” he bought a two-bedroom, one-bathroom home in Miami for his family of six. The kids waited in line for the bathroom and slept in bunk beds. As his son, Danny Felton Sr., puts it, “We made good with what we had.”
Willie Felton, with his sixth-grade education, understood the value of owning a home. He couldn’t have imagined the little house’s impact on his son. Inspired by the values instilled by his parents, Danny Felton embarked on a remarkable journey to becoming one of the area’s most renowned real estate luminaries, a journey that was significantly shaped by his father’s wisdom and example.
Today, Felton, 54, is President/CEO of The Experts, LLC. His consortium of companies handles every aspect of real estate – developing, financing, and owning homes and commercial offices. In fact, Felton was the first African American to own a commercial building in the City of Miami Gardens; he manages a multi-million-dollar asset management portfolio of public and private sector interests and is deeply committed to helping as many people as possible obtain and sustain the American Dream of homeownership.
Where did it start? Back at that little house.
Looking back, Felton fondly recalls his childhood when his family was crammed into a small house in Liberty City. “That house allowed us to grow stronger as a family,” Felton says. “It allowed us to live in a community, to have friends, and to take pride in our neighborhood. There was a sense of belonging. My family is very close-knit because we lived together in that small house.”
When he was six, Felton learned more about values, hard work, and what he could produce. His father worked at Trailways Bus company but put his construction skills to use. Together with friends, they build houses for their families.
“I watched my Dad build our house from the ground up,” Felton recalls. “He could do that not because he got bank loans but because he knew how to barter. One guy was a carpenter; another was a brick mason. Mr. Larry was the plaster. Mr. Lloyd was the electrician. They built five houses for themselves, all on bartered services.”
With their father using unconventional methods to get ahead, the Felton family moved from the small house to a bigger, four-bedroom, three-bath home. His mother, Freddie Lee Felton,
was a pastor with a big heart – she didn’t make much money, but she provided powerful blessings to her family.
“All she did was serve,” Felton says. “I saw what it meant to be a servant leader. I saw what it meant to impact and change people’s lives. I knew nothing about real estate, although I saw my Dad’s accomplishments. I knew he didn’t have any formal real estate training or teachings. But my parents instilled in us the importance of having a good name and credit at a young age. However, Entrepreneurship wasn’t the conversation at our dinner table at night.”
After high school, Felton enlisted in the Army Reserves as a carpenter and masonry specialist. He also worked at the Miami Herald newspaper office, where he did repairs and handyman jobs, keeping the building in top shape. He was friends with the guys in the pressroom, most of whom owned property. “They made good money and were buying homes,” he says. “I would do repairs in their homes for them. I would close the walls up and plaster them. I would hang the doors and put the baseboards in. And that was my little side job. But I had an opportunity to witness another set of guys who owned properties. They were landlords, owning duplexes and triplexes. This was back in 1991 and 1992.”
Felton was intrigued. Every month, these “landlords” collected rent. “That was my first real exposure to being a landlord. I realized more of the benefits of owning property. So, I was ready to take the next step. My goal was to save up enough money to buy a house.”
He recalls buying his first investment property for $25,000 in Palm Bay. “One of the guys I worked with was retiring. His mother had passed, and he was selling her house. I bought it, even though I didn’t have the cash. I had two credit cards with $5,000 limits, and my brother lent me $15,000. I would drive up to the house every weekend to work on it. Then, a guy bought it from me before I finished the repairs. I tripled my money on it.”
Now, Felton was rolling. He went from houses to commercial buildings. He trained to become a mortgage broker. He became a real estate developer, buying land and building homes and commercial buildings. In 2003, he purchased the roughly 13,000-square-foot commercial building in Miami Gardens. Despite having excellent credit, several banks denied his applications for Small Business Administration loans. However, perseverance paid off when he was introduced to someone with authority within the bank who understood his situation and recognized his potential, ultimately financing the building purchase. The road to success was not without its hurdles, but Felton persevered.
Despite his excellent credit, several banks turned him down for Small Business Administration loans until the building purchase was financed by a bank run by a friend of a friend. The road to success was not without its hurdles, but Felton persevered.
The experience frustrated Felton, underscoring that Black families and individuals face challenges and barriers when buying homes or property. These challenges can range from discriminatory lending practices to a lack of access to affordable housing. His response: Felton opened a mortgage company, The Mortgage Experts of South Florida Inc. “In South Florida, we offer a vast portfolio of mortgage programs,” he says. “Regardless of your income or credit score, we can usually find a mortgage that works for our customers.”
Moreover, Felton has provided counseling services to potential homeowners for decades. He is concerned that the benefits of homeownership are not registering with today’s mortgage-ready families and individuals. He believes that must change for Blacks to close the racial wealth gap.
“Every second Saturday of the month, I teach people about homeownership,” he says. “I’m not paid to do it. I was made for it. It’s my Ministry. I see it as my role. Hosting classes and educating individuals about the steps to home ownership helps everyone.”
But Felton warns that people are losing the confidence that they can afford a home after the 2008 housing crisis. Many families lost their homes. “Black people see the barriers in front of them,” he says. “They have bought into that narrative. With NAREB, we constantly reassure people through education workshops that owning a home has great benefits.”
Felton also participates in an initiative with children and youths. He discusses careers in real estate and gives career guidance. Further, Felton operates Oasis at Miami Gardens, a vibrant hub for entrepreneurs and solopreneurs, offering a wide range of monthly seminars and workshops. It’s an innovative co-working space that serves as an ecosystem for start-up companies, emerging entrepreneurs, and seasoned business executives.”
As the 1st Vice President of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB), Felton is on the leadership team for the organization. He has spearheaded NAREB’s Multigenerational Wealth Initiative, which is Empowering HBCU Students and Communities. The initiative included sessions on building, keeping, and passing on wealth and partnering students with local chapters, allowing them to participate in community outreach programs, shadow industry professionals, and engage in real-world real estate transactions. Students and NAREB members learned about wealth-building opportunities at the monthly Wealthy Wednesday Zoom session. The sessions featured industry experts, financial professionals, and successful real estate practitioners. They shared insights on homeownership strategies, real estate investment, credit management, and entrepreneurship.
“Danny’s work with Multigenerational Wealth Initiative has been phenomenal,” said Dr. Courtney Johnson Rose, NAREB’s President. “Working with someone as dedicated and committed as Danny has been an honor. His work with NAREB and his community enhances the quality of life for Black families and individuals.”
That is Danny Felton’s goal: to lift as he climbs. Throughout his life, he has shared the values that inspire him.
