A landmark conference focused on unlocking the untapped economic potential of Jamaican real estate is set to bring hundreds of industry leaders, investors and community stakeholders together in South Florida next year. Scheduled for June 5, 2026, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Sunrise – Sawgrass Mills, the From Deed to Key Investment and Housing Conference has been designed to tackle longstanding barriers to formal land ownership, generational wealth building and targeted investment across Jamaica’s property sector.
Organizers framed the event as a targeted solution to three of the sector’s most persistent challenges: untitled family land passed down through generations, undeveloped idle properties held by landowners without access to development capital, and outside investors seeking vetted, high-growth opportunities in Jamaica’s expanding real estate market. The initiative targets both Jamaican citizens living locally and the large Jamaican diaspora based across North America, many of whom hold inherited land interests but lack clear guidance to formalize and leverage those assets.
The conference draws direct endorsement from Jamaica’s senior diplomatic leadership in the United States. Oliver Mair, Jamaica’s Consul General to Miami, has backed the gathering as a critical venue to deepen engagement between the Caribbean nation and its overseas community, creating new pathways for cross-border investment that drive inclusive economic growth across Jamaica. A full roster of top sector specialists from Jamaica will travel to South Florida specifically to share on-the-ground expertise and actionable insights with attendees.
A diverse lineup of expert speakers will cover legal, technical, financial and strategic topics tailored to the needs of first-time asset holders and experienced investors alike. Leading real estate and estate attorney Makeda Bramwell, owner of Cedars Estate, will open the technical programming with a session focused on title securing and common fraud risks, delivering critical legal guidance for families seeking to formalize and protect inherited property assets. Commissioned land surveyor Al Taylor will follow with a step-by-step breakdown of the formalization process, outlining practical actions for communities and families with untitled land to gain full legal ownership of their properties.
Cordell Williams, a leading entrepreneurship and wealth strategist and CEO of Transformational, will expand the conversation beyond property ownership, sharing actionable strategies for attendees to build diversified long-term wealth and intergenerational legacy outside of land and housing alone. Jhanine Jackson of VM Group Property Services Limited will lead the core real estate investment track, breaking down the evolving dynamics of Jamaica’s property market and highlighting emerging opportunities for both new homebuyers and institutional investors.
Developer and seasoned real estate investor Kevin Frith will shine a spotlight on one of Jamaica’s most promising emerging growth regions, detailing the ongoing transformation of St Thomas as the nation’s next major frontier for large-scale development and high-yield investment. Technology and infrastructure will also feature prominently on the agenda: Richard May, CEO of ECHOS Consulting and Powersource Jamaica, will explore how modern digital and sustainable technology must be embedded into the design and construction of new Jamaican communities to meet 21st century needs.
To address growing concerns about climate risk, Dr. Leighton A Ellis, president-elect of the Jamaica Institution of Engineers (JIE), will deliver a keynote session on future-proof construction and climate-resilient infrastructure, equipping developers and landowners with knowledge to build assets that stand the test of a changing climate. Closing the full day of programming, David Cummings, vice president and head of real estate and project finance at Sygnus Capital, will unpack collaborative financing solutions for landowners stuck with undeveloped property due to capital constraints. His talk, titled “From Capital to Concrete,” will focus on structuring public-private partnerships to turn dormant, unused land assets into active wealth-generating ventures that create lasting family legacies.
Organizers recently announced an adjustment to the speaker lineup: entrepreneurs David Mullings and Gabrielle Gilpin-Hudson have withdrawn from the 2026 conference due to unresolvable prior professional commitments, a change organizers called regrettable but necessary.
Beyond expert-led sessions, the conference will host a dedicated exhibition hall featuring industry stakeholders from across Jamaica’s property ecosystem. As of the latest update, 15 exhibitors including major developers, licensed realtors and leading industry service providers have already confirmed their participation, with conference leadership projecting that number could double over the coming week as interest continues to surge. The exhibition will give attendees direct access to vetted investment opportunities, pre-vetted development projects and available property listings across every segment of Jamaica’s growing real estate market.
Maxine Miller, the conceptualizer behind the From Deed to Key initiative, noted that momentum around the event has grown far faster than initial projections. “There is tremendous unmet demand for trusted connections between the Jamaican diaspora and the professionals, partnerships and opportunities that turn land ownership into sustainable, long-term wealth creation,” Miller explained. “Our goal is to turn that interest into actionable progress that benefits both landholding families and the broader Jamaican economy.”
Ultimately, the conference is positioned as more than an industry gathering: organizers frame it as a catalyst for systemic change, working to expand education, foster new investment partnerships, and empower stakeholders to navigate the complexities of Jamaican land ownership, housing development and real estate investment with confidence.