What GL Homes’ 50 Years of Homebuilding Taught Misha Ezratti about Leadership.
In Florida, homebuilding is often measured in numbers: communities delivered, homes sold, and new projects underway. At GL Homes, however, the focus extends beyond construction to what happens after residents move in.
That perspective is central to Misha Ezratti, who grew up in the business and now serves as president of GL Homes. His experience across different parts of the company has given him a clear view of how decisions in planning and construction ultimately shape daily life inside a community.
2026 marks 50 years of homebuilding in Florida for GL Homes. Founded by Itzhak Ezratti, the company grew into one of the state’s leading homebuilders by emphasizing long-term planning, consistency, and community design.
That foundation continues to guide the company today. For Misha Ezratti, leadership remains closely tied to those principles, with a focus on making decisions designed to hold up as Florida’s housing market continues to evolve.
Lesson 1: Build with the next generation in mind.
One of the defining parts of Misha Ezratti’s leadership approach is long-term thinking in how communities are planned, built, and experienced. At GL Homes, that starts before construction, with what the company calls its smart planning process, which evaluates land conditions, environmental impact, and future livability.
In practice, that includes preserving green space, integrating mature trees into community layouts, and designing stormwater systems that support both function and environmental balance when possible. Across developments, lakes and drainage areas are often enhanced with littoral zones and native landscaping to support water quality and long-term ecological health.
That same forward-looking approach extends into how communities are physically connected. In Riverland in Port St. Lucie, for example, the Paseo Greenway, a more than 5-mile eco-friendly pathway, connects neighborhoods, parks, and amenities through a traffic-free network of landscaped trails designed for walking, biking, and golf cart use.
Beyond environmental planning, GL Homes has also participated in land donation and infrastructure support tied to its developments, including contributions that support civic facilities, transportation improvements, and public services that remain part of the broader community framework.
Together, these elements reflect a development philosophy focused not only on what is being built today, but on how those communities will continue to function and evolve for future generations.
Lesson 2: Reputation is built project by project, not announcement by announcement.
For Misha Ezratti, real estate leadership is not defined by individual launches or marketing moments. It is built over time through consistency in how each community is planned, delivered, and experienced by residents long after move-in.
That approach is reflected in a focus on execution rather than promotion, as communities are designed with long-term livability in mind, from layout and amenities to infrastructure and daily functionality. The emphasis is on delivering the same standard of quality across projects, regardless of size or location, so each new community reinforces the company’s reputation rather than redefining it.
That consistency is also visible in how GL Homes approaches large-scale master-planned communities like Riverland, where amenities, landscaping, and residential design are integrated from the start rather than added in later phases. The goal is to ensure that each project reflects the same underlying standards that have shaped the company over decades.
Under Misha Ezratti’s leadership, this project-by-project approach has remained central to how GL Homes builds trust in the market. Rather than relying on announcements, the brand is shaped through delivery, where each completed community becomes part of a longer track record of performance across Florida.
Lesson 3: Philanthropy is more than charity — it’s building community.
At GL Homes, philanthropy is treated as part of how communities function and is considered an important initiative. Under Misha Ezratti’s leadership, giving back is tied to the same long-term thinking that guides development, with a focus on addressing needs that directly affect stability and quality of life in the communities where the company builds.
That approach is reflected in partnerships that support homelessness, hunger relief, and education across Florida. For example, GL Homes has worked with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Palm Beach County, providing donations of furniture, appliances, and building materials that are redirected to support families transitioning into stable housing through local ReStore programs.
In hunger relief, the company partners with organizations such as Feeding South Florida, Harry Chapin Food Bank, and St. Matthew’s House, helping support food distribution efforts in communities where demand continues to grow.
Education-focused efforts include programs like “Read with Me” with the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County, which provides literacy support and books to elementary school students, along with broader support for Boys & Girls Clubs across multiple Florida counties.
Taken together, these initiatives reflect a view that community investment helps strengthen the environments where residential development takes place, reinforcing long-term stability for both residents and the broader region.
Lesson 4: Take a holistic approach.
For Misha Ezratti, leadership in real estate sometimes extends beyond residential development and also includes involvement in what is built around those communities. This extends to retail and commercial spaces that directly shape the resident experience.
That philosophy has led GL Homes to expand into commercial development alongside its residential projects, rather than outsourcing it. At developments such as Riverland in Port St. Lucie, the company has delivered a Publix-anchored retail center designed to serve nearby residents and integrate daily necessities directly into the community.
Ezratti has described this strategy as part of maintaining quality and consistency across every touchpoint of a development. By participating directly in retail planning, GL Homes aims to ensure that surrounding commercial spaces reflect the same standards as its residential communities, from design and upkeep to long-term performance.
The result is a more cohesive environment, where housing, retail, and services function together as part of a single, planned community experience.
Lesson 5: Lead from experience.
Misha Ezratti’s path to leading GL Homes was not a shortcut or a title handed down overnight. It was built through years of working inside the company, starting in the field as a construction superintendent and learning how each stage of the building process comes together in real time.
That early experience shaped how he understands the business today. Rather than stepping directly into leadership, he moved through different areas of the organization, gaining exposure to operations, land development, and broader company functions before eventually becoming president in 2016.
In reflecting on leadership, Ezratti has emphasized the importance of understanding the people and expertise behind the company. He has spoken about the transition between generations inside GL Homes, noting the need to carry forward the values, history, and lessons built over decades while preparing new leaders to take on greater responsibility.
His father, Itzhak Ezratti, who founded the company, has remained closely involved as chairman, creating a gradual transition that blends experience with continuity. That structure allows knowledge to be passed down in a way that is intentional rather than abrupt.
For Misha Ezratti, leadership is tied to that progression. The emphasis is not only on stepping into a role, but on earning it by understanding the business from the ground up and ensuring the next generation is equally prepared to carry it forward.
Purpose as a competitive advantage.
Across Florida’s housing market, where demand shifts with rates, migration, and affordability pressures, GL Homes has stayed focused on long-term planning rather than short-term reaction.
The leadership lessons point to a consistent framework: communities designed for long-term livability, reputation built through steady execution, philanthropy tied to community stability, integrated retail and residential planning, and leadership transition developed over time.
That consistency shows up in performance. Misha Ezratti has noted that home sales in March and April have surpassed what they were this time last year, with some East Coast Florida communities setting records.
The company’s 55+ segment has also remained a key driver of demand, supported by buyers making planned lifestyle-driven purchases despite broader market volatility.
In that context, purpose is not separate from performance. It is what supports it.
