Manny Angelo Varas takes a deeply personalized approach to ensuring his builds provide functional and aesthetically exceptional homes, earning him the reputation as the “Billionaire’s Builder,” as he sets new standards in the real estate industry.
Manny Angelo Varas of MV Group USA (mvgroupusa.com) is responsible for building some of the most unique projects in Florida. Known as the “Billionaire’s Builder,” Varas’ portfolio includes billionaires, entertainers, athletes, and the world’s fashion and business elite. He often breaks records with his builds.
Manny Angelo Varas’ personal home features a striking kitchen designed for entertaining. Photo By Kris Tamburello
Frequently collaborating with top artisans and architects worldwide, Varas is pushing design boundaries in Miami’s real estate market. Rather than conforming to market and real estate trends, he is setting new standards in ultraluxury homebuilding rooted in his ability to turn bold visions into reality.
“What makes us unique is being able to elevate the bar in every neighborhood. ... We don’t want to build the spec house. We want to be able to create unique products and unique challenges to elevate Miami as a global marketplace,” he shares. “Miami is elevating, and the architectural and design element is elevating as well, and we’ve been able to see that through these unique homes that we’ve built, which have broken every record. That is just incredible.”
Varas, known as the “Billionaire’s Builder,” is redefining Miami’s luxury real estate landscape, turning bold visions into record-breaking masterpieces. Photo By Kris Tamburello
From homes in Star Island, Indian Creek, Coral Gables and Cocoplum to the largest bayfront house in Miami-Dade County, Varas and his talented team work to innovate homes with specialized features, including private helipads, rooftop decks and sustainable seawalls, working with city officials to ensure every home is perfectly tailored to his clients and their needs.
“I look at spaces that change the way people live—that anything that they’ve imagined can be created and not just conformed,” he notes.
Recognizing the importance of blending high-end design with real-world functionality, Varas has developed an exceptional team acting as builder and curator, assembling specialized design teams for each project.
The living area is both exceptionally designed and ideal for gathering with art by Mr. Brainwash “Marilyn Monroe” (2024) Photo By Kris Tamburello
“We work and collaborate with designers and architects from around the world, and what I try to do is take the design vision and make that functional,” he shares. “I think that’s why we are generally hired as the builders of these ultraluxury homes throughout South Florida—to manage the design team’s vision and, simultaneously, make it functional to what that client needs.”
Varas and his team—most of whom have a design background—customize each project rather than apply a one-size-fits-all approach. They have a yearslong waitlist, taking on only specific clients with the most unique projects in the state.
“We’ve been able to show that Miami is the American Riviera and able to say your investment here has terminal value,” he notes about the growing real estate market in the city. “There is no limit to the investment you can place here because we are a global city.”
With nearly two decades of experience, Varas started as a general contractor, focusing on interior renovations and, later, condo renovations. Recognizing a need to revolutionize the construction process, he developed his company by prioritizing preplanning and coordination to avoid common industry pitfalls by streamlining project execution.
The Varas home serves as an example of the boundary-pushing homes Varas builds. Photo By Kris Tamburello
“I came to notice how much time was spent on fixing preventable mistakes, no matter the size or scale of the project. So, I took a step back and thought, ‘Let’s slow down, carefully plan the project, and take our time.’ By doing this, we could execute more efficiently,” he recalls. “We discovered that we could streamline the construction process, and I believe we’re one of the only companies that reverse-engineer a project.”
Emphasizing the importance of detail at every project stage, Varas and his project managers oversee nearly 1,000 workers on construction sites. Ensuring team members are forward-thinking and understand how to approach the designs, Varas and his team work to instill passion and understanding at every stage of the process.
“One of our biggest challenges is ensuring that the thousands of people on-site fully grasp the vision and importance of every detail in each unique space,” he shares. “I often compare it to being a chef—each plate must be perfect, just as every room in every home must be executed with precision from the rough stage through the planning stage. That level of meticulous attention is what truly defines our brand.”
Varas incorporated a monumental staircase that serves as a focal point within his home. Photo By Kris Tamburello
As an alumnus of Harvard University’s Graduate School of Architecture and Design, where he earned AMDP certification, and with an MBA in management and finance from Florida International University, Varas always stays ahead of the curve. He earned his LEED accreditation in 2008, recognizing a future need for sustainability.
Viewing his builds as functional works of art, Varas ensures that each home is curated based on its owners’ experiences and lifestyles. His own home, in the Cocoplum enclave, for example, which served as the location for this gorgeous shoot, is a visual representation of his love of entertaining, with a 60-foot great room, kitchen, formal living room and dining area.
Inspired by a recent trip to Kyoto, Japan, Varas integrated vertical gardens and a koi fish pond into the house’s frontier. “I wanted a soothing look as you’re coming in, and I thought the vertical gardens made a big impact,” he notes. “Then, once you enter, everyone feels comfortable within the space by having subtle but special features.”
Rendering by Studio Khora
Additional property highlights include a wine room housing thousands of bottles of wine, which also serves as an experience for guests. “The wine cellar was designed to be both comfortable and functional. I wanted it to be more than just a place to store bottles—I wanted a cozy, inviting space where friends could gather. So, I added a comfortable seating area surrounded by insulated, climate-controlled storage and two Sub-Zero refrigerators, ensuring everything from reds to whites and Champagne are kept at the perfect temperatures.”
Creating focal points in his builds, Varas prioritizes passion and craftsmanship, which is evident through his home’s staircase, which is both functional and a work of art.
“The staircase is visible from the exterior as a focal point,” he shares. “I reference it as a monumental staircase creating a curvature that you’re able to see again as you drive into the house, and creating an area and a nook next to that for art to be the feature right when you approach the home. There is lighting for the staircase, the treads of the staircase and for the art piece.”
With the mindset that there is no limit, Varas recognizes that building isn’t just about construction but creating a vision, using innovation to challenge the status quo, and reshaping Miami’s luxury real estate market one project at a time.
Photography by: Photos By: Kris Tamburello
