Darin Tansey, a well-known real estate agent in Miami Beach affiliated with Douglas Elliman, died on Tuesday morning at the age of 50. He was found in his condominium at the Ritz-Carlton Residences, Miami Beach. The cause of death has not been released.
Tansey moved to Miami nearly 20 years ago after growing up in Iowa. Over his career, he built a business focused on areas including Miami Beach, Edgewater, and Bay Harbor Islands. He closed more than $3 billion in deals and played key roles in sales at developments such as the Ritz-Carlton Residences and the planned Edition Residences in Edgewater. Recently, he led sales for La Maré by Regency Development Group and Villa17 in Miami Beach.
Jay Parker, CEO of Elliman Florida, and Michael Liebowitz, CEO of Elliman, announced Tansey’s death to colleagues through an internal memo. “His warmth, sense of humor, professionalism and genuine care for both clients and colleagues made him a true standout at Douglas Elliman and across our industry,” the email reads.
Liebowitz shared that he had known Tansey for 15 years after meeting during a real estate transaction involving Liebowitz’s first house in Miami. “Darin brought something special to Douglas Elliman that can’t be replaced,” Liebowitz wrote on social media.
Parker described feeling devastated by Tansey’s passing and referred to him as a brother. “He was a man of integrity, honor, professionalism, respect, commitment, discipline and tenacity,” Parker said.
Other agents expressed their condolences following news of Tansey’s sudden death. Chris Wands from Elliman called him “the most selfless person” in the business and said: “He was one of my best friends. He gave me my first job in real estate. Business-wise, friend-wise, there wasn’t a better person.”
Julian Johnston from Corcoran Group recalled working with Tansey about 15 years ago at Calibre International Realty and highlighted his work selling the Ritz-Carlton project completed by Lionheart Capital in 2020: “one of the most honorable guys” he worked with.
Nelson Gonzalez from BHHS EWM Realty said Tansey’s death was a “gut punch” to the heart: “He’s one of the good guys,” Gonzalez said. “Nobody ever had anything bad to say about him.”
Ashley Holland, who served as Tansey’s publicist, described him as a “respected force” within real estate circles: “Beyond his remarkable professional accomplishments, Darin will be remembered for his infectious energy, his unwavering loyalty, and the way he made every person feel seen and valued,” she said.
Tansey was born on February 16th, 1975. He is survived by extended family members and his dog Vino; both parents preceded him in death. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
