PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
Fatima S. Khokhar
www.naplesmeridian.com
One of the first things people ask about is her name and how to pronounce it. In Portugal, Our Lady of Fátima inspired Blessed Virgin Mary pilgrimages. Fátima is also the name of a venerated daughter of Muhammad, the founder of Islam. Given that Fátima S. Khokhar’s mother is Spanish and her father is Pakistani, “this was a name both sides could agree on,” she says. “Wherever I am, I like to think my name is a good icebreaker.”
Like her name, Khokhar, the managing principal of Naples Meridian Group at Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, was destined to embrace a global perspective. She speaks fluent Italian and Spanish, and is proficient in Bahasa, Indonesia’s national language. She grew up in the international nexus of Washington, D.C., and spent a year studying in Milan, Italy, as part of her dual-major program in international business and marketing at Penn State College of Business. Before graduating, she landed a full-time position with Lucent Technologies and, after intensive training at its U.S. headquarters, boarded a plane for London.
At the time she was working with Lucent, it was a global leader in fiber optics, a complex technical subject that Khokhar mastered. In London, she was a “professional spy,” tracking what the competitors were up to and formulating strategies to counteract those issues along with breaking into new markets. But it wasn’t for her. She shifted into real estate in the United Kingdom as marketing director of a large-scale residential developer. From the nitty-gritty of fiber optics, Khokhar made a deep dive into construction and development from the ground up.
A visit to Naples, her intuition, and extensive market research convinced her to relocate in 2009. “I noticed Naples had everything,” she says. “It has a great quality of life. It’s easy to live in Naples.” In 2013, Khokhar partnered with the developer of Olde Naples Residences to reimagine the outdated spaces, work with architects and designers to create two show models, and market the project. The 15 exclusive condos and penthouses quickly sold out.
When she’s not focusing on buyer demand at Naples Meridian Group, Khokhar visits out-of-town family and friends, including her brother in Spain. She also enjoys traveling to Europe, Japan, and Southeast Asia by herself or with small groups, such as a yoga retreat in Greece. “Yoga is a big part of my life,” says the former classical ballet dancer. “I like to immerse myself somewhere else and see how the rest of the world lives.”
PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE
Five Star Professional conducts market-specific research throughout the U.S. to identify service professionals who demonstrate professional excellence and provide quality services to their clients. The Five Star Real Estate Agent program is the largest and most widely published award program for real estate agents in North America, covering more than 40 major markets. Five Star award winners do not pay a fee to be included in the research or on the final list of award winners.
The Five Star Professional research team contacted thousands of recent homebuyers, consumers and industry leaders to identify Southwest Florida-area real estate agents who stand out in their industry and community.
To learn more about the research methodology, click here.