About Empress Realty

Carolyn Dutriz, GRI, e-PRO®

Broker of Record and State Certified General Appraiser - 

The rare professional who can list, sell, lease, exchange, manage, renovate, and independently value commercial and residential real estate across Lafayette Parish, Louisiana and throughout South Florida.

Carolyn Dutriz, GRI, e-PRO, Broker of Record and State Certified General Appraiser at Empress Realty
Her story

Real estate with a valuation mind


Carolyn Dutriz is the Broker of Record and founder of Empress Realty, a boutique brokerage serving Lafayette Parish, Louisiana and Palm Beach County, Florida. She is a State Certified General Real Estate Appraiser and a GRI-designated broker - a rare pairing that lets her list, sell, and independently value both commercial and residential property.

Her appraisal and marketing background runs deep. For nearly two decades she served as a Senior Appraiser and Consultant with Callaway & Price, Inc., one of South Florida's most respected valuation firms, across the full spectrum of commercial and residential property. She has also worked as a real estate broker, a licensed mortgage broker, a renovations specialist, and a marketing director for the largest privately owned RE Company in Palm Beach County - a 360-degree view of a transaction that few agents can match.

Carolyn holds a BA with Honors from Barry University, an AA Degree with High Honors from MDCC, and has completed a majority of courses for the prestigious MAI designation, and Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS). She is a Florida Notary, previously licensed Mortgage Broker, a Marketing/Consultant expert, and has completed the court requirements for translator (fluent in English and Spanish). Through her partner's construction company, Hartwell Home Improvement, LLC, she also helps clients renovate and prepare properties for market.

  • Licensed Real Estate Broker - Louisiana & Florida · FL BK 3020258, LA BROK.995720005-ACT
  • State Certified General Real Estate Appraiser - LA #05267, FL #RZ3143
  • GRI & e-PRO® - REALTOR® Institute graduate and e-PRO certified.
  • MAI Coursework - Advanced Appraisal Education through the Appraisal Institute (South Florida Chapter) and former Licensed Mortgage Broker MB0806071 in Florida. 
  • Florida Public Notary - Active.
  • Bilingual - fluent in both English & Spanish (able to complete all translations and interpretations at a professional level).
Credentials that protect you

Why the State Certified General Appraiser designation matters

A State Certified General Appraiser is qualified to value the widest range of property - not just homes, but commercial, land, and investment assets. On your side of a transaction, that is real leverage.

Certified valuations

Independent, defensible value opinions for estates, disputes, financing, and planning.

Sharper pricing

List for what the market will truly bear, or buy knowing you are not overpaying.

Commercial range

The general certification covers the full spectrum of property, from a home to an income asset.

VA, FHA & HUD Financing

VA, FHA & HUD loans - so the deal doesn't fall through

Buying a home with a VA, FHA, or HUD loan comes with strict appraisal and property-condition rules that sink deals in the wrong hands. As a State Certified General Appraiser and broker, Carolyn knows exactly what these loans require - and protects the transaction from appraisal gaps, repair conditions, and inspection surprises so financed purchases actually close.

  • Appraisal-ready pricing to meet VA/FHA/HUD value requirements up front.
  • Repair & condition guidance before it stalls the loan.
  • Deals that close - financed buyers and sellers kept moving.
Ask about a financed purchase

Let's talk about your goals

A no-pressure conversation about buying, selling, exchanging, or planning your next move in Florida or Louisiana.