Miami Real Estate Blog

If you are a sports fan - South Florida is the place for you.  All the pro-sports can be seen here year round in their own stadiums, there's something for everyone here - and lets not forget The Superbowl, which will be hosted in Miami on February 4, 2007 in our own Proplayer stadium.

NFL FOOTBALL:

The Miami Dolphins

Stadium:  Dolphin Stadium

**will host Superbowl XLI on 2/4/07**

NHL HOCKEY:

Florida Panthers

Stadium:  Bank Atlantic Center

(formerly known as the Office Depot Center)

MLB BASEBALL:

Florida Marlins

Stadium:  currently borrowing Proplayer Stadium until they have a home of their own.

For TENNIS LOVERS, the Sony Ericson Open will be held March 21-April 1 2007 in Key Biscayne. (former NASDAQ-100 OPEN)

GOLF:  The Doral Golf Resort and Spa will host the PGA tour.

And although not pro - I cannot leave my Alma matter out - The University of Miami Hurricanes

Come visit South Florida not only for its natural beauty and fabulous Real Estate, but because there is something here for all sport fans as well.

The town of Bay Harbor Islands is located in Miami-Dade County, Florida, near South Beach, the Bal Harbour Shops, Downtown Miami and other areas in Miami-Dade County.  It's comprised of a group of islands within walking distance to the beach. 

Its Real Estate varies from fine waterfront homes to  condominiums, and apartments.  The town is also home to an "A" rated elementary school, retail shops, restaurants, professional offices and many other businesses. Its location makes Bay Harbor Islands and exclusive place to live. 

The Town of Bay Harbor Islands has one of the lowest crime rates in Miami-Dade County and the State of Florida, thanks to its incredible police department.  Although you can find your fair amount of unusual celebrity news like "Hulk Hogan's car catches fire on Bay Harbor Islands", it's for the most part, a quiet place to live.

The Broad Causeway toll roadway conveniently links the beach to the mainland and cost $1.00 for a 2-axle vehicle.  The portion of the Causeway which crosses the Intracoastal Waterway includes a drawbridge to allow the passage of marine vessels.  Part of toll revenues are used to maintain the causeway and drawbridge.

Residents of Bay Harbor Islands can enjoy two parks and if they have small children, a great Tot Lot playground is available. There is also an after-school recreation program which is held at the local elementary school and is partially funded by the Town. Three tennis courts are available at no cost for its residents.  Evening social events are held twice a year with entertainment and refreshments. There is also a Halloween Party, which is staged every year by the Town - organized and run by the Town's Police Department.

For more information about Bay Harbor Islands and Bay Harbor Islands' Real Estate, visit http://www.yourpropertypros.com/ www.miamism.com

Overview of the single family market in Bay Harbor Islands, FL:

• Currently on the market:  16
• Currently under contract:  3
• Closed in the last 90 days:  1
• Lowest price listed:  $ 899,000
• Highest price listed:  $ 3,295,000

Overview of the condo market in Bay Harbor Islands, FL:

• Currently on the market:  139
• Currently under contract:  24
• Closed in the last 90 days:  10
• Lowest price listed:  $185,000
• Highest price listed:  $1,961,000

Visit http://www.yourpropertypros.com/ www.miamism.com

As many of you may know, Mary McKnight, bka "The Blog Queen", held a CRAZIEST REAL ESTATE STORY CONTEST and just announced the winners.  To our surprise and dismay, our short and crazy story won third prize.  We are honored to place third with such wacky and crazy people, so don't forget to read the stories, some of them will crack you up, some will leave you with mouths wide open.

Here's our story:

 
We had a customer that after showing him a couple of properties, decided to place a cash offer in one of them.  We told him to meet us at our office that afternoon to draft up the offer.  The guys shows up with a backpack and dumps $20,000 in cash on our conference table for the deposit.  I'm sure you can imagine how our jaws hit the ground.  We had to send him to the bank to get a cashier's check and explain to him that a "cash offer" does not really mean CASH.

Thank you Mary for hosting this contest - and congratulations to Christine Forgione and Dena Stevens, well deserved first and second prize winners.

We've seen a couple of posts about our lives some years back and it is always so entertaining to see everyone's photos.  Starting with Maureen Francis & Dmitry Koublitsky's Time for True Confessions , and also Jeff Belonger's How those years fly by. What did you look like 20 years ago...???  

I decided to look at Rick and me 14 years ago at our wedding and see if there's such a huge difference - Judge for yourself, other than my huge eyebrows and Rick having a little more hair, I don't think the change is that huge.

So maybe physically we have not changed much but how have we really changed, psychologically, financially, emotionally?  If you look back 14-15 years ago, are you standing in the same place?  Have you achieved a lot of your goals, has your life taken a totally unexpected turn.  Are you happy in your shoes?

Rick and I have read numerous books on business plans, goal setting, tracking and keeping, self improvement, have done seminars (including Tony Robbins' "Unleash the Power within") - but in order to look ahead, it is crucial to look back and to see what you have accomplished, or not.  It's important to look back and to scrutinize big changes in your life and see why you made certain decisions and where you could be if things would have been done differently.  

If you can look back and analyze your goals and your decision making, then you can look ahead and make the necessary changes to be in the place you want to be.  The end of the year is always a good place to reflect and decide on changes, but remember that you don't have to wait to January 1^st to start.

Where were you 15 years ago?  Where will you be 15 years from now?

Thanksgiving is such an incredible holiday and although it's just only one day, passes quickly and it seems to be about the turkey, food and desserts, it is so much more than that.  We all know all about the Pilgrims and Indians and all the history behind this great day.  But let me tell you what an incredible perspective, as a foreigner, I have of this American Holiday Tradition.  Getting families together, no matter where you live or what you do, sharing a beautiful evening for the mere purpose of being Thankful is a concept that transcends boundaries and ethnicities.  

We try to live our lives to the fullest, work like maniacs, run around and fill our days will all kinds of activities, and most of us ARE thankful for all the blessings that surround us.  But taking this single day to sit with family and friends, put everything into focus and acknowledge our blessings is something that I, being born in Venezuela, thank all Americans for sharing with me and my family.  We have adopted your holiday into a tradition of our own.  Thank you for sharing and have a beautiful THANKSGIVING DAY!

RICK & INES

http://www.yourpropertypros.com/ www.miamism.com

Overview of the single family market in Biscayne Park, FL:

• Currently on the market: 31
• Currently under contract: 9
• Closed in the last 90 days: 8
• Lowest Priced Listing: $320,000
• Highest Priced Listing: $792,900

Overview of the condo market in Biscayne Park, FL:

• Currently on the market: 5
• Currently under contract: 8
• Closed in the last 90 days: 0
• Lowest Priced Listing: $148,900
• Highest Priced Listing: $198,500

Overview of income producing (residential) in Biscayne Park, FL:

• Currently on the market: 19
• Currently under contract: 2
• Closed in the last 90 days: 1
• Lowest Priced Listing: $325,000
• Highest Priced Listing: $625,000

Visit http://www.yourpropertypros.com/ www.miamism.com

The picture is of Rick wakeboarding in Biscayne Bay.

Overview of the single family market in El Portal, FL:

• Currently on the market:  39
• Currently under contract:  5
• Closed in the last 90 days:  5
• Lowest price listed:  $ 339,900
• Highest price listed:  $ 975,000

Visit www.Miamism.com for more information about El Portal Real Estate.

This is a photo of our 2 oldest sons with their friend at a University of Miami game (at the Orange Bowl) with the Hurricane Cheerleaders.

As a buyer you have the same rights to representation as a seller. When selling, you do not hesitate to hire a professional for their expertise, knowledge and representation in handling the sale of your property. So why wouldn't you feel the same way about hiring a professional when buying? - To represent your needs in purchasing a property.

First you must find a Realtor in the area you are looking to purchase. Ask friends and family about their experiences, get on the Internet and research different agents, Active Rain is a great way to find agents throughout the nation and by reading their profile and blogs, you can get an idea of how they handle business and ultimately, how they would handle their customers' needs. Your agent must know the area; good agents will know the inventory (properties currently for sale) in their own market area and will supply maps for their customers moving from a different city.

Secondly, interview agents and pick one. If you expect your agent to go out of their way for you and give you loyalty, you must do the same for them. If you don't commit to one person, no one will commit to you. Buying a home in a buyer's market can be extremely frustrating because of the amount of inventory, there is a lot to choose from, and if the word gets around, agents will not take you seriously.

Just last week, an agent brought a couple to see one of our listings. The next day, a different agent brought the same couple to our same listing. I looked at the couple and asked, "Oh, you are working with both ___________ and ___________, I didn't know they worked together". The second agent had no idea that the couple had already seen that property and had no idea they had been working with another agent.

How could this scenario affect you as a buyer? You wasted your time and saw a property twice and both agents now will feel there is no loyalty and may not show you as many properties as you may want to see, since no commission is guaranteed to them, and may even fire you. I know that's a strong word, but imagine the frustration of wasting hours and days to someone that could ultimately not purchase a property through you. Realtors need to make a living too.

Once you find a property and have an executed contract is where the fun begins. Your agent should keep you informed of deadlines for deposits, inspections, appraisals, walk-through, etc. The agent should coordinate the transaction with all parties involved including communication with the selling agent to grant access to the property.

When buying - The best route is to be honest, upfront, loyal and committed. Please keep in mind that if you do not like your agent's ways, it is also acceptable to dimiss them. Communication is the key to a successful buying experience.

Good Luck finding a home and look us up for all you Miami, South Florida Real Estate needs. http://www.yourpropertypros.com/ www.miamism.com

This reminder should serve for both consumers and real estate professionals.

Cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you may start receiving calls.  You will be charged for these calls but can prevent it by registering you cell phone number in the National Do Not Call Regristry.

You can call the following number from your cell phone:  888-382-1222.  It is the National DO NOT CALL list.  It will only take a minute of your time.  This will block your number for five (5) years.  You must call from the cell phone number you want blocked and cannot call from a different number.  You can also go directly to the website to register any numbers.

https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx

As professionals it is important for you to check the DO NOT CALL list before cold calling.