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South Florida Real Estate
SoBay Festival of the Arts at Deering Estate
The Deering Estate will be hosting the ArtSoBay Exhibit from Sunday, January 31 through February 26. This beautiful historic estate and the lush grounds leading to Biscayne Bay make this the perfect stage to hear music from the Greater Miami Youth Symphony and view performances from the Miami Dade College Theater Department.
This event counts towards one of the New Year’s Resolutions for South Floridians!
Miami Real Estate – Lots Of Movement In All Directions
The 2010 real estate market has started out all over the place, both nationally and locally. On a national level, the lousy weather has had a negative effect on the new home segment, with construction on new homes and apartments falling 4% overall in December (construction rose in the South by over 3%). Applications for new building permits, however, increased by 11%.
Locally, the market has been moving a lot, keeping buyers, sellers, renters, and Realtors, on their toes. There are constant price adjustments on properties already listed, both upward and downward; properties priced well are going under contract (last week the EWM office in Coral Gables that I work out of had $21,000,000 worth of transactions) and renters are snapping up deals as downward pressure on rents, especially in condos, has given tenants more negotiating room.
Have We All Gone Dog Gone Mad?
Two sights within a 1/2 block of each other in Coconut Grove…just had to post them!
The Doggie Bus
Honda Hound
Fairchild Gardens Chocolate Festival Is This Weekend
If you are a chocolate lover, head over to the Fourth Annual Fairchild Chocolate Festival this Saturday and Sunday. The weather should be beautiful and the chocolate tasting mouthwatering.
Miami Real Estate – Should You Continue Renting Or Buy A Home?
Many economists are predicting a significant hike in home prices over the next 5 years, so if you are a renter who has been debating on whether or not now is the right time to buy, you may want to take a close look at the numbers. In her article, Ten Cities To Go From Renting To Buying, Francesca Levy states that although renting isn’t always cheaper than buying in the ten cities mentioned in the article, home buyers are likely to get a good return on their investment.
Miami Real Estate – Asking Prices For Single Family Homes Up Over Last 3 Months
According to Altos Research, a firm that tracks the movement of single family homes in 27 real estate markets, the asking price for single family homes has increased over the last three months. This finding is especially interesting since it was reported in a Forbes article titled, Cities With The Fastest-Falling Home Prices. Miami was the only market out of the 27 to post an increase. The findings also show that single family homes in Miami sit on the market the longest, approximately 8 months.
South Beach Life Guard Huts – Another Reason I Love South Florida!
South Beach Lifeguard Hut
Home Foreclosures Expected to Continue in 2010
The good news is that sales on existing homes, both single family and condos, continue to increase and inventories are decreasing in Miami-Dade county.
The bad news is in the foreclosure numbers for 2009. The numbers include all properties that are in some stage of the foreclosure process.
- Palm Beach County – 30,870
- Broward County – 69,633
- Miami-Dade County – 72,391
- Monroe County – 1,275
Since the unemployment rate is so high in Florida, foreclosures are expected to continue to add to inventories on the market in 2010. Miami-Dade’s new on-line foreclosure program and the government’s Home Affordable Refinance Program should help keep the foreclosure rate lower than 2009’s.
Peacocks In Pinecrest
I went on a run the other day, and within a half mile of my house I saw two people riding horses, a large iguana munching on leaves on the side of the road, and a beautiful peacock. I didn’t have my camera during my run, but on my way into work I had to stop for a peacock crossing the road. Luckily, I had my camera this time!
Best Cupcakes Ever!
The Coral Gables/South Miami area is so lucky to have two great cupcake places to choose from. Many of you have probably already heard of or tried Misha’s Cupcakes. The red velvet cupcakes are amazing and her cakes made out of individual mini-cupcakes are works of art as well as being convenient for parties…no plates or wasted cake.
A couple of blocks away on Sunset Drive is Buttercream Cupcakes and Coffee. Although they don’t make mini-cupcake cakes and their minis have to be special ordered, they have a larger variety of flavors. Their chocolate peanut butter cupcakes are amazing. Try both of these neighborhood places and let us know which one is your favorite.
Two Methods of Eating Cupcakes
Neat
Messy with wasted frosting
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