Categories
Buying Selling

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.

Categories
Florida Life Miami Beach

South Beach Life Guard Huts – Another Reason I Love South Florida!

South Beach Lifeguard Hut
South Beach Lifeguard Hut

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Buying Foreclosures Selling

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.

Categories
Neighborhood News Pinecrest

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!

myphoto(12)

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Coral Gables Restaurants South Miami Things To Do

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
Neat
Messy with wasted frosting
Messy with wasted frosting

Categories
Buying Mortgage information

Mortgage Rates – How An Increase In Rates Affects Your Purchasing Power

I came across a great article that explains the effect of interest rates on your purchasing power so well, that I have to blog about it.  Now that inventories are decreasing and we are running into an April 30, 2010 deadline for tax credits, you have to read it if you have been on the fence about whether or not now is the right time to buy real estate.

The article, If You Don’t Buy a House Now, You’re Stupid or Broke may have an offensive title, but the graphs that it contains illustrate historic interest rates and increasing trends and the explanation on how an increase in rates affect what you will pay in principal in interest are easy to understand.  In a nutshell:

  • For 30+ years interest rates ranged from a low of 7% to a high of 18% (my husband and I were paying over 16% interest when we purchased our first home in the 1980’s)
  • Current interest rates are the lowest they have been in 40 years
  • For every quarter-point change in interest rates you will pay an additional $6,000 for every $100,000 borrowed over the life of a 30-year fixed rate  mortgage.

Categories
Buying Foreclosures Market Summary Mortgage information

7 Reasons to Buy Real Estate Now

met 1 & 2Okay, you have been hearing that now is the time to buy a home, but maybe you are still unsure of why, when there is so much inventory on the market and so much insecurity in the economy.  Here are 7 specific reasons:

  1. Home Buyer Tax Credits – The Government is paying first-time home buyers and move-up buyers money to purchase a home.  It can be a single family home or a condo, it just has to be your primary residence.
  2. Interest rates are still at historic lows, currently around 5.25% for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage.
  3. Lenders are moving their inventories of foreclosures and are becoming more likely to agree to short sales.
  4. Interest rates will increase due to the huge amount of government debt.
  5. The median price of a single family home is currently $185,000, down from a median price of $400,000 at the peak of the real estate boom.
  6. There is currently a 10 month supply of single family homes in Miami-Dade County, down from a 24 month supply at the end of 2008.  A stable market has an inventory of 6-9 months.
  7. There has been a 29% increase in sales since last year.
  8. Whether single family or condo, under $300,000 or over $1,000,000, the market trend has been a steady decrease in inventory since at least October of 2008.

Now, you may be a naysayer and agree with someone who stated that the price of real estate is going to go down another 33%, but those of us that are active in the market are not seeing it.  We are seeing inventories decreasing, foreigners and investors coming back into the market that they had shied away from during the boom years and buyers getting some very good buys.  Miami is on sale and many properties are selling for less than what it would cost to build the exact same structure on the same lot.  Are you going to be someone who says, “Shoulda, woulda, coulda” or someone who feels lucky that they got into the market when they could?

Categories
Buying Foreclosures

Miami Foreclosures Now On-line

In an attempt to work through the more than 110,000 open foreclosures and the 7,000 new ones that are filed each month, Miami-Dade County has put them on-line.   Registration is free and allows you access to the county’s foreclosures.  If you want to bid, you will be required to put down a refundable 5% deposit.

Categories
Neighborhood News Pinecrest Things To Do

Arts Festival At Pinecrest Gardens

The 7th Annual Pinecrest Gardens Fine Arts Festival will take place this Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Take a stroll through the beautiful gardens while viewing a variety of artwork from nationally recognized artists.  There will also be food and music.

Attending this event counts as one the New Year Resolutions for South Floridians!

Categories
Renting in Miami

Rental Vacancies Rise, Rents Drop

According to CNNMoney.com the national vacancy rate for rental apartments rose to 8% at the end of 2009 up from 6.7% a year ago.  High vacancy rates translate into lower rents, so if you are getting ready to go into a lease or renew your existing one, negotiate the price.  Keep in mind that many corporate landlords will not want to decrease the monthly rent because it hurts their books, but they will throw in a free month’s rent or some other benefits/improvements, that will bring your effective rent down.