Categories
Luxury Real Estate

Are You An Art Collector With A Home To Sell? If So, Now Is A Great Time To List

 

 

Christie's International Real Estate Sponsors Art Miami 2012

Art Week, which kicks off on December 4 with Art Miami, is a great time to list your luxury home.  EWM will prominently promote our luxury listings to the patrons of Art Miami, Art Basel, and Art Wynwood.  Christie International Real Estate and it’s local affiliate, EWM, are sponsoring Art Miami  and will be heavily promoting their sponsorship and luxury properties before 55,000 art enthusiasts.

 

Categories
Florida Life Things To Do

Art Miami Starts In One Week, Kicking Off Art Week And Art Basel

Art Miami - Kicks Off Art Week

Art Miami, the original and longest running contemporary  art fair that kicks off art week and culminates with Art Basel Miami, starts in one week on December 4th.  This year Christie’s International Real Estate and a group of Christie’s global affiliates, including EWM are Art Miami 2012’s Exclusive Real Estate Sponsor.

Art Miami, located in trendy Midtown Miami, hosts 170 artists and galleries.


Categories
Selling

Ready To Sell? Fight The Urge To Wait Until Spring And List Now.

Contrary to popular belief that listing a property over the holidays is a bad idea because people don’t buy during the holiday season, now is a great time to list if you want to sell.  There are several reasons this is true:

  1. Only serious buyers are looking for properties during this time
  2. Low inventories mean buyers have less to choose from and sellers have less competition
  3. Pent up demand resulting from the financial and real estate crisis means more buyers are looking
  4. Increasing rents means properties are in high demand
  5. It is a busy time in South Florida and there are plenty of out of town buyers visiting
  6. Your home is probably decorated for the holiday season and will show beautifully!

 

Categories
Coconut Grove Coral Gables Florida Life Miami Beach Pinecrest Restaurants Things To Do

Best Sunday Brunch Spots In Miami

Biltmore Brunch

There are a lot of great breakfast spots in Miami, from Wagon’s West in Pinecrest;  Greenstreet and Peacock Garden Cafe in Coconut Grove,  and one of my favorites, The Big Pink on South of Fifth.  But for Sunday Brunch, I want something a little more extravagant.  Here are some of my top brunch spots from Coral Gables to Miami Beach:

  1. Biltmore Champagne Brunch Coral Gables – Whether you enter through the grandiose lobby or by their gorgeous pool, the setting for the Biltmore’s Sunday Brunch reminds me of the Great Gatsby era and I love the history of the place.
  2. Gibraltar at Grove Isle Coconut Grove – This restaurant has one of the most gorgeous views in Miami.
  3. The National Hotel Miami Beach – Though not as decadent on the food end as the others on this list, the fact that it is so reasonably priced and comes with complimentary access to the hotel’s beach and pool
  4. Terrazza at the Shore Club Miami Beach – the outside open porch over looking the pool is so relaxing.
  5. Sunday Jazz Brunch at the Setai Miami Beach – It is the Setai, need I say more?
  6. The Forge Miami Beach – Fresh, seasonal ingredients make for a varied menu and great food.

The SouthFloridaGourmet.com has a much more extensive list of  locales serving brunch in Miami

 

Categories
Brickell/Downtown Miami Buying Coconut Grove Coral Gables Foreclosures Investment Real Estate Pinecrest Selling

Black Friday Buyers Are In Miami To Shop For Investment Real Estate

Black Friday brings out buyers looking for bargains and buyers looking for Miami real estate investment properties are here in droves.  While most people are enjoying time with family and friends, Realtors are busy selling properties.  Driven by news reports of increasing prices, decreased inventories, and increasing rents both local and foreign buyers continue to purchase Miami real estate for investment.

The top places where my buyers are looking, not in any particular order:

  1. Brickell:  Currently there are 526 condos for sale in the Brickell area.  They range from $146, 900 for 580 square feet to $16.8 million for 9080 square feet.
  2. Downtown Miami:  There are 567 condos for sale in Dowtown Miami.  Prices start at $124,900 for 400 square feet up to $4.4 million for 5650 square feet.
  3. Midtown, Wynwood:  The new “in” place to be does not have a lot of residential units.  There are currently 112 condos for sale in the Midtown/Wynwood area ranging in price from $82,000 for 872 square feet to $2.4 million for 3988 square feet.
  4. Downtown Dadeland:  There are 30 condos for sale in Downtown Dadeland with prices starting at $177,000 for 700 square feet and going up to $400,000 for 1,429 square feet.
  5. Coconut Grove:  Coconut Grove does not have a lot of condos and few were built during the boom.  There are currently 120 condos for sale in Coconut Grove that are either condos are town homes.  They range in price from $60,000 for 409 square feet up to $14.5 million for a 9110 square foot unit at the Grovenor House.
  6. Coral Gables:  There are only 100 condos for sale in Coral Gables.  They range in price from $91, 500 for a 994 square foot foreclosure with extensive fire damage to another foreclosure at $7.9 million for 11,402 square feet at the Gables Club.
  7. Pinecrest:  There are very few condos and town houses in Pinecrest, an area mostly comprised of single family homes, so it is not surprising that there are 13 condos for sale in Pinecrest.  The lowest price is $99,900 for a 574 square foot short sale at Monterey Gardens to a 2, 226 square foot unit at the Reserve at Pinecrest for $599,000.

These neighborhoods are all located near public transportation, restaurants, entertainment and shopping, and all of them are in demand with people looking to rent.

View Of Brickell From Coconut Grove

Categories
Selling

Happy Thanksgiving!

I love Thanksgiving!  It is probably my favorite holiday of the year because it is the only one that does not entail buying gifts.  It is about giving thanks for all that we have, for sharing special time with friends and family, and for reflecting on the year that is rapidly coming to an end.  I hope you have plenty to be grateful for this Thanksgiving.  I am grateful for my family and friends and their health, for living in beautiful and exciting Miami, for my career and clients, and for all of the wonderful experiences I have already have and that are yet to come!

Carving the Turkey

I am especially grateful that our dear friends invited us over this year, so I don’t have to cook!

Categories
Restaurants South Miami

Barceloneta Coming to South Miami

As a huge fan of Pubbelly and Barceloneta in South Beach, I am thrilled that Barceloneta is coming to South Miami.  For those of you who have never been to the South Beach location, you are in for a treat.  Barceloneta is a hip, happening, low key tapas bar with great food and an even better vibe.  They are on schedule to open the first week in December where Origins Restaurant used to be.

Categories
Buying Investment Real Estate Selling

Can This Happen To Your Vacant Property?

Tuesday night, CBS 4 reported on a homeowner whose house has been taken over by squatters.  According to the story, the house was sold and when the Realtor went to the final walk through before closing, she found people living in the house.  The people living there claim they were duped and rented the property.

During the height of foreclosures, many properties had sqatters move in.  This house, however, was not in foreclosure, was actively listed with a real estate agent and had probably had activity with showings and, most likely, inspections.  The owner had to hire an attorney.  The “tenants” have 40 days to move out.

Watch the video and let me know what you think.

 

 

Categories
Buying Neighborhood News Palmetto Bay Pinecrest

Which Is Better Transportation Mode: Rail or Express Toll Lanes on US 1?

Metrorail and US 1

The Village of Pinecrest is hosting a town hall meeting at Pinecrest Gardens to discuss the proposed MDX US 1 Express Toll Lane project.  Anyone who travels on US 1 (also known as Useless 1) from Miami to communities south, has experienced the frustrating traffic and knows that relief is needed.  As proposed, the current project would address traffic from Dadeland South to Florida City and would require overpasses the height of Metrorail be built at intersections along the route.  If the goal is to move traffic off of US 1, wouldn’t a much more progressive plan be to build the 21 mile South Link extension from Dadeland South to Florida City?

Several studies have shown that commute times and access to public transportation are important factors in the home buying process.  Millenials, individuals between the ages of 17 & 35,  especially have shown a preference for communities that rely less on cars for transportation.

I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for a long time and they have an amazing public transportation system.  Many who have moved from Boston, New York, the DC/Virginia area and Europe, often comment on the lack of public transportation.  Do you think Miami should try to move away from the car and expand on it’s public transportation system?

Categories
Buying Selling

9 Factors That Influence A Buyer’s Choice In Neighborhoods

The 2012 National Association of Realtors Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers the 8 factors are as follows:

  • neighborhood quality – 61%
  • convenience to jobs – 43%
  • overall affordability of homes – 39%
  • convenience to family and friends -35%
  • neighborhood design – 26%
  • convenience to shopping – 26%
  • quality of school district – 25%
  • convenience to schools – 22%
  • convenience to entertainment or leisure activities – 19%

Many of our South Florida neighborhoods meet most or all of these!