Category: Key Biscayne

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Brickell/Downtown Miami Coconut Grove Coral Gables Florida Life Key Biscayne Miami Beach Things To Do

5 Tips to Surviving The Dog Days Of Summer In Miami

In case you hadn’t noticed, summer in South Florida is in full swing and the dog days of summer, the hottest time of year, starts today!

The rich smells of mangoes, mixed with the briny smell of the ocean, flowering jasmine, and bug spray are held in the humid air that surrounds us.  School has been out for a while, the streets are less chaotic at rush hour times, and the beaches are a lot less crowded.  Still, the heat and humidity can get the best of us.

Here are some tips to surviving the dog days of summer.

  1. Relax!  Miami Spa Month is actually two full months of discounts and special deals at Miami’s top spas.
  2. Chill out – There are so many great ice cream spots to help you cool off.  Two not in that link that I like are, for 21 and older only, Aubi & Ramsa, and Wall’s Ice Cream Parlor, which has good old-fashioned ice cream.
  3. Spice it up – Miami Spice Month is also two full months of discounts and fixed-price menus are many of Miami’s award-winning chef restaurants.
  4. Dive in – Don’t want to go to one of our beautiful Miami beaches?  Then head to one of these 10 best pools in Miami
  5. Take it to new heights – take advantage of the sultry evenings and visit one of these amazing rooftop bars Miami has to offer

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Coral Gables Key Biscayne Neighborhood News Pinecrest Things To Do

Happy Halloween!

IMG_1295No bones about it…It’s Halloween!  If you want to do something before, after, or instead of trick-or-treating try one of the following:

 

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Coconut Grove Coral Gables Florida Life Key Biscayne Palmetto Bay Pinecrest Things To Do

Bike 305 Aims To Form An Interconnected System of Greenways, Bike Lanes and Trails

I recently visited Ecuador and enjoyed running on the Chiquinan Trail, a 20 km bike and running trail converted from an old railway trail.

Chaquinan Trail
Chaquinan Trail

While I was running, I thought it would be great if Miami-Dade had something similar.  I was thrilled to find out it does, though most of it is still in the making.  It is called Bike 305 and so far 130 miles, out of the 5o0 planned, have been completed.  The current routes include Key Biscayne, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay.  I have run along several of the routes, without even knowing it was part of a grander plan to interconnect greenways, bike lanes, and trails.  I look forward to running more portions of the route as they come on line!

Bike 305

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Florida Life Key Biscayne

Key Biscayne – Kid Friendly!

Escaping Boston's Blizzards
Escaping Boston's Blizzards

Key Biscayne is a perfect place for children, especially young ones.  The beaches are a lot calmer than those on South Beach, there are beautiful parks,  a wonderful community center, bike paths, and a truly walk-able neighborhood!

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Buying Coral Gables Key Biscayne Luxury Real Estate Market Summary Miami Beach Selling

South Florida Luxury Home Buyers Have Plenty of Buying Opportunities

According to Forbes’ America’s Most Expensive ZIP Codes, South Florida luxury real estate is not faring too badly, compared with states like California.  Granted, California has more expensive ZIPS according to the statistics used by Forbes and almost all of those ZIP codes show a decrease in price, but still, only four South Florida ZIPs made the top 500 list and only one, Fisher Island’s 33109 made the top 100 list.

Others on the list included Key Biscayne 33149 at number 199, Coral Gables 33146 at number 363 and Miami Beach 33154, which includes Indian Creek Village, Bay Harbor Islands, Bal Harbour, and Surfside, at number 494.

These South Florida cities have a high inventory, which will put a downward pressure on prices.  The only city that did not see a decrease in it’s median home price was Coral Gables.

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Key Biscayne Market Summary

Key Biscayne, Florida Real Estate Update January 2009

Single Family Homes

  • Total single family sales in January 2009: 0

Pending Sales: 3 total, none of which are water front

Active: 140 of which 27 are water front

Price Range for Active:  Non-Water: $5,450,000 – $950,000  Water front: $19,900,000 – $2,925,000

Condos – Closed Sales

  • Total condos sales in January 2009: 7
  • Highest Sales Price: $1,835,000 for a 3,120 square foot unit in Casa del Mar
  • Lowest Sales Price: $460,000 for a 1,600 square foot unit in Key Colony
  • 5 of the sales were in water front buildings

Pending Sales: 16 total, 12 of which are in water front buildings.

Active: 378 of which 261 are in water front buildings

Price Range for Active:  Non-Water: $2,900,000 – $90,000 (to be sold at auction) Water front: $7,800,000 – $245,000

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Key Biscayne Market Summary Neighborhood News

Key Biscayne, Florida Annual Real Estate Summary 2008

Single Family Homes

  • Total single family sales in 2008: 37
  • Highest Sales Price: $7,500,000 for a 6,369 square foot home built in 1991 on a 16,271 square foot water front lot on S. Mashta
  • Lowest Sales Price: $817,900 for a 1,763 square foot 7,500 square foot lot.  Bank-owned foreclosure on Cranwood.
  • 6 of the sales were water front properties

Condos

  • Total condos sales in 2008: 161
  • Highest Sales Price: $8,550,000 for a  6,700 square foot unit in Ocean Club
  • Lowest Sales Price: $220,000 for a 610 square foot unit in the Key Islander
  • 9125 of the sales were in water front buildings