The Yellow Green Farmers Market, South Florida’s largest farmers market, opens today in Hollywood, Florida. Spend the day visiting some of the more than 300 vendors, snack on goodies, and buy natural products by local vendors..
Category: Neighborhood News
Information on real estate, schools, events and establishments in your area
It’s that time of year again…Art season in South Florida. After visiting the South Miami Art Festival, stop by one of the great local restaurants in South Miami. Blu has great pizzas and salads, Town Kitchen and Bar has great calamari, salads, sandwiches and mixed menu, and Cafe Pastis has mussels, quiches, and an extensive French menu.
A Community Foundation of Pinecrest art exhibit and fundraiser is scheduled for November 7 at Pinecrest Gardens. Please click on the invitation for details and ticket information. Proceeds will go for improvements at Pinecrest Gardens.
The Community Foundation of Pinecrest is sponsoring Garden Pop, a fine art exhibit and sale in Pinecrest Gardens, November 7-25. Original works from the following artists will be available: Andy Warhol, Rupert Jasen Smith, Tom Wesselmann, Joan Miro, Gene Davis, Jasper Johns, Jime Dine, Robert Indiana, Roy Lichtenstein, Larry Rivers, Romero Britto, Donald Sultan, Erika King, Eileen Seitz and Purvis Young.
An Evening in Tuscany, featuring concert pianist Francesco Attesti and German mezzo-soprano Annika Kaschenz, is coming to the St. Louis Church in Pinecrest on Tuesday, October 6th. Hosted by the Rotary Club of Miami Sundown as a benefit concert to end polio, this classical concert promises to be an evening filled with beautiful classical music.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knqf-VGZYcY[/youtube]
A Gallup study reported in today’s Miami Herald states, “Miamians love their city more than ever”.
What’ s not to love? The tropical climate, beautiful beaches, colorful flora, variety of cultures, the views, the food, the number of never ending activities from sports, to dancing, dining, diving? There is a reason my blog is ILoveSoFla! Ever since I moved here from the San Francisco Bay area over 18 years ago, I have been able to say, “I love Miami”!
- More reasons to love Miami can be found in the following posts:
South Florida is a Boater’s Paradise
Fishing in South Florida is a Bargain
New World Symphony to Host Stories in Music: Concert for Kids
Looking For Something to Do? Head to Pinecrest!
So Much To Do, So Little Time!
Free and Fun First Fridays Gallery Walk in Coral Gables, FL
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.
On Wednesday, July 28, at 9:00 a.m. the City of Coral Gables Commission will hear the first reading of an ordinance that would create a new and separate Fire Rescue Assessment Fee, which is currently collected from ad valorum taxes. There does not appear to be a guarantee that the current millage would decrease by the same amount of the new fire fee, so property taxes would increase and property owners would be paying twice for the same level of fire service.
Contact your Commissioners and let them know what you think.
A recent Forbes article rated Coral Gables, FL as one of the fastest moving luxury neighborhoods in terms of days on 
market. Forbes’ rating system, which is based on the 500 most expensive zip codes, is better than other housing indexes which cover too broad of an area to give an accurate picture of what is happening in a specific neighborhood, but their assessment also has some flaws. For example, for Coral Gables, which was rated number 5 by Forbes, the zip code they used was 33146. Don’t get me wrong, 33146 is an expensive zip code, but Coral Gables, which extends significantly further South from the better known business and restaurant district which is their formal downtown, has 7 zip codes! Based on an MLS search today, there were 69 Active listings ranging in price from $13.5 million down to $395,000 in the 33146 zip code. 14 of those listings were waterfront. However, there were a total of 261 Active MLS listings in the Gables, South of US 1. The most expensive listing was $49.5 million and was in the 33143 zip code, which also had higher closed sales prices. Having Forbes rate Coral Gables the 5th fastest moving luxury market, with an average of 66 days for the top 10 zips vs 115 days average for the whole 500 index, is great news for Coral Gables, but it doesn’t tell the story for luxury real estate in the Gables. There were several zips and luxury price ranges which had significantly longer days on market. When pricing your luxury home for sale or making an offer on your purchase of one, make sure you check with a local luxury expert.
The Village of Pinecrest was just rated the 10th most expensive suburb to live by Business Week.
The most expensive suburb in each of the 52 states were chosen based on:
- cost of living
- median home price
- property taxes
- mortgage and utilities
The article acknowledges that what contributes to the popularity and expense of these areas are:
- excellent public schools
- low crime rate
- gorgeous neighborhoods
- parks and recreational facilites.
Pinecrest has all 4 of the above and additional benefits that were not mentioned such as:
- large lot sizes
- small local government
- tree canopy
- proximity to marinas
- variety of homes and sizes
- international population
For more information on Pinecrest read:
Pinecrest FL Real Estate – Market Trends First Quarter 2009
7645 SW 117 Pinecrest FL Is In A Great Location
Unbelievable Land Value in Pinecrest, FL – 7935 SW 134 Street- Builder’s Acre Under $550,000
Food Tasting and Entertainment at 7th Annual Taste of Pinecrest at Pinecrest Gardens
Looking for Something to Do? Head to Pinecrest!