Categories
Buying Home Improvement Selling

The Importance of Inspections

An inspection buyers had done on a house the other day reminded me of how important inspections are, no matter how great the house looks.  Many homes that have been updated have improvements and upgrades done by licensed roofers, plumbers, electricians, etc.  Permits have been pulled, work has been inspected and the permits have been closed.  However, there are also many properties that have had work done by handymen, miscellaneous relatives, or Tim Allenesque do-it-yourselfers.  It is in the latter instance where a home inspection really pays off.  As a buyer, you want to make sure you are paying for real upgrades and improvements, not what in Spanish we call “pura pinta”, which basically translates into just the paint.  If your are a buyer, ALWAYS, get an inspection.  As a homeowner, make sure you have the work done properly.  What turns out cheap today, may come back to bite you when you decide to sell.

 

 

 

Categories
Buying

Buying A House? Get Prequalified For A Mortgage

Are you ready to get off the fence and jump into the real estate market? Good for you…there is still a decent, though starting to dwindle inventory, and interest rates are still at historic lows.

There is a lot of competition out there, especially from cash buyers, so be prepared befor you start looking at houses. Get prequalified for a mortgage. It is pretty easy to do. To get a really good idea of how much property you can comfortably afford, provide your mortgage broker with copies of your last two years 1040s and W2s, recent payslips, and bank statements.

Categories
Buying Luxury Real Estate Marinas, Yacht Clubs and other Boating Information

Deering Bay – Relaxed, Luxurious, Country Club Living

 

Beautiful Views

I feel like Deering Bay has been forgotten among all of the hoopla regarding bargains on Brickell, Biscayne, and the Beach.  I know there have been and still are some great deals in these urban areas, but if you are looking for a  little more relaxed pace, take a look at the condominiums and villas in the various buildings in the Deering Bay Yacht and Country Club community.  These are spacious units,  most with water views, and are surrounded by an Arnold Palmer Signature golf course.   Located in the southern part of Coral Gables, it is one of the best public and private school districts in Miami-Dade county and is close to both the Falls and Dadeland Malls.  If you would rather live in a single family home, Deering Bay has those too.  They also have a small boat marina as well as one for large yachts, tennis courts, pools, gyms and a restaurant with a Sunday Brunch that is delicious!

Categories
Florida Life Things To Do

Rainy Regatta for Columbus Day Weekend

Although it was a wet weekend for this year’s Regatta, the photos by Marco Oquendo are spectacular and show the participants having a good time.  I hope the weather next year is more typical of Miami in October!

Categories
Neighborhood News Pinecrest Things To Do

Smarty Dogs To Benefit Pinecrest Schools

Smarty Dog at Pinecrest Gardens

Smarty Dogs are popping up all over Pinecrest.  It is an art in public places campaign that is being promoted to raise funds for the public schools in the Village of Pinecrest.  If you or your company would like to sponsor one of the dogs, there is still time.  The dogs will be auctioned off in March of 2012.

 
Stay tuned for pictures of more  dogs!

Categories
Commercial Real Estate Investment Real Estate Luxury Real Estate Selling

San Jose Island, Panama: How Big is 11,000 Acres?

San Jose Island, Panama For Sale

Okay, I have already posted that it is twice the size of Key West, but maybe that is still hard to put into perspective.  So, I will compare it in size to other famous islands.   Using AskNumbers.com conversion table, I came up with the following:

Cayman Brac: 14 square miles =8,960 acres

Little Cayman: 10 square miles = 6,400 acres

St. Barts:  10 square miles = 6,400 acres

Virgin Gorda: 8 square miles = 5,120 acres

Basically, 11,000 acres is big enough for you to build your own town, or two! 

 

Categories
Buying Florida Life Selling

What Do The Free Trade Agreements Have to Do With Real Estate?

Congress should hurry up and enact the pending Colombia, Panama, and South Korea Free Trade Agreements.  Columbia and Panama are two of South Florida’s largest trade partners.  The Obama Administration estimates that the FTA with Colombia alone will increase U.S. exports by $1 billion and that the one with South Korea will add 70,000 jobs. 

South Florida will benefit from this increase in trade.  Increased trade equals increase in employment equals a more stable real estate market.

Categories
Foreclosures Selling

Need To Short Sell Your Home?

Banks Offering Up To $20,000 Incentives

As the economy continues to trudge along, many South Florida homeowners are still struggling with unemployment and mortgage payments.  If you are thinking of short selling your home, you should be aware that several banks have incentives for you to short sell versus going through the lengthy, in Florida it can take close to two years, and extremely credit-damaging foreclosure process.

Wells Fargo and Chase offer up to $20,000 in incentives to qualified homeowners and Bank of America just launched a similar pilot program in Florida.

Categories
Florida Life

Another Reason To Love South Florida

In Full Bloom

Categories
Florida Life Marinas, Yacht Clubs and other Boating Information Things To Do

Bimini Bay Just A Short Flight Away

Wreck on Bimini
Wreck on Bimini

One of the things I love about South Florida is how easy it is to fly to other places.  A couple of weekends ago, some friends invited my husband and me to Bimini Bay for a long weekend.  It took me longer to drive from the office to Tamiami airport than the 23 minute flight on LuxAir Charters from Tamiami to Bimini!

The crystal clear blue water, local hospitality, laid back atmosphere and Kalik beer made a three day weekend feel like a weeklong vacation.