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Aventura Buying Renting in Miami Restaurants Things To Do

10 Things I Love About Aventura

  1. Laurenzo’s Italian Center – Whether you are a gourmet cook and want amazing Italian ingredients or want something already prepared, you will enjoying cruising up and down the isles of this well-known local gourmet supermarket.
  2. Founders Park – Located on a 12-acres site, this park has something for everyone.  Tennis, ball fields, exercise trails, picnic shelters and a splash park for the kids (residents get into splash park free with id, non-residents pay $10).
  3. Size/Value of condos.  If you are renting or selling, you can usually find a larger condo in Aventura than you could in Brickell or Miami Beach, and usually for less.  Search for yourself.
  4. Location:  Close to Ft. Lauderdale, Miami,(and their respective airports and ports) and just a jump to the beach
  5. Boating
  6. Don Soffer exercise trail- this 3 mile loop is perfect for running, walking the pets, or taking an evening stroll
  7. The Farimont Turnberry Golf and Country Club – in addition to having a world class spa and golf course, the restaurants are also amazing.
  8. William’s Island – this enclave of homes, condos, and town homes, all surrounded by water, includes its own private club and is a relaxing jewel of a community, close to everything in Aventura, including a Fresh Market.
  9. Proximity to Gulfstream Park – What a great way to spend the day.  If watching the horse races isn’t your thing, at least stop by and watch the beautiful animals parade around the courtyard prior to each race, then take off and go eat, shop or dance, at one of the many venues.
  10. Mo’s Bagel and Diner – My Dad is a New Yorker who hasn’t lived there since he was born, but it’s in his blood, and Mo’s makes him feel like he is back there.

If I were a shopper, I would add the Aventura Mall.  I personally can’t stand shopping, but this mall is amazing.  It is large, clean and has such a variety of stores.  If you can’t find what you are looking for here, you probably don’t need it.

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Selling

Selling Your Home? Look at All of These Real Estate Websites

Your Home On All of These Websites
Your Home On All of These Websites

List with me and your home will show up on the major real estate websites!  Maximizing exposure on the web increases the chances of selling your home.

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Commercial Real Estate Market Summary

Miami Real Estate: Overall First Quarter Commercial Sales Decrease 54% From 2009 Levels

Over the last 12 months, the price per square foot has decreased across all commercial sectors.

  • Office 38%
  • Industrial 21%
  • Multifamily 15%
  • Retail 3%

Categories
Buying Foreclosures Selling

Are Real Estate Sales Really Up in Miami?

If you read the papers, listens to the news, or talk to friends, neighbors and acquaintences about the real estate market, you could be very confused as to what is “real” about it.

  • Foreclosures and short sales are still high.
  • Unemployment is still high and actually rose more vs. high and dropping.
  • Inventory is still high.

Yet, week after week, our EWM office in Coral Gables is selling more than we are listing.  This week alone, we had over $28,000,000 (yes, that is million and it was closer to $29) in sales and leases, the majority in sales.  We had 29 sales vs 8 sale listings.   What is even more amazing about the sales in our office this week:

  • 11 of them (38%) were over $500,000 vs 9 that were under$300,000, which is where most of the market has been this year;
  • 7 of them were over $1,000,000 so the high end market is starting to move.

What is especially important in these numbers is that the higher end sales are not relying on the first time home buyers tax credit, since they don’t qualify, and they are buying anyway.  This leads me to believe that the real estate market is starting to stabilize, especially in certain areas.

Categories
Buying

National Flood Insurance Program Expired

Congress recessed and the flood insurance program expired last night.  Lost in a debate over unemployment, COBRA payments and other issues, the National Flood Insurance Program was not extended and expired last night.

This could mean delayed closings if you are purchasing a property where the lender requires flood insurance, since the NFIP is the only one who offers it.

A vote in the Senate is scheduled for April 12.

Categories
Buying Investment Real Estate

Is Miami Real Estate Undervalued?

According to an article in today’s South Florida Business Journal, a report by IHS Global Insight suggests that in grossly overvalued markets, prices dropped an average of 37% from 2005 until the fourth quarter of 2009.  In Miami, prices have fallen 35.8% in that time frame.  The report suggests that for the country as a whole, the real estate market is now slightly undervalued.

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Market Summary

South Florida Real Estate: Market Summary First Quarter 2010

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SILbvkSsDB0&feature=PlayList&p=D8A9FC9490B11B0A&index=0&playnext=1[/youtube]

Categories
Buying Coral Gables Marinas, Yacht Clubs and other Boating Information

Deering Bay Real Estate

view4Amazing views from this beautiful apartment at the Verona in Deering Bay.  Amenities available include: small and large boat marinas, golf, tennis, restaurant, pools, gym and peace and tranquility.  Proximity to downtown Miami, airport, Coral Gables, South Miami, University of Miami, Baptist Hospital, Pinecrest and Dadeland and the Falls shopping centers make this the perfect location to call home.

Categories
Market Summary

Miami Dade Real Estate: Pending Sales in the Million $ and Up Price Range Surge 67%

PENDING SALES in the $1,000,000+ price range for the entire MLS are up 67% in Miami-Dade and 8% in Broward for the Dec09 to Feb10 period vs. the Dec08 to Feb09 period.  EWM has averaged CLOSING one sale in excess of $1,000,000 every other day for the past 90 days!  ALL PRICE RANGE PENDINGS in the MLS are up 54% in Miami-Dade and 67% in Broward for the same period comparison”

Ronald A. Shuffield
President
Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell Realtors
A HomeServices of America Company
An Affiliate of Berkshire Hathaway

Categories
Buying Investment Real Estate Selling

Home Buyers Tax Credit Ends April 30

If you are planning on using the Home Buyers Tax Credit to purchase your home, time is running out.