Miami Real Estate

I enjoy knowing about each and every WEEKEND event or festival scheduled in and around town. Miami is famous for fun and frolic.  Even if I’m holding open houses and can (maybe) squeeze in a single  neighborhood highlight somewhere over a given weekend, I want to know  EVERYTHING   going on in Miami. 

 My favorite source of  inside information is Robert Burr’s weekly blurb “Great Gables“.   I am eyeing ”Fairchild Garden’s MANGO FESTIVAL”  this weekend… which sounds idyllic.   MIAMI and MANGO just seem to fit together!   The Mango Festival:   Fairchild Botanic Tropical Garden .

This summer  again:  Miami welcomes residents and visitors to Coral Gables,  hosting several Italian Cooking Show EXTRAVAGANZAS at the MIA CUCINA design showroom on Coral Way…. with food and wine and laughter!  This “open-to-the-public”  gourmet food fest honors various regions in Italy, and is sponsored by local restaurants, purveyors,  talented local chefs and restaurateurs …  in conjunction with the Italy America Chamber of Commerce.  I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the  “Mia Cucina” Italian Cooking Show   in year’s past,  held each and every summer at their  Italian design kitchen showroom on 105 Miracle Mile.  The third of four cooking shows is coming up  July 16,2009  and space is apparently quickly filling up.  Since many of you ask to be notified of upcoming events, July is here, and the next Italian Cooking Show focuses on VENEZIA and VALLE d’AOSTA!    The Biltmore’s Fontana Restaurant competes against Tiramesu… for regional fare .   YOU sample, and YOU judge:  July 16  6:30-8:00 pm Mia Cucina Showroom  105 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, Florida.  Reserve early.

BUYERS ( …  and … REALTORS)   WANT TO KNOW:   “Which condos in  Miami’s Brickell area  are SOLID ? ”    …     “Where can we buy ?”    …    “Where SHOULD we buy ?”     …      “What do you recommend ?”   

The short answer is:  “Depends on the buyer”.   Yes, of course there is  a longer answer too.   Finding a solid investment requires staying on top of the changing inventory and being very, very diligent.  New construction is popping up left and right… the Miami skyline changing minute by minute.  Financial stability of any given building, and desirability of a particular building or area can morph, given time, and given the ever-changing mix of buyers/renters. 

Lenders have  strict criteria which can seriously impact one’s ability to obtain a mortgage.   Miami Condos are at times “ousted”  from lender’s lists of “qualified buildings”…  based on percentages of unsold units,  investor-owned units,  owners in arrears on  condo association fees,  short sales or foreclosures in specific buildings themselves.  With the newspapers and news channels  brimming with stories about the South Florida condo ‘glut’… where do you turn for direction? Which buildings do you look at ,and which do you consider?  And Why?

There ARE solid condos scattered all across South Florida, and some exquisitely beautiful opportunities in the Brickell area.  On Brickell, I’ve been impressed with what I’ve seen of  the 43 floor creation designed by Architectonica: The 500 Brickell Condo building  located between 5th and 6th Streets, with it’s breathtaking  floor-to-ceiling views of the bay. And 500 Brickell is Fannie Mae approved!  The photo above is taken from the 34th floor of 500 Brickell, which we just sold to international buyers purchasing  a second home in Miami.  

Of the  633 units in  500 Brickell’s two towers (East and West):   591  sold  … and 42 are currently available for sale.  Of those 591 units sold, 252 have actually closed.   63% are owner occupied (373 units) …  and 18%   (or 107 units)  were bought as vacation or second homes.  Only 19%  (or 112 units)  were purchased for investment purposes (and rented/leased out).

Those bits of information are helpful in knowing whether a bank will or will not provide  financing… and whether you, as a buyer,  will need cash to close.

Important to know, in any condo building,  is the percentage of occupants  in arrears on their association payments.  Those percentages can seriously impact whether a new buyer can obtain financing, and  may predict even how the building will or will not  be maintained (peering off  into the future)… and ultimately whether possible assessments are on the horizon.   Without a crystal ball in hand, facts and figures go a long way in paving the road  and helping buyers with their selection process.  

Have any questions about 500 Brickell?  Contact us anytime.  You may work 8am-6pm, but we are available after you’ve left the office, and you can always contact us through our website.  You’re always welcome to explore current listings or glean information on Miami’s eclectic and charming neighborhoods at www.MiamiRealEstateCafe.com .  Care to know about other intriguing opportunities in the Brickell area?  We’d love to hear from you.  Please leave your comments regarding Brickell… opportunities you’d like to share… insights, thoughts, and questions.

Does your house need a fresh new look? Want to do something different? There are many things you can do to spruce up your home. The first step is to surf the web for instructional videos with step by step guidance. This helps you decide if you can do the project and often will include a list of tools.

The best project for Do It Yourselfers are painting, outdoor spaces, wallpaper and upholstery, tiling and lighting.

Painting: Designers say painting is one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to improve your home, so go for it-paint the walls, furniture, even light fixtures. Even painting cabinets is an affordable way to give your home a fresh look. For it to look professional, clean and sand the surfaces before painting.

Outdoors: One of the simplest ways to give your home a facelift is putting down a walkway or staining a deck. Adding planters completes the new look.

Wallpaper and Upholstery: Do all the prep work on your own: sand the walls and then wipe it down with a damp cloth to remove the dust. After, prime the wall with wallpaper primer. You can hire someone to cut and lay the wallpaper, and they can be out in a day. You can upholster your own furniture using fabric and a staple gun.

Tiling: This is one project that could get complicated. Removing tile from bathroom walls is more complicated than it sounds and the wall underneath could easily get damaged (and end up costing you more in the long run). Mosaic tile that comes attached to a net backing can be relatively easy to hang, but leave plumbing to the experts.

Lighting: Try not to move or add electricity, but cosmetic lighting changes are a quick improvement. One idea is to buy a lamp shade, some decorative trip and a pendant light kit. Use a glue gun to add the trim and voila, a fresh lamp shade.

View the complete article  on Do It Yourself Quick Fixes.

Miami is full of activities year round, and Fourth of July is no exception. There are many places celebrating with fireworks throughout the city. Here are just a few :

Fourth of July at Bayfront Park

This celebration has fireworks, children’s activites, food and drinks. Come out and enjoy the evening !

Time: 4:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: Bayfront Park, 301 N. Biscayne Blvd., Downtown Miami

Key Biscayne 4th of July Parade - 50th Anniversary!

Up and down Crandon Boulevar, floats, marching bands and street performers show off their skills in this small town celebration.

Time: 11:00 am - 12 noon
Location: Village Green, Key Biscayne

Old Fashioned July Fourth Picnic

This old fashioned picnic takes place on the grounds of a 19th century pioneer home site. The Barnacle Society hosts it and features kite making and lawn games, plus many other activities. Pack your a blanket and a picnic lunch and enjoy a fun filled day at the Barnacle.

Time: 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Location: The Barnacle Historic State Park, 3485 Main Hwy., Coconut Grove
Cost: $5 for adults, $2 for kids age 6-12, kids under 6 are free

An American Celebration - July 4th on Miami Beach

Miami Beach presents fireworks and music by DJ Irie. It’s open to the public and free of charge. Bring towels and chairs, but no coolers or bottles, as they are not allowed on the beach.

Time: 7:30 pm

Location: 8th Street and Ocean Drive, Miami Beach

Be sure to take advantage of these great events - Happy Fourth of July!!

Are you, or someone you know, looking for a real estate deal? 

Perhaps this is for you:   $125,000 buys you a  one bedroom POOL VIEW in the Valencia in South Miami… as Bank of America has literally slashed the price on this short sale!

Location: The condo is conveniently located near South Miami Hospital, Larkin Hospital,  Sunset Place, local shopping and dining … with easy access to the Metro Rail … and  literally minutes from the University of Miami.   Valencia Condo: 6001 SW 70 St  #454, South Miami, Florida 33143

Amenities: *Assigned covered parking  on the same floor as the apartment itself. *Spacious balcony overlooking the pool &  sun deck… perfect for relaxing* New-ish building (2004 built) *Internet Cafe * 24 hour security* 24 hour fitness center * Outdoor grills & gazebo* Billiard Room.

#454 in The Valencia, South Miami:  One bedroom. One bath. 652 sq ft.  Condo association fees: $323.73 per month.  Listed for sale now at $125,000.

If this sounds like an opportunity for you, or someone you know, please contact Alexandra or Vicki Restivo.

The BEST 100 cities  in America?  Two of them are in South Florida!

Tauted for it’s combination of  lifestyle and business opportunity Doral is ranked among the top two South Florida municipalities by CNN Money.com.  Business opportunity, coupled with ”quality of life”,   art, culture, top educational venues, and WORLD CLASS GOLF,  put the City of Doral on the map  (along with Fort Lauderdale) as one of  THE TOP 100 CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES IN WHICH TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY .

Forbes.com named the City of Doral  Doral as one of the two best places to reside in the United States out of their 25 top choices for 2009!  Patents, venture capital funding, sole proprietorships, and start up companies (per capita) …  were among the criteria used by  Forbes.com  in ranking their top 25 cities to live ”well”  in.  Incorporated 6 years ago,  and transformed  literally overnight  from cow pastures and open expanses of  green spaces into a beckoning destination with a population of just over 35,000 Doral ranks #2  as the BEST PLACE TO LIVE WELL…by FORBES.COM.

Having become a veritable small business hot-spot, in a heartbeat, Doral is home to multitudes of  businesses catering to the Latin American Market.  With one of the highest per capita concentrations of small businesses, and home to logistics, aerospace, and telecommunications industries,  the City of Doral is headquarters for several major corporate entities as well.  Pepsi-Cola is a strong  South Florida economic influencer,  and Brightstar (specializing in telecommunications and wireless communications products)….  is one of the largest Hispanic-owned companies in the United States.

Resort-style communities  abound in Doral, offering  world class golf and amenities,  and options of single family homes, or townhomes and condos.

Doral Isles offers acres of community recreational facilities :  lagoon pools with cascading waterfalls, soccer fields, baseball, basketball, kayaking, sandy beaches, docks, full-service fitness centers, open air cafes and outdoor dining. Here is a beautiful two story, 3 bedroom, 3 bath townhome for sale in the community. Considering living in Doral?   Call us!

In today’s Buyer’s Market, it is essential to make your home stand out from the crowd. A few simple tricks can help attract buyers to your house and make a quick sale. Updating and staging your home creates a great marketing tool and the investment usually pays off in a big way. Here are some ways to freshen your home’s look and obtain a quick sale.

Clean filth from bathrooms. Get rid of surface mold by mixing a spray bottle with one part bleach and one part water. Simply spray it on the wall and watch the mold disappear. With a coat of paint, the walls look fresh and new.

Instead of replacing a grimy shower door, clean it with a mixture of muriatic acid and 10 parts water, scrub it with steel wool and then wipe it down. Your shower door will sparkle. Just be careful to use gloves, as the acid may discolor things it comes in contact with, like skin and other objects.

Is your bathroom tile outdated? Rather than replace the tiles, a low cost alternative is to use paint. Start by coating the tiles with high-adhesion primer and follow by brushing on a special ceramic epoxy covering.

Kitchens are important in the sale of your home, and having it updated will work wonders on buyers. Instead of the high cost of replacing cabinets, stain them instead. Go with the grain of the wood and apply easy strokes. Add stylish hardware and your kitchen will look fresh and new.

Stainless steel appliances are all the rage, and studies show they create a big return for sellers. A quick fix alternative to buying new appliances is a stick on covering. Simply remove the front panels and clean them. Finally, apply a stainless-steel stick on covering and cut to size. Your kitchen will go from dated to ultra modern, and you won’t break the bank.

Freshen up old hardwood floors with a few simple steps. Isolate damaged boards, cut them out and replace them with new pieces. Rent a sander from your local hardware store to sand down the wood. The final step is staining the floors to make them shine.

Curb appeal is essential to getting a buyer to see your home. Most buyers make a decision on whether or not they like the house solely based on the outward appearance. Bring out the color in walkway pavers by using a stone sealer. Add a faux finish to corner stones using two tones of paint. Plant fresh flowers, fertilize the grass and add mulch around your plants.

Staging is key to selling your home. Simple things like clearing out clutter and personal items allow buyers to focus on the home and lets them imagine themselves living there. Paint the walls a neutral color and place furniture to show how functional the room is. Many people aren’t able to imagine what the space would look like with their things in it, yet you can lead them in the right direction by doing these few things.You also get a head start on your packing if you start taking things out now.

Let the sun shine in. Natural light is key to making a room feel light, airy and welcoming. Open window shades and use lots of artificial lighting. In this case, a lot of light is a good thing. Also arrange the space with light colored furniture as it enhances the airy feel.

These simple ideas can make sure your home stands out from the rest of them.There are so many homes for sale in this buyers market, you need to be sure yours stands out from the crowd. With these tips and tricks, prepare to have the offers come in and get ready to sell!

Coral Gables Restaurant Week is back! A play on Miami Spice, patrons enjoy fixed menus at lunch and dinner. Restaurants such as  Bangkok Bangkok, Ortanique on the Mile, Spris, Tarpon Bend and Ruth’s Chris are among some of the restaurants participating in this great event. Restaurant Week, which in fact is a two week event, runs from June 1 to June 14. Don’t miss out on this chance to try some of Coral Gables’ best restaurants.

For a complete list of participating restaurants, visit the Restaurant Week site.

Located in the heart of the Village of Pinecrest, this South Florida model of environmental Green Living feels something akin to living in a National Park!  Beyond bucolic, Smathers Four Fillies Farm is a rare community offering a unique concept, and an even rarer opportunity to live in a sustainably eco-friendly environment!   The link to an article in e-Veritas is below:

Smathers Four Fillies Farm  is among the three finalists for this year’s Urban Land Institute’s top awards recognizing sustainable developments and GREEN living.  Lowering home operating costs by $1,000.00 a year,   Four Fillies far and away exceeds Florida Energy Efficiency Code standards… by  20 to 30 percent… and offers a unique quality of life. 

ULI’s  GREEN AWARD recognizes projects that offer sustainable values,  have  minimal environmental impact,  improve quality of life, comfort, and health… and incorporate regenerative site development strategies, energy and water conservation, use of sustainable or renewable materials, and improved  air quality.

As one the “Florida Green Building Coalition” (FGBC) certified developments, Four Fillies includes abundant  healthy insulation, special air filtration, energy star appliances,  and continuous water conservation (through landscaping choices and choices of appliances and fixtures).  Impact glass aids in energy conservation,  facilitates hurricane preparation and adds an intrinsic safety feature. Paints have low levels of volatile organic compounds. Interior wall studs are steel. The homes are termite and mold-resistant.

Dual concentric horseshoes consisting of  30 homes on a portion of 32 acres of lush tropical foliage, were created in and around existing plant life, mature trees, and tropical foliage… minimizing impact on the natural fauna,  hammocks and spectacular surrounding grounds maintained and protected by Fairchild Tropical Botanic Gardens.

The  32 acre property, donated to the UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI  16 years ago, was a gift from long-time philanthropist and UM trustee Frank Smathers.  31 homes will grace the grounds including a residence that will be home to the President of the University of Miami.  21 acres will remain pristine … (apart from the natural hammocks, which are stunningly wild and utterly beautiful!) and preserve the history of the original Smathers stables, as seen here to the right. 

 A brilliant concept, with ingenious architectural finess and design, Four Fillies offers residents a unique opportunity to live and be a part of this eco-friendly community built by Breakstone, under the wing of MAMCO ’s (Miami Asset Management Company)  Michael Katz and Patrick Burbank…  with  environmentally friendly urban design concepts from Donna Shalala , and backing and support from Evelyn Greer.

Only a handful of homes remain available in Four Fillies for purchase. Deed restrictions apply, as the property is affiliated with the University of Miami. Professors (adjunct, part-time, volunteer), deans, in addition to medical, research and recruits qualify under the deed restricted status.  Pricing ranges from $1.1  to $1.4  (11411 Smathers Circle and 11414 Smathers Circle) , and the gated communityis located is between Red Road and Old Cutler: with the entrance to Four Fillies on 11511 Red Road, Pinecrest, Florida.  For further information, call Vicki Restivo at 305 793 1365 or Alexandra Restivo at 305 632 0164.