Miami Real Estate

IN RESEARCHING RECENT HOME SALES  AND MARKET TRENDS IN MIAMI, I FOUND THAT THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE SELLING IN 2010 ARE SELLING WITHIN 10% OF THEIR ASKING PRICE – CONSISTENTLY.  IN SOME MARKET SEGMENTS, PROPERTIES ARE SELLING CLOSER TO 3-5% OF THEIR ASKING PRICE. 

THAT MEANS THAT PRICING HOMES PROPERLY IS KEY TO SELLING THEM … AND SELLERS AND BUYERS BOTH NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.

IN PINECREST, FROM JANUARY 2010 THROUGH JULY 2010, THERE WERE  JUST OVER 200 HOMES FOR SALE  ON AVERAGE- IN ANY ONE GIVEN MONTH – THAT INCLUDES ALL LISTINGS, ACROSS THE BOARD, IN ALL PRICE RANGES.  OF THE 200 PLUS HOMES LISTED FOR SALE,  20 WERE SHORT SALES.  182 WERE REGULAR SALES.

WHAT SOLD?  Read the rest of this entry »

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YOUR “HOW-TO” GUIDE …  NEGOTIATING A HOME PURCHASE:  HOW TO GET THE SELLER TO TAKE  YOUR  OFFER …  ”7 EASY TIPS”  TO GETTING YOUR OFFER ACCEPTED:

1)  “007″ …   JAMES BOND:     FIND OUT THE SELLER’S TOP PRIORITY  … IT’S NOT ALWAYS PRICE.   IT COULD BE ANY NUMBER OF THINGS:   TIMEFRAME TO CLOSE, ASSURANCES ABOUT YOUR FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS OR COMMITMENT DATES,  OR IT COULD SIMPLY BE THAT THE SELLERS WANT YOU (THE BUYER) TO BE HEAD OVER HEALS IN LOVE WITH THE HOUSE. Read the rest of this entry »

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Back to School doesn’t mean you can’t get out and enjoy the parks that Palmetto Bay has to offer! While the rest of the country is transitioning into the fall season, we can still enjoy the summer weather. The parks in Palmetto Bay have much to offer…

Coral Reef Park: Situated on more than 50 acres, the park is located in the heart of the Village. It features canals, a Pineland Preserve and open green spaces and sandy beach volleyball courts and a Meditation Garden. The Village is adding a concession and also plans on revamping the softball/baseball fields as well as the walking paths. The park is located at 7895 SW 152nd Street Palmetto Bay, FL 33157.

Palmetto Bay Park: The 25 acre park features basketball courts, a boundless playground (the largest in Dade County), a skate pavillion, and a six field softball complex. The park also has a concession building and observation deck as well as a recreation room. There are also picnic tables, tree lined pathways for biking jogging or walking, as well as large green open spaces. Located at 17535 SW 95th Avenue Palmetto Bay, FL 33157 and is open from sunrise to sunset.

Thalatta Park: The four acre park allows direct access to Biscayne Bay. There is much wildlife that thrives in the mangroves here-marine iguana, herons and pelicans, among others. On the property, there is a vintage residence, named “Thalatta” (meaning the sea). In 2007, the park was named after the house. There is a recreation room as well as picnic pavillions. The park is currently undergoing renovations and is expected to reopen in the winter of 2010/2011. It’s located at  17301 Old Cutler Road Palmetto Bay, FL 33157

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Here are some easy ways to make a difference…

When you get coffee to go, B.Y.O.M. (bring your own mug). If we all used one less paper cup a week, we could save thousands of trees per year and much less would be dumped into landfills.

Boil water with a lid on the pan. It will boil up to 75% faster and will save energy because the heat won’t escape.

Run a full dishwasher rather than washing dishes by hand. It saves energy because hand washing can use as much as 26 gallons of water for 12 place settings, while a good dishwasher will use 4 gallons of water.

Filling your freezer makes it more energy efficient. You can store water in jugs and containers instead of food items.

Store and label leftover items with today’s date. This reduces the chance of it being thrown in the trash.

Computers, TCs and DVD players use stand-by power even when you think they’re off. Unplug them and save up to 10% on your electric bill. You could also plug a lot of items into one power strip and shut the power strip down.

About 70% of municipal waste comes from homes and accounts for almost 4% of the Earth’s greenhouse gases. Sorting out recyclables in the kitchen makes it easy to recycle paper, aluminum, glass and plastics.

The curtains in your home make a difference. Switch them out durinf the summer and winter months. In the summer, white curtains reflect heat, while dark heave curtains in the winter help warm rooms and allow you to lower the thermostat. For every degree you adjust the thermostat, you can save 3-5% on your energy bill (and reduce carbon emissions).

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There are some differences when it comes down to it, and some advantages to one over the other. Here’s the breakdown of the two so you can decide what best suits you and your needs.

Pre Qualification

It’s an estimate of how much you can afford and how much money a lender would be willing to loan to you. It’s best to get this letter before you start looking at houses. You should sit down with a lender or chat over the phone and provide information on your income, debts, assers and a potential down payment amount. Read the rest of this entry »

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ONE OF THE PERKS OF BEING A REALTOR IS GETTING TO PREVIEW HOMES THAT HAVE JUST COME ON THE MARKET.  LISTING AGENTS IN MIAMI HOLD THEIR NEW LISTINGS OPEN FOR BROKERS  ON WEDNESDAYS.  AND I WAS IMPRESSED BY ONE IN PINECREST THIS WEEK - WITHOUT A DOUBT IT’S BLOG MATERIAL. COMPARING IT TO OTHER SIMILARLY PRICED HOMES IN PINECREST, THIS HOME DEFINITELY STANDS OUT – EVEN AS COMPARED TO OTHERS  PRICED WELL ABOVE IT – 5745 SW 97 STREET IN PINECREST. 

WITH 50 PROPERTIES CURRENTLY LISTED FOR SALE IN PINECREST FOR $2 MILLION UPWARD,  THIS ONE STRUCK ME FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS…   THE TWO THAT MATTER MOST TO BUYERS: VALUE AND QUALITY. Read the rest of this entry »

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Immaculately maintained 3 bedroom 2 bath home with family room and breakfast area. The home features terracotta tile throughout, an indoor laundry room, shutters and a new A/C was added in 2009. Located in a no flood zone. “A” rated schools.

Situated in the tranquil, guard gated community of Kings Bay. The deep backyard features mature trees and a terracotta tiled porch. Residents can access the private marina thru Deering Bay with overnight dockage and boat ramp. There are no HOA fees except for a voluntary $50/year. Move in ready-just bring the boat!

Address is 14610 SW 66 Ave in Coral Gables

Open House from 3-5 pm

Contact Vicki or Alexandra for further questions or just stop by.

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AFTER SUBMITTING COUNTLESS OFFERS  (ON REGULAR… AND SHORT SALE LISTINGS) ON BEHALF OF TWO VERY DETERMINED AND SPECIAL  BUYERS OF OURS,  I AM TELLING YOU,  IF YOU HAVE THE STOMACH FOR IT, YOUR PERSEVERANCE AND DILIGENCE  COULD PAY OFF  –  BIG.  DOES IT ALWAYS?   NO, OBVIOUSLY NOT.   I AM NOT IMPLYING THAT, BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION.   BUT THIS STORY IS ONE FOR THE BOOKS!  Read the rest of this entry »

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The last time you checked your child’s credit report was when?  Never?

Kids are easy targets for identity thieves. Until they are old enough to apply for credit, there is little reason to check  their credit reports.  Adam Levin, founder of  Identity Theft 911  (a provider of identity theft remediation services to businesses and consumers)  says kids are prime targets because their debts often go undetected for years. 400,000 children a year become victims of ID theft after criminals get their Social Security numbers through medical records, mail tampering, computer searches or a stolen wallet.

How Can You  Protect Your Child’s ID? Read the rest of this entry »

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Sitting down and considering the things you’re looking for you will save a lot of time and frustration by avoiding houses that aren’t going to work for you.

What are you looking for?

Home Type: Single Family, Duplex, Apartment, Townhome, Condominium.

Interior Features: Air conditioning. Floors-carpet, tile, hardwood. Walk in closets, home theater, fireplace, extensive counter and cabinet space.

Lot Features: Large yard vs small yard. Fenced yeard. Garage, Carport, Patio or deck, Pool, Jacuzzi, extra parking.

Community Features: Schools-elementary, middle and high. Local parks. Recreation centers.

Once you’ve decided what features are important for your new home, then you should rank them in preferencial order based on Location, Price, Size, Amenities & Design, or anything else.

If you have your preferences in mind, we can save you the trouble of seeing houses that will not appeal to you. Now that you have your list (or even if you don’t have one and would like our help creating one), go ahead and contact the Restivo Team- we would love to help you find your new home!

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