Miami Real Estate

Guest contributor to MiamiRealEstateCafe.com  Michael Restivo - Mike Off The Map  …  because Miami isn’t mountainous enough …

“Tomorrow I set off for the mountain I’ve been training six months to climb. I’m flying out to Washington to take on Mt. Rainier, the queen of the Cascades. At 14,400 ft she is the highest mountain in the Pacific Northwest and the 4th highest peak in the lower 48 states. It’s the culmination of a dream I’ve had since I was a child, to test my strength and my will on a major peak, and with hopes that it is only the beginning of a bigger adventure.

It’ll be a three day climb that will test everything I’ve learned as a climber and I couldn’t be prouder to take part in this climb.” Read the rest of this entry »

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After looking at a slew of short sales and foreclosures, and having a full price cash offer rejected, our buyers are ecstatic …  celebrating royally right now.   Their offer on a townhouse was accepted, and they are closing next month.

Cash offers  often give a seller a level of confidence that home purchases requiring lender approval (and an appraisal – in this rather volatile market)  lack.  This case was no different.  There was literally a revolving door of prospective buyers coming to preview the property our buyers had their eye on, and  there were multiple offers.   We’re delighted they got the house they had their heart set on.

If you’re looking to buy or sell property in Miami,  and looking for an experienced local Realtor to work with, we would be delighted to talk with you.

And if you - or someone you care about - is looking to relocate elsewhere, we would be more than happy to recommend top real estate agents elsewhere as well.  The Restivo Team at EWM Realtors, International  … Vicki (305 793-1365) and Alexandra (305 632-0164)…   Referrals mean alot.

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We are so pleased for our wonderful clients whose Pinecrest home closed this week.  Congratulations!

9800 SW 71 Avenue SOLD  (within about 4% of list price …).

The house sits directly across from Royal Palm Tennis Club  … and sold for $604,000.00 …  (Four bedrooms… pool… canal in the back…).

We really enjoyed helping the Strauss family relocate … and it’s a pleasure to welcome our  new neighbors, the Paz family, to Pinecrest.  Congratulations to both buyers and sellers!

Alexandra and Vicki Restivo   … EWM Realtors

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Foreign nationals wanting to buy property in the United States can do so.  Knowing which Visa to apply for (immigrant or non-immigrant) and deciding whether to invest as an individual or under an LLC or corporation are decisions that an attorney should advise you on.  The options for visas include: 

Immigrant vs. Non-Immigrant Visas

Business Visas
L-1A: Intra-company Transferee

Branch or Affiliation with US Corporation

Foreign Entity remains active

Accompanying relatives, spousal work permit

Investor Visas
E2:     Treaty Investor – Citizen of a Treaty Country
Accompanying relatives, spousal work permit

EB5:   Investor – Immigrant Visa
($1,000,000/$500,000 & 10 employees)

H-1B:  Professional Skilled Worker Visa

There are several ways to purchase property in the United States: Sole Proprietor/Corporation /LLC.   As real estate professionals, Alexandra and I would be happy to work with you, and recommend top local real estate attorneys who can advise you as to the benefits of each of your options.  Contact the Restivo Team at EWM Realtors, International  :  Vicki and Alexandra Restivo  restivo.v@ewm.com  305 793-1365   … or connect with us here.

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Buyers decide whether a house is going to be their’s …  within about  a minute of walking through the front door.   Market stats and the National Association of Realtors indicate that home-buyers decide within the first 90 seconds of entering a property.

Sometimes it doesn’t even take that long …  I’ve had buyers decide “That’s the home for me!”…  before we pulled into the driveway…   before even getting out of the car.

I did that myself … I ’knew’ that my house was ’mine’  without ever seeing the inside.  Even having seen it JUST from outside a six-foot walled and gated exterior … I knew it was mine.

Are you looking for a great buyer’s agent …  or considering selling your house?   If you’d like to work with a team of knowledgeable real estate professionals who know the neighborhoods, schools, and South Florida lifestyle, and specialize in relocation  …  if Miami is where you live now or want to live,  we would love to talk with you and see if there’s a mutual fit.  Alexandra and Vicki Restivo  EWM Realtors  305 793-1365  or you are always welcome to  connect with us directly here.

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We’ve been told that neutral colors appeal to the widest base of potential buyers.  And for the most part, that’s true  (especially when the neutral colors are combined with warm accent pieces) …   The idea isn’t just to have a blank canvas , but to have some warmth and intrigue as well.

Splashes of color in accent pieces (piece of art, a vase, flowers, table decoration)  provide a focal point.

In Miami,  earthy tones  (and use of stone, pebble, and rock), are often used to  create a spa-like feel.   The use of  texture, natural stone and wood  seem to be rather universally appealing, and in vogue.

By far the  most widespread appeal comes from using  orange, yellow, green and red hues.  A single accent wall can create contrast and compliment the rest of the room, or  serve as a backdrop to showcase a piece of art.

Staging a house for sale is something we do to make a statement, and create impact.   Setting the stage (‘staging’) seems to bring heftier sales prices on the homes we list and sell.   If you’re looking to sell your home, and need a knowledgeable real estate professional to list and sell it, we would love to talk with you.  Call us anytime you’re ready -  Restivo Team at EWM Realtors  -  Vicki Restivo 305 793-1365   –  Alexandra  Restivo 306 632-0164.

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If you’re buying a house with a limited-lifespan-left-on-the-roof , be prepared  for a hiccup or two.

As far as roof insurance goes:

If the home you’re buying has less than a year’s ‘life’ left on the roof, getting insurance may be virtually impossible.  Read the rest of this entry »

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Contributed by Michael Restivo, Mike Off The Map and posted on Pocket Ranger and MiamiRealEstateCafe.com

As a rock climber growing up in Florida, the options for climbing on true outdoor faces are limited. Aside from the training we do in the gym, our closest options are the bouldering grounds in Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas. So when somebody told me that just two hours north of Miami, in the town of Jupiter, was some great outdoor bouldering, I was initially skeptical. When people think of the beaches here, they think of the South Beach life: endless miles of flat, white sandy shores, with the emphasis on “flat”. What I ended up discovering was some of the most extraordinarily unique beachside bouldering unlike anywhere else.

Blowing Rocks State Preserve in Jupiter, Florida. Read the rest of this entry »

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The average price per square foot has gone up 9.6% on Single Family Homes in Coral Gables from October 2011 to now. That’s a good sign for the Gables Market. If you would like to sell your house, call the Restivo Team today. We will give you a FREE home valuation. We know we can sell it quickly and for the right price…our track record shows it.

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I love this particular quote, and would absolutely love to know who spoke  it: 

“Dear Optimist, Pessimist and Realist  - 

While you guys were busy arguing over the right price for the house, I bought it.  

Sincerely yours, 

The Opportunist”

The  battle these days centers aroung  home values … where they are … and who has their finger on the pulse.  Bottom line ?    The people getting deals … they are the opportunists.  

This current real estate market is one for opportunists  …  both buyers and sellers …  Contact the Restivo Team  at EWM Realtors if you’d like to take advantage of the market.  305 793-1365 - direct line.   – Or you’re welcome to send us a note here:  restivo.v@ewm.com   We are local real estate professionals and we not only know the Miami real estate market, but we can help you make the most of it.

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