Two-story 5 bedroom contemporary pool home  at 5874 SW 131 Terrace in Gables by the Sea:  Situated on a quiet cul-de-sac, this 4822 square foot home has soaring-high wood-beamed  Cathedral ceilings.  Marble and wood floors.Formal dining room, great room, separate breakfast room, spacious open kitchen … warm, light, bright, welcoming.  Wet bar. Wine fridge.

Floor plan flows effortlessly  throughout  this five bedroom Gables by the Sea home.

Two bedrooms are ground level. Master suite and two more bedrooms  are on the upper level, with French doors leading to an enormous L-shaped terrace that overlooks the private grounds and crystal blue pool below. 

 Covered Patio, with coral stone, creates  additional entertainment and barbeque areas and features.  Garden is beautifully private.  

Accordion shutters. Impact glass two-story front entry. Porte-cochere. Circular driveway. 2.5 car garage.  Gables by the Sea is a  walled and gated community with 24 hour security guard, near Gulliver. 

If you’d like to buy (or preview)  this house  - or know more about living in Gables by the Sea,  please call 305-793-1365 or contact me here.  

We will open this home to preview on Wednesday, March 17.  You are welcome to stop by the OPEN HOUSE for lunch from noon to 2pm.  Also shown by appointment.

The Cloisters: Located in Coconut Grove, this gated community features 40 private villas. Each villa has three floors and offers 4,500-7,900 square feet of living space and private elevators. Each villa has 3-5 bedrooms, 2 car garages, and a rooftop terrace overlooking fabulous views of the bay, ocean and city. The Cloisters community offers residents a pool, clubhouse and tennis court.

Gables by the Sea: Located in Coral Gables, this prestigious community has much to offer. Residents enjoy luxurious estates and channels/waterways with ocean access. The community boasts a playground, basketball and tennis courts as well as 24 hour security patrol and guard house. True to its name, life revolves around the sea, with sailing, water skiing, and scuba diving as year round activities. Gables by the Sea offers luxury living in a tranquil coastal setting.

CocoPlum: Residents of this luxury gated community enjoy waterfront living with views or proximity to the ocean.  This exclusive area located in Coral Gables features a guardhouse, 24 hour security patrol, a clubhouse, tennis courts, and a playground. For boaters, Coco Plum features a dockmaster and a full service marina.

Deering Bay Estates: An exclusive Coral Gables community with luxury estates, condos and townhomes. Deering Bay features a Yacht and Country Club, a world class golf course and marinas with dockage space for boats up to 120 feet in length. Residents and visitors alike may join the Club and enjoy tennis, the yacht club and golf.

Grove Isle: Located in Coconut Grove, Grove Isle is a private gated island set in Biscayne Bay. Condos provide amenities such as a sauna, heated pool and marina. The sports club offers residents tennis, pools, the beach and a fitness center. The Grove Isle Hotel and Spa offers visitors access to the marina, swimming pool and the beach.

The Moorings: An exclusive gated community in the heart of Coconut Grove, the Moorings is a beautiful enclave of about 40 Mediterranean style homes. Located just off Main Highway, this community provides 24 hour security.

Hammock Oaks: Just off Old Cutler Road, Hammock Oaks is a private and gated community. It has 107 homes and provides access to Biscayne Bay. There is a small marina with one bridge to the Bay.

Hammock Lakes: A private community located in Coral Gables and expected to be gated in the near future. Hammock Lakes is centered around the lake and features luxury properties situated along the secluded winding roads that make up this area, and along the natural preserve adjacent.

Tahiti Beach: The ultimate in exclusive luxury living. Tahiti Beach features 29 estates situated on a natural reserve and boasts gorgeous Bay and ocean views. Residents of this private enclave enjoy a park, a beach and a tennis club. A quick drive through Coco Plum then you have arrived at the guard gate (with an armed guard!)

Gables Estates: Located in Coral Gables, this community has 192 waterfront luxury estates. Residents must purchase a membership in the Gables Estates Club which offers a yacht club. Originally designed in the 1960’s by Arthur Vining Davis, the area provides access to Biscayne Bay.

Journey’s End: In the heart of Coral Gables, this prestigious gated community is situated on a natural hammock. It is made up of 18 estates and offers 24 hour security, tennis courts and a marina with private boat docks.

Old Cutler Bay: This gated waterfront community is located near Matheson Hammock Park and Marina and Fairchild Tropical Gardens. Old Cutler Bay features 24 hour roving security and guard gate and with 136 homes situated among lush banyan trees. Many of these luxury homes come equipped with backyard dock space for an easy ride out to Biscayne Bay.

Snapper Creek Lakes: Originally developed in the early 1950’s by Arthur Vining Davis, this area is a development of 124 homes situated amongst lush tropical hammock. Residents enjoy a marina with a full time dockmaster, and the option of mooring in the water or in a dry shed. The marina provides a place to fuel and launch boats and has direct access to the waters of Biscayne Bay.

Smather’s Four Fillies Farm:  32 acres of hammocks and natural preserve donated by Frank Smather’s to The University of Miami.  Gated community is deed restricted to University of Miami faculty (A wide umbrella allows ‘faculty’ inclusion of adjunct professors, volunteer faculty, and medical affiliates.) Within the community are 30 residential homes built by Breakstone, with a community pool and tennis court and 20 acres of open grounds, walking trails and tranquility.

Looking to move to Miami?   Give me a call at 305-793-1365 … or drop me a note.  I’d love to help.  The Restivo Team, EWM REALTORS …   Buying or selling real estate… We can help.  MiamiRealEstateCafe Your website preview of  Miami.

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!

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.

 These 30  newly built homes (by Breakstone) offer phenomenal GREEN FEATURES to maximize quality of life, and minimize maintenance and costs.  Most are SOLD OUT. 

The community itself is deed restricted to approved University of Miami Faculty ( full-time, adjunct, medical research, and recruits), and it does offer a guaranteed buy-back program. 

If you are affiliated with the University of Miami,  the SAM PROGRAM applies to a number of the  homes  in Four Fillies.  If you are not affiliated with the University, this might be incentive to do so.  Ever considered  becoming a part-time lecturing professor? 

 There are only a handful of  HOMES FOR SALE within Four Fillies Farm.

 Come by the OPEN  HOUSE on SUNDAY MAY 17th from 2:30pm to 5:00pm.  It’s an opportunity to preview two special  Four Fillies homes, the grounds, pool area, tennis court, and get a sense of the community. 

OPEN THIS SUNDAY, May 17, 2009   are:

11414 Smathers Circle (a two story/5 bedroom for $1,400,000)   and 11411 Smathers Circle  (one-story /3 bedroom for $1,100,000). 

Please feel free to drop by! Entrance to the University of Miami’s Four Fillies property is on Red Road (SW 57th Avenue) at SW 111th Street (just south of Pinecrest Gardens). The community is situated between Red Road and Old Cutler Road.

The Private Community contains walking trails, a swimming pool & hot tub, a tennis court, a workout room and a clubhouse complete with a kitchen. The grounds are stunning, featuring rare plant life, extensive fruit groves and natural hammocks, all maintained by Fairchild Tropical Gardens. Four Fillies is Green Certified and anticipated to perform 20-30% better on average than the Florida Energy Code, representing significant savings.

Donated to the University of Miami fifteen years ago by philanthropist and longtime trustee Frank Smathers Jr, Four Fillies is located on Red Road, just minutes away from the Coral Gables Campus. Also nearby are three Metro Rail Stations with access to the Miller School of Medicine Campus. Nestled in the Village of Pinecrest, Four Fillies lies within the Pinecrest School District which boasts Pinecrest Elementary and Palmetto Senior High. These schools consistently rank among the top public schools in the state. Just a short drive away are also some Miami’s best private schools.

This three bedroom / two and a half bath home is a one story gem and features every upgrade imaginable. From beautiful bamboo and travertine floors to retractable screens on French doors and patio, the home has been finished with a designer’s touch. Soaring Ceilings and Grand windows. Tranquil views from every room. The kitchen features double ovens and opens to the Family Room / Breakfast area. The home offers a wood burning fireplace, a media system and a generator. Click here to see a brochure.

Four Fillies is exclusive to qualified faculty members, affiliates and recruits.It is Deed restricted to UM Faculty (adjunct / full-time / volunteer).There is a guaranteed buy back from the University of Miami after nine months. Eligible faculty may benefit from the SAM program at Four Fillies.

The Community is located at 11511 Red Road. This particular home is one story, the first model to sell out and the only one available now, and is located at 11411 Smathers Cr in Four Fillies. 2,531 sq ft of living area and 3,362 sq ft under roof. Click here to see a floor plan.

For further information on this home, others in Four Fillies or any of your real estate needs, contact Alexandra or Vicki.

In honor of Earth Day and Earth Week,  here are a handful of ways to  “Green Your Home For Less”:

Here are the 12  Top Eco-friendly Homeowner Tips to Green Your Home and Save Money:

#     Top Ranked            Eco-friendly Savings Solutions                                                                                                                 

1.     Window/Door           Impact glass/double-panes                                                                                                                                      

2.     Water Usage             Low flow toilet/showerhead                                                                                                           

3.    Water Efficient           Tankless water heater                                                                                                                         

4.   Appliances                    Energy Star Rated:Washer/Dryer/Dishwasher /Oven/Refrigerator                          

5.   Insulation                     Sprayed/Rolled/Radiant Barrier (attic,exterior walls)                                                   

6.   Pool                                Operate Pool pump  4-6 hrs                                                                                                              

7.  Electricity                      Energy efficient bulbs                                                                                                                      

8.  Heating/Cooling          High Efficiency A.C. Unit/frequent filter changes                                                              

9. Electric Usage                Reduce high energy culprits: Oven& Iron                                                                                

10.Renovations                  Incorporate recycled materials                                                                                                      

11: Shade                              Plant trees and  Install Awnings                                                                                                      

12: Back to Basics              Air dry dishes & clothes

The author’s personal favorites, both green certified  and energy star rated Miami properties, are The Venetian Coral Gables Townhomes and Smather’s Four Fillies Farm in Pinecrest.

This 5 bed/4 bath home is listed at $1,400,000.

Four Fillies is located at 11511 Red Road, EWM’s Open House is at 11414 Smathers Circle Once on the grounds….follow the EWM signs through the community.

Four Fillies Farm consists of 30 newly constructed villas built on 11 acres in the center of the bucolic 32-acre Smathers Estate located between Red Road  (SW 57th Avenue) and Old Cutler, in Pinecrest.  The additional 21 acres of surrounding grounds, rare plant life, extensive fruit groves and  natural hammock are maintained by Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.  Gated, private, and  adjacent to the marina, this university setting is home to UM faculty and recruits.  Walking trails, swimming pool and hot tub, tennis court,  playground, workout room and clubhouse, privately gated Four Fillies offers acres of  tranquility.  Developed by MAMCO and designed and built by Breakstone,   Four Fillies has preserved, very much intact,  the natural environment of the estate… designing  the entire community in and around existing tropical plants and trees. 

Quality-built by internationally renown Breakstone,  most of the villas have already been sold, and are lived in.  A handful of homes are available.  All are GREEN CERTIFIED by the Florida Green Building Coalition, and  expected to perform 20-30% better on average than  the Florida Energy Code,  which should  provide significant savings. 

Current  and future qualified UM recruits and faculty can apply their SAM Program Incentives to any property in Four Fillies Farm. 

The homes currently available  are two-story,  4-5 bedrooms,  priced at $1,145,000 – $1, 595,00 (with a particularly lovely 5 bedroom available for $1,400.000.00)… Every home in Four Fillies offers a guaranteed buy-back program from the University, advantageous for buyers, as it encourages and enables highly competitive loan options from lenders. 

There are several floor plans.  EWM Realtors has a beautiful two-story home in listed in Four Fillies,  at the end of Smathers Road, elegant with high ceilings… flowing open living areas and a lush expanse of  back yard ‘orchard’,  priced at $1,400,000.00   It’s a regal property at the southern edge of Four Fillies,  5-bedrooms with a 2-car garage.   The entirety of  Four Fillies was previously available solely through MAMCO , the asset company for the University of Miami.  EWM Realtors can now assist you  with any of  homes available in Four Fillies, now that construction is complete. Smathers Four Fillies homes are not listed through the MLS,  as they are deed restricted to University of Miami qualified faculty members.  For additional information, or to see  any Four Fillies properties, contact  either Vicki  Restivo at 305 793-1365  or Alexandra Restivo at 305 632-0164.

 If you missed out on this house, there’s a similar one for sale now in Palmetto Bay… bigger… and for less money.  The one pictured above, with 4,273 square feet of living space,  sold in June of 2008 for $830,000 on 8598 SW 168 Terrace… having multiple offers on it. 

Take a look at the home for sale below.  7469 SW 168 Terrace in Banyan Woods  is  a spacious  five bedroom home… SIMILAR  in many ways to the one pictured above … It’s listed for considerably less.  At $799,000  it’s the best priced property currently available  in Banyan Woods… on a corner lot …  walled  and gated! [slideshow=6] 

With  high ceilings throughout the living areas,  it is open and spacious… with a comfortable flow.  Double doors open to the foyer and  sunken living room… with views of the pool patio and garden beyond.   The  focal point of the family room  is the working marble  fireplace.  In the  kitchen there’s  a cook island,  in black granite, a snack counter and an eat-in area  by the bay windows looking out onto the pool.  A separate formal dining room  faces the front of the home … on a ”circular cul-de-sac” .  Floors are a combination of tile and marble.  Listed for $799,000… 7469 SW 168th Terrace is a split five bedroom / four bath home :  with one bedroom separate and apart from the other four.  The private back yard is both walled and fenced, and jutts up against SW 168th Street.  It’s pristine pool,  and two separate, covered  patio areas are perfect for entertaining… with domed, screened-in  pool enclosure … removable kiddie safety pool-fence… an grassy area… and basketball court. 7469 SW 168th Terrace consists of 4,729 square feet  under air… a two car garage… and is located  just west of Old Cutler…  around the bend from the quaint Starbucks on Old Cutler… in Palmetto Bay… aptly dubbed the “Village of Parks”.  

Just the block,  7399 SW 168 Terrace  is listed for sale as well… the  identical model to this one… but with a rock fountain in the front, awnings… and a carport. 

For more information on living in  the Village of Palmetto Bay, contact Vicki and Alexandra Restivo, Luxury Home Marketing Specialists  with EWM Realtors, or visit www.MiamiRealEstateCafe.com  a comprehensive website for those considering making South Florida “home”!  We welcome your comments,  your questions… and of course, your referrals!