The Keyes Company is a full-service real estate company whose heritage can be traced back to a small, one-desk office opened on Biscayne Boulevard in Miami in 1926 by Kenneth Keyes.  The company has become a legend in South Florida real estate and is now one of the largest firms in the country.As an independently-owned family business, Keyes has served the residential and commercial real estate needs of South Florida families, neighborhoods and business communities for over 80 years.  Today, Keyes has over 1,800 associates in 30 branch offices located throughout Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin and Volusia counties as well as in Panama.  Keyes is a founding member of the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World and consistently ranks among the Top 100 real estate companies in the cou... 04/20/2007

So how long have you had your home on the market? This is a common topic of conversation lately in Ft Lauderdale. Many people have had their homes on the market for months without an offer. In years past all a Realtor had to do was put a home on the MLS (multiple listing service) within hours the homeowner would be presented with multiple offers. The Fort Lauderdale market has changed, almost over night we went from a sellers market to a buyers market. This happens when the local inventory of homes becomes greater than the demand for those homes. While this sounds like a scary prospect for homeowners the good news is there are several strategies you can use to sell your home despite the current market conditions. Price Your Home Right. The price you ask has to be the right price from th... 04/17/2007

Ft Lauderdale real estate has been booming for the last five years. Then a few months ago something changed. All of a sudden the Sun Sentinel and the Miami Herald had nothing good at all to say about the South Florida real estate market. I even read some where that the Florida real estate bubble had finally burst. I don't think what is happening in the market is quite that serious but there are changes happening. For years Ft Lauderdale was a sellers market. That meant that sellers held all the cards and where in total control. During this time it was not uncommon for sellers to get multiple competing offers with in hours of their property being listed. Homes where selling for above appraised value and buyers where bringing cash to the closing table to make up the difference. This creat... 04/15/2007

Ages 10 and over can take FREE scuba lessons in a 25,000 gallon tank on the beach!  Other features include over 200 dive and adventure sports exhibits, food, live music, fashon shows, and free seminars.  Adults $9 for the day (or $16 for all three days), and kids 12 and under are FREE. Don't Forget the sunsreen! Location: on Ft. Lauderdale Beach, by the Yankee Clipper Resort  Date: April 20 - 22 Infomation Provided By: Michelle Burgos, GRI  Visit our sites: www.RealEstateWish.com www.ILoveMiramar.com My Blog: bRAINstorming 04/12/2007

OK... so I don't always follow a strict diet...but in honor of my wife I made a stop by MICHAEL'S CHICAGO STYLE RED HOTS in Fort Lauderdale...why in her honor? My wife is from Highland Park, Illinois - a Northern Suburb of Chicago.There is a restaurant there called Michael's Chicago Style Red Hots... named for Michael Hoffman, the owner and proprietor.  My wife grew up there with her brothers and sisters.  Her little sister Liz is actually on the wall of the original Michael's... the picture is when she was 5 years old, covered in Ketchup and holding up two little paper cups full of the stuff.Michaels is a REAL Chicago Hot Dog joint - Suburbanized...  In Highland Park they have a huge salad bar where the employees add whatever you want to your own Salad Creation.They've got all the feat... 04/04/2007

PRICE - $2,100 per MBEDROOM - 3BATH - 2THE ONLY 3 BED/2 BATH IN THIS LUXURIOUS BLDG!! BRAND NEW, SPECTACULAR 5TH FLOOR UNIT IN THE HEART OF FT. LAUDERDALE! INCREDIBLE AMENITIES INCLUDE: RESORT STYLE SWIMMING POOL, FITNESS CENTER, & CLUBHOUSE. CONVENIENTLY LOCATED NEAR RESTAURANTS, SHOPPING, AND BEACHES!                                                               BEAUTIFUL ! ! PLEASE CONTACT FLORIDA LIST FOR LESS REALTY - SCOTT DANIELS @ 954 - 275 - 0200http://www.browardbesthomes.com/ 01/22/2007

We recently received our renewal package for our company's E&O insurance.  We pay for the policy outright without charge to our associates.  We do provide E&O insurance coverage cards to each associate that are provided by the insurer. We opted for a $2500 deductible and it is indicated on the individual's coverage card. Some people wonder why we bother to carry these cards with our various other documents. We can display these cards to sellers and buyers and suggest that they should request proof of coverage from any other licensee that they may be considering engaging.  We were suprized by how many other licensees do not have any ability to demonstrate proof nor even have the insurance.  Usually, this happens with small to average sized offices. Even the larger offices do not have the... 12/22/2006

One of the advantages of this forum that I enjoy is the ability to share with each other both positive and in many to many instances negative issues that we face every day.  In this case I have the fortunate ability to share a positive experience from yesterday.Our office has an HP4650DN printer. It uses 4 color toner cartridges that cost us approx $250 each. Yesterday, the yellow cartridge ran out and caused the printer to cease operation until it was replaced. For the past several months I have seen on tv a commercial for Cartridge World. They claim to be able to professionally refill any ink/toner cartridge. They have free pick up and delivery service. Our office administrator was out for the day so I ended up with the short straw and had to deal with the replacement. Good thing too ... 12/13/2006

Fort Lauderdale rest north of Miami boarded on the east by the Atlantic ocean and on the west by the Everglades. Temperatures range from a low of 59 to a high of 90. There is a total residence count of 805,091. Total households are 316,102 with a median age of 37.86. The median income in Fort Lauderdale is $49,788. The single family market made up of single family homes is as follows. Their is 1,967 active listings currently on the market. Their have been 755 closed sales since January 1, 2006. Their is currently 145 pending sales and 90 properties have been taken off the market by the sellers. Their have been 888 properties that expired off the MLS system which means they did not sale in an average six month period.The other part of the single family market is made up of condominiums, ... 11/30/2006

Fort Lauderdale, sometimes referred to as the "Venice of America" for its seemingly endless miles of waterways, is one of South Florida's hot spots.  It is also the county seat of Broward County - the heart of South Florida's Gold Coast.  Originally attracting Spring Break college students by the droves (inspired by the 1960 movie Where the Boys Are), Fort Lauderdale has been attracting a more sophisticated and affluent population in recent decades.  For those that enjoy the boating lifestyle, Fort Lauderdale is a wonderful place to call home.  The extensive network of canals throughout the Greater Fort Lauderdale area lead to the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) which leads out to the Atlantic Ocean via inlets.  As I write this, the 47th Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (dubbed as "t... 10/25/2006

Ft. Lauderdale is known as the ideal place to live. Due to the fact that it is so rich with waterways it is know as the Venice of America with the intercoastal waterway and Las Olas area being the heart of Venice.Ft. Lauderdale Beach has just undergone a $26 million renovation with brick walkways and lush landscape. With seven miles of beautiful beaches and 185 mils of local waterways, water based actives are the most popular forms of recreation. The Atlantic Ocean offers the perfect setting for divers to observe tropical underwater life, sunken ships and coral reefs. Broward county has some of the best parks anywhere. With places to swim, jog, exercise or just enjoy a day in the sun. There are dozens to choose from. For more information on Ft. Lauderdale and the surrounding area click ... 10/23/2006

Well, so much for the conspiracy theorists.  FREC conducted a 1 day workshop seminar yesterday specifically regarding their announced enforcement of requiring all advertising to include the broker’s phone number.  FREC was also conducting their normally scheduled commission meetings yesterday and today.FREC announced their reversal on the FAC rule requiring all advertising to include the broker’s phone number.  The FAC will be amended accordingly and there will not be any enforcement action taken in this regard.There had been a lot of inquiries as to why FREC was requiring the broker’s phone inclusion.  It appears many licensees were not too happy.  Some even suggested a big broker conspiracy.  Therefore, based on FREC's recent ruling we can reasonably assume either there was not any co... 10/18/2006

Earlier this year the FREC (Florida Real Estate Commission) amended the Florida Administrative Code (FAC) to require that all advertising (including business cards & yard signs) contain the name and phone contact of the broker. The rule went into effect in August 2006.  However, its’ enforcement has been delayed until later this month after FREC conducts and educational workshop.  On the FAR website planetrealtor.com there have been a few associates crying broker conspiracy theories. Below is the thread up to date which includes my eventual reply. Other comments from this forum are invited to join in. Eileen SchifferMemberPosts: 8Joined: Dec 2003 Thu October 12, 2006 12:36 PM   (NEW!)          Would someone please explain the logic behind requiring the broker's phone number on all ads? ... 10/15/2006

I was reading my real estate news this morning to learn that the former CEO of Move.com (a/k/a Realtor.com) is going to jail for 15 years. The charges were much the same as the Arthur Anderson Accounting firm and Enron.  Cooking the books. Below is the article.Ex-Homestore CEO gets 15-year sentenceLOS ANGELES -- Oct. 13, 2006 -- The founder and former chief executive of online real estate listings company Homestore Inc. was sentenced Thursday to a 15-year prison term and ordered to pay a $5 million fine for his part in a scheme to defraud investors.Stuart Wolff, 43, was convicted in June on charges of insider trading, lying to company accountants and federal regulators, and conspiracy in a scheme to inflate online ad revenues at the Westlake Village-based company.U.S. District Judge Per... 10/15/2006

Hi Gang:  Check this out ------this is a great thing. The Florida Department of Drivers License has added a new feature to their on-line services.  You can now go on-line and enter two (2) emergency contacts on your Florida Drivers License (electronically) which can only be retrieved by a police officer. This way, if you are in an accident, the police can run the drivers license and have the emergency info ASAP!!!It will help the police contact family or friends quickly in case you or your loved ones are in a serious car accident.The link below is the Florida Department of Drivers License:https://www6.hsmv.state.fl.us/dlcheck/findcustomerAlso, emergency personnel have started looking for I.C.E. entries in cell phones for emergency contact information.  ICE stands for IN CASE OF EMERGENC... 10/14/2006

Hillary Clinton for President in 2008? Who knows? It's certainly way to early to determine. I also have no interest in making my blog or Activerain a political forum.  Although, who knows by the time the 2008 elections roll around. It's been awfully quiet on AR with pending mid-terms.Anyways, I just received a funny Jib-Jab styled email from a friend that I wanted to share with my AR co-horts. It's very cute - and I am certainly not a Hillary fan.Check it out and keep it alive by providing lots of replies and ranking this post high will keep this cartoon going.http://www.michaelhodges.com/missing.html  10/09/2006

One of our newest associates recently closed on a transaction representing the buyer. He and his wife purchased a beautiful vase and plant for a home warming gift. They planted within the plant several gift cards for various stores such as Home Depot, Publix, etc.  The entire gift cost approximately $250.00.  Very nice gift.Here’s the rub – he was shocked to learn that only $50 of this $250 gift was tax deductible. IRS regulations limit gifts such as this to a tax deductibility limit of $25 per person or $50 per couple. Okay, so he must now treat that $200 difference as income and pay taxes accordingly. Well, I have known of other Realtors that provide much bigger gifts back to their clients and believe they can simply deduct the cost as a business expense.  If it is in reality a rebate... 10/08/2006

I always hear and read that most brokers prefer not to maintain an escrow account. I believe this is founded from broker schools where it is generally taught that you tremendously lower your chances of a state compliance audit if there is not an escrow account maintained by the broker.  Although, this may be very true it is in my opinion a disservice to the customers that pay us.  Additionally, the “maintenance” on an escrow account is rather simple and generally involves one 3 page report – no big deal.What’s the big advantage? First, it’s so much simpler to disburse from your office than having to depend on another company to service you.  In fact, in a rental situation the only escrow choice is an attorney or a real estate broker. In house escrow management should allow one access 7 ... 10/07/2006

Many MLS now require a double authentication system.  Basically, your used ID, password, and generally another password generated by an external key.  Personally, I think it’s great because it helps reduce the unauthorized access/use of the MLS for which we all pay a lot of money.Those MLS systems that do not have this yet – it is coming sooner rather than later.  Many boards have been reluctant to implantation due to the cost of the key generator a/k/a token.There is a new option being beta tested and should be release sometime near term.  The Palm Beach regional MLS may be one of the first in this area. Clareity Security, maker of their tokens is working with GE Supra to provide OTP (one time passwords) to display in the Supra Display Key.  Each time you synch you’ll get a new set of ... 10/07/2006

FREE Blackberry 8700CI have been asked by various Realtors which cell phone, in my opinion, is the “best”. Isn’t it obvious? I am using a Blackberry. “Best” is always as in the eyes of the user. So, I think the more appropriate question is why did I pick the Blackberry over say the more Realtor popular Treo?  Considering I have used both I felt fairly comfortable in providing a reply.Treo’s unique pros:The Treo allows for touch screen operation for many of the functions.The Treo has IR capabilities which is necessary for Supra lock box operation.Treo’s unique cons:The Treo’s use requires 2 hands in many of the operations.The Treo’s email gets locked up in many instances if you’re receiving large attachments over 1mb.The Treo has a little antenna nub that makes it a little more cumbersom... 10/07/2006