Miami-area home sales in April dipped from March and remained well below average, but they shot up over the unusually low year-ago level for the 14th consecutive month as investors, first-time buyers and vacation-home buyers targeted lower-cost condos and other abodes. The median sale price fell slightly from March and was 9.1 percent lower than in April 2009, marking the smallest annual decline in almost two years, a real estate information service reported.In April 8,257 new and resale houses and condos closed escrow in the metro area encompassing Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and Broward counties. That was down 4.6 percent from March but up 30.5 percent from April 2009, according to MDA DataQuick of San Diego, Calif. The firm tracks real estate trends nationally via public property records.... 06/09/2010

Luxury Condos-Miami foreclosures in oceanfront buildings are just a handful in the MLS database at this time.  What most buyers do not know is that prior to foreclosures being placed on the MLS, there is actually an auction first for the property.  If the property doesn’t sell at the auction, it gets handed to a bank representative who then hires a Real Estate agent to list the property in the MLS. In the MLS there are currently 16182 Miami condos for sale.    Out of these 16182, there are 2860 Miami Beach Condos for sale.  From those 2860, 88 are listed as foreclosures or (REO) in the MLS database. Now what I want to focus on today is the newer (no older than 2000) luxury Miami oceanfront condos.  When I enter this criteria, 4 properties are left as a result. Featured Luxury Condo Miam... 06/08/2010

Mosaic condo Miami is located in the same neighborhood as the Caribbean Condos Miami Beach.  Just north of the South Beach neighborhood of Miami Beach and just south of Millionaire’s Row of Miami Beach.  Mosaic condo Miami is within walking distance to the Fountainbleau hotel and other little local shops and restaurants.  View Mosaic Condo Miami in a larger map Mosaic condo Miami is located at 3801 Collins Avenue Miami Beach, Florida 33140.  It is considered one of the more boutique luxury condos. Miami oceanfront condos that are brand new buildings inside and out are only a handful,  since this property was opened in 2006, it is only four years old. There are currently 12 properties for sale in the Mosaic Miami Beach. Properties are priced from $625,000 for a two bedroom short sale int... 06/07/2010

Good fortune has begun to shine again on Miami’s condo market after a long period of ups and downs. According to a recent study commissioned by the City of Miami’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and conducted in partnership with Goodkin Consulting and Focus Real Estate Advisors LLC, condo sales and occupancy rates are on the rise. Similarly, Miami’s existing home sales rose in March. Home sales increased by 24 percent last month with a total of 16,294 homes sold in the state of Florida. This is significant compared to the 13,090 homes sold in March 2009, according to Florida Realtors. The report by Florida Realtors also reported a 63 percent increase in statewide sales of existing condos last month. According to the DDA study, there is nothing but good news in the Miami condo mark... 06/07/2010

MIAMI- On Tuesday, the governor of Florida, Charlie Crist, signed into law the Distressed Condominium Relief Act, which is designed to give assurance to bulk condominium buyers that they won't be liable for the flaws in a building they did not develop. Theoretically, as bulk buyers are spared this liability, they will buy up more of the excess units built during the boom years. The law will goes into effect on July 1, 2010.Because the new law takes the element of liability off the table, says Warren Weiser, chairman of Continental Real Estate Companies in Coral Gables, bulk buyers will no longer have to budget for possible litigation.The new condominium law was written two years ago at the beginning of the real estate crisis, at a time when there were few bulk condominium purchases. But... 06/03/2010

Caribbean Condo Miami Beach is located at 3737 Collins Avenue in Miami Beach.   Caribbean Condos Miami Beach is one of the best new luxury condos of Miami oceanfront condos. According to the MLS, there are currently 7 properties listed for sale.  Starting at $450,000 for a one bedroom up to $921,060 for a two bedroom unit.   There are currently 8 properties under contract.  Over the last six months 16 properties sold.  **Please note that these sales are from the MLS data, there could be more that were not listed in the database. The Caribbean Condo Miami is located on the 37th block of Miami Beach.  It is just west of Arthur Godfrey, north of South Beach (23rd street to 1st street) & just south of the famous Fountainbleau Hotel.   It’s location is central to everything Miami Beach.  Jus... 06/03/2010

If you are purchasing a condo for sale in Miami Beach, it’s really important to get a good grasp on the market data so that you know what is your anticipated price point for buying.  Other important factors are taxes and monthly condo association dues. In the South Beach South of Fifth area there are currently 465 condos for sale.  As of today there are currently 53 condos under contract and over the last six months 133 condos sold in the South Beach South of Fifth area. For this example, I am going to focus on the luxury condos for sale in the Continuum II Miami Beach building.  In the Continuum II Miami Beach, there are currently 53 properties on the market for sale.  Over the last six months there were 10 closed sales (listed in the MLS). View Condos for Sale in South of Fifth in a l... 06/01/2010

May 30--Nearly 800 Canadians will jam a hotel ballroom near the Toronto airport Sunday to hear the gospel of Florida real estate. High-end Brazilian buyers prefer to be wooed more intimately -- perhaps at a cocktail party or a small private dinner -- but they are just as pumped. Lured by rock-bottom prices, international buyers are now flocking to buy Florida properties. It's especially true in countries where the currency is strong against the dollar. "We're telling Canadians this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity -- the perfect storm," said Brian Ellis, who heads Toronto-based Florida Home Finders of Canada. "The prices are just incredible and the Canadian dollar has been so strong." At least three of five buyers in the Greater Downtown Miami condo market are coming from abroad, est... 05/31/2010

I definitely have a few tips for our Miami Beach Real Estate buyers.  Miami Beach Real Estate is different than buying in other places. I always hear: “I wish I had known…” or going forward “xyz is definitely on my “must have” list. If you are not a local, you probably never thought of these “must haves” so I thought I would share a few with you. Top 10 Miami Beach Real Estate Buyer Tips, that you probably never thought of…. 1.  PARKING: We have big drainage issues on the beach.  See the picture above.  Even some of the newer buildings had big drainage issues in their garages during the last thunderstorm.  Meaning the car is totaled.  Where is your car going to be parked?  If it’s on the street then whenever it rains, you need to be super careful, our streets flood.  If it’s in a garag... 05/31/2010

South Pointe Park is located just south of the Continuum Miami Beach complex, in the South of Fifth Neighborhood in Miami Beach.  I really like the landscaping and architecture in this park.  The pictures below are a small snap shot of the entire South Pointe Park. This area is on the far north west side of South Pointe Park where there is a flat surface parking with parking meters. This area is just a little west of the previous picture and notice how the landscaping has dramatically changed. Just a bit further west is this beautiful stone path walkway with water features and stone seating.  In the far distance is Fisher Island which is the most Southern point of this picture of the South Pointe Park. View South Pointe in a larger map Luxury condos in South Pointe from $500,000 to $800... 05/31/2010

Those looking for unmatched excitement and the ultimate in resort living need look no further than South Beach condo for sale! South Beach is known the world over as America's premier resort destination, a title it has held for nearly a century. 1500 Ocean Drive Year Built 1998 For Sale: min $ 130,000 max $ 2,895,000 For Rent: min $ 1,350 max $ 7,950 Apogee Year Built 2008 For Sale: min $ 5,299,000 max $ 8,990,000 For Rent: min $ 19,000 max $ 40,000 Bentley Bay Year Built 2004 For Sale: min $ 329,900 max $ 1,100,000 For Rent: min $ 3,400 max $ 5,900 Capri South Beach Year Built 2008 For Sale: min $ 220,000 max $ 6,900,000 For Rent: min $ 3,000 max $ 7,500 Cosmopolitan Year Built 2004 For Sale: min $ 4,000 max $ 1,250,000 For Rent: min $ 1,750 max $ 3,200 Continuum Year Built 2002 For Sa... 05/30/2010

That’s wonderful indeed! This cool option helps me to control my weight wherever I am! I like to take this technical miracle with me to the gym – it is very convenient to count calories while training! I like to compare the results of training apparatus with the estimates of this All-In Fitness Pedometer (it's a pedometer for iPhone) – they are really precise! On my way to the gym and back I also count the steps and see how much useful work I have done to my dear body! I also appreciate the opportunity to listen to my favorite music while walking – so I never feel bored! This feature is able to entertain me better than any mobile game! 05/28/2010

Buyers and sellers who haggle over price alone could be leaving a lot on the table.The purchase price is only one part of the transaction. Everything in a real-estate deal is open to negotiation, and sometimes price isn't the most important factor.A buyer might be willing to pay a little more to move into the house within 30 days, for example, instead of waiting until the seller finds another place to live. Similarly, a seller might take less if he could stay longer.Which appliances stay with the house can sometimes be a sticking point that makes or breaks a deal. Whether or not the seller will help pay the buyer's closing costs is another. If the seller provides a so-called "warranty" is another.Here are some of the bargaining points each side should consider: · Earnest money. Buyers a... 05/27/2010

After nearly three years of freefall, South Florida single-family home prices tried something new in April: They went up.In a sign that the ailing real estate market could be heading in a healthier direction, the median sale price of existing homes in Miami-Dade and Broward increased compared with last April, according to data released Monday by the trade group Florida Realtors.Home sales also crept up, fueled by bargains on troubled properties, low mortgage rates and a deadline for thousands of dollars in tax credits. ``There's no question that the market has been strengthening,'' said Ron Shuffield, president of Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell Realtors.In Miami-Dade, the year-over-year median home price increased by 8 percent to $192,000, while the jump was 7 percent in Broward, to $204,300.... 05/26/2010

Continuum Miami Beach rentals are considered some of the best of the best in Miami Beach luxury rentals. The Continuum Condo Miami Beach complex is located at 50 South Pointe Drive and 100 South Pointe Drive in the South of Fifth area of Miami Beach. In addition to rentals this property also features some of the best Miami Beach condos for sale. Continuum II located at 50 South Pointe Drive Miami Beach, Florida 33139 If you can see this, your browser doesn’t understand IFRAME. Continuum I located at 100 South Pointe Drive Miami Beach, Florida 33139 If you can see this, your browser doesn’t understand IFRAME. Continuum Miami Beach rentals are pretty popular because the buildings are super high end luxury buildings in Miami Beach. One great feature about their location is that the propert... 05/25/2010

Clouds are lifting over Miami's beleaguered condo market following a boom-and-bust cycle of epic proportions. According to a recent study commissioned by the City of Miami's Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and conducted in partnership with Goodkin Consulting and Focus Real Estate Advisors LLC, condo sales and occupancy rates are on the rise."We're coming out of the most prolific overbuilding in the history of Southeast Florida," says Jonathan Kingsley, executive vice president and managing director at brokerage firm Grubb & Ellis.The Residential Closings and Occupancy Study, published in March 2010, updated a similar report issued in June 2009. Both studies examined 75 completed condominium buildings located in a 60-block area in downtown Miami . Many of the buildings adorn prestig... 05/24/2010

The Continuum Miami Beach “complex” is made up of two large high rise buildings:  Continuum I and Continuum II.  The buildings are located at 50 South Pointe Drive Miami Beach, Florida 33139 & 100 South Pointe Drive Miami Beach, Florida 33139. The buildings are ocean front on prime real estate in Miami Beach.   As you can see from the picture below the property is on the edge of an area of Miami Beach named South Beach.  To be even more specific because this area is south of 5th street in South Beach, we call it South of Fifth or SOFI.  The picture below shows a portion of the property’s grounds. The Continuum Miami Beach grounds features two pools, restaurant, tennis, fitness center, spa with a eucalyptus steam room, gated complex, security, valet, concierge, beach services, private el... 05/24/2010

When you think of a Bungalow or hear the word, what type of impression or image comes to your mind first? A small pad, big house? Arts & Crafts, or ultra modern decorating galore? The History of American Bungalows Bungalows are a type of housing which roots originate from India in the Province of Bengal and were called Bangla or Bangala or Bengali meaning ‘living in the Bungal style'. Bungalows differ from India and the U.S. as the term in India refers to a single family house which is the norm for City-Style Living. American Bungalows on the other hand are a space efficient floor plan that ideally has the kitchen, dining, living, and bedroom areas all clustered. But don't let that image fool you into thinking that a cluttered/efficient space is anything other than a plain efficiency ap... 05/22/2010

I came across an article in my facebook feed this week about Miami Beach Real Estate. After reading it, I knew I had to write about it because to me, as a Miami Beach Real Estate agent looking at the numbers day in and day out, the numbers in the article didn’t really tell the whole story. The portion of the article that applies to the areas where I specialize is in comparing South Beach Real Estate to Downtown Miami Real Estate.  The article described a husband and wife who were dead set on purchasing property on the beach.  Once they previewed units in a large luxury building in Downtown Miami,  they decided that it was such a good deal that they purchased a property in that building, rather than on South Beach. The first thing that really stood out to me in this article is naming the... 05/21/2010

When it comes to the housing market for foreclosures - buyer beware."One mistake that we see all the time is buyers going in and assuming all the mechanicals are working," said Brandon T. Johnson, president of GTJ Consulting in Roseville, Mich. "You have to be careful you don't get burned that way."Johnson's company maintains foreclosed homes for a number of lenders, Realtors and Freddie Mac. He said the term "as is" shouldn't scare buyers off as long as they know what it means. He recommends that buyers get private inspections on houses they want to buy to avoid surprises such as missing plumbing or water damage. Here's a list of 10 things to watch for in foreclosed or vacant homes from Ross Kollenberg, mitigation and construction manager for On-Site Specialty Cleaning & Restoration in... 05/20/2010