Sunny Isles Beach Real Estate Agent - Hector Rodriguez Top Agent of the Month Katerina Brosda, President & CEO of Brosda & Bentley Realtors, congratulated Hector Rodriguez on his terrific achievements in March 2010. Ms. Brosda said that she recognizes Mr. Rodriguez's great performance and dedication to Brosda & Bentley Realtors and thanked him for the unparalleled effort and exceptional service he provides to Brosda & Bentley clients. Ms. Brosda pledged her continuing support and encouragement to insure Mr. Rodriguez's professional and personal growth. Ms. Brosda commended Hector Rodriguez for his outstanding efforts in providing professional real estate services to an international investor clientele.  ### For your real estate needs in Aventura, Hallandale Beach, Golden Beach, Sunny Is... 04/12/2010

Buying Antiques and Going Green Because of the new US Government green policy incentives, companies now are very interested in going green with their products. From sheets to rugs the options are growing every day. We can protect our families and the planet by choosing products made from renewable resources. 100% organic vegetable dyes and machine free rugs are being produced by Tufenkian rug company. Mattresses and linens without harmful dyes and chemicals are also in the market now. ABC Carpet owner says that buying antiques is the greenest choice you can make. Avoiding the opening of new factories and pollution related to the manufacturing of new furniture and saving the trees is something to think about.We are always trying to find nice pieces of furniture that have a good and class... 04/10/2010

Recently I wrote a post on Capri South Beach and I wanted to share with you some more pictures for that building and the private marina.  These pictures are taken from the Venetian Island Bridge.  See the full gallery on posterous Posted via web from Miami City Diggs Posterous Site View Capri South Beach Condos for Sale & Surrounding Properties To View Miami Beach Homes & Condos for Sale Click Here We know  Miami Beach Luxury Homes & Condos and will help you get your home sold if you need to Sell your home and help you buy your home in Miami Beach, Florida Call us today. Copyright © By Jamey Prezzi 2010 * All Rights Reserved* Capri South Beach 04/09/2010

South Beach in Miami Beach is often one of the most confusing things about our local Miami Beach neighborhoods to new comers.  Often when I am showing buyers properties in Miami Beach and they are not from the area they say, "I think I would really like to live in South Beach not Miami Beach."  And then I reply, "South Beach is in Miami Beach." It's confusing, I know.  I was confused when I first move here too. here is the breakdown... When people refer to Miami, they often encompass Miami Beach in the term.  But in reality, Miami is on the mainland and Miami Beach is not.  Thus Miami is not Miami Beach and vice versa.  Although very connected in day-to-day life and work, the two are completely different areas of living and lifestyle. now to South Beach in Miami Beach... South Beach is ... 04/09/2010

Capri South Beach is located in the South Beach neighborhood of Miami Beach.  It is located just north of the The Flamingo Towers and is just south of the Venetian Island Bridge. It was opened in 2008 and is now recognized as one of the premier boutique South Beach luxury condos.   The Capri condos Miami Beach feature three different buildings and just around 70 residences. One of the best features about Capri South Beach are the westerly views.   Located directly on Biscayne Bay, many of the units feature views of the bay, the islands and the Downtown Miami skyline.  The sunset is out of this world. Capri South Beach is situated on the edge of Biscayne Bay and down a cul-de-sace off of Bay Road.  The building’s amenities feature a swimming pool, jacuzzi, spa, security, gym, 500 foot ba... 04/08/2010

For more information go to www.BuyMiami.net According to the Wall Street Journal (subscription required), "Reis tracks vacancies and rents in the top 79 U.S. markets, and rents rose in 60 of them, led by Miami, Seattle and New York -- all cities that have notched big rental declines in the past year."On average, rents were up 0.3% in the first quarter of 2010 compared with Q4 2009. Renters are staying longer too and Jeffrey Friedman, chief executive of Associated Estates Realty Corp. told the Journal that "This is the first time in many, many years that it feels like even people who could afford to buy are making the investment decision not to."What happened in the five quarters prior aside, the long-term trend of real estate is that rents rise -- and that alone if a fantastic reason to... 04/07/2010

If you are going to rent a Miami Beach Condo, there is a fine line between looking too early and looking at the last frantic minute. Generally speaking when priced right;  rental inventory in Brickell, Downtown Miami, Midtown Miami and Miami Beach doesn’t stay on the market forever.  Therefore if you start looking two months out, it will probably not be the same inventory a month from now.  The other factor is the building application process.  Most buildings/management companies/condo associations take anywhere from 7 to 14 business days PLUS to process a building application.  So then again, looking last minute is also not advisable. So what’s my final advice? If you are a planner, start looking online a few months out and get a feel of the buildings/units that you like the most.  The... 04/06/2010

Lots of houses in Miami Beach, Florida have been on sale since the autumn and some reports say that some house prices have increased on the seasonal base, but as they promise there will be a decline soon. Real estate companies predict the decline and they announce that some metro areas have entered a soak. It’s the common tendency for the whole country in January and February when the house prices fell. The authorities expect to use many indexes and to study the price situations in the country. Some of them show the slight increase in prices for the houses on sale. But not everyone is so optimistic, as the market has been dropped artificially several times by introducing the tax credit which was supposed to end in November and then by the prolonging the tax credit program to April. Ever... 04/04/2010

For more information go to www.BuyMiami.net After commercial realty's dormant 2009, phones are starting to ring and deals are closing, professionals say.Such commercial firms as Grubb & Ellis and ComReal are seeing more activity this first quarter than in the first quarter of 2009, executives say. But some professionals wonder if the commercial uptick stems mostly from pent-up demand from last year or really signals the beginning of a better year.Grubb & Ellis' local revenues are up threefold for the first quarter from the first quarter of 2009, with 35 transactions closed in Broward and Palm Beach counties and 17 in Miami-Dade, said Jonathan Kingsley, managing director in Miami.Doral-based ComReal Miami has closed four industrial leases above 20,000 square feet so far this quarter afte... 04/02/2010

Portofino Condos is one the first high rise luxury condos built in Miami Beach . It was built on the South Pointe Miami Beach area in 1997. The Portofino condominium is 44 stories with 206 units ranging in sizes from 1090 to 4510 square feet. The units at Portofino Condos offer 1, 2, 3, and 4 bedroom residences and the units are super luxurious featuring high end finishes and quality. The Portofino condo residence features double door entries, spacious outdoor terraces, 9-foot ceilings, European designed kitchen cabinetry, top-of-the-line kitchen appliances, Jacuzzi tub in master bathroom, Floor-to-ceiling windows and more. Portofino towers Miami Beach have some of the best amenities in the South Beach. Portofino condominium provides fitness center, tennis courts, spa, theater, billiard... 03/29/2010

Last week Ognjen and I previewed the Caribbean Condos Miami Beach.  The Caribbean Condos are located at 3737 Collins Avenue Miami Beach, Florida 33140,  just a few blocks north of the South Beach area in Miami Beach.   This area just north of 23rd street up to the Fountain Blue (Fountainebleau) Miami Beach at 4441 Collins is going to be the next “hot” area of Miami Beach.  The area has a really good feeling and a very “settled” atmosphere from the hustle and bustle of South Beach.  It feels more “grown up”. I also think that when the market picks back up there will be a little more revitalization of some of the older buildings in this neighborhood (if not before).   The Mosaic Condominium Building is also in this neighborhood. The Caribbean Condos Miami Beach are ocean front and right n... 03/24/2010

Continuum Miami Beach  The Continuum II “complex” is made up of two large high rise buildings:  Continuum I and Continuum II. Continuum II is located at 50 South Pointe Drive Miami Beach, Florida 33139. It is located in the South of Fifth area of South Beach of Miami Beach.   This building is one of the best luxury South Beach condos in the Miami Beach area for many reasons. Location: It’s located on the tip edge of Miami Beach and borders the new South Pointe Park.  It’s on the edge of Government cut a huge waterway that is a highway for large container ships, cruise ships and other boating industries.  On the other side of Government cut is Fisher Island, one of the most expensive zip codes in the United States. Views: The views of the Continuum II units are of the Ocean, Miami Beach,... 03/23/2010

Jonathan M. Pertchik, the former chief restructuring officer for luxury condo developer WCI Communities which built several South Florida towers before seeking bankruptcy protection for a time, will have plenty to discuss as the keynote speaker at tonight's Condo Vultures® seminar. Pertchik has just been named the chief operating officer for the newly created residential division of Starwood Capital, which last fall beat out several bidders for the $3 billion portfolio of the failed condo construction financier Corus Bank.  Starwood Capital acquired the failed Chicago bank's portfolio in a complex deal that allows the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. - the appointed receiver - to share in the upside realized by Starwood in selling off the Corus assets.   Before resigning from WCI in Janu... 03/23/2010

For more information go to www.BuyMiami.net Nearly 400 South Florida new condo units purchased in bulk by investment groups have been turned around and resold for more than $164 million, representing an average return of $83 per square foot, according to a new report by CondoVultures.com. Of the 42 bulk transactions for 3,300 units to occur since July 2008, at least 16 of the bulk buyers have successfully retraded more than 21 percent of their newly acquired condos - some 1,800 units - at an average price of $388 per square foot, according to the report based on the Condo Vultures® Bulk Deals DatabaseTM and government records in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.These bulk buyers, who are now reselling their units, paid an average of $305 per square foot, which translates int... 03/22/2010

Miami Beach is an island off the Miami Mainland that stretches north to south from 1st street up to approximately 87th street and east to west from the Atlantic Ocean to Biscayne Bay.   The real estate that is on Miami Beach is vast.  There are high rise condominiums, low rise condominiums, single family homes, town-homes and mansions. Generally speaking Miami Beach real estate is not inexpensive, even in a bad market. When the media and other real estate statistics group all of Miami real estate into one big lump, unfortunately the numbers don’t really tell the entire truth.  Miami and Miami Beach are two different areas.  South Beach, Brickell, Downtown Miami & Midtown Miami are three different areas within the general “Miami” area and from there each individual building has it’s very... 03/19/2010

For more information go to www.BuyMiami.net Q: I am in the process of buying a new home on Miami Beach. But the bank is telling me that the appraisal came in $200,000 less than the purchase price. The bank will lend only off its appraised value and not what I am paying. The house is clearly superior to the comparables the bank used, so I don't understand why the value came in so low. What should I do? -- StantonA: Stanton, this is something we come across more than people would imagine. Right now, especially in the high end market, values seem to be all over the place. Also, considering that an appraisal is an "opinion" of value, different appraisers often can have different opinions. I would suggest that you approach your bank and request a second appraisal and if need be, a third appr... 03/17/2010

Miami Beach // 1 Bedroom 1 Bath // Indian Creek Drive Price: 1150Beds: 1Baths: 1Sqft: 750Year Built: 1948Property Address:6767 Collins AvenueMiami Beach, FL 33141 Quaint, vintage building in Miami Beach, North Beach area on Indian Creek Drive at 67th Street. Marble flooring, bay windows, view of Indian Creek Waterway! Close to shopping, dining, South Beach and Bal Harbour. Just 1.5 short blocks to the beach. Fully furnished and ready for immediate occupancy!     Contact Information   SIB REALTY, LLCMott Kornicki 18335 Collins AvenueSunny Isles Beach FL 33160786-229-7999 Cell-TextMore Listing InformationSearch For Your Next HomeEmail Me 03/14/2010

Image by Jamey Prezzi via Flickr Recently I wrote about the details of Continuum Condos, now I am going to delve in a little deeper into the individual building market.  Continuum Condos feature two different buildings:  Continuum I and Continuum II. Today I am going to specifically look into Continuum I. Continuum I is the oldest of the two buildings and was built in 2002.  It is located at 100 South Pointe Drive. Currently in Continuum I there are 28 properties on the market.  They are priced from $849, 500 for a one bedroom up to $6.65 million for a 5 bedroom 6 bathroom. Over the last six months there were 19 sales in the building with closing sale prices from $375,000 for a studio to $6.25 million for a 4 bedroom 5 and half bath unit. One of the units that sold was a 3 bedroom 4 an... 03/12/2010

For more information go to www.BuyMiami.net In an effort to attract buyers, home sellers in major cities throughout Florida are reducing prices by more than 10 percent, according to a monthly survey of home listings conducted by ZipRealty, an online real estate brokerage based in Emeryville, California. In February 2010, sellers in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Palm Beach reduced list prices by an average of 14.89 percent, or $36,000. Prices of homes for sale in Orlando were slashed by 13.16 percent, or $25,000, and Jacksonville home sellers cut prices by 10.76 percent, or $19,000. "Contrary to the national trend, sellers in Florida seem to be cutting their asking prices aggressively to attract buyer interest," said Pat Lashinsky, ZipRealty CEO. "First-time buyers looking to take advantag... 03/10/2010

Image via Wikipedia If you are interested in selling your Miami Beach home or condominium in the current market and you know that you will be competing against other Miami Beach foreclosures or short sales; believe it or not, you do have some advantages. You can also start by reading this article of how to put together the numbers on how to sell your Miami Beach property when competing against Miami Beach foreclosures.           So how do you compete against properties around you that are in distressed mode? Here are some important things to remember. Not all buyers are interested in the cheapest deal or the most distressed property. Not all buyers are able to wait out or have the patience for a short sale. Educated buyers also consider "value". If you are living in your home and takin... 03/08/2010