Real Estate Market Conditions don't appear to have changed a great deal since last month, but  we are seeing more movement with regards to showings and more offers coming in.  In addition, great news starting to appear from economists throughout declaring that HOUSING SLUMP IS OVER!Here are market conditions for Miami Shores, Bay Harbor Islands, Surfside and El Portal, all located in Miami and close to each other geographically.  These 4 markets are very different with regards to price ranges, but similarly priced properties are moving at similar rates.  All the information in this market report was obtained from the Southeast Florida Multiple Listing Service and reflect conditions for 2007.There are currently 207 single-family listings in Miami Shores, Florida:Highest priced listing:  ... 06/05/2007

Have you ever driven by a really ugly looking place and you see that it is packed with cars and wonder if it is any good?I mean absolutely no offense to the owners of The Football Sandwich Shop in Miami but they know that their pink building is everything but pretty - one thing is for sure though, everything I have ever eaten there is delicious!  The outside has no reflection on the taste of the food. READ THE FULL STORY AT MIAMISM.COM ..... 06/04/2007

If you've been trying to sell your home I'm sure my claim caught your attention, no?  After all, the way the market is, any claim to sell a home in 60 days has got to be good, especially backed up with a guaranteed $500 payment if I can't deliver, right?  WRONG!!   *First of all, let me clarify that I do not offer the above to my clients.  I put it up there to get your attention and explain how it's possible that some real estate agents do make that offer.   It's pretty simple.  There is fine print to anything that sounds too good to be true.  Here's the fine print in larger type so you can read it: An agent comes to you with the above claim. You speak to your significant other about it and say "look honey, they gotta be on the up-and-up, they're offering to pay if they don't sell it in... 06/03/2007

Miami ist eine dicht besiedelte Stadt am Miami River im Miami-Dade County im US-Bundesstaat Florida, USA.Miami selbst ist eine Metropole mit vielen spanischsprachigen Einwohnern, darunter sind vor allem viele Einwanderer aus Puerto Rico, Kuba oder aus anderen meist lateinamerikanischen Staaten. In den meisten Vierteln von Miami wird demzufolge auch mehr Spanisch als Englisch gesprochen.In einigen Gegenden, insbesondere in dem kubanischen Viertel "Little Havana" fühlt man sich fast wie in Kuba. Seit Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts haben sich hier sehr viele Einwanderer aus Kuba niedergelassen. Das südländische Flair ist deutlich spürbar. Dafür sorgen unter anderem die vielen gemütlichen Restaurants und Cafes, die teilweise ziemlich bunten Häuserfassaden und die lateinamerikanische Lebenseins... 06/02/2007

Do we really need another shopping center in Miami? My answer will always be ABSOLUTELY!!  There are never enough places to shop. The Shops at Mid-town were created as the retail component of the Mid-town Miami project which is known for its "city-within-a-city" concept. So I have to admit that at first I thought the location was pretty scary, but when I heard that West Elm was going to open a store there I was thrilled.  I have been buying West Elm furniture through a catalogue for years and could not wait to walk into a store.You will find several big chain stores like Target, Marshalls, PetSmart, Linens-n-Things, Circuit City as well as other smaller specialty retailers - there are over 600,000 square feet of retail space!I visited the other day and the smaller stores are still empty... 06/01/2007

Dear John, Please don't hate me for what I'm about to say.  I'm sorry to have to tell you this.  But.....I'm leaving you. Please don't be hurt.  Let me explain. While you were trying to get more for your house than it is worth, I met someone else.  His name is Appropriately.  Appropriately is thoughtful and listens when I make price suggestions.  Approriately is kind and understands that I have his best interest at heart.  Dare I say that Appropriately is also sweet on me....he really likes me!  He values my opinion.  I could tell by the way he didn't argue when I suggested we list his home right below the lowest ones in the subdivision.  Appropriately doesn't suffer from delusions of grandeur and throw his faux cherrywood cabinets and granite countertops in my face. He would never do t... 05/31/2007

http://www.mold-testing-services.com/          305.571.2280Mold Detection Services, Inc. of South Florida, will test or sample for mold in homes, apartments, workplaces, commercial properties, boats, and anywhere else mold grows. Indoor Air Quality, Bulk, Swab, Bio Tape and Environmental Sample results are generated with in 24 - 48 hours. A certified Indoor Environmentalist, utilizing the best equipment available in the industry (Infrared Cameras, Laser Particle Counters, Etc.), will carry out every inspection. We use only digital calibrated, custom made indoor air quality testing pumps to insure you receive only accurate results. Consequently, our clients will receive the highest quality service. Our inspection services include a thorough inspection (utilizing Infared Thermal Imaging, ... 05/23/2007

With all the heavy rains now returning to South Florida, it is very important to make sure your inspection company uses Infrared Technology to detect leaks for your property. FLIR INFRARED CAMERA INSPECTIONS by MOLD DETECTION SERVICES, INC.  305.571.2280Mold Inspections performed with a simple Protimeter Moisture Meter is not going to cut it when it comes to complex water intrusion situations. A protimeter should only be used to confirm the percentage of moisture present in a particular area.   Only Use A Certified Mold Inspection & Testing Company With The Top Equipment! We offer the best Infrared Inspection Services in South Florida.   866.654.6653 05/23/2007

With all the heavy rains now returning to South Florida, it is very important to make sure your inspection company uses Infrared Technology to detect leaks for your property. FLIR INFRARED CAMERA INSPECTIONS by MOLD DETECTION SERVICES, INC.  305.571.2280Mold Inspections performed with a simple Protimeter Moisture Meter is not going to cut it when it comes to complex water intrusion situations. A protimeter should only be used to confirm the percentage of moisture present in a particular area.   Only Use A Certified Mold Inspection & Testing Company With The Top Equipment! We offer the best Infrared Inspection Services in South Florida.   866.654.6653 05/23/2007

This post was inspired by a post of Maureen Staccato's. No, I am not being facetious.  I really want to know.  Why am I asking something that may seem obvious to most?  Well, here in Florida you don't need to speak English to get your real estate license.  You can take the class in Spanish.  You can take the test in Spanish.  You can speak Spanish to your customers.  You can use a Spanish sale and purchase contract.  But is this beneficial to the consumer? Before I get someone thinking that I am bashing Spanish, let me spell it out clearly: I am not.  I am Latina, born in Cuba.  I speak Spanish fluently.  Hablo Español perfectamente bien.  I have customers who prefer to speak Spanish and we do.  But I use the English documents since not everyone involved in the transaction may understan... 05/21/2007

Richard Meier is a very well known and respected architect internationally.  There are tons of books, publications and articles written about him and his buildings have become landmarks all over the world.  When I think of Richard Meier I think of serene white buildings that reflect our modern times, buildings that are true to themselves, monuments in a landscape.  "Richard Meier & Partners aims to deliver thoughtful, original and contemporary architecture that conveys a sense of humanism and purpose while fulfilling programmatic requirements"Some of my favorite projects include The Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, The Weishaupt Forum, The High Museum of Art and my all time favorite, The Atheneum.In Miami, we are now fortunate to have one of Richard Meier's projects, The Beach Hous... 05/20/2007

SAVE UP TO 40% ON PROPERTY INSURANCEWind Mitigation Inspections are a valuable inspection service that may reduce your windstorm insurance.Insurance discounts are available for building features that reduce damage during high wind events. The discounts are justified because stronger, more wind-resistive structures have lower windstorm losses, which mean reduced costs to insurance companies.Most existing structures have one or more wind resistive construction features and may qualify for some insurance discounts. 05/17/2007

Para todos aquellos que buscan agentes de bienes raíces en Miami, dedicados a dar buen servicio profesional y personal, Enrique y yo los podemos ayudar.Miami es una ciudad Internacional donde a veces es fácil conseguir profesionales que hablan español, pero otras veces no.   Nosotros nos dedicamos a ayudar a clientes Hispanos residentes y también extranjeros.  Trabajamos con inversionistas de muchos países y nos encargamos de todos los detalles de compra y venta. encontramos propiedadespreparamos contratos para la compra y ventapresentamos y negociamos esos contratos manejamos la transaccióncoordinamos inspecciones y avaluos nos mantenemos al tanto de todos los detalles de compra y venta comunicamos todos esos detalles a nuestros clientes coordinamos las fechas de cierre entre prestamis... 05/17/2007

All over the country wildfires are raging.  To some this might be scary, a novelty, interesting or bizarre.  Here in South Florida, it is a seasonal thing.  Every year, in varying degrees, wildfires break out in the Everglades due to the dryness and the natural cycles of the environment here, some of the fires are natural occurrences,clearing out underbrush and allowing the Everglades to grow better, and some of the are due to man's carelessness.  Most Miamian's, even as far East as Miami Beach, know when the Glades are on fire as a thick gray smoke rolls across the land and settles in.   The smoke can be so bad that we have advisories on the news warning people to stay indoors if they have sensitive lungs, athsma, etc.Here's a weather description from www.Wunderground.com -            ... 05/13/2007

Tax Strategies for Horse Property Sellers  Many, if not most of us, know about the capital gains savings that homeowners can benefit from when selling their primary residence.  If the homeowner has occupied the residence for at least two of the previous five yeas, they can exclude up to $250,000 in capital gains from the profit of the sale for single persons or $500,000 for married persons.  This does NOT mean that you must OWN the home for five years, just live in it for at least two of the previous five years.  This also does NOT mean that the capital gain is on the SALE price, it is on the gain.  Your tax accountant can help you determine your gain, but is roughly the selling price less the purchase price PLUS any improvements.  There are many details to determining this and your ac... 05/13/2007

The article "In Florida, a Home Market Still in Flux" was written by Ernest Beck."Property auctions may provide a way for sellers to recoup some, but usually not all, of their investment..."  05/12/2007

Mold Detection Services offer mold consulting services that will help you through your mold problems from start to finish. We will not perform the remediation because that would be a conflict of interest, however we will make sure the company you hire gets the job done right! Our Certified Mold Clearance Testing and Post RemediationInspection Services will protect you.We offer Infrared Camera inspections, Laser Particle Counter inspections, Fiber Optics and many other options for you mold inspection needs. We even have certified Mold Dogs for the really hard cases no humans can figure out.Don't be fooled by all the new fly by night companies sprouting up each day claiming to understand mold. The mold inspetors that are running their business out of their garage carry no insurance and ar... 05/10/2007

I love living and selling real estate in the Miami Redlands.  And while there are great places to eat in the Redlands, and I will post about them, I am not posting about a place that is right in the Redlands right now.  Latin American Cafeteria has several locations throughout Miami.  The closest one to the Redlands is the one on Eureka Drive (Just a few minutes east at 11370 SW 184th Street).  I still can't figure out if all the Miami Latin American restaurants have the same owner or are even related, but the two I've eaten at (this one and the one on Sunset) seem to have the same menu and generally the same atmosphere.  It's a no-frills type of place with a large counter and tables.  Fill your tummy quickly and pretty cheaply. If you're ever visiting Miami, make sure you stop at a Lat... 05/09/2007

 In today's ever changing real estate marketplace, Auctions have become an increasingly viable solution to buy and sell real estate. Auctions offer numerous benefits for Sellers, Buyers and Developers... For the Seller, these benefits can include:Provides a proactive alternative to traditional selling methodsChoosing an acceptable selling price.Accelerated and enhanced marketing that stands out and attracts potential buyersCreating a energetic environment and marketplace that encourages potential buyers to bidChoosing your date of saleReceiving numerous bids from pre qualified/pre approved buyers.Satisfies need to sell quicklyEliminates drawn out and often tricky negotiationsCreates an environment for "Getting the deal done!" Visit my website or call to know more!Thank you. 05/08/2007

Real Estate Auction, July 28th 2007 - Ft Lauderdale Airport Hilton (I95) . Motivated Sellers · Stagnant Listings · Commission paid by Buyer · Up to 3% commission to Broker/Agent · Sold "As Is" · Multiple offers through bidding process · Closing 30-45 days   • Intensive marketing campaign Do you have listings that represent motivated sellers and no buyers or offers?I am a Licensed Real Estate Broker and Licensed Auctioneer(AU3595), who understands the challenges that we face in today 's real estate market.I am seeking partnerships with Brokers/Agents to work together with that will enable customers the opportunity to sell their properties utilizing the competitive bidding process. The upcoming Real Estate Auction will be heavily promoted/advertised and properties will be spotlighted to m... 05/07/2007