Last week Miami city officials said they want to help affordable-housing developers by trying to speed up the permit approval process. City commissioners were told at last week's meeting that efforts would be made to come up with ways to speed up affordable housing projects. After commissioners Michelle Spence-Jones and Angel Gonzalez said city officials are not doing enough to help affordable-housing developers get projects started, City Manager Pete Hernandez said he will meet with city department heads and arrange a meeting to form a permitting fast track for affordable projects. The discussion was prompted by Ms. Spence-Jones due to numerous complaints from many developers stating the difficulty of getting their projects permitted while others seem to get built in record time. There... 02/16/2007

The Preserve Town Houses ( A Cornerstone Community), is a tranquil and  beautiful upscale community just South of Miami Shores.  This complex was built in 6 acres of land, surrounded by oak trees and tropical landscaping, has beautiful park areas as well as a community pool.  Construction was finished in 2005 and consists of 98 two and three bedroom units each with a private garage. Designed by Quincy Johnson, Jones, Myott, Williams, Acevedo, Vaughn Architects Inc. for the Cornerstone Group Townhome Division.  Here's a pre-contruction rendering, followed by photos of the complex.      For a little history about the project....  this land was the previous home of a trailer park that was removed by the city of Miami to make room for low-income housing.  After heated debates between the c... 02/16/2007

Market Report for SW Miami-Dade as of 2/7/07 Here's a few numbers representative of the current real estate market conditions in SW Miami Dade (broadly defined as anything South and West of our lovely Miami Metrozoo).  These numbers are for Single Family Homes: Homes for Sale:  354 Range of prices:  $250K - $1.75m Homes under contract:  45 Homes Sold in the last 30 days:  12 Inventory available:  29.5 months (or roughly 2.5 years) The inventory number is calculated by dividing the number of homes for sale by the number of homes sold in the last month.  This results in how "many months worth of homes" are presently available.  That means that if every home listed for sale were to actually sell, it would take that many months to sell them.  This is a very good number to keep your eye on. ... 02/06/2007

 This is the continuation of another blog called:  The Superbowl XLI in Miami .Super Bowl XLI will take place in Miami on Sunday, February 4, 2007 in Dolphin Stadium.  This will be the 9th time in Miami (4th time at the Dolphin's Stadium and the other 5 at the Orange Bowl).Hearsay around Miami is that you can still find Super Bowl tickets in the nose bleed section for $2000/person and $12,000 in the lower levels.  I truly cannot confirm this information, but for those not attending the game physically, it's just as good to plan the traditional Super Bowl Party at home.Here are some Super Bowl articles I found interesting:Hi, Super visitors: Don't think we're weird (don't miss this article by Dave Barry - who is in my opinion, the best Miami Herald writer)Super Bowl with a Smirk Super Bo... 02/03/2007

PRICE - $241,000BEDROOM - 3BATH - 2SQUARE FEET - 1451READY SET GO! RUN TO THIS  3/2  HOME ON HUGE LOT!!! -  NEWER EAT-IN KITCHEN WITH WOOD CABINETS AND WINDOW - STORAGE  SHED, SWING SET AND FRUIT TREES IN TREMENDOUS YARD-GREAT HOME FOR FAMILIES AND  BBQ'S   GARAGE CAN BE CONVERTED BACK-NOW BEING USED AS A OFFICE/BEDROOM. MOVE-IN READY!  WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN LOOKING FORPLEASE CONTACT FLORIDA LIST FOR LESS REALTY - SCOTT DANIELS @ 954 - 275 - 0200http://www.browardbesthomes.com/ 01/22/2007

    Super Bowl XLI will take place in Miami on Sunday, February 4, 2007 in Dolphin Stadium.  This will be the 9th time in Miami (4th time at the Dolphin's Stadium and the other 5 at the Orange Bowl).The Super Bowl is known for so many things.... the incredible commercials, the halftime shows (which by the way will be Prince this year), the beautiful Vince Lombardi Super Bowl trophy, designed by Tiffany & Co., and of course the actual game.  I personally had never known the impact this one game has on the host city.  Miami is a madhouse right now.  People are renting places at extravagant prices, coming from all over the nation.  Did you know that there are rental agents that specialize in the Superbowl?The Super Bowl also has a Community Outreach program which brings much more than foot... 01/19/2007

So this is my 100th post and I have been tossing and turning trying to come up with something special to share with you.  The standards have been set extremely high. "My 100th Blog on ActiveRain"    by Rich JacobsonThe Lovely Wife's 100th Post...Flavored With Synchronicity...ROAR!  by TLWBTW, this is my 100th post! So please read! By Bryant TutasThe gift of tears by Craig SchillerCelebrating 100th Blog on January 1, 2007 by Gena RiedeMy 100th Post...... trying to pull a Rabbit ouf of the Hat...   by Jeff BelongerToday I had one of those AMAZING days where a customer made me feel so good and made me glad to be in this business.  We have had a listing that has been particularly difficult to sell, not because the house is ugly, or because the house needs work, or because the house is vacan... 01/16/2007

Selling an empty condo unit is not an easy task.  Ideally a seller will follow the advice of his/her Realtor and will hire a Stager to furnish and make the unit more marketable.  When staging is not an option, a rendered floor plan is always a good idea.  Sometimes developers will create furnished floor plans that are used as sales materials, but other times, Realtors need to resort to other creative methods, like hiring a draftsperson, architect or designer that can render the boring floor plans.We currently have a listing in a brand new complex called The Preserve, just South of Miami Shores.  The unit has never been lived in and although in a great location, it is empty, the walls and carpeting are light beige, and buyers have a difficult time visualizing the space. This is what the ... 01/10/2007

For all you Northerners, you may think that Miami has no winter, but I want to explain to you that although it is not cold, locals, for the most part, do not swim here during Winter.  If you go to the beach during winter and see people swimming or water skiing, most of those will be tourists enjoying the non-freezing waters of South Florida.Today we decided to go boating to take a visitor friend of ours around the tourist attractions inside Biscayne Bay.  The temperature started in the 50's and went up to the high 60's, the day was beautiful, but the breeze was pretty chilly and we kept our coats on.To own a boat in Miami you don't need to live on the water.  The options are endless, you can keep your boat at a marina or you can trailor your boat to one of the many boat ramps around Mia... 12/27/2006

Miami is a great diverse City with temperature ranging from a low of 60 to a high of 90 degrees. Their is a total residence count of 2,275,881 with a total household count of 751,112. The median age of Miami is 36.65 and the median income is $42,210.The single family market broken down by single family homes is as follows. Their is 6,419 total active listings on the market. Their have been 4,133 total closed sales since January 1, 2006. Their is 1,164 current pending sales and 3,258 properties have expired off the MLS system. This means they did not sell in an average six month period. Their is 166 properties that were withdrawn from the market by the sellers.The single family market made up of condominiums, townhomes and villas is as follows. Their is 7,327 current active listings on t... 12/01/2006

For a Miami Native,  I see the this Condo Market a beautiful opportunity to find the Dream Condo that once might have been out of reach for the Real Estate professional.  With a saturated Condo market on the rise,  the buyer has the upper hand on negotiating the final price. Deals are already in place for the buyer who wishes to live in their purchase.  Make it a great choice!!! Call thomas for great opportunities @305.527.2022 11/25/2006

I have written posts about cultural places to visit in Miami like the Center for the Performing Arts or The Museum of Contemporary Art.  From one of those posts Peter Andres gave me a great idea to write about places to shop in Miami.  As you will see from this list, there are numerous Shopping Malls in Miami-Dade County.  These are a few of the shopping centers which range from high end open-air malls to the regular all-American enclosed mall with all the Major National and International Chains.  Aventura Mall:  19501 Biscayne Boulevard, Aventura.  This is an enclosed mall with all the shopping you ever wanted.  It is one of the most popular shopping locations in Miami. Bal Harbour Shops:  9700 Collins Avenue, Surfside.  Bal Harbour Shops are known Internationally for the high end shop... 11/03/2006

800 NE 195th Street, #112 – Canongate Condo - Beautiful 2 bedroom / 2 bathroom condo on the ground floor overlooking pool.  This unit has been meticulously cared for and has Parquet floors throughout.  It’s close to Aventura Mall, I-95 and schools and building amenities include 24-hr security, valet parking, party room, pool, sauna and more.  (1470 sq. ft)     $205,000 - SOLD!  11111 Biscayne Blvd, #3F – The Jockey Club – Overlooking the treetops of the beautiful gardens and pool of the Jockey, this 2 bedroom / 2 bathroom split bedroom unit offers optimum light and absolute tranquility.  This full service building on Biscayne Bay offers every amenity imaginable:  10 tennis courts, 3 pools, playgrounds, clubhouse and marina.  Second bedroom has separate entrance and can be leased on an a... 11/01/2006

The Carnival Center for the Performing Arts is a complex of multi-purpose state-of-the-art performance halls .  Designed by Cesar Pelli and Associates, it is the focal point of performing arts activity in South Florida and serves as a showcase for the finest established and developing cultural programs.Located on Biscayne Boulevard between NE 13th and 14th streets, the Carnival Center for the Performing Arts consists of three performance facilities which will be linked by a pedestrian bridge spanning the Boulevard. The Center’s performance halls include a concert hall designed for concerts of classical and popular music and a ballet opera house, capable of accommodating the grand sets and scenery employed in major theatrical productions. The complex will also house a theater for small-s... 10/31/2006

 When you think of South East Florida, you think “MIAMI” , but Miami-Dade County is made up of numerous cities.  From the southern most city of Homestead  all the way north to  Aventura, there are approximately 40 miles.  Here’s a brief overview of Miami, Miami Beach, and our cherished Miami Shores. Miami  is known as the "Magic City" and is recognized for its diverse culture and ethnicities.  Miami, also known as the Gateway to Latin America attracts a tremendous amount of foreign born people and is recognized worldwide as an international hub.  There is always something to do in Miami.  Miami has been the host of many special events  in film, arts, culture and entertainment; including Calle Ocho Festival, The Latin Grammys and The MTV Music awards to name a few.  There are also numero... 10/28/2006

Overview of the single family market in Bay Point, FL:Currently on the market:  22Currently under contract:  0Closed in the last 90 days:  0Lowest price listed:  $ 1,100,000Highest price listed:  $ 8,500,000Visit www.Miamism.com for more information about Bay Point Real Estate.     09/30/2006