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November 21, 2016
For 68 years, the Junior Orange Bowl Parade, has been the signature event for the Junior Orange Bowl International Youth Festival. And, this year’s parade will be better than ever. The 68th annual parade marches through the streets of downtown Coral Gables, along Miracle Mile and Biltmore Way, on Sunday, November 27 from 4 to 9 p.m. The Parade Benefits the Junior Orange Bowl The Junior Orange Bowl is a nonprofit, volunteer organization that strives to empower youth through teamwork and competition. The group attracts more than 7,500 youth from Miami, the state of Florida and beyond, including more than 75 countries worldwide. Youth compete in athletic, academic, and cultural competitions, which collectively make up the Junior Orange Bowl Festival, often […]
November 15, 2016
Fall is here. The weather is starting to cool off, and the days are getting shorter. Pumpkins line your porch, and the Halloween decorations are up. While fall decorations add some festiveness to your home, the season is also the perfect time to tackle some home-improvement projects. While homeowners in South Florida aren’t faced with the long list of chores to winterize their homes like people in other parts of the country, there are still a few DIY projects that should be performed as the season changes. And, getting on a schedule of taking care of these things each fall will keep your home in tip-top shape. Here are five DIY projects that will get your home ready for fall […]
November 8, 2016
Buying (and selling) a home is one of the largest financial transactions you will undertake in your life. You want an expert to work with you to answer your questions, give you advice, and help you see both the latest listings to hit the market and (hopefully) see a few homes before anyone else. You also want to consider the amount of their attention they will be able to give you. If you’re looking to sell your home, ask them how many current listings they have. If they have more than a few, make sure they have a team working for them that can handle the load. If they only have a few, it’s a good idea to make sure […]
November 1, 2016
Trends come and go, and but some classic elements in house design and presentation are a safe bet to generate buyer appeal – upgraded appliances, a fresh coat of paint, and a well-manicured yard. While opinions vary based on the age of the buyer, the fact is that a home can get the attention of and even fetch a higher offer price by including some of the latest and most popular home trends. We want to give you a bit more of a leg up when it comes to preparing your home for selling so you can offer a broad appeal today’s buyers. Consider the following elements to attract today’s buyers: Tech-savvy attributes: Smart water systems that can detect leaks […]
October 25, 2016
Halloween is just around the corner, and hordes of costume-clad kids will be hitting the streets in search of candy. Miami offers an array of Halloween activities for people of all ages — parties, haunted houses, costume contests, and special events. South Florida’s family-friendly neighborhoods also provide safe and festive spaces for trick-or-treating. Coral Gables and Palmetto Bay, in particular, are top trick-or-treating spots. Here’s why: Coral Gables From a kids point of view, Coral Gables is perfect for Trick-or-Treating. There are few oversized lots, which means more homes per block and therefore more candy. What’s more, certain areas are well known for handing out the best candy (don’t worry, I won’t spill the secret here. You’ll have to contact me). […]
September 20, 2016
It’s a fact: home renovations can be pricey. But, if you plan to spend seven or more years in your home, it is certainly worth the investment to ensure you get the wind mitigation discount on your insurance. It also can be worth it to summerify your home to both keep your ac from working on overdrive and keep your electric bills way down. But what about those of us that are not sure how long we’ll be in our home? Should we just soldier through higher insurance rates and bills from FP&L? Until recently, that’s what most people did. But then the Ygrene loan program came along. Distributed through the privately funded YgreneWorks program, this loan covers just about […]
September 13, 2016
Selling a home is (obviously) not something you want do on the spur of the moment. It’s a big decision and ensuring your home will sell for its true value takes some planning ahead. We always encourage people thinking of selling their home in the next six to twelve months to have a realtor conduct a walk-through right away so that you can have a list of action items to cover and ensure your home puts its best for forward the day that we put it on the market. Be Proactive By taking a look at the ‘boring’ aspects of a home before an offer is on the table and making sure they are in good order, you can ensure […]
September 6, 2016
With so much information available at our fingertips these days, it’s normal – and recommended – to do some research before making a relatively small purchase, such as a television or a phone. When it’s a bigger purchase (say…a home), it’s a no brainer to Google everything about a neighborhood, such as school quality, distance to grocery stores, driving times to your office, et cetera before you put in an offer. And, of course, you need to “interview” each house, asking questions and getting information, to make sure it’s the right fit for you. The same is true for homeowners when they’re looking for the right realtor to sell their home. It’s so important that you do your research! I […]
August 31, 2016
If you’ve been around long enough, you probably call it Cutler Ridge or even just Perrine. And if you’ve been around for that long, you also probably remember that what is now Cutler Bay was one of the places that Hurricane Andrew hit the hardest. Because of this, Cutler Bay’s homes are some of the newest in Miami-Dade County. This means that they’re built to the latest codes and are best prepared to handle anything South Florida weather can throw at them. The city was officially established in 2005 with borders running from SW 184th Street (Eureka Dr.) east of U.S. 1 to the coast, and north of Black Point Marina. It’s one of the county’s most family-friendly cities with […]