Home Buying Information
October 12, 2026
Every fall, South Florida’s population starts to change. Seasonal residents from the Northeast, the Midwest and Canada return for the winter, and the real estate market moves with them. Traffic picks up, showings increase and certain kinds of homes start selling faster. The effect is strongest along the coast and in condo-heavy markets. It ripples well beyond the beach, though, including into the family neighborhoods of South Miami-Dade. Understanding how the season works can help buyers and sellers time their moves with more confidence. What Is the Snowbird Effect? Snowbirds are seasonal residents, often retirees or remote workers, who spend the colder months in Florida and head north in the spring. In South Florida, the season roughly runs from November […]
October 6, 2026
For many first-time buyers in South Florida, the biggest hurdle is not the monthly payment. It is the cash needed at closing. Between the down payment and closing costs, that upfront number can feel out of reach even for buyers with steady income and good credit. Florida has more help available than most people realize, at both the state and county level. The details matter, though. Most of these programs are loans rather than grants. Funding opens and closes, and eligibility rules are specific. Here is what is available now and what it takes to qualify. What Counts as a First-Time Home Buyer in Florida? Most programs use a broader definition than the name suggests. In general, you are considered […]
September 29, 2026
Families shopping in South Florida often end up with the same short list. Coral Gables, Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay sit within a short drive of one another, share a leafy residential feel and draw families for many of the same reasons. They are still very different places to live. The right choice usually comes down to how your family spends an ordinary Tuesday, not how a neighborhood looks in a listing photo. Here is how the three compare on the things that shape daily life. The Three Neighborhoods at a Glance Coral Gables Pinecrest Palmetto Bay Overall feel Walkable, historic, a true small city Quiet, private, garden-like Relaxed, park-rich, bayside Typical homes Condos, townhomes, 1920s originals and estate homes […]
September 22, 2026
There’s no single answer to how long it takes to buy a home in Miami-Dade County, but there is a realistic range. Most buyers, from the day they start seriously searching to the day they close, land somewhere between two and four months. That timeline shifts depending on financing, how quickly the right home turns up and how competitive the price point is. Getting Pre-Approved: A Few Days to Two Weeks Before touring homes seriously, most buyers get pre-approved, which involves submitting income, asset and credit documentation to a lender. This step usually takes anywhere from a few days to two weeks, depending on how quickly documentation is provided and how busy the lender is. The Search Itself: Weeks to […]
September 15, 2026
Closing costs catch a lot of first-time buyers off guard, not because the amount is unreasonable, but because it’s rarely explained clearly before it shows up on a settlement statement. For buyers in Miami-Dade County, closing costs typically run between two and five percent of the purchase price, though the exact figure depends on financing, the property and how costs are negotiated with the seller. Lender Fees If you’re financing the purchase, expect an origination fee, an underwriting fee and the cost of a credit report and appraisal. These vary by lender, which is one of the better reasons to compare loan estimates from more than one before choosing who to work with. Title Insurance and Title Search In Florida, […]
September 2, 2026
Every fall, the same question comes up: is the market actually shifting, or does it just feel that way once the kids are back in school? Heading into the last few months of 2026, there’s a real answer. Price growth in Miami-Dade County has continued, but it has slowed from the pace of the past few years. Inventory has been building. And homes, broadly speaking, are taking longer to sell than they did at the peak of the post-pandemic run. For Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest and Cutler Bay, that shift shows up as more options for buyers and a market that rewards sellers who price with the current moment in mind rather than last year’s numbers. Where Prices and Inventory Stand […]
August 10, 2026
By Drew Kern, The Kern Team at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Realty Cutler Bay doesn’t get the headlines that Coral Gables or Pinecrest do, and honestly, that has worked in its favor. While buyers bid up the more talked-about zip codes, Cutler Bay has quietly become one of the better value plays left in South Miami-Dade, and the buyers who have figured that out already are not eager to broadcast it. KEY DATA (As of July 2026) Average Sale Price: $809,000 4.2 Months of Inventory Average Days on Market: 74 Who Is Actually Buying In Cutler Bay Right Now The buyer profile here has shifted over the past several years. First-time buyers priced out of Palmetto Bay and Pinecrest are […]
March 24, 2026
Hailed for its quiet, lush streets and peaceful vibe, Pinecrest is one of the most coveted neighborhoods for families in South Florida. Like a lot of family-friendly parts of Miami-Dade, the Pinecrest real estate market saw a lot of activity towards the late spring and early summer of 2025. Since then, however, the market has remained in a state of flux, with the advantage leaning towards buyers. So, if you’re looking to snatch up a reasonably priced home in Pinecrest, time is of the essence. How many homes are for sale in Pinecrest? Pinecrest is one of the smaller villages of Miami-Dade County, so you’re not going to find as much inventory as, say, Coral Gables or Kendall. In December […]
March 10, 2026
Many buyers are simultaneously trying to sell their current homes. Buying before selling does come with several risks, but you can mitigate them significantly by capitalizing on a major advantage of your situation: time. If you sold first, your home buying process would be on a tight deadline because you’d need to find somewhere to live after the sale. Buying first removes the pressure of a looming sale, so you can take your time, find the right home, and gather the resources to resolve any financial dilemmas. Here’s how to go about buying a home when you haven’t sold yours yet: Get Preapproved for a Mortgage Yes, this is the same first step for buying a home in general. Before […]