South Florida Real Estate
November 10, 2026
For eligible veterans, service members and some surviving spouses, a VA loan is one of the most valuable financing tools available. In Miami-Dade County, where the down payment alone can be the biggest hurdle to buying, the ability to purchase with no money down and no monthly mortgage insurance can change what is realistic. Drew Kern and The Kern Team work with veteran and military buyers across Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, Cutler Bay and greater Miami-Dade. This guide covers how the program works, what it costs and where it differs from a conventional loan. What is a VA loan? A VA loan is a mortgage issued by a private lender, such as a bank or mortgage company, and partially guaranteed by […]
October 20, 2026
Fall in Miami-Dade County doesn’t come with changing leaves or a first frost. What it does bring is the stretch of the year many residents wait for: lower humidity, evenings comfortable enough to spend outside and a community calendar that fills up fast. For anyone thinking about buying or selling in Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, Cutler Bay or Coral Gables, it’s also the season when these neighborhoods show you exactly what they have to offer. Here’s a look at what fall brings to the area, the events on the calendar this October and November and what the season means if you’re weighing a move. What Fall Looks Like in Miami-Dade South Florida’s dry season typically begins in mid-to-late October, and the […]
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 […]
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, […]
August 25, 2026
Pinecrest has built its reputation on a simple formula: low density, oversized lots, and some of the strongest public and private school options in Miami-Dade. That reputation is not marketing. It shows up directly in how this market behaves, from how quickly well-priced homes move to how rarely inventory sits long enough to soften on price. Here is what the current data actually says, and what it means if you are buying or selling here in 2026. KEY DATA (As of August 2026) Average Sale Price: $4,386,000 Current Number of Listings: 127 Average Days on Market: 79 Why Low Density Keeps Pinecrest’s Market So Competitive Pinecrest was zoned from the start to stay low density, and that has not changed […]
August 17, 2026
By Drew Kern, #1 Agent in Palmetto Bay by Homes Sold in 2025, The Kern Team at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Realty Palmetto Bay does not need to sell itself with a marketing campaign. Tree-lined streets, some of the largest standard lot sizes in Miami-Dade, and pockets of true waterfront access have made it one of the most consistently in-demand family neighborhoods in the county, and the resale numbers back that up year after year. As the agent who closed more homes here than anyone else in 2025, I get asked constantly what makes this market different. Here is the honest answer. KEY DATA (As of July 2026) Average Sale Price: $1,517,000 Current Number of Listings: 102 Current Days on […]
August 3, 2026
Coral Gables asks something of the buyers who come looking here. It is not the neighborhood you settle for. It is the one people spend years working toward, whether they are trading up from a starter home in South Miami or relocating from out of state and want a foundation that will hold its value for decades. If you are in that move-up stage right now, here is what actually matters before you start touring. KEY DATA (As of July 2026) Average Sale Price: $3,956,000 4.7 Months of Inventory Average Days on Market: 78 What makes Coral Gables different from a standard move-up Market Most move-up markets are defined by square footage. Coral Gables is defined by permanence. The banyan […]
July 20, 2026
Most buyers slow down in July. They hear “hurricane season” and assume it means risk, uncertainty, or a reason to wait until fall. That instinct is understandable. It is also one of the reasons summer can be a better time to buy in Miami-Dade than most people realize. Hurricane season does not mean you should stop your search. It means you should do your homework in a specific order, ask the right questions before making an offer, and work with someone who knows exactly what to look for in a South Florida home. Here is what that looks like in practice. Does Hurricane Season Actually Affect the Buying Process in Miami-Dade? Yes, but not in the way most buyers expect. […]