real estate

June 14, 2022

4 Things We Look For When Touring a Home

In the market for a new home? For first-time homebuyers (and even experienced homebuyers), touring homes can be an exciting, yet daunting experience. While home-touring should be fun and exciting, it’s important to keep a detailed eye when touring a home – oftentimes, there can be issues hidden beneath the surface. We pride ourselves in our detailed walkthroughs – our goal is to save you time, stress, and headaches. Here’s what we look for when we tour a new home: Floor Plan – One of the most important qualities of a home is that it meets your needs – which is why we spend time researching the floor plan of each home we tour. While it’s easy to change cosmetic appearances […]
May 31, 2022

What to Expect in the Miami Real Estate Market

Miami is known for its iconic beaches, its status as the capital of Latin America, and its burgeoning tech scene. This adds up to a strong real estate market, however, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to Miami’s real estate.  A true hotspot longtime residents, new transplants, and business owners looking to either expand into or from Latin America, Miami-Dade is on a continuous uprise and has been that way for some time. If you’re considering moving here, one thing is true; you should know these Miami real estate trends happening in 2022: Miami’s Booming Rental Market Two-thirds of Miami residents rent, a rental rate rivaling that of New York City. This is partially due to […]
April 26, 2022

Why Is It So Important to Be Pre-Approved for a Mortgage

It can’t be stressed enough – if you’re buying a home, knowing what financing you can qualify for is the first step to getting the house you really want. One of the worst sensations (especially in this market) is to find your dream home, get your offer accepted…only to lose it when the financing falls through.  If you are planning to get a mortgage to finance your new home purchase, getting pre-approved (not just pre-qualified) is an essential step to not only get the result you want, but also to line you up to get your offer accepted.  Here’s our take on why it’s so important to be pre-approved for a mortgage when buying a home: First, You Don’t Need […]
April 19, 2022

Why Location Really Does Matter

We’ve said it before, but location really is the most important quality in real estate. This is true regardless of property size or square footage. Where you live truly does affect so many aspects of your living experience, so it’s no surprise that selecting the right location is one of the most important components of your home search.  Location Affects Your Lifestyle It’s crucial to consider your daily quality of life and needs – are you an active person who wants to be close to trails or running routes? Do you prefer to have a larger yard with room to entertain or have a pool? Your neighborhood should offer you access to these important lifestyle needs or aspirations. School Districts […]
April 12, 2022

How to Take the Stress Out of Home Buying

Buying a home will probably be the most important financial decision you will make in your life – if that doesn’t put the pressure on to get it right, we don’t know what does! Unsurprisingly, home-buying will stir up some serious stress – which just isn’t good for anyone making a big decision. Even in a competitive market like South Florida’s, you can still get ahead of the curve and alleviate any built-up stress with a sound strategy, an experienced realtor, and a few key items in-place.  Find the Right Realtor Anyone in the market for a new home can benefit from hiring an experienced realtor, especially first time home-buyers. Realtors are going to save you a lot of time, stress, and […]
April 5, 2022

4 Things to Look for When House Hunting That You May Not Think About

House-hunting can be a stressful, albeit-exciting venture. If you’ve started the process of looking for a home – congrats! You probably have a lot of factors on your mind about what makes a home ideal, such as the neighborhood, size of the home, natural lighting, and floor plan. A lot of times we have a general idea about what we’re looking for in a home, but more often than not, the less-exciting factors get brushed aside, even if they can make a big impact once you’re all moved in.  Not to worry – we’ve compiled four crucial things you should consider before moving forward in your home-buying process. Outlets This may be the most overlooked factor while home-buying. Having outlets […]
March 29, 2022

Recent Sales in Palmetto Bay

When looking to buy or sell a property, one of the first things to consider is what the comps are for recent sales in the area. As for Miami, the numbers still show a seller’s market.  In Palmetto Bay specifically, we’re seeing very little supply – only about 40 active listings ranging from 3 bedroom homes in the mid $400s near US-1 to estates abutting the Deering Nature Preserve asking $2,500,000.  Recent sales have mostly ranged from $325 a square foot to $375 a square foot. The median listing home price is sitting right around $875,000 in early 2022, which is up over 29% in the last 12 months. Homes in Palmetto Bay have been selling right around asking price in […]
March 22, 2022

Are Condos a Good Investment in Miami?

For what seems like time immemorial, the world over has been looking to invest in waterfront condos in Miami. And the truth is there is a valid reason, so much so that we tend to split Miami’s real estate market into segments – single family homes and condos – and see demand for one segment really doesn’t affect the other. In fact, political instability abroad and the strength of the dollar are important factors to consider when looking at Miami condos.  If you’re looking for a short answer, yes – condos are a good investment in Miami. However, like anything in real estate, there are many factors you should consider before diving into a serious investment. Here are some of […]
March 15, 2022

Questions Empty Nesters Should Ask Before Downsizing

For many empty nesters, there comes a time to face the impending question: keep the family home or downsize to something smaller? Like any real estate investment, there are a lot of things to think about when downsizing to a smaller home. Here are a few questions to ask yourself before deciding whether or not to downsize: Lifestyle With the kids out of the house, you now have the freedom to decide how you want to live your life. Before downsizing, it’s important to think about what you do – for instance, if you’ve been commuting to work an hour plus each way to be near the kids’ school, and if your hobbies are near your home. It’s not uncommon for empty […]