I love Art Deco condos, and there’s one property in South Beach that doesn’t get nearly as much attention as it deserves. In fact, you may not have even heard of it — it’s called Erika, at 1601 Meridian Ave., about a block off of Lincoln Road. But despite the low name recognition among the public, any Miami Beach real estate agent knows about this condominium because it’s such a no-brainer investment opportunity. Especially for the prices these units go for. First, a little background. Erika went up with the early Art Deco boom, but it’s one of the buildings that’s undergone a complete renovation in recent years. Erika was fully remodeled in 2015. It’s a boutique property, with only two stories and 20 units. And they’re all pretty much the same: one bedroom, one bathroom, a spacious liv... 03/10/2016

The historic Venetian Causeway reopens.Originally built in the 1930,s the Venetian Causeways connects downtown Miami to the residential Ventian islands and then continues on to Miami Beach. Closed for renovations it just reopened to the public on Monday.This causeway was the second "bridge" built to Miami Beach. To the right of the causeway you will notice a raised highway. This is the MacArthur Causeway which wisks you in and out of South Beach. 03/02/2016

This news will surprise no one who watched the development of 6080 Collins, one of Miami Beach’s most affordable boutique properties. Developers have announced that at least 60 percent of the condominium’s units are reserved, about six months after it launched sales. According to Miami Today, the majority of those reservations are by investors. 6080 Collins, named after its address along Miami Beach’s north-south artery, is especially exciting for investors looking to capitalize on a luxury boutique property that caters to young, single people looking for a small but upscale living experience. The sharp interest in purchases at 6080 Collins also signals high potential rental demand once the property is completed at the end of 2016. I’ve been in real estate in Miami for more than 10 year... 03/02/2016

The Central - 928 Pennsylvania Ave #3 - Miami Beach, FL 33139 - 2/3 - 1,050 Sq.Ft. - $749,000  Ultra-modern tri-level townhome located in the heart of South Beach. Bright and spacious floor plan featuring 2 BR/ 3 BA and amazing private rooftop terrace. Unit features white quartz flooring throughout, European style kitchen with Jenn-Air appliances and gas stove. All new luxury bathrooms just installed. Small boutique building with just 7 units and low maintenance fees. Includes 2 covered parking space plus an additional parking space for scooter or motorcycle. For more info please call me at 305-695-8257!   http://www.joshsteinrealtor.com/property/928-pennsylvania-ave-3-miami-beach-fl-33139-a10041825   02/29/2016

One of the biggest questions new condo buyers ask is what do condo maintenance fees include? The most important thing to know when shopping for a condo in Miami Beach or the mainland is that there is no set standard for what maintenance fees include, rather each building sets their price.Generally speaking, maintenance fees are set by (1) the financial budget of the building and (2) the size of the unit.In Miami Beach, it is common that the monthly maintenance fees go by the square footage of the unit. So the larger the unit, the more expensive.I always tell new buyers never assume a fee is too expensive until you know which services and utilities are included in the fee.What do condo maintenance fees include? UtilitiesSome buildings include water, sewer, cable, Internet services and mo... 02/29/2016

 Tribeca - 1057 15 ST #22 - Miami Beach, FL 33139 - 2/2 - 1,097 Sq.Ft. - $539,000 Beautiful modern restoration of an Art Deco landmark. Tribeca is an award winning enclave located in the heart of South Beach featuring impeccably manicured gardens and pool with privacy located only 2 blocks from Lincoln Rd. This exquisite corner 2 bedroom/2 bath condo offers beautiful Brazilian wood floors, high-design gourmet kitchen, granite countertops, stainless-steel appliances, surround system, deeded parking, and brand new luxury bathrooms. This is the epitome of historic Art Deco luxury. For more info please call me at 305-695-8257 http://www.joshsteinrealtor.com/property/1057-15-st-22-miami-beach-fl-33139-a2210411    02/26/2016

  Three Hundred Collins 70% sold out at ground breaking. . Only six of 19 units remain the luxury South-of-Fifth project being developed by JMH Development. The five-story project is being designed by Thomas Juul-Hansen, with remaining units ranging in price from $1.7 million to over $9 million. Amenities include a 75-foot saltwater pool and hot tub on the roof.   02/23/2016

Miami Beach to get 35 new life guard standsAnd you guessed it they probably won't look like a stand you have seen before. Architect William Lane created 5 different models and the city council will decide.After Hurricane Andrew wiped them out in 1992 Mr. Lane created the replacements. Now for an update. 02/23/2016

In Miami Beach all the latest bathroom trends seem to be focused on the outdoors. Many like the idea and many do not. Soaking in a tub with wall to wall blue sky and sea is very relaxing. If you can relax knowing that a sea turtle may be watching you than this is for you! 02/21/2016

Feeling "beachy" today. This painting is plaster on canvas for depth with acrylic paint. I was inspired by a beautiful virgin beach in a run down lifeless town on the Caribbean coast of Honduras. Life will hand you inspiration all day, if you are receptive to it things occur. Happy a receptive day!  02/20/2016

I never get bored of these spectacular views, especially with the new Super Yacht Marina just opened up in Miami! Murano at Portofino - 1000 S Pointe Dr – 3/3/1 – 3,365 Sq.Ft. – $6,590,000  Murano at Portofino luxury skyhome. Enjoy spectacular views of Biscayne Bay, South Beach and the Downtown Miami skyline from this rarely available ’01’ line at the Murano at Portofino. Private elevator foyer open up directly into this bright, modern living space, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows and huge terrace. The Murano at Portofino is a full service luxury building with incredible amenities including 2-story health-club, 24hr doorman and beach club.  For more info please call me at 305-695-8257 http://www.joshsteinrealtor.com/property/1000-pointe-dr-901-miami-beach-fl-33139-a2148428 02/19/2016

New Miami Beach Luxury Condos - Coming soon on the bay in Miami Beach to the prestigious Alton Road neighborhood - The 3900 Alton Miami Beach condominium and condos. Sales have begun with preconstruction reservation sales at the soon to begin construction 8-story, 78 residences - 3900 Alton Miami Beach condominium. The official ground breaking at 3900 Alton is planned for the fall of 2016 with completion projected for early to mid 2018. Current pricings* are offered from approximately $780k to $2.7m. *pricings can change without notice. Rising 8-stories above the blue waters of Biscayne Bay in the exclusive Alton Road neighborhood - 3900 Alton Miami Beach will offer 75 luxury condominiums and 3 garden villas. The location on the bay offers panoramic views of Biscayne Bay. 3900 Alton wil... 02/19/2016

Over the past several days we have been meeting with a lot of sellers. In today’s market, especially in Miami, there are a lot of Miami Beach Realtors. So what sets one agent apart from another? If you interview three, which one should you hire?You’ve decided to sell your Miami Beach home, and now the hard part comes, interviewing potential real estate agents to help you get your home sold.You need someone you trust enough to:1. Set the market value on possibly the largest asset (or one of) that your family owns.2. Create a marketing plan that will bring buyers to your home.3. Keep constant communication with you.4. Update you with the showings and any market changes.5. Set the schedule for the successful liquidation of that asset.6. Make a negotiation on your behalf with the buyer or b... 02/15/2016

The windows and exterior doors in the homes of San Miguel de Allende Mexico inspired me to do a series call Ventanas y Puertas (windows and doors). It was a pleasure veering off from my usual very abstract style to something a little bit more impressionistic. This is one of the last pieces from my series of 50. This one hangs proudly in my Miami home and measures 48X60 inches. Layered acrylics on canvas. 02/12/2016

If you want to sell your Miami Beach condo fast, everyone on your team must work together. There are some simple and practical steps you can take to achieve your goal, none of which have to cost you a lot of money and many of which can help you maximize the selling price of your home.One of the most important parts of selling your property fast is to understand the market. Often sellers want to overprice a little, with the idea that they can negotiate down. Unfortunately, when you do this, you cut off your target buying market which results in little to no showings. We also find that sellers tend to put a lot of weight on what’s on the market, “actives”. Although these properties and their pricing need to be considered, if they aren’t selling, they aren’t really good comps that I would ... 02/09/2016

   1035 Lincoln Road in Miami Beach (inset: Amancio Ortega)  In one of the largest real estate deals in Miami-Dade history, an entire block of Miami Beach’s Lincoln Road has traded hands for $370 million. And the buyer is the world’s fourth richest person, a Spanish fashion billionaire whose empire includes Zara.A partnership led by local commercial real estate investors and developers Michael Comras and Jonathan Fryd sold the properties that run from 1001 Lincoln Road through 1035 Lincoln Road, now home to newly built stores for Gap, Intermix, Athleta, Apple and the future location forNike. The properties total about 48,000 square feet of land and 75,000 square feet of buildings. How nice to have had a piece of that action! 02/05/2016

$59 Million Sale 700 Euclid AvenueIf you're a  tenant living in one of the 240 units on South Beach that just got bought by Broadway Properties for $59 million, you might have to find a new home. The new owner  plans to renovate the 15 older Art Deco apartment buildings and hike the rent by up to 50 percent. It's a record multi-housing deal in South Beach. Naturally they'll shift away from the working-class tenants who currently occupy them towards "people who drive Porsches" and don't want to live in high rises. South Beach has such an interesting and diverse mix of people it is sad that all of these folks will be forced out with few options in Sobe for them. 02/04/2016

When it comes to the pricing your Miami Beach home to sell, we always tell our sellers that your home has to sell three times.The buyersIt has to sell to the buyers, so when they drive by the home or search online, they say,  “Wow, I want to step inside this home. This home is the perfect house for me.” You want them to become attached to your home and feel it is worth what you listed it for in today’s market.The buyers’ agentsIt has to sell to the agents who are looking up properties for their clients. Is it priced correctly for the price, condition and location? Agents see hundreds of homes and properties have to be something “special” to get their attention. Also, agents don’t want their clients to fall in love with properties that are priced too high. It can be detrimental to the bu... 02/04/2016

When you start thinking about selling Miami Beach real estate, you will probably start your initial research online. Maybe you chose to use Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com or some other online portal to get a free home value. When you are just starting out it can quite an adventurous journey. It can also be scary if you are using an online tool and the tool is incorrect. For instance, our area has very particular neighborhood niches. Buildings and homes can have different values just within a different “line” of the unit or a jump across the street. You cannot “group” the data together and come up with a general value. Well, you can to start to get an idea. But you could be losing money if you don’t take specific details into consideration.Selling a home is often most peoples’ largest inves... 02/02/2016

1255 Pennsylvania Ave #111, Miami Beach, Florida 33139 is an entirely renovated gorgeous split-level townhouse style condo located in the Historic Roosevelt in South Beach.This condo features hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, washer, dryer, central AC & heat, two floors, the bedrooms are upstairs, a large hidden storage area under the stairs. It is an open concept kitchen with new stainless steel appliances, dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave and oven. The light throughout the unit is gorgeous, warm and inviting.This condo is within walking distance to everything in South Beach, blocks to the Beach and Lincoln Road. It is easy to show and is priced to sell!1255 Pennsylvania Ave #111, Miami Beach, Florida 33139Price: $397,000New Price: $368,000Address: 1255 Pennsylvania Ave #... 02/01/2016