You have found the house you want to purchase; you’ve gone through all the negotiations, loan requirements, inspections, appraisal, etc.  Weeks have gone by and now you’re at the closing table – the key is just a few minutes away, but wait, there’s one more hurdle - the HUD Settlement Statement. The HUD statement (Department of Housing and Urban Development) is a document that itemizes all debits and credits to the Buyer and the Seller.  It’s a list of what you are paying, to whom and for what, and what credits are being given to you.  You really should receive your HUD statement at least one day before closing; but in real life, that usually doesn’t happen.  Most times you will see the HUD statement a few hours before closing and sometimes not until you get to the closing table.  In ... 09/23/2009

Pinecrest Fl rentals are available and at a wide range of prices.  We have condos, townhomes and single family homes for rent.  Now that being said, a Pinecrest Fl rental will usually be more expensive because of the demand and the relatively low inventory. The demand is high because Pinecrest Florida is one of the most desirable areas of Miami-Dade County; and families with children want to move to Pinecrest because of the excellent schools.  The inventory tends to be low because it is very expensive for investors to buy properties in Pinecrest for rental purposes.   If I can be of assistance or if you have any questions, just give me a call.   09/22/2009

Sunday, September 27th, 2009, Fairchild Tropical Garden is dedicating this day to "man's best friend".   Bring your dog out to visit the gardens and take the tram tour with you.  Tours on Sunday are given both in English and Spanish; you never know, your dog might be bilingual!  Please make sure your dog is friendly, has all vaccinations up to date and bring plenty of water - it will be hot, hot, hot.  Fairchild Tropical Gardens is located at 10901 Old Cutler Road in Coral Gables Florida.  The gardens will be open from 9:30am to 4:30pm.   09/17/2009

  Pinecrest Florida Real Estate Report - August 31, 2009 Currently there are 211 homes for sale in Pinecrest Florida. 42 homes are under contract schedule to close. In August 18 contracts were closed/sold. August’s highest sale was for $2,325,000 lowest was for $270,000                 09/03/2009

Every once in a while I'll get a call from a Pinecrest FL homeowner wanting me to go over and list their home because their agent hasn't gotten it sold.  Today I am once again confronted with the task of telling a homeowner their listing hasn't sold because it is overpriced for today's market.  I let them know that they might not like what I have to say, but it will always be the truth; and usually presented in black and white. Some agents will take any listing at any price to get their name out there; reasoning that it is "free" advertising and you just never know, someone might call you. It has happened to me, I have gotten many clients off of sign calls.  And yes, there are homeowners that will shop agents to see who will list their property at the highest price. But I just can't tak... 08/21/2009

Pinecrest FL foreclosures are not easy to come by.  When we do have a Pinecrest FL foreclosure it is usually snapped up very quickly.  I am going to give you a snapshot of what the Pinecrest FL foreclosure market is like today, August 20, 2009. Today there is only one Pinecrest FL foreclosure on the market.  It's a 4 bedroom, 2 bath, double garage, 3,343 square foot home with a pool on a 37,635 square foot lot; priced at $602,900.  It's in the Palmetto Elementary School district. Currently there are 7 Pinecrest FL foreclosures under contract pending closing priced from $218,500 to $899,999. This year there have been 16 Pinecrest FL foreclosures to have been closed/sold ranging in price from $250,000 to $608,000. If you are interested in the Pinecrest FL foreclosure market let me make a ... 08/20/2009

Here is the July 2009 market report for Pinecrest, Florida.   Inventory is down and the market seems to be improving.  Pinecrest is  showing an 18 month supply of inventory this month compared to over a 23 month supply a couple of months ago. We're seeing many overpriced homes coming down in price, and many newly listed well priced homes, selling quickly. Buyers are out there, and picking up what they perceive as good values. There are 218 homes for sale in Pinecrest, 38 homes pending sale and 13 homes closed in July. Highest Priced Listing: 6500 SW 98 Street  at $6,499,000 - new construction which has been on the market for over 600 days. Lowest Priced Listing: 12850 SW 81 Avenue at $350,000 - short sale which has been on the market for 294 days. It has gone under contract several time... 08/19/2009

Today I was surprised to have been informed that I am one of the top 1,000 Sales Associates for NRT.  NRT operates under the banners of Coldwell Banker, ERA, Sotheby’s International Realty and The Corcoran Group. "Perseverance.  Determination.  Resourcefulness…earned you the distinction of being named to NRT's Top 1,000 Sales Associates…Thank you for all you do to serve as a role model for both our company and our industry." The full letter can be found here.   08/18/2009

Here’s more evidence that housing is turning around. Forbes magazine identified 161 of the country’s largest metro areas where sales activity has increased compared to 2008, and where foreclosure sales as a percentage of total sales, are low.The magazine considers these markets as on the road to recovery.1. Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.2. Lincoln, Neb.3. Colorado Springs, Colo.4. Salem, Ore.5. San Luis Obispo, Calif.6. Bremerton, Wash.7. Denver, Colo.8. Redding, Calif.9. Santa Barbara, Calif.10. San Jose, Calif. Link to article: Market Recovery Source: Forbes, Matt Woolsey (08/13/2009)     08/14/2009

  Howard Drive Elementary School in Palmetto Bay Florida is located at 7750 SW 136 Street, Palmetto Bay, Florida 33156, phone  (305) 235-1412.  Howard Drive Elementary School is an “A” rated elementary school in the Miami-Dade Public School system.  Howard Drive Elementary School serves the southern part of Pinecrest Florida and the northern part of Palmetto Bay Florida.  The Howard Drive Elementary School boundary is:           Begin at Biscayne Bay and SW 136 Street - West to Old Cutler Road - North to Chapman Field Drive - Northwest to SW 132 Street - West to SW 77 Avenue - North to SW 128 Street - West to U.S. Highway #1 - South to SW 144 Street - East to SW 67 Avenue - South to SW 152 Street - East to Biscayne Bay - North to SW 136 Street, point of beginning.   08/14/2009

Palmetto Elementary School in Pinecrest Florida is a consistently “A” rated school in the Miami-Dade Public School system.  Palmetto Elementary School is located at  12401 South West 74th Avenue, Pinecrest, Florida 33156, phone (305) 238-4306.  The Palmetto Elementary School boundary is:       Begin at SW 104 Street and SW 72 Avenue - West on SW 104 Street to U.S. Highway #1 - South to SW 128 Street - East to SW 77 Avenue - South to SW 132 Street - East to Chapman Field Drive - Northwest to SW 62 Avenue - North to SW 116 Street - West to SW 67 Avenue - North to SW 112 Street - West to Canal - North to Canal until it comes to a second canal - West on canal to SW 69 Court - North on SW 69 Court to SW 108 Street - West to SW 70 Court - North to SW 107 Terrace - West to SW 72 Avenue - Nort... 08/12/2009

  Pinecrest Elementary School in Pinecrest Florida is the only school in Miami-Dade County to have received an “A” rating for 9 years in a row!  Pinecrest Elementary School in Pinecrest Florida is located at 10250 SW 57 Avenue, Pinecrest, FL 33156, phone (305) 667-5579.  The Pinecrest Elementary School boundary is:   Begin at Biscayne Bay and SW 96 Street – West on SW 96 Street to SW 52 Avenue (Schoolhouse Road) - North to SW 88 Street - West to SW 57 Avenue and Snapper Creek Canal - West on Snapper Creek Canal to U.S. Highway #1 - Southwest to SW 104 Street - East to SW 72 Avenue - South to SW 107 Terrace - East to SW 70 Court - South to SW 108 Street - East to SW 69 Court - South to Canal (including house 6950 on cul-de-sac) - South to SW 112 Street - East to SW 67 Avenue - South to S... 08/10/2009

  Pinecrest Florida rentals are usually in high demand.  Most families want to rent in Pinecrest Florida to have their children attend the Pinecrest schools; the best in Miami-Dade county, both private and public. There are three elementary schools in Pinecrest Florida; they are Pinecrest, Palmetto and Howard Drive.  All Pinecrest Florida rentals are in the Palmetto Middle School and Palmetto Senior High School district. Looking at the Pinecrest Florida rentals for the first half of 2009, your typical 4 bedroom Pinecrest Florida rental will rent for about $2,500.00 per month.  Typically this will include the yard and pool maintenance, do get that clarified.  Once you find a home you like, you’ll need to provide one months’ rent with your application to hold that home for you.  After the... 08/10/2009

    Pinecrest Florida Real Estate Report July 31, 2009 Currently there are 223 homes for sale in Pinecrest Florida. 39 homes are under contract scheduled to close. In July 12 contracts were closed/sold. July's highest sale was for $2,250,000 lowest sale was for $412,000   Pinecrest Florida Real Estate Report on June 30, 2009 Currently there are 233 homes for sale in Pinecrest Florida. 35 homes are under contract scheduled to close. In June 24 contracts were closed/sold. June's highest sale was for $3,650,000 lowest sale was for $350,000.   Pinecrest Florida Real Estate Report, May 31, 2009 Currently there are 245 homes for sale in Pinecrest Florida. 44 homes are under contract scheduled to close. In May 18 contracts were closed/sold. May’s highest sale was for $2,300,000 lowest sale was... 08/06/2009

Vacant Land in Pinecrest Florida is now priced better than ever!  Now is the time to plan on building your dream home in Pinecrest Florida. As we all know home prices have come down but I find that vacant land in Pinecrest Florida has come down even more.  Here is an example; in 2005 a 38,000 square foot lot in the Pinecrest Elementary school district of Pinecrest Florida was sold for $1,170,000.  Today a comparable lot in the same school district can be had for about $800,000 - that's about a 30% decrease in the price! Here are sales of vacant land in Pinecrest Florida: 5898 SW 96 Street, Pinecrest Elementary School District, 35,283 s.f. (1956 house on property) sold for $850,000 on June 29, 2009. 6280 W 126 Street, Palmetto Elementary School District, 40,075 s.f. sold for $545,000 on ... 08/04/2009

Luxury homes in Pinecrest Florida are starting to sell again!  Typically the luxury market is the last to drop in price and the first to recover.  I feel a sense of optimism and confidence in the economic recovery is stirring this market. In writing this update I first had to define what a luxury home in Pinecrest Florida is.  I first thought it would be a home built after 1995.  After doing some research I found some very luxurious estates built well before that; so I couldn't use age to define the luxury market in Pinecrest Florida.  So I figured, let's use price.  With that parameter I found small, old homes on acre lots selling for well over one million dollars; that criteria was out.  So I decided to define a luxury home in Pinecrest Florida as a home with over five thousand square... 08/02/2009

The Village of Pinecrest Florida is a beautiful eight square mile city within Miami-Dade County.  It's general borders are 88th Street on the north, 136th Street on the south, US 1 on the west and 57th Avenue/Old Cutler Road/Ingraham Highway on the east.  During the early 1900s the area that we know today as Pinecrest Florida was nothing more than a staging area for Henry Flagler´s construction of the Overseas Railroad; a rail line going all the way down to Key West. After the rail line was finished US 1 was laid down using rock from what used to be a quarry at the corner of US 1 and 112th Street.  At that time there were just a handful of settlers and a few businesses at that time. In the 1936 Parrot Jungle opened on the corner of 57th Avenue and 112th Street.  This is now the site of ... 07/28/2009

Villas of Pinecrest in Pinecrest Florida is at the very north western corner of Pinecrest at the intersection of 67th Avenue and 88th Street.  Conveniently close to Dadeland Mall, the University of Miami and the Dadeland Metro Rail Station.  It is also in the Pinecrest Elementary, Palmetto Middle and Palmetto Senior High school district.  The Villas of Pinecrest were built in 1966 and were updated and converted into condos and townhouses in the 1990's; there are 206 units in this development.  Just to clarify, in my mind a condo is a one-floor unit and a townhouse has two or more floors; here we have both.  This is one of the most affordable developments in Pinecrest Florida. The Villas of Pinecrest features a clubhouse, tennis courts, a gym, a children's playground, pool, 24-hour manne... 07/26/2009

The Reserve in Pinecrest Fl is a gated townhome community with a handful of condos.  Just for the sake of clarification; I think of a condo as a one floor unit and a unit with two or more floors is a townhouse.  The Reserve in Pinecrest Fl has sixty-eight units and was built in 2003 with a charming Old Florida / Key West style of architecture.  The Reserve is on 102nd Street, just east of Dixie Highway (US 1) and right across the street from the French Village.  The Reserve backs up to the newest park in Pinecrest Florida. The townhomes at The Reserve in Pinecrest Fl are very nice; they have upscale kitchens with wood cabinets and granite countertops, elegant baths, balconies, impact glass windows, and elevators from the secured underground covered parking garage.  There is an on site g... 07/26/2009

French Village in Pinecrest Fl is the newest upscale townhome community built in Pinecrest Fl.  French Village, as the name implies, is a French inspired designed community featuring 12 luxury townhomes built by GC Homes in 2007.  French Village is off of 102ndStreet just east of Dixie Highway (US 1), with very convenient access to the Palmetto Expressway.  French Villageis in the Pinecrest Elementary, Palmetto Middle and Palmetto High school district.  As you enter French Villagethrough its cobble-stoned paved main street you will see the beautiful center fountain and the flame gas street lights.  These elegant spacious townhomes feature many amenities such as designer kitchens, whirlpool tubs and marble, travertine and or wood floors.  Each townhome is individually gated, has a two ca... 07/25/2009