It is professionally managed by The Market Company and features green-market vendors that specialize in fresh fruits, vegetables, plants, flowers, trees and other local goods, including organic items. There are also vendors selling antiques, art and collectibles.

For more information click here, or contact The Market Company at claire@themarketingcompany.com if you wish to participate as a vendor. Contact Vicki or Alexandra Restivo if we can help you with your real estate needs.

The long awaited day arrived and I finally have  the building permit and signed construction contract — we’re ready to start construction. Monday, March 2 I meet with the Chief Building Official, the head of the structural dept. and my contractor to discuss some key points about the construction. Hopefully this will minimize possible field conflicts with building inspectors and the project will go smoothly. Some people are asking me; “since you’re an architect and construction manager, why don’t you act as your own contractor”.  The answer is simple – I don’t have the time available to do it right and keep the project moving — in construction, time IS money.

We have not even moved the first shovel and I am staring at the possibility of changing the whole roof on the main house — an expense I had not planned. I also had a big scare, because I had a laborer remove the cedar that was lining our closets to re-use and the exterior masonry wall appeared not to have a concrete tie beam. That would have been very bad news and very costly to correct. But fortunately it looks like they must have used a block beam that is no longer used…that’s a relief. By the way, reusing the cedar also became futile — the wood had become brittle and was breaking.

The contractor is someone I know from Church, so there is little chance he will disappear on me. He committed to have substantial completion by the end of June. So I invited him to our 4th of July House Warming party and he offered to bring his band — yes my contractor is multi-talented and plays guitar and has a band. He said that was not fair, because that means that if he doesn’t finish on time everyone at Church will know — YES!!! There is nothing better than an deadline to get people motivated to perform.

To help the contractor meet his schedule, we agreed and already moved out of the house. That way he can do both the new construction and remodeling at the same time and not worry about dust, or disturbing us. Needless to say, there is no shortage of construction workers, so putting enough people to work on the project is not going to be a problem. The biggest lag time is ordering the impact doors and windows. Apparently a lot of property owners are changing their glass doors and windows and replacing with impact resistant windows and doors.

I am also trying to do green construction as much as possible, so we are minimizing the amount of debris that will go to the dump, by donating many construction systems and equipment to Habitat for Humanity. So the windows, doors, ceiling fans, appliances, AC, light fixtures, plumbing fixtures, etc. It is a win-win-win situation. I get the tax write off; Habitat sells those items in their store and gets money; people who are trying to repair or rehab old houses can get some supplies real cheap; we dump less which means less waste at Mt. Trashmore and lower dumping cost for me.

In the next few weeks I will start posting progress photos of the construction– the project should go fairly quick. I am also hiring an interior designer to select colors, finishes and tying the design of the exterior and interios. Again this is something I would do, but even when I had my practice I would hire interior designers to do the interiors because I felt they were better suited for that role than I was. However he is going to have to move quickly, because the contractor is going to start ordering cabinets and flooring fairly soon. Until the next report, which will probably be next week. It may have taken 10 months to get the permit, but construction is going to be done in 4 months.

Open Sunday, March 1 from 1:00 -3:00

7440 SW 59 Place #202

Fabulous In-town Condo Built in 2005

Open Sunday, March 1 from 3:00-5:00

7555  SW 65 Place

Great Home For Children

Near Schools –  Quiet Street

7821 SW 54 Ct

Recently Constructed Dream Home

We’re to know March 10 how much South Florida is due from the $787 billion Obama bonanza.

More important is how we’ll use our share to gain the most impact.
Local officials are rushing to claim much of Florida’s estimated $12 billion because, as Miami Commissioner Tom·s Regalado put it, “there will be fights from 67 counties to get that stimulus money.”

Gov. Charlie Crist seeks $8 billion to balance Florida’s budget. Miami and Miami-Dade County alone target 855 projects at more than $4.7 billion for stimulus aid.

But a local windfall is wishful thinking. Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, whose team had requested more than $3.2 billion, recently reportedly said he thinks the city will get about $30 million for infrastructure.

To read the remainder of this article, please visit: http://miamitodaynews.com/news/090226/story-viewpoint.shtml

The duplex has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, a dining area, a large living room and a TV room….If you are interested, contact me…..

The asking prices ranged from under 100k to 650k.  We can see that the higher priced properties did not move. The sale prices will be published after the sales close.

In the sales that closed in the last 30 days the statistics are as follows:

Sales that closed in the last 30 days, prices ranged from under 100k to 465k.

1. Hamptons South#307  asking $515,500 and sold for $465k
2. Turnberry Village #907  asking $419,000 and sold for $335k
3. Yacht Club at Aventura #7301 asking price $299,900 and sold for $222,500
4. Parc Central #206 asking $182,500 and sold for $175k
5. Ocean View #ph22 asking $ 169k and sold for $117,000
6. Ensenada #812 asking $114,900 and sold for $ 77,000
7. Parc Central # 612 asking $174,900 and sold for $180k
8. Parc Central #1603 asking $113k and sold for$132k

Call me if you are interested in more information on recent sales.

Effective January 1, 2009,  first time homebuyers of a principal residence may benefit from the $8000 tax credit. The credit does not require repayment.  The credit will be claimed on a tax return to reduce the purchaser’s income tax liability.  If the credit amount remains unused, then the unused amount will be refunced as a check to the purchaser.  These helpful links will give you more information about the program, such as income limits, and revisions to the 2008 program.

National Assoc. of Realtors Explains First Time Home Buying Credit

Frequently Asked Questions

Distressed sales – foreclosures and short sales – accounted for 45 percent of transactions in the fourth quarter in Metro Areas, according to NAR, dragging down the national median existing single-family price to $180,100 or 12.4 percent below the fourth quarter of 2007.   The median is where half sold for more and half sold for less.

South Florida is one of the three major metro areas where single family home prices have seen the steepest decline and where bargain hunters are being drawn.  However, each neighborhood has it’s own adjustment and not all are giving big discounts. Local Realtors will help buyers determine how to effectively determine property values based on the number of distressed sales, discounts, and market conditions.  Buyers can no longer assume that all things are equal without further investigation.

Watching our kids read is as pleasant as reading ourselves. For those of us who enjoy reading it is a blessing. It allow us to travel, live in other people’s world and keep learning as we go.

Three times a week in Barnes and Noble in the new shopping center at Pines Blvd. and I-75 you can bring your kids to read and play games.

They have English and Spanish Story-Telling time on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 11:00 AM.

Tuesday-English
Thursday-Spanish
Saturday-2 Groups English and Spanish

You can put together your own fundraising event for your kids school at Barnes and Noble. In your own Think Fun Game Night-Barnes and Noble Bookfair a percentage of all purchases your school’s supporters make (books, music, cafe…) will be donated back to your school. B & N will do all the selling and the bookkeeping and provide access to all the promotional materials you will need.

How the Game Night Works? Kids Fill out a Game Card, Kids Play and Learn, Kids Earn Stickers, A Complete Card Means a Chance to Win… To plan one for your school, contact and Barnes and Noble manager.

There are wonderful touches in this beautifully decorated Westport lakefront home. Crown molding, wood flooring in living room, high end laminate floors in children’s  bedrooms, plantation shutters throughout, surround sound, 42 inch cabinets with Corian toppings, stainless steal appliances in the kitchen are just a few. Excellent one- story plan. Accordion shutters protect all windows and doors. French doors lead to the patio with the pool and spa.

A welcoming entry and pavered circular driveway are terrific enhancements.

This immaculate home is within easy access to the city’s conveniences, schools, airport and highways.

Go on http://www.Obeo.com/516660 to discover the wonders of this residence.