Coconut Grove, Coral Gables & South Miami Real Estate
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Miami Spice – try it, you’ll like it!!
Being a bit of a foodie, I love this time of year. Each summer, beginning in August, several of Miami’s top restaurants participate in a citywide promotion known as “Miami Spice“. All over town, popular eateries are offering 3-course prix fixe menus from world renowned chefs featuring their signature dishes. The goal? To get you and me to step outside of our comfort zones and try someplace and something new!
I have to say that in years past, it has definitely worked for me and my circle of friends. There is so much available here in Miami with all it’s diversity, it would be a shame not to taste every part of it.
The promotion began August 1st and continues through the end of September. Lunches are $22 and dinners are $35. If you are interested in expanding your epicurean horizons, here is the list of the participating restaurants and menus available.
From one foodie to another, ENJOY!!
Buying a Home, Do it Yourself or Not???
Like many people, I am a bit of a do-it-yourselfer. I assume if I handle something myself, I can get a better price or do a better job without having to pay extra for a professional.
Cliffs of Moher
Recently, I found that in certain instances, this is not the case. I was organizing a trip to Ireland for my mother’s 70th birthday and was doing my homework online, of course. I found exactly what we wanted. It was offered by a specific tour group that I assumed did all their transactions online. Just to cover my bases, I contacted a friend of mine who is a travel agent and asked what she had available. Turns out, she can get me the same trip, through the same company, for the same price BUT I will have the additional advantage of the individual service and experience that her company provides. I have to say that I was very surprised. Of course, I would prefer to have a contact person and not a computer as my go to, especially when it comes to something as important as travel arrangements.
While we were talking it occurred to me that it seems like many people feel the same way about buying a home. If they do all the legwork themselves, go to the open houses, look at homes online, deal directly with the listing agent or owner, they will save money.
But, just as in the instance above, that is not usually the case. First of all, and most importantly, here in Florida the Seller pays the entire commission. Both sides of the deal, buyers agent commission and selling agent commission. Buyers are not responsible for any commission. The only fee that a buyer may be charged by his/her realtor is a fee for processing, typically under $300., and that is only at time of closing.
Additionally, wouldn’t you prefer to have someone represent you that is a professional and specializes in the market in which your are looking to buy? Someone to help you navigate the ups and downs of the home buying process? Someone who’s job it is to assist you in all aspects of purchasing a home?
Buying a home, just like travel, can have it’s unexpected challenges and having someone you can rely on is priceless. So if you or anyone you know of is considering purchasing a home and would like working with a professional, give me a call at 305-987-2644 or you can email me here.
Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove’s Waterfront Corridor
The winding bayside road that links Coconut Grove to Brickell and Downtown Miami is know as Bayshore Drive. Beginning in the Coconut Grove Village center it curves past Peacock Park, Dinner Key Marina, Monty Trainers, Kennedy Park then snakes past Vizcaya on it’s way towards Downtown.
There are some of the most breaktaking homes located along this drive. Here are just a few.
This landmark estate is located at 1653 S. Bayshore Drive and is a 4 bedroom, 4.5 bath with 4,310 square feet of living area with just under an acre of land. Asking Price $2,295,000.
I featured this home, Villa Valentina, in a previous blog as one of my Coconut Grove favorites. This 6 bedroom, 4.5 bath estate consists of 4 separate living quarters and is located at 1855 S. Bayshore Drive. Asking Price $2,885,000.
This three story Meditteranean Villa features 4 bedrooms, 5.5 baths with 6,150 sq ft of living area and comes with a boat slip. It is located in a private community consisting of 25 homes. Asking Price $2,799,000.
Here is a complete list of homes currently for sale on Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, Florida
In addition to single family homes there are several condominiums along Bayshore that overlook the sparkling waters of Biscayne Bay. The Grovernor House, Mutiny, Grove Hill Tower, Grove Tower and Yacht Harbor, to name a few, are all luxury at it’s best.
If you or someone you know is looking for a real estate professional who specializes in Coconut Grove real estate, give me a call at 305-987-2644 or send me a note here.
Mortgage Rates at 4.56%, extending record lows
The Wall Street Journal reported today that “both the 30 and 15-year mortgage rates are at the lowest point since Freddie (Mac) started tracking them.” The average rate for 30-year fixed loans being 4.56% with the 15-year at 4.03%.
If you are considering buying a home or possibly re-financing your current home, now may just be the time.
You can read the full WSJ article here……
If you are interested in buying or selling a home in the Miami area and looking for a real estate specialist, please give me a call at 305-987-2644 or send me a note here.
