Archive for December, 2008

A Preference For Change – Happy 2009!

December 31st, 2008 Categories: Random Thoughts

Nature has a preference for change, as evidenced by the above writings of M.J. Wheatley.

May your New Year be filled with the same.  Embrace change, don’t run from it.  Change what displeases you, if you are able to.

Don’t take the path of least resistance, unless it’s the right path.  At the end of the day, complacency is an ugly thing.

Wishing you and yours a most blessed 2009.  Happy New Year!  And thanks for a great 2008.

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Miami Homestead Exemptions – Get Yours!

December 30th, 2008 Categories: Community News

Did you buy a home in Miami-Dade County in 2008? If so, remember that a homestead exemption does not carry over to the new owner. You need to file for your own exemption in order to take advantage of the lower property taxes it brings.

If you bought your primary residence in 2008, you have until March 2, 2009 to file your homestead exemption for the year 2009. Not to be cliche, but use it or lose it!

If you’re not a new owner and already have the homestead exemption on your home, it renews automatically and you don’t need to refile. However, make sure you get the notice from the county letting you know that they have renewed it.

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Miami Home List Prices – Why The Disparity?

December 26th, 2008 Categories: Market Trends

The other day I was reading a Homestead community blog and was taken aback by a comment I saw there. It seems one of the readers had a problem with “so called realtors” and the list prices they (we?) use on the homes that are up for sale.

His complaint is that in the same community there are homes listed in the 90’s and all the way up to the high 200’s. It doesn’t make sense. My fingers sometimes respond faster than my brain and I started typing out a response. Then my brain caught up with me. I thought…well, he does have a point. I myself have often been doing research for a client and find such a disparity in list prices that they are of no use to me.

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Merry Christmas

December 25th, 2008 Categories: Random Thoughts

Wishing you a joyous and blessed Christmas.

May it be filled with the peace that comes with knowing why we celebrate the day.

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Miami Home Sales Up 13.7%

December 24th, 2008 Categories: Market Trends

No, that isn’t a typo. Miami home sales are on the upswing. Home prices in Miami may be down, but lots of smart people out there are taking advantage of these great deals, foreclosure or not.

This morning I received my daily bit of news from the National Association of Realtors. One of the articles states that in the midst of a slacking economy, home sales are down 10.6% since last year. Well, that bit of news may seem appropriate for the rest of the country, but my phone doesn’t stop ringing, so I decided to look at our own numbers, a little closer to home.

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