City of Homestead

City of Homestead

Due to its constrained location between Biscayne National Park and Everglades National Park, the City of Homestead might constitute a small land mass but nonetheless; its population represents one of the fastest growing populations in South Florida. Its increasing population can be accredited to Homestead’s distinctive “small-town” feel and strong sense of community that differentiate it from the vast Metropolitan area of Miami.

Regarded as Miami-Dade County’s second-oldest city, Homestead pays tribute to its historic roots by offering a strong hometown atmosphere in a modern-day setting. The city provides its residents with unique attractions, expansive suburban neighborhoods, parks and recreational facilities and a charming historic district complete with notable art galleries, antique shops and restaurants.

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Short Sales In Miami-Dade County

February 26th, 2008 Categories: Community News, For Buyers, Homestead, Short Sales, Southwest Dade

If I had to take a guess as to what percentage of Miami-Dade County MLS listings are short sales and bank-owned properties I would guess 30% overall.* I think the percentage may be even higher in Homestead. There are communities in Homestead where 60 or 70% of the listings are distressed properties.

What do you, as a buyer, have to keep in mind when buying a short sale in Miami? First of all, you need time. If you’re in a rush and want to close in 30 days on a property, short sales are not for you. It can take a bank 3-4 weeks just to let you know that they have not accepted your offer and you may submit a higher one if you please, thank-you-very-much.

Another thing to keep in mind is that banks will often have the listing agents ask for “highest and best offers” from all prospective buyers whenever there are multiple offers on a property. So if you make an offer on a short sale, you may just have your agent call you and let you know that the bank wants your “highest and best offer.” No, the bank is not playing games with you to try and get more money from you. Yes, they want as much money as they can get for the property. So why don’t they just counter offer? It’s very simple…if the bank has 3 offers on the table they cannot counter-offer to all 3 because if all 3 prospective buyers were to accept the counter offer the bank would now be legally bound to sell one property to three different parties. They avoid this by just asking for everyone’s “highest and best offer.” Look deep within your heart (or your financial statement) and give your highest and best offer to begin with. I’ve seen buyers lose out on great properties over $2,000. Shame.

Keep in mind that even if you offer the listed price, you may not have your offer approved by the bank. Why is this? Because often banks will not set an “approved price” on a short sale. They will simply say to the distressed homeowner “in order for us to consider a short sale you have to bring us a contract.” Yes, this seems like a total waste of time and it can be for the poor buyer who presents the very first offer the bank has looked at. If the property is listed at $160,000 and a buyer offers the full amount only to have the bank get back to them a month later and say, “sorry, we won’t sell for less than $185,000,” I wouldn’t blame a buyer for thinking “well, why the heck didn’t you just set that price to begin with and list it as such?”

So how can you get around this? Have a knowledgeable agent on your side. Real estate agents working for buyers are usually paid by the seller, so a buyer has nothing to lose and everything to gain by using one. An agent worth her salt will inquire as to whether a list price has been approved by the bank (rare but it happens on occasion). If a list price has not been approved, she can pull comparables and come up with a number she thinks the bank may be willing to accept. There is no set formula for this. It has to do with inventory in the area, sales prices, list prices, how quickly the inventory is moving, how long the property has been listed and the list price history and more. The amount that is owed to the bank may or may not come into play but an agent can usually look up the mortgage amount and take this into consideration as well.

Another thing to keep in mind is that many agents do not want to work with short sales. The extra time involved puts a damper on things, yes, but this isn’t the reason they shy away from them. They sometimes stay away from short sales because they have no guarantee that they will even be paid for their efforts. You see, the same way that a bank has to approve the sales price, they also have to approve the commission paid to the real estate agents. Most banks know full well that there will more than likely be two real estate offices involved and have calculated the agent’s commission into the bottom line. But this isn’t always the case. I have heard of cases where agents who worked hard to bring a qualified buyer had to share a very tiny commission with the listing agent. So ask your agent up front if they are willing to work with short sales.

Remembering that the stronger your offer, the better your chances are of getting it approved, will serve you well. An offer is strong based on many factors, not just the sales price: the amount of your good-faith-deposit; the amount you are looking to finance; are you pre-approved?; how soon you are willing to close; the repair limit on your offer, if any; inspection periods; if you’re asking for seller concessions, etc. Again, an experienced and knowledgeable agent can help you structure the strongest offer possible.

Some short sales may require different contracts be used. This isn’t always the case. It’s actually the exception, not the rule. Whereas after a bank has actually acquired a property by means of a foreclosure and the sale is no longer a short sale but an REO sale (Real Estate Owned) chances are that they will require the use of certain contracts and addenda. Why does this matter? If the use of particular documents are required, your agent may not be familiar with them. I always suggest that a real estate attorney be used, but when unfamiliar documents are required, even more so.

A final word of caution, just because a property is being short-sold, doesn’t mean that the price is a bargain. Remember that the bank is short selling simply because the market value has gone down. So if they are owed $250,000 but a property is now worth only $200,000 paying a bank $200,000 is no better bargain than paying a regular seller $200,000 for a similar property. In fact, dealing with a regular seller may be best because the lender’s approval isn’t required in the mix. Having said that, I have to state that I have seen some incredible bargains on short sale homes, particularly in the Homestead area. So again, ask your agent to “pull the numbers” for you and help you determine if a list price is a good deal or not.

If you have any questions regarding short sale homes available in Miami-Dade county, please feel free to get in touch with me.

*this is only a guess on my part, based on my daily use of the MLS and the high number of distressed properties I see listed. I have not done a tally of distressed properties in the local MLS.

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Florida Property Tax Reform - Vote NO To Amendment One

January 18th, 2008 Categories: Community News, Coral Gables, Cutler Bay, Florida City, For Sellers, Homestead, Kendall, Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, Southwest Dade, The Redland

I have been meaning to write a post regarding Amendment One and the confusion that is attached to the Florida property tax reform issues. This is not that post. This is a reprint of an email reply I sent to a friend and colleague when she asked for my support of Amendment One. I figured I had already written it and included so many great links, why not copy it and post it here? I am still planning the post but this issue is too important to wait a couple more days until I have the time. Here’s the email reply to my friend as to why I will vote NO to Amendment One on January 29th:

I am voting NO on this. There is much confusion on what this amendment represents and this is not our only chance for tax reform this year. This is direct from the Sun-Sentinel property tax blog (link below) : if it does not pass, other options are already in the works.

The Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission is currently meeting to decide whether it wants to put any amendments on the November 2008 general election ballot.

One proposal being considered by the commission would eliminate most school property taxes (which comprise about 40 percent of the average property tax bill) and replace the lost revenue by expanding the state sales tax to services and goods that are now exempt, such as accounting and legal services.

There is also a citizen petition drive led by Cut Property Taxes Now, Inc., which is collecting voter signatures to get an amendment on the November 2008 ballot that would cap property taxes at 1.35 percent of value.

Lastly, the Legislature convenes on Tuesday, March 4, in its regular 60-day session. At that time, lawmakers could consider putting another amendment on the November ballot.

As for local government overspending, the Legislature last summer met in special session to pass legislation mandating that most cities and counties roll back their spending between 3 percent and 9 percent. Those reductions should have been reflected on the property tax bill you received last fall unless local government officials voted to override the mandate.

—Linda Kleindienst, Tallahassee Bureau Chief

Now this is me again =)

If amendment 1 passes it would likely represent an average of $240/yr savings on our taxes. In the last 6 years taxes have pretty much tripled (ie $1900 is now $5700) and all they can come up with is a $240 cut?

I would suggest the following links for anyone who wants to learn more about whats going on:

http://fairpropertytaxforall.org/ I am signing this petition. It has NOTHNG to do with Amendment 1.

http://www.floridataxwatch.org/news/propertytax.php (according to Tax Watch, the amendment amounts to a tax cut, not true tax reform, which is sorely needed) IF YOU READ NO OTHER LINK, PLEASE READ THIS ONE.

http://www.floridataxwatch.org/resources/pdf/01152008nrFloridaTaxWatchReportAmendment1PropertyTaxes.pdf A special report from Florida Tax Watch. According to their thorough analysis œAmendment 1 on property taxes is likely to do more harm than good. Read it and find out why.

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/custom/propertytax/blog/ ask questions, get answers

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/jan/14/na-if-voters-kill-tax-amendment-true-reform-will-b/?news-opinion-editorials -very eye opening as to why we should vote NO.

http://www.votesmartflorida.org/mx/hm.asp?id=home Free, Non-Partisan source for constitutional amendment information

Ill get off my soapbox now.

This is a really important issue to every one of us and it actually hurts to think that I belong to 3 4 associations that are supporting this amendment which can hurt us in the long run.

VOTE NO ON 1/29!!!

Disclaimer - I am posting this as the opinion of Maggie Dokic, not of EWM Realtors. EWM Realtors has not expressed endorsement of my opinion. Just clearing that up for anyone who may be reading. =)

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Very Last Day To Register To Vote

December 31st, 2007 Categories: Community News, Coral Gables, Cutler Bay, Florida City, Homestead, Kendall, Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, Southwest Dade, The Redland

If you’d like to vote in the upcoming Presidential Preference Primary election on January 29th and you are not registered to vote, today is the last day you can register.

You’ll have to do it in person.

Fill out the voter registration form and take it with proper ID to your local driver’s license office, a voter registration agency, an armed forces recruitment office, the Division of Elections, or the office of any Supervisor of Elections.

Do your part!

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Robert Is Still There At ‘Robert Is Here’

November 5th, 2007 Categories: Entertainment, Homestead, South Florida Living, The Redland

Living in the Redland I have plenty of fruit trees in my yard. Try as I might, I cant have all the fruit thats out there though. We sometimes go elsewhere to get our fruit fix!

I drove over to Robert Is Here yesterday afternoon. The kids been wanting to try a dragonfruit and we figured theyd have it. We were right.

Robert Is Here has been there for about 47 years now. The story goes that when Robert was a boy and trying to sell cucumbers on the corner no one stopped at his stand. Roberts father decided he needed to be more visible and made two big signs to put on either side of Roberts table each proclaiming in big red letters œRobert Is Here.

The signs were marketing genius and by noon the next day Robert had sold out all his cucumbers. The rest, as they say, is history.

Today Roberts stand is much bigger and widely known. It sits on the corner of 344^th Street and 192^nd Avenue and there are always plenty of people stopping for fruit, herbs, honey, snacks, touristy items or one of their incredible milkshakes. Some people consider this the Redland but the address is technically Homestead. It doesnt matter. Just head South and West and youll be glad you did.

There was live music yesterday and people sitting at the tables enjoying it. My kid did find the dragonfruit and I convinced her to buy the half of one for $3.00 instead of buying a whole fruit. Thanks for giving us choices Robert! The truth is that we didnt like the way it tasted. It was something like unflavored Jell-O. Not too appetizing, but it sure was pretty!

Roberts has lots of different fruits that you wont find easily at your local grocer. There are lots of different honeys and a honey tasting station too. we shared some laughs with other patrons while sampling the different flavors.

If youre driving to the Keys, leave a little early and take a detour over to Robert Is Here. You might even get lucky and have Robert himself wait on you!

• Robert Is Here
• 19200 SW 344 Street
• Homestead, FL 33034
• 305“246“1592
• Open 7 Days a Week
• Closed September “ October

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Brand New Homestead Hospital Is Open For Business

July 12th, 2007 Categories: Homestead, The Redland

While looking through my files today I realized that I had taken pictures of the brand new Homestead Hospital at their open house last month and never posted them.

Homestead Hospital is as impressive as we thought it would be. Just the mere fact that it was built to withstand a category 5 hurricane is pretty impressive to me. To read more about the hospital and it’s construction, check out my prior blog. It opened it’s doors on May 6, 2007. In the meantime, here are some real pictures of the place. I’ve been playing around with a photo editing program. Hope I didn’t mess them up too much =) The lights reminded me of a UFO so I included them here.

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New Homestead Hospital Opened For Business May 6, 2007

June 7th, 2007 Categories: Homestead, Homestead Real Estate, South Florida Living

A structure built to withstand category 5 hurricanes?  Yes!  It’s the new Homestead Hospital and it opened it’s doors.  The $135 million project broke ground in April 2004 and finally opened to the public on May 6, 2007.  We’ve all been eagerly awaiting it.

The new Homestead Hospital brings with it 21st century technology in the care to be provided it’s patients, but the look is anything but institutional.  Patients and visitors may feel more like they’re entering an upscale hotel than a hospital, which is right in line with Baptist Health’s goal to create a comfortable, healing environment both inside and out at the new facility.  There are soothing colors, soft, natural light, plenty of lush landscaping, including Bald Cypress, Gumbo Limbo and Live Oak trees.  A prominent feature is the 3-story atrium which is the core of the new building.  The admitting, patient services and dining areas surround it.  Six, 20-foot high Chinese Fan Palm trees add to the grandeur of the atrium.

The new Homestead Hospital replaced the old Homestead Hospital which has served the community since 1940.  The project broke ground in April 2004 and is located on Campbell Drive just east of the Florida Turnpike.  It is the first hospital built in 30 years in Miami-Dade county from the ground up.  It is also the first to be built to offer such hurricane protection.  One of the goals was to be able to provide uninterrupted care for patients in the event a storm hits.

The windows are made of bullet-proof like materials, and were tested with and withstood 221 mph wind-driven rain and 2″ x 4″ timbers shot from a cannon.  Since the area is technically a flood zone (as most of Miami-Dade county is) the first floor of the new Homestead Hospital was built 9 ½ feet above sea level.  83,000 cubic yards of fill were brought in to raise the grade of the 60-acre campus two feet higher than the roads in the surrounding area. These features allowed the hospital to receive an evacuation exemption from Miami-Dade County, avoiding the need to relocate seriously ill patients.   The new hospital is equipped with backup power consisting of two 1,500-kilowatt diesel generators that are elevated above the floor and enclosed in a concrete structure so they stay dry. Two tanks holding 45,000 gallons of diesel gas will hold enough fuel to run all essential functions of the hospital, including air conditioning, for up to seven days. Amazing!

The 388,000 SF facility is impressive.  The ER is 3 times larger than the old one with 44 patient exam areas.  There are 180 patient rooms, all private.  Outside there is a meditation garden behind the medical arts building.  Tropical plants and three lakes complete the campus landscape.  A 1400 space parking lot provides plenty of space.  Of course, let’s not forget the helipad.  Also interesting are the dedication bricks lining the walkway leading up to the hospital.  Starting at $200, it was an affordable way to honor a special someone.

The new homestead hospital is a tobacco-free environment and joins such prominent healthcare providers as the Mayo Clinic, the Cleveland Clinic and Johns Hopkins Health System in prohibiting tobacco use on their property.

The new Homestead Hospital has served to spark a renaissance in Homestead , the Miami Redlands, Florida City and the surrounding area.  It sits amid an explosion of new construction, on what used to formerly be used as potato fields.  We are indeed fortunate to have a most sophisticated healthcare facility right in our own backyard.

Homestead Hospital is part of Baptist Health South Florida, the largest not-for-profit healthcare organization in the region. In addition to Homestead Hospital, Baptist Health includes Baptist Hospital, Baptist Children’s Hospital, South Miami Hospital, Doctors Hospital, Mariners Hospital, Baptist Cardiac & Vascular Institute and Baptist Outpatient Services.

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Eating in Homestead - The White Lion Cafe

May 29th, 2007 Categories: Dining, Homestead

If you want to eat someplace unique, affordable and delicious, try The White Lion Cafe in Homestead. The White Lion Cafe is more than just a restaurant with good food. It is filled with antiques that spark interest and lively conversations.

In addition to the open dining area thats indoors, theres an outdoor area where larger parties can be accommodated. Thats where we sat the last time. The flies had not been invited but they crashed the party anyway. In spite of this, our lunch was most enjoyable and the food scrumptious.

I enjoyed a shrimp picatta served with fresh spinach and mushrooms over angel hair pasta. The capers made it just right. At $9.95 I found this most affordable. One item on the menu that I found memorable is touted as the worlds largest PB&J sandwich, big enough for two with a complimentary bottle of Dom Perignon. At $200 I realize the œcomplimentary part is tongue-in-cheek but it gives folks something to laugh about as they peruse the menu trying to select just one item.

The dessert selection is made daily on the premises. I had a mango cobbler that I found quite good. It was extremely sweet, but whats a dessert if not sweet? There were 5 or 6 choices so if extra-sweet is not your style, Im sure theres something else youll find enjoyable.

The staff at the White Lion Cafe is friendly and the service prompt. We enjoyed a lively conversation with our waitress, particularly when discussing dessert.

The White Lion Cafe does have an outdoor bar where you can enjoy a drink and live entertainment on certain nights as well as karaoke on the weekends for those who dare.

The White Lion Cafe is located at 146 NW 7 Street in Homestead, just west of Krome Avenue. They are open for lunch and dinner and theres always plenty of parking!

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