Community News

Home Prices Rose 5.8% in 2014

January 26th, 2015 Categories: Community News, For Buyers, For Sellers

For 2014, the national median existing home price hit its highest level since 2007: $208,500. The median price also represents a 5.8% increase from 2013 ($197,100), data from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® show.

Meanwhile, the number of home sales for the year declined 3.1%. But despite low levels of properties for sale in many markets, the number of single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums, and co-ops that sold in December 2014 rose 2.4% from November and were up 3.5% compared with December 2013. Read the rest of this entry »

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Kids Back In School – Keep Them Safe!

September 6th, 2014 Categories: Community News, Random Thoughts

Did you survive the kids going back to school?  It’s not that the kids themselves do anything to make the time bad.  It’s the added traffic during in/out times that we have to plan for.

And make no mistake about it.  You do have to plan.  The first couple of weeks are usually worse because bus drivers and parents of kids at new schools aren’t familiar with the routes or where the drop offs/pick ups are.  But by the time we’re into the 2nd month, things settle down substantially and we’re “back to normal,” so to speak.

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Come Celebrate this Holiday Season with The Deering Estate!

December 3rd, 2013 Categories: Community News, Cutler Bay, Entertainment

With the Holiday Season quickly approaching, the Deering Estate is going to be hosting a special event each weekend in the month of December.

Friday December 6 from 7-9 pm there will be a special Tree Lighting Ceremony.  Located at Deering Estate at Cutler (16701 SW 72nd Avenue). There will be plenty of music performed by Yuletide Carolers throughout the evening.

The fun does not stop there! On December 14 & 21 Santa will be there from 10 am – 12 pm for story-time and kids crafts in the historic Stone House Ballroom!

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Miami-Dade Cracks Down on Homestead Exemption Fraud

October 14th, 2013 Categories: Community News

Miami-Dade officials are cracking down on homestead exemption fraud.  Folks who claim the exemption and don’t qualify for it will have to not only pay the higher tax bill, they will also owe back taxes, plus penalties and interest.

Miami-Dade’s new Property Appraiser, Carlos Lopez-Cantera, promised to crack down on homestead exemption fraud when he took office.  And he has delivered.  The crack down effort has been a combined effort between the municipalities of Pinecrest, Coral Gables, Hialeah, Key Biscayne, Miami, Miami Gardens, South Miami, Sweetwater & West Miami.  Each of these cities committed one special detective to the effort and it has certainly paid off.

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Palmetto Bay FPL Power Plant Comes Down After 60 Years

August 14th, 2013 Categories: Community News

Florida Power & light demolishes Palmetto Bay power plant.  Last week, in under a minute, FPL brought down the Cutler Power Plant, which had served South Florida residents for over 60 years.  The move is in line with FPL’s efforts to bring cleaner, more efficient energy to its customers.

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Pinecrest & Palmetto Bay, Old Cutler Road Tree Canopy

August 13th, 2013 Categories: Community News

As I drove to the office today I had to take a detour to see to a client need first. I was driving north on Old Cutler Road and had looked forward to it as it’s my favorite, scenic drive in Miami.  Many parts of Old Cutler Road are framed with huge Oak trees, Banyan trees and so many others which create a wonderful canopy so you end up driving in the shade most of the time.  I love it.

I drove north through Palmetto Bay and into Pinecrest, headed north on SW 67^th Avenue through the heart of Pinecrest, before heading west on SW 112 Street so I could get to Kendall.  As I drove through both Palmetto Bay and Pinecrest, I marveled at the gorgeous trees surrounding me.  Many of them so huge that I could not see the tops.  I thought about some of the newer communities, and even some old ones, where the tree canopy is non-existent.  The former because the trees are too young and the latter because foresight wasn’t part of the community planning, much to the disappointment of its current residents.

A dense tree canopy definitely adds much beauty to a neighborhood.  I’ve driven through neighborhoods where the homes were nice enough, but the missing tree canopy makes one realize just how much beauty it really adds.

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