Miami Dade Real Estate Scoop

Did you catch the similarity to Joan Jett's classic, I Love Rock 'n Roll?  No?  Well please humor me and say you did. =)

Joan Jett & the Blackhearts will be performing at Miami's Ribfest tomorrow.  Also performing will be another classic act, Blue Oyster Cult.  I happen to know that some people are spending Saturday in Homestead just to see them perform.

You can get your Rock 'n Roll fix on Saturday and come back on Sunday for a little Country.  Tracy Lawrence and Chuck Wicks will be the headliners on Sunday.  Now, I've fallen behind on current signing sensations, but even not knowing who he is, Chuck has a smoky look in his eyes that makes me want to head to Homestead on Sunday for some ribs!

So, head on over this weekend.  There will be lots to do and plenty to eat.  Visit the Miami-Dade parks site for RibFest to get more information.

What:  Miami RibFest

When:  Sat. & Sun. 11/8 & 9

Time: 11:00am - 10:00pm on Saturday, closes at 6:00 on Sunday

Where:  Homestead Air Reserve Park (268 St. & 122 Ave)

Cost: $15, kids under 10 FREE.  Ribs extra =)

After a 17 year absence, the "Wings Over Homestead Air Show" is back.  The event hasn't been held since Hurricane Andrew tore through Homestead in 1992.

Headlining the event are the world-famous Thunderbirds.  The Thunderbirds are the U.S. Air Force Demonstration Squadron, known world wide as one of the most elite jet fighter performance teams.

In addition to the Thunderbirds, the event will include biplanes, rocket cars, supersonic jets and more.  In addition to the performing aircraft, many vintage warplanes will be on display for up close and personal viewing.

The event is totally FREE and parking is free too.  You've no excuse for not having something to do this weekend. =)  The show is the military's way of thanking the local community for their support of our troops and veterans.

Where: Homestead Air Reserve Base (Go East on 288 St. Approx 1 mile East of Turnpike)

When: Sat. & Sun. 11/8 & 11/9

Time: Doors Open at 9am and close at 3pm. Event lasts longer than 3pm but you must arrive by 3:00

Cost:  FREE

Visit the Wings Over Homestead site for additional information.

Drastically reduced through 12/31/07 ONLY!

Only $249,990 gets you a brand new 3/2/1 home ON THE LAKE! And what a lake. You can use your motorcraft here, unlike lakes throughout the county! Jetski in your own backyard.

And if that were not enough, the builder is offering a 6% (almost $15,000!) contribution to pay closing costs, down payment, or a combination of both. Buy with no money down if qualified!

These brand new homes at beautiful Salma Lake offer formal living and dining rooms, family room, vaulted and tray ceilings, archways and beautiful covered terrace. There are no Homeowners Association or CDD fees here! Full kitchen appliance package included.

Stationed at Homestead Air Force Base and looking for a home?  Working at the new Homestead Baptist Hospital and need a place to call home?  Look no further!  Salma Lake is only minutes from either place and easily accessible to all parts of the county from it's convenient location at the SW 288th Street exit on the Florida Turnpike! 

Come home to a new lifestyle. Call today!

Maggie Dokic | EWM Realtors | 305-960-2455 14222 SW 294 ST, Homested, FL Huge Price Reduction Through 12/31/07 ONLY!! 3 Bdrm Single Family House   offered at $249,990 Year Built 2007 Sq Footage 1,700 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 2 full, 0 partial Floors 1 Parking 1 Car garage Lot Size 6,800 sqft HOA/Maint $0 per month DESCRIPTION Drastically reduced through 12/31/07 ONLY! Only $249,990 gets you a brand new 3/2/1 home ON THE LAKE! And what a lake. You can use your motorcraft here, unlike lakes throughout the county! Jetski in your own backyard. On top, the builder is offering a 6% contribution to pay closing costs, down payment, or a combination of both. Buy with no money down if qualified! These brand new homes at beautiful Salma Lake offer formal living and dining rooms, family room, vaulted and tray ceilings, archways and beautiful covered terrace. There are no Homeowners Association or CDD fees here! Full kitchen appliance package included. Come home to a new lifestyle. Call today!   see additional photos below PROPERTY FEATURES Central A/C Central heat High/Vaulted ceiling Walk-in closet Tile floor Family room Living room Dining room Dishwasher Refrigerator Stove/Oven Laundry area - garage Balcony, Deck, or Patio Yard   COMMUNITY FEATURES Lake       OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES Motorcraft Lake. Jetski in your back yard!   ADDITIONAL PHOTOS Seller contact info: Maggie Dokic EWM Realtors 305-960-2455 For sale by agent/broker Equal Opportunity Housing Posted: Dec 17, 2007, 12:41am PST

You just can't find a better deal on a house in all of Dade County! Now through December 31st, 2007 ONLY, you can purchase a new single family home at the unbelievable price of $159,990!! Plus the builder is offering a 6% contribution (almost $10,000!) to pay for closing costs, down payment assistance or a combination of both. THIS IS NOT A TYPO!!

The homes have 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, great room, family room, spacious kitchen, indoor laundry room and full kitchen appliance package.

The lots are huge at 6,000SF minimums. The Salma Lake community does not have association fees or Community Development District fees.

Salma Lake is conveniently located right off the Florida Turnpike at SW 288th Street. Easy access to all! Are you stationed at the Homestead Air Force Base? Are you employed at the new Homestead Baptist Hospital and looking for a place to call home? Salma Lake is only mere minutes from both and the ideal location!

But you must act quickly. This special incentive price is good through the end of the year only and once they're gone, they're gone!

Maggie Dokic | EWM Realtors | maggie@theblogthatatemiami.com | 305-960-2455 29131 SW 141 CT, Homestead, FL Price Slashed thru 12/31/07 ONLY! New Construction with 6% Builder's Contribution to Buyer! 3 Bdrm Single Family House offered at $159,990 Year Built 2007 Sq Footage 1,200 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 2 full, 0 partial Floors 1 Parking None Lot Size 6,000 sqft HOA/Maint $0 per month DESCRIPTION Through 12/31/07 ONLY the price on this new home has been drastically reduced to $159,990!! Plus get a 6% Builder's Contribution on top of that to help pay for closing costs or down payment. You will not find a single family home, new construction, at this price anywhere in Dade County. No Association! No Community Development District Fees! 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath single family home on a spacious 6,000 SF lot in the beautiful subdivision of Salma Lake. You can't beat this price! Limited time offer. First come, first served! see additional photos below PROPERTY FEATURES Central A/C Central heat Walk-in closet Family room Living room Breakfast nook Dishwasher Refrigerator Stove/Oven Microwave Laundry area - inside Yard ADDITIONAL PHOTOS Seller contact info: Maggie Dokic EWM Realtors maggie@theblogthatatemiami.com 305-960-2455 For sale by agent/broker Equal Opportunity Housing Posted: Dec 17, 2007, 12:17am PST

I did a county-wide market report for placement.  You can click here to see it.  

But people are interested in specific areas.  Here's a market report for zip code 33032 in Homestead.  This zip encompasses SW 157 Avenue and East to the bay from SW 232 Street to SW 280th Street.

If the county report looked somewhat skewed, this one's even more so!

The light green bar shows the number of homes available (single family, condos, townhouses combined).  In November, there were 742.

The dark green bar shows the number of homes sold that month (again single family, condos, townhouses combined).  In comparison, there were only 5 sales in this zip code in November. 

The trend in this area has been more pronounced than the one in the county as a whole. In the last 15 months, the homes available for sale has steadily increased while the number of homes sold has steadily decreased.  The gap is bigger than it is county-wide. 

The ratio between For Sale and Sold shows the months of inventory available any given month.  In November it was 148.4 (see below). This number depicts the months it would take to sell all the homes that are available right now if sales continued at the present rate.  That is over 12 years!!  

Of course, a home isn't going to sit on the market for 12 years.  It simply means the competition is stiff. This is no time to speculate and see if anyone will "bite" on a home that's priced above what it should be.  It's also almost futile to try and sell a home without the help of a professional.

© December 2007 Maggie Dokic, Broker-Associate

I really enjoy selling real estate in the Redland and Homestead.  Today I drove to my Open House in Homestead thinking it would be just like the other days.  The house is vacant and I set things up each time I Open it:

• Change the A/C from 80 degrees to something a little cooler.
• Turn on all the lights.
• Open all the curtains and drapes.
• Draw up all the blinds.
• If it needs it, I even pull out the broom I keep in my car and spiffy the place up a bit!

Well, today was just a little different at my Open House.  As I pulled up the blinds in the living room a lizard almost jumped out at me from behind the blinds.  OK, I'm no sissy.  Lizards don't bother me.  They're part of life in Florida.  I have finally gotten over them. 

In one of the bedrooms was a little spider.  Spiders are OK too.  As long as they're not too big...or too hairy.  I let it be.

Then I made my way to the family room, which also doubles as my office while I am there and proceeded to draw up the blinds there.  There were two little bulging eyes looking up at me as I did so.  I have never cried Eeeeeeeeeek in my life.  Until now.  That was the last straw!  There was a little frog perched on the side of the sliding door.  I did not want to risk checking my email while the frog decided to go for a hop...on me no less.  No sir!  (I did however, grab my cellphone and snapped a picture of him for you.  Am I not thoughtful?)

What followed would have been very comical if it had been filmed.  I opened the sliding door in hopes it would jump out of the house.  Of course, it jumped further into the house.  I chased it with a stick trying to get it back into the family room as it hopped quickly into the living room.  I ran for the front door and opened it wide.  That was the answer!  I would chase it out the front door if it wasn't going to go out the back door.  Except he had other plans.

He hopped behind the buffet and I wondered if it was worth moving the darn thing.  I wasn't coming back here until next weekend after all.  I'd better move it, I decided.  What if he came out while a squeamish buyer was walking the house?  I didn't wan't a frog ruining a possible sale! 

I moved the buffet.  He jumped the other way.  He and I did the silly ring-around-the-buffet-catch-me-if-you-can dance for a bit.  I'm a firm believer in the fact that there's more than one way to skin a cat.  I went into the kitchen looking for something I could use.  This is a model home and apart from the furniture and doo-dads, there's no signs of life here.  I found a plastic grocery bag I had left in a drawer.  I'd have to actually catch the iccky thing with the bag. Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww............

I mustered up my courage and returned to where my uninvited guest was.  I took a deep breath and, using the bag as a makeshift glove scooped up the little guy.  YUCKKKKKK!  I ran outside with him and set him free as I broke into a rousing chorus of "Born Free."  I also sheepishly explained to the neighbor.  He was looking at me funny.

I had found too many critters today.  I was almost afraid to go turn the lights on in the master bedroom.  =)

Salma Lake is a new community built around Salma Lake in Homestead.  It's directly west of the 288th Street exit of the Florida Turnpike.  Two minutes and you're home!

The subdivision is made up of 38 single family homes on good size lots.  The standard lots are 6000 SF and there are bigger lots available at a premium.  There are still some waterfront homesites available as well.  Fifteen homes remain.

There is no homeowner's association in Salma Lake or CDD for that matter.  With the extra expense attached to both, this is a perfect opportunity to keep monthly payments as low as possible.

Home prices start at $255,000.  There are two floorplans to choose from.  The builder is providing 3% of the sales price to pay for closing costs so getting into your very own home with less money is a possibility.  With the down payment assistance programs available, both nationwide and in the county, achieving your dream of home ownership just might have gotten a little easier. 

Maggie Dokic is the exclusive agent for Salma Lake.  Please contact her at 305.960.2455 for more details about buying your home in Salma Lake!  You can also visit Salma Lake for more information

I snapped this picture of a brand new house in Homestead on one of my many rides through the areas that I specialize in.

They say a picture speaks a thousand words.  What does this one tell you?  This homeowner is no happy camper, that's for sure!  He might have fared better if he had used a professional.  A buyer pays nothing to use the services of a Realtor® in most cases.  And the benefits are many. 

So leave the plywood and spray paint for hurricane season.  Contact a Realtor® and get the service you deserve.

Vist my blogsite.

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.

Visit my blogsite.

We can finally see it!  We have been waiting anxiously to see the new Homestead Hospital. They will be hosting a Community Open House this Saturday, April 28, 2007 from 1-4PM. 

There will be lots of things to do so bring the family.  Take a tour of the beautiful new facilities.

There will be face painting and clowns for the kids to enjoy.

Everyone gets to enjoy refreshments and a gift for each family while supplies last.

If you need hospital care Saturday is the last day at the old facility.  Sunday will be the first day you can receive care at the new Homestead Hospital.

The new Homestead Hospital is located at Campbell Drive (SW 312 Street) and SW 147 Avenue, one mile east of the Florida Turnpike.

http://www.baptisthealth.net/

If you're looking for housing in the general Homestead Hospital area, give me a call.  I can help you with that!  Just take a look at this beautiful home I have listed.  If this one is not quite for you, there are many others I can show you.

Maggie Dokic, Licensed Real Estate Broker

www.MaggieTheRealtor.com