Miami Dade Real Estate Scoop

If you’ve been looking to buy a home in Miami and still haven’t found the one, I have some good news for you.  This weekend marks the Florida Realtors’ Open House Weekend.

The association has coordinated for many homes to be held open this weekend throughout the state of Florida.  You should be able to look around in your neighborhood of choice and find more homes than usual being held open.  Look for the bright blue balloons like the ones in the picture above.

This is our last ditch effort to get those buyers looking to make the $8,000 home buyers credit into a contract before the deadline of April 30^th.

I’ll be holding this Homestead beauty open on Saturday, April 10^th, from Noon – 2:00pm.

Click on the picture below to see a tour of the home.  It’s a winner!

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Wishing everyone a joyous holy-day filled with the Promise of new beginnings.

A Happy and Blessed Easter to all!

Yesterday I posted about the thanks I received from my sellers when their short sale finally closed. 

Today I wanted to share the letter I sent the bank regarding the assigned loss mitigator.

We are always so quick to point out flaws.  But it's much harder to make time for showing our appreciation. 

Today I made time for such a thing.  I believe that when I live my life being grateful for the good that happens, I live a better life.

I also think that those who do a job well, should be told, not just paid.  And sometimes, their bosses should be told too.

Here is the email I sent to the bank today:

Dear Mr. XYZ,  

I am writing to congratulate you on your employee, Emily ABC.  I believe she is a tremendous asset to your department and the entire ABC Bank organization.  

I have had the pleasure of working with Emily for the last 3 months.  We worked together on the Mr. Seller loan, address 1234 NE 56th Drive, Miami, FL 12345  I was the listing agent for this short sale.  

Prior to working with Emily, ABC Bank had me working with many different Loss Mitigators.  I was never able to accomplish anything with any of them as most of my calls and emails went unreturned.  Getting just the slightest bit of information, such as confirming that a document we had submitted had been received required the biggest of efforts and repeated attempts.  It seems easy enough to tell someone that a paper was received, but when I tried to do it, I got nowhere.  

Then along came Emily.  She was friendly, polite, courteous and above all else, helpful and professional.  If I called and left Emily a message, I could bet my bottom dollar that she would respond within hours.  But usually, this wasn't even necessary as she picked up the phone most of the time!   

If I emailed Emily, she got back to me with a prompt response.  I am sure this kept each of us more productive than having to chase the other down.  

There were times when you needed something and Emily would call me for it.  This simple courtesy is almost unheard of in all my other short sale negotiations.  I have never had a bank call me to tell me they need something.  They usually wait until I call, track the LM down and then they bring it up.  It certainly makes no sense to work this way, but that is what I am experiencing.  

The bottom line is that it was a sheer pleasure working with Emily on this transaction.  I wish all my transactions were handled so expeditiously and almost stress free.   She deserves acknowledgement for a job extremely well done and you for having such a fine employee on your team. 

Kudos to you both.  

Sincerely,

Maggie Dokic

No, this is not my latest listing in Pinecrest.  This is one of the cutest dog houses I've ever seen!  I was driving west on 152^nd Street and had to do a 180 so I could appreciate these little homes closer.  They impressed me to no end.

The luxury dog houses are created by Ricardo and Janeth.  He is a master carpenter who specializes in custom yacht carpentry.  As the luxury market had dwindled a bit, so did the amenities associated with it.  In a moment of inspiration they decided to make custom homes for our furry friends. 

My precious Fifi and Lola would love to live in any one of these homes.  There's the little red shingled barn, a boat house with its crisp white paint, chimney stack and shiny golden anchor (and look at those porthole windows!), and the stone villa, with its textured walls, and windowed gable.  Sooooo cute!

The attention to detail in these homes is impressive.  To order your own custom home for your furry best friend, you can contact Ricardo or Janeth at 786.285.9431

I was speaking with a friend yesterday and she was surprised to find out that I have home buyers in Miami who can't find homes.  Well, let's rephrase that.  The can find homes, They just can't get them under contract.

I realized that she was not the first person I've talked to lately who was surprised at this.

"But I thought it was a buyer's market right now?" they always ask me.

Yeah, according to who?  The news that prices are low, foreclosures are high, short sales abound, is always out there.  But it is only in the very recent weeks, that I have seen the media getting the truth about finding a home out there:  home buyers are having a tough time of it right now in Miami.

Yes, there are lots and lots of listings. Over 8,300 single family homes in Miami-Dade county are listed for sale right now.

But then you remove the overpriced listings because, well, because they're overpriced.  Momma didn't raise no fool, now did she? ::wink::

And you don't really remove the foreclosed listings, but you almost should.  The ones that are priced right are getting multiple offers.  Sometimes fifty or more.  I've been on both sides of the deal with these, as listing agent and buyer's agent.  So I know first hand that listing agents are not making this up.  With mulptiple offers on the table, chances are stacked against you getting your offer accepted.

And then there's the short sales.  Yeah, those.  I don't shy away from them.  But I do make sure I ask lots of questions of the listing agent when selecting whether to show them or not.  If the listing agent hasn't got a clue, we pass.  The process is already long enough, add someone who doesn't know how to do it right, and it's slow as molasses AND perhaps dead before it starts.  When my buyer makes an offer on a short sale, I advise and counsel that we are in it for the long haul.  So we MUST make sure that there's a decent chance it will get to closing.

Remove the above and what does that leave?  Well, it leaves the regular sales.  Remember those?  Ahhhh. Those days were good, were they not?  There was a seller, there was a buyer, and there was a deal.  I long for them again.  But let me snap out of my daydreaming!  There are some well priced regular sales to be found.  And they sell quickly when you find them.  So make sure you act fast.

Add to all that the buyers scrambling to make the April 30th deadline for the $8,000 home buyers credit and you have a very brisk Miami real estate market.

The tides have changed.  If you're out looking at homes in Miami, make sure you have the benefit of working with a professional by your side.  Contact your local Realtor today.

If you're a Florida homeowner in need of a locksmith, here's something to consider: in the State of Florida, locksmiths don't need to be licensed.  Not yet anyway. 

Because of this, it is very easy for someone who has no intentions of being a bonafide locksmith, set up shop as a locksmith and scam people.  For as little as $15, the person can purchase "bogus" business cards and make people think he is in it for real.

People in need of a locksmith may call these con-men with a legitimate request to change locks or set up a safe in a business or home.  The "locksmith" can keep the combination or copies of keys and later rob them without much effort.

In an effort to prevent this scenario, bills have been filed in the Florida legislature, that would require licensing for locksmiths and make it a criminal offense to impersonate one.  The measure would make it harder for this type of scamming to continue.

Legitimate locksmiths welcome the licensing.  They don't want to be affiliated with those who would commit these crimes.

So until this comes to pass, how can you protect yourself?  If you live in Miami-Dade, the county has already put a locksmith ordinance into effect.  It requires that anyone working as a locksmith be registered with the Miami-Dade County Consumer Services Department, Consumer Protection Division.  To verify if someone is registered, you can call the Consumer Services Department at (305) 375-3677.

Additionally, the ordinance requires that the registration number be listed prominently on advertising (including business cards), and on all forms, invoices, commercial trucks and vans.  Look for these.

In addition, follow these common sense tips when using a locksmith:

• ask friends for recommendations.
• ask the locksmith for their registration #.  A legitimate one will have it on all the items listed above.
• obtain more than one estimate if possible.
• obtain written estimates.
• don't choose a locksmith on the basis of price alone.
• get an itemized bill.
• never sign a blank form.
• keep accurate records of work performed & amounts paid.

As always, it can't hurt to be too careful.

No, this is not a picture of the top of Missy Caulk's car. (for those who may not know, Missy is a Michigan REALTOR). 

This is the top of MY car, this morning.  (I am a Miami REALTOR)

Yes, this is Miami.

Yes, that is ice on top of my car.

Yes, this is the coldest winter in 30 years in Miami.

I miss my balmy winters. =(

I am so proud of the kids at Robert Morgan Educational Center.  Every year they participate in the United Way's fundraising. 

This year they received top honors. 

They were not only the High School to raise most money in Miami.  Better.

They were not only the High School to raise the most money in Miami-Dade county.  Better.

They were not only the High School to raise the most money in Florida.  Better.

They were the High School to raise the most money in the nation.  Awesome job Pirates!

The kids at RMEC raised over $14,000 in the one week they participated.  Considering that Robert Morgan's student body comes from all income levels, this is even more impressive.

These kids embody the true spirit of giving and caring for those less fortunate.  You make me proud to be a Pirate Parent. 

Yo, ho, ho, a pirate's life for me!

If you are a seller in the Miami area looking for options regarding your home sale, I may be able to help.  I am Maggie Dokic, and I have earned the  NAR Short Sales and Foreclosure Certification.

The SFR is a nationally recognized Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource certification. The National Association of REALTORS® offers the SFR certification to REALTORS® who want to help both buyers and sellers navigate the complicated transactions of distressed sales.

As demand for professional expertise with distressed sales grows, the national certification is a way to know you're dealing with someone who's received the proper training. According to a recent NAR survey, nearly one-third of all existing homes sold recently were either short sales or foreclosures.

For many real estate professionals, short sales and foreclosures are the new “traditional” transaction. REALTORS® who have earned the SFR certification know how to help sellers maneuver the complexities of short sales as well as help buyers pursue short sale and foreclosure opportunities.

The certification program includes training on how to qualify sellers for short sales, the oh-so-important negotiating with lenders, protecting buyers, and limiting risk, and provides resources to help REALTORS® stay current on national and state-specific information as the market for these distressed properties evolves.

If you are facing a possible short sale or foreclosure and want to discuss possible options, please call and trust that I can explain the resources available to you.