Pick Up The Dirty Laundry

As a real estate professional who works with many Buyers, I often don't get to view a home until I'm showing to a client. There are some things I've seen that would make every mother mad and ready to get out a rolling pin ready to discipline someone, anyone. As for me, I am sometimes just so flabbergasted I find myself at a loss for words trying to explain what's there to incredulous clients. Here's just a short list of some of the showing no-no's that I have been subjected to, and believe me when I say the value of the home really isn't the factor that determines what you'll see once inside. Some of these strange things have happened in $100,000 homes as well as in $750,000 homes:

- Dirty underwear on the floor, many items, not just one

- Unmade beds - this is so much more common than you would believe      

- Dirty dishes in the sink - not just from breakfast this morning, sometimes, days old

- Is leftover foods on the dining table a separate category or does it fit with the point above

- Bathrooms that look like they've never been cleaned with bottles and boxes of every personal care product on show

- Open suitcases with dirty laundry strewn all over the floor

- Here a living one, the owner lounging on her bed on the phone wearing - well, not very much (and the listing agent met me here)

- Sex toys on the side table - I won't go into detail here :)

- Enough religious items hanging on every inch of wall space, to make the place look like a cult den

Oh, I could go on but I think you get the message. Needless to say, I haven't yet met a Buyer willing to overlook any of these showing transgressions. If fact, they usually want to get out of the home as quickly as possible.

So, please Sellers, understand that your home will never sell if it looks like a college dorm room or like some religious sect has invaded the property. Now don't get all mad at me about the religious items, a few pieces here and there are fine, but when there is no more wall space left to hang one more religious item and that's the only decoration you have on the walls, you may have a problem selling the home.

Your Realtor should be advising you what to do with your home to help it sell quickly at the best possible price. This includes tips on staging, what personal items to remove from view. How to live in your home and have it ready to show at a moment's notice. With religious items, keep in mind that you're showing to people of all faiths and a more neutral environment will all make people feel more comfortable.

I am out of excuses to give my clients – suggestions please.

The Polo Club Boca Raton - Country Club living at it's Finest!

The Polo Club Boca Raton offers country club living at it's finest. For those thinking about buying a home in Boca Raton, this exceptional facility has a private tennis facility that has been voted the best in the world by the Professional Tennis Registry. In addition, The Polo Club Boca Raton has also been voted the best club in Boca Raton. But, for the community's residents who reside on the 1,100 acres of quality landscaping and beautiful design, awards are not needed to convince them that they live in the most beautiful country club in Palm Beach County.

In addition to the 29 Har-Tru tennis courts, The Polo Club Boca Raton has 2 18-hole championship golf courses, The Club Course and the Equestrian Course. The pro shop at The Polo Club Boca Raton has a wide selection of equipment and apparel. For fitness fanatics, the facilities offer state of the art workout equipment and a selection of classes extensive enough to suit everyone. You can also partake in the personal training that offers customized programs for each individual. And then, at the end of a long day in the beautiful Boca Raton with sunny weather all winter, you can take time off and be spoiled in the Polo Club Boca Raton spa. Skin care, body care, massages, you choose and then let the professionals take over. After that, it's time to dine or sip cocktails, choose from one of 6 restaurants or lounges, from the formal 5400 Steakhouse to the Polo Pub.

And we haven't even got to real estate yet. If you are looking for a smaller pied a terre, consider one of the condos or villa homes with prices starting at $150,000. For those looking for an estate home with all the luxuries you'd expect, prices can top $5million. The Polo Club Boca Raton offers a selection to suit every need with 23 separate subdivisions, there is sure to be a home that you are hoping to find.
With the Florida Real Estate market having bottomed out, there are deals. Talk to a Real Estate Agent that knows and understand the area and can show you, not just the Polo Club at Boca Raton but the surrounding amenities including local shopping, dining and schools.

If it's time to make a move or find a winter home in Florida, then you should take a look at The Polo Club in Boca Raton.

Boca Raton Homes For Sale Offer Choice for All



Family Community - Boca Isles

Boca Raton homes for Sale offer choice for all regardless of the type of home you are searching for. Located right in between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, it would be tough to find a more suitable location to live. What strikes most people though as they drive into Boca Raton from neighboring Deerfield Beach to the south or Delray Beach to the north is the clean, organised, tropical feel. Boca Raton is an oasis of tranquility amid the hustle of busier more urban surrounding areas.

The City is a haven for families with an excellent choice of A rated schools. both public and private, numerous social activities and well managed public parks and recreation areas. There is such an appealing choice of homes available for sale in Booca Raton, there is something to suit all tastes. Some of the nicest family communities in Boca Raton are Boca Isles North and Boca Isles South, Saturnia, Mission Bay, Boca Falls and Boca Winds.

Polo Club Golf Course

If you want to come to find a home in Boca Raton that offers on-site sports such as golf, then, once again, there is plenty to choose from. Homes in The Polo Club in Boca Raton as well as Broken Sound Country Club and Woodfield Country Club range from spacious condos  and convenient townhouses to single family homes. The country club communities in Boca Raton offer more than just golf, all have world-class clubhouses with spa facilities, tennis, fitness centers and an array of dining options. If you are considering a country club community in Boca Raton, now is the time to buy, with prices at historic low levels, you can ensure that you get your dream home at the price you want to pay.

Red Reef Beach Park Boca Raton

If the ocean is where you want to be, sitting on a balcony overlooking the beach and relaxing in warm weather all year round then you will be able to choose from many Boca Raton oceanfront condos. These condos suit many snowbirds who remain up North in the summer and then make the most of the beautiful Florida winters. Many buildings have been fitted with hurricane impact windows and these buildings are maintained beautifully. There are larger condo developments such as The Addison, Boca Towers and Chalfonte or, if anonymity is important, consider one of the boutique oceanfront buildings in Boca Raton like The Brighton, Ocean Reef or Luxuria.

Boca Raton Mizner Park

If you have been contemplating the purchase of a home in Boca Raton, it's time to take a look, you are bound to find exactly what you are looking for at the price you want to pay. Boca Raton Real Estate is in demand by people from the US and internationally. Buy now with a Realtor who knows and lives in the area so that you can get a thorough overview of all available options in Boca Raton.

Mizner Country Club Delray Beach - Homes for Sale

Mizner Country Club in Delray Beach has a wide section of homes for sale ranging in price from $350,000 to $2.5 million. 

Arnold Palmer Golf Course

At the low end, it seems improbable that you could purchase a luxury home with over 3,500 sq ft of living space for a price as low as $350,000. Well, with the depressed economy in Florida, many buyers from the northeast have flocked to pick up real estate bargains in exceptional communities such as Mizner Country Club. A few of these well priced listings in Mizner Country Club are short sale listings. This type of sale offers exceptional value but buyers will need to be patient as negotiations with the bank holding the mortgage could take some time.
Whether you are purchasing a home in Mizner Country Club in Delray Beach for $350,000 or for $2.5million, you will get to enjoy the absolutely world class facilities that a community such as Mizner Country Club offers. Situated just one mile north of Boca Raton, the boutique style club that is Mizner offers 470 single family homes. With the Arnold Palmer 18-hole Signature Golf Course, six tennis courts, resort style pool with cabanas, two pro shops, a fitness center with state of the art equipment a ballroom, dining and so much more, residents will feel right at home in Mizner Country Club.For out of town guest, the community offers guest suites in the country club section.

Grand Community Entrance

Fortunately for residents of Mizner Country Club in Delray Beach, a new high end shopping mall is being built close to the community that will offer entertainment in the form of movie theaters and bowling, luxury shopping and dining. This is perfect for the family oriented community that is Mizner Country Club. Parents have a choice of the best Boca Raton public and private schools for their children, including Eagles Landing Middle School, Spanish River High School, Pinecrest School and St. Andrews School to name just a few.
Whether you are looking for a 3 bedroom single level home or a 5 bedroom 2 story home, you will find a huge selection at Mizner Country Club. All homes offer beautiful finishes and often, the Sellers are willing to sell their homes fully furnished. In summary, Mizner Country Club in Delray Beach offers families one of the best country club communities in Palm Beach County.

Resort Style Pool

It is well worth your time to spend a day viewing the options available in Mizner Country Club. I am sure that you will find a home that perfectly meets your needs.

Highland Beach South Florida. Best Oceanfront Condos in S. Florida?



Highland Beach City Hall

This is the time of the year that many people up North are starting to feel the weather change and as many of clients tell me, they begin to dread the start of another cold winter. Months of snow, ice and below freezing temperatures. More and more people are starting to look south to Florida for a winter home away from the dreary winter cold. While some like the leisure activities provided by golf at their back doos and country club living, for many others, the thought of waking up to a view of the breathtaking Atlantic ocean is something they dream of.
Highland Beach, Florida offers one of the best places to enjoy oceanfront living. Highland beach is a town located in the southern portion of eastern Palm Beach County. The Town of Highland Beach is small, an exclusive enclave of only 0.6 square miles with Delray Beach as the neighbor to the north and Boca Raton in the south. To the east is the Atlantic Ocean lies and the Intracoastal Waterway is on the west.

Intracoastal Waterway

Highland Beach is a residential community with a year-round population of 4,150 which increases to approximately 8,500 during the winter months
Highland Beach provides general municipal services such as police protection and a library, as well as water and wastewater utility service. The Town also provides, through contract, fire protection, code enforcement, building inspection, solid waste, and postal services. The Highland Beach Holiday Inn, right in the center of the town is a local landmark and one of the best places around for a great Sunday Brunch. Although Highland Beach is quite exclusive with stunning high end condos such as Toscana, Villa Magna and Beach Walk, there are also quite a few reasonable priced buildings that offer exceptional amenities, these include Ambassadors East and Ambassadors North, Trafalgar of Highland Beach and Townhouses of Highland Beach.
Prices in Highland Beach start in the low $200's to the $3million range for condos, some as large as 4,000 sq ft. There are also oceanfront homers and townhouses in Highland Beach. Any property with an oceanview will demand a higher price than an Intracoastal or city view. But, for many buyers in Hioghland Beach, the activity of the Intracoastal cannot be beaten. Sit on your balcony and watch an amazing parade of boaters every day. At night, the lights of Highland Beach and the adjacent cities of Boca Raton and Delray offer an exciting vista of life and activity.
There is no shortage of dining choices for residents of Highland Beach. At the north end, where the Villa Magna, Coronado, Toscana, Bermuda Beach, Ocean Terrace and many other boutique buildings are, residents are no more than a mile away for the bussling Atlantic Ave in Delray Beach where one can enjoy every type of dining style and all night music as well as regular street fairs and green markets.

Concierge Beach Services in Highland Beach

To the south of Highland Beach, the refined Boca Raton Downtown offers gourmet dining choices, an amphitheater with regular free music performances, a regular Saturday green market and a mall with all the best stores in the country offering their wares. The buildings closer to the North include Dalton, Braemar, Beach Walk, Parker Highlands and many more.
In summary, if you are ready to escape cold northern winters and enjoy warm weather from September through April and you love the thought of being surroounded by water, ocean and Intracoastal, then Highland Beach, Florida is an option you should seriously consider.
For Realtors in the North who have clients desirous of a winter home in Florida, consider referring your clients to a Realtor who knows the area well and can be trsuted to provide excellent service to your clients who would consider Highland Beach or the surrounding areas of South Florida a viable option.

Is The Market Up or Down or Both?

I don't blame Buyers for being totally confused with all the contradictory real estate news reports. A report out today shows that prices of home list prices are up in many Florida metropolitan areas anything from 8 - 27%. Yet another recent report quotes economists saying we haven't hit bottom yet. So, what information is correct? Do I buy a house in Florida now, wait a year or two....... Who has the answers?

Villa Magna Highland Beach

Everything has to be viewed in context. The list price increases reflect year on year growth and August last year, prices slumped to their lowest level in years. So, yes prices are up but off a very low base. Are prices up across the board? No, certain sectors have far more demand. Once again, single family homes priced under $300k in great school districts are showing demand, condos with rental restrictions are lingering on the market and certain categories, for example ocean front condos in Boca Raton and Highland Beach are remaining firm. The oceanfront market in the cities indicated don't follow similar tends to other real estate categories. For the most part, there are seldom mortgages on these homes and sellers can afford to hold on, they are seldom in a rush to sell and hope for top dollar. Occasionally there are exceptional listings here like estate sales where the heirs want a quick sale, these deals are generally great and should be seriously considered.

As for the economists predicting further declines as more foreclosure inventory enters the market, they are not wrong. This is going to take 3 - 4 years to clear. So, until then, South Florida is still a buyer's market. If you're thinking of buying, don't hesitate, great deals abound.

Want to get off the fence and buy? Call me, let's talk.

Luxury Property Auctions - These Could be Real Steals

Golden Beach Home 1

It's not often that homes in the ultra luxury market are available for sale on auction terms. Miami, now a haven for the International community of the jet set from Europe, South America, Russia and China has 3 exceptional opportunities for those seeking a one of a kind home.

Of only 62 oceanfront homes in Golden Beach, 2 will soon be auctioned in an absolute auction on November 10 to the highest bidder. Each home is over 7,000 sq ft in size with magnificent finishes including custom cabinetry, onyx and marble and so much more. Built by renowned architect, Carlos B. Schoeppl , these homes would make ideal diplomatic residences or headquarters for a business titan.

Florida's Homestead law offers significant protection including bankruptcy protection, which is the reason that many of the US super wealthy choose to add a Florida home to their portfolio and define it as their homestead property.

Golden Beach Home 2

Deep water lots offer ocean access for yachts. These homes are just minutes from the Bal Harbour shops where all luxury brand stores offer their wares.

These 2 magnificent homes will sell to the highest bidder. If you have a desire to live in one of the most magnificent locations in the world, perhaps it's time to consider these auctions.

Star Island Estate

Another real estate gem to be auctioned is one of only 35 homes on Star Island near Miami. The island is home to stars like Gloria Estefan, Shaquille O'Neil, Lenny Kravitz and Sylvester Stallone when you live here, you have truly made it. Starting prices are at $10million for one of the luxury oceanfront estates. Now a bankruptcy has forced the sale by auction of this magnificent residence. The previous owner's misfortune could be your gain as this home will sell well below market value and allow the buyer entry into an exclusive cartel of select homeowners.

Star Island Estate

Your entry to become one of the elite, any one of these homes will place you in the top echelon of society. Miami is an international city with an international airport offering flights to all corners of the world.

For more information and auction representation, give me a call or contact me by email. All enquiries treated with the utmost confidentiality.