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All posts by Scott Patterson

Art Basel Guide 2013

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art baselArt Basel is the second largest arts fair in the world, second only to Art Basel, in Basel Switzerland. It occurs annually and draws hundreds and thousands of spectator, artists, art dealers, and art collectors. There are literally hundreds of events and attractions during the fair and it takes place in large tents on both Miami Beach and in the Design District. This arts mecca lasts for only 5 days and it is one of the largest revenue generators for South Florida. Here are some of the most highly anticipated attractions, please note the show dates as Art Basel runs officially from December 5-9, but many events are open sooner!

Art Miami

Art Miami is located in the Midtown neighborhood and carries art from over 125 countries and galleries. It is on its’ 24th year and is the longest running art fair in the city. It contains some of the most important contemporary art in the world. It runs from December 3-8.

Midtown Miami
3101 NE 1st Avenue, Miami
http://www.art-miami.com

Design Miami

Design Miami features the worlds top designers, curators, and collectors to the location outside the Miami Beach Convention Center. There are 35 design galleries from 9 countries exhibiting 20th and 21st century furniture, lighting, and architecture. This fair takes place from December 4 to December 8.

Miami Beach Convention Center P-Lot
Meridian Avenue and 19th Street, Miami Beach
http://www.designmiami.com/

Elle Décor Modern Life Concept House

For those interested in real estate and design this is a must see. Elle Décor pairs top designers and lifestyle brands to transform a waterfront estate in Sunset Island 2 in Miami Beach. December 4-8

1435 West 27th Street, Miami Beach
http://www.ElleDecor.com/MLCH

 

54th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show Guide

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FLIBS_Logo_New-626x539Fort Lauderdale and South Florida is called both The Yachting Capital of the World, and the Venice of America, for very good reason, deep water access, an intricate canal system offering mooring of large yachts, incredible fishing just offshore, proximity to the Bahamas and many incredible waterfront estates. Communities such as Rio Vista, Las Olas Isles, Hollywood Lakes, Golden Isles, Golden Beach, Bal Harbour and south to Miami Beach offer many stunning waterfront estates with deepwater dockage that can easily handle yachts of up to 100 feet and more with no fixed bridges and ocean access. The waterfront real estate from Fort Lauderdale south to Miami’s natural geography make it a haven for those enjoying nautical pursuits. Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is a showcase and celebration of all things nautical from stand up paddle boards to mutil million dollar yachts. The Boat Show will be going on from Thursday to Monday and will span over six locations with over 3 million square feet. Here is our boat show guide below, and if you are interesting in a luxury waterfront estate, townhome or a condominium, please feel free to contact me anytime: Scott Patterson 954-661-8871

 

Location

Bahia Mar Yachting Center
801 Seabreeze Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316

Hall of Fame Marina
1 Hall of Fame Drive
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316

Las Olas Marina
240 E. Las Olas Circle
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316

The Broward County Convention Center
1950 Eisenhower Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316

Fort Lauderdale Hilton Marina
1881 SE 17th Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316

The Sails Marina
Southeast corner of 17th Street Causeway/Intracoastal Waterway

 

Admission

 

Prime Time Preview (Thursday, Oct.31-Nov. 4) – $36 online and $38 on show site

2-Day Ticket- $38 online and $40.00 at the show


Daily General Admission:
(Friday – Monday)
Adults $20 online and $22 at the show
Children (ages 6 to 15) $5 online and $7 at the show
Children (under 6) Free

 

 

Parking and Transport

 

Bahia Mar Yachting Center
801 Seabreeze Blvd.
Ft Lauderdale 33316

Las Olas Municipal Marina
2 South New River Dr. East
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

Hall of Fame Marina
435 Seabreeze Blvd.
Ft. Lauderdale 33316

Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center (Photo ID Required)
1950 Eisenhower Blvd.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316

Fort Lauderdale Hilton Marina
1881 SE 17th St
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316

The Sails Marina
2150 Southeast 17th Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 

Park at War Memorial and then grab one of the free Boat Show Shuttles to the Broward County Convention Center and Las Olas Marina. From there, continue the shuttle network to the other Boat Show locations. Look below for more shuttle details.

Stunning Waterfront Listing in Golden Isles , $1.695 Million

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630 Hibiscus Dr_01630 Hibiscus Drive is an idyllic waterfront home in the Golden Isles community of Hallandale Beach. This home is ranch style and has 3,078 square feet of interior space on a generous waterfront lot. It contains four bedrooms with three and one half baths and has an oversized kitchen. Some of the other stand out features are plentiful oversize master suite, salt water pool, French doors, and much more which I have listed below. This home is ideal for a family that enjoys nautical pursuits, since the home has a concrete dock and there are no fixed bridges to the ocean. For more information on this listing, please contact me!

 

 

Residence Features:
• 4 beds, 3.5 baths
• Hard wood Floors in Bedrooms
• Tile Flooring in Main Areas
• Large Open and Kitchen
• Formal Dining Room
• Stone Backyard
• Salt Water Pool
• Boat lift
• 2 car garage
• Tropical Landscaping
630 Hibiscus Dr_05

Tropical Paradise in Hallandale

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455 We are pleased to announce our new listing at 455 Sunset Drive in Hallandale. The landscaping features natural sculpture, fountains, incredible tropical planting, and mature trees. On the water is your very own tiki hut style dining area, perfect for al fresco dining with friends. It has comfortable and aesthetically pleasing upgrades including a gourmet kitchen and crown moldings. More specifics are below and I encourage you to contact us for a showing if you are interested in this home, it is priced to sell!

• 5 beds, 3 baths
• 2,308 square feet of interior space
• 12.750 square foot lot
• French doors opening directly to yard
• Southern Exposure
• Large pool
• Waterfront with deeded dock
• Marble and Wood Floors
• Circular drive with 2 car garage
• Gated Community, Golden Isles

French Top the Miami Real Estate Market for Most Interested Buyers

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South Florida Home BuyersMove over Brazil, there’s a new international market that is newly interested in South Florida real estate.

According to a recent article I was reading, the French top the list for most consumers searching Miami area real estate.

This will undoubtedly have an impact on the local housing market as well as home seller strategy on attracting potential buyers.

South Florida Real Estate for Sale

The article I was recently reading noted that in June, the Miami Association of Realtors reported that France had moved into the top spot for consumers searching Miami homes on Miamire.com.

The association also announced that foreign consumers have become increasingly interested in Miami real estate.

Here’s what else the Association recently discovered:

  • This marks the second time this year that French consumers topped such a list. The last time this happened was in April.
  • Experts credit the surge in French interest to the fact that Miami has been exhibiting at the Paris expo every year since 2005, which has grown interest.
  • French buyers consistently rank in the top seven countries investing in Miami real estate, making it higher than any other European country.

The association also revealed the other top countries searching for South Florida real estate on Miamire.com, which is the Miami Association of Realtors Property Search. They are:

  • France
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • Venezuela
  • Argentina
  • Colombia
  • India
  • Germany
  • Mexico
  • United Kingdom
  • Italy
  • Belgium

Experts also pointed out that this is the first time that Belgium even made an appearance on the list.

Your South Florida Real Estate Experts

So what does all of this mean to the average South Florida home seller? It means that there’s a broader prospective home buyer market to advertise too besides just domestic consumers.

It also means that it’s important for sellers to effectively use marketing materials to reach potential sellers all over the world.

This is made easier when home sellers work with seasoned South Florida real estate experts like me, Scott Patterson.

For help listing your South Florida home on the market, please contact me, Scott Patterson, today.

I’ll be more than happy to assist you as a home seller by offering valuable insight, intuitive home-selling resources and more!

Until next time,

Scott

South Florida is a Great Place to Live Right Now!

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South Florida real estateThe news from the South Florida real estate market has been exceptionally positive lately.

One recent article noted that the area’s economy has been improving quite noticeably lately, emerging from the global recession stronger than before.

Today, I’m going to tell you about how our local economy is showing gains lately.

The Economy is Rebounding in South Florida

First, let’s start with the real estate market. According to the recent article I was reading, the housing market is hot once more, with home demand and home prices on the rise.

Meanwhile, condo developers are revving up activity once more.

The Miami Herald article also noted that the hospitality and tourism business is improving, with activity steadily increasing since 2010.

As of 2012, record numbers of visitors had stayed in area hotels. And experts believe that this year’s numbers are going to surpass even that!

The local economy is also seeing diversification, with Miami increasingly becoming a technology and healthcare hub.

Meanwhile, the area is also seeing a lot of key development, such as the recent Miami International Airport expansion and the Port of Miami tunnel development.

Other key developments that have been in the news recently include the Verizon NAP of the Americas in downtown Miami, the proposed new Miami Beach Convention Center and more!

Miami is also becoming well known for being a place to come as an entrepreneur.

For instance, the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor U.S. Report showed that Miami is 30 percent more entrepreneurial than the rest of the country.

Relocating to South Florida

As you can see, there are many different reasons to want to live in South Florida, from its diversified local jobs market to its thriving real estate market.

If you’re interested in making South Florida your permanent home, please contact me, Scott Patterson, today.

I’ll be more than happy to assist you by offering you valuable advice as well as such useful home-buying resources as:

Until next time,

Scott

 

New Condo Proposals Abound Right Now in South Florida

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South Florida condosAn interesting trend has happened recently on the South Florida real estate market. Evidently, condo developers have been enthusiastically proposing new projects lately, proposing an average of almost 1,000 new units monthly for the tri-county coastal region since October 2012.

This is not only a sign that developers are feeling optimistic about the economy but also a sign that there’s about to be some incredible new real estate available in South Florida!

Real Estate for Sale in South Florida

According to the recent article I was reading in The Miami Herald, it has only taken roughly 10 months for developers to propose 20,000 new units in Miami Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Here’s what else the recent article revealed:

  • Since the fourth quarter of 2012, developers announced nearly 90 new buildings with a combined 9,500 units in South Florida.
  • At least three additional condo high rises with an estimated 1,200 units in the planning stages.
  • All put together, South Florida could ave at least 145 towers and nearly 20,700 units proposed for Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.
  • The last South Florida condo boom of this magnitude started in 2003 and ultimately resulted in 245 towers and almost 49,000 units in the region.
  • Miami-Dade County has the largest concentration of proposed projects with more than 90 towers and nearly 15,285 units planned.
  • Broward County has 26 towers and less than 2,125 units proposed.
  • Palm Beach County is a third with 23 towers and nearly 2,100 units proposed.
  • Broken down further, the Hollywood and Hallandale Beach market in Southeast Broward County has proposed 11 towers with nearly 1,450 condo units.
  • Sunny Isles Beach on the barrier island in Northeast Miami-Dade County has proposed 10 towers and nearly 1,200 units slated to be developed.
  •  West Palm Beach has proposed seven towers and nearly 1,170 units
  • The city of Miami Beach has proposed with 17 towers and nearly 1,100 units.
  • And Bal Harbour, Surfside, and Bay Harbor Islands market in Northeast Miami-Dade County have proposed 14 condo towers with nearly 1,000 units.

Part of the reason that developers are moving so fast to develop new condos is because the inventory of available condo buildings is dwindling fast.

Experts predict that the current supply of existing condos for sale could be exhausted by the second half of 2014.

Some of the projects that developers are proposing include:

  • A 713-foot-tall tower with at least 60 stories at 600 Biscayne Blvd.
  • A 710-foot-tall tower with at least 60 stories at 700 Biscayne Blvd
  • A 610-foot-tall tower with 55 stories at 24 SW 4th St. on the north bank of the Miami River.

Still, despite all this talk about new South Florida developments, these companies have a large hurdle to overcome first: getting loans from the banks, which have tightened their lending policies in recent years.

That’s why experts believe that it is those developers who can drum up sufficient support from would-be condo buyers that will ultimately find success on the South Florida real estate market.

South Florida Condos for Sale

What do you think of the recent flurry of activity on the South Florida condo market? I would love to hear your thoughts!

In the meantime, if you’re thinking about investing in a South Florida condo, please contact me, Scott Patterson.

I’ll be happy to assist you by letting you know about available condos for sale, answering any questions you may have as well as telling you about nearby condo communities in such communities as:

  • Aventura, Florida
  • Hallandale, Florida
  • Davie, Florida

Until next time,

Scott

 

Hollywood Florida Neighborhood Spotlight on Harbor Islands

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For this week’s South Florida real estate blog, I’d like to tell you about the Harbor Islands community in Hollywood, Florida.

This deluxe residential neighborhood , which is situated on 192 pristine acres, is a gated community comprised of scores homes, all of which range from 1,500 to 9,400 square feet of living space.

As an interested home buyer, you’ll immediately be drawn to this community’s tranquil setting, ample privacy and stately properties.

Living in Harbor Islands, Florida

The small cluster of islands that comprise Harbor Islands actually feature a number of unique residential enclaves. These include:

  • Edgewater, featuring single-family homes
  • Harborside, featuring executive homes
  • Harborview, featuring generous-sized townhomes
  • Grand Harbor Estates, featuring custom homes
  • The Estates
  • Harbor Pointe
  • Commodore Estates
  • Admiral’s Cove, featuring townhomes and estate homes

Designed by Brookman-Fels with Avatar Development Corporation, these properties were mostly built between 1996 and 2006, and include:

  • 2 to 7 bedrooms
  • 2 to 7.5 bathrooms
  • 2- to 4-car garages
  • Vaulted ceilings
  • Beautiful fireplaces
  • Private swimming pools
  • Marble floors
  • Granite countertops
  • Stainless steel kitchen appliances

Generally speaking, interested home buyers can expect to spend between $450,000 and $5 million on these homes.

What’s more, all residences allow two pets of any size, although pit bulls and pit bull-type dogs are prohibited.

And all residents at Harbor Islands enjoy access to such luxurious recreational amenities as:

  •  Grand Clubhouse Recreation Center
  • Biking and Jogging Paths in the 20-acre Joe Dimaggio Park
  • Championship Tennis Center
  • Fitness Center and Spa
  • Swimming pool
  • Whirlpool
  • Sauna

There is also the Harbor Islands Marina, which features 196 boat slips to accommodate boats from 20 to 120 feet. The Marina also features 30, 50, and 100-amp electrical services, on-site ship’s store, air-conditioned marble-tiled bathrooms, shows and more.

What’s more, there is a 24-hour roving security patrol on the grounds of Harbor Islands.

Tour Harbor Islands Now from the Comfort of Your Home!

Harbor Islands really is an incredible place to call home. But don’t take my word for it! Check out the above Harbor Islands HD Video, which will have you imagining being a resident in this Hollywood community in no time!

And if you decide that you’re ready to invest in your own property here, please contact me, Scott Patterson, your South Florida REALTOR ®

I’ll be happy to tell you about available listings as well as offer you numerous home-buying resources.

Until next time,

Scott

How Rising Interest Rates Are Expected to Affect South Florida

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Mortgage CalculatorRecently, during the month of June, mortgage interest rates moved into the 4 percent range.

This is higher than it’s been in the last several months, in which prospective home buyers all across the nation have seen rates drop as low as 3.25 percent.

So with interest rates rising again, how exactly is this going to affect the South Florida real estate market? Today, we’re going to analyze this and let you know.

South Florida homes for Sale

As many experts have noted recently, the slight increase in interest rates has encouraged many would-be buyers to finally enter the market before the rates rise even more.

This is interesting in itself given that just a decade ago, it was perfectly normal to see a 6 percent interest rate or a 9.5 percent interest rates.

But in recent years, buyers have grown accustomed to record-low interest rates.

Experts calculate that home buyers will see a 6 percent jump in monthly payments for every 0.5 point increase in the overall interest rate.

When rates first rise, home buyers worry they’re going to rise more and so there’s a surge in buying activity.

But as rates steadily rise, experts predict that purchase levels will start to decline.

In summarizing recent activity related to rising interest rates, one analyst recently said in an interview that he believes the South Florida real estate market is going to see interest rates continue to rise.

Barring some significant international economic disaster, he said residents should see rates rise to 5 or 5.5 percent soon.

But, as he noted, even those rates are incredibly good, albeit not as good as they’ve been in last 12 months.

Real Estate for Sale in South Florida

So home buyers, while you might have missed the absolute best deal available in terms of interest rates, there are still fantastic mortgages out there for you at incredible prices.

To take the next step toward making the most of this great time to be a South Florida home buyer, contact me, Scott Patterson.

I’ll be more than happy to assist you with all of your home-buying needs!

Until next time,

Scott

South Florida Fourth of July

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South Florida Fourth of July Guide by Boat!

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What is 4th of July without Fireworks? Since South Florida is surrounded by water, we have many different fireworks displays that are truly spectacular and it seems every year they get better and better. One of our favorite ways to celebrate Independence Day is by boat. There are a number of places to view the festivities on the water and we are pleased to offer some of the best places along with the times the show will begin. Happy Fourth of July!

 

Key Largo

Fireworks at Blackwater Sound on the bay starting at 10pm

Islamorada

This is the closest Key to South Florida and the Rotary Club will be starting Fireworks at 9pm at Founders Park

Haulover/Bal Harbour

This is (removed such) one of the best places to watch the fireworks and have some fun with other boaters! The Haulover Inlet is a popular boating spot and the fireworks show will start at 9pm and go to 9:25

Bayfront Park

In the heart of Downtown Miami, Bayfront Park will have a full festival concluding with fireworks at 9pm, with the Miami Skyline in the background, this will surely be a stunning sight.

Fort Lauderdale

Just off A1A and Las Olas, the City of Fort Lauderdale will have a festival and a fireworks display starting at 9pm

Lauderdale By The Sea

For Fireworks viewing from the Ocean, Lauderdale by the Sea has an incredible display starting at 9pm at Anglin¹s Pier.