Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Palm Beach County is Ripe for Single-Family Home Investors



Palm Beach County, Florida- Many Investors are searching for West Palm Beach real estate listings. The Palm Beach County area has plenty of wonderful homes for sale and check out the West Palm Beach, Florida market. Now the news wire states that West Palm Beach, as well as Fort Lauderdale offer the greatest returns for single-family home investors. Palm Beach County Real Estate Investors are starting to look at what were once riskier deals and are willing to take on more risk to get returns.

Palm Beach County and Broward County Real Estate Investments

Palm Beach County Real estate investors who are seeking to rent out single family homes would be wise to head to South Florida. Various Real Estate Specialists see the South Florida Market as an area ready to thrive. The Federal Government has many problems and has thrown us all for a loop. We can just blame Mortgage Companies as many Banks were forced to hand out Mortgages with the Community re-investment act.

Houses and Condos in Boca Raton Florida are Now More Affordable

We have some information for newer investors in the Florida Real Estate market. The definition of 'Capitalization Rate' is for all to see and use to hopefully get a positive cash flow and nice return. A rate of return on a Boca Raton real estate investment property based on the expected income that the property will generate. Capitalization rate is often used to estimate the real estate investor's potential return on his or her investment property. This is done by dividing the income the Florida property will generate (after fixed costs and variable costs) by the total value of the property.

Boca Raton and South Florida Seeing High Cap Rates?

Capitalization rates (Cap Rate) for single-family homes that are rented out averaged 12.4 percent in West Palm Beach, signifying the greatest returns among all the markets tracked by the analytics firm. Single-family homes rented out in Fort Lauderdale posted the third-best returns, offering investors a 12 percent cap rate.

Single Family Homes For Sale in Boca Raton

The national average cap rate for single family homes was 8.6 % in January 2012, down from 8.8 percent a year before but up from 5 percent in 2006. Many of the other investor-friendly markets were in the Midwest, such as Cleveland (12.3 percent cap rate) and Chicago (11.6 %).

Miami, on the other hand, actually posted a relatively meager cap rate of 7.7 percent, offering the worst returns among the nation’s largest real estate markets. Also the national apartment sector is expected to see improvement with positive rental rate trends over the next two years. The rental market is opening up many opportunities for Real estate Investors in Florida.

Boca Raton Florida Continues to be Hot Spot for Real Estate Investors

The high cap rates are a result of strong demand among Americans for rental properties, even as housing affordability sits at its highest level in more than 20 years, according to the report. Rental closings increased 11.5 percent year-over-year in 2011 and comprised 29 percent of all single-family closings. By comparison, rental closings represented just 11.3 percent of all closings in early 2006. Meanwhile, sales closings declined 9.8 percent between 2011 and 2010. The truth is that rental demand is so strong that supply is now at its lowest level in the last five years even though the volume of rental increased 2.6 percent over the last year.



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Thursday, May 10, 2012

Boca Raton Housing Affordability Index and Anna Kournikova



Boca Raton, Florida - Many readers keep wanting information on where Anna Kournikova's house for sale is located. We respect her tennis abilities yet don't have information on the Anna Kournikova home or condo. We do see a magnificent new Library in Boca Raton, Florida. The Owner is the sunny City of Boca Raton. The Architect, Slattery & Associates, did a terrific job with the Spanish River Library in Boca Raton Florida.

Spanish River Library in Boca Raton Florida

The Spanish River Library and Community Center offers several well-appointed and functional rooms and areas within the Library which may be reserved for meetings or private events. Detailed information about room reservations, including fees, policies, and procedures, may be found in the Facility Usage Information Packet. Rooms are reserved on a first-reserved, first-served basis, and may be applied for by completing a Room Request Application.



Boca Raton Library Architect Highlights

This Library has a beautiful lakeside patio which is helpful for Boca Raton Home sellers. The Lakeside Patio offers a gorgeous view of the lake and the flexibility and interest of multi-level seating. The Florida Architect also has a convenient rooftop terrace. The Rooftop Terrace offers yet another spectacular view of the lake for both day and evening events, along with convenient access to the Lakeside Patio, the Changing Room, and Catering Prep area.

There is also a Mezzanine which is a large open indoor space on the second floor which overlooks the Library. There is a beautiful view of the lake through the tall arched windows on the first floor.

Housing Affordability Index Hits Record High

Housing affordability conditions have reached the highest level since recordkeeping began in 1970, based on the National Association of Realtors study. NAR’s Housing Affordability Index rose to a record high 206.1 in January, in accordance with the relationship between median home price, median family income and the average mortgage interest rate. The higher the index, the greater the household purchasing power.

An index of 100 is defined as the point where a median-income household has exactly enough income to qualify for the purchase of a median-priced existing single-family home, assuming a 20 percent down payment and 25 percent of gross income devoted to mortgage principal and interest payments. For first-time buyers making small down payments, the affordability levels are relatively lower.

Homes in Boca Raton Florida are Now More Affordable

NAR President Moe Veissi, broker-owner of Veissi & Associates Inc., in Miami, said this latest data underscores buyer opportunities in today’s market. “This is the first time the housing affordability index has broken the two hundred mark, meaning the typical family has roughly double the income needed to purchase a median-priced home,” he said. “For buyers who can qualify for a mortgage, now is a very good time to become a homeowner.”

Mortgage Interest Rates Support Buying Boca Raton Houses and Condos

NAR projects the affordability index for all of 2012 will be at an annual high, with little movement in mortgage interest rates or home prices during the year. “Housing inventory levels have declined to a point where conditions are becoming much more balanced in much of the country. Florida Real estate specialists claim that If access to credit improves, we could see a much more meaningful increase in home sales. Also Florida could see a broader stabilization in home prices with modest gains in areas with stronger job growth.





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Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Vacation Homes in Boca Raton Florida



Boca Raton, Florida - There are still a few Boca Raton Homes Investors coming from other areas of the Country. However with current traveling costs being so excessive Florida Real Estate Investors do not want to go too far from their main House. As Boca Raton Vacation-Home sales gain momentum, those aforementioned travel costs lure Buyers who live closer to Boca Raton, Florida. Sales of vacation homes are picking up as low prices pull buyers off the fence. But with travel costs rising and consumers still uncertain about the economy, many buyers are snapping up properties closer to home.

Boca Raton Real Estate and Vacation Homes

That is a change from the past decade when people often headed out of state to buy vacation homes near resorts and areas that were tourist destinations, including Orlando near Florida's Walt Disney World and the gambling Mecca of Las Vegas. Nevertheless these days, many vacation-home buyers are going old school and looking for Boca Raton properties in the more traditional-and less glitzy-vacation-home communities near where they live.

National Association of Realtors Statistics

A survey by the National Association of Realtors found that the median distance between a buyer's primary residence and his vacation home declined 19% to 305 miles in 2011 from 2010. It was the first decline since the group began keeping data in 2006.To be sure, vacation-home sales also are picking up in parts of Florida, Nevada and other states that have long catered to vacationers, although real estate agents say more of those buyers tend to be from nearby states and fewer are from far away. Also plenty of retirees still want to vacation in climates that are warm all year-round.

Boca Raton Vacation Properties in Florida

The shift in buying habits partly reflects the changing portrait of the typical vacation-home buyer. In the recent past, the vacation-home market was led by families looking for places with attractions for children as well as adults. But a growing number of buyers are older and seeking vacation homes that transition into retirement homes. Today's vacation-home buyers also are less affluent than in past years and more cost-sensitive. According to the NAR study, the average annual income of vacation-home buyers declined to $88,600 in 2011 from $99,500 in 2010.

Vacation Houses from Massachusetts to the Carolinas

Meanwhile, the values of vacation homes continue to fall, with the median sales price declining 19%, to $121,300 between 2010 and 2011, according to NAR. The trend is benefiting vacation communities near cities, including beach towns in the Northeast, from Massachusetts to the Carolinas, as well as lakefront enclaves in the Midwest and desert locales in California such as the Coachella Valley, according to real-estate agents.

Buyers for Florida Vacation Home Paying Cash

The rising cost of gas and airfares is a huge factor for many buyers. The average cost of a gallon of gasoline was $3.83 this week. While down from the two-year peak of $3.97 reached in May 2011, gas prices have been rising steadily since mid-December, when they fell to a 10-month low of $3.23 a gallon. Airfares, meanwhile, jumped 14% between March 2010 and March 2011, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Boca Raton Florida Remains Hot Spot for Investors

Florida remains popular with vacation-home buyers around the world, but these days an increasing number of American buyers are from neighboring states. Real Estate Investors have recently closed on a $1.3 million waterfront penthouse condos for example. Several of the waterfront communities in Boca Raton have had several closings. Other Florida Real estate Investors seek the Destin and Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg area.

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Saturday, April 21, 2012

Shopping Florida Homes and Retail Malls


Boca Raton, Florida - The premier Italian watchmaker expands in sunny in South Florida. Officine Panerai, which is a leading Italian luxury watchmaker, has recently opened two South Florida locations. These Retail stores are located in Bal Harbour Shops and on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach. This makes three Panerai locations in South Florida already. The Boca Raton Homes For Sale staff saw the boutique in Mizner Park of our Boca Raton. Both of the newly opened boutiques offer a selection of limited edition watches. There are only five locations in the U.S., with stores in Los Angeles and New York City.

South Florida Will Have 20 New Condo Towers

There are 20 condominium towers currently being proposed in South Florida. These condo Towers will include two downtown locations and another in South Beach. The 20 towers could have as many as 4,000 units in the area east of I-95. The moves come in part from a surge in foreign buyers prepared to pay with cash. The first condo tower near the coast to assemble a crane for vertical development is the 23 Biscayne Boulevard project in Miami. Miami Condos are a welcome change for many foreign Investors from Venezuela.


New Retail Tenants at Bal Harbour Shops

The Bal Harbour Shops Several new luxury tenants are debuting at the Bal Harbour Shops. These retail tenants include Breguet, CH Carolina Herrera, Panerai and Stella McCartney, with more on the way. The moves follow the high-profile departures of several retailers, including Louis Vuitton and Cartier; Hermes will also leave next year. It’s always been important for Bal Harbour Shops to maintain the allure of luxury. The exclusivity has always defined the Miami Shopping scene. Louis Vuitton is set to open a location in Miami’s Design District in 2014, after opening a branch at the Aventura Mall this year. The Design District is a work in progress that could end up being successful in a different kind of way.

The History Of Bal Harbour Shops

In 1965 when owner/developer Stanley Whitman opened the first exclusive high-fashion shopping center, on what had been the site of a World War II army barracks, retail experts scoffed at Bal Harbour Shops upscale store mix. At that time the norm was to mix essential service tenants such as grocery and hardware stores with retail. And with the advent of air conditioning sweeping the nation, enormous enclosed malls were being built at breakneck speed. Bucking this popular trend in shopping center development, Bal Harbour Shops was designed to celebrate the balmy beauty of South Florida. Ideally situated between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay in the affluent village of Bal Harbour, the lushly landscaped, open-air mall didn't look or feel like any other center in America.

 Affluent Village of Bal Harbour and Paris Style Boutiques

From the beginning Bal Harbour Shops was successful largely due to Whitman's determination in persuading Neiman Marcus to open their first specialty department store outside its native Texas and in luring designer boutiques that previously could only be found along the Champs-Elysee in Paris pre-opening brochure rendering or New York's Fifth Avenue. Attracted by the immediate success of Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue became Bal Harbour's second anchor store in 1976.

Tranquil Green Oasis With Shopping Near The Ocean

Recognized as the forerunner of luxury shopping mall developers, with many "firsts" in the industry, Stanley Whitman was considered something of a maverick. He was the first developer in the country to charge for parking; to restrict illuminated signage on store fronts and to create a "green oasis" of tranquility within the shops walkways. Traditional centers planned for horizontal expansion, while Bal Harbour was planned for vertical growth with the addition of the second level of stores in 1982.

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Thursday, April 19, 2012

Miami Real Estate News

Miami, Florida - We are pleased to inform Florida that the Midtown Project in Miami has sold 39 units in two weeks. The 2 Midtown property in Miami has sold 39 of its remaining 61 units in two weeks, according to Fortune International, which is marketing the condominium tower. The sales include a penthouse unit that sold for $1.5 million. Most buyers are paying all cash, although Fortune is offering a mix of financing options for some units at the project, which is just south of 36th Street in downtown Miami. The Fortune CEO Edgardo Defortuna has mentioned their Company's strategy for this Miami property to increase sales.

Midtown Miami Condominiums For Sale

The building’s assembly of spatial distinctions is married via the common areas -- its lobbies, pool, and fitness center. An internalized parking scheme removes cars from the street face, enhances pedestrian-friendliness, and integrates issues of access and security. As the flagship building in an entirely new downtown neighborhood, 2 Midtown is designed to mirror the urban plan of the “new city.” Zyscovich created a singular design whose parts convey different ways of living in terms of type, scale, and relationship to the street. A variety of types of residential and live/work units allows for professionals such as designers, artists, or architects to live in the same building as their offices or studios or to be within walking distance of them. more

Architects For Miami Real Estate Projects

Founded in 1977, Zyscovich Architects currently has over 90 employees hailing from more than 26 different countries. With a “concept to keys” approach, the firm offers an integrated practice of urban planning, architecture, and interior design. This collaboration of services enables us to provide a streamlined and cohesive solution that takes our client all the way from the inception of an idea, to the presentation of the keys to the front door.

Architect Bernard Zyscovich Pleases Miami Condo Buyers

President and Managing Partner Bernard Zyscovich, FAIA, has been probing the parameters of design innovation for more than 30 years. A dedicated preservationist and urbanist, he has served in numerous community leadership roles including Chairmanship of the Miami Design Preservation League, the organization responsible for the historic designation of the Miami Beach Art Deco District; Presidency of the Miami Chapter of the American Institute of Architects; and co-sponsorship of South Florida’s first Tropical Green Conference. Mr. Zyscovich’s writing on architecture and urban design has been published widely in numerous magazines. His book, Getting Real About Urbanism, was published by the Urban Land Institute in October of 2008. Mr. Zyscovich received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from Pratt Institute in 1971.

Midtown Miami Residential Real Estate and Retail

Midtown Miami brings together a true urban feel. The Miami area has seen its demographics grow over the past two years as it offers fantastic living and investment opportunities. The area has become a lively neighborhood embracing contemporary-design condominiums, street-level stores, cafes, restaurants, furniture stores and art galleries. The neighborhood welcomes large retailers such as Target, West Elm and Loehman’s. Looking for Miami Real Estate and getting hungry? No problem as newly opened trendy-looking restaurants such as Mercadito and Sugarcane are ready for your appetite.

Miami Condominium Prices Jump Up

Miami condo prices have increased about 46% however sales are slow. Miami residential prices posted strong positive gains for the fourth month in a row in March, with the median condominium sales price rising 46 percent compared to the same period in 2011. According to a recent report from the Miami Association of Realtors, the median sales price also rose, increasing 13%.

Miami Real Estate News On Condos

Some Miami Real Estate specialists expect this trend to continue, as Miami increasingly attracts international buyers and investors. Also there are People shopping for, second homes and vacation homes. These buyers are U.S. residents and Foreign Investors, Along with the drastic price increase came a drop in transactions, however. Sales of existing single-family homes in Miami-Dade County dropped 12 percent in March, and sales of condos fell 10.1 percent in the same period.


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