Weston Lowers Water Pressure City-Wide

News on the Weston website is that the water pressure is now cut back in that city. This only days after the mandatory water restrictions were in place, that left homeowners only four hours, predawn, to wash their cars or water their lawns.

But the city still looks fresh and lovely.

Check out our Expert Realty reporter on-site talking to a Weston resident from her home in Savanna Preserve about how they're keeping it green!

Home Improvement of the Hurricane Kind

Inventors are getting better and better at helping homeowners protect their homes against hurricanes.

Today we took a look at University of Florida's "Hurricane House" in Davie.

Please check out our on-site report on Hurricane House below.

This is one of four facilities, soon to be six, that showcases and demonstrates products that help hurricane-proof your home. The house itself can withstand 140 mph winds and contains a steel "safe room" to protect you against tornadoes in Central Florida.

Each and every product inside this hurricane house has the Miami-Dade County seal of approval or NOA (Notice of Acceptance) which means it has been tested to withstand up to a "CAT 5" hurricane.

You can tour the Hurricane House for free, like we did and learn more about Storm Shield, Armor Screen and new construction methods to hurricane-proof your home.

It'll make you think twice about home improvement.

Broward County HOAs and Condo Associations, It’s Broward Beautiful Grant Time Again

Don’t forget that your applications for the free money to beautify landscaping around your community are due June 8 at noon!

Broward Beautiful Community Grants Program will give you anywhere from $1500 to $10,000 for a project providing it’s on public property or common areas visible to the general public.

You can spruce up a small park, right of way or entranceway to your community, in any community in Davie, Cooper City, Weston, wherever, because the grant is countywide.

Gated communities have a bit of a speedbump because they can only apply for projects outside the gates, however, it is still a worthwhile effort because many gated communities have more than one entrance and many borders.

There are rules. You can only use the money for plants, sod and mulch. And out of the set of plants allowed, at least half have to be Florida native plants.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has defined native as "a species that occurred in Florida at the time of European contact or 1500” … that grow naturally in our area, without our interference.

They include arrowroot, coontie and wild lime, and can attract butterflies as well as people. For a list click here.

And it all has to meet code.

Look For Top 5 Republican Nominee Hopeful FRED THOMPSON’S BLOG…Soon

Professional journalists and citizen bloggers alike can add political candidates to their list of peers.

Tennessean, Law and Order star and Republican nominee hopeful, Fred Thompson, is going to become a blogmaster.

Right smack “above the fold” on USA Today’s front page, is Thompson declaring the actor’s life a yawn, therefore he plans to launch a “tech-savvy” campaign of blogs, video posts and forum participation to reach voters otherwise turned off by political theater.

At first, Thompson’s YouTube approach sounded intimidatingly intrusive, but after the initial shock of having a little space where I could safely hide from “the world” with my Missy Elliot and Lil’ Kim vids, I think I can dig it.

Regardless of your political preference, this is big.

You could ask questions directly, 24/7, the most brilliant questions – you know, the ones that pop into your head at 3 a.m. And you probably could expect a few non-filtered answers and comments from other participants/candidates.

Obama started it all when he asked that “any video from the presidential debates be made available to the public afterwards, free of copyright protections.”

Imagine also the chance to privately review, from all speeches, debates and press conferences until you were darn sure you understood the body language AND the words.

Hey, it's a start. Others will follow suit.

July. Watch for it from the safety of your laptop.

Golly! It's the New Plantation Midtown Trolley!

Plantation residents, got a doctor’s appointment, need to pick up a birthday present and then head to City Hall for a permit? Take the trolley and take the kids!

Plantation’s new trolley is so cute that for ABSOLUTELY NOTHING you can entertain tots on a fun ride and get around town to do shopping and errands.

All municipal buildings are included in the trolley’s scheduled stops, as are major shopping destinations, such as The Broward Mall, and The Fountains Shoppes. But the city took every resident’s need into consideration, because the inclusion of stops at the Westside Regional Medical Center, is nothing short of a godsend.

This thing is amazing, folks. Modeled after the Rice-A-Roni version on the commercial, this trolley comes complete with authentic markings, wood seats, ringing bells, colorful paint, and brass fixtures. But Plantation has spared no expense at creating a comfortable womb inside with A/C, ADA requirements and bike racks. Cool!

Also included on route are the West Regional Courthouse and the West Regional Library.

The Trolley runs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, every 10 minutes.

It’s Never Been Better Time To Buy

I don’t want to be a nudge, but…

Town meetings with local legislators lead many a frustrated and confused resident in Dade and Broward County to the conclusion that Tallahassee can only agree on one thing: taxes need reform.

But who benefits (right now longtime homeowners – aided by Save Our Homes - and first-time buyers) and how the process will be set up is still seemingly so out of their reach to develop.

So far, the only “plan” has been called “unconstitutional,” and smacks of side-stepping and stalemates.

I give to you a quote from the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan educational organization specializing in tax research, based in Washington, D.C. “The proper policy would be to cut taxes equally for all types of property, and not just those owned by individuals that have the most political influence.”

Does this sound a tad idealistic?

Sounds like it’ll be a long haul folks, so take advantage.

And if the Governor’s plan to double the Homestead Exemption (to $50,000) wins, due to the complicated explanations given by legislators to voters who decide they just don’t get it, and vote “Christ Plan,” then it’s off to the races for you!!

So I urge you, first-timers, to consider looking into some of these awesome condos and homes in South Florida.

At the risk of sounding cliché, “it’s never been a better time to buy.”

Efficient, “Paperless” Electronic Real Estate Transactions On The Rise

Nothing spells D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R like a missed call from your real estate broker saying you are missing a signature, therefore the closing has been delayed.

In an effort to serve the homebuyer in a faster, more efficient manner, said Inman News, more brokers have been custom-designing, buying and using web-based “transaction management systems” that allow homebuyers to buy paperless.

Inman spotlights Canadian real estate broker Rick Dubord, who has begun testing his custom-built software this month allowing him to update transactions from anywhere. It can even allow for documents to be signed electronically via Tablet PCs.

This May, Instanet launched DocBox, which can be accessed from any computer in the world with internet access, reduces document scanning and allows for unlimited emailing of any document, via PDF format to any address you choose.

In Januaury, Bank Technology News featured Hawaiian mortgage broker Donna Iwane who developed a Web application that creates loan proposals in less than a minute. Now, as CEO and founder of the eMortgEdge Corporation, developers of the 1003 Power product which can create an ARM loan in a New York nano.

And even as far back as 2005, lender Homecomings
Financial, stated it used BlitzDocs® as its web-based wholesale loan solution, processing applications from start to closing. The lender said the relationship with the broker remained intact and even the valuation process was automated. Hmm…

Undoubtedly one of the best things about this process is allowing homebuyers to access their accounts via the internet, from home or work, and check the status of the transaction. Everyone is on the same page and can see everything that is going on. Plus, with an infinite market featuring internet listings via email, online advertising and online virtual tours it makes sense the rest of the process should be online and faster.

New Hurricane Home Protection Tech On Exhibit

I don’t want to brag, but…

We’re getting pretty good at protecting our homes during hurricanes.

In fact, on May 25, an official “Hurricane House” facility built on the University of Florida's campus in Davie was opened to the public to showcase new hurricane home protection technology. You can tour the Hurricane House for free, and you can learn about products that can help your home withstand a category 5 hurricane and up to 140 mph winds.

The best part is that not only has this stuff been tested and approved by Miami-Dade County's benchmark product-approval process, some of the products are actually covered by grants you can apply for (i.e. you don’t have to pay).

The purpose, said University of Florida officials, was to demonstrate that it’s possible to build new homes that are hurricane-proof. But those of us with existing homes can benefit by identifying our own “problem spots” and using the new tech to address them.

On display were three types of window shutters, impact-resistant doors, steel “safe rooms,” and an alternative to shutters: thick, flexible accordion “screens.”

Hurricane House is located on the University of Florida campus at 3205 College Avenue, in Davie. Make an appointment to visit Hurricane House by calling 954-805-4556.

I’ll Take a McMansion Happy Deal

According to a May Associated Press report, though the average size of the American family is getting smaller, Americans’ “appetite for bigger homes … keeps growing.”

American homes are nearly twice the size as those in Europe, it said.

In Sofla, they’re referring to McMansions, sprouting up everywhere in lots where outdated ramblers once stood.

McMansions are typically homes averaging 3000 square feet or more, with a minimum of two-and-a-half bathrooms, two stories high, with wings, and two-car garages, usually found sandwiched between 1960s ranch homes in Miami, or found in large, shiny clusters, like Weston.

I’ve heard from many who find it distasteful to bulldoze old homesteads, that they are the new homes of those who give up. Those who hate renovating and restoring, and those who have a penchant for the bland. Criticisms of McMansions often include a waste of heat and utilities, and “too much house in too little lot.”

But while many bash McMansions and dismiss this contemporary expression of practical comfort - I find them positively snuggly.

For one thing, they aren’t all alike. McMansions come in very different exterior styles, such as Mediterranean, French country, faux Tudor, and neo-Colonial. And it’s comforting that choosing from any one of these styles won’t leave you sans a media room or family room/kitchen. On the inside, they are very similar. Check out these in Pembroke Pines.

Which brings me to point number two: who ever uses rooms like the “living room” anymore?

Most of us live in an enormous combination family room/kitchen/office. With a few bathrooms nearby.

And fans of new construction will tell you, there’s nothing like a plethora of walk-in closets, vaulted ceilings, mold-free brand new a/c systems, hurricane shutters, and new plumbing. But they’re far more than pest-free. These cozy dwellings are the perfect turnkey existence where your family is your focus, and not the weekend warrior projects. And furthermore, they are priced right. Many of these start at $250,000 in areas where good schools and great neighbors can be found.

They provide a nest where you can truly rest and simply enjoy.

Everglades Finds Itself Coyote Ugly

Dangerous lizards. Burmese python infestations. And now this. It seems that South Florida has a new predator giving the above a good run for their money.
They’re quick, they’re loners and they trample our lawns!

It’s Wile E. Coyote and all his cousins, and according to the Miami Herald’s Monday front page, they’re here by the minions.

The first thing that comes to mind is, will they pose a threat to my pets?
The answer is: Not if you keep your pets inside.

Most of us know enough not to leave our precious family friends out during the day because it is so bloody hot. But now we have to take coyotes into consideration.

Adult coyotes, according to a recent University of Florida study, grow up to 37 pounds and can kill and eat livestock. That is definitely bigger than your cat.

And somehow, they also manage to trample expensive landscaping.

You’ll know if you have them, because they leave a little “gift” for you in the form of elongated feces, near any “kill.” You may also find tracks, longer and narrower than a dog’s.

Possibly posing no threat to panthers, and most certainly not to alligators, South Florida coyotes are, however, finding, digging up and eating endangered sea turtle eggs.

So they’re smart. They’ve also been known to devour a watermelon or two.

The most important thing is to call the right people to trap, and (humanely) remove these critters from your area, if indeed they are not already ridding the area of small annoying rodents. Try Miami Animal Removal.

Miami High School Ranks in Top 20 out of 1200 in Newsweek

So whatever "they've" said about Florida schools is now outdated information unless it involves talk about them being some of the best in the nation.

Coral Reef High School, known for being Miami’s only “mega-magnet” high school, was ranked number 20 out of The 1200 Top U.S. Schools in 2007 published by Newsweek.

The ranking system, designed according to a ratio devised by Washington Post's Jay Mathews is produced by counting the number of Advanced Placement, Intl. Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests taken by all students at a school last year, 2006, divided by the number of graduating seniors. Coral Reef Senior High has already received top ratings from the Florida Department of Education for three consecutive years and is ranked number 1 in Miami-Dade County.

This Miami-Dade County public high school offers six different magnet programs such as International Baccalaureate, Leisure Medicine and Health Sciences, Legal and Public Affairs. And the campus located in southwest Miami, is one-of-a-kind. Built close to Biscayne Bay, it features a community park, as well as football, soccer, softball and baseball fields, and marine sports. Coral Reef is also close to Palmetto Golf Course, Florida’s Turnpike, Coral Reef Branch Library, and homes for sale in Cutler Ridge Pines and Cutler Bay Estates.


Amazingly, the rankings were flooded with Florida schools. There's actually a total of 18 Florida schools in the Top 100 of Newsweek's Top 1200 U.S. Schools!!

Coming in ahead of Coral Reef were Stanton College Prep at number 3, in Jacksonville; Suncoast Community at number 5, in Riviera Beach; Paxon School for Advanced Studies at number 15, in Jacksonville; Eastside in Gainsville at number 16; and Dreyfoos School of the Arts at 17, in West Palm Beach.

Number 22, Center for Advanced Technologies, in St. Petersburg, came in right after Coral Reef, and so did number 26, Hillsborough, in Tampa.


Further down the list, Spruce Creek in Port Orange came in at number 54, H.B. Plant in Tampa came in at number 64, Cocoa Beach in Cocoa Beach came in at number 65, St. Petersburg in St. Petersburg came in at number 66, Fort Myers in Fort Myers came in at number 67, MAST Academy in Miami was number 68, Nease in St. Augustine was number 78, Miami Palmetto in Miami was 79th, Cypress Creek in Orlando was number 86, and Buchholz in Gainesville was number 94.

So proud to hear, I'm buying a lottery ticket today.

URBAN BEACH WEEK 2007

It’s back. And it’s better than ever.

The 8th Annual Urban Beach Week 2007 is hitting Miami Beach and this year, more than 350,000 people are expected to attend.

The party begins on Thursday night in South Beach at Mansion, which hosts high-profile events such as The White Party. Britney Spears and J. Lo have partied here at this 40,000-square-foot, three-level, nine-bar club, formerly known as Level.

Get the scoop from our Expert Realty cast on location in SoBe here.



On Thursday and Friday, Opium’s having a Blast-Off Party Featuring Steelie Bashment, Massive B., Supa Sound w/Supa Twitch, DJ Khaled, Street League, and a score of other NYC and Miami DJs.

On Sunday, Big Daddy Kane and Hoodini will be live with Slick Rick for Old School Sunday at the Marlin Hotel. This is the place to dance the night away with your favorites like Salt-n-Pepa and Run DMC.

But don't tarry folks, because tickets are now on sale for the Best of the Best Reggae Concert at Bicentennial Park with guest host Akon.

Throughout the weekend, celeb hotspots where you can see and be seen will be Wet Willies, Clevelander and Fat Tuesday.

Urban Beach Week started as a fashion show for rap artists and evolved into a big party weekend with celeb royalty and heavy-hitting African-American blue suits over the course of the last three years.

Residents of Drexel Condo, Cosmopolitan, Lincoln West Gardens, and Parc Plaza, enjoying Art Deco or luxury condos starting around $200,000s, are walking-distance to all the action.

You can be too. For more information on more $200,000 South Beach condos visit our website at www.ExpertRealty.com.

Second Homes Come in First

Ever wonder why people want to pack up everything they need to be comfortable to unpack it again just for one week in another house?

Because Jones does it.

According to an April NAR survey, 2006 saw more than 1 million vacation home sales. And the kicker is that folks weren't buying for investment, they were actually enjoying the property.

NAR said "the typical vacation-home buyer in 2006 was 44 years old and had a median household income of $102,000. The vacation home was a median of 215 miles from the homeowners’ primary residence."

Phoeba Chongchua, columnist for Realty Times said you don't have to be rich to afford a vacation home, either. And that defraying costs is as easy as renting the property, for even as little as 17 weeeks a year. But Broderick Perkins, also a columnist for Realty Times, stated more logical means for the purchase: Baby Boomers. There's that word again. How much do these people actually have to spend?

According to Perkins they're taking advantage of the fact coastal properties are appreciating faster than ever, favorable tax laws, low mortgage rates and have money to burn. But mostly because folks want to ease up the travel time, safety issues and enjoy a home away from home close to their home.