Pricey Properties

Most Expensive Home, Most Expensive Beachfront Home, it's all the same.

When you're looking for the biggest and the best, only one thing comes to mind in South Florida, lately, and it's Maison de L'Amitie. Click below to see our cast give it to you live from the Writer's Block!



Also dubbed Trump's Palace by the Sea, this 80,000-plus square foot home in Palm Beach went on the market one year ago and since then, has been added to, renovated again and drooled over by business tycoons and private investors.

Maison has a conservatory, 100-foot pool, Jacuzzi, three 3000-plus square foot guest houses, atrium, nearly 500 feet of oceanfront, and made Forbes'Top Ten of Most Expensive Homes in the World 2007, the second year in a row.

Built in 1990, by health care investor, Abe Gosman, it sits on property purchased for a few mill in 1986.

While Trump still resides in Mar A Lago, he ponders whether he should continue to add or move in.
But that's Palm Beach, my dahlings.

In Miami, condos are the bigger, better, faster. Zilbert put together a list of the 100 Most Expensive Condos in Miami - and these mosters come with amenities to make you rent your home and take a permanent vaca.

For a mere $30 mill you can own a fully-furnished, four-bedroom, four-bathroom, 6000 square foot condo in Setai on South Beach with sweeping views of the Atlantic.

A better deal might be found at the Continuum I and II. This luxury oceanfront condo in Miami Beach offers 7500 square feet, cathedral ceilings, private pool and Jacuzzi, five bedrooms, seven bathrooms, marble floors and maids quarters for a mere $25 million.

I don't want to be a penny pincher, but that's $100 million LESS than Maison, and you still get a semi-private beach.

But you don't need to be a millionaire. NAR released information this week that the median house price in Miami is about $350,000, if you can manage with about 2300 square feet, three bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths.

Real Estate Roller Coaster - Google Video

Real Estate Roller Coaster - Google Video

Many have tried to explain it through words, but the best way to get it, is to get on it. Watch this feed from Google...

Net Gen Big Impact on Condo Market

Remember our Expert Realty Blog last week about Britney Spears looking for a $30 million home in Miami Beach. (Her 15-minute concert at Mansion on Sunday May 20 supposedly rocked the house).

Well, the 25-year-old is part of a growing trend.

NAR reports younger home buyers equal one third of the total home buying population. Opting not to wait until marriage or promotions, or other life-changing events, 25 to 29-year-olds are investing in real estate despite the "cooling" climate.

The report cited various reasons for the trend. One is that they’re “Net Gen” defined as the first generation born and raised between 1977 and 1996 in the era of the Internet, to whom the internet is part of daily life. Online real estate companies who played on their turf, reached these buyers. Another reason is that baby boomers, who account for 56% of the nation’s wealth, are bequeathing their wealth to their children. So these buyers have disposable, people.

Now realtors and brokers have to be faster, on top of Internet trends and news Net Gen-eral cares about.

Last week, Joel Burslem, the voice behind futureofrealestatemarketing.com and PR and social internet marketing guru for Inman News said “big brokers shouldn’t worry about Redfin - what they should be worried about is (realtors marketing properties on)Facebook,” a high-brow MySpace, run by a crowd of brilliant, predominantly 20- to 30-somethings, where realtors are booking sales on properties as easily as rides home for winter break.

FYI: These kids like it downtown, said the report, pointing to high condo sales in urban areas, as evidence.

Don’t quit. Enviroscape!

I’m cheap.

Hate to waste gas, so I turn off my car A/C every night at 7 p.m.

Hate to waste electricity so I only turn on one large lamp in the middle of the first floor from 9 p.m. until I retire at 11 p.m.

According to South Florida Water Management District Service Center we’re in the middle of year five of one of the worst water shortages in history. This year’s below average rainfall and last year’s decision to lower Lake Okeechobee, (in the event of hurricanes that thankfully never came), depleted South Florida's water supply. Water restrictions are expected to remain in effect at least until the mid-summer, with tighter restrictions effective May 16 for Broward and Palm Beach Counties. The lake continues to be below normal for this time of year pointing to an even tougher water crisis in 2008.

So why does my yard look like an Amazon rainforest? Sucking the life out of my house budget?

And, adding insult to injury, danger lurks for the well-intentioned homeowner who just gives up on his lawn during the water crisis. Today NBC6 reported the City of Riviera Beach, Florida actually fined homeowners with brown lawns, for letting their grass die during the drought.

Listen up folks. One word: Xeriscape.

Homeowners associations are looking at plants like bougainvillea, Mexican sagebush, blackfoot daisy, red yucca, and lazy daisy as a way to reduce water consumption.

Don't forget to add mulch. Mulching avoids water evaporation from the soil surface, provides ground cover so you use less plants and suppress weeds. Three to four inches of mulch ought to do it.

All plants need water until they are established, regardless of whether they are xeriscape plants or not, say landscape architecture officials in the City of Plantation (Tree City USA), but once they are, they can definitely reduce water requirements.

Modified PHASE II Restrictions, are as follows:

Lawn watering and car washing are limited to twice a week from 4-8 a.m. on:

Wednesdays and Saturdays for those with home addresses ending with ODD numbers (1,3,5,7,9)

Thursdays and Sundays for those with home addresses ending with EVEN numbers (0,2,4,6,8) or those with no number in the address.

Hand watering (with a hose with a shut-off nozzle) is allowed every day except Friday, from 5-7 p.m. as necessary to prevent plant die-off.

Tip-Mart RentersQ ends the drama

So you found a great deal in today’s buyer’s market for the home of your dreams, but…you’re scared to plant a “For Sale” in your front yard because of the time it might take to sell your home?

Even the St. Joseph statue buried in your backyard is little comfort?

There’s still time to change to road you’re on.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as many as 5,373 Americans move every day. They all can’t be buying.

And, if you expect your house to appreciate in value over the next three years, which we do in SoFla, don't sell it - rent it. Becoming a landlord isn’t a bad idea.

For starters, becoming a landlord offers attractive tax perks and frees you to become an active home buyer without the headache.

SmartMoney lists the Top 10 tax deductions for landlords as being interest, depreciation, repairs, local travel, long distance travel, home office, employees and independent contractors, casualty and theft losses, insurance, and legal and professional services.

Also helpful for first-timers, is a recommended reading list from National Association of Residential Property Managers http://www.narpm.org/about/recommended-reading.html.

But the key to making this work is peace of mind.

This month, Tip-Mart Inc., debuted RentersQ – a free screening system that makes a prospective tenant’s payment and tenant history available online to prospective landlords so detailed it even tells you if the person smokes, has pets or is noisy. In other words, it rates the prospective tenant’s desirability from 0 to 100.

Nolo.com, a provider of legal information for consumers and small businesses, said the first thing a would-be first-time landlord needs to do is to make a decision based solely on business, not from the gut. Like, “I think he looks like a responsible guy.” And that’s exactly what Tip-Mart’s RentersQ says it does for you.

HOT SOUTH FLORIDA HOMES WARM COOL MARKET

Rumors that Britney Spears is joining the ranks of celebs still flocking to buy star-studded real estate in Miami just goes to show, there’s no slow in the market for luxury South Florida homes.

Fueled by her "comeback concert," her divorce settlement and her new hair growth, she has placed her Malibu home for sale, and looking over properties in Miami Beach in the $30 million price range.

Latin hipmaster and pop star Shakira is selling her North Bay Road 6500-square foot manse for $6 million but opting to stay in the neighborhood she shares with P. Diddy, Lenny Kravitz, Shaquille O’Neil, Billy Joel, and Matt Damon, and willing to pay thrice the amount to do it.

This uber-priced Miami celebrity home trend can be traced back to real estate investor Todd Michael Glaser known for mammoth Miami high-rises (Ten Museum Park and Element) who flipped his 20,000-square-foot 5020 North Bay Road home (Carl Fisher Estate - the biggest on North Bay Road), for nearly $40 million, just one month after hitting the market in 2006, breaking Miami-Dade County's record for the 1999, single-family home sale of $27.5 million.

And what does nearly $40 million buy in Miami these days? Well, lots of bathrooms for sure (see Blog entry below) and: 2 two-story, one-bedroom guest villas, a carriage house, poolside cabana, coffered ceilings, 1,400 square-foot loggia with fireplace, wine cellar, expansive outdoor marble terrace, bank-size hidden safe, 2,000+ square-foot master suite with a separate 430 square-foot terrace, street-front privacy wall, 270 feet of waterfront, and a massive dock built to accommodate a 90+ foot yacht.

The prices don’t change up the coast, either.

Tiger , once an Orlando resident, moved into our nick of the Woods. He bought a $38 million, 10-acre compound on Jupiter Island in 2006.

And finally, Cher, who’s “Miami Struck” and collecting Miami properties, is selling her Key Biscayne home, but according to The Miami Herald, does not plan to move away from the Magic City and also owns a home on LaGorce Island and a vacant lot on Tahiti Beach in Coral Gables.

So, Britney, we're sure you'll find a nice new Latin boy in Miami who will treat you right, and we're happy you've moved on.

Bal Harbour Bathrooms = Blue Chip Stock

Synonymous with luxury and over-indulgence, it stands to reason that in Bal Harbour, there’s no waiting.

If anyone wants to use the loo, they simply use the one they have en suite.

According to Trulia, Bal Harbour has the most full bathrooms (toilet, sink, shower, and bathtub) per bedrooms, averaging one bathroom per every one bedroom, in the entire state of Florida. Meaning, if an oceanfront, luxury Bal Harbour condo has five bedrooms, then five bathrooms it shall have.

But is it over-indulgence or plain good sense?

Sites like Mock Realty and Trulia must think it’s important to list it under resale values, or at minimum, in fun facts just under Most Expensive Houses. For instance you don’t garner the same excitement from the number of windows or doors in a house.

A bathroom seems to be, well, the throne room. The only place you can demand “Privacy!” without anyone thinking you’re anti-social, egotistical, criminal, or selfish.

If you’re buying a home, a two-bathroom minimum should be a priority if the house is a starter, investment or just short of being the “dream home.” Preferably two-and-a-half. It’s a toss up whether a shower or a bathtub with shower a full bathroom doth make.

Due to the overwhelming popularity of showers over tubs for speed's sake, including seniors who prefer the safety of stepping into a shower as opposed to a tub, replacing a tub with a shower is not a risk.

If you’re thinking of selling, on average a mid-scale bathroom remodel can cost about $10,000. But you can expect to recoup at least 88% of the cost at resale. Bathrooms updates that are highly successful will almost always include custom cabinetry, updated tile and permanently-affixed lighting. But then there are the distinctive features that can be done at low cost such as dual showerheads and whirlpool tubs that can significantly pique buyer interest.

Dig deep for the coup d’etat: heated floors, stereo systems and heated towel racks.

Bathrooms strongly affect resale. A mid-scale bathroom remodel is ranked Number 2 out of a list of more than 20 renovations that will deliver a high resale value. An upscale bathroom remodel is Number 7. And bathroom additions, both mid-scale and upscale were listed high on the Top 10 of moderate resale values.

And if the time it takes to update your bathroom is the one factor that stops you, try BathFitter.com. They measure and install acrylic bath, shower and walls that are custom-molded to fit right over existing fixtures, in one day.

To Market To Market To Buy Some Fat Diggs...

With a menu as varied as that of an all-you-eat hotel brunch buffet, Florida's housing market is still a much talked-about and speculated-over enigma.

The New York Times today would have you believing small Florida towns with less traffic have cornered the market on stability in the state, but experts in the field who say "thumbs up," on a national level, are reflective of the actual activity in our nick of the woods.

According to the latest quarterly survey by the National Association of Realtors®, existing national home sales were 2.4 percent higher at an annual rate than they were in the last quarter of 2006.

Pat V. Combs, the National Association of Realtors president said "It appears the worst of the price correction is behind us."

Median home prices surveyed are listed on a table here.

Zooming in, realtors also agree that small waterfront condos in prime locations, such as up-and-coming North Miami Beach, or large luxury condos in Miami are still in high demand, especially if they feature resort-style amenities.

But other South Florida cities, not especially favored for waterfront lifestyles or eclectic shopping districts, are more than just stable.

By the looks of my old neighborhood in Weston, a 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom home in The Ridges is actually priced $65,000 more than mine mid-2005.

WHY DIDN’T XTARP’S SELF-ADHESIVE POST-STORM ROOFING TARP WIN???

Are we so numb to hurricanes in Miami that we can’t see a blessing if it sticks to our roof?

The Miami Herald’s 9th Annual Business Plan Contest drew 135 entries from throughout the southeast U.S., among them XTarp, a revolutionary, post-storm, roof-saving product.

But the People’s Pick was some do-it-yourself invitation CD ROM.

Why?

Hurricane season doesn’t even start for another two weeks and we’ve just had our first tropical storm Andrea with 40-mph winds.

Forget custom invites, and listen up folks.

Antonio Diaz, airplane engine tester, entrepreneur and inventor has a product that will blow you away, but prevent your roof from doing the same.

XTarp: A 4-layer, 23 milimeter-thick, 10" by 12", poly-woven laminate SELF-ADHESIVE ROOF TARP!!!

It’s so simple, says Diaz, a 9-year-old can use it. You can shinny up your roof and repair your hard-to-cover S-tile, (or barrel-tile), roof after a storm. Then, when the roofers can’t get to your house even after a whole year, and the next hurricane season begins, the dang thing will still be adhering to your roof, withstanding up to 110-mph winds!!! (Maybe more once testing for 200 mph winds is complete).

XTarp molds to tile, shingles, concrete, rubber, metal, and PVC. It eliminates the use of those horrible blue tarps, which require sandbags (impossible to lift up a ladder on your shoulders), bricks, hammer, or nails.

XTarp actually comes in two sizes, 6” by 6” and 10” by 12”. XTarp can also adhere to itself, so you can layer them to cover a greater area, but Diaz said most roof damage is isolated so you won’t need to buy an enormous amount.

Best of all, Diaz said the adhesive is non-toxic and Ozone-safe, and will not attract mold, algae or bacteria!

The product is classified as a "temporary" product so it doesn't require state approval, but it's been tested and has a Miami-Dade County product number. Visit them at the Florida Governor's Hurricane Conference at the Ft. Lauderdale Convention Center May 16 & 17, 2007 in booth 202. Or at the Palm Beach Post Storm Show June 9 and 10. Or call and order from Diaz direct, 305-781-6443.

Unless you’re too busy designing invitations on your computer. sigh.

In the Hood

Today’s South Florida housing market leaves buyers sorting through handfuls of properties. If selecting one home from hundreds of properties is a daunting task, imagine doing so from another city.

But you can narrow the selection, down to which the street gets morning sun and has the last school bus stop, by getting to know the neighborhood like the back of your hand before you buy.

One of “The Donald’s” top-rated real estate advisors, Phoebe Chongchua, and author of many real-estate lifestyle books, says studying the 'hood is key to investing well.

Checking crime statistics as well as accident reports at the local police department - no matter how well-maintained the area is - will help you determine whether the area is at your comfort level.

Chongchua said investigating traffic issues and school systems are also an indication of whether your investment will be safe. She states that actually living too close to a busy school with large traffic backups can negatively affect resale opportunities.

Other tell-tale signs of established, upwardly-mobile neighborhoods include the number of homes being renovated or updated (are neighbors sticking around), the types of stores at local malls (trendy boutiques versus dollar stores), landscape and amenities at neighboring communities (is the community you’re looking at the norm, or a fluke). Some communities, such as The Ridges in Weston also post information on regular community-wide updates, or standards, letting you know how frequently or how extensively HOA-related activity ripples.

Many cities also offer specific information on their websites about youth sports and family activities, such as Weston and Davie, which accurately frame priorities in that area.

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE – “HOT ON THE 95-EXPRESS”

We’ve all done it, and the State of Florida figures we’ll continue, so now we’re going to have to pay to Live Life in the Fast Lane.

Miami Herald released Monday that the Florida Department of Transportation plans to use the HOV lane on I-95, as a “variably-priced” express lane from downtown Miami to I-595, and call it the “95 Express.”

Depending on how long of a stretch you use the HOV lane (now toll lane) while traveling during one commute on I-95, or at what time of day (during heavy traffic or not) you use it, there will be a fee tied to that use.

Through the use of a system of high tech “restriping,” the HOV lanes will magically turn into HOT (High Occupancy Toll) lanes for everybody but express transit buses and three-or-more passenger vehicles.

According to the article, we’ll get 4 lanes on I-95 for free and 2 barrier-separated lanes for “95 Express.”

People will benefit from 95 Express expecially around Aventura and North Miami.

For now it’s just a plan, as they have to build the barriers, restripe the road, and hook up adjusting costs to SunPass, which currently has 3 million users. According to DOT reps, the southbound express lanes won't be ready until October 2008 because a bridge on FL 112 needs updating.

So first, we’ll actually be going a little slower.

GOLF CARTS: Not Just For Tee Time Anymore

Lately I’ve been spotting more and more of what I thought were golf carts on the road.

Families happily weaving around Fisher Island, Coconut Grove, Weston, Plantation, South Beach, from shop to restaurant and back home, in an open-air cart, without parking hassles or traffic woes.

The word on these is that they’re actually Golf Cars, better known as Low-Speed Vehicles (LSVs) or Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) which can run on electricity or gas. LSVs and NEVs offer a variety of advantages, like low-cost and energy-efficient, convenient transportation. They're quieter, don't pollute and are fun!!!

However, before you run out and buy one, according to Ari Scott of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Commission, all LSVs have to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 500 in order to be permitted general on-road use.

This means they have to be equipped with “seat belts, headlamps, stop lights, turn signal lamps, tail lamps, reflex reflectors, parking brakes, rearview mirrors, polymer windshields, and VIN numbers.”

State and local governments, said Scott, are responsible for authorizing their use and deciding on what roads they may be used. In recent years, a growing number of states from California to Florida have passed legislation authorizing their general on-road use.

Here in Florida an LSV or NEV is authorized on any public street where the posted speed is 35 MPH or less, or the top speed is between 20 to 25 MPH. They also must go at least 20 MPH to be street legal, or it’s “back to the golf course” they go.

LSVs are economical too, starting at $1995 for a used, gas-using model. As you add more seating, and accessories such as custom paint, gun racks or cooler crates, they can soar to $10,000. Check out the local options at Southern Golf Cars.

LSVs are a growing part of everyday life here in South Florida. The more we understand what they are, the better general motorists can avoid sideswiping or smashing into who drives them.

Asian-Pacific Mini Film Fest Fast Approaches

Look no further than your own backyard to get a sneak peak at Pan Asian films. On May 14, the Asian Pacific Cinema miniseries is coming to town at the Weston Branch Library.

Three films on Monday 14, Wednesday 16 and Saturday 19, and assortment of Asian music, literature and art will be on display at the library all tailored to meet the needs of Weston’s fast-growing Asian population.

The library, located on Bonaventure Boulevard, across from The Ridges community and kitty corner from The Courtyard at the Groves, is a big branch with several meeting rooms and an enormous children’s section, so the events should be comfortable.

Those who don’t live in Weston should try to make it from all points east, because the likelihood of this event happening annually depends on your participation, folks.

Top off your experience by dining at Moon Thai for their outstanding red curry and Thai Tea, Japan Inn, Myung Ga Tofu BBQ Korean restaurant (love those scallion and scallop pancakes), or other Asian restaurants in Weston after the film.

Showtimes are from 6:30 to 8:00 pm weekdays, and on Saturday May 19 the event runs from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., in the multipurpose room and entrance is free!

楽しみなさい! (ENJOY)

DON’T FORGET TO “STAMP OUT HUNGER” WITH POSTAL CARRIERS THIS SATURDAY

It’s not the holidays and it’s not a Sunday church collection, but it is important.

So you think we live in the land of plenty?

Before I became a narrow-minded, mean-spirited, ungenerous, self-preserving urbanite momzilla with kids, I had a heart.

I served food at Camillus House soup kitchens on Thanksgiving. I gave money to random homeless people. I cleaned the galley of the Sea Shepherd vessel, the Eco-Pirates of the Sea, to aid in their effort to wipe out whale poachers in Asiatic Seas.

Last year, more than 25 million Americans, including 9 million children and nearly 3 million seniors had to rely on emergency food services, according to Hunger in America.

That’s more than three times the population of New York City!

On Saturday, May 12, THE MOTHER OF ALL FOOD DRIVES on Mother's Day weekend, WILL TAKE PLACE. Letter carriers (MAILMEN) across the USA will collect non-perishable food donations as they deliver mail along their postal routes in a one-day effort to combat hunger in America.

Please help by placing canned meat, canned fish, soup, cereals, pasta, and rice, in a decent-sized and strong bag, near your mailbox on Saturday morning really early before your letter carrier arrives. Do not donate glass containers. Canned and box goods, preferably.

Won’t you start off your Mother’s Day weekend with the right attitude, male or female, and nurture through nutrition?

Summer Vacation Checklist: Pool Safety

“In my head I hear a humming:
Summer, summer, summer's coming...
swimming's much more cool
Swimming in a swimming pool..."

And so the poem goes. The children will be free as quick as thought. Have you fenced your pool yet?

The Consumer Product Safety Commission suggests installing fences and gates completely around pools. Here are some guidelines for pool barriers, provided by FenceOnline.com .

1. The fence or other barrier should be at least 4 feet high. It should have no foot or handholds that could help a child climb it.

2. Vertical fence slats should be less than 4 inches apart to prevent a child from squeezing through.

3. The maximum clearance at the bottom of the barrier should not exceed 4 inches above the ground, when the measurement is done on the outside of the barrier, the part that is facing away from the pool.

4. Gates should open away from the pool, not into the pool, and should be self- closing and self-latching. The gate should have no opening greater than ½ inch within 18 inches of the latch release mechanism.

Swimming pool barrier guidelines are not a CPSC standard nor are they mandatory requirements. The CPSC hopes that we’ll know enough to use these as a minimum starting point.

Lifesaver Pool Fence is a removable safety mesh pool fence designed specifically to provide a safety barrier around residential swimming pools for kids. These fantastic fences, (and I can vouch for them because I own one!) have tough safety mesh (even if kids try to throw themselves against it), support poles, self-closing gate options, and ground caps.

Swimming pools should always be a treat for kids. Ensure they add to your life, as they add value to your home.

How Your House Can Save You Money

Many of us in Miami feel the sting of having most of our money in the equity of our home after the boom of the late 90s and early 2000s. Increases were slim after the market leveled out, and getting any of it entails selling our home.

And the consequence of having your lovely property be worth more, also involves your taxes being higher, as well. (Even though the State of Florida is currently working on a “reduction in tax increase.”)

But some wise words from one of the nation’s leading tax strategists and columnist, Diane Kennedy, in Realty Times, suggests using certain tax strategies to help homeowners “make money” sitting pretty in their homes.

Kennedy suggests renting your home and getting the tax break for a rental property even though it is still your principal residence. Report the rental on Schedule E, and deduct a portion of home-related expenses, such as power, water and mortgage interest, against rental income.

If you can’t rent out part of your home, create a home office. According to Kennedy, if legitimately own your own business and some portion of your home is used exclusively and regularly for your business, then by figuring out how much of your home is devoted to a home office, you can get the percentage to deduct from home-related expenses. Also, a depreciation deduction from the home office can save thousands on taxes.

These and other great “let your house work for you” ideas can be found in Kennedy’s "Ten HomeLoopholes to Get More Out of Your House.”

JUST WHAT ARE “RESORT-STYLE AMENITIES?”

Regardless of what public or private agency criteria opines, the term “resort” has always been associated with the ultimate luxury and expense.

Until now.

Typically a place for rest and relaxation, the resort is used to attract visitors to cities and remote destinations not on normal traffic radar by providing all or most of a visitor’s wants or needs, (anything that increases their physical comfort or convenience), on the premises.

But now homebuyers can find a variety of self-contained condos that provide some resort-style features for the price of the unit.

More than ever, one can find luxurious residences with country club service, and lushly-landscaped recreation decks with pools overlooking any body of water, state-of-the-art fitness centers and health spas, on-site restaurants and retail shops, and sometimes, even more.

Residents of The Portofino, a stunning oceanfront condo in Miami Beach, have access to a gym, two pools, tennis courts, recreation centers with billiard tables, and private beach club restaurants. Prices for this chic Miami Beach real estate begin at less than $700,000.

And condos in mixed-use properties, are sometimes merged with hotels, fashioned in a chic, Euro-style with wine and cigar lounges, and other selected services, according to an article on the Miami Condo Market.

But now you can get resort-style amenities for less than $200,000. The Deauville Condo Hotel in Miami beach offers oceanfront living with all the hotel amenities, proving the price of the property no longer has anything to do with the trend.

A Splashing Good Time

For those of you who think that the ocean is the same from anywhere you slice it, you’d be surprised to find out what makes a beach a cut above the rest. There are some beaches that meet extensive criteria to qualify as a National Certified Healthy Beach.

This month, when you dive into Memorial Day weekend, try out a Recognized Healthy Beach.

The National Healthy Beaches Campaign (NHBC) tests and ranks America’s beaches for park safety, environmental quality, EPA water quality standards, beach cleanliness, and auxiliary and management services. Those that meet or exceed the standards are then labeled a “Recognized Healthy Beach.”

There are many benefits of living near and frequenting National Certified Healthy Beaches, first and foremost being the physical. Poor water quality can actually have major repercussions on the body, causing illnesses such as Gastroenteritis - one result of swimming in sewage-contaminated water. Nausea, vomiting, stomach ache, diarrhea, headache and fever are symptoms of Gastroenteritis, which is a fairly large price to pay for taking a dip. Even minor reactions can occur from swimming in polluted water including infections in the ear, eye, skin, nose, and throat.

Dania Beach, Ft. Lauderdale Beach and Crandon Park Beach are Certified Healthy Beaches and also vacation hot-spots, so you’ll find more than just clean water and sand.

Green for the Greens

Take a drive through the entrance of Runway Growers in Dania Beach to see what $10,000 and a little sweat can do for a neighborhood.

Last weekend, a group of Dania Beach Heights Civic Association volunteers “regreened” the area at the Florida East Coast Railway on Fourth Avenue and Stirling Road, a once-drab façade within the first incorporated city in Broward County.

According to Miami Herald reporter Eileen Soler , more than 1600 eco-friendly flora were planted at the site to attract birds and wildlife, and neighbors, to each other.

Soler said the project was funded through a $10,000 grant from Broward Beautiful, a county program that funds landscape and environmental projects for nonprofit groups.

This project, wrote Soler, is also supposed to beautify a one-of-a-kind proposed Broward County route, known as the Dixie Highway Greenway , which will link many of the east cities’ historic main and downtown areas through a multi-purpose trail that starts in Deerfield Beach at Pioneer Park and ends in Hallandale Beach at Bluesten Park.

College Homesites in Dania are just one of the many areas currently enjoying the new foliage.

TRAFFIC DRIVING YOU MAD? Try Mixed-Use Development

The Miami Herald’s , February article about relocating strikes a familiar note: how to outsmart the inescapable traffic in Miami.

The issue is so big, but under-addressed by our city, that even common blogs, such as Stuck on the Palmetto , are named after excrutiating commutes.

According to the article, people who moved to the walled residential communities of the suburbs to get away from city grime and stress, are revisiting new-and-improved downtown areas with Mixed-Use Development properties that combine stores, restaurants, condos and offices. Preferring to reside in an area where they can "live, work and play," folks can also drastically reduce commuting time, and spend it with their loved ones.

The Millennium , a 70-story landmark that redefined luxury living in South Florida, integrates a five-star hotel with luxury condos, retail and offices, and recreational facilities. Additionally, residents get hotel services most of us can only dream of, after hours, when you’re exhausted after a long day’s work.

And being just blocks from fine dining, bars, clubs, movie theaters, and interesting grocers, affords residents (now called “new urbanists” according to The Miami Herald) one more luxury: having a life after work.

New urbanists site everything from being raised in the suburbs to not wanting to pay for gas as reasons why they’ve moved.

The article singles out the Shops at Midtown Miami, Young Circle in Hollywood, Mary Brickell Village in Miami, and Las Olas Riverfront in Fort Lauderdale as the current best in Mixed-Use Development, and points to 5.7 million square feet of proposed retail space and 60,000 proposed residential units due in the next year.

For Miami, it will resemble a Midtown Manhattan, it stated.

So is it a new trend? Or are we just catching up?