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Showing posts from 2009

Recycling on the way back from Naples,Florida

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On my way back from a weekend trip to Marco Island with Giselle and the kids we decided to go by a rest stop off Tamiami Trail. We got off and and took a picture of this alligator just chilling out and floating on the water's edge. It was a beautiful a summer day. I decided to have Giselle take a picture of me with these cool and large Recycling Bins It is good to know South Florida is SLOWLY going Green. We are still way behind the rest of the country.

Pro Energy Consultants perform energy audit on Miami Home

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Last month Cris from Pro Energy Consultants performed an Energy Audit on this Miami Home. He did a survey of the home for any potential loss due to improper duct installation, AC vents, doors not properly secured, windows with used weatherstripping,poor insulation in ceiling and walls and much more. I was very impressed when he did his door blower test and sucted all the AC from the home and started to use a smoke pencil to check for leaks. Furthermore, he then took out a thermo-graph gun to perform a scan of the ceiling and walls to check for leaks and improper insulation. This was awesome and highly recommend that every homeowner do an energy audit specially on older homes here in Miami.

Congress Passed the Federal Homebuyer Tax Credit Extension and Expansion

Yesterday, the U.S. Senate voted (98-0) to pass a bill which extended and expanded the federal homebuyer tax credit. Today, the U.S. House of Representatives did the same (403-12). It's now on its way to the President for his signature which is expected to happen as early as tomorrow! CLICK HERE to view (and print) a one-page PDF document that outlines the final changes that were approved. All changes made to the current credit and the new additions will become effective when President Obama signs the bill. To summarize: Amount:Up to $8,000 Who: First-time homebuyers -- same definition as current law Amount:Up to $6,500 Who:Repeat purchasers. Must have used previous home as a principal residence for 5 of the 8 previous years. Income Limits:$125,000 for single filers/$225,000 for joint filers. Same for both first-time and repeat/move-up buyers. Time Frame:December 1, 2009 to April 30, 2010 (also includes a 60 Day extension if binding contract is in place by April 30, 201

Carlos del Amo - Building a Rain Barrel

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It was a great morning when my wife and I got up early on a Saturday morning to attend The Miami-Dade County Cooperative Extension Service Rain Barrel Workshop. The worshop started with a brief powerpoint of the the water consumption and use we have in Miami, Also they spoke abouth the days of the year we have major droughts and how the aquafer gets really low. Water is one of our most valued resources and we need to preserve as much of it as possible. After the film we all went outside with our 55 gallon Drums and opened a hole for the spiget and started to make our own barrels. It was a fun and informative morning. When I got to the house I primed the barrels and then painted them to match the color of my shutters.

American Airlines Arena Leed EB Tour - USGBC South Florida

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The best thing I could have done to promote GREEN in Miami was to join the USGBC south florida chapter. We had a tour of the nations first LEED-EB sports venue in Downtown Miami,Florida. The American Airlines Arena gave us a tour of the green features that lead to their certification. We saw the exposed ductwork letting air flow freely and improving IAQ ( Indoor Air Quality). We saw the Low Flow urinals,faucests,and toilets. We had a great turnout of about 200 professionals from all different industries. The tour headed outside for the viewing of the energy efficient 3,400 sq ft Miamimediamesh LED screen. It was a site to behold as it flashed the USBGC logo on the mammoth screen. The folks at the arena were the most gracious of hosts by ending the tour with a walk through champions alley, where pictures of the Miami heat players glued on the wall from their championship year vs the Mavericks. Moreover, we had the pleasure of walking on the court were the heat usually dominate. We finis

Miami Home Sales Continue Dramatic Increase in May 2009

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Miami Home Sales Continue Dramatic Increase in May NAR Chief Economist Says Florida Market May Have Bottomed Miami, FL – In Miami, there was a 76 percent increase of existing single-family home sales in May 2009 compared to May 2008. Miami was the strongest single-family market in Florida showing a substantial increase compared to only 16 percent statewide. The sales of existing condominiums in Miami-Dade increased by 36 percent compared to the same period last year - and to the 21 percent statewide increase. The Miami real estate market has experienced a surge in sales each of the last 10 months. According to National Association of Realtors® (NAR) Chief Economist Lawrence Yun, the South Florida real estate market may have hit bottom. “We’re certainly near the bottom if not at the bottom already,” said Yun at the recent International Real Estate Congress and Expo in Miami. According to Yun, the current conditions will allow buyers priced out during the real estate boom to ret

Miami Green Expo 2009 in Miami Beach

Went to Miami Green Today in Miami Beach for its innaugural and was very impressed with the number of exibitors and the vast product line in South Florida to make living GREEN a way of life.

What are the Changes in LEED 2009?

Maintenance and engineering managers often spearhead the initiatives to achieve sustainable operations in institutional and commercial facilities. The most recognized standard for certifying sustainable design and operations is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). In April, USGBC released the latest version of the rating system, LEED version 3 (v3). Managers most likely will be directly involved in overseeing LEED certification projects in existing buildings, so a closer look at LEED v3 and, more specifically, LEED for Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance (LEED-EB: O&M) will shed light on the way the newest version of the rating system will affect managers and their organizations. The technical advances of LEED 2009 are based on three enhancements: harmonizing prerequisites and credits for increased consistency; adjusting credit weightings based on their impact on human and environmental health

Carlos del Amo becomes member of Luxury Home Marketing Institute.

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As I start to transition my business to luxury GREEN and luxury residences,I feel that my years of dealing with the public not only as financial advisor for a Fortune 500 company and in real estate will give give me a huge advantage to negotiate the best deals for our Charting a Course clients. About The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing exists to help real estate professionals around the world provide high quality service to buyers and sellers of luxury properties. Institute members have completed special training to build expertise in the marketing of upscale homes and estates and those who meet performance standards may earn the prestigious Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist designation.

Carlos del Amo receives GREEN Designation from NAR

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I am proud to announce that I have received the prestigious GREEN Designation from the National Association of Realtors. I look forward to helping my current and future clients in informing them about how great it is to live Green.

Coconut Grove home bought at auction in Miami Beach

If you have ever been to a real estate auction it is definitely something to behold. Tons of people looking for that next big steal and hoping to walk away with the deal of the century. but what they don't know could hurt them. I took one of our clients to the auction in miami beach to bid on a coconut grove home we were targeting afte seeing numerous properties in the area. When our property came up we weeded the low ballers out and narrowed it down to 2. We had a set price and was able to get it more than 10% below the foreclosure asking price. We got a great deal. I Carlos del Amo and my real estate team will get you the a great deal on your next home purchase.

Epic Luxury Residence sold for $ 478,000

I have the pleasure to say that The Charting a course team just recently sold this incredible city view unit 3312 in Ugo Colombo's latest project The Epic. We were able to secure financing with only 35% down for a foreign national with a 30 year fixed mortgage. If it can happen we will find the way. See this video of the Epic and call us more information about making your downtown Miami dream come true. We can steer you in the right course when it comes to real estate in Miami.

Downtown Miami - FYI

Downtown Miami is the central business district of South Florida, Miami-Dade County and Miami, Florida. Brickell Avenue/Biscayne Boulevard is the main north-south road in downtown, and Flagler Street is the main east-west road in the Central Business District. Downtown, or sometimes referred to as the "Central Business District", is the area north of Broadway, east of I-95, and south of 17th Terrace.[1][2] Inside of this area includes Park West, the area due west of Bicentennial Park and northern Brickell. Other areas that are many times adjoined with Downtown is the area to the north: Midtown, which is north of 17th Terrace and Brickell to the south. Public Transportation in the downtown area is used more than in any other part of Miami and is a vital part of downtown life. The Metromover train system runs 3 lines through downtown (the downtown loop, the Omni loop, and the Brickell loop), and the Metrorail, Miami-Dade County's heavy rail system, makes 3 stops in the down

City of Coral Gables,Florida History

Coral Gables' unique past is evident today, not only in the preservation of its architecture and landmarks, but in the spirit of its residents and the philosophy that guides its government. George Merrick drew from the Garden City and City Beautiful movements of the 19th and early 20th century to create in 1925 one of the nation's first fully-planned communities. Incorporating secluded residential enclaves and commercial areas inspired by the architectural style of the Mediterranean, Merrick envisioned a City that would offer every amenity to its residents and at the same time would become a center for international business. In every respect, Merrick's dream has come true. The same principles that made Coral Gables a success at its inception guide the City's current policies. The community's and the City's emphasis on protecting the residential sectors, preserving the natural environment and maintaining an international flavor are all long-standing traditions.

Get to know The Village of Pinecrest Florida

Pinecrest was incorporated on March 12, 1996 and is one of thirty-four municipalities in Miami-Dade County. Pinecrest is home to approximately 19,454 residents and is conveniently located twenty minutes south of Downtown Miami and Miami International Airport. Pinecrest encompasses eight square miles and is recognized as one of the most beautiful residential areas in South Florida. The Village's appeal as a desirable place to live is attributed to its natural beauty and outstanding area schools. Residents enjoy a superior quality of life in a unique hometown rural atmosphere while benefiting from the many amenities of the Greater Miami area. Pinecrest is governed by a five member Village Council and operates under the Council-Manager form of government. Pinecrest Municipal Center The Pinecrest Municipal Center is the Village's seat of government and is located on US 1 at 12645 Pinecrest Parkway. Regular business hours are Monday - Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Access

Where is the Miami Real Estate market heading ?

As a financial advisor I see a bottoming out of the market by 3rd quarter of 2009. The inventories are starting to decrease and low interest rates are stimulating the buyers to come into the market to buy these distressed homes.

Pending home sales show healthy gain

WASHINGTON – Feb. 3, 2009 – Pending home sales increased as more buyers took advantage of improved affordability conditions, according to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). Big gains in the South and Midwest offset modest declines in other regions. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in December, rose 6.3 percent to 87.7 from an upwardly revised reading of 82.5 in November, and is 2.1 percent higher than December 2007 when it was 85.9. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, says the index shows a modest rebound. “The monthly gain in pending home sales, spurred by buyers responding to lower home prices and mortgage interest rates, more than offset an index decline in the previous month,” he says. “The biggest gains were in areas with the biggest improvements in affordability.” NAR’s Housing Affordability index rose 10.9 percent in December to 158.8, the highest on record. The HAI shows that the relationship between home prices, mortg