Miami Apartment Finders

Thank You – to our clients

Miami Apartment Finders — Mon, 07 May 2012 23:29:37 +0000

At Miami Apartment Finders, we assist people from every region of the U.S. and many regions of the world – helping them find great places to live in Miami. In the past month, we’ve assisted clients from the following companies or organizations:

CBS Corporation, Kohler Company, University of Miami, Churchill Downs, HP, Pricewaterhouse, United States Senate, Bank of America, Southern California Gas Company, SunTrust Corp., Harvard University, Delta Airlines, Morgan Keegan, Deloitte & Touche, Fidelity Investments, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, Nordstrom, JP Morgan Chase, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton, Florida Marlins, Fordham University, Citigroup, BP, Apple, Humana, Johnson Controls, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, National Institutes of Health, NBC Universal, Royal Bank of Canada, NYU, Johnson & Johnson, The Hit Factory, Morgan Stanley, Home Depot, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, University of Pennsylvania, Walgreens, The Ogilvy Group, IBM, Dept. of Homeland Security, EFG Hermes, Saudi Arabian Oil Company, City of New York, Boeing Company, Nestle Group, Oracle Corp, Vanderbilt University, The Orange Bowl Committee, SAP, Yale University, Jones Lang LaSalle, Sapient Corp, Arquitectonica Corp., Bombardier, Kirkland & Ellis, Christie’s, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Sony Pictures, Loews Corp, MIT, Coast Guard Academy, Credit Suisse, Motorola, Disney, Espirito Santo Bank, Fujitsu, Columbia University

*partial list

Getting Good Wireless reception in your new place

Miami Apartment Finders — Mon, 07 May 2012 22:54:44 +0000

One of the biggest frustrations a new renter faces, is establishing a fast wireless internet connection for your new place. Even if you’re renting a furnished condo or house in Miami, you’ll probably have trouble, unless you do one very simple thing: go buy a good modem and a good router. The old modem you get with most furnished rentals may look like it’s working, but you’ll probably spend a lot of time waiting for your screen to load.

We recommend:

Motorola SURFboard eXtreme - Cable Modem. Super fast, costs about $100. Probably 5-10x faster than the cheap, basic modem you’re using
NetGear N600 Wireless Dual Band Router. Quick, easy-to-use, looks good and costs about $80.

stuff we like

Miami Apartment Finders — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 22:38:34 +0000

Miami Beach could claim a significant position among municipalities for its abundant examples of kitsch, but the new Lighthouse Sculpture on South Pointe Park, is not one of them. German artist Tobias Rehberger’s 55-foot tall lighthouse is a cool, unexpectedly beautiful piece of public art, quietly sequestered away at the western end of South Pointe Park.

getting your rental offer accepted

Miami Apartment Finders — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 22:40:54 +0000

It’s common now that good rentals in Miami / South Beach get multiple offers – many times within hours of each other. A few tips on improving your chances of getting an offer accepted:

1. Don’t Cut Corners Be as thorough as possible and don’t leave out pertinent information such as income, occupation, number of people that will live at the property, pet size, etc

2. Give the Owner a Reason to Choose You Highlight the most positive aspect of your rental qualifications – your income, your credit history, your rental history, your cleanliness, etc and make sure that it’s obvious on the application. An owner is looking for a good reason to rent to you, and you’re usually competing with someone else in this environment.

3. Include a Short Bio Most of our clients / renters include a short bio along with their offer, highlighting occupation, income, education, rental history, etc. Owners want to know you that will pay the rent and not damage the property. Telling the landlord a little about yourself goes a long way towards establishing credibility, developing a comfort level, and moving your offer to the front of the line.

“no vacancy” sign up for most newer condo buildings

Miami Apartment Finders — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 23:57:50 +0000

The latest report by the Miami Downtown Development Authority found that almost 93% of all condos built in the last decade are occupied. Miami’s DDA typically studies the area from South Brickell, north through the Brickell corridor, including Downtown and the newer buildings in Midtown. Of the 23,000 condo units built since 2002, the study found only 7% residential vacancy. Renters may find it attractive negotiate multi-year leases, if the landlord is agreeable. The benefit to landlords includes steady cashflow, and reduction in costs associated with turnover.

new listing – 3BR Townhouse South of Fifth

Miami Apartment Finders — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:53:27 +0000

New Rental Listing

3 BR / 3.5 BA Townhouse – 1,900 square feet – desirable South of Fifth location. Custom finishes throughout – contemporary, sophisticated, modern living. This townhouse is perfect for entertaining friends in the dining room or terrace overlooking the courtyard, working out of your den or foyer office, or relaxing on the 3rd-floor terrace. Two-car attached garage, security system, custom surround sound and hi-definition home theatre – all included. Marble baths with custom fixtures, custom-finished closets and lighting. $5,000/mo. Brand new listing – not previously available. Call Elizabeth Lao 954-270-3718.

Miami Apartment Finders represents investors and owners of rental properties throughout Miami and South Beach.

Miami’s High-End Residential Market Continues to Gain Momentum

Miami Apartment Finders — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:47:06 +0000

Largest Sale to-date in 2012 - 7BR Waterfront Home in Gables Estates - $15,835,000

Miami’s high end residental market continues to accelerate in contrast to many stagnant real estate markets in other parts of the country.

2011 By the Numbers:

Number of Luxury Residential Sales
540 residences sold in Miami-Dade for $1 million or higher

Average Sales Price
The median sales price in this niche was approximately $2.7 million

Per Square Foot Price
Residences averaged 5,100 square feet, or $453 p.s.f. for all luxury sales

Increase/Decrease
Luxury residential sales grew by 22% compared to 2010, and 41% when compared to 2009

YTD 2012
183 luxury properties have closed, or are “pending sale” through February 2012, which indicates another good season for luxury residential in Miami

Miami Apartment Finders represents buyers and sellers of luxury condos and homes in Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, Brickell, South Beach, Bal Harbour and Surfside

rents continue to rise with steady demand

Miami Apartment Finders — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 00:08:20 +0000

One of the questions we get frequently is some variation of…”Housing prices dropped so much - I should be able to get a bargain on a rental, right?”. Well, depends on what you call a bargain, but when you consider the cost of owning a condo (adding real estate taxes and assessments on top of a mortgage), rental prices in Miami still look relatively attractive. Rents across the U.S. have continued to rise, based on increasing demand, and will probably continue to inch up for the next 24 months or so until supply starts to catch up with demand. A good strategy for renters expecting to stay in the house or condo for more than 12 months….negotiate a 24-month lease. Granted, in Miami you’ll need to sign two back-to-back 12-month leases, but let your real estate agent worry about those details. Just find a place you really like, and

Landlords are getting 97% of asking price

Miami Apartment Finders — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:44:58 +0000

Landlords are getting an average of 97% of list price for rentals in Miami-Dade, according to the latest data for 4th Quarter 2011. Renters face an increasingly-competitive market in core neighborhoods, with rental listings commonly attracting multiple offers. In the rental market above $1800 per month, almost half of that inventory is achieving rental rates in excess of $2500 per month, which highlights a continued increase in rents, and an acceptance toward more expensive rentals. New condo construction is under way from Coral Gables to Sunny Isles, and new buildings are selling well. The Miami residential market is an anomaly, and observers who thought the local market would take years to recover are left scratching their heads. Sales inventory in South Florida has experienced a steady, gradual decline since 2009 - shrinking from about 90,000 active listings, to approximately 20,000 listings currently. Residential prices in Miami remain attractive compared to New York City, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Source: South Florida MLS

Survey says driving in Miami is scary but the people are hot

Miami Apartment Finders — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:32:09 +0000

Miami has about the hottest, most-stylish people in the country, and it doesn’t get much better if you’re looking for a hot singles scene or a wild weekend…..that’s assuming you survive the drive in from the airport. That just about sums up the opinion of roughly 40,000 people who responded to Travel & Leisure’s annual survey of 35 U.S. cities. Miami ranks dead last in “driving ability” – worse than New York City and L.A., but high on the list for good weather, shopping and nightlife. Miami got clobbered in many of the other categories but…..you didn’t come here for the beer in the first place.