Miami: The Paradise City
September 26, 2009 by Lucas Lechuga
Time magazine's portrayal of Miami has changed substantially since the Time article entitled "Paradise Lost" was published in 1981. A city once described as being infested with crime and drugs has now been replaced with imagery of a paradise city. The recently published travel-oriented piece called "Miami: 10 Things to Do in 24 Hours" provides compelling reasons for why Miami has become one of the top travel destinations in the United States.
Hi Lucas ….great site.Are there any new additions to the CONDO DEALS section?? Thank you and keep up the good work
Grab on to any good news to sell more property. It won't work!! Gael
A sign of the times. When others (i.e. AJ) were saying the rich would still snap up these high end / trophy properties at the silly high prices, I said otherwise….most of the rich got that way for being smart with their money, not foolish. I should know. By the way, what happened to AJ anyway…..am wondering how the DJ business is doing, on one hand people drink more during recession, but on the other hand maybe they just do it alone?
“Architectural gems up for sale”
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-fi-architect-homes27-2009sep27,0,4785373.story
"South Florida Hotels Taking a Beating"
Hot dogs are for lunch.
Where did everyone go???
Why are some people on here claiming to be rich? Not saying they’re not but, if so why are they so nickel and dime over prices?
kevin – not “nickel and dime over prices” rather several hundred thousand and as Warren Buffet says the purchase price determines your rate of return. I focus on the asset price and so does WB. Seems wise to me…
Love Ocean Drive at night. Nice photo !
Lucas, any new hot deals? How about some update on condo deals and refreshed info on sold and rented condos?
Any developments and news on Corus bank buildings? Were the notes purchased? How much? It has been quiet on this blog. Lucas, make it alive again
Kevin: I choose to shop condos here because it gives me something to do while I defecate gold bricks. The magic of it is that I’m also finding new places to store my overabundance of bullion. As Bill Gates was recently overheard quoting me, “time is money.” Heed my advice and maybe you’ll sniff my tax bracket one day.
Lara… couldn’t agree with you more.
This blog has gotten boring with no real data to discuss
Are units really closing at Icon Brickell?
Whats happening with this SITE????Seems DEAD all of a sudden
It needs an interesting post and not some pointless Miami travel story that has nothing to do with Miami real estate.
i second Drew’s post #15
Boring irrelavant posts.
What – you want Lucas to post news when ther isn’t any? He is probably – after today’s 200 point drop in the stock market – sitting home smoking a cigar and watching “Gordon Gecko in “Wall Street” again hehe.
Be patient. Remember he promised us a while back “Big Changes” to the site in October.
At least post something better than an article that claims a visit to the Elian Gonzalez house is a Miami must-see attraction. By the way, I don’t think its humanly possible to do all 10 of those things within a 24-hr timespan. Unless you have a helicopter.
Hey Lucas, the Brickell Key button isn’t working.
OK, now you have something to blog about………………..will mean lower condo prices, again.
“Condo insurance rates expected to soar”
“Insurance costs for major high-rise condos are expected to rise next year.
That’s because Citizens Property Insurance told insurance agents today that it is increasing by an average of 20 percent rates for condominium buildings that cost more than $10 million to replace. Insurance for condo buildings is not subject to the rate freeze legislators imposed on most Citizens’ policies the past few years, nor is it subject to the 10 percent cap on rate increases for next year.
Evan Glassman, an insurance agent who specializes in high rise condos, said most of the state’s roughly 1,400 high-rise condos worth more than $10 million are insured by Citizens.
“I’m sure this is going to be difficult for a lot of associations in these economic times,” said Glassman, who is with Advanced Insurance Underwriters in Hollywood. “Fortunately there are several private carriers that are now competing in this marketplace, and many associations have options to leave Citizens for the first time in years.”
“Citizens is required by law to charge actuarially sound rates,” said the notice from Citizens. Insurance for condo buildings is “not subject to traditional rate review or approval by the Office of Insurance Regulation.””
The quoted article said:
“Fortunately there are several private carriers that are now competing in this marketplace, and many associations have options to leave Citizens for the first time in years.”
The quoted article should have said:
Fortunately for me since I’m an Insurance broker, there are several private carriers that are now competing in this marketplace who will be more than glad to collect a premium and then skip out of town in the event of a hurricane. I win; the Fly-by-Night Insurance outfit wins; and the clueless condo owner loses. Welcome to Florida.
Condo owners in S. Florida will be experiencing exactly what this southern professor demonstrates in the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj4LnfkdJDM
Insurance, hurricanes, maintenance… why is it that I want to live in a S. Fla condo again??
I love that photo!
Scriv
I am listening to Dad and holding off with my condo purchase.Dad say’s that he has changed his forecast from $125@ sq. Ft. to $100 @ sq. ft effectively immediately!!!! Insurance …stock market.. Canadian and European buyers and the Economy in general are affecting his predictions.Everyone knows that Dad…AKA as the ACE …..good luck everyone.
Miami2009,
Thanks for the heads up. The Brickell Key button now works again. Not sure what happened there but thanks again.
Kramer,
The “Big Changes” I referred to have have little to do with the website. I’m gonna post a teaser about it in a bit. It’s almost ready for launch.
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