Condo Conversion Opportunity

Interested in a condo conversion opportunity? Go to www.ColdwellBankerVirtualTour.com and www.VillageAtDadeland.com for more information.

Amit Bhuta
Real Estate Helper
Kendall Village Homes
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com

Pre-Construction Opportunity

The Professional Arts Center at Kendall Village is an incredible chance to purchase medical or other office space. The Professional Arts Center is located in Kendall Village at the crossroads of the Florida Turnpike and North Kendall Drive. 90,000 square feet of luxury office condominium space subdivided to suit your needs.

Owners of the "smart building" suites will be surrounded by a unique retail/entertainment environment. Numerous restaurants, retail shops, and entertainment facilities, including the recently opened state-of-the-art Kendall Village Regal Stadium 16-plex Theater, are all within walking distance.

The Professional Arts Center will offer its owners dramatic visibility from, and instant access to, the Florida Turnpike. Given its proximity and easy access to some of Miami's finest hospitals, including Baptist Hospital, South Miami Hospital, and Kendall Regional Hospital, The Professional Arts Center is expected to attract medical industry users.

For more information, please contact me at the number listed below.

Amit Bhuta
Real Estate Helper
Kendall Village Homes
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com

Jumbo Loan Amount Increases

According to a November 30th Sun-Sentinel article, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are raising the limit on the size of single-family home mortgages they will purchase by 16% to $417,000, increasing the pool of buyers who will qualify for lower cost financing. Starting January first, the loan limit will be raised from $359,650 to the $417,000 amount. If a loan amount is above this figure, it is referred to as a jumbo loan. The interest rate on a jumbo loan is typically one-quarter percent higher than a conforming loan (amount that is less than a jumbo loan). Because of the increase in the jumbo loan amount, some borrowers may be able to save thousands of dollars over the life of a loan.

Amit Bhuta
Real Estate Helper
Kendall Village Homes
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com

A Time to Give Thanks

The holiday season is upon us and I would like to take a little time to give thanks to all of you. In my daily sometimes hectic life, I don't always get a chance to thank everyone that has made my life so much better. To all my family, friends, and people I do business with, thank you so much for everything. I really do appreciate everything you guys do. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Always wishing you the best,
Amit

Amit Bhuta
Real Estate Helper
Kendall Village Homes
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com

Why Choose Amit Bhuta to Sell Your Home

Why should you choose Amit Bhuta of Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate to sell your home? There are many reasons to do so. In our market, properties that are for sale are normally on the market for approximately 60 days before a contract is accepted. When clients list their property with Mr Bhuta, the approximate time it is on the market before the sellers accept a contract is about 31 days (nearly half the average time). Besides selling the property in half the time, Mr Bhuta is able to get more money. In our area, the percentage of the selling price to the list price that a seller receives is about 96%. Amit Bhuta normally gets 98% or more. He fights to get you as much money as possible. He never will act like many other Realtors that act as if they are working for the buyer and not the seller.

Knowledge of the real estate process is important to understand in determining how qualified your Realtor is. Marketing and getting the home ready for sale, negotiating offers, and managing the transaction until closing are the 3 steps when selling a home. Some homeowners, while trying to cut costs, can potentially lose thousands of dollars or even worse increase the chances of being suited if they choose the wrong person.

When you list your property with Amit, he will make you comfortable throughout the whole process. The first thing he will do is help you get your home ready for sale. Besides giving you his ideas, he will also give you a DVD with ideas from top experts in the field.

The next thing is the marketing of your home. He does many unique things as well as the traditional things to market your property. For example, every buyer that comes to your open house will receive a DVD slideshow of your home with music. The potential buyer will also be able to print or email high quality pictures of your home (from the DVD) to other decision makers, family, or friends. Amit knows that when buyers are comparing homes, they tend to forget what they saw. Having the pictures and DVD will make your home stand out in the eyes of the buyer. Just a few of the other things he does for you are putting your home on approximately 25 websites with up to 50 photos, have a virtual tour (see an example at www.ColdwellBankerVirtualTour.com), floor plan of your home, high quality property flyers, open houses, aggressive marketing to buyers and approximately 6000 realtors, and many other things.

Negotiating is the next step in the real estate process. Here is where many sellers will lose thousands of dollars because they tried to save money and didn’t hire a real estate professional. Many people have the misconception that the price is pretty much the only important thing that is negotiated in a real estate contract. This is definitely not the case. Amit has gone through extensive training with everything involved with real estate contracts as well as all the other processes until closing takes place. Because of this insight, he is able to get more for your home by negotiating everything, not just price. Also, prior to his real estate career, he was paid to close deals for over six years.

Managing the transaction from when it is first accepted until the closing is the last step in the real estate process. Just like the negotiating step, a seller can loose thousands and thousands of dollars or not even close if he or she tries to save money and doesn’t hire a real estate professional. There are many different things that need to be done once the offer is accepted. They have to be done in a very timely manner and there is no margin for error. Amit Bhuta will attend all important events and will create a calendar of the events for you so that both of you are on the same page. He will keep you as informed as often as you like and can be reached twenty-four hours a day. He will pick up his phone or will respond to your email.

These are just a few reasons why you should select Amit Bhuta as your Realtor. He will always look at what he can do for you and what’s in it for you rather than brag about what he has done. If you ever need to contact past clients, he will be happy to provide you their names and phone numbers. His performance based compensation is negotiable and you can choose from many plans he offers.

Real Estate Helper
Kendall Village Homes
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com

Should I Sell My Home Without a Realtor?

Why should people choose a Realtor to sell their property in today's hot real estate market? Many people feel that all they have to do is to put a FOR SALE sign in front of their house and within a few days they will get what they are asking for it. Although in some cases this may happen, it is definitely not the best thing to do.

In a very comprehensive study done in 2004 by NAR, it was determined that on average a home that was sold without the assistance of a Realtor was sold for 13% less than a property that was sold in the same neighborhood with the use of a Realtor. There are many reasons for this. The first reason is that the average home sellers aren't as familiar with their real estate market as a top quality Realtor. Therefore, many times properties will be priced incorrectly - either way too high or too low. If a property is priced too low it is obvious what will happen. It will sell very fast and the seller will lose thousands of dollars. If a property is priced too high, it will soon become stale. The wrong buyers will be looking at it and the right buyers will be looking at something else. When most people look at homes, they are comparing each home to the other. If something is overpriced, the value won't be there making the other house seem like a very good deal.

Another reason is that when buyers sees that a house is FOR SALE BY OWNER, they know that no commission is being paid. The buyers will expect to save that much and more and deduct that amount from their offer for the home. So there really are no savings.

Negotiation is another reason a Realtor should be involved. Most sellers aren't familiar with negotiating a real estate contract. Not having knowledge with this could cause the seller to lose thousands of dollars. Also, whenever a seller shows a property, there is the possibility that he or she could accidentally divulge the level of motivation. This would definitley decrease the seller's leverage he has when negotiating.

Probably the most important reason homeowners should use a Realtor to sell their property, besides getting more money, is because of liability. Because the majority of sellers do not know what they have to disclose and what they cannot disclose to buyers, there is a big chance of a law suit, especially in litigious South Florida.

Amit Bhuta
Real Estate Helper
Kendall Village Homes
(305) 794-9034
www.DadeCountyMLS.com

How to Stop Getting Credit Card Offers in the Mail

Do you constantly get pre-approved credit card offers in the mail? With today's epidemic of identity theft, receiving these offers in the mail can be very risky. If someone was to steal your mail and apply for one of these offers, there is a strong chance you would become a victim of identity theft. So what do you do? How do you protect yourself? Luckily there is a very simple solution that will definitely decrease your chances of becoming another victim.

The web site www.OptOutPrescreen.com is the official Consumer Credit Reporting Industry web site to accept and process requests from consumers to Opt-In or Opt-Out of firm offers of credit or insurance. The web site was the web site of the day for The Kim Komando Show (a top ten rated radio talk show with over 8 million viewers a week, www.komando.com). Komando states that you can opt-out at all the major credit reporting agencies. A word of warning: To opt-out, you must submit your social security number. So don't use a shared computer to submit the form. If you are still leery, use the toll-free number.

Amit Bhuta
Real Estate Helper
Kendall Village Homes
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com

Top 10 States with Million Dollar Homes

The following is a list of the states with the most homes worth a million dollars or more according to the US Census.

1. California -128,619 Million Dollar Homes
2. New York - 22,327 Million Dollar Homes
3. Florida - 18,094 Million Dollar Homes
4. Connecticut - 13,906 Million Dollar Homes
5. Illinois - 12,386 Million Dollar Homes
6. New Jersey - 11,869 Million Dollar Homes
7. Texas - 10,137 Million Dollar Homes
8. Massachusetts - 10,090 Million Dollar Homes
9. Washington - 7,384 Million Dollar Homes
10. Michigan - 5,989 Million Dollar Homes

The bottom two states with the least amount of homes worth a million dollars or more are South Dakota and North Dakota with 129 and 51 homes respectively.

Amit Bhuta
Real Estate Helper
Kendall Village Homes
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com

Hurricane Wilma

It's been five days since Hurricane Wilma devastated much of South Florida. The first thing I want to say is that I hope all of you and your families were able to get through this Category Three storm without injury - that obviously is the most important thing. I know some of you have suffered a lot worse than some of us. I wish all of you the best and if you feel I can help you in any way, please do contact me and I'll do my best to help.

The following are many things that I learned or have become a lot more aware of because of this hurricane.

1. Prepare and take personal responsibility of ensuring that I have everything that I need in case the storm hits (because it will).
2. There are so many things that we take for granted - FPL, sight, transportation, our beautiful weather, food and drinks, family and friends that take care of us before themselves.
3. How proud I am to be a Floridian. Seeing the FPL workers, police, Bellsouth workers, volunteers, and so many many others work together so beautifully is very moving.
4. The satisfaction with life is based on two things - the patience a person has and his or her attitude to handle a situation.
5. That I have great neighbors. Thank you so much Barbara and Luis for being so kind.

Amit Bhuta
Real Estate Helper
Kendall Village Homes
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com

What to Do After the Hurricane

As it gets later in the day, it looks more and more likely that Hurricane Wilma will be visiting South Florida. If you haven't read my other post, please read the Hurricane Preparation Tips article for helpful hints. US Inspect, an inspection company I work with, was kind enough to supply me with the following information on what to do after the hurricane. Please read all these tips carefully and as always make sure to use your common sense. I wish you and your family all the best.

Hurricane Reentry Tips

• Be aware of combustive or explosive gases – open all windows when entering. If you smell gas, don’t smoke, light matches, operate electrical devices, use cell or other phone equipment, or any other source that may cause combustion.
• Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning – CO is odorless and colorless. Do not use any fuel burning equipment inside, including generators, camp stoves, gas or charcoal grills etc.
• Avoid problems with mold, bacteria and insects – Remove standing water and wet belongings as soon as possible, and/or dry within 48 hours. Dry out the structure completely as soon as possible.
• Properly dispose of contaminated goods.
• Be careful in the use of cleaners, chemicals, and pesticides.
• Provide fresh air to the home. Use fans if electrically safe.
• Do not use the electrical system if home has experienced water penetration. Turn the power system on only after careful inspection.
• Avoid personal “overheating”.
• Consider safety of remaining food, particularly refrigerated and frozen foods.
• Drinking water safety – follow public service and utility announcements.
• Avoid all power lines.
• Make temporary repairs to “wet proof” home.
• Observe safe use of chain saws and other tools.
• If damage has occurred, have professional inspection of property or affected areas.
• If damage has occurred, have professional inspection of property or affected areas.
• All damage should be documented and recorded with a camera before you touch anything.
• If you have taken in water and are removing wet furnishing to dry the home, photograph it after you remove the personal property and before you remove wallboard or carpet.

Visit these websites for other important sources of information:

www.epa.gov/katrina/sep14returnhomeadvisory.htm

www.redcross.org

www.fema.org

Amit Bhuta
Real Estate Helper
Kendall Village Homes
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com

Hurricane Preparation Tips

With Hurricane Wilma approaching us, I wanted to wish all of you and your family the best. An inspection company I do business with, US Inspect, was kind enough to email me the following tips that will hopefully help all of us.

If you are evacuating your home:

• Turn the pilot light off on your water heater and furnace, then turn off the gas line valve near the appliance and, finally, turn off your gas at the meter. This will reduce the probability that a tree falling on the roof will break an active gas line and create the chance for a spark to cause a fire. Turning off valves working from the appliance to the meter will make it easier to reignite on your return by reversing the process.
• Turn off your master water supply.
• DO NOT Turn off your master breaker. You need power for the alarm and refrigerator.
• Unplug all fixtures or small appliances that can be accessed.
• Bring into the garage, or otherwise secure all movable exterior items such as small plants in pots, lawn furniture and pool equipment.
• Fill all vehicle fuel tanks.
• If you have time trim all branches or heavy bushes that could damage windows.

Take with you:

• Food and snacks for Two days
• 2 gallons of water per individual
• Clothing for one week
• First aid kit
• Medications for 30 days
• Flashlights and spare batteries
• Cash
• Important documents (wills, insurance, licenses, medical and bank records as needed)
• Pet care items
• Tell a neighbor that is staying where you are going and how to contact you. Exchange numbers.

If you are staying (this is highly discouraged if you are in the immediate path of the storm):

• Increase food supplies to 3-7 days--preferably non-perishable food items.
• Fill up your propane tank for your grill or buy two sacks of charcoal.
• Insure that you have a functional fire extinguisher. ABC type will work on any fire. Remember, with down trees and no reliable phone service 911 may not be an option.
• Increase water supplies to one gallon per person per day.
• Adequate toiletries, diapers and special items to last at least one week
• One flashlight per individual and 1 spare set of batteries per light
• Increase cash on hand.
• Battery operated radio
• Toys books and games
• Tools
• Clean and fill the tub the night before land fall. This water will be used for pets and flushing toilets.
• Do all of your laundry before landfall. You may not have a chance for a week or so.
• Take digital pictures of your home and each room. This will support future insurance claims.
• Store your valuable papers in a waterproof container or bank vault
• Fill bags with ice from your ice machine
• Back up your computer data and store it in a safe place

Additional steps for family safety:

• Discuss hazards that could affect your family (storm surge, rising water, down power lines).
• Determine a safe escape route and two meeting points if you have to evacuate your house unexpectedly. Have a contact person out of the area that each family member can contact if you are separated.
• Locate the safest room in your home. Pre-stock with pillows and blankets if room allows.
• Plan for taking care of your pets.

Amit Bhuta
Real Estate Helper
Kendall Village Homes
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com

Kendall Village Homes - Important Phone Numbers

The following is a list of important contacts that residents of Kendall Village Homes may find helpful.

-Miami Management
14275 sw 142 Ave
Miami, FL 33186
(305) 378-0130 phone
(305) 378-0259 fax
www.MiamiManagement.com

-United Water Conservation (update - no charge for water and sewer)
Customer Service Center
P.O. Box 1447
Alpharetta, GA 30009
(800) 442-6655 toll-free phone
(305) 825-9252 local phone
(305) 825-2656 fax
www.CustomerFirst.net (to pay online with account #)

-Florida Power and Light (FPL)
P.O. Box 025576
Miami, FL 33102
(305) 442-8770 customer service and residential inquiries
(800) 4OUTAGE [(800) 468-8243] power outage or hazardous condition
www.FPL.com

-Bellsouth
(877) 737-2478 residential phone repair line
(888) 321-2375 dsl tech support and customer service
(877) 263-2421 dsl home networking tech support and customer service
www.Bellsouth.com

-Adephia Cable
1202 Tech Blvd #205
Miami, FL 33187
(305) 255-3770 customer service
www.Adelphia.com

-Direct TV
(888) 238-7177 new direct tv service
(800) 494-4388 existing direct tv service
www.DirecTV.com

-GE Appliance Warranty Information
(800) 432-2737 customer service for warranty work
www.GeAppliances.com

-Dryer Vent Cleaning
11101 sw 47 Terrace
Miami, FL 33165
(305) 221-9844
www.DryerVentSafety.com

-To Purchase or Sell Your Kendall Village Home
Amit Bhuta
8240 Mills Drive
Miami, FL 33183
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com

-Handy Man for Repairs or Updating Your Home
Ryan Nuñez
(305) 979-9931
www.KitchenCabinetGuys.com

Below are some of the companies that did work when Kendall Village Homes was first built.

-BR Electrical Service
13690 sw 142 Avenue
Miami, FL 33186
(305) 238-9909

-Air and Heat Unlimited
6650 nw 37 Avenue
Miami, FL 33147
(305) 557-9321

-AKO Plumbing
4853 sw 75 Avenue
Miami, FL 33155
(305) 269-8033

-Sunshine Window Manufacturing
1745 W 33 Place
Hialeah, FL 33012
(305) 364-9952

-JR Cabinets
4111 nw 132 Street
Miami, FL 33054
(305) 685-8575

-Ceramic Tiles Gallery
790 w 20 Street
Hialeah, FL 33010
(305) 885-5712

Amit Bhuta
Real Estate Helper
Kendall Village Homes
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com

Mortgage Inquiries and Credit Scores

When should buyers shop for their mortgages? In the beginning! Most buyers make the mistake of shopping interest rates first. There is a reason that Realtors suggest more than one mortgage company to their buyers. It is because different lenders have different mortgage programs to offer.

The truth is that buyers should compare mortgage companies before or when they first look at homes. It is not always about the interest rate, which is one of the most common mistakes buyers make. It is about the lowest monthly payment for the lowest cost. Because buyers who shop early will already know which lenders have the best mortgage programs for them, when they find the home of their dreams, they can then easily shop interest rates and payments.

Buyers' number one reason for not shopping different lenders is that they think multiple inquiries on their credit reports will cause their credit scores to decrease. This is not true if shopping is done up front. The information below was taken from www.myfico.com (the web site for the company that came up with the formula to determine your credit score).

What to know about "rate shopping."
Looking for a mortgage or an auto loan may cause multiple lenders to request your credit report, even though you're only looking for one loan. To compensate for this, the (FICO or BEACON) score counts multiple auto or mortgage inquiries in any 14-day period as just one inquiry. In addition, the score ignores all mortgage and auto inquiries made in the 30 days prior to scoring. So if you find a loan within 30 days, the inquiries won't affect your score will you're rate shopping.

Equifax
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374
(800) 685-1111
www.equifax.com

Experian
P.O. Box 2002
Allen, TX 75013
(888) 397-3742
www.experian.com

TransUnion
P.O. Box 1000
Chester, PA 19022
(800) 888-4213
www.transunion.com

Amit Bhuta
Real Estate Helper
Kendall Village Homes
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com

Real Estate Market Report (3rd Quarter 2005 Miami Dade County)

Every quarter I prepare a real estate market report for Miami Dade County. The report compares a three month period of this year compared to the same time period for last year. I hope it gives you a better understanding of the real estate market in Miami.

Please click on the image and maximize it when it opens so that the market report is easier to read.

Please click on the image and maximize it when it opens so that the market report is easier to read.

Please click on the image and maximize it when it opens so that the market report is easier to read.


Please click on the image and maximize it when it opens so that the market report is easier to read.

Amit Bhuta
Real Estate Helper
Kendall Village Homes
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com

How Can I Protect Myself From Identity Theft?

Today identity theft has become an epidemic in the United States and all around the world. In a study done by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), everyone is at risk. If you are rich or poor, have good credit, bad credit, or no credit, upper class or lower class, single or married, you are who they are targeting for identity theft. Even more, if you think that you aren't a good target for identity thieves, you are the easiest target. It is estimated that well over ten million people have been affected in the United States alone.

So what can you do to protect yourself from this nightmare? The following are some things that you can do to greatly reduce the chance of becoming a victim of identity theft.

1. The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of your first name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your checkbook, they will not know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your first name, but your bank will know how you sign your checks.
2. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put "Photo ID Required".
3. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the "For" line. Instead, just put the last four numbers of your account. The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your checks as it passes through all the check processing channels won't have access to it.
4. Put your work phone number on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a PO Box, use that instead of your home address. If you don't have a PO Box, use your work address. Never have your Social Security number printed on your checks. You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have it printed, anyone can get it.
5. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. Also, carry a photocopy of your passport when you travel.
6. Be aware of emails that try and get your personal information. These phishing schemes will have legitimate looking emails trying to get you to click on their link and enter your personal information. If you are not 100% sure that the email is authentic, call the creditor or institution and DO NOT CLICK on the email link.
7. When you are online and paying for an item that you wish to purchase, make sure that you are on a secure server. The address of the web site will start with https and not http. Also, the status bar on the bottom of the screen will show a closed padlock (if there is no status bar showing, you must select "view" on the top left of the page and select "status bar").
8. Always empty your mailbox by the end of the day and shred unwanted credit card offers. If you are going out of town, have the post office hold your mail until you get back.

If you do the following and are diligent and determined not to become a victim, you will have a much greater chance of avoiding identity theft.

Amit Bhuta
Real Estate Helper
Kendall Village Homes
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com