This stunning condominium is the ultimate South Florida condo residence.  It’s a sprawling and spacious home with over 500 square feet of outdoor space making it ideal for entertaining! 

There’s three bedrooms and two & 1/2 baths plus a second balcony off the bedrooms.  Updates include a granite kitchen, newer appliances, and a fireplace (in Florida!)  You’d love some of the other features like the private elevator to your garage, two parking spaces, dual-zone a/c and in-home laundry.  Dogs are even permitted in this building.

Check out the views – and give me a call if this is your idea of Living The Dream!

Even the investor demand that has carried the market recently appeared to fizzle, judging by the comments from agents, while traditional buyers remain frozen by a lack of confidence and inability to get financing. According to one agent, “Since the fallout over the credit ceiling debate in August the market has dropped significantly with buyers willing to stand on the  sidelines. Buyer confidence has been rattled further with many buyers opting to rent instead of buy and wait to see how the economy pans out. Buyers expect further price declines and they are waiting for the new wave of foreclosure properties to be released by the end of this year before they move on any buying opportunity. It looks like the market will be in a funk until we have those foreclosures on the market and until better direction, confidence and a clear economic direction are defined.”

A bright spot continues to be continued interest in prime leisure property from foreign investors and vacationers.

Prices seem to be stable and on-market inventory declined.  Buyers are worried about a large shadow-inventory still held by banks that will need to be sold in the coming months and years.

Comments from real estate agents:

• “The bad economic news 24 hours a day is causing many buyers to put purchasing on hold. Until the unemployment rate goes down I do not see the market improving. Too many middle income buyers are starting to worry about their jobs..”

It’s been an adventure making the transition from Chicago to South Florida, and although I will still maintain my status as Your Windy City Guide up in Chicago for the foreseeable future, I’m now fully up to speed as the South Florida Sunshine Guru!

The adventure began in early 2011 when your Sunshine Guru’s partner landed a position in South Beach managing a large condominium property.  As sailors with a dream to live near the ocean, and eventually leave the civilized world to sail the globe, the opportunity seemed too good to be true.  Although Steve – the aptly named Condo Guru – began working in January, I remained in Chicago to settle everything.

A team remains in place to serve the needs of my Chicago clients and business is up over the slow years of 2009 and 2010.  For the foreseeable future, Chicagoans are welcome to contact me directly, and I’ll make the introductions to my Chicago Team of Kim Kerbis and Kevin Van Eck.

Here in South Florida, I have joined the leading real estate firm Keller Williams Realty Professionals located in Fort Lauderdale.  Keller Williams offered a comprehensive support system and seemed to be every bit as technologically advanced as @properties in Chicago.  South Florida can be a bit of a tech back-water so finding an office filled with savvy and experienced professionals was a pleasant surprise.

Here in Fort Lauderdale I’m well placed to serve the needs of buyers and sellers from Boca Raton, south through Lauderdale By The Sea and Fort Lauderdale, and areas south of Fort Lauderdale down through Miami Beach/South Beach.  Primarily my focus will be the communities of Fort Lauderdale and those towns located closest including Wilton Manors, Lauderdale by-the-Sea, Lighthouse Point, Pompano Beach, Dania Beach and Hollywood.

Sunshine Guru readers should look forward to regular updates on the state of the real estate market in South Florida, information on buying or selling in South Florida, and other random musings on life in the Sunshine State.  This is especially poignant as the weather at (old) home in Chicago seems to be changing to Winter without reprieve. 

So now I can offer my expertise in Chicago as well as make your warm weather dreams come true.  Please contact me if you have questions about buying, selling or anything related to real estate. And remember, I always appreciate your referrals.