Celebrating a Banner Year for Douglas Elliman Florida Posted on April 7, 2022 by Michael Light We are thrilled to announce that Douglas Elliman Florida has achieved another record-breaking year, closing 2021 with $14.6 Billion in total sales volume – more than doubling our previous record set in 2020, with over 7,259 total transactions and closing $40 Million in daily sales! In such a competitive Florida real estate market, our achievements speak to the dedication, expertise, knowledge and perseverance demonstrated by each of the real estate professionals within our 22 offices across Florida from Miami to Palm Beach to Ponte Vedra and everywhere in between. Douglas Elliman (Coast to Coast) Not only did Douglas Elliman have a record year in Florida, but the brokerage shattered its national sales reporting $51.2 Billion in sales last year, up from $29.1 Billion the year prior. The firm also reported an overall 32,405 transaction for 2021 – a record, up from 22,686 the year prior. Douglas Elliman is the leading luxury real estate firm from coast to coast operating in New York, The Hamptons, Connecticut, New Jersey, Florida, California, Colorado, Massachusetts and Texas, with approximately 6,500 agents and 100 offices nationwide. The Light Group at Douglas Elliman The Light Group is also proud to announce that our small team was in the top 4% of the entire company nationwide last year! We could not have done this without the amazing support of our clients, and we want to say THANK YOU! We are so grateful for the opportunity that our clients have given us, and we will continue to work hard to help you turn what you love into where you live! Please do not hesitate to contact us if you are interested in buying or selling in Florida. You may reach Broker and Executive Director of Luxury Sales, Michael Light, directly at 786.566.1700 or via email at michael@miamiluxuryhomes.com.
2018 Best Public & Private Schools in Miami-Dade County Posted on April 28, 2018 by Michael Light Miami-Dade County is comprised of hundreds of elementary, middle and high schools, whether private or public, so it may be overwhelming for people who are moving to Miami to narrow down top schools to a shortlist. Moreover, many people moving to Miami may base the community they buy a home strictly on the school their children will attend. So, although much more research would need to be put into deciding where to send your kid(s) to school, we want to provide you with a general list of the top public and private schools in Miami-Dade County to ease your search a bit. Every year Niche.com reviews the best public and private schools across the country based on rigorous analysis of key statistics, along with millions of reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Ranking factors include state test scores, student-teacher ratio, student diversity, teacher quality, grade school ratings, college readiness, graduation rates, SAT/ACT scores and overall quality of the school district. Below, we have used the statistical data compiled by Niche.com to provide you with short lists of the top private and public schools in Miami-Dade County, broken down into elementary, middle and high schools. (Please note that niche.com’s initial list includes ‘Miami Area’ schools, but includes Palm Beach and Broward Countries, which we removed from this list). Public Schools 2018 Best Public Elementary Schools in Miami-Dade County Aventura City of Excellence School – 3333 NE 188th Street, Aventura North Beach Elementary School – 4100 Prairie Avenue, Miami Beach Sunset Elementary School – 5120 SW 72nd Street, South Miami Henry S. West Laboratory School – 5300 Carillo Street, Coral Gables Archimedean Academy – 12425 SW 72nd Street, Miami Coral Reef Elementary School – 7955 SW 152nd Street, Palmetto Bay Pinecrest Elementary – 10250 SW 57th Avenue, Miami Ada Merritt K-8 Center – 660 SW 3rd Street, Miami Ben Gamla Charter School – 11155 SW 112th Avenue, Miami North Dade Center for Modern Languages Elementary School – 1840 NW 157th Street, Miami Gardens 2018 Best Public Middle Schools in Miami-Dade County Archimedean Middle Conservatory (AMC) – 12425 SW 72nd Street, Miami Aventura City of Excellence School – 3333 NE 188th Street, Aventura Ada Merritt K-8 Center – 660 SW 3rd Street, Miami Ben Gamla Charter School – 11155 SW 112th Avenue, Miami George Washington Carver Middle School – 4901 Lincoln Drive, Coral Gables Leewood K-8 Center – 10343 SW 124th Street, Miami Herbert A. Ammons Middle School – 17990 SW 142nd Avenue, Miami Air Base K-8 Center for International Education – 12829 SW 272nd Street, Homestead Frank Crawford Martin International Center – 14250 Boggs Drive, Miami Just Arts & Management Charter Middle School – 2450 NW 97th Avenue, Doral 2018 Best Public High Schools in Miami-Dade County School for Advanced Studies – South – 11011 SW 104th T706, Miami Mast Academy – 3979 Rickenbacker Causeway, Key Biscayne Coral Reef Senior High School – 10101 SW 152nd Street, Miami New World School of the Arts – 25 NE 2nd Street, Miami Design & Architecture Senior High School – 4001 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami School for Advanced Studies – Wolfson – 25 NE 2nd Street #5515, Miami Terra Environmental Research Institute – 11005 SW 84th Street, Miami School for Advanced Studies – North – 11380 NW 27th Avenue #1111, Miami Archimedean Upper Conservatory (AUC) – 12425 SW 72nd Street, Miami iPrep Academy – 1500 Biscayne Blvd. Suite 129, Miami Private Schools 2018 Best Private Elementary Schools in Miami-Dade County Carrollton School of Sacred Heart – 3747 Main Highway, Coconut Grove Scheck Hillel Community School – 19000 NE 25th Avenue, North Miami Beach Miami Country Day School – 601 NE 107th Street, Miami Riviera Schools – 9775 SW 87th Avenue, Miami RASG Hebrew Academy – 2400 Pine Tree Drive, Miami Beach Westminster Christian School – 6855 SW 152nd Street, Palmetto Bay Florida Christian School – 4200 SW 89 Avenue, Miami Westwood Christian School – 5801 SW 120th Avenue, Miami Miami Christian School – 200 NW 109th Avenue, Miami Greater Miami Adventist Academy – 500 NW 122nd Avenue, Miami 2018 Best Private Middle Schools in Miami-Dade County Carrollton School of Sacred Heart – 3747 Main Highway, Coconut Grove Scheck Hillel Community School – 19000 NE 25th Avenue, North Miami Beach Miami Country Day School – 601 NE 107th Street, Miami Riviera Schools – 9775 SW 87th Avenue, Miami RASG Hebrew Academy – 2400 Pine Tree Drive, Miami Beach Westminster Christian School – 6855 SW 152nd Street, Palmetto Bay Florida Christian School – 4200 SW 89 Avenue, Miami Westwood Christian School – 5801 SW 120th Avenue, Miami Miami Christian School – 200 NW 109th Avenue, Miami Greater Miami Adventist Academy – 500 NW 122nd Avenue, Miami 2018 Best Private High Schools in Miami-Dade County Ransom Everglades School – 3575 Main Highway, Coconut Grove Gulliver Preparatory School – 6575 North Kendall Drive, Pinecrest Carrollton School of Sacred Heart – 3747 Main Highway, Coconut Grove Palmer Trinity School – 7900 SW 176th Street, Miami Scheck Hillel Community School – 19000 NE 25th Avenue, North Miami Beach Miami Country Day School – 601 NE 107th Street, Miami Belen Jesuit Prep School – 500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami Riviera Schools – 9775 SW 87th Avenue, Miami Gulliver Preparatory School – Miller Drive Campus – 8000 SW 56th Street, Miami Our Lady of Lourdes Academy – 5525 SW 84th Street, Miami
Buyers…Don’t Be Deceived By MLS Square Footage Data Posted on March 19, 2017March 21, 2017 by Michael Light I hear agents and brokers tell me quite frequently…”but, that’s common practice.” Just because something is so-called “common practice” in any industry, especially real estate in South Florida, does not necessarily mean it’s legal and/or ethical. For instance, it is “common practice” for listing agents to manipulate square footage data in the MLS, which is unethical and completely skews statistical data, i.e. price per square foot. Per MLS guidelines, when an agent places a property in the MLS, whether it is a condo or a single-family home, the agent is required to input the living area square footage, total area square footage and the adjusted area square footage. Believe it or not, these are 3 very different numbers. Living vs. Adjusted vs. Total Area: Living Area: Area within the property that is under A/C (air conditioned space) Adjusted Area: Living Area + 50% of terrace/balcony and garage space Total Area: Living Area + ALL terrace/balcony and garage space When buying property, buyers depend on comparables (“comps”) to calculate what other homes in the area have sold for. This gives a buyer the information needed to calculate the type of offer to make on a specific property. The actual sales price of a comp is important, but price per square foot is more important. It Happens Every Day… Let’s say you find a home in Coconut Grove that you want to purchase, but you are not sure what kind of offer to make. Well, there is most likely not a comp down the street exactly like the home you want to purchase (wouldn’t that be easy) to compare it to. So, you look at beds/baths, lot size, year built, and most importantly, the square footage of the home you want to purchase and compare that information to other homes that have sold recently in the immediate area. If the home you want to purchase is 6,000 square feet (Living Area) and the price is $6,000,000, the price per square foot the seller is asking is $1,000. If a similar home (beds/baths, etc.) sold down the street for $900 per square foot, you would assume that you should offer $900 per square foot for this purchase. But wait, what square footage did the agent down the street input into the MLS to calculate that $900 figure that just closed? You MUST make sure that you use Living Area of the comp down the street for an apples-to-apples comparison. Let’s say the comp down the street closed at $7,200,000 and the square footage in the MLS is 8,000. Simple math says it sold for $900 per square foot. But what if that square footage is actually Adjusted Area, not Living Area? The actual Living Area turns out to be 6,800 square feet…making the actual price per square foot of the sale $1,059! So, you use $900 per square foot to make your offer on that dream home in Coconut Grove (because your agent is uneducated with this process) which makes your offer $5,400,000. The seller is offended at your low-ball number and completely rejects it. You think the seller is crazy and unrealistic, and the seller thinks you are crazy for trying to “steal” the home at an unrealistic price. Negotiations break down, and you never get your dream home. Had your agent done his research on the comp down the street and realized it actually closed at $1,059 per square foot, your dream home’s asking price of $1,000 per square foot would be completely realistic and actually a bit underpriced. You make an offer close to $1,000 per square foot (realizing you’re still getting a deal) and live happily-ever-after in your dream home. Obviously, happily-ever-after might be a stretch, but you get my point. 2 completely different outcomes all as a result of the agent you chose to work with as a buyer. The most accurate way to gather the square footage of a home is to look at the architectural or floor plans. I understand that is not always an option, so the next place to look is on the tax roll. Sadly, even though the information is there for everyone to see, listing agents can still manipulate the MLS data, using the larger number (Adjusted or Total Area), to make their price per square foot look lower than it really is and, unfortunately, buyer’s agents usually don’t double check this data for their buyers. There is no loyalty owed to an agent just because they showed you some properties. If you, a buyer, feel that your agent is not experienced/knowledgeable enough to educate you when making the purchase of your largest asset, find another agent! UPDATE March 21, 2017: I have received several calls from fellow agents that are not very happy with this article, for obvious reasons. I want to clarify something, though price per square foot matters, it is not completely cut and dry. Just because a comp closed at “X” does not mean you offer “X.” Luxury properties do vary by quality of construction, location and the “1-of-1” factor (very special/unique). In the case of luxury properties, other factors should definitely be taken into account in addition to price per square foot. Therefore, it is even more important to work with an agent who can navigate these factors and help you make the right financial decision. If you, or someone you know, are interested in purchasing real estate in South Florida, please contact Michael Light, Director of Luxury Sales at Douglas Elliman. You may reach me at (786) 566-1700 or via email at michael@miamiluxuryhomes.com.
2017: Top 20 Private High Schools in South Florida Posted on February 2, 2017April 28, 2018 by Michael Light Whether you are moving to South Florida or already live here, it is important for parents to stay well informed and up-to-date about the best schools in their area. Niche.com just released their rankings of the top private high schools in South Florida, and we have listed below the top 20, along with some information about each school including composite SAT/ACT scores, college enrollment percentage, student-teacher ratio and more. 1. Ransom Everglades School Address: 3575 Main Highway, Coconut Grove, Florida 33133 Website: Ransomeverglades.org Composite SAT/ACT Scores: SAT: 1390 ACT:33 Top Colleges Score: A+ College Enrollment: 100% Culture & Diversity Grade: A Parent Student Surveys on Overall Experience: 4.3 out of 5 Student-Teacher Ratio: 11 to 1 2. Pine Crest School Address: 1501 NE 62nd Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33334 Website: Pinecrest.edu Composite SAT/ACT Scores: SAT: 1330 ACT: 32 Top Colleges Score: A+ College Enrollment: 99% Culture & Diversity Grade: A Parent Student Surveys on Overall Experience: 4.5 out of 5 Student-Teacher Ratio: 13 to 1 3. David Posnack Jewish Day School Address: 5810 S. Pine Island Road, Davie, Florida 33328 Website: Posnackschool.org Composite SAT/ACT Scores: SAT: 1340 ACT: 30 Top Colleges Score: A College Enrollment: 100% Culture & Diversity Grade: A+ Parent Student Surveys on Overall Experience: 4.9 out of 5 Student-Teacher Ratio: 7 to 1 4. Gulliver Preparatory School Address: 6575 SW 88th Street, Pinecrest, Florida 33156 Website: Gulliverschools.org Composite SAT/ACT Scores: SAT: 1300 ACT: 31 Top Colleges Score: A+ College Enrollment: 100% Culture & Diversity Grade: A+ Parent Student Surveys on Overall Experience: 4.6 out of 5 Student-Teacher Ratio: 9 to 1 5. Palmer Trinity School Address: 5450 SW 58th Avenue, Miami, Florida 33155 Website: Palmertrinity.org Composite SAT/ACT Scores: SAT: 1280 ACT: 30 Top Colleges Score: A+ College Enrollment: 100% Culture & Diversity Grade: A+ Parent Student Surveys on Overall Experience: 4.6 out of 5 Student-Teacher Ratio: 10 to 1 6. American Heritage School Address: 12200 W. Broward Boulevard, Plantation, Florida 33325 Website: Ahschool.com/plantation-campus Composite SAT/ACT Scores: SAT: 1310 ACT: 30 Top Colleges Score: A+ College Enrollment: 100% Culture & Diversity Grade: A+ Parent Student Surveys on Overall Experience: 4.3 out of 5 Student-Teacher Ratio: 8 to 1 7. Saint Andrew’s School Address: 3900 Jog Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33434 Website: Saintandrews.net Composite SAT/ACT Scores: SAT: 1300 ACT: 30 Top Colleges Score: A+ College Enrollment: 100% Culture & Diversity Grade: B Parent Student Surveys on Overall Experience: 4.3 out of 5 Student-Teacher Ratio: 8 to 1 8. Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart Address: 3747 Main Highway, Coconut Grove, Florida 33133 Website: Carrollton.org Composite SAT/ACT Scores: SAT: 1290 ACT: 30 Top Colleges Score: A+ College Enrollment: 100% Culture & Diversity Grade: B Parent Student Surveys on Overall Experience: 4.7 out of 5 Student-Teacher Ratio: 9 to 1 9. American Heritage School – Boca Delray Campus Address: 6200 Linton Boulevard, Delray Beach, Florida 33484 Website: Ahschool.com/boca-delray-campus Composite SAT/ACT Scores: SAT: 1270 ACT: 29 Top Colleges Score: A+ College Enrollment: 100% Culture & Diversity Grade: A+ Parent Student Surveys on Overall Experience: 4.3 out of 5 Student-Teacher Ratio: 7 to 1 10. The Benjamin School Address: 11000 Ellison Wilson Road, North Palm Beach, Florida 33408 Website: Thebenjaminschool.org Composite SAT/ACT Scores: SAT: 1230 ACT: 30 Top Colleges Score: A+ College Enrollment: 96% Culture & Diversity Grade: B- Parent Student Surveys on Overall Experience: 4.0 out of 5 Student-Teacher Ratio: 8 to 1 11. Scheck Hillel Community School Address: 19000 NE 25th Avenue, Florida 33180 Website: Ehillel.org Composite SAT/ACT Scores: SAT: 1260 ACT: 28 Top Colleges Score: A College Enrollment: 100% Culture & Diversity Grade: A Parent Student Surveys on Overall Experience: 4.5 out of 5 Student-Teacher Ratio: 6 to 1 12. NSU University School Address: 3375 SW 75th Avenue, Davie, Florida 33314 Website: Uschool.nova.edu Composite SAT/ACT Scores: SAT: 1270 ACT: 30 Top Colleges Score: A+ College Enrollment: 100% Culture & Diversity Grade: B+ Parent Student Surveys on Overall Experience: 4.0 out of 5 Student-Teacher Ratio: 12 to 1 13. North Broward Preparatory School Address: 7600 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek, Florida 33073 Website: Nbps.org Composite SAT/ACT Scores: SAT: 1270 ACT: 29 Top Colleges Score: A+ College Enrollment: 100% Culture & Diversity Grade: B- Parent Student Surveys on Overall Experience: 4.3 out of 5 Student-Teacher Ratio: 13 to 1 14. Gulliver Preparatory School – Miller Drive Campus School Address: 8000 Miller Drive, Miami, Florida 33155 Website: Gulliverschools.org Composite SAT/ACT Scores: SAT: 1240 ACT: 27 Top Colleges Score: A+ College Enrollment: 98% Culture & Diversity Grade: B+ Parent Student Surveys on Overall Experience: 4.4 out of 5 Student-Teacher Ratio: 10 to 1 15. Donna Klein Jewish Academy Address: 9701 Donna Klein Boulevard, Boca Raton, Florida 33428 Website: Dkja.org Composite SAT/ACT Scores: SAT: 1280 ACT: 29 Top Colleges Score: A College Enrollment: 98% Culture & Diversity Grade: C+ Parent Student Surveys on Overall Experience: 4.1 out of 5 Student-Teacher Ratio: 7 to 1 16. Miami Country Day School Address: 601 NE 107th Street, Miami, Florida 33161 Website: Miamicountryday.org Composite SAT/ACT Scores: SAT: 1230 ACT: 29 Top Colleges Score: A+ College Enrollment: 100% Culture & Diversity Grade: B+ Parent Student Surveys on Overall Experience: 3.8 out of 5 Student-Teacher Ratio: 9 to 1 17. Weinbaum Yeshiva High School Address: 7902 Montoya Circle N., Boca Raton, Florida 33433 Website: Yeshivahs.org Composite SAT/ACT Scores: SAT: 1340 ACT: 29 Top Colleges Score: A College Enrollment: 95% Culture & Diversity Grade: C Parent Student Surveys on Overall Experience: 4.1 out of 5 Student-Teacher Ratio: 8 to 1 18. Belen Jesuit Prep School Address: 500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, Florida 33184 Website: Belenjesuit.org Composite SAT/ACT Scores: SAT: 1250 ACT: 29 Top Colleges Score: A+ College Enrollment: 98% Culture & Diversity Grade: C- Parent Student Surveys on Overall Experience: 4.6 out of 5 Student-Teacher Ratio: 12 to 1 19. RASG Hebrew Academy Address: 2400 Pine Tree Drive, Miami Beach, Florida 33140 Website: Rasg.org Composite SAT/ACT Scores: SAT: 1250 ACT: 30 Top Colleges Score: A College Enrollment: 100% Culture & Diversity Grade: C+ Parent Student Surveys on Overall Experience: 3.5 out of 5 Student-Teacher Ratio: 6 to 1 20. Our Lady of Lourdes Academy Address: 5525 SW 84th Street, Miami, Florida 33143 Website: Olla.org Composite SAT/ACT Scores: SAT: 1210 ACT: 27 Top Colleges Score: A College Enrollment: 100% Culture & Diversity Grade: C Parent Student Surveys on Overall Experience: 4.3 out of 5 Student-Teacher Ratio: 12 to 1 Disclaimer: The rankings and information herein was retrieved from Niche.com. Miami Luxury Homes has no affiliation with this website nor the company Niche. This information is for informative purposes only and should not be relied upon.
Sellers…Don’t Fall for These Agent Tricks When Selling Your Home Posted on October 18, 2016June 25, 2021 by Michael Light According to the National Association of Realtors (“NAR”) 2015 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 72% of sellers select the first agent they interview to sell their home. That seems ridiculously high…just because an agent is “first through the door” doesn’t mean he/she is best suited to market your property for sale. EVERY AGENT WANTS YOUR LISTING AND MOST WILL SAY ALMOST ANYTHING TO GET IT! I have lost plenty of listings to other agents, it happens. I am so brutally honest with sellers, sometimes to a fault, that I at times lose listings to other agents usually because they will tell an owner anything. The Magic Offer: This is probably the most egregious method some agents use to get listings. Let me share a specific story that occurred recently: I met with a homeowner who was listed as a FSBO (For Sale by Owner). It was a VERY expensive listing, over $10,000,000. The owner and I had great rapport. He was a tech guy into website design, SEO, digital marketing, etc. We hit it off. While talking about technology, he told me specifically “90% of agents do not know how to effectively market properties to sell.” He was smart. A tech giant. He could see through any crap an agent could give him about how their digital marketing expertise, blah, blah was better than everyone else. As I said, this guy was a tech expert. He could look at an agent’s website and see how it ranked, where it ranked, traffic, worldwide reach, etc. When I left his home, he immediately emailed me about how refreshing it was that I “spoke his language.” See, he could see that everything I knew about digital marketing was accurate, it’s what I do…again, I got you to my website didn’t I? He liked my website (the one you are on right now), and I thought I was certainly going to meet him again to secure his listing. After speaking with him a few more times over the next few weeks, he informed me that he was going to list with another agent. He told me who it was and even why he chose them. Here is the kicker…He told me how this other agent had recently brought him 2 offers from 2 different clients to purchase his home…yes, the home that is asking well above $10M. When I asked him why either of the offers didn’t work, he told me they just couldn’t come to terms. Really? With 2 different offers? Here is what most likely happened, and this happens a lot…this agent made up 2 magical buyers with 2 magical offers. There was never a real buyer, or 2 buyer’s in this case. This was only a strategy intended to show the seller that this agent has buyers like this, in this price range, lined up and ready to buy. And since this agent has already brought the seller 2 “buyers” without really marketing the property, just think what they could do once they have that coveted exclusive listing agreement signed and could market the property to their extensive network of foreign billionaires. Give me a break! No agent has 2 $10M plus buyer’s that just happen to be interested in the exact same property at the exact same time. Unfortunately, even though the seller loved my website, my digital marketing expertise, the fact that we spoke the same tech language…he chose an agent that had no online presence whatsoever and no digital marketing expertise because that agent had a stable of unicorns lined up to buy his property…as soon as the owner signed an exclusive listing with them of course. It will be interesting to see what happens with this property over the coming months. Overpromise (LIE)/Price Reduction: “Yes Mr./Mrs. homeseller, the price you think your home is worth is exactly where we should price your home” is at the top of the list of crap agents use to secure listings. So many agents blindly agree with a seller’s idea of their own value just to get their sign in the front yard…and then go back after 3 weeks of no calls or showings to get a price reduction. The moment an agent is hired and their sign is in the yard, the chance of a seller firing that agent is slim, and agents know that. For example, when I meet with a seller, and they tell me their home is worth $1,000,000, I do not just blindly agree. I have done my research…a full statistical breakdown of all homes in the neighborhood. Recent sales, pending sales, available inventory…I know the home is worth $875,000, and I tell the seller that. Usually, after a bit of back-and-forth, we say our goodbyes and I never hear from that seller. A few weeks later, their home is listed with another agent at $1,025,000…it sits for a month, reduced to $975,000…a few more weeks, reduced again…and finally sells near my original estimate of $875,000. The Fake Buyer: This is a rather offensive and very dishonest practice done by some agents. An agent will ask a friend of theirs to accompany them to an open house being hosted by a FSBO. The friend is supposed to act as a buyer and pretend they are very interested in the home. The seller then continues speaking with that agent for several weeks about the “buyer” they brought to the open house. The agent then informs the seller that the “buyer” had purchased another property but would love the opportunity to list their home for sale. Since the agent and seller have now built rapport, the agent has a leg up on the competition to get the listing. To take the “fake buyer” a step further, it sadly works for more than just securing the listing. I know of an agent, and have no respect for him, that was in fear of losing a listing and was trying to get the homeowner to extend the listing agreement. He asked a friend to dress very nicely and even rented the friend a very expensive car. The friend then arrived at the home and toured it posing as a buyer. The homeowner was so excited about this potential “buyer” that she agreed to extend the listing with the current listing agent. Did I mention this was a $10M listing? These are just a few examples of things that agents will do to get listings. Most of the agents in this industry are honest, hardworking and ethical. Unfortunately, like other industries, there is a small percentage of people that hurt the overall reputation of real estate professionals. Cautionary Tale: I was showing property in Coral Gables to clients from NYC late last year whose budget was $10M. We visited a home that was listed at $9.9M and they fell in love. We sat down to discuss an offer strategy and to our surprise, comparable sales put the home’s value at $6M…40% below list price. In addition to being a bit discouraged, my clients were also dumbfounded as they explained to me that in NYC, almost all properties sell near, at or above asking price and they assumed that translated to our market. When I called the listing agent and explained this to her, she agreed that the home was only worth $6M, but said the seller was stubborn and wanted to list for $9.9M…but it was actually higher. Upon further research, this property had been on and off the market with list prices as high as $12.5M. Instead of the current listing agent being honest about the homes true value, she took the listing anyway (see what I mean about taking listings at any price). Soon after this, she lost the listing when it expired, obviously because no one was willing to overpay by 40%. But this is where it gets interesting… Another agent went after the listing and secured it 9 weeks later. Would anyone like to guess as to what the new list price was??? $11.9M!!! This agent walked in and wanted the listing so bad that he told the owner he wanted to raise the price $2M!!! This is absurd! After 6 months, and no activity, the agent talked the homeowner into selling the property at a no reserve auction which is coming up within 2 weeks. When the home sells at auction with a sales price that starts with a 6, the homeowner is going to be severely disappointed but the auction company AND the listing agent will still get their commissions. What Can Sellers Do When Interviewing Agents? First, please read the article that I published recently titled “Seller Beware: Agents Will Try to “Buy” Your Listing?” It is a little added education for sellers. 1. Interview multiple agents. Sounds simple, but as I stated to open the article, 72% select the first agent they interview. 2. Listen, Listen, Listen. Listen to everything that each agent tells you. Take notes to discover what marketing techniques are important to you. 3. Get marketing examples. Ask each agent to give you pieces of their marketing. Whether it be postcards, digital marketing or ads, ask to see different pieces. Ask yourself, if you were a buyer, would these different marketing examples make you want to go visit these properties? 4. Did you know that 75% of home buyers find the home they are going to purchase online? Do these agents have an online footprint? If not, beware…and if so, these agents should go to the top of your list of potential listing agents. Ask the agents to show you web traffic, clicks, visits, etc., to prove to you they advertise online. 5. Ask the agent how they can effectively market your home for sale internationally. Marketing internationally effectively (with the key word being effectively) is a must in the Miami real estate market, as more than 50% of Miami buyers are foreign. Agents will tell you that their brokerage markets internationally, and may even have “International” behind a name or designation…usually this is just fluff. The one thing I can tell you is that Douglas Elliman effectively markets internationally across 6 continents in 484 offices throughout 59 countries with an exclusive partnership with Knight Frank, the largest real estate firm on the planet…hence why Douglas Elliman sold $22+ Billion in real estate last year! 6. Every agent claims to have a buyer’s database. Where did they get this database? How was it collected? Ask the agent where this database came from. Are these buyers the agent has worked with in the past? Did they purchase the list…I hope not. My list, for example, has been collected over years and includes buyers I have actually worked with, spoken to or have visited my website while searching for real estate…real buyers. The 3 P’s The three P’s of real estate marketing for MOST agents: Put a sign in the yard, Put it on the MLS…Pray that it sells! My main advice to sellers…do not work with an agent who only uses the 3 P’s for their marketing strategy! If you are interested in selling your home or condo in South Florida, or simply have a question about the real estate market, please contact Michael Light, Director of Luxury Sales at Douglas Elliman, for a full marketing presentation of how we can market your home to sell for the highest possible price. You may reach me on my cell at (786) 566-1700, directly at my office at (305) 350-9842 or via email at michael@miamiluxuryhomes.com.
Top-100 Elementary Schools in Miami-Dade County Posted on September 25, 2016April 28, 2018 by Michael Light As a real estate professional, it is important for me to be well-informed about the best schools in each neighborhood in Miami-Dade County so that I may educate my clients moving from out of the state or country. And, with over 400 elementary, middle, high and combinations schools in Miami-Dade County alone, it can be essential to home buyers with children when picking the area that they want to call home. So, to try to make this obstacle as easy as possible for my clients, I wanted to post the most up-to-date rankings for the Top-100 elementary schools in Miami-Dade County, researched by Miami Agent Magazine from pages and pages of statistical data from Florida’s Department of Education. Top-100 Elementary Schools in Miami-Dade County RANK SCHOOL NAME 1 DOWNTOWN DORAL CHARTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 2 SOMERSET PREPARATORY ACADEMY SUNSET 3 HENRY S. WEST LABORATORY SCHOOL 4 ARCHIMEDEAN ACADEMY 5 SOMERSET GABLES ACADEMY 6 TRUE NORTH CLASSICAL ACADEMY 7 CALUSA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 8 SOMERSET ACADEMY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SOUTH MIAMI CAMPUS 9 DORAL ACADEMY 10 MATER GARDENS ACADEMY 11 RENAISSANCE ELEMENTARY CHARTER SCHOOL 12 PINECREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 13 WILLIAM H. LEHMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 14 N DADE CENTER FOR MODERN LANGUAGE 15 ETHEL KOGER BECKHAM ELEMENTARY 16 PINECREST ACADEMY (SOUTH CAMPUS) 17 DANTE B. FASCELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 18 COCONUT GROVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 19 FLAGAMI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 20 SOMERSET ACADEMY BAY 21 JOELLA GOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 22 CLAUDE PEPPER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 23 ROYAL PALM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 24 MATER ACADEMY 25 OLIVER HOOVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 26 KENDALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 27 BANYAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 28 BENT TREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 29 CORAL REEF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 30 PALMETTO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 31 WESLEY MATTHEWS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 32 SOUTHSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 33 SOMERSET ACADEMY CHARTER 34 ISAAC: INTEGRATED SCIENCE AND ASIAN CULTURE ACADEMY 35 JOE HALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 36 MIAMI SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 37 NORTH BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 38 ACADEMIR CHARTER SCHOOL WEST 39 MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS ELEM 40 GULFSTREAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 41 ADVANTAGE ACADEMY SANTA FE 42 SPRINGVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 43 SPANISH LAKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 44 NORTH TWIN LAKES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 45 SOMERSET ACADEMY AT SILVER PALMS 46 PALM SPRINGS NORTH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 47 ROYAL GREEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 48 SUNSET PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 49 NORMA BUTLER BOSSARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 50 DR. MANUEL C. BARREIRO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 51 PINECREST PREPARATORY ACADEMY 52 HIALEAH GARDENS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 53 ZORA NEALE HURSTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 54 KENDALE LAKES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 55 SYLVANIA HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 56 SOMERSET ACADEMY CHARTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (S. HOMESTEAD) 57 EMERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 58 HIALEAH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 59 MADIE IVES COMMUNITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 60 REDONDO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 61 DR. CARLOS J. FINLAY ELEMENTARY 62 GEORGE W. CARVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 63 CUTLER RIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 64 GREENGLADE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 65 HOWARD DRIVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 66 PALM LAKES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 67 SEMINOLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 68 SOUTH POINTE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 69 SOUTH MIAMI HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY 70 E.W.F. STIRRUP ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 71 TWIN LAKES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 72 CHRISTINA M. EVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 73 DAVID FAIRCHILD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 74 HENRY M. FLAGLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 75 GLORIA FLOYD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 76 GREYNOLDS PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 77 DR. HENRY E. PERRINE ACADEMY OF THE ARTS 78 SHADOWLAWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 79 SNAPPER CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 80 FLAMINGO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 81 KINLOCH PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 82 DOWNTOWN MIAMI CHARTER SCHOOL 83 MAE M. WALTERS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 84 AMELIA EARHART ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 85 CHARLES R HADLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 86 WEST HIALEAH GARDENS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 87 LAKE STEVENS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 88 NORTH MIAMI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 89 BRIDGEPREP ACADEMY INTERAMERICAN CAMPUS 90 CORAL TERRACE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 91 ACADEMIR PREPARATORY ACADEMY 92 JACK DAVID GORDON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 93 LAKEVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 94 LUDLAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 95 OJUS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 96 PALM SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 97 KELSEY L. PHARR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 98 VIRGINIA A BOONE-HIGHLAND OAKS SCHOOL 99 KENSINGTON PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 100 NORTH HIALEAH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL If you, or someone you know, are looking to relocate your family to South Florida, contact your trusted Miami real estate broker, Michael Light of Douglas Elliman. You may reach me on my cell at (786) 566-1700, directly at my office at (305) 350-9842 or via email at michael@miamiluxuryhomes.com.
Seller Beware: Agents Will Try to “Buy” Your Listing? Posted on June 19, 2016June 25, 2021 by Michael Light The Real Deal recently published an article dubbed “Beware of Agents Who Will “Buy” Your Listing,” and it proves to be a good read for those interested in selling a home in any real estate market in this country, but this especially holds true for sellers in South Florida. “It’s one of those hush-hush practices that homeowners rarely hear about, but real estate agents know only too well: It’s called “buying the listing.” What it means is that some agents want the listing to sell your house so badly that they’ll go along with whatever price you ask, even if it’s outlandishly above what comparable houses are commanding. They know that there’s only a minuscule chance the house will sell at the inflated price you’re proposing but they take the listing anyway. They fully expect that after a few weeks with no takers, you’ll sober up and agree to what may have to be a series of price reductions. Buying the listing works for some agents because they get cut into a commission payout that they would have missed had they lost the listing to competitors who counseled lower prices. Plus they reap immediate benefits: They’ve got their name plastered on a sign in front of your house, and they can hold open houses that could bring them new clients and other houses to sell. But there are potentially big drawbacks for you as the seller. Overpricing a house can doom it to months of sitting unsold, even with price reductions. Serious buyers get turned off by new listings with inflated prices, and they may not come back when the price inevitably gets reduced. At the end of the process, you could be left with a final price well below what you would have gotten had you priced it realistically earlier. CLICK HERE to read the full article from The Real Deal. The Overpriced Listing Bottom line is, do your homework. Choosing an agent because they agree with the price you want is going to bring you as much success as choosing an agent because of the color of their shirt or because they drive the same kind of car as you. Sellers usually come up with a price from an emotional point-of-view because their home is special to them. We as agents hear this all the time…”the house next door sold for $900,000, but mine is worth $1,100,000 because my house has a better layout and custom kitchen.” Or, “I know that house…the kitchen is ugly and has less closet space than my house,” etc. It doesn’t matter that the house next door is the exact same size and was built in the same year, it is almost always inferior to a seller’s house in the seller’s mind because of the emotional attachment a seller has with his/her home. The Underpriced Listing Overpricing a home because a seller wants to set the price is not the only disservice real estate agents do. On the flipside of the overpriced home, what about the home that is underpriced? While interviewing an agent, beware if they boast about recently selling a home at or over full price (in the South Florida real estate market), or that it sold in 5 days. This is actually terrible for those other sellers. Selling too quickly or at or over asking price is almost always a sign the home was underpriced. The Agent Who Has 10 Listings on Your Block You don’t want to overprice or underprice your home…so why not pick the agent who has all the listings on your block? You see their signs everywhere. If all of your neighbors selected 1 particular agent, they must be the “best,” right? They may be good, but this is not a good strategy for a seller. Let’s pretend for a moment that you choose this “best” agent and price your home at $900,000. During a tour of your home, this “best” agent gets push back on price from the buyers. Instead of reviewing all of the benefits of your home and showing the buyers that it is well priced in comparison to recent sales in the neighborhood, they decide to take the path of least resistance and leave your home to take the buyers to other homes he/she has listed down the street at $850,000 or $800,000 or $750,000 (this “best” agent does have 5, 10, 15 listings in your neighborhood that you and your home are competing with). Is the “best” agent really going to fight to sell your home? Or, just use your listing as a reason to get more listings in your neighborhood, use open houses at your listing as a marketing opportunity to attract buyers for themselves or even worse, use your home as an example of how well priced another home is in order to make a sale on that other home? Any agent who has been in this business for more than 5 minutes has seen every single one of the examples that I mention above. I see it all the time, and it no longer surprises me. But for sellers who may sell a home every 5-7 years or longer, you have to find a way to cut through the “noise” and feel comfortable with the agent you ultimately choose to represent you. You have to find an agent that you can partner with to sell your home for the best possible price. What Should Sellers Ask? How is the agent going to market your home…Personal Website? Print media? Post cards? Drone video? How much of their own money is the agent willing to invest into the marketing of your home (if you get a shaky answer to this question, or the agent is not willing to put a number in writing, beware!). Does the agent work for a brokerage that has a worldwide reach to market your home globally (get hard statistics)? Many agents, especially in the Miami and Miami Beach real estate markets, engage in practices as explained in TRD article above, mainly because there are over 40,000 agents in Miami-Dade County fighting for business, and agents are willing to tell sellers anything they want to hear just to get their listing, but this is not effective, possibly an ethical violation and just plainly not good business! The 3 P’s The three P’s of real estate marketing for MOST agents: Put a sign in the yard, Put it on the MLS…Pray that it sells! My main advice to sellers…do not work with an agent who only uses the 3 P’s for their marketing strategy! If you are interested in selling your home or condo in South Florida, please contact Michael Light, Director of Luxury Sales at Douglas Elliman, for a full marketing presentation of how Michael can market your home to sell for the best possible price. You may reach me on my cell at (786) 566-1700, directly at my office at (305) 350-9842 or via email at michael@miamiluxuryhomes.com.
Douglas Elliman Presents Innovative Digital Marketing Presentations Posted on April 8, 2016 by Michael Light Douglas Elliman is THE premiere luxury real estate firm in the country with $22+ billion in sales in 2015. Established in 1911, Douglas Elliman has grown to become the 4th largest real estate firm in the United States and the most reputable luxury real estate firm in the country. As the market leaders in New York, South Florida, California, Connecticut, Colorado and New Jersey, Douglas Elliman closed $22+ billion with 37,800 sale and rental transactions in 2015 alone…$2.4 billion of which came from South Florida. In addition, Douglas Elliman has strategically partnered with Knight Frank Residential of London to extend their powerful real estate network to 489 offices in 58 countries across 6 continents. No brokerage has a bigger global reach when marketing your home or condo for sale. Douglas Elliman prides itself on being a leader in the luxury real estate market while providing the most innovative marketing tools to its clients. So, it should come as no surprise that Douglas Elliman is the first brokerage firm in South Florida to provide its luxury brokers with a custom-designed “folder” that has a built-in tablet display that plays an unparalleled digital listing presentation for prospective clients that showcases Douglas Elliman is the premier brokerage firm in the country. First introduced at the “South Florida Ellies” award ceremony a few weeks ago, the remarkable digital presentation folders highlight the outstanding excellence of Douglas Elliman and all of its accomplishments. Please watch the 2 videos below included in the digital folder. If you, or someone you know, are interested in marketing your South Florida luxury home or condo with the most innovative marketing tools offered in the real estate industry, please contact Michael Light of Douglas Elliman. You may reach Michael directly at (786) 566-1700 or via email at michael@miamiluxuryhomes.com.