Numbers Don’t Lie | Miami is a Top Ranking City Posted on January 27, 2018 by Michael Light Obviously, I am a huge believer and proponent for the trendsetting, ever-evolving Magic City, but don’t just take my word, read the stats…numbers don’t lie…Miami is one of the top ranked cities in the entire world. Miami is not only a global hub for nightlife, art, culture and luxury, but also a major hub for business with startups flocking to the “Happiest City to Work.” Miami has seriously evolved from a beach destination into a top global city and the numbers prove it! Miami: A Top Ranking City If you are interested in learning more about Miami and the luxury real estate market, please feel free to contact Michael Light, Senior Director of Luxury Sales at Douglas Elliman Real Estate and Founder/Owner of the Miami Luxury Homes Group. You may reach Michael at (305) 350-9842 or michael@miamiluxuryhomes.com. Source: Miami Association of Realtors
Miami Events Schedule for 2018 Posted on January 13, 2018January 13, 2018 by Michael Light Miami, its surrounding neighborhoods and the beaches offer an exciting, eclectic variety of events that take place each and every year in the Magic City, and I would like to share with you some of these fun events that will take place in 2018. EVENT AREA DATE Miami Jewish Film Festival Miami/Miami Beach January 11-25 Miami Design Preservation League’s Art Deco Miami Beach January 12-14 Wodapalooza Miami Fitness Festival Downtown Miami January 12-14 Redland Heritage Festival Homestead January 13-14 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade Liberty City January 15 Splendor in the Garden at Fairchild Coral Gables January 16 Fairchild’s Chocolate Festival Coral Gables January 19-21 Coconut Grove Comedy Festival Coconut Grove January 20 Fine Arts Festival at Pinecrest Gardens Pinecrest January 20-21 Taste of the Garden Miami Beach January 25 Festival of the Arts Coral Gables January 27-28 Miami Marathon & Half Marathon Downtown Miami January 28 Gala in the Garden (Fairchild) Coral Gables February 3 Fashion, Art, Music Night Coconut Grove February 3 Groundup Music Festival Miami Beach February 9-11 Habitat for Humanity Blitz Build 2018 Miami February 9-24 Miami International Boat Show Key Biscayne February 15-19 Art Wynwood Wynwood February 15-19 Model Beach Volleyball Tournament Miami Beach February 17-18 Coconut Grove Arts Festival Coconut Grove February 17-19 South Beach Wine & Food Festival Miami Beach February 21-25 Winter Party Festival Miami Beach February 28-March 6 Artopia Coral Gables March TBD Winter Music Conference Miami Beach March TBD 9 Mile Music Festival Key Biscayne March TBD Fashion, Art, Music Night Coconut Grove March 3 Carnaval on the Mile Coral Gables March 3-4 Bacardi Miami Sailing Week & Bacardi Cup Coconut Grove March 4-10 Miami Film Festival Downtown Miami March 9-18 Calle Ocho Festival Little Havana March 11 Miami Invasion of Jazz in the Gardens Miami Beach March 17-19 Miami Open f/k/a Sony Open (Tennis) Key Biscayne March 19-April 1 Miami-Dade County Fair & Exposition Sweetwater March 15-April 8 Ultra Music Festival Downtown Miami March 23-25 Deering Seafood Festival Cutler Bay March 25 The Longines Global Champions Tour Miami Beach April TBD Miami Beach Polo World Cup Miami Beach April TBD Miami Beach Gay Pride Miami Beach April 2-8 Miami Home Design & Remodeling Show Miami Beach April 6-8 Miami Riverday Festival Downtown Miami April 7 Fashion, Art, Music Night Coconut Grove April 7 Wynwood Life Festival Wynwood April 20-22 Mercedes Benz Corporate Run Downtown Miami April 26 So. Florida Taste of the Nation (No Kid Hungry) Wynwood April 27 SoFlo Cake and candy Expo 2018 Miami April 28 Miami Fashion Show Miami Beach May TBD Aqua Girl Miami May 18 Best of the Best Music Fest Downtown Miami May 27 Out in the Tropics Festival Miami Beach June TBD Fourth of July Fireworks and Festivities Throughout Miami July 4 Miami Swim Week Miami Beach July 12-15 International Mango Festival Coral Gables July 14-15 Miami International Auto Show Miami Beach September TBD Miami Carnaval Parade & Concert Miami October TBD South Beach Seafood Festival Miami Beach October TBD Grovetoberfest Coconut Grove October TBA Coconut Grove Seafood Festival Coconut Grove October 20 The Seed Food & Wine Festival Miami Beach November TBD Harvest Festival South Miami November TBD Great Grove Bed Race Coconut Grove November TBD Miami Beach Annual Veteran’s Day Parade Miami Beach November 11 NASCAR Ford Championship Weekend Homestead November 16-18 Art Miami Downtown Miami December 4-9 Art Basel Throughout South Florida December 6-9 King Mango Strut Parade Coconut Grove December 31 Monthly Miami Specials Miami and the Beaches also offer monthly “temptation programs,” which offer locals and visitors alike, money-saving specials on something different each month. See below for each month’s cool theme! January – Miami Cruise Month February – Miami Romance Month March – Shop Miami Month April – Miami Sports & Wellness Month May – Miami Museum Month June – Miami Film Month June – September – Miami Hotel Months July & August – Miami Spa Months August & September – Miami Spice Months October – Miami Attractions Month November – Miami Live Arts Month December – Miami Heritage Month Disclaimer – Miami Luxury Homes is not affiliated and/or working on behalf of any of the above-referenced events and/or organizations. This information is for informative purposes only and is not to be relied upon. Dates are subject to change without notice. This is not an inclusive list of all events in and around Miami that will take place in 2018.
2017 Art Basel Miami Beach Breaks Record with 82,000 Attendees Posted on December 13, 2017December 14, 2017 by Michael Light Art Basel 2017 proved to be the most successful one yet, setting a record with 82,000 attendants vising the fair this year at the Miami Beach Convention Center, compared to 77,000 average each of the past 2 years, according to the fair organizers. The fair space on Miami Beach was expanded by about 10% this year, due to an ongoing renovation at the Miami Beach Convention Center which is expected to be complete before Art Basel 2018. In addition, this year Art Basel’s Art Miami and Context had a new home on the Resorts World Miami site on a freshly poured 250k-square-foot concrete slab and had a crowd that most likely exceeded the 85,000 attendees, but final numbers for this has not yet been announced. How lucky are we to have the most popular art fair in the world, right in our very own backyard! Thank you to all of our clients who came to celebrate Art Basel in South Florida this year, and we hope to see you all back next year! Check out a few of the fun pictures from this year’s Art Basel. Art Basel Miami Beach 2017 Art Basel Miami Beach 2017 Art Basel Miami Beach 2017 Art Basel Miami Beach 2017 Art Basel Miami Beach 2017
Miami is Preparing for Art Basel 2017 | December 7-10 Posted on November 29, 2017 by Michael Light It is that time of year…Art Basel Miami Beach is right around the corner, so brace yourself for lots of eccentric art, entertainment and even more than usual celebrities in South Florida. This year, Art Basel runs from Thursday, December 7th through and including Sunday, December 10th, but pre-Art-Basel-parties have already begun! Art Basel presents the world’s leading modern and contemporary art shows annually in only 3 places around the globe, Basel, Hong Kong and right here in South Florida. How lucky we are to have such a significant, dynamic cultural event right in our very own backyard. Art Basel Miami Beach will present an exhilarating array of art work by both internationally-renowned artists and up-and-coming artists from around the world. Attendees of Art Basel will be immersed in the exciting art world while viewing pieces from over 200 premiere galleries from North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Premier paintings, sculptures, photographs, installations, films, editioned works and digital art of the highest caliber will be on display in the main exhibition hall while other art work, films and performances will be featured as part of the landscape at nearby beaches, Collins Park and Soundscape Park. Miami Beach Art Basel draws over 70,000 visitors from around the world and truly transforms Miami into a vibrant, exciting cultural event. So, if you live in Miami, take advantage of the exciting shows, and if you are visiting, welcome to Miami and enjoy! CLICK HERE for information about Art Basel Miami Beach 2017, including show information, tickets and overall visitor guides. Photo Source: artbasel.com/miami-beach
What is South Beach’s Famed Retro ‘Art Deco’ Architecture? Posted on September 26, 2017August 16, 2018 by Michael Light Miami Beach is undeniably a melting pot of different architectural work and design, but it is certainly most famous for its vibrant, retro-fabulous “Art Deco”-style. So, what is Art Deco??? Art Deco, which is the famed architecture in the heart of South Beach, is not only an architectural style, but is a global design aesthetic that first trended in Paris in 1925. Art Deco then spread worldwide during the 1920’s through the early 40’s and popularized during this time period in Miami Beach. The Art Deco style is a modern take on neoclassical, one that is equally historic and retro and appealing to the eye. Art Deco is marked by its characteristic bright vibrant colors, elaborate embellishments such as glass blocks to porthole windows and prominent structural gems like geometric statues or fountains. Art Deco infuses artistic touches into functional objects, which is different from fine arts where the works have no practical purpose beyond the aesthetic viewing. Most of the Art Deco buildings in Miami Beach, including over 800 structures built during the 1930’s and early ‘40’s, are considered to be Streamline Moderne, which is the American version of Art Deco that was a pared, sleek version of the more elaborate European-style of Art Deco. And, as Miami loves to put its own spin on things, it did the same with the Art Deco design, as it incorporated its tropical environment and seaside influences complimenting the Miami Art Deco scene with aquatic and floral embellishments, nautical designs and pastel colors, what some may call ‘Tropical Deco.’ Where is the Art Deco District in Miami Beach??? The Art Deco District in the heart of South Beach is located between 6th and 23rd Street along Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue and Washington Avenue. So, if you find yourself strolling along one of these celebrated streets, you will notice the Art Deco architecture on the exterior façade of many of the buildings, but some of the most quintessential Art Deco buildings in South Beach are The Colony Hotel, Park Central Hotel, Essex House, The Clevelander, The Delano, The Webster, The Breakwater, The Raleigh and The Tides. For more information on Art Deco preservation, history, attractions, etc., you can check out the full-service Art Deco Welcome Center located at 1001 Ocean Drive and enjoy guided tours and much more!
Thursday Throwdown: Miami Beach vs. Coconut Grove Single-Family Homes Posted on August 3, 2017August 17, 2017 by Michael Light Miami Beach and Coconut Grove are 2 of the most sought-after communities in South Florida, so how do they stack up against each other in today’s single-family home real estate market? Only a few miles apart and both offering breathtaking water views, these 2 neighborhoods are like night and day, but they both seem to be the place everyone wants to call home. And now, because of a long list of reasons, everyone is flocking from Miami Beach to Coconut Grove. And, why not…The Grove is approximately 13 feet above sea level, offers a fun laid-back friendly waterfront environment and offers lots of great restaurants, shopping, parks, marinas, entertainment and a lot of history! So where do you get more of a bang for your buck…let’s look at the numbers. Available Waterfront Single-Family Home Inventory Currently, Miami Beach has 187 waterfront single-family homes listed for sale with an average list price of $9,825,298 and an average list price per square foot of $1,490.04. In Coconut Grove, there are currently only 8 waterfront single-family homes for sale with an average list price of $13,291,125 and an average price per square foot of $1,557.72. Miami Beach Waterfront Single-Family Home Inventory Total Waterfront Homes Available: 187 Average List Price: $9,825,298 Average List Price Per Square Foot: $1,490.04 Coconut Grove Waterfront Single-Family Home Inventory Total Waterfront Homes Available: 8 Average List Price: $13,291,125 Average List Price Per Square Foot: $1,557.72 Available Non-Waterfront Single-Family Home Inventory Currently, Miami Beach has 225 non-waterfront single-family homes listed for sale with an average list price of $2,047,639 and an average list price per square foot of $654.70. In Coconut Grove, there are currently 103 non-waterfront single-family homes for sale with an average list price of $1,912,476 and an average price per square foot of $547.97. Miami Beach Non-Waterfront Single-Family Home Inventory Total Non-Waterfront Homes Available: 225 Average List Price: $2,047,639 Average List Price Per Square Foot: $654.70 Coconut Grove Non-Waterfront Single-Family Home Inventory Total Non-Waterfront Homes Available: 103 Average List Price: $1,912,476 Average List Price Per Square Foot: $547.97 Single-Family Waterfront Homes Closed in the Last 6 Months In the last 6 months, 45 waterfront single-family homes have sold in Miami Beach with an average sales price of $5,353,133 and an average price per square foot of $989.25. Coconut Grove has seen 3 sales of waterfront single-family homes in the last 6 months with an average sales price of $8,016,667 and an average price per square foot of $919.55. Miami Beach Waterfront Single-Family Homes Closed in Last 6 Months Total Waterfront Homes Closed in Last 6 Months: 45 Average Sales Price: $5,353,133 Average Sales Price Per Square Foot: $989.25 Coconut Grove Waterfront Single-Family Homes Closed in Last 6 Months Total Waterfront Homes Closed in Last 6 Months: 3 Average Sales Price: $8,016,667 Average Sales Price Per Square Foot: $919.55 Single-Family Non-Waterfront Homes Closed in the Last 6 Months In the last 6 months, 82 non-waterfront single-family homes have sold in Miami Beach with an average sales price of $1,416,142 and an average price per square foot of $502.94. Coconut Grove has seen 79 sales of non-waterfront single-family homes in the last 6 months with an average sales price of $1,312,553 and an average price per square foot of $438.88. Please note that I just recently set 2 records for the Coconut Grove real estate market…the first non-waterfront home to ever sell in the history of the Grove over $5M and the highest-priced-per-square-foot non-waterfront home to ever sell in Coconut Grove, at $818 per sq/ft. Miami Beach Non-Waterfront Single-Family Homes Closed in Last 6 Months Total Non-Waterfront Homes Closed in Last 6 Months: 82 Average Sales Price: $1,416,142 Average Sales Price Per Square Foot: $502.94 Coconut Grove Non-Waterfront Single-Family Homes Closed in Last 6 Months Total Non-Waterfront Homes Closed in Last 6 Months: 79 Average Sales Price: $1,312,553 Average Sales Price Per Square Foot: $438.88 Miami Beach & Coconut Grove Single-Family Home Months of Inventory Miami Beach & Coconut Grove Waterfront Single-Family Homes Miami Beach: 25 Months of available inventory Coconut Grove: 16 Months of available inventory Miami Beach & Coconut Grove Non-Waterfront Single-Family Homes Miami Beach: 17 Months of available inventory Coconut Grove: 8 Months of available inventory Interested in the South Florida Real Estate Market??? If you, or someone you know, would like more information about the real estate markets in Miami Beach and/or Coconut Grove, please contact Michael Light, Director of Luxury Sales at Douglas Elliman Real Estate. You may reach Michael directly at his office at (305) 350-9842, on his cell phone at (786) 566-1700 or via email at michael@miamiluxuryhomes.com. Note: The information contained herein was retrieved from the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) on August 3, 2017, and is intended for informative purposes only and, thus, should not be relied upon.
Miami Events Schedule for 2017 Posted on January 28, 2017 by Michael Light Miami, its surrounding neighborhoods and the beaches offer an exciting, eclectic variety of events that take place each and every year in the Magic City, and I would like to share with you some of these fun events that will take place in 2017. EVENT AREA DATE Biscayne Green Downtown Miami January 6-26 Splendor in the Garden at Fairchild Coral Gables January 11 Miami Jewish Film Festival Miami/Miami Beach January 12-26 Art Deco Weekend Miami Beach January 13-15 Wodapalooza Miami Fitness Festival Downtown Miami January 13-15 Redland Heritage Festival Homestead January 14-15 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade Liberty City January 16 Festival Miami Coral Gables January 19-February 11 Fairchild’s Chocolate Festival Coral Gables January 20-22 Coconut Grove Comedy Festival Coconut Grove January 21 Fine Arts Festival at Pinecrest Gardens Pinecrest January 21-22 Taste of the Garden Miami Beach January 27 Coral Gables Festival of the Arts Coral Gables January 28-29 Miami Marathon & Half Marathon Downtown Miami January 29 Fashion, Art, Music Night Coconut Grove February 4 Groundup Music Festival Miami Beach February 10-12 Street Art for Mankind Art Exhibition Little Haiti February 10-20 Habitat for Humanity Blitz Build 2017 Miami February 10-25 Wynwood Art Walk Wynwood February 11 Carnaval Miami Throughout Miami February 11-March 12 Family Day in the Design District Miami Design District February 12 Miami International Boat Show Key Biscayne February 16-20 Art Wynwood Wynwood February 16-20 Jazz at Pinecrest Gardens Pinecrest February 18 Model Beach Volleyball Tournament Miami Beach February 18-19 Coconut Grove Arts Festival Coconut Grove February 18-20 South Beach Food & Wine Festival Miami Beach February 22-26 Winter Party Festival Miami Beach March 1-6 Artopia Coral Gables March 2 Miami Film Festival Downtown Miami March 3-12 Fashion, Art, Music Night Coconut Grove March 4 Carnaval on the Mile Coral Gables March 4-5 Bacardi Miami Sailing Week & Bacardi Cup Coconut Grove March 5-11 9 Mile Music Festival Key Biscayne March 11 Calle Ocho Festival Little Havana March 12 Jazz in the Gardens Music Festival Hard Rock Stadium March 18-19 Miami Open f/k/a Sony Open (Tennis) Key Biscayne March 20-April 2 Winter Music Conference Miami Beach March 21-24 Miami-Dade County Fair & Exposition Sweetwater March 23-April 16 Ultra Music Festival Downtown Miami March 24-26 Deering Seafood Festival Cutler Bay March 26 Miami Riverday Festival Downtown Miami April 1 South Miami Food Wine & Spirits Festival South Miami April 1-2 Miami Beach Gay Pride Miami Beach April 7-9 The Longines Global Champions Tour Miami Beach April 13-15 Wynwood Life Festival Wynwood April 21-23 Mercedes Benz Corporate Run Downtown Miami April 27 Miami International Jazz Festival Little Haiti April 27-29 Miami-Dade Women’s Fund Raise the Bar Downtown Miami May 8 South Florida Taste of the Nation (No Kid Hungry) Wynwood May 12 History Miami Free Family Fun Day Downtown Miami May 13 Best of the Best Music Fest Downtown Miami May 28 Out in the Tropics Festival Miami Beach June 1-30 Fourth of July Fireworks and Festivities Throughout Miami July 4 International Mango Festival Coral Gables July 8-9 Swimshow Miami Beach July 22-25 Miami Home Design & Remodeling Show Miami Beach September 1-4 Miami International Auto Show Miami Beach September 10-18 South Beach Seafood Festival Miami Beach October 18-21 City Bikes Ironman 70.3 – Miami Downtown Miami October 22 Coconut Grove Seafood Festival Coconut Grove October TBA Grovetoberfest Coconut Grove October TBA The Seed Food & Wine Festival Miami Beach November 1-5 Miami Beach Annual Veteran’s Day Parade Miami Beach November 11 NASCAR Ford Championship Weekend Homestead November 17-19 Harvest Festival South Miami November 18-19 Great Grove Bed Race Coconut Grove November TBA Art Miami Downtown Miami December 5-10 Art Basel Miami Beach & Throughout Miami December 7-10 Indian Arts Festival Miccosukee Indian Village December 26-January 3, 2018 King Mango Strut Parade Coconut Grove December TBA Monthly Miami Specials Miami and the Beaches also offer monthly “temptation programs,” which offer locals and visitors alike, money-saving specials on something different each month. See below for each month’s cool theme! January – Miami Cruise Month February – Miami Romance Month March – Shop Miami Month April – Miami Sports & Wellness Month May – Miami Museum Month June – Miami Film Month July – Miami Spa Month August – Miami Spa Month & Miami Spice Month September – Miami Spice Month October – Miami Attractions Month November – Miami Live Arts Month December – Miami Heritage Month Disclaimer – Miami Luxury Homes is not affiliated and/or working on behalf of any of the above-referenced events and/or organizations. This information is for informative purposes only and is not to be relied upon. Dates are subject to change without notice. This is not an inclusive list of the events in and around Miami that will take place in 2017.
Art Basel Miami Beach 2016 Proves to be Successful, as Always Posted on December 13, 2016 by Michael Light Art Basel is hands-down the hautest week in Miami Beach and the surrounding mainland Miami neighborhoods, and this year was no exception! Throughout the 4 days of this year’s fair, Art Basel had over 77,000 people in attendance including many celebrities, influential private collectors, as well as curators, directors and patrons of leading international museums and institution groups from all around the globe. Although many of the exhibitors have been part of the Art Basel scene for many years, the fair welcomed 21 new galleries this year as well, further proving that the art scene in Miami/Miami Beach continues to grow exponentially each year and is definitely a force to be reckoned with! Art Basel Miami Beach released a press release about this year’s successful event, at arguably the best art fair in the entire United States: “Art Basel in Miami Beach’s 15th edition: a landmark year, featuring strong sales across all sectors of the show. This Sunday, December 4, Art Basel’s show in Miami Beach closed amidst high praise from participating galleries reporting healthy sales across all levels of the market. The show, whose Lead Partner is UBS, featured 269 world-class galleries from 29 countries who presented exceptional works, ranging from Modern masterpieces to contemporary paintings, films, sculptures and installations by established and emerging artists. In a challenging socio-political and economic landscape, this edition demonstrated that works of the highest quality presented by leading galleries continue to drive strong demand and solid attendance from serious international collectors. Several galleries chose to present powerful and emotive works that address these issues, which collectors responded to with great interest.” Click Here to read the entire Art Basel Miami Beach 2016 Press Release. Art Basel Miami Beach 2016 Until next year…here are a few of my favorite fun photos from the week of Art Basel Miami 2016! Photo Courtesy of ArtBasel.com Photo Courtesy of ArtBasel.com Design Miami 2016 1 Hotel South Beach Rooftop Pool During Art Basel Miami Beach 2016