Friday, March 23, 2012

Holding An Oscar ...In the Keys...and Watching a Really Deserving Family Get a Home... Does It Get Any Better???

I'd like to thank the Academy, my Agent, and Harvey Weinstein....
With Producer Jon Landau's Oscar for Best Picture, Titanic.
OK, OK...so it's not MY Oscar but it IS Jon Landau's Best Picture Oscar for Titanic!!

Talk about a great evening!
Saturday was the Habitat for Humanity of The Upper Keys' Annual Cocktail and Fundraising Party, this year hosted by Uber Film Producer Jon Landau (Titanic, Avatar, True Lies), at his exquisite Oceanfront Islamorada Estate.

Our firm is extremely active in Habitat, with one of our agents on the Executive Board for Habitat, and our firm co-sponsoring this event.

The Conchquitador's favorite First Mate, Michelle with  Producer Jon Landau
Jon was kind enough to let me pose with his Oscar when he gave my wife and I a private tour of his home to show us the renovations that he recently completed.  What a Super Guy,  and a very valued addition to our local community.

Jon also served as guest auctioneer auctioning off several items that really added to the coffers $$$!

The Food was fantastic, donated and catered by several of our local restaurants such as Tasters, Mangrove Mikes, and Braza Lena. And of course this being The Keys, Alcohol DID flow...and flow...and flow....lol.
Add to this a Beautiful, balmy Keys evening with a hint of a breeze and superb live music.

The real highlight of the evening though, was the extraordinarily gracious thank you given by the Bautista Family who are the recipients of  the first Habitat House to be located in Islamorada.
The Bautistas' New Home!!!
What a story...a hard working family of four who where living in a rental property that had toxic black mold and a landlord who couldn't seem to care less. Their son was consistently ill and times became very tough.
These folks applied to Habitat, went though the screening process, met the criteria, and were offered the opportunity to invest "Sweat Equity" to earn themselves a home. "Sweat Equity" meaning an investment of time, effort and HARD WORK in contributing to the building of this and other Habitat homes.

Now, Habitat has minimum guidelines on how much time, hours and effort are needed to qualify to earn a home.
The Bautistas invested 5 Times the minimum of Hours!!!! Almost 2500 hours!!!  Talk about grateful, and most of all, talk about DESERVING!!!

So yes, a wonderful evening indeed, with a fantastic feeling of giving back!

So again, I would like to thank the Academy, My Producer Jon Landau, My Agent American Caribbean, Habitat for Humanity of The Upper Keys, and most of all ...The Bautistas.

I'm The King Of the World!!

Work with an Award Winning Agent .  Put the experience and expertise of The Conchquistador to work for you! For more information on the outstanding real estate opportunities that exist in the Keys, call me at 305.439.7730 or email me at DropAnchor@TheRealEstateConch.com.

Ready to create your own no-hassle shopping cart of available Properties in the Florida Keys, with multiple search capability? Click here: Conchmls.com .

Friday, March 2, 2012

Just Closed in Prestigious Venetian Shores - Waterfront Home Originally listed at $1.4M now Closed at $950,000!

I Love Venetian Shores. It's one of my favorite Keys Communities. With its 11 peninsulas reaching out into Snake Creek like fingers thirsty to drink in the sea, it offers hardcore boaters deep water dockage and quick access to Islamorada's famed fishing grounds through the Keys' last Draw Bridge.  If you have a Hatteras or other large boat this is the community for you!
As, a Venetian Shores Specialist, I enjoy keeping my clients up to date with the latest available properties and real estate news, as well as recently closed properties.

As one of Islamorada's most in demand communities, Venetian Shores is always tops on everyone's list. Only minutes from Miami, yet a world away.
Now finding a sub- 1 Million Dollar property in Venetian Shores is becoming increasingly difficult.  That being said today's property is a very good catch indeed.  Originally listed for $1,400,000 and now Closed at $950,000!

112 Stromboli Drive, Islamorada

List Price: $1,100,000 / Sold Price: $950,000
Original List Price: $1,400,000

4 Bedrooms / 4 Bathrooms

Mile Marker 86 Bayside

Description: OUTSTANDING WATERFRONT FAMILY HOME! This spacious & completely remodeled home offers living space for a large family with a 2 bdrm, 2 bthrm, apartment downstairs and 2 bdrms & 2 bthrms upstairs. Outstanding entertaining back yard with a tiki hut and 70 ft. of concrete dockage w/davits, fish cleaning station, & a 2 car garage. Located in beautiful Venetian Shores with direct bay and ocean access.




Work with one of the only agents to actually sell Property in Venetian Shores Last Year!  Put the experience and expertise of The Conchquistador to work for you! For more information on the outstanding real estate opportunities that exist in the Keys, call me at 305.439.7730 or email me at DropAnchor@TheRealEstateConch.com.

Ready to create your own no-hassle shopping cart of available Properties in the Florida Keys, with multiple search capability? Click here: ConchMLS.com .

Hollywood Comes to The Keys for Charity! Producer Jon Landau Opens His Exquisite Home for Habitat Cocktail Party.

WOW, This is exciting!! I am so Very Excited to be going to this event!!

This Friday Night, March 2nd, Mr. Jon Landau, One of Hollywood's  all time most successful film producers and Keys resident is opening his very own Keys Estate to host the Habitat for Humanity's Cocktail Benefit, co-sponsored by our firm American Caribbean Real Estate.

Mr. Landau is partners with uber film director James Cameron, and has won Academy Awards and Golden Globes for the films, Titanic and Avatar, two of the most successful films of all time.  And I must say he is just one of the most down to Earth Guys you will ever meet, and has become a very active Keys Resident.

Our firm, American Caribbean Real Estate, recently sold him the beautiful Bali High Estate on Plantation Key. 

He apparently fell in love with the Keys while filming Arnold the Governator's film, True Lies, wherein Jaime Leigh Curtis had that famous Helicopter scene off the old 7-Mile Bridge.

Tickets are still available and proceeds go to a great cause.  So come out, and hang with Hollywood Elite!!

Ready to be treated like a star??? Put the experience and expertise of The Conchquistador to work for you! For more information on the outstanding real estate opportunities that exist in the Keys, call me at 305.439.7730 or email me at DropAnchor@TheRealEstateConch.com.

It's Time for Stats!!! February's Numbers are in, Upper Keys Sales and Listing Figures

So, as we close the books on February, some interesting numbers come to light for The Upper Keys.
In comparing last years' numbers to this February's we find that though the quantity of sales went down slightly, the average sales price went up 26.2% !!!
We also see that the quantity of listing that came on is up dramatically meaning more inventory and that the average list price has jumped  15.7%.
This should certainly answer the "have we hit bottom yet?" question. Yes, yes we have, some while back.
And like gas prices, property prices are going UP!! Buy em now while you still can!


Work with an Agent who KNOWS how to interpret the numbers!  Put the experience and expertise of The Conchquistador to work for you! For more information on the outstanding real estate opportunities that exist in the Keys, call me at 305.439.7730 or email me at DropAnchor@TheRealEstateConch.com.

Ready to create your own no-hassle shopping cart of available Properties in the Florida Keys, with multiple search capability? Click here: Conchmls.com .