According to Study: Stimulus plan supports 50,000 Florida jobs

In Florida, 49,000 jobs were created or saved by the federal stimulus plan launched in 2009, but the number of jobs it is supporting has been on the decline, according to a report from the Collins Center for Public Policy.

The nonprofit organization hired Don Winstead – previously the special adviser to former Gov. Charlie Crist tasked with implementing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in Florida – to conduct the study. Current Goernor Rick Scott, an opponent of the stimulus plan, closed the state website that tracked its impact.

Click here to see more results from the study.

Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Facing Huge Pay Cuts

According to the Washington Business Journal, the House Committee on Financial Services voted on a measure that could put a serious damper on the holiday gift buying plans of District-based Fannie Mae and McLean-based Freddie Mac employees.

The House Committee on Financial Services voted 52 to 4 on a bill that would align the compensation at the mortgage giants, which have been under government conservatorship since 2008, with that of federal employees. This would slash pay at the companies which, have been known for shelling out Wall Street sized compensation packages in an attempt to lure the brightest minds in finance.

The Equity in Government Compensation Act would, according to a press release from the Financial Services Committee, stop future bonuses and suspend multi-million dollar compensation packages.

Click here for the full Bryant Ruiz Switzky article.

Realtors….Have You Even Been to a REBAR Camp?

By Guest Contributor Dori Longhini, Manager, Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate Plantation Lakeside office

www.Floridamoves.com/PlantationLakeside

If you haven’t, here is your chance. There will be a REBAR Camp held on Wednesday, November 30th at 8:30AM - 4:30PM at Christine Lee’s at Gulfstream Casino complex and the event is FREE.

These are freeform, no structure events and there is no sales pitch. It is an opportunity for like-minded real estate professionals to have a casual, yet productive dialog about topics of value or concern within the scope of business. There is lots of tech talk, including social media and new and fresh ways to communicate.

Enjoy breakfast and lunch…stay as long as you like. Rotate to different topics at the end of each session.

I have been to the ones in that the Florida Realtors have done in Orlando. They are fast-paced and great ways to network and learn at the same time.

This event is being held in a beautiful setting…I am sure you will like it.

Previews Showings Up in Northeast Ft. Lauderdale

There has been a lot of Previews property ($1M plus) showing activity in the NE Fort Lauderdale area. The Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estates Previews Specialists are showing more property in this area than have been shown in the last two years. This area has always been one of the most sought after locations and now buyers are feeling like this is the time to purchase. The prices seem to be slowly rising in this area. We are seeing more Preview properties come on the market as our foreclosures start to disappear. Our Previews properties in NE Fort Lauderdale include some of the most gorgeous dream homes imaginable.

To see some of the beautiful properties available in NE Ft. Lauderdale please go to our office website www.floridamoves.com/ftlauderdalenortheast.

Contributed by Jay Chernoff, Manager, Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate Ft. Lauderdale NE office.

Miami Panel Divided on Gambling

About 200 people attended the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce 's Destination Gaming – Is it in the Cards? event, moderated by CBS4’s Elliot Rodriguez.

During the panel discussion on gambling at Miami's Jungle Island, state Sen. Ellyn Setnor Bogdanoff said gaming has been creeping into Florida for years, and her bill attempts to provide strategic direction for the industry.

Supporters of gambling say that the fact that Miami is already a destination for tourists and that industries including trade, biotechnology and art drive the economy will help it avoid a Las Vegas-like, neon-induced possession.

Some panelists at event, held at Jungle Island on Monday, voiced this position, including state Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, sponsor of the bill the Florida Legislature will soon begin vetting.

He said it was time Florida residents had an adult discussion about gaming and faced the reality that not only is it all around us, but that the state has been selling it “on the cheap” for years by ignoring it. The gateway gambling vehicle for the state has been the lotto, which grows in its reach every time a Publix opens, he said.

Click here for the full South Florida Business Journal article by Oscar Pedro Musibay.

How do you feel about the issue?

Amid Oil Price Standstill, South Florida Gas Prices Decline

As oil prices reached a standstill with positive U.S. economic news conflicting with the failure of a European debt crisis agreement, South Florida gas prices declined slightly last week.

According to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report, the price of crude oil continued on an upward trend, rising 94 cents to close Friday at $94.26 on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

"Oil prices are stuck between an uncertain future for Europe's financial system and glimmers of hope for an economic recovery in the U.S.," AAA Auto Club Group spokeswoman Jessica Brady said in a news release. "Despite the slight increase in oil prices and the market's bullish sentiment, retail gas prices have actually decreased through the past couple of weeks. Reports from the Department of Energy show stagnant fuel demand numbers and weekly gasoline deliveries are 4 percent behind last year’s numbers. Unless oil prices make significant gains this week, consumers may find minimal changes in prices at the pump."

South Florida fuel average details:

• Miami: A gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was $3.48 a gallon, down from $3.50 a week ago and up from $2.87 a year ago.
• Fort Lauderdale: Regular unleaded was $3.46 a gallon, down from $3.49 a week ago and up from $2.86 a year ago.
• West Palm Beach/Boca Raton: Regular unleaded averaged $3.50 a gallon, down from $3.52 the previous week and up from $2.92 a year ago.
• Florida’s average price of $3.39 is 3 cents less than last week.
• Florida’s average price of $3.39 is 3 cents less than last week, while the national average price of unleaded regular gasoline dropped 4 cents to $3.41 a gallon.

Click here for the full South Florida Business Journal report

“The Jills®” Add Dedicated Russian and Brazilian Desks

Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate’s #1 real estate team in Florida, Jill Eber and Jill Hertzberg of The Jills®, are proud to announce that they have added dedicated Russian and Brazilian desks to cater to the growing Russian and Brazilian markets in the Miami area. Gregory Feldman, who is from Moscow, is the dedicated Russian agent and Wilza Prado, from Brazil, is the dedicated Brazilian agent. Both have been successful agents for many years. Since January of this year, The Jills® have over $200 million in sales. With the influx of international buyers, that number is expected to greatly increase.

“The Russian market looks to Miami now as their winter Riviera and they are buying large properties,” said Jill Eber. "The Brazilians are coming in large numbers also and are buying in all layers of the luxury market. We have been working with many Russians and Brazilians, exposing them to our properties. To better assist them, now and in the future, we have added dedicated desks to make their property transaction as smooth and comfortable as possible.”

Russian and Brazilian home buyers have been buying in upscale areas like Miami Beach Islands, Fisher Island and Indian Creek Island, and according to the 2011 Profile of International Home Buyers in Florida, 77 percent of Realtors® reported that they have worked with an international client in the past 12 months, and the Miami/Fort Lauderdale/Miami Beach market area represented 30 percent of the international home buys in the state.

The affluent Russian and Brazilian buyers are really being drawn to Miami right now, according to Jill Hertzberg. “The lifestyle, the safety and the weather are just some of the benefits that make Miami the ‘in’ place to be for these international clients.”

Coldwell Banker: Issues and Answers

Coldwell Banker recently held three Issues and Answers sessions in Dade and Broward. These special events attracted nearly 200 Coldwell Banker Associates to hear their peers discuss best practices. Topics included getting sellable listings and pricing them properly, finding qualified buyers and getting them to make realistic offers, and overcoming challenges with closing transactions.

Thank you to the following associates who gave freely of their time and shared their expertise:

Elba Hernandez, Kendall office, Daniel Hertzberg, Miami Beach office, Julia Pulles, Kendall office, Gary Feix, Coral Gables office, Michael Greene, Kendall office, Judy Wolf-Seigel, Pinecrest office, Dondi Hopkins, Plantation office, Steve Kaminer, Coral Springs office, Michelle Ali – Plantation, Patricia Lewis, Weston office, David Caporini, Coldwell Banker Home Loans, Jason Winder, Sunbelt Lending, Sharon Edelman, Coral Springs office, Dean Sklar, Weston office, Andrea “Andi” Wites, Coral Springs office, Stuart Berger, Aventura office, Natalie Bojarski, Hollywood office, Jonathon Keith, Ft. Lauderdale NE office, Jan Overton, Ft. Lauderdale Beach office, Richard Schultz, Ft. Lauderdale SE office and Cindy Spoerr, Hollywood office

Additionally, Henry Ensler from Sunbelt Title was on hand to discuss contract issues, such as FIRPTA, title selections and deadlines. In addition, David Caporini and Daniel Eguiguren of Coldwell Banker Home Loans and Russ Smith of Sunbelt Lending actively participated in the panel. Rochelle Fraga was also present to update Associates on the many Coldwell Banker marketing tools available to support their efforts.

Having top Associates who are making things work in these challenging times helped other Associates understand they are not battling these issues alone and there are solutions to many of these challenges.

A Boost for South Florida's Job Market

According to the South Florida Business Journal, officials of the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek have announced that they plan to hire 800 full-time employees by the end of the year – the largest mass hiring in South Florida since the tribe's resort in Hollywood had a hiring spurt in 2004.

The Coconut Creek casino already lists job openings for assistant managers, cocktail servers, chefs, player development executives, sous chefs, a warehouse supervisor and a slot technician.

Riding For a Cancer Cure

Last year the Miami Dolphins inaugurated the Jim Mandich Dolphins Riding Challenge, a 170 mile, two day round trip bike ride to Palm Beach. They raised $533,000 with 100% of the funds going to the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Coldwell Banker’s own Sandy Levinson, a Sylvester patient herself and Tom Levinson, who serves on the Board of Governors at Sylvester are sponsoring one of our own in her efforts to raise money for this important cause.

Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate Sales Associate, Kristina Cunetta, is a long term thyroid cancer survivor at Sylvester and an experienced long distance cyclist. Kristina has committed to riding the full 170 miles on November 5 and 6 to raise money for cancer research.

Please join in the fight to cure cancer and show your support by donating online at www.ridecc.com and donating under Team Sylvester. You will receive a receipt from the Dolphins and your donation will be posted to the website with your name. 100% of ALL donations will go to Sylvester for cancer research.

Miami Market Moves Forward with Sales and Prices

Sales of residential property in Miami, Florida, keep rising as the area’s record sales activity leads the real estate recovery, according to a recent article on www.propertycommunity.com.

Sales of existing single family homes in the Miami Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) went up 46% in September, as figures from the member Miami Association of Realtors indicate.

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), sales of existing condominiums increased 58 and statewide sales increased 10%. Nationally, sales of existing single family homes, townhomes, condominiums, and co-ops went down 3% from the previous month and but were 11.3% above September 2010.