Davie homeowners, register your yards! Davie Mayor Judy Paul would like to remind Town of Davie homeowners that the town is encouraging homeowners that are willing to plant gardens for butterflies and birds to do so. You can help the preservation of the environment by registering your yard and helping a community wide effort to be a certified municipality. You can visit www.nwf.org to fill a brief survey and for information. For $20.00, the National Wildlife Federation will send you a yard sign and certificate that you can bring to the Davie Town Nursery in exchange for a free plant for your yard.  What a wonderful idea for Davie residents, especially residents with children! It’s such a great activity and learning experience. Can you imagine how nice all of Davie would look if everyone... 06/18/2012

Bon Jovi is making his solo debut at the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, FL on July 26, and it should be no surprise to anyone that he chose South Florida. Being that I’m his biggest fan ever (#1 fan to be exact), and being that South Florida is where I live, it makes perfect sense that he chose to start here. He clearly did this for me…clearly :o) I am beyond excited, and it feels like time is dragging until the concert (and then time will drag until the next concert). I’ll be out of town on a CDPE Convention until July 26, and I’m literally stepping off the plane and driving to the concert…that’s dedication!  Tickets went on sale today, but of course I got mine yesterday on the pre-sale. Who’s coming with me?!       06/15/2012

Attention all professional painters who are animal lovers! The Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Center needs a pain facelift and we need your help is needed!!  Ambitious doggie paws and LOTS of cleaning have taken a toll on all of the side walls in the adoptable dog area as well as the boy and girl stray areas (see the lovely photos below)!   The shelter uses epoxy paint and would like to get the job done as soon as possible, so they need licensed professionals to volunteer. There are 64 total runs that need to be painted. The shelter can provide the paint (unless someone is feeling super generous), and can also prep and clean the walls if necessary. For the safety of the pets and staff, they would really like to leave the entire job to professionals if possible. Please, if you a... 06/08/2012

For anyone in Broward County looking to help out innocent animals, please read the information below my post. We desperately need fosters. There are a lot of puppies and kitties who can’t make it in the shelter on their own. If their mom isn’t around, the babies can’t be in the shelter. Orphans have to be put down right away because they need a human to feed them. Kitties and puppies that do have moms still get sick and die within days if the family isn’t taken out of the shelter. Please consider fostering one of these babies until they can find a forever home. There’s also a wonderful opportunity for students to become foster parents for the summer. What a wonderful way to learn responsibility and rack up some community service hours required for school. I can’t think of a better way t... 06/03/2012

I’d like to again invite all South Florida Realtors to attend the Short Sales class that I’ll be teaching at the South Broward Board of Realtors on June 5th from 1pm to 5pm. The class is open to all Realtors, regardless of membership, and there is plenty of space left!   If you are a member of South Broward, register here: www.goo.gl/fhBXk If you are not a member of South Broward, register by calling: 954-431-5300   05/30/2012

  Many of us are excited about the 3 day weekend in honor of Memorial Day, and it’s a wonderful time for a mini getaway or just to relax at home. For those military families and veterans, we thank you so much for the sacrifices you’ve endured. At some point during your plans this weekend, I hope everyone takes a minute to remember the countless brave souls that have fought for our country and its principles, starting from the American Revolution until today. Whether we agree with the wars or not, the fact remains that Americans put their lives on their line to fight for what they felt was right.     1775-1783 American Revolution: Colonies vs. Great Britain 1798-1800 Franco-American Naval War: US vs. France 1801-1805 and 1815: Barbary Wars: US vs. Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli 181... 05/26/2012

Trulia notified me over the weekend that I made VIP status on their site due to my contributions. As Realtors, we take a lot of time and energy to write posts and answers questions in order to help Buyers, Sellers, and Agents, and it is very nice to be recognized for our work. Thank you Trulia! 05/22/2012

Just in time for summer the David Posnack Jewish Community Center in Davie, Florida is sponsoring a racquetball tournament June 1st through the 3rd. Entry fees are anywhere from $10. to $40. depending on age and membership status. The JCC is located at 5850 S. Pine Island Road and the facilities ther are first class. You do not have to be a member to participate either. Please click on link to register!   http://www.dpjcc.org/index.php?cid=512989&src=gendocs&ref=Racquetball%20Tournament%20&category=Sports%20%26%20Wellness&curlid=266 05/22/2012

Escape Your Unmanageable Mortgage: Getting Free Doesn’t Have To Mean Running Away. Perhaps you’ve seen a story on the news about how the housing crisis has caused some South Florida homeowners to simply walk away from their homes. It sounds crazy, but the masses are being led to believe that walking away from their home is a good (or even the best!) option. This phenomenon is called Strategic Default. For distressed homeowners who feel that they have no other viable options left, the idea of walking away “free” may sound like a relief. The reality is that choosing strategic default has serious repercussions on your credit, and there’s nothing strategic or good about it. THERE ARE BETTER OPTIONS AVAILABLE! As a Real Estate Broker who has had the CDPE Designation for 4 years, my mission i... 04/30/2012

This lovely, Key West style 3/2.5 townhome is available for rent at only $1795. per month and is located in the heart of Davie, Florida.  Willow Grove is a small townhome community of only 44 units situated between a canal and a large grassy berm.  It also plays host to a community pool and children's play area.  The unit features tile throughout the first floor, granite countertops, dual balconies, walk-in closets, and a one car garage.  This certainly is a beautiful tri-level unit well worth seeing as the second floor is dedicated solely to the master, very rare.  Call Morris Massre of Prudential Florida Realty to view or make an offer.  Immediate availability and short turn around time on association approval.  I can be reached at 954-214-6014. 04/09/2012

It’s Easter time and the pet store windows are fill with adorable baby bunnies. If you are thinking about adding a rabbit to your family think about this: Pet rabbits have a lifespan of 7-10 years. Don't buy on impulse. Wait till after the holiday. Make an informed decision by learning about rabbit care first. PLEASE consider adopting a rabbit from your local shelter or rescue group. For the rabbit's health and well-being (as well as for your child's) make sure an adult will be the primary caretaker and will always supervise any children in the household who are interacting with the rabbit. Domestic rabbits are inquisitive, intelligent, and very social by nature. A rabbit is a delightful companion animal as long as you remember: Getting a bunny for your child always comes back to ONE VE... 03/31/2012

Happy 3 Year Wedding Anniversary to the most wonderful, most lovable, and best man in the world. I know everyone thinks that their spouse is the best, but anyone who knows Chris knows that he truly is.  Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.  ~Emily Brontë This picture was taken in 2008 on our trip to San Francisco, where Chris Proposed to me. :) 03/22/2012

It's time to take another look at South Florida Short Sales As recently as a few months ago, if you would have told any Certified Distressed Property Expert that they’d be raving about a lender’s stellar service and rapid approval times, you’d have gotten some strange looks. If you went on to say that the lender is providing significant cash incentives for financially strapped homeowners who pursue a short sale, they may have just laughed in your face.   That’s all changed.  And it’s changed faster and to a greater extent than most real estate professionals ever could have imagined.   With a glut of bank-owned properties dragging down the recovery of the real estate market in addition to the national economy, major lenders are more eager than ever to avoid foreclosing on properties. So ... 03/16/2012

I am so proud and thrilled to have a new addition to my Green Realty Properties team! We welcome Sheryl Hartley wholeheartedly! I now have 8 very well qualified, professional, intelligent, and not to mention, good looking, Realtors serving Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties!   Sheryl Hartley was born in New York, but has been a South Floridian since she was 2 years old. She worked in the hotel and catering business in Miami Beach before becoming a Realtor. Since becoming a Realtor, Sheryl has been extremely active in the Real Estate community. Sheryl joined the South Broward Board of Realtors in 1976, and has served on every committee over the years. She is currently serving on the Commercial Investment Committee and the MLS Committee. Sheryl has been a Director on the South B... 03/09/2012

Knock Your Socks Off Gorgeous! 5000 SF Home With All The Bells and Whistles! Lake Views From The Front and Back. One Of A Few Homes in Mystique That  is Hurricane Coded. (a cost of $50,000)Wood Floors, Textured Ceilings, Reverse Osmosis, Water Softener & Built In Closets. Beautiful Custom Entertainment Center & Office Furniture. Kitchen & Baths Updated with Granite, Wood Cabinetry. Entertain On The Huge Covered Patio with Sparkling Pool & Private Lake. $215,000 + in Upgrades.  American Home Warranty. 03/07/2012

February 2012’s Achievements   In keeping with my 2012’s monthly goal setting, I set out to achieve 2 professional goals for the month of February and was very happy to do so.   I enjoyed teaching "Keeping Your Sanity while Working Short Sales" so much last month that I continued it into this month! Aroosa, Bart and I conducted our first monthly Short Sale Forum at the South Broward Board of Realtors, where we are open to any questions that Realtors have on short sales. The forum was created because we know that even after an agent takes a designation course, there are still a million day to day questions that Realtors have, yet they don’t always have resources available to them if they have absent or unknowledgeable Brokers. So far it’s been a great success, and I really enjoy being ab... 03/05/2012

It's no wonder why people choose Davie to reside within. It's a fantastic opportunity to mix a relaxed atmosphere with many different types and styles of homes with generous sized homesites and room to roam. Just a short drive to South Florida beaches, fine dining, and loads of entertainment. Choose one of the links below to find your next dream home.   100 PINES 99 PINESBLACKHAWK RANCHESCAMELOT ESTATES CARLTON ESTATESCRYSTAL GROVE ESTATESDAVIE FARMETTES DAVIE OAKS EMERALD ISLESEMERALD SPRINGS ESTATES ENCLAVE EXOTIC ACRES FIRST IMPRESSION FLAMINGO GROVES FOREST RIDGE GRAND OAKS GREEN MEADOWS GROVE CREEK GROVE CREEK RANCHESHAWKS BLUFFHIATUS RANCHETTES   HIGHLAND RANCH ESTATESIMAGINATION FARMS IVANHOE KAPOK GROVE ESTATESLAKE ESTATESLAKESIDE VILLAGELAUREL OAKS LAWSON ISLESLONG LAKELONG LAK... 03/02/2012

Reports of foreclosures by the millions have been in the news so much over the past few years, that to some, foreclosures may seem like the new norm.But as a real estate professional who is in the trenches with financially stressed homeowners every day, it never feels like losing your home is the norm. The prospect of losing your home is right up there among the major sources of grief, and it often goes hand in hand with other tragic setbacks, such as the loss of a job, a divorce, death of a loved one, mounting medical bills, and/or skyrocketing mortgage payments.   Unfortunately, the first stage of grief is denial, and that denial is heightened when the threat of foreclosure is looming. No one wants to talk about or admit financial troubles—even when millions of others have founds them... 03/01/2012

As Realtors and Brokers, we all know the critical importance of a home’s 1st impression on every Buyer who walks through the door. We constantly remind our Sellers to keep their homes clutter free and neutral, and we know that the home that the Buyer can imagine themselves in is that one that gets sold. It’s always nice to have a national website with contributions from Brokers in two different parts of the country (myself in South Florida and Diane Saatchi in Bridgehampton, NY) backing everyone up. I was honored to be interviewed for this article, and I hope that this helps Sellers and Real Estate Professionals avoid errors during the open houses (and while the home is listed in general).      Avoid These 6 Errors with your Open House By Polyana da Costa • Bankrate.com Real Estate Imit... 02/28/2012

In honor of President's Day, some Presidential trivia courtesy of the History Channel...I hope you enjoy!   *There have been 44 U.S. presidential administrations, but only 43 presidents--Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms from 1885 to 1889 and 1893 to 1897. *William Henry Harrison held the office for the shortest period of time--he died of pneumonia after about a month in office. *The longest-serving president was Franklin D. Roosevelt, who died shortly into his fourth term in office. (The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, limited to two the number of presidential terms one person could serve.) *In addition to Harrison and Roosevelt, six other presidents have died while in office-- Taylor, Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, Harding and Kennedy. Of these, four were assassinated:... 02/20/2012