To those who made me aware of the misspellings in my previous post - thanks for your concern. However, it was a tongue-in-cheek response to the “new and hip” logo recently approved by the Miami Downtown Development Authority that purposely misspells DWNTWN in an attempt to market Downtown Miami to “Generation Text” locals and tourists alike. The following was posted in the October 2007 newsletter of the Development Authority:   DWNTWN. It’s Downtown Miami’s Brand New Logo. DWNTWN may only have six letters. But it sends a pronounced message that’s expressly Miami. It communicates the essence of Downtown’s urban core in a blink society. DWNTWN. Add a splash of color and it divides Downtown Miami into its distinct districts, from the Business and Entertainment districts to Brickell and Pa... 10/20/2007

Miami's real estate statistics:SINGLE FAMILY HOMES (entered 10/01/07 - 10/18/07): New homes on the market: 326Number of homes entering escrow (pending sale): 5Number of homes closing escrow (sold): 1Number of listings expired/cancelled/temp.off market/withdrawn/terminated:10CONDOS/TOWNHOMES/VILLAS (entered 10/01/07 - 10/18/07):New condos/townhomes/villas on the market: 350Number of condos/townhomes/villas entering escrow (pending sale): 5Number of condos/townhomes/villas closing escrow (sold): 0 Number of listings expired/cancelled/temp.off market/withdrawn/terminated: 12To find the value of your home -or a home you are interested in buying- with a free, over-the-net home evaluation, please, visit: http://www.merylorenzo.com/If you would like a free list of homes for sale in these areas... 10/19/2007

Serenity On The River was built in 1986 waterfront properties Serenity on the River is a 6-story low-rise that overlooks Miami riverSerenity on the River is a gated waterfront condo community located along the shores of the New River, just minutes from downtown Miami. Serenity on the River is a community with amenities such as exercise room, clubhouse, private dockage, pool, Jacuzzi, and covered parking. Serenity on the River real estate features one and two bedroom condos that many times feature water and marina views. Serenity on the River maintenance includes cable, common areas, garbage and trash removal, recreational facilities, and security. Condos for sale in Serenity on the River average in price range from See Serenity On The River Condo ListingsSerenity on The RiverSee Home Page 10/19/2007

Daily Real Estate News  |  October 18, 2007New-Home Construction Hits Low PointU.S. home construction starts fell in September to their lowest level in more than 14 years, according to the Commerce Department. The U.S. Commerce Department said housing starts set an annual pace of 1.191 million units in September, lower than the 1.285 million units expected by economists. It was the lowest pace for housing starts since the March 1993 rate of 1.083 million units."There is no end in sight," said Kurt Karl, chief U.S. economist with Swiss Re in New York. "The builders didn't realize how many cancellations they are going to face. If we hit 1.0 million start range, it's consistent with recessions in the past. And we are heading in that direction."Building permits fell 7.3 percent, the sharpes... 10/19/2007

Senate passes part of property tax cut plan Compare property tax reform proposals The House adjourned until 3 p.m. Monday to work through a number of issues, and while the Senate has not adjourned, its next move is unclear. With broad proposals in play, the atmosphere is tense as negotiations get underway. So far, the Senate has pretty much adhered to Gov. Crist’s original proposal, but the House has strayed from that script. Two specific House proposals don’t play well in the Senate: An assessment cap on commercial and non-homestead properties of 3 percent per year, and a one cent increase in the sales tax to buy down the school portion of property taxes. “We are very pleased that the House is willing to offer much-needed relief to (non-homestead and commercial owners) whose tax bills ... 10/18/2007

Avenue on Brickell Condominiumfloor flans  1060 Brickell Avenue, Miami FL 33131ENTERAvenue on Brickell floor plansHOME PAGE Avenue on Brickell Home Page  The Avenue on Brickell Condo, New Preconstruction in Brickell MiamiThe estimated completion time of the Avenue on Brickell- 2007        The avenue on Brickell Condominium consists of two condo towers:   10/18/2007

Latitude on the River on the exclusive southern side of the historic Miami River, where your fascinating backyard is in constant, compelling motion. Picturesque, rugged tugboats, merchant ships, sailboats, yachts, water taxis and dinghy alike; all ply the gently flowing waters out to sea. ENTER HOME PAHE - LATITUDE CONDO           see Floor plansOptimally located, Latitude on the River sits in the very midst of the new Riverfront Promenade; and is just steps from the center of Mary Brickell Village...where open air laissez faire strolling, shopping, dining and the awesome magic of the riverfront lifestyle take absolute precedence.Live where you work and play in the heart of Brickell's Residential, Financial and world-class dining and entertainment District. Centrally-located, LATITUDE O... 10/18/2007

Brickell on the River North Tower 31 Se 5 St Miami, FL. 33131Developer: Groupe Pacific InternationalArchitect: Cohen Freedman Encinosa & AssociatesDescription: Residential and retail development.Type: CondominiumUnits : 390Floors Phase 43Number of Bedrooms: 1, 2 & 3Unit Sq. Ft. Range: 757 - 1,512Amenities: Pool, tennis court, five level fitness center, spa, high-speed internet, garage and 24-hour security.Estimated Project Cost: $200 MillionConstruction Date: Summer 2003Completion Date: Winter 2005ENTER BRICKELL ON THE RIVER NORTH TOWER HOME PAGENorth Tower floor plansBrickell on the RiverDirectory of Real Estate Blogs 10/18/2007

Gallery Art Condo MiamiThe Gallery art condominium Miami address: 333 NE 24th St Miami, FL 33137About Art Gallery HOME PAGE     About the Gallery Art Condo In Miami(formerly known as the Mondrian Condo) Gallery Art Condo Project SummaryCommunity: Miami MidtownArchitect: Fullerton-Diaz Views: Bay and City Estimated pre construction completion date: 2008, FallBedrooms: 1 & 2 Residence Size: 738 - 1350 Total condo residences: 176 Number of Stories: 18 Price Range: $260,000 - $650,000 10/18/2007

Liberty City residents declare war on `slumlords'TWO GRASS-ROOTS HOUSING ADVOCACY GROUPS THAT HAVE HAD SUCCESS IN THE PAST ARE TARGETING WHAT THEY CALL `SLUMLORDS'Posted on Wed, Oct. 17, 2007Digg del.icio.us AIM reprint print email BY LISA ARTHURHousing activist Tony Romano stood at a lectern in the gravel-covered common area of a broken-down apartment building in Liberty City on Tuesday and declared war on South Florida's slumlords.''There is an epidemic of greed at work here,'' he told the crowd.Romano is one of the directors of the Miami Workers Center, a grass-roots group that has had success in recent years in forcing changes in public policy on housing issues.``There is a particularly virulent strain of this disease called the slumlord virus. We're here today to declare war on the... 10/16/2007

Emerald Condo Brickell Miami Condominium address: 218 SE 14th St. Miami, Florida 33131 Emerald at Brickell Condo Building Details: To request more information, contact... SIB Realty • 18206 Collins Ave. Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160 • Phone: 305-931-6931 Featured Property | Property Search | My Listings | Contact Us   16 Ft Ceilings, Beautiful, spacious penthouse with roof top terrace at luxury Emerald in the heart of Brickell. Concierge attended, security, valet parking, business center, gym, conference room, landscaped terraces w/seating, wine cellar & cigar humidor room, Emerald club w/private cafe, dog park & fountains, rooftop sky club, infinity edge pool & spa overlooking the Biscayne Bay & City Skyline. This 2 level penthouse must be seen to be appreciated! Act Now! Short Sale! Len... 10/16/2007

North Tower floor plans - Brickell on the River  Brickell On The River Home PageBrickell On The Rive Floor PlansClick on unit number to see full size floor planBrickell on the river 10/16/2007

Plaza on Brickell condo - Project ConceptWith over 30,000 sq.ft of commercial/retail on the street level, the Plaza will become the new meeting point for work and play, breathing more life and vitality to the financial district.    Plaza on Brickell Home Page     See Plaza brickell Floor plansLocated in the heart of Brickell, "The plaza" offers a dynamic lifestyle featuringDowntown "Manhattan" style living,Immediate access to the best Spas & Fitness clubs (Mandarin Oriental & LA Fitness)Walk to Mary Brickell VillageWalk to RestaurantsWalk to workPlaza on Brickell - AmenitiesTwo-story lobby with sleek, contemporary designState-of-the-art fitness center and spaMulti-purpose club room with billiards Wine storage room.Assigned covered parking in garage Valet parking Controlled, gated entry ... 10/16/2007

Miami condo market faces moment of truth in 2008 By Jim LoneyFont Scale: Posted 15 October 2007 @ 10:49 am ESTIBTimes MIAMI - Workers are painting, patching stucco and peeling protective plastic from gleaming panes of balcony glass at a new 1,000-unit condo called The Plaza, two towers that rise 43 and 56 stories over Miami's bank district.A mile to the north, the exotic stonework at a new 500-unit downtown tower known as 50 Biscayne has been polished and the first residents closed on their contracts this month.Prices in Miami's condominium market -- a poster child of the real estate boom that swept much of the United States until 2005 -- seem to have held up relatively well to date.But the opening of a raft of big complexes has analysts predicting the market -- fueled by a frenetic con... 10/16/2007

Fortune House condominium is a condo hotel located in the heart of Miami. The Fortune House condo at Brickell Miami offers a wide variety of amenities such as heated pool, exercise facility, valet, security and covered parking. Completed in 1998, the Fortune House offers one and two bedroom units ranging in size from 600 to 1,000 square feet The Fortune House is a 29 story tower has a total of 296 condo hotel units and offers very nice views and floor plans to choose from.Within 15 minutes' drive from the Fortune House condo, you can be at Miami's of a home-away-from-home, along with the conveniences International Airport, enjoying the nightlife and of Miami Beach or Coconut Grove, or visiting friends in Coral Gables or Key Biscayne.Fortune House Condominium Residence Features -Fully fu... 10/15/2007

Miami ApartmentsHOME PAGE-Search for Miami Apartments and Homes for Rent or Lease-offers you a wide variety of apartments to search in Miami and surrounding areas (see below fora complete listing). Search for your new apartment here and we will help you find the perfect rental home.    Available Miami Apartments search actions:Apartments Search by City/CountyApartmentsAddress/Zip CodeApartmentsQuick SearchApartmentsiMap RES  10/15/2007

Fortune House Condo BrickellFortune House condominium address: 185 SE 14th TE, Miami. FL 33131ENTERFortune House Condo BrickellHOME PAGEFortune House community: BrickellArchitect: Bermello,Ajamil& Partners Fortune House views: Bay and City Year Built: 1998Bedrooms: 1 & 2 Residence Size: 600 - 950 Total Residences: 296 Number of Stories: 29 Price Range: $190,000 - $600,000Available Condos/Apartments     10/15/2007

The Miami River and its surrounding neighborhoods have become magnets for all kinds of energy and activity over the last couple of years. Private sector developments along the River are at an all time high, and are expected to grow significantly in the years to come. Florida's State Legislature created the Miami River Commission in 1998 and is the official clearinghouse for all public policy and projects related to the Miami River. The Commission has become an important ally to the City in optimizing the extraordinary resources - historic, cultural, economic, environmental and recreational - of this unique waterway. The Department of Economic Development serves as the liaison to the Miami River Commission.   A 1999 report funded by the Miami River Commission revealed that the Miami Rive... 10/15/2007

10 Must Know Mortgage Terms            The Miami condos searchShopping for a new home is fun and exiting. Yet securing financing to buy real estate can be stressful. The more you know about the home mortgage business, however, the smoother your transaction will be. To help you get a handle on financing terminology before you buy a home, we have defined 10 commonly used mortgage terms. Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM Loan): An ARM Loan has an initial interest rate that is often lower than a conventional fixed-rate mortgage. This initial rate is usually locked in for one or more years. Once the initial term is over, the interest rate on an ARM loan may go up within specified limits over predetermined intervals during the course of the loan. The lower initial interest rate associated with an... 10/13/2007

In a recent NBC6.net story titled “Population Boom Hits Downtown Miami”, Jorge Perez, Miami’s leading developer whose company The Related Group is responsible for the development of an estimated 6,400 units in the Dwntwn (no pun intended)/Brickell area, states that his only regret was not buying more land near his first building in the area, the 896-unit One Miami, located at the mouth of the north bank of the Miami River and Biscayne Bay. His prognosis: there will be 20,000 new units in Downtown Miami in the next five years that “will get occupied over time. The more those buildings get occupied, the more the city will work". The more those buildings get occupied, the more the city will work? Will the city’s urban core actually work as a result of local government’s lack of proper plan... 10/12/2007