S & J Journal

2845 Granada Sold in 2 Days " The service and personal attention we received from Slesnick and Jochem, LLP was exceptional. Jeannett and Ginger are truly a high-caliber, high-energy team. Their knowledge of the local real estate market and their brilliant advertising approach helped us in selling our home. They recommended changes we should make to enhance the appeal to a buyer. We implemented every suggestion even though there was expense involved. We are very happy we did. Our home sold almost immediately for a price higher than we ever expected. This is not our first experience utilizing the expertise of Jeannett Slesnick and GingerJochem. They helped sell our previous home and find the home we just recently sold. In each case the results were outstanding." --written by Frank Ackermann and Julie Stroh

Out of the four states where 51% of foreign buyers purchase homes - Florida, California, Texas and Arizona - Florida has the largest share at 26%. This data stems from a study conducted from June 2011 to June 2012. Read the complete report online at Florida Realtors’ website: Profile of International Home Buyers in Florida 2012. Excerpts from the report: • 82% of international sales were cash transactions. • The median price paid by international buyers was $194,700 compared to an overall Florida median price of $125,100 and a U.S. median price of $167,758. • Canadian buyers tended to buy in the lower price range; European and Latin American buyers bought at a higher price range. • Condos account for 45% of properties, townhouses 10% and detached single-family homes 36% .

Photos courtesy of Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre. 1. Actors’ Playhouse moved into the historic Miracle Theatre in 1995. Photo by Diego Pocovi. 2. (L to R from back row) Actors’ Playhouse Founding Chairman Dr. Lawrence E. Stein, former City of Coral Gables Mayor Don Slesnick, Actors’ Playhouse Executive Producing Director Barbara S. Stein, President & CEO of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce Mark A. Trowbridge, René I. Basulto of Basulto & Associates, Inc, Douglas Wood of Douglas Wood Associates, Inc., Actors’ Playhouse Artistic Director David Arisco, former City of Coral Gables Mayor Dorothy Thompson, Chairman of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce Drew Kern, Jeannett Slesnick of Slesnick & Jochem, LLP, John P. Fullerton of Fullerton Diaz Architects, and Coral Gables City Manager Pat Salerno. Photo by Alberto Romeu Photography. Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre was honored with the City Beautiful Award for Outstanding H...

On the MLX, there are only 250 homes for sale in Coral Gables and just 97 of these are under $1M. Nationally... • The median single-family home price as of June is $190,100, according to the National Association of Realtors. The high was $230,900 in July 2006. • The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rate is 3.59%, according to Freddie Mac, slightly above the all-time low of 3.49% last month. • The average cost to close on a mortgage fell 7% over the past year, according to Bankrate.com. Check back with us often.

As of last week... Inventory of Single Family Homes in Coral Gables is down to 271. Freddie Mac said about record low 30-year mortgage loan rates:  30-year rate fell last week from 3.53% to 3.49%. It was just over 4.5% one year ago.