How to deal with tenant occupied listings in Miami,Florida

Okay we live in a crazy city. If you ever lived in Miami you know what a unique place to do business it is. The mixture of cultures surround the many subdivisions of the county. Selling, buying and renting real estate here comes with a few road blocks to name a few.

We as agents sometime dread showing tenant occupied properties to our potential buyers or tenants because of the inconvenience to all  parties. However I feel this can be done in a simple,straight to the point manner.

The more professional approach and best way I feel is to introduce yourself to the current tenants and explain what you are trying to achieve for the landlord. Then mention you have will be taking photos and have copy of the keys for showings. Coordinate a convenient time with a 24 hour notice for the tenant and then mentioned to them  they do not need to be there. Make the showings the same day and time to avoid any disturbances.  At that point they will either understand and accept your terms or refuse. To combat the latter, I always give them as a reminder and a copy of Florida Statue 83.53 explaining the landlord's rights to access the dwelling. The system is not fool proof but is shows your professionalism and that you know the law.


As mentioned in Florida Statute 83.53 subsection (1) below if  the Landlord/Owner gives proper notification the agent can enter the property without the owner being there. I either email,call,text or if need be post a note on the tenants door 24 hours before the showing. If the tenant does not reply to neither of the four he is not conforming to subsection 2 (c)  of the Florida Landlord Tenant Act for access to dwelling and I let them know.



83.53Landlord’s access to dwelling unit.

(1)The tenant shall not unreasonably withhold consent to the landlord to enter the dwelling unit from time to time in order to inspect the premises; make necessary or agreed repairs, decorations, alterations, or improvements; supply agreed services; or exhibit the dwelling unit to prospective or actual purchasers, mortgagees, tenants, workers, or contractors.

(2)The landlord may enter the dwelling unit at any time for the protection or preservation of the premises. The landlord may enter the dwelling unit upon reasonable notice to the tenant and at a reasonable time for the purpose of repair of the premises. “Reasonable notice” for the purpose of repair is notice given at least 12 hours prior to the entry, and reasonable time for the purpose of repair shall be between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. The landlord may enter the dwelling unit when necessary for the further purposes set forth in subsection (1) under any of the following circumstances:


(a)With the consent of the tenant;

(b)In case of emergency;

(c)When the tenant unreasonably withholds consent; or

(d)If the tenant is absent from the premises for a period of time equal to one-half the time for periodic rental payments. If the rent is current and the tenant notifies the landlord of an intended absence, then the landlord may enter only with the consent of the tenant or for the protection or preservation of the premises.

(3)The landlord shall not abuse the right of access nor use it to harass the tenant.

Free compost bins given at adopt a tree event at JC Bermudez park in Doral,florida



Carlos del Amo / Smart Growth Realty

 I was able to make the last Adopt-A-Tree event in Miami located at JC Bermudez park in the city of Doral. Giselle and I got there early to avoid lines but to prevail. The line was already super long,but was moving quite rapidly. We waited for about 30 -45 minutes until we received our vouchers to select the trees. Before we waited in line to actually pick up the trees we selected we were given quick explanation of how to plant and take care of these delicate trees in their early stages of planting.

As we were moving in line to get our trees we saw some local Green vendors we were meeting along the way. I saw a pick up truck in back of a tent with dismantled plastic pieces that looked like a compost bin. I asked the nice gentleman if they were selling the compost bins and at what price ? He said they are FREE but you need to sign a waiver and some forms. I figured a free compost bin could never hurt. After we picked our Avocado,Mango,Jack fruit and Buttonwood we were escorted to the truck by a nice gentleman and his son that were volunteering to help the residents carry their trees to the cars. ( pictured above right)



Compost Bin at home.

 COMPOST !!! COMPOST !!!! COMPOST !!!

Composting is no crock of sh#t. The compost bin came in several parts with instructions on how to assemble and what to put in. We have wanting one for awhile. The bin shown on the left is filled with yard clipping,organic soil, brown leaves,food waste,coffee grounds,tea bags and even dryer lint. The winter months are perfect for accumulating compost ready for the April fertilization of our trees. It will take longer now because the heat and humidity are not as strong. 

Overall we had a nice time at adopt a tree met some interesting people who were as passionate about the environment as we are.

Ideas for building new Green kitchens.

I have always wondered what is best way to build a new green kitchen without reusing old be up materials that are hard to restore. In a recent RealtorTV video many of my questions were answered. 

First of all cabinets. Since are not many FSC certified cabinet makers in South Florida I was wondering what would be the best option. Bamboo !! It looks great,sustainable, and long lasting and grows about 4 ft a day.. For the counter tops I prefer recycled glass from Vetrazzo but the new 100 % recycled paper products out on the market are really nice also. Since I live in Miami and terrazzo floors are so common here it RG mirrors the look and feel I like.

Energy Star appliances and low flo faucets are a must. One unique feature of the video was the built in composting bin. I loved it. Definitely will recommend that to my clients if they do a remodel. LED lighting is also a big consideration, it emits no heat and lasts for over 50,000 hours and is a wonderful energy saver when entertaining a night.

I found this video really usefull for what to look for in the new Green kitchens of today.

Looking for a real estate agent that can help you buy,sell,lease,retrofit,remodel or planning your next dream Green home. Email me at info@Smartgrowthrealty.com

Carlos del Amo 
President/Broker
Smart Growth Realty,LLC

Tips for expanding your green knowledge as a Miami Real estate agent

As a NAR Green Designee and an active member of the Green Building Council I wish to share some suggestions on how to expand your green real estate knowledge:

1. Make your listing presentations in a electronic format instead of paper.

2. Network with local organizations that are having events to promote sustainable living practices.

3. Ask your clients of what their Definition of Green is? You would be surprised.

4. Subscribe to newsletters from some of the larger organizations such as Planet Green, Tree Hugger, and Inhabitat.

5. Read magazines like Dwell to check out the latest in sustainable interior design. Granite Countertops though still popular will be passé, the newest trends are in recycled glass, wood, and paper countertops.

6. If you are going to advertise your listings, publish them in magazines or newspapers that use recycled paper or have an FSC seal.

7. Ask sellers what their energy bills are? You would be surprised what green features their home may have and not be aware of it (ex. Double pane windows, Energy Star appliances, solar or tank less water heaters).

8. If you don’t drive a Hybrid that is still okay. I have had my Truck for over 8 years and since more than 50% of Americans lease their cars every 3 years , I am proud to say I have only put 1 carbon emitting vehicle on the road in last 8 years when most others have put 3 or more. That’s sustainability!

Starting a Green real estate company using the faxing and VOIP services of Ring Central

 
When I was researching the best E faxing and Virtual phone service companies to go with my concept of building a green real estate agency, I decided to go with Ring Central. I love the service and would highly recommend it to anyone trying to save money and time. 
 
Ring Central has several plans and options. I went with the 49.95 a month unlimited calling and faxing nationally. Moreover, I bought a Linksys IP SPA942 VOIP phone with 4 lines and have it hooked up to my router and it works great. The retails for about $125,but if you sign up with RC you get a bit of a discount.
 
Customer Service is excellent, but what I like most about the service is that I never miss a call. I am hardly in the office and RC forwards my calls in a .wav file to my cellphone in less than 30 seconds from receiving it at the office. I can open the .wav file on my blackberry and return the call instantly as if I were in the office. Another feature I love is  fax out. It lets you fax the pdf's,word,excel docments directly from your computer. 
 
Short Sale Faxout example:
 
I received a short sale listing for a 1/1 Condo in West Kendall. As a CDPE I gathered all the required initial paperwork to send to the bank. Well you can imagine it was 80 pages long. ( Banks do not accept Electronic documents for Short Sales, if so I would not have printed the forms) Well I scanned them on my printer into a pdf and saved it as a file, then I opened RC and attached the 80 page file to fax out to test the system. I figured no way will these many pages go out from this Efax. It took a while and received a notification about 10 minutes later the 80 pages were sent.
 
Boy, was I impressed !!
 
RingCentral your the best !!
 
 

Bad Pad Thai at 2010 AIA national convention in Miami Beach

On Thursday my wife Giselle and I were invited by our good friend Jorge Blet from Mechoshade to come visit the 2010 AIA national convention at the Miami Beach Convention center.

We arrived via my Solar Utility Vehicle as it is known by these days and saw that the  parking lot was full. I expected a good turnout as well inside. Boy was I wrong.

The show itself was filled with wonderful vendors from all over the country showcasing their product lines. We met vendors from Chicago putting up Green roofs in Miami for several commercial buildings, Sustainable flooring companies using bamboo and coconut palms to name a few, however the halls were fairly empty for being opening day.

As we walked down the mostly empty recession struck aisles Giselle and I were invited to eat upstairs at the Asian restaurant compliments of Mechoshade. Well let me tell you that it was the worst Asian food I have ever had along with it's dysfunctional staff  made lunch an adventure. First of all the staff had to write peoples names on the back of a take out menu in pencil. Secondly the hungry crowd grew larger and more hostile. Exhibitors from other states were amazed by the disorganization occurring.

I felt like saying "Welcome to Miami" or "Welcome Back to Wonderland Alice" It is a unique place here living in it for over 40 years. Well, back to the food or lack of. We ordered PAD THAI. How bad can you screw up :Chicken,Rice,Vegetables and Noodles. Well they did. We received our meals in these to go white containers and thought you have to be kidding. The meal tasted like the cardboard box that it came in.
I know that place will be changing ownership soon.

As for the rest of the show,we saw some friends from Pro Energy Auditors and Birgit from Resysta Deck Flooring. We were able to walk most of the show but could not finish due to time restraints.Overall,we had a good time and were impressed with the new innovations and products in the field of architecture for 2010.

Smart Growth Realty agent Carlos del Amo gets CDPE Designation

April 2010- Carlos del Amo of Coldwell Banker, today announced the creation of a new information Web site for Miami-area homeowners in distress. CarlosdelAmoGreen.com contains vital facts about the options available to these homeowners, to help them make the educated decisions about their future.

“I developed this site with my community in mind,” Del Amo said. “When faced with the possibility of foreclosure, I’ve seen too many homeowners make poor choices, even walking away from their homes without calling their lender or a real estate agent. These people didn’t know the options available, or even how to find any information on their situation.

"I want more for the people of Miami Dade County, and more comes with making informed decisions.”

My site acts as a hub for information on the facts and issues for struggling homeowners, putting all the necessary information in one, easy-to-use location. The information and materials located on the site are regularly updated to reflect market changes, trends, new lender requirements, and industry updates.

Alex Charfen, co-founder and CEO of the Distressed Property Institute in Austin, Texas, said that more than seven out of 10 homeowners in foreclosure proceed without any visible assistance.

“Agents with the Certified Distressed Property Expert® designation are helping distressed homeowners understand that there may be options available to them,” Charfen said. “Carlos del Amo" has been trained to help homeowners avoid foreclosure, and this Web site resource to educate the community is a commendable public service.”

The CDPE designation provides real estate professionals with specific understanding of the complex issues confronting the real estate industry. Through comprehensive training and experience, CDPEs are able to provide solutions for homeowners facing hardships in today’s market.

Eco Friendy real estate company opens in Miami

Miami has been waiting for sometime for a company to take the reins in the Green residential building movement and that company is Smart Growth Realty. My vision as a 40 plus year resident of the city is to reduce the carbon footprint of Miami one home at a time by giving our clients a commission rebate to go towards green initiatives. With the proceeds from the rebate we want our customers to put the savings to good use. For example, using the funds to install programmable thermostats,plant indigenous trees native to the area, increase the indoor air quality by repainting the interior walls with NO VOC paint and many other ways to save energy,water and provide for a healthier home.

At Smart Growth we want our agents to enjoy the path we are heading towards energy independence. We will give them what we call smart tools that will make them produce a much higher level with the least enviromental impact. Technology was created for a reason and we believe that in today's instant gratification world clients need a quick response.

It has been a passion of mine to make Miami as green of a city as Portland,Austin,Seattle,to name a few. We have a long way to go but we are making strides. If Smart Growth Realty has it way we hope to make a major impact on how real estate is bought and sold in the future.

Carlos del Amo
Chief Sustainability Officer
Smart Growh Realty

Green Fundraising Event for Dade County Public Schools at Coverings

On Saturday night my wife Giselle and I attended the annual Dream in Green Fundraising event at Coverings in North Miami. Dream in Green's mission is to develop and implement programs that promote energy conservation and efficiency, environmental sustainability, and the use of renewable energy. This organization builds partnerships with local schools, governments, and businesses for the purpose of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and our reliance on fossil fuels. One of the night’s special guests was Miami Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto M Carvalho. He received an award for his effort and excellence in promoting The Green Schools challenge, a unique program for educating K-12 students about environmental and energy challenges and getting them involved in real world solutions that reduce energy consumptions. The successful event attracted over 100 guests. There was also a silent auction with some unique and interesting items. Some of the items ranged from recycled handbags to Energy Audits courtesy of Pro Energy consultants. My fellow Coldwell Banker realtor Jenny May did a wonderful job in preparing the event and hosting the silent auction. My passion and vision for Miami being a 43 year resident is to see all homes be sustainable. This will require effort from all of us but, if we each do a little, we can make it happen.