Site Updates – Real Estate Videos Section Added

You may have noticed that the site has undergone some cosmetic changes in the past couple of days. I would like to make everyone aware of a few other changes that may not be so apparent. The most significant change that I have made is the addition of the “Real Estate Videos” link to the header of the homepage. As you might guess, the link directs you to a page which displays various real estate videos, with the most recently posted video displayed first.

These videos are searchable in a few different ways. The best way to search for a video is using the catalog pull-down menu along the right-hand side of the page. There you can search for property videos by zip code, neighborhood, and type of property (condo, single family, etc). The ability to search by number of bedrooms, price and more shall be added in the coming days. This type of search is made possible through the use of tags. I will utilize tags to make searching as efficient and effortless as possible. This may not be a big deal now, seeing that there are less than ten property videos, but it will prove beneficial down the road as more videos are added. I plan to add at least ten new videos within the next week.

You will also be able to differentiate amongst the following types of videos, which will have the following tags:

• Real Living Properties – These are property videos that are of listings associated with Real Living Properties (either my own or someone else in the office).
• Investment-Grade – These are property videos that I feel are good investments. These may be foreclosures, short-sales, distressed properties or just below-market-priced listings.
• Neighborhoods – I will occasionally add a neighborhood video to the site as well. The purpose of this is to primarily educate nonlocal investors.

You can also use the search box to find relevant posts as well. This type of search cannot read tags, however. It will provide better search results in the future once I have time to provide a more detailed summary of each property to ensure that all possible keywords that are relevant to that property are included within the actual posts.

I will also update posts associated with each listing to make people aware of any status change in the property. For example, if a property is pending sale I will make note of it in the post specific to that property. If the property has already closed, I will let everyone know and then most likely remove the posts after six months.

I am open to posting video listings of other Miami and Miami Beach-based real estate agents on this site. Once you have a video file and a property summary, drop me an email or give me a call and we’ll make it happen.

I have also included a “Property Search” link to the header of the homepage as well. It was there before but did not function like I wanted it to when clicked. It now works appropriately.

Additional changes shall follow in the coming months to allow for a more unique and efficient way to search for real estate. Enjoy!

Google Maps Street View is Simply Amazing!

If you haven’t taken a look at Google Maps in the last couple of days then head over there now and take a look at their new street-level view capability. It is simply amazing! It allows you to view a location from the perspective of a person walking down the street. It also allows you to interact with the photo by turning the view and moving forward or backward in the photo. Both Microsoft and Amazon released similar products earlier in the year, but the one released a few days ago by Google is on a totally different level.

When you get to Google Maps type in an address. For the photo above, I typed in “950 S Miami Ave, 33131”. It then shows you a map for that location. Click on the “Street View” box in the upper right hand corner of the map. You will then see an orange stick man appear on the map. Click on him and a photo, like the one above, will appear of the area. From there you can move forward or backwards in the map using the arrows within the photo or turn the view 90 degrees by using the two arrows in the upper left hand corner of the photo. It also allows you to turn left or right at intersections.

The images look to be about 4-6 months old judging by the photo above. The image at the top is of a new commercial development called Mary Brickell Village. It looks to have been taken around December or January. I navigated the street a bit and noticed that one of the restaurants is fenced off, as it was around that time.

The new street view functionality can play an important role in real estate. People can now “virtually” walk any neighborhood that they want without ever leaving home. Miami is a haven for second home buyers and investors. This type of mapping capability will prove beneficial to nonlocal buyers who can now familiarize themselves with various neighborhoods. I love technology! Just wait until the day when we are able to interact with video and navigate a virtual video map. Now that would truly be amazing!

Welcome to the Miami Condo Investments Blog!

The Miami Condo Investments blog aims to be the authoritative source for all news relating to Miami and Miami Beach real estate, with a specific focus on condominiums and lofts. We will provide investors with the best information relating to Miami and Miami Beach real estate investment opportunities.  Preconstruction, foreclosure, pre-foreclosure, and short sale opportunities will be especially highlighted throughout this blog.  We will also discuss various condominium developments in Miami and Miami Beach along with condos and lofts for sale that are good buying opportunities and/or are worth mentioning as well as comment on news articles that are relevant to the real estate industry and specifically to the condo markets in Miami and Miami Beach, Florida.  We look forward to providing you with the best insight into the condominium markets in Miami and Miami Beach, Florida.