Blog

      7 Tax Benefits of Owning a Home: A Complete Guide for Filing in 2020 What are the tax benefits of owning a home? Plenty of homeowners are asking themselves this right around now as they prepare to … Read More

      U.S. Housing Supply Reaches All-Time Low National housing inventory declined 13.6% in January – the steepest year-over-year decrease in more than 4 years – pushing the supply of for-sale homes in the U.S. to the lowest level … Read More

      Pending Home Sales Down in December WASHINGTON (January 29, 2020) – Pending home sales fell in December, taking a step back after increasing slightly in November, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Each of the four … Read More

      Existing-Home Sales Track Up 3.6 Percent To cap off 2019, existing-home sales tracked up, according to the December National Association of REALTORS® report this week. December’s adjusted annualized rate of sales totaled 5.54 million, climbing 3.6 percent … Read More

      10 Home Improvement Projects That Return The Most At Resale   If you want to get the biggest return on your investment in home renovation projects, it would be wise to take your to-do list outdoors. The … Read More

          We are committed to providing a premier level of service.   All aspects of your real estate experience will be accompanied by Results through exceptional Service and Honesty. From the onset of our marketing meeting, … Read More

        Dream Big: 6 Reasons Why You Should Look at Homes Outside Your Price Range   When you are house hunting, budget is everything. It dictates how much home you can reasonably afford, and therefore which homes … Read More

        Thank You   For making 2019 our most successful year ever. We are humbled and grateful for all the support and loyalty from all of our friends and clients. Have a safe, healthy and prosperous year … Read More

          Florida Realtors: Single-Family Sales Rise 6.1% in Nov. Florida’s housing market reported more single-family home sales and higher median prices, as well as increased pending sales and pending inventory in November 2019 compared to a … Read More

FEATURED PROPERTY 1022 Huntinglodge Drive   Beautiful 6 Bedroom, 5 1/2 bath, Family room, Den, Pool, Porte Cochere Must see in person Call for Appointment today!                 Home-Flipping Drops Along with Investment Returns … Read More

Santa’s Mailbox has Arrived   Thank You to all who attended our office Christmas Party Your patronage is greatly appreciated and your company was thoroughly enjoyed!         Should I Offer a Discount When Selling My Home? When … Read More

  Our latest reviews Robert Nelson ***** 6 days ago A trusted partner adding value every step of the way. In today’s competitive market, there are few agents who can make a full time job out of selling real estate. … Read More

          2020 Real Estate Outlook: Existing-Home Sales Rebound 1.9% in October as Low Mortgage Rates Continue to Provide a Lift The numbers: Sales of previously-owned homes rose 1.9% in October — the latest housing statistic to … Read More

          2020 Real Estate Outlook: Expert Predictions For Mortgage Rates Home Prices, Tech And More The 2019 housing market has been one of low rates, high demand and limited supply—particularly on the lower-priced end of the … Read More

          Florida’s Housing Market Shows Positive Trends in 3Q Florida’s housing market experienced positive trends in 3Q 2019, with more closed sales, higher median prices, more pending sales and rising pending inventory, according to the latest … Read More

          8 Signs You’re Ready to Stop Renting and Buy a Home Renting a place to live may give you the freedom to move when you want and relieve you of the responsibilities of homeownership, but … Read More

          How Much to Offer on a House: Should You Go Below or Above Asking Price? How much should you offer on a house? The not-so-simple answer: It depends on the market you’re in, the list … Read More

          9 Reasons Why Some Homes Sell Faster Beyond the obvious elements such as location and size, here are nine factors that can affect how quickly your home sells…READ MORE           Want … Read More

          Mortgage rates drop once again — sparking more interest in loan refinancing Mortgage rates fell yet again on a weekly basis thanks to the declining yield on Treasury notes. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.57% … Read More

          What Is a Property Lien? An Unpaid Debt That Could Trip Up Your Home Sale Property liens are one of the most common conditions that can slow down a real estate transaction. So what exactly … Read More

          Which Is The Better Investment Rental Property: A Single-Family Home Or Apartment Building? Investing in residential rental real estate is a great way to build wealth and diversify your portfolio. If you’re ready to plunge … Read More

          Sell Homes Faster With These Five Staging Tips Because you only get one chance at a first impression, it’s critical for everything in a home to look its best. When potential buyers look through a … Read More

          Inventory and List Prices Drop Unexpectedly Inventories of homes for sale fell 1.8% year-over-year in August, the first time in a year that inventories have dropped. “The state of the housing market as we head … Read More

          Dispelling the Myth of the 20 Percent Down Payment Saving for a down payment is one of the biggest obstacles faced by first-time homebuyers. Dispelling the 20 percent down payment myth could open the path to homeownership … Read More

          What Is the Average Price per Square Foot for a Home and Why Does It Matter? If you’re hoping to buy a house, the very first dollar figure you’ll want to know is the home’s price, … Read More

          Florida’s Closed and Pending Home Sales Median Prices Up in July Florida’s housing market reported more closed sales, more pending sales and higher median prices in July compared to a year ago, according to the … Read More

                Real Estate Is Back as Americans’ Favorite Long-Term Investment Stocks have long been the most glamorous of the major asset classes. Many a Hollywood film has centered around making fast money in … Read More

        FEATURED PROPERTY   27 HuntingLodge Dr  one of the original homes built in Miami Springs circa 1924 (for complete info click on photo)               Millennials drive mortgage refinance boom, and … Read More

        FEATURED PROPERTY   27 HuntingLodge Dr  one of the original homes built in Miami Springs circa 1924 (for complete info click on photo)               6 Expert Predictions for The Second … Read More

          Buyers Waiting for List Prices to Drop? They’ll Be Disappointed WASHINGTON – Homebuyers sitting on the sidelines waiting for housing prices to backslide might be waiting longer than expected, according to experts. The strong demand … Read More

          15 Best Questions to Ask When Buying a House Before making an offer on a house, you want to be absolutely sure that it’s “the one.” But with so many options out there, how do … Read More

          Why It’s Taking Longer to Find the Perfect Home With soaring prices, hordes of competition, and a dearth of properties for sale, snagging the right home for the right price is no easy task. And … Read More

          Should You Sell Your Home As Is, or Spring for a Renovation? Here’s How to Decide When you decide to sell a house that desperately needs updating, you basically have two choices: Sell it as … Read More

          What’s your retirement housing strategy? One of the most important aspects of retirement planning is making housing plans. The reality is that you need a place to live in retirement and there are a lot … Read More

          Homeowners Are Rethinking Staying Put After a bout of hesitation at the start of the year, homeowners are cozying up to the prospect of selling. According to the latest National Association of REALTORS® quarterly report, … Read More

          Death, Taxes and Inherited Homes Losing a family member is never easy. Neither is figuring out how to deal with the home and possessions they leave behind. It often falls to real estate agents to … Read More

          Home-price gains are weakest in 7 years The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-city index rose a seasonally adjusted 0.1% in March, compared to February, and was 2.7% higher compared to a year ago. That was the … Read More

          Should You Do Home Upgrades Now … or Right Before You Sell? Home sellers are often told to make upgrades to their house before they sell … but when is the best time to get … Read More

                    Giving—or Receiving—a Down Payment Gift? Here Are the Tax Consequences Searching for homes and scrolling through listing photosis fun, but saving up for a down paymentcan be a real challenge. That’s … Read More

        Generational Trends: Boomerang Kids, and Millennials on the Move Adult children are moving in with their parents, and affecting their home-buying preferences—but baby boomers, who have conventionally driven the trend, are not the only generation to … Read More

        These Are the Best Days of the Year to Sell Your Home If you’re on the fence about listing your home, now is the perfect time to take the dive. According to a recent ATTOM Data … Read More

        Annual Appreciation Losing Momentum Annual appreciation in February kept slowing, with gains grinding to 4 percent, according to the latest national S&P CoreLogic/Case-Shiller Indices. One month prior, appreciation was north of 4 percent, and in February … Read More

        5 Non lazy Reasons to Skip Remodeling Before You Sell Home sellers often hear that if they ever hope to find a buyer, they must whip their house into perfect shape—fix this, paint that, overhaul your … Read More

        13 First-Time Homebuyer Mistakes to Avoid Buying your first home comes with many big decisions and can be as scary as it is exciting. It’s easy to get swept up in the whirlwind of home-shopping and … Read More

        What Is a Comparative Market Analysis? The CMA Explained A home’s price is a moving target—based on where it is, when it’s listed for sale, whether it has that trendy open kitchen, all of it. So if … Read More

        5 Unwritten Home-Selling Etiquette Rules That Can Make or Break Your Sale Selling a house takes, well, salesmanship. In other words, you have to prep your house so it looks its best. You have to open your … Read More

          What Today’s Sellers Want In the last 30 years, sellers have remained in the same home for longer periods of time. From 1987 to 2008, sellers stayed in their homes for a median of six … Read More

          As the Housing Market Shifts to Favor Buyers This Remains the Biggest Hurdle The recent slowdown in the housing market has been a boon for buyers. Since last summer, more properties have come onto the … Read More

          February 2019 Data: Inventory Growth Points to Cooler Spring Market The Best Time to List a Home For Sale The first week of April is the best time to list a home on the market … Read More

          February 2019 Data: Inventory Growth Points to Cooler Spring Market Realtor.com®’s February data shows the U.S. housing market could be heading into a cooler spring market than last year. Although home prices are increasing, 14 … Read More

          Home Prices Settling into Stable Territory “2018 was a turning point for home price growth in the U.S. housing market,” says Ralph McLaughlin, deputy chief economist and executive of Research and Insights at CoreLogic. “In … Read More

        5 Big Reasons to Sell Your Home This Year It’s no secret that life’s been pretty good to sellers for the past several years. Even if you had no need—or desire—to move, the housing landscape might … Read More

        6 Ways To Get Your Home Ready For A Spring Sale Selling your home in the spring doesn’t mean you have to actually wait until spring to prepare your home for a sale. After the holiday … Read More

      Quiz: Are You Really Ready to Sell Your House? Are you ready to sell your house? Sure, you may thinkyou’re ready. In fact, you may be dying to move right now, either because you outgrew your space, … Read More

      Data Shows Uptick in Seller Price Cuts The U.S. housing market is off to a slower start this year in many markets, compared to the rapid acceleration we saw last January. Although the market is slowing, it’s important … Read More

      Deep Dive for Existing-Home Sales, Falling 6.4 Percent After gaining ground in November and October, existing-home sales fell last month, dropping 6.4 percent to 4.99 million, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) reports. On an annual basis, … Read More

      What Will Affect Home Appreciation in 2019? It might not be a crash, but home appreciation is certainly poised for a slowdown in 2019 according to the fourth quarter of 2018 VeroFORECAST. The quarterly forecastrevealed that the rate … Read More

      7 Reasons to Accept the First Offer on Your House How do you know you’ve found The One? The one offeron your home worth taking, that is. It’s entirely natural for sellers to consider multiple offers from … Read More

      Conditions for Homebuyers Are Improving Right? With inventory loosening and prices slowing, buyers’ chances look promising—but as mortgage rates rise, how great are their odds, really? According to recently released researchby Zillow, home-buying power is shrinking. In … Read More

      We are committed to providing a premier level of service.   All aspects of your real estate experience will be accompanied by Results through exceptional Service and Honesty. From the onset of our marketing meeting, we are … Read More

      We are committed to providing a premier level of service.   All aspects of your real estate experience will be accompanied by Results through exceptional Service and Honesty. From the onset of our marketing meeting, we are … Read More

      4 Hard Lessons Learned Helping Mom Move This year, I helped my mom sell our family home. The hardest part? Going through decades worth of old belongings, deciding what to keep … and what to chuck. Before … Read More

      Forecasting Housing in 2019: Not Better for Buyers, but Not Worse   If the expectations about housing in 2019 can be summed up in one word, it’s this: balanced. After months and months on a runaway track, … Read More

FEATURED PROPERTY 1171 Nightingale Avenue   Call us to find out more       The Beginning of the End of Explosive Prices Case-Shiller ‘Confirms’ Cooling Housing Market…In September, the growth in home prices slowed to 5.5 percent, continuing a … Read More

      Should Buyers Beware or Start Celebrating? After years of steadily increasing values, home price reductions are on the rise. In fact, the share of U.S. homes listed for sale with at least one price cut is at … Read More

      6 Reasons You Shouldn’t Take Your Home Off the Market for the Holidays Tempted to take your home off the market—or hold off on listing it—until after the new year? After all, you’re swamped with cooking, shopping, … Read More

      Cheaper the Home Faster the Price Rises While overall home price growth is beginning to moderate, lower-priced homes continue to outpace higher priced homes in appreciation, continuing to challenge young millennials interested in homeownership. Nationally, home prices … Read More

      Introducing the Newest Member of the Leonard Real Estate Group   CHUCK the TRUCK 1963 Volkswagen Single Cab Available for community and charity events Free of charge    ………………………………………………..……………………………………………………………………………             Existing Home … Read More

      FEATURED PROPERTY OF THE WEEK!         Inventory Watch Is ‘Big Change’ on the Horizon? The grip on inventory is loosening, with fresh listings sprouting up and the severity of the shortage starting to unwind, … Read More

      Custom built in 2014! This home is premium quality, top to bottom.  More Details Coming Soon       More Homeowners on Board With Selling With prices rapidly rising, homeowners have been reluctant to sell, fearful of being … Read More

          Case-Shiller: Ease-Off in Home Prices The foot on the gas is letting up.   The explosive growth in home prices is slowing, according to the latest S&P CoreLogic/Case-Shiller Indices, which found July prices rose 6 percent … Read More

      CLICK HERE for more detailed information       The Single Best Way to Sell Your Home This Fall, Revealed You may have heard that spring and summer are the top home-selling seasons, and that fall is as … Read More

      CLICK HERE for more detailed information       How to Price a Home in a Seller’s Market: Go Low, or Shoot for the Stars? How to price a home in a seller’s market may be a … Read More

      How Long Should You Live in Your Home? 6 Signs It’s Time to Move On  Ten years. That’s the average amount of time a homeowner stays in a house, according to the National Association of Realtors®.Think that … Read More

      Pending Home Sales Stumble as Housing Market Momentum Wanes  Pending home sales stepped back in July and have now fallen on an annual basis for seven straight months, according to the National Association of Realtors®. The Pending … Read More

      Existing-Home Sales Stuck For the fourth month straight, existing-home sales slid, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) reports. Activity declined 0.7 percent in July, to 5.34 million, down 1.5 percent from the prior year. Inventory rewound, as … Read More

      These Mortgages Pay for Home Renovations Many people don’t realize that there are renovation loans that can help pay for your housing upgrades. Whether you need a new roof or your kitchen is outdated, there is a … Read More

      Affordability Challenges Keep Millennials on the Sidelines Affordability is fading fast—and although millennials are eager to enter the market, and succeeding, they’re bearing the brunt of the challenge, according to recent research. Sixty-three percent of millennials under … Read More

      Pending Sales Still Underwhelm Year-Over-Year With an 0.9 percent gain month-over-month, June pending sales slightly sparked, according to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Pending Home Sales Index(PHSI)—but, on an annual basis, contracts still underwhelmed, down 2.5 … Read More

      Existing-Home Sales Slip, but Inventory Stirs Barely budging against imbalanced inventory, existing-home sales slipped at the start of summer, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) reports. Activity in June declined 0.6 percent to 5.38 million, down 2.2 … Read More

      Millennials raiding their 401(k)s to buy homes Millennials: They’ve experienced bad timing, having witnessed the devastating effects of a market downturn 10 years ago as many were approaching adulthood. But, according to the Bank of the West … Read More

      Warning: House Flipping Fever Can Be Contagious Flipping homes has never been so popular. According to ATTOM Data Solutions, 207,088 single-family homes and condos were flipped last year alone. That’s almost 3,000 more than in 2016, and … Read More

      Over Five Million Baby Boomers Expect to Rent Next Home by 2020 Baby Boomers and others aged 55 or older, including several million current homeowners, expect to move to rental units according to the first Freddie Mac … Read More

      ‘Independence Day Parade’ spectators & participants! Please join us at the Annual Miami Springs Independence Day Parade. The Leonard Real Estate Group will once again be part of this wonderful tradition. Look for our trolley! This year … Read More

        We are committed to providing a premier level of service. All aspects of your real estate experience will be accompanied by Results through exceptional Service and Honesty. From the onset of our marketing meeting, we are … Read More

        Rates Increased for Second Time This Year As predicted by all officials, the Fed raised rates for the second time in 2018—from 1.75 percent to 2 percent. The remainder of 2018 and 2019 may see more … Read More

      Congratulations to the new officers and board of the Miami Springs-Hialeah Rotary Club!     Service clubs like this make Miami Springs a Great place to live! Join one and become more engaged with your community.   … Read More

  Get to know us better   Check out our latest interview on the popular MiamiSprings.com https://youtu.be/GTjjjTOBPPo     Featured Articles     Home Prices: Boom Continues… The boom is continuing for home prices, with a gain in March of … Read More

      U.S. average mortgage rates at 7-year highs Long-term U.S. mortgage rates rose this week, continuing at their highest levels in seven years amid the peak home buying season. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday the average rate … Read More

        We are committed to providing a premier level of service. All aspects of your real estate experience will be accompanied by Results through exceptional Service and Honesty. From the onset of our marketing meeting, we are … Read More

        We are committed to providing a premier level of service. All aspects of your real estate experience will be accompanied by Results through exceptional Service and Honesty. From the onset of our marketing meeting, we are … Read More

    We are committed to providing a premier level of service. All aspects of your real estate experience will be accompanied by Results through exceptional Service and Honesty. From the onset of our marketing meeting, we are dedicated to … Read More

        Existing-Home Sales Strengthen Building on February’s gains—and for the second time this year—existing-home sales have strengthened, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) reports. March sales increased 1.1 percent to 5.6 million, but they were down 1.2 … Read More

        Why Late Spring Is the Best Time to List a Home For Sale Spring has officially arrived, but U.S. home sellers considering listing soon in order to capitalize on the impending spring home shopping season should … Read More

            With Fast-Growing Prices, Gains in Equity Are Exceeding Minimum Wage For many Americans, homeownership is a vehicle for wealth—an appreciating asset that, more often than not, earns a profit at resale.  In the market … Read More

        Getting Ready to Downsize? Factors to Consider As you age, you may decide that less is more. When you downsize your home, there can be less to pay for, less to take care of and less … Read More

        Pending Home Sales Spring Up “Contract signings rebounded in most areas in February, but the gains were not large enough to keep up with last February’s level, which was the second highest in over a decade … Read More

        4 Cost-Effective Ways to Raise Your Home’s Value If you’re looking to raise the value of your home, especially for resale purposes, you’ve undoubtedly heard all sorts of ideas that will get the job done, many … Read More

        Is Your Home Outdated or Charming? Whether you’re planning to sell your home or remain there indefinitely, it’s important to know that wear and tear can slowly erode your dwelling’s appeal. Taken separately, faded kitchen cabinets, … Read More

        Mortgage rates climb to 4.46% – a 4-year high Mortgage rates climbed this week to their highest average in more than four years, ratcheting up affordability pressures at the start of the traditional spring home buying … Read More

        Pending home sales drop 4.7% in Jan.  After seeing a modest three-month rise in activity, pending home sales cooled considerably in January to its lowest level in over three years, according to the National Association of … Read More

Existing-Home Sales Come Up Short Existing-home sales came up short in January, at their lowest in more than three years, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) reports. Sales decreased 3.2 percent to 5.38 million, a 4.8 percent decrease from one … Read More

        Should You Sell Your Home? 5 Crucial Considerations When real estate prices are on the rise, it’s always tempting to sell. But should you sell your home? If you’ve been on the fence, now may be … Read More

      10-Year High Profits for Sellers Homeowners are profiting when selling—and their average earnings haven’t been this high since 2007. At the close of 2017, the average home seller gained $54,000, or a 29.7 percent return on investment … Read More

        Current Mortgage Rates  Mortgage Interest Rates Today The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is 4.38%, up from 4.27% last week. 15-year fixed mortgage rates increased to 3.77% this week, from 3.71% last week. Additional mortgage rates … Read More

        Financial Resolutions That Can Help You Buy a Home in 2018 If you want to buy a home this year, you may be in the midst of planning—or perhaps you’re already well on your way. Purchasing … Read More

      What Can Sellers Do to Prepare for a Home Inspection? Completing these quick and easy tasks before beginning the selling process will help reduce stress and save your clients valuable time during the home-selling process. READ MORE … Read More

        5 Reasons It’ll Pay to Sell Your Home Early in 2018 It’s been nearly a decade since the Great Recession delivered the worst housing crash in modern memory. But these days, the fallout feels squarely in … Read More

What a Difference a Year Makes!! The tale of two Charts   Thank you to all of our clients, friends and supporters for a record breaking year at The Leonard Real Estate Group in 2017. We believe that 2018 will … Read More

        Home-Buying in 2018: Purchase in the Winter or Wait Until Spring? There are only a few weeks left in 2017, and if you’re looking for a house, you might be down to the wire. Should you … Read More

      Housing in 2018: Where Are Home Values Headed?   Analysts are expecting even higher home prices in 2018 than originally projected, according to new research. Zillow’s 2017 Q4 Home Price Expectations Survey reveals experts are anticipating a … Read More

       2017 Hurricane Season has ended but Issues Linger Nov. 30, 2017 – Thursday was the last day of the highly active, deadly and destructive 2017 Atlantic hurricane season, but Floridians will feel its impact for years. The … Read More

      Best Financial Investments for Your Home Over the last couple of years, rehabbing TV shows have become increasingly popular. In these shows, people fix or introduce new features to their homes while adding substantial market value to … Read More

It’s time for family and friends to get together and express that they’re thankful for one another, especially on this upcoming Thanksgiving Day 2017. We at the Leonard Real Estate Group have much to be Thankful for this year. We … Read More

        Confidence in Housing Slips as Year Winds Down   Confidence in housing slipped from an all-time high in October in the Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index® (HPSI), thanks to less optimism from both homebuyers and … Read More

    Should I Sell My Home Now or Wait Until the Spring?   There are many questions homeowners ask themselves during the selling process. “How much will my home sell for?”  “How much should I list my home for?”  “Who … Read More

  History of Halloween      Pending Home Sales at a Standstill Pending home sales remained at a standstill in September, unchanged in the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR)PendingHome Sales Index (PHSI). The PHSI posted 106.0 in September (repeating August’s reading); … Read More

  Most Expensive Single Family Home Listed in Miami Dade County. $65,000,000 Take a tour. Click here. This home was built by Carl Fischer, located on Star Island its one of Miami most luxurious homes.  First time up for sale … Read More

        Acadia National Park   I took a few days off to relax and to re-energize. I had the good fortune to revisit one of my favorite places in the world. Words cannot describe the beauty of … Read More

        6 Easy Ways to Boost Curb Appeal   The exterior of the home counts big for creating first impressions. Indeed, 99 percent of real estate pros say that curb appeal is a critical factor in attracting … Read More

        Take a look inside the most expensive home in America   A new mega-mansion is soon to hit the market with a price tag only the super rich can afford: $500 million. When it goes on … Read More

Smart Home Technology Is the Smart Way to Sell   Buying “smart” means purchasing a home with pre-installed smart home technology, a trend that’s reinvigorating real estate. Smart technology refers to devices that are connected to the internet and can … Read More

Kudos to all Miami Springs residents who were out the day after the hurricane cleaning their yards of debris, helping neighbors with chain saws,  and putting branches on the curb for city pick up. Also kudos to the City of … Read More

        84 % of Americans See Homeownership as Good Investment Affordability a Growing Concern   The survey, www.nar.realtor/reports/housing-pulse-surveys, measures consumers’ attitudes and concerns about housing issues in the nation’s 25 largest metropolitan statistical areas and found that … Read More

      Discover Miami Springs! It is happening.   A tremendous week of real estate activity. Many new listings and sales during the last week. See the Table below.       Study: FSBOs net ‘significantly’ lower profits   … Read More

  The 55+ housing market is going strong The sheer size of the baby boomer generation has been a marketing bonanza for retailers since they started to walk, and it appears to be a boon for the housing industry as … Read More

    Why the tight inventory? Blame the boomers. The U.S. real estate market is currently experiencing the worst inventory deficiency in 20 years, and new data from the realtor.com Housing Shortage Study suggests two primary reasons: A) Boomers’ reluctance … Read More

 Japandi Style: Embracing Minimalist Beauty & Nature in Home Decor It’s been known that those who long for simplicity in living space look towards Japanese culture and design for inspiration, but there are also those who admire Scandinavian functionality above … Read More

How to avoid buying the wrong house Competition for affordable entry-level homes in desirable neighborhoods remains intense, due to a shortage of available property. This has many first-time buyers very frustrated. What’s worse is there’s no end in sight to … Read More

  How to File a Home Insurance Claim: Is It Worth It ? If your home gets damaged by a flood, falling tree, or other random accident, you’ll want to know how to file a home insurance claim. Homeowners insurance can help … Read More

  Report: Buy a home now before prices go even higherThe risk of home price declines remains low, but affordability is increasingly a concern in cities across the U.S., according to the Summer 2017 edition of The Housing and Mortgage Market … Read More

   10 Questions to Ask when Choosing Your AgentSome of agents are smart, efficient, focused, versatile and willing to go the extra mile, and some of them aren’t. Finding an agent who will sell your home using a range of … Read More

   Thank you to all of our friends and clients on this 4th of July. We will be participating in the annual parade in our Beautiful City of Miami Springs. Look for our trailer and catch some candy! DID     YOU     KNOW ?John … Read More

   RECORD HOME SALES in Miami Dade County DURING THE MONTH OF MAY Home buyers went on a shopping spree in Miami-Dade in May — and snapped up enough houses to set a new record. Sales of single-family homes surged to a … Read More

  Discover Miami Springs!!!  I have personally known about this secret gem for over 31 years. Now, I want you to discover it. Great homes, great prices, great location.The City of Miami Springs was founded as Country Club Estates in 1926 by … Read More

   Average U.S. 30-year mortgage rate continued to FALL  Long-term U.S. mortgage rates fell this week, as the benchmark 30-year rate declined for the fourth straight week to its lowest level in nearly seven months. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday the … Read More

 Pending home sales down 1.3% in April Pending home sales in April slumped for the second consecutive month. They were down year-over-year nationally and in all four major regions, according to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR).The Pending Home Sales Index … Read More

  Buy Your First Home in One Year:A Step-by-Step Guide A real yard. Closets bigger than your average microwave. The freedom to decorate however you darn well please! Making the switch from renting to owning is exhilarating, but many rookie homebuyers find … Read More

 5 Ways You Didn’t KnowYou Could Save for a Down PaymentBuying your first home conjures up all kinds of warm and fuzzy emotions: pride, joy, contentment. But before you get to the good stuff, you’ve got to cobble together a … Read More

 The week in luxury: A map of Miami-Dade’s priciest condoCondo sales in Miami-Dade County picked up last week. The most expensive unit to close was a resale at Regalia in Sunny Isles Beach. The four-bedroom, 7,600-square-foot full-floor unit sold for … Read More

Prices are way up. Interests rates edgeddown this last week to just 4.02%.NOW is a great time to sell!! It is a strong sellers market. DON”T MISS this opportunity to CASH IN !! Read more..   Spring housing: ‘Strongest seller’s market ever’Even … Read More

 Read the signs, read the tea leaves, read the reports. Prices are way upNOW is a great time to sell!! DON”T MISS this opportunity to CASH IN !! Home Prices Exceed Expectations at Repeat All-Time High            Home price growth in February … Read More

The River City Festival was a HUGE success!Good food, good music, and good people. Thank you to everyone who stopped by our tent.  We hope you enjoyed the frisbees, balloons, and drone pictures. Big thanks to councilman Bob Best for the on stage … Read More

 Choosing the Best Time of Year to List a HomeCertain times of the year are better times to list a home than other times of the year. For example, you would not want to go on the market just before … Read More

 10 Reasons Green Is the New Normal in Real EstateIn addition to the obvious benefits to the triple bottom line—people, planet, profit—below are 10 aspects of today’s world intended to help real estate professionals understand that green real estate (also … Read More

Size Matters: Most Americans Dissatisfied with Home’s Square FootageWhen it comes to a home’s square footage, Americans seem to have a Goldilocks mindset: too big, too small, jussstttt right. At least, this is the consensus from a recent Trulia/Harris Poll … Read More

 The middle of the South Florida home sales market is hotwhile the rest of the market is not.The number of sales for single-family homes in Miami-Dade County priced between $250,000 and $600,000 jumped 10.5 percent year-over-year in February… READ MORE Energy efficiency … Read More

Spring real estate buyers: Early bird gets worm         Some buyers are in more of a hurry this season and speed may count.In the last two weeks, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose by nearly a quarter point. The Federal Reserve has … Read More

Smart homes may be smart enough to spy on homeownersAre your smart televisions, smartphones and smart fridges vulnerable to eavesdroppers?.. the capacity to break into our everyday consumer electronics raises that troubling question. Microsoft and Google told USA TODAY they … Read More

 Top impact on 2017 housing market? Rising mortgage ratesIncreasing mortgage rates and their impact on affordability will be the most significant force driving the 2017 housing market, according to the latest Zillow Home Price Expectations Survey. The quarterly survey, READ MORE  Houzz Tour: … Read More

 Newlyweds: 5 Factors to Consider When Buying Your New HomeNow that the wedding is over, you and your spouse are ready for the next exciting milestone: home ownership. But there are so many factors you need to keep in mind … Read More

Mortgage payments breaking the bank? You are not alone, say new Zillow dataNationwide, Americans spent 15.8 percent of their income on the typical mortgage payment in the fourth quarter of 2016, up from the previous year’s average of 14.7.The findings … Read More

Happy Valentine’s DayDo something, or say something meaningful to your loved ones on this Valentines Day. 6 Surprising Facts About St. Valentine  A man named Valentinus was martyred on February 14 late in the third century A.D.—this much we know. But when … Read More

The Current Miami Springs MarketThe Miami Springs Real Estate market continues to be dynamic. During the period of Friday January 27,2017 through February 3, 2017 there were 4 new listings, 1 closed sales, 0 pending sales, 0 expired listings.The table … Read More

A National Perspective2016 A banner year for existing home sales!Existing-home sales had a banner 2016, amounting to 5.45 million—an increase from 5.25 million in 2015 and a decade-high from 6.48 million in 2006, according to the National Association of REALTORS® … Read More

Community UpdatesThe aquatic Center reopens after additional repairs were completed. It is a beautiful facility and an amenity that adds value to a community. For hours of operations click here. For a beautiful bird’s eye view of the aquatic center … Read More

Get off the fence!It continues to be a seller’s market, although that will come to an end at some point, as rising interest rates have an impact on the real estate market. If you are on the fence about selling., … Read More

WE WANT YOU!The new year is here and we have been extremely busy our first week. Our first listing in 2017 was sold in One Day!! WE WANT TO SELL YOUR HOUSEWe want to list your property and sell it ASAP.We … Read More

 Happy New Year! Here are some year-end 2016 summary snapshots.Total Houses sold in 2016  131Total Sales Volume  $49,539,351Average Size  1,795 square feetAverage price per sq. ft.$210.68 Most expensive property soldLeast expensive property soldLargest property soldSmallest property soldComplete list of all closed sales in 2016…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….South … Read More

The New Year is the perfect time to organize and clean out our homes.  Wether you want to get your house ready to sell or get a fresh start on your existing home, Leonard Real Estate Group would like to … Read More

Time to regroup for the New Year.The Christmas and New Year Holidays are almost over. Now is a good time to regroup and organize, plan and set goals for the new year. Having your finances in order is important if … Read More

Is The Price Right?When you decide to sell your property you need to price it right. Overpricing is the worst thing to do. You will miss out on potential buyers. Other properties in your area will sell and your property … Read More

Great ideas for wrapping all those presents!

The Little House that Could!In previous Miami Springs Real Estate Market Reports I have written about the amazing prices that smaller homes (under 1500 square feet) are selling for in the Springs. Some are selling for over $300 dollars per … Read More

Part 3 Ornaments, Decorating your Christmas Tree.  Enjoy! 

SNAPSHOTS of the MARKETThe Miami Springs real estate market continues to be dynamic. New Listings are added and new sales are closed. The pending sales number remain a little flat in the last couple of weeks. Refer to the table … Read More

Part 2 Decorating your Christmas Tree – Ribbons and Bows

The Windstorm Mitigation InspectionProperty insurance is an expense that all homeowners with a mortgage pay. It is usually part of your monthly mortgage payment. However, most homeowners don’t know how they may reduce that cost. It is done by having … Read More

Part 1 Decorating your Christmas TreeHere’s another Holiday video to inspire you.

To show our thanks, we were honored to to be able to donate some turkeys to our local community center for their annual Turkey Trot.Check out some photos!The Turkey Run was a great success in no small part to our … Read More

Thanksgiving Weekend!Thanksgiving Day is this Thursday. It is a time to reflect and be thankful for the truly important things in life. Health, family and true friends. You can also be thankful for the material things you have, the job … Read More

One more week till Thanksgiving, now is the time to plan your tablescape.  The video below from Hobby Lobby, has great ideas.Hobby Lobby 1995 W 49 St.Hialeah, Fl  33012305-820-0440ALL FALL DECORATIONS ARE 80% OFF !

I previously reported the new construction activity in Miami Springs on September 19, 2016. There were 13 homes being constructed at the time.Now I want to inform you that during last fiscal year (Oct 1, 2015 thru Sept. 30, 2016) … Read More

With a few adaptations in ribbon color or accents this burlap wreath can be made for any holiday. Enjoy!

Should we be worried? Probably.Interests rates have been at historic levels for quite some time. The inventory levels in Miami Springs have steadily increased. The pending sales numbers have been declining. Listing prices have gone up. Way up. Should we … Read More

One of the biggest pleasures of owning a home is decorating for the holidays.  Throughout this month we will be providing links to a few curated videos to help you do just that.

  Sleeping beauty awakens.After 33 years vacant this gem has roared back to life. A true rarity to find a house owned by one family since it was constructed in 1946. It is now on the market for the first time. … Read More

Thank You All for Coming!Thank you all for coming to the Grand Opening of our Miami Springs office! We are so thankful for your continued support. A special thank you to our neighboring sponsors:Harvest Moon Gourmet Bistro, 102 Curtiss PkwyBurritoville, 1 Curtiss … Read More

The 3rd Quarter Update!!I hope that you were not expecting the end of the 3rd quarter score of a Dolphin game. As the disappointment with this team continues, I could have just said, we are losing and you wouldn’t care … Read More

” The Miami single-family home market enjoyed its best August in history, breaking a 22-year record for the most ever August single-family home sales as dollar transaction volume and median prices posted double-digit gains, according to a new report by … Read More

The Commercial MarketThe City of Miami Springs is known for being a bedroom community and not a Commercial hub. However, there is some real estate activity in the commercial market. It is not as robust as the residential sector but … Read More

August, east of Miami-Dade County, approx. 11,000 condo listings with average asking price just over $1 million, or $572 per square foot, according to Crane Spotters.Inventory buildup like this is has caused some major developers to put some projects on hold. The Related Group, … Read More

Flash Card Facts!It’s the end of the month and in case you are confronted this week with questions (ie.Pop Quiz) about the Miami Springs real estate market, I prepared some flash cards to help you ace the quiz. You can … Read More

 Your home is under contract and next up is your home inspection. The home inspection is one of the most stressful things about selling your house. Disagreements between buyers and sellers are very common. But there are a few things you … Read More

   I reported in the Real Estate Market Report of September 5, 2016 that the average price per sq. ft. for homes under 1700 sq. ft. was approximately $263.00.However, when the homes are even smaller, they have sold for even much … Read More

A multifamily home is a building with more than one unit where people can live, each with their own separate kitchens, living rooms, electric bills, and so forth. Multifamily homes can be rented, be owned, or serve as an investment property where landlords can collect rent from tenants. … Read More

The Windshield survey is one way to get a sense of a community. By observing and taking note of its characteristics you can better understand either the community in general or a specific condition or aspect of it.As a real … Read More

Is the old adage Time is Money, true in real estate?Days on market (DOM) is a measurement of the age of a real estate listing. It is defined as the number of days the listing is on the active market … Read More

Staging your home is more than decluttering or cleaning your home inside.After a humid summer, most South Florida homes could benefit from a little power cleaning.Power washing, of your fence, driveway, steps leading up to your home, can make an … Read More

Well, in Miami Springs it certainly does. If your house is under 1700 sq. ft. your property may command a much higher price per square feet than houses over 1700 sq. ft.In my Real Estate Market report of May, 23, … Read More

South Florida Real Estate has been climbing, but are we back to the peak of 2007?  Check out the chart below and see where we’ve been and where we’re heading.    

  We are open for Business!!Thanks to our many loyal clients, friends and neighbors we have opened an office in the beautiful City of Miami Springs. We are located at 190 Westward Drive.We offer complete real estate services and we always … Read More

Buying a home is thrilling, scary, sometimes weird, often epic, but  never dull. You’re putting up a huge amount of money for a place you’ll  hopefully live in for years to come. As such, you’re bound to have a lot of questions throughout every step … Read More

 We’ve got the keys to our new office!Just putting the finishing touches and soon we’ll be able to welcome you.  We are, however,  still available  for all your real estate needs, just give us a call Charlie 305-726-8416, or Sean 786-205-0187. The … Read More

A city once defined by Cubans is now home to a growing South American population that is affluent, well-educated and business oriented.”South Americans’ impact on Miami can be seen in the city’s changing skyline, booming real estate market, international banks, … Read More

 Our new office will be open soon, please stay tuned. We are so excited with our new location, you are invited to drop by anytime, for a free evaluation of your home’s value, to chat about the possibility of selling/buying a home/commercial … Read More

The lot size is very important to some, but not all, buyers. If you happen to agree with Mark Twain, buy land, they’re not making it anymore ”, then you probably want to buy a property with a large lot.However, … Read More

What is a back up contract? Simply put, it is being the next person inline to buy a house that is currently under contract should the first contract not go through. That can happen for a number of reasons, including … Read More

THE MARKET IS CHANGING!!!Buyers, now is the time to buy. Interest rates are GREAT!  But, THEY WILL GO UP!Sellers if you are thinking about selling, Do it NOW!The Miami Springs Real Estate market continues to be full of activity. During … Read More

 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________SuggestsIt’s never too soon to start planning ahead if you are thinking about buying a new home within the next year.”Some things like qualifying guidelines, interest rates and house prices aren’t in your control and may change before you’re ready, … Read More

If you have been reading my weekly update reports of the Miami Springs market and following the latest real estate reports in the news this last week, then you know, THE MARKET IS CHANGING.Inventory continues to increase while increasing prices have slowed down. … Read More

“It’s a challenging market for home sellers right now.Buyers have a lot of options! Your house is likely just one located among a hundred for-sale signs, so don’t mess around when you are serious about selling it!”1. Don’t do it … Read More

This 4th of July, we’re celebrating the nation’s 240th birthday.Miami Springs once again put on a great show!The Leonard Real Estate Group was proud to be part of the 4th of July Parade, its always a pleasure to be part … Read More

Enjoy our Annual Independence Day Festivities to be held on Monday, July 4thThis year the Leonard Real Estate Group will proudly be participating in the Miami Springs 4th of July parade, celebrating the great country we live in, come by, meet … Read More

 Your first property will take a lot of your time as you learn the ins and outs. Think of it as another part-time job. Here are some things to consider:  Pay Down Debt First If you have student loans, unpaid … Read More

 The Paint and Shuttering Program provides assistance to homeowners of single-family detached homes located in Miami-Dade County with having the exterior of their home painting and/or Accordion Hurricane Shutters installed.If approved Miami-Dade County will place a lien on the home … Read More

 Here are some things to consider: Shop aroundAsk your friends, check the Yellow Pages or contact your state insurance department. National Association of Insurance Commissioners (www.naic.org) has information to help you choose an insurer in your state.Check the financial stability … Read More

Summer is almost here! That means sweltering heat and humidity, the perfect time to cool off in a nice pool or a lake.Last week I promised to look at the number of properties for sale that have pools and those … Read More

Home Loans are really cheap….for nowMortgage rates fell to 3.61 percent on an average for 30-year fixed loans, down from 3.66 percent last week. Rates have held below 4 percent all year and have been trending lower since March, giving house … Read More

   Miami Summer Camp!Summer time is here! If you are looking for something local for the kids, check out these options.   2016 GET FIT SUMMER CAMP2016 Summer Basketball Camp6th Annual Springs River Festival 5KAdvanced Basketball Skills Summer Camp Recreational CampsGeneral Program CampsCheerleading/Dance … Read More

 Do you know how much you could save!? Its up to you to take full advantage of the tax write-offs available to you. TIf you own a home, or are thinking about the move, you need this information. Download your guide to tax breaks here: … Read More

  This home refinance calculator shows how much you can save locking in lower rates.  Many people refinance in order to obtain money for large purchases such as cars or to reduce credit card debt. The way they do this is by … Read More

Home Improvements: Under $100   Tip 1: Spend an hour with a pro.Invite a realtor or interior designer over to check out your home. Many realtors will do this as a courtesy, but you will probably have to pay a … Read More

A variety of financial vectors have dovetailed to make this the perfect storm for home buyers to get out there and make a winning offer. 1. Rates on Home Loans are at Historic Lows.  30-year fixed rate home loans are hovering around … Read More