This was given to me by a colleague.  I'm not sure who wrote it... Forget time management....Manage yourself! Each day blesses you with 24 hours.  That's 1,440 minutes.  No more. No less.  Time is relentless.  It can't be replaced or reversed, stopped, stored not saved.  Nor can you reach into your time reservoir to "borrow' an hour from yesterday...to use today. Time is the essence of your life.  If you waste your time, you waste your life.  Don't race compulsively or erratically to do more "stuff" in less time.  Don't become busier or more active.  Instead, make better choices and wiser decisions.  Then, time becomes your ally, your valuable partner.  Don't confuse activity with results.  You're paid only for results. Steal time from the insignificant.  Then channel it and your energi... 07/03/2009

“Father Knows Best” – 7th Annual Fishing Tournament   Once again, it is time for the Town of Miami Lakes' “Father Knows Best” fishing tournament.   This fun “catch and release” fishing event will take place June 20th, on the shores of the Graham Dairy Lake. Prices will be awarded to the first fish caught, the most fish caught, the biggest fish caught, the smallest fish caught, the youngest fisherman, the oldest fisherman, and the best father and child team.   Where? Graham Dairy Lake   When? Saturday June 20th, 2009 – from 7:30 am to noon   How much is the price of Admission? FREE!!!   Pre-registration is required to participate, and the deadline to register is Thursday June 18th.   Please register via e-mail by emailing the Town of Miami Lakes:   mlcac@miamilakesfl.gov   Or register vi... 06/11/2009

Investor's Biggest Fear....What happens if I can't find a BUYER and I am stuck with the property????Here is what I am hearing from Investors thinking about BUYING a DEAL.....How do I find a deal?Is it a DEAL or NO DEAL?How do I estimate the repairs?Do I know a good contractor?After Repair Value (ARV)? What is that and how do I determine it?What channels do I use for marketing the DEAL?..internet, local papers, email, REIA club, etc.????HOW do I find and qualify a potential BUYER?What happens if I can't find a BUYER?If I make a mistake, how can I recover from it?On and on and on.....So, for MREIA's March Workshop we invited a successful wholesaler specializing in South Florida's market who $$$ sells two houses a month $$$:WholesalerPresenter Ramon GonzalezHere are just some of the topics... 03/26/2009

2nd Annual TASTE OF MIAMI LAKES FESTIVAL                                                                                        When?   Saturday FEBRUARY 28TH, 2009 - Between 11 am and 9 pm Where?  MAIN STREET - TOWN OF MIAMI LAKES   Come and enjoy great food! The Taste of Miami Lakes Festival is an event that brings together fantastic food, live music, arts and crafts, children's face painting, a fashion show, and more, all in a day of fun for everyone. And most importantly, admission is FREE! Check the official "Taste of Miami Lakes Festival" website. See you there!           02/24/2009

                       Miami Lakes has that small town feeling to it that makes it so endearing. This is just one of the reasons many want to call it home. It also offers varied opportunities to its residents to enjoy cultural events totally free of charge. September brings a month-long celebration named “Renaissance 2008." Every weekend of the month will offer opportunities to enjoy art and live music. These are just some of the planned events:Saturday 6 – 7pm – Car show, Banjo music, Barber Shop Quartets, at Main StreetFriday 12 – 8 pm – Square Dance at the Community CenterSaturday 13 – 7 pm – Concert by Barbara Goleman’s Jazz Band “Sounds of the 40’s” at Main StreetFriday 19 – 7:30 pm – Folk Music at the Main Street Theater Saturday 27 – 7:00 pm – Hip-Hop, Art exhibit and contemporar... 09/04/2008

                            FROM MIAMI LAKES' MAIN STREET, OF COURSE! Miami Lakes is a great town with a wonderful sense of community, and Main Street is its heart.It is always nice to take a walk along Main Street and find a musician or a group playing some great tunes. This coming Saturday and the next one are going to be such days with musical entertainment scheduled to play at the Main Street Gazebo in the corner of Main Street and New Barn Road. Saturday August 23rd – music by the Cachet quartet from 7 to 9 pmSaturday August 30 – guitarist Nicolas Marks from 7 to 9 pmEnjoy and have fun!     08/21/2008

Sometimes, numbers and pictures speak louder than words. So I want to share the "picture" that I got today from the MLS. The following is a TWO-DAY snapshot of the activities that took place in the real estate market for our Area 20. This includes the Town of Miami Lakes and other adjacent areas such as Hialeah, Palm Springs North and Country Club of Miami. This data is for all residential properties, single-family homes as well as condos. Total homes for sale in Area 20 as of today: 2,297   New listings: 44 Pending: 11 Back on the Market (previously under contract that didn’t close): 11List Price revision: 86 So how do we interpret these numbers?   These numbers tells us that just in the last two days, 44 new homes were added to the market. We also find out that 11 properties went pend... 07/23/2008

  These are the current numbers for the Town of Miami Lakes: Single-family homes Total Homes for sale:  182Homes sold in the last 6 months: 40Pending sales (under contract): 22Condos  - (includes Town-homes and Villas)Total Homes for sale: 200Homes sold in the last 6 months: 26Pending sales (under contract): 15   The number of homes for sale continues to be very high in relation to the ones that are selling. This is particularly true for condos, which are selling at a slower pace than single-family homes. There are many different ways to measure the real estate market, and even more ways to interpret them. I just entered another post with some statistical data of the last two days for our area. Those numbers offer another interesting view of what is happening in this market.   07/23/2008

Miami Lakes' real estate statistics: SINGLE FAMILY HOMES (entered 06/01/2008 to 07/01/2008): New homes on the market:25 Number of homes entering escrow (pending sale):0 Number of homes closing escrow (sold): 0 Number of listings expired/cancelled/temp.off market/withdrawn/terminated:2 CONDOS/TOWNHOMES/VILLAS (entered 06/01/2008 to 07/01/208): New condos/townhomes/villas on the market:5 Number of condos/townhomes/villas entering escrow (pending sale): 0 Number of condos/townhomes/villas closing escrow (sold): 3 Number of listings expired/cancelled/temp.off market/withdrawn/terminated:17 To 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 sal... 07/09/2008

“Father Knows Best” is an annual fishing tournament that’s becoming a family tradition. The event takes place in the Town of Miami Lakes, at Graham Dairy lake. This year it’s scheduled for June 14th, from 7:30 am to noon.                                           This popular fishing tournament will award prices for the first fish, biggest fish, smallest fish, youngest fisherman, oldest fisherman, most fish caught, best fishing team (father and child), and best overall fisherman. This surely sounds like a lot of fun! The deadline to register is June 12. For more information, and to register for this event e-mail mlcac@miamilakes-fl.gov or call 305-364-6100, ext. 138.I mendioned in previous posts other events like the Senior Games, and the Poker Walk. Our town is always building communit... 06/11/2008

Poker Walk nets $ 13,000 for charities! The Poker Walk is organized by the Zonta Club of Miami Lakes. It took place on April 26 and it raised $ 13,000. This money is going to be divided between C.H.A.R.L.E.E. and Casa Valentina. C.H.A.R.L.E.E. is a foster care agency serving abandoned and neglected children in the Miami-Dade County area.  Casa Valentina cares for young women who are moving out from foster care but do not have the means to be independent. The Poker Walk is a fun, annual event. Attendees draw poker hands by walking to various homes at Loch Lomond, Miami Lakes. In addition to playing the poker game there's good food, drinks, games, door prices and the opportunity to socialize with neighbors and friends .  This year the grand price for the winning poker hand was $ 500. Zont... 05/16/2008

The Town of Miami Lakes Senior Games for 2008 will take place April 25-26 at Barbara Goleman Senior High School.                                                        Miami Lakes is a fantastic city that offers many opportunities to have a great time while getting to know your neighbors. And this is event is one of them. This is the second annual Town of Miami Lakes Senior Games. It is hosted by the Miami Lakes Elderly Affairs Committee. The competition will include basketball, tennis, golf putting, table tennis, run and walk races, and many more activities for everyone to enjoy and have fun.    To obtain registration forms please call the Town Hall at 305-364-6100 or visit the town website.   03/31/2008

The Main Street Merchants present the Taste of Miami Lakes Festival. This fun event will take place on March 29th from 11 am to 9 pm in Town Center.  This is an opportunity to taste the varied foods offered by Miami Lakes restaurants and vendors. The program includes lots of fun activities for kids and the whole family. There will be arts and crafts, musical performances and a fashion show. Have fun, be there!!! 03/07/2008

 Don't Forget that if you moved  or sold your home last year (2007),  March 3rd  is the Deadline to Apply for Homestead Exemption & Portability  to 2008 Taxes.For more information, visit the Florida Department of Revenue's special web page by clicking (http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/propertyAnd mark your calendar!!! 02/28/2008

  In my previous post about the Town of Miami Lakes I posted some pictures showing one of the characteristics of this city: its lakes.   According to the Town's official website, there are a total of 23 lakes. Some of them are: Lake Glenn-Ellen, Lake Patricia, Lake Hilda, Lake Adele, Lake Carol, Lake Cynthia, Lake Elizabeth, Lake Katharine, Lake Sandra, Lake Sarah and Lake Suzie. Each one of them is surrounded by homes that take full advantage of their location.  These wonderful lakes add charm to the city, and they bring peace and beauty to our surroundings.    I hope you enjoyed the pictures. If you watch closely, in the picture above you can see a couple of ducks enjoying the lake as well! 02/21/2008

In real estate, a short sale refers to the sale of a property in which the sale price is insufficient to pay off all encumbrances and pay the expenses of sale. If the lender is convinced that the owner, for various reasons, is unable to continue making the payments the lender will often agree to take less that the full amount owed to allow the sale to close escrow. The incentive for the bank to approve a short sale is to have the property sell before the loan becomes a problem account on their books. This Process may be difficult to believe but it is a definite possibility. As stated below there are hoops to jump through. Banks are willing to allow individuals to assume the loan if they meet the required criteria. This is a system that works because the banks do not want to hold propert... 02/18/2008

WINDMILL GATE/ MIAMI LAKES1 Bedroom/2 bath, patio, three parking spaces plus guests.Maintenance: $800 yearlyMLS#D1252133Listing Price: $179,900.00MOVE TO ONE OF THE MOST DESIRABLE ZIP CODES  IN MIAMI-DADE All about  Miami LakesJust like a small home with a patio for entertainment. Great home for a couple!!!*Tile flooring throughout*Washer and dryer inside unit*Wood ceilings*New roof*New central A/C*Amazing walk-in closets*One story villa*Walk to the library, shops/restaurant s and middle schoolOwner has architect plans to enclose the existing terrace to add the living area and make an additional bedroom out of the existing living area. By doing the enclosure the unit will have two master suites with their own bathroom, living and dining area.Thank you for visiting my post,(786) 402-2514... 02/16/2008

The town of Miami Lakes is located in the Northwestern part of Miami-Dade County, Florida.  This city has a small town atmosphere and it’s about 6.5 miles. The streets are lined with trees, and as it should be expected, there are indeed many lakes here.This prosperous town is the project of former Florida’s governor Bob Graham and his family.  It was incorporated in the year 2000, and now it has approximately 27,000 residents. It has many green areas, parks and sidewalks that make it easy to go for a walk.  Location, location, location! The Town is near expressways such as the Palmetto (826), I75 and the Turnpike. This fact and its closeness to Broward County make Miami Lakes a strategically convenient place to live in a time when traffic has become a nightmare for many South Floridians... 02/06/2008

All interests in a particular property may be owned by one person alone or tow or more persons whcihc may be concurrent interests in the same property. When two or more persons own an interest in real property, they are co-owners  and may hold the property in fee simple, as a life estate or as a lesser estates.These are the co-ownerships types Joint Tenancy : A form of co-ownership that gives each tenant equal interest and equal rights in the property, including the right of survivorship. Tenancy By The Entirety : A type of joint tenancy of property that provides right of survivorship and is available only to a husband and wife. Contrast with tenancy in common. ie husband and wife onlyTenancy In Common : A type of joint tenancy in a property without right of survivorship. Contrast with ... 01/30/2008

Early Voting sites (edit/delete)  Have you been dreaming of moving into a bigger house because your family is growing? Have you lived in your home for years and are looking to buy a smaller home because the kids have grown up and moved to a new city? The scenarios below can help explain how the property tax cut from Amendment 1 will save your money.VOTE "YES" FOR AMENDMENT 1. Below is the link for Early voting!For Miami Dade Countyhttp://www.miamidade.gov/elections/voting_absent_earlyvoting-sites.aspFor Palm Beach, follow this link and download the early voting sites list on PDF formathttp://pbcelections.org/For Browardhttp://www.browardsoe.org/content.aspx?id=152Absentee Ballot request form- Englishhttp://www.miamidade.gov/elections/Library/absentee_ballot_request_cr.pdfAbsentee Ballot... 01/19/2008