Summer is over!

During the hot weather many of our residents packup and head for the mountains of North Carolina. Many have second homes and some rent, but for many its off to the mountains. Destinations vary, but the locations of choice include Highlands, Roaring Gap, Mountain Top and Grandfather Mountain.

At 4000 feet the daytime temperature is usually in the 70′s. At night temperatures are in the low 60′s and sometimes in the 50′s. Usually you are sleeping under blankets often with a fire in the fireplace.

After retirement, the migrants include the whole family. With younger families, the husband usually spends his vacation in the mountains and, alas, leaves the family behind and comes back to the office.

With so many locals in neighboring communities, the Coral Gables social life continues with cocktails, dinners, bridge, golf and tennis. Just like home. During the rest of the year it’s life as usual in Coral Gables where visitors spend $1,000 per day to enjoy sunny days and ocean breezes.

Now with school starting the pilgrims are coming home.

If it sounds like a good life, it is. It can be yours, if you are considering a move to Coral Gables.You’ll love living here, and I’m available to show you where to live. Call me.

George Jenkins, Realtor
(305) 519-0078

Last Sunday I held an Open House in Pinecrest. It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon typical of year round life in South Florida.

The house was a vinage house built in the ’50s with some updaating and nicely kept..It had a nice pool and sat on an acre lot, typical of Pinecrest..In the immediate area houses were similar in most respects.

While wating for interested prospects, I sat by the window in the living room. Children were throwing a football in the street.where there was little or no traffic.Had I been invited I probably would have joined them.

A few blocks away there is a newer section with houses that appraise for a million or several million.There were also children playing. Perhaps basketball on the court behind the house next to the pool.

Another few blocks away are some of the best schools in Dade County

My visitors liked the house, and I imagine I’ll sell it in a few weeks.

Pinecrest residents enjoy a superior lifestyle in a unique honetown rural atmosphere.Yet the many cultural and athletic activities available in the greater Miami area are within easy reach .Business men like being within 20 minutes of the greater Miami Airport.

It is safe to say that Pinecrest residents are happy with their lifestyle.

Being transferred to Coral Gables

I was advised be Exxon I was being transferred from Toronto to Coral Gables. It was a nice promotion but also a challenge.It meant leaving a job I liked and giving up good friends and our involvement in the social life of the community. It meant selling the house and trying to get rid of all the things we should have discarded on our last move.

Being transferred was always more difficult for  my wife.It meant giving up all her close friends and her comfortable social life in the community, her bridge club and the golf club.

I was already familiar with the Coral Gables office and knew a lot of the people there. However, our first exposure to Coral Gables ( The City Beautiful ) was a pleasant surprise. With the help of the people in the office we found a house that was exactly right While we were getting settled we found two of the best restaurants you could imagine. Le Festival, a French restaurant, served.the best Dover sole I had ever had. Bugatti’s was a comfortable neighborhood restaurant serving outstanding pasta.We still go there.

We quickly found a church we both liked. With a great welcome from the company people we had friends in a couple of weeks.

Getting use to the mild year round weather was a big plus after seven months of winter in Toronto

Finally, we were in a college town with many activities that included the community.

If you have the opportunity to move to South Florida, I think Coral Gables will exceed your expectations. Call me. I can help you get started.

Coral Gables and Pinecrest Market Activity   For several months clients have been asking whether we have hit the bottom. My answer has been, we’re close.   It now appears we have hit the bottom, and prices in some areas have started back up. In the US single family home sales rose 11% in June from the previous month, the biggest gain in almost nine years. Inventory of unsold homes declined to an 8.8 months supply, the lowest since October “07.   June was the best month EWM has had since 2006. In some cases we are getting multiple offers.

In Miami-Dade County single family house prices have increased in both May and June.Sales have increased 54% in June compared to last year. Townhouse and condo sales were up 19% vs same month last year.   If you are ready to start looking for a house in either Coral Gables or Pinecrest, I am available to help you. There are bargins to be had. Remember the biggest bargains will sell first.   Call me.   George Jenkins   (305) 519-0078

Consider Pinecrest in corporate relocation to Miami area. If you work for a major corporation, you are going to be transferred. Probably several times .I was moved seven times when I was with Exxon. It’s the corporate way of life.  If I were being relocated to the Miami area, Pinecrest would be high on my list when looking for a new home. Pinecrest is a new suburb just established in 1996.

It is not a city of high rise buildings or congested streets. It is a vibrant but relaxed residential community.It offers a superior quality of life in a unique hometown atmosphere. Yet you are within a few miles of the many cultural and athletic activities available in the Greater Miami area.

Pinecrest is a high end residential community characterized by large lots and outstanding public schools.  Many young couples are starting with condos or townhouses to take advantage of the school system..

If you would like more information about Pinecrest,, please call me..I am first hand familiar with the area. Relocation is often a stressful experience and and having been through that, I can help.

George Jenkins
(305) 519-0078

Coral Gables, Florida on the Water

One of the many attractions about living in Coral Gables is having a home on the water.Today there are 77 homes for sale , 25 % of the total, that are on the water. Why not buy on the water when you can be a boater year ’round.

The premier homes between $4,000,000 and $50,000,000 have no bridges to the open water on Biscayne Bay. The primary locations are Gables Estates, Old Cutler Bay and Tahiti Beach although both Cocoplum and Gables by the Sea also have homes without bridges. .

For water enthuiasts with a more modest budget there are homes with one or two bridges to the Bay. Most of these accommodate power boats or sail boats with folding masts.

Many boaters not on the water lease anchorage or dock at nearby marinas.Most are within a 15 minute drive..

Nothing is more exciting than to participate in the annual Columbus Day Regatta when all boat classes race to the Keys for a weekend of fun and games.It’s hard to beat.

If the water is of particular interest to you, I can e-mail some suggestions showing what we have to offer. Call George Jenkins at (305) 519-0078

Did you know that 150 multinational companies have offices in Coral Gables. Not surprising when you consider the proximity to the Caribbean, Central America and South America and the best travel connections to all of these places. Because of the political instability of many of these countries, many international companies have chosen to have offices here where there is political stability, a major international law center and the University of Miami which offers a variety of graduate courses for continuing education.

Not only is Coral Gables the premier business location for the Caribbean and the Americas, it is also a friendly city for newcomers. Because it is diversified, it is easy to get comfortably settled here.  We were moved here from Canada by Exxon and were comfortable here in a week. Being outdoors the year around provides the opportunity for all kinds or recreational activity

As an important plus, Florida has no income tax.

If you are considering relocating to South Florida, please call me. I can find you exactly the house you are looking for. Working with EWM , the best real estate company in the area, is also an important consideration. Having been moved seven times, I can help you get involved in this activities of this wonderful city.

George Jenkins

What do I find in Pinecrest, Florida ?

If I’m relocating to Florida and the greater Miami area, where might I start looking for a place to live?

If I were single and relocating, I would start looking for a successful condo without financial problems.  We have some.The location would depend on my job location and outside interests.  There are plenty of good condos in the Coral Gables area. I can find the ideal condo for you.

If I were a transferring successful executive with children, I would give serious thoughts to relocating to Pinecrest.  It is a “new city”of about 19,500 people 10 miles southwest of downtown Miami.  It is an affluent city characterized by large building lots.It’s public school system is probably the best in Miami-Dade County.  Of the 236 houses currently listed for sale 150 are listed for $1,000,000 or more. There are only seven listed below $500,000.

Pinecrest is an admired suburb because of it’s relaxed rural atmosphere and quality of life.  You can enjoy all the many amenities of the Greater Miami area without the problems of the city.

I have been active in Pinecrest real estate and helping people with relocation for more than a dozen years and can show you where the good life is. Call me..

The questions I am most often asked these days are: “Are we at the bottom?” “Is this a good time to buy?“

These answers are: we are at or close to the bottom. Prices could get down a little bit more, but probably not much. If you and your Realtor know the market and the area, it’s a great time to buy.

In most areas in South Florida, prices are down a little more than a third. If you are considering buying a house in an upscale area, like Coral Gables or Pinecrest, prices were probably the last to go down and will be the first to go back up. If you see a house you really like, be assured that it will also be the first choice of other buyers. If you wait, it may will be gone. If you are buying a house in either Coral Gables or Pinecrest it as your residence, you can be confident that in five years you can expect a substantial profit.

Pinecrest is one of Miami’s newest satellite cities and is one of 34 municipalities in Miami-Dade County. Pinecrest was incorporated March 12, 1996. Today this thriving city has a population of 19,500 and encompasses eight square miles South West of downtown Miami. Driving time to either downtown or the Miami International Airport is about 20 minutes.

25 years ago Pinecrest was a rural area characterized by one acre lots often with small unpretentious houses. Over the years the small homes have been torn down and replaced by larger more luxurious homes.

Clearly Pinecrest has become one of Miami’s most admired high end suburbs.

The public school system is perhaps the best in Miami-Dade County, all schools consistently rated Grade A. There are also two outstanding private schools, Ransom Everglades and Gulliver School.

Pinecrest Village, as it is now called, has a small commercial area along US 1 that includes super markets, pharmacies, restaurants, the post office and Pinecrest City Hall. Pinecrest is also close to three major shopping malls: Dadeland, The Falls and Merrick Village.

Residents enjoy a superior quality of life in a unique hometown rural atmosphere while enjoying the many amenities offered in the Greater Miami area.

I enjoy working in real estate in Pinecrest because it’s a new and vibrant city with little congestion. It’s fun to work there.