The 54th annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show begins tomorrow and will span over 3 million square feet, with 6 locations. Vendors selling everything from stand up paddle boards to multi million dollar yachts will be there representing their nautical fare from Thursday to Monday. Fort Lauderdale has held the two monikers, Venice of America, and Yachting Capital of the World, making it the ideal site for a show of this magnitude. The city has a history steeped in watercraft, and its' geography make it immediately accessible to deep water and the islets in the city form a canal of grids with few fixed bridges and many opportunities to explore the open seas. Some of the most luxurious homes and condominiums lie on these islets or facing them and they include, Las Olas Isles, Rio Vista Isles, and Le Club International to name just a few. If you would like to see available waterfront listings with dockage, please contact me today, and enjoy the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show!

Show Information

Location

Bahia Mar Yachting Center
801 Seabreeze Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Hall of Fame Marina
1 Hall of Fame Drive
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Las Olas Marina
240 E. Las Olas Circle
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
The Broward County Convention Center
1950 Eisenhower Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Fort Lauderdale Hilton Marina
1881 SE 17th Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
The Sails Marina
Southeast corner of 17th Street Causeway/Intracoastal Waterway

Admission

Prime Time Preview (Thursday, Oct.31-Nov. 4) – $36 online and $38 on show site
2-Day Ticket- $38 online and $40.00 at the show

Daily General Admission:
(Friday – Monday)
Adults $20 online and $22 at the show
Children (ages 6 to 15) $5 online and $7 at the show
Children (under 6) Free


Parking and Transport

Bahia Mar Yachting Center
801 Seabreeze Blvd.
Ft Lauderdale 33316
Las Olas Municipal Marina
2 South New River Dr. East
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Hall of Fame Marina
435 Seabreeze Blvd.
Ft. Lauderdale 33316
Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center (Photo ID Required)
1950 Eisenhower Blvd.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316
Fort Lauderdale Hilton Marina
1881 SE 17th St
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
The Sails Marina
2150 Southeast 17th Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Park at War Memorial and then grab one of the free Boat Show Shuttles to the Broward County Convention Center and Las Olas Marina. From there, continue the shuttle network to the other Boat Show locations. Look below for more shuttle details.

Many buyers choose Fort Lauderdale for the fantastic weather, incredible boating, cultural activities, and golf opportunities. South Florida has some of the most highly rated golf courses in the nation and many of the professionals choose to live throughout Florida due to the access to these championship courses. Real estate surrounding golf courses is highly desirable for those who golf as well as those who are simply looking for luxury homes with lush surroundings. Many golf clubs also have tennis clubs and clubhouses, public and private, that accompany the courses. Nearly all golf course communities are gated for security, another aspect that makes real estate in these neighborhoods desirable. For more information on golf course communities not listed here, please contact me!

Coral Ridge Golf Club: This is a private club within the Coral Ridge neighborhood. This is one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in South Florida and Coral Ridge Country Club is full service and contains tennis facilities in addition to dining. Its’ Golf Club is an 18 hole course designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and opened in 1955. The course has a classic mix of par 3 to par 5 holes, making it ideal for those of any skill level. Homes in this neighborhood are waterfront to townhome.

Jacaranda: Jacaranda is a golf course community located in Plantation Florida, which is just west of Fort Lauderdale. Both the East and West Courses in this community have 4 Star Ratings from Golf Digest Magazine. Both courses are 18 holes each. This course is open to the public to book tee times, however it also has country club membership privileges. Jacaranda Country Club has casual and formal dining and social spaces, and homes surrounding this neighborhood are highly regarded and secluded.

Eagle Trace: Eagle Trace is a Golf Community to the west of Fort Lauderdale located in Coral Springs. The neighborhood has one of the top rated private golf courses in the nation and 900 custom homes. It is an easy commute to Fort Lauderdale and very family friendly. The neighborhood also has Tennis Courts, Basketball Courts and a Tot Lot. It is the home to the Honda Classic for the past years on the PGA Tour. This golf course is an Arthur Hills Design, known for his traditional perspective blend of Scottish and Florida style course.

Heron Bay: Heron Bay is another private golf community in Coral Springs to the west of Fort Lauderdale. The Golf Course was designed by PGS Tour winner Mark McCumber and is ideal for beginners and intermediate players alike and is 18 holes. The Club offers casual and fine dining as well as tennis and a fitness facility. Homes in this area are family friendly and are an easy commute to Downtown Fort Lauderdale.

I JUST SOLD BERKLEY SOUTH 10H (my 10th in the building this year) and negotiated the full asking price for my Seller at the highest price/sq. ft. sold this year. Although prices are still down 28% from the peak in 2005, it is exciting to see an increase of 18% this year. Season is fast approaching and good inventory is still limited. If you have thought about selling, NOW could be a great opportunity, I have the proven sales production record to make your sale happen.

Berkley South 17F – SOLD 67 days

Berkley South 3A - SOLD 96 days

Berkley South 15B- SOLD 114 days

Berkley South 5K - SOLD 47 days

Berkley South 11F- SOLD 15 days

Berkley South 5L - SOLD 5 days

Berkley South 14K - SOLD 56 days

Berkley South 11G – SOLD 0 days

Berkley South 14J – SOLD 101 days

Berkley South 10H – SOLD 59 days

As the Realtor Specialist in the Berkley South and various Waterfront Condominiums, I have the experience and knowledge to get your property SOLD! Call me 954-770-8525

Although prices are still down 16% from the peak in 2006, they have increased an incredible 34% in the last 2 years. Season is fast approaching and good inventory is still limited. If you have thought about selling, NOW could be a great opportunity to enter the market.

Fort Lauderdale is increasingly becoming a fine dining destination. National chefs are taking note and opening exciting new restaurants in the area and one of my personal favorites is Café Martorano. Chef Steve Martorano has three locations, one in Fort Lauderdale on Oakland Park Boulevard, one in Hollywood, Florida, and one in Las Vegas. The dining at Café Martorano is more akin to a sensory experience as the chef has integrated dining, music, and movies and dishes are served family style. Steve Martorano is a Philadelphia native, and his menu focuses on American Italian cuisine with the freshest ingredients available. Below are three of the signature menu items not to be missed, and if you like the neighborhood, please contact me for available listings! Bon Apetit!

Meatball: This classic meatball is served with Sunday gravy, ricotta cheese, and a long pepper. It is a large serving, so do not let the singular serving scare you away from ordering.
Shrimp Scampi: The Shrimp Scampi is a twist on tradition using butter, garlic, tomatoes, and peas, and is one of my favorites.

Eggplant Stack: Eggplant is pan fried, layered with mozzarella, tomatoes, arugula, and parmigiano cheese. This is not to be missed!

Hours: 6 pm Dinner Service, 7 days a week, 3343 E Oakland Park Blvd Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308 Located on the corner of Oakland Park Blvd and A1A (954) 561-2554

If you are unable to make it to Café Martorano’s Here is one of their Signature Dishes to Try!

Fusilli Pollo

8 oz. cooked Chicken Cutlet

Extra Virgin olive oil

White Wine

Garlic

Sweet Peppers
Kosher salt, pepper

San Marzano Tomatoes

Parmesan Reggiano cheese

Fusilli Pasta

Fresh Basil

In a skillet heat the olive oil and brown some fresh garlic.
Then throw in the sweet peppers and saute until soft.
Toss in the cooked chicken, a little white wine, San Marzano tomatoes, kosher salt, black pepper, Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese & fresh basil.
- See more at: http://cafemartorano.com/recipes/#sthash.ITUtejGb.dpuf

With all the national and regional news on home sales values increasing, I am approached by many home owners looking to list their homes on the market. It is true that the available property on the market is in limited supply, and there are many buyers on the market looking to purchase properties. However, in a number of instances, seller expectations are out of sync with the market value of their homes. Home prices have increased substantially in the past year and while this is excellent news, there is a danger amongst those looking to sell their homes in listing it too high. Buyers will not pay over market value for a home, even when inventory is scarce. Pricing must reflect what the market will bear, not what the Seller needs to net.

If you are asked by your realtor to lower your list price or are in possession of an offer that you feel is too low, consider the yearly costs of keeping your home. Often, the cost of keeping the home could impact that decision in the long term. One factor that is not even computable is the opportunity cost in not selling due to market fluctuations. An example of this would be if a new development of comparable homes becomes available on the market, thereby increasing the inventory, and your home value will be reduced. Below is a rough estimate of carrying costs based on expenses for an average two bedroom 1100 sq. ft. condominium near the beach. If you have thought about selling your property please call me for a free consultation and honest discussion of your home value.

Average Homeowner Insurance: starting at $1100 per year (Florida average), although this can vary significantly based on amount of coverage and proximity to the ocean..

Taxes: Roughly 2% of the sale price $5,000 (average based on $250,000 property)

Monthly Assessments: For the majority of condominiums near the beach that fund reserves, this averages between .50 and .59 per sq. ft. or roughly $600 per month, yearly $7,200

Utilities: Electricity varies with usage but an average could be $100/month ($1200/year). High speed Internet $69/month ( $828/year)

Total Amount of Costs: $15,328 excluding a mortgage payment and any additional repairs and maintenance or building assessments.