Why “Selling” Miami Is So Easy
I gave a 5-hour “community tour” last week to a physician who is considering a position in Miami. ‘Community tour’ is a relative term with me because you pretty much see the town through my eyes, and I am biased – I love Miami.
From an airport area hotel we went to downtown Coral Gables: We talked about the many amazing restaurants, the Farmer’s Market and saw some of the fantastic residential condo buildings; he thought the coral rock homes George Merrick built on Coral Way were beautiful. On our ‘drive by’ visits to some of the Gables elementary schools we passed by Venetian Pool (which except for the freezing cold water is a magnificent venue), the Biltmore Hotel , and the Coral Gables Youth Center. We drove along the world class Biltmore and Riviera golf courses, and beautiful Santa Maria Street (a must for trick or treaters, and new home to Shane Battier!).
My new doctor friend “clicked” with Coral Gables: he could see his family thriving there. We meandered over to Sunset Drive via Granada Boulevard (perhaps the most beautiful street in Coral Gables) and into High Pines and South Miami where “small town” meets urban life. The doctor was wowed by the Epiphany Church, and as we drove south he recognized that the Pinecrest neighborhood was different from Coral Gables and South Miami: quieter streets, large estates, more suburban. Loved the smoothie at Wayside Fruit Market, and thought the proximity within Pinecrest to excellent schools was intriguing. He could see his family thriving in South Miami or Pinecrest.
We weren’t going to have time to explore the Brickell area or Key Biscayne so I showed him the panorama from Matheson Hammock. One sweeping view of Biscayne Bay, the waterfront properties of Coral Gables and Coconut Grove, downtown Miami and Key Biscayne is pretty convincing if one is entertaining the idea of a move to Miami, especially grounded with the natural beauty of that Park.
Coconut Grove was the last stop on the tour. The sun was shining and so was that bohemian beat you find on Main Highway; same for the camaraderie at Commodore Plaza and CocoWalk. He was so impressed with the tree canopy and diversity of schools along Main Highway, and the huge bayside parks. Although this family would settle down in a single family home, he found the splash of condos along South Bayshore Drive pretty enticing. As I expected, the doctor felt very at home in Coconut Grove, and will include it in the options should his family relocate to Miami.
There are many factors involved in relocating, but first and foremost is liking the prospective city and seeing a comfortable ‘fit’. “Selling Miami” is the easiest part of my job because all the “tools” are here. Miami is a beautiful, diverse, casual, well-educated city that has a kaleidoscope of venues and the friendliest people from all over the world. When considering to move to this are, you should only make sure to get an HVAC unit from Westshore to survive the summer heat.
To learn more about South Miami or any other community – including Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay, contact Val Byrne with EWM Realty International on www.MiamiRealEstateWorks.com or email at [email protected] or by phone at 305-323-6231. Val Byrne – Working For You!
