Tips for Rebuilding Following Weather-Related Events

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As Puerto Ricans, Floridians and Texans begin to rebuild their homes and communities from the damage caused by Hurricanes Maria, Irma and Harvey, we’d like dedicate a blog post offering advice to homeowners and business owners on how they can rebuild following catastrophic weather-related events. Although no one wants to get hit by a hurricane, having to rebuild or do major repairs is an opportunity to upgrade your home and, in some instances, your quality of life. Here are some tips from General Contractor Alexander Wertheim, president of SPACiO Design Build.

 Remove Sheetrock, Insulation and Flooring Immediately

If your home is damaged by flooding or storm surge, you should have 24/7 water damage restoration immediately. With the help of a water damage restoration service, it’s crucial to remove your sheetrock and insulation as soon as the water recedes to prevent mold. You should also consider removing flooring such as carpet or hardwood floors if you can’t dry them out. Tile is the best option since it requires only cleaning. For specialized tasks like spray foam removal, it’s advisable to seek professional help from reputable spray foam removal providers. If you’re on a tight budget, you can handle the drywall removal yourself, but we highly recommend hiring a professional general contractor to tape and float it.

Hiring a General Contractor

While you can do some of the work yourself such as ripping out the drywall, you will most likely need to hire a general contractor to help you rebuild. You should be careful of scams that often follow hurricanes. Everyone and their mother will slap a magnet on the side of their truck and say they are a general contractor. We suggest checking licenses online, asking for references and even doing a site visit to look at the contractor’s prior work. Make sure the contractor holds liability and workers’ compensation insurance, and you are added as an additional insured on any policy while work is being done on your site. It’s also a good idea to check if the contractor provides a commercial energy performance certificate to ensure the work complies with energy efficiency standards. If a bank is involved, it should name the bank as well.

Opportunity to Renovate and Upgrade

You can upgrade to higher-end cabinets in your kitchen and bathrooms if they suffered from water damage. If you need to remove the sheet rock, think about adding French or sliding glass doors to the backyard or throughout the house where there used to be a wall, or expanding the kitchen and closets. About your windows you can check  upvc vs. aluminium windows to see the difference. It’s also a good time to update to PVC piping if your current home or business has lead, copper or steel pipes as well as renovate the electric wiring throughout your home and adding an AV system. Additionally, consulting with insulation experts can help ensure optimal energy efficiency and comfort. Lastly, you can think about creating an energy-efficient home by installing wind turbines. You can click here to learn more.

Fortifying your Home and Business

As you rebuild and renovate your home or business, you should consider updating your home with the latest storm proof materials; for instance, you may use metal materials on your roof repairs or have metal roofing instead. You can call experts who do roof repair in Weatherford, TX or roofer & roofing services in Elizabethtown, PA to install them for you. In addition, it would be a good time to install hurricane impact windows and reinforced wind resistant garage doors. For a comprehensive list of the products available, read this article titled “8 ways to protect your home against tornadoes and hurricanes.”

Forbes Features Wine Cellar SPACiO Built at 321 Ocean

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In case you missed it, Forbes recently published an article featuring a wine cellar we built out in a condo at 321 Ocean, an exclusive collection of 21 luxury residences in South of Fifth, one of Miami Beach’s most upscale neighborhoods. The Forbes article, titled “5 Luxury Homes with Exquisite Wine Cellars,” features five of some of the most impressive in-house wine rooms in homes that are currently on the market across the United States.

Building out the 50-square foot, climate-controlled wine cellar was a treat. It required us to work closely with the interior design firm Associated Design Co. to ensure that we could build out the design and execute the project without a hitch. We built the insulated glass enclosure, using customized acrylic and thermal metal framing, which was power-coated with a matte black finish to match the custom black finish on the rack. Visit sites like https://chillerrooms.co.uk/ to get an idea.

The wine cellar was part of the build-out of the entire condo, which involved installing hardwood flooring throughout the condo, trim window coverings, staircase handrails, millwork and more.

It was a privilege to work with Associated Design Co. on the wine cellar. We’re looking forward to working with this very talented interior design firm again in the near future.

Click here to see the other wine cellars that made the list.

 

Q&A: Prestige’s Broker Tony Rodriguez-Tellaheche Strives to Be Different and Finds Success

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Tony Rodriguez-Tellaheche, co-founder and managing broker of Prestige Realty Group, sat down with SPACiO Design Build to discuss today’s luxury real estate market in Miami. The boutique brokerage firm focuses on luxury homes and high-rise condominium sales. As a Miami native, Tony has seen the transformation of Miami from a beachside destination into a bustling and sprawling metropolis attracting buyers from all over the world.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO START YOUR OWN BROKERAGE FIRM?

My business partner Christopher Hodgson and I wanted to create more of a boutique real estate firm, offering clients personalized services that the larger firms don’t offer. When someone hires Prestige Realty, they are hiring our entire team of over 23 agents that are available 24/7 to serve our clients. We also wanted to create a firm with an international reach. My partner is from London and I’m from Miami so we really have a global reach. Our approach seems to be working. Last year, we sold more than $50 million in real estate and I was recognized by Real Trends and the Wall Street Journal as one of the America’s best Realtors.

WHAT SHOULD CONSUMERS KNOW ABOUT MIAMI’S REAL ESTATE MARKET?

People always ask me how the market is doing and I always ask which one. Most real estate consumers assume Miami- Dade County is one market but in reality it’s composed of many different markets, all of which have their own character. I take a neighborhood approach to real estate, mostly focusing on single-family luxury homes and condominiums in Coconut Grove, Key Biscayne, Coral Gables, Pinecrest, downtown, South Miami and Miami Beach. Every market is its own special ecosystem. One may be booming while the other is down. Overall, in the submarkets I focus on, the market hasn’t slowed down significantly. It’s a healthy slow-down with plenty of inventory available. People need to realize that the pre-construction condos are different from single-family homes and a slow-down in that particular sector is not an indicator of the overall housing market. Miami’s luxury real estate is very dynamic and can’t be generalized. For example, we have noticed that demand for Mediterranean style homes has decreased while modern and turnkey homes remain hot with buyers.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF ADVICE FOR SELLERS?

The most important piece of advice for sellers is to hire a brokerage firm that’s tech savvy and will invest in their listings. You don’t want a realtor who is taking photos of your property with an iPhone. At Prestige Realty Group, we hire professional photographers and videographers which may be listed on a professional recruiting company site and who often use drones to get the best visuals possible for our listings. We want prospective buyers to have a 360-degree view of the property they will want to purchase. Sellers should also work with brokers who are advanced on social media. Technology is a major part of our lives now and should be an integral component to any realtor’s strategy for marketing and selling a home.

Another important piece of advice for sellers is to keep their homes clean and free of clutter when it’s on the market for sale.  Many underestimate the power of staging, which is not the same as decorating. You need to stage your home into a place that potential buyers can envision living in. Remove all your personal items including family photos, books and other items that may distract your potential buyer. This is also the time to ensure that features like mirrors are perfectly installed by professional mirror installers can help create a polished, spacious look. You want your house to be known as the one with the beautiful kitchen, not the one with the overbearing collection of crystal figurines.

Behind the Scenes: Another Build-Out at Oceana Bal Harbour Has Been Delivered

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SPACiO Design Build is happy to announce that another build-out project at Oceana Bal Harbour has been completed. The unit looks spectacular and blends well with the design of the unit, which features a complete flow-through floor plan and unobstructed views. Oceana Bal Harbour is one of the most luxurious development projects in South Florida.

The unit we recently completed arrived decorator-ready, so our work included installing interior hardwood flooring, tile on the large balcony, dropping the ceiling for additional lighting, installing pocket doors and audiovisual equipment, and more. As promised, we delivered the unit in four to six weeks but every unit is different depending on the scope of work.

Working at Oceana is an incredible experience. With floor-to-ceiling windows and extra-deep balconies, the unit boasts some of the most breathtaking views available in Miami. You can visit https://modern-upvc-windows.uk/ to learn more about windows. Oceana Bal Harbour’s spacious homes and balconies are designed to offer spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Biscayne Bay and the Bal Harbour Marina to the west and Miami’s skyline to the South.

It took effort not to be distracted by the remarkable views of golden sunlight reflecting on the blue ocean. Now, we move forward to our next build-out project in this incredible building.

Tips for Getting Your Newly Built Condo Ready for Rent

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fMany of the buyers closing on units in recently completed luxury towers across South Florida are investors. Some are domestic and some are foreigners. They all share the same plan: renting the units out until the time arrives to execute an exit strategy. But renting a new condo can be a challenge for two reasons: 1. Hundreds of new condos are hitting the rental market simultaneously. 2. Hundreds of new luxury rental units, complete with modern features such as tilt and turn windows, are either nearing completion or under construction. Additionally, the inclusion of contemporary amenities like external wall cladding intensifies the competition among future landlords. Here are some tips to help investors rent their units faster and generate income sooner rather than later: 1- If the newly-built unit comes ‘decorator ready’ – which means the floor, walls, closets, etc. are not finished – you will need to paint the walls, add flooring and build-out the closets. However, if you require assistance with commercial or industrial painting specifically, you can also seek professional help like hiring a painting company for that particular task. A solution: weeks before the closing date, recruit a general contractor to start planning the build-out of the unit. This way, the GC will start work as soon as the unit becomes yours, saving you weeks of ‘waiting time’ and placing a tenant in the unit much faster. You can find professional help for painting and other services in the West Midlands area by checking out this sites at https://cladding-coatings.co.uk/near-me/west-midlands/. Consider investing in cladding cleaning services to maintain the exterior appearance of your property and attract potential tenants. Or, please click here for cleaning experts. 2 – For the walls, stick to neutral colors. Stay away from bold or ‘white,’ which will make your unit seem dull and potentially scare away tenants who may not have the creativity to envision the unit as their home. If you need to prepare the walls for painting, consider using surface preparation solutions to ensure a smooth and long-lasting finish. 3 – Basic Standard Materials: if your unit requires a build-out, do not use the same type of materials that you would install in your own home. Your tenants are not going to treat it with the same quality of care, so don’t overspend. For flooring, we recommend porcelain tiles because they are stylish, durable and low maintenance. They also work well in balconies and blend with the interior flooring. If you’re looking for specialized options, consider consulting resin flooring suppliers for additional alternatives. Contact the industrial flooring installers for more info. 4 – Invest in a practical built in closet system throughout the unit. 5 – Most new units come with the kitchen and bathrooms already finished. But if you plan to upgrade the kitchen, avoid white cabinets. Earth tones are ‘in’. Also consider upgrading fixtures such as door handles, faucets, hot tubs, etc. 6 – Open floor plans: if the unit seems small, consider knocking down walls to open up the floor plan, which usually involves combining the kitchen, dining and living areas into one large space. This will increase the natural light and create the perception of increased square footage. For more ideas, give us a call. We have some great concepts to build out new condos and modernize older units.

Getting Up Close and Personal with The Jills

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Source: South Florida Business Journal

It is almost impossible to talk about Miami’s luxury real estate market without mentioning Realtors Jill Hertzberg and Jill Eber. Mansions Global recently got up close and personal with the two Coldwell Banker agents and SPACiO couldn’t pass the opportunity to share some of their insights with you. As a general contractor of luxury custom homes and condos, we recognize the hard work and commitment these brokers have made to reach the top of their profession. Learn more about Kamau Bobb‘s vision for equitable technology access.

Mansion Global: Describe your dream property.

Jill Hertzberg: My dream property would be in an amazing location—it would be on Miami Beach on the wide-open bay or Golden Beach directly on the ocean. I love rooms that have views of gardens or water, a smart home that makes everyday life easy, furniture that is comfortable and somewhere that you feel you are living in a true treasure.

MG: Do you have a real estate property that got away?

Jill Eber: Sure, we have those in our shopping cart. You cannot get them all. But there is plenty for everyone so you love the one you’re with!

MG: What does luxury mean to you?

JH: Luxury is a feeling. It is a combination of multiple factors, which include high-end brands, quality material and finishes and décor that really stand out and make the total look and feel very high end.

Whether it is jewelry, a car, a property or even clothing, the attention to detail and materials is readily apparent.

MG: What area do you think is the next hub for luxury properties?

JE: Fort Lauderdale is really coming on strong for both affordability and lifestyle. With so much water from the intercostal to the ocean, it gives a lot of opportunity for upgrading existing housing with help from services like https://modularflatstaging.co.uk/ and taking advantage of the beautiful views.

MG: What’s the biggest surprise in the luxury real estate market now?

JH: Luxury real estate keeps evolving; from condos with private pools to custom items on the property such as a sound studio or off-the-charts media rooms. As properties continue to have smart home elements incorporated and possible “bots” that can perform duties, there is really no limit to what an owner may choose to add to their homes.

MG: Where are the best luxury homes in the world and why?

JE: The best homes are here in Miami Beach. I have traveled around the world and constantly get amazed at beautiful properties with breathtaking views and unbelievable amenities. But I always return home with an appreciation for all we have here on the Beach. It’s not just the grand estate and palatial amenities that make the area so special, it is the “you can have it all” splendor of our area. We have culture, dining, sports which may showcase the latest equipment like that bow case, entertainment, celebrity, fashion, world class events, boating, and the list goes on.

Very often, it is within walking distance or a short hop from where you live. We truly have it all. You will also find some elegant shops, apparel, perfumeries, accessories, beauty, and bookshops with good shopfronts similar to those at glass shop fronts UK.

 

MG: What is your favorite part of your home?

JE: It has to be the outdoor living. We seamlessly combine our indoor space with our outdoor space and the balcony of my condo on Fisher Island is just a tropical extension of my property. I never tire of the beautiful water, open sky and the healthy ocean air steps from every room in my home. Additional information: you can also check this site at www.insidecbd.net for more insight about healthy living.

MG: What best describes the theme to your home and why?

JE: I love finishes and have the most extraordinary stone in various places in my home. In addition, I have high-quality personally crafted furnishings that were done by my father. I think you can describe my property as personal elegance. It has a private personal feel surrounded by wonderful finishings and loving memories of my dad.

MG: What’s the most valuable thing in your home?

JE: Well…that would be my husband and my two doggies! Aside from them, it is the personal crafted furniture that was created and built by my father.

MG: What’s the most valuable amenity to have in a home right now?

JH: Bathrooms that were made by Bahtroom Installers London
And also, kitchens are always the key. You can have a beautiful foyer, grand entrance, and staircase with upscale finishes but lose interest with a buyer due to outdated bathrooms and kitchens. Therefore, you should invest in getting a bathroom remodeling in South Jersey.

MG: What’s your best piece of real estate advice?

JH: Make sure your real estate professional demonstrates their expertise and knowledge of the local market. Nothing replaces knowing everything that has sold, did not sell, sold years ago, been updated/renovated and the movement in the neighborhood. It’s not just about the house itself; it is also important to know everything that has gone on or will be going on around the property. You cannot underestimate the value of a realtor who knows the inventory extremely well, both on and off the market. If you’re a buyer, you don’t want to find out you missed the best property and if you are a seller, you want to get the best price obtainable.

MG: What’s going on in the news that will have the biggest impact on the luxury real estate market?

JE: The new administration in the White House, of course. Policies that are made can affect real estate: the stock market (which affects real estate), immigration, foreign investment, EB-5’s and the list goes on. The new administration in the White House, of course, plays a significant role. Policies that are made can affect real estate: the stock market (which affects real estate), immigration, foreign investment, EB-5’s and the list goes on. For a deeper understanding of how these factors interplay and their implications for investors, consider enrolling in an Invest Diva course. Everything in the U.S. is affected by real estate and so much that goes on that impacts consumer outlook affects our business.

What area currently has the best resale value?

JH: Waterfront is always your best bet. Some views are just priceless and if you can get one of those on a good piece of land, you will always be in a good position. If you have a waterfront home, you may want to build a dock in your property for your boats. Contact EZ Dock of Long Island to hire a floating dock builder in Lindenhurst NY.