It’s that time of the month again ladies and gentlemen, when we discuss the latest reports regarding South Florida and the sales of property like Miami Beach homes.  Once again, April proved to be yet another encouraging month not only for home sales but also for home prices for the first time in three years.

Median prices for Miami Beach homes and homes throughout Miami-Dade County saw a significant jump of more than seven percent to $192,000.  As for actual sales, they also increased by seven percent to 594 when compared to April of 2009.  Condominiums also saw encouraging sales but unlike traditional homes the prices once again dropped, this time by three percent to a median price of $130,000.

You’re probably already tired of hearing the factors that contributed to these increases but in this case the job outlook also managed to contribute.  After nearly 50 straight months of increases, the unemployment rate in Florida actually dropped to twelve percent in April.  It’s still presumptuous to say that Miami Beach homes are on the comeback trail but this news further solidifies the possibility of a steadily improving market.

As short sales continue to provide a means of allowing homeowners to escape the heavy costs associated with their Miami Beach homes, lenders that agree to accept a fraction of the original costs have the option of getting what’s owed to them.  While some homeowners have reached written agreements with lenders regarding unpaid balances, those days may soon become a thing of the past.

With the ever increasing popularity of short sales and foreclosure auctions, lenders are getting ready to file lawsuits against homeowners as a way to recover losses when these types of sales fail to earn enough money to pay the mortgages in full.  Property like Miami Beach homes that are sold under such circumstances here in Florida are subject to Florida law which allows lenders to file something called “deficiency judgments” and spend the next twenty years getting their money.

Such news causes significant concern but for the most part, good faith negotiating and a genuine hardship such as job loss will keep lenders from taking such extra measures.  Just remember that if you own Miami Beach homes and are planning to take the short sale route, make sure that whatever agreement you reach with the lender is in writing.

One of the Miami Design District’s major highlights is its annual Design Miami, a showcase of furniture and interior design that most people living in Miami Beach homes have visited or heard about at some point.  If things go as expected however, Design Miami may soon be moving from its original home to Miami Beach in order to coincide with the ultra popular Art Basel event.

Before you start worrying about the move, nothing has yet to be finalized but Miami Beach commissioners are already in the process of potentially approving a three year lease that will see Design Miami take place in a parking lot right across from the Miami Beach Convention Center.  The move is meant as a means of solidifying Design Miami’s ties to Art Basel but it will mean that the Miami Design District loses its biggest event.

If you’re a fan of both however, the Design Miami move means you’ll likely be able to walk from your Miami Beach homes to either or both events.  Does this seem like the right thing to do or will the move come at a cost to the popularity of the Miami Design District?  We’ll know the official design on Wednesday.

As absurd and far fetched as it may sound, at least one of the problems affecting the housing market is…a lack of homes for sale?  While Miami Beach homes may not be one of the specifically affected markets, a number of real estate agents are saying that there aren’t enough homes to go around that are for sale.  How can that be?

To look at the broader picture, there is currently an eight month backlog of homes up for sale on the market, which essentially means that selling off all of those homes would take that same amount of time.  March numbers show that existing home inventory has dropped by two percent from the same time last year.  As a result, bidding is becoming increasingly fierce and it’s getting tougher to find worthwhile bargains for mid-priced homes.  Pricier luxury homes are still available in large quantities which might explain why the Miami Beach homes supply remains relatively high.

Another reason for the dwindling inventory may be what’s called “shadow inventory”.  These are usually properties that perhaps haven’t been placed back on the market after being repossessed or haven’t been repossessed at all.  Will the Miami Beach homes market eventually follow suit?

For today, let’s focus less on Miami Beach homes and instead focus on a city that’s equally luxurious and perhaps even more picturesque.  That city is none other than Coral Gables, a classic municipality well known for its upscale atmosphere and yesteryear aesthetic.  Thanks to lower prices for real estate however, Coral Gables living is no longer reserved for people who have millions of dollars in disposable income.

Depending on where you choose to live in Coral Gables, a home can cost up to $20 million dollars, especially if it’s by the waterfront.  However, in the same way that you can come across less expensive Miami Beach homes just by digging a little deeper, you can also find Coral Gables real estate for less than a million dollars if you explore towards the inland and don’t mind not being right next to the water.  Four bedroom homes with over 2,000 square feet or even a three story home with more than 4,000 square feet make up some of the more reasonably priced options.

You may find that Coral Gables suits your tastes just as much as Miami Beach homes.  The only way of getting a good idea is to take some time and explore options if you’re looking for luxury property in what is unquestionably a charming city.

As we approach the midpoint of 2010, the good news regarding housing in South Florida continues to provide evidence that the market is on an upswing, steadily increasing demand for Miami Beach homes.  This time around, it's pending home sales that saw another welcoming boost last month...and what a significant boost it was.

In Miami-Dade County alone, pending home sales increased by more than six percent to 10,392.  That increase actually represents about 1,000 additional pending sales than the month of March.  That number seems modest but when we place April's pending home sales alongside those of April 2009, the 71 percent increase is quite substantial.  With pending sales, people sign contracts to purchase properties such as Miami Beach homes but these properties have yet to actually close, hence why they're pending.

Real estate analysts do caution that this steady stream of increases may actually be lower in the months to come now that the tax credits for buying Miami Beach homes and such is over.  Where do you see things going?