South Beach is generally characterized as the haven for the rich and famous, a distinction that certainly isn’t unjustified but does fail to represent the area properly.  Besides the vast array of South Beach homes available in numerous price ranges, the 25 blocks of South Beach offer much more than many people give it credit for.

Generally speaking, South Beach is only a relatively small area of Miami Beach yet the several miles of beachfront that act as the backyards for many Miami Beach homes and run parallel to much frequented boardwalks make it feel like a genuine city.  It’s very easy to suddenly find yourself in popular Lincoln Road where many shops and the Art Deco style are very prevalent.

Some of this design style can be found in places as seemingly mundane as a parking lot, the 1111 building on Lincoln Road to be exact.  Designed by Herzog & de Meuron, the building also doubles as a residential edifice but clearly demonstrates that South Beach has its own unique style in every minute aspect.  South Beach homes are just an added perk to an already wonderful experience.

Last year, sales for property such as Miami Beach homes ended on somewhat of a high note, is that still the case in 2010?  If January’s numbers are anything to go by, the year didn’t get off to a very healthy start as January home sales declined from December of 2009.  The news is disappointing but not necessarily unanticipated as home sales are typically sluggish during the first two months of the year.

So how big were the declines?  Home sales dropped by thirty percent, pushing the median sales price for Miami Beach homes and neighboring cities down to $183,400 which is itself a ten percent drop.  Condominiums also experienced a drop of thirty percent during the December to January period and a median price drop to $141,700, even lower than traditional homes.  These numbers represent figures in Miami-Dade County.

Despite these drops, these numbers are actually a significant improvement compared to January of 2009.  It does however reinforce the fact that a market recovery will likely continue to be a long road with many bumps.  On the other hand, if you’re considering purchasing Miami Beach homes, they can now be found even lower price tags than last year.

If you’ve been doing any research about Miami Beach homes and considering a purchase, you’re likely very well aware of the many short sale properties that are out there or the number of homeowners who are willing to accept a short sale.

One of the drawbacks when it comes to short sales is the indefinite length of time that a lender may take to respond to short sale offers.  This means that if you were to make an offer on Miami Beach homes you could find yourself waiting days or even months in some cases.  That’s all going to change in April when lenders will be forced to respond within a ten day period, but what do you do if you can’t wait that long?

In the meantime you’re better off doing some research.  If it’s possible, try and see if the Miami Beach homes you’re looking to buy have more than one lien against them as this could significantly affect the amount of time that a lender will take to respond to your offer.  If you can wait until the new rules go into effect in April however, you’ll likely find it much easier.

Some of you who own Miami Beach homes may want to set aside some time in your day to head up to the Palm Beach County Convention Center, those of you who are struggling to make your monthly mortgage payments anyway.  And you may want to go early as more than 10,000 homeowners are expected to attend.

Starting tomorrow and taking place until Monday of next week, the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA) will be holding a 24 hour mortgage modification marathon designed to speed up the process of determining whether or not homeowners can actually receive a modification and thus keep their Miami Beach homes.  In some situations people have had to wait over a year before receiving any kind of response.  Over 300 counselors and representatives from major lenders are expected to be on hand.

NACA has earned a well deserved reputation for working with buyers to reach a payment plan that reflects what a person can afford as opposed to their credit score.  Although walk-ins will be welcome at the event, don’t wait until the last minute.  This could be the key to keeping your Miami Beach homes and having to pay less each month.

Looking for something to do near your Miami Beach homes that’s both enriching and helps to give back?  You may want to check out PechaKucha Night tomorrow.  Not only will you be able to check out fascinating art, you’ll be helping to contribute to the Haiti earthquake relief efforts.

PechaKucha Night is a showcase of various artworks such as architecture and musical slideshows by artists from around the world, including those here in Miami Beach.  Similar to popular websites like YouTube, the event will be streamed online live for an entire day.  In this case, the event will be focused on artwork depicting or relating to Haiti in some form.  It’s definitely worth stepping out of your Miami Beach homes and seeing the creativity.

Interestingly, PechaKucha Night (which roughly translates to “chit-chat”) is considered to be the first time that an art event is streamed live over a 24 hour period.  If you like art and wish to contribute to the relief efforts going on in Haiti, make sure to leave some room open in your agenda to check out the event.

For certain people the appeal of Miami Beach homes has a lot to do with the number of clubs that are sprinkled copiously throughout the sunny city.  Classic mainstays such as Mansion, Cameo and BED have attracted many people and they will soon be joined by another new club destined to become the latest hotspot.

The Strip is set to open later this month on February 25 right in the core of popular South Beach.  With an interior design that’s a throwback to the golden age of Hollywood, the Strip will feature velvet seating, suspended swings, leather covered walls and even a massive twelve foot chandelier, a design by celebrated Lisa Halloran.  The entire project is being overseen by founder Eric Levin and James Butler, the former a successful restaurateur and the latter once the manager for Nikki Beach.  The Strip promises to have even more locals and residents leaving their Miami Beach homes and stepping out on the town.

The ambiance of The Strip will emphasize burlesque and state of the art performance art and also has Emmy nominated choreographer Glenn Douglas Packard overseeing the acts and creating the buzz.  As for its success we’ll have to wait and see but it will definitely be yet another to check out Miami Beach homes.