THE MODERNIST ANGLE

As home prices in Southeast Florida soften, let's have a look at a few typical offers in one of the most important price segments of the local market for modern homes:

In Boca Raton, a 3 bedroom / 2 bath home with approx. 2132 sf under air, built 1985.
Sited on a secluded lot, the home offers an open split floor plan with ceiling-to-floor windows and glass doors, vaulted ceilings, eat-in kitchen with kitchen bar, recessed lights and a dramatic 2nd story wrap around balcony with views from living room, dining room & kitchen. Several major systems have been replaced. In bicycle proximity to the beach. Asking $599,000

In Fort Lauderdale, a 4/3 with approx. 2067 sf, built 1953. This is currently an income-producing property, listed on Airbnb with all licenses and permits. Plenty of natural lighting around the house which features a top-of-the-line quality kitchen with island, a marble fireplace, Italian porcelain floor, as well as a new roof, new impact windows, and a new sprinkler system. It also has a 2 car garage and a big backyard with BBQ. Located 3 miles from the beach and Las Olas Blvd. Asking $775,000

In Delray Beach, a 4/4 with approx. 2199 sf, built 2020.
This is a pre-construction offer, with the buyer still having the option to choose the finishes. 10 ft ceilings throughout as well as large large porcelain tiles. The master  offers his and hers walk-in closet, an oversized shower and double sinks. Laundry room has a wash basin. 2 car garage with long driveway. Nice covered patio and room for pool. Property is not a zero lot. 6 ft white fence all around house. Room to park your jet ski, boat, or any toys you have. Huge open side to canal. Asking $600,000

In Wilton Manors, a 4/3 with approx. 2204 sf, built 1957.
Renovated waterfront home, designed for multigenerational living or vacation rentals (approved for AirBnB). New custom kitchen, energy-efficient hurricane impact windows and doors. Master bathroom with free-standing soaking tub, oversized shower, separate toilet closet and dual sinks. Eco-conscious xeriscape succulent landscaping design. Asking $839,000

In Plantation, a 3/3 with pool, approx. 1897 sf, built 1980.
Open concept with soaring ceilings and high windows, very private. Two bedrooms downstairs, full bedroom suite upstairs. Den can be easily converted to 4th bedroom. Well maintained and move-in ready. In walking distance to shopping and restaurants. Asking $625,000

In Fort Lauderdale, a 4/2 with approx. 1400 sf, built 1954.
Waterfront home offering ocean access with no fixed bridges (deepwater). Dock for up to 60 feet yacht. New roof, new A/C, updated kitchen and bath, new city water and sewer lines. Asking $879,000

In Miami, a 3/2 with pool, approx. 2827 sf, built 1983.
Pool home with entrance atrium in a guard-gated community. It features sliding glass doors in every major room, 3 fireplaces, accordion shutters, 2 car garage, large upstairs master suite with two walk-in closets, separate bathing area w/luxurious roman tub & glass-enclosed shower. Close to supermarket, restaurants, Indian Hammock Park and Turnpike. Asking $899,000

In Fort Pierce, a 3/2 with pool, approx. 1777 sf, built 1958.
Upgraded Beach Bungalow with bright open floorplan and heated Pool. Home was remodeled in 2016 including impact windows, roof, A/C, upgraded kitchen & bath, flooring, paint, & new pool. Close to Downtown and South Beach Jetty. Asking $644,500

In Miami Beach, a 4/4 bath home with pool, approx. 3263 sf under air, built 2021.
Co-ownership opportunity for one-eight of a professionally managed, turnkey home, fully furnished and professionally decorated. Open-plan main floor includes  dining space and a gourmet kitchen incl. glass-enclosed 80-bottle wine rack. Spacious primary bedroom upstairs has access to upper patio overlooking pool & spa, as well as a covered outdoor kitchen and lounge. Asking $867,000 for 1/8th share.


Please contact Tobias with if you are interested in any of these homes or if you are looking for a modern house in South Florida.

__
Listings courtesy of cooperating MLS Realtors on BeachesMLS

#architecture #design #floridahomesforsale #floridarealestate #mcm #midcenturymodern #modernarchitecture #modernhomes #brokertobiaskaiser #realestateconsultant #homesforsale #modernism #miami #delraybeach #fortlauderdale #bocaraton

In chapter 8 of my “Guide to Florida Real Estate Transactions” I explain what occurs after signing of the purchase contract and before closing – an extremely important phase for any buyer, be it a residential, commercial or business deal:

Between signing of the purchase contract and the closing – 20 to 90 days approx., depending on the type of property and if financing is involved – several activities run parallel in time: property inspection, title inspection, possibly a loan application, and, in case of a commercial or business transaction, the so-called due diligence period, which includes a review of all books and records.

Latest by now please consult a tax advisor to structure property ownership under tax perspectives as favorable to you as possible.

Your real estate agent coordinates all these activities for you and should be able to recommend experienced professionals for all tasks at hand.

Building inspection: Within a certain timeframe the buyer has the opportunity to have the property – resale or new – inspected for functional and structural deficiencies. This inspection should never be conducted by a cousin of a friend who owns a flashlight and a voltmeter, but by a certified, licensed and recommended professional, ideally belonging to ASHI (American of Society of Home Inspectors). If flaws are found, depending on the contract the buyer can demand repairs, withdraw from the contract, or try to re-negotiate. Your agent should recommend a reliable building inspector and make the inspection part of the transaction timetable.

The chart above for single family homes, from Miami to West Palm Beach, from January 2020 to August 2022, shows it.

Green are Median Selling Prices in USD, blue shows the gap between Asking and Selling Prices in %. Both lines are pointing south for both July and August.

With rising interest rates, the slower home-buying season beginning and more properties coming to market, this trend will likely continue for a while.

For more detailed market data incl. for modern architecture or with your questions contact me anytime please.

By definition, a transformation is "a marked change in form, nature, or appearance." Here is an excellent example from the world of real estate:

This week I came across a modernist house on the MLS that stopped me in my tracks, with its interior so bizarrely overloaded and decorated. I even thought about possible using it in my "Bad MLS Photo" series.

Not so – I repent. Going through all listing photos again yesterday, I became curious: what exactly was the current owners' starting point? Then going through the MLS photos from the last sale in 2016, I knew I found something share-worthy.

Only a few photos clearly show old v. new (pix #3-10) since the floorplan was expanded, walls moved and windows closed or changed. But – irrelevant of my own taste – from what I can see, the current owners deserve major kudos on what they created out of pretty much run-down mid-century modern house.

What do you think?

(3 bedroom/2 bath renovated mid-century modern in Miami, asking $670k. Listing courtesy of Angie Homes)

Hurricane season in Florida commenced yesterday, running through 30 November, 2022.

Well – if you don't live here and shrug your shoulders, imagine this: It's late autumn and you haven't mounted your winter tires yet. All of a sudden you hear that there are 8 inches (20 cm) of snow forecast for tonight. Would that grab your attention?

If you get ready for hurricane season now, you will be so much more relaxed during the next few months, basking in the wisdom you're ahead of the curve.

To sweeten the pot a bit: until June 10 there's a Tax Holiday, exempting certain items from Florida sales tax. The exempt list, in case you need supplies, is on a website of the Florida Dept. of Revenue (click on "Consumers").

What should you get then? There are so many downloadable supply lists that I won't post any of mine – every county and major news site has them, so pick one that makes the most sense to you.

Check out your county's website below now, store the local emergency numbers in your phone, and download a good hurricane warning app on your phone. NOAA or Florida Storms (operated by FL Public Radio) are among the many good ones and available for both Android and iOS.

• Hurricane Website for Martin county      
• Hurricane website for Palm Beach county
• Hurricane website for Broward county
• Hurricane website for Miami-Dade county
• Hurricane website for Monroe county

If you have any valuable tips or links you believe are worth sharing – please post them. Thank you and be safe!

–
L: Hurricane Georges, Deerfield Beach, Florida 1998; R: "No Lifeguard on Duty" Hurricane Irene, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Oct 1999, both ©tck

Question: Over Easter dinner, I overheard someone - I think he was a Realtor - explain to a friend why he should have an home inspection done before listing his house. Isn't that wasting money? I always thought the buyer does the inspection?

Answer: You overheard sage advice. I'll explain.

Correct: buyers conduct their own home inspection to evaluate if a property has any functional flaws which might make them re-consider the purchase (note: in Florida, home sellers must disclose any major defects they know about or should know about – like a constant drip from the ceiling the seller decides to ignore and hope for the best).

But a seller's pre-listing inspection is not of money thrown out the window – on the contrary!

A seller’s inspection, also called a pre-listing inspection, gives sellers a clear understanding of the condition of their property. They then can fix any issues before putting the home on the market, or price repair and inconvenience to the buyer into the asking price. So it's not money thrown out the window!

I always suggest a pre-listing inspection to save my sellers money, aid in the efficiency of the transaction, and especially to reduce surprises that always – note: always! – arise from the inspection. But despite being such a great tool, it’s very often rejected.  

5 Key Benefits:

1. Uncover any issues

A pre-listing home inspection provides sellers a clear understanding of the condition the home. Sellers can’t and don’t know everything that needs attention in their home, even if they think so. The inspection report lists all the issues the seller can address and fix prior to placing the home on the market, or lay out the issues to potential buyers up front. This results in saving the seller time and especially money – see below.

2. Save Money, reduce seller stress, prepare to negotiate

Seller’s inspections generally cost the same as a buyer’s inspection. But the inspection can provide immense value. Instead of having only a few days to fix problems after a buyer's home inspection, the pre-listing inspection will alert the seller of issues before the home is put on the market. This provides the sellers plenty of time to compare costs of repairs and negotiate prices without having a time constraint.

Typical example: nearly house has electrical problems that surface during an inspection. These items can seemingly add up to substantial amounts, because electrical issues are typically health- and safety-related, and inspectors err on the high side when estimating repair costs. However, when we have the ability to bring out a reliable electrician ahead of time, he can provide a true bid which is nearly always less than a buyer’s estimate. The seller then can have items repaired  at a lower cost and without time constraints.

But even with pre-listing inspection reports, many buyers will opt to conduct their own inspections. Having a pre-listing inspection report in hand helps alleviate seller stress, because we already know what the other inspector will likely find, and we have already investigated related costs.

Also, by providing full disclosure upfront, along with any repairs that were made, buyers will have acknowledged the existing condition of the home. This reduces the risk of buyers from coming back to the seller and asking for more money off the sale price.

Fact: Avoiding repair surprises is a good thing for all homeowners, even those with no intention of selling. That’s why I recommend all homeowners periodically order inspections to confirm they’re maintaining their home in good condition.

3. Boost marketability, build buyer’s trust

Trust starts with a good first impression, and transparency is a key driver in trust.

Pre-listing inspections underscore that the seller is a proactive homeowner who cares about the home and has maintained it. In addition, sharing inspection reports from the outset sets up the expectation that the seller is communicating honestly with the buyer.

4. Encourage “cleaner” offers with reduced contingencies

In the current real estate market with very limited inventory, qualified homebuyers know they will likely have to compete aggressively. For the best properties in the most popular neighborhoods, buyers sometimes need to make quick decisions and limit contingencies to be competitive.

One of the goals of pre-listing inspections is to help homebuyers feel comfortable about eliminating or least reducing physical inspection contingencies.

5. Calm buyers' nerves during escrow

The best time to tell a buyer about property concerns is upfront, when buyers are most interested in the home and likely competing with others to purchase it. Pre-listing inspections allow buyers to see any solved or potential issues upfront, so they know there shouldn’t be a massive surprise if and when they conduct their own inspection.
___
Questions, experiences? Let me know please!

Many years ago when I was to start my blog “The Modernist Angle”, my ex-wife and I – we worked together then – discussed those two terms at length. What sounds like a First World Problem is in reality a bit like cooking: if you’re sloppy in the details, it comes back to bite you later.

And even though folks frown upon a native German (that would be me), throwing around English words he barely understands and can hardly pronounce in his native language, not to speak of English, there is a reason I prefer “Modernist” over “Modern”.

Back then, we found an interesting forum where the pros differentiated between those two terms carefully, the former referring to a style or aesthetic, while the latter – modern – meaning “something current”.

“Takeaway lesson: There's an important difference between 'modern' and 'modernist'. Modern means nothing more than 'current' or 'recent'. Modernist means... the ideology of modernism... an aesthetic movement that emerged in Europe during the interwar period”. (–Ray Sawhill, on the Visual Resources Association Forum)

Adding to the point:

“Modernist is ultimately a more valuable and specific term for us than the more generic Modern. Modernist is our stylistic term of choice, whereas Modern seems more like a state of mind.” (–Dane A. Johnson, Visual Resource Coordinator, College of Architecture and Design, Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, MI, on the Visual Resources Association Forum)

Thus, a mid-century design by Richard Breuer or Ludwig Mies as an example should really be referred to as Mid-Century Modernist.

Though nobody does that, as a client reminded me when he snubbed all homes older than five years, disregarding their modernist styles.

With my own firm’s residential arm being named “Modern Florida Homes”, and its mission being “Brokering, Promoting and Preserving Modern Homes and Architecture”, an important step for me was to check the prevalence of either term in colloquial usage. “Modern” was the clear favourite.

So I use “Modern” in the website name and mission statement, but on social media and especially in a verbal context where one can discuss, explain and elaborate, I prefer “Modernist” as the correct and more precise term.

Fun question to ask your favourite architect, isn’t it? – You do have one, don't you?

The prominent architect, born in 1926 as Charles Reed, Jr., died 3 February 2022 in his home in Raleigh, NC. He is survived by two daughters, one of which was at his side when he passed away.
  Returning from service in World War II, Chuck Reed enrolled under the G.I. Bill (U.S. government sponsored education and training program for returning war veterans) in the University of Miami Architecture program and was scheduled to finish in Miami’s second graduating class. At the time, formal education was only one way of becoming a qualified architect; the more traditional “atelier” system of internship under a practicing architect was fully recognized, and the system followed by many of the greats, including Frank Lloyd Wright.
   Reed met architect Igor Polevitzky and began working in his firm as a draftsman. According to a City of Hollywood oral history recorded in 2004, Reed did many of the details for the Polevitzky home at 1519 Harrison Street. He went on to practice independently and designed a number of revolutionary residential works in Hollywood Hills and North Central Hollywood.
   His work typically utilizes structural materials like concrete block, colored and clear glass block, and exposed beams (usually glue laminated wood beams) in a highly detailed, but minimalist manner. Joints, where wall meets ceiling or materials merge are elegantly simple. The use of screened areas and open air partitions are also signature gestures of his work.
   He was the key subject of an architectural symposium focused on the Mid-Century Modern movement and the design of Florida Tropical Homes as part of a 2004 Historic Preservation Week held in Hollywood.
   Some of his many commissions include the Jaffe-Garrett House c. 1959, the Heller House II known as the “Birdcage” house, on Miami’s Venetian Causeway, the Havana Riviera Hotel in Havana, the Heiden House, the Gahstrom House 1952, the Simon House c. 1957, the Ritchie House 1958, the String House 1959, the Hulmes House 1956, the Brill House 1959, the Wicker House 1959 and the Lawson House 1960.

   I was fortunate enough not only to broker two of his commissions, but even more so to meet Chuck and his lovely and wonderful wife Elaine, a renown artist. I own a beautiful sculpture of hers, a handpainted clay piece, and  spent private time with them in Raleigh on numerous occasions. A very humble and approachable gentleman, Chuck just loved talking architecture, showing me sketches, elevations and floor-plans, and he enjoyed explaining his thoughts behind solutions I would query him about. Inevitably, Elaine would come into the study and ask if Chuck wasn't boring me. Nope. 
   Stories about his clients and their connection were so fascinating, I always made notes on napkins or whatever I could get a hold of, just so not to forget a specific construction detail or a funny story about weekly meets, hanging out at a clients' house long after it was completed.
   I feel immensely privileged and honoured to have met Chuck and Elaine, and both sharing with me a bit of their creative and their private lives. I so enjoyed spending time with both of them – and I do miss them quite a bit.

As a photo illustration for my New Year's greeting, I originally thought "fireworks with a modernist house" – but no such luck. What I did find is this lovely composite shot by Matt Hudson (matthudsonau) of the iconic Sydney Opera House.

But I immediately realised how little I knew about this very distinctive building and masterpiece of 20th century architecture. Worse, I didn't even know anything about its architect. Thus, a short intro:

An international design competition for a new multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney was launched in 1955 and received 233 entries, representing architects from 32 countries. The criteria specified a large hall seating 3,000 and a small hall for 1,200 people, each to be designed for different uses, including full-scale operas, orchestral and choral concerts, mass meetings, lectures, ballet performances, and other presentations.

The winner, announced in 1957, was Danish architect Jørn Utzon. His design was rescued by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen from a final cut of 30 rejects. Utzon visited Sydney in 1957 to help supervise the project; his office moved to Sydney in February 1963.

The Government of New South Wales authorised work to begin in 1958, with Utzon directing construction. (But) the government's decision to build Utzon's design was often overshadowed by circumstances that followed, including cost and scheduling overruns, as well as the architect's ultimate resignation.

Completed by an Australian architectural team headed by Peter Hall, the building was formally opened in October 1973.

Utzon received the Pritzker Prize, architecture's highest honour, in 2003 for his design. The Pritzker Prize citation read:

“There is no doubt that the Sydney Opera House is his masterpiece. It is one of the great iconic buildings of the 20th century, an image of great beauty that has become known throughout the world – a symbol for not only a city but a whole country and continent.”

Have you visited the building? And if so, what is your impression and take on it?

____
Via wikipedia; much more details at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Opera_House, and about every architectural site on the internet.

You may be like me and have a plethora of work tasks to be tackled frequently or just once, in urgency ranging from “I’ll be in the sewer if I don’t do it now” to “Oh well, whenever I feel like it”.

If you don’t have that problem you’re a person of leisure or a total slacker. Go read something else.

For a daily task overview – step 1 – my tool of choice is home-brewed and Excel-based. Decidedly not elegant, but it works really well for me and also my assistant, to a point where someone from Apple’s Business Software division once commented “what you created doesn’t exist as a ready-made software solution.”

My addition of a complimentary tool, step 2, is an egg timer of sorts, a re-discovery for me. Read: At some point in time I must have been really smart but then dumbed down. But only a tiny bit. Now I’m smart again. – Sigh of relief!

The timing tool is called a Pomodoro Timer, in my case an app for Macs and Windows called Tomighty (https://tomighty.github.io). But any timer works. The idea behind the Pomodoro technique is to break up tasks into specific segments with short breaks in between. Francesco Cirillo, who invented it, uses 25 min segments with 5 min breaks in between and longer breaks every 90 min. Pomodoro, the Italian word for tomatoe, comes from Cirillo using a kitchen timer in the shape of a... – yes, you guessed right. Brownie point!

I used a Pomodoro freeware app years ago and loved it. But when Apple’s constant OS upgrades left that app behind, I somehow couldn’t find a good replacement. Last week, trying out several timers parallel, I did. And I love it. The way it works and the preference options are perfect for me, and (on a Mac) it sits in the menubar, which I prefer over a desktop floater.

The effects of the Pomodoro timer on my workflow are multiple:

• I realise how much time I need to complete tasks and get better in planning out my work time,
• Even though not having ADHD, I’m considerably more focused and don’t doodle (at least not as much: progress),
• I get my tush off the chair in regular intervals and give my back, neck and eyes a break (meaning: no screen time during breaks), and
• After a week of use, I still crack up about the sound indicating a segment is over. But then, I’m easily entertained.

Try it out; highly recommended!

What tools or technique do you use to get things done?

In this series of posts about chance encounters and interesting observations – all connected to modernist architecture or design – I highlight details, solutions and examples I find note- and share-worthy. Whenever I gather enough, I publish a new post.

Do bear in mind I’m neither trained as an architect nor as a designer, but growing up with an architect sibling, in a mid-century modern home, surrounded by MCM furniture, furnishings and art, influenced my taste tremendously and left a great interest in all things modernist.

In Germany I recently observed three lovely details:
- a bicycle rack in Munich, made out of a single continuous tube of stainless steel,
- a window-shuttering system consisting of stainless rails with weather-proofed plywood panels stained in an accent colour, also in Munich, and
- a staircase light in a museum in Penzberg outside Munich, elegantly hiding the fixture itself, made possible  with the advent of LEDs.

What do you think of each of these three solutions – do you like them? If so, what do you like about them?

As the housing market in South Florida took off like a torpedo from August 2020 to August 2021, selling prices for single homes between Miami and Jupiter year-over-year increased by approx. 29 percent.

Since late August or early September ‘21, there is the first hint of normalcy on the horizon – meaning a slow-down in price increases, though no return to previous prices.

Unfortunately salaries didn’t increase by 29 percent at the same time – wouldn’t that be nice! – while the hottest price range still is approx. $350,000 to $800,000, mostly bought by owner-users (vs. speculators or snowbirds).

At $350,000, currently there are unfortunately no modernist homes available for purchase, but as you go up in prices, selection and quality start to increase. Any of these homes shown below may be under contract by the time you read this post, but here is an overview of what you can reasonably expect in modern homes available for sale up to $800,000:

3/2 with 1,480 sf under air on a 6,050 sf lot, built 1962. – Charming vintage home, completely renovated, features tongue & groove wood walls and cathedral ceilings, red brick, Coquina coral walls, working fireplace, completely updated plumbing and electric, new metal roof, impact windows, laminate wood floors, large skylights and a private, tropical landscaped garden. #856506, asking $549,000

4/2 with 1,510 sf under air on a 6,380 sf lot, built in 1957. – Sited in a neighborhood with many mature trees, this open-concept house has been renovated with a new roof, new AC, new driveway and patio, new fence, new kitchen, new bathrooms, new impact windows and doors, new recessed lights inside and out and new landscaping in a large back yard. #424405, asking $615,000

3/2.5 with pool and 4-car garage, 3950 sf (363 m2) under air on 13600 sf lot, built in 1975. – Overlooking a golf course, this home boasts a detached master suite w/access to the pool, a designated wing with 2 bedrooms and cabana bath, an open kitchen, a billiard room with wet bar, two office spaces, library, laundry room, 4 AC units and a 4-car garage. #616803, asking $550,000

3/2 with 1,340 sf under air on a 6,750 sf lot, built in1956. – Steps from the Intracoastal Waterway, completely updated with new impact windows and doors, garage and circular drive. Open plan, light and bright. Original Terrazzo floors throughout. Plumbing and electrical updated, new HVAC, newer water heater and roof. Beautiful landscaping with plenty of room for a pool. #262301, asking $799,000

3/2 with 2,040 sf under air on a 10,230 sf lot, built in 1970. – A good example for ‘70s modern architecture in a popular golf course community, very well maintained, with eat-in kitchen, cathedral ceiling, formal dining room and an atrium. Newer refrigerator, a/c, water heater and washer/dryer; oversized 1-car garage. Low HOA fees. #939801, asking $499,000

Shared ownership of a 5/4 with 3,970 sf under air on a 10,120 waterfront lot, with pool, dock and garage, built in 2014. – Opportunity to acquire 1/8th (so technically it's not a $654,000 home, agreed) of a professionally managed, fully furnished and decorated home. Open floor plan centers around a great room opening to a covered deck. Chef's kitchen includes high-end appliances and a breakfast nook with a workstation. Primary bedroom is downstairs, upstairs are a sitting area and four guest suites. #399703, asking $654,000 (1/8th share)


What is your impression of the current housing market in South Florida? Have looked for a home and were outbid, or were you successful? Do you consider selling your home? In either case, I would love to hear from your comments or questions: 954 834 3088 or KaiserAssoc@gmail.com. – Thank you, Tobias.

___
(All information from the respective listing agents via SEF-MLS).

Photo: Modernist Stained-glass Window in Lake Worth, Florida. ©tckaiser)

In chapter 5 of my “Guide to Florida Real Estate Transactions” (the series started in April, in case you missed the first chapters) I outline the main steps from inquiry to contract.

Because of the large number of available properties–even in this market in late summer 2021–on first client contact any experienced agent will not send out those nice brochures, or even run out and tour a sampling of homes. Rather, he will set up a client profile. This allows to offer a buyer only properties within his specific criteria and financial framework. Showing properties outside a buyer’s financial capabilities makes no sense and equals real estate tourism, with the agent being the unpaid tour guide and a frustrated buyer at the end of the day who saw during the tour what he’d love to have but can’t afford. – Bad approach!

So if you are the buyer, your agent will assemble a list of properties suitable for viewing based on your criteria. Having toured a few–or many–homes and hopefully found one to your liking, your agent will present a written offer to the seller’s agent. The amount of this opening offer will be determined by your agent and you, based on a market analysis done by your agent. Please note: verbal offers or inquiries are generally considered unprofessional and disregarded.

When your opening offer has been presented to the seller, he can accept, reject it or counter it within a time-frame you have specified. Your offer becomes only a contract when both parties agree and sign. Then a first deposit will be due, and as well as following ones it will be paid into an escrow account of your broker (agents are not allowed to open escrows), your lawyer or a title insurance company–but never to the seller directly. Only at closing–exchanging property title and keys against money–will all deposits be handed over to the seller together with the remaining balance of the purchase price.

If the property does not close, all deposits will be returned to the buyer if he didn’t default. However, if the buyer defaults on the contract or changes his mind midway he looses his deposits; the seller may also sue for damages. In a resale (a “used” home), the buyer has those same rights against the seller in case of a seller’s default, in addition to requesting specific performance. In new construction, the cards are distributed differently: the purchase agreements for new homes eliminate major buyer’s rights, favor the builder and thus demand special attention with a very fine comb before signing.

Real estate contracts have to be in writing and may contain any type of clause negotiated freely between the parties as long as they are legal. All time periods contained in the contract, such as the inspection or financing periods, commence with the last necessary signature of seller or buyer. Time is of the essence, and missing a vital date may constitute a breach of contract. It is good practice for an agent to prepare a time-line containing all important dates of the transaction.

Comments? Questions? Please contact me anytime; I'd be delighted to assist you.
____
©1996-2021 Tobias Kaiser. Use or reproduction only with written permission.

What is it:
  New two-story, 46,000 sf library, cultural center building and civic campus adjacent to City Hall, replacing the old library on E. Atlantic Boulevard open from from 1952 until November 2017.
  The new facility features a standard library, media labs, 5,000sf of theater/flex event space and an exhibition gallery of 750sf. Construction included also a multipurpose room, three tutoring rooms, a group study room, conference room, storytelling/program room, computer lab and the Teen Tech Studio, which is designed to encourage young adults to creatively explore digital media.
  The new library houses a collection of approximately 50,000 items including books, DVDs, CDs, publications and reference materials.
  Site improvements included a new civic plaza featuring raised planter areas, street furniture, a lightning bolt plaza and a new paved breezeway connecting the parking areas to the civic plaza.

What's its purpose:
  Located at the heart of a community where the average annual income is under $40,000 per family, the Pompano Beach Cultural Center & Library was developed to provide broad access to knowledge, technology, and 21st century tools for creativity. To that end the project was developed to combine the richness of a state-of-the-art public library, that is equal parts children and adult services, with a cutting-edge cultural arts and media center.
  This combination gives shape to a one-of-a-kind innovative teaching and learning center unprecedented in the public realm. For two different sets of clients, budgets, and management teams the programs are uniquely separate but symbiotic, and are arranged to complement one another, promoting innovation and collaboration. The technology at the library is intended to introduce users of all ages to new media with spaces such as the YouMedia lab for kids. At the Cultural Arts and Media Center, the public has access to production spaces and advanced classes enabling entrepreneurial activities and collaborative projects. (via MPdL)
  The original vision for the library did not include the cultural center, which was added during planning. When Redevelopment Management Associates (RMA) was engaged as the Executive Director of the Pompano Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, they placed an emphasis on arts and culture venues for reinventing the Old Town Pompano Beach area, and residents overwhelmingly favored including the cultural center in the project.

Details:
25,000 sf Public Library; 21,000 sf Cultural Arts and Media Center
Architects: Silva Architects with MPdL Studio
Completed: 2018
Construction cost: $19.7 million, with about half of that amount going toward each facility. Funding for the project came from Broward County, the City of Pompano Beach and the Pompano Beach Community Redevelopment Agency. The library is located on land owned by the City of Pompano Beach. The County will occupy the library space via a 50-year lease with the City, with a 50-year option to renew.
Contractor: OHL Building, Miami (with CBI and NV2A)
Achieved LEED Gold Certification
    
Awards:
2017 Unbuilt Merit Award, AIA Miami Design Awards
2019 AIA FL Merit Award of Excellence for New Work
2019 AIA Miami Design Award

Hours:
(please verify Covid-19-influenced hours and admission conditions before you go)
10a – 6p Monday – Saturday
Closed Sundays
954.357.7595 or 954.545.7800

Events calendar:
https://www.pompanobeacharts.org/cc

Note:
The popular Pompano Green Market will restart on Nov 13, 2021, from 9a to 2p, and from there on (hopefully) every 2nd and 4th Saturday.
__

Have you been at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center and Library? Do you like it – or what is your impression?