A truly wonderful winter tradition in Pinecrest is the Pinecrest Gardner’s Farmers Market located at 8287 SW 124 Street. It has grown substantially through the years and now fills the entire parking lot of Gardner’s Market. I believe the Farmers Market is now organized by the Market Company, which is a special events and farmers market production company. If this is so, it was a terrific addition. Open every Sunday through mid-April, a variety of venders sell vegetables, fruits, plants, orchids, oils, herbs, jams, salsas and baked goods. Bee Heaven Farm~Pikarco, occupies the west side of the parking lot selling only organically grown fruits and vegetables all grown locally. They are part of a group known as “Redland Organics, a of group of local organic and sustainable growers working together towards a common goal - to stimulate our local economy and support local small family farms while providing the consumer with high-quality, locally-grown, organic and pesticide-free produce at a reasonable cost”. See their website.

Today the weather was gorgeous, 70 degrees at 9:30am. It was Heaven on earth here in Pinecrest. I bought fresh corn 3 for $1, peppers for $1 each, organic tomatoes, delicious strawberries for $3 a pint, an abundance of lettuces to last me through the week and I even bought a tomato plant, to try my thumb at those. I’ll let you know how that goes. But the market is amazing and shouldn’t be missed.

Below are other Farmers Markets in the area. Don’t miss them as they are very seasonal and last only through April. More information on these markets can be found at the Market Company.

The Palmetto Bay Farmers Market, SW 174th Street & SW 97th Avenue, Palmetto Bay: Every Sunday
Coral Gables Farmers Market, in front of City Hall at 405 Biltmore Way.
The Surfside Marketplace, 95th Street and Collins Avenue, Sundays
Lincoln Road Farmers Market, Lincoln Road, Miami Beach: Every Sunday
Normandy Village Marketplace, 71st St. at the Normandy Isle Fountain, Miami Beach, Saturday
Aventura Mall Farmers Market, Aventura Mall, Miami: Saturday & Sunday Resumes February, 2009.
Upper East Side Green Market, Legion Park, Miami: Every Saturday
The Fresh Market at the Market Company's Miami Warehouse, 4127 NW 2nd Avenue (just west of the Miami Design District), open Tuesdays and Thursdays, except holidays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Ah...Winter in Miami!

We have arts festivals, farmer's markets, ballet, marathons, 1/2 marathans and so much more. I will post some of my favorite happenings in the area each week here, so keep coming back or subscribe to my feed or email me at lynn@lynncromer.com to get on my list so you don't miss out on anything!

58th Annual Holtz Children’s Hospital
Beaux Arts Festival Jan. 10 & 11th
Grounds of University of Miami (map)

One of the nicest arts festival in Miami. Smaller than the Coconut Grove Festival in size, it is still strong on artists. The setting is beautiful, under large canopied trees on the campus of University of Miami. Starts at 10am both days.Beaux Arts link

Cooking Class
Ortanique on the Mile (map)

Learn the secrets behind Chef Cindy Hutson's Cuisine of the restaurant on Miracle Mile,Ortanique. Guests will be teamed up in groups of 6 with a chef from her kitchen at each table to guide them through their lesson. Chef Cindy instructs the students on how to prepare her signature dishes. Courses will be complemented with wine and will be taught the art of pairing wine and food. Everyone will take home a goodie bag along with a recipe booklet of what they prepared that day. Classes begin at 11:30 am and last till 2:30 pm Cost $90 per person. Event details at Cindy Hutson's. website.

Miami City Ballet
Arsht Performing Arts Center (map)
The Fox Trot: Dancing in the Dark
Jan. 9th - 11th

The ballet doesn't need explanation. It's just absolutely awesome. Click here for Tickets.

Photo courtesy of Flickr

Shortly I will post information about the local Farmer's Markets.

It's certainly been a tough year and I can't say that I'm sorry to see the year over. Although we are experiencing gorgeous 70 degree weather, which is what has always tempted folks to flock to Miami, we have had our share of foreclosures and big box store closings.

Prices are way down, which should be a positive for buying in the new year. Even in the luxury markets of Pinecrest & Coral Gables, once thought recession proof, prices are  down...some as far as 30% from their peak.  But the foreclosures in this market are fewer than other Miami area.

The median sales price for a 4 bedroom home in Pinecrest hovers close to $900,000.

Pinecrest Recently Sold Homes

The median sales price for a 4 bedroom home in Coral Gables hovers around $775,000 , down 19% from 3 months (trends from Trulia.com). FYI: The median price range in Coral Gables right now is 5% higher than it was 5 years ago.

Coral Gables Recently Sold Homes

I'm cautiously optimistic about the coming year. Our neighborhoods of Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay, Coconut Grove and Coral Gables, still deliver a wonderful quality of life uncompared in many large cities. Sellers and their agents will need patience and empathy, and I plan on delivering both.

I've been selling real estate in South Florida for 22 years, so I've seen my share of up and down markets. We'll get through this. I'll be there for you every step of the way.

Subscribe to my blog to keep updated as to our market trends and conditions and please comment or email at lynn@lynncromer.com me whenever you want.

Happy New Year and hang in there!