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Hen Housing: Raising Chickens in Miami – Where is it allowed?

Carrie Foote — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 15:34:46 +0000

My friend’s amazing chicken coop located just south of Ketchum, Idaho (Sun Valley)

Oddly enough, this past year has been one filled with chickens & chicken coops for me. I visited old friends in Sun Valley and Park City this year and was impressed by their awesome coops and fresh eggs. I also wound up “chicken sitting” for some clients while I listed their home for sale (yes – I am a full-service realtor!) and I have had several buyers ask me about the possibility of raising chickens in various areas of Miami.

Raising chickens has become a hip new adventure for many non-farmers around the country. You know something is on its way to being main-stream when Williams Sonoma dedicates an entire section of their catalog and website to chicken coops and chicken accoutrements!

Miami is no stranger to chickens. They roam wild in the streets in some areas of the city as they do in parts of the Caribbean. There is even a “Chicken taskforce” a.k.a. the Chicken Busters set up by City of Miami officials to try and lower the number of wild chickens in some areas of Little Haiti and Overtown. However, chickens as part of the urban gardening movement hasn’t gained a huge foothold here yet. Interest does seem to be growing, however, so we thought we’d share a bit about what we have learned after doing some research for our clients.

DISCLAIMER: We have done a cursory search in some of the municipalities where we work to see if raising chickens is allowed. We’re cutting and pasting most of this verbatim from the municipal codes for each area. These are subject to change & we are not municipal code experts, so please make sure to check with each city/municipality to be sure that what we found below is still current & is accurate. We can not take in your chickens in if you rely on our information and get busted!

Pinecrest: Some raising of chickens allowed, but only in the largest of the lots in zones EU-1c & EU-1

For EU-1C & EU-1 zoned lots only (a.k.a. One home per acre or more) – “Livestock limited – Keeping & maintaining any combination of horses and cows, or five poultry or birds provided: 1. Such use is incidental to an existing residential use; 2. The area used to keep & maintain such animals is part of the residential site; and 3. Such animals are fenced at least 50 feed from property under different ownership.”

South Miami: This is the most favorable area we’ve found for raising chickens & it has the most detailed rules. Click here for more details & type “chicken” into the search.

“Well-contained & nuisance-free chickens [not roosters] shall be allowed in the City of South Miami as a permitted use in single-family zoning districts.”
“The maximum number of chickens allowed is four adult hens plus five chicks per each one family house.”

City of Miami: Not allowed as far as I can tell.

“Tenants & homeowners that reside in a residential zoning district cannot raise or breed chickens, livestock or maintain beehives.”

Palmetto Bay: Not allowed

“The following uses shall be prohibited: Bee hives… the keeping, breeding or maintaining of horses, cattle, swine, poultry, fowl, goats or any other farm animals

Coral Gables: Not allowed

It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, harbor, breed or maintain upon any subdivided lot or lots in the city any pigeons, chickens, ducks, or roosters or other domestic fowl

So – The bottom line is, if you’re hoping to raise chickens legally in “Somi” or the areas South of Miami, you’ll need to buy a home on an acre lot or more with EU-1 zoning in Pinecrest or move to South Miami. My team can help you with either one of those moves, so feel free to give give me a call to discuss. Happy farming!

To read more posts by Carrie Foote, visit her website at somirealestate.com

Lowell International Realty is a boutique luxury real estate brokerage specializing in South Florida real estate. The Lowell team has sold thousands of homes throughout South Florida since opening doors by providing white glove service to clients, building a vast global network and constantly improving our state of the art marketing platform. Lowell International Realty is a recognized leader in Miami luxury real estate. For up to date information on Miami luxury real estate listings or the market in general, bookmark this blog and visit us often!

Just Listed: 5577 Arbor Lane – A French Courtyard Estate In Snapper Creek Lakes

Lani Kahn Drody — Fri, 18 Jul 2014 19:06:07 +0000

I am very excited about our new listing inside Snapper Creek Lakes – 5577 Arbor Lane! The estate is situated on 1.13 acres at the end of a cul-de-sac. This one-story home boasts beautiful French Manor classic architectural style and is built around a courtyard, fountain and rose garden. The landscaping has been generously added to over the years and reminds me of a mini-Fairchild Tropical Garden!

The exquisite greenery is a sight to behold and the courtyard design welcomes in dazzling natural light. The foyer entry with it’s glass front door and wrought iron detailing is magnificent. The formal living room and formal dining room each have working fireplaces and the rooms sit symmetrically across the courtyard from each other. The eat-in chef’s kitchen has a gas range and oven, a walk in pantry, and a temperature controlled wine cellar. The family room is flanked by the courtyard and beautiful backyard and pool. One of my favorite parts of the house is the very cool “bar room” that’s perfectly situated off the family room. It’s perfect for casual entertaining.

The master suite is impressive with a sitting room and french doors, his/her bathrooms and large walk-in closets. There is a three bedroom suite plus a den at the southeast corner of the home so kids or guests can have the area all to themselves. All of the bedrooms have en-suite baths. The home also has a nice sized maids room next to the laundry room and garage. Outside, there is a guest cottage, summer kitchen, large side yard, free form pool and a secret sunken grotto!

5577 Arbor Lane is located in one of South Coral Gables’ premier gated communities, Snapper Creek Lakes. Snapper Creek Lakes has beautiful tree lined streets, two lakes, a private marina (with a gas pump and full-time dock master) and loads of charm.

Priced at $4,300,000, this 6 bedroom, 6.5 bath home has over 7100 square feet under roof. It’s an incredible home in one of the most prized neighborhoods in Coral Gables and South Florida. Call Lani Kahn Drody at 305.216.1550 for a private showing. Photos are below. For additional information visit 5577ArborLane.com:

A Look At Price Per Square Foot and Average Sale Price in Luxury Communities [Q2 2014]

Steve Gunn — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 14:31:31 +0000

(click to enlarge)

In the second quarter of 2014, many of the communities we specialize in saw an increase in the number of homes sold, an increase in the average price per square foot or an increase in the average sale price. Q2 was a strong showing for South Florida luxury homes. Here are some of the highlights:

Single Family ($1 mil+):

North Coral Gables (north of US1), all of Coconut Grove, and Miami Beach had increases in the number of sales, the price per square foot of sold homes, and the average sale price for single family homes.

South Coral Gables and Key Biscayne single family homes saw a decrease in the average sale price of the sold homes but the price per square foot of the sold homes increased in both cases, likely due to the specific inventory that sold. In these cases it’s possible that smaller homes were sold, but those homes had high price per square foot values. This is still a positive outcome as it means homes are appreciating.

The number of homes sold in Pinecrest increased from Q1 to Q2 but the average price per square foot and average sale price decreased. Overall Pinecrest is a healthy market but it didn’t show in Q2 due to the specific inventory that sold in the period – in Q1 larger homes sold, and a few notable sales brought the average price per square foot up a bit higher than usual.

Condo ($600+):

Downtown Miami condos listed on the MLS didn’t fare as well as they did in Q1 however with the increase in construction activity and activity downtown, the MLS doesn’t tell the full story. Downtown remains a top destination for international investors and Miami’s urbanite core.

Brickell condos saw growth in average sale prices and average price per square foot. Like Downtown, Brickell is likely doing better than indicated by these numbers as new construction buildings handle sales directly and don’t usually report to the MLS. In the coming years with the addition of Brickell City Centre, Brickell will become an even more coveted location.

More condos were sold in North Miami Beach in Q2 than in Q1. The positive trend continued as price per square foot, and average sale price increased. Interesting fact: North Miami beach condos valued over $600,000 have a higher average price per square foot than single family homes in luxury communities like Coral Gables and Coconut Grove. Homes in a community like Coconut Grove may be waterfront or rest on an acre lot. In a condo, you trade the land features for views, building amenities and close proximity to an urban core.

South Miami Beach sale prices slipped a bit but the average price per square foot increased to $1,321 – the highest of all the communities we track.

International Buyers – The Current Sales Trend

Steve Gunn — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 14:43:33 +0000

The National Association of Realtors recently published the 2014 edition of their “Profile of International Home Buying Activity” and included in the report is some interesting data on International buying trends across the United States. It’s no secret that international buyers are responsible for a large number of transactions in the US. Florida is one of the most popular states for foreign purchases. The reporting period for this data is 12 months ending in March. From March of 2013 to March of 2014, 23% of the homes sold in Florida were bought by international buyers. In 2011 that percentage reached a 5 year high at 31%. See how other states compare below.

NAR International Transactions By State 2014

23% of the Florida real estate market is made up of international buyers, but where to do they come from? Another chart from the National Association of Realtors shows that North America makes up the largest group of origin for international purchasers. Canada is responsible for a high percentage of international sales, and Florida is their preferred destination with 40% of Canadians buying here (second place is Arizona with 23%). Europe and Latin America are the other regions with a high percentage of buyers investing in Florida real estate.

NAR Florida International Buyer Origin 2014

Out of our past 10 closings, 4+ of those homes were bought by international buyers. Lowell International Realty agents have seen firsthand that the South Florida market is a diverse one. Download the full report for additional information on International buying trends: 2014 National Association of Realtos Profile on International Buyers.

Q2 2014: Luxury Real Estate Market Notes

Steve Gunn — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 16:41:31 +0000

Waterfront View from 1207 S. Alhambra Circle – A luxury home sold in Q2 by Blair Sonville of Lowell International Realty (represented buyer)

Lowell International Realty agents spent the past few days collecting and analyzing data about closed sales during the second quarter of 2014. There is plenty of positive news to report, especially as it relates to luxury properties. When gathering data, we define luxury properties as single family homes that sell for over $1 million dollars and condos/ townhomes that sell for over $600k. I’ll give a quick overview of our findings now, but in a followup post Lowell International Realty broker Lani Kahn Drody will explore specific communities / sections of the market, and frame this last quarter of market activity in greater context.

The following three metrics put last quarter’s activity in perspective: Percentage of sold to asking price, total sales volume, and change in average price per square foot.

1 – Percentage of Sold Price to Asking Price:

In the second quarter of 2014, single family homes (that sold for over $1) closed for an average of 93% of their asking price. Although some homes sold for less than asking and others sold over full list price, this average shows that for the most part homes were sold for their advertised value. A higher percentage is indicative of stronger demand for homes given that pricing is in line with market value.

2 – Sales Volume Increased quarter over quarter.

In the first half of 2014 over 1.3 billion of luxury real estate was sold! In the first quarter, luxury home sales volume was $564 million and in the second quarter the sales volume increased 31% to $741 million. This increase in volume is mostly attributed to an increased number of luxury sales (Q1 224 vs 308 in Q2) since average sale price was steady at approximately $2.5 million.

3 – Appreciation

In many communities we specialize in we saw an increase in average price per square foot for sold homes. The largest gains were had in the luxury corridors of Miami Beach and Key Biscayne. Another interesting tidbit is that in some of these communities, average sold prices decreased (but thats not necessarily a bad thing!). When the average sale price decreases but the average price per square foot increases, it is commonly due to the smaller homes that sold increasing in value.

These three metrics show that Q2 was a strong one. The Miami luxury real estate market is thriving and there’s a lot of activity. New construction is on the rise for single family homes and especially condos with all of the activity in Downtown and Brickell. The luxury real estate market in Dade county is stronger than ever. We have additional first half 2014 and Q2 recap coming but if you have any questions ask us in the comments section!