On our hunt, we came across one we thought would be good. We went in, decided it was the one, drew up an offer, negotiated it out, and within 24 hours, we were under contract! The next step was applying for a loan, and getting inspections done, both of which we did immediately. The inspection turned up some big ticket items for repair, so we were skeptical at that point. We negotiated out the repairs and continued on the Home Buying journey with that house. We obtained a loan commitment, got our insurance and moved the process along. We did a walk thru (how different the house looked without the seller’s things in it!) and were ready to close. There was a delay to close, by a few days (frustrating!) but we finally closed and the house is ours! Now the work begins…renovations!

As a realtor, I have been helping clients from start to finish (and beyond), but now I know what it’s like to go through the motions. Had I not been in real estate, I would definitely have sought out professional assistance from an agent. It’s a daunting task, and to have someone who knows the process and is there every step of the way is a huge help!

Contact the Restivo Team…we will help you through the entire process, whether buying or selling! We were able to negotiate things on my behalf in my purchase, and will be on your side and do the same for you!

“Tomorrow I set off for the mountain I’ve been training six months to climb. I’m flying out to Washington to take on Mt. Rainier, the queen of the Cascades. At 14,400 ft she is the highest mountain in the Pacific Northwest and the 4th highest peak in the lower 48 states. It’s the culmination of a dream I’ve had since I was a child, to test my strength and my will on a major peak, and with hopes that it is only the beginning of a bigger adventure.

It’ll be a three day climb that will test everything I’ve learned as a climber and I couldn’t be prouder to take part in this climb.”

“Tomorrow I am setting out for Seattle where upon landing I will be taken to the RMI camp in Ashford, just two hours out and at the edge of Mt. Rainier National Park. Our first day will consist of orientation, route planning, conditioning, and checking our gear. Getting the right equipment has been essential, and as part of my pack I am taking several short and long sleeved base layers, a lightweight parka, hard and soft shell jackets to repel wind rain and snow, an insulation layer and a mid-layer. Along with my cold weather wear I am also being outfitted with plastic climbing boots, crampons (spikes that attach to my boots to keep me stable on the snow) an ice ax, and fitting it all in a 70 liter climbing pack. I’m documenting my trip via my Sony Cybershot camera, and RMI has generously allowed me to borrow a GoPro (a small video camera that attaches to my helmet) so I can document the climb from a first person point of view.

After getting settled into training, we will begin our first day of mountaineering and skills school. Hiking up to the edge of the Rainier glacier, we will learn the skills that we’ll be using on the mountain such as traveling in a roped group, using our crampons, and most importantly using our ice ax, including self arrest, where we learn to stop ourselves in the event that we slide down a slope. Along with the technical aspect, we will learn how to step, control our breaths, and make the most of our motions at high altitude.

On day three, we begin our climb. The first day will take us from Paradise (5,400 ft) to Camp Muir (10,060 ft) along Rainier’s glaciated edge and the Muir snowfield, named for the conservationist who climbed the peak in 1888. Along the way we will have to put our skills to use, including kicking steps in the snow, traveling together in perfect unison, and pacing our strength to make the best of it. We will spend the night in the wooden huts at Camp Muir which will serve as our base camp for the summit attempt.

Day four will be a rest, acclimatization, and training day from the camp, and we will use this day to travel briefly to a higher altitude to be more in sync with the thin mountain air above 10,000 ft. Our group will review our skills, lay out our equipment for our summit attempt, and then get to bed early to start our climb at midnight.

Our push for the summit will come in the early hours of day five. Since the snow is frozen and compact at night than during the day, leaving in the dark gives us an advantage then stepping on soft slushy ice in the sun. We will be traveling via headlamp and our route will zigzag it’s way first through a rising traverse via the Cowlitz Glacier and then gliding between the crevasses of the Ingraham Glacier or Disappointment Cleaver, where we will navigate several switchbacks before making a final push for the top.

Depending on weather conditions and other factors, we will hopefully make the summit just after sunrise and spend time upon it’s peak to explore the volcanic vents and ridges. After a successful attempt, we will make our way back down towards Camp Muir, and then all the way back to Paradise and the safety of the RMI camp.

Cash offers  often give a seller a level of confidence that home purchases requiring lender approval (and an appraisal – in this rather volatile market)  lack.  This case was no different.  There was literally a revolving door of prospective buyers coming to preview the property our buyers had their eye on, and  there were multiple offers.   We’re delighted they got the house they had their heart set on.

If you’re looking to buy or sell property in Miami,  and looking for an experienced local Realtor to work with, we would be delighted to talk with you.

And if you - or someone you care about - is looking to relocate elsewhere, we would be more than happy to recommend top real estate agents elsewhere as well.  The Restivo Team at EWM Realtors, International  … Vicki (305 793-1365) and Alexandra (305 632-0164)…   Referrals mean alot.

9800 SW 71 Avenue SOLD  (within about 4% of list price …).

The house sits directly across from Royal Palm Tennis Club  … and sold for $604,000.00 …  (Four bedrooms… pool… canal in the back…).

We really enjoyed helping the Strauss family relocate … and it’s a pleasure to welcome our  new neighbors, the Paz family, to Pinecrest.  Congratulations to both buyers and sellers!

Alexandra and Vicki Restivo   … EWM Realtors

Immigrant vs. Non-Immigrant Visas

Business Visas
L-1A: Intra-company Transferee

Branch or Affiliation with US Corporation

Foreign Entity remains active

Accompanying relatives, spousal work permit

Investor Visas
E2:     Treaty Investor – Citizen of a Treaty Country
Accompanying relatives, spousal work permit

EB5:   Investor – Immigrant Visa
($1,000,000/$500,000 & 10 employees)

H-1B:  Professional Skilled Worker Visa

There are several ways to purchase property in the United States: Sole Proprietor/Corporation /LLC.   As real estate professionals, Alexandra and I would be happy to work with you, and recommend top local real estate attorneys who can advise you as to the benefits of each of your options.  Contact the Restivo Team at EWM Realtors, International  :  Vicki and Alexandra Restivo  restivo.v@ewm.com  305 793-1365   … or connect with us here.

Sometimes it doesn’t even take that long …  I’ve had buyers decide “That’s the home for me!”…  before we pulled into the driveway…   before even getting out of the car.

I did that myself … I ’knew’ that my house was ’mine’  without ever seeing the inside.  Even having seen it JUST from outside a six-foot walled and gated exterior … I knew it was mine.

Are you looking for a great buyer’s agent …  or considering selling your house?   If you’d like to work with a team of knowledgeable real estate professionals who know the neighborhoods, schools, and South Florida lifestyle, and specialize in relocation  …  if Miami is where you live now or want to live,  we would love to talk with you and see if there’s a mutual fit.  Alexandra and Vicki Restivo  EWM Realtors  305 793-1365  or you are always welcome to  connect with us directly here.

Splashes of color in accent pieces (piece of art, a vase, flowers, table decoration)  provide a focal point.

In Miami,  earthy tones  (and use of stone, pebble, and rock), are often used to  create a spa-like feel.   The use of  texture, natural stone and wood  seem to be rather universally appealing, and in vogue.

By far the  most widespread appeal comes from using  orange, yellow, green and red hues.  A single accent wall can create contrast and compliment the rest of the room, or  serve as a backdrop to showcase a piece of art.

Staging a house for sale is something we do to make a statement, and create impact.   Setting the stage (‘staging’) seems to bring heftier sales prices on the homes we list and sell.   If you’re looking to sell your home, and need a knowledgeable real estate professional to list and sell it, we would love to talk with you.  Call us anytime you’re ready -  Restivo Team at EWM Realtors  -  Vicki Restivo 305 793-1365   –  Alexandra  Restivo 306 632-0164.

As far as roof insurance goes:

If the home you’re buying has less than a year’s ‘life’ left on the roof, getting insurance may be virtually impossible. 

With 2-5 years of life left on the roof,   your insurance company may or may not write a policy for you, depending on who that insurance carrier is.

And if your insurance agent is willing  to write a policy on a roof with a limited lifespan,  once the paperwork is sent on to Citizens  (the main insurance provider in Florida),  Citizens will likely push it back …   requiring that you agree to install a new roof  within 90 days of closing.

Most insurance companies require that roofs  have a minimum of 3 years lifespan left, and no leaks, in order to issue a policy.

In buying and selling your home, we never forget that you have a choice. Looking for a knowledgeable Realtor?  Call us.  We look forward to making your next move a good one. 

The Restivo Team  –  EWM Realtors  – Vicki 305 793-1365  and Alexandra 305 632-0164

As a rock climber growing up in Florida, the options for climbing on true outdoor faces are limited. Aside from the training we do in the gym, our closest options are the bouldering grounds in Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas. So when somebody told me that just two hours north of Miami, in the town of Jupiter, was some great outdoor bouldering, I was initially skeptical. When people think of the beaches here, they think of the South Beach life: endless miles of flat, white sandy shores, with the emphasis on “flat”. What I ended up discovering was some of the most extraordinarily unique beachside bouldering unlike anywhere else.

Blowing Rocks State Preserve in Jupiter, Florida.

Setting off from Miami, our group from the X-Treme rock climbing gym drove two hours north to the sleepy little town of Jupiter. Crossing over a small inlet, we made our way onto a desolate road and parked at the entrance to Blowing Rocks State Preserve. Entrance to the park is based on an honor system, and one or two dollars goes towards its preservation and upkeep. Collecting our cooler, gear, and crash pads, we followed a shady trail that opened up at the edge of the vast golden shoreline.

Blowing Rocks takes it’s name from the miles of rocky cliffs that line the shore. At high tide, the water rushes through its channels and caves, gushing out the top as if the rocks are “blowing” out the water. We were fortunate to find a particularly low tide day, and the caves were all safe to climb in without worrying about waves or water.

After getting ourselves settled on the beach, we immediately began our first climbs. Since the rocks over a variety of heights and overhangs, there are no specific routes and any climb and traverse is left up to the imagination. The climbs I found most interesting however, were the deep hollowed out caves with a skylight-like opening at the top where we would traverse our way around the cave and then top out by climbing out of the hole in the ceiling.

I started my first climb on the outside faces. It was a relatively simple jaunt up the side with a large bulge protruding out of the limestone wall. I felt my feet securely in place as my body contoured the rounded stone. I placed my right hand inside a deep pocket and let my left hand dangle, ready to lean forward and reach the small spire just over the lip. Suddenly I felt my foot slip out of its hold and I slid down the side leaving a nice scratch down my side. Washing myself off and putting off the little soreness, I jumped right back up and headed for my next climb.

By now our group had moved into the caves. The more experienced and able climbers set mazy routes that traversed the entire route of the cave, expertly guiding their hands along the roof and slowly hooking their shoes into the cracks before pulling themselves through the skylight. I was more interested in the tunnel itself. As a midday sun filtered through the cave, flooding the ground with an intense beam of light, I gripped two deep pockets and brought my feet above my body, hooking them into the cracks under the tunnel. Letting my body dangle for a moment, I pushed forward, gripping the inside and going vertical. Inside the tunnel, I had to place my feet into awkward positions putting one foot in front of me and one bent behind, getting my shoes firmly set and then reaching and pulling myself up. As my head emerged on the upper tier of the cliff, I reached out onto the shore and pulled myself out of the cave. It was by far one of the most interesting climbs of the day.

After a short break, we moved onto the smaller enclaves that dotted the shoreline. This cave, closer to the waves, was constantly dripping, but it had two openings in the roof, and a route that started in the very back. We meandered our way through the cracks, slippery and soaked with seawater, while being farther spaced apart. Although I myself wasn’t able to complete the route, I learned a valuable skill in slowing down my movements and securely grabbing each hold.

As the tide rose up in the late afternoon and made the caves harder to climb, we hiked back up to the beach for a little Cinco de Mayo party with homemade beer and music while our soaking gear dried out on the limestone cliffs. Blowing rocks is a unique climbing experience giving Florida climbers an opportunity to practice their trade on a one of a kind seaside landscape. As well as being an extraordinary state preserve, it makes for a great weekend getaway.