MiamiRealEstate.com

Real Estate

Miami Blue butterfly fast disappearing 03:01 AM EST

A suite of 25 or 30 related butterflies in South Florida, including blues and hairstreaks, is in danger of disappearing, says one of the state's leading butterfly experts.

Hammocks and unique gifts beckon at Nicamaka 03:01 AM EST

You can say anything you want about Raymond Baur, but you could never accuse him of leading an uneventful life. Nicamaka, a small shop in the lobby of the Grand Hotel in Miami filled with hundreds of brightly colored hammocks, is his idea and creation. It came about after he started traveling to Nicaragua, where he discovered ``the most comfortable hammocks in the world.''

A low profile makes platform beds popular 03:01 AM EST

John and Valarie Feaster like contemporary decor and used a lot of it in their previous home in Fresno, Calif. But when they recently bought and restored a 100-year-old Colonial Revival-style house, ''we kind of switched'' because (of the house's age), says John Feaster, a retired dentist.

Little touches make guest bath classy 03:01 AM EST

If you really want to impress your house guests, look no further than your bathroom. With some thoughtful decorating and accessorizing, you can transform your bathroom from a bland facilities center to a private oasis, a warm, soothing refuge where anything your guests desire will be at their fingertips.

Use care when moving orchids attached to tree 03:01 AM EST

Q: I would like to move my orchids growing on the bark of my tree to another spot. How should I do this? A: Lightly spray the roots with water several times for a minute or so and wait two to three minutes between sprays. This will help make the roots easier to pry off the bark. Gently pry off as many of the roots as possible. The orchid needs at least two to three inches of intact roots firmly attached to the plant.

Plumbago's an easy-going sort as long as it's not wet 03:01 AM EST

Name: Plumbago, Cape leadwort Botanical name: Plumbago auriculata (Plumbago capensis) Description: We went to Boulders Beach south of Cape Town, South Africa, to see the penguins. Walking past the boulders we found two famous landscape plants of the region, Cape honeysuckle and Cape leadwort or plumbago, taking in the winter sun and salt air. The climate on the Western Cape is said to be Mediterranean, meaning cool and wet winters and dry, warm summers. Bringing the plumbago to a subtropical climate...

Federal mortgage relief bill almost done 03:01 AM EST

After six months of haggling and political gamesmanship, a massive housing relief bill is heading for final approval. The centerpiece is a $300 billion ''HOPE'' program designed to provide refinancing lifelines to as many as 400,000 homeowners in deep trouble on their current loans.

Making room in garage for a car 03:01 AM EST

Your garage may be hopelessly cluttered and disorganized if any of the following circumstances have a familiar ring: When you open the garage door, you have to take a real close look to be sure your car is actually in there.

Lounging never looked so bold 03:01 AM EST

During the Victorian era, women used chaise lounges to sit on and to catch them when they fainted. While it's no longer common for them to wear corsets that can make them lightheaded, women still are the primary buyers of these accent furniture pieces, several furniture experts say. And even though retailers haven't necessarily seen a surge in customers demanding chaise lounges, they have noticed many more styles to pick from for practically any room of the house.

When is entry into a unit allowed? 03:01 AM EST

Q: Recently we had a few incidents at our condominium where it appears one of our board members was entering units using the association keys to do favors such as deliver packages or check on suspicious noises, albeit unknown to the owner. Other members were upset that a board member might use association keys to allow themselves entrance to units at any time. Does such an act constitute trespassing? What should the policy be for entering units?