CBS4 News Magazine by CBS4 News Magazine & Newspaper

Contents

KEY BISCAYNE SEPTEMBER 2013

Featured Editorial

12 |

Red Light Cameras Back In Action After all the delays, Miami commissioners voted to move forward with a plan that expands their red light camera program. Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones, considered to be the swing vote on the issue called it the, “Good. The Bad. And the Ugly.” She concluded, “The good that comes out of this totally outweighs the bad.”

04 |

More Networkers Suffering From Social Media Regret These days it seems like everybody is using Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to share their most intimate thoughts online.

08 |

The Forgotten 9th Floor: A Potential Death Sentence For The Most Critical Mentally Ill Inmates A rare look into a world of inmates with mental illness where advocates say lives are at risk. CBS4’s Michele Gillen takes us back inside the Forgotten Floor.

26 |

Home Safe Home… From A Smartphone Whether a person is at work, running errands or on vacation, what is going on back at their home is likely always on their mind.

28 |

Lost Your Phone? Protect Your Personal Information For most people, their cell phone is more than just a phone. From passwords to bank accounts, it holds our most private and personal information. What if your phone is lost or stolen?

40 |

Water Bottles May Cause Premature Aging Almost everybody has heard that they should drink eight glasses of water every day to stay healthy. For many people that means drinking from a bottle. Now some experts say all of that drinking could cause premature aging.

44 |

Pros & Cons Of Long-Term Car Loans Even as the economy improves, there are plenty of people who are struggling to make ends meet. For them, buying a new car means taking on a longer term loan in order to lower their monthly payments.

Special Sections

REAL ESTATE SECTION Page 16

2013

Page 31

HURRICANE SEASON

Guide And Tracking Map

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What do you love most about your job? The reveal! I have a big mirror in each of my exam rooms so patients can see themselves well when I take off the dressings for the first time. I never get bored of seeing the look on their faces! What is unique about your treatment style? I treat every patient as an equal partner in achieving optimal results. How does your 305 Signature Tummy Tuck technique differ from others? I have four goals with every tummy tuck I perform: A completely flat and firm tummy, a well-defined waist, a scar that is hidden well below the bikini line and a natural appearing belly button that no one can tell has been operated on.

Daniel E. Careaga M.D. recipient of the “Top Surgeon in Florida Award” during the Winter 2013 Top Doctor Competition

What makes your plastic surgery practice distinct from others? Why did you open 305 Plastic Surgery Center? I designed and built 305 Plastic Surgery Center to be the safest and most advanced surgery center in South Florida. We have sought the highest level of certification possible for a surgery center and have done so in a luxurious and relaxing environment.

What are your most requested procedures? Living in a year-round tropical paradise keeps me busy creating bikini bodies. Breast augmentation, SmartLipo and tummy tucks are my most requested procedures. However, the sun’s long-term effects on facial aging keep the facial rejuvenation side of my practice quite busy as well.

How would your patients characterize you? I try to make each patient feel relaxed and at the same time make sure that they have realistic expectations for their results. I am very honest with them about what they should expect and what can be achieved through plastic surgery. How do you stay on the leading edge of technology? Modern plastic surgery is the fusion of art and technology. Before adding any new equipment to my center, I scrutinize it very closely to determine that it is going to be both safe and effective to my patients. As one of the first

What should patients expect during a consultation? In my initial consultation, the patient and I will discuss their concerns and goals. After examining the areas of concern, I provide the patient with the options available to treat his or her specific problems. After choosing one together, I will discuss the details of the procedure and review before and after photos so the patient knows what results to expect.

surgeons in the country to offer my patients Cellulaze®, the first and only FDA approved treatment for cellulite, I have placed the center on the cutting edge of aesthetic technology. What are the common misconceptions of plastic surgery? Extreme makeover reality shows have created numerous misconceptions in people’s minds. Performing multiple large procedures in one operation can be very risky and dangerous. As a surgeon, my patient’s safety is my primary concern. What is your favorite surgical technique? My favorite surgical technique is “Hidden Scar Surgery” in which I make incisions as small as possible and hide them in creases, hairlines or shadows. What new technologies do you have at your practice? 305 Plastic Surgery Center is the most technologically advanced center in South Florida. The laser center has capabilities for facial rejuvenation, skin resurfacing, hair removal, scar improvement, sunspots, spider veins and tattoo removal. The surgery center has SmartLipo which uses three lasers in one fiber to target fat cells under the skin while causing additional skin tightening. The newest addition to the center is Cellulaze, the first FDA approved treatment for cellulite. Similar to SmartLipo, Cellulaze® is a minimally invasive laser that in one treatment permanently removes cellulite. What trends are you seeing in patient requests? Patients are realizing the importance of filling volume with fat, especially in regards to facial rejuvenation and buttock augmentation. The benefits are improved volume and contour, no need for foreign substances and improvement in the “donor” area of fat, where I remove the fat from.

564 SW 42 Ave., Third Floor, Miami, FL 33134

305-960-7511 l www.305plasticsurgery.com PlasticSurgeryCenter Editorial BEBE 9x12.indd 1

6/17/13 3:27 PM

These days it seems like everybody is using Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to share their most intimate thoughts online. And now almost everyone has something they wish they had never shared.

Social

What do you want to share?

Media Regrets By Cynthia Demos

CBSMIAMI.COM

ocial media has become a sort of diary, minus the lock and key, but now many people are having regrets about things that they have posted and shared with the world. “I’m going to be a senior in college this year, so employers are definitely looking to see what they can dig up,” one woman said More than a quarter of social media users between the ages of 18 and 34 have admitted to being concerned that something they posted online could affect their jobs, according to Find Law, a legal information website. An additional 1 out of 3 users said that they regret something that they posted on a social media site, 21 percent said that they have removed posts that they feared would cost them employment, and 82 percent said that they pay attention to privacy settings. “I am definitely unsearchable on Facebook,” one user said. “So I don’t think I have any tagged pictures or anything. Privacy is a concern of mine.” Despite the best efforts of some users to cover their tracks, experts told CBS4 that simply removing something doesn’t mean that it won’t be found in cyberspace.

“The first thing someone does when they hire someone is go to their LinkedIn and Facebook,” headhunter Stephen Viscusi said. Pictures of family, pets, and fun are fine, but there are caveats and even good news can be perceived as a distraction. Viscusi advises against posting your relationship status and pop culture guru Adam Hanft agreed. “Because of employment laws you can’t say to somebody ‘are you married, how old are you, sexual orientation.’ These things can be found on social media,” he said. Experts also recommend removing any pictures that show too much skin or involve drinking alcohol, and suggested that users consider suspending their social media pages while looking for jobs.

“The first thing people do when they hire someone is go to their LinkedIn and Facebook”

September 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 7 ]

Doctors Help

From going One out of every nine babies in the U.S. is born prematurely which could to lead to health complications including serious vision problems.

ut a team of doctors from the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and the Holtz Children’s Hospital are helping ‘preemies’ from going blind. “We came on an emergency flight in January from Ecuador. My wife needed to deliver as an emergency with a C-section,” said Peter Julius. Twins Oliver and Derek were born early, very early, at 24 weeks with a fairly common disease their new parents had never heard of. It’s called ROP or Retinopathy of Prematurity. So how serious was it? Vessels inside the retina of the

“Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit sees over a thousand premature babies a year and approximately 90% develop some form of ROP”

eye are not fully developed. Left untreated, the retina gets detached and causes blindness. “The retina is like the film of the camera. So you need the retina in order for the brain to see the image that you are looking at,” said Dr. Nina Berrocal. Berrocal, an ophthalmologist at Bascom Palmer and part of a special ROP team at Holtz Children’s Hospital, screens premature babies for ROP. “Timely screening is essential in this disease and it’s very aggressive when you see it,” said Berrocal. “You have to treat it within 72 hours.”

CBSMIAMI.COM

“Timely screening is essential in this disease”

Blind “One of the babies (Derek) they reviewed once a week,” said Julius, “The other one (Oliver) got injected in the eye.” Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit sees over a thousand premature babies a year and approximately 90% develop some form of ROP. Oliver and Derek were discharged from the NICU after five months but they’ll be back. Follow up is important for parents to remember. “Right when the babies are getting better, the ROP starts and then I have to come in and tell parents who have survived really weeks of hell, tell them we have a glitch here, we have now a disease inside the eyes that can lead to blindness.”

“Right when the babies are getting better, the ROP starts and then I have to come in and tell parents who have survived really weeks of hell, tell them we have a glitch here, we have now a disease inside the eyes that can lead to blindness.”

September 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 9 ]

The

FORGO T TE N TH 9 FL OOR:

A Potential Death Sentence For The Most Critical Mentally Ill Inmates

CBSMIAMI.COM

“Human beings should not be treated like this. No blankets, no beds, no mattresses’. We sleep on the floor.” By Michele Gillen

“It’s too small, it’s too tight, it’s too overcrowded and people get worse. And it shouldn’t be that way. They are sick.” That’s how Miami-Dade Judge Steve Leifman described one of the most notorious floors of a jail in America. Insiders have long called it ‘the Forgotten Floor’. It’s home to inmates suffering from mental illness.

“NOW

“Now some of the people have committed crimes, and they need to be in jail. But that isn’t what this is about. The problem is the facility is still inappropriate. The conditions are still horrific, people should not be there that are sick.” Considered one of the nation’s leading advocates for the mentally ill, Leifman never forgets the inmates of the Miami-Dade jail which sits in the shadow of the city’s glistening skyline. Three floors of the jail are now filled with men and more recently women, all suffering from mental illness and in need of treatment. They have all been arrested, some for misdemeanors, most for low level felonies. “This is about taking people who we know are going to be released, and getting them into recovery and then in a facility, where they can recover and this is not it,” said Leifman. The jail’s most controversial floor remains the 9th floor. It houses those considered most

critically ill including suicide risks. They live in their cells and are transported back and forth to court naked but for green gauze vests, called Ferguson gowns. Following seven years of requests to the Miami-Dade Department of Corrections and Miami Dade County, CBS4’s Chief Investigative Reporter Michele Gillen recently was granted access to return to the floor to document current conditions. As the judge described his recent visits to her, “Many days there are two to three people in that cell. It’s not a place for treatment. They are in there many hours a day. And so it’s still not conducive for treatment and I still think it’s shocking.” It was seven years ago that Leifman, outraged and alarmed over how the mentally ill were being treated and warehoused at the jail, invited Gillen and a CBS4 camera to document conditions at the jail.

September 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 11 ]

DURING

During several visits at that time, inmates suffering from mental illness told Gillen, “Human beings should not be treated like this. No blankets, no beds, no mattresses’. We sleep on the floor.” On one of her visits, the faucets in the cells were not working and inmates were drinking water from the toilets. Seven years later, Gillen asked Leifman about the fact that the jail and the ‘Forgotten Floor’ is still home to inmates with severe mental illness. “It’s hard to believe it’s been seven years. I mean when Abu Ghraib came out, there was such international outrage. It was shut down in months. But here it has gone on seven more years. The problem is the facility is still inappropriate. The conditions are still horrific. People should not be there that are sick,” Leifman recently told Gillen. Today the jail remains the largest psychiatric facility in Florida, although it is not accredited to be one. “We are still using the jail to treat the mentally ill and that is inconceivable,” said Carlos Martinez, Miami-Dade’s Chief Public Defender. “I have an employee who goes there every day and every day we go without exception it’s overcrowded, every single day,” an outraged Martinez shared. “It was not built to be a psychiatric facility. It was built as a jail (a cell) for one person. And there are two and three people in there that are very psychotic. And so it is still not an appropriate place. It still needs to be changed. It needs to be shut down. And it is more than being ashamed. We don’t treat animals this way, we should not treat people this way,” Leifmen is convinced.

Insiders remain haunted by the nightmare of what happened to William Weaver who jumped from a second tier steel shelf bed and broke his neck after hitting the toilet. He became a quadriplegic. At the time his father had wondered what would it take to finally shut ‘The Forgotten Floor’ down? “Will things ever change? I don’t think so,” he told Gillen seven years ago. Now, CBS4 news has learned that Weavers paralyzed son died 4 years later, from so-called complications from that fall from the bed. Gillen ask Martinez what was learned from what happened to Weaver. “I don’t think we have learned anything. If we did, we did nothing about it,” Martinez told Gillen. “Every day that goes by and someone is sitting on that floor, they are at risk of danger or death in what goes on in that place. I don’t know how many people have died in the seven years that it has taken to bring appropriate treatment,” asked Leifman. Now CBS 4 news has learned that MiamiDade police are investigating one more death. Joaquin Cairo was a homeless man who was arrested for allegedly throwing an object at a car. Records show that on the day of Gillen’s visit he was in a wheelchair and had reported that he had been thrown against his bed, the object of an attempted sexual assault. Court documents indicate he died days later, while still in custody, at a hospital. The CBS4 I-Team investigation into his case continues. Meanwhile, there have been some important changes since the Forgotten Floor aired. No longer are inmates with mental illness being kept there, for months at a time, as CBS4 news had discovered was the case for years.

CBSMIAMI.COM

According to Florida law, they are not allowed to remain on the 9th floor for more than 15 days. According to Martinez, “The state of Florida, as a result of your report, went ahead and put in 50 million dollars into additional beds statewide so the way the mentally ill will not be languishing like they were here on the 9th floor after they have been found incompetent to stand trial.” Other improvements pointed out to Gillen include the fact that inmates now have a plastic mattress to sleep on, instead of directly sleeping on the steel shelves. “It took 5 and a half years to get mattresses after your report.” recalled Leifman. Escorting Gillen through the halls of the 9th floor was Captain Eddie Denison, who rose through the ranks of the jail to now be in charge. “This floor is not designed for the kind of care that these folks need. So if they could be placed in an environment that is conducive to the treatment that would be a huge help for us here and for them,” shared Denison. Conditions Leifman said the public should care about. “Most of these individuals are coming out; the vast majority of these individuals are getting out. And they are coming out worse they when they went in.” And they can pose a danger to the public and themselves he said, while misspending tax dollars he believes. “We are still spending almost 60 million dollars a year to warehouse them in that condition. And they are coming out in worse shape than when they went in.” For Martinez, something’s got to change. But making that change happen? “I feel powerless,” admits the county’s chief public defender. Leaving the inmates living in those cells, he said, “absolutely lost, lost in the system. You don’t even count.”

“Every day that goes by and someone is sitting on that floor, they are at risk of danger or death in what goes on in that place” September 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 13 ]

CBSMIAMI.COM

After nearly all the delays, Miami commissioners voted to move forward with a plan that expands their red light camera program.

ommissioner Michelle Spence-Jones, considered to be the swing vote on the issue called it the, “Good. The Bad. And the Ugly.” She concluded, “The good that comes out of this totally outweighs the bad.” July 1st a statewide law went into effect that demanded cities to create their own appeals process for red light camera violators. Mayoral hopeful Francis Suarez wanted to use the new law as an opportunity to eliminate the cameras entirely. “We have more cameras in the city of Miami than the next six cities in the state of Florida combined. And I think we have more cameras in the city than in the City of New York which is twenty more times larger than the city of Miami,” Suarez said. On the other side, the argument was the safety aspects the cameras have provided. The Miami Police Department provided statistics in support of the program. Eighty-eight percent of those ticketed do not re-offend, accidents were reduced by almost 11 percent when cameras were used, and two thirds of those ticketed do not live in Miami were just a few of the insights. Also at stake was a lot of money. The University of Miami, Jackson’s

Trauma Unit and Miami Project to Cure Paralysis had a lot of money riding on the vote. A portion of every ticket goes to their programs. Marc Buoniconti, founder of the Miami Project said the money will fund research that will save lives or perhaps help someone walk again. “It’s about saving lives. It’s about making a difference and making people safe in our community,” Buoniconti said. The program approved Thursday will allow drivers 60 days to appeal their red light ticket. If they lose their appeal the $158 dollar ticket becomes $243. For the poor, the city will have the right to waive the $85 fee or create a payment plan. When asked if the red light cameras were here to stay Suarez responded, “I hope not.”

“It’s about saving lives. It’s about making a difference and making people safe in our community”

September 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 15 ]

“They’re Here to stay and I think they should be increased and I want to look at every viable red light in district two to make it more walkable, more pedestrian friendly, and more bikeable”

Commission Chairman Marc Sarnoff disagreed, “Here to stay and I think they should be increased and I want to look at every viable red light in district two to make it more walk-able, more pedestrian friendly, and more bikeable.” Sarnoff continued saying that he intends to take the cameras throughout Downtown and the Grove. “Isn’t it a self-controlled act of your own. Doesn’t that pedal work off your own brain. Doesn’t that steering wheel work with your own brain. You determine whether you go through that red light,” Sarnoff said. If you think Miami’s $243 dollar ticket appeal is steep, take a look across the road in Coral Gables. A lost appeal there will run you over $400. The changes happened pretty much immediately. Miami’s red light cameras started issuing tickets after a 25-day stoppage.

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RE AL ESTATE

Rising

Mortgage Rates

and Their Impact on

Home Affordability

y the end of 2012, the total value of the U.S. housing stock was $23.7 trillion. During the housing recession after the bubble burst in 2007, we lost roughly $7 trillion – almost a third of today’s U.S. housing stock’s value. Some metropolitan areas saw their home values drop by more than 50 percent, Las Vegas and Phoenix among them. After the housing market bottomed in the first quarter of 2012, few would have predicted we would already be talking about home values being too high or affordability being an issue. Home values have been steadily increasing and are up 5.8 percent nationally in June. Many regions on the West Coast and in the South have seen even greater increases. For example, home values in Sacramento are up 29.5 percent, in San Francisco they are up 25.5 percent, and Las Vegas has seen 29.4 percent home value appreciation from a year ago. Some of these

“While home values are still below their peak values in most markets, there are some markets in which home values are higher than historical averages when viewed relative to income levels and mortgage rates” markets, like Las Vegas, dropped so far that they have a lot of room to grow before they start looking expensive again. However, home values in the city of San Francisco are the most expensive they have ever been, surpassing their bubble peak and still appreciating. While home values are still below their peak values in most markets, there are some markets in which home values are higher than historical averages when viewed relative to

income levels and mortgage rates (especially with rising mortgage rates). Relatively stagnant incomes haven’t been as much of a problem for housing due to low mortgage rates, which afford home buyers higher purchasing power than they might otherwise have. Simply put, with low mortgage rates, home buyers can afford more home. To measure this more accurately, we turn to the price-to-income ratio.

REAL ESTATE

The ratio compares the median price of homes to the median level of household income in a given area. Specifically, we used the metro-level Zillow Home Value Index, which is a measure of home values for a given metro, together with that metro’s median household income. Median household income is currently available through 2011. For years following 2011, we calculated the median household income by estimating it via the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ wage growth rates. During the housing boom, the United States’ price-to-income ratio had increased to a high of 4.0 from a historical average (measured from the first quarter of 1985 to the fourth quarter of 1999) of 2.6. After the market peaked in May 2007, home values fell and so did the price-to-income ratio. Interestingly, the ratio never returned to the historical average and in recent quarters has actually started to increase once again as home values have been appreciating at higher than historically normal rates

Calculating affordability To get a more accurate look at the relationship between purchasing power and home values, we turn to affordability. As mentioned, mortgage rates play a key role in this. With mortgage rates well below 4 percent for roughly the last two years, consumers had an incredible purchasing power boost, as home affordability was at an all-time high.

“While income levels are not expected to grow significantly beyond their normal rate in the next years, mortgage rates will continue increasing as the Federal Reserve decreases its quantitative easing efforts”

S EP TE M B E R 2013

SOLD PROPERTIES KEY BISCAYNE * listings in this section are based on properties sold in the month of july 2013 and retrieved from zillow.com. not all properties sold are listed. not responsible for typographical errors and/or omissions. photographs are for illustration purposes only.

251 Galen Dr, Apt 306E, Key Biscayne, FL 33149 sold

l so

798 Crandon Blvd, Apt 6C, Key Biscayne, FL 33149

711 Crandon Blvd, PH 1, Key Biscayne, FL 33149

2 Beds / 2 Bath | 1,187 sq. ft. Condo - Lot | Built in: 1968 Sold: 7/31/2013 | $150,000

sold

2 Beds / 2 Bath | 1,700 sq. ft. | Condo - Lot | Built in: 1997 Sold: 7/5/2013 | $1,030,000

2 Beds / 2 Bath | 875 sq. ft. Condo - Lot | Built in: 1980 Sold: 7/17/2013 | $367,500

50 Ocean Lane Dr, Apt 103, Key Biscayne, FL 33149 sold

3 Beds / 2 Bath | 1,360 sq. ft. Condo - Lot | Built in: 1991 Sold: 7/17/2013 | $510,000

170 Ocean Lane Dr, Apt 810, Key Biscayne, FL 33149 sold

650 Ocean Dr, Apt 6B, Key Biscayne, FL 33149

445 Grand Bay Dr, Apt 415, Key Biscayne, FL 33149 2 Beds / 2 Bath | 1,760 sq. ft. | Condo - Lot | Built in: 1996 Sold: 7/26/2013 | $1,372,900

2 Beds / 2 Bath | 1,335 sq. ft. Condo - Lot | Built in: 1981 Sold: 7/31/2013 | $545,000

sold

2 Beds / 2 Bath | 1,562 sq. ft. Condo - Lot | Built in: 1983 Sold: 7/10/2013 | $720,000

200 Ocean Lane Dr, Apt 201, Key Biscayne, FL 33149 sold

3 Beds / 3.5 Bath | 1,880 sq. ft. Condo - Lot | Built in: 1961 Sold: 7/22/2013 | $1,265,000

721 Crandon Blvd, Apt 307, Key Biscayne, FL 33149

l so

d sold

3 Beds / 3 Bath | 2,174 sq. ft. Condo - Lot | Built in: 2002 Sold: 7/22/2013 | $1,340,000

621 Harbor Dr, Key Biscayne, FL 33149

362 W Mcintyre St, Key Biscayne, FL 33149 3 Beds / 2 Bath | 1,824 sq. ft. | 7,500 sq. ft. Lot | Built in: 1954 Sold: 7/25/2013 | $1,400,000 sold

3 Beds / 1 Bath | 1,357 sq. ft. 7,815 sq. ft. Lot | Built in: 1952 Sold: 7/29/2013 | $1,400,000

REAL ESTATE

789 Crandon Blvd, Apt 805, Key Biscayne, FL 33149

320 Palmwood Ln, Key Biscayne, FL 33149

2 Beds / 2.5 Bath | 2,100 sq. ft. | Condo - Lot | Built in: 1998 Sold: 7/3/2013 | $1,750,000

5 Beds / 5.5 Bath | 3,523 sq. ft. | 7,500 sq. ft. Lot | Built in: 2009 Sold: 7/31/2013 | $3,190,000

260 Hampton Ln# 32PMB, Key Biscayne, FL 33149 sold

l so

151 Crandon Blvd, Apt 825, Key Biscayne, FL 33149

789 Crandon Blvd, Apt 704, Key Biscayne, FL 33149

3 Beds / 1 Bath | 1,702 sq. ft. 8,448 sq. ft. Lot | Built in: 1953 Sold: 7/19/2013 | $1,770,000

sold

3 Beds / 3.5 Bath | 2,500 sq. ft. | Condo - Lot | Built in: 1998 Sold: 7/26/2013 | $2,350,000

4 Beds / 4 Bath | 3,083 sq. ft. Condo - Lot | Built in: 1980 Sold: 7/18/2013 | $1,950,000

240 Cranwood Dr, Key Biscayne, FL 33149 sold

5 Beds / 3 Bath | 2,873 sq. ft. 7,500 sq. ft. Lot | Built in: 1992 Sold: 7/17/2013 | $2,095,000

765 Crandon Blvd, PH 12, Key Biscayne, FL 33149 sold

545 Satinwood Dr, Key Biscayne, FL 33149

335 Palmwood Ln, Key Biscayne, FL 33149 6 Beds / 6.5 Bath | 4,131 sq. ft. | 7,500 sq. ft. Lot | Built in: 2001 Sold: 7/3/2013 | $2,750,000

3 Beds / 4 Bath | 3,112 sq. ft. Condo - Lot | Built in: 2002 Sold: 7/1/2013 | $2,160,000

sold

5 Beds / 5 Bath | 5,320 sq. ft. n/a sq. ft. Lot | Built in: 2000 Sold: 7/25/2013 | $2,500,000

799 Crandon Blvd, Apt 1204, Key Biscayne, FL 33149 sold

3 Beds / 4.5 Bath | 3,084 sq. ft. Condo - Lot | Built in: 2002 Sold: 7/17/2013 | $3,265,000

755 Allendale Rd, Key Biscayne, FL 33149

l so

d sold

5 Beds / 5.5 Bath | 5,125 sq. ft. n/a sq. ft. Lot | Built in: 2011 Sold: 6/20/2013 | $3,300,000

430 Grand Bay Dr, # PH-1AS, Key Biscayne, FL 33149

629 Hampton Ln, Miami, FL 33149 5 Beds / 6 Bath | 2,228 sq. ft. | 7,500 sq. ft. Lot | Built in: 2013 Sold: 7/19/2013 | $3,190,000 sold

3 Beds / 5 Bath | 4,800 sq. ft. Condo - Lot | Built in: 1999 Sold: 6/24/2013 | $7,500,000

S EP TE M B E R 2013

MIAMI-DADE

42 Lagorce Cir, Miami Beach, FL 33141

605 Ocean Blvd, Golden Beach, FL 33160

43 Star Island Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139

11 Beds / 15.5 Bath | 16,977 sq. ft. 1.63 acre Lot | Built in: 1998 Sold: 6/25/2013 | $30,000,000

5 Beds / 7.5 Bath | 14,079 sq. ft. 0.63 acre Lot | Built in: 2007 Sold: 7/16/2013 | $17,250,000

12 Beds / 11.5 Bath | 11,104 sq. ft. 1.11 acre Lot | Built in: 1923 Sold: 6/12/2013 | $16,500,000

2555 Lake Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33140

2817 Lake Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33140

800 S Pointe Dr, Apt 2104, Miami Beach, FL 33139

7 Beds / 9.5 Bath | 9,146 sq. ft. 0.81 acre Lot | Built in: 1941 Sold: 7/2/2013 | $15,450,000

6 Beds / 9 Bath | 10,296 sq. ft. 1.04 acre Lot | Built in: 1939 Sold: 7/12/2013 | $14,750,000

3 Beds / 4.5 Bath | 4,154 sq. ft. Condo - Lot | Built in: 2007 Sold: 7/1/2013 | $12,400,000

l so

660 Arvida Pkwy, Miami, FL 33156

432 S Hibiscus Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139

9345 Balada St, Coral Gables, FL 33156

5 Beds / 6.5 Bath | 6,512 sq. ft. 1.09 acre Lot | Built in: 1971 Sold: 7/24/2013 | $9,800,000

5 Beds / 6 Bath | 7,267 sq. ft. 0.42 acre Lot | Built in: 2001 Sold: 7/11/2013 | $8,000,000

7 Beds / 7 Bath | 8,501 sq. ft. n/a sq. ft. Lot | Built in: 2006 Sold: 6/24/2013 | $6,700,000

REAL ESTATE

MIAMI-DADE

19951 NE 39th Pl, Aventura, FL 33180

498 N Parkway, Golden Beach, FL 33160

5396 N Bay Rd, Miami Beach, FL 33140

6 Beds / 7 Bath | 8,676 sq. ft. 0.38 acre Lot | Built in: 1999 Sold: 6/27/2013 | $6,250,000

9 Beds / 9.5 Bath | 9,283 sq. ft. 0.44 acre Lot | Built in: 2002 Sold: 7/1/2013 | $6,250,000

5 Beds / 5 Bath | 6,977 sq. ft. 0.29 acre Lot | Built in: 1934 Sold: 6/13/2013 | $5,900,000

2201 Sunset Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33140

9175 Arvida Dr, Coral Gables, FL 33156

1421 N Venetian Way, Miami Beach, FL 33139

5 Beds / 5.5 Bath | 6,400 sq. ft. 0.53 acre Lot | Built in: 1937 Sold: 7/12/2013 | $5,100,000

6 Beds / 4.5 Bath | 6,129 sq. ft. 1.01 acre Lot | Built in: 1967 Sold: 6/28/2013 | $4,450,000

5 Beds / 4.5 Bath | 4,103 sq. ft. 0.31 acre Lot | Built in: 1938 Sold: 7/22/2013 | $4,100,000

l so

495 Ocean Blvd, Golden Beach, FL 33160

781 Crandon Blvd, PH 1, Key Biscayne, FL 33149

12301 Moss Ranch Rd, Miami, FL 33156

4 Beds / 4.5 Bath | 2,907 sq. ft. 0.31 acre Lot | Built in: 1952 Sold: 7/8/2013 | $3,950,000

3 Beds / 3.5 Bath | 3,000 sq. ft. Condo - Lot | Built in: 1999 Sold: 6/12/2013 | $3,880,000

6 Beds / 8 Bath | 10,000 sq. ft. 0.9 acre Lot | Built in: 2013 Sold: 7/5/2013 | $3,750,000

REAL ESTATE

Article By Zillow.com

To calculate an affordability index, we first calculate the mortgage payment for the median house price in a metropolitan area by using the metro-level Zillow Home Value Index for a given quarter and the 30-year fixed mortgage rate during that time period, which is provided by the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (based on a 20 percent down payment). Then we consider what portion of the monthly median household income goes toward this monthly mortgage payment. This is our affordability measure. In the nation as a whole, for example, this share ranges from 13 to 27 percent, meaning at its lowest and most affordable point – the current 2013 Q1 observation – the mortgage payment for a median house in the U.S. makes up 13 percent of the monthly median household income. In the second quarter of 2006 – at the height of the housing bubble – a monthly mortgage payment made up 24 percent of median household income. Individual metros such as Miami or San Jose have a much wider spread between the lowest and highest values. Low mortgage rates have allowed home shoppers to afford more home for their buck. This greater affordability has in turn also helped to increase home values.

Rising rates could affect home values While income levels are not expected to grow significantly beyond their

while incomes catch up, or – the more likely scenario – home values will decrease. This will especially be the case in those markets that have seen strong home value appreciation.

normal rate in the next years, mortgage rates will continue increasing as the Federal Reserve decreases its quantitative easing efforts. Currently mortgage rates for a 30-year fixed are close to 4.5 percent. With increasing mortgage rates, buying power decreases and affordability levels will move closer to their historical averages. In turn, the price-to-income relationship will once again be too high as home values are no longer sustained by demand fueled by low mortgage rates. Home values will have to either remain stagnant,

Consider a market like San Francisco, where homeowners have historically spent 38 percent of their monthly income on a mortgage. In the first quarter of this year they spent 32 percent, however if home values continue to increase over the next year (we assume the rate specified by our 2013 Q1 Zillow Home Value Forecast) and mortgage rates increase to 5 percent, home buyers in San Francisco will spend 42 percent of their monthly income on housing by the end of the first quarter 2014. If rates go to 6 percent, they will spend 47 percent of their monthly income on housing. Across all markets, at mortgage rates of 5 percent, 30 metros covered in our analysis of 250 metros and the United States as a whole will be less affordable than they have been historically. At 6 percent, 67 metros will be less affordable than they had been. Finally, at 7 percent 143 of the 250 metros will be less affordable. We continue to believe that current home value appreciation is not sustainable in many markets because it is driven by inventory shortages and, more importantly, still low mortgage rates. In the future, we expect that these markets will experience stagnant or depreciating home values and a price-to-income ratio that is more in line with its historical average.

Home,

Safe Home...

From Your

Smartphone! Whether you are at work, running errands or on vacation, what is going on back at your home is likely always on your mind. Security surveillance systems can cost thousands of dollars. But homeowners donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to spend the big bucks â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all it takes is a smartphone to make a safe home.

CBSMIAMI.COM

“If you’re away on vacation for an extended period of time, someone may pick up on that fact and decide to come and pay you a visit”

ark Beach said he came home after a recent weekend away to discover that his home had been burglarized. “They took lawn equipment, they took sporting goods equipment,” said Beach. “I was just mad.” Summer in South Florida is prime burglary season. The FBI estimated that more than 2 million burglaries occur in the U.S. each year, costing homeowners an average of more than $2,000. “If you’re away on vacation for an extended period of time, someone may pick up on that fact and decide to come and pay you a visit,” said security consultant Chris McGoey. But now homeowners can monitor their house without even being there, all they need is a smartphone. “Anyone can do this now,” said CNET senior editor Bridget Carey. “Not just the rich and famous or the uber-tech savvy.” The cheapest method is a free app called “Presence.” The app lets users turn their old iPhones or iPads into home security cameras and view the live streams through their current phones, wherever they might be, for free.

“If there’s motion being detected, it can send you an alert on your phone,” said Carey . There is also an app called “iCam”, it costs five dollars. It lets users remotely monitor live video and audio feeds from their home, through a phone. The download works with both Android and iPhone devices. “It taps into the webcam that you have already on your computer, and you can do multiple cameras, too,” said Carey. And that’s not all. Another way to see inside the house through using a smartphone is a device called “Drop Cam,” which is a single camera that costs $149 and features night vision, as well as the ability to pan and zoom into the corners. If one camera is not enough, Logitech Alert offers a multi-camera setup that can detect motion, record video, and even send alerts to a phone – starting at about $300. But security experts warn that to get all the full benefits of these options, a lot of work is required on the part of the resident.

“You kind of have to put the burden on yourself to be able to monitor when there’s an alert for a motion detection going on, be able to grab your phone, and maybe call the police if you are concerned,” said Carey. Something else to keep in mind is that if there is a power failure, electronic systems might fail. And if the Internet is down, smartphone users might not be able to log on to monitor the video from these security options.

“Anyone can do this now” September 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 29 ]

CBSMIAMI.COM

LOST YOUR

PHONE?

Protect Your Personal Information For most people, their cell phone is more than just a phone. From passwords to bank accounts, it holds our most private and personal information. What if your phone is lost or stolen?

It’s

a growing problem you may not even realize, until it’s

too late. Blame the features on your cell phone – features like speed dial. “How many times do you take out your phone and use the dial, the key pad, almost never, you go to your contact list, you hit a name, that’s it?” said technology expert Lance Ulanoff with mashable.com. The lack of knowledge is turning into trouble for more and more people. If a phone is lost or stolen there’s a bigger worry than a lost phone and numbers. There’s also personal information from bank accounts to passwords that are being stored in today’s phones. “Phones are kind of the wallet of

the 21st century, they have all that important information,” Ulanoff added. You can protect yourself. Experts say just like you do with a laptop, back-up data on your cell phone. The cost is minimal and there are many options. You may also want to download an app that can help track your phone should it go missing. “And as always, we tell people put a pin code on your phone, so if someone else does find it, they can’t access all your important information,” said Ulanoff. Perhaps your best line of defense is an old fashioned address book. “Maybe a little black book with 10 key phone numbers is not a bad idea,” added Ulanoff.

“Phones are kind of the wallet of the 21st century, they have all that important information”

September 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne [ 31 ]

2013 CBS4 Hurricane Guide Special Section

CBSMIAMI.COM

Water Bottles May Cause

Premature Aging Almost everybody has heard that they should drink eight glasses of water every day to stay healthy. For many people that means drinking from a bottle. Now some experts say all of that drinking could cause premature aging.

usanne Rennie drinks plenty of water but never listened to her mother’s warnings. “She used to say all the time, ‘Stop drinking out of that bottle. You’re going to have lines around your mouth.’ Well, here I am,” she said. Rennie recently paid a visit to cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Mitchell Chasin to ease some of those water bottle lines. “We tell our patients keep on drinking; it’s great for your body; it’s great for your health; it’s great for your skin. Unfortunately, over time it either causes these lines or it aggravates them,” Dr. Chasin explained. Rennie said the lines became visible every time she drank from a water bottle.

“Some patients have decided to undergo cosmetic procedures to reverse the effects of drinking from sports bottles” “The repetitive motions of things that we do in everyday life, drinking from water bottles, will form these deep wrinkles in our lips,” said Chasin. Some patients have decided to undergo cosmetic procedures to reverse the effects of drinking from sports bottles. “I love it. I love it. It’s such a difference,” Joyce Neubeck said. Procedures to correct the damage are painless and include Botox and laser technology but experts said that the simplest solution is to avoid bottles. “Or even that old thing we used to drink out of. I think it’s called a cup, that’s really the best thing for our lips,” Dr. Chasin said.

“A cup is really the best thing for our lips"



Pros & Cons Of

Long-Term Should you take on a longer term loan in order to lower your monthly payments? Even as the economy improves, there are plenty of people who are struggling to make ends meet. For them, buying a new car means taking on a longer term loan in order to lower their monthly payments. A $350 a month car payment can be enticing for many people, but it also could be very risky. “The longer you extend your term, the longer it’s going to take you to get out of a negative-equity position,” said Gutierrez. “So those that take a longer term find themselves at greater risk of being under water for a longer period of time.” And that doesn’t take into account what could happen over all those years. A car accident or a blown engine can devalue the car, putting consumers with long-term loans into a bigger financial bind. That said, more and more people are sticking with the same set of wheels further down the road. “The trend in the last 10 years is people have kept their cars longer. The cars have been built better,” said Steve Foresta, general manager at O’Hare Auto Group.



his is the case for Veronica Viveros, who is shopping for a new car but will soon have new demands on her monthly budget. “I am expecting and we do have a lot of bills and finances. So, I’m looking at about $300 to about $350 a month. That would help out so much,” said Viveros. If she’s in the market for a $23,000 car loan, and wants to keep her payments to $350 a month, she will have to look at a 72-month loan. That means her new baby will be 6 years old and going into first grade by the time she pays that car off. “The consumer that’s opting for a $25,000 new car loan can save around $200 per month by opting for a 72-month loan as opposed to a 48-month loan,” said Alec Gutierrez, senior market analyst of automotive insights for Kelley Blue Book.

CBSMIAMI.COM



Car Loans 

And experts point out not all long-term loans are bad. “A general rule of thumb is that consumers should try and keep their monthly payments within 20 percent of their gross income,” said Gutierrez. “So, if that means you have to opt for a five- or six-year loan as opposed to three- or four-year loan that generally makes sense.” But most experts do not recommend 96-month loans, which are also now available. Whatever you decide to do, figure out what you can comfortably afford to pay for a new car before you go to the dealer. Remember, a longer loan means you’ll be paying more in interest over the life of the loan. And loans that go 72 months and beyond will have higher interest rates, too. So shop around over the Internet before you hit the car dealer.

“The longer you extend your term, the longer it’s going to take you to get out of a negative-equity position”

Section Title

Home Improvement

[ 50 ] September 2013 CBS4 News Magazine Key Biscayne