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As we navigate today’s financial headwinds and inflation, it is easy to forget that charitable organizations are also in need. Case in point, the Palmetto Senior High Alumni Association is doubling their efforts this year to keep giving out scholarships to deserving graduating students and they need your support.
Started in 2014, the alumni association’s Scholarship Founders Fund gives out annual scholarship dollars, typically around $1500 per student. They do it with direct donations and the help of groups such as Tutoring for Tomorrow, a student-led tutoring service, that gives back to the high school by donating to the Scholarship fund. Former student, Rachel Stubins Wexler ’05, started the Harry Nerenberg Scholarship four years ago which offers $1000/year toward the overall Scholarship Founders Fund.
Even through the COVID years, when the Association could not do class reunions and fundraising was hard, they persevered. Last year, five students received scholarship funds, but now the coffers are nearly depleted.
With a long tradition of educational excellence, Palmetto High School has a lot of pride. The strong alumni association has even created a student ‘Hall of Fame’ with members such as Jeff Bezos ’82, Cynthia Demos ’89, Grant Miller ’75 and animal-lover Ron Magill ’77.
In an effort to jumpstart fundraising efforts, Palmetto Senior High Alumni Association President Cindy Lerner (’70) asked internationally-known Ron Magill (’77), wildlife expert and photographer who serves as Communications Director for Zoo Miami, to perform one of his most beloved presentations: “Sex and the Animals.”
Ron’s uniquely entertaining ability to speak about animals is renowned. And he draws a huge crowd when he speaks publicly. He last performed “Sex and the Animals” for the Alumni Association in 2015 and it was highly successful.
This year’s “Sex and the Animals” fundraiser event was held at the Banyan Bowl in Pinecrest Gardens on October 8. The $50 tickets directly benefitted the scholarship fund and will help dreams come true for several deserving students.
Community often starts at our schools. Here is a wonderful opportunity to be help out Palmetto Senior High School and its student body. Go to palmettohighalumni.org/scholoarship (yes, it is the correct spelling) where you can donate. You can also join the alumni association. They are always looking to connect classmates and strengthening the community.
Home Insurance Failures in Florida
Since the beginning of the year, six property insurance companies have become insolvent. The latest company cancelled 56,500 policies and transferred about 83,000 others before folding up shop.
Years in the making, our property insurance woes stem from fraud, coming in the way of false or bloated claims. This, in turn, forces insurance companies to pay attorneys to defend themselves from policyholders in court.
Those insolvencies have contributed to a massive growth in the number of customers flocking to the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp., which was created as an insurer of last resort. As of Sept. 16, Citizens had over 1-million policies, more than double from two years earlier.
This growing crisis will have ripple effects. Besides people paying more for coverage, some cannot get proper coverage, period.
For people who are purchasing a home with traditional financing, the issue can be even more dire. In order to have the lender’s money at closing, the borrower must provide an insurance binder, proving that they have an active policy on the day of closing. Today, many buyers are scrambling to make that happen, and a few unlucky ones fail to find insurance, which means they cannot close.
The State of Florida is working from a number of angles to try to find a resolution to this significant issue. At present, it remains a very difficult situation. Working with Realtors like me, buyers can successfully navigate these turbulent waters. If you are in need of assistance, reach out to me and I’ll try to help.
The Smart Move
People have a choice when selecting a Realtor® to sell their home. But when a potential listing agent lives in the same community where you live, it would seem to be a no-brainer to interview them. Recently, there were four condos listed in the Reserve of Pinecrest. I was interviewed by two more condo owners and listed them. Of the six units listed, only my two have sold.
Besides my stellar marketing, my deep knowledge of the area definitely played a major role in the success of those sales. I also achieved top dollar for those listings, despite the shifting market.
One of my truisms that I tell my potential buyers and sellers certainly proved true. “You need two things to be successful in real estate. A competent local agent and a personality match.”
Real Estate Update
As of 9/30/22, there were 102 properties for sale in Pinecrest, 23 homes pending sale and 4.6 months of inventory. This is a trend of higher inventory! If you’re ready to move, get the best local expertise, truthful guidance and realistic expectations. It’s easy to get started at miamihal.com/getstarted.
I invite you to view past episodes of my The MiamiHal Real Estate Show at miamihal.com/the-miamihal-real-estate-show to hear from experts and get the latest real estate news.
Hal Feldman (MiamiHal) is a Realtor with RE/MAX Advance Realty. You can contact him with your story ideas or real estate questions at www.MiamiHal.com, Hal@MiamiHal.com or www.facebook.com/MiamiHal.
To see more #Miaminews from #Aventura to #Coralgables to #SouthMiami, #Pinecrest, #Palmetto Bay and #Cutler Bay and all throughout #Miamidadecounty go to:
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