Congratulations to everyone for a huge REBarCamp Miami Success!

Your contribution and participation is what made the event such a hit.  We wanted to thank everyone that was a part of it, from the attendees to the presenters, to the sponsors and especially the uber-host Dan Davidson who graciously opened up his home for us.

REBarCamp Miami may be over, but the energy continues, here’s some information for everyone to take advantage of.

Make sure you look at the twitter hashtag (#rebcmiami) to see what the conversation was before, during and after the event – it’s a good way to find “like-minded-individuals” that you may want to follow and engage in good conversation.  Visit search.twitter.com and enter rebcmiami to see what we’re talking about.

You may also want to go to the RSVP list here at the site to see if you recognize any familiar faces from the event.

There is a Flickr Group with amazing photos that have been added by many that were present – feel free to join the group and add your photos as well – it’s another way to get involved and help document the event.

These “un-comferences” could not be possible without sponsors – so please take some time and click through each sponsor to see what they are about (our apologies go out to Zillow whose logo was not included in the sponsor poster, but their presence was very obvious with their own David Gibbons who gave an amazing presentation) **each logo on the right column will take you to the sponsor’s websites**

Zillow.com  •  RealSeekr.com  •  Diverse Solutions

Planomatic  •  Xpressdocs.com  •  Brownbook.net

Neighborcity.com  •  BHGrealestate.com  •  AltosResearch.com

Foreclosure.com  •  Pikchur.com  •  RealtyNetMedia.com

MajesticProperties.com •  LPSRealEstateGroup •  Cyberhomes.com

PracticalRealEstateMarketing.com • Aumnia.com  •  ILHM.com

CenterforAssetPreservation  •  SmarterAgent.com • Obeo.com

Realtor.com  •  HBKFinancial  •  RealEstateShows.com

**and of course BACARDI for their fantastic mojitos!!**

and there’s MORE!!
Here are the winners of the raffles – CONGRATULATIONS!!

• Pass winner for RETechSouth in Atlanta was  Jill Olcott
• Dakno Photoblog winner with 6 months of hosting was Debbie Kirkland
• Real Estate Shows winners (1 year subscription each) were Freddy Sarabia and Mike Lafferty
• RealtyNetMedia IDX website winner was Desi Hernandez

Finally, we wanted to let you know that not only was the left-over food taken to Camillus House (local homeless shelter) that same afternoon, but over $500 were collected in donations with a total of $2716 going to the charitable cause of The Miami Cultural Arts Foundation.

We can’t thank you enough!

REBarCamp Miami Organizers

Reason #4 to come to REBarCamp Miami

For the photos!!! There is an REBarCamp Miami Flickr Group – make sure you join and share your pics!

Reason No. 3(plus) to Come to REBarCamp Miami

If reasons number 1 & 2 were not enough, how about the following:

Picking up the latest ideas for growing your real estate business from those in the know.  Oh yeah…

The opportunity to spend a full day of learning and networking.

It’s free to attend!

Closing the event with a genuine Bacardi Mojito.

Our famous Miami nightlife.

Our tropical weather and sublime climate.  OK, no weisenheimer jokes about the incessant thunderstorms this time of year.  The sun inevitably shines each day and rain ponchos are cheap.

Our gastronomic delights.  Can you say sabroso…?

Palm trees swaying in the breeze.  Still not enough?

Well, let’s close this deal folks!  Get yourself down here, bright and early Monday morning, because (drum roll please!)…

We’ve got GIVEAWAYS!

• The first 150 registrants will each receive a laptop bag with goodies, all donated by our generous sponsors.
• One lucky raffle winner will receive an integrated IDX site compliments of RealtyNetMedia.com (due to sponsor’s coverage area, only Miami area agents qualify, sawee).
• Two lucky winners will each receive a one-year subscription to RealEstateShows.com to market themselves and their listings online.  Que dulce!

So c’mon.  We still have a couple of spots left.  See you there.

Reason No 2 to come to REBarCamp Miami

Because Ian Watt won’t be there! LOL!  Although he threatens to come next year (does that mean I have to organize another one?).   Come on Ian…..get your Canadian Accent down to Miami already and stop talking smack.

Let’s take a Drive down South Beach

Are you coming to RE BarCamp Miami? Have you been to Miami? If not I want to take you on a little drive down Ocean Drive…..

We are talking Palm Trees, Beaches, Cafes… Sun Shades, tank tops, bathing suits, flip flops…. That’s the Miami life we have here… As we all say here Muy Caliente!!!

So what I did for you is give you a little sneak peek of Ocean Drive and Collins going towards the Venue… Enjoy!!! Can’t wait to see you all there!

Reason Number 1 to come to REBarCamp Miami

Because of the MOJITOS!!! And here we see @tcar @BHGRE_Sherry @respres starting REBarCamp Miami without us!!!

Mojito Cheers!

The Art of Parking : REBarCamp Miami

THERE IS NO PARKING AT THE TEMPLE HOUSE

In case you have difficulty reading ALL CAPS or just find it plain offensive to use ALL CAPS + red in a crass attempt to provide emphasis, here it is again:

There is no parking at The Temple House (hereinafter referred to as the “venue”).

No need to panic, though. The good folks at REBarCamp Miami have a plan for you. Let’s see where you fit in our matrix. Allow me.

In the space below I will ask you two (2) questions. Please review each question carefully before answering.  You will answer “yes” to one (1) of the two (2) questions. The parking plan outlined beneath the question you answered “yes” to applies to you.

If you answered “yes” to both questions, it means that you #failed. Review your notes and try again. Repeat as many times as necessary.

1. Did you purchase an airline ticket, make hotel reservations in South Beach, reserve a rental (car), borrow 500 Really Useful Spanish Words and Phrases (Hardcover) from your local library, and/or experience 40°F weather in August in the city, town or village that you call home?

If you answered “yes” to this question, the matrix (assuming that you’re staying in South Beach) recommends that you do NOT drive to the venue for your REBarCamp Miami experience. Instead, the matrix recommends that you use Tom & Jerry (your legs), bicycles, roller blades, skateboards, public transportation or take a cab to the venue.

2. Are you packing your SunPass, sleeping in your very own 12-yr old Sealy Eaglewood Ultra Plush the night before the event, commuting to and fro in your late model sports utility vehicle, and/or suffering from bouts of visual hallucinations due to the extreme temperatures and humidity associated with South Florida summers?

If you answered “yes” to this question, the matrix has a number of parking options that are all relatively close to the venue.

View REBarCamp Miami Parking in a larger map

You can view the REBarCamp Miami Parking Map here. Details below.

12th Street Parking Garage

The 12th Street Parking Garage is located at 512 12 St (12 ST/Drexel Ave) behind Old City Hall and police headquarters. According to something called Google Maps, this garage is located 0.4 miles south of the venue. That translates into an estimated 8-minute walk. However, if you stop to chat with Toothless Tracy or Julio el Jardinero, it may set you back another minute or two. Please plan accordingly.

I’d like to remind some/all/several of our participants that registration begins promptly at 8:30 am AST (American Standard Time). Please make a mental note or have an app remind you.

The entrance to the parking garage is accessible from 12th Street, just west of Washington Avenue. There are 134 parking spaces in this garage.

At $1/hour, parking will set you back about $10 if you choose to park in this garage.

13th Street Parking Garage

The 13th Street Parking Garage is located at 1301 Collins Ave. It is located approximately 0.4 miles east of the venue. Google Maps states that it will take you approximately 7 minutes in your New Balance 992s to get to the venue.

You should note that walking directions in Google Maps are in beta. No word on how using Nike, Asics GEL or Saucony affects the time it takes you to get to the venue.

The entrance to the 13th Street Parking Garage is accessible from 13th Street between Collins Ave and Ocean Dr. The garage occupies up to 286 vehicles.

The fee structure for this garage is the same as the one on 12th Street. Parking will set you back about $10 for the event.

Surface Parking Lot @ 1601 Drexel Ave

There is a surface parking lot on the northeast corner of Drexel Ave & 16th ST at 1601 Drexel Ave. It is approximately 0.4 miles northeast of the venue i.e. 6 minutes in your Birkenstocks.

Parking is uncovered. Expect to come back to the equivalent of a Cuisinart TOB-175BC Convection Toaster Oven/Broiler if you don’t use a sun shade and/or have nothing less than limousine tints in your car. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

A flat rate of $10 has you covered until midnight. The Bacardi Mojitos should’ve worn off by then.

Note: management is not responsible for theft or damage to vehicles or content.

Additional note: the organizers and volunteers of REBarCamp Miami are not covered by this sign, but are covered by the subsequent addendum that overrides everything that this sign says.

17th Street Parking Garage

The 17th Street Parking Garage is located just north of Lincoln Road Mall at 640 17 ST (beneath Pennsylvania Ave & Meridian Ave). It is approximately 0.6 miles north of the venue. Choosing to park here forces you to cross Lincoln Road to and from the venue. I know, horrible. I’d say that, consequently, it’s about a 12-15 minute walk to your ultimate destinations.

The main entrance is on 17th Street across from Convention Center Drive. The garage occupies up to 1,460 vehicles.

The fee structure is a little different at this parking garage. Participants who choose to park in this garage can end up paying anywhere from $10 – $15 for parking.

On-Street Meter Parking

Metered parking is available on all commercial avenues (Washington Ave, Collins Ave, some interior streets leading to commercial avenues, etc.) surrounding the venue. However, spaces in close proximity to the venue may be limited. It’s a demand/supply thing.

The current parking meter rate is $1.25/hour. Payment can be made using cash or credit cards at the pay stations. Time limits are set up for overnight parking, so parking for the entire day is possible without having to “go feed the meters”.

Metered parking is enforced from 9:00 am to 12:00 am (Midnight), 7 days a week. Lovely Rita meter maid regulates.

Valet parking has not been ruled out, but we have nothing of substance at the present time. Stay tuned for updates if that were to materialize.

Walking distances in the neighborhood are reasonable and most, if not all, of South Beach is pedestrian friendly. However, shade trees are a commodity, not the norm, and afternoon showers are not uncommon. I would pack any or every combination of cap, hat, towel, bikini, sunscreen, umbrella, and poncho imaginable.

Just make sure that your accessories match and that your nails and toes are done right. Rumor has it that the paparazzi, twitterazzi, and a local foot fetish Facebook group will all be in attendance.

And we’d like to exceed every single one of your expectations.

WOO HOO we’re headed to MIAMI! Now what?

So, now that everyone has their plane tickets and hotel reservations (unless you plan on sleeping between the palm trees in a hammock on Miami Beach – which might be an option if you haven’t made your lodging reservations! ) what do I wear…what do I bring? Do I travel light or do I bring “stuff”?

Well, for those of you non-South Floridians, bring sunscreen (I think most of us swim in the stuff) – yes, it is tanning weather here in September. Sun glasses are a must ‘cause the glare from those beach goer’s heavily oiled up bods is a killer on the eyes.   A wide brim hat for the ladies and definitely some comfortable shoes for walking, bring your sight-seeing eyes (for people watching – we definitely have some folks to watch in Miami Beach – you never know who or what you may see). Light weight shorts and shirts are a must.

And for those of you who know me well, bring an empty tummy because the restaurants and foods that you find in Miami Beach are INCREDIBLE! From the Jewish deli’s to the Cuban cafes – you will not be disappointed at all! Oh, yes, and for you coffee lovers, you gotta have at least one Cuban coffee – that is all you need to keep you going for the fun that awaits you in Miami!

Can’t wait to see you all in a few weeks at the world’s largest Broker’s open.

Hotel Suggestions for REBarCamp Miami

Many of you are calling, DM’ing and texting me about Hotel options for REBarCamp Miami and as much as I would like to tell you I have a favorite, I just called a few Hotels to see if they would give us group pricing.

Remember the venue is in South Beach and that’s where the action is – so staying in SoBe is a good idea.  It’s probably also a good idea to rent a car since distances can be brutal in Miami, so if you do, make sure you ask whichever hotel you stay in what the charges for the car will be.  Also figured out that there are a lot of “over 21 Hotels” in South Beach, so if you bring your kids, it may be a good idea to ask if kids are OK.

We will be adding more Hotel info as we get it, but hope you find this helpful for now – a lot have also been using Hotwire for hotel deals (never a bad idea).

The Morgan’s Hotel Group

The Shore Club – $185/night

Mondrian – $150/night

To get these rates, please contact Erik Becskehazy directly at 305.695.3211 or email him at erik.becskehazy (at) morganshotelgroup.com  **mention REBarCamp Miami Group rate**

The Angler’s Boutique Resort

$180-$225 for studios

Please contact Estelle Gae directly at 786 594 5888 or email her (at ) theanglersresort.com **also mention REBarCamp Miami Group Rates**

The Betsy South Beach

Contact Betsy Torres – 305-760-6902  or BTorres (at) thebetsyhotel.com – rate will depend when reservations are made

Bacardi Mojitos in REBarCamp Miami

What could be cooler than Mojitos in Miami??!!

Everyone knows Mojitos are my social object, I have no idea how many people have asked me if we would have mojitos at REBarCamp Miami (maybe it was a joke….but guess what?) – Bacardi has come through and will serve mojitos for the attendees at the end of the event.  Yes you heard correctly – we will have a chance to have mojitos together in Miami.

When I first started planning REBarCamp Miami, Jeff Turner even designed a logo as a joke – and it became a challenge to have mojitos at the event.

(For the record – I created a CafePress account where proceeds would go to MFFO.org)

With all the crazy discussion about dropping the word “bar” from rebarcamp – now it makes total sense to raise the BAR!  So MOJITO CHEERS to BACARDI for doing this for us and can’t wait to see all of you here on September 14th!

***note:  there is not parking at The Temple House, which is a great thing for everyone that will literally walk out of the conference with a couple of mojitos in them  – will give you parking info at a later date ***