2006 was a record year for Miami Beach real estate with both new construction and re-sale numbers appreciating at nearly a 6% clip. Bargain-basement mortgage rates and broad international appeal fueled Miami Beach real estate by creating an ever-expanding pool of potential buyers. But there's much more to the Miami real estate story than falling interest rates.

The lure of Miami and Miami Beach real estate goes back to the days when Carl Fisher first saw the amazing potential of a thin strip of sand on the Atlantic Ocean known as Miami Beach.

By September of 1924, Fisher had constructed a seven-story office building, now known as The Van Dyke, which he used to show prospective buyers the glorious land that lay before them. Fisher would take investors up to the top-floor terrace where a telescope was set-up for their use. The gorgeous views they saw were so convincing, prospective buyers were soon lining-up to develop the island.

And now 80 years later, Miami, Miami Beach and the surrounding areas of Bal Harbour and Aventura are still blossoming into the burgeoning metropolis Fisher envisioned long ago. 

So, what makes the Miami Beach real estate so desirable? It's not just favorable interest rates and rising property values that sets the stage for success. It's the area's endless entertainment, diverse cultures, fine dining, high-end shopping, world-class boating and VIP nightlife.

And did we mention the year-round tropical climate? Once Miami Beach lures you to its sultry shores, there is no turning back.