Is the Making Home Affordable program ultimately doing more harm than good?  Many of its followers seem to think so and judging from the amount of coverage it's received lately there may be valid reasons to be concerned about its future success.  It seems that the program could just be spreading out additional Miami Beach real estate foreclosure for more years than actually helping homeowners.

The program is now a year old but despite having over a million modifications approved, less than 170,000 of cases have actually had some discernible degree of true success.  A major concern remains the very real possibility of for example, someone owning Miami Beach condos, receiving a modification and then defaulting once again.  Plus, a lot of those cases of people assisted are on a trial basis, the number of those who will receive permanent alterations is even less.

How do you feel about the Obama administration's program?  Is it slowly but steadily making inroads towards reducing Miami Beach real estate foreclosures?  Should that money be focused towards something more effective?  Perhaps you're among the people who are receiving assistance and may find it a lifesaver.  The actual figures as to how many actually got permanent modifications will be released today, it should provide a better idea of how well the program is faring.

The spring season has already begun, which means an impending surge of young beach and partygoers will be descending upon the sunny Miami Beach coast and the popular Miami Beach condos any minute now.  During this time places like Ocean Drive and Lincoln Road may not be the best spots to relax and enjoy the city as they'll be packed, this is why you may want to check out Clarke's.

Clarke's is a bar and grill with a heavy Irish design and invitingly laid back atmosphere.  People frequently visit the small restaurant for its menu that consists of items like fish 'n' chips and shepherd's pie to the delicious signature French fries.  Many locals also tend to frequent the eatery, which makes for a great spot to mingle and meet fellow Miami Beach residents who may also be living in Miami Beach condos.

You'll find the location of Clarke's quite opportune.  Belonging to the South of Fifth area, it's about three blocks to the west of Ocean Drive on First Street.  In fact, if you live in Miami Beach condos like Continuum, Apogee or ICON South Beach, you could walk to the restaurant and be there in less than ten minutes.

The Miami Beach condos of W South Beach and Fontainebleau have firmly established themselves as the two of the leading “places to be” in the city during the weekends.  Virtually every week brings the announcement of a new opening that may give these two buildings a run for their money and this week is no exception.  Except in this case, the new hotspot has been around for quite some time.

The former Miami Beach home of the late fashion designer Gianni Versace is used every so often for hosting private events, but for the most part the mansion has remained largely closed to the public.  This will soon be changing as renowned events impresario and restaurateur Barton G. Weiss is turning the mansion into a luxury hotel and restaurant known as The Villa by Barton G.  Looks like those aforementioned Miami Beach condos may have some competition after all.

The Villa doesn't try to hide its affluent ambiance.  It features British trained butlers who are certified to personally attend to guests throughout their stay.  Guests will also be able to make use of the pool, a spa, a pair of private lounges, and The Dining Room at The Villa By Barton G which will also be open to the public during the evening hours.  Should you decide to choose The Villa over traditional Miami Beach condos, rates start at $2,100 a night.

Could it be that the “slow as molasses” foreclosure process involves more than just banks juggling more Miami Beach condos than they know what to do with?  The courts may also be to blame.  While most of us are well aware of the foreclosure surplus, the sheer number that courts are grappling is quite large and it's forcing them to take some drastic measures.

In Miami-Dade County alone, over 80,000 foreclosure cases are at some stage of “pending”, a major problem that could affect existing owners of Miami Beach condos who are in good standing.  How so?  As long as such a large bottleneck exists property values will only continue to drop as all of these cases go through the courts system.  In other words, the sooner they're taken care of the sooner values will at least start to show glimmers of stabilization.

To combat the situation, the Florida court system is requesting $9.6 million as a onetime payment in order to hire additional case judges and case managers to tackle the backlog.  Each district would receive funds based on the number of foreclosure case loads.  Expect Miami Beach real estate and/or Miami-Dade to receive a hefty sum if the funds are granted, perhaps the backlog will indeed begin to decrease.

Another hotly anticipated condominium building to the north of the Miami Beach condos has been the St Regis Bal Harbour.  This luxury Bal Harbour condo and hotel has been around for a little while now at some incomplete stage of construction.  However, thanks to the demolition of the now defunct Sheraton Bal Harbour, the St. Regis may be ready for business sooner than expected.

The St. Regis has now completed the vertical construction for the three towers that comprise the building.  It's quite an impressive feat considering that all three towers are 27 stories tall and the building isn't officially scheduled to open its doors until next year.  Once St Regis Bal Harbour does open its doors, it will rival the Miami Beach condos and will be the largest residential resort project in all of the southeastern United States.

Upon completion St Regis Bal Harbour will have more than 200 guest suites and residences as well as 37 hotel condo suites.  Amenities will include a massive 10,000+ square foot spa, an oceanfront restaurant and much more.  It may just trounce Miami Beach condos in terms of allure, if past St Regis successes are anything to go by anyway.

It's hard to believe that spring is right around the corner.  Along with it comes the housing tax credit deadline, but that's not all that prospective buyers should be concerned about.  As the buying season draws closer, the government is seeking to put an end to a program that's long been responsible for maintaining low interest rates and boosting the affordability of Miami Beach real estate.

By the time this month comes to a close the Federal Reserve will have ceased its efforts to purchase mortgage backed securities from major lenders Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.  What this means is that interest rates will once again come under the control of private investors and it may be a problem because these rates could increase at an unexpectedly rapid pace.  This makes things more difficult for any first time buyer who may have been looking to purchase property like Miami Beach condos.

Although it's important to be a bit concerned, prospective buyers shouldn't be too worried about a sudden interest rate spike.  The Federal Reserve has already pledged to keep interest rates at low digits in order to maintain some positive economic activity and spur housing recovery.  Again, time is of the essence for any buyer seeking Miami Beach real estate.  More indecision may equal more risks.