Miami, FL
Inter Miami can't afford not to win MLS Cup as Lionel Messi and friends kick-off the 2024 season | Goal.com US
Expectations are sky-high for a team unlike any we’ve seen in MLS history as the new campaign gets under way
Let’s make it clear from the beginning: Lionel Messi isn’t feeling any pressure. He’s felt real pressure before, at Barcelona, in Argentina, in Qatar. The same can be said of Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. They’re all used to pressure, used to not being able to accept failure as any sort of option.
But this sort of pressure is new for MLS, and it’s sure as hell new to Inter Miami. The world’s eyes are fixed on South Beach, and as the Herons enter their fifth MLS season, it promises to be unlike anything the club or the league has ever seen.
Messi-mania arrived last season, giving us a taste of the circus the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner brings with him. But that’s what last season was: a taste. By the time Messi arrived, the club’s MLS Cup hopes were already all but dead. He did his best to resurrect them before an injury ruled him out for too many crucial games. Ultimately, the club was undone by what happened before Messi arrived.
He’s here now, though, and he has all of his friends with him. No MLS season has had this much hype, and no team has been under the microscope more than Inter Miami. Anything less than transcendent success won’t cut it for a club that is now built upon a promise of more.
Miami, FL
Your 2026 Miami Dolphins Draft Picks Expectations
Highest ceiling: Proctor. There’s a reason they drafted him in the first round. If he loses 25 pounds, he can be a multi-time first team All Pro. But he has to put the work in and not be lazy.
Lowest ceiling: Caleb Douglas. Don’t see him fixing his drops. But I hope he proves me wrong.
Best overall pick: Jacob Rodriguez. Guy will be a sideline to sideline tackling machine.
Best value pick: Kyle Louis. He should have went in the 3rd round and will be a major contributor.
Best pick no one else sees as great…yet: Seydou Traore. The more tape I watch on this guy at Mississippi State, the more I like. If he refines his route running and hands, he could be our starting TE in 2 or 3 years.
Biggest reach pick: Caleb Douglas. See above. He should have went in the 5th, maybe 6th.
Biggest missed opportunity: Not drafting Bain. I sure hope those short arms limit him in the NFL. Now the guy has a huge chip on his shoulder and is pissed at the 14 teams that passed on him, including Miami. The guy was a menace in college. I’m not looking forward to facing the Bucs in the future.
Miami, FL
Miami Area Gets First New Manufactured Home Community in Decades
Miami-Dade County is one of the most desirable places to live in the country, but its median listing price of $595,868 is pushing many everyday people out of the market.
That’s why an affordable alternative is drawing attention.
Cottage Grove, a manufactured housing community under construction in South Miami-Dade, will feature 349 single-family homes with prices starting at just $129,900. It will be the first new manufactured housing development in Miami-Dade in decades.
“The interest has been tremendous,” Ross Partrich, the CEO of RHP Properties, which owns Cottage Grove, tells Realtor.com®. “The market is showing there’s a real need—we’ve had over 1,000 inquiries.”
RHP Properties has built manufactured housing communities across 31 states, including Florida, but this is its first project in Miami-Dade.
“Cottage Grove addresses a critical gap in the housing supply at a time when rising home prices and construction costs are putting homeownership out of reach for many families and when supply is shrinking due to redevelopment,” says Partrich.
According to the Manufactured Housing Institute, approximately 22 million Americans reside in manufactured homes. These homes are faster and cheaper to build.
“There’s much less waste and more precision when you’re building in a factory,” says Partrich. “The economies of scale are better, and we’re passing on the savings to our residents.”
About the community
At Cottage Grove, homeowners will own their houses but lease the land beneath them, paying $1,445 a month in lot rent.
Partrich says residents of the community will enjoy five-star amenities.
“That includes a beautifully maintained pool with a large sun deck, contemporary clubhouse, fitness center, yoga and lounge rooms, scenic biking and walking trails, and serene gazebos,” he says.
While many manufactured housing communities in Florida are age-restricted to 55 and older, this 92-acre community will welcome residents of all ages.
“The playground, expansive green spaces, and gated entrance add to the community’s appeal for families,” says Partrich.
Partrich says people have already begun putting down deposits on the homes—each of which has four bedrooms and is around 1,600 square feet.
“They’re spacious, with open floor plans, multiple living areas, and kitchens equipped with stainless-steel appliances and islands,” he explains.
The first group of homes is expected to be completed and move-in-ready by late summer.
Durability and long-term value
In hurricane-prone Florida, durability and safety are key considerations.
Homes in Cottage Grove meet a set of quality standards from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
They’re set on concrete foundations, and Partrich says they’re able to withstand hurricane-force winds—which gives residents added peace of mind.
Over the past seven years, manufactured homes sold without land have appreciated by 51.6%, according to the Realtor.com Perks of the Park: Mobile Homes as an Affordable Alternative Report.
By comparison, median single-family homes rose 58.6% over the same period.
“Financing has typically been more challenging to obtain on manufactured homes, with fewer lenders and higher interest rates,” Florida real estate agent Cara Ameer tells Realtor.com.
“Most manufactured housing communities use land leases, adding a monthly fee that can make it harder for some buyers to qualify or stay long-term. As a result, appreciation has historically been more limited,” Ameer explains.
But Florida real estate broker Jeff Lichtenstein, CEO of Echo Fine Properties, says he believes manufactured houses will only continue to rise in popularity, especially in the Sunshine State.
“Stronger manufactured homes are going to be big,” he says. “The reason is that people just want a piece of the American dream and don’t want to be stuck in rentals. These, in many cases, are stepping-stone communities that let someone get started and not be forced to move two counties away. It solves the problem of homeownership, individual placement, and a sense of community.”
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Miami, FL
Four Convicted in Miami for Roles in Killing of Haiti President
Four men were convicted in Miami for their roles in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse that further destabilized the government and led to years of violence in the country.
Jurors returned guilty verdicts Friday against the men, who prosecutors said had organized the plot using Colombian mercenaries and Haitian gang members to violently oust Moïse and replace him with a friendly successor to allow them to obtain lucrative contracts with the government. The group helped supply equipment from Florida to aid in the killing, prosecutors said.
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