Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that Eddie House will remain in Miami. He has decided to accept the Heat's one-year, $770,000 qualifying offer, agent Mark Bartelstein said Monday.

As a restricted free agent, the Heat would have had the opportunity to match if House had signed an offer sheet from another team. ''It's difficult being a restricted free agent,'' Bartelstein said. ``He's always wanted to stay down here.''

By signing the Heat?s qualifying offer, House will play in Miami for this season and become a restricted free agent again next summer.

In other Heat news, Khalid El-Amin is close to signing a partially guaranteed, two-year deal. He will probably have to beat out Mike James for a spot on the roster. Miami has also had preliminary conversations with Hornets restricted free agent, Lee Nailon.