Latitude on the River – Picture Tour of the Common Areas and a 2 Bedroom/2.5 Bath Condo
Last Monday I visited Latitude on the River with two sets of clients. The picture slideshow below will show everybody what we saw during our tour of Latitude on the River. You will also see some pictures of a 2 bedroom/2.5 bath condo on the 36th floor that we visited.
Everyone was very impressed with the lobby at Latitude on the River. In fact, all of the common areas were impressive, especially given the price point of the building.
Latitude on the River offers a lot of amenities for residents to enjoy. I have a feeling that Latitude on the River is going to be a very social building.
Anyone else get a chance to visit the building yet? If so, I’d love to hear what you thought. For those of you who haven’t, any comments on the pictures?
Quantum on the Bay – 1 & 3 Bedroom Condos Available on High Floors with Great Views
A contract holder of two condos at Quantum on the Bay contacted me a few weeks ago to let me know that she would like to find a replacement buyer for each unit.
The first is 3 bedroom/3 bath with 1,620 square feet of interior space and two large terraces. If you refer to the Quantum on the Bay website, it is the R floor plan in the north tower. The unit is located on the 34th floor and will have unobstructed views of Biscayne Bay. She is asking $627,000, or $387 per square foot, for this 3 bedroom condo. I think this is a fantastic price for a 3 bedroom condo on such a high floor.
The second unit she has under contract is a 1 bedroom + den/1.5 bath condo with 935 square feet of interior space and a large terrace. It is the P floor plan. This condo is on the 37th floor and will offer water views off the terrace. She is asking $372,000, or $398, per square foot, for this 1 bedroom condo.
Each condo at Quantum on the Bay comes with one parking space. An additional parking space will cost $35,000.
Contact me if you or someone you know is interested in either or both of these units.
Miami Condo Index – Brickell – August 2007
I just finished compiling the data for this month’s Miami Condo Index for Brickell. Last month I revealed that the 18 buildings below had a total of nine closed sales from June 19, 2007 to July 18, 2007. That number surprised myself and many others who follow the real estate market in Brickell. Be prepared to be surprised some more because this figure has dropped. There were a total of eight closed sales from July 19, 2007 to August 18, 2007 in the 18 condo buildings below throughout Brickell. Eight!
Of the eight closed sales, one appears to be yet another fraudulent transaction. A one bedroom/one bath condo with 825 square feet sold for $625,000, or $758 per square foot, on August 3, 2007 at The Club at Brickell Bay. It doesn’t even have a direct water view! The same broker represented the seller and buyer in the transaction. What is really crazy is that a different brokerage had the condo listed for $425,000 in May. It was later canceled and relisted with the broker who sold it for $625,000.
If you think that transaction has the word “fraud” written all over it then take a look at the one bedroom/one bath condo that closed on May 18, 2007 at The Club at Brickell Bay. It too had 825 square feet of interior space and a view of the water from the balcony. The buyer of that unit paid the full asking price of $680,000, or $824.24. The Club at Brickell Bay now has the highest price per square foot of condos sold in the past six months of the 18 buildings included in the index because of these fraudulent transactions. When is somebody going to step in and do something about this? Supposedly the Miami Herald and the FBI are investigating the situation but I’ve been hearing those rumors for months. What is taking so long?
The average price per square foot of condos listed in the 18 Brickell buildings covered in the index went up slightly to $529.05. Last month this figure was $528.84. The weight-adjusted average, however, went down to $537.67 from last month’s weight-adjusted average of $540.17.
Average price per square foot of units currently listed on the MLS:
The average price per square foot of condos sold over the past 6 months actually went down slightly to $471.94 from June’s average of $473.95 despite the fraudulent transaction at The Club at Brickell Bay. Take note that The Club at Brickell Bay now has an average price per square foot of $720.15 for condos sold over the past six months. That is simply ridiculous. This average is based on the three transactions that have occurred at The Club at Brickell Bay over the past six months, two of which appear to be fraudulent. A little over 20 percent of the building is available for sale but nothing is moving. Hmmm…maybe it’s because the list prices there don’t make any f@&#ing sense!!!
Average price per square foot of units sold in the past 6 months:
Atlantis – 2025 Brickell Ave | 33129 | $335.12
Brickell on the River – 31 SE 5 St | 33131 | $409.44
Solaris at Brickell – 186 SE 12 Ter | 33131 | 14.30%
The Club at Brickell Bay – 1200 Brickell Bay Dr | 33131 | -11.98%
The Mark on Brickell – 1155 Brickell Bay Dr | 33131 | 4.41%
The Palace – 1541 Brickell Ave | 33129 | 3.39%
Villa Regina – 1581 Brickell Ave | 33129 | 36.73%
Vue at Brickell – 1250 S Miami Ave | 33131 | 2.85%
I noticed that a handful of fraudulent transactions will be falling off next month so I’m expecting the average price per square foot of condos sold over the past six months to go down in September. That is, however, assuming that other fraudulent transactions don’t appear in the next 30 days to take their place. We shall see.
Ten Museum Park – Picture & Video Review of an 08 Line & the Pool Deck at Ten Museum Park
Wednesday afternoon I previewed an 08 line at Ten Museum Park for someone in Dallas, Texas looking to fly into Miami next week to acquire this property. I took a bunch of pictures and some video of the unit as well as the pool deck for him. I wanted to share this with everyone as there is much interest in Ten Museum Park.
Again, the pictures of the unit are of an 08 line. The 08 line at Ten Museum Park has 898 square feet of interior space and a 143 square foot balcony. The 05 line at Ten Museum Park has 886 square feet of interior space and a 143 square foot balcony. They are both 1 bedroom/1.5 bath units. The views from the 05 line look into the building just north of Ten Museum Park called Marquis, which will be completed in 2008.
Flip through the picture slideshow below to view 19 pictures of this 08 line unit.
From the 08 line at Ten Museum Park you will see 900 Biscayne Bay directly in front of you. As you will see, you will also have views of the American Airlines Arena, street views of Biscayne Boulevard and water views of Biscayne Bay. You can also see skyline views of South Beach in the distance. The kitchens have stainless steel appliances by Sub-Zero and Bosche as well as stainless steel countertops. There is a glass-enclosed shower with body jets and rain shower in the master bath as well as a bidet and toilet. The bathroom fixtures in the master bath are from Duravit and Dornbracht. Every floor plan at Ten Museum Park has these kitchen appliances and master bath fixtures.
As you will see, the plunge pools at Ten Museum Park are functioning but the landscaping around the outer-edge of the swimming pool deck has not yet been planted. The deck furniture and cabanas are scheduled to arrive this weekend. The rain shower area has not yet been fully completed as well. Overall, everything reminded me of something out of ancient Greece. I love it!
The green land that you see across the street from Ten Museum Park is the park formerly known as Bicentennial Park. It is now known as Museum Park and has the Miami Art Museum and the Miami Science Museum collaborating to make it into one of the best parks in the nation.
By the way, there is a big price difference in an 08 line and 05 line at Ten Museum Park. This 08 line is priced at $380,000. I can get someone an 05 line on a low floor for $315K. Residences start on the 10th floor at Ten Museum Park. The water views from an 08 line are much better, however. You can even see the pool deck from the 08 line off the balcony as you will see in the pictures and video.There are a total of 6 units per floor at Ten Museum Park. The one bedroom units are staggered along the building with the large 2 bedroom units that have 20-foot lofted ceilings. The large 2 bedrooms with 1,906 to 1,949 square feet are my favorite layouts at Ten Museum Park. I can get you one of those for $850,000. The original contract holder paid $905,000 in January of 2004. It is an 02 line with 1,949 square feet.
This was probably my fourth or fifth visit to Ten Museum Park since closings began. During one visit I saw at least 6-7 different floor plans. I think I’ve pretty much seen all of the floor plans that Ten Museum Park has to offer including the Penthouse units with the rooftop plunge pools. The views from the rooftop are simply amazing.
I can’t wait until the building is 100 percent complete. It will be an amazing building! I guess there is a lot of interest in this building because when I went up today there was a group of 9 others that wanted to see other units. (Damn! I was hoping to corner the market at Ten Museum Park…LOL). I guess the word is out.
I hope the pictures and video has satisfied everyone’s curiosity. I’ve been told that the gym, which is one of the biggest that I’ve seen in a condominium building, will be completed in about 2-3 months. The Clinique La Prairie spa should be done in about 6-8 months as far as I’ve heard. The restaurant space below Ten Museum Park is still vacant and awaiting an outstanding restaurant to fill the space. There are also condo offices available for lease at the base of Ten Museum Park. From what I’ve been told, lawyers and doctors, including plastic surgeons, have been jumping at the chance to have an office with an unobstructed view of Biscayne Bay and South Beach.
Within the next couple of days I will reveal photos and video footage of a townhouse unit at 900 Biscayne Bay, so stay tuned to the best source for Miami condo news.
Okay, okay….I’ll give you a sneak peak:
Ten Museum Park – Buyer Wants an 01 or 02 Line
I met with a buyer who flew into Miami a few days ago to take a look at Ten Museum Park. They fell in love with the 01 and 02 line and wanted me to find out if there’s an original buyer out there who is thinking about not closing and walking away from their deposit. They can close quickly and can submit a preapproval letter as well. The 01 line has 1,906 square feet of interior space and a 197 square foot terrace. The 02 line has 1,949 square feet of interior space and a 192 square foot terrace.
The best price available through the developer of Ten Museum Park is an 02 priced at $850,000. They are looking to see if they can get a better price.
Contact me if you or someone you know has an 01 or 02 line under contract at Ten Museum Park and they are thinking about defaulting on their deposit. These buyers will make a deal so that the contract holder can walk away with some money.
Their offer expires this Sunday, August 15, at 5pm. Please get in touch with me ASAP if the aforementioned situation pertains to you.
South Beach Condo Index – August 2007
I finished crunching the numbers for the second installment of the South Beach Condo Index. I discovered some very good news! List prices have come down and the average price per square foot of condo units sold in the last six months in the 19 condo buildings included in the index has gone up.
In July, we discovered that the average price per square foot for units listed in the 19 condo buildings was $913.19. This figure has dropped to $892.32 per square foot for the month of August. The weighted-adjusted average was $793.99 in July versus a weight-adjusted average of $777.86 this month.
The average price per square foot of condo units sold over the previous six months went from $772.36 in July to $776.55 in August. The weight-adjusted averages went from $686.73 in July to $689.30 in August. 8 of the 19 building had in an increase in their average price per square foot over the past month, 4 remained unchanged and 7 went down.
There were a total of 18 transactions that occurred in the following 19 buildings from July 12, 2007 to August 11, 2007. Even though the 18 transactions represent twice the number of transactions that occurred in a one-month period in Brickell, I think the overall number is pretty small. This was highly expected, however, given the current condition of the market and the fact that we’re in our off-season months. It’ll be nice to see the change in the number of transactions as we enter the winter months.
There were a total 5 closings at Waverly at South Beach; 2 closings at Icon and Mirador 1000 & 1200; and 1 closing at 1500 Ocean Drive, Continuum South Tower, The Cosmopolitan, The Decoplage, The Floridian, Il’ Villagio, Murano at Portofino, Murano Grande and Yacht Club at Portofino. The rest had zero transactions during the one-month period.
The average price per square foot of condos listed at the following 19 buildings in South Beach:
Murano at Portofino – 1000 S Pointe Dr | 33139 | $953.15
Murano Grande – 400 Alton Rd | 33139 | $777.42
Portofino Tower – 300 S Pointe Dr | 33139 | $919.28
Setai South Beach – 101 20 St | 33139 | $1,688.57
Waverly at South Beach – 1330 West Ave | 33139 | $470.84
Yacht Club at Portofino – 90 Alton Rd | 33139 | $663.66
The sold-to-listed ratio has become more favorable in South Beach as a result of list prices coming down and the average price per square foot of sales going up. The sold-to-listed ratio, expressed as a percentage, went from 18.20% in July to 15.29% in August. The weight-adjusted averages went from 14.47% to 12.12% respectively. It is good to see that list prices are falling more in line with where condos are actually selling.
The sold-to-listed ratio expressed as a percentage in the following 19 buildings in South Beach:
1500 Ocean Drive – 1500 Ocean Dr | 33139 | 22.20%
Bentley Bay – 520 & 540 West Ave | 33139 | 25.49%
Bentley Beach – 101 Ocean Dr | 33139 | (2.79%)
Continuum South Tower – 100 S Pointe Dr | 33139 | 11.46%
Cosmopolitan – 110 Washington Ave | 33139 | 10.88%
Courts at South Beach – 140 Jefferson Ave | 33139 | 17.96%
Decoplage – 100 Lincoln Rd | 33139 | 17.75%
Floridian – 650 West Ave | 33139 | 6.18%
Grand Venetian – 10 Venetian Wy | 33139 | 26.23%
Icon South Beach – 450 Alton Rd | 33139 | 20.74%
Il Villagio – 1455 Ocean Dr | 33139 | 28.91%
Meridian Lofts – 2001 Meridian Ave | 33139 | 32.07%
Murano at Portofino – 1000 S Pointe Dr | 33139 | 26.44%
Murano Grande – 400 Alton Rd | 33139 | 12.52%
Portofino Tower – 300 S Pointe Dr | 33139 | (3.22%)
Setai South Beach – 101 20 St | 33139 | 15.83%
Waverly at South Beach – 1330 West Ave | 33139 | 14.25%
Yacht Club at Portofino – 90 Alton Rd | 33139 | 8.11%
That wraps things up for the August 2007 South Beach Condo Index. Next week we’ll take our third look at condos in Brickell.
Latitude on the River – 2 Bedroom/2.5 Bath Condo on 42nd Floor – $407,000
Here’s a great opportunity two own a spacious 2 bedroom condo at Latitude on the River on a very high floor. This 2 bedroom/2.5 bath is located one floor below the lower-Penthouse level and is located on the southeast corner of the building. You will have fabulous views of Biscayne Bay to the south. The following picture was taken from inside the unit in question.
The condo has 1,300 square feet of interior space and a 128 square foot balcony. The image below is the floor plan of the condo available for sale at Latitude on the River. It is a B12 unit.
The view in south facing units will be much better than the north facing units as long as they clear the Latitude One office building. The Latitude One office building is only 22 stories so this B12 unit on the 42nd floor will easily clear the top of Latitude One. Not only that, but it will also clear Neo Vertika to the east to offer fantastic views of Biscayne Bay and South Beach from the living room.
The price per square foot works out to be $368. The July Brickell Condo Index revealed that units sold over the last six months at Neo Vertika, which is a one-year old building right next to Latitude on the River, had an average price per square foot of $375.53. Here’s your opportunity to grab one of the best 2 bedroom units in a brand new building at a great price. The contract holder is set to close in approximately five weeks. She can assign the contract so a simultaneous closing won’t be necessary.
Update: The following slideshow will show you some pictures of the common areas at Latitude on the River. There are also some pictures of a 2 bedroom/2.5 bath condo on the 36th floor.
A friend of mine passed along the following statistics that were disclosed by Miami-Dade County. I found the statistics to be quite compelling and felt that my readers might find these numbers to be of interest as well. It is worthy to note that these numbers indicate that we are on pace to surpass the highs in foreclosure filings in 2002. That isn’t a bit surprising given the state of the real estate market.
These numbers only represent a mid-half report for 2007. As a sizable amount of adjustable-rate mortgages are scheduled to reset in the following three months, I’m sure that we’ll surpass previous year foreclosure filings. Foreclosures usually take about 6 months, so I’m expecting that foreclosure filings will peak in 2008.
2002
14,567
2003
11,605
2004
9,606
2005
7,829
2006
9,826
2007
January:
1,404
February:
1,563
March:
1,759
April:
1,749
May:
1,984
June:
2,060
Year-to-date:
10,519
Advice to Miami Condo Buyers
This is a follow-up post to one I wrote a few weeks ago entitled “Advice to Miami Condo Sellers“. That post has become one of my most widely read posts.
I’ve always been more of a buyer’s agent than a seller’s agent. It’s been that way ever since I started in this business. I’ve never been much of a salesman though. In fact, I initially didn’t even want to become a real estate agent because I always analogized the phrase “real estate agent” to “sales person”. The latter always made me cringe. Thoughts of “selling somebody” or “making a sale happen” didn’t favor well with me.
I finally realized, however, that people will always have a need to buy housing and finding buyers the best deals is a niche within itself. I figured that with my financial background I could provide a unique perspective and a more in-depth analysis of the market than most agents. This blog is a natural extension of that mindset years ago.
Nowadays, it seems like everyone is looking for a deal and the right opportunity to buy in Miami. The million dollar question that I get from the people who contact me each day is “When will be the best time to buy a condo in Miami?”.
The answer to that question depends on your objectives and knowledge of the Miami condo market. If you’re an investor “looking to buy a condo in a good neighborhood of Miami at a significant discount” then the answer to that question is as vague as your objective – “Nobody knows!”. That’s like saying that you want to buy the best stock at the bottom of a bear market. Good luck!
Some of the people who contact me have only been to Miami once or twice in their life. Some haven’t ever visited Miami, but have read about Miami and have seen the gorgeous palm trees and majestic waters in movies. For those of you, the opportunity to buy a Miami condo at the “best” time won’t ever come. You need to have knowledge of what you want before you can ascertain the best time to buy it. A knowledgeable Realtor can’t even point you in the right direction without first knowing which direction that might be.
Having an objective like wanting to buy a two bedroom condo at Ten Museum Park with a direct bay view on a high floor at a 20 percent discount of 2004 prices is much better. An opportunity like that may or may not present itself but at least you know what you want and a local Realtor will be much better equipped to help you find it.
Keep in mind that the “market bottom” for the Miami condo market might not necessarily be the best time to buy for people with such a pinpoint objective as the one above. These people might miss out on better opportunities that will have passed them by. For example, take the 2 bedroom condo going up for auction at Villa Regina that I mentioned in yesterday’s post. That condo may very well sell for the best price per square foot of any condo at Villa Regina from here on out. Someone looking to buy a condo at Villa Regina, but is waiting for the condo market to bottom in Miami, might miss out on a fantastic opportunity. It may or may not end up being the best deal at Villa Regina but keep in mind that only one person will buy the bottom. Wouldn’t you be happy though knowing that you bought at a 20 percent or 30 percent discount or whatever it may be?
My advice for those buyers who will be end-users is the same. Know what you want and the price point that will make you happy. Opportunities to buy condos in Miami at a discount with built-in equity are already present. Foreclosures, auctions and short sales all offer these opportunities. Being happy with the condo in which you will live should be the primary concern for end-users, not price. Having a cushion to weather the storm that lies ahead is an added bonus.
There is no doubt that condo prices will correct themselves from the highs that we experienced in 2005 and beginning of 2006. In my opinion, they already have. I feel that we’re already back at 2004 prices. Every week I get a number of calls and emails from people who bought preconstruction condos as resales in 2005 and beginning of 2006. They want to know if there is any chance to break-even if they close on their preconstruction condo contracts and sell at current market prices. The answer is overwhelmingly “NO”. The current market price is usually at or slightly below the amount of their deposit money, which the majority of the time is 20 percent. This tells me that we are already at least 20 percent off the highs.
The inventory problems of the Miami condo market is old news. Demand dried up over a year ago as a result of this news. The real estate market, however, is not as liquid and as efficient as the financial markets. Buyers have already processed the news about the Miami condo market. Sellers have begun to process the news but can’t simply hit the best bid to get themselves out. Those selling existing condos can, however, lower their prices.
The fate of the preconstruction condo market is different though. The news came out over a year ago but we’re all waiting for the condos to close to see where they will get priced. Nobody knows! It’s like trading has been halted, due to news, and we’re all standing around waiting for the market to reopen.
As a side-note to investors and second home buyers unfamiliar with Brickell, if you’re looking to buy a newly constructed condo in a bayfront building within the next 7 months then you won’t find any. Of the five developments scheduled for completion within the next 7 months in Brickell, none of them are bayfront buildings. Only two, Latitude on the River (which has begun closings) and Brickell on the River South, are waterfront buildings. They both, as their name implies, reside on the Miami River. Of the four developments scheduled for completion in 2009, only two, Icon Brickell and Epic, are bayfront developments. After those are completed only one bayfront parcel will be left in Brickell. Villa Magna was planned for development on that parcel but the project was recently canceled and the fate of that land is still up in the air.
As for the four buildings being developed in the Downtown Miami neighborhood known as Park West, none are bayfront but they might as well be. Ten Museum Park, Marina Blue, 900 Biscayne and Marquis each reside directly behind Biscayne Boulevard and what was formerly known as Bicentennial Park, both of which won’t obstruct views of the bay as long as they are owned by the city of Miami.
Two Brickell Condos up for Auction This Month
Two Brickell condos will hit the auction block later this month. The first is a 2 bedroom + den/2 bath loft residing on the 29th and 30th floors at Neo Vertika. The loft has 1,255 square feet of interior space on tw0-levels with 20-foot ceilings. Neo Vertika is located along the Miami River, west of Brickell Avenue at 690 SW 1 Ct. Neo Vertika is a recent addition to Miami. Closings began in August of 2006.
The loft will go up for auction at 11:30am on August 20, 2007 with an opening bid of $125,000. The July Brickell Condo Index revealed that the average price per square foot of units sold at Neo Vertika over the past six months was $375.53.
The second condo up for auction is a 2 bedroom/2 bath at Villa Regina. The condo has 1,895 square feet of interior space, three separate balconies and offers partial bay views from a low floor. Villa Regina had a recent special assessment to update the lobby, hallways, marina and landscaping. Villa Regina is located at the southern end of Brickell Avenue at 1581 Brickell Avenue.
The condo at Villa Regina will go up for auction at 4:45pm on August 21, 2007 with an opening bid of $100,000. According to the July Brickell Condo Index, condos sold over the previous six months at Villa Regina had an average price per square foot of $316.62.
Don’t miss out on either of these exciting auctions. Contact me today for more information!
