The rental market is a very interesting segment of the real estate market, not only for potential tenants on the prowl for a new pad but also current landlords and would-be investors trying to assess the demand for rentals across various neighborhoods and, more specifically, across various condo developments. Only a few years ago, the supply of rentals in Miami far outpaced demand. As a result, rental prices plunged and renters ruled the day. Fast forward to the present and an entirely different rental market is upon us in Miami. Nowadays, rental inventory is being absorbed quickly and overall rental prices are on the rise. For those living in Miami, I’m sure this a message that you have not only read in the local paper but have also heard directly from friends and family who have experienced it firsthand.
Obviously, not all neighborhoods and condo developments are created equal. Factors such as price, location, views, quality and recommendations from peers help determine rental demand. As a result, one would assume that demand can vary greatly from building to building and even neighborhood to neighborhood. Which condo developments are the leaders when it comes to rental demand and which are the laggards? More importantly, which buildings should we expect to see prices climb in the near future?
In this first segment, I decided to analyze the Brickell rental market to answer the above questions. Below, you will find a spreadsheet containing rental data for various condo developments in Brickell. Click the link below the spreadsheet to view it in its entirety.
Brickell Rental Market as of March 01, 2011
Columns C through G show the number of available rentals pertaining to each condo development grouped by number of bedrooms. Column I displays the total number of rentals available in each condo development while column J shows the total number of units within that development. I debated whether or not to include column K, the number of available rentals over the total number of units in the development expressed as a percentage, because the figure can be deceiving in buildings where developer inventory remains which has neither been sold nor rented. This is the case in buildings such as Icon Brickell and Infinity at Brickell. Regardless, I decided to include the figure because it can provide additional insight in buildings where this is not the case.
The main objective in creating this spreadsheet was to calculate months of inventory for each condo development. This can be seen in column M. Months of inventory was calculated by dividing total units available for rent by the monthly average number of units rented over a 3-month period from November 16, 2010 to February 15, 2011. You may be wondering why I did not include closed rental data from the past two weeks in determining the monthly average. I have noticed that it can take real estate agents days, and even weeks, to change the status of a rental in the MLS from pending to rented. As a result, I felt that the average would be skewed to the downside and not be an accurate representation of the Brickell rental market. Furthermore, if I had to venture a guess, I would also say that it is highly likely that around 10 percent of the total number of units available for rent are in fact no longer available. In this case, the listing agent has yet to change the status from available to pending.
Regardless, a lot can be ascertained from the spreadsheet above. In my opinion, any building with 1.5 months of inventory or less has a solid rental market. 1060 Brickell, The Plaza on Brickell and Vue at Brickell are standouts with absorption rates hovering around one month. I expect rentals prices in these developments to continue to rise in the near future. For those in the market to lease a condo in one of these developments, I advise that you act quickly and put your best foot forward when making an offer.
According to the spreadsheet, there is currently 2.29 months of rental inventory available in Brickell. Some may expect this number to increase as more units from Icon Brickell and Infinity at Brickell hit the rental market. Of course, this will all depend on how quickly the units become available and at what pace demand absorbs them. Only time will tell, but I plan to watch Brickell rental market closely and post updates on a monthly basis.
I would love to hear your thoughts and comments.
Imperial at Brickell Penthouse Update
Last summer, as you may recall, I wrote a few blog posts regarding the penthouse at Imperial at Brickell. At the time, the penthouse was a bank-owned foreclosure. I felt that it was very well priced and, with the right amount of work, had a ton of potential. The 5,034 square foot penthouse ultimately sold for $1.05M, or $209 per square foot, on August 13, 2010. Amazing price!
Well, the penthouse at Imperial at Brickell is back on the market…the rental market to be exact. The asking price is $18,000 per month. No, that’s not a typo, just EXTREMELY high expectations. Judging by the pictures, only minor changes were made to the unit. I was expecting to see a complete rebuild of the penthouse. Regardless, the price had made me doing several triple-takes earlier this afternoon before I even took a look at the pictures.
Below is a video of the unit as I saw it last May:
Dedication Ceremony Scheduled for Miami Circle Park
The end is almost near…for Miami Circle Park that is. According to a local news station, a dedication ceremony of Miami Circle Park is scheduled for 11:30am on February 23, 2011. As you can see from the picture above, the park has come a long way since construction began. Miami Circle Park, designated a National Historic Landmark to preserve a 2,000 year old archaeological find, is located at the mouth of the Miami River and Biscayne Bay. Residents of Brickell will now have a green space of which they can be proud.
1060 Brickell 1 Bedroom/1.5 Bath Loft Reduced for Quick Sale
We currently have an exclusive listing for a beautiful 1 bedroom/1.5 bath bi-level loft at 1060 Brickell. The unit has 1,128 square feet of interior, polished porcelain tile throughout, stainless steel appliances, stackable washer/dryer, an upgraded full bathroom and a balcony facing west overlooking Mary Brickell Village.
Three months ago when we took the listing, the initial asking price of the loft was $335,000. Yesterday, we were contacted by the owner and he requested that we lower the price to $259,000 for a quick sale. $230 per square foot is an amazing deal for a unit at 1060 Brickell. In fact, our listing is currently the lowest price per square foot of any unit at 1060 Brickell.
For those not familiar with 1060 Brickell, it is centrally located in Brickell just a block away from the shops, restaurants and bars at Mary Brickell Village. Additionally, the building is within walking distance of two Publix grocery stores. 1060 Brickell has a number of great amenities such as 24-hour security and valet, swimming pool, hot tub, state-of-the-art fitness center, yoga room, steam rooms, game room with billiard table and a virtual golf room.
Below, you’ll find a video tour which shows the view and interior features of the loft. For additional information and pictures click on the following link to view the MLS property listing for unit 2216 at 1060 Brickell. Contact us at 305-428-3860 if you have any questions or have an interest in viewing the unit in person.
Three Bank Owned Condo Foreclosures Worth Pursuing
The foreclosure forefront has been quite slow ever since several U.S. banks initiated a voluntary freeze in October. The freeze on foreclosures was implemented after banks had acknowledged using “robo-signers” to approve hundreds of foreclosure documents a day without first verifying the information in them. Bank of America, the largest U.S. financial institution, announced the week of December 6, 2010 that it would lift its national foreclosure freeze and resume taking possession of properties. Despite the announcement, I had not seen any foreclosure condos in Miami or Miami Beach hit the market that I felt would be of any interest to my readers for quite some time. That is, until yesterday. The following are three Miami or Miami Beach condo foreclosures along with my commentary detailing why I feel they are deals worth pursuing.
One Miami #3103 – This 31st floor, 1 bedroom/1 bath bank owned foreclosure has 868 square feet and is asking $182,000 or $210 per square foot. The unit faces south overlooking the Miami River with views of Biscayne Bay from the balcony. Taking a look at recent sales at One Miami, one can see that unit 803 which is in the same line but located 23 floors lower sold for $188,000 on November 9, 2010. This is the only 03 line that has sold within the past six months. Unit 3103 at One Miami is currently the second best priced condo in the building, second only to a short sale by $2,000. If you’re looking for a quick purchase without the hassle of a short sale then this is a great condo to look into right away.
Vue at Brickell #2115 – With an asking price of $159,900, or $143 per square foot, this 2 bedroom/2 bath corner unit is an exceptional deal but I expect it to sell well above asking price. Of the recent sales at Vue at Brickell, units 1415 and 815 are by far the best comparables because, once again, they are in the same line as the subject property. Unit 815, residing 13 floors lower sold for $180,000 on October 28, 2010 while unit 1415, just seven floors lower sold for $185,000 on August 5, 2010. You also have to take into account that unit 2115 appears to be an upgraded unit from the pictures. It has hard wood floors throughout the living areas while units 815 and 1415 both had carpeting.
The Cosmopolitan #2213 – If you’ve been waiting for a well priced condo foreclosure in South Beach, then look no further. The Cosmopolitan is located at 110 Washington Avenue in the South of Fifth neighborhood of South Beach which is one of the most sought after neighborhoods in Miami Beach. This 1 bedroom/1 bath condo has 861 square feet and comes with 2 parking spaces, a rarity in the Miami Beach condo market. The asking price is $241,433, or $280 per square foot, which is an unbelievable deal for a 1 bedroom condo at The Cosmopolitan. Notice that next best priced 1 bedroom condo currently available at The Cosmopolitan is asking over $75,000 more than unit 2213. For some reason, our website isn’t showing any of the seven condos that have closed at The Cosmopolitan over the past six months. Three of the seven closed sales were one bedroom units which ranged from $270,000 to $349, 500.
Two REOs Hit the Market at Brickell on the River North Tower
Since yesterday, two REO condos at Brickell on the River North Tower have come onto the market. The first is a 3 bedroom/2.5 bath condo on the 35th floor with 1,513 square feet of interior. The asking price is $ 314,000, or $208 per square foot. The second condo, also located on the 35th floor, is a 2 bedroom/2 bath condo with 1,157 square feet of interior. The asking price is $222,750, or $193 per square foot. Both condos face west, come with one parking space and have tiled flooring throughout the living areas and marble in the bathrooms. Both condos are well priced and should receive offers from multiple parties. Contact us at 305-428-3860 if you have an interest in either or both condos at Brickell on the River North Tower.
Top 5 Distressed Condo Sales Closed in October 2010
Below, you will find what I believe to be the five best condo deals of the 71 distressed condo sales that closed in October 2010 in the MLS located in Brickell, Brickell Key, Downtown Miami and the Arts District. This should give everyone a good idea of the kind of deals that can be obtained in the Miami condo market at this time. Of the 71 distressed condo sales that closed last month, 39 were REOs and 32 were short sales. I feel it’s important to note that 25 of the 39 REOs sold at or above asking price. Time and time again, we try to emphasize to clients that the majority of well priced REOs in condominium buildings of interest will receive multiple offers and sell at or above asking price. It may be difficult to believe but bidding for condo foreclosures in Miami is very competitive. For example, unit 1601 at Solaris at Brickell was a foreclosure that we discussed on one of our video shows in August. The condo was listed for $168,300. At that price, we felt that the condo was grossly under priced. Last month, the condo closed for $230,000, or about 37% above asking price. It’s important to recognize good value when it becomes available and to have the ability to act quickly. As a side note, in the example above, our recommendation at the time to potential buyers was to bid up to $200,000.
Solaris at Brickell #1204 – 2 bedroom/2 bath (1,145 square feet) – This unit sold for $165,100, or $144 per square foot, on October 21, 2010. REO
Brickell on the River North Tower #3417 – 2 bedroom/2 bath (1,157 square feet) – This unit sold for $215,000, or $186 per square foot, on October 1, 2010. Foreclosure
Blue Condominium #2004 – 2 bedroom/2.5 bath (1,158 square feet) – This unit sold for $180,000, or $155 per square foot, on October 8, 2010. Foreclosure
Neo Vertika #2519 – 2 bedroom/2 bath (1,113 square feet) – This unit sold for $159,000, or $143 per square foot, on October 4, 2010. Short Sale
Cite on the Bay #119 – 2 bedroom/1.5 bath (980 square feet) – This unit sold for $136,000 or $139 per square foot, on October 20, 2010. Short Sale
Santa Maria Penthouse Back on the Market – $14.9M
As you may recall, Penthouse 4901 at Santa Maria was a bank-owned foreclosure that came onto the market this past May at an asking price of $12.9M. Later that same very day, the status of the listing changed to “closed sale” and showed a purchase price of $11M, or $1100 per square foot. Earlier today, I noticed that the amazing, 10,000 square foot penthouse at Santa Maria was re-listed last month, on September 10th, at an asking price of $14.9M, or $1490 per square foot. There’s no question that Penthouse 4901 at Santa Maria is one of Miami’s most coveted luxury penthouses. It will be interesting to see how long it remains on the market before garnering the interest of another buyer. I’ll be sure to keep the penthouse on my radar and report the sales price after it closes.
View additional pictures and listing information for Santa Maria PH4901.
Closings at Icon Brickell Picking Up Steam
Closings at Icon Brickell began in December 2008. Since that time, Icon Brickell has been covered by local and national media alike. Some news articles marveled at the sheer size of the development while others predicted its impending doom. Closings at Icon Brickell started tremendously slow with many buyers choosing to wait for the development to revert back to the conglomerate of banks providing the financing for construction in hopes that price reductions would soon follow. This past May, Towers 1 and 2 of Icon Brickell were handed back to its lenders and prices were once again reduced. It appears that the latest price reduction has peaked the interest of buyers who had been sitting on the sidelines. Seems unbelievable but Tower 1 has now sold around 85 percent of its condos while about 90 percent of the units in Tower 3 have sold. Tower 2 was the most recent to become available and has already sold around 25 percent of its condos. Those are very impressive numbers. In my opinion, Tower 2 offers the best views of the three towers and should have no problem selling its remaining units.
