Brickell Condo Index – October 2007

Brickell

As I mentioned in a previous post, The Sail on Brickell will no longer be included in the Brickell Condo Index. I also made a change to the way that the statistics in the third section of the index are presented. It should now be much easier to make sense of the monthly figures. This came as a suggestion from a reader (Thank you!). My comments on this month’s numbers are also found towards the bottom of this post.

The average price per square foot of condos listed has dropped this month to $518.91 from last month’s figure of $525.88. Last month, The Sail on Brickell had an average list price of $507.11 per square foot, so the drop would have been greater had it been included this month and its average remained around the same. The weight-adjusted average also dropped to $521.29 per square foot from last month’s figure of $530.15.

Average price per square foot of units currently listed on the MLS:

Brickell

The average price per square foot of condos sold over the past six months actually went up this month to $481.69 from last month’s figure of $467.47. The increase would have been less had The Sail on Brickell been included. Last month, it had an average of $386.41 per square foot. If its statistic remained the same, the average would have been $476.39 per square foot. Much of the increase is also attributed to The Mark on Brickell which I will discuss below. The weight-adjusted average went up to $495.31 per square foot from last month’s average of $486.30.

Average price per square foot of Brickell condos sold in the MLS within the past six months:

  • Atlantis on Brickell – 2025 Brickell Ave | 33129 | $298.11
  • Brickell on the River North – 31 SE 5 St | 33131 | $415.74
  • Bristol Tower – 2127 Brickell Ave | 33129 | $440.18
  • Emerald at Brickell – 218 SE 14 St | 33131 | $523.78
  • Four Seasons Residences – 1425 Brickell Ave | 33131 | $675.30
  • Imperial at Brickell – 1627 Brickell Ave | 33129 | $331.99
  • Jade Brickell – 1331 Brickell Bay Dr | 33131 | $723.60
  • Neo Vertika – 690 SW 1 Ct | 33130 | $329.67
  • One Miami – 325 & 335 S Biscayne Blvd | 33131 | $430.12
  • Santa Maria – 1643 Brickell Ave | 33129 | $672.22
  • Skyline on Brickell – 2101 Brickell Ave | 33129 | $463.75
  • Solaris at Brickell – 186 SE 12 Ter | 33131 | $454.32
  • The Club at Brickell Bay – 1200 Brickell Bay Dr | 33131 | $660.39
  • The Mark on Brickell – 1155 Brickell Bay Dr | 33131 | $589.06
  • The Palace – 1541 Brickell Ave | 33129 | $388.54
  • Villa Regina – 1581 Brickell Ave | 33129 | $316.62
  • Vue at Brickell – 1250 S Miami Ave | 33131 | $475.30

The numbers below are a bit difficult to read but if you save and open the picture file it should make it easier.

Brickell Condo Index - October 2007

The first column to the right of each condo development’s name is the difference in the average sales price and list price for this month, found above, expressed as a percentage. You will notice that Emerald at Brickell, The Club at Brickell Bay, The Mark on Brickell, The Palace and Vue at Brickell are the only developments that have a higher average sales price than list price.

The second column is the number of active listings in each development currently in the MLS. The third column shows the percentage that these listings represent over the total number of condo units in each development. The cells highlighted in green reveal those developments that have active listings that represent less than 10 percent of the the overall units in the building. I find this to be a healthy number. The ones highlighted in red reveal those developments that have active listings that represent over 20 percent of the overall units in the building. This is a very unhealthy figure and should act as a warning sign. Is it coincidence that Jade, The Club at Brickell Bay and Vue at Brickell, which have all been riddled by mortgage fraud appear in red? I think not! I think this statistic is highly important. It provides great insight as to which condo developments will be next to have price cuts and those that may actually go up in price in the coming months. A leading indicator, if you may.

The fourth column shows the number of pending sales while the fifth column displays the number of closed sales within the past month. As I mentioned, last month a large portion of the pending sales at The Club at Brickell Bay are very old. Only three of them have been pending for five months or less. It is good to see, however, that each development has at least one pending sale. The number of closed sales within the past month has dropped to seven, which is its lowest point since I began tracking this statistic. Not good…not good at all!

The sixth column show you the difference in the average list prices from this month’s and last month’s, expressed a percentage. Those highlighted in red reveal those condo developments which had a drop in their average list price while those highlighted in green show those that had an increase. As you see, The Vue at Brickell had a price drop for condos listed of 8.57 percent. Much of this is attributed to the ever-growing number of short-sale and foreclosure units in the building. In fact, I have counted 24 units in the MLS that fit this bill. That represents 7.43 percent of the overall building. Yikes!

The seventh column reveals the difference in average sales prices from this month’s and last month’s expressed as a percentage. The 17.54 percent price increase over last month’s statistic at The Mark on Brickell jumped out at me. Of course, I had to investigate. The good news is that I didn’t find any fraudulent transactions that have occurred within the last month. Thank God! The bad news, however, is that I did discover two transactions that closed in June that I didn’t notice before that appear to be fraudulent. You be the judge! A 2 bedroom/2 bath with 1,200 square feet that was listed at $890,000 closed for $845,000, or $704 per square foot, on June 30, 2007. Another 2 bedroom/2 bath also with 1,200 square feet that was listed for $850,000 closed for $840,000, or $700 per square foot, on June 6, 2007. In each case, the listing agent was also the buyer’s agent. In the second case, the unit previously closed in January of this year for a price of $560,000. Looks like fraud, smells like fraud…what do you think? The average price increase also became more pronounced at The Mark on Brickell because a few other sales that sold in the $300’s and $400’s per square foot fell off the average.

Brickell Avenue

The large drop in prices, over the past month for condos sold over the previous six months, at Neo Vertika were mainly a result of the unit that my client closed on a few weeks ago for $242 per square foot.

Sunday Afternoon Bicycle Ride Through Brickell and Downtown Miami

Last week, I purchased a new road bike. My hope was to not only get a good cardio workout while cycling but also to get some great pictures of Miami and South Beach condos while doing so. My goal today was to get some shots of the condo developments in Brickell and Downtown that were either recently completed or will be completed within the next year. Unfortunately, it was a very cloudy day as you will see below.

Plaza on Brickell

Closings at Plaza on Brickell will likely begin in January. This development will add 1,000 new units to the Brickell condo market.

1060 Brickell Avenue

Closings at 1060 Brickell should occur around the same time. 1060 Brickell will add 582 condo units.

Axis

Closings at Axis will likely begin around the middle of 2008. Axis will add 718 units.

500 Brickell

Closings for 500 Brickell are scheduled for the beginning of 2008. This development will add 633 units.

Infinity at Brickell

Infinity at Brickell will likely be completed towards the middle of 2008. Infinity will bring 459 condo units to the market.

I forgot to get a shot of Brickell on the River South. That development will add 322 units. I also didn’t get one today for Latitude on the River but I’ve displayed pictures of that building in the past. Closings at Latitude started about two months ago. It has 455 condo units.

Asia Brickell Key

Asia is located on Brickell Key. It is the only development under construction there. It will add 123 condo units when it is completed in the first half of 2008.

50 Biscayne

Closings at 50 Biscayne began about a week and a half ago. I walked in the lobby last week and it is gorgeous. I didn’t have my camcorder with me at the time, however. I will try to get a video and picture tour of the building within the next week. 50 Biscayne has 529 condo units.

Loft Downtown 2

Closings at Loft Downtown 2 are scheduled to begin this month. In fact, they may have already begun. It will add 496 units.

Everglades on the Bay

Everglades on the Bay (now known as Vizcayne) likely won’t be completed until the end of 2008 or beginning of 2009. It will add 866 condo units to the Miami real estate market.

Marina Blue

I’ve been told that closings at Marina Blue are scheduled to begin November 1, 2007. I don’t see that happening so soon but maybe I’m wrong. My guess would be sometime in December or January. Marina Blue will add 516 units.

900 Biscayne Bay

900 Biscayne Bay will likely be completed in the first half of 2008. It will add 516 units as well.

Ten Museum Park and Marquis

Closings for units at Ten Museum Park began about three months ago. Closings are still underway. It has 200 units. Marquis probably won’t be completed until the end of 2008 to beginning of 2009. It will bring 306 units to the Miami condo market.

Park West

Above is a shot of Marina Blue, 900 Biscayne Bay, Ten Museum Park and Marquis.

In conclusion, there might be a tiny bit of an inventory problem in Miami (that was me being sarcastic). I also didn’t include Icon Brickell and Epic Miami which will be completed in 2009. Icon Brickell will add 1,816 units while Epic will add 966 units. The condo developments in the Arts District will also add a little over 2,000 new units to the market within the next six months.

Neo Vertika Short-Sale Becomes a Closed Sale

Neo Vertika

The 2 bedroom + den/2 bath loft at Neo Vertika that I wrote about on September 4 closed Wednesday afternoon. The unit has 1,255 square feet of interior space, 20-foot ceilings, a large balcony that extends the length of the unit and comes with the upgraded stainless steel appliance package. Since it has never been lived in before it comes “decorator-ready”. This south-facing two-story loft is located on the 29th and 30th floors and overlooks the swimming pool and has obstructed views of Biscayne Bay. The unit was sold as a short-sale so my client was able to acquire it at a great price. The purchase price was $303,800 and the appraisal came in at $445,000.

My client’s plan was to rent and hold the unit for around 2-3 years before selling it. However, I have received some interest from people wanting to look at it and possibly acquire it once he closed. I will be showing the unit to all interested parties for the next week or two. After that, my client will install the floors and likely rent it as he had planned.

Neo Vertika

The best priced D floor plan at Neo Vertika is currently listed at $450,000. My client is willing to sell his unit for $385,000, which would make it priced even better than the smaller, and less desirable, 2 bedroom C floor plan units currently available in the building.

Neo Vertika

The picture slideshow below will show you unit 2919 at Neo Vertika which is the loft that my client purchased:

I also did a video walk-through of the unit:

The following video will show you the common areas at Neo Vertika. This video was shot about 12 months ago and the common areas were not 100 percent complete at the time.

If you have an interest in viewing this unit and the building in person then contact me to schedule a showing.

Closings at Latitude on the River Faring Better Than Most Miami Condo Developments

Latitude on the River

I have been tracking closings at Latitude on the River for the past couple of months. As of two days ago, Latitude on the River has been able to close 275 of their 455 total units. The closed units represent roughly 60 percent of the overall building. Closings are usually recorded within one week but can sometimes take 2-3 weeks before they are finally recorded.

The 60 percent may not seem like very much given that closings began July 27 of this year. However, Latitude on the River has had a higher closing percentage than other developments that began closings earlier than them such as Onyx on the Bay, Star Lofts on the Bay, Midtown 2 and Ten Museum Park.

Latitude on the River

The majority of closings at Latitude on the River occurred within the first four weeks. In fact, about 66 percent of their total closings occurred within those first 28 days. Closings have not completely tapered off, however. With the exception of the tenth week, they have been able to close over 10 units per week. The tenth week only had three recorded closings but additional closings likely occurred but just haven’t been recorded yet.

The fact that Latitude on the River has fared better than other developments that have begun closings as of late is the good news. The bad news is that there haven’t been any pending or closed sales since closings began. There are currently 70 listings available for sale and 77 available for rent. The 70 units available for sale represents about 25 percent of the closed units. There is likely much overlap in the units available for rent and sale. There have been 7 units that have successfully rented since closings began and 6 that are currently pending in the MLS.

Latitude on the River

Prices in the MLS for units at Latitude on the River have continued to slide over the past couple of months and are moving towards a point where a pending sale is likely to occur within the next 30 days. The best priced 1/1 is listed at $254,900 while the best priced 2 bedroom, which is actually the largest 2 bedroom in the building at 1,300 square feet of interior space, is listed at $399,999.

The problem is that foreclosures and short-sales in other developments throughout Brickell that are closer to the bay have increased within recent months. They are offering finished units at prices that are similar, or in some cases, better than those offered at Latitude on the River. It will be interesting to see where prices throughout Brickell end up once the dust settles.

Developers Renting Their Inventory as a Last Resort

On Friday, the Daily Business Review published an article entitled, “Condominiums: Holding Pattern”. The article points out that several developers of recently completed condo developments have opted to rent their unsold or defaulted inventory to remain afloat.

The question that resounds throughout the article is whether or not this approach makes economic sense for these developers. Their hope is that the rental income earned will buy them time until the market rebounds.

Midtown 2

The Midtown Miami development lies at the forefront of the article. Midtown 2 has had considerable problems with closings since they began in May of this year. As stated in the article, I have found only 179 closings for their 338 total units. The class-action lawsuit against the developer by contract holders certainly hasn’t helped matters. However, the root of the problem lies in the fact that the preconstruction prices offered by the developer were much too high for that neighborhood. Units were sold with a promise that the neighborhood would somehow be transformed within three short years. The reality is that the neighborhood is still at least another 3-5 years away from delivering on that promise. Initial prices at Midtown 2, and Midtown 4 for that matter, were higher than more desirable Brickell condo developments such as Plaza on Brickell, 500 Brickell and Axis.

Sandra de la Torre, a sales agent at Midtown Miami, stated in the article that 20 developer units were available for rent and 20-25 were available for sale. I highly doubt that this is the only inventory that the developer has in his possession, given that only 179 closings at Midtown 2 appear in public records. It is much more likely that at least 30 percent of the building will eventually be available for lease through the developer. I haven’t heard anything lately regarding the class-action lawsuit, so maybe it is still pending and a large portion of the unaccounted units can be tied to that.

Rental prices will need to be quite attractive at 2 Midtown in order for potential tenants to be enticed into signing a lease there. Many more options will become available for renters in the upcoming months in more desirable neighborhoods at attractive prices. In the Miami Arts District, The 1800 Club, in my opinion, will drive rental prices down throughout the neighborhood once closings begin and investors eventually opt to lease their units. The prices at The 1800 Club were quite attractive when sales were initially launched. This is one condo building where it might make economic sense for the developer to rent its remaining inventory. The neighborhood immediately surrounding The 1800 Club has a greater chance of rebounding within the next couple of years than that surrounding Midtown Miami. Vulture capital funds should keep a close eye on The 1800 Club because it could become the ideal development to invest in future months if prices dip below initial preconstruction prices.

Plaza on Brickell and Axis are two condo developments in Brickell that will drive down rental prices throughout the neighborhood once they are completed. Both were attractively priced and will ultimately provide Brickell renters with highly competitive rental prices. Both developments were backed by a high percentage of investors who will also likely lease their units to wait for the next upturn in the condo market.

The Sail on Brickell

The Sail on Brickell was also mentioned in the article as being another development that has sought to rent its remaining inventory. I was not aware that Renzi Development had failed to close on it 152 total units until I read this story. I wasn’t surprised, however, given that it is a second-tier condo development in Brickell that has been riddled by mortgage fraud. As a result, the Sail on Brickell will no longer be included in the Brickell Condo Index. It will eventually be replaced by Latitude on the River once it has closed on all of its units.

As for Midtown 2, I think they’ll be lucky to get rental rates of $1.75 per square foot. The “rent and wait” option doesn’t make economic sense for this development, in my opinion. The developers of the Sail on Brickell, which doesn’t reside on Brickell Avenue, will also have difficulties in making their rental numbers work. I think one bedrooms there will eventually rent for around $1,250 per month.

Bayfront Brickell Condo Foreclosure to Sell Below $200 Per Squar Foot?

Atlantis on Brickell

I’ve been keeping a close eye on a 4 bedroom/4 bath split-level bank-owned condo at Atlantis on Brickell for quite some time. It has 2,628 square feet of interior living space and is located on the third floor. The price has continually been reduced throughout the months that I’ve kept an eye on it, but it now looks appealing. The list price on this unit is $559,900, or $213 per square foot, at the present time.

Atlantis

Below you will see the price changes since it was listed on May 16, 2007:

  • 05/16/2007 – $799,900
  • 06/13/2007 – $759,900
  • 07/16/2007 – $719,900
  • 08/03/2007 – $679,900
  • 08/28/2007 – $644,900
  • 09/25/2007 – $559,900

Unfortunately, the pictures that accompanied the listing are no longer available. I haven’t personally viewed this property yet, but the pictures that were previously available made it apparent that the unit definitely needed some TLC. A few people in my office did visit the unit about six weeks ago and did confirm that the unit does need much work. On the high end, a $170,820, or $65 per square foot, build-out project should make this unit into an A+ residence. A $500,000, or $190 per square foot, offer should seal the deal on this condo given the continual decrease in price every month. I’m sure that Deutsche Bank is growing tired of keeping this property on their books month after month.

A 3/3 with 2,171 square feet of interior space on the same floor at Atlantis on Brickell, which needs some work of its own, is currently listed on the MLS for $750,000, or $345 per square foot. Invest $65 per square foot to fully renovate the unit, with an overall price per square foot of $255, and you should do well.

Jorge of the Jungle

A few months ago I wrote a post entitled, “Advice to Miami Condo Sellers“. It was a highly read piece because of the inventory figures that were provided. I highly recommend that you read it if you recently discovered this blog and are curious about the developments that are scheduled to close within the next two years in Miami.

Of the 6,951 condos scheduled to be delivered within the next 17 months in Brickell, the new inventory represented by The Related Group of Florida roughly amounts to 50 percent. Matt Allen, chief operating officer and executive VP of The Related Group, indicated in yesterday’s Miami Herald article about the Platinum Condominium auction that The Related Group would never resort to utilizing the auction system to sell defaulted condo units.

This statement is neither inaccurate nor misleading for a number of reasons:

  1. The Related Group is known to leave money on the table for investors. Their preconstruction prices are, for the most part, well below those that were offered at comparable developments in the area. Some developers sell their preconstruction inventory in batches, with each subsequent group of condos sold at a higher price per square foot than the preceding batch. The Related Group, however, sells out in one day and moves on to their next development.
  2. The Related Group is a highly reputable developer. Reputation goes a long way in this business. Many investors made a lot of money by investing in developments that were tagged with The Related Group name. Thereafter, investors blindly endorsed deposit checks to them for preconstruction condo units solely based on their reputation. Their reputation would be highly damaged if they ever sold their unsold inventory via an auction.
  3. The Related Group is well connected. They will never utilize the auction system because they have strong ties to the investment community. George can make one to two phone calls and have the excess inventory from his developments disappear at much higher prices than what can be obtained through the auction system. As Matt Allen stated in the Miami Herald article, “When you have an auction, the bottom feeders come out”.
  4. My high school pitching coach taught me that pitching is just like real estate. It’s all about location, location, location. The Related Group has an uncanny knack of choosing the best locations upon which to develop.

It is inevitable that even a developer as highly regarded as The Related Group will have a high number of defaults. However, their excess inventory will likely be swallowed by investment groups looking to buy at a discount. It will happen so fast that the public won’t know about it until months after.

Miami Condo Index – Brickell – September 2007

Brickell

I received an email last week from a potential investor asking me if Miami is now safer than the “Miami Vice days” that he saw on TV. Indeed, the streets of Miami are much safer than they were 20 years ago, but the corruption that infested the city back then is still prevalent now.

Another month, another fraudulent transaction. I guess nobody cares. As I mentioned last month, the rumors are out there that a government agency is on the lookout for such activity but I’ve begun to lose hope that these rumors hold much water. If these rumors are true, then shame on them for allowing such activity to continue, and allowing the reputation of this city to be equated to that of which was prevalent in the 1980s. This past month, I’ve heard that an FBI agent is living at Vue at Brickell and Jade at Brickell Bay. I wouldn’t be surprised if one lives at The Club at Brickell Bay as well.

The continuance of fraudulent activity in Brickell has sickened me. The sooner that the Miami Herald, or some other major newspaper, goes public with this story, the better. The fraudulent activity just needs to stop. It is doing nobody any good to let the fraudulent activity prevail, except those who are facilitating it.

Sorry, but I just had to rant and rave for a moment. Now, back to our regularly scheduled program (but I’ll continue to rant and rave towards the end when I disclose the latest fraudulent transaction).

Four Seasons Residences

The average price per square foot of condos listed in the 18 Brickell buildings included in the Brickell Condo Index has dropped to $525.88 from last month’s average price per square foot of $529.05. The weight-adjusted average has also dropped to $530.15 versus last month’s weight-adjusted average price per square foot of $537.67. Both figures are below those that were calculated in July as well.

Average price per square foot of units currently listed on the MLS:

The average price of condos sold over the past six months has dropped to $467.47 per square foot versus last month’s figure of $471.94 per square foot. The weight-adjusted average has also dropped to $486.30 per square foot from last month’s weight-adjusted average of $498.36 per square foot. Much of the decrease is due to the a sizable drop in the averages at The Club at Brickell Bay and Vue at Brickell. Both buildings had fraudulent transactions that fell off the six month average.

The Sail at Brickell had yet another fraudulent transaction this past month. It was conducted by the same broker that conducted the fraudulent transaction at The Sail at Brickell that I spoke of in July. Once again, the broker acted as the listing agent and the selling agent. He must have some luck! He was also able to close the deal the same day that the deal went pending. Imagine that! This guy works miracles. He was able to sell a 2 bedroom/2 bath at The Sail on Brickell for $670,000. Well at least he was able to negotiate the price down $10,000 for his buyer. He has some smooth negotiating skills. He must also have some great persuasion skills because nobody in their right mind would pay $670,000 for a 2 bedroom at The Sail on Brickell.

The Sail on Brickell

Average price per square foot of condos sold in the past 6 months:

  • Atlantis on Brickell – 2025 Brickell Ave | 33129 | $298.11
  • Brickell on the River North – 31 SE 5 St | 33131 | $409.44
  • Bristol Tower – 2127 Brickell Ave | 33129 | $440.18
  • Emerald at Brickell – 218 SE 14 St | 33131 | $523.78
  • Four Seasons Residences – 1425 Brickell Ave | 33131 | $720.15
  • Imperial at Brickell – 1627 Brickell Ave | 33129 | $304.56
  • Jade at Brickell Bay – 1331 Brickell Bay Dr | 33131 | $690.18
  • Neo Vertika – 690 SW 1 Ct | 33130 | $361.99
  • One Miami – 325 & 335 S Biscayne Blvd | 33131 | $446.06
  • Sail on Brickell – 170 SE 14 St | 33131 | $386.41
  • Santa Maria – 1643 Brickell Ave | 33129 | $618.50
  • Skyline on Brickell – 2101 Brickell Ave | 33129 | $451.29
  • Solaris at Brickell – 186 SE 12 Ter | 33131 | $457.45
  • The Club at Brickell Bay – 1200 Brickell Bay Dr | 33131 | $660.39
  • The Mark on Brickell – 1155 Brickell Bay Dr | 33131 | $501.16
  • The Palace – 1541 Brickell Ave | 33129 | $363.32
  • Villa Regina – 1581 Brickell Ave | 33129 | $316.62
  • Vue at Brickell – 1250 S Miami Ave | 33131 | $464.83

This is the first month that a development has had a price per square foot under $300 for condos sold over the previous six months since I began this index. Atlantis on Brickell broke through this barrier with an average price per square foot of $298.11. This figure for Atlantis on Brickell will likely continue to decline as a bank-owned listing has remained on the market for quite some time and will likely sell for around $200 per square foot.

Below you will find the new statistics that I have included in this month’s Brickell Condo Index. The first number directly to the right of each development name represents the total number of active listings. The second number, in parentheses, is the number of currently listed condos expressed as a percentage of the total number of condos in the development. The third number represents the number of pending sales while the fourth is the number of closed sales within the past month.

  • Atlantis on Brickell – 13 (13.54%) | 1 | 1
  • Brickell on the River North– 59 (18.21%) | 4 | 0
  • Bristol Tower – 19 (12.93%) | 3 | 1
  • Emerald at Brickell – 34 (23.94%) | 1 | 0
  • Four Seasons Residences – 18 (6.67%) | 3 | 0
  • Imperial at Brickell – 15 (9.32%) | 2 | 0
  • Jade at Brickell Bay – 76 (23.31%) | 6 | 1
  • Neo Vertika – 78 (17.61%) | 7 | 0
  • One Miami – 165 (18.42%) | 6 | 2
  • Sail on Brickell – 64 (42.11%) | 2 | 1
  • Santa Maria – 10 (5.75%) | 1 | 1
  • Skyline on Brickell – 54 (15.00%) | 2 | 1
  • Solaris at Brickell – 21 (15.22%) | 2 | 1
  • The Club at Brickell Bay – 145 (22.55%) | 11 | 1
  • The Mark on Brickell – 43 (11.62%) | 0 | 1
  • The Palace – 25 (9.84%) | 1 | 0
  • Villa Regina – 20 (9.62%) | 0 | 0
  • Vue at Brickell – 62 (19.20%) | 1 | 0

Two numbers jumped out at me when reviewing this month’s findings: the 42.11% of available listings at The Sail on Brickell and the 11 pending sales at The Club at Brickell Bay.

I knew that prices were high and unjustified at The Sail on Brickell with mortgage fraud having much to do with it, but I never would have imagined that over 40 percent of the building would be available for sale. That’s incredible! However, a look at the current list prices should make those who have visited this building realize that the prices at The Sail on Brickell are ridiculous. Of the 18 buildings included in the Brickell Condo Index, I would rank The Sail at Brickell at the bottom. There are no views and the common areas and amenities are below Brickell standards. The developer, Renzi Development, recently announced that they plan to go forth with their Beacon at Brickell Village development. I sure hope they have second thoughts. The Sail on Brickell will eventually sell for around $250 per square foot (and that’s being generous). If I were a condo owner who is motivated to sell at The Sail on Brickell then I would be priced at the front of the large pack.

When I saw the 11 pending sales at The Club at Brickell Bay I was quite surprised. At first I thought it was my lack of REM sleep setting in. Once I realized that it wasn’t, I had to investigate further. What I found made this number a complete sham. Of the 11 pending sales, 9 of them have been pending since 2005 and 2006. What the….? It usually takes two months, maybe three months tops, to take a pending sale to the closing table. The other two pending sales have been pending since January and March of 2007. Something just isn’t right. Most likely the sales prices couldn’t be justified. Take 6 months, 12, months, 36 months and the prices still won’t be justified. These transactions should be reclassified as “hopeless” rather than pending. A 1 bedroom/1 bath at The Club at Brickell Bay will be going up for auction tomorrow, September 19, 2007 at 3pm. That will give everyone a good indication as to the fate of prices at The Club at Brickell Bay. You can be sure that I’ll report about it within the next couple of days.

So there you have it, that is the latest Brickell Condo Index. The good news is that there were 11 closed sales within the past month versus a total of eight closed sales the month prior to last. There were a total of nine closed sales the month prior to that.

Emerald at Brickell

There are a total of 42 pending sales disregarding the 11 at The Club at Brickell Bay since those have been discredited. As long as half of those transactions actually close, then there should be about 10-11 closed sales next month. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. I’m praying that we won’t have another fraudulent transaction then. If we do, and you thought I ranted and raved now, just wait until next month.

Highly Motivated Seller of Two Latitude on the River 2 bedroom/2.5 Bath Condos – $395,000!!!

Latitude on the River

The owner of two condos at Latitude on the River contacted me earlier this week. He is highly motivated to sell both of his 2 bedroom/2.5 bath condos and is willing to consider all reasonable offers. He has already closed on both of these B12 units and is willing to accept a loss on each of them.

Latitude on the River

One of the condos is located on the 17th floor while the other is located on the 20th floor. He went into contract on both of these units in Summer of 2005 but paid the original prices that were offered when sales were initially launched. The contract price on the condo located on the 17th floor was $455,000 while the one on the 20th floor was $461,000. His closing costs were approximately $10,000 for each unit. The slideshow below will show some pictures that I took of the unit on the 17th floor.

The unit on the 17th floor is listed at $459,000 which currently offers the best price per square foot of all 2 bedroom condos at Latitude on the River. There’s a two bedroom listed on the MLS for less but the square footage is inaccurate. The listing agent of that unit decided to include the terrace space as well. The interior space of that condo is actually only 1,179 square feet.

The amenities at Latitude on the River are highly impressive and is a huge selling point for this building. It has some of the best amenities that I’ve seen of the newer condo developments. At this price point, I haven’t seen any that match the quality of amenities that can be found at Latitude on the River. The lobby, landscaping and water features of the building are quite impressive as well.

The amenities at Latitude on the River include the following:

  • Concierge/24-hour security
  • Valet parking
  • Secured garage
  • Infinity-edge swimming pool
  • Whirlpool/spa
  • Poolside bar with sports media wall
  • 16-seat movie theater room
  • Billiard/party room with kitchen
  • 2-story state-of-the-art fitness center and yoga room
  • 4 high-speed elevators

If you’re in the market to buy a 2 bedroom/2.5 bath at Latitude on the River then this is your chance to score a great deal. Contact me today if you’d like to submit an offer on one or both of these condos.

Both of the units come decorator-ready with concrete floors. The following slideshow will show you a few pictures of a fully decorated unit so you can see what one of these can look like.

Update: This condo closed on December 27, 2008 for $546,000.