The Ultimate Market Stat Monday: Downtown Development Authority’s Mid-Year Report
Despite the fact that many media outlets and whispers in the marketplace would leave you to believe that the cards are stacked against us in the Miami condo market, things really aren’t so bad according to the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Mid-Year 2017 Report. As they state in the report, “2017 has not been the best of times, but it hasn’t been the worst of times either.”
I have included the full 28 page report below, but also a synopsis…
RENTALS
The report separates the rental market into two sub-categories. Conventional rentals are the rental-only buildings that are all managed by one company. 2017 has brought 969 new rental units to the market, leaving just under 3,600 under construction. The condo rentals are considered shadow inventory since there is no way to tell whether a unit would be a rental, resale, or final sale until after delivery.
Amazingly, despite increased inventory, rental prices have increased slightly in conventional rental communities. I had previously been skeptical about the rental community market with so much inventory going up, but our neighborhood is very attractive and people are flocking in.
The segments of the rental market showing the biggest price gains are 1 bedrooms and 3 bedrooms, showing 3.4% and 3.6% growth since last year respectively. Studios are showing a slight decrease in price, but I suspect that this is due to the fact that tenants who would typically take a studio are now taking one bedrooms. Three bedrooms are less plentiful in the neighborhood, so are almost always a good investment opportunity.
PRE-CONSTRUCTION
The market in new developments is also hanging on. The researchers report that 2016 and 2017 YTD have garnered about 50% of the sales experienced in 2015, which experienced 25%-50% less than 2014. It’s undeniable that things have changed, but we will survive and the projects will be sold.
While the market has slowed markedly, projects that are currently under construction and 55%-60% sold do not seem to be in distress, according to the researchers.
One submarket that could flourish in the upcoming 18 months is the smaller-scale boutique project market. According to the report and our experience, these developments tend to capitalize on infill lots between the larger developments and do very well when the larger buildings slow down.
RESALES
Our resales are facing a tremendous amount of inventory with a 6% decline in overall pricing since last year. From July 2016 to June 2017 there were an average of 99 resales sold. That rate needs to be raised by an additional 500-700 listings sold per month to reach pricing equilibrium.
The conclusion of the report is that because so many new construction projects continue to be delivered and fewer projects are announced, we could see some stability in 2018 if nothing crazy happens.
The development broke ground in March of 2016. After ten months of site work, the foundation was poured in January 2017 during a ceremonious 24-hour process. Sales have remained steady as well, with 70% of the units already under contract.
Tower Residences are currently available from $480,000 to $1.62 million. The Penthouse Collection offers residences from $980,000 to $1.78 million, and in July the opulent Upper Penthouse Collection was unveiled with prices ranging from $6 million to $15.5 million.
Panorama Tower Parts Ways With General Contractor Mid-Construction
image via Goldendusk Photography
Panorama Tower and Tutor Perini have officially parted ways, according to workmen on the site. Rumors had been swirling for weeks prior that there had been a problem with property damage after Hurricane Irma and that the proper insurance was not in place, causing upwards of $40 million in damage that was not covered by the policies that were in place.
The tower is still slated to open the first 48 floors in January, but there is no update on when the upper floors will become available, according to the leasing office. Many locals had reported that windows and doors from the project flew onto Brickell Avenue and into the pool at the neighboring Plaza at Brickell during the hurricane. That would mean that the building likely also sustained immense flooding from the affected units down, causing costly damage.
According to people on the site, FECR intends to complete the project itself rather than seeking out another General Contractor. In my opinion, this is for the best considering the fact that Mr. Hollo got his start as a successful contractor.
Market Stat Monday: Icon Brickell
Unless you’ve been living under a rock over the last two years(or outside of Miami), you have to know that Icon Brickell is undergoing an epic pool repair. How’s that coming along?
According to their management office, very well. Everything is still on schedule to see the pool fully repaired and reopened by the December 15 date they had initially anticipated. Of course, the last year has left a lot of frustration and questions for unit owners and residents, but there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel. Because of the frustration of not having a pool, coupled with the inconvenience of living in a construction zone and our over-saturated market, have people been able been able to land some amazing bargains? Not so fast…
While there are currently 167 active listings on the market for sale and 113 available for rent, the development is still seeing solid traffic. The third quarter of 2017 brought 30 new closed sales and 104 new tenants, all paying more than 90% of the asking price.
Sales
The most expensive listing to trade over the last quarter was Bay Loft 806. It was a 2 bedroom with a den and direct bay views from each room, and traded for $745,000 after having been listed for $780,000.
The least expensive transaction was a studio in the Viceroy (W Hotel) tower. It had been listed for $270,000, but traded for $250,000. One of the unique features of Tower 3 at IconBrickell is that daily rentals are allowed.
On average, buyers have given 92% of the asking price of the condos they purchased, or $442/ square foot. It also takes 233 days to sell a listing on average, but as many as 644 days. Given that there were 30 new closed sales during the quarter, that leaves us with 16 months of inventory. This really isn’t a bad number compared with the market as a whole.
Rentals
On the rental side, things move much more quickly. With 104 closed rentals and 113 available options, there is just over 3 months’ of inventory.
The least expensive rental was a studio on he 8th floor with a river view that rented for $1,675/month. The most expensive was a 3 bedroom unit with 2 baths and a big bay view that leased for $6,000/month.
On average though, the listings are trading for $2.90/square foot and take 68 days to find a new tenant. The tenants are also paying 95% of the asking price, so there are no special bargains to be had despite the pool situation.
Not bad!
Market Stat Monday: 1010 Brickell
It has now been just over six weeks since 1010 Brickell opened its doors, sending the market into the flurry of interest and curiosity we have become familiar with when the neighborhood gets a new newest building. But does 1010 live up to the hype? Let’s have a look at the market after a few weeks and see…
Closings
Although Hurricane Irma put a hold on closings for two weeks in early September, 12 buyers were able to receive keys before the storm hit. Once the storm passed, things went back to normal and a total of 84 units have closed to-date with an average price of $411/square foot, according to the tax rolls.
Resales
Of the 84 units that closed, 34 have come back to the market as resales so far. None have found buyers yet, but the asking prices are:
When shopping in 1010 Brickell, make sure to look at the floor plan of the apartment you are planning to visit prior to the tour, as I did see several units with dens that were being sold as an extra bedroom. You will want to double check that the den has actually been converted.
For potential buyers who are financing their purchase, you will be pleased to know that 1010 Brickell is one of the few buildings in the area that has Fannie Mae Approval. This will make financing much easier and less expensive.
Rentals
So far there has been only one closed rental in the building, but there are at least four that have already found tenants and are waiting for move-in day.
The rental that has already closed was a 1778 square foot 2 bedroom/3 bath apartment on the 15th floor with a private elevator, a den and a partial bay view. The landlord had listed the property for $4,000 per month and received a full price contract.
The four that are waiting to close all have city views and are listed as follows:
– A two bedroom, three bath on the 37th floor for $3,400 per month.
– A one bedroom, two bath plan with a converted den on the 14th floor for $2,875 per month.
– A one bedroom, two bath with an open den on the 15th floor for $2,700 per month.
– A 28th floor studio for $1,800 per month.
Of course, since these four have not yet closed, we do not yet know the final lease prices but I expect them to be very close to the list price since owners are not very motivated to negotiate when they are among the very first listings in a brand new building.
One surprising factor that I will continue to monitor over the coming weeks is the fact that six weeks after opening, there are only 15 available rentals in a 389 unit building. I had expected to see three times that number! It could be because the closing schedule moves at a more leisurely pace in 1010 Brickell than in Related Group’s projects like Brickell Heights or SLS Brickell. Related Group typically closes 30-40 units per week until all have closed. According to the tax roll, 1010 Brickell is closing 10-15 per week.It could also be because more buyers are moving into their apartments, rather than leasing them out. Only time will tell.
For tenants who are hoping to move to 1010 Brickell, here are the price ranges as of today.
– Studios: $1,800 per month.
– One Bedrooms: $2,150-$2,900 per month. All of these have city views, and some have dens.
– Two Bedrooms: There are currently only two available. For a city view, $3,250 per month and for a partial bay view with a private elevator, $5,000 per month.
– Three Bedrooms: $5,250 per month with a partial bay view and private elevator.
To stay up-to-date with the available inventory yourself, you can visit our 1010 Brickell Rentals page to get real-time availability.
About 1010 Brickell
It isn’t just 1010’s status as the new newest building on the block that has the market so excited. The building also has the most expansive array of family-friendly amenities in the neighborhood, including play rooms for toddlers/little kids, climbing walls, an arcade, basketball court, bowling alley and more in addition to the expected state-of-the-art fitness center, spa, social room and hammam. Scroll through the photos below to get an idea… what do you think?
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Rapper Gucci Mane To Wed In $1 Million Brickell Wedding Next Week
Miami is known for over-the-top living, and rappers are known for over-the-top spending, so what do you get when you combine the two?
A wedding fit for a television special.
That’s right, rapper Gucci Mane and his fiancèe, Keyshia Ka’oir, are set to tie the knot in a live television special on October 17 at the Four Seasons Miami, which is located at 1425 Brickell Avenue. The future Mrs. Mane is a Jamaican video model turned businesswoman with a successful cosmetics line. She captured the rapper’s heart in 2010. He proposed in 2016 on the Kiss Cam at an Atlanta Hawks basketball game with a 25 carat ring.
The wedding is said to have 200 guests, and the budget for invitations alone is $50,000! The invitations are said to have cost $1,000 apiece, according to TMZ, and are mirror-inspired booklets dripping in Swarovski crystals. In addition to the $1 million being shelled out by BET for the nuptuals, the happy couple will take home an additional $650k for themselves. Not a bad gig…
For over 10 years, the Four Seasons Miami was the tallest tower in Florida, until it was recently surpassed by Panorama Tower a few blocks away. Prices of the residences range from $750,000 for a 1 bedroom up to $25 million for a 6 bedroom penthouse. The tower is also home to a hotel (where the wedding will be held), an office tower that is home to an Equinox Fitness, and a condo-hotel section that is a good opportunity for AirBnb investments.
Salt Bae’s Nusr-et Miami Steak House Opens In Two Weeks
Turkish chef and internet sensation, Nusret Gökçe (aka “Salt Bae”) is putting the finishing touches on his Miami restaurant, Nusret Miami. We caught up with the famous butcher and chef after a day of interviewing potential staff directly followed by training for those who were chosen. In between selfies, he confirmed that the restaurant will be open in two weeks, right on schedule.
For those who are unfamiliar, Nusret shot to fame in January, when a video of him expertly slicing a perfectly cooked ottoman steak and then ceremoniously sprinkling salt onto the dish so that it bounces off of his forearm and spreads across the meat perfectly.
After the first video went viral, others followed, turning the butcher’s cooking style into a form of performance art. He throws slabs of meat in the air, slaps them, cuts them mid-air and always ends up with a perfectly-cooked, beautifully-plated dish for his patrons and followers.
Rather than letting his 15 minutes of fame come and go, he capitalized on his new status as an Internet celebrity. He has embraced his nickname of #SaltBae and expanded his chain of restaurants. The initial locations started in 2010 and were in Instanbul, then Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The Miami location will be the first location in the United States, with a second steakhouse opening soon in New York City. The Nusret Miami location will be located at 999 Brickell Avenue.
Here are a few of our favorite recipe performances, from his Instagram…
Trey Songz Finally Sold His Brickell Key Condo After 20 Months
After more than a year and a half of steady price reductions, R&B superstar Trey Songz has finally found a buyer for his Brickell Key condo. The sale has not yet hit the public records, but according to MLS data, the final sales price was $710,000. That is a huge reduction from the original listing price of $1.05 million in 2016!
Despite the $340,000 price chop, the singer still came out ahead. He had paid just $437,000 for the unit back in 2010, so realized a profit of just over $230,000 after commissions. No word yet on the identity of the buyer, but they closed the deal with a conventional mortgage.
The unit is located in the Courts on Brickell Key, where the average sales price over the last year has averaged $436 per square foot, the same rate that the buyer paid.
Despite reports that Brickell Flatiron had lost one of its tower cranes during Hurricane Irma, the project did not suffer damage and remains on track for completion in the summer of 2019. As of this week, they have reached the 16th floor of vertical construction and continue to build at a rate of one floor per week.
The development broke ground in March of 2016. After ten months of site work, the foundation was poured in January 2017 during a ceremonious 24-hour process. Sales have remained steady as well, with 70% of the units already under contract.
Tower Residences are currently available from $480,000 to $1.62 million. The Penthouse Collection offers residences from $980,000 to $1.78 million, and in July the opulent Upper Penthouse Collection was unveiled with prices ranging from $6 million to $15.5 million.
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