Max Strang Brings Us Waterfront Peace & Serenity At The Fairchild Coconut Grove
On a day when what we needed most was peaceful serenity, The Fairchild Coconut Grove delivered. We were treated to a preview of Max Strang’s creation of 26 waterfront residences just south of Mercy Hospital along the Biscayne Bay and it was just what everyone needed.
In a video interview with Mr. Strang, he details how his inspiration was “where the Biscayne Bay meets the jungle” and has created a serene and tranquil location with muted luxury and natural beauty that is just perfect for those who are searching to be near the hustle and bustle of the Downtown area, but prefer a quieter lifestyle at home.
The project has just 26 residences on 5 floors and 9 different layouts. The prices range from $1.4 million up to $4.6 million and the layouts range from 1,714 square foot plans with 2 bedrooms, a den and 2.5 baths up to 4,114 square foot plans with 4 bedrooms and 5.5 baths. Sales launched just a few weeks ago and four residences are currently under contract, from what we hear.
There has been a lot of commentary recently over the state of our condo market and whether or not bringing new projects to market at this time is a wise move. In most cases, I would agree that we need to fill up the projects that we already have before introducing new inventory, but The Fairchild is different. I anticipate that this project will be sold out and delivered on schedule because it has so many differentiating qualities that are actually desired by potential buyers.
Max Strang is a very renowned architect in the area with an amazing talent of building beautiful residences that incorporate well with their environment. Until now, he has mostly concentrated on single family homes with an impressive portfolio alongside an impressive list of awards. Fairchild Coconut Grove will be his first condominium development, and we are very excited to see it built.
Almost 40% of Downtown Miami Residents Have Pets – Strategies for Investors and Tenants
The Downtown Miami DDA (Downtown Development Authority) released its updated demographics study today, and they found that 39% of Downtown Miami households include a pet. This is interesting because so many of the developments impose strict pet policies upon their residents. Some only allow certain sizes of pets, some only cats, some only allow pets for unit owners and some say no pets at all.
This is always a touchy subject when we are working with a client who has a pet. There is so much misinformation out there regarding which buildings do and do not welcome pets. If a resident gets caught with an unauthorized pet, they are forced with the difficult choice of paying a lease cancellation fee (which is typically the value of 2 months’ rent), or re-homing their beloved pet. Unfortunately, not all agents verify the pet policies before entering into a contract, which wastes time and gets the client all excited about an apartment that they cannot have. No bueno.
I even once had a client who cheated on me with another agent that had told them they could have a large pet in a pet-restricted building. That is completely irresponsible and self-serving of that agent. Thank goodness, the clients realized what would happen if they went forward with that deal. The agent would have been paid and then they would have either had to break their lease or part with their dog. That is a horrible choice to have to make when most people consider their pets as members of the family.
In order to have an authorized pet in the building, many associations require an additional registration and application. The pet’s weight is verified (many times with a report from the veterinarian), their vaccinations are verified and some buildings even take it a step further. Infinity at Brickell requires a DNA sample to be placed on file and in the event that messes are found in the lobby, the mess is sent in for a DNA match. The resident that pops up after the DNA test is issued a fine. I call it Maury Povich enforcement… but it works. If people know they’re going to get busted breaking the rules, they’ll be less likely to do so. This way, the building can continue to allow large pets for everyone.
Over recent years, a popular workaround to the ‘No Pets’ buildings has become all the rage. There are websites where you can claim that you need a therapy dog. They’ll issue you a certificate for a fee and, viola! Your dog can go with you everywhere and nobody can say anything… except the condo associations have started to get wise of this ruse. The Jade at Brickell verifies these Therapy Dog certificates through an attorney. It takes an extra few days during the application process and you don’t get your application fees back if you get caught with a phony form. I don’t recommend the fake therapy dog stunt.
If you are curious of whether a particular building accepts pets, just have a look at the building page on our website. We have verified all of the buildings’ policies and list them in the FAQ section of the website. Every now and again, a building will change their policy in between when we last called to verify, but we update it frequently. Our agents also keep themselves updated of the pet policies and fees for the buildings in the area. We’re all about efficiency and not wasting your time or energy…
So what about investors?
With the rental market changing, it is important to have apartments that appeal to as many people as possible. Purchasing an investment condo for sale in a pet-restricted building automatically crosses out almost 40% of the prospective tenants that could be interested in moving in. Some of my favorite pet-friendly buildings are MarinaBlue and 900 Biscayne Bay in Park West, Infinity at Brickell in Brickell, the Midtown developments in Midtown and One Miami in Downtown.
For investors who are concerned with having animals in your property without knowing the behavior or cleanliness of the pets, it is completely customary to charge a pet deposit for the unit. In many cases, the building has a separate pet deposit or fee, but I suggest a refundable deposit for the unit itself. The amount can vary depending upon the pet. Puppies would require a bit of a larger deposit since they tend to chew and have accidents. You could also lower the deposits in the event that a tenant was able to submit a diploma from obedience school or behavior training.
Whether you are an investor, or if you are buying/renting a home for yourself, if there is a specific building that you are curious about, don’t hesitate to drop us a line and inquire. We’re happy to help.
Coconut Grove’s Ace Theater Placed on National Register of Historic Places
Photo via Google Street View.
The Ace Theater in the West Grove, which was built in the 1930s and one of the few movie theaters to cater to Miami’s black community in the intervening decades of segregation (Real Deal says it was the “only” one in the ’50s, which doesn’t sound quite right. For one thing, the Olympia had a black section.) has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places following a campaign by its owners, longtime Coconut Grove residents The Wallace Family. Following the designation, the Wallaces plan to preserve and restore the theater as a multi-use entertainment venue, taking advantage of tax credits and transferable development rights to make the project more appealing to investors. Although a similar project championed by many Grove-ites, the restoration of the Coconut Grove Playhouse, has been dormant for years, frustrating some people who see the similarities between the two, the restoration of the Ace could be absolutely fantastic for the West Grove, Miami’s oldest black neighborhood, and for the preservation of Miami’s black heritage as a whole.
Alfred Browning Parker’s Sublime ‘Woodsong’ House Has Hit the Market
The famed postwar architect of many of Miami’s most striking subtropical homes, Alfred Browning Parker designed and built this Coconut Grove house, which he called ‘Woodsong,’ for himself in 1968. A series of pavilions bisected by a serpentine lap pool, deep in the Coconut Grove hammock, Woodsong sings. Since being owned by Parker, the house has traded hands a number of times, and yet it is, incredibly, still in absolute mint condition. The only weak spot might just be the kitchen. Although that space appears to have been sensitively updated, very standard-looking appliances and non-custom cabinetry from Home Depot or somewhere just don’t do justice to the quality of this house. Located on 3003 Seminole Street, Woodsong was listed twelve days ago for $2.75 million.
Flying Around Grove at Grand Bay
Grove at Grand Bay. Photo by Sean McCaughan.
Who can remember cruising down Brickell Avenue when they were kids, or at least with their kids, and looking for ‘the building with the hole in it?’ Because of how unusual a hole in a building was, and its feature role in the opening credits of Miami Vice, the Atlantis Condominiums designed by Arquitectonica reached worldwide iconic status. Flying around Grove at Grand Bay by drone, designed by Bjarke Ingels, it’s obvious that this pair of buildings may achieve the same fame with their own architectural trick. They twist, and it’s fantastic.
Grove at Grand Bay is only a few months away from completion. The last unit still available is the massive penthouse in the south tower, with six bedrooms, a spa, private pool, wine room, library, media room, two home offices, study, etc. etc. It’s listed for $25 million.
Almost Sold Out, Two Park Grove Begins Concrete Pour at 2 AM Tonight
The tower in the middle is Two Park Grove.
Up late and in the mood for a show? The foundation pour for Two Park Grove, starchitect Rem Koolhaas/OMA‘s first residential tower in the United States, is beginning at 2 AM tonight and will continue until 4 PM tomorrow. The first of the three Park Grove towers to begin construction (so… Rem Koolhaas’ first, second, and third residential towers in the U.S.) Two Park Grove is being co-developed by the Related Group and Terra Group, and is about 97% sold out (with pricing starting at $2 million). According to the press release 2,600 cubic yards of concrete will “lay the foundation for an elevated 3-foot deep concrete slab at its core that will support the faceted tower columns…This pour requires four pumps and the labor of over 100 people placing up to 400cy/hour.”
Miami Condo Investments Free Mobile App Available for Download on iTunes and Google Play
For those new to the website, or those who might be unaware, Miami Condo Investments has its own mobile app. It is free and available for download on iTunes, for the iPhone and iPad, and on Google Play, for all Android mobile devices. I released the iPhone version back in December 2009 and followed it up with the Android version about two and a half years later in May 2012. I may be a bit biased, but it truly is an amazing app. In many ways, the real estate app was ahead of its time when I released it in 2009. It still remains as powerful as ever, though, and I personally use it on a daily basis. In fact, I recently made the jump from using an iPhone to an Android phone, and it was the first app I downloaded.
I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on the app. I am hoping to release an updated version sometime in 2014 and welcome any ideas for it that you might have.
Update: We recently launched our new and improved mobile app called Condo Hunter – now available for iOS and Android.
Shane Battier Lists Coconut Grove Home for $1,895,000
Just weeks after winning his second NBA Championship, Miami Heat Forward Shane Battier has listed his Coconut Grove home for $1,895,000, according to hothothoops.com. Battier purchased the five bedroom, Mediterranean-style home for $1.6M a little over a year ago in June 2012. The 4,300 square residence is situated on an 8,000 square foot lot and features a 2-car garage, covered patio with adjacent pool, formal dining room, gourmet kitchen with walk-in pantry, downstairs office and master bedroom with his and her walk-in closets.
Battier’s contract with the Miami Heat is set to expire at the end of next season but rumor has it that he is upgrading to a luxury home in Miami.
Coconut Grove Waterfront Home Sells For $13.4M
A 7 bedroom/8 bath waterfront home in Coconut Grove sold last week for $13,419,495. The estate, located at 3500 Curtis Lane, resides on approximately 2 acres of land with an 11,000 square foot main house, a 4,400 square foot guest house and enjoys 300 feet of water frontage. The property includes a lit clay tennis court, a bayfront infinity edge pool, a private boat dock, an oversized air conditioned garage, a Boffi kitchen and a 2,000 square foot master suite. Truly, a beautiful home!
