Genting Group, a Malaysian developer which purchased 140 acres of waterfront land in Downtown Miami for $236M on May 27, has contracted the world-renowned architectural firm, Arquitectonica, to design a $3 billion gaming resort called Resorts World Miami. Genting Group has vast experience in the gaming industry. In fact, it is the third largest casino company in Asia. Currently, the Florida legislature has yet to approve a bill allowing full-based casinos to operate in the state but that has not stopped casinos from increasing the money they spend on lobbyists to push a bill through the Senate to change that.
What kind of impact do you think a Miami-based casino will have on the city? Will property values in Downtown Miami be positively or negatively affected?
One Developer Unit Remaining at 900 Biscayne Bay
900 Biscayne Bay is on the brink of being completely sold out of its developer inventory. Only one developer unit remains, unit 1708, which is a 2 bedroom/2 bath with 1,285 square feet of interior. At this time last week, four other developer units remained but various buyers have stepped in since that time to help close out the building.
900 Biscayne Bay will be the first luxury condo development to sell out in Miami of those built during Miami’s recent construction boom. It’s an amazing feat given the state of today’s economy, the extent of the real estate market downturn in Miami since the peak of the market and the fact that 900 Biscayne Bay has 516 total units. In my opinion, 900 Biscayne Bay is a first-rate product that sells itself. It has a timeless decor, amenities that impress even the most discerning of visitors to the building and breathtaking water views of the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay. 515 down, 1 to go.
01 Line at Marquis Residences
The 01 line at Marquis Residences is one of the most sought after lines amongst luxury condo developments in Miami. Located on the southern end of the building, the flow-through unit offers both sunset and sunrise views along with views of Downtown Miami, Biscayne Bay, the Miami Beach skyline and the Atlantic Ocean. From floors 23-60, the 01 floor plan at Marquis Residences is a 3 bedroom/2.5 bath condo with 2,106 square feet of interior and a 243 square foot balcony on the east side of the unit.
We decided to make a video showcasing the 01 line at Marquis Residences because we have recently received a lot of interest from potential buyers regarding that particular line. We also feel that the unit offers the best views and pricing amongst developer inventory that is currently on the market. The video below shows a model unit at Marquis Residences located on the 48th floor. Marquis Residences is located at 1100 Biscayne Boulevard in Downtown Miami.
CBS4 Reports on the Downtown Miami Condo Market Turnaround
For those who missed it earlier this evening, CBS4 aired a segment entitled “Is Downtown Miami’s Condo Market on the Rebound?“. CBS4 reporter, David Sutta, highlighted the recent sellout of the Viceroy Tower at Icon Brickell and interviewed our very own, of the Miami Condo Investments team, to get his perspective regarding the dwindling condo inventory in Downtown Miami. He compares the condo inventory at the peak of the market to the inventory that now exists. Over the past year, prices have begun to rebound in Downtown Miami as inventory has been swallowed up predominantly by foreign buyers. There is no reason to believe that the market turnaround will reverse course anytime soon as new condo inventory in Downtown Miami is years away from hitting the market.
Best Priced 2 Bedroom at 900 Biscayne Bay – $510,000
We recently got a new listing at 900 Biscayne Bay. It’s a 2 bedroom/2.5 bath condo with 1,355 square feet of interior and 597 square feet of balcony. The unit has American maple wood floors throughout the living areas and marble floors in the bathrooms. The unit faces northeast with a view of Biscayne Bay. The asking price is $510,000 which currently makes it the best priced 2 bedroom at 900 Biscayne Bay. Contact us if you would like to view the unit in person or if you would like more information regarding unit 2012 at 900 Biscayne Bay.
If you’re in the market for a luxury condo rental in Downtown Miami then you may want to take a look at the two gems below. Both rentals are stunning and came onto the market earlier this afternoon.
The first is a 4 bedroom/4.5 bath bi-level condo at Marquis Residences. The 57th floor unit has 3,880 square feet of interior with wood flooring throughout and comes fully furnished. Asking price is $12,000 per month.
The second rental is a 3 bedroom + den/4.5 bath penthouse at 900 Biscayne Bay. The unit has 3,493 square feet of interior, marble flooring throughout and an over-sized terrace unique to the 59th floor. The floor plan is pretty spectacular. Asking price is $8,900 per month. The condo is also available for sale at an asking price of $2,099,000.
900 Biscayne Bay #5901 – 3 bedroom + den/4.5 bath – $8,900 per month
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have an interest in viewing either of the above two rentals. If these properties aren’t quite what you have in mind, please feel free to use our property search to find a rental that suits your style and needs.
Downtown Miami Rental Market
Below, is a spreadsheet I compiled earlier this afternoon that shows various statistics regarding the Downtown Miami condos rental market. Click on the link below the spreadsheet to view it in its entirety. I calculated the months of inventory figure by dividing total units available by the average units rented over a three month period from December 1, 2010 to February 28, 2011. You will see that Downtown Miami currently has 2.55 months of rental inventory.
Downtown Miami Rental Market as of March 15, 2011
Everglades on the Bay Officially Renamed Vizcayne
The 849-unit, two-tower, mixed-use development located at 244 Biscayne Blvd and 253 NE 2 St in Downtown Miami has officially been renamed Vizcayne (comprised of Vizcayne South Tower condos and Vizcayne North Tower condos). The name change, in conjunction with a multi-million dollar completion program, is an effort to rebrand the development and revitalize sales. An official relaunch event is scheduled for next month where the public will be able to tour Vizcayne as well as decorated model units.
Only 40 Developer Units Remain at 900 Biscayne Bay
I was notified earlier today that only 40 developer units remain at 900 Biscayne Bay. It seems highly likely that 900 Biscayne Bay will be the first luxury condo development in Miami to sell out completely of those constructed during the recent housing boom. My guess is that the building will sell its last developer unit some time towards the end of April. The amenities and common areas at 900 Biscayne Bay are second to none which helps to explain why pricing has fared so well despite the downturn in the market. The building also has strong financials. I was recently informed that the association has $2M in reserves. It is rare to find a building in Miami that can boast such stability. Be sure to check out the video below if you wish to learn more about 900 Biscayne Bay. Feel free to call us if you have any questions or would like to tour the building.
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.
