The Smoking Ban In Condos Movement Lights Up Again
A movement to ban smoking in condos is heating up again. Fort Lauderdale developer, Dennis Eisinger does not allow smoking in the common areas of his buildings nor in the parking garage, balconies or inside the units themselves, according to the Daily Business Review. The movement is spreading South as well… we noticed this week that Biscayne Beach will also be a 100% smoke-free building.
Here is the section of the Biscayne Beach Rules & Regulations that deals with smoking:
Under Mr. Eisinger’s plan, condo developers retain the right to prohibit smoking in the buildings they sell, and existing buildings have an opportunity to decide for themselves to go smoke-free. A 75% condo board agreement would change the building bylaws and deem lighting up a violation. “Smokers are not a protected class,” Mr. Eisinger told the Daily Business Review, referring to the federal Fair Housing Act.
Why This Is An Amazing Idea
To be honest, Biscayne Beach’s choice to prohibit makes a lot of sense. Below all of the units is the restaurant and beach club. I highly doubt the patrons of the restaurant and the beach club members would appreciate being hit with a stray cigarette while they enjoy their fruity drinks by the pool. I certainly wouldn’t.
In addition, every single building manager I have spoken with has complained at one point or another about cigarettes ruining the pool furniture and starting fires on balconies below. In Infinity, there was actually a fire a couple of years back on a balcony when a cigarette butt hit a patio cushion and it burned. I was also hit in the head recently while swimming with my baby in the pool. Thank goodness it was my hair that got singed and not the baby’s. Scary.
Smoking inside the apartments causes its own form of damage. Smoke smell is not a selling feature. I’ve routinely seen tenants and buyers alike dismiss a property because of the smell. Speaking also from the standpoint of a landlord’s representative, the smell is nearly impossible to get out. The apartments always have to be repainted, the air conditioner units deep cleaned and sometimes the flooring and window shades even need to be changed. This cost quickly adds up and exceeds the security deposit that landlords hold. Not a great investment.
Aside from the inconvenience to others, affect on market values and danger of burns, I think the CDC has appropriately made their point and convinced everyone that smoking is hazardous to your health and to the health of those around you.
But Are The Buildings Overstepping Their Power?
Despite the reasons why buildings SHOULD go smoke-free, can the condo association really dictate what people do inside of the properties that they own? Or is that an example of association over-control?
Also, how could it really be enforced? Would there be a cigarette-gestapo to make sure that people follow the rules? I would love to find out who threw that cigarette off the balcony and hit me in the head, but I recognize that I will never know.
VIDEO: Paramount Miami Worldcenter Construction Update
Paramount Miami Worldcenter from the north side construction entrance April 25, 2017.
Phase one vertical construction is now underway at Paramount Miami Worldcenter, according to the developer. The seven story pedestal has reached its final height at a rate of about one floor per week, now they begin construction on the tower portion of the project. When completed, the residential tower will bring 522 residences to Downtown Miami in a glistening 60 story tower atop a 27 acre high street retail promenade. The tower boasts the most amenities of any residential tower in the world.
The residential condos are currently 62% sold at an average of $650/square foot. Some of the available purchase opportunities that remain are:
a 1,095 square foot 1 bedroom with a den at $626,000 is the least expensive apartment currently available. Considering the typical 1 bedroom in the area is 700-800 square feet, this would probably be considered a 2 bedroom in many competing developments.
Two bedrooms start at $1,287,000 for a 44th floor apartment with 2 bedrooms, 3 baths and a den over 1,753 square feet.
Three bedrooms start at $1,581,300. There is one available on the southwest corner that is 2,230 square feet and has 3 bedrooms, 4 baths and a den.
The entire project is expected to be finished in 2019. Here is a video that Bryan Glazer put together that shows the scope of the project and offers a preview of how much the neighborhood will change with its addition. Last year, the developer also released a movie preview that highlights the projects amenities in dramatic form. I am very excited to see this one start to take shape!
Video overview of Paramount Miami Worldcenter by Bryan Glazer
Aston Martin Residences – Available Floor Plans & Prices
We were excited earlier this week to receive a full presentation of Aston Martin Residences, the new super-luxury development in Downtown Miami. Earlier, we posted the new renderings along with new details about the amenities and finishes that were shared with us during that presentation.
I always say that the best time to buy is in the very beginning or the very end of a project’s sales cycle. In the beginning, the details are less concrete and many times the sales center and brochures are not yet completed. At the end, the developer is eager to move on to their next project. Either way, these are the times to get the best pricing.
In our previous post, we mentioned that 25 of the available 391 residences have already been sold. The developer is now selling their second release, here is our favorite option from each line. Please remember that this is the availability and price as of today. If you are interested in one of the options, just reach out and we can quickly send you an update.
Here is where you can find the sales brochure and fact sheet that we received when the project originally launched. Now, without further adieu, The Residences:
River Residence 401 – $3,181,900 ($954/square foot)
River Residence 502 – $1,470,900 ($997/square foot)
River Residence 703 – $1,763,900 ($969/square foot)
River Residence 1105 – $531,900 ($762/square foot)
River Residence 1006 – $681,900 ($799/square foot)
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.
