The picture above shows Latitude on the River and Latitude One. Latitude on the River is a residential condominium building comprised of 427 units on 44 floors while Latitude One is a condo office building made up of 217,000 square feet spread across 22 floors. Latitude on the River is located along the Miami River directly west of Neo Vertika at 615 SW 2 Avenue.
Many local Miamians have expressed an interest to me in acquiring a condo at Latitude on the River because the pricing is attractive and because the neighborhood has come a long way since sales initially began. It is difficult not to take notice of Latitude on the River while driving down the southern end of I-95 as it towers over all surrounding buildings. It reminds me of an NFL lineman with broad shoulders and a thick upper body.
There are a total of five listings in the MLS right now, two of which are from the developer. The other three listings appeared 2-3 weeks ago. Closings will begin towards the end of August.
I visited with a sales agent representing the developer of Latitude on the River a few months ago with a client of mine to see what was available. The prices were all over the place but there seemed to be a few well priced units. For example, you could get a one bedroom for around $270,000 on a relatively high floor with a view of Biscayne Bay. My client decided to wait a while though until closings began as we both felt that better opportunities would become available at that time. The five listings currently on the MLS, however, are far from opportunistic as many are well above $400, and even, $500 per square foot. I feel that prices will settle around $300-$375 per square foot as more people realize the true condition of the real estate market at this time.
At the beginning of 2005, when I initially visited the sales center of Latitude on the River, I was pretty impressed with what I saw, given the price point. The amenities of the building as well as the vision for that neighborhood is what really grabbed me. However, there were a few aspects of the neighborhood that were difficult to look past, and are worth mentioning. For one, the large electrical plant across the river directly north of Latitude on the River was one eyesore. Condo units facing south that clear the Latitude One condo offices should hold a higher value than those facing north. Those units will have a nice view of Biscayne Bay.
The second eyesore is the Pleasure Emporium III that you’ll see as you make your way into the entrance of Latitude on the River on SW 6 Street. It is literally a half a block west of Latitude on the River and is something you will see daily if you live there.
The neighborhood does have its appeals, however. The shops and restaurants at Mary Brickell Village that are within walking distance are a definite plus, as it provides convenience. Latitude on the River, as the name insinuates, is also directly on the Miami River and offers a riverwalk that will eventually connect as far east to the river promenade now in place at the entrance of One Miami. It will be great once the planned restaurants along the Miami River are complete and the planned water taxi system goes into effect. Latitude on the River is also conveniently located near I-95, making it a cinch to get to South Beach, Miami International Airport, Coral Gables, Coconut Grove and other areas of interest throughout the Miamiland area.
I will keep everyone posted when good deals become available at Latitude on the River once more units are listed in the MLS.
To Close or Not to Close? – Tough Decision Ahead for Preconstruction Contract Holders as Closing Dates Approach
Closing dates are quickly approaching for preconstruction condo holders in several big name developments. Closings continue at Midtown 2 while closings at Latitude on the River and Ten Museum Park began a few weeks ago. Closings at Opera Tower and Onyx on the Bay should begin later this month.
I’m sure a good number of these contract holders have asked themselves whether or not they should close. Most have probably even crunched some numbers to figure out what they should do. With deposit money equal to 20 percent of the total purchase price at stake, it is a very important decision.
The question on everyone’s mind is what percentage of these condo units are owned by investors versus those who intend to occupy the unit. An even better question though is of the investor-owned units, what percentage are owned by people who were looking to flip their unit prior to closing versus those intending to hold long term.
Those who were looking to flip their condo prior to closing most likely had their unit in the developer’s resale program. Each resale program is a bit different and the fees required to resell the unit can vary greatly. Most charge a 6 percent commission as well as a transfer fee which I’ve seen range from as little as .75 percent to as high as 7 percent. For example, Ten Museum Park charges a .75 percent transfer fee, or 6.75 percent when including the commission, while Opera Tower charges a 7 percent transfer fee, or a total of 13 percent when including the commission.
I think Ten Museum Park might have a few forfeited deposits but nothing too serious. It gave contract holders another option besides walking away from their entire deposit. They are allowing contract holders to accept a loss but still get back a portion of their deposit money. This past week I had a client who purchased a unit at Ten Museum Park from a contract holder for $55,000 less than what it was purchased for in January of 2004. The contract holder also paid the 6.75 percent fee which totaled $61,087.50. Of the $181,000 that the contract holder laid down as a deposit, they will see $64,912.50 at closing. It’s a big loss but it is still better than walking away from the entire 20 percent.
Buildings like Opera Tower and Quantum on the Bay, however, are not giving their contract holders many options. They aren’t allowing people to take a loss until after closing. In fact, at Quantum on the Bay, it is required that you list your unit at a minimum of 16 percent above the purchase price. That is insane! Who is going to buy that? You might as well not have your unit in the resale program because it won’t sell. Quantum on the Bay charges a total of 12 percent in fees to resell a unit in their resale program.
Of course, contract holders could do a simultaneous closing to avoid these heavy transfer fees. However, most first time investors are unaware that this option exists. Even if they are aware of this option, they still need to find a replacement buyer or hire a real estate agent to help find one for them.
Time is running out and many are asking whether it is better to close on their unit or walk away from their 20 percent deposit. Keep in mind that most developers charge a developer’s fee which is due at closing. This fee is typically 1.75 percent of the purchase price. Also, units come “decorator-ready” so additional money will be required if you want to have the option of renting it out in case it doesn’t sell. Too many times I have seen people hope that they could quickly flip the unit after closing rather than invest additional money into the unit. The unit ends up sitting on the market for six months and then they decide that they’ll have to rent it out. They would have saved themselves a lot of money if they had prepared to have the option of renting the unit at the beginning rather than wasting six months. You’ll need to spend money to install floors, window treatments, light fixtures and to have the walls painted since most come with the walls only primed.
A lot of people will end up pulling money out at closing to pay for these expenditures. For example, someone might choose to do 90 percent financing so that they can get 10 percent back at closing. That 10 percent will pay the developer’s fee, closing costs and expenses for flooring, window treatments, light fixtures, etc. The money will also help pay the mortgage until the condo is either sold or rented. Unfortunately, in recent times, 90 percent financing isn’t as readily available as it was in the past.
Judgment Day Just Around the Corner for the Miami Condo Market
There are a number of premier condo buildings that are scheduled for completion in the next six months throughout Miami. These include, but are not limited to, the following:
It will be interesting to see, in the coming months, where prices will go from here. The number of distressed properties has been climbing throughout Miami-Dade County and that number should escalate as these new units hit the market. A year ago properties in Miami were selling like hotcakes. 12 months later the market has cooled considerably in Miami, as has the overall national real estate market. Vulture capitalists have been circling the skies of Miami for over two years, waiting for the right moment to swoop in and scavenge the real estate market here in Miami. 12 months ago vulture capitalists were told that their moment would never come as some real estate markets, throughout the United States, turned in double-digit growth. However, the next six months might be just the moment that they have been waiting for as national foreclosure filings has increased 35 percent over the previous year, according to RealtyTrac. Coupled with the increasing number of new properties that will come on board in the coming months, Miami may be ripe for the picking. The question is “Will the vulture capitalists provide a cushioned bottom for the inevitable judgment day that awaits the condo market?”. “Can their deep pockets provide the support that this market needs or will we find out just how deep the rabbit-hole goes?”
As the day of judgment comes we, here at Miami Condo Investments, will be ready to seek out the best opportunities and pass them along to our faithful blog subscribers. We plan to provide a complete analysis on all condo investment opportunities that meet our criteria, along with a comparative market analysis, pictures of the properties and, in some cases, video so our subscribers can fully grasp the opportunity.
