Exclusive, First-Look at the $2M Sales Center for Paramount Miami Worldcenter

Earlier today, I was given an exclusive, first-look at the $2M sales center for Paramount Miami Worldcenter. Wow!  That was the first word out of my mouth as I entered the stunning, two-story showroom. Immediately, my eyes caught sight of the massive, wall-sized video display – such an impressive way to present the development. While there today, I was given the opportunity to watch on the big screen an unreleased video for Paramount Miami Worldcenter. I swear, the video gave me chills. It does an amazing job of conveying to the viewer just how spectacular Paramount Miami Worldcenter is going to be once it is completed. Not only that, it gives you a glimpse into the future of what is yet to come for the neighborhood. People are going to be super impressed with that video once it is released to the public.

The sales center, which is still a work in progress, is expected to be completed and opened to the public by the end of this month. At that point, preconstruction prices are expected to increase to coincide with the launch of sales to the public. Currently, units can only be reserved through the developer’s friends and family program. With prices starting at $550 per square foot, there are still a number of great options remaining. If you have an interest in learning more about Paramount Miami Worldcenter, please do not hesitate to contact me. I can be reached on my cell phone at 786-247-6332 or via email at [email protected].

One Thousand Museum Bulldozes Through 50 Percent Under Contract Mark

When it comes to sales as of late, One Thousand Museum has been kicking ass and taking names. While attending a VIP dinner event held at the One Thousand Museum sales gallery last Thursday, I learned that over 50 percent of the units at One Thousand Museum are now under contract. And I’m talking hard contracts here, each with deposits received and past their 15-day rescission period. From what I heard that night, sales had hovered around the 30 percent mark for a while but then, in the weeks following Art Basel and the developer’s brilliantly timed groundbreaking ceremony, it has been full speed ahead with no signs of slowing. Currently, the entry point to get in at One Thousand Museum is slightly over $5.5M, or $1,200 per square foot – although that may have changed since Thursday given that I learned yesterday that two new contracts were signed on Saturday. No word yet, however, as to which two units those might be. 50 percent under contract at this point is big news in and of itself, but what really blew my mind last Thursday night is that the developer already has six of the total eight full-floor residences under contract. The two remaining full-floor residences are priced slightly under $17.5M and $20M. With each having just under 10,000 interior square feet, those work out to be a little more than $1,750 and $2,000 per square foot respectively. That’s right folks, take a moment to process that small yet impactful piece of information and realize its significance, not only just for One Thousand Museum, but also for the Downtown Miami real estate market as a whole.

Since the beginning, I’ve been a huge believer in One Thousand Museum. It is great to see that buyers are finally starting to see One Thousand Museum for what it will one day become – a trophy property that will be revered by people from all over the world. Early last year, Wealth-X – “the world’s leading ultra high net worth (UHNW) intelligence and  prospecting firm” – compiled and published their top ten list of Billionaire Skyscraper Homes. Coming in at the number nine spot was One Thousand Museum. As you will see below, One Thousand Museum finds itself in very good company, not surprising given the fact that the tower was designed by one of the most prolific architects ever – Zaha Hadid.

1. One Hyde Park (London) – Average Price Per Square Foot: US$9,906
2. 432 Park Avenue (New York City) – Average Price Per Square Foot: US$6,742
3. One57 (New York City) – Average Price Per Square Foot: US$6,000
4. South Bank Tower (London) – Average Price Per Square Foot: US$3,300
5. Tour Odéon (Monaco) – Average Price Per Square Foot: US$8,900
6. Opus Hong Kong (Hong Kong) – Average Price Per Square Foot: US$10,740
7. 56 Leonard (New York City) – Average Price Per Square Foot: US$6,000
8. Clermont Residences (Singapore) – Average Price Per Square Foot: US$2,360
9. One Thousand Museum (Miami) – Average Price Per Square Foot: US$1,100
10. One Madison (New York City) – Average Price Per Square Foot: US$5,000

For those who are unfamiliar with One Thousand Museum, be sure to watch the promo video below to see for yourself just how spectacular the luxury tower will look once completed. It will forever change the Miami skyline for the better and help catapult the city’s real estate market to even greater prominence around the world.

Below are two recently released renderings for One Thousand Museum along with a few shots of the development’s hologram box and a photo taken of the Luxe Living Realty agents who attended last Thursday’s exclusive dinner event. That night, Luxe Living Realty agents (myself included) were formally named sales ambassadors for the project, which, among other things, provides us with 24/7 access to the One Thousand Museum sales gallery. Yes, that means that if you have $49M burning a hole in your pocket, and feel compelled to schedule a 3am appointment to visit the sales center and write-up a contract for the full-floor, duplex penthouse, I would be able to accommodate you. I realize that the jet lag from those long, transoceanic flights can be horrible.

If you have any questions about One Thousand Museum and/or would like to learn more about pricing and availability, please call me on my cell phone at 786-247-6332 or contact me via email at [email protected].

My First Impression of BrickellHouse

Yesterday afternoon, I finally got a chance to show a few condos at BrickellHouse. While there, I was also able to check out the amenities. Surprisingly, up until a few days ago, I hadn’t received one single buyer or rental lead for that building. Actually, I found that to be very surprising, almost to the point of being alarming. When a new building opens, there typically is a lot of interest and excitement from early-adopter-type people who clamor to be one of the firsts to live there. With BrickellHouse, I didn’t see that this time around, and I couldn’t explain why that was. I’ve already been seeing huge interest from people looking to buy or rent at the soon-to-be-opened 1100 Millecento, but interest in BrickellHouse has been lacking – at least from what I’ve been seeing. Again, I can’t explain it, but I’m here to tell you that if you are in the market to buy or rent a condo in Brickell, you should brush aside whatever reservations you may have about BrickellHouse and go check it out. It’s definitely worth considering. I must admit, I wasn’t expecting much from BrickellHouse in the way of views, given that it has buildings surrounding it on all sides, but views it has. They far exceeded my expectations. I showed one unit facing northwest, located on the 28th floor, and another facing southeast, situated on the 11th floor. Both had outstanding views. Just don’t go there, however, expecting to get uninterrupted water views, because you’re not going to get it unless you’re on a really high floor facing southeast, such as in the photo immediately below. I’ve also included a few other shots I took of the views. Unfortunately, I didn’t take any shots of the actual units. One of the condos I showed was a huge mess because it was in the middle of being built out and the other I didn’t a chance to because I was busy talking with my client. Hopefully, I’ll be back again soon and get a chance to take and share some photos of the actual units.

Overall, I was impressed with BrickellHouse. I think it helps fill a sizable gap between existing high-end condos (e.g. Icon Brickell) and mid-range condos (i.e. The  Plaza on Brickell and 1060 Brickell).

Icon Bay and Biscayne Beach Construction Update

Earlier this week, while scoping out the panoramic views from the rooftop deck of Penthouse 1 at Bay House, I got the opportunity to peek in on the progress being made at neighboring condo development Icon Bay as well as that of Biscayne Beach, located just two blocks away from Bay House on 29th Street. Contained here are a few snaps that I took that day. Icon Bay looks almost ready to go. My guess is that closings will begin towards the end of April to beginning of May. Biscayne Beach, on the other hand, is still in its early stages of construction. As reported by The Next Miami, Biscayne Beach completed its foundation pour on November 22nd. In the photo at the bottom of this post, you can make out Biscayne Beach’s footprint as well as the early makings of its entrance ramp for vehicles entering the property.

Two New Websites Launched, More on the Way

Miami Condo Investments is pleased to announce the launch of two new building-specific websites – one covering condo sales and rentals at Icon Brickell and the other for those located at Ten Museum Park. The former is a completely new website packed with many unique features that you will not find anywhere else. For example, the website provides users with the ability to filter inventory by flooring type (e.g. wood, marble, carpet, ceramic, etc.) – such a simple yet powerful way to conduct a property search. It also provides users with the ability to filter inventory by number of parking spaces, whether the property comes furnished and/or unfurnished, as well as the usual ways to filter such as by price, number of bedrooms, and square footage. In creating this website, my main objective was to deliver an enhanced user experience, one that allows buyers/renters to quickly arrive at the properties best suited for them. Once you’ve had a chance to take the website for a spin, I am sure you will agree that my objective was accomplished. Also included is data for pending and closed inventory.

The second website – the one for Ten Museum Park condos – is a complete makeover of a website I previously had for that condo development. The design for the new version was carried over from the one created for Icon Brickell. Also included are the same, powerful search capabilities. Additional websites are well underway, including complete makeovers for my Miami Condo Investments, Marinablue, 900 Biscayne Bay, Marquis, and Paramount Bay websites, as well as a completely new website covering the Miami luxury homes for sale niche market. I look forward to providing you with the best website experience when searching for Miami real estate.

Breathtaking Views from Penthouse 1 at Bay House

When you think of reasons why people from all over the world are enamored with Miami real estate, the breathtaking water views it offers is one that would come to mind quickly. This morning, I was given a guided tour of Penthouse 1 at Bay House  – a 5 bedroom, 6.5 bath condo with 3,512 interior square feet and an impressive 1,901 square feet of terrace. The private rooftop terrace includes a summer kitchen, Jacuzzi, and, most importantly, it offers views galore – a full 180-degrees of them. Imagine yourself sipping on a Mojito while soaking in your Jacuzzi, all while your hired help grills you some food. Now, that’s the life! For those who lack a sense for imagination, be sure to watch the video below to help kick-start your daydream. The video starts with a pan of the area designated for the summer kitchen and then quickly gets to the good stuff – the postcardesque view!

Penthouse 1 is just one of eight seven units that remain for sale at Bay House. At one point, the development was completely sold out but, for one reason or another, eight units came back to the developer. In an effort to sell them before May – which is when closings are scheduled to begin – the developer is offering a rather generous incentive package. Not only are these final eight units well priced when compared to other developments in the area, they also will include an additional assigned parking space AND will be delivered with finished baseboards, paint, and choice of white tiled flooring or wood. The other 157 units in the building that were previously sold will be delivered decorator-ready, unless, of course, a contract holder chose to pay a higher price to include such finishes in their final purchase price.  Below is a table showing the eight remaining units along with their price and property details. The traditional floor plate at Bay House has only five units per floor, each with a direct water view. The caveat here, however, is that there’s a large, waterfront parcel of land located directly east of Bay House. It is owned by the Catholic Church, which, over the years, has turned away a slew of condo developers with interests to acquire and develop upon that land. There is no telling if and when the Catholic Church will finally say yes. Townhouse units, located at the base of Bay House, do not have a water view but do offer the ability to drive right up to your unit and park. A great solution for those anti-social types who cringe at the thought of having to walk through their lobby and say hi to people yet appreciate the conveniences that condo living offers.

If you have an interest in any of the eight above mentioned units, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I may be reached on my cell phone at 786-247-6332 or via email at [email protected].

Below are other photos I took today while touring Penthouse 1 at Bay House:

A Tour of the Brickell Flatiron Sales and Design Gallery

Sometimes I feel like there aren’t enough days in the week to both sell real estate AND stay on top of the latest and greatest condo developments entering the market. Today, fortunately, I had time in my schedule to check out the interior design and finishes of one of the best – Brickell Flatiron. Actually, I was already quite familiar with the project but it’s one thing to sell a pre-construction condo development on paper and quite another to actually see and touch actual finishes that you can expect to find in units once they are delivered. This was my first opportunity to visit the Brickell Flatiron Sales and Design Gallery which opened on-site last month and was designed by American artist Julian Schnabel.

Brickell Flatiron Reception Area

As I sat in the reception area waiting for my tour to begin, I couldn’t help but think that Julian Schnabel did an amazing job in capturing British Colonial elegance with an interesting twist. Hopefully, that is the look he was going for. The interior design work in the reception area is to give you an idea of what you can expect to find in the Brickell Flatiron lobby and common areas.

Brickell Flatiron Master Bathroom Finishes

The master bathroom finishes for Brickell Flatiron remind me a lot of the bathroom finishes that you find at Epic Residences, not surprising given the fact that the developer of each building is one and the same – Ugo Colombo. That’s definitely not a bad thing. We’re talking marble floors and accents walls imported straight from Italy. Colombo is known for his attention to detail and knack for using only the finest materials.

Brickell Flatiron Kitchen Appliances and Finishes

First of all, I must say that I absolutely love the kitchens for Brickell Flatiron. The Snaidero cabinetry is second to none and includes an open/close feature at the push of a button along with interior backlighting. The open/close feature is really cool although I hope next year’s model will incorporate a speech recognition engine to do the work for you. After all, home automation is the future. The Miele refrigerator, in my opinion, is a welcomed change from the customary Sub-Zero refrigerator that we all come to expect from luxury condo developers. Off the top of my head, Biscayne Beach is the only other luxury condo development that is planning to deliver Miele refrigerators in place of the usual Sub-Zero.

For those unfamiliar, Brickell Flatiron is a luxury, pre-construction condo development which will be located in the heart of Brickell at 1001 South Miami Avenue. In my opinion, Brickell Flatiron is destined to follow in the footsteps of other bar-setting Colombo projects such as Santa Maria, Bristol Tower, Grovenor House, and Epic, and be considered one of the best condo developments in Miami, not only once it is completed but for many years to come. The developer still has great units remaining, so if you have an interest in reserving one, please don’t hesitate to contact me.  These units go straight contract.  The developer started converting reservations to contracts last month. I can be reached on my cell phone at 786-247-6332 or via email at [email protected].

Coming to Market – 1800 Club Unit 4003 – Asking $599,000

I am happy to present a beautiful, new listing – a turnkey furnished, 2 bedroom/2 bath condo at 1800 Club offering breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean, Biscayne Bay, Miami Beach skyline, cruise ships, and sunrise from the 40th floor.  The unit has 1,142 interior square feet; stainless steel appliances; wood flooring throughout the living room, kitchen, and both bedrooms; marble flooring throughout both bathrooms; and a Jacuzzi  tub in the master bath.  The video located at the bottom of this post, which was shot just a few days ago, provides the viewer with a thorough tour of the condo.

This condo, unit 4003, would make for an excellent investment property.  It was last rented for $3,200 per month and would have no problem fetching at least $3,300 per month if it were rented today.  The condominium association dues are $550 per month.  These dues include services and expenses such as basic cable TV, high-speed Internet, water, sewer, trash removal, use and maintenance of the amenities and common areas, insurance on the exterior of the building, and on-site building management.  Amenities at 1800 Club include: fitness center with direct water views, sauna, steam room, hot tub, club room, valet parking, and 24-hour concierge.  1800 Club is conveniently located directly across the street from Margaret Pace Park –  a dog-friendly, waterfront park which includes a basketball court, fitness area, children’s playground, volleyball courts, and tennis courts.

1800 Club unit 4003 will hit the market in the coming weeks with an asking price of $599,000.  If you have any questions and/or if you would like schedule an appointment to view the property in person, please do not hesitate to contact me.  I may be reached via email at [email protected] or on my cell phone at 786-247-6332.

Below is a floor plan for unit 4003 at 1800 Club:

Work Begins on Front Entrance to the Upcoming Me by Melia Hotel at Marquis Residences

Work has begun on the front entrance to what later this year will become the Me by Melia Hotel.  Yesterday afternoon, while out running errands in the neighborhood, I noticed fencing marking off the perimeter for the project.  The area located immediately in front of Marquis Residences, and running parallel to Biscayne Boulevard, will see a complete redesign, including new landscaping.  The rendering found  at the end of this post shows what the finished project will look like.  Notice the outdoor dining area and bar for the Rebel by STK restaurant.  The one thing that Downtown Miami is lacking is a selection of fine dining options.  Where others have failed, I hope to see Rebel by STK succeed.  The neighborhood will see a complete transformation in coming years, so perhaps the timing is perfect.