Rentals Now Available at Icon Brickell II
I was notified yesterday that rentals are now available in tower 2 of Icon Brickell. Tower 2 is the southeast tower of the Icon Brickell development. The units are renting fast! 56 rentals were made available on Saturday and as of yesterday 15 had already been rented.
Below, you will find the floor plans that are available along with the starting prices. The rent price includes 800 channels of cable, high-speed Internet, one parking space, water and a health club membership. Pets are NOT allowed.
Call me at 305-428-3860 or email me at [email protected] if you would like to schedule a showing.
- H floor plan – 1 bedroom/1 bath – 732 square feet – starting at $1690
- G floor plan – 1 bedroom/1 bath – 984 square feet – starting at $2000
- G-Rev floor plan – 1 bedroom/1 bath – 1035 square feet – starting at $2100
- E floor plan – 2 bedroom/2 bath – 1327 square feet – starting at $2750
- C floor plan – 2 bedroom/2 bath – 1500 square feet – starting at $2850
- B floor plan – 2 bedroom/2 bath – 1503 square feet – starting at $2950
- D floor plan – 2 bedroom/2 bath – 1600 square feet – starting at $2500
There currently aren’t any studio or 3 bedroom rentals available.
Fannie Mae to Reassess Lending Guidelines for Florida Condo Projects
About a year ago, Fannie Mae implemented strict lending guidelines that effectively put the lights out on the Florida condo market. In particular, these stringent guidelines made it next to impossible for buyers to obtain financing in the vast majority of condo developments in South Florida.
Earlier this afternoon, Fannie Mae made the announcement that it will reassess hundreds of condominium projects throughout the state in an effort to jump-start the market. The news is a godsend to a condo market that was heavily supported by cash buyers in 2009.
Here are some excerpts regarding the announcement from PR Newswire and Reuters:
PR Newswire
Fannie Mae announced today that it is undertaking a comprehensive review of hundreds of condominium projects in the state of Florida in an effort to allow additional projects to become Fannie Mae-eligible through a new “Special Approval” designation.
A dedicated team of six Fannie Mae professionals based in Florida is conducting a thorough examination of condominium projects across the state that may not currently meet Fannie Mae’s standard eligibility criteria and assessing specific criteria more closely, including occupancy, homeownership association dues, financial stability of the project and property condition. Projects deemed to be sufficiently stable following the closer examination are granted a Special Approval designation, meaning lenders can originate and deliver mortgage loans secured by units in these projects to Fannie Mae
Reuters – (full story)
Fannie Mae, the largest funder of U.S. home mortgages, on Thursday said it is making it easier for some Florida condo buyers to qualify for loans in a bid to stabilize one of the worst-hit real estate markets.
The housing finance giant said it is reassessing hundreds of Florida condo projects to see if they are “sufficiently stable” enough to qualify for funding, even if they don’t meet current requirements, Fannie Mae said in a statement.
These projects would get a “special approval” designation from Fannie Mae, clearing the way for hamstrung Florida lenders to originate loans and help spur a recovery, it said.
Blue Condominium 2 Bedroom Sells For $190K
A 2 bedroom foreclosure condo at Blue Condominium closed earlier this afternoon for $190,000. This marks the lowest that a 2 bedroom in the building has ever sold. Unit 1207 has 1,158 square feet of interior space and a view of Biscayne Bay. It originally went under contract on August 10, 2009 but the closing was delayed for months due to problems that needed to be corrected with the deed. Currently, there are twenty 2 bedroom short sales at Blue Condominium, two of which are listed for less than $190K. Hopefully this recent sale will give banks the kick in the butt to start approving some of the short sales in the building.
Top 5 Distressed Condo Sales Closed in December 2009
Below, you will find what I believe to be the five best condo deals of the 59 distressed sales that closed in December 2009 in the MLS located in Brickell, Brickell Key, Downtown Miami, and the Arts District.
- Uptown Lofts #1005 – 1 bedroom/2 bath (1,280 square feet) – This unit sold for $135,900, or $106 per square foot, on December 4, 2009. Foreclosure
- Cite on the Bay #3304 – 1 bedroom/1 bath (797 square feet) – This unit sold for $107,000, or $134 per square foot, on December 16, 2009. Short Sale
- Solaris at Brickell #1001 – 2 bedroom/2 bath (1,145 square feet) – This unit sold for $182,000, or $159 per square foot, on December 23, 2009. Short Sale
- Latitude on the River #2407 – 1 bedroom/1.5 bath (899 square feet) – This unit sold for $148,000, or $165 per square foot, on December 4, 2009. Short Sale
- 2 Midtown #M0707 – 2 bedroom/2 bath (986 square feet) – This unit sold for $165,000 or $167 per square foot, on December 7, 2009. Foreclosure
Record Setting Day in Miami, Florida
Today was a record setting day in Miami, Florida according to NBC6. Earlier this afternoon, temperatures reached 89 degrees which set a new recorded high in Miami for the month of December. I swear, we’re just too spoiled here.
The Arts District & Downtown Miami Closed Condo Sales – November 2009
Edgewater Miami Closed Condo Sales – November 2009 – There were 12 closed condo sales in the Edgewater Miami last month in the MLS. The average sales price of these condos was $177 per square foot.
Downtown Miami Closed Condo Sales – November 2009 – 18 condos in Downtown Miami closed in the MLS in November 2009. These sold at an average sales price per square foot of $318. It’s interesting to note that of the four neighborhoods in Miami, the condos in Downtown Miami sold at the highest price per square foot last month.
Completely Renovated Townhouse at Atlantis on Brickell
I remember walking through unit 306 at Atlantis on Brickell towards the end of 2007. The place was a disaster! Flooring was ripped out, walls were horribly damaged, mold was evident in a few of the rooms and the kitchen and bathrooms badly needed to be updated.
Unit 306 is a 4 bedroom/4 bath two-story townhouse with 2,628 interior square feet. In 2007, when the unit came onto the market as a foreclosure, the unit was listed for $799,900. After eight price reductions and a little over nine months later, the unit sold for $415,000, or $158 per square foot, on February 29, 2008.
After a complete overhaul, the unit made its way onto the market about six months ago for $1,130,000, or $430 per square foot – quite a stretch even after accounting for renovation and holding costs. The list price was slashed a few times before recently being reduced to $865,000, or $329 per square foot – a step in the right direction but still at least $100,000 away, in my opinion.
My guess is that it probably cost somewhere in the ballpark of $100 per square foot to completely gut and renovate the unit, given the quality and the fact that mold was present. I’ve estimated taxes to be around $25,000 and HOA fees to be around $22,000 over the past 21 months. That represents about an extra $18 per square foot to the cost basis of the owner. It’ll be interesting to see if the owner is able to make a profit or, at the very least, break-even on this investment, especially after accounting for cost of capital.
Before Pictures
After Pictures
Construction to Begin on Sky Palace at Mary Brickell Village Next Month
Construction is scheduled to begin on the condominium high-rise that was once known as Skyline at Mary Brickell Village in December 2009. The 369-unit Mediterranean-style condo building is now known as Sky Palace at Mary Brickell Village. It will sit atop the parking garage at Mary Brickell Village located on the west end of the commercial development. Completion of Sky Palace at Mary Brickell Village is projected to occur in the last quarter of 2011.
Update: Sky Palace at Mary Brickell Village was later renamed Nine at Mary Brickell Village.
Paramount Bay Penthouse
The long awaited Paramount Bay is now available for purchase. I had a chance to tour the building last week and take a look at some spectacular penthouse condos. Paramount Bay is the most technologically advanced residential building in the city of Miami. It is completely wired with fiber optics for Internet, telephone and cable which are included in the monthly maintenance fees. Additionally, channels from over 30 countries are available through the digital cable provider. Each and every unit comes with a P:Link tablet system which allows you to control and monitor lighting, music, window treatments, etc. from anywhere in the world. Each unit also comes with one assigned parking space plus one complimentary valet space. Additional spaces are available for purchase. There are three floors of parking with a total of 600 (correction: 595) spaces available. All of the condo residences have a private elevator and 10-foot ceilings. Monthly HOA fees are 55 cents (correction: 65 cents) per square foot which are fixed for the first two years. The building is expected to be Fannie Mae approved by the end of the month. I also know a lender who can do stated income/stated asset loans at 60 percent LTV for foreign national clients.
Paramount Bay has a total of 46 floors but the penthouse condos are staggered across the building. There are a total of 11 penthouse units. The most appealing aspect about the penthouses at Paramount Bay is the size of the terraces. They are enormous! These were made for people who love to entertain outdoors for a large group of people. Another interesting feature of the penthouses is that they each come with a maid’s quarters that is located outside the unit.
The penthouse in the pictures below has 3,455 square feet of interior and an amazing 3,089 square feet of terrace.
All of the appliances hadn’t yet been installed in the penthouse I saw. The unit will have 2 Sub-Zero refrigerators, 2 Wolf ovens, 2 microwaves and 1 full height Sub-Zero wine bottle refrigerator.
Every unit in the building has a direct view of Biscayne Bay and the Miami Beach skyline.
The master bedroom
Master bathroom
Air jet Jacuzzi tub
The penthouse master bathroom has a glass-enclosed shower with a rain shower head, handheld shower wand and body jets.
All units in the building have a dual flush toilet. This is a great eco-friendly feature and will end up saving the HOA money.
Second bedroom also has a direct water view.
Second bathroom
Third bedroom faces west
Full-sized side-by-side washer and dryer
Three shots of the maid’s quarters which is located across the hall from the unit. It comes equipped with a full bathroom.
The terraces are an entertainer’s dream
The condo docs do not contain covenants against the placement of a hot tub, pool or outdoor kitchen. In fact, the terraces were poured with 12 inches of reinforced concrete with the purposes of supporting the weight of a pool or hot tub.
