Photo Tour of 900 Biscayne Bay

This past week, I had the opportunity to take a very extensive tour of 900 Biscayne Bay. I couldn’t wait to see if 900 Biscayne Bay held up to its high expectations. I took a ton of pictures that day and wanted to share them with everyone. Above, you see the nice water feature that greets you as you drive into the valet area at 900 Biscayne Bay.

The lobby at 900 Biscayne Bay is two stories. The first story is for guests entering off the street while the second story welcomes those entering through the valet area. The grand spiral staircase at 900 Biscayne Bay, in the photo above, takes you to the second level.

The Infinity-edge, resort-style pool at 900 Biscayne Bay was beautiful. I’m sure residents will make full use of the large bar behind the pool while sunning themselves as well. There’s also a fire pit and hot tub available on the same level.

The lap pool was closed, so unfortunately I wasn’t able to get some laps in while my clients were talking about the great amenities that 900 Biscayne Bay has to offer.

Another great water feature pictured above. This is the entry-way to the amenities found at 900 Biscayne Bay shown in the pictures below.

Here we have the theater room at 900 Biscayne Bay. It’s the best theater room that I’ve ever seen in a condo building in Miami. It has a 153 inch screen and seating for 35 people. I doubt many people will actually make use of this room but it’s still quite impressive to have in your building.

Many of the rooms found on this level at 900 Biscayne Bay come equipped with the above technology. Mount your iPod and enjoy the sounds of your own tunes throughout the room.

The club room at 900 Biscayne Bay with a grand piano and kitchen.

The conference room at 900 Biscayne Bay.

The entry-way into the men’s and women’s spa at 900 Biscayne Bay which is each equipped with a steam room, sauna and hot tub.

Tell me that it doesn’t look inviting. This is the hot tub in the women’s spa at 900 Biscayne Bay. I’m hoping that this isn’t the last time that I get invited into the women’s spa at 900 Biscayne Bay. In my mind, I already had my shoes and socks off, but unfortunately the tour wasn’t over.

Another shot of the women’s spa.

The fitness center at 900 Biscayne Bay was a nice size. It wasn’t overly impressive but it had plenty of free weights, machines and cardio equipment. I would have preferred a view of the bay to the east, however.

I took a look at about 3 condos at 900 Biscayne Bay that day. Here’s a shot of one of the kitchens with dark cabinetry. Another kitchen I saw that day had beige colored cabinets.

Here’s an east view from one of the condos I saw at 900 Biscayne Bay. I think this was a shot from the 34th floor.

Overall, I felt that 900 Biscayne Bay exceeded my expectations. I think Pedro Martin and Terra Group delivered an outstanding condo development. Of all the new condo buildings that I’ve been in that have been completed within the past three years in Miami, 900 Biscayne Bay is on an entirely different level. The quality of the building is unsurpassed of the new condo buildings that I’ve seen. I haven’t been in Asia yet but I think that will be the only other recently finished condo building in Miami that may be able to measure up to 900 Biscayne Bay. The quality does come at a price, however. Expect to pay more than you’ll find at Marina Blue or Ten Museum Park, but like I said, the quality is unsurpassed.

900 Biscayne Bay condos for sale

900 Biscayne Bay condos for rent

Beautiful 5 Bedroom Condo at Villa Regina with 4,100 Square Feet – $1,499,900

Five-bedroom condos in Brickell are very rare. In fact, at this time, there are only two other condos in Brickell that are listed on the MLS with that many bedrooms. Just last week, I listed the best priced 5 bedroom condo in Brickell in a building called Villa Regina. The new listing is attractively priced at $1,499,900. The next best priced 5 bedroom residence is listed for over $1M more.

If size, quality, and location are what you need, then look no further. The 5 bedroom listing at Villa Regina spans 4,100 square feet (380.9 square meters), has a total of 15 rooms, 5 full bathrooms, comes with 3 parking spaces, has 4 terraces with gorgeous bay and city views and has been tastefully remodeled. The kitchen has new granite countertops and stainless steel appliances with custom cabinetry. The air conditioning system was also replaced 3 months ago and the condo has impact resistance windows and shutters.

The amenities at Villa Regina include: 24-hour full-service concierge and security, swimming pool, fitness center, his and her spas, barbecue area and 4 grand party rooms. Villa Regina is located directly on Biscayne Bay and is one of the few condo buildings in Brickell with its own private marina.

Contact me today if you’d like to take a look at this 5 bedroom condo at Villa Regina.

Premium Views from Plaza on Brickell

I had the opportunity last week to also show a few condo units at Plaza on Brickell offering their best views. The pictures that I took were shot from the 10 and 11 lines in the 851 Tower located at 950 Brickell Bay Drive from the 45th floor.

As you can see, the views at Plaza on Brickell differ from those that you’ll find in many of the new condo buildings in the Arts District or Park West in that the city views are much pronounced. It goes nicely with the gorgeous view of Biscayne Bay. The best of both worlds!

It was pretty amazing to overlook Brickell Key and see Miami Beach and the Atlantic Ocean in the distance. I don’t think I’ve ever captured Brickell Key quite like this. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to fit Asia into the picture.

The condos that I showed are called “sky residences”. They are premium units with 10-foot ceilings, upgraded appliances and a Jacuzzi tub in the master bathroom.

Closings at Asia Have Begun

I received word today that closings at Asia began late last week. The outside of the building looks spectacular. I fully expect that the common areas and units will be just as impressive, if not more so. I’m hoping to get inside to view Asia for myself within the next couple of weeks.

For those not familiar with Asia, it is a very high-end condo development located on the northern end of Brickell Key, along the Miami River. With just 123 residences, each with 12-foot ceilings and private elevators, Asia is now regarded as the most exclusive address on Brickell Key.

I think Asia is going to do a good job in closing out its units. I haven’t received one phone call or email from a concerned contract holder of Asia. That’s saying something. In fact, it’s the only major new condo development where this is the case.

Brickell on the River – 1 Bedroom/1 Bath Short-Sale – $200,000

I’m quite surprised that the 1 bedroom/1 bath short-sale for $200,000 at Brickell on the River isn’t under contract yet. It was offered for sale on April 1, 2008. The next best priced condo in the building, located directly 8 floors below the short-sale condo, is priced at $260,000.

Depending on someone’s credit score, this condo should break-even on a monthly basis if you’re able to get $1,500 per month for it with a 20 percent down payment. The condo faces west and has a view of the Miami River. The listing says that the monthly maintenance fee is $418 per month.

Last Summer, a client of mine placed on offer on unit 2703 at Brickell on the River, which has a very similar view as 2907, for $240,000. It, too, was a short-sale. The condo was listed for $280,000 at the time. The bank felt that our offer was too low to warrant a counteroffer. I received word that the bank would not accept anything that wasn’t “very” close to the listing price. Within a month, the list price was actually increased to $320,000. Needless to say, the condo failed to sell through the MLS, despite the price eventually being lowered to $259,000 on March 12, 2008. The listing was canceled a few weeks later. I’m guessing that the condo went into foreclosure, but I haven’t confirmed that.

Close to one year later we have unit 2903 on the market for $200,000. That’s close to a 30 percent discount from what the banks, a year earlier, felt that they should be able to get. I think $200,000 for this condo at Brickell on the River North is a very good price. In fact, it is probably one of the best priced one bedrooms currently offered in all of Brickell. I guess time will tell for how much this condo eventually sells.

Marina Blue – A Look Inside Biscayne Boulevard’s Newest Condo Development

Earlier this week, I took a look at an 01 condo at Marina Blue. I was also able to see the common areas and views from the Sky Deck located on the 14th floor. Below, you’ll find some great pictures that I was able to take during my visit to Marina Blue.

The sunrise pool and views at Marina Blue:

The sunset pool at Marina Blue:

The putting green at Marina Blue:

Lounge in style at Marina Blue:

The club room at Marina Blue:

Fitness center and yoga studio at Marina Blue (the free weights are in an adjacent room):

Overall, I was very pleased with the common areas during my visit at Marina Blue. I didn’t get any shots of the 01 condo that I saw because the unit had contractors in it working on the floors. The unit was a mess. It did seem a bit smaller than the stated 1,315 interior square feet. Maybe it was because of the big column in the corner of the living room.

Here are two shots that I took from the balcony of the condo at Marina Blue:

I’ve heard that 900 Biscayne Bay is scheduled to begin closings towards the end of this month. I think when everything is said and done, 900 Biscayne Bay will turn out to be the most desirable address on Biscayne Boulevard. Here’s a sneak peak of the pool deck at 900 Biscayne Bay:

The Urbanization of Brickell

Many of you local to Miami may have read in Sunday’s edition of the Miami Herald an article entitled, “Brickell’s Draw: A Feel of City Life”. It describes the great transformation that Brickell has seen within the past 2-3 years. The article is a must-read for non-locals who may not be very familiar with what Brickell has to offer. Be sure to also take a look at the video which provides great insight from the perspective of a Miami resident.

Emerald at Brickell 2 Bedroom Tower Suite Short-Sale – $499,000

This 2 bedroom/2 bath tower suite short-sale at Emerald at Brickell slipped through my radar since the middle of February because the listing agent failed to include the correct zip code with the listing. This short-sale condo is listed at $499,000, or about $395 per square foot. It has direct views of Biscayne Bay and Key Biscayne.

The next best priced tower suite condo at Emerald at Brickell is listed at $699,00. It is slightly bigger but is still listed at over $140 per square foot more. If the correct zip code (and correct spelling of the development) had been included, I suspect that this condo would have been under contract by now. It fell off my radar and I’m guessing that it fell off the radar of many other Realtors and buyers.

The Regent Bal Harbour Hotel & Residences Celebrates its Grand Opening

Yesterday afternoon, the Regent Bal Harbour Hotel & Residences (currently the Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour) held its grand opening celebration. The Regent Bal Harbour is a 5-star hotel with world-class amenities, a 5-star restaurant and gorgeous water views from every hotel room. It will likely be a favorite amongst affluent South Florida vacationers. Prices range from $750 to $8,500 per night.

Take a look at the CBS4 video of the Regent Bal Harbour inaugeration yesterday.