Rony Seikaly’s Stunning South Beach Condo at Murano Grande
Over the past week, I have had the opportunity to tour a number of stunning condominiums throughout South Florida. Tuesday afternoon, was business as usual. That day I was fortunate enough to tour the 4,000 square foot residence of former NBA star turned international DJ Rony Seikaly. The luxury, 3 bedroom plus den/4.5 bath residence located at Murano Grande in South Beach did not disappoint. The entire condo has a zen-like feel to it with an array of natural elements incorporated into its design. The floor plan features a number of favorable changes and upgrades as well. Most importantly, the kitchen has been rearranged to allow for a much more expansive view from within the kitchen than what was called for in its original floor plan. The wooden, sliding track doors, however, still allow one the option to enclose the kitchen from either or both sides. The condo comes fully furnished with designer furnishings by Ralph Lauren, Holly Hunt, Minotti, Tucker Robbins and others in rich Earth hues. The design of the entire condo is the work of prolific, New York City interior designer Clodagh. The unit comes equipped with a Crestron System which, with the help of an iPad, one can control lighting, surround sound, electric window treatments, air conditioning and more. The asking price is $5,995,000.
South of Fifth – Miami Beach’s Ultra-Luxury Neighborhood
The video above is meant for the non-local buyer who may not be familiar with the various neighborhoods throughout South Florida. South of Fifth, also known as SoFi, is a neighborhood that encompasses the five southern most blocks of South Beach (and therefore Miami Beach). Once regarded as one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in South Florida, South of Fifth is now considered to be one of the safest and most luxurious for condo living. The revitalization of the area within the past two decades has been remarkable, attributed mainly to visionary Thomas Kramer.
One of the main attractions for South of Fifth condos is South Pointe Park which reopened in March 2009 after undergoing a $22M renovation. The neighborhood also has world-renowned restaurants Joe’s Stone Crab and Prime 112 as well as local favorites Devito South Beach, Smith & Wollensky and China Grill. South of Fifth is reputed for being a clean, quiet, exclusive neighborhood away from the congestion of South Beach but within walking distance to all else that South Beach has to offer. The beach at the southernmost point of Miami Beach, in my opinion, is also one of the most beautiful beaches in South Florida.
Below, you will find a list of the South of Fifth condo buildings that were featured in the video. Click on each link to view the condos currently available for sale.
South Beach & Miami Beach Closed Condo Sales – November 2009
South Beach Closed Condo Sales – November 2009 – There were 78 closed condo sales in South Beach last month. The average sales price of these condos was $342 per square foot.
Miami Beach Closed Condo Sales – November 2009 – 59 condos in Miami Beach closed in November. One of the sales did not include the final sales figure. The average price per square foot of the other 58 closed sales was $251.
South Pointe Park in South Beach
Recently, the City of Miami Beach renovated 17 acres on the southern most end of South Beach, in a neighborhood known as SoFi, or South of Fifth. Hargreaves Associates, of New York City, was hired to design and update this bayfront park at a cost of around $22 million.
On a recent visit to the park, visitors participated in a variety of activities from walking their dogs, skateboarding, biking and rollerblading to playing Frisbee and jogging. Kids also played in the interactive water features scattered throughout the park.
At the southern tip, an elevated walkway guides you to a deck with sun chairs, providing an ideal spot to watch cruise ships passing through Government Cut, as well as to enjoy the views of Fisher Island, the Miami skyline and the Port of Miami. Catching some rays at the same time is an added bonus.
The bayfront walk extends from 5th Street (Icon South Beach) all the way to the tip of South Pointe Park, approximately one mile. It’s gorgeous to walk along the bay on a wide boardwalk with a marina on one side and beautiful condos on the other. Additionally, the environmentally sensitive “turtle safe” lighting illuminates the Government Cut walkway while enjoying the scenic view at night.
A mix of uses, especially green space, is always a welcome addition to any community. The renovation of South Pointe Park adds value and livability to an already charming neighborhood.
2 Bedroom Foreclosure at Murano Grande Sells for $331 Per Square Foot
I was looking through the recently closed sales in South Beach and came across a 2 bedroom/2 bath foreclosure condo at Murano Grande that sold for $475,000, or $331 per square foot on February 9, 2009. This is by far the lowest that a 2 bedroom condo in the Murano Grande has sold through the MLS. Grant it, the recently closed condo, unit 609, is on a very low floor but from the looks of the pictures it appears to have been in pretty good shape.
Previously, the lowest sales price for a 2 bedroom condo at Murano Grande was $650,000. That unit was located directly two floors above unit 609 and closed in April 2008.
Unit 609 appears to have been the victim of mortgage fraud. It previously sold for $1,100,000 in September 2006. What’s interesting is that the list price at the time was intially $949,999. After being listed at that price for about seven months, the list price was increased to $1,100,000 a month before the condo closed and, of course, the listing agent was able to get both sides of the deal.
South Beach Luxury Condo Sales
There have been 10 closed sales for luxury condominiums in South Beach within the past three months that appear in the MLS. I defined a sale as being a luxury condo sale if it had a sales price at or over $2.5M. As you’ll see below, Apogee South Beach topped off the list with a condo selling for $7.3M. Even more impressive is a Penthouse condo at Apogee South Beach, which did not appear in the MLS, that closed for $16.5M on June 9, 2008.
Il Villagio – Unit 804 – $2,500,000 – $1,506/SF – May 13, 2008
Yet Another Auction
I wanted to make everyone aware of another auction that will be held December 15, 2007 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in South Beach. I’ve perused the list of condos to be auctioned and it looks like there are some quality condos on the list. Below you will find some of the condos that will be auctioned:
Vue at Brickell – Unit 3606 – 3/2 – 1,551 SF (Brickell)
Contact me if you’d like more information about this auction so I can register you. There’s a 5 percent buyer’s premium and a $5,000 cashier’s check is required the day of the auction. The balance of 5 percent of the total price will be due the day of the auction if you are the highest bidder. Inspections must be conducted prior to bidding.
South Beach Condo Index – November 2007
The following data was collected on Sunday, November 11, 2007. The average price per square foot of condos currently listed in the following 19 developments in South Beach dropped from last month’s average. In fact, it even dipped below September’s average. It went from $889.83 per square foot, in October, to $886.71, for this month. The September average price per square foot was $887.60. The weight-adjusted average also slid slightly to $773.67 from last month’s weighted average of $773.73. Below, you will find the average price per square foot of condos listed in the following 19 condo developments in South Beach:
The average price per square foot of condos sold over the previous six months has gone down from $787.01 per square foot to $775.74. Once again, Meridian Lofts didn’t have any closed sales within the last six months which is why you will find the “N/A” below. If Meridian Lofts were included in the average this month, at its previous average price per square foot of $434.78 in September, then the average price of condos sold in this index would have dropped from $768.47, last month, to $757.80, this month. Below, you will find the average price per square foot of condos that have sold within the last six months in the following 19 developments in South Beach:
Murano at Portofino – 1000 S Pointe Dr | 33139 | $1,040.34
Murano Grande – 400 Alton Rd | 33139 | $721.85
Portofino Tower – 300 S Pointe Dr | 33139 | $1,014.26
Setai South Beach – 101 20 St | 33139 | $1,494.92
Waverly at South Beach – 1330 West Ave | 33139 | $475.99
Yacht Club at Portofino – 90 Alton Rd | 33139 | $611.65
As with the Brickell and Brickell Key condo indices, I have provided the graph below to make it easier for everyone to make sense of the statistics above. If you can’t read the numbers below then you need to upgrade your glasses to a set of binoculars. Otherwise, right-click and save the graph below and blow it up to as big as you’d like.
The first column, to the right of each condo development’s name, is the difference in the average sales and list prices for the statistics at the top, expressed as a percentage. With the exception of Portofino Tower and The Floridian, the average sales prices are well below the average list prices in these 19 developments. Portofino Tower had a condo sell for $1,505 per square foot on June 29, 2007. Once that transaction falls off the average in January, we shall see Portofino Tower begin to show its true colors. Average list and sales prices at The Floridian are merging together because the high number of short-sales that are available at The Floridian. Once a few of these actually close, the average sales price will fall well below the average list price.
The second column is the number of active listings in each development currently in the MLS. The third column shows the percentage that these listings represent over the total number of condo units in each development. The cells highlighted in green reveal those developments that have active listings that represent less than 10 percent of the the overall units in the building. I find this to be a very healthy number. 1500 Ocean Drive, Courts at South Beach, The Decoplage, Grand Venetian, Il Villaggio and Murano at Portofino fall into this territory.
The 10-15 percent range is considered average while the 15-20 percent range is beginning to approach dangerous levels. The ones highlighted in red reveal those developments that have active listings that represent over 20 percent of the overall units in the building. This indicates that the danger zone has been breached and caution should be heeded. Of the 19 condo developments in the South Beach Condo Index, Bentley Bay, Murano Grande and Setai South Beach fall into this red zone area.
The fourth column shows the number of pending sales while the fifth column displays the number of closed sales since October’s South Beach Condo Index. As you can see, there are 31 pending sales in South Beach. There’s been a total of 13 closed sales within the last month, which matches last month’s figure. Icon South Beach, with 3 closed sales, is beginning to show some spirit. There was a recent article in the papers that stated that former NFL quarterback Michael Vick, recently acquired a pricey condo at Icon South Beach. I’m pretty sure that the neighbors won’t be pleased by all of the dog barking until he begins to serve his time. Woof, woof!!!
The sixth column shows you the difference in the average list prices from this and last month’s, expressed a percentage. Those highlighted in red reveal those condo buildings which had a drop in their average list price, those highlighted in green show those that had an increase while those highlighted in yellow reveal a stalemate from last month’s figures. As you can see, Meridian Lofts had an 11.44 percent drop. That’s probably because it hasn’t had any closed sales within the last six months. Time to drop prices!
The seventh column reveals the difference in average sales prices from this and last month’s, expressed as a percentage. The color scheme remains the same. Sales prices at Bentley Bay spiked up 7.33 percent because a transaction that took place on May 8, 2007 at $476 per square foot fell off the average. The Setai South Beach took a beating this month, with a 9.71 percent drop from last month’s average. This is mainly attributed to a Penthouse unit that sold for $1,851 per square foot falling off the average this past month.
Pending sales have increased to 31 from last month’s figure of 25. It looks like the off-peak months have begun to knock boots with the on-peak months. Just wait until January. I promise that you’ll begin to see more pending and closed sales during those months.
2 Bedroom/2 Bath Bank-Owned Foreclosure at Murano Grande in South Beach
A 2 bedroom/2 bath bank-owned condo at Murano Grande just became available yesterday. The unit has 1,437 square feet of interior space, with marble floors throughout, and is listed at $899,000, or $626 per square foot. The price is negotiable. The condo is located on the 23rd floor and has panoramic views of Biscayne Bay, the city and the Atlantic Ocean.
The latest South Beach Condo Index reveals that units at Murano Grande have sold for an average price per square foot of $752 over the past six months.
The following are other 09 units currently listed in the building:
Unit 809 – $875,000
Unit 709 – $885,000
Unit 1009 – $944,000
Unit 1909 – $999,999
Unit 1109 – $1,025,000
Unit 1709 – $1,199,500
There have been two 09 line condos at Murano Grande that have closed within the past 12 months. The first is unit 2109 which closed for $950,000 on December 21, 2006. The second is unit 1809 which closed on November 11, 2006 for $1,150,000. None have closed within the past six months.
Click on the following link to view the MLS information pertaining to unit 2309 at Murano Grande. Contact me if you or someone you know has an interest in viewing this bank-owned foreclosure in person.
South Beach Condo Index – October 2007
The data for the October South Beach Condo Index was collected last Thursday. I didn’t have time to actually post the statistics until now because it is quite time consuming and I kept procrastinating.
Actually, I had time, but I instead decided to enjoy my weekend by consuming much of what Miami and South Beach has to offer and sleeping in late each day. It was a much needed vacation time, especially after experiencing the frustration of my site being down for three days. The joy of not having a boss to which to answer!
The average price per square foot of condos currently listed in the following 19 condo developments in South Beach actually went up. It went from $887.60 per square foot, in September, to $889.83, for this month. The weighted-average, however, slid from $774.23 per square foot to $773.73.
The average price per square foot of condos sold over the previous six months has gone up from $783.25 per square foot to $787.01, but for a good reason. Meridian Lofts didn’t have any closed sales within the last six months which is why you will find the “N/A” below. Meridian Lofts is a sub-$500 per square foot condo building, so by excluding it from the average it actually made the overall average rise. Most of the other condo buildings included in the South Beach Condo Index are priced much higher than $500 per square foot. If Meridian Lofts were included in the average this month, at its previous average price per square foot, then the average price of condos sold in this index would have dropped from $783.25, last month, to $768.47, this month. That’s the real number to watch.
Murano at Portofino – 1000 S Pointe Dr | 33139 | $1,040.34
Murano Grande – 400 Alton Rd | 33139 | $752.03
Portofino Tower – 300 S Pointe Dr | 33139 | $998.35
Setai South Beach – 101 20 St | 33139 | $1,655.73
Waverly at South Beach – 1330 West Ave | 33139 | $478.47
Yacht Club at Portofino – 90 Alton Rd | 33139 | $640.19
The first number below directly to the right of each development name represents the total number of active listings. The second number, in parentheses, is the number of currently listed condos expressed as a percentage of the total number of condos in the development. The third number represents the number of pending sales while the fourth is the number of closed sales within the past month.
1500 Ocean Drive – 9 (8.04%) |0 | 0
Bentley Bay – 49 (28.82%) | 1 | 0
Bentley Beach – 14 (12.28%) | 0 | 1
Continuum South Tower – 44 (13.84%) | 1 | 3
Cosmopolitan – 30 (13.45%) | 0 | 0
Courts at South Beach – 5 (5.00%) | 0 | 0
The Decoplage – 62 (9.92%) | 2 | 1
The Floridian – 57 (17.07%) | 0 | 1
Grand Venetian – 17 (12.69%) | 0 | 0
Icon South Beach – 45 (15.57%) | 4 | 1
Il Villaggio – 6 (4.72%) | 0 | 1
Meridian Lofts – 17 (15.32%) | 1 | 0
Mirador 1000 & 1200 – 100 (10.80%) | 9 | 5
Murano at Portofino – 17 (8.99%) | 1 | 0
Murano Grande – 53 (19.63%) | 0 | 0
Portofino Tower – 38 (18.45%) | 1 | 1
Setai South Beach – 33 (20.25%) | 1 | 0
Waverly at South Beach – 47 (11.78%) | 3 | 1
Yacht Club at Portofino – 43 (11.91%) | 1 | 1
There were a total of 13 closed sales in the 19 condo developments represented in the South Beach Condo
Index this month. Five occurred in Mirador while 3 others occurred in Continuum. The 13 closings this month are two less than last month’s.
Overall pending sales have dropped from 35, last month, to 25, this month. That’s a 28% drop which is pretty considerable, in my opinion. Hopefully, the tides will turn after Thanksgiving, which is around the time that business picks up.
