Miami Condo Investments Free Mobile App Available for Download on iTunes and Google Play
For those new to the website, or those who might be unaware, Miami Condo Investments has its own mobile app. It is free and available for download on iTunes, for the iPhone and iPad, and on Google Play, for all Android mobile devices. I released the iPhone version back in December 2009 and followed it up with the Android version about two and a half years later in May 2012. I may be a bit biased, but it truly is an amazing app. In many ways, the real estate app was ahead of its time when I released it in 2009. It still remains as powerful as ever though and I personally use on it on a daily basis. In fact, I recently made the jump from using an iPhone to an Android phone and it was the first app I downloaded.
I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on the app. I am hoping to release an updated version sometime in 2014 and welcome any ideas for it that you might have.
Pharrell Williams’ Miami Penthouse Marked Down $5.9M
It appears that the market for Miami penthouse condos is not all sunshine and rainbows. Despite a red hot Miami luxury real estate market which has seen an array of record-breaking penthouse sales during the first half of this year (See Exhibit A, Exhibit B, Exhibit C and Exhibit D), the Bristol Tower penthouse currently owned by hip-hop sensation, Pharrell Williams, has seen its price slashed $5.9M since hitting the market this past November. Initially set at $16.8M, the tri-level mansion-in-the-sky was recently marked down to $10.9M – a whopping 35 percent price reduction!
Formerly the residence of Bristol Tower developer, Ugo Colombo, the 5 bedroom, 6.5 bath penthouse features 9,080 interior square feet, private elevator entry, grand living spaces with impressive floor-to-ceiling glass walls, a 180-degree wrap-around balcony, 7 assigned parking spaces and rooftop terraces with summer kitchen, pool and Jacuzzi. The one-of-a-kind penthouse also sports a sensational view! It offers sweeping 360-degree views of Biscayne Bay, the Atlantic Ocean and sparkling city lights at night along with the opportunity to enjoy both the sunrise and sunset each day.
According to property records, Mr. Williams acquired the penthouse in March 2007 for $12,525,000.
Penthouse Floor Plans Released for SLS Brickell Residences
Preliminary floor plans for the penthouses at SLS Brickell Residences have been released. You will see below that there will be a total of seven floor plans on the penthouse level but only five of them will have unique layouts when compared to the other floor plans in the building. The five uniquely designed floor plans will essentially combine one and two bedroom floor plans from other levels to create larger spaces which will range from 1,845 to 2,332 interior square feet. Unfortunately, these units will not have a rooftop terrace or other distinguishing features which are typically associated with penthouses. There will, however, be a rooftop pool but that will be for all residents in the building to enjoy and not just those who own a penthouse. Regardless, if you are excited about SLS Brickell Residences but feel that the floor plans are too small, the penthouses might be a great opportunity to look into. However, being that there are only five combination units in the entire building, I do not expect availability for these to last long.
A $100,000 deposit is required to reserve a penthouse at SLS Brickell Residences. The balance of 20% will be required at contract, which should take place sometime between May and July. Contact me if you have an interest in reserving one (or heck, all five) penthouses at SLS Brickell Residences.
7,400 Square Foot Penthouse at Villa Regina Sells for $1,925,000
Last week, a 7,400 square foot penthouse at Villa Regina traded hands for $1,925,000, or $260 per square foot. The 6 bedroom, 6.5 bath condo also included 1,600 square feet of balcony and a remarkable six assigned parking spaces! The residence has 10-foot high ceilings and offers spectacular views of Biscayne Bay, Key Biscayne and Brickell. There is no doubt that this penthouse was sold at an amazing price but – before anyone gets all worked up about how they missed out on the deal of the century – let it be known that this property needed a lot of work. I had the opportunity to tour the penthouse about a month ago. Conservatively, I felt that it would require at least $100 per square foot to turn it into a penthouse-quality residence by today’s standards. Regardless, even after forking over close to three-quarters of a million dollars (or more) in renovations alone, it would be well worth it. A condo this large, and at this price point, just doesn’t exist in Brickell.
New Record: Buyer Pays $34M for Side-By-Side Penthouses in Miami Beach
Looks like this will be an amazing year for the Miami luxury real estate market. Yesterday afternoon, Forbes reported that an undisclosed American buyer purchased side-by-side penthouses at The Residences at the Miami Beach Edition for $34M, breaking the previous sales record for condominiums in Miami-Dade County set just two months ago. The Edition, a luxury beachfront hotel-condo variation, is currently under construction and is scheduled for completion in April 2014. Hotelier, Ian Schrager, and world-renowned architect, John Pawson, have teamed up on The Editions project to deliver 26 of the most amazing condos in Miami Beach. The Editions sales office opened less than four weeks ago and half of the development, yet to be completed, has already sold.
The Residences at The Miami Beach Edition condos for sale
Bi-Level Oceanfront Penthouse with His & Hers Rooftop Terraces in Sunny Isles Beach
In my time selling real estate, I have seen plenty of his & hers bathrooms. I have also seen a plethora of his & hers walk-in closets. Before last Saturday, however, I had never seen his & hers rooftop terraces off the master bedroom. That was a first for me. That day, I picked up an amazing listing for a bi-level penthouse in an oceanfront building called Ocean Two in Sunny Isles Beach.
The minute you get off the private elevator and enter through your double doors, you are greeted by the sight of the serene Atlantic Ocean. The entire residence has been tastefully designed and furnished by designer extraordinaire Steven G and is being sold as-is with all the furnishings included. The walls throughout the condominium have been beautifully done in Venetian plaster and the long, flowing curtains in the great room call attention to the towering floor-to-ceilings windows.
As you will see in the pictures throughout this post, everything about this luxury penthouse is magnificent. Besides the foyer and great room, the first level also contains three of the four bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, two balconies and the kitchen. Things start to get unique and spectacular up on the second level, however. The entire upper floor is one humungous master suite. After ascending the grand staircase, it is there that you will find a beautifully appointed master bedroom with hard wood floors. To the left and right you will find a separate 700 square foot terrace. The one on the southeast side of the master bedroom has a hot tub on it while the one on the southeast side sits empty. The walk-in closet off the master bedroom is incredibly spacious and the master bathroom features a Jacuzzi tub, glass-enclosed shower, bidet and his and hers sinks.
This 4 bedroom penthouse spans across 3,265 interior square feet and a total of about 1,800 exterior square feet. The asking price is $2,999,999. This is a pocket listing, however, so you will not find this property listed on the MLS or anywhere else for that matter. Contact me if you have any questions or a genuine interest in purchasing this unique and palatial penthouse residence. You can reach me on my cell at 786-247-6332 or via email at [email protected].
Brickell Condo Market Expected to Remain Strong Throughout 2013 and 2014
As of late, little has been said about the fact that myBrickell and 1100 Millecento are completely out of inventory. With the exception of two very large penthouses, the same goes for BrickellHouse. Take a moment to digest that piece of news. Of the 948 combined units that these three developments represent, only two remain available. That speaks volumes about the strength of this real estate market in Miami. 192 units at myBrickell are scheduled for delivery towards the end of this year and the balance of condos from the two other developments are not expected until the end of 2014. In the meantime, demand remains high so existing condo inventory should continue to dwindle. There isn’t much help on the way in near term either. We know that there will be a residential aspect to the highly anticipated Brickell Citicentre, which is currently under construction, but no sales information has been released as of yet. Regardless, completion of those condominiums would not be expected until 2015 at the earliest. We also know that Related Group recently purchased the Infinity II site located at 1300 S Miami Avenue. It is highly likely that sales for condominiums in that project will be announced sometime during the first half of this year. The site is approved for a 65-story tower with 556 total units so don’t expect those units to be delivered any earlier than mid-2015 unless the project is massively scaled back. Lastly, there has also been mention of Panorama Tower and Villa Magna but both projects will be rather massive so inventory in either wouldn’t be expected until late-2015. In summary, I think it is relatively safe to say that, barring any global economic meltdown, prices for condominiums in Brickell should enjoy a steady rise throughout 2013 and 2014 given the lack of inventory that will exist over the course of that time period.
By the way, the two remaining penthouses at BrickellHouse are priced at $2,396,000 for 3,500 interior square feet and $5,200,000 for 7,500 interior square feet. No matter how you slice it, sub-$700 per square foot for a penthouse in a building of this caliber is an amazing deal.
Luxury Real Estate Market Ended 2012 With Two Huge Condo Sales in South Beach
The Miami Beach luxury real estate market closed out 2012 with a bang. Two huge condo sales took place over the last four days of the year.
A bi-level penthouse at Icon South Beach sold on New Year’s Eve for slightly under $21M, or $2,623 per square foot. The 4 bedroom/6.5 bath condo sold above asking price as it had been listed for $19M. The lavish residence has roughly 8,000 interior square feet and has its own rooftop deck and pool. The penthouse was previously purchased in 2007 for $7M.
On December 28th, a second two-story penthouse sold but this time over at Continuum South Beach North Tower. The 5 bedroom/5.5 bath condo sold for $11M, or $1,580 per square foot. The 6,963 square foot residence has a southeastern exposure with views of the Atlantic ocean and Government Cut. The unit was sold “decorator-ready” straight from the developer.
Jade Beach Penthouse 4904
A few days ago, I decided to drive up to Sunny Isles Beach to check out Penthouse 4904 at Jade Beach. It sounded exceptionally priced for a penthouse of that size so I had to see it for myself. The tri-level unit has 5 bedrooms, 6.5 baths with 8,210 interior square feet along with a monstrous 5,790 square feet of terrace. It comes equipped with an outdoor Jacuzzi and an in-unit elevator. The floor-to-ceiling glass windows throughout the penthouse allow for breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean or the intracoastal waters from every room.
The asking price is $8.9M, or $1,084 per square foot, which is quite a bargain for a penthouse of this caliber. In fact, it is the lowest price per square foot of any unit over 6,000 square feet in Sunny Isles Beach that is currently on the market.
Real Estate Porn – “I know It When I See It”
The phrase, “I know it when I see it”, was made famous in the 1964 landmark case of Jacobellis v. Ohio. It was used to describe Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart’s threshold test for pornography. It occurred to me recently that the same threshold test should be applied to determine what does and does not constitute true real estate porn – a modern term to describe almost dreamy, remarkably extravagant real estate which provides visual satisfaction to those who view it online. I had heard the term and knew its meaning but never felt that I had ever truly witnessed it for myself – that is until I saw Penthouse 2 at Continuum South Beach. Everything else I had seen in the past was just a tease by comparison; a 1960s titty mag at best.
PH2 at Continuum South Beach is a palace in the sky worthy of only the most elite members of society – crème de la crème. The majestic, 4-story penthouse offers unparalleled views and a timeless decor that can only be found in storybook novels. When it comes to condo living in South Florida, it doesn’t get any better than PH2 at Continuum South Beach. The 6 bedroom/7.5 bath residence offers over 11,000 square feet of interior space, over 6,000 square feet of terrace, a rooftop pool, a private in-unit elevator and staff quarters. Also included is another 1,200 square feet of separate guest suites, a lofted beachfront cabana and 10 parking spaces.
The price to live like the exalted king of South Florida? $35M large. The hefty property taxes and condo association fees are a mere afterthought for those with the means to afford such splendor. Life is too short not to have the finest that money can buy.
PH2 is located in the South Tower of Continuum South Beach – the only privately gated resort development in South Beach – at 100 South Pointe Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139. Amenities at Continuum South Beach include: resort-style pools, lap pool, full service beach club, 13,000 square foot world-class spa and fitness center, restaurant, 3 clay tennis courts, tennis pro shop, 24-hour security, full service concierge and valet parking.
