Inside Miami’s High-Security Billionaire Bunker – Indian Creek Island
Located on a barrier island on the outskirts of Biscayne Bay, sits a gorgeous Island shrouded in exclusivity and extreme wealth. Indian Creek Island is filed with billion dollar views, Brazilian teak docks, 100+ foot yachts, and extreme security.
This fortress of an island features 41 waterfront properties strategically arranged around an exclusive 18 hole golf-course stretched across 294 acres.
The average home value is $20 million with each lot featuring a minimum of 1.25 acres. In February 2010, one of the luxury estates sold for $50 million, breaking the record for the most expensive single family home sold in Miami.
Security is so tight that the entrance is heavily guarded with a 13 person private police force who patrol the island via boat, jeeps and jet skis 24 hours a day.
According to the 2019 census, the population for Indian Creek Island is 87 and in year 2000 it was considered the 8th highest income area in the United States.
History of Indian Creek Island
In the early 1900’s, Indian Creek Island was created as a result of excavation for drainage in Biscayne Bay. Although the golf course was created a few years later, the Village of Indian Creek Island officially established in 1939. The first homes built on the land were vacation homes for the Miami’s rich and famous. Although there are none of the original remaining homes, there are a handful that date back to the 1950’s.
In more recent years, instead of residents using their homes for vacationing, they are living in the community year-round, shifting the typical profile of the residents. The village are seeing more families with children and a recent council meeting approved sidewalks and streetlights for play.
Notables on the Island
With the exclusivity of Indian Creek Island, it brings on many notables who want the privacy and security this island has to offer. Past residents include Beyoncé and Jay-Z. Current notables include:
Norman Braman- car dealership billionaire
Purchased 1 Indian Creek Drive in 1991 for $3.9 million
Russian (anonymous) buyer
Purchased 3 Indian Creek Drive in 2012 for $47 million
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner
Purchased a vacant lot for Julio Iglesias (Enrique Iglesias’ father) in 2020 for $30 million
Adriana Lima -Victoria Secret Supermodel
Purchased 22 Indian Creek Drive in 2009 for $9 million
Don Shula -Retired headcoach for the Miami Dolphins
Purchased 16 Indian Creek Drive with a price unknown due to divorce
Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen
Purchased a tear-down at 26 Indian Creek Drive in 2020 for $17 million.
There is only one property currently on the market on Indian Creek Island. The property located at 29 Indian Creek Drive is listed for rent at $100,000 monthly and features 4 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms with gorgeous southern exposure of Biscayne Bay. For more information on this property or about Indian Creek Island, please contact Lucas Lechuga via email at [email protected] or by phone at (786)247-6332.
Market Watch-Condo Sales Surge First Week of June in Miami
Condo sales and volume have surged for the for Miami-Dade county for first week of June. From May 30th to June 5th, 299 condo units sold for $233.2 million. This is up from the previous week in May at 274 units for a total of $183.1 million.
The average price for the units is $780,000, which is up from the last week of May at $668,000. Price per square footage is at an average of $447, with an increase of $31 price per square foot from the previous week.
The week’s most expensive sale is tennis star Carolina Wozniacki and NBA player David Lee for a penthouse at Palazzo Del Sol at Fisher Island. The condo closed for $18.7 million at $2,670 price per square foot. The property was on the market for 472 days and listed by Dora Puig at Luxe Living Realty.
Coming in second is a condo at the Santa Maria Brickell in Miami at $13 million with $1,300 per square foot. This property was on the market for 1 day.
The 3rd most expensive sale was located at One Ocean 402, sold for $3.1 million at $1,516 price per square feet with 57 days on the market.
Five Park is set to be Miami Beach’s Tallest Residential Tower at 519 Feet
Sales are officially underway for Five Park! Five Park will be Miami Beach’s newest residential condo tower, rising 48 stories tall. It is expected to be Miami Beach’s tallest tower at 519 feet high.
Located at 500 Alton Road Miami Beach, this tower will feature 98 residential units with two- to five-bedroom floor plans with 1,434-6,000 square feet. Residences will feature private elevators, open floor plans, ten-foot-wide sliding doors opening to an expansive terrace, and 10′ ceilings. Pricing will range from $2.55 to $7.7 million.
Developers for this project include the Terra Group and GFO Investments. Terra Group is well-known for their projects at 900 Biscayne Bay, and Grove at Grand Bay. GFO is currently backing the project Natiivo Miami. The architect for this project is Arquitectonica and designer Gabellini Sheppard.
The condo units will face east with expansive views of the ocean, Biscayne Bay, and the Miami skyline. Five Park has an ideal location in the South of Fifth neighborhood. Its location places residents near restaurants, shopping, and the beach.
Five Park will also feature Miami Beach’s first ‘Member’s Only’ club which will be located on the 26th floor, called the Canopy Club.
Residence Features:
Private elevators
Expansive, open floor plans maximize the Miami sunlight
10’ wide sliding door openings enable terrace access from living rooms
Finished floor terraces accentuate a harmonious blend of indoor-meets-outdoor living
Design-forward Hansgrohe bathroom fixtures feature in secondary bathrooms
Front-load washers and ducted, vented dryers for clean and quiet laundry access
Custom Five Park app allows you to conveniently manage your amenity and at-home experience
Residences are prepped with platinum pre-wiring
Building Features:
Co-working area with private offices and board rooms
Children’s learning lab & teen club
Screening room
Luxury short-term guest suites for friends and family
Resident-only pool bar & café
24-hour concierge and butler service
Housekeeping services available
Beach Club transportation via electric Moke
Fully-outfitted Gym
Spa & Treatment rooms
State-of-the-art fiber-optics provide high-quality internet and WiFi service from every corner of Five Park residences and amenities, even garage and elevator space
Canopy Club (Outdoor) Amenities:
Sky gaze from club lounge, dining, and living rooms outfitted with outdoor terraces that host amazing views of downtown Miami and Miami Beach
Enjoy elegant, secluded entertainment options at the private jewel box bar, lounge, and billiards rooms
Engage in a quiet night in at the clubroom den
Take advantage of the Canopy Club’s private dining room, perfect for special events
A club-level dining experience curated seasonally by a host of visiting renowned chefs
A wellness lounge outfitted with private training areas, an outdoor workout zone, exercise bikes, a yoga deck, and juice bar amid spectacular bay and ocean views
In-house personal trainer and wellness coach
Women’s and men’s spa lounges, each with separate saunas, a hammam, and a dedicated massage and treatment room
Dedicated club-level concierge
Construction is underway for Five Park and is expected to be completed in 2023. If you or someone you know have an interest in purchasing one of the units at Five Park Miami Beach, please contact Lucas Lechuga via email at [email protected] or by phone at (786)247-6332.
Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union Sell their Miami Beach Waterfront Mansion for $22 Million
What a crazy week for luxury real estate! Another mansion just sold in Miami Beach by none other than retired Miami Heat basketball player, Dwyane Wade and wife, Gabrielle Union.
Wade and Union first purchased the home located at 5980 North Bay Road in Miami Beach in 2010 for $10.6 million. The couple originally listed the home for $32.5 million in 2019 and lowered the price in December 2020 to $20.6 million. The home has been under contract with the same buyer since January of this year and just closed on June 1, 2021.
Sitting on 13,800 square feet of living, the 6-bedroom, 9 full bathrooms, and 2 half bathrooms is infused with Spanish architecture mixed with contemporary designs throughout. The chef’s kitchen features neutral tones and quartz countertops with Sub-zero and Wolfe appliances. The home also boasts an impressive master suite, wine cellar, and a large theater.
The home sits on professionally manicured 1 acre parcel with an expansive pool overlooking Biscayne Bay, boat dock, outdoor kitchen, guest house, outdoor basketball court, and playground.
The buyer for this property has not been disclosed. Wade and Union are currently residing in Los Angeles where they purchased a Hidden Hills Mansion for $18 million in 2020.
Dwyane Wade retired from his 16-year Miami Heat basketball career in 2019. Wade holds the Miami titles for all-time leader in points, games, assists, steals, shots made, and shots taken. He is also a minority owner of the Utah Jazz.
Gabriel Union is an American actress, activist, and voice actor. She has stared in movie roles on Bad Boys II, Bring It On, and She’s All That. Time Magazine included Union in the 100 Most Influential People in the World of 2020 magazine edition.
Legacy Hotel & Residences Sells out at 100% at Pre-Construction
Legacy Miami Worldcenter also known as Legacy Hotel & Residences is one of the newest pre-construction residential towers located in Park West Miami. This luxury tower will rise 668 feet tall with 50 stories. This tower has officially sold out before the groundbreaking. According to the South Florida Construction Journal, this is the first development in downtown Miami to sell out prior to construction.
Centrally located at 942 NE 1st Avenue in the heart of the Miami Worldcenter ‘mega-development.’ This mixed-use project will feature 287 residences, 262, luxury hotel rooms, restaurants, business center, medical office, retail, and a rooftop atrium with multiple amenities. It will also be considered the second tallest tower at Miami Worldcenter.
The residences will consist of studios, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom floor plans ranging from 368 to 964 interior square feet. Developed by Royal Palm Companies with Kobi Karp as the architect and ID & Design International designing the interior space. This tower will feature state-of-the-art living without any rental restrictions. This allows homeowners to rent their units on a short-term basis through AriBnB, VRBO, or through Legacy’s rental program. The residences at Legacy Hotel & Residences will come fully furnished.
The sold units include a total of 310 with a combined value of $160 million. The average prices ranged between $350,000 to $2+ million. There are 8 penthouses remaining are subject to use for the hotel portion of the project.
RPC is currently closing on their construction loan and expects to announce that milestone soon. Construction permits are pending and site pre-work is estimated to begin the end of May and/or beginning of June 2021. Legacy Hotel & Residences is expected to be completed in 2024.
Miami Real Estate Sales Surge in April 2021 – Best Sales Month in History
Home and Condo Sales surge in April making it the best sales month in Miami-Dade County real estate history. There have been a record number of companies relocating as well as individuals moving to South Florida creating such a high demand. Throw in the record-low mortgage rates and you definitely have your ‘surge.’
According to the Miami Multiple Listing Service (MLS), home sales have increased by 151.3% from 2020. Last year offered 1,576 homes sold to this year alone doubling to 3,960. Single-family home transactions increased by 83.1%. Condo sales are no different, with a substantial increase of 234.2% from 711 sales in 2020 to 2,376.
According to the MIAMI Realtors Chairman of the Board Jennifer Wollmann, “Miami recorded its best April sales month in history and the sales could have been even larger had there been more inventory.” “As is the situation in many major cities, inventory is low for single-family homes. The Miami condo market, however, is in a balanced market with 7.1 months of supply and buyers are taking advantage of the sector’s healthy inventory and today’s record low mortgage rates,” Wollmann also stated.
The luxury market has seen a substantial increase, with Miami luxury single-family home sales increasing 541.1% year over year with 359 total sales for April 2021.
Single-family home pricing between $400,000 to $600,000 increased by 118.9% to 521 transactions in April 2021. Cash sales for single-family homes have increased by 27.4%
The Miami Luxury condo market has also seen a spike in sales with an increase of 540.8% with 314 sales. Condo pricing sales between $400,000 and $600,000 had an increase of 371.6% to 349 sales than the years prior. Median prices for condos have increased 22.6% year over year as well. Condo cash sales accounted for 46.5% of transactions.
Distressed sales in my were at 1.5% which is low compared to prior years. Back in 2009, distressed sales accounted for 70% of all Miami sales.
With the high-demand, Miami real estate buyers have gotten creative and competitive with their offers. Multiple bids, buyers offering over asking price, and/or offering cryptocurrency in with their offer can really give buyers an edge in this market. Other factors have included mortgage contingencies, waving home inspections, and mortgage lenders waiving appraisals have also created a competitive edge.
Latin Singer and Songwriter-Marc Anthony Sells Coral Gables Mansion for $22.4 Million
Three-time Grammy Award Winner and Jennifer Lopez’s ex-husband, Marc Anthony has sold his Coral Gables, Florida mansion! The expansive 12 bedroom estate sold for $22.4 million on May 18, 2021. The ‘Barcadi-developed’ mansion is located at 300 Costanera Road in Cocoplum with 21,000 square feet of expansive living space.
The estate is set on a 1.3-acre corner parcel with 480 feet of water frontage. It was originally designed by Rafael Portuondo. The great, great grandaughter of Barcadi Founder, Hilda Maria Bacardi, sold the estate to Anthony in 2018. The original construction took eight years to complete and Bacardi oversaw the entire process.
The three-story mansion was originally listed in 2014 before construction was even completed. The original price was $18 million. The sellers increased the price to $27 million in 2016, which was the year the construction was completed.
The gorgeous estate features an expansive wine cellar, swimming pool, staff quarters, 3 kitchens, and direct access to Biscayne Bay. The new buyer has not yet been listed in the tax records.
Marc Anthony also referred to as Marco Antonio Muñiz, is a singer, songwriter, actor-producer, and philanthropist. He is also the top-selling salsa artist of all time and holds a Guinness World Record for best-selling tropical/salsa artist. He has also received 6 Latin Grammy Awards and is also the recipient of the 2009 Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Lifetime Achievement Award.
J. Michael Arrington-Founder of TechCrunch Buys Waterfront Home for $16 Million
In April 2021, J. Michael Arrington, Founder of TechCrunch, stated that “there is no better place to be than Miami.” So it is of no surprise that Arrington just closed on a waterfront property in Miami last Friday.
With a cool price of $16 million, this gorgeous home is located in Miami’s gated community of Old Cutler Bay has all the amenities that one could need. The gorgeous six bedroom home is perfectly sited on half of an acre with 140 feet of waterfront. This property is not limited in amenities! From the pool, wooden deck, coral rock fire pit, to the summer kitchen, it is absolutely stunning.
The home was built in 2015 and designed by Florida architect, Cesar Molina. The 8,300 square foot home is complete with 6 bedrooms, 7.5 bathrooms, wine cellar, home theater, gym, and custom kitchen.
According to the Miami MLS, this property was originally listed in April with a price of $16.5 million. According to tax records, the sellers purchased the property for $10.4 million in November of 2018. According to the listing agent, properties in this neighborhood typically sell for over $10 million but this has been the highest sale price ever for this neighborhood.
J. Michael Arrington is the founder of the popular tech review website, TechCrunch and a cryptocurrency hedge fund, Arrington XRP Capital. Techcrunch which operates Crunchbase, was founded in 2005 starting off as an online encyclopedia with information on key people, funding rounds, and startups’ information. TechCrunch was later acquired in 2010 by AOL for $25 million.
501 First Residences- Renderings and Plans Just Released for the 40 Story Tower in Downtown Miami
Miami can now officially welcome the newest pre-construction tower to grace our gorgeous skyline, 501 First Residences in downtown Miami. This new 40-story tower with 448, will be developed by Aria Development Group and designed by Revuelta Architecture International, who also designed Wind and 900 Biscayne. 501 First Residences will be located at 501 Northeast 1st Avenue with views of downtown Miami and Biscayne Bay.
Acoording to the Aria Development group, this particular development will be built to cater to the short-term rental market. The biggest perk is that there will be no rental restrictions. Which means, the resident can utilize any consumer platform (Vrbo, Expedia, Airbnb, etc.) to rent and each unit can be rent for 1 day or more.
The renderings reveal floor-to-ceiling windows and expansive balconies. The sleek structure is curved creating a horizontal and vertical grid like design. The exact height of the development hasn’t been released but we can expect the 40-story high structure to be over 450 feet in height.
The 448 luxury units will be fully finished and furnished with pricing starting at $300,000. Floor plans will range from studios, 1 bedroom, and 2 bedrooms. The square footage for each unit is expected to be from 385 to 835 square feet.
Residence Features:
Fully finished and furnished residences thoughtfully curated by award-winning design firm, Shim Projects
Floor to ceiling glass windows with custom window treatments
All residences feature balconies
Biscayne Bay and Miami skyline views
Finished flooring on all residential interiors and balconies
In-unit washers and dryers
Kitchens and bathrooms feature custom Italian cabinetry and counters
Speed oven by Smeg
Integrated paneled refrigerator and freezer
Dishwasher
Fully built-out closets
Hansgrohe bathroom fixtures, features, and accessories in dark matte finish
Building Amenities:
Porte-cochère entrance with 24/7 valet service
On-site management office
Mid-century, modern-inspired interior finishes and furniture in residential lobby with 25ft ceiling
Secure bicycle storage in enclosed and air-conditioned space
Centrally-located personal storage for all owners
Luxer One Package Room featuring a tech-forward, contactless digital package delivery system
Dry-cleaning service
Ground floor bistro and bar helmed by New York City’s GPG Hospitality
State-of-the-art indoor gym with private fitness training rooms
Yoga/meditation room
75-foot resort-style lap pool
North-facing private rooftop movie theatre experience
Grill & Chill on the Sunrise and Sunset Decks
Outdoor Game Lawn
Hot hydrotherapy bath
Private club suite with game tables
Entertainment chef’s kitchen
Media Room
Library
Private workspaces
Pet Lounge with pet bath station
Greenhouse
The site currently features a 2-story buidling that was built in 1924 and was previously the sales center for YotelPad Miami. The entire project will take over 4 lots equaling 22,500 square feet. According to tax records, the developer purchased the lots in 2015 for $8,250,000.
According to Miami-Dade Country records, construction permits have not been filed. The ground breaking is expected to be scheduled for spring 2022 with a top-off date in spring 2023.
