Miami Beach Real Estate Blog featuring Real Estate News

• Community: Miami River Brickell
• Location: Brickell Miami
• Developer: Groupe Pacific International
• Designer: Cohen, Freedman, Encinosa & Associates
• Year Built: 2007
• Size of condos: 952- 1510
• Type of residence: condos with 1 or 2 bedrooms
• Number of residences: 319
• Floors: 46

After the successful Brickell on the River North Tower, the developer, Group Pacific International, decided to build the second tower of the Miami River Brickell Community, Brickell on the River South Tower. Designed by Cohen, Freedman, Encinosa & Associates, the building is modern, contemporary, and above everything else, chic. Built in 2007, is has 319 condos with one or two bedrooms. The size of the residences is somewhere between 952 and 1,510 sq. ft., and there are 46 floors at your disposal, so you’ll have where to choose from. The South Tower is surrounded by the most attractive places of interest in the city, and the lofts have panoramic views due to the floor-to-ceiling glass. Brickell on the River is one of the top Luxury Miami Beach Condos, along with Continuum Miami Beach, Murano Grande Miami Beach and Apogee Miami Beach

Entertainment opportunities at the Brickell on the River South Tower

The tower shares a tropically landscaped pool with the North Tower on the 11^th floor and also a riverfront club room. The well-equipped business center is perfect for business affairs and the complexity of the building outshines all other modern constructions that surround it. Situated in the heart of Miami, it has the hottest real estate lofts available for sale on the market. The incredible views of the river entrance and of the bay, the extraordinary design and the astonishing amenities offered at invincible prices are the ideal choice for you. All requests that help residents to enjoy a privileged life are fulfilled by the full-time concierge services. A private club room, a riverfront promenade and café with plush sofas and cozy bar seating are showcased as well. Not to mention that the fashionable five-level fitness and health center can easily become your exclusive vacation resort. When it comes to comfort and privacy, there are separate floors for women and men. As you can see, the South Tower has plenty of entertainment opportunities for its residents, and residents are invited to enjoy all of them.

The Brickell on the River South Tower Amenities

Luxury is the word that defines the South Tower condominium. All lofts are equipped with granite countertops, open gourmet kitchens, stylish bedrooms and extensive balconies. Residents will adore living here considering that there is nothing more exclusive in Miami than the Brickell Towers. The views are exhilarating and this contributes to the overall beauty of the place. Every condo at the Brickell on the South Tower has the following amenities:

• Marble flooring;
• Stainless steel appliances;
• European-style cabinets;
• Panoramic view of the city;
• Comfy living space;
• Lobby;
• Women/ Men sauna;
• Concierge;
• Private club room;
• 24-h security system;
• Dressing area;
• Business center;
• Whirlpool;
• Landscaped driveway

All in all, future Miami residents should know that residing in the Brickell community is a dream come true. Living in a condo on the South Tower will offer easy access to the city’s top boutiques, greatest restaurants, and most appealing places of interest. Not to mention that you’ll be able to enjoy supreme luxury in one of the superb Brickell on the River condos.

For more information about Miami Beach Real Estate Listings call Allan Kleer @ 305 748 2058. The Kleer Team represents many first time buyers of Miami Beach Luxury Real Estate. Schedule an appointment for a personal interview.

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World famous fashion designer Gianni Versace was notoriously shot to death on the front steps of his Miami mansion in 1997.  After his tragic murder, the home sat empty until 2000 when entrepreneur Peter Loftin purchased it.  He painstakingly restored the 23,400 square foot property to its glory days and converted it into an upscale boutique hotel.

Versace Mansion Once Again for Sale

In 2012, Loftin put the property up for sale for $125 million.  That makes it one of the two most expensive homes for sale in the United States, along with the $125 million Fleur de Lys estate in Los Angeles.  The property is available as either a single family estate or as a hotel.Casa Casuarina, as the estate is known, is considered a hot property due to its history and its location.  It is situated right on the waterfront on busy Ocean Drive in Miami Beach.  The mansion features 10 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, each designed with a different, fantastical theme.  The home even boasts an observatory and an entryway with two sweeping staircases.  Throughout the estate the walls are hand-painted and the ceilings are adorned with frescoes.Perhaps one of the most spectacular amenities of this house is the 54 foot long pool decorated with mosaic tile and lined with 24 karat gold.  The pool is situated off of a private courtyard that features sculptures lining the mosaic walkways.

History of the Versace Mansion

Casa Casuarina was constructed in 1930 by well-known architect and philanthropist Alden Freeman.  The design of the estate was inspired by the Alcazar de Colon, a colonial palace where Christopher Columbus and his family once resided.  Versace purchased the home in 1992 and was said to have spent nearly $33 million on upgrades and renovations, including adding the gilded pool and expanding the south wing.

Why is Loftin Selling?

Loftin decided now was the time to list the property because the high-end market is heating up.  Billionaires around the world have once again begun buying homes.  Steve Wyn recently purchased a penthouse in New York for $70 million, while another anonymous billionaire family bought a $90 million penthouse in the One57 development in Manhattan.So why is the Versace mansion listed at such a hefty price?  According to the listing agent, the price was determined because of the home’s uniqueness.  The estate is thought of as a piece of art, and there exists nothing in the world quite like it.Miami has seen a spate of luxury purchases on this level recently.  Eddie Lampert purchased a $40 million home in Indian Creek while an anonymous Italian buyer bought a Continuum penthouse for $25 million.  Miami has enjoyed robust sales in the luxury market since 2011.  Median sales prices in this market are up over four percent since last year, and the number of days they are on the market has decreased by 10 percent.And while there has been interest in the Versace mansion since its listing in June, no buyers have yet stepped forward.

For more information about Miami Luxury Homes, call Allan Kleer @ 305 748 2058. Schedule an appointment for a personal interview.

Thus far, the Canadians have been the main foreign buyers of proprieties in Florida; but now, things seem to have changed, and there are numerous Asian investors who have shown their interest into the Florida real estate market as well. Some say that the Canadians should not fear the Asians, as they are not their biggest competition for the Florida residential deals, and that they should rather dread the aggressive groups that make “bulk investments” and purchase dozens of condos at the same time. For instance, the Blackstone Group LP, which is a private real estate company with headquarters in the United States, just spent $2.5 billion on 16,000 houses in nine different cities in the U.S, including in Miami, and the investor plans to turn all the houses into rentals.

Still, now that leading propriety markets such as Toronto and Vancouver seem to become a little bit softer, the Asian investors appear to be changing their focus to the south of the border. So far, the Asian interest in Florida has surely intensified, and how the market has slowly begun to recover, it has become a real challenge to find homes under $150,000. Although Asian buyers are minor players on the Florida real estate market, they still are extremely active, and they show a lot of potential; thus, a possible development needs to be taken into account.

The Canadians ought to consider Asian investors, and they should really find methods to fight back the large numbers of “bulk investments” as these are their main competition. Considering that the real estate market in Florida is just starting to recover, prices are not very high so it’s the perfect time for this type of investors to start acting.

These days, increasingly more Americans have been approved a mortgage, but the buyers from other parts of the world, such as Brazil have invaded the market, offering to pay even twice the demanded price for the property. It seems like they are in a shopping spree for houses, and they are ready to pay up to $300,000 for a house, a price than neither the Americans, nor the Canadians would afford.

Knowing all these things, you can easily notice that there are many changes taking place in the Florida real estate market. Nevertheless, this can easily go sideways and nobody can know for sure what will happen. People who have just bought a home are more than happy with their decision, because considering the high demand a lot of prices will rise. On the other hand, it is a less fortunate happening for those who have just started looking for a new place, because although they have been approved a mortgage, they might not find a home suitable for their budget if costs keep going up.

Although from a buyer’s point of view, this is not the most fortunate situation, it may be a good thing that there is shown such a great interest into the Florida real estate market because this could be the push it needs to overcome the economic crisis completely.

• Location: 1450 S Bayshore Drive Miami, FL 33131
• Year built: 1977
• Floors: 21
• Unit number: 195
• Unit type: condos with 1 and 3 bedrooms
• Average square footage: 900-2,000

 Introducing Costa Bella Condo

Costa Bella is a condo complex located at 1450 S Bayshore Drive in Miami.  It was built in 1977 and it offers 195 units spread on 21 floors. The complex is a gated community with a plethora of amenities such as exercise rooms, pool, 14-h security, tennis court, and Jacuzzi. Located just across the street from the Bayshore, Costa Bella is an excellent residential community where you’ll have at your disposal a plethora of activities to try out.

Positioned close to Publix on Brickell and at a short distance from St. Jude’s Church, the complex will allow home buyers full access to the city’s main activities. In spite of its central location, Costa Bella is a quiet community where you’ll be able to benefit from supreme composure. Some of its basic amenities include:

• Fitness center
• Valet parking
• Pool area
• Sauna
• Closeness to metro station and the shops
• Ocean views
• Heating and AC
• Washer/drier
• Hardwood flooring
• High ceilings
• Top-to-bottom windows
• Concierge

The Costa Bella Residences

Costa Bella Condo offers apartments with 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms. Home buyers will have at their disposal modern fixtures and advanced building facilities. Built in 1977, the complex was restored various times throughout the years. Modern conveniences have been introduced into the building in order to permit dwellers to enjoy a luxurious lifestyle. With prices ranging from $200,000 to $700,000, a residence at Costa Bella will certainly exceed your expectations.

If you want to benefit from supreme comfort, you can easily opt for a 3-bedroom condo with open kitchen space, fireplace in the living rooms, high ceilings, and hardwood flooring. The overviews of the city from a Costa Bella condo are just staggering. Residents will have the chance to admire the bay and the city’s most enticing attractions.

A well-established condo here will help you stay close to the area’s main points of interest. Located in the heart of the financial district, Costa Bella is one of Miami’s greatest gated communities due to the amenities provided. Within minutes from the Mary Brickell Village and the Metromover, future residents will certainly have a plethora of activities to engage on.

Additional building amenities consist of:

• 1-car garage space
• Barbeque area
• Pets allowed
• Tile flooring
• Assigned and detached parking
• Ocean views
• Bay views
• Security fence

Overall, the Costa Bella Condo in Miami is a high-end complex suitable for singles, families, and couples who want to live in the heart of Miami’s financial district. The attractions nearby, the plethora of entertainment opportunities you’ll have at your disposal, and ultimately the amenities, will certainly help you benefit from a great lifestyle.

If you think the features and location of this luxury Miami Condo are the best for you, CLICK HERE or call TheKleer Team @ 305 748 2058 TODAY.

A new transportation project has been launched between two major metropolises in Florida. Labeled the “All Aboard Florida” project, this train system will be the first privately owned railroad link between two American cities. It will connect Orlando and Miami, the two largest cities in Florida, and will cost an estimated 1.5 billion dollars. This track will be completed in late 2014 or early 2015.

The passenger trains will run on 200 miles of track alongside Florida’s eastern coast, property owned by Florida East Coast Railways (FECI). FECI is a Miami company that specializes in real estate and transportation. The journey will take a total of three hours and three minutes, a significant reduction over other transportation methods. By car, it takes an average of 4 to 5 hours, as experienced by over 50 million people every year; by Amtrak train, a government-owned railroad company, it takes between 5 to 7 hours. The All Aboard trains will run as fast as 110 miles per hour on the route.

The All Aboard passenger train system will begin and end in Miami and Orlando, with stops at Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach in between. Three primary train stations will be built along the route: at Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, with the Miami station being the largest. The train tracks in Miami will be on an elevated platform, providing an all-encompassing view of downtown upon both exit and arrival. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Marshall, the same company that designed the newly-constructed Freedom Tower in Manhattan, Miami station’s main hall will be over 60,000 square feet and will be across from the new U.S. Courthouse on Northwest First Avenue.

How will the train system make such a quick journey? The plan is to include two diesel-powered systems with a 400-seat capacity. Hourly runs will be made between Miami and Orlando, with both first-class and business-class seating. Also included are gourmet dining and WiFi availability.  The train service will also include a 40-mile inland track, built from Cocoa Beach, Florida to Orlando. This will enable customers to easily access a popular beach destination.

FECI wrote up the proposal for the business idea in March, but was not able to make a deal on the inland segment from Cocoa Beach without allowing the state of Florida to first accept other solicitations for the property in question. No additional bids were given, so Florida gave FECI the green light last Tuesday.

When it comes to the opulent homes for sale flanking the Miami coast, Russian millionaires are starting to take the lead. The rich Russians dominate the market for mega-mansions and Latin Americans are also great contributors to the recovery of the Miami real-estate market.

A Russian bought this summer the most expensive house ever sold in Miami. The home was located on Indian Creek Island and it was worth $47 million. Another home situated on Star Island has been recently sold to Roustam Tariko, Russian vodka king, for $25 million. A millionaire from Ukraine bought a whole floor of the St. Regis Bal Harbour, paying $20 million for it.

Based on what the National Association of Realtors says, it looks like Russians spent last year more than $12 billion on abroad real estate. This represents $1 billion more than those from the United States. The precise numbers for Florida are not known yet, but it seems that the state is the first on the list of foreign sales, having sold more than one in four houses to foreign buyers. Miami’s nightlife, cultural scene and ocean breezes are very attractive for rich people, especially for millionaires close to Latin America. They represent 70% of homebuyers in the Miami area.

Miami is the best location to invest in your first, second or even third house. Even though the city cannot be compared with the South of France, Manhattan or Monte Carlo, it is still a worldwide destination where everyone adores the South Beach. Rich Russians are particularly attracted by the biggest Miami condos and mansions. The weather here represents a nice getaway from the freezing Moscow. Another aspect that obsesses Russian millionaires is their security. But this is not a problem, since a great collection of private islands and gated communities with private police forces can easily be found in Miami.

Purchasing condos or mansions in Miami also involves limited expose. This is an advantage for Russians because they hate giving too much information about their business backgrounds and finances. Usually, they check only for two aspects in Miami: if the buyer has the funds and if he is not a criminal. In case these two requirements are accomplished, he can purchase the property.

Super-brokers in Miami implemented a strategy to attract more rich Russian buyers. They opened business offices in Russia and focused on studying their culture in order to know exactly how to behave and what to offer to their clients. For example, Russian buyers hate using local banks or lawyers, so they search for lenders or attorneys that are more sociable and less intrusive. What remains now to be seen is whether a Russian will purchase the biggest prize of Miami: the Versace mansion, which is worth $125 million and is situated on the South Beach.

For more information about Miami Beach Residences & Properties call Allan Kleer @ 305 748 2058. The Kleer Team represents many first time buyers of Miami Beach Luxury Real Estate. Schedule an appointment for a personal interview.