Miami Real Estate

One benefit to buying a Miami condo in a well-established building is having  added space …  space that  is often missing in  newer high-rises.

While Miami  is unquestionably known for it’s  spanking new construction,  our ever changing skyline of both  pre-construction and  brand new buildings offers  some  older gems too… (spacious alternatives) …  all along the coastline.   Read the rest of this entry »

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In the 1870’s, pioneers William and Mary Brickell maintained a trading outpost in the area that has now become today’s Brickell.  In their trading outpost days, Mary envisioned luxurious waterfront estates… which were built… but have  since pretty much given way to a new face of  Brickell :  highrise office towers and luxury condominiums.  Brickell has become quite a different picture in recent years. Read the rest of this entry »

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Italian buyer-clients,  returning to Miami  on vacation next week, will settle in to their posh Brickell vacation home … a  two bedroom condominium towering over Biscayne Bay, for the first time since closing.  After a month of interior decorators and design experts, electronic blind and custom drapery installations,  marble installation covering their terrace overlooking  Miami’s waterfront … they are coming  ‘home’ to Miami not to shop for property, but to enjoy the one they just bought.

Brickell has a particular  Read the rest of this entry »

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Not a bad track record…   Ugo Colombo’s highrises still rank among the very top of Miami’s most desirable condos. 

The Santa Maria, built in 1997,  as of right now, has list prices averaging  $702 / square foot in the MLS … despite foreclosures  Read the rest of this entry »

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You asked about  condo opportunities available now on Brickell?  After my blog on The Best Selling Condos on Brickell I received a slew of inquiries regarding pricing/availability of two-bedroom units in The Plaza on Brickell.  For better or worse,  inventory throughout Miami’s  myriad of condo buildings changes  literally by the minute.  That said, as of this writing,  there are still 7  (in my opinion stunning!) water view two-bedrooms available in The Plaza, ranging in price from $409,900 to $629,900 (and ranging in size from 1054 - 1400 square feet).  Every single unit above the the 41st floor is what’s called a  “Sky Residence”,  with upgrades beyond what you’ll find from the 41st floor, down.     Half of the currently available 2 bedroom waterfront units fall into the “Sky Residence” category ( with high ceilings!) and a number of them have views  that are quite dramatic.  Currently the developer is entertaining discounts in the range of 6% -10%  (depending on whether you are financing/or paying cash).  The Plaza is Fannie Mae approved, which means you can get lender financing.  Looking for a waterfront condo on Brickell?  This may be the time to buy!  If you are interested in buying or selling property in Miami, please give me a call at (305) 793-1365 or send me a note here.  Receive my blog posts directly to your inbox.   Stay current with all the Miami real estate information …  subscribe here.

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A charming 1 bedroom / 1 bathroom condo is available for sale! Asking $130,000 in the stunning Brickell area, this unit features 7th floor views of the Miami River. Double balcony off Living Room / Kitchen / Bedroom. Loft-like. Washer and Dryer in the unit. Upgraded. Brickell nightlife and restaurants at your footsteps. One of the lowest prices in the building…Do not miss out on this fantastic opportunity!

Click here to see a brochure and contact Vicki or Alexandra with any questions!

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EWM’s Blog has a wealth of information on not only  Miami Real Estate Market trends, but specific listings, statistics, market trends and conditions, neighborhood information, community insight, restaurant reviews, and “Just for Fun!” As reported  by MiamiRealEstateCafe.com through EWM’s Blog, Mary Brickell Village has opened a WHOLE  SLEW of absolutely lovely dining spots…  Oceanaire (elegant surroundings and scrumptious  fresh fish) …  Rosa Mexicano (to-die-for frozen-margaritas  with pomegranate juice…   heavenly guacamole concocted table side!)…  Blu’  Pizza e Cucina (umbrella-covered outdoor courtyard setting with Mediterranean fare and thin,crusty wood-burning  pizza:  ”two-for-one” each Tuesday).   Read more  in an article published by Miami.com about Blu‘! And if you want to search for restaurants, or make reservations online,  I just  stumbled across  an online service for reserving tables at fabulous  restaurants  throughout Miami:  It may be old news to some of you, but  it’s worth sharing:  OpenTable.com Which are  your favorite dining spots in Miami ?  (Brickell  restaurants … or elsewhere in Miami! )  We’d love to uncover more!

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A few condo buildings on Brickell seem to intrigue buyers more than others.   International buyers gravitate toward a handful  that epitomize the ‘dream’ of living IN MIAMI,  and  South Florida’s sunny, easygoing  lifestyle.  One that  appeals BIG TIME to foreign buyers is THE PLAZA ON BRICKELL .  The Plaza is actually two towers: 951 Brickell Avenue  and 950 Brickell Bay Drive. (The two towers are also somewhat confusingly referred to  as #851 and #901,  from  recent pre-construction days, before  the US Postal Service changed the “original” street addresses.  You’ll  occasionally  find  listings on  Realtor.com, or through the MLS, or other websites – condos listed currently for sale or for lease -  referencing  those old street numbers. ) 

Brickell (literally overnight) became Miami’s  “in”  place to own a condo …  in large part due to the addition of Mary Brickell Village , which added charm and infrastructure to the area, and made Brickell come alive!   Read more about Mary Brickell Village here.

The PLAZA ON BRICKELL  has breathtaking night views (waterfront  mixed with city-lights),  spacious balconies and  sleek design.  There are (as of this date) still a handful of one-bedroom units with  striking views (water, city and pool) priced between $276,000.00 and $355,000.00 including a lovely 847 square foot unit on the 43rd floor.  Realize that you are looking at an additional 6%-12% percent below the current prices I’ve quoted above.  The developer is selling out the last of the units, and making for some interesting buyer opportunities  at below the  original preconstruction pricing.   Give us a call if you’re interested in buying one of the units in The Plaza… Contact us by email at restivo.v@ewm.com … or respond via our blog here at MiamiRealEstateCafe.com.

The two  “Plaza” towers are veritable   “eye-candy” … especially for  foreign buyers …  a ’sweet deal’.   I’m intrigued  though that  less than 20%  of the building was purchased (thus far) as income property (to be rented out) …   Buyers seem to be purchasing condos in The Plaza on Brickell as their primary residence,  or alternatively as a second home/vacation property. 

Of the 560 units in  Tower #851:   389 have closed so far, and 32 others are under contract.  There are 139 units left to be sold, as of now.    

Of the 440 condos in Tower #901,   392 have closed and 12 more are currently under contract, leaving 36 available for purchase.  

Statistics for  owner occupied units/vacation homes/ and investment property in The Plaza On Brickell are worth noting:  58% are owner occupied, and 23% are vacation or second homes, and 19%  were acquired  by investors for rental purposes.  Fannie Mae approval is expected  within the next two to three weeks.   You are invited to contact us for updates.

Please add your thoughts or insights regarding Brickell, it’s infrastructure, condo purchases or opportunities.   Your input to the MiamiRealEstateCafe Blog is MORE than  welcome!

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Brickell has become the  ’new’  face of Miami, seemingly overnight.  Mary Brickell Village  added both charm and infrastructure  to the up-and-coming neighborhood of Brickell Avenue/Downtown and made it come alive!    Mary Brickell Village  is basically by  SW 10th Street,  just west of Brickell Avenue…  offering vibrant night-life, with both upscale and more “neighborhood/laid-back” dining.

A brand new Publix  just opened there a month ago:  31,000 square feet  of  “Green”  supermarket on the west side of Mary Brickell Village. You’ll also find a  drycleaner ,  tobacconist,  ice-creamery, chocolatier,  Kinko’s, FedEx, and a pharmacy…       along with several delightful dining spots. 

Mary Brickell Village is a   charming   ‘center of town’      (in  the heart of the financial and banking center of Miami)…    a quick ride from the Miami  International Airport…  a stone’s throw from Brickell Key,  Bayfront Park and the Performing Arts Center…  and literally right across the bridge from both Miami Beach  and Key Biscayne (with their endless water, sandy beaches, and resort lifestyles … )  

The  neighborhood  around Brickell could definitely use a movie theatre,  and is screaming for a local bookstore (Books & Books would be a definite asset!) … but Brickell is coming along by leaps and bounds.   

The Brickell MetroRail station and People Mover offer easy access into and out of MaryBrickell Village.   Reasonably priced parking is available (street and garage). 

A few blocks north you’ll find the Capital Grille, the quaint and characteristic Miami River Waterfront  and waterfront promenade,  Il Gabbiano’s stunning waterview dining, and Tobacco Road …. And within Mary Brickell itself are newly-opening shops and boutique-style stores… Mary Brickell Village restaurants, many offering OUTDOOR dining, are worth seeking out even if you’re not living in the immediate area!)

 Among our favorites are  Balans, Oceanaire Seafood, Abokado Sushi,  Blue Martini, Grimpa, Segafredo, Blu Pizza e Cucina, and Rosa Mexicano…  (Mary Brickell Village reminds me of  what Lincoln Road brought to Miami Beach,  raising real estate  values and encouraging further development and growth in that area of the beach).

Love to hear your thoughts, and your favorite spots in and around Brickell… what you enjoy about it, and what you’d like to see added to Mary Brickell Village.

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Smack in the heart of Mary Brickell Village,  are a WHOLE  SLEW of absolutely lovely dining spots…  Oceanaire   (elegant surroundings and scrumptious  fresh fish) …  Rosa Mexicano (to-die-for frozen-margaritas  with pomegranate juice…   heavenly guacamole concocted table side!)…  Blu’  Pizza e Cucina (umbrella-covered outdoor courtyard setting with Mediterranean fare and thin,crusty wood-burning  pizza:  ”two-for-one” each Tuesday).   Read more  in an article published by Miami.com about Blu‘!  And if you want to search for restaurants, or make reservations online,  I just  stumbled across  an online service for reserving tables  at fabulous  restaurants  throughout Miami:  It may be old news to some of you, but  it’s worth sharing:  OpenTable.com    Which are  your favorite dining spots  in Miami ?  (Brickell  restaurants … or elsewhere in Miami! )  We’d love to uncover more!

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