Apartment Rentals & Sales Miami FL

Here is a photo I took today from Axis Brickell Condo. 

If you see a guy with a blue and white helmet zipping around on a bright red Vespa it just might be Jamie Blumenfeld, PA!

The team at ARMiami says: 

“May this be a great finish to 2008 and have a Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas, Joyous Festivus - whatever you celebrate may this be a wonderful holiday.  We look forward to a strong year in 2009 - here is to an AMAZING NEW YEAR, 2009!“

Avenue on Brickell (1060 Brickell) developer Extell is oferring a bulk sale of 346 units at a fair discount - but will they find a buyer?  Click on the link to read a Miami Herald article about the sale:

346 Brickell Condos Offered in Bulk Sale 

While at first glance this seems to support the notion the sky is falling that the news outlets and water cooler gossip would have you believe, take a close look at the numbers cited at the end for closings in Miami - 70% rate closed and many of the buildings are still in the closing process.  This supports what I have seen in the foreclosure/short sale market, that there are still condos being bought and sold daily - units priced well are moving as cash buyers swoop in.

Yes, that’s right the sky may be falling according to the news channels but locally…  it’s not quite as bad as it seems.  A recent Miami Herald article supports exactly what I have been seeing - with prices hitting six year lows buyers are swooping in.  Signs of Life for Condo Sales in Downtown Miami    Hand-in-hand with this, and as mentioned in the article, are a slew of closings either occuring now or scheduled before year’s end.  The list is long as most of the projects (particularly in Brickell) wrap up - EPIC, Icon Brickell, Everglades on the Bay, Mint, and Infinity I are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.  

The Everglades on the Bay condo is nearly done!  The pool deck looks complete with great landscaping and pools, plus the large fitness center looks outstanding.  All the external painting looks to be done and here is where I’m left a bit puzzled - who designed the color scheme of this building???  Sadly I do not find it very attractive with white, pale green, tan, red, and brown.  While taking a walk around the block I was pleased to see all new sidewalks with brick inlays and planted trees giving a nice residential touch to our neighborhood.  I looked in both of the lobbies which look wonderful in warm woods and have what I am fairly certain are Chihuly chanderliers. From appearances I expected closing to begin in the next 2-6 weeks but I was contacted by a pre-construction owner who said the developer contacted him and it has been delayed until late winter/early spring - almost certainly 2009.  I’m curious as to the delay, it may just be the massive amount of work to build out the many units.

Here is a pretty neat photo I took a day or two ago from my balcony at The Loft Downtown 1 showing the Miami Arena.  Still a ways for them to go with removing the structure that will provide one of the plots for the Miami Worldcenter  project.

Be sure to click on the photo for a larger image where you can see a lot more detail.

Right behind the prestigious row of new condos on Biscayne Boulevard lies a neighborhood that is mostly vacant and overrun with homeless.  Rumblings of new projects on this land have been going on for several years now but it looks like it just might come to pass. Miami Herald article on the Miami Worldcenter project. 

If you are wondering why there is a dearth of updates recently our ARMiami Realtors have been swamped with short sales and foreclosures!  Updates should be coming over the next week so please check back.