Buying a direct oceanfront condo with "WOW Factor" views

There are thousands of oceanfront condos along the coast of South Florida from South Beach to Palm Beach.  Oceanfront condo means that the footprint of the building is situated directly on the sand.Within each building there are many different floor plans offering variety of views; ocean views, west views, north or south views, etc.

Many of my clients from all over the world have the following specifications:

Relatively new building

Direct Oceanfront

3 bedrooms

Minimum 2500 square feet

and it must have the “Wow Factor”.

The “Wow Factor” is pretty self explanatory. You walk out of your private elevator foyer, go through the doors and you see the magnificent gorgeous colors of our tropical turquois ocean framed by floor to ceiling windows in a wide open spacious room.  And then you say “Wow”.

Here are some of my favorite new oceanfront condo buildings along the coast that offer spectacular ”Wow”views:

Trump Towers- Sunny Isles

Caribbean- Miami Beach

Bath Club Town homes- Miami Beach

One Bal Harbour- Bal Harbour

Turnberry Ocean Colony- Sunny Isles

One Thousand Ocean- Boca Raton

Luxuria- Boca Raton

Trump Hollywood

Each building has its own location, personality and price point.

We have seen incredible sales activity this past winter season and strong sales activity has continued into spring.  The well priced most desirable units are actively and rapidly selling.

As I have written many times, great buying opportunities continue to be evident on developer offered units.  Every buyer today is looking for a buying opportunity, I have introduced many of my buyers to developer units with great satisfaction.  In today’s market there are only a select few developer opportunities out there.  Trump Towers, Sunny Isles for example offers an amazing 3 bedroom 2928 square foot direct ocean unit.  Trump Towers has seen incredible sales, as their pricing is very attractive.

This is a very unique market with a very select number of outstanding properties that fit this criteria.

Trump Hollywood Luxury Condos Goes to Foreclosure-Condo Prices Expected to Adjust

As reported by Bloomberg this morning, the magnificent Trump Hollywood has gone to foreclosure. The note was bought by a third party.

It is anticipated that prices are going to be cut.  This property is has 41 stories of contemporary glass designed by Yabu Pushelberg and Robert Swedroe, Residences are large and the finishings are top of the line. Trump Hollywood has a total of 200 units.  The finishings and the amenities are truly outstanding.

There are many buyers waiting for this day.  Hollywood is a location along the beach that offers new condominiums with the best prices on a dollar per square foot basis compared to other areas along the coast. The project is most desirable for its luxury finishings and spacious floor plans. Trump Hollywood was completed as the market fell and the prices offered did not adjust with the market. Many buyers expressed a desire and interest but decided to wait anticipating this day to come.

There is a demand from a specific set of buyers for a luxury  minimum 3 bedroom  direct oceanfront condominiums with at least 3000 sq.ft. in South Florida.  The few properties that offer such large spaces in a luxury building such as Turnberry Ocean Colony in Sunny Isles command prices starting at $2.5 million. Trump Hollywood was offering these units for sale for around $600 square foot or $1.8 million and they did not sell in this market.  Anticipating a price reduction to come,  Trump Hollywood can become the best buy for luxury oceanfront condominiums along the coast.

Floor plans offered start at the smallest unit a 2 bedroom plus den 3 and 1/2 bath with a total of 2088 square feet under air.  The largest floor plan is 5086 sq. ft. under air 4 bedrooms 6 1/2 baths plus a den, family room,home office and staff quarters.  The oceanfront balcony adds another 920 square feet.  Truly spectacular.

If you are interested in floor plans or further information contact me at susan@blogsouthflorida.com. Call (954) 632-3266

One of the outstanding amenities offered at Trump Hollywood.  Residents wine room.

Luxury Oceanfront Condo Activity- What Sold and What is Selling?

We receive calls from all over the world inquiring about the South Florida Oceanfront Condo Market. These calls come from people with perspectives on the economic conditions of the market and projections on what they believe.  Their information is coming from what they read in newspapers and on-line.  All types of opinions are formulated in this challenging market.  Statistics, and facts tell the real story.

Interesting facts….

The following charts, show actual closed sales for oceanfront condos within the last 60 day and recently sold condos pending closing. This data has been extracted from the MLS and may not include developer condo sales on new units.

In the over $5 million category there were 4 closed sales.  The penthouse at One Bal Harbour sold for $8,700.000($1643 sq.ft)  . It was magnificently finished out and offered turnkey.  It was listed for $12,000,000.  That is a 28% reduction, that can be viewed as being sold by a “motivated seller”. PH2108 had an interesting lineage.  In 2008 it was offered for sale  for $6,300,000. At that time it was unfinished (decorator ready) and closed at $4,950,000. ($940 sq.ft.). One Bal Harbour sits on one of the most unique locations along the coast with views of continual waterway activity on Haulover Inlet.

Other oceanfront condo sales reported over $5 million were at the Setai, Fontainbleu, and Ocean Tower on Key Biscayne.

In the over $1 million dollar range there were 70 closed sales,  4 sales at the Continuum in South Beach 4 sales at Turnberry Ocean Colony and 2 sales at Ocean Palms in Hollywood Beach.  The other sales were scattered along the coast in various condos.

Over $500,000 range, 150 closed sales were reported. Numerous sales were reported at the Beach Club in Hallandale Beach, Coconut Grove in Fort Lauderdale, Caribbean in Miami Beach

In the pending close category there a few notable transactions. 3 penthouse units sold, 2 on Key Biscayne and one spectacular unit at the Jade Beach in Sunny Isles. Turnberry Ocean Colony had the most pending sales in the over $2 million range.

There are 195 pending sales in the price range over $500,000.  What I have noticed consistently is that in all the buildings that we carefully monitor there is a growing list of pending sales. Oceanfront Condo sales activity is increasing.  When I analyze the data clearly the best buildings with great amenities in desirable locations are attracting buyers.  Great buying opportunities are everywhere across all price ranges…even in the ultra luxury market.

One Bal Harbour

Diplomat Residences Hollywood Beach

Prices and Sales Activity at Turnberry Ocean Colony

How is Turnberry Ocean Colony a Luxury Oceanfront Condo doing?

In 2008, when the realization of a financial crisis was still setting in, real estate prices were all over the place.  There were sellers not budging off all time high prices, there was an influx of short sales and there was an undercurrent of fear. Well a great deal has happened in the past two years.  The large inventory on the market has been reduced and sales have picked up.

There is a recurrent theme with the high end luxury buyers that I work with.  FIrst, they love South Florida want to own a second home here.  Secondly, there is a belief that prices are still attractive and will appreciate in time, and finally the banks are not providing good returns, real estate is a good investment.

I wanted to provide a snapshot of Turnberry Ocean Colony a great example of a luxury oceanfront condo.

Turnberry Ocean Colony in Sunny Isles is one of the truly exclusive high end luxury oceanfront condos along the coast. Turnberry Ocean Colony offers very large  direct oceanfront and flow through units with west views.  Condos are from 2200 square feet for a two bedroom unit to over 3700 sq. ft. for 4 bedrooms with maids quarters.  The service and amenities at Turnberry Ocean Colony are truly exceptional and deserve the “luxury” classification.

In March 2 008, I wrote a profile on Turnberry Ocean Colony .   Let’s take a look at Turnberry Ocean Colony in 2008 compared to sales figures today.

__________________March 2008 _____March 2010______________

Pending sales                    3                           10

Number of Closed Sale    10                          10              (prior 6 month period)

Number of Listings          58                           32

Lowest Sold Price           $492 (Dec.08)   $465 (Oct.09) (prior 6 month period)

What does this all mean?  Inventories are down 46% ! As inventories continue to decline, sellers tend to be firmer on their prices and buyers have less choices. Clearly with such a dramatic increase in pending contracts, sales are picking up. Are there still motivated sellers in the market?  Absolutely!  Is there that pending fear that the luxury market is collapsing? Not so much.

Overall, the performance of the luxury oceanfront condo market is very building specific, however, one fact is consistent…inventories are down.

Sunny Isles Condo Prices- Developer Units and Resales

Developer units are selling in Sunny Isles.  There are several new projects, Trump Royale, Trump Grande, Trump Towers, Jade Ocean and Jade Beach. In the case of the Trump Buildings, prices have been adjusted to reflect current market prices and the inventories are moving.  In the Trump Royale, I was working with a client last week that selected a unit and put down a deposit on it.  They flew down one week later interested in looking at the 3 or 4 other units in the line that were available at that time. When they arrived one week later, all the other units in that particular line were  sold out.  Prices are attractive, the buildings are new equipped with all the amenities one would expect from a new building, and they are oceanfront!  Inventories are moving !!!

As I have written many times, I see great opportunities in new buildings with units being offered by the developer.  These days most developers are very tuned into market value and understand where prices need to be in order to move their inventory.

Oceanfront Condo inventories are moving, developer units and resale units.  For the resale market in Sunny Isles, inventories have dropped dramatically… a whopping 37% from November 2008.  Again, oceanfront condos in South Florida are a very unique niche and have world wide appeal.  Sales performance of these unique properties are quite different than what is reflected in the overall housing market.

Buyers that I have recently  worked with that have purchased Developer Units are delighted to be the first owner, are pleased with the prices they have paid and view it as a great long term investment that will appreciate in time…they will enjoy using along the way  !!!

Sales are up. What does that mean for South Florida Oceanfront Condos?

Luxury Oceanfront Condo

Sales are defintely up !  Housing figures are showing an increase in sales. What does this mean for oceanfront condos in South Florida?  Luxury buildings that we follow are showing an increased number of sales all along the coast.  A year ago the numbers were quite different.  South Florida oceanfront condos have a world wide appeal and continue to be a desirable location for a second, third or forth home acquisitions Sales figures in this unique market has shown some incredible activity.

How does that translate to the luxury oceanfront condos that we follow?  The most obvious trend is that the least expensive condos in the luxury buildings are selling.  When prices went down there were some new lows presenting buying opportunites that were previously unheard of.  For example,  the Palms in Fort Lauderale, prices for condos in this luxury building average a $1 million and up.  There were about a half a dozen units priced below $1million and almost all of them have sold.  There are buyers in the marketplace identifying great buildings and picking up great inexpensive buys.

Bargain priced units are not the only condos selling.  Desirable units with  large square footage and/or exceptional views are also selling. Turnberry Ocean Colony has a reported 4 units under contract.  This is one of the finest buildings along the coast.  Prices are well over $1million.

The Beach Club, with 1200 units in total, not surprisingly,  has the most activity of any oceanfront building.  29 units have gone to contract !!!

Here is a sampling of what has been reported as pending sales in several buildings:

There are buyers in the market place identifying great buildings and picking up great inexpensive buys.  There are also buyers that are taking advantage of having several desirable units to choose from.  As we move into the winter season, I anticipate that this activity will increase as buyers jump into the market.   We will continue to see inventories decline as well.

Miami-Fort Lauderdale Sold Oceanfront Condos- Last 90 Days

In the last 90 days there have been many oceanfront condo sales that have closed.  We wanted to be specific by showing our readers what has actually sold, and what prices buyers are paying.  As we move into the fall season, increased sales are expected for second home buyers looking for good buying opportunties.

Blogsouthflorida, focuses primarily on newer oceanfront condos so the condos listed are in buildings built after 2000 and with a minimum of 2 bedrooms.

In Miami-Dade there were 89 oceanfront condos that sold.  The Penthouse at Continuum sold for $9,900,000, asking price $14,500,000,  32% off asking.  There has been several sales at Turnberry Ocean Colony in Sunny Isles.  This is one of our favorite properties in South Florida and prices on a per square foot basis are quite attractive.  There have also been several sales at One Bal Harbour, another sought after luxury oceanfront property.  We are delighted to see several sales at Canyon Ranch as well.

Oceanfront Condos closed sales in Miami Dade, which includes; Miami Beach, Bal Harbour, Sunny Isles, etc. from May 4,2009 through August 2, 2009.  Criteria used includes only buildings built after 2000 and condos with a minimum of 2 bedrooms. The last column is showing the % of sale price to list price.

All information is from the regional MLS

The following data reflects oceanfront Condos closed sales in Broward County, which includes Hallandale Beach, Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale etc, from May 4,2009 through August 2, 2009.  Criteria used includes only buildings built after 2000 and condos with a minimum of 2 bedrooms.   The last column is showing the % of sale price to list price.

All information is from the regional MLS

n Broward County, The Ritz Carlton,  had a closed sale of a large 3073 sq. ft. oceanfront condo for $1,800,000, asking price $3 million, 40% off asking price.   Not surprising, there are the most sales at the Beach Club in Hallandale Beach.

Statistical Look at 7 Luxury Oceanfront Condos

Luxury Oceanfront Condos along the coast in South Florida vary immensly.  Each building has its own character as does each neighborhood and each city, and those variances are reflected in the price.   Worldwide attention is focused on oceanfront condos in South Florida as the price swings have been reported around the world.   To summerize our market we like to provide our readership with statistics and data.

I have selected 7 very different luxury oceanfront condos along the coast to take a look at. These 7 condominiums are all relatively new and represent a cross section of oceanfront condos along the coast.   Continuum in South Beach, Canyon Ranch in Miami Beach, One Bal Harbour in Bal Harbour, Turnberry Ocean Colony in Sunny Isles, Ocean Palms in Hollywood, The Palms in Fort Lauderdale, and The Excelsior in Boca Raton.

The information provided addresses, number of closed sales, $ per square foot, average $ of asking price, number of units currently under contract (pending), and total number of units for sale in each building.

Prices for oceanfront condos in Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach-Sunny Isles-Bal Harbour-Hallandale-Hollywood

I thought it would be helpful to offer a perspective on how much oceanfront condos are actually selling for in different areas, as compared to the asking price.  The sales data below is provided for Miami Beach oceanfront condos, Bal Harbour-Sunny Isles oceanfront condos, Hollywood-Hallandale Oceanfront condos, and Fort Lauderdale Oceanfront condos.

As you will see, Miami Beach and Bal Harbour are prices are holding strongly, whereby Hallandale Hollywod is showing much greater flexibility.  In Miami Beach oceanfront condos that sold in the last three months averaged a selling price of 90% of the asking price.  In the Bal Harbour- Sunny Isles area sold prices averaged around 91% for the last three months.  The real discounts are in Hollywood and Hallandale Beach. Buyers  purchased condos for 80% of the asking price.   As I have written in a previous posts detailing per square foot price, the per square foot prices in South Florida are also the lowest in Hollywood Hallandale.   Finally, Fort Lauderdale purchase prices averaged 84% off the asking price.

 

Miami Beach oceanfront condos on average are selling for around 90% of the asking price.  

 

The chart below will has the same criteria for Sunny Isles- Bal Harbour Oceanfront Condos.   

 

 

The information below is for Hollywood-Hallandale Beach oceanfront condos.

 

And finally, here is the data for Fort Lauderdale oceanfront condos.

 

Of course, depending on the individual situation opportunities will vary.  After analyzing the averages, I wanted to find the “outliers” and I know they are out there.  There are those break out sales that defy the averages….

Fisher Island is a private island only accessible by private ferry and helicopter.  According to Forbes.com, Fisher Island FL tied for first place in their list of 500 most expensive zip codes in the U.S.  Well, in November there was a 5900 square foot penthouse offered for $12,000,000.  It sold for $8,000,000.  That is 38% off asking price !

In Bal Harbour, there were two.  Majestic Tower, 2160 square feet, asking price $1,700,000.  This 16 th floor unit sold for $1,400,000. 17% discount.  One Bal Harbour, a 2114 square foot flow through unit had an asking price of $1,465,000.  It sold at $1,125,000. A 23% discount !

In Sunny Isles, Turnberry Ocean Colony, a 2235 square foot unit on the 17th floor had an asking price of $1,525,000.  It sold for $1,200,000. 79% of asking price.

In Hollywood Hallandale at the Diplomat Residences,  an 04 unit was offered at $1,250,000 and sold for $850,000. 68% of asking price.  

In Fort lauderdale, at L’Hermitage, a 2845 square foot unit had an asking price of $1,799,999.  It sold for $1,200,000. That is a 67% of asking price.

Just a foot note, this information is to provide  readers with a perspective on the market.  Each buying opportunity and each building has its own unique situation.

Turnberry Ocean Colony, Acqualina and One Bal Harbour Market Profile

Turnberry Ocean Colony North, Turnberry Ocean Colony South,  Acqualina and One Bal Harbour are luxury oceanfront condomimiums in Sunny Isles and Bal Harbour.  All three properties are relatively new.  Following our previous post, we wanted to provide our readers with a market profile for select buildings in the Sunny Isles Bal Harbour area. 

Certain markers of interest, Acqualina has the lowest percentage of units on the market, only 12%. One Bal Harbour had the lowest priced sale at $1.2 million as well as the lowest price per square foot sale of $601 per square foot.  Turnberry Ocean Colony has had 11 closed reported closed sales in the last 6 months One Bal Harbour had 22 closed sales.  When One Bal Harbour units closed there were many investors that put it right back on the market.  

Closed sale data is based on information from the last 6 months.    

South Florida newer condominiums have been averaging around 20% of the building on the market for the past year.  That number hasn’t increased in fact, as I mentioned in a previous post, inventory numbers appear to be on the decline.  

Several large scale investors such as Jorge Perez and others are stepping in to take advantage of current market conditions and attractive prices.  Real estate will have its ups and downs but unlike other investment instruments it is real property !

 

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