Located at the northern tip of Bal Harbour sits one of the most luxurious condominiums ever built. When it comes to luxury and quality, One Bal Harbour stands alone. It is positioned directly on the Atlantic Ocean where the ocean connects to Biscayne Bay via the Baker's Haulover Inlet. One Bal Harbour opened it's doors in early 2008 and has been getting great reviews. It is one of the only new buildings built in Bal Harbour and is just a short walking distance to the highly coveted Shops of Bal Harbour and other area attractions. One Bal Harbour is connected to the Regent Bal Harbour luxury hotel so in addition to the services of an ultra-exclusive luxury condominium, residences also have access to the hotel amenities. On the contrary, hotel guests are not allowed access to the residences amenities so owners have complete privacy if they wish to. I recently sold a large 3 bedroom/3.5 bathroom residence in the building and was really impressed with the overall quality and feel of the building. The units are spacious with floor-to-ceiling windows throughout and have large wrap around terraces offering spectacular views of the ocean, bay and city. The kitchens are bright and open with top-of-the-line appliances and great countertop space. The bedrooms are large and have large walk-in closets. Unlike most other oceanfront buildings in Miami, residents at One Bal Harbour are able to enjoy a semi-private beach due to the proximity of the Haulover Inlet to the north. Another great feature of this particular location is residents can watch the boats pass by and there is always action. This is a great contrast to the typical ocean setting, which can be very boring. The amenities at One Bal Harbour are second to none and the building has multiple pools, a full service waterfront restaurant, private theatre room and a billiards room. The building has a 24hr concierge and has one of the most beautiful lobby's in Miami. If you are looking for a true luxury oceanfront building with an amazing location, you owe it to yourself to see One Bal Harbour. For more information about One Bal Harbour or to schedule a showing, please contact Josh Stein at 305-695-8257 or send me an email at jstein@majesticproperties.com

While it won’t necessarily change the Miami skyline, Filling Station Lofts is a project that will dramatically transform the west end of the Performing Arts District also known as Park West. The somewhat shady neighborhood west of Biscayne Blvd is currently home to Parc Lofts, one of the most successful loft projects ever built in Miami. Parc Lofts was developed by the Intrepid Group and was built in 2005. It is a true loft building and has an authentic urban feel to it. Filling Station Lofts is the newest addition to the neighborhood and is located across the street from Parc Lofts. The building is also being developed by the Intrepid Group and sales have been very strong. Construction is well under way and the building has recently been topped off. Opening is scheduled for later this year. I am particularly excited about this project because I think it will have a huge impact on the neighborhood. One of the problems I always come across when showing units at Parc lofts is the fact that there is nothing else in the vicinity. The area is dark and desolate and it’s not the safest place to walk around, if at all. When people start moving into the Filling Station, I think we will see a lot more activity in the area. Hopefully the area will be lit up better, people will be going back and forth between the buildings and it will help to enhance the neighborhood. For more information on Filling Station Lofts, please visit my website.

A few days ago, I had the opportunity to tour Apogee South Beach. It was my first time in the building since it recently opened and Rosario and I were able take a quick video tour and shoot some decent photos. I have a client who is interested in the 04 line and was able to see two different layouts in this line, one of the 11th floor and the other on the 19th floor. Both of these units are over 4,100 Sq.Ft. and are located on the west corner of the building. They are HUGE with breathaking views from every room. Almost every wall is a floor-to-ceiling window, so you have spectacular views no matter where you are standing in the unit. The views are outrageous and include the Atlantic Ocean, Fisher Island, Biscayne Bay, Cruise Ship Alley, South Beach, Downtown Miami and all the Islands of Miami Beach. Overall, the finishes were top notch and the kitchens and baths were almost identical to the renderings in the marketing materials. I couldn’t get over the enormous 11 feet deep terraces that wrapped around the entire unit. The kitchens had duplicate appliances and the cabinetry and countertops were of the highest quality. The bathrooms were zen-like and had a huge seamless glass shower complete with steam and rain shower. One of my favorite features was the sunken spa-like tub in the master bath. The lobby was elegant and understated, although in my opinion it wasn’t as dramatic as the Setai. The infinifty pool and sundeck was also amazing and I especially liked the pods with daybeds that extended into the pool. The entire pool area seemed to have a very zen like feeling to it. Since this blog application on my website is not up to par, I can't add the video and photos here. All the photos are on the Apogee South Beach page of my website. I also added a video on my blog which you can view here. For more information or a current price list, please call me. I have the most up-to-date price list available if you are interested.

During the last few years, Miami Beach has been at the forefront of luxury condos and high-end developments. One of the most notable changes to the Miami Beach real estate market is the introduction of luxury branded condos. The Setai. W South Beach. Mondrian. Ritz Carlton. These are just a few of the new branded condos that are changing Miami Beach. Almost all of these new branded luxury condos are ultra-exclusive and ultra-expensive. The W hotel brand is associated with modern design and cool funky interiors. It is also associated with very pricey room rates. So when W South Beach announced they were building a luxury oceanfront condo, you can bet prices would be high. For example, purchasing a studio suite in the new W South Beach will set you back around $1 million. That’s almost $2,000 Sq.Ft. What’s even more amazing is the fact that sales have continued to stay strong. The W South Beach offers a great condo hotel program and can help owners offset the cost of ownership. Combined with award-winning restaurants, nightclubs and amenities, the W South Beach is going to be an amazing place to live. Another ultra-exclusive condo that continues to set records is the Setai Residences in South Beach. With prices starting at $1 million and 2 bedrooms priced well over $2.2 million, the Setai is arguably the most luxurious buildings in Miami. The amenities, the staff, the restaurant and even the bar are all to notch. The Setai has become synonymous with luxury and white glove service. After all, it is featured in magazines all over the world. So what makes someone spend nearly $2.5 million on a small 2-bedroom condo? The answer is in the name. When someone buys a unit at Setai, they are not just buying into an ultra-luxury condo building; they are buying into the name. The Setai is the ultimate in luxury condos and hotels. From the 5 star hotel to the highly acclaimed restaurant, the Setai is the epitome of luxury living. With all the negative press about the Miami Real Estate market, the luxury end of the market is doing very well. In fact, there have been more luxury sales in 2007 than in years past. For more information, visit my website.

There are some really amazing renovated Art Deco condos for sale in South Beach and there doesn't seem to be too many people talking about them. For this post, I thought I would explore the many great benefits of living in small renovated building. I have lived in both high-rises and small boutique buildings and without hesitation, the small boutique building is still my favorite. In fact, my girlfriend and I live in a really great renovated art deco condo just a few blocks to Lincoln Road and we love it. There are alot of advantages to living in a smaller building, but I also know they are not for everyone. The first and most important thing is just the convenience of it. There are no long elevator lines to wait it, no valet parking, no annoying neighbors (for the most part) and most importantly no high maintenance fees. I like stepping out my front door and getting on my way. This is just not true when you live in a high-rise building and it takes much more effort to get on your way. I also like not having to put my groceries on a cart, bring them up to the 37th floor, unload them and then have to bring the cart back down. This my my experience at One-Miami, which made me vow to never live in a high-rise condo again. It's not fair to say that high-rises do have thier advantages. The beautiful views, the great fitness center and the friendly concierge all come to mind. I am also in no way saying that I would prefer to live in a little condo at Tribeca than living in a unit at Apogee, but that's just not realistic. :) I have lived in my fair share of large condo buildings- Flamingo for 4 years, Mirador, One-Miami, etc., so I am basing this on my personal experiences. I have a few favorites when it comes to renovated Art Deco buildings in South Beach. I keep referring to renovated art Deco because I am talking about buildings that have been 100% renovated and are like new. This includes new wiring, new roof, new plumbing, new central A/C, etc. My all time favorite renovation is Tribeca on 15th and Michigan. It is a small complex consisting of 5 buildings. Each building has just 4 units and there is small pool, gated parking and gorgeous tropical landscaping. The buildings were built in the 40's and renovated just a few years ago. What's so great about the condos at Tribeca is the design and thought that went into them. The units feel spacious, have modern kitchens and baths and best of all have large terraces. They have alot of charm and detail which is lacking in just about all new buildings these days. There are currently 2 units for sale in the building with prices starting at $399k. Another one of my favorties is Nolobi Lofts. It it located at 935 Euclid Avenue and was once a Jewish Synagogaue. The building was gutted to it's shell a few years back and is now a brand new buidling with the original charm. There are just 12 units in Nolobi and they all have real hardwood floors, open loft-style kitchens and 11'- 14' ceilings. This extra height in the ceilings make them feel much more spacious than they actually are. Although there is no parking or pool, the maintenance fee is under $200/month. I really love this building and the prices are really good. The last unit sold last month for $265k. There are a handful of other buildings in South Beach that I would love to talk about, but I'll leave that for another post. For more information on these buildings or anything else, please visit my website. Thanks- Josh