An unbelievable new concept in living: Porsche and Dezer unite to create a masterpiece

Living on the Ocean in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida is already heaven on earth...the luscious silky sand beach, the endless ocean views, some of the top restaurants and shopping at your doorstep..luxury condo living...what more could you want?

How about being able to park your car outside your door ...even if you are on the 57th floor???!!!!

Well that is the new concept building that has been approved by the City of Sunny Isles Beach and is being designed by none other than the ultimate in car design ..PORSCHE. In conjunction with Dezer Properties the company that has already bought us such trophy properties as Trump Towers I,II,III, Trump Palace & Trump Royale, the Porsche Design Group are planning a 57-story residential tower with a robotic parking system so condo owners can park beside their units.

The 132-unit tower marks Porsche's inroad into residential.

The building will feature three circular platforms at the building's center that operate as "passenger-speed automobile elevators" outfitted with sensors to navigate to the correct floor. The vehicles will then be parked at one of 284 robotic parking spaces adjacent to owners' units.
"Our development team is confident this building will serve as a catalyst for other Porsche Design Towers throughout the world," said Gil Dezer, president of the New York- and South Florida based Real Estate Development Company.

Porsche Design Tower's units will range from 3,800 square feet to 9,500 square feet. More than half of the units will feature a duplex lay-out, with ocean-facing units including a private pool. The units are expected to range from $2.9 million to $9 million.

The building will be constructed on a 2.2 acre tract the Dezer family own at 185th and Collins.

If you want more information on this project, please drop The Golan Team a note here.. or call us at (001) 786-333-6200

2010 Semi Annual Home Sales Statistics - Strong Numbers for Homes from Miami Beach - Hollywood

If you have been reading the press, you know this year has been a very busy one with regards to Real Estate and a lot of properties have exchanged hands. The Golan Team primarily specializes in Real Estate in Miami Beach, Surfside, Bal Harbour, Bay Harbor Islands, Sunny Isles Beach, North Miami and North Miami Beach, Eastern Shores, Aventura, Golden Beach, Hallandale and Hollywood East. Looking at these areas only, there have been 362 closed Single Family Homes just this year.

Breakdown:

Miami Beach: Tops the list with 98 closings ranging from $102,500 to $16,000,000
North Miami Beach – Second with 86 closings ranging from $25,589 to $1,240,000
North Miami – Third with 59 closings ranging from $28,599 to $1,060,000
Hallandale – Fourth with 45 closings ranging from $36,000 to $1,425,000
Surfside – Fifth with 22 closings ranging from $271,000 to $550,000.
Aventura – Sixth with 18 closings ranging from $160,000 to $2,300,000
Hollywood East – Seventh with 14 closings ranging from $44,600 to $1,840,000
Sunny Isles Beach – Eighth with 9 closings ranging from $325,000 to $2,400,000
Bay Harbor Islands – Ninth with 3 closings ranging from $421,000 to $620,000
Bal Harbour – Tenth with 2 closings ranging from $2,800,000 to $3,000,000

Our next blog will features summaries of condo sales this year in the same areas.

The Golan Team specializes in waterfront property or homes and condos close to the Ocean from Miami Beach to Hollywood. If you are interested in purchasing a home please contact us with your wishlist at info@golanteam,com or call us at 786-271-1235.

Trump Towers, Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, 33160 – Sales Exceed $100,000,000

The most frequently asked question we at The Golan Team (786-271-1235) as well as we can guestimate most practicing Realtors are asked is, "Are things Selling?"

The answer is most astoundingly YES!!!

But YES - only at the right price.

Take in point TRUMP TOWERS, Sunny Isles Beach - this luxurious 3 building Oceanfront complex on the Southern end of Sunny Isles Beach almost stalled in sales a year and a half to two years ago when the Developers and their Sales Team were asking around $700+/ft. Those Buyers that had bought Pre-Construction were either walking away from their deposits or renegotiating their purchase prices in order to close. At the same time you had the Banks/Lenders breathing down the necks of the Developers to for repayment on their loans. The Developers started courting the Bulk Buyers. All in all only 157 units had sold out of a possible 813 units had sold. The Buyers started looking for better deals. Inventory was at an all time high. Fast forward 18 months to now, and the situation is clearly different.

The Dezers (Developer Michael Dezer and his son Gil) recently assumed a $265 million loan from a Development Partnership that included the Related Group with Wells Fargo serving as agent for a syndicate of 11 participating financial institutions. The project's three towers (each consisting of 271 units) have a combined 475 units left to sell. The have been 181 sold this year in price ranging from $550,000 - $1.9 million. The average price/ft is now at $414/ft with some units selling as low as $350/ft and others that have been decorated closing near $600/ft. This significant lowering of the price/ft have allowed the Dezers to surpass the $100 million mark in sales to date.

"We are confident our adjusted pricing is what has driven beyond expected results," says Gil Dezer president of Dezer Properties in an interview to Businessweek. "The ability to purchase a unit in a building as prestigious as Trump Towers for $350- $650/ft has generated unprecented response from a broad range of local, national and international Buyers."

He continues, "We have always felt that prime oceanfront property would be a signal of the strength of the recovery, as these types of units are so much of South Florida's appeal...""... and while the residential real estate market clearly has a ways to go to reach full recovery, these initial results have been very encouraging about the state of our industry, at least in Sunny Isles Beach."

At these prices, both end users, 2nd home vacation purchasers and investors are able to rejoin the marketplace and purchase oceanfront property.

If you would like us to send you floorplans of Trump Towers - send us your details to info@golanteam.com SUBJECT - Trump Tower Floorplans.

If you would like to schedule an appointment to view the property in person call us at 786-271-1235.

SUNNY ISLES BEACH TO BECOME HOME TO MAJOR ATTRACTION

The Golan Team (786-271-1235) who have sold many oceanfront condos in Sunny Isles Beach and have watched this magnificent oceanfront City rise from two story motels to soaring 50+ story condominium sky scrapers will now enjoy watching a new kind of construction.

The City of Sunny Isles Beach has agreed to move ahead on a five story 100,000 square foot aquatic center tied to the Miami Seaquarium.

"It's an outstanding project to have in our city, to be able to have that sort of national-type of attraction," said Mayor Norman S. Edelcup.

The location of the new Seaquarium will be across from the St Tropez on Sunny Isles Blvd West (163rd Collins crossroad). The center will be built and funded by Arthur Hertz, chairman and CEO of Wometco Enterprises Inc. and owner/operator of the Seaquarium on Virginia Key, and Eduardo Castiñeira, president and CEO of Axioma3Architects. The Wometco Aquatic Center is to include a garage, restaurants, shops, two banquet halls and three-story aquarium where stingrays may be petted. The garage is to handle 140 to 150 cars and banquet halls are to accommodate 1,000.

The public-private partnership would make the city landlord to Wometco, which would fund construction. Project cost was not discussed, Mr. Edelcup said, but he's "sure it's a significant number." Currently the site has a small shopping plaza, which the City owns. The City does not plan on renewing the leases of the current Tenants to make way for this project.

The project is just in the design phase. It is due to be completed in 2013. As construction progresses, we will keep you updated with photos and comments.

This project fits in perfectly with the City's comprehensive plan for that area as it is pedestrian-friendly, is an educational process, family-oriented, includes banquet halls and is unique in South Florida.

For more more information on buying or selling opportunities in Sunny Isles Beach contact the Golan Team at 786-271-1235 or drop us an email at info@golanteam.com .

First Time Homebuyer Credit - The Golan Team (786-271-1235) shows you how to take advantage of it

This week The Golan Team (786-271-1235) worked with two First Time Homebuyers. They had a lot of questions regarding the first time homebuyer credit that is due to expire on April 30, 2010.

We thought if Buyers we are working with have these questions so to must a lot of Buyers out there.

Here is a terrific website that we hope will answer all your questions.

http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/

Industry insiders are suggesting that the Home Buyer Tax Incentives will not be extended again when they expire at the end of April.

Remember that this credit not only applies to First Time Buyers but also for current owners if you meet certain guidelines.

If we can help you on your property search in Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Bal Harbour, Bay Harbor Islands. Surfside, Miami Beach, Hallandale or Hollywood area please do not hesitate to contact us at 786-271-1235, visit us on the web at http://www.golanteam.com/ or shoot us an email to info@golanteam.com

Related Group beaten out on bid for Corus Bank’s Real Estate Assets

A couple of weeks ago we wrote a blog about Corus Bank (Are Developers Bankers? Are Bankers Developers?…). There were five major bidders up for the Real Estate Assets – Related Cos (parent company of Related Group of Florida (Jorge Perez), Colony Capital LLC, I Star, Lone Star Funds & Starwood Capital Group. Well the latter of all them, Starwood Capital Group and TPG (The Peninsula Group) are the winning bidders for the remaining assets of the now failed and defunct Corus Bank (taken over by FDIC on September 11, 2009).

The FDIC split the banking operations from its real estate holdings. According to The New York Times, the group bid $554 million for a 40% stake in the Corus real estate assets. The FDIC will retain the remaining 60% share. Corus represents the 90th bank to fail this year in the US. The blame is solely made around its loan portfolio that was based almost exclusively around condo projects in the once hot condo markets mostly in California, Florida & Georgia.

As of June 30, Corus held $4.42 billion in commercial real estate loans and $463 million in repossessed properties. At that time the bank reported that almost $3 billion of the outstanding loans were late or unpaid.

In Florida Corus holdings totaled $739 million in 15 different condo or condo conversion loans and a further $51.9m in one repossessed property (Tao project in Sunrise). Before it failed, the bank was able to sell its $44.1 million loan covering 41 unsold units at Onyx on the Bay in Miami and its $127.7 million loan covering 90 units at the Caribbean in Miami Beach. It had also successfully repossessed the 216 unit Aventine in Boynton Beach.

As Luxury Realtors specializing in Oceanfront and Intracoastal properties, we kept a special eye on the demise of Corus Bank as for us some of the bank’s most worthy assests were Jade Ocean Condominiums in Sunny Isles, Paramount Bay in Miami and the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Fort Lauderdale. Imagine these assets and others are now in the hands of the FDIC. Needless to say, the story is not yet over!!!

Out next blog will cover Jade Ocean Condominiums in Sunny Isles including exclusive photos and information.

For all your Real Estate needs in Southeast Florida count on the Golan Team (786-333-6200 or 786-271-1235), Your Luxury Realtors for Deserving Clients”

Happy New Year from The Golan Team

From our home to yours, and to those who celebrate, The Golan Team wishes you a Happy and Healthy New Year.

We thank you for all the business and support you have given us in the past and we look forward to continuing to work with you and your friends and family in the coming years as your Real Estate Agents.

Shana Tova (Happy New Year)
Eyal & Debra Golan
THE GOLAN TEAM
Keller Williams Realty
786-271-1235
786-333-6200
http://www.golanteam.com/

Are Developers Bankers? Are Bankers Developers?

In the past it was so simple. You needed a loan you went to a Bank. You needed to buy property you went to the Developer. Nowadays this line has been totally obscured. Last week, Stephen Ross of The Related Companies applied to form a bank. Here the Developer has now decided to become the Bank. Then you have several banks that have foreclosed on projects and are now selling them at discounted rates to Bulk Buyers and other investors. There the Banks have become the Developers/

Honestly, being in Real Estate has never been more tricky or confusing. Last Friday evening the FDIC closed the doors of Chicago Bank, Corus Bank. Corus Bank like so many of the other 92 banks that have failed this year invested heavily in Condo Construction Loans. In fact in just our area of South Florida they financed over $3,000,000,000 Yes that is THREE BILLION DOLLARS of construction loans. Notable projects include:

$288,115,000 for the construction of Jade Ocean in Sunny Isles Beach..
$216,000,000 for the downtown Paramount Bay
$191,800,000 for The Mint Downtown
$130,400,000 for The Ivy Downtown
$139,000,000 for Trump International Hotel and Tower in Fort Lauderdale
$135,000,000 for Phase II at the Continuum in South Beach
$130,000,000 for Artech in Aventura
$124,700,000 for the Caribbean in Miami Beach (note the outstanding balance of this loan was just settled for $50m by a NY investor)
$86,000,000 for Hampton South in Aventura
$83,175,000 for The Akoya in Miami Beach
$42,272,000 for The Solis in Sunny Isles Beach
$30,298,000 for The Peninsula in Aventura


Currently the FDIC is deciding whether to divide the bank’s assets and liabilities into Real Estate holdings and Bank holdings. Whichever way it goes, I guarantee you are going to see a feeding frenzy of Developers or Deep Pocket investors who will prance on the chance of buying these loans at a few cents on the Dollar. If this happens one can only ask how it will affect the pricing of this units still to come on the market. If you remember an earlier blog we did on the state of affairs in the Brickell area we discussed the construction of 23,000+ units in the last five years. Already almost 50% of these units are available for sale or resale (through the Developers or through the Multiple Listing Services) and we have seen Bulk Deals going for as low as $150/ft.

As a seasoned Real Estate team we can definitely say the opportunities out there are like nothing you have ever seen before. You need patience, education but there are definitely opportunities for the taking.

If you are interested in discussing your Real Estate needs further, call us at 786-333-6200, post a comment or email us confidentially at info@golanteam.com

Sunny Isles Beach building a four acre multi-use facility

Attention Sunny Isles Beach Residents (or future residents) – there is a fantastic new addition coming to this wonderful oceanfront community.

Construction for the brand new Heritage Park located at 19250 Collins Avenue will begin in about two weeks. Plans include a multi-use parking garage and a three-acre park. The space will feature a dog park, exercise trail, gazebo, basketball court, two tot-lots, a 500-space parking garage with office space, large green space and a picturesque entrance that will contain historical information and signage.

“I think it's going to be the gem of the city and truly magnificent,'' said City Manager Rick Conner said. He continued, ”There will be plenty of space for kids to run, throw a ball or play catch,''

The parking garage is scheduled for completion in June 2010, while the park is scheduled for completion by August 2010.

The Golan Team will keep you up to date with details on the construction. If you are interested in purchasing property in Sunny Isles Beach email us at info@golanteam.com

Buying a Property in South Florida - Weighing your options

There are so many Real Estate topics to write about that a blog can be a full time job!! With the information technology that exists whether you are a Realtor, a Buyer, a Seller or an Investor, there are literally thousands of articles, blogs, comments or sources one can turn too to educate or confuse (LOL) you more!!!

Real Estate is definitely changing and in my opinion, becoming more and more accountable. Buyers are not just buying “what they like” they are using more “scientific” methods to determine which property to purchase.

Case in point, we have been working with a Buyer over the last few weeks who came to Florida with his wife on a “property buying trip”. We spent two days appealing to their “senses” and showed them a variety of oceanfront condos from Bal Harbour across Sunny Isles Beach and up to Hallandale Beach. During this time all their decisions and comments were based on what they saw and what appealed to their physical senses. We needed this process to occur as it helps us determine where they want to live. At the end of this search, we finally settled on one particular building that answered their needs vis a vie to location & amenities. Now we reached the point of selecting a unit to make an offer on.

In the past at this point of beginning the process of making an offer, is when I am used to hearing all about the various aspects of one particular unit that wins over another unit. It could be the choice of flooring, a custom closet, particular lighting etc etc etc. Again, it is a continuation of the process of using their "senses" to purchase. However, in this situation and we are finding the same with a lot of the Buyers we are working with, this is not the case.

It has come down to Price per Square Foot or (PSF). The Price per Square Foot is calculated by taking the asking price and dividing it by the interior (under air) square footage of a property. For example if a property is asking $1,000,000 and is 2,000 sf under air (balconies or garages do not count in this equation), the PSF is $500/ft. I want to add two caveats here. The first is when one is getting ready to buy Real Estate you should look at not only the asking price/foot but also the closed sales prices/ft. Many times this number can be vastly different. The second point that I want to make is regarding quality and finishes. You will pay more PSF for a finished condo on the Ocean then a “Decorator Ready” unit (one that needs flooring, paint etc) and this should be factored in to your PSF. Always make sure you are comparing “like” properties in your analysis.

You should be aware of this especially if you are purchasing a property including financing. An appraiser only uses comparables of sold properties. So even if a property looks like “a great deal” and is priced much lower than competitive ones, check and ask what the sold comparables are and then judge if you have found that “great deal”. The properties that are moving and selling in this market are the ones that have priced themselves correctly against recent closed sales.

Foreclosure properties – those owned by the bank are mostly always priced below the last closed sale comparable. If you are interested in receiving a weekly list (for free) of all luxury foreclosures please subscribe here http://www.southfloridaluxuryforeclosures.com/

Sunny Isles Beach, Florida - Ocean III Unbelievable Buying Opportunity

The Golan Team (786-271-1235) are proud to present for sale at Ocean III in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, this 3 bed 4.5 bath Oceanfront flowthrough residence on the 23rd floor with Direct Ocean & Intracoastal Views. From a private elevator enter directly into your private foyer. A separate laundry room is located just off this entrance. A double door entry leads into this magnificent residence that is almost 2700 sf under air. This condo features 3/4" mahogany floors throughout the living areas and bedrooms + marble in the kitchen and baths. The master suite includes his and her outfitted custom closets, his and her baths and a bedroom with direct ocean views. The kitchen features Miele and Subzero Appliances. The owners of this unit are the original owners but only used the apartment for a few months so you will see even the oven is brand new and never been used!!! Each bedroom has stunning views of the Ocean or the Intracoastal. They are all very spacious size rooms and feature en-suite bathrooms. Enjoy sunrises and sunsets from two very spacious balconies that can fit table, chairs, outdoor beds and lounge chairs. The views are magnificent and unobstructed. Just check out the pics below!!!

Ocean III is located on the upper end of Sunny Isles Beach. It is a beautiful building and amenities include a 2 story lobby, concierge, valet, gym, pool, full beach service, café restaurant, roof top spa and sun deck, party room, billiards and an Oceanside tennis court.

This residence was just reduced to $991,350 and is an excellent buy in this market. It is also not a short sale, so you can be rest assured for a quick response from the Seller and a quick closing if you desire.



Enjoy Roof Top Jacuzzi & Party Room

Living Room with Stunning Ocean Views Stunning Bay Views from Dining

Room, Kitchen & 2nd Bedroom


Elegant 2 story lobby & Concierge

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SCHEDULING AN APPOINTMENT CALL 786-271-1235

SNOWBIRDS - BEWARE OF SCAM ARTISTS TARGETING RENTAL PROPERTY LISTINGS

Are you a snowbird looking to rent an apartment in South Florida for the winter?

If so, you must read this article….

BEWARE OF SCAM ARTISTS TARGETING RENTAL PROPERTY LISTINGS

According to the Florida Association of Realtors® (FAR), there are
scam artists out there targeting rental property listings. This scam is happening statewide. “This is happening everywhere, including Canada and in many different countries,” writes Jon Lioncourt, an administrative assistant with a Property Management company in Jacksonville, Florida. “Our listings have been copied onto Craigslist for quite some time. It is reported to IC3, a government Internet watchdog that forwards info to the proper authorities, such as the CIA and FBI.”

In the scam, criminals fraudulently lift legitimate rental property data from listings, change the contact phone numbers and/or email addresses, and advertise the rental on Craigslist. The criminals charge below-market rates and require one month’s deposit and one month’s security. Consumers, attracted by the low rate, complete the deal online even without access to the property.According to Lioncourt, the fraudulent ads sometimes list his name and ask the “renters” to send their money oversees.

"It’s not unusual, he says, for these people to later contact the rental agency and demand a refund of their money, even though the agency had nothing to do with the deal. “After all, Realtors are being scammed too,” Lioncourt says.

Donna Fries, a Panama City Beach Realtor, says the scam operates in her area too. She says the fraudulent ad uses the real owner’s name or the Realtor’s name, but a contact method that goes only to the criminals.She offers the following suggestions for detecting the scam: "The Craigslist ad is a carbon copy of the original ad with correct spelling, good English and a photo. Follow-up email responses, however, usually have incorrect spelling and awkward English."

She continues, "Scammers offer rental prices up to 40 percent below actual value, making it an attractive deal. If potential renters see identical ads in different locations with different prices, the lower-priced one is probably a scam. Criminals ask for deposit and rent money to be sent by Western Union or another method that works like cash, and it usually can’t be tracked or refunded. Many times, they use a foreign phone calling card that cannot be traced."

According to Lioncourt, criminals usually have an excuse for not showing the home’s interior, such as a sudden overseas assignment that is keeping them out of the country. Lioncourt offers one more word of warning, "Criminals may ask to see a rental and while doing so, make a copy of the key. After that, they might go so far as to show the property and even offer fake documents for the potential renter to sign. Phone calls are made from a pay-as-you-go cell phone that the criminals can throw away after they receive the money."

People who discover a potential scam can contact the local sheriff’s office and file a report, the IC3 (Internet Crime Complaint Center) (http://www.ic3.gov), or any other law enforcement office.

If you are looking on line at a winter rental, we urge you to contact a Realtor you know in the area where you want to rent, and work with them. If you don't know one, ask friends for a reference. If you see one of these types of ads that sound too good to be true, think twice and check it out. You can verify any Realtors name by clicking here - verify a Realtor's license (just make in the License Category you click - Real Estate).

You can also go to http://www.realtor.com/ and check out the listing directly with the listing agent to verify if the information (including contact name and number) you found is correct. Please do your due diligence as if you do fall for this scam, you will never see your deposits again and worse not have a place to spend the winter. If you are looking for winter rentals (minimum 4-6 months) in South Beach, Miami Beach, Bal Harbour, Sunny Isles Beach, Aventura, Hallandale, Hollywood or Fort Lauderdale contact the Golan Team at 786-271-1235.