Pulte Group to Redevelop Former Golf Course in Oakland Park

National home builder Pulte Group has submitted a smaller development proposal for the former Oak Tree Golf Course, a 139.2 acre site in Oakland Park that they have under contract from Blackwood Partners. The trend of golf courses being repurposed is a familiar story line in South Florida due to high operation and maintenance costs. According to Marty Kiar, a Broward property appraiser, at least three of 45 golf courses in the county have closed in the last five years.

Residents of Oakland Park raised concerns about density and traffic in response to the original 850 home proposal, which Pulte Group downsized to 288 homes and 117 townhouses. The revised plan also preserves 40 acres for green spaces and fitness trails, and includes a buffer zone to separate the community from existing homes near the greenway. The defunct Oak Tree Golf Course stopped operating about ten years ago.  

The development is pending Broward County’s approval for the land-use change and site-plan application, represented by attorney Dennis D. Mele. Prices for the townhouses would start in the $300,000s and range from $400,000 to $600,000 for the one and two-story homes.

Article by: Katya Demina

Construction Underway At The Perkins + Will-Designed 1212 Lincoln

Construction is now underway at Crescent Height’s Perkins + Will-designed 1212 Lincoln in South Beach where construction crews have already begun foundation work. The project will feature 70,000 SF of retail including a brand new Wells Fargo Bank and over 400 parking spaces. A second phase on the adjacent lot will bring a 50-room CitizenM hotel, additional retail and a food court. 1212 Lincoln will help expand Lincoln Road across Alton Road westward. 

Nukondo: Capturing the International Buyers Market in Miami

South Florida has and continues to be a hotbed for international buyers, according to the 2017 Survey conducted by the Miami Association of REALTORS. Foreign buyers purchased 15,400 residential units (between August 2016 - July 2017), totaling over $7.2 billion in sales in the Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Martin counties.

A new real estate tech company called Nukondo is attempting to capitalize on this market segment. Their app provides a platform for real estate developers and new construction brokers to stay informed on the latest luxury projects. It standardizes and distributes this information globally, so that buyers and their agents can decide which condominium is most suited for their needs.

After three months of beta-testing, Nukondo has successfully on-boarded 72 of the most prominent projects in Miami such as One Thousand Museum, Missoni Baia, and Turnberry Ocean Club, with over 10,000+ units in inventory. “Our app helps developers expose their projects globally 24/7, allowing them to speed up sales and cut marketing costs,” says founder Jorge Brugo. “Be informed when you’re searching for that special new condominium and make sound buying decisions.”

Nukondo exposes international buyers to the Miami and Florida markets and directs them to a condominium sales team. In Miami, these international buyers are primarily coming from:

1. Argentina: 15%

2. Venezuela: 11%

3. Canada: 11%

4. Colombia: 9%

5. Brazil: 8%

The company will move into its full release once user feedback and content curation have been finalized. The company plans to scale beyond its pilot market of Miami, into other major U.S. and international metropolitan cities.

Article by: Katya Demina & Stephanie Warren

Una Residences Given Green Light

OKO Group’s latest development, the nautically-inspired Una Residences, has now been approved by Miami’s Urban Development Review Board. This key step brings the 47-story condo building, proposed for 175 SE 25th Road, a little closer to inception at the crossroads of Coconut Grove and Brickell.

The building will feature 135 waterfront condos starting at $942,000, an underground parking garage, and public baywalk that connects to an adjoining park. The review board granted a request to allow ingress for vehicle entries at the loading docks and service area, which will pave the way for the demolition of the current structure.

This process of condo termination and redevelopment has been fueled by CEO of OKO Group, Vladislav Doronin’s confidence in the site, which he began to assemble back in 2016 by buying out current residents at nearly double the expected market value. “There has been no new construction here for the last 10 years,” says Doronin. “We were lucky to manage to purchase this site. And for the near-future, no one else is going to build here. We won’t have any competitors in South Brickell.”

This developer strategy of parcel identification and repurposing can be expected to continue in the upcoming real estate cycle as waterfront property becomes more scarce in Miami. Sales for Una, which are being handled exclusively by Fortune International Realty, went live back in March. Cash buyers have been the cornerstone to Una’s pre-sale success, most coming from overseas, since the building has not yet secured any form of traditional financing.

The project is expected to be completed by 2021.

Article by: Katya Demina 

Stunning Fisher Island Home for Sale for $14 Million

Imagine yourself living in a beautiful waterfront condo, located in the most expensive zip code in the country, at 7412 Fisher Island Drive. This two-story, 5 bed, 6.5 bath home is comprised of two units with a combined 6,298-square-feet of space. The home features magnificent indoor and outdoor living, impeccable custom his-and-hers closets, an opulent kitchen with a dine-in breakfast table and a scenic, bright ocean view along with private beach access. The exuberant home includes a hand carved wall of antique built-ins, custom made in India with an elegant natural stone color and intricate detail. This accessible unit offers a broad balcony that illuminates the pristine, oceanfront living, which is further accentuated by a relaxing salt water fish tank in the living room. The $250K equity membership fee opens up access to 216-acres of pristine paradise and exclusive amenities including, golf, tennis, dining options, a private beach and marina plus a fitness center and spa.

This extravagant home is listed by ONE Sotheby’s International Realty agent Elena Bluntzer for $14 million.

Article by: Katya Demina & Stephanie Warren