Miamism

This weeks Luxury Real Estate Pick is located in Miami Beach at Rivo Alto Island, one of the Venetian Islands. This residence was built new in 2002 with a Mediterranean Motif and sits on a 10,500 square foot lot with 60 feet of water frontage.

60 West Rivo Alto Drive - Miami Beach, FL 33139

Tucked neatly on a 10,500 sq. ft. lot, this Mediterranean masterpiece unveils details, large living spaces and ample storage throughout. this newly constructed home features 5 bedrooms and 6 and a half bathrooms including a 1 bedroom / 1 bathroom guest house, library, study room, 60 feet of waterfront, over 5,800 sq. ft. of interior living space, travertine floors, custom built-ins, stone fireplace, Leutron lighting system, French doors, state of the art kitchen. Pool with jacuzzi, BBQ and dock with boatlift.

 

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If you are buying a Miami waterfront home, you are likely to have a boat or will be considering a boat in the near future. We are constantly asked a number of questions regarding waterfront purchases and Rick and I decided to write a list of 7 important factors to consider when buying a waterfront home in Miami.

Condition of Sea wall - It is important for anyone buying a waterfront property to get a seawall inspection by a structural engineer or a seawall specialist. Inspections should include not only the actual seawall but also settling cracks within the main house, patios and pool as well as dock areas. Because most canal systems in Miami and Miami Beach are artificially made or made with landfills, the integrity of the seawall could ultimately determine the integrity of the structure of the home. Doing a visual inspection of seawalls of adjacent properties is also recommended in order to avoid future settling.

Type of waterfront property - If you look at an aerial view of Miami and Miami Beach, you will notice that there are numerous types of waterfront properties: lakes, rivers, canals with direct ocean access, canals with fixed bridges, canals with no ocean access, non-navigable canals, and bayfront homes, to name a few. Depending on the type of boat you have, you will need to consider fixed bridges (clearance heights), depth of canals, and proximity to bay and or ocean access. waterfront communities in Miami that have direct ocean access but you have to navigate at idle speed for miles which can mean being on your boat for a couple of hours before you can really do some boating.

Boat Dock - it is important to inspect not only the condition of an existing dock, but also if the type of dock can accommodate your boat. There are a lot of canals in Miami with natural coral sea walls and no docks - you may not want to dock your boat next to natural coral. If there is no dock on the property, it may be a good idea to contact DERM (Department of Environmental Resources Management) about what kind of dock they will allow in a particular canal. DERM may even send an inspector out to the property in order to make recommendations.

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This weeks Luxury Real Estate Pick is located in Aqua - Allison Island in Miami Beach. A man-made island originally built by Carl Fisher in 1912 as a tribute to his friend Jim Allison. Jim Allison built a hospital on the island which later became St. Francis and in the late 1990s the new vision came to life by developer Craig Robins with the help of his development firm Dacra.

¦To transform Allison Island into a modern and enlightened tropical paradise that would offer discerning residents a unique urban lifestyle¦¦ Assembling a team of renowned artists and architects, they began the monumental task of bringing renewed purpose and glory to Allison Island. Paying homage to the sites oneness with Indian Creek, Robins team called this dream project AQUA.

6205 Laguna Pa - Miami Beach, Florida 33141

4-story Island Home on the water with a deeded 29 foot boat dock. Designed by Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company. Home features marble and slate floors, private elevator, Bulthaup kitchen cabinetry, interior courtyard, 4th floor tower studio/guest suite, and plenty of terrace space. Some island amenities include 2 pools, concierge, spa, fitness center and clubhouse.

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When buying real estate in Miami, especially in the older neighborhoods like Miami Shores, Coral Gables and Miami Beach, you will have to make a decision on style.  I know the first question you get asked as a buyer is how much you want to spend (obviously your budget will determine what kind of house you end up buying); but buying a house is so much more than just the number of bedrooms and baths, the size and the price - buying a house that you will live in, needs to fit your lifestyle and comfort level.

I decided to write about the major features of the 3 main architectural periods common in Miami so that you know what to expect when you walk in a home.   I can go into a property without knowing anything about it and tell you the period it was built and when it was remodeled by features and materials.

If you, as a real estate buyer, can define what's important to you, it will be so much easier to find the perfect property (especially because there are so many properties for sale right now).

 

The 1920's house (Spanish Mediterranean or Spanish influence) will usually have the most charm, although I cannot generalize that all 1920's properties will have the same features, this is what you can expect:

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This weeks Luxury Real Estate Pick is located in prestigious Golden Beach where you can find oceanfront as well as bay-front residences.

Located on Ocean Boulevard in Golden Beach, Florida - 33160

This home not only exudes comfort and luxury, but it has the Atlantic Ocean as a backyard. It is a 2-story beachfront mansion with 5 bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms. Every room beautifully frames the ocean views and no details are spared in its Mediterranean inspired architecture.

It is being offered for $10,999,000

Features include:

• Lot size: 75 X 273 (16,725 square feet) = (1,689 square meters of land)
• 5 bedrooms / 5.5 bathrooms
• 2-car garage
• 6,600 square feet of living space
  
• Listed since May 2007 with no price reductions

 

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