Friday, July 17, 2009

South Florida Bank Seizures Fall 16% In Q2 of 2009

Banks repossessed 16 percent fewer South Florida properties in the second quarter of this year than were seized during the same period a year ago despite an increased number of foreclosure filings in the tricounty region, according to a new report from Condo Vultures® LLC.

Lenders repossessed 5,992 properties in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties between April and June of 2009 compared to seizing 7,098 properties in the second quarter of 2008. In 2007, lenders seized 2,167 South Florida properties in the second quarter, according to the report produced using court records.

"Government intervention - whether it be foreclosure moratoriums or mortgage modification programs - is the primary reason for the decrease in the number of repossessed properties," said Peter Zalewski, a principal with the Bal Harbour, Fla.-based real estate consultancy Condo Vultures® LLC. "That being said, the number of foreclosure filings are back on the rise in the tricounty South Florida region. It is difficult to predict if the foreclosure actions will ultimately end up as Real Estate Owned by banks known as REOs or simply nonperforming mortgages."

More than 52,000 foreclosures have been initiated in South Florida in the first half of the year, putting the tricounty region on pace for more than 100,000 actions in 2009.

By comparison, lenders filed about 38,000 foreclosures actions in the first six months of 2008 and more than 75,000 actions for the year. In 2007, banks filed nearly 8,000 actions in the first half of the year and more than 32,000 for the year, according to data from the Condo Vultures® Foreclosure Database™.

Another factor contributing to the decreasing number of bank repossessions in South Florida despite the increasing number of foreclosure filings is the lengthy legal process necessary before a lender can repossess a residence.

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Peter Zalewski of Condo Vultures® can be reached at 800-750-0517 or by email at peter@condovultures.com. Don't forget to sign up for our weekly Market Intelligence Report™ for detailed condo reports. Looking for a property at a deep discount? You are encouraged to take a peek at the Vultures Database™ or our Video Gallery. Interested in buying multiple units from developers or banks? Be sure to visit the Condo Vultures® Bulk Deals Database. Our new books, the Official Condo Buyers Guide to Miami™ and Miami's Great Condo Crash: A Chronicle of the Boom and Bust™ are now available. Want to see every foreclosure filed in South Florida since 2007? Check out our Foreclosure Database™.

Copyright © 2009, Condo Vultures® LLC

Thursday, July 16, 2009

South Dakota Bank Files $12M Foreclosure On Oceanfront Site In Miami Beach Area

A $12 million foreclosure action has been launched against an oceanfront development site in Sunny Isles Beach that is to house a proposed 43-story luxury condominium tower featuring only one unit per floor, according to the Condo Vultures® Foreclosure Database™.

BankFirst of Sioux Falls, S.D., filed the foreclosure action, also known as a Lis Pendens and/or Notice of Default, in Miami-Dade Circuit Court seeking repayment of $11.7 million on a predevelopment loan originated in 2006. BankFirst's loan is secured by a 1.1-acre development site located between Collins Avenue (State Road A1A) and the Atlantic Ocean.

Originally purchased for $9 million, or $181 per square foot, in July 2001, the 49,830-square-foot development site is now assessed for tax purposes at $15.7 million, or $315 per square foot, by Miami-Dade County. BankFirst's loan was made at $235 per square foot.

"This is not the first oceanfront development site to go into foreclosure in Greater Miami Beach," said Peter Zalewski, a principal with the Bal Harbour, Fla.-based real estate consultancy Condo Vultures®. "A courthouse auction is scheduled for September on a slightly larger development site also located between Collins Avenue and the Atlantic Ocean. The judgment amount on that site, however, is twice as much."

A few miles south on Collins Avenue, a 1.4-acre oceanfront property zoned for a high-rise condo tower in Sunny Isles Beach is scheduled to be auctioned off in the next 60 days to the highest all-cash bidder, according to CondoVultures.com.

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Peter Zalewski of Condo Vultures® can be reached at 800-750-0517 or by email at peter@condovultures.com. Don't forget to sign up for our weekly Market Intelligence Report™ for detailed condo reports. Looking for a property at a deep discount? You are encouraged to take a peek at the Vultures Database™ or our Video Gallery. Interested in buying multiple units from developers or banks? Be sure to visit the Condo Vultures® Bulk Deals Database. Our new books, the Official Condo Buyers Guide to Miami™ and Miami's Great Condo Crash: A Chronicle of the Boom and Bust™ are now available. Want to see every foreclosure filed in South Florida since 2007? Check out our Foreclosure Database™.

Copyright © 2009, Condo Vultures® LLC

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

$40 Million For Chinese Drywall Repairs Set Aside By Miami Developer

Early estimates in response to dozens of lawsuits has determined that defective Chinese drywall is present in at least two percent of the 20,000 single-family houses developed in Florida between 2006 and 2007 by Miami-based homebuilder Lennar Corp.

The number of defective residences may grow even higher as Lennar's research has just begun to determine how many other homes the Miami company built in earlier years in Florida that contain Chinese drywall, which causes metal corrosion, foul smells, and physical irritation to some individuals.

Lennar initiated the research for Chinese drywall in response to 43 lawsuits from homeowners that have been filed against the homebuilder in state and federal courts.

"The company is currently unable to reasonably estimate its future exposure relating to defective Chinese drywall," according to Lennar's second quarter filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. "However, the company is continuing its investigation of homes it delivered during the relevant time period in order to determine whether there are additional homes, not yet inspected, with defective Chinese drywall and resulting damage."

Based on the initial findings, Lennar has set aside nearly $40 million to repair about 400 single-family houses in Florida with the defective drywall but is prepared to increase that amount based on future findings, according to the SEC filing.

Florida is estimated to have about one-third of the 100,000 single-family homes constructed nationwide with defective Chinese drywall, according to CondoVultures.com.

This estimate does not include defective Chinese drywall that may have been used to build out some of the high-rise condo towers that were developed throughout the state during the boom years of 2003 to 2007.

At least one high-end condo tower in Greater Miami is known to have defective Chinese drywall present and several other new skyscrapers are suspected of also having the defect present, said Peter Zalewski, a principal with the Bal Harbour, Fla.-based real estate consultancy Condo Vultures® LLC.

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Peter Zalewski of Condo Vultures® can be reached at 800-750-0517 or by email at peter@condovultures.com. Don't forget to sign up for our weekly Market Intelligence Report™ for detailed condo reports. Looking for a property at a deep discount? You are encouraged to take a peek at the Vultures Database™ or our Video Gallery. Interested in buying multiple units from developers or banks? Be sure to visit the Condo Vultures® Bulk Deals Database. Our new books, the Official Condo Buyers Guide to Miami™ and Miami's Great Condo Crash: A Chronicle of the Boom and Bust™ are now available. Want to see every foreclosure filed in South Florida since 2007? Check out our Foreclosure Database™.

Copyright © 2009, Condo Vultures® LLC

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

$26 Million Oceanfront, High-Rise Site To Be Auctioned

A 1.4-acre oceanfront property zoned for a high-rise condo tower in Sunny Isles Beach is scheduled to be auctioned off in the next 60 days to the highest all-cash bidder at the Miami-Dade County Courthouse, according to Condo Vultures.com.

A final judgment amount of nearly $26.3 million, or $419 per square foot, was established for the property on July 6 by Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Ronald Dresnick.

If the borrower fails to satisfy the loan by the auction date, the 62,800-square-foot property with 300 feet of Atlantic Ocean access would be sold to the highest bidder who surpasses the final judgment amount.

"To purchase a property at the Miami-Dade County courthouse steps, a buyer must be able to pay the entire amount of the winning bid on the day of the auction," said Peter Zalewski, a principal with the Bal Harbour, Fla.-based real estate consultancy Condo Vultures®. "There aren't a lot of buyers with the wherewithal to close all cash that day but then again you never really know for sure in an international city like Miami."

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Peter Zalewski of Condo Vultures® can be reached at 800-750-0517 or by email at peter@condovultures.com. Don't forget to sign up for our weekly Market Intelligence Report™ for detailed condo reports. Looking for a property at a deep discount? You are encouraged to take a peek at the Vultures Database™ or our Video Gallery. Interested in buying multiple units from developers or banks? Be sure to visit the Condo Vultures® Bulk Deals Database. Our new books, the Official Condo Buyers Guide to Miami™ and Miami's Great Condo Crash: A Chronicle of the Boom and Bust™ are now available. Want to see every foreclosure filed in South Florida since 2007? Check out our Foreclosure Database™.

Copyright © 2009, Condo Vultures® LLC

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

4th Bulk Condo Deal Closes In Downtown Miami

A Miami Beach company headed by Jorge Mattos has purchased 21 units in the Marina Blue condominium tower in Downtown Miami for $5.69 million in an all-cash deal involving the project's former mezzanine lender, according to a new report from Condo Vultures® LLC.

A newly formed Florida corporation called 21 Marina Blue LLC with Mattos as the manager purchased 13 two bedroom units, seven one-bedroom units, and a three-bedroom penthouse for a blended price of $196 per square foot on a deal that was recorded on June 23, according to Condo Vultures® research.

Mattos is a business partner of Carlos Mattos who purchased 31 units for $6.1 million in mid-June at the 1060 Brickell condominium tower in Miami's Brickell Avenue financial district, according to a recent Condo Vultures® report.

Carlos Mattos' 1060 Brickell Apartments LLC paid $203 per square foot for four studio units, 22 one-bedroom units, and five two-bedroom units with a combined 29,913 square feet of livable space, according to Condo Vultures®.

"This is the second bulk deal to close in the Greater Downtown Miami area in the last month," said Peter Zalewski, a principal with the Bal Harbour, Fla.-based real estate consultancy Condo Vultures. "Once again, the buyer is a private equity group with roots and investments in South Florida. "

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Peter Zalewski of Condo Vultures® can be reached at 800-750-0517 or by email at peter@condovultures.com. Don't forget to sign up for our weekly Market Intelligence Report™ for detailed condo reports. Looking for a property at a deep discount? You are encouraged to take a peek at the Vultures Database™ or our Video Gallery. Our new books, the Official Condo Buyers Guide to Miami™ , Miami's Great Condo Crash: A Chronicle of the Boom and Bust™ , and First-Time Home Buyers Guide To South Florida™ are now available. Want to see every foreclosure filed in South Florida since 2007? Check out our Foreclosure Database™.

Copyright © 2009, Condo Vultures® LLC

Friday, July 3, 2009

Related Group Negotiates Return Of Unsold Condo Towers

The Related Group, the nation's largest condo tower developer, is attempting in the next two months to finalize plans to return thousands of unsold new units with debt of "roughly $1.5 billion" to the construction lenders, according to Miami news reports.

The admission comes just as the Related Group has agreed to relinquish ownership to its lenders of the remaining 381 unsold units in the 420-unit, 20-story CityPlace South Tower in Downtown West Palm Beach. Related had still owed about $119 million, or about 88 percent, of the original $134.7 million construction loan, according to South Florida news reports.

"We've had very good discussions over the last seven months with all of our lender syndicates," Related Group's chief operating officer Matt Allen told the Miami Daily Business Review. "Each syndicate is different. They have different goals they might want to achieve, and we expect in 60 days to have complete resolution and that resolution can carry many different fronts."

Related developed or converted dozens of highrises with several thousand units throughout Florida, ranging from the Apogee in Miami Beach's South of Fifth neighborhood to the Trump Hollywood in Southeast Broward County, the Oasis in Fort Myers on the Gulf of Mexico to the ICON Brickell complex in Greater Downtown Miami.

In Downtown Miami alone, the Related Group built during the condo boom about 5,550 units, of which the company is still in possession of more than 2,400 units, or about 44 percent, according to the Official Condo Buyers Guide to Miami™ published by Condo Vultures®.

Specifically in Downtown Miami, Related built seven projects with 12 towers and more than 5.8 million gross livable square feet. An eight project proposed for 495 units and 389,000 gross livable square feet was shelved before construction began, according to Condo Vultures®.

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Peter Zalewski of Condo Vultures® can be reached at 800-750-0517 or by email at peter@condovultures.com. Don't forget to sign up for our weekly Market Intelligence Report™ for detailed condo reports. Looking for a property at a deep discount? You are encouraged to take a peek at the Vultures Database™ or our Video Gallery. Our new books, the Official Condo Buyers Guide to Miami™ , Miami's Great Condo Crash: A Chronicle of the Boom and Bust™ , and First-Time Home Buyers Guide To South Florida™ are now available. Want to see every foreclosure filed in South Florida since 2007? Check out our Foreclosure Database™.

Copyright © 2009, Condo Vultures® LLC

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Downtown Miami Condo Closings Slow By Half In 2nd Quarter

The pace of new condo closings in Greater Downtown Miami slowed by half in the second quarter of 2009 to 2.7 sales per day, down from an average of 5.2 per deals day in the first quarter of the year, according to a new report from Condo Vultures® LLC.

Buyers purchased 246 units in the 60-block stretch of Greater Downtown Miami between April and June. In the two previous quarters, buyers closed on 466 new Downtown Miami units between January and March, and 441 units between October and December, respectively, according to the Condo Vultures® report based on the Official Condo Buyers Guide To Miami™.

"A majority of the second quarter closings occurred in three projects: Marina Blue, 1060 Brickell, and the south tower of Brickell on the River," said Peter Zalewski, a principal with the Bal Harbour, Fla.-based real estate consultancy Condo Vultures®. "Price reductions were the common denominator triggering the increased closing activity in all three condo projects. With financing difficult to obtain in Downtown Miami, all-cash buyers are proving that they are ready to purchase if the price is right."

With the increased activity, Marina Blue - where a bulk deal occurred in December 2008 - is now 99.4 percent closed with only a handful of units of the 516-unit project still in the name of the developer.

The south tower of Brickell on the River is now 70.3 percent closed with less than 100 units in the 327-unit tower available.

At the 1060 Brickell condominium, the developer has closed nearly 350 units - 31 units of which closed in a bulk deal in June - out of 576 units for a sellout rate of 59 percent, according to the Condo Vultures® report.

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Peter Zalewski of Condo Vultures® can be reached at 800-750-0517 or by email at peter@condovultures.com. Don't forget to sign up for our weekly Market Intelligence Report™ for detailed condo reports. Looking for a property at a deep discount? You are encouraged to take a peek at the Vultures Database™ or our Video Gallery. Our new books, the Official Condo Buyers Guide to Miami™ , Miami's Great Condo Crash: A Chronicle of the Boom and Bust™ , and First-Time Home Buyers Guide To South Florida™ are now available. Want to see every foreclosure filed in South Florida since 2007? Check out our Foreclosure Database™.

Copyright © 2009, Condo Vultures® LLC