Little Havana - History and Real Estate

If you’re looking for a vibrant neighborhood that is tucked between downtown Miami and Coral Gables, home to incredible restaurants and loads of cultural pride, consider Little Havana. 

Northwest of Brickell, with downtown Miami to the east and East Coral Gables to the west, Little Havana is one of the least expensive and the oldest of Miami’s neighborhoods.

With an active merchant’s association and chamber of commerce, Little Havana is an amazing neighborhood in which to live and work. 

Quick Facts about Little Havana

• Little Havana comprises a bit over 4.2 square miles.
• There are 53,431 residents in Little Havana
• The median age of Little Havana residents, both male and female, is 37 years.
• Foreign-born residents comprise 78.4 percent of Little Havana’s population.
• Out of all of Miami’s neighborhoods, Little Havana has the most residents that claim Hispanic ancestry

Little Havana History 
As is the case with most of Miami’s neighborhoods, Little Havana was originally settled by the Tequesta tribe. Living off the land, they subsisted on fish, local animals, roots and berries. 

Spanish explorers arrived in 1500 and, for the next 200 years, were the dominant population. 

Early settlers and Seminole Indians, distrustful of one another, lived on the land that is now Little Havana, until the U.S. Army drove the Seminoles into the Everglades. 

By the late 1800s, developers and new residents flocked to the area. Subdivisions sprung up in the early 1900s to house the new residents. It was the 1930s, though, during the Great Depression, that saw the first large influx of residents to the area. While many Jews arrived in the area, so did many Cubans, fleeing their homeland after the overthrow of President Gerardo Machado. In the 1950s, with Fidel Castro’s rise to power, another, even larger wave of Cuban immigrants settled in what is now Little Havana.

The neighborhood officially gained the moniker “Little Havana” in the 1960s and was further divided into East Little Havana and West Little Havana. By then, the area’s population was comprised of Latin American and Caribbean refugees who brought with them their customs to blend with the predominantly Cuban culture. 

A decade later saw the arrival of almost 200,000 new residents from Central and South America, primarily Nicaragua, Columbia and Honduras. Flash forward to today and Little Havana’s population has the highest concentration of Hispanics in Miami.

If you’re interested in learning more about Little Havana’s history, take the free history tour, provided by historian Paul George, on the last Friday of each month, during Viernes Culturales.

Schools in Little Havana
The Miami-Dade County Public Schools system serves the children of Little Havana. Public elementary schools include:

• Ada Merritt K-8 School
• Auburndale Elementary School
• Citrus Grove Elementary School
• Kensington Park Elementary School
• Kinloch Park Elementary School
• Riverside Elementary School
• Shenandoah Elementary School

Little Havana’s middle school students attend one of the following schools:

• Citrus Grove Middle School
• Kinloch Park Middle School
• Shenandoah Middle School

High school students in Little Havana may attend:

• Mater Academy East Charter High School
• Miami Senior High School
• Young Women's Preparatory Academy 

Cultural Events and Festivals
Little Havana is best known for its many cultural events and festivals. 
Viernes Culturales takes place on the last Friday of each month. Billed as an artistic cultural fair, it provides an opportunity to experience an almost complete immersion into the local culture.  

Then, there is the annual Calle Ocho street festival that brings in over one million visitors. While Viernes Culturales is decidedly Latin, Calle Ocho highlights the area’s Caribbean culture. Hundreds of street vendors ply their wares and live music fills the air. You’ll also enjoy outdoor art exhibits, cuisine sampling, films and more.

Finally, a can’t-miss event is the Three Kings Parade held on Calle Ocho every year. The parade features colorful floats, marching bands, dignitaries and, of course, the three kings, riding camels. The parade began as a way for local Cubans to defy Fidel Castro’s outlawing of Cuba’s beloved Three King’s Day and remains Little Havana’s homage to the Feast of the Epiphany.  

You can find a full list of the various festivals in Little Havana here.

Little Havana Real Estate
Homes in Little Havana range from apartments, condos and townhouses to single-family residences. If you’re looking for some of the lowest prices in Miami, consider the Little Havana community.

Homes for sale in Little Havana
Current offerings include condos priced from $29,000 to $399,000. The latter is a 3-bedroom, 3.5 bathroom home at Palm Bay Towers with amazing marble floors and views of Biscayne Bay.

Single family homes start at $97,900 for a 2-bedroom fixer to $525,000 for a 4-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom home with an office. 

In the middle of the price range you’ll find the ideal home for a larger family. With 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, this 1,973 square feet home has been completely updated. You’ll find new windows, a new air conditioning system, granite counters in the kitchen and a 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom guest cottage in the private backyard. This home is offered at $299,000.  

Homes for Rent
The median monthly rent in Little Havana is slightly lower than Miami’s median. Bargain apartment hunters will like the 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom apartments at Lawnview, starting at $650 a month. 

At the top of the price range you’ll find a 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom apartment for $1,400.

Bay Point Estates - Luxury Gated Community in Miami’s Upper East

If your dream home is one that sits safely tucked away yet close to conveniences, consider viewing the homes at Bay Point Estates. An affluent, gated community, Bay Point Estates is located, as the name implies, on the bay in Miami’s Upper East Side neighborhood. Considered a historic neighborhood, it is located next to its equally historic sister, Morningside.

If you are considering the purchase of a home in Bay Point Estates, we’d like to help you get to know the community a little better.

Bay Point Estates Quick Facts
• Bay Point Estates’ zip code is 33137
• You can find Bay Point Estates between NE 41st Street and NE 50th Street alongside Biscayne Boulevard.
• The streets in Bay Point Estates are privately owned and maintained by homeowners’ association.
• There are approximately 25 homes in Bay Point Estates

Schools near Bay Point Estates
The children of Bay Point Estates are served by the Miami-Dade County Public Schools system. Area public schools operated by the system include:

• Phyllis R. Miller Elementary School
• Morningside Elementary School
• Horace Mann Middle School
• Booker T. Washington Senior High School

Some Bay Point Estates high school students attend Design Architecture Senior High School (DASH), a magnet school and the leading high school in Florida, according to U.S. News and World Report.

Many Bay Points Estates families send their children to Miami Country Day School (MCDS), located about 15 minutes north of the community. MCDS is a private, non-denominational college preparatory academy for students from kindergarten through the 12th grade. The school sits on 16 acres and offers a new Aquatic Center and athletic fields. Known for its small class size and diversity of students (more than 75 percent of the students’ parent were born abroad), MCDS was dubbed Miami’s “Hot School” by W Magazine.

Private schools in the area include Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame Middle and High School, overseen by the Archdiocese of Miami. Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame is college preparatory and offers an honors curriculum.

Also nearby is The Cushman School, a private, non-denominational, coed school for grades nursery through 8th.

Bay Point Estates Amenities
Bay Point Estates residents are blessed with living within close proximity to the heart of Miami and only 10 minutes away from South Beach.

Another ten minutes puts them in Coral Gables and Aventura. Closer to home, however, residents enjoy a plethora of shopping and dining opportunities. There is a new Publix located immediately outside the community and the amazing shopping and dining experiences of midtown and the Design District are a mere 10 minutes away.

Bay Point Estates attracts residents who choose, most of all, to live in an area where yachting is a major component of the culture.

Homes in Bay Point Estates
One of this country’s most expensive street addresses is located here in Bay Point Estates: Sabal Palm Road. Home of singer Enrique Iglesias, estates on Sabal Palm rarely become available and, when they do, they are priced upwards of $3 million.

While Bay Point homes are fabulous by any standards, it’s the property they sit on that brings the huge asking prices. Many homes are located on the water, come with private docks, and feature pools, wine cellars, gourmet kitchens and custom touches throughout. Life in Bay Point Estates is very much like living, year-round, in a resort setting.

Current prices in Bay Point Estates range from $1.2 million to $4,150,000. Home sizes range from 2,658 square feet to just under 6,000 square feet.

Current offerings include the following:

A 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom 1930s stunner, set back from the the street. Two of the home’s bedrooms feature private bathrooms. The home also offers an office, family room and an updated kitchen. Outdoor entertainers will enjoy the gorgeous back yard with koi pond, pool, waterfall and huge patio. This home is offered at $1.2 million.

Stepping up to the lower $2 million price range brings us to a 4-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom home on the water. The home includes a formal dining room, a family room and a large terrace on the second floor. It’s being offered at $2.2 million.

Although this next home was built in the late 1940s, it’s been completely renovated with an eye to maintaining its original charm. With 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, the home sits on the water on a large, 12,700 square foot lot. The over-100 feet of docked water frontage will accommodate an 85-foot boat. The homeowners installed a new deck with entertaining areas around the pool. This home is offered at $3.2 million.

At the top of the price range in Bay Point Estates sits a 5-bedroom, 5.5-bathroom home with 4,406 square feet of living space. This home oozes understated elegance, from its water views to its two docks. The oversized lot has a park-like feel, with various entertaining areas tucked away throughout.

The home is a single-story stunner and offers gleaming wood floors, a formal dining room, a wall of windows in the living room, tastefully appointed bathrooms and oversized bedrooms. It is being offered at $4,150,000. This home is also available for lease for $14,000 a month.

If you choose to rent a home in Bay Point Estates, you are in luck. There are currently three homes (in addition to the home listed above) available to rent.

The least expensive home sits on a corner lot and boasts 4,500 square feet of living space, with 5 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms. It features a very private backyard with a pool and can be rented for $5,500 per month.

For $8,000 a month, renters have two homes from which to choose in Bay Point Estates. The first has 7 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms in 3,503 square feet of living space. This colonial-style home is located on the waterfront and it is being offered as a short-term rental.

The other home at this price point has 4 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms and 4,176 square feet of living space. It features hardwood floors, an open kitchen and a pool in the tropical backyard.

Whether you’re in the market to lease or purchase a home in Bay Point Estates, we are happy to set an appointment to view any available home.

Impact of Venezuelan politics in Miami Real Estate

Venezuela was once one of the main recipients of immigrants from Europe after the second world war. A lot of companies in Venezuela were started by European entrepreneurs who got there with nothing but the willingness to live in a country in peace. 

That trend is now on reverse. Middle and upper class citizens are leaving the country as a result of lack of opportunities and more importantly safety concerns. Earlier this year, a group of students produced a video called “Caracas, ciudad de despedidas” which means Caracas, the city of departures. The main reason why many people are leaving Venezuela is because it is not safe anymore to live there. Caracas was never a safe city but the murder rate now is higher than cities in war and the kidnapping business is flourishing. It is very common to hear stories about people leaving the country after they were kidnapped. This business was showcased in a video called “Extreme World – Venezuela”, which was produced by Ross Kemp, a British journalist who actually had the opportunity to interview a group of kidnappers in Caracas who admit that this has become a very profitable business. According to the video, the average kidnapping lasts a couple of days and the ransom averages five thousand US dollars.

Hugo Chavez was reelected on October 7th as president of Venezuela. He is still very popular after 14 years in charge of the country with the biggest oil reserves in the world. He has used this oil bonanza to finance his “21st century socialism”.  He has taken advantage of the fact that no other president previously had paid much attention to the poor who were always left out.

When Chavez was first elected, a lot of people got scared thinking that he was going to follow the Cuban model, with a socialist state where there is no private property. During that time, property values went down significantly and then they recovered after people started to realize that he was going after big multinationals companies. After being nationalized or left without the capability to obtain foreign currency, many companies have decided to leave the country. Procter and Gamble is one of them. They moved their Latin American headquarters to Panana in 2008 after being unable to obtain foreign currency for years.

Miami has always been one of the main targets of Venezuelans who move abroad. According to the Miami Association of Realtors, Venezuelans are in first place of foreign groups buying real estate in Miami with 16% of the purchases. Doral, a city located in west Miami is the US city with the highest percentage of Venezuelans with over 20%. Real estate agents in Doral who deal with Venezuelan clients are used to hearing the phrase “Plan B”. In fact, a fellow real estate broker started a real estate company called Plan B International Realty. 

Elections are usually milestones and people wait to see election results eagerly to make important decisions. One of my cousins who currently lives in Caracas decided to request asylum in the US after Chavez was reelected last month. He and his wife have stable jobs in Caracas, but the fact that it is not a safe place to live and the lack of career growth opportunities prompted them to make the decision to leave the country. According to the US Department of Homeland Security, at least 4,500 Venezuelan families have been granted political asylum in the US after Chavez came to power.

Miami has always been the thermometer of Latin America. When the political and economic situation gets worse in Latin America more people come to Miami. As local residents say, Miami is the capital of Latin America.

After the real estate bubble burst, Venezuelans have been an important factor of the real estate recovery in Miami in addition to Brazilians and Argentineans. Some of them will continue to buy real estate in Miami as an investment and some other ones will buy after leaving a country where the middle and upper class find themselves in a place where they feel they don’t belong.

Venezuelans buy real estate in South Florida for a variety of reasons. Some buy after they decide to move to a place where they can find a large community of Venezuelans living abroad. Others buy to rent out, looking for a better return on investment than the one provided by banks. And others buy to have a “Plan B” so they can have a place to live in case something extreme happens in Venezuela. The definition of extreme varies, but the milestones most commonly heard are elimination of private property by the government, kidnapping, nationalization of industries by the government and election results. People see election results as a milestone because the presidential term in Venezuela has 6 years and every time Chavez wins, he gets a new opportunity to institute even further his 21st century socialism.

Therefore after last month’s elections, where Chavez won with over 55% of the popular vote, we will definitely see more Venezuelans leaving the country. South Florida real estate agents are eagerly waiting.

The Roads: Neighborhood designed by Mary Brickell

Mary Brickell and her husband William Brickell moved from Ohio to Florida in 1871. Aside from owning a post office and a trading post, they scooped up large tracts of Miami real estate, eventually pioneering, with Julia Tuttle, the founding of Miami.

One aspect that makes The Roads unique is its infrastructure. Streets in Miami typically go north to south in the form of avenues or east to west in the form of streets. In this area, roads are completely diagonal to the grid set in place for the rest of the city as evident in the map below.

The Roads, a Miami neighborhood designed and developed by Mary Brickell (and named Brickell Hammock at the time), is aptly named. Brickell was a devotee of wide streets. In fact, her dream was for Miami to be a “city of handsome homes” situated on wide roads with landscaped medians.

Located on the southwest side of Brickell and north of Coconut Grove, Miami's The Roads is popular today for its older homes, tree-lined streets and quiet, peaceful environment. Commuting to work is a snap since the community is served by both Vizcaya and Brickell metro stations.

Current prices of homes in The Roads range from the high 200 thousands to $19 million, and buyers can choose from condos and single-family residences. Most are within walking distance to Brickell Avenue, Coral Gables and Key Biscayne.

At the low end of the price scale you’ll find an adorable 1942 bungalow-style home in need of some TLC and priced accordingly: $298,000. The bare bones are enough to get your heart racing, though. With hardwood and tile floors throughout, the 7,500 square-foot home sits on a large corner lot. For three bedrooms and two bathrooms, this one should go quick.

There are several fine homes priced between $1.2 million and $2.8 million but let’s jump right to the top of the market in The Roads.

Situated on over 2 acres right on Biscayne Bay, this estate is an architectural dream. Palatial, impressive and tasteful may be apt descriptors for this amazing home. Outdoor features – aside from the impressive water view -- include resort-like grounds and the oversized terraces that overlook them, the tennis court and water features.

This home has 8 bedrooms, 9.5 bathrooms and 14,433 square feet of living space. It is being offered at $19 million.

One Ocean - New Construction South of Fifth

Miami’s Curbed calls it hitting the “floor plan mother lode.” Jorge Perez, chairman and CEO of Related Group, calls it his “legacy for Miami Beach.” 

One Ocean, the latest Miami Beach lux condo community is all that and more.

Situated in the SoFi neighborhood of South Beach, One Ocean is comprised of two seven story glass buildings which house 50 units in nine floor plans. The sales office is now open and over half the units are spoken for, including one penthouse that Perez reserved for himself.  As the Miami Herald tells us, Perez loves the project so much he’s decided to live there.

And, why not? Perez, well-known for his amazing Latin American art collection, plans to target sales to “people who are art-oriented” – providing them with a home that is “a fusion of the ocean, architecture and art,” as he told the Miami Herald.

You’ll find One Ocean on Ocean Drive, flanked by 1st Street and South Pointe Drive. The community’s first floor contains four villas with private entrances and commercial space (separated by gardens) while the top floor will host a solarium and spa. 

“This is going to be the most exclusive development in Miami. Residents will have everything from a butler service to a fitness center,” said Catalina Martinez, sales executive for One Ocean.

Aside from one small ground-floor unit priced at $750,000, homes at One Ocean are priced from $1 million to $7.1 million, with an average price of $1,400 per square foot.

So, what do you get for all this hard-earned, well-placed money? 

• An average of 3,000 square foot home

• A maximum of four units per floor in the south tower and only two per floor in the north tower

• Each tower unit offers a minimum of two exposures

• Private elevators to each unit

• Private robotic garage

• Beach club privileges

• Contemporary art collection displayed throughout the common areas

• Zen garden

• Infinity-edge pool

• Clubhouse with food service

• Fitness facilities

• 24-hour valet

• Butler

Since Perez has chosen to reside here, expect to be offered the ultimate in pampering when it comes to services. Residents can look forward to an elite concierge service, accessible from their iPads; chauffeured car service; personal shopping; a salon and a barber; housekeeping staff; laundry, dry cleaning and tailoring; childcare; personal security; pet services, such as walking and sitting; car washing and detailing service and a fully equipped business center.

According to Martinez, the properties that have been sold in this development have been sold to second homeowners, third homeowners and even fourth homeowners. These buyers reside all over the world from New York to Brazil to Italy.

You’ll also get the convenience of living in the vibrant South Beach area, close to dining, entertainment and fabulous shopping and across the street from the sizzling “Sexiest Place on Earth,” Nikki Beach.

“And the price is amazing,” said Martinez.

Purchasing a One Ocean home requires 10 percent of the purchase price when you make the reservation; 10 percent when you sign the contract; 20 percent when the developers break ground and 10 percent when the building is topped off.

400 Sunny Isles - A Boater's Paradise

There’s another new pre-construction condo project we thought you should know about: 400 Sunny Isles. You’ll hear some familiar names connected to this project: Key International (of The Ivy and Mint fame), Chad Oppenheim, Kobi Park, Urbanica Group, Phillippe Stark, Renzo Piano, and more. While it may seem like the new projects in town are all pretty much the same, 400 Sunny Isles is distinctive for a number of reasons.

“It is completely modern. It’s an amazing project,” said Sandy Ruiz, sales associate for 400 Sunny Isles.

Boater’s Paradise

The most distinctive difference between this project and the many others that are either newly built or under construction is the inclusion of a private marina which, developers claim, will be the largest marina in the area.

“There is going to be a wet marina and a dry marina,” said Ruiz.

Wet and dry dock storage and boat rentals will be available as will fractional yacht ownership.

Private Pool and Garden Residences

400 Sunny Isles can boast of another distinction: pool and garden terraces, providing a private, relaxing sanctuary for residents, reminiscent of those found in luxury single-family residences. These are available in the lofts and selected residences.

The Spa and Rejuvenation Center

400 Sunny Isles will house a spa and rejuvenations center to rival those of the world’s finest resorts. Choose from co-ed facilities or private his and hers. Other highlights include:

• Three waterfall Jacuzzis with independent temperatures
• Saunas
• Steam rooms
• Indoor and outdoor lounges
• Fitness equipment

Play Time at 400 Sunny Isles

If you’re beginning to get the impression that life at 400 Sunny Isles is a bit like being on vacation, you’re right. The community will also offer volleyball and tennis courts (a tennis pro will be on hand as well).

According to Ruiz, interested buyers come from the domestic market as well as international. Buyers from Argentina, Brazil, New York and elsewhere are all interested in this new development. So much so that reservations for the first tower have already been taken and sales associates are now focusing on gaining reservations for the second tower.

Additional Amenities

In keeping with the resort-theme atmosphere, 400 Sunny Isles will offer the following amenities to residents:

• Concierge service
• 24-hour valet parking
• 24-hour security
• Business center with meeting rooms
• Party lounge
• Storage for bikes and jet skis
• Marine concierge program at the marina
• Boat rentals
• On-site activity coordinator to assist with arrangements for kite surfing, boating, wind surfing, jet skiing, scuba diving, fishing, kayaking, snorkeling, biking and water skiing.
• Beach car service
• Swim-up wet bar at the pool
• Private bayfront beach
• A yacht and beach club bistro

The Homes

400 Sunny Isles offers one-story homes, two-story lofts and three-story penthouses. All homes feature state-of-the-art technology, with wireless internet, a fingertip control panel for communication within the community and to control all in-home features such as temperature, lighting, music and even the blinds.

Each home incorporates floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall glass, soundproofing between units and walk-in closets. Kitchens are a cook’s dream and feature:

• European appliances, cabinetry and countertops
• SMEG induction cooktop (uses 50 percent less energy)
• Stainless steel Renzo Piano oven

In the bathrooms, you’ll find:

• European finishes
• Lots of natural light
• Oversized soaking tubs
• Phillippe Stark faucets and fixtures

The estimated completion date for the two 20-story residential towers that comprise 400 Sunny Isles is 2015, with construction breaking ground February of 2013. Pre-sales began earlier this year. As of today, the east tower is sold out and homes in the west tower are listed between $750,000 and $2.4 million.

Bal Harbour - History and Real Estate

The village of Bal Harbour consists of ½ square mile, almost half of which is water. Located on north Miami Beach, between Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, Bal Harbour is one of the area’s more affluent neighborhoods.

Bal Harbour sits on what was originally swamp land. Initial development was put on hold during World War II and the land was leased to the United States Air Corps, which built a Prisoner of War camp on the site. In 1946, after the war’s end, the village was incorporated and development took off.

Today, Bal Harbour is best known as being home to the upscale Bal Harbour Shops and its 2,513 affluent residents. While there are a number of high-end condo complexes in Bal Harbour, single-family homes in this exclusive community are typically large and sit on oversized lots.

As in most Miami neighborhoods, ocean front homes in Bal Harbour are in short supply and high demand. The difference here, however, is that inland homes offer the same luxury styling as those on the water.

Current home prices in Bal Harbour range in price from $399,000 to $45 million. Let’s take a closer look at some of what is available.

Condos for Sale in Bal Harbour
Bal Harbour is home to a number of fabulous condominium communities. Some of the more popular communities with homes available include:

• Bal Harbour 101- $699,000 to $1,899,000
• Balmoral - $450,000 to $1,299,000
• Bellini - $2.9 million to $6,800,000
• Kenilworth - $689,000 to $1.9 million
• Majestic Tower - $1,690,000 to $4,950,000
• One Bal Harbour – $380,000 to $38 million
• The Palace - $2,350,000 to $5,700,000
• Plaza of Bal Harbour - $249,000 to $449,000
• St. Regis - $2,150,000 to $5.5 million
• Harbour House - $295,000 to $599,000

Single-Family Residences in Bal Harbour
Luxury living at its finest is what you’ll find in Bal Harbour single-family homes and estates. Currently available homes range in size from 1,991 to 12,877 square feet. Lot sizes are typically large.

At the low end of the price range in Bal Harbour you’ll find a 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom rancher on a huge, park-like lot. Located on Park Drive, this home is a quick walk to the beach and priced at $1,650,000.

If you’re shopping in the mid-range, you may be interested in viewing a brand new home in the Bal Harbour Village gated community. Construction on this 6-bedroom stunner is set to begin next year. The home will also feature 6.5 bathrooms and 5,400 square feet of living space. It is offered at $4,500,000.

Bring the boat to this newly remodeled 4,000 square foot home on the waterfront in Bal Harbour. Launch from your private dock, and in minutes, with no bridges, be at the ocean. This home is being sold as-is and is offered at $5,400,000.

If the ultimate in luxury is your aim, don’t miss viewing the stunning Bal Harbour estate offered at $22.5 million dollars. This home features 8 bedrooms, 10 full bathrooms and 2 half baths, in 12,877 palatial square feet of living space. Everything is custom in this home, including the hand-crafted stone exterior, custom interior paint finishes, coffered ceilings and a media room with a 10-foot screen. Outdoors you’ll find two infinity-edge pools and 200 feet of waterfront.

We are happy to show you any of the fine homes offered for sale in Bal Harbour. Contact us today for a private viewing.