This is always fun…
A Miami Herald article reported that singer Phil Collins
paid a whopping $33 million for a Miami Beach mansion owned by J.Lo over 10
years ago (the home changed hands between these two transactions). “The
12,150-square-foot villa at 5800 North Bay Rd. includes 200 feet of Bayfront
property, a wine cellar, a summer kitchen and a pool,” according to the article
published last week.
This article brings the attention to the celebrities who buy
real estate in Miami whether as a primary or secondary home. From singers to professional athletes to
government officials, Miami has a certain appeal that seems to draw so many to
this large metro area with a tropical feel.
Here are a few of our favorite celebrities who bought real estate Miami
real estate:
Pharrell Williams -- Brickell
Who doesn’t love
Pharrell Williams? With his success from
The Voice and his mega hit, Happy, he has owned his 40th
floor Brickell condo since 2007. Even
though he tried to sell it for $16.8 million, he pulled it off the market in
2014. Bristol Tower is a Brickell condominium built in 1993 that sits on the
Bay with the most amazing amenities and even better Bay and city views. Granted
Williams’s condo was a 10,000 square foot penthouse with its own private pool
and every bell and whistle that is expected in such a residence, the most
expensive unit sold at the Bristol
Tower in the last three years was a penthouse residence on the 39th
floor for a little over $3 million. Currently there are 13 listings with list
prices starting in the mid-$800s and climbing to almost $6 million (FYI – the
most expensive listing has been on the market for almost a year).
Gloria Estefan – Star Island
Of course Gloria Estefan lives in Miami – how can the lead
of the Miami Sound Machine live anywhere else?
Her home with husband, Emilio Estefan, is on Star Island and is worth
about $20 million (she bought it for $600K in 1986). They own a second home on
Star Island that is used for guests that is listed at $40 million. Star
Island is one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in all of Miami-Dade
County and is home only 34 total residences many of which are owned by
well-known people. Listings are few and far between; in fact, Gloria Estefan’s
second residence is the only listings except for a $19 million lot also listed
for sale. In the last three years, five homes have sold (one of which was Rosie
O’Donnell’s -- $16.5 million) with the most recent sale in 2014 selling for
over $28 million.
LeBron James – Coconut Grove
It is a sore subject but none the less, it is worth talking
about simply because of the house. When LeBron James signed to play with the
Heat, he bought a $9 million estate in Coconut Grove. Now that he has gone back to Cleveland (enjoy
the snow - not), his home in Crystal View is up for sale and listed for $15
million. It finally has a pending offer after dropping the list price by $2 million.
This home is its own compound that sits on a half-acre facing Biscayne
Bay. The other homes in this small Coconut
Grove neighborhood listed for sale between $1 million and almost $4 million
(diagonally across from James’s home).
Phil Collins – La Gorce Country Club
Phil Collins bought an absolute show stopper of Miami Beach
real estate. Built in the 1920s, this
home is located in La Gorce Country Club on North Bay Road. It sits on Biscayne Bay with the most
unbelievable water views and views of the Miami skyline. In addition to a magnificent home, it
features a new dock and sea wall, a 20,000-lb boat lift, two Jet Ski lifts, 200
feet of Bayfront views, and tons of tropical and lush landscaping that surrounds
a fabulous pool and outdoor kitchen. Mr. Collins and his guests must access the
gated entry to enter the grounds and home (would expect nothing less). Properties in La Gorce Country Club typically
start at over $1 million and climb to almost $40 million depending on the
location of the property and the home itself – currently there are 17
properties for sale. Over the last year, there have been about 12 sales in La
Gorce Country Club with the sale prices ranging between about $700K and $30
million (the one Phil Collins bought).
What and Where They Buy
Celebrities come and celebrities go in Miami but it is
always fun to see what and where they buy. One thing for certain is they want a
nice view and pay big for it. Whether
brand new or remodeled with lots of character, if you see that one celebrity
lives in a certain neighborhood, you can probably bet that there are others
living around them.
