Episode 375: 06-30-16
On this week’s show, Brett Harris of Brett Harris Homes and Douglas Elliman Miami Beach discusses the state of the Super Lux market in Greater Miami, and Jim gives us an update on Vivian’s kidney transplant journey.
Miami Beach Super Lux Housing Market
We talk to Brett Harris of Brett Harris Homes and Douglas Elliman Miami Beach. As a native of Miami Beach, Brett Harris brings a local’s perspective and intimate knowledge of Miami’s luxury real estate market to his clients.
Representing buyers and sellers of major estates and unique top echelon homes throughout South Florida since 2006, his expertise in the local market is unsurpassed.
Brett specializes in the luxury homes and condos that span Miami and the Beaches from $10 million to $40 million, and his success can be attributed to both his vast and detailed understanding of the local market and the particulars that high-dollar clients seek out, as well as quick decision making and savvy negotiating skills.
We discuss the state of the Super Lux housing market in Greater Miami, with a focus on Miami Beach.
Vivian Fried Kidney Transplant Update
ALSO: An update on Vivian Fried. You can donate to her kidney transplant fund by clicking here: http://bit.ly/Donate2Vivian
Watch Vivian tell her story of love, hope and courage: http://bit.ly/Viv10
To become a member of the Vivian Fried Fundraising Team click here: http://bit.ly/BeAVIVIANFundraiser
THANK YOU!
Episode 375: 06-30-16
Transcription:
Announcer: The following program is sponsored by James Fried. 880 AM, The Biz. South Florida’s only all business station welcomes you to Fried on Business. He grew up in South Florida. Has been in business here since the early 1900s, and has closed over $1 billion in deals. He’s seen it all. He always has an opinion, and he’s always ready to share it. Informed, entertaining, and connected he has his finger on the throbbing pulse on South Florida’s business community. He’s Jim Fried, exclusively on 880 AM The Biz. To talk to Jim and his guests call 305-541-2350. That’s 305-541-2350. Now, here’s your host, Jim Fried.
Jim Fried: All right, South Florida we have got a great show for you today we’ve got my good friend Brett Harris. He’s a big broker over at Miami Beach with Douglas Elliman. We’re going to talk all show this time about the Miami Super Lux Residential Real Estate Market. Brett’s going to talk about the homes that are selling, what the markets like, I’ll talk a little bit about financing. It’ll be a great show. You’ll be able to get great information you’ll be able to use right away. So, stick with us. We’ve got great information for you for the next hour here on 880 AM. Wanda, take it away.
[commercial break]
Announcer: You’re listening to Fried on business. To talk to Jim and his guest call 305-541-2350. That’s 305-541-2350. Now, back to your host Jim Fried.
Jim Fried: All right, we are on, and we are here with my good friend Brett Harris of Brett Harris homes. He’s a Douglas Elliman business unit. Over on Miami Beach, he’s a native of Miami Beach, and he is the man if you need to buy a super lux home. Welcome to the show Brett.
Brett Harris: Jim, thanks for having me.
Jim Fried: Oh, it’s my absolutely pleasure, now listen. Before we get started why don’t we give people a little perspective. You grew up in Miami Beach, you know Miami Beach like the back of your hand. You know the people that own the homes?
Brett Harris: I did, and I do.
Jim Fried: Well, that’s really like a great place to start to build a residential business, is it not?
Brett Harris: I do, I’m very fortunate to have grown up in this city. It’s changed quite a bit here in the early 70s. I grew up on upper north bay road fortunate to have my parent buy the home in 1971. They’re still there believe it or not.
Jim Fried: Wow, wow.
Brett Harris: One of the last Mohicans on the road. I’ve seen the road change. I’ve seen prices go from $200,000 for a waterfront up to $35 million.
Jim Fried: Yeah, that’ll do it, huh?
Brett Harris: In 30 years.
Jim Fried: Wow, but you’ve done a couple of those lots. I mean I go on your website. I see that you worked with the Bee Gees, you made them a good deal, and that wasn’t even for…was that for sale when you was…
Brett Harris: That was not for sale. There were neighbors of mine. Good friends of mine. Great people, amazing people, and a client of mine approached me, and I approached them in London, and it wasn’t for sale. They weren’t really thinking about it. It was entertaining to them. The offer was too low. We circled back six months later, they countered. Things changed in their life. They weren’t using the home as much as they’d like to. So, then we finally after about nine or ten months we came to a deal.
Jim Fried: So, you’re not really just a real estate salesperson or broker, you’re truly are, by definition, a deal maker.
Brett Harris: I am.
Jim Fried: You make the deal. You make it happen. So, let’s say I want to buy a home on Miami Beach. I’ve given you some parameters. There’s nothing for sale like that. You and your team go out and find it for me? Is that the way it works?
Brett Harris: I’ll knock on doors, I’ll send out letters, I’ll reach out to my contacts, use all my resources, my network, my sphere if influences, family friends, and I can usually probably find you something. It’s not going to happen overnight because everyone has got really high parameters of spending that kind of money, but it’ll happen.
Jim Fried: Yeah, I would think if it happened overnight I offer too much.
Brett Harris: It will happen. Be patient. All the good deals take time. I’m working with a client now probably for seven years, and we’re about to close on a deal probably next week for about $21 million.
Jim Fried: Now, one of the things that I’ve noticed is that the Super Lux Market is really one that is somewhat insulate from a general market conditions that people make decisions on wants and needs more than most other people do. What is it that you’re seeing as a trend right now on Miami Beach?
Brett Harris: Well, I’m seeing a lot of people want land views, water frontage, and they want new modern contemporary, nice finishes, high ceilings, open floor plans, amazing back yards. They’ll pay for it, and they will pay for it, and we’re seeing the trend be that we’ve got almost 25 spec homes being built now.
Jim Fried: Wow.
Brett Harris: Between $16 and $28 million dollars two years ago we had two. So, there’s going to be a plethora of spec homes hitting the market the next six months, and that will be obviously …
Jim Fried: Sounds like an opportunity.
Brett Harris: An interesting time to see what happens with those prices.
Jim Fried: Well, all I can say is that I know a lot of the guys that do this back home. I know they do a great job. Do people prefer the spec home totally fitted out, or do they like to put their own touch on there?
Brett Harris: You know, that’s a good question Jim. Some people like various Barry Sterling came down about eight months ago, and he paid nearly…
Jim Fried: Berry Sterling, just for everybody that may not know he’s the head of Starwood Hotels.
Brett Harris: Yes, the capital. So, he was looking or a place down here for about a year. He bought something that was about half way through construction.
Jim Fried: Okay.
Brett Harris: And he kept the local team in place who are fantastic developers, and builds, and he will end up picking his own finishes, and spending probably a little more money than they had intended to on spec, and he’ll have exactly what he wants.
Jim Fried: And who is the developer, builder there?
Brett Harris: Developer builder is a local guy. The builder is Bart Reines.
Jim Fried: Okay, okay.
Brett Harris: Brett Palice Development. The guy in London.
Jim Fried: Okay, well you got to give some guys some shout outs occasionally.
Brett Harris: Absolutely.
Jim Fried: Now, I’ve recently had a lunch meeting with High Net Worth Investors that was talking about doing some things, some doing some loans with us, and he’s North Bay Shore Drive on the water, and he was telling me that his $11 million home was really free for him because he moved from New York. Can you explain that dynamic a little?
Brett Harris: Well, what’s happening is in the last…this cycle what we’ve had is we’ve had a lot of people from Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, and Colombia feed this real estate. These crazy prices, and now we’re seeing these people from Los Angeles to New York are just running away from these high taxes they’ve got to pay. So, to spend six months and one day in South Florida, or Palm Beach, or Boca, or anywhere in Florida to six months at one day. They have residency. It is a huge advantage to some of these guys are making hundreds of millions of dollars, and we’ve got a guy that moved here by the name of David Teper, number one largest taxpayer in the state of New Jersey. So, he’s paid them I think last year was $121 million.
Jim Fried: Governor Christie must have loved that move.
Brett Harris: Yeah, they actually had to rewrite the tax codes because of him. So, he’s here now a full-time resident looking for an apartment, and those are the kind of people we see coming here now. So, he’ll take the $121 million he paid New Jersey, and he can buy anything he wants here times ten.
Jim Fried: One hundred percent now. Another question that I have for you that guy comes down. He buys the house. How do you meet people like that? I was looking at your website. You’ve got offices in other cities.
Brett Harris: A lot of my clients either do business with these people, or are friendly with them so I’ll send her an email, or text, or phone call, and say hey can you introduce me? Could we go have coffee, have lunch, do a dinner? Just to basically meet him because most of these people have an agent or two that are working with already. So, I’m usually the last guy hired, but usually get the deal done with it happens.
Jim Fried: Well, usually the last guy is the one I never want to be the first broker. I’d rather be the last. I’ve five key one that. Wanda, how much more time do we have on this segment? Oh, we’ve only got two minutes. We’ve only got two minutes’ left Brett. Why don’t you tell people how they can find you, and how they can get along with you, and we’ll go on to the next segment, and we’ll talk a little bit about what it is that you’re looking to get out of life because I think that really helps buyers get to know you. It’s really about building relationships to people over long term like you were saying.
Brett Harris: Yeah, I’m on the beach. I’m at the Lincoln road office at Douglas Elliman, 1111 Lincoln Road, Suite 805. You can call my cell phone 305-764-9401, you can email me, Brett.harris@element.com. I’m accessible 24/7. I’m here all summer working.
Jim Fried: Dude you went really fast. We have people that listen that are from New York. Most of them may be Jet’s fans, so you have to go a little slower for them. Roll that by me again, at least the cell phone number, man.
Brett Harris: 305-764-9401.
Jim Fried: Thank you for playing along. Wanda it’s yours. We’ll be back in a minute. We’ll hear more about what Brett sees in the South Beach’s future values. We’ll talk a little bit about how you can afford, and get the home that you want, and we may even find out what motivates Brett to be at the top of his game every day. We’ll be right back after this. Wanda, it is yours.
[commercial break]
Announcer: You’re listening to Fried on Business. To talk to Jim and his guests call 305-541-2350. That’s 305-541-2350. Now, back to your host. Jim Fried.
Jim Fried: All right, we’ve got a very special videographer here today at the show. It’s my beautiful wife Vivian Fried, and she took Uber here today. So, Vivian is really going out on a limb, and really outside her comfort zone. We’re having a great time here with Vivian, and the last segment we’ll give you an update with what’s going on with Vivian. You all know she was on channel ten. We’ve had some great outreach. Vivian is perhaps the most courageous person I know. Back to residential housing on Miami Beach. We’re here with Brett Harris, he’s with Douglas Elliman up on Miami Beach. He does a lot of those big deals that you read about in the paper to those really famous people. Welcome back Brett.
Brett Harris: Thanks Jim.
Jim Fried: Now, Brett we were talking a little bit how these houses that you sell are a real expression of the person. A lot of the time sit’ their getaway home. It’s where it’s a special place for them.
Brett Harris: It is.
Jim Fried: It really helps them self-actualize. It helps them really project who they are, and with that that means that they’re trusting you to help them find that vision.
Brett Harris: Yeah.
Jim Fried: Now, you must have a vision too.
Brett Harris: I do.
Jim Fried: What’s yours?
Brett Harris: My vision is just the next deal. The next deal, and then next deal, and the next deal.
Jim Fried: Well, that’s exactly what I had expected to hear. Now, what’s your plan for getting more deals?
Brett Harris: Just doing what I’m doing. Just standing my bandwidth out to friends and family, and just doing what I do. Just keep doing good deals with good people, and good word travels fast.
Jim Fried: Now, 100%, now we talked a little bit now about the Gibbs selling their house, and how you made that happen. What’s one of the other good war stories you could tell us that gives people an idea on what’s going on in Miami Beach today.
Brett Harris: In regards to what? The deals, or foreclosures, short sales?
Jim Fried: Deals, foreclosures, short sells. What’s going on today?
Brett Harris: Well, a lot of the assets we see now are priced high. So, we see prices coming down, and all of a sudden people are like wow they’re coming down. Finally, they’re coming down, and in my opinion they should’ve never been that high, but we had a good run. We had a good seven-year run. The Aztec classes are now priced a little too high in my opinion, and I’ve got some deals that are going to be closing pretty soon that’ll open up a lot of eyeballs, and people are going to have to reset their values on a lot of their homes moving forward in 2017.
Jim Fried: Well, that’s what by definition you are is a market maker. You’re going to mark the market.
Brett Harris: Sure.
Jim Fried: And then once you do that, and you’ve been successful I would have to believe that people are going to want to come to you for that process because you know what’s out there, you know how to make it happen, and it’s really all about helping people find their dream.
Brett Harris: Yeah, and it takes time. The house we’re going to go after we actually have in our contract that may happen next week. We’ve been watching this come down for three and a half years. It might be true if that is, and on very emotional buys especially for the sellers. They’re so involved in their asset. Very hard for them to break away emotionally. So, until they mentally check out, or move out, and buy another property somewhere else, or more that down. It’s really hard for them to disengage into the deal.
Jim Fried: Oh, listen. I’ve brokered only one home sale in my entire life. It just happened to be across the street from the Bee Gees home that you sold. My college roommate’s friend’s parents lived in that house for probably 35 years. They had no air conditioning, they smoked all day. Cigarettes, all day, and the house was beautiful bones, but a little bit I would say 1930 ish. We put it on the market. Three people bid. This is in fact how I met Dave Lombardy. He came running in, “I’m buying that house. I got the contract right here.”
Unfortunately for the guy that was there before Dave, Dave was right. He pushed him out of the way and he got that house. It was my real insight into Miami Beach real estate, and what you were saying because there are still people like your parents that are still there. And I got to believe people like you know exactly where they are, and they’re watching, and they’re understanding each circumstance, and when conditions are correct they’ll be able to bring the appropriate person to them, and that’s what it’s all about is it not?
Brett Harris: Yeah, so for me that’s exciting. That’s the exciting part when I can meet the people and say, “I’ve worked with this agent, I’ve worked with this other agent, and we just can’t find what we’re looking for.” And I sit there, and we go to dinner, and I listen to their wants and needs, and we’ll spend some time together. I had a client say,” I have $8 million to spend. You’re the sixth agent, what do you have for me.” I said, “I don’t understand what that means, what do you mean what do I have for you?
What do you want, what do you need?” I know this guy had two yachts, there were each 150 foot each. I said, “You don’t want an $8 million house, you can’t have your boats behind your house.” I showed him something double the price, he bought it. So, in a day. So, you just go to listen to the client. Figure out what they really want because what they tell you they’re going to spend always add three x to it, or two x, or they have a lot more money to spend if they can afford it. They know what they want. They don’t want to spend it, but they’ll spend it.
Jim Fried: Yeah, that was another point is the people that are buying these homes. They have the big boats.
Brett Harris: They have the big boats.
Jim Fried: So, what happens when the lots not wide enough, and the boats a little bit big? Do they put the boat behind it? Do they put it perpendicular? What do they do?
Brett Harris: Well, under 100 feet it’s okay in my beach. The islands can handle it with 100 feet of frontage, but anything larger than 100 feet the draft usually is too large. They’ll have to go to Pine Tree drive, or keep it at the marina. Pine Tree drive with the boat show has the deep water access, which I’ve showed three or four of the record-breaking sales on Pine Tree drive, two boaters.
Jim Fried: I hadn’t even thought of that, you know? I hadn’t even thought about the driving force of some of these homes as the boat draft, 100%.
Brett Harris: Absolutely. Two tools.
Jim Fried: Sorry, Wanda I hope you can still here. Okay, good.
Brett Harris: I’ve had many people buy strictly on Pine Tree drive just so they can have their boats on the backyard. The house was a plus.
Jim Fried: Wow.
Brett Harris: Oh, yeah.
Jim Fried: When they’re in Pine Tree drive it’s just five minutes from open water, no?
Brett Harris: Yeah, pretty much.
Jim Fried: Now, how about the northern part of Miami Beach. How’s that been evolving because I got to believe I would say somewhat of a hidden gem.
Brett Harris: You know it is a hidden gem. I actually live there. I’m a resident of –
Jim Fried: Sorry for outing you man.
Brett Harris: I’m at Normandy Shores. I bought my home in 2011, it needed a lot of work, and we did the work. We’re very happy there. It is a gem. It’s the best-kept secret of my beach in my opinion. You got a guard gated island with a city-owned golf course. You got nine tennis courts. You got guard gate.
Jim Fried: Open bay view? Open bay view.
Brett Harris: Open water views for under $3 million.
Jim Fried: Quick access to the ocean, no?
Brett Harris: So, when I moved there there was one person building a new house. Now, there’s ten new houses going up.
Jim Fried: Well, how about the lady from housewives of Miami Beach. She’s on your street too.
Brett Harris: She lives at the end of this street, she does. She’s got a beautiful home in the end. They’ve done a nice job. There’s a home that just went up down the street that I sold, and in about 11 days. It hit the market for five five, we sold it for 5.1. That’s the record for the island.
Jim Fried: Gee. I can tell you that when we go there Vivian’s parents live on that island also. We go by, we see people that are just boot camping there. They have a boot camp gym. They’ve got everything. It seems like the most beautiful place, and then when you park your car, and you go in your house. No one drives by. It’s beautiful.
Brett Harris: Yeah, the city of Miami Beach is making a big push towards North Beach. David Martin from Terra is doing 87th park. He’s putting $10 million into the park. He’s going to make it beautiful. Those units are treading out anywhere from $2,800 to $3,500 per foot.
Jim Fried: Wow.
Brett Harris: Two or three units per floor. Oh, yeah.
Jim Fried: Wow, where’s that actually …
Brett Harris: It’s called Eighty-Seven Park.
Jim Fried: Where’s that, and high five to David Martin my good friend David Martin for that? What’s going on there?
Brett Harris: He’s doing really well. He’s got a beautiful Piero Lissoni Design project, and it’s coming out of the ground. He bought the old Howard Johnson off the Dezer Group.
Jim Fried: Oh sure.
Brett Harris: Sixty-five million, and he’s building a beautiful project for the neighborhood. Mayor Levine, and the commissioners are doing a huge push toward North Beach. They’re going to develop all the parking lots on the west side of the park, and it’s going to take a little time, but it’s going to happen.
Jim Fried: I love that area, I love that area, and that Howard Johnson sites amazing because the south side is going to have views forever that are spectacular.
Brett Harris: Sandor Share was recently approved for his Ocean Terrace project.
Jim Fried: Good for him.
Brett Harris: Him and Alex Blavatnik, the brother of Len Blavatnik he was behind Faena House. They took down the entire block between 72nd, and 73rd.
Jim Fried: Oh my God.
Brett Harris: They’re going to do residential with hotel component and retail.
Jim Fried: How exciting.
Brett Harris: And the neighborhood wants it and needs it.
Jim Fried: Oh my gosh, 100%. That neighborhood is up and coming, and another good thing about that area is that the workforce lives right there. It’s unusual for that in Miami Beach at this point.
Brett Harris: Yeah and they just recently approved short-term rentals for North Beach between Harding, and 83rd, and 73rd.
Jim Fried: So, what that really means is Craig’s list, Air, B&B, you can now put it on a day to day rental?
Brett Harris: Yeah, absolutely.
Jim Fried: Well, that means you can go on vacation for a month, and pay for your entire years’ worth of rent, or mortgage basically.
Brett Harris: Good things are coming to the area, we’re excited.
Jim Fried: It’s exciting. It’s exciting.
Brett Harris: It’s an exciting time for North Beach for sure. They’re going too upscale in certain areas, a lot of developers coming in now. We’re going to do restaurants, do cafes. We seen it happen in Wynwood, we seen it happen in all these micro areas in Miami, and it’s exciting because I live there.
Jim Fried: Yeah, I can’t wait to move in and be your neighbor. My wife is preening. She wants you and your wife to have a second kid so you got to move out of your house so we can move in.
Brett Harris: One day.
Jim Fried: Now, we’ll be back. Wanda, how much more time do we have in this segment? Oh, okay.
Wanda: You can take two.
Jim Fried: Okay, so I want to do this again because this is another great segment for you. Tell me again how people get a hold of you, how they find you, and of course if they need financing for their home. They can call me.
Brett Harris: They can reach me via my cell phone, 305-764-9401. Shoot me a text or call me 24 7, and or email. Brett, two Ts,.harris@elliman.com.
Jim Fried: And what they get is the most important thing in residential real estate. Somebody who knows the community, and knows the people, and knows them well, and understands their motivations, and can work that to everybody’s advantage so people can achieve their dream.
Brett Harris: You have to be able to navigate this market, and prices are all over the map right now, and you really have to have a professional who knows what they’re doing.
Jim Fried: Well, it sounds to me like you do. We’ll talk to you again around the corner. We’ll again talk a little bit about Miami Beach real estate. What drives people, what drives Brett, and how you and Brett can make dreams come true together. We’ll talk about more, aspirational, real estate, things you can use tomorrow to make money right after the break. Wanda, tossing it to you.
[commercial break]
Announcer: You’re listening to Fried on Business. To talk to Jim and his guests call 305-541-2350. That’s 305-541-3250. Now, back to your host Jim Fried.
Jim Fried: All right, we’re talking South Florida. Actually we’re talking Miami Beach. Luxury, and super luxury housing with the expert Brett Harris. Brett’s a good friend. Brett is telling a lot of great deals. We’ve just talked about Feral…
Brett Harris: Ferrell Williams.
Jim Fried: Right, selling this big condo. Brett, you got to know the market out there. What other kind of interesting transactions have occurred?
Brett Harris: About a year ago Matt Damon sold his house from the market on and off for about three years. He exited here, he went to New York, then he went to LA. He got about 15.3 for his house. It was listed for 20. Ferrell’s house was a penthouse was originally for 17, and he recently took 9.
Jim Fried: So, it sounds to me like there’s a little bit of a movement in the market.
Brett Harris: Again, the assets were priced too high, in my opinion, to start with. So, unfortunately the representatives that he had they both had from the get go weren’t giving them the straight story. It’s unfortunate sometimes, and he’s spun his wheels.
Jim Fried: Well, the listing. Sometimes the pitch on the initial pitch on the listing can sometimes be driven by something rather than facts. Well, most of these people with all these homes I think specialize in facts. You don’t get there without understanding the facts, and they might be disappointed if somebody finances them.
Brett Harris: Yeah, there’s a few big deals that have happened in the last few months. There’s a house under contract now in Venetian Causeway.
Jim Fried: Oh, man I love that area.
Brett Harris: North of 20 million.
Jim Fried: Wow, which side, which side?
Brett Harris: Delete, facing downtown.
Jim Fried: Facing downtown, yeah I would imagine.
Brett Harris: Was Deleto.
Jim Fried: Sure.
Brett Harris: There’s a house on Pine Tree drive under contract for $19 million. So, the market’s active. Large transactions are happening, which has got to be priced right.
Jim Fried: Now, what are you seeing from…we talked about North Beach. What’s going on with South Beach because there’s up zoning there? I ‘ve seen that there were just some trades on Washington. It sounds like South Beach is ready to reinvent itself? Can I even say that?
Brett Harris: Well, it is. Every ten years we see it, and Ocean Drive, down to Lincoln Road, and now it’s going to move down back to Washington. Where Washington was the big deal back in the day.
Jim Fried: When I was young, and single.
Brett Harris: We see a lot of local developers doing assemblages, and selling them through institutional funds. There’s a couple of deals happening north on Washington Avenue, and you’re going to continue seeing that trend as they up zone big money from New York to come down and gobble this stuff up.
Jim Fried: Oh, without a doubt. Without a doubt, we’re already the missing burrow. You’ve seen it already in Wynwood, nobody could understand what was going on with Wynwood because they just looked at it at the face. It’s all driven by what the up zone is going to be.
Brett Harris: Sure, so it’s been up zone, and Wynwood is absolutely, probably Wynwood may be the hottest zip code in the country when it comes to development.
Jim Fried: It’s absolutely ridiculous. I go there, and share space with Dave Lombardi.
Brett Harris: That’s great. Dave’s a good friend of mine. Great guy.
Jim Fried: I love Dave, and I remember when he just did terminal lots, and everybody thought he was out of his mind. Now, terminal lots if I would say almost a historical building because it kicked that whole thing off.
Brett Harris: Yeah, he’s doing very well there.
Jim Fried: He’s great, I love this guy. They’re just terrific. I wish him nothing but the best of luck, and I know he’s going to have it. Another guy we do mortgages with. Now, we’ve only got a couple more minutes because the last segment we want to talk about a little bit about data, and what’s been going on with Vivian. We tattered that, so we’re going to do that. Tell me what you see as the hidden gem neighborhood.
We talked about North Beach, we talked about South Beach. Is there any place…Sunset Harbor maybe an idea? West Avenue, there’s all kinds of little areas, but what about the original old condos that were built in the day, Seacove North, Seacove South. What’s going on with those? The Alexander, I got to believe that those are actually probably poised for…I’m going to just have to say it. Assemblage, and demolition.
Brett Harris: There’s something that Edgar DeFortuna is just buying, or bought on Collins. I think it’s on 56th, or 57th. It’s about an anchor, and there’s an older building, and probably spent a few years trying to get it, and I think he just recently acquired it for maybe 50, 60 million dollars. He’ll tear that down, and build the new building, but eventually depending upon the cost yeah. The developers are looking into all those older buildings that have ocean frontage. Ocean frontage from about 21st street all the way to Bell Harbor is in high demand right now.
Jim Fried: Oh my God, and I always like to say those buildings always smelled like brisket, and mildew. So, there’s something that truly does need to be done there and I got to believe that the people live in there may be getting to be demographically appropriate for moving.
Brett Harris: Yeah, but some of the older buildings that have higher ceilings, and open floor plans are going to see some prices come down there because of the new inventory. There’s a lot of product hitting the market, and you’re going to see some good deals in those older buildings.
Jim Fried: Keep me in mind because if you can get enough of the units in those buildings it becomes a business plan.
Brett Harris: Sure, it does.
Jim Fried: My gosh, I’m loving this guy. I’m having a great time. My wife is smiling. She sees dollar signs dancing in front of her head. What’s the…
Brett Harris: You asked me I don’t’ want to go off on a tangent, but you did ask me what other neighborhoods I think that are special.
Jim Fried: Yeah, this isn’t a tangent, this is a nugget.
Brett Harris: And I do believe that there are two special areas that are on fire, or going to be even hotter in the next five years, and that is Miami Shores wants to develop second avenue, and Coconut Grove. Coconut Grove is probably the biggest trend right now of people my age moving toward the private schools, and getting closer to more green space, and not able to commute to work, and that whole live work setting there in the Grove. They got something special going on there.
Jim Fried: I love it. I’ve worked in Coconut Grove for 30 plus years. I just absolutely can’t get enough of it. Today my office is with Bob at Spectrum. We’re right across the street from Green Street. Poke me in the eye, I’ve got the best lifestyle in America.
Brett Harris: Yeah, so Pete Gardner is doing very well there, a friend of mine.
Jim Fried: Oh yeah.
Brett Harris: And David Martins putting up Park Grove, I sold a bunch of units there. It’s going to be…the cities are already done with the park. I don’t know what they spent there, $30 million.
Jim Fried: It’s beautiful.
Brett Harris: It’s amazing.
Jim Fried: It’s beautiful.
Brett Harris: Fresh market there, they got a…
Jim Fried: The number one fresh…the number one fresh market in the country. The restaurants. It used to be the worst place for restaurants, now I can’t figure out where to go for lunch every day.
Brett Harris: It’s happening. That’s the…
Jim Fried: I love it there. I love it, and I actually lived in Miami shores probably 30 years ago when Vivian and I first dated we lived in Miami shores right before hurricane Andrew. What a secret, we lived on the water. It was the most amazing neighborhood. The homes in there are spectacular, and you’re only. It’s still just very short commute. You’re somewhat inside the zone of pain to commute into downtown Miami. It’s still only about a half hour from there at this point.
Brett Harris: You’re way more than design district is six minutes.
Jim Fried: Exactly.
Brett Harris: You go down north Miami avenue, you’re right on the highway northeast…
Jim Fried: Yeah, no north Miami avenue you don’t ever get on I 95. It’s spectacular. It’s got great bones. Like you said, it’s like you said it’s close in to where all the big new hot areas are going to be…my gosh people should listen to this show they could probably make money if they listened to what we said. So, Brett. How much more time in this segment Wandeta? Whoa, well you can go slow when you say your contact information now. So, say your contact information now. People go grab a pen, pencil, whatever, and then they can come back and you’ll say it again in a minute.
Brett Harris: My cell phone is 305-764-9401, and email is Brett, B-R-E-T-T, Harris H-A-R-R-I-S and elliman.com. Element with two Ls, one N.
Jim Fried: Well, thank you so much for going real slow for the Jet’s fans. In fact, I might have even been slow enough for the Bill’s fans. Now, I do want to say one thing as people buy these homes it’s an aspirational thing for them. They’ve been thinking about it their whole life, it’s their dream home. We just talked about Barry Sternwood bought one that was half built, and rearranged it for his whole focus. You’ve named some of the biggest names in South Florida are getting involved with this.
You mentioned Posner did a deal. We know that the guys at Crescent Heights has done a deal. The Robbins have been doing this stuff. It sounds like they’re all got their eye on what’s going to happen next, and we talked about it today. We talked about the David Martin’s doing it at 85th street beach, we talked about the city, and people that are doing it a little bit south of there. We talked about all the hot markets, but we talked about the one that’s closest to your heart, and that’s North Beach. Tell them a little bit more about why you love that area.
Brett Harris: You know North Beach is just off the beaten track. It’s got close proximity to Lincoln road. It’s close enough that if you want to get to the action you could drive eight minutes, or take an Uber, and if you just want to remove yourself it’s nice and quiet. We’ve got Canyon Ranch, we’ve got great hotels, we’ve got a new Publix that opened up. We’ve Venture, by Byron Carlisle, will be renovated. The city to spend money there hopefully to be an eye pick of some sort. The cities developing all the empty lots. It’s going to happen. They’re upzoning the North Bay village where the fountain is. They’re up zoning that commercial space so we have a lot of developers, and people, and friends of mine going in and looking for some space there They’re going to probably zone it up to 12 floors, or 8 floors.
Jim Fried: Wow.
Brett Harris: So, it’s all going to …the whole façade of the neighborhood is going to change in the next five years.
Jim Fried: Wow, Brett thank you for giving us an insight. I’ve got to call you because I’ve got people that are looking for what you’ve been talking about, and by the way when they buy it from you they finance with us. At Spectrum you can reach me at 305, this is my cell, 773-6300. Brett, your cell?
Brett Harris: 305-764-9401.
Jim Fried: Now, people have all they need to reach the aspirational heights of Miami Beach real estate. Brett, thank you so much for being on the show.
Brett Harris: Thank you Jim.
Jim Fried: All right.
Brett Harris: Thank you.
Jim Fried: Wanda, it’s my pleasure. Wanda, we’ll be back after this with some information about Vivian, we’ll talk about what’s been going on with Vivian. Her search for donors, and everything else. Wanda’s just rocking it. I’m just going to let it go. Wanda, give it to me baby. Oh, we’re going to dedicate this one to you Brett since you did the Bee Gees’ house.
[commercial break]
Announcer: You’re listening to Fried on Business. TO talk to Jim and his guests call 305-541-2350, that’s 305-541-2350. Now, back to your host Jim Fried.
Jim Fried: All right, we’ve had a great show. Make Brett live again. He can chime in anytime he wants. We’ve got Brett Harris, he’s a top producer at Douglas Elliman. He’s the broker for the stars on Miami Beach. We do deals with him. He is the man. If you aspire to your home, you got to go with Brett because Brett knows the community. If the home’s not for sale, Brett might still be able to find one that meets your needs. So, that’s what we’ve been talking about. Brett’s the man, and we want to talk a little bit now, we’ve got only a couple minutes’ left on the show. It’s been a big week here on the Vivian Fried front, and Vivian was on TV this week on Christy Krueger’s channel 10 news. High five for Christy. We’re going to put that up on our website. So, if you can look on Fried on Business.com it’ll be up there, www.friedonbusinss.com I’ll put that up there probably in the next day or so. I wanted it to be just …well okay I’ll say it for real. I forgot to put it up already. I love you honey, my wife is here today. My wife has been struggling with end stage kidney disease for 31 months now.
She goes and gets plugged into an absolutely diabolical machine that saves her life every day called the dialysis machine. They chill her blood down to 45 degrees. I live at home. I’m dressed in flannels with a stocking cap all the time under a blanket, but at least she’s comfortable. I kiss her I’m freezing, she’s sweating like a dog there, and she’s just amazing, and what is kidney disease? That means she hasn’t peed in 10 months. Her body can’t clear liquid. It’s horrendous. It’s diabolical. I love her, and now I want to tell you a fact that you may not know. You only need one kidney to live. Neither of kidneys, neither of Vivian’s kidneys work, but if somebody out there has two kidneys, and is willing to donate one to give the gift of life to Vivian. Well, God bless you. I can’t, I’m not really physically able to do it. I’m unfit, yeah that’s make me feel like dog doo, but what can you do. So, I’m out here pitching hard. Harder than freaking Jose Fernandez. I’m trying to get my wife a kidney. She needs one. If you’ve got two and you’re willing to donate one because you’re a spiritual loving person that’s willing to pay it forward.
Well, you can call my cell 305-773-6300, or you can go to the Miami Transplant Institute. Call them direct. That’s okay, I don’t mind. It’s going to take me a second to look up the number. I wasn’t prepared. My phone died. It’s 305-355-5433. She was into the talk on the radio, but she just did, 305-355-5433. Help me save my wife’s life. Can I get any more down and…in that down and dirty than that, and by the way even if you don’t match there’s a way that your kidney can help Vivian? It’s called a paired donor donation. They just did one today. The Miami Transplant Institute. It’s where one person gives their kidney to another person gives their kidney, and it’s a chain. Boy, it’s a miracle. Now, that one person saved two or three lives. God bless them. God bless them, you know? And it’s not about the cadaver kidneys. Those will save her life too, but a living donor is a much better result for everybody, and I’ve talked to people who have given the gift of life.
It’s something that they can’t even express how good it is. So, Vivian’s been on this machine. She’s been on Christy Krueger. She hasn’t left town except for a couple days, and it was a horrendous experience because she had an appointment to get dialysis out of town, and they lost it. We thought we’d have to drive all the way back to Miami, 12 hours, to get her her dialysis. This is something that’s important, and Vivian my beautiful wife is not the only person that needs a kidney. So, if you want to give the gift of life please call the Miami Transplant Institute at 305-355-5433, and we’ve got a page up on Fundly, you can go to fundley.com. You can read all about what’s going in with Vivian. You can help me save Vivian’s life. You can donate to Vivian a kidney. If you don’t want to donate a kidney, and you want to help her some way you can make a donation. It’s all about helping Vivian. The hashtag for this is show Viv love. Hashtag show Viv love. You’ll go there, and you’ll see everything. Fundly.com, everything.
My wife is courageous. She didn’t go and talks about her kidney disease, and dialysis on Christy Krueger, and she talked about is what gave her this problem. My wife… is it okay to say it? My wife took water pills, so if you’re out there, and you’re taking diuretics, and she was a model. If you’re out there, and you’re taking diuretics, and you have body image issues. Please go to wplg.com, or friedonbusiness.com, and watch the segment about Vivian. It is informative, it is courageous, it is full of love, and I must tell you Brett I love you, but my wife is sun rises and sets on her. Wanda, how much more time do I have?
Brett Harris: She’s much better looking than me.
Jim Fried: Yeah, well…
Wanda: I was going to tell you. Pace yourself, you got four minutes or so.
Jim Fried: Well, I’m just going crazy here.
Wanda: Take a deep breath. Now go on.
Jim Fried: All right, I really love her. Vivian and I met at a party. I was at a fundraising mixer, a charity mixer. I was with one of my friends, and I walked in and I had never seen Vivian before. I had just done some real estate down in Key West. I had driven up. I had a convertible, and I was all sun tanned, and I had a Hawaiian shirt, and white pants on. I went to this happy hour event, every other person there was in a suit so I already had the advantage, and then walked in this beautiful, sexy, outrageously exotic woman.
I had never see anything like it in my life so I watched her for a couple minutes, and then she started talking to this guy. I was with one of my friends. He said, “Hey dude, do you know that chick?” He goes, “Yeah, no I never seen her.” I go, “Well, do you know the guy?” He goes, “Yeah, I know the guy.” Go talk to the guy. They guy turned around, my wife has been my other half ever since that day. I’m telling you right now it was the best charity event I ever went to, and I got to tell you a secret. She didn’t even remember what I looked like. I think all she remembers is I was the guy with the Hawaiian shirt, but she said okay. We met anyway, and we went for our first date at Pineapples, you remember Pineapples?
Brett Harris: Yeah, I used to work there, my first job.
Jim Fried: No.
Brett Harris: Down on first street.
Jim Fried: No, maybe you served me.
Brett Harris: My first job, 13 years old. I rode my bike there I was the bus boy.
Jim Fried: Oh my gosh, right next to where Dave used to be, the short order cook?
Brett Harris: I’ve been working my whole life.
Jim Fried: Listen man. Yeah, me too man. Ever since working in the deli I used to smell like a corned beef.
Brett Harris: Pineapple Simon.
Jim Fried: Oh my gosh. This guy I love him. This is Miami beach. You want to be on Miami beach that’s what you need. The soul of Miami Beach. My good man, Brett Harris, and now I’m going to say thank you. Can I say thank you now?
Wanda: Sure.
Jim Fried: All right, I’m going to say thank you.
Wanda: Say, whatever you want. We’ve got music.
Jim Fried: Oh, thank you so much. Give me the music. All right, I want to thank the related group, our sponsors. The Related Group Spectrum Mortgage, Warren Henry, where’s my music? Where’s my music? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Fourth of July song. Fourth of July song. High five to Wanda, she’s out there making it happen. I want to thank the Related Group, I want to thank Uhealth, I want to thank Warren Henry, Magnum Energy Solutions. Early Shares, KIND Snacks, the NFL Alumni, the Bergstrom Center for Real Estate Studies. I want to thank America. All right, I want to thank the Miami Marlins, the CCIMs, South Florida Business and Wealth Magazine, KIND Snacks, I said that already.
Xpresso Marketing, Social Media 305, Lauren’s Kids, I want to thank my friend from Douglas Elliman. Brett Harris, making our fourth of July show special. Next week who’s that woman I’m having on next week Vivian? Huh? Leanna from the Earth Diet? Yeah, all the ladies, all the men, if you want to stay healthy, if you want to look good like me and Brett? Brett, you’re a good looking dude, bro. Well, you got to listen to next week where we’re going to talk about living healthy, and looking good. Next time on Fried on Business the CCIMs, and Magnum will join us, and now all I want to say happy birthday America. Thank you so much for listening to Fried on Business. If it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t have a show. You know? If you missed today’s show it’s going to be up on the website www.friedonbusienss.com. Look for us on Twitter, @friedonbusinss. I want to thank you all my listeners. Without you I wouldn’t have a show.
Go to our Facebook page, like our show. Tell your friends, join our community, gives us feedback. Tell me what you want to hear from my good man Brett again. Yes, oh man I love you man. All right, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, website if you missed it it’ll be up real soon. Soon as Robert posts it. This is Jim Fried for Fried on Business. Look for us on 880 AM next Thursday at 6. Why? Because I think you know by now. I just love doing this. I told you all we’ll have the CCIMs, we’ll have Earth Diet. It’s going to be great. Remember, this is not a rehearsal, this is your life. I think Brett proved that today. The person who wants to do something finds the way, the other finds an excuse. Self-actualize yourself, go out there and make it happen. Thank you everybody. Thank you so much.
