Category Archives: Downtown West Palm Beach

West Palm Beach’s CityPlace target of foreclosure suit.

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WEST PALM BEACH — A lender has filed foreclosure against CityPlace, the high-profile shopping  complex that’s facing financial woes in spite of its high occupancy.

CityPlace fell behind on its $150 million loan in March, and an entity  affiliated with LNR Partners of Miami Beach on Thursday filed a foreclosure  suit in Palm Beach County Circuit Court.

When contacted, CityPlace Partners said: “CityPlace Partners continues to work  closely with the special servicer to realign the loan and ensure the  continued long-term success of CityPlace. Those talks are ongoing.”

Real estate experts say it’s unclear whether the lender would seek to take  back the property.

“I would think they’re going to try to work it out,” said Tom  Prakas, a restaurant broker who has negotiated a number of leases at  CityPlace.

The foreclosure suit names CityPlace Retail LLC, an affiliate of New  York-based Related Cos. Related is led by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross.

CityPlace’s retail occupancy stood at 93 percent earlier this year, according  to a report from Fitch Ratings. Tenants include Macy’s department store,  Barnes and Noble Booksellers and Muvico Theaters

Despite its high occupancy and bustling traffic, CityPlace hasn’t been immune  to the effects of the economic downturn. A recent appraisal of the property  listed its worth at $143 million, down from a boom-time value of $233  million.

CityPlace’s net operating income fell from $9.3 million in 2006 to $5.2  million in 2009, according to an analysis by Trepp LLC, a New York firm that  tracks commercial real estate.

While CityPlace can boast high traffic and a healthy occupancy rate, real  estate brokers say a number of tenants pay very little rent to occupy space.  The move makes the center appear lively, but it doesn’t add revenue to  CityPlace coffers.

CityPlace was built on land leased from the city of West Palm Beach, and  CityPlace hasn’t missed any payments to the city, said West Palm Beach  spokesman Chase Scott.

Scott said he expects CityPlace to survive its financial issues. So does  Joseph Schober, president of the CityPlace Tower Condominium Association.

“It’s not going to go away,” Schober said. “It’s a very viable  place.”

Schober said the lack of a convention center hotel has robbed the center of  much-needed traffic.

Sources close to CityPlace say its partners put at least $20 million in equity  into the project, making them reluctant to walk away when the center began  having problems paying its mortgage.

“They had real money in that place,” one real estate source.

Source: floridarealtors.org

Where are the best waterviews in South Florida?

Downtown Boca Raton, Downtown Ft. Lauderdale, Downtown Miami, Downtown West Palm Beach, Intracoastal, Most Expensive Real Estate, Multi-Million Dollar Listings, Oceanfront, Types of Downtown Properties, Waterfront, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

You can go to pretty much any city on South Florida’s coastline and find a beautiful view of the Atlantic Ocean, but where do you go to find that perfect mix of Ocean, Intracoastal, City, and Bay views? 

I recently took a poll and here were the results:

#5 – Fort Lauderdale

Building: Las Olas Grand
Price: $1,250,000
Location: Downtown Fort Lauderdale


 

#4- Boca Raton

Building: Reflections
Price: $1,150,000
Location: Lake Boca Raton

 

#3 – Fort Lauderdale

Building: Point of Americas
Price: $2,149,000
Location: Harbor Beach (Fort Lauderdale Inlet)
View: On a clear day, you can see from Lighthouse Point to Miami.  Located right on the inlet, cruise ships and yachts are daily sights from your balcony.  Beautiful ocean views as well.

 

#2 – Palm Beach

Building: One Watermark Place
Price: $2,995,000 – $12,000,000
Location: Singer Island
View: Palm Beach Ocean and Lake views, overlooking all of Palm Beach.

 

#1: Miami

Building: Carbonell
Price: $1,500,000
Location: Downtown Brickell
View: Ocean, Miami River, Bay, Downtown Skyline, Key Biscayne, Miami Beach




Home Prices Rise in February

Downtown Boca Raton, Downtown Delray Beach, Downtown Ft. Lauderdale, Downtown Miami, Downtown West Palm Beach, For Sale, Real Estate News, , , , , , , , , , , ,

WASHINGTON, DC – March 25, 2009 – U.S. home prices rose 1.7 percent on a seasonally-adjusted basis from December to January, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) monthly House Price Index. In December, the FHFA first reported a 0.1 percent increase, which was later revised to a 0.2 percent decline. FHFA ( www.fhfa.gov ) regulates Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the 12 Federal Home Loan Banks as authorized by the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.

For the 12 months ending in January, U.S. prices fell 6.3 percent, and the U.S. index is 9.6 percent below its April 2007 peak.

The FHFA monthly index is calculated using the purchase price of houses sold or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. For the nine Census Divisions, seasonally-adjusted monthly price changes from December to January ranged from -0.9 percent in the Pacific Division to +3.9 percent in the East North Central Division.

Month-to-month changes in the geographic mix of sales activity explain most of the unexpected rise in prices in January. Home sales disproportionately occurred in areas with the strongest markets, according to the release issued by FHFA. “While it is difficult to perfectly control for changing geographic mix in estimating house price indexes, the data suggest that if one were to remove those effects, the change in home prices in January, while still positive, would have been far less dramatic,” according to the FHFA release.

Reported sales volume, in absolute terms, was relatively low in January. As a result, the FHFA warns that relatively large revisions could occur later.

© 2009 FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

New waterfront luxury mid-rise in Downtown West Palm Beach

Downtown West Palm Beach, For Rent, For Sale, Intracoastal, New/Pre-Construction, Waterfront, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

aerial-tower1

Located on Clear Lake, in the heart of sunny West Palm Beach, The Edge is a visionary development that provides the exhilaration of an urban lifestyle, while also offering a sanctuary to escape the stresses of everyday life. The Edge is only minutes from the sun-kissed beaches that have made South Florida famous, and just a hop, skip and a jump from the best nightlife, theaters, restaurants, shopping and cultural attractions of the Palm Beaches.

Priced from the very low $100’s
Lease Purchase Options Available
Leasing offered, starting at $1,275 per month

Types of Downtown Properties

Downtown Boca Raton, Downtown Delray Beach, Downtown Ft. Lauderdale, Downtown Miami, Downtown West Palm Beach, Types of Downtown Properties, , , , , , , ,

The Types of Urban Living Homes in North America

There are many opportunities for a prospective individual or couple to get into the real estate market. Whether you are looking for a permanent residence or a real estate investment home, both the United States and Canada markets provide numerous types of housing that will suit your lifestyle and requirements. Obviously, the most expensive but most sought after urban living real estate property is a home. Not only does a private home provide you with ample space and privacy, but they are really at a premium in most major cities and towns these days as they have become quite expensive, especially homes and residences near city centers and major transportation routes. The more common real estate development now sees the construction of townhomes and townhouses which are attached dwellings that give the privacy of a home but within a residential community that is based on smaller properties for couples and families. The most urban type of real estate property on the market these days in both Canada and the United States are definitely condos or condominiums. Also called apartment residences, condos in both the United States and Canada have seen an exponential increase in both the number of units being planned and built, but also in the interest from all types of buyers and investors. Living in a high-rise residential building has its perks including amazing views, luxury amenities, features and finishes that are comparable to a custom home and of course the community aspect. With condominiums, there are penthouse suites as well as loft residences available to the real estate investor or home buyer as well.