Miami Real Estate Better Decisions

What happened at EDITION Residences, Miami Edgewater—and what should buyers learn from it before purchasing a pre-construction condo?I sit down with Reid Boren, founder and managing partner of Two Roads Development, for a candid conversation about the Biscayne 21 buyout, the legal disputes that delayed the project, and the path forward. We discuss what he would do differently, how the company handled its commitments to existing buyers, and why he remains confident in Edgewater.Buying a New-Development Condo in Miami? Let’s Talk.Renderings are only the beginning. Before committing, you need to understand the developer’s track record, site ownership, deposit structure, contract timelines, pricing and competing inventory.My team and I help buyers ask the right questions and compare opportunities across Miami’s pre-construction and resale markets.Book 30 minutes with David SiddonsThe ConversationTwo Roads Development previously delivered Biscayne Beach and Elysee in Edgewater. But bringing EDITION Residences to the waterfront presented a different challenge: acquiring an existing condominium and navigating litigation with remaining owners.In this episode of Better Decisions, I ask Reid directly about taking contracts while the site remained disputed, the cost of the delays, and the lessons the experience offers developers and buyers.We also examine the value proposition. With new construction asking a premium over existing Edgewater condos, what makes the location, views, brand and promised experience worth the additional cost—and the wait?Reid shares his perspective on the project’s anticipated 2029 delivery, its intended buyers, and the future of Edgewater relative to Brickell, Downtown Miami and Miami Beach. I also challenge him on the competing inventory expected to enter the market before delivery.Stay through the end for my closing thoughts on escrow funds, delivery timelines and the questions buyers should ask before signing.Chapters00:00 Preview: Tough questions for Reid Boren00:52 EDITION Residences: What went wrong?01:56 Reid’s background and Two Roads Development03:53 Biscayne 21: Site ownership and buyer deposits07:35 Launching sales and the remaining owners10:31 The litigation timeline and project delays15:30 The settlement and the path forward18:55 What this could mean for future condo buyouts23:57 What Reid would do differently25:26 Buyer contracts, disclosures and delivery dates27:48 New construction vs. resale: Is the premium justified?32:36 Rising costs and honoring original buyer pricing34:36 Why Edgewater over Brickell or Downtown?39:05 Who is the EDITION Residences buyer?43:57 Competing inventory and the 2028–2029 market46:27 Final thoughts and lessons for buyers48:24 Buyer takeaway: Escrow, contracts and site ownershipAbout Better DecisionsBetter Decisions is about asking better questions before making major real estate decisions. Join David Siddons for candid conversations with the people shaping Miami’s property market, from developers and industry leaders to local market experts.Explore our market reports, neighborhood guides and independent condo reviewsProject pricing, timelines and market expectations discussed reflect the conversation at the time of recording. Reid’s comments present the developer’s perspective on the disputes and the project.#EditionResidencesMiami #EdgewaterMiami #MiamiRealEstate #BetterDecisions #ReidBoren

Buying a new-development condo in Miami? 1428 Brickell is proposing one of the most ambitious standards of quality and finish the city has seen. Andrew Kraynak is Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at Ytech, the developer behind the project. I wanted to understand what sits behind that promise—and whether the systems are actually in place to deliver it.BUYING IN BRICKELL OR MIAMI? LET’S TALK.Before committing to a preconstruction condo, you need to understand more than the renderings. I will help you analyze the developer, financing, contracts, floor plans, pricing, construction quality and resale risk before you make a decision.Book 30 minutes with me here.ABOUT THIS EPISODEAndrew Kraynak is Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at Ytech, the Miami-based development firm behind The Residences at 1428 Brickell.In this episode, Andrew and I go beyond the marketing materials and examine the machinery behind a large-scale luxury development: full-size construction mock-ups, subcontractor selection, additional site supervision, material procurement, quality control and the decisions that must be made before a building ever reaches the market.This is not an endorsement based on renderings. It is an investigation into the questions buyers should ask, the promises developers make and the systems required to deliver them.The goal is not to sell every buyer the same building. It is to determine whether a specific project is the right fit for you.EPISODE CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro 1:19 Can 1428 Brickell deliver what it promises? 3:16 Miami’s problem with luxury condo finishes 6:02 Selecting the right construction teams 9:43 Mock-ups, testing and quality control 13:08 Why Brickell’s buyer profile is changing 18:46 Building for residents instead of investors 23:35 Brickell’s incoming condo inventory 28:18 Why end-user buildings behave differently 32:06 Ytech’s bet on construction quality 35:42 How value engineering changes a project 39:00 Developer financing, deposits and buyer risk 43:24 Pricing and the experience buyers are paying for 46:31 Privacy and the residential-only model 49:38 Why 1428 Brickell chose not to use a brand 52:12 Systems, disruption and Miami’s next buyer 54:38 What buyers should demand from developersREAD AND EXPLOREMiami market reports, neighborhood data, new-development analysis and available listings:www.luxlifemiamiblog.comCONTACT David Siddons David Siddons Group 305-508-0899 [email protected] Instagram: @thedavidsiddonsgroupBetter decisions come from quantifiable, actionable advice—not opinions.Subscribe for weekly Miami real estate analysis and the numbers behind it.#1428Brickell #MiamiRealEstate #BrickellMiami #MiamiCondos #BetterDecisionsPodcast

🎙 BETTER DECISIONS PODCASTAtomic Habits of Miami's Best Real Estate AgentsIn this episode of Better Decisions, I sit down with Julia Spillman—CEO and partner of the Eklund|Gomes Team at Douglas Elliman, one of the world’s leading luxury real estate teams.Under Julia’s leadership, Eklund|Gomes has grown from a team of nine to nearly 100 agents across several major luxury markets, averaging approximately $4 billion in annual sales.We go behind the brand to uncover the systems responsible for that scale—from CRM management and lead follow-up to strategic marketing, clearly defined roles and the daily disciplines that ensure opportunities never fall through the cracks.Julia explains how the team replaced an overcomplicated $100,000 CRM with a system people would actually use, why the right audience matters more than the largest audience, and how pricing, marketing and negotiation systems create better outcomes for buyers and sellers.This is an essential conversation for anyone choosing an agent to buy or sell a home. You are not simply hiring one person—you are hiring the systems, specialized expertise, marketing reach and execution of the entire team behind them.⏱️ Episode Chapters0:00 – Intro1:05 – The Systems Behind the World’s Top Real Estate Teams3:51 – How Julia Joined Eklund|Gomes6:37 – Building a $4 Billion-a-Year Business9:03 – The Reality Behind the Eklund|Gomes Brand13:06 – Building the Business From the Ground Up15:33 – The Systems That Allowed the Team to Scale18:07 – Why Their $100,000 CRM Failed21:30 – Simplifying Systems to Improve Execution25:00 – The Systems That Help Sell Homes28:15 – The Invisible Work Behind Every Sale31:42 – Pricing, Marketing and Negotiation Systems34:26 – Why AI Cannot Replace Experience38:28 – Local Expertise With Global Reach42:11 – Building People, Not Just Production47:16 – Creating Accountability Across a Large Team51:34 – Why Collaboration Beats Internal Competition55:22 – You’re Not Hiring an Agent—You’re Hiring a System58:12 – Final Thoughts📌 Read the full article here:www.luxlifemiamiblog.com/the-real-estate-team-behind-the-agent📩 Want to learn how our systems can position your property in front of the right buyers?Contact David Siddons📧 [email protected]📞 305-508-0899📲 Follow David on Instagram → @thedavidsiddonsgroup🌐 Explore listings, reports and market data → www.luxlifemiamiblog.com📬 Subscribe for more Miami real estate insights, market analysis and smarter long-term decisions.#BetterDecisionsPodcast #JuliaSpillman #EklundGomes #MiamiRealEstate #LuxuryRealEstate #SellingAHome #RealEstateMarketing #DouglasElliman

🎙 BETTER DECISIONS PODCASTHow to Buy the Right Miami Condo Before It Breaks GroundIn this episode of Better Decisions, I sit down with Jay Parker—CEO of Douglas Elliman’s Florida brokerage and President of Douglas Elliman Development Marketing, Florida.A former real estate attorney, Jay has helped transform Douglas Elliman into a statewide luxury real estate powerhouse and now oversees a $30 billion new-development pipeline across Florida.We go behind the scenes of Miami’s new-construction market to reveal how luxury condominium projects are conceived, designed and priced years before buyers ever walk into a sales gallery.This is an essential conversation for anyone considering a pre-construction or new-development condo in Miami. Buying early can create a meaningful advantage—but only when the project’s fundamentals, team, location and product are right.⏱️ Episode Chapters 0:00 – Teaser 1:05 – What Happens Before a Condo Launches 4:22 – Miami’s Rise Toward $10,000 per Square Foot 8:38 – How Developers Price New-Construction Condos 14:25 – How the Right Condo Product Is Designed 26:06 – What Really Drives Condo Value? 34:53 – Launch Pricing and the Advantage of Buying Early 41:17 – Buyer Risks and Developer Red Flags 45:28 – Pre-Construction vs. Completed Condos 48:34 – The Team and Branding Behind a Successful Project 52:58 – Why Some Condo Projects Never Get Built 58:46 – The Future of Miami’s Ultra-Luxury Condos 1:09:10 – Irreplaceable Locations and Emerging Markets 1:15:49 – How to Select the Right Project and Unit 1:18:05 – Final Thoughts📌 Read the full article here:https://luxlifemiamiblog.com/the-decisions-that-set-your-miami-condos-price📩 Want help selecting the right new-development condo in South Florida? Contact David Siddons 📧 [email protected] 📞 305-508-0899 📲 Follow David on Instagram → @thedavidsiddonsgroup 🌐 Explore listings, reports and market data → www.luxlifemiamiblog.com📬 Subscribe for more Miami real estate insights, market analysis and smarter long-term decisions.#BetterDecisionsPodcast #MiamiRealEstate #MiamiCondos #MiamiNewConstruction #PreConstructionCondos #LuxuryRealEstate #SouthFloridaRealEstate #RealEstateInvesting

🎙 BETTER DECISIONS PODCASTBefore You Buy Miami Real Estate: The Zoning Risks Hidden Next DoorIn this episode of Better Decisions, I sit down with Javier “Javi” Vazquez — a South Florida land use and zoning attorney with 36 years of experience advising developers, property owners, and homebuilders across Miami-Dade.We break down the zoning rules most buyers never consider before purchasing a home, waterfront property, or development site—and why understanding what can legally be built on and around a property is essential to protecting its long-term value.Javi explains Florida’s Live Local Act, how developers can qualify for greater density and height, and why an eight-story building could potentially rise near a single-family neighborhood. We also discuss workforce housing, transit corridors, public hearings, infrastructure constraints, lot splits, waterfront permitting, and the differences between municipalities such as Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay, and Homestead.We also examine costly due-diligence mistakes, including the FEMA 50% Rule that forced one Miami homeowner to demolish rather than renovate—and a City of Miami lien exceeding $2 million that Javi helped reduce to just over $3,000.Finally, we look ahead at where South Florida is growing, why Homestead is emerging as a major development market, how zoning is creating increasingly protected and valuable residential pockets, and what Miami could look like by 2036.This is an essential conversation for anyone buying, selling, renovating, or developing property in South Florida. Don’t just inspect the property—understand the rules governing it and everything that could be built next door.⏱️ Episode Chapters0:00 – Teaser0:22 – Meet Land Use Attorney Javier Vazquez1:56 – Miami’s Growth and the Live Local Act3:06 – How Live Local Changes Height and Density8:44 – What Could Be Built Near Your Home?12:32 – Zoning Risks for Homebuyers17:59 – Due Diligence Before You Buy22:05 – The $2 Million Miami Lien24:15 – What to Check Before Buying Land28:03 – When Neighbors Can Challenge Development31:30 – Infrastructure, Sewer, Schools and Traffic35:39 – Why Protected Neighborhoods Command a Premium38:39 – Can Miami’s Zoning Laws Change?43:02 – South Florida’s Hottest Development Areas46:51 – Older Condos, Reserves and Rising Costs49:54 – Miami’s Urban Development Boundary52:02 – What Will Miami Look Like in 2036?54:21 – Final Thoughts 📌 Read the full article here:www.luxlifemiamiblog.com 📩 Want help making a better real estate decision in South Florida? Contact David Siddons 📧 [email protected] 📞 305-508-0899 📲 Follow David on Instagram:@thedavidsiddonsgroup 🌐 Explore listings, reports and market data:www.luxlifemiamiblog.com📬 Subscribe for more Miami real estate insights, market analysis, and smarter long-term decisions. #BetterDecisionsPodcast #MiamiRealEstate #MiamiZoning #LandDevelopment #LiveLocalAct #SouthFloridaRealEstate #LuxuryRealEstate #RealEstateInvesting