Maimi’s Most Desirable Areas: Bal Harbor and Indian Creek Island
In searching for South Florida real estate, you’ve likely heard of Bal Harbor and Indian Creek Island, two of the area’s most desirable places to live. While both are spectacular, I invite you to look at the two unassuming islands nestled between them: Bay Harbor.
Accessible via bridge to both the mainland and Miami Beach, this sleepy enclave sports a top-rated public school, a private police force, and a local government committed to improving the lifestyle of its 7,000 residents. That includes actively upgrading the infrastructure and environmental resilience needed for the future.
What’s so lovely about this small community is that it’s entirely walkable, which isn’t always the case in Miami. Parents can easily walk their children to school, or over to one of the parks. The center of town is home to great restaurants and shopping, with much more to come. And you can’t miss the two public art sculptures — Romero Brito’s “Heart” and Robert Indiana’s “Love”.
While you can enjoy the neighborhood feel of Bay Harbor, you can also easily get yourself to the rest of what Miami has to offer. You’re just a short drive away from the beach, the luxe Bal Harbor shops, all of Miami’s incredible restaurants and, conveniently, both the Miami and Ft. Lauderdale airports.
Real estate records continue to be broken nearby on Indian Creek Island, and prices for new construction in Bal Harbor are approaching $4,000 per square foot. It’s no surprise that Bay Harbor is attracting serious interest from developers, with $150 million in land sales since 2021.
There’s no need to worry about the area becoming overdeveloped. Bay Harbor has a height restriction of eight stories, and that encourages the development of small boutique buildings with larger apartments.
As for those who live there, the quality of the school attracts primary residents, and the proximity to the water brings well-heeled second home buyers. What you don’t find are investors looking for a fast return on investment. This stabilizes inventory and ensures future values.
There are several new developments being built in Bay Harbor. Here are a few to check out:
The Indian Creek Residences & Yacht Club is my personal favorite. This high-end building has just nine residences, so enjoying both the privacy of your home and the energy of Miami has never been easier. The best part is undoubtedly the waterfront views, which you can take in from the gorgeous pool or the private marina (boat slip included).
Alana is the best value, a good buy that is heavy on the amenities. There is an especially impressive rooftop where you’ll want to spend most of your time, whether it’s swimming in the pool or doing some yoga in the dedicated garden space. Seven floors and 30 boutique residences that have floor-to-ceiling windows make this chic building as beautiful to look at as it is to live in.
Those passionate about a wellness lifestyle will want to consider The Well. The building is owned by a national wellness company and because of that, features many special amenities in addition to the usuals you would expect. Residences include meditation corners and aromatherapy diffusers, and a wellness concierge is on-site. The design will leave you feeling as though you’re on a spa retreat, and residents have complimentary access to the wellness center, which offers weekly fresh juices, prepared meals, classes, and so much more.
Bay Harbor really does have it all and I encourage you to visit and see it all for yourself. Reach me at amanda.sawyer@compass.com to set up a meeting.
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Brought to you by Amanda Sawyer, part the Chad Carroll Group at Compass.