Portland Penthouses for sale!
How is the + $3,000,000 condo market looking?
The Portland condo market has slowed pretty dramatically and we are seeing price reduction after price reduction. Many units have been reduced in price 5 to 6 times! We have also seen an increase in the inventory at the highest end of the market.
Currently there are six units priced above $3,000,000…and three that are almost $3,000,000. Of the nine listings, 5 are still the 5 out of 6 unsold penthouse units at the Vista priced from $2,821,000 to $3,335,000 ( $1044 a sq. ft up to $1228 a ft).
The other four are …in order of pricing, Crane Building #711 priced at $3,300,000, The Metropolitan PH-2 priced at $4,700,000, The Cosmopolitan penthouse #2715 priced at $6,995,000 and the Meriwether penthouse #2000 priced at ….drum roll please…. $9,300,000.
So of these units, which ones do I like? All are unique in their own way. If you like ultra contemporary, The Cosmopolitan #2715 is very high in style and has, hands down, the best views of all nine listed here. The newest to hit the market is at the Crane Building. Unit #711 is a beautiful penthouse unit with an outdoor terrace that runs the length of the entire east side of the building. It offers far more deck space than all of the others with the exception of PH-2 at the Metropolitan, which is priced at a pretty hefty $4,700,000… or $1349 a sq. ft. While this penthouse is steeply priced, the Metropolitan, in my opinion, is in my top 5 buildings in Portland. I believe the very traditional design of the interior of this large unit will create a problem in trying to find the right buyer unless someone wants to go in and start over. Topping the charts at $9,300,000 is the full floor unit #2000 at Meriwether in South Waterfront. This unit features over 7,000 square feet of living space that includes a guest suite. If you are someone that needs a lot of space…this could be the one! Also, if you are a car buff and need parking spaces, this penthouse comes with six parking spaces.
If you are a buyer that wants a contemporary space that is warmed with some beautiful woodwork, the penthouse at the Crane might be the answer. It is priced below (price per square foot) the two $3,000,000 units at Vista and has the deck space that many desire.
If you are the buyer that wants views, the Cosmopolitan is the building in town with simply the best views around. When you have paid a premium to be above 20 stories…the unobstructed views can’t be beat. I will say this about The Cosmopolitan, you don’t have to be in a condo priced above $3,000,000 to have sensational views!
If you are looking for a Portland penthouse that is ultra contemporary, one that is more traditional or anything in between, I am happy to take you on a tour of Portland’s finest condominiums and let you feel for yourself how each of these units are special in their own way! Give me a call at 503-896-8856.
Brad Golik is a luxury condo specialist with Christie’s International Real Estate. You can contact him at pdxluxcondos@gmail.com or visit one of his websites…LuxuryCondosofPortland.com or PortlandPenthouse.com
The current market is an interesting one.We continue you see many price reductions on properties. With that said, condos in desirable buildings like The Cosmopolitan, if priced right, will sell in a short time. There are many units in the market, but special units, units that are not so typical can go quickly.
In a previous post I mentioned that buyers who have patience will be rewarded. We have seen many properties that have gone through 5-6 price reductions. Condos that were way overpriced are getting pummeled , especially those that have had that many reductions. A good example of this is a condo I have talked about before is the penthouse #1502 at the Elizabeth. That penthouse was originally priced at $3,650,000… a number that was incredibly high from the start. Now, after another price reduction, it is now priced at $2,695,000. If you may recall, when I previously mentioned this unit it was at $2,995,000 and I said I really liked it but that you will be able to pick it up at a better price later. That time is here! And now that it has struggled for a year on the market and gone through 5 price reductions, the sharks are circling and will eventually get an even better deal on this on. If you can pick up this one for $2,400,000 to $2,500,000 and add $100,000 for a new kitchen…you will have one stunning unit for a price much less than you will find in new buildings like Vista and The Cosmopolitan. In 2016 I sold a similar penthouse (#1406) in the same building. This would have been the ideal comp when listing #1502 and if it would have been priced correctly, maybe $2,850,000 to $2,950,000, it probably would have sold. Now, because it was so overpriced, it will probably sell for $300,000 to $400,000 less than it should have.
While I am talking about penthouses, I would like to revisit the new Vista condominiums. This seems to be a subject that my clients keep bringing up. When I wrote about the Vista penthouses in a previous posting: https://luxurycondosofportland.wordpress.com/2018/10/12/why-are-the-vista-penthouses-not-selling/ I believe at the time they had 1 penthouse sold and 2 were pending. (out of a total of 6) Now it looks like the two pending units fell out of escrow and only #2012 has sold at a price of $3,075,000. There are still 5 of the 6 penthouse units on the market.
Portland is soon to see two of its most expensive condos hit the market! Both of these penthouse condos will be in the $6,000,000 range. Based on their square footage they will be priced at $1192 to $1370 a square foot. Keep in mind, Vista #2112 is $1228 a foot. The difference is that both of the new penthouse listings are 7 to 10 floors higher. They are also totally custom with very high end finishes. If you are in the market for a large, stunning $6,000,000 condo, give me a call and I can give you a heads up as to where these penthouses are and to get more information, give me a call.
Are you looking for something a little more affordable? You will begin to see more condos coming on the market. Many will stay on the market for awhile and others will not. The ones that won’t are ones that are more unique like a special corner unit in a building or something like a 1 bedroom penthouse unit. When you have a condo that is unique, the urgency to not miss out is much higher. When you have 10 to 15 condos that are very similar like interior units at the Edge, Elizabeth, Gregory and the Elliot, there is no urgency or fear of loss. As you move forward in your search for a condo, work with a specialist, someone that understands the condo market and understands why one unit at $600 a ft make sense while another one does not. Just as a $6,000,000 penthouse at $1190 to $1370 a foot can make more sense than the very linear penthouse units at Vista priced at $1050 to $1228 a foot or why the 04 units at Vista were priced correctly and made sense at $922 a foot.
In my post about the Vista penthouses (see link above) I mentioned that the views from The Cosmopolitan were much better in the floors 19, 20 and 21st than those same floors at Vista. A 20th floor unit at Cosmo just went pending at $1122 a foot. Compare that to one of the 20th floor penthouses at Vista and there is no question…the views from the Cosmopolitan unit is far better and the amount of windows and natural light make it hands down a better value!
Brad Golik is a 15 year real estate veteran and is a condominium specialist with the market leader…Christie’s International Real Estate. You can reach him at 503-896-8856 or at his website http://www.LuxuryCondosofPortland.com
Why are the Vista penthouses not selling?
This is question I have gotten several times in just the last week. In fact, I get questions about Vista frequently.
Three words…Priced too high!
When The Cosmopolitan went on the market, it was a very different market. Buyers were paying a premium, and they knew it! They were hoping at the time that the hot market would continue and that the values would catch up to the the prices they paid. They were lucky because that is what happened. Today, not the case! The condo market has slowed a ton. Last month, of all listings in the Pearl, over 50% of those listings had to reduce their price. Days on market for higher end condos is now over 100 days! For many penthouses that have been on the market, we have seen multiple price reductions…not just one!
So, when I say that the Vista penthouse units are priced too high, I would like to support my comments. When The Cosmopolitan came on the market, I was very critical about the new building. The fact was that while I did like many things about the new building, I just had issues with the pricing. With the Vista, I believe that some of the lower priced units are in line with the current market. The penthouse units are a whole different story. For one, they are not like the cosmo penthouse units and do not deserve similar pricing. They are very linear and do not offer the floor to ceiling windows and views that you find in The Cosmopolitan. This is a big one because this is something buyers really like. In addition, look at the floor plans below. There is a stark difference between the amount of windows in The Cosmo compared to that of the Vista. In my opinion, this is why they are not selling! Also, the developers are asking 27th and 28th floor prices (The Cosmopolitan) for 19, 20 and 21st story units. I must say, I got a little giggle each time I saw the adds for Vista that asked “Ever wonder what the views are like from the Penthouse? My immediate thought was … ya, like the views from the 21st Floor at the Cosmopolitan that were priced at $875 a square foot…not over $1250 a foot! And to be honest, I do not believe that the Vista penthouse views are as good as the 19th – 21st floors at The Cosmopolitan.
The below floor plan is from the Penthouse #2815 at The Cosmopolitan. It offers panoramic views to the east with Mt. Hood and to the south with stunning city views!
Now lets take a look at the Vista penthouse on the South side #2108 currently priced at $3,216,000 . It is very clear when you look at them side by side the difference in the amount of windows/walls. Which is going to offer the better and more panoramic views…hands down it is Cosmopolitan #2815! In addition, #2815 is seven stories higher which adds tremendous value ( and if you remember, Hoyt put a premium of about $88,000 per floor above the 20th floor in the Cosmo).
Now lets take a look to the East. In most buildings, having an east view of Mt. Hood gets a premium. But, when your views are out of windows like shown below from Vista #2108…is it worth it?
Options! If you are in the market for a Portland penthouse, you have options. Unlike when the Cosmopolitan went on the market, a buyer has many more options then at that time. Back then, inventory was very low. In addition, condos are staying on the market longer and we are seeing many price reductions. If you are thinking about a penthouse purchase in Portland, here are a few good options:
1st: Pinnacle #1403 $2,488,000 – While you will be slightly lower being on the 14th floor, I believe your views are really much better. With #1403, you get true floor to ceiling windows with exceptional views to the south and the nighttime city lights. This unit was recently remodeled so you are getting everything brand new just as if you were buying at Vista! Like the Vista penthouses, this one offers 2600 square feet.
2nd: This is a penthouse that I like a lot… The Elizabeth #1502 $2,950,000 Another unit with many floor to ceiling windows looking to the West Hills and the city lights to the south. This 2-level penthouse has tons of character. With 3443 square feet, it is much larger than all six of the Vista penthouses and compares more closely to #2815 at The Cosmo which has 3131 square feet. This one has been on the market for awhile now after several price reductions… and you might be able to pick it up for an even lower price.
3rd: While this Portland penthouse is not in The Pearl District, it does deserve mention… #1301 at The Strand $2,395,000 – This 13th floor penthouse offers spectacular river, marina and city light views! Offering 3220 square feet with walls of windows, this unit offers some of the best daytime and nighttime views! If you can put up with some “white noise” from the rooftop deck, it offers stunning views…see below!
In closing, I just want to say I am a fan of any new condo building in the Pearl District or any other area of downtown Portland. With any luck we will get other developers looking at our great city with plans to build something that is uniquely Portland. As for Vista, sales have been much slower this time around. As I mentioned, there are some reasonable values at Vista…just not at the penthouse level! I do not believe that the designs, layouts and views are worthy of the $2,821,000 to $3,335,000 pricing.
Brad Golik is a condo specialist with Christie’s International Real Estate and LuxuryCondosofPortland.com You can reach him at 503-896-8856 or at pdxluxcondos@gmail.com
1st video at new company!
https://video214.com/play/O7tT52lv81q3nyZg0JK8sQ/s/dark
As many of you know by now, Pearl District Properties has shut it’s doors. I am still in the Pearl District and now at Total Property Resources!
Brad Golik is a condominium specialist working in Portland’s Pearl District, Downtown and South Waterfront.
Vista Condominiums
I have recently received a few emails asking why I have not written anything about the new Vista North Pearl. The answer, I guess, is that nothing seems to be too exciting about the project. And, not that it matters, but I have not had to deal with nasty emails from the sales manager at Hoyt Properties, who did not like my opinions on the Cosmopolitan!
So, what are the differences in the two projects? Well let’s start with the Cosmopolitan. Contrary to what the sales manager said to me “I thought you hated this building!”, I NEVER said I did not like the project. What I DID say is that I did not like the pricing. (Great for the developer…not so great for the buyers). As it turned out, because of the low inventory levels at the time, they were able to capture those high prices. Again, the timing in the market was “perfect” for the developers. How about this time around with the Vista? Well, the market has changed and Hoyt will not have such an easy time selling units at excessive prices. As of the middle of last month, Vista had 95 units available (out of 153) or 38% of the units sold. Keep in mind, the Cosmopolitan was being marketed as the nicest condo building in town. Vista, from what everything I have heard, will be a notch below that of the Cosmopolitan in terms of finishes and the building as a whole.
Let’s start with the most popular corner, the SE corner, which was the first to sell out in the Cosmo. For comparison sake I will use units on the 14th floor. The Cosmo pricing for the SE corner on the 14th floor was $649 a square foot. The pricing for the Vista is 780. Now, a look at the NE corner 15th Floor (1517) in the Cosmopolitan was sold at $620 a square foot. The 15th floor unit at Vista (1506) is being offered at $750 a square foot. While the market eventually did catch up to the excessive prices at the Cosmopolitan, I don’t believe that the Vista prices should be selling at a premium like the Cosmopolitan. Units on the west side are pretty equally priced to that of the Cosmo.
Finally, let’s look at the penthouse units. At the Cosmopolitan, the range was from $950 a square foot to $1200 for the top floor 28th floor penthouses. For Vista, the range is $1052 to $1247. Let me repeat this one fact, the Cosmopolitan penthouses were being marketed as the best in the city in Portland’s most luxurious building! In addition, the top floor at the Vista it is only 21 stories. What is interesting here, if my memory serves me right, is that the units at the Cosmopolitan (floors 20 –28) were given a minimum premium of $88,000 per floor! At the time of this writing, I don’t believe that one of the six penthouse units at the Vista is pending. I cannot say that I am surprised. I would never pay anything close to what the penthouse units sold for at The Cosmopolitan. The Cosmopolitan is a superior, more elegant building (pitched as the nicest in the city) and there is no way prices at the Vista should compare! Again, this is just my opinion… or maybe not just my opinion. Ask any of the residents at the Cosmopolitan above the 21st floor and see what they say?
I am sure I will continue to get the cold shoulder from the developers’ sales manager…but am I wrong? I don’t believe so. Let me be clear. This is not personal but simply my professional opinion. As someone who understands condo pricing, I write about what I believe to be true and it might not always match the opinions of others, and that is OK!
There are things I like about the Vista. If you read my blog about the Cosmopolitan, one of the negatives noted was that many of the units had a very high ratio of hall space to usable space (many units were 12-14%) This is not the case with the Vista. Almost all the units are in the 4-8% range with the exception of the D4 Plan, the 08 stack) as it came in about 13%. In this case, you have a unit that is 1435 square feet and the unit has about 194 square feet of hallway space.
The Vista floor plans also provide MUCH more space to walk around the end of your bed in the master bedroom, a problem in many of the units at The Cosmopolitan. Another highlight of the Vista is its large deck spaces.
All in, I believe the Vista will be a nice building. As for the prices? The market will, in the end, determine the final prices. As of now, the lower units seem a little high and the penthouse units, I believe, are way too high.
If you are looking to buy at the Vista or would also like to look at other buildings, I am a condominium specialist and would be happy to show you available units. If you are thinking about selling in the near future, I encourage you to go to http://www.LuxuryCondosofPortland.com/marketing and learn a little about our approach to selling your condo!
Brad Golik is a condominium specialist with LuxuryCondosofPortland.com and Pearl District Properties. He can be reached at 503-896-8856 or at pdxluxcondos@gmail.com.
See aerial Drone footage of the Vista location within the Pearl District at http://www.VistaPortland.com
Election is over…how is the market?
If you have not noticed…the market has slowed down!
What is the one thing I see happening everyday? Price reductions. Yes we are seeing a huge number of listed properties being adjusted. Usually, we see a slow down this time of year as we go into the holidays. What is a little more unusual is to see the amount of slowdown that we have seen in the number of showings the last several weeks. What is to blame for this? It could be all of the attention that was being put on the presidential election. With this were the fears of what would happen to the markets if either candidate won. The good news in this area was the stock market. On election night when it looked as though Trump would be the winner, stock market futures were down in a big way, over 800 points. But, in the morning after the dust had settled, the market was very strong and it has remained that way. What does this have to do with the housing market? Well, when the stock market is strong, peoples confidence increases and the comfort level of making a big purchase becomes improved. The new thing we need to look at now are interest rates…they are up. Will this force people to get off the fence and make a move?
With that said… let’s talk real estate! As mentioned, there have been a number of price reductions In the market. Two of these are a couple of very nice units in the mid $600,000 range. One is a loft in the heart of the Pearl. The other is a condo along the waterfront.
The loft, priced at $629,900, is unit #306 at McKenzie Lofts. With a beautifully updated kitchen, this 1 bedroom plus den unit is open and spacious. Walk to restaurants or walk outside your door for your morning cup of coffee at Starbucks. You can’t go wrong with this awesome loft in the Pearl! See Video: https://video214.com/play/11vHJkeJI8ypsdUHe0400g/s/dark
The condo, a 2 bedroom ground floor unit at Pacifica Tower, is a well appointed unit along the shores of the Willamette. Are you a pet owner? The massive patio is perfect for those who own a dog or two. Not a pet owner? Well you will love the outdoor “Extended Living Area” for lounging or enjoying BBQ’s where space is not a problem! See Video: https://video214.com/play/1HJOmmsY6EHdrbCx993hwA/s/dark
If you would like to view either of these units, give me a call today at 503-896-8856.
I don’t get political on my blog… because you will always offend half of readers. I will say this. The election is over. Let’s get back to work and come together. If you are a person that is comfortable financially, next time you walk by a homeless person that is down on their luck, buy them a cup of coffee or a breakfast. Let’s get back to being kind to one another. Do something nice for someone today!
Brad Golik is a condominium specialist at Pearl District Properties. You can view his website at http://www.LuxuryCondosofPortland.com
Contact Brad at pdxluxcondos@gmail.com
Luxury Condos of Portland 