Erik Anderson and Dominic Leoni
Brickell locals and Haute Residence members Erik Anderson and Dominic Leoni are experts in real estate financing and top bankers in the industry. The founders of the luxury real estate finance brokerage Bayside Funding Corporation, they use their expertise, expansive family office, and lender connections to provide unparalleled service. They have successfully brokered transactions for a spectrum of world-renowned clients and their family members - funding eight-figure volumes in 2021.
Recently, the founders chatted with Haute Residence and shared their views on the ever-growing Miami market, and offered insight into what is to come.
Haute Residence: Do You Feel There is a Generational Shift Happening in the Miami Market Right Now?
Bayside Funding: There is definitely a seismic shift currently underway in Miami. Until 2022, Miami was America’s most undervalued major metropolis and even the Michelin Guide hadn't considered visiting this vibrant city in over 118 years.
2022 is a year of firsts for our city – Miami recently hosted the first edition of the Miami Grand Prix Formula One race; the Michelin Guide will soon make its first foray into South Florida, and Miami now competes directly with New York City for real estate values in the United States. It follows that there will continue to be explosive growth and an increasing focus on luxury real estate.
We believe Miami is poised to become the American Dubai, a tax advantageous global financial center increasingly catering to the world’s rich and famous. Due to Bayside Funding Corporation’s deep experience working with ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families, we are well positioned to catch this oncoming wave of opportunity.
HR: Do You Think This is Just a Temporary Surge in the Market or Will it Become the New Normal?
BF: With Miami and South Florida real estate prices hitting all-time highs, many out there are wondering if we are reaching the zenith of this cycle or if this is the new normal. Based on our experience working in New York City, California, and South Florida we would venture to say, “Welcome to the New Normal!” Miami is not like Ohio or Indiana, places with a finite pipeline of well-heeled buyers. Here in South Florida, there is likely to be a steady flow of oligarchs, royals, family trusts, and private equity investors for years to come.
These types of clients typically do not look to secure financing from any sort of national chain with massive telemarketing operations. High net worth clients require a different level of personalization, intimacy, and discretion when it comes to securing their real estate financing. We understand the level of sophistication required to establish a successful long-term partnership with our clients as most of our volume comes directly from our exclusive viva voce (word-of-mouth) referral network.
Brickell, Miami
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
HR: How Has Real Estate Financing in South Florida Changed as Miami Grows?
BF: The biggest shift has, of course, been the precipitous rise of real estate prices across South Florida and the subsequent decline in availability/vacancies of built homes and apartments. As interest rates rise we are seeing investors transitioning from buying existing structures to financing the purchase of land and then building a custom project to rent or sell upon completion. This has opened up previously untapped areas south of Miami, like Homestead. For these kinds of ground-up construction investments, it is normal for a borrower to see solid returns due to the low availability and high market prices here in Miami.
HR: What Do You See for the Future of Miami Real Estate?
BF: We see an incredibly bright and glamorous future for a city that will soon be the “Palm Beach” of the new generations. Just as Palm Beach has become the premier South Florida destination for wealthy retirees, we see Miami as being the premier South Florida destination for wealthy Millennial / Gen Z generations. Tech companies, investment banks, cryptocurrency winners, globe-trotting venture capitalists, and celebrities are piling into the market right now. This is a new generation of wealth that is more comfortable with names like Richard Mille or Bored Ape Yacht Club than Mark Rothko or Jackson Pollock.
For more information on Bayside Funding Corporation please visit their website here.
