Welcome to The Dirt! I’m real estate reporter Kimberly Miller with the latest developments in the sizzling market.
First of all, there’s some traffic news because a billionaire in Palm Beach decided they didn’t want to get their Ferragamos/Jimmy Choos scuffed crossing the street to the beach so they are building a tunnel under the road and people are in a frickin’ tizzy about it.
Seriously, this is why I love Palm Beach County. A tunnel? It’s like 40 feet people!
Yeah, yeah, I know there are other tunnels and this tunnel is actually part of a spec house. So, really, we can only speculate that some future Ferragamo-wearing friend will be enjoying the leisurely walk under the road, although from what I’ve seen, not many of the folks on Billionaire’s Row are avid beach-goers. Just an observation from an avid beach-goer.
Anyhoo, as the tunnel is being built, there will be 24/7 flag waivers to help direct drivers as traffic is managed. But noise and vibrations are still a concern.
In other real estate news, rockers Rod Stewart is selling his Los Angeles mansion for $70 million, but does that mean he’s abandoning Palm Beach as well? As Palm Beach Daily News luxury real estate reporter Darrell Hofheinz reports, the 78-year-old and his wife Penny Lancaster also own an oceanfront estate on the island. Stewart has said he plans to spend more time in England. But the most interesting tidbit to come out of all of this is that Penny is a bobby in London! Who knew? (Don’t say everyone 👮‍♀️)
Also, pro golfers Justin Thomas sold his home in Jupiter for $3.1 million. That’s shy of the $3.65 million he was aiming for, but not a bad haul considering he paid $1.48 million in 2016. Douglas Elliman’s Johnny Del Prete limited listings. The buyers are Morten and Elisabeth Wenglerwho were represented by Kathryn Lomax of Compass.
Hotel Biba fairytale in West Palm Beach is a flophouse rags-to-riches story on repeat
Someone was VERY cranky that The Palm Beach Post, and/or moi, called the Hotel Biba in West Palm Beach a former druggie flophouse, like, back in the 1990s. Facts hurt my friend, sorry. But the former Mt. Vernon Motor Lodge is getting all shined up and renovated to historical standards and that’s the beauty of the story.
Cinderella wouldn’t be half as good a fairytale without the mean-girl stepsisters and Lady Tremaine dragging her down until Cinderella clicked those ruby ​​slippers three times and voilĂ , she wins the Powerball. Wait. Is that right? You get the picture. You need rags for a rags-to-riches story.
Top five June home sales in Palm Beach County that you can’t afford
Maybe you’ll play the Powerball this week and just maybe you’ll win; then you’ll be able to afford one of June’s top five home sales in Palm Beach County, but more than likely you’ll just have to enjoy the real estate eye candy like the rest of us. The top seller is the one I absolutely love the most because the money shot is of a Miami Vice-like sports car (I have no idea what kind) parked in the driveway.
It just oozes wealth and fame and Sonny Crockett vibes. We love you too Tubbs! đź’–
Foreign workers in high demand as Florida law goes into effect
This isn’t straight-up real estate news, but we’re all business reporters here at The Dirt and so sometimes you’ll get a dose of the hard stuff. Palm Beach Post politics editor Antonio Fins and senior business reporter Alexandra Clough learned that the demand for temporary foreign workers is through the roof right now.
The hourly pay range for jobs is from $7.98 plus gratuity to $43.50. As many as 111 of the positions are at former President Donald Trump‘s Mar-a-Lago club, which also serves as its main residence.
Stop with the pot dispensaries already in West Palm Beach
There are multiple marijuana dispensaries in West Palm Beach. You can tell because you can’t walk down the street without the heavy skunky smell of pot wafting out of every fifth car or so, which makes me a little nervous about so many drivers trying to get to Taco Bell 🌮 as fast as they can .
But seriously, city commissioners have had enough. They’ve voted to ban new medical marijuana dispensaries in the city while grandfathering in the current crop.
Live lightly.
Kimberly Miller is a veteran journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network of Florida. She covers real estate and how growth affects South Florida’s environment. Subscribe to The Dirt for a weekly real estate roundup. If you have news tips, please send them to [email protected]. Help support our local journalism, subscribe today.