The Miami housing market may be the most democratic in the nation, affecting both rich and poor, celebrities and no names alike. One real estate agent's site lists all local celebrity homes for sale.
No longer a player for the Miami Heat after a trade to the Phoenix Suns, NBA behemoth Shaquille O'Neal put his 20,000 square foot palace on the market for $22 million but accepted $16 million, the difference more or less a rounding error on his income from basketball and his commercial ventures. Other celebrity homeowners in Miami are either less wisely invested or less flexible about what they will accept in the current market. Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino, almost as much a presence in TV ads as O'Neal, has had his 10 bedroom, 12 ½ bath home listed for $13.5 million for a few months. The price includes more than $1 million in furniture and the promise of a signed football by the former quarterback star.
Singer Ricky Martin, known for his flexible stage moves as well as energetic voice, may not be flexible enough when it comes to pricing his home. He might follow Shaq's lead and drop his own $22 million asking price a bit. By comparison, local boy Alex Rodriquez' home is modest at both 8,300 square feet and an asking price of $10 million. Now that he is a single guy, a big glitzy apartment in the city -- or more than one city -- will probably suit his lifestyle better.
The king of real estate holders in Miami is Alan Potamkin, a car dealer whose home is on the market for a hair under $50 million. It sits on the best piece of property in the best (i.e. most expensive) neighborhood in the Miami area. The 12-camera security system aims to keep it that way.
If you would like to see how the other halves live, Alex Shay's web site is a hoot. Find it at http://www.alexshay.com
