The Sofi Group - the extraordinary in real estate

Sea. Sand. Sun. And don’t forget that all-important forth factor when it comes to Bal Habour: shopping. Fashionable Bal Harbour, located at the northern tip of Miami Beach, is a thriving residential and tourist community that is renowned for its style and elegance and for Bal Harbour Shops, the glamorous open-air luxury mall that is a magnet for fashionistas, celebrities and socialites.

Envisioned as a “dream village” by founder Robert C. Graham, from its inception Bal Harbour was built following a sophisticated master plan created by a leading urban planning firm of its time, Harland Bartholomew & Associates. Bal Harbour is one of only two Miami-Dade municipalities (the other being Coral Gables) to have been built with a master plan in place first.

“We have only one objective. We want to make this village, with its unusual advantages of ocean and bay and South Florida climate, a lovely place to live,” founder Graham stated. Since its founding, tiny Bal Harbour, measuring only one square mile in size, has been a sought-after destination for tourists, residents and seasonal visitors.

High-end hotels such as One Bal Harbour Resort, The Regent Bal Harbour, the Sea View Hotel on the Ocean, and the soon-to-be-completed St. Regis Resort & Residences compete to offer the latest in personalized service. Fine dining options are abundant and feature a diverse range of culinary experiences. Many restaurants offer al fresco dining. Some of the area’s more popular restaurants include the Bal Harbour Bistro, the Italian eatery Carpaccio, the French bistro La Goulue Christian Delouvrier, and the European tea salon Lea’s Tea Room & Café.

Bal Harbour’s appeal is multifaceted. Its pristine and beautifully landscaped beaches are a plus, as are its many fine dining options, its location midway between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, and of course its famous shopping.

Opened in 1965, Bal Harbour Shops has set the standard in luxury retail for decades with its almost one hundred high-end stores in an open-air mall noted for its lush landscaping. Stores include Bulgari, Cartier, Chanel, Dior, Dolce and Gabbana, Gucci, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Neiman Marcus, Roberto Cavalli, Saks Fifth Avenue, Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent, and more.

Bal Harbour’s well-landscaped beachfront features a unique, $3 million beachfront jogging track, the only one of its kind in South Florida. Sports enthusiasts won’t be bored here – there are plenty of outdoor watersports including snorkeling, windsurfing, fishing, and parasailing readily available along. There are several nearby championship golf courses and tennis courts, including the Miami Beach Golf Club.

Bal Harbour’s oceanfront condos are among the most sought-after oceanfront properties anywhere. Among them, those at One Bal Harbour and the St Regis Bal Harbour (scheduled for completion in 2011) are true stand-outs. Pair that with world-class shopping and dining, all the outdoor recreation you can handle, the hustle, action and excitement of South Beach and the privacy and quiet of a sunrise walk along Bal Harbour’s beach, and you’ve got winning combination.