Tech executive Jody Glidden recently purchased a newly built home in Biscayne Park for $4.8 million, continuing a trend of high-priced spec home sales in the area. Glidden, who is known as the founder of software companies Introhive and Postilize and is dating Lisa Hochstein from “The Real Housewives of Miami,” bought the canalfront property after selling his previous waterfront home on Hibiscus Island for $11.9 million last year. He stated that he intends to rent out the new house rather than live in it and is also searching for more properties in Biscayne Park to purchase and redevelop.
Glidden’s acquisition is among several recent transactions setting price records for Biscayne Park, a small town located between Miami Shores and North Miami. The rise in luxury home sales has been attributed to affluent buyers seeking proximity to private schools such as Miami Country Day School and the Cushman School. Miami Country Day School recently received approval to renovate and modernize its campus, including plans for new facilities like a dining center and additional green space.
“Brand-new construction modern houses are breaking barriers in these alternative neighborhoods,” said Dora Puig, owner of Luxe Living Realty. She compared the increase in prices in Biscayne Park to similar growth seen in Morningside and Belle Meade, citing strong demand from parents who want easier access to private schools.
The 6,000-square-foot house Glidden purchased includes six bedrooms and five-and-a-half bathrooms on a half-acre lot, amounting to about $800 per square foot. The developer partnership responsible for building the house—comprised of Aaron Butler of Avenue Real Estate and Kobi and Nancy Karp—originally acquired the lot for $1.4 million in 2022.
“Areas like Biscayne Park still offer pretty good value. If you want to make a decent multiple on your property, it’s harder to do now in other parts of [Miami],” Glidden said.
Aaron Butler noted that factors such as proximity to private schools, curb appeal, and low crime rates motivated investment in the village. “I would develop [in Biscayne Park] again. We’re looking,” Butler said.
At least two other newly constructed homes have sold at similar price points recently, with one sale facilitated by cash payment acting as a catalyst for further transactions by providing comparable data for appraisers.
Butler described this period as a “transitional time” for Biscayne Park.
Dora Puig also brokered another notable deal: the sale of a four-bedroom house at 967 Northeast 117th Street for $5.3 million. Built on one-third of an acre, this property had previously sold for $450,000 in 2021 before being developed by Pintos Residential into its current state.
Another recent transaction involved a couple buying a six-bedroom home at 740 Northeast 120th Street for $4.6 million; that lot was purchased by developer Daniel Jaramillo’s LLC for $750,000 just three years ago.
Francisco Garcia from land-use consulting firm Euclid Group explained that Miami Country Day School’s updated master plan will not increase student enrollment but aims to improve campus infrastructure while addressing traffic flow concerns affecting neighboring areas: “Without question there is exceeding demand for educational facilities in Miami-Dade County, particularly in the private school sector,” Garcia said.
He added about Biscayne Park’s location: “[Biscayne Park] really is in a fortunate geographic location… Traffic is going to be an issue for us for the indefinite future.”
