Wealthy Californians continue fleeing the Golden State for Florida — buying up penthouses and pricey plots of dirt

The California exodus to Florida continues its streak.

This week, a Golden State one-percenter closed on a $49.9 million penthouse — one of two that sold for that price at the Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Miami, in the city’s Brickell district.

They are the city’s highest-priced condo sales off the beach — and the building is still four years away from completion.

At the same time, a California tech billionaire closed on a $24.5 million plot of land — a coveted half-acre double waterfront lot at 228-302 W. Dilido Dr. in the Venetian Islands that doesn’t even have a house on it, said listing broker Dora Puig, founder of Luxe Living Realty.

“That’s just for the dirt!” Puig said.

“The buyer is going to build his dream house here,” she added. “The transaction underscores the continued demand for trophy waterfront properties. Opportunities to acquire a double lot with this level of frontage and views on the Venetian Islands are exceptionally limited.”

Mick Duchon of Corcoran represented the buyer.

Florida is currently inundated with California house hunters, and some are buying without even looking at the property.

As for the penthouses that sold, they take up two half floors each at the top of the 66-story tower-to-be. 

At 8,000 square feet apiece, they come with their own private outdoor pools overlooking Biscayne Bay.

The project, developed by Swire Properties, includes two towers with 300 condos and 150 hotel rooms. It has already sold $1.3 billion — before groundbreaking has even begun — and it’s all on the site of the former Mandarin Oriental hotel, said Swire’s new president, Dave Martin.

The penthouse sales were “surprising, but a happy surprise,” Martin told Gimme Shelter, adding that presales like that are unprecedented.  

“Normally, the penthouses are the last to go. People want to see the spaces built out. The fact that we are selling before starting construction is highly unusual,” Martin said.

Brickell, he added, has attracted large firms like Citadel and Palantir — and their employees are looking for new homes. 

Each penthouse comes with five bedrooms, seven baths, three powder rooms and a library. Private elevators open into a large foyer that leads to entertaining spaces. The penthouses boast chef’s kitchens, a wine bar, a sauna, staff quarters and private storage adjacent to the units.

Building amenities will include two gyms, 11 resort-style pools with private cabanas and wellness cabanas for outdoor spa treatments, plus dining pavilions with outdoor grills. There are also warm and cold plunge pools, social lounges — and a business lounge with private meeting rooms, and a conference suite.