"Whispering Pines" In Historic Morningside - Jill Eber Of The Jills Zeder Group Achieves All-Time Record $16M Sale

Eber served as the sole broker in the sale of the property. The seller was David Wallack, CEO of Mango’s Tropical Café in Miami Beach and Orlando.

The estate, which is one of only 13 bayfront lots in Morningside, spans more than three-quarters of an acre (37,629 square feet) with 125 feet of direct Biscayne Bay frontage and unobstructed views. This fully-gated property features a 500-square-foot Ipe boat dock, complemented by an additional docking area with an electric davit boat lift. It beckons with unobstructed views across Biscayne Bay, as well as direct bay and ocean access. Located just behind the home, Biscayne Bay’s Rectory Island is Miami-Dade’s leading ibis sanctuary, providing a rare nightly display of wildlife unlike anywhere else in the region.

Currently, the estate boasts four bedrooms and three bathrooms, plus two half-bathrooms. It showcases approximately $1 Million worth of mature landscaping, including soaring palms, bamboo, mature trees, tropical plants, and flowers, offering privacy and creating a serene tropical environment. This lush property also has mature mango (Hayden, Kent), coconut, avocado, sapote, longan, and banana fruit trees, along with the aphrodisiac tropical scents of gardenias and night-blooming jasmine.

A welcoming winding circular driveway with travertine pavers leads to the front of the home. An interior meditation garden and a Koi Pond with a waterfall greets, as a wooden walkway with a bridge crosses over a waterfall feature to the custom-designed copper sculpture front door.

The estate’s elegant private formal living room features marble floors, rich wood-paneled ceilings, recessed lighting, and a coral stone-framed wood-burning fireplace. It boasts direct views of the pool, lush gardens and Biscayne Bay. Adjacent to the living room is a custom, state-of-the-art sound-controlled music studio.

The spacious open dining area offers direct access and views of the pool deck, lush tropical gardens, and out to the bay. The kitchen showcases a large granite island with seating for six, dual custom copper sinks, wood-paneled ceilings, a gas Thermador cooktop and warming drawer, Sub-Zero refrigeration, custom cabinetry and millwork, and seamless access to the pool deck framed by views of the bay.

The den, located just off the kitchen, features rich wood flooring with marble insets and elegant wood-paneled ceilings. It also offers direct views to the pool, gardens and bay.

The principal suite is surrounded by walls of glass, offering views of the surrounding lush gardens and vegetation. Rich Brazilian cherry wood adorns the floors with custom-made stone insets. Other features include a pitched hardwood ceiling with fans, full walk-in closet, plus additional wall closet space, and custom-designed freestanding copper fireplace. The suite offers step-out access to the pool area, Jacuzzi, and lush gardens. The principal bathroom features dual sinks, sunken spa tub with water jets, walk-in glass shower, and private water closet.

Two additional guest bedrooms with hardwood floors share a bathroom with a shower/tub combo, quartz vanity, glass sink, and stained-glass ceiling skylight.

All sliding glass doors and windows in the home are mahogany, and Miami-Dade County hurricane impact resistant approved. The home also offers a full laundry room, two-car air-conditioned garage, and ample parking in the expansive circular driveway.

A charming private guest cottage, featuring a bedroom area, living/dining area, closet, full bathroom and kitchen, and private outdoor terrace, is tucked away in the lush front corner of the property.

A large oval swimming pool is a centerpiece of the outdoor space, surrounded by an expansive coral stone deck with multiple lounge areas. Anchoring the outdoor living space is a custom-built covered wet bar featuring an expansive granite counter with seating for 10, fully-equipped summer kitchen, ceiling fans, sink, refrigerator, and icemaker.

Closer to the water is an antique 140-year-old gazebo from Indonesia overlooking the bay. An Ipe wood deck walkway leads to the lush gardens and a hot tub with a seating area under a canopy of trees. At the water’s edge, an elevated walkway leads to a stunning custom-designed bayside treehouse, with a spacious lounge bed and open views of the bay.

“I am so excited to have achieved a record sale and most importantly found the right buyer for this rare offering,” said Jill Eber of The Jills Zeder Group. “I know the buyer will be so happy with this property that allows him to create a world-class trophy estate on over three-quarters of an acre with great redevelopment flexibility, all while enjoying its exquisite natural beauty, privacy and proximity to Miami’s best destinations, including the Design District, Downtown Miami, Brickell, and Miami Beach.”

About The Jills Zeder Group

The Jills Zeder Group at Coldwell Banker Realty is ranked the #1 real estate team in the United States for the last five years. The team is composed of three families and two generations: Jill Eber and her sister Felise Eber; Judy Zeder, Nathan Zeder, and Meredith Zeder; Jill Hertzberg, Danny Hertzberg, and Hillary Hertzberg Benson. The Jills Zeder Group has sold over $9 billion in real estate sales since 2019. With offices in Coral Gables and Miami Beach, The Jills Zeder Group specializes in high-end, multimillion-dollar luxury properties in South Florida’s most elite enclaves, representing celebrities, Fortune 500 executives, and a diverse international clientele. They offer incomparable knowledge and services to luxury real estate clients.

About Coldwell Banker Global Luxury

The Coldwell Banker Global Luxury® program embodies the Coldwell Banker brand’s legacy of excellence in luxury real estate and the globalization of luxury real estate in today’s ever-connected market. Coldwell Banker Global Luxury Property Specialists are an exclusive group within the Coldwell Banker® system, making up under ten percent of independent sales associates affiliated with the brand worldwide. Coldwell Banker Global Luxury and the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury logo are registered marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

(Photo credit: Jill Eber/1 Oak Studios)