Luxury Real Estate

Courtesy of Luxury Real Estate Vacation Rentals

Breck Special: Book by April 8th and qualify for a drawing to win 2 nights free with Paragon Lodging!

Not only is April on sale with discounts up to 40% off and the chance to get free skiing for two, but Paragon Lodging is bringing back our "Fool's Rush In Raffle!"

Rush in to win two free nights! The "Fools Rush In Raffle" is for new reservations of 3 nights and more. To qualify for the grand prize of two free nights, all new reservations must be booked by 04/08/11. They will then be entered into a raffle, and the winner will be selected on 4/15/2011. The lucky winner will receive 2 free additional nights lodging to be applied to their existing stays between 4/15/2011 and 11/15/2011.

Book your upcoming vacation directly through Paragon Lodging by April 8th to qualify! See restrictions below.

Contact Paragon Lodging: 877-828-8171

Visit www.ParagonLodging.com to view our portfolio of luxury and classic mountain homes, or email us at Info@ParagonLodging.com.

Luxury, elegance, ease and apres ski at the brand new 5 O'clock Lodge.

"Fools Rush In" Contest Restrictions: For new reservations booked between NOW through 04/08/11, all guests will be entered into a raffle for Paragon Lodging's "Fool's Rush In! Raffle." The drawing will take place on April 15, 2011. The selected raffle winner will receive the equivalent of two nights free lodging to be applied to their existing reservation.Valid for upcoming stays between 04/15/2011 through 11/15/2011. The nightly rental rate is based on the discounted rate, specific to the winning reservation. Not redeemable for cash.

April Discount and Free Ski Restrictions:

Valid for new reservations, a minimum night stay may be required, not valid on all homes, good for participating dates and properties only, cannot be combined with other discounts, non-redeemable for cash, discounts vary from 10%, 15%, 25% and 40% off dependent on length of stay. All stays must take place during the month of April 2011. Free ski valid only with select homes. Must be booked directly through Paragon Lodging to qualify.

Courtesy of Frederick Peters, President of Warburg Realty

Last week I wrote about how sellers and their agents need to behave to effectively manage the sale of their properties. So this week I want to turn to buyers. The market has changed so profoundly in the past year that buyer expectations have often had a hard time keeping up. So here are buyer advisories for the end of the first quarter 2011:

· You are probably not in charge any more. Unless you are buying a postwar studio or one bedroom, or shopping in Harlem or Midtown East or in a new condo which still has lots of units for sale, sellers have firmed up their prices and buyers are paying them. So you cannot think like it is 2010 and the seller will be grateful to have your offer. In fact, much of the time, the seller already has several offers and is holding out for more. This leads inexorable to the next point…

· You cannot offer 25%, or 20%, or probably even 15%, below the asking price any more. Those days are gone. Many of the prewar properties are selling at asking or over it. My agents tell me that most first offers are coming in at an average of 5% to 7% below asking prices. Though we are once again seeing the buyer who has lost several properties already bidding the asking price on the first day.

· Have your financial picture in order. As the market heats up, the strength and clarity of your financial picture can obtain the property for you even if yours is not the highest offer. And every seller loves a deal without a financing contingency.

· Be flexible about the things which are not important to you. If it doesn’t really matter when the closing takes place, or whether they leave the built ins, use your flexibility in those areas to try to achieve your other goals.

· Try to get your ego out of the way. Negotiating is complicated, and one reason is that both sides are often trying not only to achieve their goals, but also to be the winner. No one is the winner if the deal does not get made over an insignificant amount of money, or the drapes, or the sconces. Buyers and sellers can get stuck on fundamentally irrelevant issues because they want to win. So if you feel that angry “I’m not going to back down” feeling, it is probably a good idea to take a step back and give it 24 hours. Then think about whether your goal is controlling the negotiation or succeeding at it. It is often not worth winning the battle if you lose the war.

· Figure out what a property is worth to you and don’t second guess yourself too much. If it trades way beyond your price, let it go. There will be another. However if this happens to you several times you may need to consider whether your price point is realistic. Your broker can best advise you on this topic. And remember, it is often worth stretching a little for what you really want, especially since prices are going up.

Finally, it’s probably a good idea to act now if you are considering a purchase. I predicted that this would be a year with minimal price appreciation but I was wrong. Good property is definitely getting more expensive, and with little inventory on the market and no increase in new listings on the horizon, finding what you want can take a little while. So start now, and if you find what you want in your price range, buy it! Chances are it will cost more in six months.

You can read more on www.warburgrealty.com/blog.

Courtesy of Luxury Real Estate Vacation Rentals

Paris Luxe, a boutique rental company specializing in upscale short term rentals, is offering an incredible deal to kick off the spring season. This April 1-12 you can stay at the beautiful 2 bedroom flat, Aimee, for 50% off. This residence is steps from Place de l'Etolie and Avenue des Champs Elysees and walking distance from Parc Monceau. Inquire today or call for more details (800-708-7659).

Courtesy of Leibowitz Realty Group

Mirasol is one of South Florida's most popular gated country club communities. The club is set in beautiful Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and just minutes from the heart of Palm Beach. View the Mirasol country club community video below to take yourself through the community of Mirasol.

Mirasol's club facilities consists of approximately 70,000 square and include: 36 holes of championship golf. The two renowned courses the "Sunset" course designed by Arthur Hills and the "Sunrise" course designed by Tom Fazio. Golf practice facilities consisting of a driving range, short game practice area, practice putting area, and a golf instructional building. Members have access to unparalleled luxury amenities including the golf pro shop, locker room facilities, card rooms, dining room, and steam rooms, 15 tennis courts, tennis pro shop, and junior Olympic size swimming pool.

Hualalai Realty and Rob Kildow represented the buyer (Kenneth Griffin of Citadel Group) for a Big Island oceanfront estate for just under $17 million dollars. The 5,600 square feet home includes luxury ammentities throughout in addition to a lanai and infinity pool over looking the Pacific Ocean. The home is located in the Hualalai Resort which offers residents the five star luxury services of the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai.

For more information on Hualalai Resort and Hualalai real estate offerings, please contact Rob Kildow.

More about Hualalai Resort:
On the Big Island of Hawaii's Kona-Kohala Coast, Hualalai recaptures the spirit of another time. Swaying palms hide the rooftops of the beachfront bungalows and authentic Hawaiian homes. Dramatic green fairways cut through the lava and drop to the coast to hug the sea.

Pathways wind through open dunes, by ancient Hawaiian fishponds, through flowering gardens that perfume the air. Gentle hosts welcome all to their ‘ohana, family, with a heightened level of hospitality that is called ho‘okipa. Experience the Hualalai lifestyle from the comfort of a private villa, residence or homesite. Welcome to Hualalai. In this serene paradise, the dream of Hawai‘i that everyone holds in their hearts is fulfilled.

More about Hualalai Realty:
Hualalai Realty has been part of Hualalai Resort’s development team since 1995 and is committed exclusively to property transactions at what continues to be one of the most sought after residential resort communities in the world. We are the only on-site real estate office at Hualalai, and are uniquely positioned to share the “Hualalai Story” in an insightful and comprehensive manner. Rob Kildow and his expert luxury real estate team have been selected to exclusively represent the Luxury Real Estate Board of Regents for the Island of Hawaii also known as the Big Island.

Courtesy of Kim Briscoe of Mason Morse Real Estate

Aspen, Colo. — Brian Hazen with Mason Morse Real Estate in Aspen has listed for sale the Starwood estate of Carolyn and Bill Powers, recently featured in The Wall Street Journal in an article by Nancy Keates:

“In a big-money town with big-city cultural aspirations, the abode of Carolyn and Bill Powers fits right in.”

To read the article, click here.

Courtesy of Douglas E. Lierle of Kentwood Real Estate

DENVER – Kentwood Real Estate, Colorado’s Premier Real Estate Company, has announced a strategic marketing partnership with Denver.com, Denver’s leading intuitively-branded home on the Web. The partnership will allow DenverRealEstate.com, Kentwood Real Estate’s leading website, to extend its market reach while providing advanced real estate search capabilities on Denver.com

Denver.com, a city guide by Boulevards, focuses on providing local neighborhood and community information in the Denver metropolitan area. By combining two of Denver’s top web destinations, users will have a unique opportunity to explore the city and discover areas that fit their lifestyle preferences. DenverRealEstate.com real estate brokers will be available to assist clients with their needs. Kentwood Real Estate agents are among the most experienced in the industry and are consistently ranked among the top-producing agents in the country.

Kentwood Real Estate and DenverRealEstate.com’s marketing programs are unsurpassed in the real estate business. The company’s listings including a wide variety of homes ranging from affordable condominiums and townhomes, to extraordinary luxury estate homes. Home sellers will receive exclusive exposure for their properties through this one-of-a-kind partnership.

“Our agreement with Denver.com is a very strategic and powerful partnership that is beneficial for both parties and especially for our clients and prospective clients,” said Peter Niederman, Chief Executive Officer of Kentwood Real Estate. “Visitors to Denver.com will now have access to real estate on a new, more comprehensive level, with DenverRealEstate.com serving as a powerful platform for real estate searches. The site is live and we look forward to advancing our Internet search capabilities through this important partnership with Denver.com.”

“We are pleased to announce our relationship with Kentwood Real Estate.” said Rich Tancredi, National Real Estate Director at Boulevards. “By working with Kentwood Real Estate to deliver industry-leading real estate services, Denver.com will provide its visitors with top-tier real estate resources, local information and client services from a top local firm.”

Boulevards continues to push the boundaries of the city guide industry. Established in 1994 with the idea of “inventing the local media of the future,” Boulevards’ sites were among the first city guides to allow community postings for both events and businesses. The company operates in 23 of the nation’s top markets and is the largest U.S. operator of city guides branded with high-ranking, intuitive geo-domain sites.

The Boulevards network reaches more than four million unique viewers each month, of which 91 percent are in the United States. Its other properties include Dallas.com, Houston.com, SanAntonio.com, LosAngeles.com, SanJose.com, SanFrancisco.com, Seattle.com and Philadelphia.com. With traffic comparable to the top 600 sites worldwide, Boulevards is one of the nation’s leading online media companies. For more information, visit Boulevards.com.

Kentwood Real Estate is dedicated to its legacy of being “Colorado’s Premier Real Estate Company” through the highest producing, most knowledgeable, caring and experienced sales team in the country, offering the highest quality customer service experience. Kentwood Real Estate is an innovator known for unparalleled marketing strategies and superior Internet technology that places its clients in the best possible position.

Kentwood Real Estate is comprised of The Kentwood Company in the Denver Tech Center, Kentwood Company at Cherry Creek, and Kentwood City Properties in downtown Denver. For more information, visit Kentwood Real Estate online at www.DenverRealEstate.com.

Courtesy of Frederick Peters, President of Warburg Realty

Pricing is never easy. To price correctly brokers (and sellers) need to have both a sense of where the market is today and where it might be in a few weeks. We need to take into account the uniqueness of the product, the likely demand relative to other properties and segments of the market, and the depth of competing supply. We need to realistically assess the condition of the property and what its strengths and weaknesses are. And then we need to settle on a number which is ambitious but not prohibitive, which will induce people to stretch but not to walk away. Never an easy task for either seller or broker!

According to what I see, buyers still control the marketplace for smaller, more generic inventory. Since there are still many studio, one bedroom, and small two bedroom apartments available in postwar buildings all over town, buyers can and do leverage one against another in order to get the best deal. After all, if you don’t care much whether you buy Unit A, Unit B, or Unit C, you will make your decision based on where you can make the most attractive deal. Sellers have to price with this in mind: for their units to sell, they have to not only look attractive but also give the biggest bang for the buck.

However, in the hottest neighborhoods, like the Upper West Side and the West Village, Brooklyn Heights and Park Slope, in the prewar apartment marketplace, and in the market for 6 to 10 room units, control has shifted back to the seller. Where demand outstrips supply almost every property receives numerous bids, because there is so much pent up demand. Pricing in this environment is particularly tricky. As brokers, we do not want to make the Freakonomics mistake and price the property low to make sure it sells quickly. On the other hand we do not want to encourage unrealistic expectations in the seller, since even in the hot market prevailing in many parts of town, a really overpriced property will sit and lose its luster. My brokers report to me that they see huge traffic the first week a listing is available, moderate traffic the second week, but by week three or week four the traffic has slowed to a trickle. So any seller will most likely receive his highest price during the first couple of weeks, when buyers who have been waiting for a place like this to appear compete against each other. Once the first rush is over, the property which didn’t sell will most likely sit for a while.

So as a seller where does this leave you? First, team up with a smart experienced broker. Second, assess your property to determine if it is in a buyer’s market or a seller’s market. If the former, price is likely to be your only weapon, so use it. Today, the only way to move a commodity-type apartment quickly is to undersell relative to the competition. If the latter, you need a price which shoots high but doesn’t put you in competition with bigger, better units. Second, do your homework to honestly figure out the comparables for your property, and don’t wear your rose colored glasses about size or condition. Third, assess any special advantages or drawbacks your home has and adjust the price appropriately (good brokers can ballpark the value of BOTH the advantages and the drawbacks.) And finally, remember that everyone sometimes makes mistakes. If experience proves your pricing strategy wrong, change it! The goal is to be accurate, not to be right.

You can read more on www.warburgrealty.com/blog.

Courtesy of Krista Zilizi of Isleworth Golf & Country Club

(Photo: Sotheby’s monumental sculpture exhibition returns to Isleworth Golf & Country Club. Consejo al Espacio IX is one of a dozen Eduardo Chillida sculptures currently on display at Isleworth.)  Windermere, Fla. (March 9, 2011) – Isleworth Golf & Country Club welcomed the monumental works of the late abstract sculptor Eduardo Chillida, marking the celebrated Spanish artist’s first major U.S. exhibition of his large-scale, outdoor sculptures.

Coming directly from the artist’s estate, each of the 12 sculptures on display within Isleworth were conceived for the outdoors and are being offered in a single-artist private selling exhibition through April. The dozen sculptures installed throughout Isleworth range from $2 million to more than $9 million.

The Chillida collection is the second single-artist exhibition Sotheby’s has staged at Isleworth, which has hosted six sculpture sales since 2004. Sotheby’s 2008 Bernar Venet retrospective, Isleworth’s first single-artist presentation, was met with resounding success. Chillida’s works were formerly housed in the Chillida Leku Museum, the artist’s sculpture garden in northern Spain that closed this year after operating for a decade. The Chillida Family chose to showcase a selection of the artist’s works at Isleworth because the community’s verdant and expansive surroundings mirror Chillida’s sculpture park.

(Photos: Chillida’s Homenaje a Cioran and Consejo al Espacio VIII at Isleworth. Chillida’s Elogio del Vacio VI at Isleworth.)

“We are so pleased to have the opportunity to display Chillida’s masterpieces in our community,” said Vivienne Lewis, president of Isleworth Golf & Country Club and a Tavistock Group director. “It is an honor to be able to further the legacy of one of the most internationally renowned sculptors.”

Chillida, who died in 2002, is considered one of the leading sculptors of the 20th century. He achieved international recognition with his revolutionary approach to using natural surroundings as integral and inextricable elements of his sculptures. Made of iron, steel and stone, Chillida’s works are inspired by his rural and industrial roots in Spain’s Basque Country, where he forged his first work in iron at a local foundry.

Margot Knight, president and CEO of the United Arts of Central Florida, is familiar with the artist and has a keen understanding of his sculptures. Knight had the opportunity to meet Chillida in 1992 during a cultural exchange with the Basque Ministry of Culture.

“Though not as well known in this country, Chillida is held in iconic awe by his own countrymen and throughout Europe,” Knight said. “His monumental works challenge the spaces they inhabit, and his sculptures are as well displayed in the grassy landscapes of Isleworth as they are in his native land.”

Chillida’s art trail is extensive with more than 40 works on public display in cities around the world. Berlin, two colossal iron structures in front of the new German Chancellery in Berlin, is Chillida’s tribute to German reunification. Chillida’s Wind Combs, a series of giant steel forceps suspended from the granite cliffs of San Sebastian, symbolizes man’s connection with nature.

All 12 Chillida pieces at Isleworth are available for private sale through Sotheby’s. Contact Alma Luxembourg at alma.luxembourg@sothebys.com or +1 212 606.1621 for pricing and general inquiries.

ABOUT ISLEWORTH GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Nestled amongst the Butler Chain of Lakes in southwest Orlando, Isleworth Golf & Country Club is a 600- acre community with more than seven miles of shoreline and a championship golf course. 2011 marks Isleworth’s 25th anniversary and its transformation from a citrus grove to one of the world’s most prestigious and secure luxury residential communities. Conceived by Arnold Palmer, designed by Ed Seay and enhanced by Steve Smyers, Isleworth’s course features generous, undulating and fast greens and is consistently ranked one of the longest and toughest in Florida. Isleworth is home to an 89,000-squarefoot Mediterranean-style clubhouse where members have access to multiple dining venues and a fitness center. Members also enjoy tennis facilities, a year-round children’s program, concierge services and 24- hour gated security. Isleworth’s natural setting lends the perfect backdrop for its permanent one-of-a-kind collection of monumental sculptures, which are displayed throughout the property. Sotheby’s monumental exhibition returns to Isleworth this spring and features extraordinary works by abstract sculptor Eduardo Chillida. Elegant estate homes, priced from $2 million to more than $20 million, are afforded commanding golf to water views. For more information, visit www.isleworth.com or call (407) 876-0111.

Spring is almost here—and so is the Spring issue of our magazine!

The digital version of the Spring issue of LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine is now ready—click here to view.