Luxury Real Estate

A new member with Luxuryrealestate.com, Jack Cotton founded Cotton Real Estate, now Sotheby's International Realty in 1974. As a Cape Cod real estate leader, Cotton has built his reputation on the integrity to put his customer first in every single situation. Specializing in luxury properties and Cape Cod's waterfront homes, he has overseen thousands of purchases and sales of Cape Cod Properties. Stressing the importance of continuing professional education, Cotton funded the creation of the Cotton Center for Real Estate studies at Cape Cod Community College in 2006.

Constantly fine-tuning the techniques of the selling and buying process, Cotton continues to strive for new ways to serve his clientele. When asked about Luxuryrealestate.com, Cotton said, "I am thrilled to reconnect with all of my friends and fellow luxury agents at LuxuryRealEstate.com. It is a great venue to learn from and to be able to network with the best agents in the business. It's also great to provide one more valuable point of difference for my luxury home clients."

Cotton also shares his knowledge at national Real Estate Conventions as a program presenter who engages his audience with a pertinent and refreshing perspective on all things luxury real estate. He delivers informative insight on the most up to date information and does it in a way that is entertaining and memorable.

Courtesy of Ebby Halliday Realtors

 It’s hard to surprise someone like Ross Perot.  But yesterday, it happened. 

Ebby, along with 1,000 other close friends, colleagues and family members surprised the two-time presidential candidate at Dell Services headquarters in Plano - almost three weeks before his actual 80th birthday on June 27.  Everything was going as planned and right on time for the surprise, until Mr. Perot asked to stop for yogurt on his way back to the office.  Luckily, he put his craving aside for what he thought was an important meeting with Michael Dell.

When he arrived, in addition to seeing Michael Dell (via video), he also found a cafeteria full of birthday well wishers.  Among his gifts, he was presented with a bound book of more than 1,000 birthday wishes from the likes of former President George W. Bush, Barbara Walters, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs.  He also received video messages from comedians Dana Carvey and Jay Leno.

Ebby wrote a special song for the event, which she performed with her signature ukulele:

We celebrate a really great gentleman
Whose name all of us know
He never messes with Texas
His name is H. Ross Perot!

In June he’ll be a young 80
He has lots of “get up and go”
His good deeds are mighty weighty
Third verse same as the first and so …

We celebrate our favorite gentleman
Whose courage we do know
Had he been there when it happened
He might have even won the Alamo!

Mr. Perot is known for being quite the prankster, and while he is one of Ebby’s closest friends, she also had another motive for wanting to help plan his birthday surprise  - payback.  Recently, Ebby arrived home to find a 9-foot-tall-naked-lady topiary on her front porch, compliments of her good friend Ross.  The statue now resides in Ebby’s backyard (see below) and after yesterday, it’s pretty safe to say the two living legends are now even. 

To read the full report from yesterday’s birthday bash, check out the article by Cheryl Hall in today’s Dallas Morning News.

By Todd Cutter of 2CostaRica Real Estate

After a wonderful weekend at the Spring Retreat in South Beach, I took some time to think about all of the amazing networking, topics of conversation and the feedback from all of you, my colleagues. 

Clearly, an underlying theme in this weekend's conference and the market in general, is the effect that technology has in today's real estate marketplace. We all heard over and over again "print is dead," "we are done with magazines," you need to integrate social media, "are you active in your blog, how often are you on facebook, are you on Twitter, and of course, the importance of integrating the new gadgets like the IPAD to make ourselves more efficient.

Although nowhere near an expert, nor can I say that I blog every day, or update our facebook page every day, or much less, can I say that we have "figured it all out," we do have exposure and a clear understanding of what these distinct avenues of marketing and technology can provide. HOWEVER, like the best laptop 10 years ago, the challenge with technology is that today's invention is in tomorrow's recycle bin. I remember when Flash technology became popular and no web designers, (with the exception of the few brands in the world that did not need engine placement) would come near it for fear of not being found in the search engines. Not much later, they learned that although the search engines could not spider these presentations, they could be seamlessly integrated to create a better style, presentation and overall brand.

So many are left with the question....how do I proceed. What is the best way for me to get ahead of my competitors?

At the end of the day, none of us have the answer to the best plan in moving forward. Real estate, like the trends that accompany it, is a moving target and we need to be able to adapt to what is happening every day. We all learned in the past 18 months, that our markets can change with the drop off a hat. Creating and staying true to the essence of your brand, and who you and your team are at the core, is the key to success. Adaptation, innovation and implementation will help solve the rest.

In my mind, when the other aspects of the business (like the above list) starts to overwhelm us, we need to get back to the basics of relationships. We are all successful in our own markets based on the relationships that we have formed with our buyers and our sellers. In today's market, there is so much fear, uncertainty and lack of commitment and i feel that it is our true success will come when our clients, both buyers and sellers, feel a trusted guide to maneuver them through the process. Our education, knowledge and experience should allow them to remove the fear of engaging with a broker that so many of them carry.

Good luck to all of you,

Todd Cutter

2Costa Rica Real Estate

www.2costaricarealestate.com

Ilya Moshenskiy, a renowned photographer and longtime business partner with LuxuryRealEstate.com, recently completed a photo shoot for a luxury property called Seattle Escala. To see his beautiful photos of this property, click on the above link.

Ilya, as he is affectionately called by his clients and friends, has taken Seattle photography to a whole new level with the avant-garde style and composition of his pictures.

Several companies and individuals were instrumental in making this shoot so successful and visually exciting. Polina Zaika, principal of MusaDesign Interior Design, was in charge of arranging most of the furniture in the rooms. She is internationally recognized for her unique style and desire for perfection in her designs.

Jeff Lamb, founder of J Lamb Studio, also contributed to Seattle Escala’s layout. Masins Furniture supplied the elegant pieces of furniture. Roche Bobois provided additional furniture for the shoot. Stacy Jones, vice president of Realogics, is heading the marketing efforts for the property.

A picture is worth a thousand words, so here is a sample of Ilya’s work on Seattle Escala.

As a partner of LuxuryRealEstate.com, Ilya’s Photography is responsible for most of that company’s photographs at its annual networking events. For the past four years, Ilya’s Photography has been the principal photographer for LuxuryRealEstate.com.

For more information about Ilya’s photographic services, which include architecture, food and other products, please contact him at ilya@ilyaphoto.com or visit his website, www.ilyaphoto.com.

By Frederick Peters of Warburg Realty

The current Goldman Sachs SEC investigation stems in large part from injudicious e-mail messages written by a 30-year-old trader, reminding us once again that e-mail is never private, and it is never gone. It is easy to forget that as you sit in your bedroom responding to e-mail at 1 A.M., and people easily forget the same thing about Facebook. You had better get rid of that photo of you in your underwear holding a bong if you are applying for a job or to a college. And you had better make sure your kids do the same if you are applying to a co-op. One story making the rounds of New York real estate this week is about a co-op Board turndown which came after compromising photos appeared on the Facebook page of the applicant’s child.

New technologies change our world, influencing how we interact and with whom. In the Web 2.0 era, the blending of the personal and the professional is inevitable and, when managed judiciously, even desirable. People who know a little about you may feel more comfortable approaching you professionally, thus expanding your sphere of influence. Similarly, social networking sites can provide extensive exposure for listings and blogs, promoting the agent/writer as an expert in the field (I will post this blog entry to both Facebook and LinkedIn as soon as it is finished.) But the key word here is “judicious.” Don’t say too much. Don’t be prurient. Don’t log in thirty times a day, informing others about where you are having dinner or when you are brushing your teeth. Social networks are just likeany other social situation: what you get out of it has everything to do with how skillfully you manage what you put in.

In the meantime, feel free to friend me on Facebook!

By Meghan Barry

Previously we blogged about a CNN story featuring 93 year old John Harvey Losh and ‘Five places to get your green on’ for St. Patrick’s Day. Again this year, the father of LuxuryRealEstate.com CEO/Publisher John Brian Losh walked in the Seattle St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 13, 2010. Here is a photo from the event and the story from last year. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Courtesy of Jane Powers

(CNN, By Jessica Ravitz, March 2009) -- It's about that time of year, when dyed green rivers and Guinness beers flow, the shamrock sunglasses and leprechaun T-shirts come out, and corned beef and cabbage enters the mainstream menu.

With St. Patrick's Day one week away, the Irish across America -- and those who just want to be Irish for a day -- are preparing to celebrate, if they haven't started already.

When it comes to St. Paddy's, many people think of the annual parades. The American invention originated in New York, which still has the largest, but the green season is about so much more.

For hundreds of years in Ireland, people have observed the feast of St. Patrick, a fifth-century missionary credited with saving pagans on the Emerald Isle. On the feast day of March 17, which falls during the Lent season, the Irish can cut loose: sing, dance and enjoy meat, even on a Friday, when it would otherwise be prohibited.

Irish Americans, who account for more than 12 percent of the U.S. population according to the U.S. Census Bureau, mark St. Paddy's Day and celebrate their heritage in numerous ways that may go unnoticed to the casual observer or outsider. Here are glimpses into how some of them do it.

Political wit a hit in Boston, Massachusetts

The link to Ireland couldn't be stronger than it is in Massachusetts, where a quarter of the population claims Irish heritage.

And while the state capital is awash in green cheer at this time of year, a tradition of exchanging political barbs has kicked off each morning of the St. Patrick's Day parade, dating back about 60 years. The March 15 breakfast, including song and dance amid the playful ribbing, was an outgrowth of the community's involvement in politics, which runs as deep as Irish humor.

"It allows people to see their elected officials [local, state and national] in a role they don't normally see them in," explained state Sen. Jack Hart (or, as he says it, "Haht") of south Boston, who's hosting the political roast for the eighth year. The televised event draws about 4 million viewers and "beats the Sunday morning talk shows."

Neither Sen. Ted Kennedy nor Sen. John Kerry is expected this year, but getting a call from the nation's highest office isn't unheard of. Vice President Joe Biden has attended, and Hart said they're working on getting the attention of President Obama. Or is that O'Bama?

Honoring their ancestors in Savannah, Georgia

They may not match the Irish population numbers of Boston, New York or Chicago, but several Southern cities, including Savannah, Georgia, have deep green roots.

The city's annual parade, which dates back 185 years, draws about 400,000 and is reportedly the second largest in the country, according to the parade committee Web site.

Behind the public fanfare, however, there's a lower-key event that John Forbes, the parade committee chairman, touts as more important to the southern city's Irish Catholics: the Celtic Cross Mass and ceremony.

The Sunday event, on March 15 this year , starts at 11:45 a.m. in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, where members of all the Irish societies come together to pray before walking in procession to the Celtic Cross (made of stone from Ireland) in Emmet Park.

"That's just a big day for us," Forbes said. Away from all the commercialism, "to us, it's in honor of our ancestors."

Kicking up their feet in Chicago, Illinois

The night before Chicagoans see their river turn an emerald green, an annual dyeing practice that dates back 40 years, the Irish community and other observers will gather for one of its newer traditions: Irish Dance Chicago.

Drawing 400 to 500 participants ages 4 to 17, the 3-year-old event showcases the Irish step dancing skills learned in six area schools that are dedicated to passing along this piece of culture. It begins at 7 p.m. March 13.

Step dancing, a tradition popularized by 1994's "Riverdance" show, involves rapid foot work while keeping the upper body stiff. It's also a platform for traditional Irish music and costumes.

For parents who usually spend time carting their children around, the event offers them a chance to "finally get to see their kids perform ... showcasing the styles they have," said Kathy O'Neill, a spokeswoman for the Irish American Heritage Center, which hosts the weekend's kickoff event.

"It's important to carry on heritage," she said.

A taste of tradition in Seattle, Washington

During Irish Week in Seattle, which features everything from a genealogy conference and run to street painting and the passing of a shillelagh (an Irish walking stick), one particular event rose to our attention.

The decades-old Irish soda bread baking contest, which happened Saturday, attracts more than 100 competitors each year.

The bread dates back to about 1840, traditionally features a cross on top "to ward off evil" and uses bicarbonate of soda -- instead of yeast -- for rising, said Mike McQuaid, a spokesman for Seattle's Irish Heritage Club.

"It was simple to make, the ingredients were easy to find, and it was very filling," said Mary Shriane, who oversees the contest and grew up on her mom's soda bread.

It was a staple in Irish homes "up until 40 years ago," she continued. "And it's a tradition we like to keep alive."

Green grows in the desert of Phoenix, Arizona

When Mary Moriarty and her husband, a retired New York police officer, moved to the "valley of the sun," she wasn't sure what to expect. Looking around during their first St. Paddy's Day parade in the Southwest, she said, "I remembered thinking, 'This is it?' "

But 14 years later, the chairwoman of the St. Patrick's Day Faire and operations manager for the Irish Cultural Center knows that the desert connection to the lush green Emerald Isle is as real as anywhere else.

This year's parade starts at 10 a.m. Saturday and is followed by festivities in the park adjacent to the cultural center.

"We will naturally have liquid libations," Moriarty said. "You can't have an Irish party without liquid libations."

But it's not all about drunken revelry. Their center's groundbreaking in 1999 began by dedicating a memorial to the "Great Hunger," or the mid-19th century potato famine that led to death, disease and mass emigration, Moriarty said.

And the center, today, is a place where the estimated 400,000 Phoenix-area residents with Irish heritage can learn about their culture, including traditional foods, music and dance.

"The United States is made up of immigrants from all over the world ... and it's very important for all the different groups to celebrate what they brought with them," she said. "Yes, you are American, but you still have to realize where your ancestors came from."

By Chiara Gajar of Lawrence Realty

So the Olympics have been ongoing the last two weeks.  Ron and I have been getting much less sleep than usual as we can’t seem to turn the TV off during the late evening coverage.  I just love seeing the athletes fulfill their dreams by being at the Olympics.  Some of the events I really look forward to, mostly the skiing ones and others I enjoy seeing because I just to get to see them except for during the Winter Olympics.  The Olympic spirit has been high here in Squaw Valley as quite a few of the athletes are from Squaw Valley, Tahoe and Truckee.  It is especially exciting that our home town girl, Julia Mancuso, won two Silver medals.

Each evening before the prime time Olympic coverage, the KCRA Chanel 3 news out of Sacramento has been doing a live show at the Resort at Squaw Creek called the Olympic Zone.  The show includes highlights of the Olympics and then segments on locals somehow related to winter sports and or the Olympics.  I was interviewed earlier this week as a former ski cross competitor.  The 2010 Olympic Games marks the debut for the ski cross event.  It is an exciting sport where 4 skiiers race down a course full of air features and banked turns with the fastest two advancing to the next round.  This year there were no American women competing at the Olympics in ski cross.

Mae Fesai, of KCRA news, decided to do a story on me because of my past successes in the sport.  Back in 2000 and 2001, I took a gold medal at the Winter Gravity Games and silver and bronze at the X-Games.   Here is the interview video they showed earlier this week during this Olympic Zone show.  It was a bit of a Hollywood experience.  Enjoy the clip.

By: Frederick Peters of Warburg Realty

Last night it was my privilege to sit around the big conference table in the Boardroom at the Real Estate Board of New York with 30 of the industry’s top professionals leading a conversation on ethics. I was impressed as I so often am when I teach at REBNY or elsewhere by the extremely high standards these agents set for themselves. Our business, like most businesses, isn’t black and white. But, in the wake of the excesses of the last few years on Wall Street, top agents in our business seem more concerned than ever about doing the right thing.

What, for example, do you do when a seller has accepted an offer, given a handshake as it were, but then receives a higher offer? Should that seller feel bound to stick with his deal? If you think the answer is yes, is it your obligation to tell him so? How hard should you push? Is the seller aware that often the higher offer disappears, but in the meantime he has alienated his original buyer so he ends up with nothing? And it is the broker, not the seller, whose reputation suffers when that takes place!

Or how are we supposed to deal with the tension between fair housing guidelines and legitimate questions that our buyers ask us? At Warburg we now refer to “family” as “the F word” because we are not allowed to utter it when we are out with customers. If they ask “Are there a lot of children in the building?” we are not allowed to answer. If they want to know if a co-op has a demanding Board we are not allowed to answer. So how do we help our customers make informed decisions while making sure we do not break the law?

The goal of a class like this is not so much to provide answers (most ethical dilemmas do not have clear answers, otherwise they would not be dilemmas!) as to create a forum for open discussion and inquiry. And for three hours at the table, I was proud, as I so often am, to be leading this discussion and to be a part of this industry.

By Jim Walberg of Keller Williams Realty - The Bay Area Team

For the past several years the Rotary Club that I have been a member of since it was chartered in 1989 has distributed dictionaries to the 3^rd-graders of the San Ramon Unified School District. There were over 30 of our Rotary club members who participated in the distribution last week. David Behring, president of the Wheelchair Foundation, and myself assisted with the dictionary distribution at Tassajara Hills Elementary. David and I went into the 3^rd-grade classrooms to the delight of the students. As we were distributing them we had them help us look up words so they could learn how to navigate through the beautiful hardbound dictionary. Some of the words were “service”, “Gila monster”, and “impertinent”.. As a student would find the word they would raise their hand, then stand up and read the definition. I hope you agree with me when I say the love of reading is one of the most important skills a young student can learn. Dictionaries are intended to bring words to life, and as a resource for students to use for many years.

The idea for The Dictionary Project began in 1992 when Annie Plummer of Savannah, Georgia, gave 50 dictionaries to children who attended a school close to her home. Each year she continued to give this gift, raising money to help give more and more books so that in her lifetime she raised enough money to buy 17,000 dictionaries for children in Savannah. Early on, her project attracted the attention of Bonnie Beeferman of Hilton Head, S.C., who began a project of raising money by selling crafts to buy dictionaries for the schoolchildren of Hilton Head and the surrounding communities.

By 1995, Bonnie was getting so many requests from local teachers to be included in the project that she wrote a letter to the editor of the Charleston, S. C., newspaper explaining the project and asking for someone to help meet the requests from the Charleston area. Mary French, who was already an active school volunteer even though her two children were still of preschool age, read the letter and decided this was a project for her. Starting with a few schools in Charleston and Summerville, she realized quickly that providing dictionaries to all the students in Charleston was going to require serious fundraising. She and her husband Arno French formed a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit Association in 1995, along with a Board of Directors. Arno served as president, Mary became the director of the association, and The Dictionary Project was born.

Since 1995, over 11,668,293 children have received a dictionary thanks to the generosity of sponsors like our Rotary Club, who have participated in the Dictionary Project. We have chosen to focus on all the 3^rd- graders in our local school district so they can enjoy the benefits of a large vocabulary. In 2008, alone, there were 2,417,994 dictionaries given to students as gifts from organizations like Rotary and my local real estate agents. The goal of this program is to assist all students in completing the school year as good writers, active readers and creative thinkers by providing students with their own personal dictionary.

Most children do not own a dictionary, nor do they have access to one in their home. We selected the third graders as the group to provide them to each year since there are at the age at which dictionary skills are usually taught. It is a challenge for a student to do their best work without a dictionary. By providing this tool we are helping teachers as they are helping all their students become active readers, good writers, creative thinkers, and resourceful learners.

The Dictionary Project is now in 15 countries. If dictionaries are not being distributed to the 3^rd – graders in your community you may want to consider organizing a way for it to happen. Until next time…your East Bay lifestyle detective remains on duty! CLICK HERE if you would like information on any real estate services.

By John Brian Losh of LuxuryRealEstate.com

Another addition to my ongoing discussion of the principles I believe are required for success.

Hard Work: Preparation is extra work and pays dividends. Being prepared to work with a buyer or seller puts you miles ahead of the ‘ad-libber’.

Passion: Decide what you enjoy the most and build your practice to make yourself the expert. Your passion is apparent the moment an individual meets you.

Community: Go out of your way to make your new neighbor feel welcome and that neighbor will be forever grateful.