Luxury Real Estate

New York City’s luxury real estate leader Jacky Teplitzky of Prudential Douglas Elliman was recently featured on Univision.com discussing the residences of the rich and famous. The Univision website receives over 460,000 visits per day, US and globally (source: Quantcast.com).

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Courtesty of Whistlerheather of seatoskynation.com

Now we completely expected the market in Whistler to cool during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic period of February and March. We also expected that January would be slow due to infrastructure that still needed to be realized; and of course April to start cleaning up after the party… May and June are known as the shoulder months so a slight slow down was also expected during this period. That would bring us right through to the third quarter 2010.

However looking at the number of sales year to date we can clearly surmise that January – May & June have been consistant in terms of sales. By the end of June it appeared Whistler was well on its way to a great summer in real estate. Then July finished and our balloon had a slow leak… No pun in tended. Trying to figure out why was not hard…

For full article click here

Courtesy of Meghan Barry of Luxuryrealestate.com

LuxuryRealEstate.com member J.P. King will be auctioning Vendovi Island, located among the San Juan Islands. Members of the LuxuryRealEstate.com staff will attend the auction event in Seattle on September 30^th.

Vendovi Island is a private 216 +/- acre island in the San Juan archipelago which lies across Samish Bay from mainland Skagit County and seven miles north of Anacortes, Washington. Boasting 13,000+/- feet of shoreline with six beaches, the island is one of the premier private islands in the area and has numerous dramatic vistas as well as gorgeous natural scenery. Long used as a seasonal residence, the island includes a caretaker/owner’s home as well as various outbuildings and structures. 

The cozy home is complimented by picnic and fireplace structures, garage, workshop, wood shed, oil shed, generator building with 400-gallon fuel tank, sawmill building, and treehouse. Accessible by private boat or floatplane, Vendovi Island has a protected harbor with a rock breakwater and a 52’x8’ pier with a 40’x4’ metal ramp and an 84’x7.5’ floating dock. The San Juan Islands has long been a tourist destination with sea kayaking and Orca whale watching as primary attractions. The serenity, beauty, and lifestyle associated with these islands continually draw many looking to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. For more information on the property or the auction being held on September 30^th, please visit the property listing on LuxuryRealEstate.com.

Courtesy of: Wilshire International Realty

By: Worth Avenue Association 

The property owners, the Town of Palm Beach and the merchant’s association (Worth Avenue Association, Inc.) have collectively partnered to breathe new life into the hardscape and landscape of the world-renowned shopping destination, Worth Avenue.

The rich history of the Avenue began in 1918 when Addison Mizner brought his unique sense of architecture to the island, building the elegant Everglades Club at the west end of the street, which set the pace for the prestige that this strip of real estate would one day command.

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According to British journalist, Stuart White, there are numerous reasons to visit Valencia (we could have told him that long ago) but he eventually managed to restrict himself to a Top 10.

Describing Valencia as “Spain’s third largest, most exciting and wonderfully diverse city”, White starts out by singing the praises o paella, a local dish that most now realise originated in the city, the world famous Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias and the imagination of Santiago Calatrava and the Turia Gardens. This 10km stretch of former riverbed, created when the Rio Turia was diverted out of the city, sports a network of wonderful nature paths, popular with walkers, joggers, dog owners and skateboarders. 

The marvellous sandy beaches also merit a mention, along with Valencia’s historic Mercado Centrico. Covering 8,000m2, this bustling market is a splendid introduction to the best of valenciano produce; from the scent of roasted nuts and spices to the heady aroma of fresh fish it clearly enchanted Stuart White. City traditions also feature strongly on his list. His examples of civic excellence are wide, from the coat of arms to the local tipples, horchata and Agua de Valencia. The fallas merit a mention of their own, the combination of fire and fireworks exciting the author a much as it does the locals.

Rounding off the list are three very disparate elements of Valencian life: White praises the historical aspects of the city, paying particular attention to its medieval highlights, from the gothic city gates to the Water Court, he also mentions La Catedral de Valencia as the final home of the Holy Grail and rounds off his list with sport. Starting with the Plaza de Toros (Spain’s largest) White name-checks Valencia’s Formula One street circuit, the Marina Real Juan Carlos I and the city’s beloved football team. There’s no publicity like free publicity and Stuart White’s article, covering so many aspects of valenciano life, is a particularly welcome boost to the city’s profile in the UK.

WINTER PARK, FL---When Winter Park Realtor® Scott Hillman finished compiling statistics for the 2010 Mid-Year Hillman Report, the results showed existing home sales were up, inventory was shrinking, and prices were beginning to stabilize in some areas over a comparable period last year.

“Despite a very challenging economy that drove Greater Orlando’s real estate market to rock bottom in March 2009, we’re starting to see a silver lining as a great many distressed properties have been moved off the books, inventory is slowly being reduced, and prices are beginning to stabilize in some areas, especially in older established neighborhoods,” said Hillman, president of Fannie Hillman + Associates, the 29-year-old independent real estate firm that compiled The Hillman Report based on information in the Orlando Regional Realtor MLS database.

“The existing home market certainly isn’t as bad as some doomsayers would have us believe, but it will only continue to improve provided the industry continues to adjust by flushing out and reducing the inventory of distressed properties,” he said.

According to The Hillman Report, single-family home and condominium sales in Greater Orlando in price ranges from under $200,000 to over $1 million were up 45 percent for the first six months over a comparable period last year.

Of particular note was the sale of 105 homes over $1 million which was up a robust 84 percent. They fetched an average price of $1,641,102 while the sale of 192 homes in the $500,000 - $750,000 price range was up a lofty 50 percent, bringing an average price of $596,952.

Overall, single-family home sales in Greater Orlando were up a very respectable 33.4 percent while condominium sales, which have fallen off considerably in recent years, were up an eye-popping 77.8 percent.

The spike in condominium sales was due primarily to an 11 percent decrease in the average sale price of condos priced under $200,000, resulting in an 80 percent uptick in sales in that price range,” said Hillman.

“On the other hand, condos priced over $500,000 showed increases of 13 and 30 percent, respectively, in average and median prices,” he said. “That’s the good news. The fact that there were only seven sales in this category is a sign that we still have a lot of inventory to be purchased to really feel good about the high-end condo market.”

Average and median prices of single-family homes were down slightly or unchanged in all price ranges, except the $300,000 and under category where they were down nine and 10 percent, respectively.

As for overall plus performance in a particular zip code, Hillman said the neo-traditional neighborhood of Baldwin Park (zip code 32814) showed gains across the board in single-family home sales after a down year in all categories last year. The sale of 68 homes represented a 15 percent increase, the average sales price of $522,331 was up 10 percent, the median sales price of $430,567 was up five percent, and both the average and median price per square foot were basically unchanged.

The Hillman Report also showed the following positive housing trends in specific Greater Orlando zip codes (32751, 32789, 32792, 32801, 32803, 32804, 32806 and 32814):

* Greatest increase in non-lakefront single-family home sales---74 percent in Winter Park (32789)

and 73 percent College Park (32804).

* Greatest increase in condominium sales---133 percent in Winter Park (32789) and 113 percent in

Maitland (32751).

* Greatest increase in media price per square foot---single-family lakefront homes (not on the

Chain of Lakes) up 30 percent to $154.83 in Winter Park (32789).

For a copy of The Hillman Report, contact Scott Hillman at (407) 644-1234, or visit the company’s web site at www.fanniehillman.com for a comprehensive look at The Hillman Report.

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This impressive Richardsonian Romanesque Revival mansion is by far the most imposing home in New Orleans. Made with the finest of materials. Exquisite blue sandstone exterior, tile roof, ornate plaster details throughout. Every amenity. Private gated grounds by landscape archiect Rene Fransen. Terraced patio with fabulous heated pool, hot tub. Built-in 3 car garage. Architectural gem.

Courtesy of Meghan Barry of Luxuryrealestate.com

I recently received an email from Luxury Real Estate member, Elizabeth Ann Kivlan, Executive Vice President and Director of Sales for Stribling & Associates, Ltd. in New York City. She will be attending our upcoming Fall Conference in Seattle and she asked me for some advice on the best restaurants in Seattle. Here is a list I put together of some of my favorite places.

All Time Favorites

Herbfarm Restaurant (Woodinville) – the ultimate fresh and local destination restaurant, 9 course meals and wine pairings, you never feel stuffed, a total experience, near wineries/breweries for an excursion

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese (Pike Place Market) – if you have every wanted to see cheese made this is your opportunity, best Mac & Cheese ever

Matt's in the Market (Pike Place Market) – Seafood, always have a good chowder on the menu, lively atmosphere, probably my favorite place in the Market

Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream (Capital Hill and other locations) – Salted caramel, Lavender, Balsamic Strawberry, artisan flavors and all the best old standbys, lines out the door

Via Tribunali (Capital Hill and other locations) – Pizza, ingredients flown in from Italy, lively yet brooding atmosphere

Le Pichet (Pike Place Market) - French, simple classic good menu, café vibe

Serious Pie (Downtown) – one of many from Tom Douglas, Pizza, cool combinations of fresh local ingredients, pub-like setting

Campagne (Pike Place Market) – French, have a café below and a restaurant above, both are elegant, I kind of like the café atmosphere better

Salumi (Downtown) – cured meats, Mario Batali family, awesome

Volterra (Ballard) – Italian, neat neighborhood with commercial fishing (just like on that Deadliest Catch show) and fun/upscale boutiques

Steelhead Diner (Pike Place Market) – hearty NW food, cool diner atmosphere

Top Pot Doughnuts (Belltown and other locations) – best doughnuts in Seattle, hand forged

Macrina Bakery (Belltown and other locations) – all kinds of yummy snacky snacks, sandwiches, salads, breakfast

Canlis (Queen Anne) – elegant, great views, a dinner experience

Le Panier (Pike Place Market) - Authentic french bakery, amazing aromas, in pike place market!

Other Favorites

Wild Ginger (Downtown) – Asian, fun atmosphere, neat bar

Red Mill Burgers (several locations) – best burgers in Seattle

Pink Door (Pike Place Market) - Italian-American cuisine, great outdoor seating on the deck, views of Puget Sound

Ezell's Fried Chicken (Central District) – spartan atmosphere, but great food, Oprah’s favorite

Chez Shea (Pike Place Market) – simple and elegant French, great views

Shuckers (Downtown) – a power lunch kind of place, great seafood

Dahlia Lounge (Downtown) – Tom Douglas, a dinner kind of place, International, Seafood

Lola (Downtown) – Tom Douglas, amazing breakfasts, more casual, Greek

Paseo (Fremont) - Caribbean, best jerk chicken sandwich, a little road-side lunch spot

Courtesy of Tim Harris of Tradewinds Realty Inc.

Pearl Island (off the coast of Nova Scotia) is guardian to Mahone Bay and the Chester islands. Once a manned lighthouse, it is now only an automated light and the lighthouse keeper’s house and related building which was torn down a few years ago. However, Pearl still has life left in it as it is still home to the Atlantic Puffin. The Puffin is common in summer in Nova Scotia but only around one of its remaining breeding colonies at Pearl Island, Lunenburg County.

Below are informational links:

Atlantic Puffin: http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnh/nature/nsbirds/bns0200.htm 

Pearl Island: http://marinas.com/view/lighthouse/1090_Pearl_Island_Lighthouse_Chester_NS

Posted by Courtney Jackson Mon, 26 Jul 2010

We are honored to announce that the Fall 2010 Luxury Real Estate Lifetime Achievement Award recipient is Patricia Choi of Choi International in Honolulu , Hawaii .

This prestigious award is given twice annually to the Luxury Real Estate member who has set an example for the real estate industry, displayed excellence throughout their career and is truly a legend.

Patricia Choi was born in Birmingham, Alabama and moved to Hawaii in 1975 to be an estate, tax and real estate paralegal with the law firm of Torkildson, Katz, Conahan & Loden. There she met her husband, Cedric Choi, who was an associate attorney and licensed real estate agent. In 1981 she started her "boutique" real estate firm, specializing in luxury real estate and commercial properties. During the 32 years that she has been involved in real estate sales, Patricia has achieved over One Billion in sales and has distinguished herself as a leader in regional, national and international real estate organizations.

 Locally, she was the first recipient of the Aloha 'Aina Real Estate Award as the Realtor's Choice in 1998 for her service to the industry and clients, her professional and ethical conduct, her cooperative business approaches and extraordinary service to all in transactions. She was appointed by the Governor in 1999 to the Real Estate Commission of the State of Hawaii, to which she devoted part of her time as a public service until 2003. Patricia is also very active as a director and volunteer fund raiser for various charitable institutions such as the Kapiolani Hospital for Women & Children’s capital campaign committee and the Washington Place Foundation for the restoration of the Governor's mansion. Patricia has achieved the coveted designation of CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member), held by less than 10,000 of the 1,118,000 realtors in the nation and the international real estate designation of CIPS (Certified International Property Specialist). She has served on the National Association of Realtors International Operations Committee and received an award as the Outstanding International Reciprocal Director to Korea for 2000. Her outstanding performance as a luxury broker has led to her selection as a Board of Regents member for LuxuryRealEstate.com, an exclusive organization of over 800 of the world’s top brokers. In 2006, Patricia was nominated by her peers to be a member of the Board of Regents Executive Committee, which serves as a council and advocate for other Regents members and works to promote as well as expand the Regents program. Pat is also a member of the LuxuryRealEstate.com Billionaire’s Club, in recognition for her outstanding sales achievements. Additionally, Patricia is proud to be a founding member of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, a member of LuxuryPortfolio.com and Leading Real Estate Companies of the World. With over $200,000,000 in sales in 2005, Patricia was ranked #3 of the Top 200 Brokers in the U.S. and recognized as one of the 35 Most Influential People in Luxury Real Estate. Hawaii Business Magazine's prestigious list of "Who's Who in Hawaii Real Estate" recognized Patricia for three successive years as the #1 Realtor in the State of Hawaii, and recently honored her as Oahu’s #1 Realtor for 2009. Patricia has also been honored as one of the "Top 100 Most Influential Women in Real Estate" for 2008 by renown real estate trends expert and best selling author Stefan Swanepoel. Patricia has been the leader in luxury residential sales in Honolulu by dollar volume for the years 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and into 2010.

For more information on Choi Realty, please visit www.choi-realty.com. For more information on the 15th Annual Luxury Real Estate Fall Conference, visit http://www.luxuryrealestate.com/lounge/events.