Archive for the 'Luxury Info' Category
Yahoo! to Google: Real Time Stock Quotes
Google has become a noun, a verb and a trusted friend in my life.
It of course answers endless questions and sends curious clients my way, but also handles my email, documents, maps, spreadsheets, instant chat, and more. And when I want to check traffic conditions, I can do it with another Google real time mapping application on the Blackberry.
Just when I have to count both fingers and toes to list all the very cool Google applications, they surprise us with another:
Now, we can all get real time stock quotes and financial news about our favorite stocks. No more delayed quotes from Yahoo or other financial sites. If Google had any shortcoming, it has been in the financial arena. For stock quotes and financial news, son and sometimes-trader Scott has always championed Yahoo Financial News for quick quotes and relevant company news.
No more. When life moves quickly (and it does), consider the importance of twenty minutes–and all the things that can happen in that short time frame.
Yahoo! to Google (and a thousand balloons) for transporting real time stock quotes from the traders to the people. This is major financial news–and one I’ll also be able to put on my Blackberry.
read comments (0)Databases Coming Out the Wazoo?
Call this a geeky rant. Call it a blonde tirade. Call it what you want, but I just don’t know what to do about diverse databases.
I think I have them coming out the Wazoo.
If you came here seeking luxury news, you may want to click away and come back tomorrow. Right now, I am trying to sort out a database problem that honestly keeps me awake at night.
You see, I have been collecting names, addresses, email addresses and property preferences from people for centuries. And if there were a way my databases of information could talk to each other, I could be the supreme Yentl of real estate in Southern California–or the whole world.
My problem? SOAR Solutions, which for years reliably sent property information to hundreds of clients, was sold to HouseValues, who ostensibly does the same thing but charges a king’s ransom to do so. At the same time, clients who signed into SearchPoint with my ancient Realigent site, are listed there and are also receiving property updates from me.
Then there was Top Producer, which held all the contact information for existing clients–along with their birthdays and wine preferences. And now I have an account with 1ParkPlace, which also sends out listing information to clients and maintains another database.
The real problem?
None of these databases talk to one another–and I think it’s a deliberate conspiracy, HouseValues will release only the client’s name, address, telephone and email address. Forget about search parameters. They hold that information hostage and continue to charge me out the yingyang for the privilege of doing so. I would like to migrate this information to 1ParkPlace, but no can do.
Guess those tasks will have to be done one by one, keystroke by keystroke.
Then there’s the database sitting over at Realigent that is fully 8 years old. Many of these searchers have been with me since the last century. Those, too, will have to be migrated one by one, keystroke by keystroke.
The problem could probably be solved if I were an enterprise level business doing gazillions of transactions per day. If that were the case, I would just call the database gurus at ANTs Software and they could use their cool plugin and make databases like Oracle, IBM, Sybase and Microsoft relate, talk and migrate to one or the other. The Ants Compatibility Server (ACS), fortunately and unfortunately, is whizbang technology for the big guys and ANTs will probably rule the world of databases some day, but are of little help to me now.
In the meantime, I think someone could make a modest royal ransom if they could solve the Realtor’s dilemma with databases and set us free from those vendors who hold us hostage. If software could be written that would encompass not only basic information, but also our real estate client’s search parameters and wine preferences, the world’s real estate crisis might be solved.
And just for grins, remember this classic Super Bowl 2000 Commercial?
A Call to Luxury Blogs and Bloggers
I love luxury and enjoy reading luxury blogs. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to visit them all to ferret out the latest in luxury news. One solution is to create a luxury blog network that will syndicate content from the best luxury blogs–whether they are focused on bling, luxury travel, luxury real estate, luxury clues, luxury furnishings or just the rich and famous.
The Luxury Blog Network is under current construction with the Domus Consulting gurus, and we are actively seeking top luxury blogs and bloggers who might be interested in participating in this syndication.
Each article written within the participating luxury blog would be published in a truncated fashion, with a link leading back to the original blog article. The goal is to provide one place to check out the latest in luxury news and increase traffic to the participating sites.
If you feel your luxury blog might be a candidate for this venture, please email roberta (at) luxuryhomedigest.com or contact me through this site.
Luxury on a Gold-Plated Shoestring
I call Eve Sieminski the Polish Contessa. She loves fine jewelry, expensive hairstylists and fine wine. I don’t know where Eve shops for jewelry or what deal (if any) she strikes with her hairstylist, but we follow her wine recommendations religiously.
You see, the Polish Contessa, has no problem pouring a classless wine down the drain, nor does she hesitate to share her latest finds. One recent jewel was the TBD Zinfandel that is available at Trader Joe’s for (shhhh!) $4.99 a bottle. We tried one bottle and immediately bought a case. It really is that good. But the recommendation comes from Eve, who says:
“This tastes like a $30 bottle of fine Zinfandel that I wouldn’t hesitate to serve at a State Dinner–or to my snootiest clients. It might be good, however, to decant the wine first. The TBD label and name just don’t do justice to what is inside the bottle.”
If you are looking for commentary about hints of raspberry, chocolate finishes or oakey notes, Eve suggests you visit a symphony or read reviews for $80 bottles of wine in Wine Spectator or the like. And while Eve can afford Opus One or perhaps a Chateau Clement Pichon, she takes great pleasure in finding great wines at fabulous prices–and enjoys sharing her conquests.
If you want reviews and inside bargain scoops on fine wines from a true wine lover (instead of a critic), I advise you to stay tuned. Eve has promised to gift our luxey readers with more of her outstanding finds in wine and food. And if you, dear reader, have a recommendation for great wines under $20, Eve promises she (and we?) will try them out and share the results.
Eve’s Bonus Wine Tip: If you don’t have time to property chill your red wine to European room temperature (yes, red wine blossoms with slight chilling), put it in your freezer for 15 minutes (set timer), remove and enjoy.
This will be an irregular column, but we promise to share great wine finds, food discoveries and bonus wine and food tips with our luxury readers as soon as they become available.
What better way to truly enjoy your luxury home with appreciative friends and other oenophiles.
In the meantime, please feel free to share your own!
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Nouveau Luxury Home Buyers: Instapreneurs
Who are these young and ultra-affluent buyers of homes in Rancho Santa Fe, Palm Beach, La Jolla, Aspen and Manhattan?
Robert Frank, in his best-seller Richistan, calls them instapreneurs (didn’t he coin the term?).
These are the new titans in technologies, who have benefited from a rise in financial speculation and governments that support free trade and wealth.
Instapreneurs are not plodders when it comes to accumulating wealth. They don’t develop companies to last for family generation; rather, they may launch several companies over their career life spans. And the goal for each venture is a lucrative “exit strategy” that will create the fattest windfall possible.
What are these luxury buyers seeking when searching for their trophy home?
1. They are specific in their demands as to age of property, views, room volume, luxury closets, privacy, and entertaining areas.
2. Instapreneurs often wish to be near prestigious country clubs, where they can golf, play tennis and entertain business elite.
3. In San Diego, many of these nouveau uber-wealthy demand ocean frontage, ocean noise–and silent streets. Or the highest penthouse in downtown San Diego. The want what is rare, what is singular.
4. Instapreneurs often have children, and are concerned about the quality of nearby and private schools. How the home works for the kids can be of keen importance. Instaprenerual parents want safety, space and room for kiddie galas.
5. These luxury home buyers often have special room requests, such as a library, multiple offices, servant quarters, guest houses, snoring rooms, home gyms, massage rooms, a conservatory or even a panic room.
6. These busy people often demand to be not far from a major airport because of frequent travel demands and the desire to minimize time spent away from families.
We enjoy working with these interesting folk, not just because we enjoy finding perfect property fits, but also because of the stories we get to hear. Some have been scientists, some movers and shakers in technology, and some who just had the courage to pour everything they had into an idea whose time had come.
They all inspire and the world is a better place because of these producers.
