Archive for the 'Quality of Life' Category
Luxury Home Digest a Winner (and in good company!)
Last nights annual New Years Eve bash at the Murphy home was lots of fun for all, and almost everyone was ready to drop kick 2007 out the door and welcome the promise of 2008 with open arms.
I thought 2007 had been put to rest (save for income tax drudgery); but when I opened todays email I discovered not one, but two 2007 accolades for Luxury Home Digest.
The first was an alert regarding RealEstateUndressed choice of the Luxury Home Digest article, Real Estate Fraud: Cash Back and Consequences as one of the real estate blogospheres top 7 articles for December 2007.
Very cool, I thought, and quickly went over to Larry Craguns site to express my thanks.
The next surprise email came from Zola Marquis at EliteChoice.
Zola (and crew?) had combed through the entire blogosphere to find the best 125 blogs for 2007 in diverse categories such as fashion, travel, wine and food, design, entertainment, advertising, best of the best, gadgets, automobile, social networking technology, sheer luxury, blogging forums and of course, real estate. Luxury Home Digest was chosen as one of the top six real estate blogs, sharing the stage with five outstanding real estate blogs (the comments are all Zolas):
Bawld Guy
Real Estate Investing through Purposeful Planning
Luxury Housing Trends
Home improvement ideas
Luxury Home Digest
Luxury resides here
Overseas Property Mall
Guide to international real estate investment
This blog talks about who lives where, whos buying and selling and for how much
Luxury Portfolio
Luxury Homes, Luxury Real Estate, and Luxury Homes for Sale From Luxury Portfolio
I am presenting Zola Marquis and Elite Choices entire list of winners, if only for my own future reference. These are all blogs I intend to visit:
BEST-OF-THE-BEST BLOGS
Buzz Machine
Anything & Everything
Brookly N Vegan
Music, Photos & News from a Vegan in Brooklun
Improve Everywhere
Improve everywhere causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places
This online space makes fun of some things and sense of others through illustrations.
Strange Maps
When maps say it all
Tree Hugger
Space Dedicated to drive sustainability mainstream
Book Of Joe
Things that you need to know
GADGETS
News that drive your tech soul
Gizmodo
The gadget guide
Crunch Gear
Because crunchy reviews are invited
Blog Wired
Gadget Lab: Hardware that rocks your world
Uber Gizmo
Gadget Guide
Oh Gizmo
When gizmo presence makes you say Ohhhh.
Geek Sugar
Geek is Chic
Everything USB
Everything USB: We mean everything!
Shiny Shiny
A girls guide to gadgets
The Red Ferret Journal - tantalisingly tasteful, tacky and taut tech trivia
Coolest Gadgets
Your source for the coolest gadgets available
Life At Most
Daily Gadget News
Gadget Venue
A blessed venue for elite gadgets
Mobile Whack
A wacky abode for gadgets
Uncrate
A web magazine for guys who love stuff
Akhibara News
Read, watch & participate
TECHNOLOGY
PC Mag
The independent guide to technology
A coolest, craziest, cutting-edge technology Platform
Crave
Blog about gorgeous gadgets and other crush worthy stuff
Teche Blog
Latest tech and gadgets News
Tech Fresh
A space dedicated to cool gadgets, gizmos, and cutting-edge technology
Micro Persuasion
Exploring technology and its impact on marketing communications
Scifi Blog
A place that keeps you jacked amongst latest gadgets
Slash Gear
Technology at its best
Hip Tech Blog
Discuss latest gadgets and technology here
Gadget Tell
Tech news, reviews and interesting things
AUTOMOBILES
Jalopink
Obsessed with the cult of cars
Auto Blog
Obession about the auto industry
Autoblog.it
When cars become obsession
Motor Passion
It is passion that drives wheels
The all new Mercedes Benz-CLS
Automotive Blogs
Where your car search begins
The Truth About Cars
Car Reviews, Auto News, Editorials and Podcasts
Cars Cars Cars
A Car Blog. Only Angrier.
FASHION
Up to the minute fashion inspiration and celebrity news created for shopaholics everywhere
Coutorture
Fashion fad
Fashion Tribes
Where Fashion*Lifestyle*Beauty Rules
A Suitable Wardrobe
Wills thoughts on classic mens clothing
The Bag Lady
The bag lady
Go Fug Yourself
Fugly is the new pretty
The Sartorialist
Where fashion, design and style collapse
Style Talk
S Factor: Stylish, Simple but Striking
Style
The online home of vogue
Terrific Totes: Words fall short as their presence makes you say OOOuch!
LUXURY
Luxist
Luxurious vibes, invites filthy-rich.
Janus Thinking
Luxurious thoughts reside here!
Born Rich
For geeks affordability can never be a question!
Luxury breathes here!
Deluxe Blog
Because luxury speaks
Blavish
An abode for gamut of elite blogs
Lussorian
Luxury homes and accessories
Luxury talks
FOOD AND WINE
WineCampBlog
A points-free zone
Eater
Bath in wine & food
Vinography
Wine and food adventures in San Francisco and around the world
Zagat
Eat, drink, stay, play
Dr Vino
Wine talk that goes down easy
Serious Seats
Crusty, saucy, cheesy
Slash Food
Place that makes your tongue smile
All the news thats fit to eat
Mighty Foods
The who, what, how and why of natural foods
Food Beam
Sweetness beams
Too Many Chefs
Territory of chefs
ODDS AND ENDS
A directory of wonderful things
Inventor Spot
Serious fun for the inventor in all of us
I4U
All eyes are on you, for you and from you
Aving
Global news network
Josh Reads
The Comics Curmudgeon
The Sneeze
Half Zine. Half blog. Half not good with fractions
Trend Hunter
Trend Spotting, Cool Hunting and Innovation Trends
Crunk Tastical
In fresh we trust
Pink Tentacle
Exclusive stuff
Where every man is king
Evil Mad Scientist
Making the World a Better Place, One Evil Mad Scientist at a Time
Spluch
Unique newsy stuff, cant afford to miss
ENTERTAINMENT
D listed
Be very afraid
It seemed like a good idea on paper
Kottke
Home of fine hypertext products
Stereo Gum
The Gum drop
YouAintNoPicasso
You aint no Picasso describes it well
Gawker
Reporting live from the center of the universe
DESIGN
Designs Sponge
Dipped in design
Fake Steve
The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs
We make money not art
Money V/S Art
David Report
Design, culture and business life collides here with a creative and humanistic approach
Yanko Design
Form beyond function
Core 77
Core77 Design Blog
SOCIAL NETWORKS
Cool Hunter
Roaming the US and the globe
Mashable
Social Networking News
TRAVEL
Directory of Blogs
A stylish way to travel
Hotels of Rich and Famous
The latest hotel news and features
Happy Hotelier
The Happier the Hotelier, the Happier the Guest!
Luxury Travel Blog
Dr. Paul Johnsons Baby: Not an ordinary travel blog
Travel Blog
Unforgettable tours and experiences! Unbeatable deals.
Gadling
Go There
Real Travel
Real people, real advice, real experiences
World Hum
Travel dispatches from a shrinking planet
The pop culture travel guide
English Cut
Thomas mahon, bespoke savile row tailor, london
ADVERTISING
Duncans
TV Commercials found and reviewed by Duncan Macleod
Neatorama
Exploring Creativity
The best and sometimes the worst around the globe
Advertolog
Welcome to the biggest Advertising Archive in the world
Adarena
SEX SELLS
Adhunt
A view on todays best advertising
Adrants
An abode for evolving ads
Adpulp
Advertising arena
FORUMS
Blog Burst
A way to place blogs on top-tier online destinations
Globe of Blogs
Bloggers territory
Blog Hub
Blogging your way
Blogarama
The blog directory
Mac Rumors Forum
Mac community discussion forums
Blog Explosion
Battle of the blogs
Thank you Zola Marquis for an exhaustive and much-appreciated effort!
read comments (1)Luxury Home Sales to Climb with Bonuses
by Scott Murphy
Many top executives at large investment banking firms will be depositing some jumbo bonuses by the end of this month.
Despite an overall bonus decrease of 10% due to months of multibillion-dollar bank write-downs and a spreading credit crisis, many will be pocketing some still-sizeable sums.
Depending on which firm they work for and the position held, bonuses can range anywhere from up to $2 million to $50 million.
Real estate prices this year have dropped–and where else should these high earners invest their bonuses?
According to Forbes, some of these bonus recipients may also be rookies– as well as first time homebuyers–looking in the $5 to 6 million range. For top executives, the bonuses will be substantially more and potentially leading them towards the $20,000,000 home range.
Some rich real estate markets such as Manhatten, San Diego, the Silicon Valley area, Los Angeles and other top markets, just might see an increase of sales come the end of the year. Interest is already brewing in a number of these luxury markets.
In the coastal San Diego area, for example, Rancho Santa Fe, Del Mar, La Jolla, Carmel Valley, Coronado, Solana Beach, Cardiff, Encinitas, Carlbad and downtown San Diego (all coastal) offer some of the finest luxury homes in San Diego County. Inventory levels are also attractive for these flush buyers, which makes the home shopping experience even more fun.
At the other end of the country, many bonus-rich buyers will be shopping properties in Manhattan– including townhomes overlooking Central Park, which have asking prices at $50,000,000 or more. These executives might not be able to pay cash for one of these properties, but can rest assured that large down paymens will be coming from a secure source.
Of course the purchase of one of these homes will depend on the size of the bonus. But for some just starting out in the business, a nice condo in a great location would work very nicely.
Here’s wishing fat bonuses to all!
American Expats Join Foreign Rush for US Real Estate
It had to happen sooner or later.
With the falling dollar, American real estate has become a screaming bargain to foreign investors around the world. Real estate prices in many prime US locales have already declined, and must be irresistible for those who are purchasing with Euros or Canadian dollars.
Now, many Americans who have been living abroad are considering a return home, where the purchasing power of the dollar isn’t being decimated every other day. From their perspective, real estate in Florida, Arizona, Nevada and California look like the same bargains Canadian and Euro-packing investors are buying.
We received a call earlier this week from an American living abroad who intends to sell his inflated European estate and move to the sunny and balmy climes of San Diego. He will exchange his invested Euros for dollars, and invest them in blue chip American real estate, where he and his wife can enjoy an active retirement in America’s Finest City.
Brian Brady with Mortgage Reports wrote a recent article about how Canadian real estate investors are “buying American real estate in droves.” Brian is currently working with one Canadian real estate investor seeking to buy a Scottsdale, Arizona home, while another Canadian is looking for a second home on the San Diego coast. Both investors from Canada will enjoy not only the depressed pricing in both real estate markets, but will also appreciate their Canadian dollars (aka Loonies) buying 30 percent more than they would have a year ago.
Many Americans living in Canada may also be considering a move back across the border, because the cost of living in the United States now is so much less than a Canadian lifestyle that must be paid in Loonies.
In the years ahead, it will be interesting to see how many second homes in America are owned not only by foreign nationals, but by former American expatriates as well.
A Second Plea–for a Young Widow
Just yesterday afternoon Real Estate Rainmaker Lani Anglin wrote on this blog, and spoke of her grandmother who had sold her home and earthly possessions so she could go help the less fortunate in an African orphanage. This was in response to our underwear plea for children in a Kenya orphanage.
Not long after that blog response, April Groves at R.E. Revealed says Lani received word that her younger brother had been killed in a car crash on his way over to visit her. In the car were his wife and their two babies.
Lani’s younger brother, 24 year-old Aaron Anglin is survived by his wife Aleisha Anglin, 25 and their two babies, Eleanor, 1 and McKenzie, just 6 weeks who is still reported to be in ICU at this writing.
Lani relayed this message via R.E.Revealed earlier today:
“To me, the important thing to know is that the crazy kid in the funny video is my newly 24 year old little brother Aaron who died yesterday on impact. He was driving to my house (to make another silly video) and was driving with his wife (Aleisha Anglin, 25) and their two babies (Eleanor who turns 1 THIS week and McKenzie who is only 6 weeks old). Aleisha & Eleanor should be released today and McKenzie is in the ICU in improving condition. We have tons of family surrounding us and St. Thomas More parish is providing food this week for our entire family! Aaron was awesome and his marketing work can be found at http://benaaronanglin.carbonmade.com. He was confirmed in the Catholic faith last week, laughed his butt off at ICanHasCheezburger.com with me this week. We were born 18 months apart (Irish twins) and grew up as best friends with so many lame stories.”
Lani, writing to April, further explains:
My brother and his wife are not rich by any stretch of the imagination and Aleisha has a very hard time ahead- if you or anyone else can think of any way to aim finances at her, she really needs it. Assisting in an optometry office is a great profession but pays very little- certainly not enough to cover a funeral, medical bills for three people and a life ahead as a single mother.
The green icon is a link that will help guide you to assistance for this young mother who very unexpectedly became a widow yesterday afternoon,
The story was additionally reported by Greg Swann at The Bloodhound Blog, and was followed up by Brian Brady on Active Rain. Once again, donations are being sought to help tide over a young mother and her two fatherless babies.
Again, please follow your heart.
Stop Identity Theft: Freeze Your Credit
Become a victim of identity theft, and you could be in for the nightmare of a lifetime.
We have known several identity theft victims. One family lost its home because of it and another even fears for his safety. It is a vicious crime that can take years to to resolve and the damages can last far longer than that.
Almost 10 million Americans are victimized by identity theft each year, and it is one of the fastest growing financial crimes.
The best solution is prevention and freezing your credit may be one of the simplest steps you can take to help stop this crime. A security freeze will prevent thieves from obtaining credit in your name by locking, freezing and blocking access to your credit report and credit score.
The cost to do this is fairly minimal ($10 in California), and is a solution available to residents of:
Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
What happens if you want to obtain new credit? The consumer is given a PIN to grant access to the credit file. Again, a nominal fee may be charged to do so.
How does the credit freeze work? Simple. If a business or lender cannot obtain credit information, new credit will not be issued to the thief.
For additional reading about this subject, click here.
Click for instructions on freezing credit in California
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