Proposed by Roberta Murphy It’s probably unrealistic to wish for one of these on Valentine’s Eve, but it never hurts to dream (or hint!). I love the sexy looks of Jan Puylaaert’s illuminated tub, but Kohler with its patented SOK Tub for Two probably takes the honors. Note how it can be filled from an overhead fixture—and how champagne bubbles are generated with the touch of a switch. Kohler’s exquisitely designed and…
by Roberta Murphy Real estate pricing has become a minefield… particularly for homebuyers and homesellers in volatile markets such as California, Nevada, Arizona and other former hot spots. As real estate markets shift, the old comparable sales model for offers and pricing may no longer be quite so valid–and could in fact be dangerous. If sellers overprice their properties–based on prior sales that may have occurred some months ago–they run…
The San Francisco real estate market is almost one unto itself. But that is another article for another day. What we are reporting on is First Republic Banks Prestige Index, which covers the huge California real estate market. And this final article in the series focuses on the results for upscale home in the San Francisco metropolitan real estate market. The perpetually hot (huh?)San Franciso Bay area rose a slight…
by Roberta Murphy With a drumroll, lets reveal and discuss the results of First Republic Banks Prestige Index for Los Angeles, California. Our earlier article about San Diegos Prestige Index offered some interesting data. Hopefully our report on the Los Angeles luxury home market wont disappoint! As might be expected, the pace of luxury home appreciation in Los Angeles has cooled somewhat, but is far from being in the tank….
by Roberta Murphy First Republic Bank has created the first statistical model The Prestige Home Index that measures changes in home values in excess of $1 million in key California markets. What are some of the common features of these indexed homes? They have at least 3000 to 6000 feet, three to six bedrooms and three to six bathrooms, according to the study. Many are substantially larger. Digested reporting of…
by RobertaMurphy There was lots of year-end buzz about pop singer Michael Jackson selling his 2800–acre Santa Barbara County Neverland Ranch. Rolling Stone first reported that Jackson was trying to market the Santa Ynez ranch to soccer luminary David Beckham and his wife Victoria (Posh Spice). Those rumors had hardly been quieted, when another started making the rounds about Jackson selling Neverland on the Bravo television reality show, Million Dollar Listing: Hollywood—with…
Montana may come to be known as the land of Big Skies and Big Spenders. Luxury Clues Bernice Ross reports a new entry in the Billionaire Poll: Lumber and land baron Tim Blixseth. His prime Yellowstone Club 53,000 square foot home in Bozeman, Montana will be entering the high end luxury home market at a record-breaking $155 million. Being promoted fully furnished, this ten-bedroom mountain estate boasts an indoor-outdoor swimming…
by Roberta Murphy Speaking of gossip. Legendary Kirk Kerkorian has just cut the $25 million asking price of his 30 acre Beverly Hills mansion to a reasonable $18 million, after it has languished on the market for nearly a year. His lovely gated estate boasts a Mediterranean-styled main home, two guest cottages, two pools, two tennis courts, a putting green and lots of room for expansion. The Wall Street Journal…
by Roberta Murphy Gossip: It is a loaded word that alternately intrigues and informs, delights and dismays. Last weeks blog on real estate gossip, for example, raised the hackles of a few agents and the interest (and some concurrence) of others. As for me, Ive enjoyed the diversion and have paid much closer attention to the frequency with which it occurs in my own professional life as a San Diego…
by Roberta Murphy Last summer we sold a lovely $1.8 million Carlsbad, CA home to an out of area partnership. One partner lived in Los Angeles, and the other in New York. It was to be their La Costa retreat in paradise, and a place to meet potential clients. In two short months, this paradise has turned into a real estate nightmare that could rival that 1990 Melanie Griffiths film, Pacific…
