by Roberta Murphy This may arguably be the most expensive and tallest private residence ever built. Indias wealthiest man, Mukesh Ambani, 50, is slated to begin construction of a billion dollar glass and steel skyscraper home in Mumbai City, the financial capital of India. The 27 story building will be designed to house his family of six and staff of 600, with six floors dedicated to the storage and parking…
by Roberta Murphy Imagine a world uplugged! That future has quietly arrived with the first successful resonant transfer of wireless power over a span of seven feet and carrying enough power to brighten a 60W light bulb. This humble beginning leads ambitious minds to think of a luxurious home where cell phones, laptop computers, lamps, Roombas and even hair dryers would need no cords to operate. The Genius behind this…
by Roberta Murphy The Butler is back in demand-and in short supply. The worlds growing number of plutocrats with their enormous mansions and expansive lifestyles are actively seeking household managers to oversee the care of their luxury homes and lifestyles. These enormous residences require ongoing care, along with coordination of property and grounds service providers ranging from pool service technicians, to dog groomers and trainers, to maids, gardeners and arborists….
by Roberta Murphy Here is an updated blog roll of our favorite luxury and real estate blogs and sites from around the world. Charlotte Real Estate Manhattan Real Estate Michigan Real Estate St Paul Real Estate Cleveland Real Estate News Manhattan Beach Real Estate Long Beach Real Estate San Diego Real Estate Sacramento Real Estate Voice Luxury Clues Unusual Life KristalSellsDenver.com Transparent Real Estate 360 Digest The Real View Phoenix…
by Roberta Murphy For almost two years now, there have been serious rumblings and grumblings about Option ARM and interest-only mortgages that could put a number of buyers into default. I initially gave the dicey mortgages issue detached interest, because our clients tend to be a conservative lot when it comes to borrowing. We deal with few real estate speculators and most of our clients are solid buyers of primary and secondary homes. My…
by Roberta Murphy This is an issue that should trouble many real estate professionals…. Some months ago, I met with clients and wrote an offer (at buyer’s request) that was substantially below the listed price (599,000 list price:475,000 offer). It was a rare Carlsbad, CA beach condo property with no recent comparable sales. In prior markets, I might have urged clients to target their offer into an acceptable range to avoid the risk of an…
by Roberta Murphy We list and sell real estate in good, bad and indifferent markets. Short sales are becoming common, though. So is blood in the streets. People move up, down and out all the time because life is about change and transitions. And each time the real estate market shifts, we regroup and modify strategies for buyers and sellers. There may be some inconveniences and pricing adjustments for…
by Roberta Murphy I watched Sunday night’s 60 Minutes segment on the real estate industry and blanched when I heard reporter Leslie Stahl guarantee that Realtors get “six percent on every house they sell…it is sacrosanct.” Leslie Stahl dared to tread where no Realtor would ever step, because commissions are negotiable and anything to the contrary would amount to price fixing. If I go through the San Diego MLS, I will see commissions…
by Roberta Murphy It is difficult to avoid the subject of short sales and foreclosures when discussing real estate these days. We receive ongoing emails and calls from people wanting to buy short sales and foreclosures because they want the best deal possible. They believe that the best buys can only come from bloodied sellers and lenders and that somehow real estate agents are the best bloodhounds of all (which…
by Roberta Murphy One of the more interesting sites to follow this past year has been Neighboroo. In fact, we now recommend it to both local and relocating San Diego area real estate clients when they begin the process of searching for homes. Though still in beta format, Neighboroo is amazingly rich in the type of information home buyers are seeking. Local housing market Average prices Neighborhood and community safety…
