by Roberta Murphy Luxury real estate circles are abuzz with the latest report that two top producing Beverly Hills agents have been indicted for their alleged participation in a mortgage fraud scheme. The LA Daily News reports that Joseph Babajian and Kyle Grasso have been suspended by Prudential California Realty, and are under orders not to conduct any real estate business until federal charges against them have been resolved. Both…
6 Luxury Gadgets and iPhone Envy
by Roberta Murphy I am developing a severe case of phone envy as I watch friends caress and tickle their iphone screens. Their voicemail is visual and at a glance, they can see who has left messages and can prioritize the return of those calls. Their web surfing is real, and reading glasses aren’t required because text and pictures can be enlarged with the slide of a finger. The iPhone…
100 Hot Tech Blogs (with Few Related to Luxury Lifestyles)
by Roberta Murphy Whenever I go to shop for technology of any sort, I head over to CNet to check out editorial and user reviews. Whether I am shopping digital cameras, tablet pc’s or cell phones, I know I can trust what they have to say. It came as a recent wonderful surprise that they have also taken to rating blogs–or at least those that focus on technology. Luxury Home…
Busy San Diego Realtor Seeks Committed Mortgage Professional
by Roberta Murphy I must be crazed to write a title like that because we are courted almost daily by San Diego mortgage lenders and brokers who want our real estate business. We deal with a number of home buyers and feel an enormous responsibility to recommend the best mortgage professionals in the business. I am convinced that the San Diego real estate and mortgage market has far too many…
The Ziploc Omelet: Amaze Your Guests
by Roberta Murphy Unless an omelet chef is employed for the next luxury brunch gathering, one might go ditzy trying to create custom omelets for each guest. This also makes it impossible for all to sit down in front of a hot plate at the same time. I love American ingenuity. This clever trick was forwarded to me by that wonderful host, Hank Holman, from Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Thanks to his…
LOVE: La Costa and Acura
by Roberta Murphy The Acura Tennis Classic is returning to La Costa Resort and Spa July 28 August 5 -and glorious Carlsbad, CA weather should greet 56 of the top women tennis players in the world during this weeklong match. These tennis stars will be arriving from all corners of the globe, and include such luminaries as tennis divas Venus Williams and Maria Sharipova, along with Rancho Santa Fes own…
Show Me the Money: San Diego
by Roberta Murphy Its always interesting to know how metropolitan communities stack up when it comes to median household income, and San Diego is no exception. There were a few surprises. I had no idea Carlsbad would outrank Encinitas, or that Poway would beat out Coronado. San Diego is full of surprises. When to comes to compiling such reports (and a host of others), there is no finer source than…
Smart Investor Secret: Luxury Vacation Rentals
by Roberta Murphy Investment in high end real estate markets can be a challenge for most buyers. If the price of the real estate does not intimidate, then the low cap rate, or return on investment, will. In fact, carrying costs v income on luxury real estate investments are often negative for many years, or until the property is sold. With real estate investors in our expensive San Diego market,…
Interactive Luxury Home Surfaces?
by Roberta Murphy [youtube]LGcYkSnvVDM[/youtube] Much has been written and said about Microsoft’s new surface computing technology. It is the WOW technology of the year. Sooner than many of us thought possible, this technology will first become a defining feature in luxury homes, and as adoption increases and prices drop, it will likely appear as a builder option in many tract subdivisions. Imagine interactive coffee tables that wirelessly download photos from…
Off-the-Grid and Low Impact Homes
by Roberta Murphy Several months ago, in an interesting discussion with Marc LaChance, I was introduced to off-the-grid homebuilding. Marc has a plan and the means to build homes where electrical, telephone, gas, water and sewer lines do not run. I saw some early plans for his homes, and was highly impressed with their beauty, functionality and earth-friendliness. It seems when one door opens in the mind, it leads to…
