by: Roberta Murphy in the luxury of your own bed and awakening to blue skies and scattered clouds. Sounds like heaven to me. And it might be a reality for a luxury camper, or someone clever enough to commission magical artwork from a talented artist such as Rip Read. Sleeping under the stars is now a possibility because StarMurals Startist, Rip Read, has returned to Southern California from his sojourn…
Street and Neighborhood Gossip….
by Roberta Murphy Well, sort of. Web 2.0 and interconnectivity has drilled down to a new level of local, with the online premier of Street Advisor this week. This fun site allows residents to rate and write about the streets on which they live. The reviewer can rate the livability of the street, the neighbors, convenience to shopping, medical care, schools and restaurants and more. But is it really gossip?…
Short Sales in the Luxury Home Market
by Roberta Murphy Some of the more difficult listing appointments our group encounters these days are ones that involve short sale conditions. In this situation, the seller owes more on the property than what it is worth in the current market. A year or so ago, we were having to explain how short sales worked to anguished sellers. These days, sellers call us, say they are underwater with their mortgages,…
Newspapers and Real Estate Bubble Rant
by Roberta Murphy San Diego Vacancy Rates the Highest Since ˜95 headlines the San Diego Union Tribune. Those are words that should should send shivers down the spine of San Diego real estate investors, homeowners, home sellers, and potential home buyers throughout the county. But smart home buyers and savvy real estate investors should know by now to read between the lines and below the headlines. If we take the…
Yoga at the Chopra Center
by Roberta Murphy I have staked out early mornings as time for myself and dedicated it to yoga at the Chopra Center in Carlsbad. No real estate clients, no family, no phones, no intrusions. That slice of time belongs to me. Six mornings a week, in the cool, quiet hours before dawn, I arise, shower and head down the hill to the La Costa Resort and Spa for an hour…
Can Exercise Nix Alzheimers?
by Roberta Murphy Alzheimers disease haunts our family. Could it have been prevented? I sometimes stray from luxury homes and products under the guise of writing about quality of life. And one of the elements key to quality of life is the ability to recognize it when you have it. We buried my mother last June, but we had lost her at least two years earlier. You see, my mother…
Private Golf Course for Sale?
A San Diego Golfer’s Dream Once upon a time, a renowned San Diego golf teaching pro decided to create his very own practice course. The setting had to be bucolic and a magnet for native birds, wildlife and outrageous sunset views. The home was to be a custom one–a sprawling single story full of gentle archways and warm, inviting hues. The climate could be nothing other than perfection: San Diego…
Chandelier in the Dishwasher?
by Roberta Murphy For some reason, crystal chandeliers are dirt magnets. They sparkle like nothing else when clean and look like clouded glass when soiled (which occurs all too soon after cleaning). Lets face it, crystal chandelier-cleaning is a drippy, arm-tiring and time-consuming chore, no matter who performs the task. How about just tossing your Swarovski or Strass crystal chandelier into the dishwasher? It appears this fantasy is now a…
Porthault Sheets for Luxury Dreams
by Roberta Murphy I have always justified my preference for fine bed linens by considering the percentage of ones life spent between them. And though I have never slept on D. Porthaults sheets, they remain on my list of wanna-trys. And who wouldnt want to luxuriate on fine, hand-finished sheets that start at around $1100 for a king set with two shams? Celebrities, royalty and business barons happily shell out…
Updated Luxury Blogs
by Roberta Murphy The Luxury Blog Directory (or L-List), started by the inimitable Paul Johnson, continues to grow and re-seed itself in separate locations. I have tried to pull the listings together once again. This time, to make sure all are included, it might be wise to make sure your luxury blog is included below and if its not, add it (as long as it is luxury-oriented). And if there…
