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Prince Jefri Bolkiah Tries to Sell Palace Hotel Bel Air Hote
2006-12-06 03:57:02
Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei tried unsuccessfully to sell two of his prized US assets– The palace Hotel in Manhattan and the Bel Air Hotel in Los Angeles– for $15 billion. The reason behind this? The prince owes his home country the same amount in assets that he snaked while working as the country’s finance minister. The Sultan of Brunei– Prince Jefri’s brother– and Prince Jefri Bolkiah are currently feuding regarding the funds. The Prince had a deal to sell the properties over the summer, but the deal fell through. He is claiming in a lawsuit filed in Manhattan that lawyer Thomas Derbyshire and his wife Faith Zaman of coming up with a scheme to make $40 million in a brokerage commission from the sale of the hotels. More (NY Daily News)
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HEALTHY LIVING FOR EVERY SEASON
2006-12-02 15:54:02
We wrote a few days ago about wellness living communities popping up across the nation. For those of you who aren’t sure if you want to LIVE a full wellness lifestyle, you can begin your new holistic lifestyle with baby steps: The Four Season s Hotel just opened the doors to a new hotel in Westlake Village, California that doubles as a wellness center, designed to promote good health. The hotel has a 40,000 square-foot-spa with a whopping 28 treatment rooms, and features a variety of wellness treatments, including aromatherapy and massage. There is also a 12,000-square-foot fitness room with cardio stations, weight training equipment, an indoor pool and Pilates, yoga, tai chi and personal training. The grounds also boast serenity gardens with waterfalls, sequoias, bonsai and rose gardens and Chinese pagoda. The hotel also includes the California Wellbeing Institute, which offers more in-depth healthcare consultations with experts in nutrition and fitness, gourmet coo...
More About: Health , Living , Ever , Healthy

HULK HOGAN HOUSE OFF MARKET
2006-12-02 15:54:02
The house which appeared in the first season of Hulk Hogan and family’s first season reality show “Hogan Knows Best” before the family relocated to Miami Beach went up for sale in June, but had no bites, just a few nibbles. The wrestler recently decide to keep this expansive estate in Belleair, Florida along with the $12 million Miami Beach home. No word on why the family chose to keep the country home, but hey, who are we to question him? Hogan knows best! More (Luxist)
More About: House , Market , Hulk Hogan , Mark

NY POST?S BRADEN KEIL TAKES A LOOK AT SOME ULTRA LUXURY PROP
2006-12-01 14:16:04
The Post ’s Braden Keil takes a timely look at the biggest real estate turkeys in NYC and the Hamptons, which means “Sat on the market too long” Three Ponds Farm Bridgehampton, L.I. $75 million (for sale since August 2003) When this 60-acre luxury estate went on the market three years ago, the highest price ever paid for a Hamptons residence was Jerry Seinfeld’s $32 million purchase of Billy Joel’s oceanfront mansion. And that property was on the ocean. Martin Zweig’s Pierre hotel penthouse $70 million (October 2004) This 16-room triplex with its 2,800-square-foot ballroom and several terraces and fireplaces atop The Pierre hotel seems quite desirable, but its Wall Street-guru owner still isn’t budging on the price. Bob Guccione’s townhouse 14-16 E. 67th St. $59 million (June 2002) While the founder of Penthouse magazine’s six-story mansion never had the reputation for hosting decadent parties like those held a...
More About: Luxury , Ultra , Take , Look

GROUND ZERO?S HUB HAS SOME PROBLEMS
2006-12-01 14:16:04
It?s been more than five years, and the reconstruction phase is just beginning. But it seemed a light was emerging at the end of the tunnel, but that was just too good to be true. While the renderings of Santiago Calatrava’s transportation hub are jaw-droopingly beautiful, the translucent panels that were set to bathe the mezzanine with natural light are unfortunately supposed to appear in the same place as the ground-level pedestrian entrance to the victim’s memorial, which is set to include white oaks… And it would be rather difficult to plant trees on the glass. So it?s back to the drawing board for this one. thattrain.html
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HAUTE GIVING
2006-12-01 14:16:04
People always say its better to give than to receive… We want to know who these people are. Along this line of thinking, you can give and receive a little for yourself when you check out ebay, where one dedicated seller has put copies of our illustrious magazine for sale in hopes of turning a little profit for himself. He writes: This auction features Donald, Donald Jr & Ivanka Trump on the cover of Haute Living magazine. This oversize (9″ x 12″) magazine goes deep into the empire that Donald Trump has amassed and much more………. This magazine is in excellent condition. and is shipped in a sturdy Cardboard box that prevents bending of the magazine. It does not have an address label on it as it was purchased from a newstand You will not be disappointed. Please feel free to email me with any questions. Good luck and Happy Bidding. We are hoping this fellow can earn some money selling our magazine and can in turn enjoy a little of the ...
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GOVERNOR BUSH TO RELOCATE TO CORAL GABLES
2006-12-01 14:16:04
Florida Governor Jeb Bush and his wife Columba have chosen the fair city of Coral Gables as their new home after vacating the governor?s mansion in Tallahasse. The plan, as of now, is to rent an apartment in Segovia Tower, which overlooks Granada Golf Course, just steps from Miracle Mile. The three bedroom, 3,949 square foot unit goes for $5,500 a month. The couple has signed a year lease, with an option to renew. Mr. Bush?s landlord is Rolando Iglesias, a builder and real estate investor. Prior to deciding on Segovia tower, Governor Bush looked at a few buildings in Brickell, as well as Grovenor House on South Bayshore Drive in Coconut Grove, but ultimately opted for the exclusive Coral Gables gem, which offers on-site manager, full-time concierge and 24-hour security. More (The Miami Herald)
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INDIANS TOP REAL ESTATE INVESTORS IN DUBAI
2006-12-01 14:16:04
Indians are among the top investors in the booming real estate market in Dubai, a government official said. ?This is the first time the department is organising dedicated road shows, conferences and exhibitions to promote the real estate projects in overseas markets,? DTCM Director Operations and Marketing, Mohammed Khamis bin Hareb said. More (International News)
More About: India , Indians , Estate , Real Estate , Indian

STOCKS RISE AS FIRST GAIN IN EXISTING SALES IN OVER EIGHT MO
2006-12-01 14:16:04
Stocks advanced modestly Tuesday after Wall Street shrugged off a sharp drop in orders for manufactured goods and took comfort in the first gain in existing home sales in eight months. The rise in stocks came after investors showed little reaction to comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke that he remains concerned that inflation or a steeper-than-expected decline in the housing market could harm an already slowing economy. In the speech, which included Bernanke’s most extensive comments on the economy since this summer, he said inflation remains higher than he would like but that it should fall as the economy cools. More (Associated Pressl)
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HAMPTON?S LANDMARK GOSMAN?S DOCK GOES ON THE MARKET TO THE S
2006-12-01 14:16:04
Surprise swept through the Hampton ?s recently when the family that owns an 11-acre waterfront commercial and residential area names Gosman’s Dock in Montauk put the compound up for sale for $55 million. Gosman?s Dock includes four restaurants, five retail stores, a commercial dock, a wholesale seafood business and some gourmet shops, along with two motels, several houses and vacant commercial lots, according to Brown Harris Stevens, the real estate firm handling the sale for the Gosman family. The property began years ago as a little lobster shack and has grown into the largest employers in the town of Montauk. More (Sun Sentinel)
More About: Market , Land , Mark

Wellness Communities Growing
2006-12-01 14:16:04
In an effort to become more and more health conscious as a nation, ?wellness communities? have been sprouting up across our nation. These communities are designed for a healthy and active lifestyle, and include an array of amenities that center around that focal point. Many of them include fitness, relaxation and nutrition classes; therapeutic spa services; organized hikes and bird watching expeditions and don?t forget the golf courses! Susie Ellis, president of Spafinder, a New York-based spa and marketing/media company says that the number of such developments double each year. While many of these developments are taking place in remote towns, where its residents can escape entirely into nature, some are popping up in metropolitan areas, such as Canyon Ranch on Miami Beach and Miraval Life Balance Resort on Manhattan?s Upper East Side. More (Forbes.com)
More About: Muni , Wing , Wellness , Growing , Ness

OSCAR DE LA HOYA TO SELL BIG BEAR LAKE, CA MOUNTAIN RETREAT
2006-12-01 14:16:04
Boxer Oscar De La Hoya is planning on selling his mountain retreat and training facility in Big Bear Lake, California for $2.5 million. De La Hoya currently resides full time in Puerto Rico and rarely visits his California training estate. The boxer studied to be an architect before turning to boxing full time, and helped design the log buildings at his Big Bear Lake estate. De La Hoya originally became interested in the property when he was spending a significant amount of time in the town of Big bear Lake, which is about 90 miles east of Los Angeles. He spent time there training, and eventually bought a lot of vacant land for $220,000. The site has since become a popular training location because of its high altitude (about 7000 ft above sea level) and thin air. The property is 1+-acre and has a 3,900-square-foot-one-bedroom main house, and a three bedroom guest house. The gym has a steam room, office and murals on the walls that highlight the boxers career, including an ...
More About: Oscar De La Hoya , Sell , Treat , Mountain

DON?T SIT ON YOUR BONUS
2006-12-01 14:16:04
This year’s Wall Street Bonus is expected to be the biggest yet, coming in at a whopping $21.5 billion. The real estate market is certainly doing all they can to get a piece of the cash-pie. A new ad campaign was just launched by 200 Chamber?s Street is targeting The Wall Street Bonus Babies. The catchy ad campaign (shown above) says, ?You always tell your clients not to sit on their money. Now, about that bonus?? In the past, many of those receiving such large bonuses have used their money as down payments for high-end real estate. While some have recently said that the bonus season doesn?t always result in a spike in the real estate market, some brokers are already reporting a busier than usual season. In fact, Prudential Douglas Elliman?s Jacky Teplitzky is hosting a ?Gearing up for Bonus Season? seminar, which has a waitlist of more than 150 people. More (New York Mag)
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Las Vegas Mogul Steve Wynn Lists Home $28 Million
2006-08-30 20:12:10
Hotel and gambling giant MGM Mirage is asking $28 million for a Las Vegas home once owned by casino magnate Steve Wynn. The 12,000-square-foot home is one of only two on the Tom Fazio-designed Shadow Creek golf course, which Mr. Wynn built in 1989; listing agent Florence Shapiro says the house is within a chip shot of the 18th hole. The four-bedroom house includes a two-story library, theater, wine cellar, and two pools, one with an underwater speaker system. The buyer of the nearly five-acre property will also get playing rights on the course. MGM acquired Shadow Creek as part of its $4.4 billion purchase of Mr. Wynn’s Mirage Resorts in 2000. As part of the deal, Mr. Wynn, who now runs Wynn Resorts, was allowed to remain in the house for five years; he moved out last year, a spokeswoman says. MGM Mirage has already sold the other home on the course, which belonged to former Mirage executive and current Wynn Resorts chief operating officer Marc Schorr. Mr. Wynn’s spok...
More About: Home , Lists , List

Bravo?s Million Dollar Listing TV Show Premiers Tonight
2006-08-29 20:12:05
TONIGHT, Bravo launches their latest reality show, “Million Dollar List ing” - set in the ridiculously wealthy suburbs of L.A. where a million dollars is probably the starting salary for butlers. Focusing on several brokers from two real-estate offices, the series takes us inside a few fascinating deals, which could happen or could fall apart faster than Michael Jackson’s nose. a class=”morelink”target=” ;blank”href=”http://www.nypos t.com/entertainment/hotpropertyentertainm entlinda_stasi.htm”>more (NY Post)
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$55 Million Townhome for Sale in NYC
2006-08-29 20:12:05
This afternoon, quite a big listing popped up on the Brown Harris Stevens website. But just how big is the Harkness House, aka the Harkness Mansion? “It’s the widest house you can buy in New York,” said BHS managing director Paula Del Nunzio, who has the exclusive listing. And it will cost you $55 million. When the Trowbridge Colt and Livingston-designed townhouse first went on the market in October 2005, the listing belonged to Prudential Douglas Elliman executive vice president Ann Cutbill Lenane. Ms. Lenane, who is traveling, could not be reached. a class=”morelink”target=” ;_blank”href=”http://thereale state.observer.com/2006/08/4-east-75th-is -still-on-for-55-millionnow-with-full-for ce.html”>more (NY Observer)
More About: For Sale , Home , Sale , Lion , Town

Martha Stewart Home on Market for $9 Million
2006-08-15 20:03:04
Six years after Mart ha Stewart said she was leaving Westport, the domestic diva really is bidding farewell to this wealthy seaside town ? if only someone will buy her house. Stewart has been trying for more than two months to sell her early 19th century federal-style farmhouse for $9 million. Real estate experts say it’s not unusual for luxury homes to take at least a few months to sell ? even those with Martha’s famous touch. more (MSNBC)
More About: Market , Home , War

New Boston Fund Said it Will Develop 187 Units of Mid-Priced
2006-08-15 20:03:04
New Boston Fun d said it and a partner will develop 187 units of mid-priced luxury condominiums in downtown Miami. The $55 million development, Gallery Arts Condominiums, is to include one and two bedroom condos, many with water views, on Northeast 24th Street near Biscayne Boulevard. The Boston-based real estate investment, development and management firm said more than 90 percent of Gallery Arts condos are already pre-sold. more (South Florida Business Journal)
More About: Rice , Price , Will

Atlanta the Next Hot Real Estate Market?
2006-08-09 19:57:07
Homebuilders are clinging to metro Atlanta’s market stability like storm-tossed sailors. Mounting evidence of an end to the frenzy fueling U.S. home sales for the past two years has enhanced Atlanta’s appeal to corporate builders feeling the pinch elsewhere. In stark contrast to other markets, Atlanta’s home sales remain high, although unsold inventories of new homes are rising and it’s taking longer to sell existing homes. more (Builder Online)
More About: Estate , Real Estate , Real Estate Market , Market , The N

Max Abelson: New York Observer?s New Real Estate Reporter?
2006-08-09 19:57:07
What, you thought just because Michael Calderone left the Manhattan Transfers column at the New York Observer we were going to stop reading it? We frickin’ love real estate! We dream about owning the roof we sleep under (hopefully it won’t be the same yellowed, cracking on we’re sleeping under now), we salivate over the apartment swappings of New York Celebs, and have a dire obsession with scanning the boldface names for a Tina Brown or Graydon Carter mention. So our digits started tingling today when we glanced the byline of today’s Transfers column (and honestly, folks, we figured this one out on our own with no help from anyone at the New York Observer) and noticed a single, solitary name is there, where 2-3 used to be. It seems like Max Abelson may be NYO’s new real estate reporter. more (Jossip)
More About: Estate , Real Estate , Report , Port

Haute Portfolio Estate of the Day: $18 Million, South Beach
2006-08-09 19:57:07
Haute Port folio Estate of the Day: Mary Moore of MTM Realty Lists $18 Million Penthouse in South Beach , FL: Spectacular One-of-a-Kind Masterpiece! Every detail specifically made for this Penthouse. Designed by Larissa Sand of Sands Studios. Macasar Ebony wood throughout unit was cut from a single tree and specially flown to Japan in order to utilize the most advanced veneer slicing technology in the world. Master Bathroom: Macauba Blue marble stone slabs fill the entire length of the bath wall above a bush-hammered Brazilian slate floor, custom Boffi fixtures, chandelier by world-renowned glass blower Dale Chihuly, Dorn Bracht rainshower (not available in US) transported specifically for this unit. Second Bathroom: European Irish Moss matchbook-cut marble slab, Boffi fixtures, Tripune glass doors imported from Italy, Hand-made lighting by Sands Studios. Third Bathroom: Italian Mink marble slab walls, Tripune glass doors, Boffi fixtures, Sand Studios lighting. Powder Ro...
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Dubai?s $14 Billion Palm Island: First Residents will be abl
2006-08-09 19:57:07
With 14,000 laborers toiling day and night, the first of Dubai ?s three palm-shaped islands is finally about to get its first residents. The Palm Jumeirah, a 12-square-mile island group, is part of what?s billed as the largest land-reclamation project in the world, the product of five years of brute hauling of millions of tons of Persian Gulf sand and quarried rock. On Nov. 30, the palm will open to some 4,000 residents, said Issam Kazim, a spokesman for Dubai?s state-owned developer Nakheel. more (MSNBC)
More About: Lion , Island , Will

Trump Blog: Why Slow Times are the Best Time to Invest in Re
2006-08-08 19:54:11
If you’ve been watching the news and listening to your friends, you’re probably convinced this is a terrible time to invest in real estate. Interest rates are up, housing sales are down, properties are overvalued. The “bubble” is about to burst. Let me share this quote with you . . . “The prices of houses seem to have reached a plateau, and there is reasonable expectancy that prices will decline.” That statement could have been written last week, but the fact is, it was written in Time Magazine on December 1, 1947. Too bad for the people who believed it and decided not to invest in real estate. They would have missed out on two or three of the biggest booms in history. more (Trump Blog )
More About: Best , Vest , Times

Haute Portfolio Estate of the Day: $14 Million 288 Feet on I
2006-08-08 19:54:11
Haute Port folio Estate of the Day: Joy Triglia of Intercoastal Realty Lists $14 Million Mansion in Fort Lauderdale, Fl: Directly on the Intracoastal with protected dockage. Approximately 288 feet on the Intracoastal Waterway. Gorgeous unstoppable views, main house plus guest house. Many custom features. more (Haute Portfolio)
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Dezer Developing Trump Atlanta
2006-08-08 19:54:11
You might call it the Midtown Mile, or the Tomahawk Thoroughfare, or maybe even the Great Peach Way. The spine of Peachtree Street running from the Fox Theatre to Pershing Point has in the past two years exploded into a residential, office and retail district that’s got Atlanta ’s best shot of becoming something akin to Chicago’s Michigan Avenue or New York’s famed Fifth Avenue. Atlanta project, the reality star and pizza pitchman announced Friday he and some partners will develop two high-rise condo towers on West Peachtree Street at 15th Street, behind the High Museum. “I’m coming to town, and we’re going to build one of the great developments in Atlanta,” Trump said in a telephone interview. more (AJC)
More About: Ping , Develop

NY Mag Tells us Where Celebs Live in NYC
2006-08-08 19:54:11
NY Magazine has a Star Map. Every want to know where Famous People live in NYC. Now you can find where to find the city?s famous people. Not that you?d ever look. more (NY Magazine)
More About: Celeb , Celebs , Live , Here , Where

Hamptons Home Sales Plunge in ?06
2006-08-06 19:51:16
Home sales in the Hampton s dropped 18 percent during the first half of 2006, Bloomberg News reported, despite the record Wall Street bonus season of earlier this year. (The bonus season is often a barometer of the sales potential on the East End.) Nationwide, home sales dropped 4.3 percent during the first half of 2006, making the Hamptons’ slide all the more acute. more (The Real Deal)
More About: Sales , Home , Sale

California Mortgage Default Notices Soar 67%
2006-08-06 19:51:16
As the housing boom fades, a rising number of Cali fornia ns are struggling to hold on to their homes.Lenders warned 20,752 homeowners in the second quarter that they were on the path to foreclosure because of missed payments, according to data Wednesday from DataQuick Information Systems in La Jolla. more (LA Times)
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Soros Turns His Hamptons Estate?s Maid Quarters into $2-3 Mi
2006-08-06 19:51:16
The staff quarters of the Southampton estate now owned by George Soros are being turned into condominiums for those who have between $2 million and $4 million to spend on a Hamptons home but don’t want the hassle of taking care of a whole house. Luxury condominium developments in resorts all over the world have targeted such customers. But until now, zoning regulations have for the most part kept them out of the Hamptons. This month, however, six new luxury condominiums are going on the market. They are the Villas at 456 Old Town Road, containing two- and three-bedroom duplex condominiums ranging in size from 1,700 to 2,700 square feet, with prices from $2.1 million to $4.3 million. more (NY Sun)
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Florida?s Coldwell Banker Starting to Offer Home Owners Insu
2006-08-06 19:51:16
Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, Florida ’s largest real-estate broker, launched a new service this week to offer property insurance through an affiliate as a way to confront the state’s growing insurance crisis. The service is needed to help close sales as homeowner insurance becomes more expensive and difficult to find, Budge Huskey, Coldwell Banker’s statewide president and chief executive officer, said Thursday. “The challenge we currently face in Florida is not just affordability, but availability as well,” Huskey said in a telephone interview from the real-estate giant’s Sarasota headquarters. more (Orlando Sentinal)
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