Luxury Home Digest

RSS Feed Homepage

Articles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Luxurious Intuitive Homes
2007-04-16 00:32:00
by Roberta Murphy  Peering into the future, it is nice to imagine a home that is smart in every sense–and inviting to all. Sunset Magazine and Popular Science recently team-conceived the Idea House, the House of Innovation , in Alamo, California. This intelligent $5 + million home provides a trajectory of design and technologies that will end up ...
More About: Home , Homes , Intuit , Luxurious

Instant Homes Values via Your Cell
2007-04-13 19:24:00
by Roberta Murphy Disruptive technologies are a special favorite on this blog, and HouseFront is the newest to hit my desk.  And it happened about twenty minutes ago, when I opened an email from James Eberhard, CEO of Housefront. The premise is simple. Want to know the value of a home? Follow these simple steps with your cell ...
More About: Home , Cell , Your , Homes , Values

The Bigger the Home, the Harder They Fall?
2007-04-12 07:26:00
by Roberta Murphy A recent study of publicly traded CEO homes found a correlation between the size of the CEO’s home and the company’s stock price. It may come as a surprise to some, but the larger and more luxurious the CEO’s home is, the poorer the company’s stock tends to fare. The study is an interesting ...
More About: Home , Hard , They , Fall

Real Estate Bloggers Make Headlines
2007-04-10 20:24:00
by Roberta Murphy Blog ging has become a key marketing tool for real estate agents. Michelle Mowad, a talented writer for the San Diego Business Journal, called last week inquiring about real estate blogging and the impact it is having on our San Diego real estate business and life. We talked about Web 2.0 social networking sites like MySpace and ...
More About: Blogger , Estate , Real Estate , Bloggers

Avoid These Homebuyers Like?the Flu
2007-04-08 08:35:00
by Roberta Murphy Today’s real estate market is different for all, including luxury home sellers and their agents. Though multiple offers have returned on a selected basis in the San Diego and Manhatttan real estate markets (well-priced, well-located and well-appointed homes), it is still a buyer’s market. And with many buyers returning to these markets, sellers and their agents ...
More About: Home , Buyer , Buyers , Like , Avoid

ipayOne Real Estate Going Down the Hole?
2007-04-07 22:23:00
The Carlsbad, CA discount real estate broker, ipayOne is no longer taking any new real estate listings and will be liquidating its assets. The once high-flying brokerage spent hugely on advertising, even purchasing  for $2.5 million the five-year naming rights to the San Diego Sports Arena which was renamed the ipayOne Center. Their real estate business was primarily ...
More About: Estate , Real Estate , State , Down , Real

Fun Recipe for a Luxurious Lawn
2007-04-06 04:52:00
by Roberta Murphy Paul Michael at Wise Bread swears that this lawn tonic recipe will do wonders for grassy yards, especially since it is the secret recipe of former Colorado golf groundskeeper Tim Heffron.  It is also a recipe shared each year on his local Colorado station. Paul’s article offers much more detailed explanation of how each ingredient works, but ...
More About: Fun , Recipe , Luxurious , Reci

The Mortgage Graveyard: RIP
2007-04-05 15:21:00
by Roberta Murphy The inevitable has happened. Fallen mortgage companies now have their own graveyard—and we can also see those headed in that direction. Want to know which mortgage lenders are dead, struggling or being acquired? The Mortgage Daily has created a new online destination: THE MORTGAGE GRAVEYARD Here we can see the fallen, the failing, and those that have been ...
More About: Graveyard , Rave , Grave , Yard

The Home that Heals Itself
2007-04-03 23:03:00
by Roberta Murphy Nano technology to repair homes damaged by an earthquake?  It boggles the mind, but Knauf, a German building manufacturer, is working with several universities on that very technology.  They are building a luxury tech villa in the mountains of Greece with special walls containing nano polymer particles that liquefy when under pressure. This liquid then flows into the building cracks, ...
More About: Home , Self , Hat , That , Heals

La Costa Dream Home
2007-04-03 06:45:00
by Roberta Murphy It’s no secret that I am a fan of the Chopra Center and of the La Cost a Resort and Spa —or that I am a Realtor living in this coastal Carlsbad paradise. I have a special affection for the old Rancho La Costa and for the legendary homes surrounding the La Costa golf course. And ...
More About: Home , Dream

Easy Test for Spoiled Food?
2007-04-03 02:12:00
by Roberta Murphy Science Daily reports today that a consumer test kit may soon be available that will quickly reveal whether foods are spoiled or safe to eat. Researchers at the University of South Carolina report that their dipstick test has a 90 percent accuracy rate and could help prevent many of the illnesses and deaths caused by food ...
More About: Food , Test , Easy

Sleeping under the Stars
2007-04-02 06:50:00
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. Sleep ing under the stars is now a possibility because Star Murals Startist, Rip Read, has ...
More About: Stars , Ping

Street and Neighborhood Gossip?.
2007-03-30 05:50:00
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, ...
More About: Gossip , Hood , Tree , Neighborhood

Short Sales in the Luxury Home Market
2007-03-26 06:40:00
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 ...
More About: Luxury , Market , Sales , Home , Sale

Newspapers and Real Estate Bubble Rant
2007-03-25 16:07:00
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 ...
More About: News , Estate , Real Estate , Newspapers , Rant

Yoga at the Chopra Center
2007-03-25 07:28:00
by Roberta Murphy I have staked out early mornings as time for myself.  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 or so of yoga and meditation.  It is more than the ritual; it is the place.  Behind La Costa’s gated entry is the healing and energizing haven that has become dear to my heart: The Chopra Cent er. Seven days a week, the center holds early morning yoga and meditiation classes that are also repeated as evening classes certain days of the week. In addition to a menu of treatments, the center also dedicates about three weeks of each month to their  Perfect Health program. Designed by Deepak Chopra MD and David Simon, MD, this weeklong program is keyed to individual needs and includes: Primordial Sound Meditation Daily yoga...
More About: Yoga , Center , Enter

Chandelier in the Dishwasher?
2007-03-18 20:38:00
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). Let’s 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 ...
More About: Handel , Wash , Hand , Dish , The D

Porthault Sheets for Luxury Dreams
2007-03-18 00:30:00
by Roberta Murphy I have always justified my preference for fine bed linens by considering the percentage of one’s life spent between them. And though I have never slept on D. Port hault’s sheets, they remain on my list of wanna-trys. And who wouldn’t want to luxuriate on fine, hand-finished sheets that start at around $1100 for ...
More About: Dreams , Luxury , Sheet , Dream

Updated Luxury Blogs
2007-03-16 19:13:00
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 it’s not, add ...
More About: Blogs , Update , Logs

Easy Feng Shui Tips
2007-03-16 11:20:00
by Roberta Murphy Three years ago I graduated from Feng Shui training as a certified practitioner. My own home?and those of understanding friends and real estate clients? became laboratories for element and furnishing rearrangements. Entire bookshelves in my home accumulated the Feng Shui works of Lillian Too, Kartar Diamond,  Karen Kingston, Jon Robertson, Suzan Hilton and other wise ...
More About: Tips , Easy

Home Sellers Competing with Model Homes
2007-03-15 23:51:00
by Roberta Murphy I just returned from a meeting of top real estate agents in North County San Diego. There was much discussion about what is selling—and what is not. Aside from market issues (luxury home market is strong here and multiple offers are not uncommon for buffed homes in the $1.5 million and up range), ...
More About: Home , Comp , Seller , With , Model

BluWood: No More House of Blues?
2007-03-12 03:19:00
by Roberta Murphy What if there were a wood treatment that not only disgusted termites, but repelled mold and fungus as well? This dream is now a reality—at least for those fortunate custom home builders and remodelers who are able to demand their choice in wood. Though it makes for colorful  framing (think Smurf blue),  Bluwood has captured the interest of ...
More About: House , Blues , Blue , Wood , More

Luxury Travel Deal
2007-03-11 00:42:00
by Roberta Murphy This is a short-notice deal, and reservations must be made by March 24, 2007, but what a great opportunity to steal away to Puerto Vallarta for a weeklong tropical vacation. According to Forbes Travel er, this all-inclusive package runs $999 and includes both airfare (from a number of West and Midwest airports) as well as ...
More About: Luxury , Rave , Deal , North Las Vegas

Phone-y Luxury
2007-03-10 01:48:00
by Roberta Murphy Talk about tiny phones! This petite model might even fit in a jeweled Judith Leiber evening bag?or in form-fitting European pockets.   The amazing C3 camera flip phone from Pantech (see photo on left with phone on keyboard) measures just 1.69. by 2.72 inches and weighs in at just 2.5 ounces. It?s no fatty, either, measuring just 0.8 ...
More About: Phone , Luxury

Luxe, Luxe Luxury Blogs
2007-03-08 22:28:09
by Roberta Murphy What a terrific idea! The “L” List is being developed—and will hopefully provide a roundup of the top luxury blogs in the world. Upon its approximate completion, the luxury shopper should be able to find everything from fabulous jewelry, to top shelf travel to ultra luxurious global real estate. Here is the starter list, along with instructions for adding luxury blogs. Please add any favorite luxury blog sites and pass along. If you’re a luxury blogger, here’s what you need to do: 1. Write a post 2. Copy/paste the link list (and these instructions!) from the post where you discovered the L-List. 3. Make sure the links are active and correct. 4. If your blog is on the list, remove it… it’s not a self-promotion post. As Tim Fehlman (Z-List) said : “Don’t worry, because if your name is on mine, it’s on others and will spread.” Add your favourite luxury blogs on to the list. Ad...
More About: Luxury , Blogs , Blog , Logs

MLS Listing Chains
2007-03-05 10:25:05
by Roberta Murphy   There has been much discussion lately regarding the nefarious practice of agents cancelling real estate listings and relisting them at the same price the same day to create more attractive market times. That practice is forbidden by most MLS systems, including the San Diego MLS (Sandicor), but I am beginning to wonder if there might be a way to put this crime to good use…. What if listings were allowed to be cancelled and relisted if the asking price were reduced by a substantial and minimum pre-set percentage? For example, let’s say a listing had been on the market a minimun of  21 days and the seller decides to become very aggressive and reduces the price by a minimum of 5 percent or more. How might this seller be “rewarded?”   In this case, we may have changed the entire marketability and nature of the listing—and perhaps it deserves the attention of a new listing. Properties that have been sub...
More About: List , Listing , Sting , Chain , Chai

The Acorn Loan
2007-03-04 10:24:01
by Roberta Murphy The A corn loan isn?t exactly a financing program for luxury homes (particularly in San Diego, San Francisco and Manhattan), but how about for friends, kids and relatives who may need some help in purchasing or refinancing their homes? I have already spread the news among certain clients, nieces and nephews throughout the country, and am the new heroine of real estate. The Acorn Loan  is probably one of the best-kept secrets in real estate. Almost by accident, I learned about the ACORN loan program earlier last year. Initially, it sounded too good to be true for our San Diego real estate market. I was to stand corrected. Judy Miller with Bank of America Mortgage explained that a borrower could receive below-market rates and amazing terms if the following criteria (regionally adjusted) were met: 1. Adjusted gross income less than $92,000 per year 2. Home loan under $500,000 3. One home only. Good for not only first time homebuyers, but any homebuyer who owns only one ...
More About: Corn

Gotta-Haves for Luxury Homes
2007-03-04 10:24:01
by Roberta Murphy Last night, I had spent a fun evening with an interesting Carlsbad Realtor who probably set a world record in San Diego luxury home upgrade sales in the late 1990’s into 2003. Shara’s experiences in new luxury home sales will be an article for another time, but I thought it might be important to peer into the current hot items being demanded for new luxury homes. The list isn’t hot off the press, but is certainly worth repeating. Last fall, Forbes reported on the features that were topping the lists for new, high-end luxury homes.  An important thread running through this list is the importance of  green in home features. Those eco-friendly items are all big energy savers, as well as being non-toxic building materials, earth-friendly woods, and energy efficient technologies that integrate lighting, heating, security and communications controls in the home.   ...
More About: Luxury , Home , Homes , Have , A-Ha

The Snoring Room
2007-03-04 10:24:01
by Roberta Murphy While going through a luxury home in Del Mar recently, our client was surprised to discover a snoring room off the opulent master suite. It measured perhaps 8 by 10 feet, and was furnished with a simple twin bed, a lamp and an easy chair. The room bore no resemblance to the larger bedroom, and at first glance might have been perceived as the proverbial dog house to which errant spouses are sent. Not so, say fans of the snoring room. It is a room, they say, that spares marriages and affords peaceful nights of sleep. According to some real estate agents and Bob Vila, it may be one of the hot new building trends for 2007. There are even some conversion possibilities. Once an auttached nursery has been outgrown, it might be converted into a soundproofed room that could  accommodate either the snorer or the victim. It certainly beats the couch and sleepless nights. As an alternative to the snoring room, there is also that Darth Vadar CPAP mask. I was first introduced to...
More About: Ring , Room , Snoring

Variable Range Pricing for Homes
2007-03-04 10:24:01
  Many real estate agents, home sellers and home buyers roll their eyes and shrug their shoulders when the subject of variable or value range pricing for homes is discussed. This property pricing strategy has been successfully used in the San Diego real estate market since the mid-1990?s. In those days, it was an innovative vehicle used to bridge the gap between sellers wanting yesterday?s prices?and buyers demanding today?s lower numbers (sound familiar?).   In other words, a value range of $899,000 to 949,000 might have captured both the seller’s and buyer’s fantasies–with settlement resulting somewhere in between.   Many real estate agents from outside the San Diego area don?t understand the logic of variable pricing, even though it actually allows for more precision in the buyer?s offer. For example, if a home has been listed for a longer period of time, the buyer may feel more comfortable making an offer at the lower end of the range. If the property is price...
More About: Home , Vari , Homes , Aria , Varia