Luxury Real Estate

Courtesy of Harry Norman, REALTORS ^®

Young professionals eager to live in Atlanta’s in-town neighborhoods are transforming formerly small, boxy bungalows and out-of-date homes into stunning custom spaces of their dreams. More and more frequently, these custom remodels are sprouting up in Atlanta’s in-town neighborhoods. A prime example of this trend is the formerly nondescript, outdated brick bungalow that sits at 543 Elmwood Drive in the Midtown / Virginia Highland.

“The renovation is now a breathtaking oasis that raises the standard on what it means to have an ‘outdoor-indoor’ space,” says Butch Whitfield, exclusive Harry Norman listing agent for the Elmwood home.

In 2005, the bland bungalow underwent a drastic transformation, documented by HGTV’s “Groundbreakers,” into a stunning Bauhaus modernist home. The owners recognized the potential of their location and capitalized on it – the home is one of seven or eight homes that sit on the Atlanta Beltline and overlook Piedmont Park with unobstructed views of the Midtown skyline. Retractable exterior glass walls make up the entirety of the back of the home; with the flip of a switch, the glass windows can be retracted, transforming the already grand rooms into an “outdoor” oasis that has the feel of a fully-equipped tree-house. The retractable windows cover the great room and master bedroom, making them feel like outdoor living areas but with all the conveniences of luxury living.

Not only does the home overlook picturesque Piedmont Park with pristine Midtown views, but award-winning Japanese-style gardens lush with red bamboo, moss, lavender, and Black-eyed Susans surround the exterior. The koi ponds full of goldfish and lilies are shaded by Japanese maples. To enter the home, guests must pass over a floating walkway surrounded by a stunning water feature. Additionally, much of the materials used in the front were preserved from the home’s original construction.

The home exemplifies luxury in every facet imaginable. Inside, guests will find a formal library, dining room, breakfast room, California-style kitchen with custom Mahogany cabinetry, concrete countertops and a wash plane sink. Upstairs, the master bathroom (which can double as a steam room) is outfitted with a Japanese soaking tub and multi-head showers. The bathroom and master bedroom are both set underneath the rooftop pool with a glass bottom, giving the rooms a uniquely exotic feel.

For more information, please visit www.harrynorman.com.

About Harry Norman, REALTORS^®

Founded in 1930, Harry Norman, REALTORS ^® is one of Atlanta’s first and most successful residential real estate firm with 12 sales offices, various franchise and satellite offices and more than 1,000 real estate professionals. Harry Norman, REALTORS ^® is a wholly-owned subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. Harry Norman, REALTORS ^® is the exclusive Atlanta affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate and achieves additional international exposure through membership in such exclusive real estate networks as Luxury Portfolio International, Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate and Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®. More information is available at www.harrynorman.com.

Courtesy of Summit Sotheby's International Realty

“Today Vail Resorts and Talisker Corporation announced that the companies have entered into an agreement for a long term lease for the Canyons Resort. Under the lease, Vail will assume responsibility for the operation of Canyons while Talisker will retain its development rights for future real estate developments at the resort.”

This is great news for Park City residents and visitors. While Talisker has sunk millions into improving Canyons Ski Resort, ownership by the company that runs the current Number One ski resort in North America (as voted by Ski Magazine readers), can only be good news.

My family held season’s passes at Canyons this past year and we loved it. I attended the Holly Flanders Women’s Ski clinic and had one of the best ski instructors (Katharine Wood) helping me to improve my skills. As local members of the Waldorf Astoria, we stored our skis at the Waldorf and hopped on the Waldorf Gondola for easy access to the Canyons Village. Aprés ski, we hung out at the Waldorf hot tub and spa. We got to experience firsthand what a Park City ski vacation feels like!

I don’t have a crystal ball, but I would think that a Vail resort in Park City is going to be a real boost to Canyons area real estate.

For more details about the Vail/Talisker transaction, please see the article in the Wall Street Journal.

Courtesy of Diane Storey of Harry Norman, REALTORS®

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – Nestled in the heart of Midtown, just steps from the Woodruff Arts Center and a quick stroll away from the lush and blooming Piedmont Park, sits one of Atlanta’s most historic residences, the Reid House. The building is a reminder of an older Atlanta, set to the backdrop of the most metropolitan and bustling neighborhood in the city.

The Reid House, located in the coveted Ansley Park neighborhood of Midtown, is a living vestige of old Atlanta. The residences, formerly known as the Garrison Apartments, were designed by the architectural firm Hentz, Reid, & Adler in 1924. The firm brought luxury high-rise living to a market that eagerly accepted the concept, attracting a dignified and elite clientele.

In 1974, the building underwent an award-winning restoration under the direction of Eugene Lowry. Even today, the front and sides of the building look exactly as they did in 1924. Now, the residences (40 total units), feature modern conveniences including full-time building management, passenger elevators and service elevators, individual trash collection, and more. The rear of the elegant building has undergone dramatic changes that now give residences additional room along with unobstructed views- some all the way to Stone Mountain.

Of course, despite the drastic renovations, the Reid House is still very much a reminder of a more genteel time. Principal rooms remain the size and in the location they were, and small butler’s pantries have been incorporated into the new kitchens.

“Even today, the Reid House is viewed as a lovely architectural piece,” explains Cotten Alston of Harry Norman, REALTORS®. “Those who appreciate features such as beautiful and sturdy solid wood doors…they will appreciate the Reid House.”

And the location in Atlanta is unparalleled. Despite being a mark of a different era in Atlanta, the Reid House is still very much in the epicenter of the city. Alston sums it up succinctly: “Essentially, the world has come to Reid House.”

The Reid House currently houses a spectacular unit listed by HNR’s Cotten Alston. Click here to learn more.

About Harry Norman, REALTORS^®

Founded in 1930, Harry Norman, REALTORS ^® is one of Atlanta’s first and most successful residential real estate firm with 12 sales offices, various franchise and satellite offices and more than 1,000 real estate professionals. Harry Norman, REALTORS ^® is a wholly-owned subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. Harry Norman, REALTORS ^® is the exclusive Atlanta affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate and achieves additional international exposure through membership in such exclusive real estate networks as Luxury Portfolio International, Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate and Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®. More information is available at www.harrynorman.com.

Courtesy of Diane Storey of Harry Norman, REALTOR^®

ATLANTA, GEORGIA — The Cobb Preservation Foundation is still looking for an individual to buy the historic Cheney-Newcomer House located on Powder Springs Road. “If you’re a preservation-minded person you will not find a better place because it is all original…the floors, the walls, the doors, everything” said Harry Norman, REALTOR^® and listing agent, Johnny Sinclair.

Built in 1856, the house served as the headquarters of Union Major General John M. Schofield, who commanded Ohio forces during the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain June 22-30, 1864. While General Sherman suffered a tactical defeat at Kennesaw, Schofield achieved success in the battle, attacking the Confederates left flank. Even today, you can still see the remains of the old road bed that Union soldiers marched on located just in front of the house.

The home’s exterior is in pristine, fully restored condition, while the interior has remained untouched. “It’s time to update with a new kitchen, new bathroom, HVAC system, we recognize that” said Sinclair. “To us, the best owner is one who’s going to live in it and love it.”

For more information on the home e-mail Johnny Sinclair at johnny.sinclair@harrynorman.com, or call him at 770-605-4755.

About Harry Norman, REALTORS^®

Founded in 1930, Harry Norman, REALTORS ^® is one of Atlanta’s first and most successful residential real estate firm with 12 sales offices, various franchise and satellite offices and more than 1,000 real estate professionals. Harry Norman, REALTORS ^® is a wholly-owned subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. Harry Norman, REALTORS ^® is the exclusive Atlanta affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate and achieves additional international exposure through membership in such exclusive real estate networks as Luxury Portfolio International, Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate and Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®. More information is available at www.harrynorman.com.

Courtesy of Frederick Peters, President of Warburg Realty

As everyone who lives here knows, anyone who wishes to buy in a co-op building in New York must follow an admissions process akin to that for a private club. Reference letters and detailed financial disclosure are required. What people don't know is that sometimes, when a Board is not enthusiastic about an applicant, they express this lack of enthusiasm through delay. Two months, three months go by without either a rejection or a request for an interview. Maybe additional documentation is requested at some point. But it can be a period during which both buyer and seller are held captive. In a rising market like this one, it is a terrible disadvantage to the buyer, for whom similar apartments may soar out of reach while he is waiting for a Board decision. In a declining market like the one we were in four years ago, it is the seller who loses out. If the buyer is not approved, the apartment has diminished in value during the process and the longer the time, the greater the loss.

Early last week I testified before the City Council about this issue. My colleagues Pam Liebman from Corcoran and Michael Bisordi from Tungsten Properties joined me in addressing issues pertaining to Intro 188, the recently re-introduced bill which would both create timing deadlines for co-op Board deliberations regarding prospective buyers and compel Board members to attest that they practiced no illegal discrimination in the process. Our testimony went entirely to the first issue: timing. We all three think some timing parameters are a good idea.

Creating intelligent time parameters for co-op Boards (and condo Boards, which are at least as guilty if using delay to signal displeasure) hurts no one. Instead, it creates clarity for all parties. Buyers, sellers, and Boards would all know exactly what the parameters are. The requirements would be clear, and the amount of time the Board would have to deliberate after receiving a complete package would also be clear. Intro 188 suggests 45 days, which sounds like plenty of time to me. And I was a co-op Board president for many years, so I know that time frame is not onerous. And the time period would be longer in the summer.

The illegal discrimination part of the bill seems more problematic to me. First, New York City has the broadest fair housing laws in the country, with a long list of protected categories. I am certain the majority of co-op Board members do not even know what the protected categories are, or that co-ops are subject to the same fair housing rules as every other type of residence. Second, why discriminate against co-op Boards? Surely if the Council is concerned about adherence to fair housing guidelines, landlords are the place to start, since the vast majority of New Yorkers live in rental housing, and there are no such requirements for landlords.

While I understand that ignorance of the law is no defense, I think education is more likely to be effective for co-op Board members than legislation. Mandating that every Board member must receive, at least annually, a list of fair housing protected categories and anti-discrimination information seems like a far more effective solution to me.

I do not believe the proposed anti-discrimination requirements would actually lead to greater transparency. But it would certainly make people a lot more reluctant to serve on co-op Boards!

You can read more on www.warburgrealty.com/blog.

Courtesy of Cindy Humphrey of Chase International Real Estate

Jennie Fairchild of Chase International Real Estate is representing Larry Ellison in the sale of his Lake Tahoe Compound. The Wall Street Journal’s Developments blog features the sale in this article by Sarah Tilton:

Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison has listed his 2.62-acre compound on the east shore of Lake Tahoe for $28.5 million.

The property, located in Glenbrook, Nev., was originally meant to be Mr. Ellison’s primary home at Tahoe. But he had the chance to build an estate on the north shore of the lake—it is scheduled to be finished this year—so he is selling the Glenbrook compound, says Jennie Fairchild of Chase International Real Estate, who has the listing. Mr. Ellison has created a 7.6 acre compound with approximately 420 feet of lake frontage at the north shore’s Incline Village, according to public records.

The Glenbrook property includes a 9,242-square foot main house with six bedrooms, eight full baths, and one half bath; Mr. Ellison spent three years remodeling it ‘from the studs up,” according to Ms. Fairchild. There is a sound-proof screening room, a gym, a billiard room, a library and a sauna. The master bedroom wing has two dressing rooms and two baths, each with a handcrafted wooden ofuro, a Japanese soaking tub.

To read the full article, visit the Wall Street Journal’s Developments blog here.

Courtesy of Kent Barrett for Westside Estate Agency

Beverly Hills/Malibu, CA – Westside Estate Agency has listed Mays’ Landing, the former Malibu home of Philip and Genevieve May, renowned UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute schizophrenia experts, for just under $12 million.

The sealed-bid sale is the home’s first time on the market in more than 50 years.

Located at 28820 Cliffside Drive, the home was partially donated to UCLA after Philip May’s death in 1986, but Genevieve May continued to live in the home until her death in 2004. In recent years, the home’s beautiful and serene setting has made it a favorite location for campus retreats and study sessions.

“This is one of the top five bluff-top locations in Malibu, right above Little Dume and with incredible views of the surf, beach and city lights,” said listing agent Mark S. Gruskin of Westside Estate Agency. "With recent Malibu bluff sales nearing $40 million, as well as one $74 million mega-sale, this property is a significant opportunity for a savvy buyer.”

Buyers must submit sealed bids by 5 p.m. on May 21. The minimum bid is $11,595,000.

The winning bidder will enjoy 1.27 private acres at the end of Cliffside Drive and deeded Little Dume beach rights. The classic seaside cottage features three bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, a conference room and study fitting of the previous owners’ academic accomplishments, and cozy living room with a fireplace and spectacular view.

Open houses are scheduled for April 7 and May 12 from 1-5 p.m. Other showings are by appointment only. To learn more about the property and bidding process, contact Gruskin at 310-317-8202 and visit http://www.weahomes.com.

About Westside Estate Agency Based in Beverly Hills with offices in Malibu, Westside Estate Agency, a premier luxury real estate agency was founded by market veterans Stephen Shapiro and Kurt Rappaport. Established in 1998, today the firm has over 80 agents serving the Westside area through Malibu. For more information please visit www.weahomes.com.

Courtesy of Brian Simmons of Harry Norman Realtors

Harry Norman, REALTORS^® currently has for sale 3394 Knollwood Drive located in Buckhead. The home gained notoriety when its interiors were featured in the 2009, Academy Award nominated movie The Blind Side, staring Sandra Bullock. The movie chronicles the story of the Tuohy family taking in young Michael Oher, who goes on to become an NFL lineman.

The Buckhead home was chosen to represent the Tuohy family's home, located in East Memphis, because of its similarities to the tastes and style of Lee Ann Tuohy, who is an interior designer. The Spitmiller & Norris designed home was built in 2001 and is located in the Tuxedo Park neighborhood on one of the premier streets in Buckhead. It includes seven bedrooms, seven full baths, and two half baths. It has more than enough room to accommodate an entire offensive line. The gourmet kitchen includes a huge island and breakfast area that open up to the charming family room. The terrace level features a custom stone wine cellar with tasting room. A spacious family room and large home theater are perfect for having everyone over to watch the big game.

If you want own a piece of movie magic, it can be yours for $3.9 million. For more information and to schedule an appointment, contact Debbie Shay at (404) 814-3058, or e-mail her at debbie.shay@harrynorman.com. Serious inquires only, please.

About Harry Norman, REALTORS^®

Founded in 1930, Harry Norman, REALTORS ^® is one of Atlanta's first and most successful residential real estate firm with 12 sales offices, various franchise and satellite offices and more than 1,000 real estate professionals. Harry Norman, REALTORS ^® is a wholly-owned subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. Harry Norman, REALTORS ^® is the exclusive Atlanta affiliate of Christie's International Real Estate and achieves additional international exposure through membership in such exclusive real estate networks as Luxury Portfolio International, Who's Who in Luxury Real Estate and Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®. More information is available at www.harrynorman.com.

Courtesy of Douglas E. Lierle  for Kentwood Real Estate

Denver, CO – Christine Nicholson of Kentwood City Properties has listed an historic 1918 bungalow in Denver’s popular Highlands neighborhood that showcases all of the original terrazzo work installed by the original owner, noted Denver artisan John Martina.

Martina and his brother, Joseph Martina, installed all of the terrazzo floors in the Hoover Dam building in 1936-37. The brothers worked with Denver artist Allen True, who designed the distinctive Southwest Native American motifs on the Hoover project. Their work has stood the test of time, as has the terrazzo work in the Highlands bungalow, which you can view first-hand when touring the property by appointment with Nicholson.

The bungalow at 3412 W. Hayward Place is located just a few blocks away from the Highlands Square retail district featuring fabulous shops, restaurants, charming boutiques and more.

The classic home includes a large front porch with intact detailing, and many original light fixtures and woodwork. The home offers two bedrooms on the main floor, one in the basement, and two baths. The owners will enjoy a large eat-in kitchen, a two-car detached garage, and a private yard with professional landscaping. The main level includes 1,112 finished square feet, with an additional 1,050 finished square feet in the basement. Priced at $407,000, other highlights include hardwood floors, an evaporative cooler, plus all appliances and window coverings.

“This is a very sweet bungalow with so many original appointments and special historic significance,” said Nicholson. “The great location in Highlands is also special with its relaxing lifestyle reminiscent of a bygone era when time seemed to pass more slowly. It’s a great opportunity.”

For more information and to arrange a personal tour, contact Christine Nicholson at 720-319-5591, or contact Christine via email Christine@KentwoodCity.com.

Kentwood City Properties, formed in 1999, is the newest member of Kentwood Real Estate, known nationally as Denver’s premier real estate company. The company’s street-front office at the corner of 17^th and Wynkoop streets is comprised of 52 of metro Denver’s most experienced real estate professionals serving residential buyers, sellers, and developers, and commercial real estate services for buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants. For more information phone 303-820-CITY (2489), and visit online at www.kentwoodcity.com.

Courtesy of Teressa Francis of Intero Real Estate

Cupertino, CA – It’s round four for Intero Real Estate Services’ Intero Prestigio virtual magazine and this one features luxury properties spanning from the California Coast to the Colorado Rockies. It is a combination of the innovative, tech savvy power of the Silicon Valley headquartered real estate company and their division specializing in high-end real estate. This issue includes a serene Zen garden, an elegant country estate and a refurbished castle.

The magazine offers enhanced and global promotion for Intero’s most exclusive homes and estates. Designed with ease of circulation in mind, it can instantly be shared through social media websites and email. As if reading a handheld magazine, online viewers can browse through gorgeous pictures and find the property information of the unique homes featured. The virtual magazine aims not only to raise awareness of properties offered in the Prestigio collection, but also to exhibit their finest qualities. This piece only touches the surface of what is offered through the Prestigio marketing program.

Renowned real estate entrepreneur Alain Pinel, Senior Vice President and General Manager Intero Prestigio international, is the primary mastermind who pioneered and launched Intero Prestigio as part of his goal of expanding Intero’s luxury brand. From local print advertising to international display, properties in the Prestigio collection have an elevated level of exposure to help them sell quickly and efficiently. On the release of the first virtual magazine issue, Alain excitedly stated, “It is wonderful to see how Intero’s luxury brand has taken off. The release of this magazine shows Intero is established in the global high-end market, and attests to Intero Prestigio’s growth.”

View the virtual magazine for yourself here.

About Intero Prestigio

A luxury division of Intero Real Estate Services, Inc. Intero Prestigio provides an elevated level of service through its elite selection of marketing tools set up to expose homes and estates to relevant markets locally, nationally and globally. Intero Prestigio hosts a quarterly virtual magazine featuring its current luxury listings. Find the current issue at www.InteroPrestigio.com.

About the Intero® Brand

Founded in 2002, Intero Real Estate Services, Inc. has quickly become one of the premier real estate brands in the U.S. In 2004, Intero Franchise Services Inc. began franchising and currently is operating in many of the western states. In 2009, Intero International Franchise Services, LLC embarked on developing territories in Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and the Americas. The companies are private and headquartered in California’s Silicon Valley.