Luxury Real Estate

Courtesy of Syd Leibovitch, President of Rodeo Realty

Syd Leibovitch, president and owner of Rodeo Realty, believes that 2012 represents the best time ever to buy a home. Prices are down and interest rates are at historic lows!

Home price forecast:

I think that 2012 will be the year we begin to see year over year increases in the median price on both a local and a National level. I'd forecast a modest 5 percent increase.

Interest rate forecast:

The reason that this year will present a unique opportunity is more interest rate related than price. Rates at 4 percent won't be available for long. I would forecast mid 5's by year end. While mid 5's are great historic rates, it is a 25 percent increase from 4 percent. Most buyers look at their monthly payment as a big factor so remember even if homes stayed the same the payment would rise significantly as rates rise.

My basis for these forecasts stem from an increase in consumer confidence. Nearly every survey and gauge of consumer confidence nationally suggests that we are headed for better times. Corporate profits are up and things are looking generally better. We have seen a rebound on the desire of buyers to buy. There are always people that think prices are so high they can't go higher. I've heard that for 30 years yet they, over time continue to rise. The percentage of people that think it’s a good time to buy and that thinking it’s a bad time fluctuates. In 2005, it seemed like just about everyone thought it was a good time to buy. In 2008, it seemed like just about everyone thought it was a bad time to buy. Over the last year I've seen a building sense of optimism and more serious buyers.

When it comes to home buyers here is how I'd break it down:

First time buyers. With prices down 30 percent from their highs and rates down a 600,000 loan has a $1100 per month lower payment than it would have had in 2006. A $1,000,000 home in 2006 would now be $700,000. So basically a buyer could buy a home that was $1,000,000 for $700,000 and pay $2500 less a month had they bought that same home 5 years ago! FHA financing also allows buyers to buy a home with a 3 1/2 percent down payment. In many cases for not much more than first month rent and a 2 month security, and with today's low interest rates the payment is usually similar to the rent! There has never been a better time to buy.

Investors: If you consider how many of the wealthiest people made their fortune in Real Estate it only makes sense to be a long term Real Estate investor. With prices about 30 percent off their highs and low interest rates there has never been a better time to invest.

Move up buyers. Once I went to get my car serviced. The leasing salesperson met me when I picked up the car. He told me he could get me out of my current lease and lease me the new, better, current model with the same payment. He said "all you need to do is switch keys". I did it! With lower interest rates and lower prices we have people that can buy homes they could have never afforded before. Consider the above scenario with the $1,000.000 home now being 700,000. We have had clients that wouldn't have been able to afford the million dollar home in 2006. It was their dream home but they could only afford 700,000. Now that million dollar home is $700,000 and the lower interest rates makes the payment $1100 per month less than the $700,000 home they bought 6 years ago. Sure they have to take a loss on that home, but save on the new purchase. At the end of the day many people have found that they can sell their home and buy a better one for about the same monthly payment!

Rent your home and buy a new one:

This is what I just did and I'm encouraging all my friends to do the same. The goal should be buy low sell high! If you could afford to buy a new home and rent your current home I don't think you will ever be sorry. Your home will undoubted be worth more down the line, but when it’s worth more so will the one you would be buying. Ever thought about being a Real Estate investor? Why not start now with a property you know?

Courtesy of Ron & Alexandra Seigel of Napa Consultants, International

Carmel, California is highlighted in the latest article on the Language of Luxury blog. Luxury Real Estate members interviewed in this article are Peter Butler and Mike Canning from Carmel Realty.

“Actor-director Clint Eastwood once was the mayor of Carmel. Edward Weston and Ansel Adams, two of the most innovative and influential 20th century American photographers lived here. Each of these men are considered true masters in their own right and faithfully represent the rich artistic history that is at the core of Carmel-by the Sea, the center point of California’s North Central Coast.”

The article in its entirety is on the Napa Consultants, International blog ‘Language of Luxury’.

Courtesy of Rodeo Realty

Greg Moesser of Rodeo Realty will be speaking at the 3^rd edition of Prestige MLS Luxury Real Estate Congress. A renowned expert in the field, he will provide unique insight and analysis on hot topics related to Luxury Real Estate, Marketing, web and social media.

Greg Moesser : “Attracting European Buyers in USA” Greg Moesser, is Vice President of the Private Estates Division, Rodeo Realty and the Director of LA Classic Estates, a luxury boutique agency based in Beverly Hills, California.

He is considered one of LA’s leading agents and specializes in the highly Los Angeles Westside neighborhoods of Berverly Hills, Bel Air, Hollywood Hills and Malibu. As a specialist in California luxury Properties, ha assists international buyers seeking USA properties. He has represented clients worldwide, including buyers from Europe, Russia and Dubai.

For more information about Rodeo Realty, visit their website.

For more information on the 3^rd Prestige MLS Luxury Real Estate Congress, visit their website.

Courtesy of Jon Caruana of HK Lane Real Estate

When either designing a new home or purchasing an existing one, it’s prudent to consider how this home affects your overall health and how the functioning house affects the world you live in.

Consider the fact that more than 50% of the toxins that the human body must deal with on a daily basis come from in and around the home. Toxins enter the body through the air you breathe, the water you drink and through your skin.

Start by looking for a state of the art air filtration system that effectively removes contaminated dust from the air and neutralizes offensive airborne organisms like the common cold virus.

Sophisticated residential water purification systems remove unhealthy contaminants from your water. A five minute shower with chlorinated water is equal to drinking 10 glasses of chlorinated water! Through a series of other purification and re-mineralization steps, you can have a drink of water equal to water from a natural mountain spring straight from your kitchen faucet.

Floor coverings are best to be hard surfaced throughout the home for ease of removing dust and dirt with a centrally located vacuum system that has no potential for injecting any of the toxin laden particles directly back into your living environment. Soft surfaced floor coverings are more likely to retain dust and dirt. The manufactured and treated fibers from carpeting for example give off gases known to increase your toxic burden.

From an environmental standpoint, seek a house design that takes into account shading from the high and hot summer sun while still allowing the lower winter sun to shine into the home. This can be achieved with appropriate overhangs and strategic placement of window blinds and exterior power screens. These blinds and screens can be hidden in recessed pockets incorporated in the house structural design. Additionally, solar-heat-reflecting glass windows are a tremendous energy saver!

With the extensive amount of sunshine in the Coachella Valley, solar electrical energy is a must to consider. With solar equipment, electrical costs can be drastically reduced with no drain on natural resources. Also, electrical consumption can be reduced with computer controlled low voltage lighting. From your PC or smart phone you are able to control the functions of your home’s lights including on/off and light intensity. Lights running at 80% or less of maximum intensity have a much longer life expectancy and produce less heat.

Don’t forget to look at the landscaping. A desert landscape is environmentally friendly. Reduced water consumption is the obvious advantage to the environment. However, it goes far beyond water. No grass means no toxins produced by lawnmower exhaust, no grass fertilizing with synthetic chemicals, no weed control with toxic chemicals, and no lawn scalping filling the air with allergy causing pollutants. Check out the benefits of a salt water pool versus a chemically maintained pool.

Natural relaxation is a carefully crafted blend of comfort and natural sounds produced by wild life and cascading water that enhances emotional health. A prime example is this custom home built specifically for a doctor with a desire for a great quality of life. Located in Palm Springs, health was a primary focus when building and designing this home.

Here at Luxury Real Estate, it’s nice to get a little feed back from our members. We were thrilled to see a Beacham & Company, Realtors blogger’s take on our 16^th Annual Fall Conference held in San Diego at the Grand Del Mar. Click here to see Blayne Beacham’s delightful post titled “The Billionaire’s Club + Best Print Marketing = AWESOME TRIP!”.

Courtesy of Luxury Real Estate

Now there is yet another reason to attend the 16^th Annual Luxury Real Estate Fall Conference in San Diego (Del Mar), California. Greg Moesser, Vice President of the Private Estates division of Rodeo Realty in Beverly Hills, will be hosting a break out session on the topic of ‘Attracting International Buyers and Foreign Investors’.

International Buyers are a powerful, exclusive and highly profitable Niche market. Learn how to attract Foreign Buyers seeking an accelerated Full-Time Residency status, often in as little as 4 months. The new EB-5 program is highly attractive to foreign investors and removes the time limitations of residing in the USA. This ideal demographic is also seeking to purchase luxury real estate.

To read more about Greg and his views on international business, click here to read an article by Katharine Angelo in Bel Air Magazine.

Don’t forget to join us at The Grand Del Mar in San Diego (Del Mar), CA for the 16th Annual Luxury Real Estate Fall Conference, October 10th – 12th. Contact us for more details.

Courtesy of La Costa Resort and Spa

CARLSBAD, Calif. (April 14, 2011) – The first ever resort spa in the U.S. and recently recognized as the #1 Resort Spa in Southern California (Spa Magazine) and the #4 Resort Spa in the U.S. and Canada (Travel + Leisure), The Spa at La Costa is a picturesque Spanish-colonial style haven from the everyday. The crowning glory of La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, Calif., the spa offers 28,000 square feet of indoor space and a 15,000-square-foot outdoor courtyard. The spa features 42 treatment rooms, the full-service Yamaguchi Salon, a spa boutique, Spa Café and movement and fitness training studios. As an integral element of the current $50 million renovation, “The Next La Costa” features a new spa concept, interior redesign, a series of new treatments, expansion of the Spa Café, new Café menu items, creation of social spaces, and the addition of a Reflexology Path and Herb Garden in the Spa Courtyard.

For a complete list of updates and renovations, click here.

Courtesy of Judy Sweetland of Private Trade Winds

If you’re a regular Private Trade Winds blog reader or if you follow us on Facebook and Twitter, then you’re probably already aware of our new “Spotlight Destination” promotion. The promotion launched in June with our Spotlight shining on Hawaii where we featured villas on the Big Island, Oahu, Maui and Kauai. The weeks following brought us to the coastal communities and wine country of South Africa; the desert, mountains and beaches of California; and lastly the laid-back beauty of Mexico! It’s been a blast, and I’m happy to report that people are loving it!

Each week we’re shining our Spotlight on a new destination which will be announced on our blog, facebook and Twitter. Don’t worry, if social media isn’t your thing you can also email jsweetland@privatetradewinds.com and let us know that you would like to receive our weekly Spotlight Destination announcement in your email.

So, what’s it all about? In the interest of full disclosure – we want to spoil you! We’re giving you the opportunity to travel like a Private Trade Winds client. It’s our version of a try before you buy program. Just book any villa featured in our weekly Spotlight Destination and you will receive all the value added inclusions normally reserved for clients of Private Trade Winds. That would be services like daily housekeeping and roundtrip airport transportation; the personal assistance of our dedicated Travel Advisors and Concierge for all your air and ground transportation, and a welcome gift will be waiting for you at your chosen destination, along with something special from Private Trade Winds to make your trip more enjoyable. It could be a decadent spa treatment, a round of golf or perhaps a personal chef credit. Each destination has its own unique offering which is gifted to you by Private Trade Winds. Other amenities await your arrival like luxurious spa robes, high-end bath amenities, and bottled water and coffee replenished daily.

Why are we doing this? We’re giving you the opportunity to try before you buy. We’re confident that once you take your first Private Trade Winds Villa Vacation you won’t want to travel any other way. So be sure to check in daily on our blog, and follow us on facebook and twitter to see where our Spotlight will be shining next. Remember you can also email Judy Sweetland at jsweetland@privatetradewinds.com or call 866.PTW.4LUX Ext. 804 to receive your announcements and updates. Spoiler Alert - this week . . . Costa Rica!

Courtesy of Ron & Alexandra Seigel of Napa Consultants, International

Diana Bull of  Sterling Properties and Rebecca Riskin of Villagge Properties, both Luxury Real Estate members, are mentioned in this article  on the Napa Consultants, International blog Language of Luxury.

Courtesy of Teressa Francis of Intero Real Estate

SILICON VALLEY, CA – June 16, 2011 – Intero Franchise Services, Inc. announced its continued expansion with the grand opening of a new California location: Intero San Jose Evergreen Valley.

On June 16, 2011, a former Windermere Real Estate office located in the Evergreen area of San Jose, California, led by Denise and Marvin Morris, will transition to the Intero brand. The Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting will be at 2pm.

As a Real Estate broker and owner since 1990, Denise has proudly served Santa Clara County and the surrounding areas. During this time, she managed over 100 agents and a Loan Center with 20 agents as a broker and owner of two highly ranked Century 21 Offices. As the owner and broker of the new Intero San Jose Evergreen Valley office, she is committed to her clients and the community she serves.

Denise’s mission is to build a Real Estate relationship with integrity, loyalty, honestly and hard work. She is a highly trusted Real Estate Broker in the community. She can be counted on for enthusiasm and innovative ideas to achieve to help people achieve their goals.

With currently 15 agents on board, Denise Morris along with business partner and husband, Marvin Morris, plan to grow and create an office of agents who work together as a team and who possess the qualities for success.

Intero San Jose Evergreen Valley
2230 Quimby Road
San Jose, CA 95122
408-223-1511

The launch of Intero San Jose Evergreen Valley follows the recent announcements of Intero El Dorado Hills, Intero Rancho Cucamonga and Intero Scottsdale locations.

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. Contact: Teressa Francis +1 408 342 3010 tfrancis@interorealestate.com