Luxury Real Estate

Courtesy of Michael Edlund, Director of Technology at Luxury Real Estate

Here at Luxury Real Estate, we are constantly updating our website to make it more useful for you, our members. We like to hear what features you like and could use, so due to popular member feedback, we recently added new functionality in the Luxury Lounge.

Each second home market has feeder markets—the areas that buyers most often come from. For example, Seattle is a feeder market for second homes in Idaho. It's of great value for brokers in a market to network well with brokers from their feeder markets so that they can pass referrals to people they know and trust. Previously as an agent in the Luxury Lounge, you could only display your particular service areas, but you can also now add your Feeder Markets. If you’re an agent in Hawaii, you may wish to add Seattle as one of your feeder markets—or if you’re in Brazil, Florida may be a lucrative feeder market for you.

When you log into the Luxury Lounge, click on the blue “My Lounge” button in the top right hand corner. Then click “Profile” to edit your personal profile. From this page, you will notice a horizontal line of tabs, one of which says “Feeder Markets”. We’d like you to be among the first to take advantage of this new tool in the Luxury Lounge—so go ahead, fill it out. I’ll wait.

Done? Good. Very soon, we will make it possible to match service areas and feeder markets between different members and suggest who you ought to network with based on this information. We are excited for the new business opportunities within the LRE® network this will enable!

So please, keep trying out all the features in the Luxury Lounge, and as always, let us know what you think—we are here to work for you!

Courtesy of Barbara Harrington of Royal Shell Real Estate

“Inkubus” an R rated horror film starring Robert Englund (Freddy Kruger) comes to Sanibel’s Island Cinema for three nights only: Oct. 29-31. Island Cinema is located in the Bailey’s Center at the intersection of Periwinkle Way and Tarpon Bay Road. Showings are at 9 p.m. Tickets are $10. Inkubus tells the story of a skeleton crew working the final shift at a soon to be demolished police station. As you might expect when Inkubus shows up, the real demolition begins.

Mr. Chad Verdi, who owns the production company for “Inkubus” is the owner and part time resident of a home on Captiva. He is the movie’s producer and appears as one of the characters. Mr. Verdi decided to limit the release of “Inkubus” to communities where he has a personal tie. Island Cinema was selected because of his ties to Sanibel and Captiva. Mr. Verdi & Island Cinema are donating all proceeds to Captiva Holiday Village. Don’t miss your chance to see Robert Englund in a limited release film sure to become a horror cult classic. For additional information go to Island Cinema’s Facebook page or call 239-472-1701.

For additional information on Chad Verdi’s ties to the local community or to learn what other cities this film is being released contact:

islandcinema@yahoo.com or
Tiffany Orsino @ 239-340-99607.

View trailer:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1650537

Courtesy of Matthew Haber of Real Sparks LLC

Saint Petersburg, FL– With demand for social networking, SEO, design, content creation and website construction services on the rise for small businesses and professionals, it is with great pleasure that Real Sparks LLC announces the launch of their West Coast Division. Under the direction of Sonya Winterhalder, the company is now poised to bring a wealth of professional and marketing services to companies in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.

Sonya comes to Real Sparks with a history of media management, marketing and sales experience. Originally from Eastern Washington state, Sonya graduated from Western Washington University and attended Graduate School at Seattle University. Most recently operating as the Real Estate Sales Manager for the San Francisco Examiner, her professional background also includes periods at Hartle Media, California Home & Design Magazine, 7×7 Magazine, Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate and a notable position as Director of Estates Marketing at Pacific Union International Real Estate, an exclusive affiliate of the Christie’s network.

“We are thrilled to have Sonya as part of our team,” says Matthew Haber, owner of Real Sparks LLC. “Sonya is a marketing and media expert with a tradition of providing over-the-top service for her clients. Her experience and personality blend perfectly with the philosophy behind Real Sparks.”

About Real Sparks LLC

Real Sparks LLC is a full service design, marketing and consulting agency based out of Saint Petersburg, Florida. Formed in 2011, Real Sparks LLC is founded on the principles of providing excellent service and accessible technology to businesses. Real Sparks personnel grew up during the dawn of the Internet and are experts in the fields of website construction, social networking strategy, search engine optimization, logo, brand and identity design, content creation and consulting. For more information, please visit: realsparks.net

Courtesy of Michel Cruz of Rimontgó

While many bemoan the state of the property market, it is good to know that there are real estate companies that are recording good results. The success achieved may have been hard-fought, but it provides an encouraging sign that those who are willing to innovate and adapt – and are well-prepared in terms of marketing, organisational structure and the service they provide – can do well.

In terms of significant sales, i.e. the sale of so-called important properties, Inmobiliaria Rimontgó recorded four such transactions in its home market area in 2010. These included two luxurious villas in Jávea, along Spain’s scenic east coast, a large villa just off the city of Alicante, a little further south, and a grand property in the region of Elche.

But in addition to such ‘local’ transactions of note have come the fruits of the international cooperation that Rimontgó has worked so hard to develop, and which finds itself embodied in EREN (European Real Estate Network) and the other international organisations that the company belongs and contributes to.

Most notable among these are a luxury Vienna apartment bought by an American-based

couple that was being transferred to the Austrian capital. Working closely with its EREN partner in Vienna, Marshall Immobilien, Rimontgó succeeded in finding its transatlantic client a beautiful new home and concluding the multi-nation deal in an efficient and transparent manner.

Other enquiries for international real estate that came through Rimontgó’s award winning website and which were successfully concluded with the EREN partners in Switzerland,

Portugal, New York and Florida respectively, are:

· A record sale to a Danish citizen of an estate in Lugano listed at CHF30 million

· A beautifully restored city apartment bought by a French family in Lisbon’s historic Chiado district

· The close working relationship with its partners in New York was also emphasised in the purchase of an important apartment by a Venezuelan national

· When a Florida resident wanted to sell his property in the Oliva Nova Golf Course near Valencia, without having to travel to Europe. Powers of Attorney were issued on behalf of Rimontgó and the proceeds from the sale of the property to a Madrid family were wired to the seller, who was very pleased with the service received

It all proves that international cooperation between likeminded companies can produce excellent and mutually beneficial results. For Rimontgó, the good results of 2010 serve as further encouragement and reward for the hard work and dedication they have shown in pursuit of a clear and effective market strategy.

Courtesy of Don Pilotte of Prudential Montana Real Estate

Both nationally and locally real estate brokers have noticed an increase in the number of cash transactions.

For example, between January 1, 2010 and late March 2011 of 166 transactions in Big Sky, 72 or 43 percent have closed with cash. According to a recent article in the San Francisco Examiner in January 2011, 28.7 percent of the sales closed with cash. Also in January, 2011, 46 percent of real estate transactions in Toledo, Ohio were cash sales. The MLS of Central Oregon that tracks sales in the Bend, Oregon area noted that 32 percent of the sales in February were cash transactions.

The National Association of Realtors noted that 54.2 percent of the sales in Miami, 45.9 percent in Las Vegas, 44.9 percent in Tampa and 35.6 percent of the sales in Phoenix were cash transactions. These four cities were all hit pretty hard by the recent recession and prices were dramatically reduced due to numerous foreclosures and short sales.

While there are a number of reasons for this increase in cash sales, such as foreign investment, cashing out equity in other properties or investments or using cash and a quick close as a negotiation strategy, there is also another potential reason: the return of the investment buyer.

Investment buyers look for opportunity; the combination of motivated sellers, short sales and foreclosures combined with a lot of inventory creates an almost ideal situation for those investment minded buyers. This also could be a signal that many buyers believe that we are close or at the bottom of the market. Already in Big Sky we are seeing significant market absorption in certain areas and price ranges.

Courtesy of Kenn Hall of Fannie Hillman + Associates

WINTER PARK, FL---Fifty one years ago a bright-eyed 18-year-old freshman at the University of Georgia was ready to begin preparing for a career in business when she says she was told there was “no place in the business world for a woman.”

Nancy Shea Bagby wasn’t discouraged. Although her career aspirations didn’t go south, she did. She transferred to the University of Florida, earned a bachelor’s degree in education, taught at elementary schools in Miami and Atlanta, was an assistant photo editor with LIFE magazine in New York, served as a flight attendant with Delta Airlines, and raised two daughters along the way.

And she was just getting started.

A Winter Park-Maitland resident since 1972, Bagby “waited until her children were out of school” and decided to go back to school and earn her master’s degree in business and finance at Rollins College. Although she never completed her degree, she did wind up mastering a career in another field---real estate.

Mastered might be an understatement. Since joining Winter Park’s Fannie Hillman + Associates in 1985, she has sold and closed over $480 million in residential real estate which pencils out to around $19 million a year. Last year, in a challenging economy, she led all company sales agents with sales of $16.6 million, and this year posted a 25-year career-best first quarter of over $9.2 million.

Not bad for someone who decided nearly 26 years ago to start a career in real estate “almost as a lark” and has been Fannie Hillman’s top producer for the past two and a half decades.

“Nancy is a very special person with a very special talent who knows the Winter Park/Maitland area as well, if not better, than anybody else in this business,” says Scott Hillman, president of the

successful, 30-year-old independent firm. “In fact, Nancy has handled more lakefront transactions than any other agent in the Winter Park/Maitland area since 1985.”

And she shows no signs of slowing down either. Now a grandmother with a daughter, son-in-law and three grandchildren in Seattle, WA, and another married daughter with two children in nearby Maitland, Bagby thoroughly enjoys what she’s doing.

“I love the business I’m in and the people I work with,” explains Bagby, whose sister is a Realtor in Palm Coast, Florida, and two brothers who are developers in Jacksonville, Florida. “I wouldn’t

think of doing anything else or being anywhere else. We have a very close knit office where people work in tremendous harmony. We all take a great deal of pride in what everyone else in the office is doing.”

A team player first, Bagby, works “primarily by referral” and attributes much of her success to “a wonderful repeat business” and her team of Sue Ann Rand and daughter Julie Bagby Williams. Sue Ann, a licensed Realtor and broker “has been an invaluable assistant for the past 17 years and an incredibly gifted person,” said Bagby, while daughter Julie, who holds an MBA from Emory University in Atlanta, “is my people person with a sparkling personality that has served our team well for the past four years.”

Ask those who know and work with Bagby and they’ll tell you she’s also “a people person” with a “down-to-earth, magnetic personality.” Active in the community and a member of numerous civic organizations, Bagby says she’s “extremely interested in helping people” and admits spending a great deal of time consulting with clients and non-clients alike on real estate matters.

“Selling homes is a tremendously emotional business that requires knowing and understanding the individual and his or her needs so that they develop a trust and confidence in you,” Bagby emphasizes. “Right now, I do as much counseling and advising as I do selling.”

And therein lies the key to Bagby’s ability to cultivate a sizeable list of referrals and repeat business.

“I’ve had the good fortune to have had such wonderful clients over the years and am very grateful for their tremendous support,” says Bagby. “They are as much a part of my success as the people I work with.”

Even though Bagby long ago proved there is a place in the business world for a woman, she hasn’t lost her sense of perspective and allowed success to obscure her priorities.

“I have a wonderfully enjoyable and successful career, but in the overall scheme of things my family is number one in my life,” she says.

Real estate certainly has been anything but a disappointing second.

About Fannie Hillman + Associates
A member of the Orlando Regional Realtor Association, Fannie Hillman is listed in Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate, and maintains a global presence through affiliations with London-based Mayfair International, Luxury Portfolio, and Chicago-based RELOHomeSearch, a website run by Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, the world’s largest network of premier independent residential real estate firms representing 600 companies with 5,000 offices and 150,000 sales associates in more than 30 countries. Fannie Hillman also has exclusive rights for Residence International in the Central Florida area. Fannie Hillman is located at 205 W. Fairbanks Avenue. For more information call (407) 644-1234 or visit the company’s web site at fanniehillman.com.

Courtesy of Leibowitz Realty Group

BallenIsles Country Club is a premier, gated, residential community of privacy and prestige nestled in the heart of Florida's Palm Beaches. Here, amidst 1,300 pristine acres, the traditions of America's great private clubs are being carried on in a community of 1500 plus luxurious homes (33 unique neighborhoods ranging from 1,800 square foot patio homes and golf villas to more exclusive areas of spacious estate homes. Prices start at approximately $300,000 and go up to nearly $4 million). Boasting championship golf courses, and unsurpassed amenities. BallenIsles is truly an enviable enclave reserved for its members and their special guests. More than half of the BallenIsles community is comprised of year round residents.

• A Magnificent Trio of Championship Golf Courses
• The Ultimate 72,000 square foot Grand Clubhouse

Courtesy of Brian Langhorst of Luxury Real Estate

Luxury Real Estate is pleased to announce the inclusion of Premier Realty Partners in its prestigious network of fine high-end estate brokers and firms. Premier Realty Partners was selected to represent the Orlando, Lake Nona, Windermere, Lake Mary, Longwood, Baldwin Park, and Doctor Phillips, Florida areas at the invitation of Chairman/Publisher John Brian Losh. Mr. Losh extends membership invitations to brokers and firms throughout the world who consistently demonstrate expertise in the marketing of luxury properties. Currently, Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate includes more than 1,400 members with properties in 67 countries and nearly every state in the U.S.

This exclusive group’s properties can be viewed on the network’s award-winning Web site LuxuryRealEstate.com, the most-viewed real estate Web site expressly dedicated to luxury properties. The site features more than 60,000 of the world’s finest for-sale listings with an average price of more than $2 million. According to the Web information service Google Analytics, LuxuryRealEstate.com receives more than 2.6 million unique page views per month coming in from 197 countries around the world.

Premier Realty Partners is an independently owned luxury real estate brokerage headquartered in Orlando, Florida. The boutique office is guided by longtime local real estate experts Chocky Burks, Steve Healy, and Matt Tomaszewski. Together with their highly qualified team of agents Premier Realty Partners provides real estate services for clients looking to buy, invest or sell property in Central Florida.

The 2011 edition of Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate’s annual membership directory is available by calling Premier Realty Partners or writing to: Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate, 2110 Western Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98121.

Courtesy of Michael McFadden of Luxury Real Estate Vacation Rentals

Good news for Holiday Isle Properties customers:

“Getting to Northwest Florida just got a lot easier, thanks to Vision Airlines. The Southeast-based airfare provider, headquartered in Suwanee, Georgia, recently announced an expansion that will allow fast and efficient travel to and from the Northwest Florida Regional Airport in Fort Walton Beach. The announcement is great news for clients of Holiday Isle Properties, a premier vacation rental management firm specializing in Destin, Florida properties. Previous customers have been absolutely awed by Holiday Isle's choice selection of Destin vacation rentals and prime Gulf-front properties. Now, instead of driving hours to get to their beautiful Destin Florida rentals, guests can choose to fly there.”

To read the rest of this exciting new announcement on PRWeb.com, click here.

Courtesy of Leibowitz Realty Group

Mirasol is one of South Florida's most popular gated country club communities. The club is set in beautiful Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and just minutes from the heart of Palm Beach. View the Mirasol country club community video below to take yourself through the community of Mirasol.

Mirasol's club facilities consists of approximately 70,000 square and include: 36 holes of championship golf. The two renowned courses the "Sunset" course designed by Arthur Hills and the "Sunrise" course designed by Tom Fazio. Golf practice facilities consisting of a driving range, short game practice area, practice putting area, and a golf instructional building. Members have access to unparalleled luxury amenities including the golf pro shop, locker room facilities, card rooms, dining room, and steam rooms, 15 tennis courts, tennis pro shop, and junior Olympic size swimming pool.