Luxury Real Estate

By Nicola Christinger of Home Hunts

In a world where sometimes style over substance has become the norm, people who want to indulge and enjoy a luxury property without feeling guilty for nature and its surroundings – need look no further. La Cacao Pearl is the world’s first non-profit, luxury eco-resort to be built on an entire private island, at the northernmost tip of Palawan in the Philippines.

Their philosophy is simple: to share all profits with residence owners and a purposefully-formed foundation, which will concentrate on social and environmental preservation programmes in these Palawan islands.

Set in 116 acres of lush rainforest and eight, pristine beaches, the eco-chic resort offers private residences with zero carbon cost, five-star service, an infinity pool, wreck and reef diving, and an organic spa, gardens, bar and restaurant.

Only 10% of the island will be developed which means that there are no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ locations to buy and no further development will take place - ever. A guarantee which is secure and Joel Cere, CEO of Cacao Resorts confirms: “we provide an authentic experience for the grown-up backpacker, a guilt-free option for the traveler with a conscience, a breath of fresh tropical air for sophisticated urban escapees.”

There is a choice of locations: beach, garden, resort and crèche (especially for guests/owners with children) and all 1 and 2 bedroom residences have been designed by film art director, Antonio Calvo (Love Actually, Alexander, Pride and Prejudice). Antonio will work with owners on bespoke requirements, custom finishings to compliment the interiors which use exotic timbers from sustainable forests and designs from Asia’s boutique specialist, Budji.

Buyers and investors who want to own a truly unique property are guaranteed sustainable construction methods, 100% renewable energy with an option to buy, re-sell or rent. The resorts rentals are managed by Cacao Resorts, which ensures that the clientele remains private. Prices for the 1 and 2 bedroom residences start at USD $280,000 – $500,000

The island has been described by National Geographic magazine as “incredibly beautiful natural seascapes and landscapes”, by Condé Nast Traveller magazine as “having the best beaches overall in Asia” and the resort has just received a “Best Residential Development” award by CNBC Asia Pacific Property Awards 2009.

The resort is being marketed through HOMEHUNTS and for full details of residences and floor plans please contact: nicola@home-hunts.com

Only happy people who care about the world we live in, need apply!

By Andrea Jasper of West Hawaii Today

HAWAII -(APRIL 22, 2009) - MacArthur & Company/ Sotherby's International Realty has been inducted into Kona-Kohala's Chamber of Commerce's Kuleana Green Business Program.

According to the Chamber's website, MacArthur & Company has qualified for the program in part for their extensive community sponsorships and volunteerism and commitment to continuous quality improvement. The Chamber recognized MacArthur & Company for the emphasis they place on local purchasing, outstanding service strategies, use of biodegradable and recycled products and re-use and energy and water conservation practices. ocess and experience."

"It is a great honor to be part of the Kuleana Green Business Program," said Megan MacArthur R(S), EcoBroker and Partner at MacArthur & Company. "This program requires elements and aspects of business which, I feel, is something we all as business owners and members of community have the 'kuleana' to take action on."

Initiated in 2005, this program promotes ethical and socially responsible business practices and environmental stewardship. Businesses applying for the program are scrutinized by the Chamber's Kuleana Program Committee. This committee determines eligibility based on an overall score in the areas of products and service quality, community, customer and employee relations and environmental stewardship.

"Our daily checklist for reduce, reuse, recycle, the individual and joint efforts of the company in community and with our clients, and overall support for our company agents and employees were the main factors for our acceptance," said MacArthur.

"From reducing, reusing and recycling to community service and support to in office support and caring the program asks and reminds the members and applicant of the wide range of social, and personal responsibility we all truly have," said MacArthur, who spent months analyzing and reviewing all of the aspects of the business to discover adjustments that could be made.

MacArthur encourages businesses to consider applying for the program and putting the effort forth to make changes and catch a vision for the future of finding the most effective and earth friendly path.

"The world is changing and we are all in charge of making the difference toward a healthy tomorrow," said MacArthur. "I am here to help anyone who may have questions about the program from the business owner side of things. I would love to share my pr

By Noelani Wong of MacArthur and Company Sotheby's International Realty

KAMUELA, HAWAII – DECEMBER 30, 2008 – Megan MacArthur of MacArthur and Company Sotheby’s International Realty in Waimea has earned the EcoBroker Certified^® designation, having successfully completed a unique and informative training program on the energy and environmental issues that affect real estate transactions. Megan MacArthur joins the movement of professionals pushing the real estate market toward energy-efficient, sustainable, and healthier design/features in homes and buildings. The “performance home” movement is getting a boost thanks to this type of high quality real estate professional earning the EcoBroker designation. EcoBrokers^®, like Megan MacArthur, throughout the country are forging this market and creating competitive advantages for their customers. With national surveys indicating that 80% of consumers consider themselves “green-minded,” real estate professionals with the EcoBroker designation are in a better position to serve the real estate consumer. “I’m always looking for the best ways to offer my clients the best value. My EcoBroker training helps me ensure customer satisfaction, my number one priority,” Megan explains. “From windows to moisture control to energy savings, I now have more resources at my disposal to help my buyers and sellers make better real estate decisions. The EcoBroker designation doesn’t make me an energy and environmental expert, but it allows me to better understand the issues and to convey this understanding to my buyers and sellers.”

EcoBroker International’s education and designation program is designed exclusively for real estate professionals who care about the environment and want to help their clients benefit from the energy-efficiency, “green,” and healthier features of homes and buildings. EcoBroker provides a complete curriculum of energy and environmental training to licensed real estate agents. Real estate professionals must complete the extensive EcoBroker curriculum and training and fulfill additional program requirements to become Certified EcoBrokers^®. Megan MacArthur is an example of the quality real estate professional the EcoBroker designation continues to attract,” explains EcoBroker International’s CEO, Dr. John Beldock. “These real estate professionals are not only distinguishing themselves in a competitive market place, but they are really giving back to the community in very constructive and meaningful ways. The Big Island needs more contributors like Megan MacArthur. The planet and our grandchildren need them too,” Dr. Beldock said.

From her Waimea office, Megan explains, “With EcoBroker^Ò training, I have broadened the range of real estate opportunities I offer my clients. Whether the transaction involves environmental assessment and mitigation (mold, building materials, etc.) or the opportunity to reduce utility bills, I’m in a position to help. The real estate industry is changing, and to best serve my clients I need to understand the newest designs, technologies, and environmental issues. My EcoBroker designation helps me stay ahead of the game and encourage others to do the same.”

Megan MacArthur earned her EcoBroker Certified^® designation in December and is wasting no time in putting the tools and additional expertise to work. Megan has already found that being a Certified EcoBroker^® creates added value and customer satisfaction that sets her apart from other agents. For example, at a recent listing presentation, Megan was able to show the prospective sellers how she can highlight the benefits of their dual glazed windows, day-lighting paint, solar water heater, drought resistant landscaping, Energy Star appliances, and other added comforts in the home now given the opportunity to be highlighted in a way buyers can better understand the benefits. She also suggested an inexpensive Energy Star Rating Consultation for potential added savings on the seller’s mortgage or Buyer’s loan. Her innovative energy and environmental perspective gave her an edge in winning the listing. Megan says she is looking forward to continuing to positively impacting the quality, durability, comfort, safety, and cost-effectiveness of homes and commercial buildings while raising the awareness of “green” options for Hawaii’s communities.

By Robert Lockard

In the winter 2009 issue of LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine (this link will start working in December 2008 when the magazine is published) I wrote an article entitled “Seeing Green: Living eco-friendly without sacrificing luxury.” In that article I mentioned a number of links and resources awaiting readers online. As promised, here they are! Check out the following Web sites for valuable information on what you can do today to start enjoying the benefits of “green” homes. In addition, I included links to the personal blogs/sites of the five Luxury Real Estate members and Eco-Brokers who I interviewed for this article. They were very helpful in the writing process and I’m sure you’ll find them to be extremely helpful in the home buying and selling process:

“Green” Organizations and Resources
www.buildinggreen.com: An independent publishing company focused on “green” building materials and methods.

www.builditgreen.org: A nonprofit dedicated to promoting “green” building in California by providing education, professional directories and more.

www.builtgreen.net: The Built Green™ logo signifies a property meets rigorous “green” standards. Based in Western Washington.

www.earthcrafthouse.com: Founded in 1999, EarthCraft House™ certifies new homes in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Virginia as “green” based upon high standards.

www.greenhomeguide.org: Sponsored by the U.S. Green Building Council, this site offers a variety of resources for “greening” your home.

www.lowimpactliving.com: A tool for setting realistic goals based on your budget, location and other factors.

www.nahb.org: Formed in 1942, the National Association of Home Builders provides in-depth data on housing trends, including “green” homes.

www.southeastgreen.com: A user-friendly directory of businesses offering “green” products and services in the Southeast United States.

www.usgbc.org: Official site of the U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit composed of leaders from every sector of the building industry, which provides LEED™ standards for homes, businesses and more.



Blogs/Personal “Green” Sites:
www.cottenalston.com (Cotten Alston’s personal site)

www.roseannblacher.com (Roseann Blacher’s personal site)

http://maringreenrealestate.blogspot.com (Jonathan Marks’ blog, the only “green” blog in Marin County)

www.thebuckheadblog.com (Carson Matthews’ blog)

http://welcomehomegreen.typepad.com (Hannah Tai’s blog)

By Robert Lockard

I recently finished writing an interesting article for the winter 2009 issue of LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine. The article is on “green” homes, and it was a challenge to write, mainly because I have a number of concerns about the current global-warming scare. I was able to find a lot of good in “green” homes, especially their energy savings and positive health effects on residents. I shied away from discussing their environmental effects, since I am unconvinced that they will have any real ones, and saying that they will might give people a false sense of security.

To be sure, I am all for conservation and avoiding the waste or misuse of our resources. But something is very wrong with the current debate, or lack thereof, on global warming. I bring this up, not only because of my magazine article, but also because I read a very informative article entitled “Hot air over global warming” by Jerome Delvin in The Seattle Post-Intelligencer this morning. I highly recommend checking it out.

As I noted in the Editor’s Note of a July 31, 2008 post to the Luxury Real Estate Blog by Jean-Yves Piton entitled “Green luxury real estate,” many climatologists and other scientists are speaking out about the fallacy of manmade global warming. You can find a great deal of accurate information from top scientists who spoke at the 2008 International Conference on Climate Change. It is clear that the Earth’s atmosphere is warming, but there is actually little evidence to suggest that human activity is the main cause.

The data simply does not support the idea that the Earth’s temperature has increased at a steady pace along with the increase in carbon emissions during the past century or so. In fact, in the 1970s global cooling was touted as a major problem facing the world, not global warming. The fact that there was cooling going on during a period of steadily increasing carbon emissions seems to point to the fact that the relationship between manmade greenhouse gases and the temperature of the atmosphere is much more complex than we’re being told.

I believe that regular people can make a difference in the world, often by raising strong families and focusing on the most important things in life. However, it seems to me like this good idea (one person being able to have a positive effect on the world) has been twisted and used inappropriately when it comes to global warming in order to take advantage of well-intentioned people.

I often feel barraged with messages saying that I need to be more responsible and consume less in order to lessen my “carbon footprint” on the environment. I am wary of the rationale behind this argument for a number of reasons. There is little evidence that paying money to plant trees or somehow offset our emissions has a significant effect on the environment. In fact, an interesting study in Reportonbusiness.com found that our return on investment from putting money into the fight against global warming is so low that it’s really not even worth it. The fact is that, despite good intentions, one person, or even 6 billion people, can’t make much of a difference when it comes to global warming.

Returning to the “green” article I wrote, I tried to focus on “green” homes from the perspective of why a person would choose to purchase one. After all, they are more expensive to build, so there must be a promise of future rewards rather than a vague promise of being better for the environment. “Green” homes appear to be very sound investments because they cost less to maintain, contain fewer toxic materials and thus promote the financial and physical health of their inhabitants. I believe that “green” homes can be very good. But I do not think that they are good simply because they have some sort of positive effect on the environment that is, in reality, overrated and insignificant.

I have much more to say on this topic, but I’m afraid I just don’t have time to cover everything. I apologize if I have offended you. I am very passionate when I see injustice, and I wish to put an end to it. I think we need much more information before making changes that might have little or no effect on the problem we think we’re solving.


Editor’s Note:
Robert Lockard is the Public Relations & Media Specialist with Luxury Real Estate. I am Robert. I create all of Luxury Real Estate’s newsletters, write the editorials in LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine and much more. If you disagree with me, I encourage you to look closely at the data before posting comments. I enjoy healthy discussions in search of truth, but I do not approve of name calling or unkindness. I just posted a blog entry by Simon Turner on Google Maps and “green” luxury homes. I don’t mean any disrespect to him by posting this blog entry. As I mentioned above, I think that there is a lot of good in “green” homes, but I just don’t think that they will make any difference on the environment. Update: This blog entry has been updated to remove two paragraphs.

By Simon Turner
From his blog: How Google Maps can be used to make solar power decisions for your home

As energy prices continue to climb, the idea of utilizing solar energy is common sense. The process of getting solar panels installed, however, is quite the opposite.

RoofRay, a new Californian business, aims to give homeowners better information to enable them to make more-informed environmental decisions for their luxury home. Using the site’s modeling tools, consumers can estimate how much solar energy a home could capture and how that would affect their monthly bills.

The data provided is based upon historical weather conditions, current power usage charges, the gradient of the property, and the maximum amount of solar paneling the roof can hold. One tool uses Google Maps to let users calculate the size of their roof and build virtual panels. RoofRay then estimates the output potential of the solar panels as well as financial considerations like costs of installation, upkeep and return on investment.

Whilst not yet available in Australia, such a tool would be a welcome addition to our growing eco-conscience and our excessive reliance on fossil fuels. Furthermore, it would be useful for would-be real-estate buyers in making purchase decisions, something that the Marquette Turner team is increasingly finding is a factor in how and where buyers buy.

To find out the latest information available in Australia, a good start is the federal government’s portal www.climatechange.gov.au and Marquette Turner’s Clear the Air site


Editor’s Note:
Simon Turner is the co-Founder and Director of Marquette Turner Luxury Homes, a member of Luxury Real Estate in East Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Founded on Australia Day 2007 by Turner and Michael Marquette, Marquette Turner is a property consultancy company covering the Australian states of New South Wales and Victoria. Born in England, Turner traveled much as a child, finally settling in Australia. He joined the Australian Defence Force Academy and graduated with a degree in Politics and History as an Intelligence Officer in the Royal Australian Air Force. This is a very fascinating topic. Jean-Yves Piton actually wrote a blog entry on “green” luxury real estate a little while ago, too. I just finished writing an article on “green” luxury properties for the winter 2009 issue of LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine.

By Iain Stewart

As recently reported by Nadine Hawa in her CNBC article “International Brands Eye Dubai Real Estate,” all eyes are on Dubai at this moment. In her article, Hawa notes that world-famous real-estate developer Donald Trump is particularly interested in “The Palm Jumeirah.” While many other international luxury brands are also seeking to build new luxury developments in Dubai, current new constructions, such as Verde Residences and Offices, are going totally green and present the most innovative eco-friendly technologies and amenities.

The Power of Green
Spanish for the color green, Verde symbolizes the very essence of life and all things living in perfect harmony with the elements. An expression that conjures up a sense of wellness and optimism for the future of our planet, Verde reinforces the eternal belief that making peace with nature is prerequisite to making peace in the world and finding peace within VERDE.

Verde – The Project
The next big thing in contemporary lifestyle, Verde elevates environmental consciousness to a whole new level. Towering over the clear blue skies of the world’s first purpose-built maritime centre that is Dubai Maritime City, Verde Residences and Offices are designed to achieve Gold Standard rating (LEED). It combines the best of luxury and green engineering to offer you a new investment opportunity in the most exciting freehold waterfront community in the heart of Dubai.

Like the prow of a ship, the elegantly curved glass tower that is Verde Residences points directly towards the harbor, enhancing its relationship to the ocean and marina, and its prominence within Dubai Maritime City. Masterfully designed to open up panoramic views to the ocean, Verde’s orientation and shape allows it to shield itself from the strongest solar gain yet harness the wind, and features an integrated wind turbine at its top, where wind speeds are the greatest.



Verde Residences
The 40-story residence tower includes luxurious 2- & 3-bedroom residential units and 4-bedroom deluxe harbor-side townhomes. With a swimming pool, kids’ pool, gymnasium and world-class retail and leisure facilities, Verde Residences offer a plethora of amenities that bring day and night alive.

Verde Offices
At the heart of Dubai Maritime City, the world’s first purpose-built maritime centre, Verde Offices set a new international standard for a high-performance building. Shaped to harness the power of natural forces, Verde Offices utilize advanced technologies and climate appropriate building systems to offer tenant profitability through increased productivity. With podium offices and the unique sky garden, Verde Offices offer various exercise and leisure spaces that are embellished with trees, plants and generous water features; an oasis that promises a respite within the confines of the high-end business experience.

The Location
Dubai Maritime City, the world’s first purpose-built maritime centre, is a 227-hectare, fully-equipped, iconic and multi-dimensional maritime centre providing a world-class infrastructure and environment for the global maritime industry and related sectors. Dubai Maritime City is driven by the needs of both local and international marine and maritime communities for a dedicated hub.

Located at the heart of Dubai, next to Port Rashid, Dubai Maritime City capitalizes on the strengths of Dubai as a regional and international hub for trade and commerce, redefining the global maritime industry. It will provide a strategic location for the maritime industry sectors across the full spectrum of maritime business, maritime management, maritime services, maritime retail and recreation, maritime education and research, ship and yacht repair and maintenance.

Green Technology
Buildings can have a profound effect on the environment, and the way we live our everyday lives. And Green Building brings to life the philosophy that architecture must strike a balance with its environment. It is the practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings use resources – energy, water and materials, while reducing the building’s impact on the environment through better site planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance. Verde, like a classic Green Building, takes advantage of renewable resources, through solar hot water, photovoltaic cells, a grey water system, and an efficient glass facade with integral shading devices, to name a few of the techniques to achieve not only ecological but aesthetic harmony between a structure and its surrounding environment, natural and constructed. The triumph of Green Building practices and sustainable systems in Verde can reduce electricity usage and carbon emissions to such an extent that it is as good as planting over 300,000 trees or taking 340 cars off the road.


Editor’s Note:
Iain Stewart is the Luxury Specialist at Whole World of Property. He is a highly respected figure in the international property industry, specializing mostly in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, London, Berlin, Caribbean, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and India. He can be contacted at +44 (0)207 788 7994 or +44 07910 891 917. This is great – a blog entry on Dubai just after we heard from an expert on another city rising in international importance, Marrakech, Morocco. It’s great to see so many Luxury Real Estate members enjoying success in their global markets

By Jean-Yves Piton

Are you presently offering “green” luxury homes to your clients?

With the growing concern for global warming and the depletion of energy, there is an ever-rising enthusiasm for eco-friendly alternatives worldwide.

Clearly, both energy efficient products and organic goods are in high demand with rapidly increasing market shares vis-à-vis other traditional and commercial goods.

For instance, in the automotive industry, Toyota clearly sets the tone vis-à-vis other car manufacturers by pursuing the very successful, environmentally friendly niche market with its world-renowned hybrid vehicle, the Toyota Prius.

Are you embracing the emerging interest in green real estate and responding to the specific needs of a nature-conscious and educated client base?

According to www.whatgreenhome.com, eco-developers and eco-brokers offer green properties with sought-after features like zero-carbon, zero-waste, sustainable water, local and sustainable building materials and sustainable transport at premium prices around the globe.

Just recently, new green luxury properties are also automatically delivered with a Toyota Prius in the garage at a minimum cost of $2 million USD!

The trend is here! And it will keep on growing as governments around the planet are rethinking policies for nature-friendly communities.


Editor’s Note:
Jean-Yves Piton is the Global Services Membership Manager for LuxuryRealEstate.com. He assists Bente Madtsen, the Director of Global Services, in expanding the LuxuryRealEstate.com brand into even more countries around the world. I’m actually writing an editorial for the winter 2009 issue of LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine on “green” luxury homes. Jean-Yves brings up some good points in this blog entry. It’s always nice to save money on energy, especially since energy prices are quite high at the moment. I’d like to make one point, though. In the spirit of healthy debate, I would like to offer the following link to the 2008 International Conference on Climate Change. I highly recommend listening to these scientists. They have strong evidence that human activity accounts for just a small fraction of global warming, and reducing our carbon emissions will likely have little, if any, effect on the well-being of our planet while costing far too much money. The photo of the green apartment is from www.flickr.com/photos/papalars/375415219 and it is the copyright of papalars.

By Robert Lockard

Woodinville, a suburb of Seattle, suffered a sad event on Monday, March 3, 2008, according to an article I found in Yahoo! News. Three luxury homes were burned and two others were damaged in a case of arson. Thank goodness the homes were unoccupied and so no one was injured.

These homes were part of last year’s Street of Dreams, an annual event that allows people from all over the Puget Sound to walk through and experience the incredible features of cutting-edge luxury homes.

The homes that were destroyed were actually much smaller than some of the more opulent homes that have been showcased in the past – measuring about 4,000 square feet each. They were also built with special “green” features, including water-pervious sidewalks, super-insulated walls and windows and products made with recycled materials, like carpet pads.

There is some evidence that this arson attack was perpetrated by extremists who claim to be acting in the best interests of the planet. Apparently, efforts to “go green” might not be seen as enough to alleviate these people’s fears that we are damaging the environment too much. I can’t really relate to this feeling of hatred that would lead someone to burn down a house and cause millions of dollars in damage. I am so glad that no one was killed in this tragedy.

Ironically, I’m actually planning on writing an editorial on “green homes” in the summer issue of LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine. This might be an interesting topic to discuss in that editorial – the idea that our efforts might be soon as too little in some people’s eyes. I trust that most people are good, and I’m sorry to talk about such a sad topic. I hope that we will all be careful in protecting ourselves and our property.


Editor’s Note:
Robert Lockard is the Public Relations & Media Specialist with LuxuryRealEstate.com. I am Robert. I create all of LuxuryRealEstate.com’s newsletters, write the editorials in LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine and much more. I live within a few miles of Woodinville, so this tragedy hits home with me a little more than it would if it were in another state.