Blog contributions are provided exclusively from Luxury Real Estate members throughout the world.
Courtesy of Darryl Baskin of McGraw Realtors
Keeping your household organized is a challenge in the best of circumstances, let alone when you're in the midst of dealing with the disruption of moving.
As a member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I, along with my team, always take the extra steps necessary to help my clients experience a stress-free, successful move. Throughout my years in the real estate business, we've witnessed many common mistakes that people make during the course of a move.
Here are seven to avoid:
- Packing everything. Prior to moving, it's important to take a look around and decide what you don't want to keep. This will cut down on costs by not having to transfer unnecessary items.
- Sending it all to storage. Storage is usually expensive and just delays the inevitable. Eventually, what you store will need to be moved into your home, so try and bring it all the first time.
- Shopping on the Internet for move quotes without dealing with a live person. This is one instance where dealing with a live person is necessary. You need to be able to ask specific questions and have your estimate explained to you line by line so that you can see where costs can be cut.
- Not looking into what your homeowners' insurance covers. For a nominal cost, these types of insurance policies may cover your goods in transit.
- Not taking photographs of items before disassembling them for the move. You will be unable to process an insurance claim if you don't have proof of what the item looked like before you packed it.
- Overlooking the box count. If you are paying for boxes by the piece, keep track as things are being packed as each box has a different price attached to it. You don't want to end up with 300 boxes when you only needed 200. Also, if the moving company sees that you're keeping track, movers will be less inclined to hit you up for additional costs when the job is done.
- Forgetting to take inventory. If you don't create an inventory, there's no fool-proof way to know if you've left something behind or if it somehow got lost in transit.
Work closely with your real estate professional to help avoid these and other common pitfalls of moving. You can also e-mail our team for more information. Please share these moving mistakes with friends and family, too, so that the journey to their new home is a happy one!
29
Millionaire Fair in Moscow
By Kirsty Bryson from Luxury Homes by VAPF
The 6th edition of the Moscow Millionaire Fair 2010 took place last weekend (22nd to 24th of October) at the Manezh central exhibition hall in the capital of Russia and did not cease to impress the world over with the blatant display of riches that are predominant amongst the Russian elite society.
The Millionaire Fair started on Friday evening with an opening gala that lasted until two in morning with live jazz music from Dave Benton & Orchestra, followed by a house and dance music session by DJ Mark Ronson. The gala attendees were also treated to fashion parades with lingerie by Estel Adony and a fur collection by Wonderfur. The highlights of the evening were the two grand premiers: the brand new Benarrow super car with 500 horsepower and the jewellery company Novero with its pure silver and gold jewels with a built-in USB-port and cutting-edge integrated hands-free set.
Saturday was designated as "Ladies Saturday" and the theme was women and children, with a show by Yakimanka kids’ gallery, a beautiful presentation by the luxury wedding agency VIP 4 You and the specially prepared show by Galla Dance that welcomed children and their parents to take part. A selection of leading Russian fashion designers presented their collections to the female public throughout the whole day.
The third and last day of the exhibition was "Adults only Sunday." The evening began with the top models from Playboy taking part in a photo session atop luxurious motorcars and the night ended with performances by jazz artist Aslan Akhmadov.
In addition to the shows and performances that took place throughout the three days, the fair visitors had the unique opportunity to purchase the best goods and services that the luxury industry has to offer to date: the best real estate, Spa services, exclusive cosmetics and even the services of VIP agencies. As every year, the Fair always presents a special, quirky or unusual object: On this occasion, the German company Fissler produced an extravagant gold saucepan adorned with diamonds which had the particularity that it can’t be used for cooking, only serving!
The celebration of the IGTM in Valencia will mark a before and after in golf tourism in the Valencia region of Spain.
The meeting, which will take place from the 15th to the 18th of November in Valencia, will attract around 500 professional buyers from the world of golf, some 600 exhibitors from 60 countries and about a hundred specialized media.
The Valencia Tourism Minister highlighted that the combination of the warm climate, the convenient and fast access to the area, a consolidated global offer of golf tourism and good value for money are the factors that have finally determined that the Valencia Region (which includes the provinces of Alicante, Valencia and Castellón) should host this event.
For the minister, "golf tourism golf has become a strategic segment that needs to be encouraged and promoted."
The Tourism Council is consequently conducting familiarization trips for tour operators, attending trade fairs related to golf and establishing partnership agreements to promote this sport with different organizations.
In short, golf tourism is a segment that corresponds to a demand for higher level of spending and a longer stay. Thus, "the average 900 euros that this type of tourist spends during his stay is three times higher than the traditional tourist".
Therefore, the minister concluded that "we will continue our commitment to promote this tourism segment that has grown so much over the last few years and is extremely important for tourism development on the whole, as it diversifies the tourism offer of the region therefore reducing the seasonal tourism.”
In particular, the Cumbre del Sol residential estate in the North of the Alicante province, where Luxury Homes by VAPF is developing exclusive villas with unbeatable sea views, is located within 5km of a golf course, enabling the residents of this prestigious estate to enjoy the sport right within a hop, skip and a jump from their homes.
Courtesy of: Brown Harris Stevens Palm Beach
By: Candace Jackson of the Wall Street Journal
View this exclusive home on LuxuryRealEstate.com: http://www.luxuryrealestate.com/residential/1605399-tropical-paradise-palm-beach-florida-united-states
Fashion designer and socialite Lilly Pulitzer has listed her Palm Beach, Fla., home for $11.5 million. The main house has large arched windows and several loggias. There are nine bedrooms divided between the main house, a casita and a pool house, all situated amongst tropical gardens. The estate has a swimming pool and is decorated in Ms. Pulitzer's colorful style.
Ms. Pulitzer designed the living spaces around the trees and gardens on the property. "It's just magnificent," says Ms. Pulitzer. "But I'm old and I'm cranky and I can't keep it up the way it should be."
Ms. Pulitzer rose to fame when Jacqueline Kennedy was pictured wearing one of her dresses. Her style became synonymous with the preppy look and has had a resurgence in recent years. Liza Pulitzer, Lilly's daughter, and an agent with Brown Harris Stevens, a Christie's Great Estates affiliate in Palm Beach, has the listing.
For full article click here
22
The Many Faces of Javea
Javea’s status as one of Spain’s most attractive coastal towns has never been in question, but this idyllic location’s unique selling point is its different faces; whether you prefer lazing on the beach or cataloguing the indigenous flora or fauna, there are few better places in which to base yourself.
Only a kilometre or so inland, Montgó is a wonderful place to explore for nature lovers and ramblers alike. Presided over by its characteristic mountain, Montgó is one of Spain’s most important nature reserves. Residents appreciate the feeling of peace and calm that typifies life in this beautiful area.
Javea is also famous for its excellent marina, which, apart from providing berths for 350 boats, is also the main focus for most of the town’s myriad festivals and fiestas. It’s an excellent place to have a drink, a meal or merely to sit and enjoy the area’s memorable sunsets.
Those of a sporting disposition often choose to relocate to Spain because of the country’s deserved reputation as one of the world’s key golfing hotspots, and the Costa Blanca doesn’t disappoint on this front. Nearby Denia hosts a number of excellent courses where golfers of all abilities can test their skills on some of the most picturesque courses in Europe.
For some of the best views in Javea, Portichol takes some beating. This location offers fantastic vistas of Montgó Mountain and the Bay of Javea, which wraps around the old town of Javea, the commercial and cultural heart of this very desirable corner of Spain.
Links:
Montgo: (http://www.rimontgo.com/for-sale/home-javea-tosalet-alicante-3301/)
Portichol: (http://www.rimontgo.com/for-sale/home-javea-portichol-alicante-3549/)
By Kirsty Bryson from Luxury Homes by VAPF
The brand new “Seabourn Sojourn” ultra-luxury cruise ship from the prestigious company Yachts of Seabourn, called in the port of Valencia city in Spain for the first time on Thursday the 14th of October. To celebrate the special occasion, the Valencia Port Authorities presented the captain of the ship, Karlo Buer, with a commemorative plaque.
The captain said it was not his first visit to Valencia, and recalled its "excellent climate" and the proximity of the port to the city centre. This new stop off has now included Valencia on the list of ports of call for all luxury cruise ships travelling the Mediterranean Sea and is proof of the high standards of services and quality of life in the area. In fact, the coastal stretch between this city and the city of Alicante, further south, is becoming increasingly popular as the chosen location for the rich and famous to establish their luxury homes in Spain.
Launched last June in London, the vessel offers high quality, extensive features and multiple services on board including two outdoor swimming pools and six outdoor whirlpool spas, four restaurants and six bars and cafes, a fold-out Marina providing water sports facilities for passengers to practice several different aquatic sports, an indoor pool plus gym and spa treatment area, and even a mini golf course along with nine decks.
In fact, although it has a length of 198.2 meters, a width of 30 meters, a gross tonnage of 32,346 tons and a draft of 6.6 meters, it only has 225 ocean view suites with a capacity of 450 passengers. With virtually one staff member for every guest, Seabourn provides an unmatched level of service and cruising experience. The yacht arrived in Valencia with 327 crew members and 438 passengers on board, having paid between $ 8,000 and $ 22,000 to travel on the luxury ship.
This cruise is the sister ship of the already in service "Seabourn Odyssey" and the "Seabourn Quest" which will be operational as from next year.
SEATTLE – (October 5, 2010) – Luxury Real Estate.com announced today its newest member, Kentucky Select Properties. Who's Who In Luxury Real Estate / LuxuryRealEstate.com is an international network of real estate professionals in more than 60 countries representing the finest residential luxury estates and property brokerages in the world. Each member, carefully selected by John Brian Losh, has been recognized as a leader in the marketing of distinctive and luxury properties, committed to high performance, professionalism, and quality service.
With an average of 14 years’ experience per agent, Kentucky Select Properties has earned a strong reputation for responding to customer needs and for creating sales initiatives designed to meet those needs. Their 70 agents have compiled a long roster of satisfied customers and buyers during the last 6 years, and they consistently achieve the highest average sales price of any broker in their market area. They continue to build upon their hard-earned success one transaction at a time, and they are the market leader in the greater Louisville area. Kentucky Select Properties is one company with one philosophy. Their commitment remains focused on serving the needs of their customers by carefully choosing sales associates who guide their clients and customers through the high stakes world of residential real estate. By staying on top of trends and professionally marketing properties locally, nationally & internationally, their associates consistently generate higher sell through of inventory at best in market price points.
For more information on Kentucky Select Properties., visit http://www.kyselectproperties.com/
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Todd has a passion for sailing. As a child he was taught to sail by his Grandfather and his Dad. At the age of 16, Todd achieved his Captains Ticket. He then began to manage and operate his family's charter boat business in Lunenburg. As a young man Todd sailed the Caribbean in the winters and our beautiful South Shore waters in the summer.
In 1987 Todd studied Travel and Tourism in London Ontario. In 1991 he received his Diploma in Sales and Marketing from the Nova Scotia Community College. Over the last 20 years Todd realized that the right career for him was real estate.
Todd is a member of the LaHave River Yacht Club and has served on the Executive. When asked what it is he loves about the South Shore, he replies "To see the South Shore of Nova Scotia is to know you're in paradise but to see it from the water is to know you are home."
Todd brings unparalleled customer service to Tradewinds Realty before, during and after the sale. Todd looks forward to helping you buy or sell and takes pride in making your next real estate ventures a pleasurable experience. Please call Todd, 902-212-1393, or drop by Tradewinds Bridgewater office, 673 King Street, to review our extensive property Display Gallery.
From Saturday 30th October until Sunday 7th November the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias in Valencia will be transformed from one of Spain’s major centres for the Arts to an international sporting venue.
This prestigious event is already attracting the attention of the international press, since five of the world’s top 10 players and eight of the top 15 will be competing. The most notable names are Andy Murray (4), Robin Soderling (5), Nikolay Davydenko (6), Fernando Verdasco (8), Mikhail Youzhny (9), David Ferrer (11), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12) and Gael Monfils (15).
In addition to these highly ranked players, the Valencia 500 Open will also feature some much loved characters such as Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka, France’s Gilles Simon and the perennially popular and crowd-pleasing Argentineans Juan Mónaco, Juan Ignacio Chela and Juan Martín del Potro. Del Potro is one of the sport’s most flamboyantly gifted and exiting players and the organisers of the Valencia Open 500 are especially delighted to be welcoming him back to the circuit after recovering from a wrist injury that sidelined him for several months.
Spanish players comprise a healthy percentage of the competition and are guaranteed to receive the support of the crowd. Those who have already confirmed that they will be present in Valencia are David Ferrer, Feliciano López, Fernando Verdasco (all of whom are members of the Spanish team who won the Davis Cup in December), Juan Carlos Ferrero, Nicolás Almagro, Guillermo García-López, Albert Montañés and Tommy Robredo.
Tournament Director, Antonio MartinezCascales is understandably thrilled with the stellar line-up: “Once again we have made a firm commitment to bring the top players and the level is going to be really high. We are very satisfied because the vast majority of the players who came last year were really happy with the venue and have decided to come back this time around. We also hope that those players who are making their debut here feel right at home at the tournament”.
He also added, “we are a young tournament, but the experience we have from last year will help us to improve this year, continue to grow and consolidate ourselves”.
www.valenciaopen500.com Rimontgó (www.rimontgo.com) offers the following properties close to the venue of the Valencia Open 500:
Exceptional four-bedroom penthouse with amazing view of the city (http://www.rimontgo.com/for-sale/penthouse-valencia-avenida-francia-V706/)
Modern three-bedroom apartment on Valencia’s iconic Paseo de la Alameda (http://www.rimontgo.com/for-sale/apartment-valencia-avenida-francia-V744/)
Outstanding three-bedroom apartment with peerless views of the Rio Turia area (http://www.rimontgo.com/for-sale/apartment-valencia-avenida-francia-V723/)
05
Homes with Gyms
Among the many attributes that a home can have the gym remains one of the more exclusive and indulgent.
In an age when many of us have become rather accustomed to designer kitchens, outdoor terraces with swimming pools, stylish bathrooms, studies and even jacuzzis, the gym is still a feature that cannot be taken for granted.
Indeed, no self-respecting villa of sizeable proportion can really take itself seriously without having one. A properly fitted gym in a smaller home, on the other hand, is a true surprise and normally an amenity that will add to the property’s desirability and price.
But you needn’t necessarily live in a mansion to enjoy the pleasures of your private gym, for many a luxurious apartment or townhouse complex will feature a communal facility that may also include an indoor heated swimming pool – and in some cases even a small spa with sauna and jacuzzis.
Ultimate convenience Like most things in life, gyms range from carpeted rooms with some weightlifting equipment, a mirror and a home trainer or two to veritable private spas that offer gym instructors, stylish changing rooms, treatment rooms, beauty treatments and indoor pools, in a setting good enough to rival the finest spa hotel or private club.
The concept of elegant private membership facilities within an exclusive inner city condominium has now been transported to suburban residential complexes where, albeit on a slightly more modest scale, convenience blends with a sense of privilege and comfort.
Maintaining such facilities within your own home requires a certain dedication to the task, which is why it is mainly the larger, staffed properties that include properly designed and fitted gyms on their list of features. In exchange for the effort the owner gets to have a gym all to him or herself, complete with a personal trainer if required – yet those who share the facilities with the members of a small residential community might find the social aspect of a meeting point like a gym rather appealing. Either way, being able to keep fit and healthy without having to cross town to make it to a gym club ticks off another chore in our busy lives. The bad news is that you no longer have an excuse for ‘not making it to gym’.
Rimontgó (www.rimontgo.com) offers properties that either include a gym on the complex or within the home itself:
Spacious villa in Jávea Castellans with beautiful gardens and gym http://www.rimontgo.com/for-sale/home-javea-castellans-alicante-3036/
Seven-bedroom villa for sale in Altea with own gym http://www.rimontgo.com/for-sale/home-altea-alicante-3398/
Glorious penthouse apartment in Javea Arenal with gym in complex http://www.rimontgo.com/for-sale/penthouse-javea-arenal-alicante-3492/
Three-bedroom apartment for sale in Javea Montañar II with gym in complex http://www.rimontgo.com/for-sale/apartment-javea-monta%F1ar-ii-alicante-3545/
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