Luxury Real Estate

By Brian Langhorst

Rollie Jordan, our longtime member in Cherry Creek, Colorado is hosting an open-house charity cocktail reception at one of her listings in the Denver Country Club. All of the proceeds, including a suggested donation, benefit TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (www.TAPS.org). Please contact Rollie Jordan at rolliejordan@aol.com or 303.336.0336 for more information. Click the link below to view the full invitation in a PDF.

By Kimberly Fulwyler

There is nothing like taking a tour of a house that’s for sale – seeing the beautifully decorated rooms, the remarkably clutter-free spaces, and even the faint smell of freshly baked cookies. These perks usually are all signs of an imaginatively staged home, except for maybe the smell of freshly baked cookies. That was just wishful thinking.

I know that it’s extra work for both the real-estate agent and the home owner, but staging really allows the consumer to see the potential of the house. Plus the extra work will pay for itself because statistics show that staged homes sell faster and for more money than homes that aren’t staged. This is definitely an investment worth making!


Editor’s Note:
Kimberly Fulwyler is an Account Manager with LuxuryRealEstate.com, so she provides customer service and marketing materials to a variety of LuxuryRealEstate.com members. Sometimes extra work can just seem like a hassle, but, in this case, a little additional effort can lead to great results.

By Meghan Barry

I admit it, I’m nosey.

I have always been a frequenter of Open Houses, long before being employed with LuxuryRealEstate.com. I am certain there are many of you like me out there, because every time I attend an Open House in my neighborhood, I see the same sheepish faces of my neighbors.

I derive great inspiration from the homes I see. Many of the rooms in my house are painted colors I discovered at Open Houses (apparently you can paint a deep purple color called “Tannin” on the walls of a 1918 Dutch Colonial).

It is difficult to admit this among my fellow luxury real estate professionals, because many of you may think that “Open House Voyeurs” are a waste of your time. But I have heard that the best clients can often be the ones who are not intending to make a purchase. After all, impulse buys are usually a quick sell!


Editor’s Note:
Meghan Barry is the Executive Vice President of LuxuryRealEstate.com. She works closely with CEO John Brian Losh to organize a variety of Luxury Real Estate programs, events and services. I can second Meghan’s suggestions. Open Houses can definitely work to your advantage, even if you think that people are just coming in to compare your house to theirs. Many “Open House Voyeurs” have family members seeking a house just like yours. Referrals can be well worth the effort. By the way, the Summer 2007 issue of LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine has an editorial on Open Houses that I highly recommend.

By Robert Lockard

Open houses are excellent opportunities to bring potential buyers into a home and let them gain insights that are difficult to convey through written descriptions or even virtual tours. However, there is a potential risk for luxury real estate agents and others to be aware of, according to a recent article in The Chronicle Herald – stealing. Apparently, two women managed to steal $73,000 worth of jewelry and other valuables during several open houses in New York and New Jersey. Thankfully, they were caught and hopefully the belongings were returned to their rightful owners.

I think that most people are honest and kind, so I am sorry to report that we must be less than trusting in some situations. Several brokers give advice in the article to safeguard valuables, such as locking up jewelry, hiding prescriptions, and putting other important items in hard-to-reach or unusual areas of the house. Marking certain rooms as off-limits can be a good idea, as well. It’s good to be careful, even if you really want to make a sale. Carol Burnett, the vice president of Alain Pinel Realtors advised an agent showing a house to bring an assistant if it is simply too difficult to keep track of everybody at an open house.

This is a rather simplistic idea, and I apologize if it’s a little too simple for your taste. I just think this is an important topic to address, even if we all know the phrase, "It’s better to be safe than sorry."


Editor’s Note:
Robert Lockard is the Public Relations & Media Specialist with LuxuryRealEstate.com. I am Robert. I create all of Luxury Real Estate’s newsletters, write the editorials in LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine and much more.