Luxury Real Estate

By Robert Lockard

“Photography is not about cameras, gadgets and gismos. Photography is about photographers. A camera didn't make a great picture any more than a typewriter wrote a great novel.”

So says Ilya Moshenskiy, the Principal Photographer of Ilya’s Photography in Washington state. I love that quote because, as a writer, I can definitely relate to his point about great works being written by people and not by keyboards or computers.

Ilya is an amazing photographer in a variety of fields, including luxury homes, weddings, events and cuisine. He has been the Official Photographer of the past nine Luxury Real Estate conferences and he always produces the finest photographic masterpieces. Just ask Jim Walberg, a LuxuryRealEstate.com member in the Caribbean.

Check out these amazing photos that Ilya took at this year’s Seafair, Seattle’s big summer festival.

To see more of Ilya’s photos from Seafair 2008, click here!

I’ll end with one more quote from Ilya. He uses only the finest photographic tools in his work, but he also notes, “It doesn’t matter what kind of camera you are shooting with; the real issue is who is behind the camera. Great photography requires perfect lighting and composition. It will always be a human behind the viewfinder. High-end photography demands exceptional skill and not every photographer is up to the task.”

Ilya certainly is up to the task. Contact him at ilya at ilyaestate.com or 425.883.2246 today!


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. All of the photos above are the copyright of Ilya’s Photography.

By Brian Langhorst

Each year some of the best tennis players in the region and country come to the Seattle Tennis Club on the shores of Lake Washington for the 118th Washington State Open.

John Brian Losh and the Ewing & Clark – Our Distinctive Home Shop team have been one of the headline sponsors for this notable event for over 10 years. Jane Powers, Betsy Losh and John Brian Losh all very much enjoy being a part of the Seattle and Madison Park communities. Together, they sponsor several key events throughout the year.

Editor’s Note:
Brian Langhorst is LuxuryRealEstate.com’s Membership Manager. He meets members’ unique needs through the dynamic services LuxuryRealEstate.com provides. There are so many positive events like this going on and I’m pleased to hear about all of them. Philanthropy should be an important part of every business that hopes to succeed. People recognize true kindness when they see it and I think it builds trust just as much trust and goodwill as successful track records and financial performance. Be sure to show how much you care!

By Robert Lockard

I hope this doesn’t sound too prideful, but I really like what I write. And I do a lot of writing as the Public Relations & Media Specialist for LuxuryRealEstate.com.

While my blogs on ActiveRain and the LuxuryRealEstate.com Blog are sometimes quickly written and they don’t have the benefit of as much outside editing as I usually receive for my other work, I think they give you a taste of my writing skill and style.

My mind is constantly working before, during and after the writing process. I think about what is interesting about the story I am currently writing about. I ponder why my target readers would bother to read what I’ve written. I try to decide which points are most important and how best to convey them. I only have a limited amount of time to create my news releases, newsletters, magazine articles and other works, so I need to make quick decisions.

For the Week in Review newsletter I create each week, I receive a lot of news releases from members of the LuxuryRealEstate.com network. I am very grateful for that fact because it helps me keep our newsletters filled with great material. Many of the stories I receive are really interesting while others are about new employees, anniversaries and other topics that don’t seem too interesting at first. However, once I go through a news story, I can usually find something remarkable in it and I usually rewrite the headline so it’s much more eye-catching.

With these thoughts in mind, I’d like to talk about my recent experience writing a news release on a seemingly average topic: a Ewing & Clark, Inc. broker celebrating her 20^th anniversary. I don’t mean that the broker, Jane Powers, is average; I’m just saying that I’ve read many stories similar to hers. As I approached this story I tried to remember that this is an important moment for her, and she has many great stories to tell after 20 successful years in the Seattle luxury market.

So I sat down to write about her story. Many times when I write I have a sudden inspiration that I know did not come from me. This time was no different. I suddenly had a thought that I should look up remarkable events that occurred in July 1988, when Powers started with her company. As it turned out, I discovered that a little movie called “Die Hard” debuted in theaters the same day that Powers began working at Ewing & Clark.

I was ecstatic by the creative opportunities opened up by this coincidence.

I am a big movie buff and I couldn’t pass up this chance to add some really unique flavor to Powers’ story. So that’s exactly what I did. You can see the final product here. I wrote the first and second-to-last paragraphs first and then worked on the rest of it. I had a blast writing this story.

I got butterflies of nervous excitement when I showed it to Powers herself for approval. Luckily, she liked my take on her story and I got to distribute it through my usual PR sources.

I believe any story can be interesting to read. I could have written Powers’ news release in a really boring, run-of-the-mill way, but I found that little something special that turned it into a great story. I hope that you can find the greatness in your stories and, as long as you’re a LuxuryRealEstate.com member, I’d love to post them in the Week in Review!


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. By the way, John Brian Losh is the Chairman/CEO of Ewing & Clark, which is a member of the Luxury Real Estate Board of Regents. The copy of the “Die Hard” movie poster is from www.flickr.com/photos/nickslidepics/442646618 and it is the copyright of Nick Slide.

By Jennifer Schuyler

Seattle is the international headquarters for LuxuryRealEstate.com and best known for its cloudy skies and rain. What many people don’t know is how beautiful our city is during the spring and summer months.

In the spring, the cherry blossom trees and rhododendrons are in full bloom throughout the city. During the summer months, the city is abuzz with outdoor festivals, concerts at the pier, community farmers’ markets, pick-up volleyball games at Golden Gardens and Alki Beach, boating, sailing… you name it, we’ve got it!

If you are visiting Seattle this summer, please stop by LuxuryRealEstate.com’s international headquarters and say hello. Our staff would love to see you!

The following poem sums up many of my feelings. It is by Miles Christian Barth:

Summer
When water flows, and the wind blows.
You can feel the summer breeze,
playing with the autumn leaves.
When clouds are white, and the sun is bright.
You can see the grass grow tall,
next to the river's water fall.
When roses are red, and the weeds are dead.
You can taste the gold, sweet honey,
while the earth is warm and sunny.
When trees are green, and they can't be seen.
You can hear the church boys singing,
while the morning bells are ringing.
When morning turns to night, and the moon's your only light.
You can smell the honeysuckle,
as you stroll along and chuckle.
When summer comes around,
fun and mischief sure abound.

- Miles Christian Barth, USA


Editor’s Note:
Jennifer Schuyler is the Senior Membership Manager with LuxuryRealEstate.com. She has a remarkable history of meeting and exceeding luxury brokers’ marketing needs. Summer is definitely awesome, isn’t it? I can’t wait until the summer issue of LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine arrives later this month, I believe. The photo above of the cherry blossoms on the University of Washington campus is from www.flickr.com/photos/mystereys/438434552 and it is the copyright of mystereys on Flickr.

By Robert Lockard

On Friday, June 13, 2008, Ewing & Clark, Inc. closed on the sale of a Lake Washington waterfront home in Seattle for $13,300,000, marking the second-highest Seattle real-estate sale in the past eight years. John Brian Losh, Betsy Terry and Jane Powers were the listing agents of the property. This home includes 6,000 square feet of living space, a tennis court and boathouse on a 20,000-square-foot lot with 146 feet of shoreline.

In February, they closed on a home at 1620 Washington Blvd. on Lake Washington for $15,800,000. These are the second- and third-highest sales in Seattle history and the two highest sales in Seattle in eight years. Congratulations!


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. Ewing & Clark is a member of the Board of Regents.

By Brian Langhorst

As in luxury real estate, sometimes selling and parting with something close to your family is tough. This example easily extends over to the situation of the Seattle Supersonics, a National Basketball Association team, being sold and now moving to Oklahoma City, as you can read in this Seattle Times article.

Unfortunately a deal has been struck and the Seattle Supersonics are no longer going to be playing in Seattle. The former Sonics ownership group sold the team a few years ago to another group based out of Oklahoma City. The new ownership group has decided to move the team to Oklahoma City to play as a new team.

It is frustrating to see something that has been a large part of the Seattle culture and community just packed up and shipped to the Midwest. The final decision came yesterday as the City of Seattle agreed to settle out of court with the new ownership group on the move to Oklahoma City. The city did receive a substantial payout, but money does not replace what is being lost.

R.I.P. Sonics Basketball


Editor’s Note:
Brian Langhorst is LuxuryRealEstate.com’s Membership Manager. He meets members’ unique needs through the dynamic services LuxuryRealEstate.com provides. This whole situation is quite silly, in my opinion. It could have been easily avoided if everyone involved had simply been honest about their intentions from the start. The photo above is from www.flickr.com/photos/yannickcarer/426046468 and it is the copyright of Yannick Carer

By Meghan Barry

If you have ever visited the LuxuryRealEstate.com Headquarters in Seattle, near the historic Pike Place Market, you may have been to the rooftop deck on top of our building. A popular spot for staff gatherings and summertime lunches, this deck boasts expansive views of Puget Sound and Downtown Seattle. What a perfect place to view Fourth of July fireworks!

In-city living often has its limitation with access to the outdoors. However, on LuxuryRealEstate.com there seems to be ample opportunities to purchase a home with the convenience of a metropolitan location, yet with a ground-floor garden, multilevel terraces, or rooftop decks.

This is an appealing option on New York City, listed by Stribling & Associates, Ltd., in the heart of Chelsea’s gallery district. Looks like the perfect place for a hip Fourth of July barbecue.

www.luxuryrealestate.com/749432


Or this one in Boston, listed by Hammond Residential GMAC Real Estate. You can almost hear the fireworks… and the drum beating of Minutemen.

www.luxuryrealestate.com/869190


A 2005 Recipient of The Carolopolis Award for New Construction, this home has maintained that quintessential Charleston style, with a modern updates. What a stunning view! It’s listed by Disher, Hamrick & Myers.

www.luxuryrealestate.com/610485


Editor’s Note:
Meghan Barry is the Executive Vice President of LuxuryRealEstate.com. She works closely with CEO/Publisher John Brian Losh to organize a variety of Luxury Real Estate programs, events and services. Each of the brokers who represent the properties in this blog entry is a member of the Board of Regents, the governing body of LuxuryRealEstate.com. There are plenty of ways to enjoy the Fourth of July, and hopefully you’ll have a great holiday.

By Robert Lockard

After taking more than 400 fabulous photos at the 6th Annual Luxury Real Estate Spring Retreat in April, Ilya Moshenskiy, the Principal Photographer of Ilya Estate Photography, is showing off his versatile talents in another field. On the left is a recent photo he took at Salty’s Seafood Restaurant in Seattle. The dessert is called the Ooey Gooey Ice Cream Sandwich.

It’s quite amazing that, in addition to his talents as a real-estate photographer, Ilya is also able to take world-class photos of gourmet food. To take advantage of Ilya’s expert services, contact him at ilya at ilyaestate.com.


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. You can see all of Ilya’s photos of the 6th Annual Spring Retreat here.

By Meghan Barry

Saturday, May 3, 2008 was the 22nd Annual Windermere Cup Regatta in Seattle, also called Opening Day, which is a celebration of the official opening of boating season in Seattle (Although the most-hearty have already been on the water for months!).

This prestigious event attracts the boating and rowing community, including local yacht clubs, rowing clubs, prep schools and universities, as well as many local spectators. International competitors are invited each year – this year the Polish National Team, University of Melbourne, and the U.S. Naval Academy were on the list of those invited to compete.

Windermere Real Estate sponsored the event. Like many real-estate firms, Windermere supports this event as a vehicle to get involved with the community and to market their company to a particular niche – those involved with boating and rowing in the Seattle area and beyond, which is often a fairly affluent group.

Two members of the Luxury Real Estate staff, Meghan Barry (Lake Washington Rowing Club) and Jill Chan (Pocock Rowing Center) participated in the event. See footage of their race here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FgvKv-a-Mg.


Editor’s Note:
Meghan Barry is the Executive Vice President of LuxuryRealEstate.com. She works closely with CEO/Publisher John Brian Losh to organize a variety of Luxury Real Estate programs, events and services. Spring time is great, isn’t it? While the weather was a bit rainy on Saturday, it’s still nice be able to get out and enjoy the water and wind. It was also quite smart of Windermere Real Estate to sponsor this event in order to be involved in the community and gain some excellent attention with such a high-profile event.

By Joey Pauley

I figure after three years in Seattle, it is about time to settle down. There are a good many reasons to buy a house now, but the main reason is freedom. Right now I rent a huge house in the Capitol Hill Area of Seattle but there is nowhere outside for a dog to run. The yard is just too small. Not just for the dog but for me.

A home of my own would defiantly keep me in the area, taking away my freedom to move at will, but I would have the freedom to do what I want with it. I could get a dog; build a rock wall in the backyard, get the hot tub I have always wanted… These are all freedoms of space – a space of my own; the house, the yard, the location, the freedom to do with it what I wish.

This is going to be a scary process, buying my first home. But it is a great challenge and looks like a lot of fun. I've set up email alerts on Ewing and Clark's new website to keep myself abreast of the market. I get a number of listings in my email that match my search criteria. It is like a present in my email box every week. You can set up your clients to have similar email alerts on Luxury Real Estate. It is a great tool for shoppers like me.


Editor’s Note:
As a Technical Account Manager with LuxuryRealEstate.com, Joey Pauley helps members with their Web and technology needs. He does a phenomenal job in all of his projects, as you can see by visiting the many websites he has helped design. Does anyone else remember those fun “Schoolhouse Rock” cartoons on Saturday mornings? There was one called “Elbow room,” talking about the expansion of the United States from sea to shining sea, and this blog entry totally reminds me of that. We all need a little elbow room!