by Roberta Murphy This may arguably be the most expensive and tallest private residence ever built. Indias wealthiest man, Mukesh Ambani, 50, is slated to begin construction of a billion dollar glass and steel skyscraper home in Mumbai City, the financial capital of India. The 27 story building will be designed to house his family of six and staff of 600, with six floors dedicated to the storage and parking…
by Roberta Murphy The Butler is back in demand-and in short supply. The worlds growing number of plutocrats with their enormous mansions and expansive lifestyles are actively seeking household managers to oversee the care of their luxury homes and lifestyles. These enormous residences require ongoing care, along with coordination of property and grounds service providers ranging from pool service technicians, to dog groomers and trainers, to maids, gardeners and arborists….
by Roberta Murphy For almost two years now, there have been serious rumblings and grumblings about Option ARM and interest-only mortgages that could put a number of buyers into default. I initially gave the dicey mortgages issue detached interest, because our clients tend to be a conservative lot when it comes to borrowing. We deal with few real estate speculators and most of our clients are solid buyers of primary and secondary homes. My…
by Roberta Murphy This is an issue that should trouble many real estate professionals…. Some months ago, I met with clients and wrote an offer (at buyer’s request) that was substantially below the listed price (599,000 list price:475,000 offer). It was a rare Carlsbad, CA beach condo property with no recent comparable sales. In prior markets, I might have urged clients to target their offer into an acceptable range to avoid the risk of an…
by Roberta Murphy We list and sell real estate in good, bad and indifferent markets. Short sales are becoming common, though. So is blood in the streets. People move up, down and out all the time because life is about change and transitions. And each time the real estate market shifts, we regroup and modify strategies for buyers and sellers. There may be some inconveniences and pricing adjustments for…
Once in awhile a property comes along that will take your breath away. And that was the precise intent of an owner who had no budget, no restraint andNo Fear.You see, that visionary owner was Mark Simo, co-founder and CEO of NO FEAR and Spy Optics in Carlsbad, California as well as the TransWorld Business website that launched in 2005. Mark Simo sold this La Costa estate several years ago…
by Roberta Murphy Its not just Encinitas, but Solana Beach and other areas in California blessed with magnificent ocean bluffs. To be able to dangle ones feet over the edge of the earth with nothing but endless ocean beyond is a singular experience. But to lose ones property to crumbling ocean bluffs is not the heartstopping experience we would wish on anyone. Yet bluff collapse has been a reality for…
by Roberta Murphy It was a developers mistake that should have never happened. Sometime around 1970, the developers of the original La Costa Resort and Spa allowed for the construction and sale of two 48 unit condominium buildings inside what would eventually come to be known as œthe gates of La Costa. These two buildings are the first to be seen by anyone approaching the resort from its main entrance….
by Roberta Murphy According to the latest from Dataquick, a record number of foreclosure notices have been sent to California homeowners during this past quarter, setting a new ten-year record. Why? Dataquick reports that œflat appreciation, slow sales, and post teaser-rate mortgage resets have contributed to these financial casualties. The San Diego Union Tribune reports that San Diego County endured 1,182 foreclosures from January through March, 2007 -or almost eight…
by Roberta Murphy Peering into the future, it is nice to imagine a home that is smart in every sense–and inviting to all. Sunset Magazine and Popular Science recently team-conceived the Idea House, the House of Innovation , in Alamo, California. This intelligent $5 + million smart home provides a trajectory of design and technologies that will end up in homes of tomorrow. It is loaded with sustainable materials and…
