by Roberta Murphy We’ve written about luxury closets in the past, but these days some are spending up to $500,000 for a luxe master closet that might include a champagne refrigerator, sound system, glass-enclosed display cabinets, wet bar or even a breakfast area. Gone are the simpler days of a luxurious dressing room. The master closet area has become a destination room. The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday on four…
by Roberta Murphy When showing homes to buyers in San Diego, one of the first doors that is opened following the front door is…the pantry door. Sometimes the “pantry” is nothing more than a large cabinet that may (or may not) have revolving and pull-out shelves. Hopefully, and regardless of size, the boxes of cereal, canned goods and other kitchen staples are stacked in an orderly fashion. But the ultimate…
by Roberta Murphy We have noted a decided uptick in our own luxury real estate market in San Diego. Home shoppers from Europe, Canada, Mexico, Asia and the United States seem to have collectively decided that now is the best time to invest in coastal San Diego–in communities ranging from Coronado and downtown San Diego to La Jolla, Del Mar, Solana Beach and Rancho Santa Fe. Apparently, this is a…
by Roberta Murphy Ah… the luxury of being able to comfortably live in one of the most expensive cities in the world (so why not divide one’s time between them–just for bragging rights?:-) CNBC just released their 10 most expensive cities in the world to live where they included 200 factors such as costs for a 2-bedroom luxury apartment, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, entertainment and so on. It might come…
by Roberta Murphy Years ago, when we put our first home on the market, I insisted that the Realtor put NO SIGN in our yard. I did not want neighbors to know that we were selling or cause any disruption in our neighborhood. Our agent tried to explain the importance of a sign, but I was the incalcitrant client–and we ended up selling the home with NO SIGN. This of…
by Roberta Murphy The luxury real estate market in Paris is beginning to bulge with inventory, as wealthy business tycoons prepare to leave France and its looming tax rate of 75 percent of annual income above 1 million euros. According to France 24 , around 400-500 residences worth more than one million euros ($1.3 million) have recently hit the Paris market–and other French cities are being affected as well. But…
by Roberta Murphy Construction of new luxury homes has been at a near-standstill for the last five years, but might we be seeing a resurgence of luxury apartment building in the most unlikely place: The suburbs? In the past year, we have watched and quietly commented on the construction of what appeared to be upscale condominiums in La Costa, located in south Carlsbad and just north of San Diego proper….
Where to Find Luxury Homes Under $1 Million? How far can $1 million go in today’s real estate market? Well, it depends on what you’re looking for and WHERE you’re looking. And now could be a better time than ever to shop for a luxury home. The price range of $1 million market is where affordability and luxury living meet. There are places where your $1 million can give you…
by Roberta Murphy More and more, we are receiving requests for homes in San Diego that will accommodate all living generations in a family. It’s an emerging trend and one which might grab the attention of builders in years to come. Much of the recent regrouping of families, thanks to a dismal economy, comes from boomerang kids. There are estimates that over 50 percent of recent college grads are returning…
by Roberta Murphy There may be lots of dismal news about the real estate economy, but there is still lots of interest in the luxury home market–and curiosity about the most expensive zip codes for median home prices. Ever on top of these things, Forbes.com has compiled a list of the top 500 zip codes in the country and which certainly reach beyond the dominating states of California and New…
