Celebrity Real Estate: If you happen to be looking for a house in the Hollywood Hills with some celebrity history, you're in luck because Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz is looking to sell.
The emo band lead singer and the new Mr. Ashlee Simpson have recently placed his celebrity Hollywood Hills home on the market for $1,799,000. The home is 2,062 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms built into the hills and showing off undisturbed 180-degree views from the San Fernando Valley to the iconic Hollywood sign.
The house at 7435 Palo Vista Drive has been featured on the popular MTV show Cribs, which features homes of the rich and famous.
The home was originally built in 1961 and has been recently renovated to include luxury details, like granite countertops in the bathroom. It sits on a reported 0.21-acre lot and has an open floor plan, complete with an office that can serve as another bedroom.
The backyard is the main focal point of the home: built for entertainment, it contains a BBQ entertainment area as well as a pool and spa all built to show off the amazing view.
The garage is separate from the main house and the backyard is tiered, with one level containing the pool and spa and the other containing the deck and barbeque.
Wentz placed the house on the market quietly and without giving a reason, leading to speculation that he will be moving into his wife (and mother of his soon-to-be-born baby's) much larger house in Encino.
Luxury Real Estate: The Los Angeles Times Business section reports the penthouse of the Century has been sold. The luxurious flat was purchased by Candy Spelling, widow to the late TV mogul, Aaron Spelling. Actually, the confirmed sale makes Spelling a resident in waiting, as she bought the top two floors in the Century, a soon-to-be vertical-luxury development currently under construction in the Century City area of Los Angeles County. The $47-million price equates to $2,848 per square foot, which makes Spellings' two-story tower to measure out to more than 16,500 square feet.
The high-rise, which is expected to be ready in 2009, is situated on four acres of land that seem to be a million miles away from the Century City business community it borders. The landscaping is pristine and as fresh as a PGA tournament-approved golf course. The development is a 42-story high rise by Robert A.M. Stern Architects that offers three floor plans. Larger-than-life amenities for residents include access to a large theater room, a banquet room, the Assouline Culture Lounge, and a 75-foot swimming pool for starters. A concierge closet will be available on each floor to facilitate incoming and outgoing packages, deliveries, laundry services, and such matters, tidily.
The exclusive lifestyle neighborhood of Century City is next door to Beverly Hills as well. The view from atop the Century stretches from the Santa Monica Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. Visit the upscale property at www.TheCentury.com or call 310-552-2055.
Luxury Real Estate: We call them "Flex-Schedule Entrepreneurs" and they are the perfect demographic for high-end resort real estate in fly-to markets, such as Costa Rica.
The "work-at-home" concept has morphed in the last decade to a very acceptable, popular and efficient way to do business. Sure, many still have outside offices to go to, but nobody in these small companies thinks it strange when they choose to stay home to get more done.
It goes without saying that successful entrepreneurs would appear to be a good demographic for real estate, but pair that with entrepreneurs who have managed to build plenty of flex-time into their lifestyle and you have a growing trend.
These are generally business owners who are progressive in their work and confident in their need for downtime. They feel no guilt working from their home or from their home away from home.
We're seeing real estate buyers for Costa Rica vacation homes who are in their late 30s to late 40s that have established themselves in their respective industries. They have purposefully set-up their business with partners who fill the gap when they are out of the country. Laptops, internet and i-chat allow them to work and be connected as necessary while Costa Rica's geographic location means they are never more than two time zones from most of their US clients.
It?s common for these entrepreneurs to bring the family along during school break but they also come frequently for shorter trips throughout the year with business associates or clients. The draw for many is a feeling of regeneration when they can work from their deck overlooking the ocean or go for a surf session each morning before starting the day. The fact they are surrounded by nature and a different culture helps them to relax, quickly.
The flexibility of their career schedules and the ability to live a better lifestyle are measures of success for these buyers. Like with most resort real estate investments, it is key that a natural lifestyle fit exists, as these buyers tend to use the vacation home more than most other buyer categories of resort real estate.
Stewart Winter
Managing Partner - Marketing
TS Water Real Estate Sales & Marketing
JustLuxe.com Contributor
Luxury Real Estate: You can't escape it. Everything appears to be an eco-development or a "green-building" these days. Just like a few years back when the term "sustainable" was used everywhere but rarely ever defined, green real estate projects are popping up all over in urban and resort settings.
While in the past, marketers could use the green story to attract some media attention, the products rarely came across as sophisticated luxury offerings. More often they were small cottage-y dwellings that didn't appeal to the masses or the media focused on some feat of sewage engineering -- hardly appealing to the average consumer.
Even in the past two years, I've noticed a change (although I've been working in the environmental epi-centers of Costa Rica and Vancouver, Canada). Certain green elements can not only appease buyers, but it can make real estate developments more successful in the long-term. For the purposes of this discussion, I lump "social responsibility" in with the notion of green developments.
More than ever before, when selling a second home development that lists Mother Nature as one of the biggest amenities, buyers are interested in how your project fits in with the surrounding community. Eco-features are great, but still they need to be tangible and highly desirable to affect a developer's bottom line in a positive way. So while, dual flow flush toilets certainly do save water and help the environment, they still aren't sexy enough to add money to the bottom line.
However, these green building features can add up to profit when they align themselves with the needs of the luxury consumer. So keep the dual flush toilet but make sure you appeal to the emotional needs of the real estate buyer. These are the types of questions that seem to be coming to the forefront for a large percentage of real estate prospects:
Will there be wilderness areas or green space be preserved around the development -- what is the developer doing to help this cause?
How does the community at large benefit from new development? Especially in developing countries, does the developer give back to the community?
Are there opportunities for owners to volunteer and get involved in some of the social and environmental initiatives? This is a growing desire among our real estate clients, so developers and marketers take note.
Why this sudden shift in green real estate thinking? Well, I don't think it was all that sudden actually, but it has finally reached a point that is meaningful to real estate buyers. The masses are educated and much larger slice of the population is putting a priority on the environment. When buying a vacation home in particular, it may be seen as a chance for the owner to do things right or to even assume a new lifestyle. Their primary residence has a lot more demands and pressures while a vacation home is all about living the perfect lifestyle and that now includes going green.
Stewart Winter
Managing Partner - Marketing
TS Water Real Estate Sales & Marketing
JustLuxe.com Contributor
Whole Ownership Hotels: The Westin Verasa Napa Residences is about to awaken Napa from a sleepy little town to a highly desirable destination for elite travelers. The area previously regarded as the penultimate stop before entering the Wine Country is receiving a major makeover with the opening of the first upscale mixed-use development is going to forever change the social climate of Napa for the better.
The opening of the Westin Verasa along with the nearby 40,000 square-foot Oxbow Public Market and the developments along the Napa River is shaping Napa into the hospitality hub of the entire Napa Valley. The hotel is going to be quite the gastronomical experience for epicureans being a block from the Oxbow Public Market and the American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts (COPIA), as well as the wineries and wine trains. However, the coup de grâce is having the award-winning restaurant, La Toque, onsite.
Chef Ken Frank, the owner and former corporate executive chef for the Lancaster Hotels and Resort Group, brings his unique French-California cuisine to the Westin Verasa with great expectations for Napa.
"I've watched Napa evolve to the point where it's really ready to take center stage in the valley," said Frank. He further added, "I'm very excited about all the development and the positive things that are happening in downtown Napa. With Oxbow, COPIA, and a bunch of wine bars downtown, Napa is going to become the go-to destination in Napa Valley in the next 10 years."
La Toque was named one the Best Restaurants in America by Wine Spectator magazine. Chef Frank is also known for his charity work, including supporting Love Is Feeding Everyone (LIFE), Share Our Strength (SOS), Project Angel and several others.
The three-story whole-ownership hotel located along the scenic Napa River is set to open in late September. The 4.5-acre complex is made up one-and two-bedroom suites as well as studio units. The American Craftsman architecture of the WVNR is without question inspired by the indigenous surroundings, as there are numerous accents of wood, stone, and concrete throughout the landscape. There is a large courtyard around the pool that leads up to the river walks and the surrounding festivities.
Owners can stay at the hotel for up to 29 days yearly. Along with the swimming pool, additional amenities include a Reebok gym, bocce ball courts, hot tubs, a lobby bar and a very special restaurant. Conference space for both business and social affairs also is on the premises.
Intrawest is the developer of this soon-to-be-completed project. The company has developed several upscale properties with Westin Hotels & Resorts in Copper Mountain, Whistler, Mammoth, and Squaw Valley. A limited number of resort residences are available starting from the mid-$400,000s. Alain Pinel Realty is managing the sales effort.
The Westin Verasa Napa Residences, which is the first luxury property built in Napa in around five years, is certain to stimulate the affluent community most positively. Let the wining begin!
Luxury Residences: Museum Tower, the new centerpiece of the Dallas Arts District, serves as a distinctive, contemporary high-rise of architectural significance.
Inside the tower, designed by renowned architect Scott Johnson, residents will find myriad amenities. Highlights of the establishment include a state-of-the-art fitness center, an on-site dog park and an Owner's Lounge complete with an outdoor fireplace, pool with cabanas, a bocce ball court and the Stephan Pyles-designed outdoor grilling area and indoor demonstration kitchen.
The Museum Tower will also feature a ground-floor gallery, large enough to host residents' events, with a steady stream of circulating art exhibitions. Adjacent to the gallery, the library will offer an extensive book collection, daily newspapers, comfortable reading chairs and morning coffee and pastry service.
The only luxury residential opportunity located in the heart of the thriving Arts District, this Dallas landmark hosts just 122 condominiums in its sleek 42-story structure.
Each unique residence offers unparalleled city views, a wide array of refined luxuries and a profound connection to all things cultural. Don't miss your chance to celebrate life lived well with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Luxury Real Estate: The Bishops Avenue in Hampstead, dubbed "Billionaires' Avenue," is going to have to be renamed to "Multibillionaires' Avenue," if prices for homes keep brimming. The Sun recently reported that the latest development has Britain's richest individual, steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, ready to purchase a 14,000-plus-square-foot-estate in Kensington Palace Gardens, West London, for &euro117 million. Mittal, who also owns a 12-bedroom house on the private avenue, is denying that he is the buyer.
The highly coveted area, which is close to the center of the capital, is flanked by two golf courses and 1,000 acres of parkland. The 66 residences along the half-mile avenue are occupied by some of wealthiest people on the planet, making the area one of the most prestigious neighborhoods anywhere.
Home prices are continuing to rise, as the China Post reported that In early January billionaire Russian-Israeli Lev Leviev bought a villa on The Bishops Avenue for a then-record-setting &euro47 million ($68 million U.S.). Weeks later that high mark was shattered by a billionaire from Kazakhstan, Horelma Perama, who paid &euro50 million to buy the 28,000 square-foot "Toprak Mansion." The massive structure also features a 28-car garage.
London currently is a tax haven for foreigners who made their fortunes abroad. Most of the citizenry of "Billionaires' Avenue" are non-domiciled residents who receive substantial tax breaks. However, it may not be a good time to draw from a home-equity line of credit, as there is a new controversial proposal that would revise the advantageous tax status of non-domiciled residents if approved.
Glentree Estates is the real estate firm that facilitated most of the transactions occurring on The Bishops Avenue.
Luxury Residences: The Prestige Property Group, a U.K.-based company, offers luxury properties for sale throughout Europe. PPG presents properties in Portugal, Spain, France, or off the Mallorca Coast of the Balearic Islands; a French chateaux with a vineyard; an equestrian property in rural Spain; or a residences surrounded by skiing resorts. The National Association of Realtors recently suggested that approximately 75 percent of all real estate transactions begin on the Internet. PPG makes it very easy to do the preliminary legwork by providing pictures, property descriptions, prices, and even whether renovation is required to a property.
Currency-conversion rates also are available.
Measurements are put forth in square meters instead of feet, but with numerous easily accessible online-conversion
sources available, it is not a major inconvenience.
Luxury housing is available in Cyprus, France, Greece, Monaco, Portugal, Spain and the Balearic and Canary Islands. PPG's website conveys a substantial quantity of helpful information on its link page, such as the International Real Estate Digest. Additionally, info is available on specific countries providing insight beyond what is generally found in either travel guides or brochures. PPG wants to provide as much assistance in as many areas as possible, and the organization makes every attempt to ensure that clients are making well-informed decisions. All inquiries are handled timely.
Since availability of European luxury properties is subject to ever-constant changes, Prestige Property Group offers registered clients property-alert services, so that clients will know when that farmhouse in Central Tuscany or that remote Greek Island or the apartment with the breathtaking balcony view of the Eiffel Tower is on the market and ready to show.
Luxury Homes: Travelers who adore the St. Regis Hotel in New York, take note: The legendary hotel is offering a limited number of luxurious condominium suites for ownership. Buyers can choose from 24 private residences and 22 fractional ownership residences, available in studio, one- and two-bedroom floor plans. Designed by Sills Huniford, rooms average 11 feet in height and exude an open, airy elegance from every corner. While the address is classic, residence design is state-of-the-art, with modern, cutting-edge entertainment and communication technology.
Luxury Real Estate: Yes, there are upscale suburban residences near Las Vegas located in the Las Vegas Valley. One Queensridge Place is a luxury condominium complex that appeals to those with dual desires toward matters of lifestyle. It is short distance from the effervescent vibrancy of Las Vegas, yet, being in the Spring Mountains, it offers sufficient separation that grants residents of One QP the best of both worlds that fully embraces a world-apart aesthetics.
The Queensridge area is among the most prestigious outlying suburbs of the Las Vegas Valley. Queensridge draw heavily from 20th century architectural styles of France, Italy, and England. There is an essence of old-world ways that permeates throughout this exclusive milieu. One QP is a fully developed
mixed-use community complemented by a bevy of fine restaurants, shopping options, theaters, and retail venues that serve and enrich the surrounding
community.
One Queensridge Place has 40 floor plans available, ranging from 2,100 to 16,000 square feet. Most units are the entire width of the building. Amenities of the complex include a Roman spa, a European-style fitness center, and a three-lane, 25-meter indoor lap pool.
There also is an outdoor pool with three casitas and Jacuzzis. Residents have access to a lounge room with billiards, table games, a bar area, and a kitchen set up for catering. Additionally, there is a 25-seat theater room and a conference room. Full concierge service is available too.
Prices begin at $1.6 million. Florence Shapiro and Ivan Sher of Prudential are facilitators of sales. Complete details on remaining properties are available at the website of One Queensridge Place.
Luxury Residences: Evo is a revolutionarily designed structure that offers the haut monde residences that evoke an unparalleled synthesis of bleeding-edge architecture and decadence in one elegantly streamlined 23-story framework. Overlooking the cityscape of downtown Los Angeles, Evo is helmed by the unlimitedly imaginative team of TVA and GBD. These are two progressive architectural firms that are prominent mainstays of futuristic building concepts.
The exterior of Evo resembles a meticulous ice sculpture as the imagery of the glazed glass and the metallic beams is a most formidable tribute to the expansive vertical evolution. Evo's breathtaking beauty is more than just aesthetically pleasing though. The complex is seeking a green star for being ecologically correct, too. The developers are seeking LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council for utilizing sustainable materials and conservational construction techniques.
Upscale Residences: In the sad but true category, a million dollars does not go as far as it once did. While million-dollar-plus properties are common sites in some states, such as California, New York, and Florida, we thought it might be interesting to go off track and determine how much property $1 million or more could be bought around the country. These are not lands only approachable via all-wheel-drive vehicles only. These are private residences that are listed a $1 million or more around the country.
While it is true that every state has something great about it, there are substantial differences as to how much house, land, and special creature comforts are offered from one area to another. The listed price on the single-family residences ranges from $1.7 million to $4.5, with as few as one-half acre up to 11 acres of land. The property on the one-half acre of land is second highest in list price.
A Warm Offering from Minnesota
Here is a beautiful newly constructed one-story home that sets on approximately 2.47 acres in Inver Grove Heights, Minn. There are five bedrooms, four full baths, and two half-baths, and a dining area, and a 400-plus square-foot entertainment room.
There are numerous extras, including separate quarters and breathtaking landscaping, in this private wooded subdivision in one of the area's most coveted areas. The property lists at $1.7 million.
The listing belongs to Trish Jordan and Nicole Delich of Edna Realty Home Services, Inc. See property at Luxury Portfolio. Refer to Web ID: AQC to search for details.
OK on Oklahoma
This Georgian colonial estate located in a gated community of Nichols Hills, Okla., is beyond OK. It is grandiose with more than 6,000 square feet of living space, 1.4 acres of land, five bedrooms and four full bathrooms. It is on the market for $1.9 million.
The spacious house is thoroughly modernized and decadently decorated. Additionally, there is a livable cellar and a guest quarters that is not included in the residence's square footage, which adds more than 2,000 square foot of usable area. From the hot tub to the décor to the efficient and beautiful kitchen layout, we are OK on this Oklahoma classic.
Kermit Brown of Churchill Brown is the listing agent. The property may be viewed at www.LuxuryRealEstate.com. Refer to Web #774241 to search for more details.
Moving to Montana
An investment of $2.195 million can buy a 3,000 square-foot residence with 100 feet of shoreline on Flathead Lake in Somers, Montana. The property sets on more than one-half acre of mountainous land surrounded by trees and wilderness. It is nature lover's dream house with a deck, a fully landscaped yard, a porch, and a paved driveway.
The interior is equally stunning with four bedrooms, three baths, a custom-built kitchen, and a 648 square-foot room that could be anything the next owner desires it to be.
Contact David Graham of Coldwell Banker Wacholz & Company Real Estate.
Visit Web site at www.HomeOfTheSailor.com for more info.
Islands in Wisconsin
Here are two private islands in historic Squaw Island on 11 acres of land in Door County, Lake Michigan, Wis. There is a north and a south island available for $4.5 million. The north island is for sale at $2.75 million, while the south island goes for $1.75 million. There is a log home, a two-story family house, two guest cottages, and two boathouses on the islands.
There are several nearby docks and access to Green Bay and the Door Peninsula via Lake Michigan. Visitors can sail in and out from anywhere.
The property is offered by the renowned island specialist Cheyenne Morrison of Coldwell Banker Morrison's Private Islands. Mr. Morrison's listings have been featured in many major online and print luxury-lifestyle publications -- including JustLuxe.com!
Our plan is to highlight as many luxurious single-family residences in the USA that can be purchased for $1 million or more and share those findings with our readers. Uncovering the gems is always a rewarding surprise.
Stay tuned for more million-dollar home buys across the USA!
JustLuxe is a luxury Web publication providing objective analysis and information to affluent consumers to assist with their decision making, decisions such as charting a yacht, purchasing a jet membership card, booking a luxury hotel, traveling to a specific destination, or buying real estate. Our writers conduct interviews with industry executives and leaders in their fields, analyze product offerings and review the Web sites of leading companies to ensure our readers have up-to-date data to make informed decisions. Consumers can find purveyors of fine luxury goods, services and travel solutions throughout the pages of JustLuxe via content or with our advertising partners. See our Best of Luxury High end Brands and partners.
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Celebrity Real Estate: If you happen to be looking for a house in the Hollywood Hills with some celebrity history, you're in luck because Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz is looking to sell.
Luxury Real Estate: The Los Angeles Times Business section reports the penthouse of the Century has been sold. The luxurious flat was purchased by Candy Spelling, widow to the late TV mogul, Aaron Spelling. Actually, the confirmed sale makes Spelling a resident in waiting, as she bought the top two floors in the Century, a soon-to-be vertical-luxury development currently under construction in the Century City area of Los Angeles County. The $47-million price equates to $2,848 per square foot, which makes Spellings' two-story tower to measure out to more than 16,500 square feet.
Luxury Real Estate: We call them "Flex-Schedule Entrepreneurs" and they are the perfect demographic for high-end resort real estate in fly-to markets, such as Costa Rica. 
Luxury Real Estate: You can't escape it. Everything appears to be an eco-development or a "green-building" these days. Just like a few years back when the term "sustainable" was used everywhere but rarely ever defined, green real estate projects are popping up all over in urban and resort settings.
Whole Ownership Hotels: The Westin Verasa Napa Residences is about to awaken Napa from a sleepy little town to a highly desirable destination for elite travelers. The area previously regarded as the penultimate stop before entering the Wine Country is receiving a major makeover with the opening of the first upscale mixed-use development is going to forever change the social climate of Napa for the better. 
Luxury Residences: Museum Tower, the new centerpiece of the Dallas Arts District, serves as a distinctive, contemporary high-rise of architectural significance.
Luxury Real Estate: The Bishops Avenue in Hampstead, dubbed "Billionaires' Avenue," is going to have to be renamed to "Multibillionaires' Avenue," if prices for homes keep brimming. The Sun recently reported that the latest development has Britain's richest individual, steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, ready to purchase a 14,000-plus-square-foot-estate in Kensington Palace Gardens, West London, for &euro117 million. Mittal, who also owns a 12-bedroom house on the private avenue, is denying that he is the buyer. 
Luxury Residences: The Prestige Property Group, a U.K.-based company, offers luxury properties for sale throughout Europe. PPG presents properties in Portugal, Spain, France, or off the Mallorca Coast of the Balearic Islands; a French chateaux with a vineyard; an equestrian property in rural Spain; or a residences surrounded by skiing resorts. The National Association of Realtors recently suggested that approximately 75 percent of all real estate transactions begin on the Internet. PPG makes it very easy to do the preliminary legwork by providing pictures, property descriptions, prices, and even whether renovation is required to a property.
Currency-conversion rates also are available.
Measurements are put forth in square meters instead of feet, but with numerous easily accessible 
Luxury Homes: Travelers who adore the St. Regis Hotel in New York, take note: The legendary hotel is offering a limited number of luxurious condominium suites for ownership. Buyers can choose from 24 private residences and 22 fractional ownership residences, available in studio, one- and two-bedroom floor plans. Designed by Sills Huniford, rooms average 11 feet in height and exude an open, airy elegance from every corner. While the address is classic, residence design is state-of-the-art, with modern, cutting-edge entertainment and communication technology. 
Luxury Real Estate: Yes, there are upscale suburban residences near Las Vegas located in the Las Vegas Valley. One Queensridge Place is a luxury condominium complex that appeals to those with dual desires toward matters of lifestyle. It is short distance from the effervescent vibrancy of 
Luxury Residences: Evo is a revolutionarily designed structure that offers the haut monde residences that evoke an unparalleled synthesis of bleeding-edge architecture and decadence in one elegantly streamlined 23-story framework. Overlooking the cityscape of downtown 
Upscale Residences: In the sad but true category, a million dollars does not go as far as it once did. While million-dollar-plus properties are common sites in some states, such as California, New York, and Florida, we thought it might be interesting to go off track and determine how much property $1 million or more could be bought around the country. These are not lands only approachable via all-wheel-drive vehicles only. These are private residences that are listed a $1 million or more around the country.
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