Martis Camp wins highest honors and is recognized for its focus on providing incredible opportunities for architecture, recreation, community gathering and celebration of nature at the 47th annual Pacific Coast Builders Conference Gold Nugget Awards luncheon on June 10, 2010. Martis Camp was honored as the only property this year to win three Grand Awards: Best Residential Community of the Year, Best Private Recreational Facility for the design of the Family Barn, and Best Site Plan of the Year. Martis Camp was also recognized with a Merit Award for its Family Barn Cabins.

The oldest and largest program of its kind, PCBC Gold Nuggets honor creative achievements in architectural design and land use planning for residential, commercial and industrial projects throughout 14 western states and international countries. Grand Award winners emerged from the Award of Merit honorees in each category. A panel of six industry professionals from across the country reviewed 440 entries in 47 categories. Winners emerged from western states and from Australia, Canada, China, Dubai, France, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates. Martis Camp was the only project to win three Grand Awards. Martis Camp was awarded Gold Nugget Grand Awards in the following categories:

  1. Best Residential Detached Community of the Year: Martis Camp Community
  2. Best Public/Private Recreational Use Facility: Martis Camp Family Farm
  3. Best Community Site Plan over 20 Acres: Martis Camp Development

“From the very beginning, the entire development, architecture and construction team shared such passion for our project, and now after superb execution we have an amazing community to show for it with an overwhelmingly positive response from the marketplace,” said Mark Johnson, general manager of Martis Camp. “We are grateful for the PCBC Gold Nugget awards. What a tremendous accomplishment and well-deserved recognition for the entire Martis Camp team who won more Grand Awards this year than any other project.”

The team includes: John Sather, partner at Swaback Partners, Architects. This brings the total of number of Grand Gold Nugget Awards to 19 for Swaback Partners, including one International Award of Merit and one Judges Special Award of Excellence. John Hayhoe, Hayhoe Construction, contractor of the Family Barn, Gatehouse and Camp Lodge; Jim Morrison, Jim Morrison Construction, contractor of the Family Barn Cabins; Ron Todd, consulting architect and land planner with the developer of Martis Camp, DBM/Highlands Group, LLC. Some excerpts from the judges statements:

“This enclave of family vacation homes in Truckee, Calif., was thoughtful in design, planning and construction.

“At full build out, less than 10 percent of the project will be developed with over 85 percent left as native vegetation/open space and all community buildings LEED Certified.”

“Creating homes that have a distinctive mountain recreational feel that are ideally suited to family activities with minimal square footage and significant amount of useful outdoor living areas were the major design goals of this jewel of a project.”Cabins_001

About Martis Camp

Martis Camp is a private, gated community that stretches across 2,177 pristine acres in North Lake Tahoe, CA. The land plan allows for approximately 653 homesites with a mixture of estate lots averaging 1.7 acres in size and cabin lots averaging four-tenths of an acre in size. All residences are custom and follow the guidelines of the Architectural Handbook which emphasizes architectural creativity compatible with the mountain environment.

Martis Camp Club offers a vast array of amenities including the Family Barn complex with a summer swimming venue, bowling alley, art loft, movie theater, indoor basketball court, soda fountain and outdoor performance stage and amphitheatre; Martis Camp Club also offers members direct ski access from Martis Camp to Northstar-at-Tahoe™ Resort via the Martis Camp Express quad lift and an 18 hole Tom Fazio golf course surrounded by golf properties ; an 18-hole putting park designed by Dick Bailey; a planned Camp Lodge with dining venues, club spa and fitness center, locker rooms and vitality pools; Folk School; Lost Library; 26 miles of planned private trails for hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing and a planned warming hut at the base of Lookout Mountain. www.martiscamp.com

{ 1 comment }

The Villas at Porto Maho, St. Maarten Launched

by Mark Knowles on June 15, 2010

ST. MAARTEN, Netherlands Antilles (June 14, 2010) —The Maho Group, a St. Maarten-based developer of resorts and real estate, announce the sales release of The Villas at Porto Maho, an exclusive, new waterfront, residential community of just ten villas. The four-, five- and six-bedroom villas boast a minimum 18,000 square feet of living space (for a four-bedroom villa) with prices starting from $4.2M.

The Maho Group has distinguished itself over the last three decades as a pioneer of international resorts, working to interlace chic lifestyles sensitively with local environments and communities. The Villas epitomize all that expertise, seamlessly providing a refuge, but also cultural context

Designed by the Italian firm, Associated Architects, each of the residences will overlook the ocean at famed Simpson Bay Lagoon. The contemporary style will showcase the region’s natural beauty with skylights and floor-to-ceiling sheets of glass with views of the lagoon, the Caribbean Sea and distant Anguilla.

Linear contemporary style marries Caribbean traditions. Slabs of stone and sustainable woods anchor the design. Modern expanses of glass merge the interior and exterior experiences. More than a third of an acre (1550 square meters) of grounds flow into the grade of the hillside, merging the villa’s silhouette with the natural skyline.

A series of terraces ascend from a private pier to a hot tub and swimming pool, then an outdoor salon area, past the home’s two stories and finally to a trellised parking space for several cars

Elevators connect the residence’s levels. Each floor plan is completely customizable: elements could include a gym, media room and four to six bedrooms, each with its own closet, bathroom and shaded deck.

st-maarten-luxryAll of these exclusive residences give back to nature’s beauty with green elements. As cool trade winds sweep across the lagoon, they flow up the terraces. The landscaping and architecture embrace these breezes, limiting the need for artificial temperature controls.

The architects also weave eco-friendly practices throughout the community: solar panels, rainwater collection and filtration system, a black- and grey-water treatment plant, low-energy electrical and air-conditioning systems that recycle heat.

Locally sourced materials command center stage, whenever possible. This upscale community features only wood from sustainable forests and items guaranteed to be toxic-free – from production to installation and daily use.

Walls of aerated concrete blocks insulate further against high temperatures, as well as ambient noise. (They’re also nontoxic, fire-resistant and insect-proof). Even the windowpanes reflect The Villas at Porto Maho’s elegantly practical environmental ethos: each is shaded and pyrolytic-coated to reduce heat transmission.

Unique among Caribbean communities, the Villas at Maho blend life aquatic with bespoke design. Architects tailor the villa’s pier and dock house to suit individual style: from another bedroom to a loft-style lounge or yacht-captains’ quarters. Adventurous owners can request storage space for kayaks, windsurfers, submarines, catamarans, jet skis, scuba and other sea-going gear. And they can keep vessels – from dinghies to yachts – sparkling with optional boat lifts.

Service here remains paramount and each of these stunning luxury homes also caters to paramount comfort and ease. Security, maintenance, gardening and pool services are available, as well as catering and housekeeping on request.

This landmark real estate project anchors what will be known as Porto Maho, a “destination within a destination.” The area is already home to the island’s largest casino, exhilarating nightclubs, the region’s best duty-free shopping and an array of international restaurants. Porto Maho signifies a new concept in Caribbean living; the seamless integration of lifestyle and domicile with everything one needs to live comfortably and effortlessly.

A dual-island nation, St. Martin/St. Maarten embodies all the poise and style that its French and Dutch cultures imply. One of the Caribbean’s original jet-set destinations, where celebrity meets society in a cosmopolitan swirl; its nightlife buzzes, its beaches rival its counterparts and its restaurants spill over into a culinary cornucopia. More fabulous still is the way of life here. It’s textbook island paradise, with all the perks. With international banks, duty-free shops, high-kicking nightlife, yachting and boating galore, countless beaches, and gourmet produce flown in from France daily, the island is an altar to carefree tropical leisure. www.portomaho.com

{ 0 comments }

HomesGoFast.com founder Nicholas Marr announced today the release of the company´s free property search and inquiry Iphone app.“It is available to our users free of charge and as far as we know, it is the only one that allows users to search a database mixed with agents and owners international real estate, and it is compatible with Iphone, Ipod, and Ipad.”

homesgofastiphoneMarr said the idea is to enable users to shop as easily more than 300,000 properties listed on HomesGoFast.com in 70 countries, as checking their email. Marr said the app was aimed at making finding overseas property “extremely easy and convenient. And when you find the property of your dreams, you can make an enquiry direct to the sellers,” Marr added.

Marr founded HGF in 2003 and it has gained recognition as one of the most visited websites in the overseas property niche. The site lists properties offered by agents, developers and individuals covering the full spectrum of property types,“off plan real estate, condos, beachfront property villas, and luxury homes and city pads from all over the globe. Whether your searching for a real estate in Asia, Africa, North America, South America,Europe, and Australasia the app has it covered.” Said Marr.

The exposure you receive as a seller when listing with Homesgofast.com includes its own network of overseas property websites and the global audience of iPhone users. The iphone’s popularity continues to grow, and the number of iphone  bluetooth headset , cases and apps grows also. This is certainly an interesting innovation for the luxury real estate industry.

{ 2 comments }

The newest buzz in the real estate industry in Montreal currently is that MontrealStays has just invested a whopping $1.6 million in the tasteful Les Lofts St Alexandre complex. The building is a very modern complex located in the ever vibrant and lively downtown area. Montreal Downtown is known as the address to many of the affluent and elite locals and investing in a property in this area is the right move by the company. The neighborhood of Quartier des Spectacles is quite culturally rich and trendy. The area is one which remains constantly vibrant, busy and offers several entertainment venues and other amenities at close distance.

A Stylish Home Away from Home

With the new investment that MontrealStays.com has just announced, visitors to the city will now have another stylish address to call their home when they are traveling. The company offers their clients a chance to experience Montreal in its true essence, be one with the city and discover all the treasures that it has to offer. The location, the neighborhood, the amenities and the trendy clubs and restaurants in the nearby areas all offer visitors a chance to experience luxury like never before. This certainly makes things a lot more interesting for visitors who would definitely be looking forward to their next trip to Montreal!

High End Amenities and Services

Les Lofts St Alexandre offers all the modern amenities and services that one would expect from MontrealStays.com. Visitors would be able to enjoy true luxury when they are in the building, starting right from the concierge who greets them to their new suite. The building is very well maintained and equipped with several useful amenities like a games room and a stylish lounge adorned with a fireplace, television and several games to keep guests entertained. The building also has a fully equipped exercise room where guests can keep themselves in shape. The outdoor hot tub and swimming pool on the terrace along with a BBQ area is where the guests can enjoy their evenings after work. The apartments and suites in the building too are just what visitors always expect from MontrealStays.com- true style and luxury!

About MontrealStays.com

MontrealStays.com is a leading company in the real estate market. The company provides not just high end and stylish apartments, penthouses and suites to their clients, but also a host of other luxury services in order to make their stay in the city more comfortable.

Contact:

MontrealStays.com

{ 0 comments }

When you enter into a luxury home exchange, you will be able to swap houses with another member in the program. However, before you leave your house you are going to want to take a few precautions to help avoid any problems that may arise. Ensuring that you have gone over the property thoroughly will help you relax while you are on your vacation.

First, you will want to make sure that you clean your house thoroughly. If you do not have the time to do it, you may want to hire someone that can take care of it for you. The home that you will be arriving to will also be clean, so it is suggested that you have your property in top condition when your guests arrive. You will also need to clean the home that you are living in before you complete your vacation.

Next, you are going to want to take pictures of your property and vehicles. With the pictures you will want to list any damage that may already be present, or show that your property is in excellent condition in case there are any problems. Without photos it is your word against your guests if something should happen that requires financial reimbursement.

While most luxury home exchange programs, such as 3rd home help protect you from vandalism and other problems, you will want to make sure that your insurance company covers these types of exchanges. Most times your insurance provider will cover you as long as you notify them of what you are going to be doing. Because you are going to be granting access to your vehicles and your home, making sure you are covered through an insurance company is crucial.

Luxury home exchange

Luxury home exchange

You should also check with your home exchange group to determine any guarantees that will be placed on your property. You will also need to remove any valuables from your home. Personal items such as jewelry, cash, and other valuables should be stored in a separate location before you give your house up in the exchange.

Most exchange programs do not have problems with belongings coming up missing but to protect yourself, you are advised to remove any valuables from the home completely, prior to leaving. If you have pets in the home you are also going to need to make sure you have provided adequate care for them. Travelling around the world may not lend itself to bringing your pets with you, but you are going to need to either put them in a boarding house, or let your guests know that they will have to take care of the animals in your absence. Most times, guests will readily take care of your pets for you, provided you give them detailed instructions on how to handle the animals.

Recommended luxury home exchange service – 3rd Home with some superb USA based home exchange properties.

Other home exchange services to consider include, Homeforexchange.com, which was awarded “Best Home Exchange Club” recently and Homeexchange.com, a budget home exchange service.

{ 2 comments }

If you have been wanting to travel the world but are unsure what to do with your home while you are gone, you may want to consider  a vacation home exchange. These types of programs help connect you with other people who are in the same situation. Other homeowners around the world are looking to travel, as well, and need someone to look over their home while they are gone. Trading places with another homeowner in a different country or area can help you in quite a few different ways.

Travelers are quickly finding out that they do not have to pay hotel bills when they travel and with the financial crisis still having an impact, it is worth considering ways of cutting costs. These costs can add up to exorbitant amounts, especially when you leave the country for longer periods of time. Doing away with the hotel bills enables you to broaden your horizons in terms of where you would like to visit. You do not have to worry about expensive nightly or weekly rates after joining, although all vacation home exchange companies are not the same. At the top end of the market, with a superb reputation are 3rdhome. 3rd home offer superb customer service and a range of luxury homes and residences from Paris to Buenos Aires. This is a testimonial from a 3rd home client.

YouTube Preview Image

If you are interested in using their impeccable services, they can be found here - 3rdHome luxury  home exchange

Vacation Home Exchange::The Best Luxury Home Exchange

Vacation Home Exchange::The Best Luxury Home Exchange

The houses that you will be staying in are also fully furnished and 3rd home have some stunning properties available including properties such as this 8,000 square feet Connecticut estate. Hotels come with furniture but the feeling that you get is very basic and drab. Because vacation homes in exchanges are fully furnished, you can arrive feeling like you just got home, rather than staying in a hotel. Furniture, appliances, and other necessary amenities means that you are also able to cook for yourself instead of having to spend more money eating out at restaurants during your stay.

One of the biggest problems people face when it comes to traveling is what will happen with their home while they are gone. When you enter into a vacation home exchange, you will be matched up with people who are looking to travel to your area, hopefully from the area you are wanting to visit. These guests will take over control of your home while you are gone, instead of forcing you to leave the house vacant. The people you invite into your home through the exchange will also make sure that they clean up after themselves, and take care of your house as if they owned it themselves.

Entering into a vacation home exchange is a much cheaper way to travel, and one of the biggest benefits you’ll receive as a member. When it comes to traveling, you want the ultimate in flexibility and freedom to ensure you have a good trip. Being confined to hotel rooms, or tourist areas in countries you want to visit does not help inspire you to take more trips around the world. When you enter into a vacation home exchange, you are able to see different countries as the locals do, while saving money at the same time. 3rd home are undoubtedly to of the market leaders, but these companies also come highly recommended :

Home for exchange. HomeForExchange.com has been awarded ”Best Home Exchange Club”. Join now and save on your accommodation costs.

Home Exchange. Want to travel more and spend less? Try home exchange for your next vacation. 28,000+ Worldwide Listings.

{ 0 comments }

Luxury Real Estate News 05/17

by Mark Knowles on May 17, 2010

Vietnam Luxury property market frozen; Artificial house price inflation in the UK; Angola real estate investors stick to lower cost housing; DMCI builds a luxury resort in Boracay and the luxury market picks up again.

High end apartments sit empty in Hanoi.

The real estate market in Hanoi has warmed up slightly with more successful transactions in recent days. However, the high-end apartment market segment remains frozen.

The real estate brokerage office at 112 Nguyen Phong Sac Road in Cau Giay district is crowded with visitors. Ta Quang Chinh, the owner, reports that most visitors want to purchase land and low or medium-cost apartments. Chinh noted that high-grade apartment garner no interest. “There are many high-grade apartments, while there are no buyers,” he asserted.Vietnam net.

Dismal sales in the UK property market, but average sales prices on the increase.

We all know our government thinks we are stupid – that almost goes without saying, but the recent quietly released and not-talked-about figures from the Land Registry bear closer inspection than the government press release farms (newspapers) have given.  Quite honestly – how any one makes an informed decision based on the misinformation and garbage being spouted is beyond me. Property investment.

Angola real estate investors eye lower-cost housing

Angolan real estate — once one of the world’s most expensive — now holds more promising investment prospects away from the top end of the market, according to real estate consultancy Colliers International. Reuters

DMCI Homes builds luxury resort-hotel residences

Just like the pristine island of Boracay – with its long stretches of fine sand, emerald waters, and clear skies – was once the avid beach-hoppers’ best-kept secret, the isle still holds a few things only a few know – some of which you can claim as your own. MB.com

High-end spenders again indulge urge to splurge

Claudia March has a taste for the finer things. She drives a 2010 BMW. For Gucci shoes and Prada handbags, she shops at Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. And the 38-year-old treated herself and her mother to a weekend at the Boston Park Plaza hotel for a spring getaway. Boston Globe

{ 0 comments }

Qatar Buys Harrods

by Mark Knowles on May 10, 2010

It appears the Qataris will soon own everything – or at least, everything in London. Not content with the billions already invested in the London luxury property market, the Qatari royal family has just purchased Harrods. What I hear is it was £1.5 billion over the table and a similar amount under, but no one is admitting to that.

The fact that Harrods has been foreign owned passes many people by and the news that it has once again been sold to a foreign interest comes as no great shock to those of us aware of the strong connections between the British banking elite and the Middle Eastern oil Sheiks are not even slightly surprised.

The slow movement of wealth from the middle classes to those in charge of creating the money continues, and the recent slump in house sales in the UK also continues. Hard to say when things will come to a head with the Eurozone creating money out of thin air. Who will collapse their currency first? We shall see.

Here is the BBC report on the recent sale of Harrods to Qatar.

YouTube Preview Image

{ 0 comments }

Bluegreen Corporation (NYSE: BXG), a leading provider of Colorful Places to Live and Play®, today announced the expansion of its fee-based services business to include hotel management. Bluegreen recently commenced hotel management services for an existing client, South Mountain Resort in Lincoln, New Hampshire, and for a new client, The Sandhurst Hotel in Ft. Pierce, Florida. The addition of hotel management expands the Company’s portfolio of fee-based service offerings beyond its previous offerings of vacation-resort operations management and sales and marketing. Bluegreen launched its fee-based services business in 2009 at resorts in Arizona, the Bahamas, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Virginia. For the year ended December 31, 2009, Bluegreen generated fee based services revenues of $20.1 million compared to no such revenues in 2008.

“In 2009 we announced that we would actively pursue growth through fee-based services. We couldn’t be happier with the interest shown in our services and the quality of properties we now have under contract,” said David Pontius, President of Bluegreen Management Services. “Now that we have expanded into hotel management at these particular locations, we can continue to broaden our service footprint, delivering the true Bluegreen service experience, from the moment our hotel guests plan their vacation, to the moment they leave the resort.”

South Mountain Resort is part of the InnSeason Resorts collection of properties based in the Northeastern United States. The South Mountain Resort is located at the foot of the White Mountains in Lincoln, New Hampshire, approximately two hours from Boston, MA, and offers a northeast countryside retreat with golf, hiking, sightseeing, canoeing/kayaking, snow skiing and other popular outdoor activities.

The Sandhurst Hotel, located on Hutchinson Island in Ft. Pierce, Florida, is designed for leisure and offers waterfront accommodations just steps from popular area attractions and local businesses. Although Bluegreen owns, operates, or manages many other Florida resorts, this particular vacation destination extend Bluegreen’s specialized hotel management services into a boutique hotel location.

“We have continued to focus on ways to expand our business by leveraging our service and management expertise, while conserving capital,” says Bluegreen’s President and CEO, John Maloney. “We believe that the expansion of our fee-based services model into the boutique hotel arena validates both our ongoing commitment to and successful execution of these strategic initiatives. We believe that there is a sizable market for our style of hospitality services in the hotel business as well as in our core business of vacation ownership.”

“Our philosophy at Bluegreen is to provide all of our guests and club owners with a complete vacation experience from start to finish,” says Pontius. “We believe that we are unique in that we deliver more than a clean room and a smile. When our guests return home, we want them to look back and realize that their vacation was a memorable one and that Bluegreen was an active contributor to that experience.”

{ 0 comments }

Luxury Home Prices Down in China

by Mark Knowles on May 3, 2010

Doubt about Beijing’s luxury home market has led stockholders to divest themselves of luxury home developer’s stocks  and caused some overseas investors to be concerned about their real estate assets.

“A lot of rules have been issued since the start of this year, ” recounted Qin Xiaomei, chief analyst with the property firm Jones Lang LaSalle Beijing. “they’ve had a major and broad influence, not only on mid- to low-end homes, but also on top-end properties. ”

Luxury homes may face even more serious regulations, compared to average commercial flats. As well as needs for increased down payments for a second home and postponed loans for 3rd houses, property taxes that both target the exchange and hold period are anticipated to shortly be levied on luxury flats. Like Hong Kong, the Chinese government seems determined to stop a boom, yet at the same time has been pouring billions into the economy.

The down-payment requirement has risen, so they must shoulder higher capital costs.  Additionally, the constant jump in housing costs has been not possible so far, which also increases investment risks.

While average exchange prices continued their quick rise, luxury studio exchange volumes slid in the 1st quarter compared against quarter 4 of 2009, demonstrating declining demand. “I won’t purchase a luxury loft in Beijing, since the price has reached such a high level, ” related Claire Cao, supply network inventory researcher with a global oil company. “Besides, as an intruder, I’m mystified about the new policies and do not know what will occur next. ” Instead, she has purchased an apartment in London while working in Beijing and is living in a leased studio in Guomao paid for by her employer.

Qiu Luan, a writer with Hong Kong-based China Review Stories , wrote an article saying : ” Folk from HK, Macao and Taiwan are terribly concerned about their property assets in Beijing as the central government’s policies are actually tough this time. ” Qiu announced HK residents acquired about 23,300 homes in the Chinese mainland in 2009, a steep rise over the year before. The total investment reached 22.4 bln yuan, up 85 percent on the year before. About 20 % of consumers in Chang’an Avenue No eight, a luxury property with a standard unit sales cost of eighty thousand yuan per sq m, came from HK and Macao, according to officers at China Aoyuan Property Group Limited, one of the investors in Chang’an Avenue No eight. “we won’t lower our price now, since we have got a good location and quality. The residences available are also limited, ” declared Ren Jing, a saleswoman at Chang’an Avenue No eight.

But while developers from the top 5 luxury apartment projects in Beijing are all rejecting they are going to cut costs or offer rebates in the future, industry commentators forecast there’ll be a slackening of requirement for luxury property. Daniel Yin, previous handling director of CB Richard Ellis Group’s Beijing branch, recounted a price cut of nearly ten p.c can be predicted in the following a quarter. “More than seventy % of those homes are bought by non-Beijing-registered residents. I

f particular rules like a local tax record, or a certificate of residence release in the capital is required, top of the range property projects will suffer with a huge blow. There could be a difference between reporting price and real exchange price, but a reduction is absolutely certain if polices continue to tighten.

In 2008, when the medium price of a commercial residence in Beijing was 9,000 yuan per sq m, the price level for luxury residences was only fifteen thousand yuan per sq m, according to Lang LaSalle Beijing

Now, residences selling for over 26,000 yuan per sq m can be called top-end flats. Villas might be less impacted by the tightening rules than residences due to favored policies , for example low down payment proportions

{ 0 comments }

Well, the quality and price of the luxury real estate going to auction continues to increase. This equestrian estate was originally listed at  $7.9 million and now has a reserve of just $3  million, although I would expect it to go for more than that.

Concierge Auctions will host a luxury real estate auction of a 150-acre equestrian estate near Camp David on June 12, announced Laura Brady, Co-Founder and Vice President of Marketing for Concierge Auctions.

The sale is being conducted in cooperation with Gary Gestson, a certified Historic Property Specialist with Long & Foster Real Estate.

The J. Martin Benchoff Estate is a family compound located on Old Route 16 in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, only a 90-minute drive from both Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, and 3 hours from Philadelphia. The grandest of the estate’s four residences, a 15,000-square-foot custom home built of native stone, is surrounded by magnificent grounds with spectacular views.

This is a rare opportunity for the discerning buyer to own one of the last great estates within easy reach of Washington, D.C, Baltimore and Philadelphia. Its storied history, unique beauty and recreational attributes render the J. Martin Benchoff Estate a truly incomparable property, said Gestson.

Known for its scenic vistas and lush rolling pastures, the renowned private hilltop estate rests 1,000 feet above sea level with stunning 50-mile views of the historic Pennsylvania/Maryland Cumberland Valley. The property offers a rare blend of mature forest, impeccably maintained for over a century and stocked with indigenous wildlife including whitetail deer, wild turkey and small game for the outdoorsman or hunter. There is also an equestrian facility with stables and outbuildings and a working farm on the property, and access to the Appalachian Trail is an estimated 100 yards away.

estateThe main house features five bedrooms, seven baths, spacious grand rooms with multiple fireplaces, two fully equipped kitchens, and a master suite with a Jacuzzi room and separate redwood sauna. The great room on the lower level can accommodate more than 100 people for entertaining and includes a wet bar, spacious kitchen with wine cellar, and a library with built-in bookshelves. A flagstone patio wraps around the house to an in-ground swimming pool with pool house and a fenced tennis court.

“Following our successful auction of historic Tulip Hill in Harwood, Maryland on April 10, we are pleased to represent another one of the most premier properties in the Mid-Atlantic Region,” Brady stated. “Any buyer seeking an active, sporting lifestyle with complete privacy and the utmost in luxury should take notice of The J. Martin Benchoff Estate.”

The auction of the J. Martin Benchoff Estate on Old Route 16 in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania will be held on Saturday, June 12 at 11am EDT. Attendance will be limited to registered bidders and their representatives. The estate is available for preview daily from 3pm to 6pm and by appointment. View Terms and Conditions of Sale for full details. For more information, visit www.BenchoffEstateAuction.com or call 877-217-2001.

About J. Martin Benchoff (1927-2007): J. Martin Benchoff was an industrialist and big game hunter, and a life long resident of the Waynesboro area. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and in 1954 began his career at Grove Manufacturing Company in Shady Grove, PA as a farm wagon salesperson. He went on to become President in 1969 when the company was purchased by Walter Kiddle and Co. He became Chairman of the Board in 1980 and then Chairman Emeritus in 1988 after Grove became part of Hanson Industries. Together with Grove’s founders, John Grove, Dwight Grove and Wayne Nicarry, he took Grove Manufacturing from a small regional producer of farm equipment to the leader of the international mobile hydraulic crane market. Benchoff ’s contributions to the local community were significant. He was a founder of the Waynesboro Day Care Center, a benefactor of the Waynesboro Y.M.C.A., and most importantly a creator of jobs. He served on the Board of Directors of the former First National Bank of Waynesboro, presently M&T Bank, and the Waynesboro Hospital Board of Directors. He was a member of many clubs and organizations ranging from Metropolitan Club of New York to the Blue Ridge Sportsman Club. The greatest passion in Benchoff ’s personal life was big game hunting, which he pursued throughout the world. Although he took many exceptional trophies in a lifetime of hunting, his proudest achievement was a stone sheep taken in British Columbia and two dall sheep from the Yukon Territory, which placed high in the Boone and Crocket record book. Like all true hunters, he was first and foremost a conservationist who always looked for the most mature animal to harvest.

{ 0 comments }

April 27, 2010 – Paris, FRANCE – The International Real Estate Federation, FIABCI, with chapters and members in more than 60 countries, and Proxio, Inc., the international marketing and networking platform for real estate, today announced a partnership to provide the ProxioPro Global Referral Network to all FIABCI members through FIABCI’s new website FIABCI.com. The ProxioPro network greatly expands FIABCI members’ referral opportunities by facilitating connections to real estate professionals in over 95 countries, while incorporating property listing exchanges at the same time.

FIABCI has integrated the ProxioPro global referral network as a critical feature of its new member site, providing member networking opportunities via a single sign-on solution. FIABCI members can enter properties of any type, search listing information throughout the world, and share referrals globally — in English as well as 16 major European and Asian languages. Proxio instantly translates property listings for display across its network, to social media sites, or to partner websites, to internationalize FIABCI members and their businesses and optimize their global marketing reach.

“We chose to partner with Proxio because their technology solutions align perfectly with FIABCI’s objectives,” said Lisa Kurrass, FIABCI World President. “Our mission is connecting international real estate professionals. Proxio enables that by combining multilingual listing displays with professional networking tools to create what we believe will be the standard for global real estate for years to come. The Proxio partnership allows FIABCI members to easily connect with each other and initiate high-quality referral transactions—across borders and across languages—to the benefit of all.”

“FIABCI is a premier organization for helping real estate professionals develop networks and optimize business all over the world,” said Janet Case, Proxio’s CEO. “In FIABCI, Proxio has found a perfect partner for providing our solutions to agents looking to create business opportunities by partnering beyond their local markets. We are delighted that thousands of high-quality FIABCI members with truly international outlooks have joined our global network.”

The new FIABCI member site, complete with Proxio integration, is live at www.fiabci.org

{ 0 comments }

The planned infrastructure projects in Abu Dhabi will further enhance the emirate’s desirability and create a demand for jobs and services. The improvements which are set to complete over the next two years are seen as an important step on the path to the property market’s recovery which in turn accelerates population growth.

Traditionally, Abu Dhabi real estate has always had a lack of apartments for its residents. This meant that because the demand was traditionally high, so too were the rents. However in 2009, this trend changed due to the global economical crisis. Rental prices declined due to lack of demand in comparison to an increase in the supply of units. However when looking forward to 2010, rental pricing seems to be stabilising. This is suggested by the minimal decreases in the values of apartments for rent over the first quarter of the year. However Abu Dhabi still remains more expensive than neighbouring Dubai; a typical two bedroom apartment in Abu Dhabi is in the range of AED 150,000 (£26,565 at the time of writing) whereas a similar apartment in Dubai costs around AED 120,000 (£21,252) to rent per annum.

Together with infrastructure projects which include improvements to road networks, public transport and power station capacities (water and electricity), a further 2000 residential units are expected to enter into the market place in the first six months of 2010. This will in turn renew market confidence and increase the number of visitors and therefore potential residents to the city. Consumer faith in the property market is without doubt one of the most important factors for an economy’s restoration.

Another possible influence in confidence of the property market is the recent announcement by Abu Dhabi Finance. They have reduced their mortgage interest rate to a minimum of 5.5%. This action will go someway in reducing mortgaging costs for both businesses and landlords alike, hence this is a welcome move and could be a determinant for Abu Dhabi’s economic progress. This is a measure that has not yet been mirrored by Dubai banks and financial institutions (where the lowest rate available is 7.5%) despite a call for it by some property companies.

After careful data analysis of the rental pricing trends together with the focus on key infrastructure projects and the potential uplift in population figures, Abu Dhabi’s property market could continue on a steady footing over the course in 2010.

{ 1 comment }

Atlantic Yards Finally Buys Off Last Opposition

by Mark Knowles on April 21, 2010

The last remaining holdout against the Forest City Ratner Atlantic Yards development has caved after accepting $3 million for his $500,000 apartment in Brooklyn. Daniel Goldstein held out for six years, but as the saying goes – you can’t fight City Hall and after the New York Court of Appeals upheld the decision to allow private developers to forcibly take your home in New York if there is enough money to be made, Mr. Goldstein was effectively fighting City Hall.

Still – he put up a good fight and I believe him when he says most of the $3 million will go to his lawyer. he has also agreed to not “actively oppose the project,” and denies rumors that he was asking $5 million.

The project has drawn opposition from all sorts and has been the subject of numerous lawsuits and been changed to suit the new austerity of the post credit-crunch America. The developer is apparently paying more than double that in interest charges per month and $3 million was a worthwhile investment to be able to get on with things. Exactly how these “things” will turn out remains to be seen as the financial landscape has changed in the 6 years since the project was first touted.

Atlantic Yards can now go ahead - but will it look like this?

Atlantic Yards can now go ahead - but will it look like this?

{ 2 comments }

Matt Damon Buys 20 Million Dollar Apartment

by Mark Knowles on April 19, 2010

According to Curbed, a New York property blog, Matt Damon has splashed out $20m on a luxurious New York apartment. The Bourne series star is rumoured to have bought a penthouse apartment in an Upper West Side neighbourhood in Manhattan. The building’s representatives refused to comment on the rumours, but lets hope this purchase is less traumatic than the last one which apparently cost him “everything he owned,” when his home flooded back in 2006.

We understand that he and his wife have been looking for some time and had already rejected The Majestic as “too small,” although with 50 staff including a live in super and sensational view, the word “picky,” comes to mind and apparently the final choice was 535 West End Avenue, a 21st century pre-war co-op.

I gather the penthouse was already spoken for so – if true – this must be one of the lesser penthouses. If that makes any sense……

Matt Damon buys at 535 West End Avenue?

Matt Damon buys at 535 West End Avenue?

{ 0 comments }