This week’s winner nearly didn’t make it because I think I may already have a few out-of-focus slide shows in my collection of worst youtube real estate videos. This luxury home in Hollywood hills is listed at $17.5 million. Watch the video, then see if you agree with my assessment:

Presumably, they are looking for movie-industry buyers. I wonder if a typical movie executive watches real estate videos on youtube. I will not be staying up nights worrying about it, because I am fairly sure I know the answer. So, the first question is - why bother?

This video has more cheeps than a box full of newly-hatched chickens. The real estate agent looks cheap, the property looks cheap, and the venue is extremely cheap. It is a seventeen million dollar property, yet this is a slide show taken from still photographs?

The only one involved who doesn’t end up looking cheap is the company that produced it, Avanti films. I imagine they tried their hardest to persuade the agent to let them do a decent job, but with a budget of about fifty bucks, this is not too bad, and some of their other work is excellent. Although, the only thing I like about this one is the background music. Very Hollywood epic

A luxury home in the Costa Del Sol’s exclusive “El Paraiso” development was trashed this last weekend by 400 teenagers after the sixteen-year-old daughter of the owners used facebook and Bebo (another social networking site) to invite kids from all over the Costa Del Sol to come and “drink a lot of alcohol.”

The property, which has been on the market for 5.6m euros, “looked like a war zone” with £6,000 worth of jewelery and clothes looted by some of the guests, and televisions thrown in the swimming pool. Apparently, invites were posted on the Bebo and Facebook sites and rumors were spread that Jodie Hudson’s parents did not mind the seven-bedroom house being trashed because they were getting divorced.

According to The Times Online, Miss Hudson organised the party through invites logged on both her Bebo and Facebook profiles. Describing it as the “party of the year” she wrote on the sites: “Theres gone be a lot of alcohol an amazing DJ.” Guaranteed destruction I would have thought

As the party escalated, Jodie’s mother, Amanda Hudson, a real estate agent who is estranged from her husband and has lived in Marbella for 10 years, called the police. Officers arrived at the house shortly after midnight.

One partygoer said: “People scarpered in all directions, but the police managed to pull people over and search their bags and pockets, but it was already too late and a lot was gone.

“Somebody said that we were allowed to wreck the house because the birthday girl’s parents were getting divorced and there were kids behaving like gangsters from a rap video, throwing stuff around and smashing things. There were chairs, tables, even a TV in the pool.”

Following the party, Miss Hudson wrote: “There’s so much damage and clothes stolen. A lot of broken doors. people caught having sex.”

So, if you are considering giving your teenager unlimited access to the internet and the keys to your luxury holiday home- think again.

Every one loves a good party. But this one is a little different. This one is organized in a for-sale luxury home and will raise money for the charity Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)

Real estate agent, Rollie Jordan, has employed an innovative marketing strategy and has arranged the services of Luxury Soirée to organize the event. No details as yet, but the word is this will be one of the most-talked-about parties in Denver this year. Denver’s elite will gather in fine style, have some fun, and raise money for a good cause. I understand a limited number of tickets are still available, and can be obtained by requesting them from Luxury Soirée.

The party, or “Soirée,” will be held at “Zen Mansion,” at 344 Race Street, Denver, Colorado. This property is currently offered at $5.5 million. The property sits on over 1/3 of an acre and is tucked into one of Denver’s oldest and most prestigious neighborhoods. A study of contrast, serenity and energy, this traditional Cape Cod has been renovated to an extraordinary balance of form and function.

The Zen Mansion

As you can see from the photos, the property is Asian influenced and according to the agents,

has been designed to emphasize the continuity between indoor and outdoor living, the artful use of Asian-inspired planting join mature evergreens and fountains to surround the large pool, waterfall, koi pond, gas fire pit, outdoor kitchen and permanent oversized umbrellas. With 8,484 total square feet and 6 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms this home is truly an oasis in the city.

It is certainly a beautiful home, but I am struggling for an appropriate word to describe the color scheme - after much pondering, I am going with “eclectic.”

Luxury Soirée

Luxury Soirée designs events in Luxury homes that are for sale. But what is a Soirée?

Mirriam Webster define the word soirée as:

Function:

noun

Etymology:

French soirée evening period, evening party, from Middle French, from soir evening, from Latin sero at a late hour, from serus late; akin to Old Irish sír long, lasting and perhaps to Old English sith late

Date: 1802

: a party or reception held in the evening

Luxury Soirée define it as:

• a gathering of elegant, refined individuals generally held in the evening
• an event designed to inspire and illuminate those fortunate to attend
• a catalyst for social interaction and the forging of new relationships
• an occasion for the appreciation and enjoyment of fine living
• a showcase of the world’s finest real estate offerings

Not to put too fine a point on it, these gatherings are not open to just anyone. They are either invitation only or an invitation may be offered after a rigorous screening process. Applications may be made online at Luxury Soirée pre-registration, by telephoning 877-LUX-SOIREE, (001-303-225-5589 if you are outside the U.S), or via email to Ms. Soirée

T.A.P.S

The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors provides a support network for the surviving families of those who have died in service to America. TAPS has a small professional staff and a large national volunteer network, managed by a Board of Directors and supported by an Honorary Board.

Their mission statement is here.

The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, Inc. (TAPS) was founded in the wake of a military tragedy — the deaths of eight soldiers aboard an Army National Guard aircraft in November 1992. In the months and years following the loss of their loved ones, the survivors turned to various grief support organizations for comfort; but when they turned to each other for comfort and to share common fears and problems, they found strength and truly began to heal. They realized that the tragedy they shared, losing a loved one in the line of military duty, was far different from other types of losses. They shared pride in their spouses’ service to America, and tremendous sadness at the ultimate sacrifice their loved ones made.

Comedian Ben Stein is a long time supporter of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors and is a member of the TAPS Honorary Board. He can be seen talking about finance on Fox TV news every week. He is known to many as a movie and television personality, but has probably worked more in personal and corporate finance than anything else. He was one of the chief busters of the junk bond frauds of the 1980s, has been a long-time critic of corporate executives’ self-dealing, and has written several self-help books about personal finance.

I am certainly looking forward to this as I have been offered exclusive coverage of the event. We will have all the juicy details post-event and hopefully some incriminating photos

Got Plan?

(Much as I was tempted by the delectable Olsen twins’ Got Milk ad, this one was more fun)

Not as silly a question as you may think. Be honest. Many marketers (and this is not limited to the real estate field) enter the market without a clear plan or goal. Other than to sell something. At certain times, and with certain products, this tactic may in fact work perfectly well. But at other times, will fall by the wayside. Particularly when the market shifts downwards.

It can be as complex as or a simple as –

Who answers your phone?

Do you answer the phone yourself, or have you gone to the trouble of investing in a highly-complicated, incredibly-annoying machine to do it for you? That may have worked in the era when it was extremely exiting and fun to have the phone answered by a machine. But – as far as I am concerned, that era lasted roughly three telephone calls. It got old real fast. It still is old, and I personally am extremely unlikely to wish to have anything to do with a company that tells me “My call is important to them,” by delegating the duty of answering it to a tape recorder and a menu of buttons to push.

Some companies get it right, some wrong, but without a plan and a goal, how do you know if you got it right or wrong?

A few suggestions as to where to look for help formulating a plan in the first place.  

Business week has some interesting views on marketing luxury homes to the buyer who wishes to remain anonymous.

The Institute of Luxury Home Marketing has a sample of their muti-tier marketing plan available to members.

Seth Godin enjoys telling you how not to do it (at least for free.)

Joel Burslem over at the Inman blog takes a long hard look at real estate marketing both there and his own blog. He also likes Cadbury Creme Eggs, which automatically endears him to me.