Ideally located between Ft. Lauderdale and Boca Raton, in the exclusive city of Lighthouse Point, this grand gated estate sits on a private cul-de-sac street with 245 feet of deep water within minutes of the Atlantic Ocean .Exquisite design and workmanship throughout, this 8,500-square-foot home with boundless water views, includes six bedrooms, six and a half bathrooms, a dramatic two-story living room with aquarium, library and media room. The delightful kitchen opens to a waterside family room and two guest suites on first floor. Second floor has the master wing with gym, sauna, office, and a children¹s section with three bedrooms plus a sitting room. Some of the many amenities include an elevator, extra-large angler¹s room, four-car garage, generator, amazing multi-level patios, and heated pool. Dock will accommodate large yacht plus lift for smaller boat. For more information, contact Susan Nelson of RE/MAX Preferred at 954-242-6400.

South Carolina’s Hilton Head Island hosts Wexford Plantation, a premier community centered around an inland lock-controlled harbor, one of only three on the U.S. East Coast. On an island renowned for its white sandy beaches and world-class golf courses, the community is home to a newly renovated Arnold Palmer Signature Course. Also among Wexford Plantation’s attributes are its distinctive houses, especially the property at 8 Plumbridge Lane.

More than 8,200 square feet, the main house reflects the area’s Lowcountry architecture with two expansive front porches welcoming visitors. The foyer’s curving staircase and gorgeous chandelier hint at more gracious grandeur to come. The spacious, well-appointed kitchen opens out into the inviting family room complete with a wet bar. A separate living room and a dining room allow for elegant entertaining.

The rear of the property mirrors the façade’s two porches and encourages relaxed entertaining with its negative-edge pool and view of the harbor. The private dock accommodates vessels up to 72 feet.

The property’s private spaces include five bedrooms. The master boasts a luxurious bathroom, which has a soaking tub, a vanity and built-in storage. There are five additional full bathrooms and two half bathrooms in the main house. A poolside guest house has its own kitchen, bath and laundry room. The property also includes a 12+-car garage and a wine cellar.

“8 Plumbridge Lane is built with the finest materials and attention to detail,” says Stephen Timperman with Charter One Realty & Marketing. “Wexford Plantation’s world-class amenities will exceed your expectations. What a wonderful place to call home!”

Besides its 18-hole golf course, Wexford Plantation has other recreational amenities, such as outstanding tennis facilities; harbor; croquet lawns; scenic trails; and clubhouse with a restaurant, cocktail lounge and a pro shop.

The asking price for 8 Plumbridge Lane is $3.995 million. Interested buyers can contact Steve Timperman at 800-345-2392.

This is a new article series about a subject that is essential to understand if you want to thrive as a luxury real estate marketing professional: Provenance. The term provenance comes from the French provenir, "to come from", referring to the chronology of the ownership, custody or location of a historical object. 

Provenance can play a key role in luxury real estate personal and company branding.  It also pertains to historic homes, art, antiques, manuscripts, vintage cars, boats, planes, and more. Gaining a deeper appreciation of this topic, which is important to many or your high net worth clients can give you distinct competitive advantage. 

In Part 1, here, we lay the foundation for the topic of provenance in relationship to the location of origin.  In Part 2, we will explore how location of original can be used to your advantage in branding yourself or your luxury real estate marketing firm.

It’s March, Trader Joe"s is featuring this green Gouda (pictured above), as the “cheese of the month” or their "Spotlight Cheese". If it were any other time of the year, most likely, customers would not consider buying a green cheese.  But, this one, made with basil pesto, was a novelty.  

On the package it says, “Product of the Netherlands", which gave it an immediate provenance, a context of added value. Gouda (actually pronounced ‘how-da”) is one of the most popular cheeses in the world. The name Gouda refers to a number of cheeses produced according to the traditional Dutch method including the original Dutch variety. 

This added value of provenance based on location can become a highly successful branding strategy.  Watch for Part 2 where we will discuss this significant aspect of luxury real estate marketing.

This blog posting has been provided by Ron and Alexandra Seigel, the Language of Luxury Community Founders and managing partners of Napa Consultants, International, the leading luxury real estate strategic marketing firm. They specialize in personal and company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing. Photos courtesy of Ron and Alexandra.

*Premier French Estate

*Over 6.3 Acres

*12,213 Square Foot Main House

*943 Square Foot Detached Guest House

*Unobstructed Lake, Golf Course and Mountain Views

*Recently and Extensively Remodeled

*Completely Private

*7 Bedrooms

*8 Bathrooms plus 4 Powder Rooms

*Huge Bonus/Theater Room with Wet Bar

*Paneled Office/Library

*Two Living Rooms

*Double Island Gourmet Kitchen

*Temperature Controlled Wine Room

*Dramatic Two Story Formal Entry

*Smart Home System

*Video Surveillance Security

*Infinity Pool and Spa

*Lush Manicured Lawns

 *Garages for 8 Cars

*Prestigious Guard Gated Lake Sherwood

 Offered at $11,950,000. For more information, visit www.JordanCohen.com.

Co-branding is a synergistic marketing arrangement between two or more brands. The idea is to act in cooperation in a way that combines the strength of the brands. It is also a way to differentiate products and services in a highly competitive marketplace.  Co-branding is an excellent strategy that can give you a competitive edge because most luxury real estate marketing professionals under utilize it. 

Here is an example that reflects a wonderful co-branding arrangement between Sephora  (a LVMH* company) specializing in selling beauty products) and Pantone, a 50-year-old company known for its universal color systems in graphic design (web and print), fabrics and more.

Sephora stores are like the cosmetic section of a department store. They carry a multitude of known brands.  Now they also want to market their own Sephora branded products. 

According to Pantone, Inc. they are “the provider of color systems and leading technology for the selection and accurate communication of color across a variety of industries. The PANTONE® name is known worldwide as the standard language for color communication from designer to manufacturer to retailer to customer”.

In our own work as luxury real estate brand strategists and website designers we communicate via Pantone colors with our clients, graphic designers, web designers and printers.  We give our clients a complete Pantone profile of their brand’s color theme.

Every year Pantone announces the Color of the Year.  For 2013, the color is Emerald Green (Pantone 17-5644).

The photo above shows an eye -popping display in the Sephora window displaying makeup they created using Pantone’s “Color of the Year”.  Pantone becomes an endorser brand giving additional credibility to Sephora’s new makeup line. Pantone benefits by expanding their influence, their product line and their consulting services into yet another industry:  cosmetics.

Inside the store, in this picture, you can see that Sephora has developed an eye-shadow trio, mascara and an eye liner pencil in emerald green. Consumers can derive social currency because they are wearing the color of the year.

Think about ways in which you can co-brand with other non-competing businesses in your luxury real estate marketing practice. It is a great way to stand out from the crowd.

 *LVMH -Louis Vuitton, Moet, Hennessey

This blog posting has been provided by Ron and Alexandra Seigel, the Language of Luxury Community Founders and managing partners of Napa Consultants, International, the leading luxury real estate strategic marketing firm. They specialize in personal and company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing. Photos courtesy of Ron and Alexandra.

The old world meets the new as you enter into the elegance of this grand home through an imported antique oak door into the two-story limestone entry with imported Italian chandelier and custom designed wrought iron spiral staircase. Experience the grandeur of the formal living and dining room as you pass through the space you will be awed by the expansive views of the beautifully landscaped gardens and ocean through the beveled glass French doors.

Close to the Lodge and the Tap Room, this luxurious three-story grand estate with over 8,400 sq. ft. of living space is perfect as a primary residence or as an elegant retreat. The home features six bedrooms, four full baths, two powder rooms, five antique stone fireplaces (four dating to the 1700's), a media/library room, separate quest quarters, private offices, and a stone patio with wrought iron balcony offering views of the Pebble Beach Golf Links and Carmel Beach. In addition, there is a beautiful, private, large stone jacuzzi.

For more information, visit www.1480Padre.com.

• Set on a Premier 1+ Acre Flat Lot

• Over 8,000 Square Feet

•  Bedrooms and 7.5 Baths

• Lake and Mountain Views

• Designer Treatments Throughout

• Center Island Kitchen with High End Appliances

• Emotional Master Retreat with Sitting Area and Fireplace

• Tremendous Master Suite Balcony with Views

• Two Story Formal Living Room

• Office/Library

• Resort Quality Grounds

• Custom Pool and Spa

• Huge Manicured Lawns

• Private Setting

• Cul-De-Sac Location

• Prestigious Guard Gated Lake Sherwood

Offered at $4,999,950. For more information, contact Jordan Cohen at 818-435-5220.

Impeccable Manners! - The Secret to Becoming “Top Dog” in Your Marketplace

Throughout this article series, we have explored a new definition of luxury, “Supplement of the Soul”. Nothing feeds the soul of high net worth clients more than being treated like royalty. And, that requires impeccable manners.   If you are aiming to be “Top Dog” in your area, as a luxury real estate marketing professional, you can run circles around your competition simply by acquiring impeccable manners.

The secret ingredient in impeccable manners is impeccable communication skills. "Impeccable" means, “in accordance with the highest standards of propriety; faultless."  You have to approach manners as an art form and become a virtuoso, one who excels in the technique of an art.

Occasions such as a wedding, an audience with a royal, the president or the pope have specific rules. These are the techniques of the art of impeccable manners. If you intend to have an international clientele it is important that you become well versed in their customs and manners, and invest the time to master your craft.  

Impeccable communication and manners inspire trust and confidence.  Any newbie that acquires this skillset can outsell a seasoned grouchy veteran.  We saw it happen in a luxury car dealership, where a newbie (just hired/first time in car sales) outsold everyone on the floor in her first week on the job, because of her cheerful demeanor and impeccable manners. 

In luxury real estate one of our clients was given a prestigious listing because of his manners and impeccable follow-through.  For this seller, impeccable manners made the difference between choosing him over three other seasoned competitors.

One of our friends in Napa, California worked for one of the premier wineries as a host and event coordinator. At one of the wine events, a dignitary from another country noticed his skills and asked if he would be willing to become the head butler in their embassy in Washington.  Delighted with this opportunity, he accepted, and promptly enrolled in butler school.  Now he runs the embassy's social events and is their liaison for the other embassies.

So now we have completed this article series. We discovered one of the most important universal principles that must be applied in your luxury real estate marketing practice if you sincerely desire to gain or sustain market leadership (be “Top Dog”).  Here is a final recap:

Determine what feeds the soul of your client (Part 1)

Accurately assess the luxury mindset of your client ((Part 2)

Adopt what we call the “Objective Luxury Real Estate Agent Mindset" (Part 3) 

Clear your mind of envy (Part 4)

Acquire impeccable manners (Part 5)

This blog posting has been provided by Ron and Alexandra Seigel, the Language of Luxury Community Founders and managing partners of Napa Consultants, International, the leading luxury real estate strategic marketing firm. They specialize in personal and company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing. Photos courtesy of Ron and Alexandra.

The First Platinum LEED Certified “Dream Green Home” is being built in Miami Beach and helping to build the city's Green image. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environment Design and is an internationally recognized building certification system that strictly adheres to a set of environmentally friendly standards. Platinum LEED is the highest rating.

Under construction at 2020 Alton Road and within walking distance of South Beach, the home will be the first to house its own wind turbine to generate electricity, taking it off-the-grid as much as possible. That means lower electric bills saving money in the long run .  The home will also have a water recycling system making it less dependent on city water and a geothermal heating and cooling system.

Currently there are no LEED homes in Miami Beach and believed to be only two platinum certified homes in the entire state. About fifty nationwide.

Other green features of this five-bedroom, five-bath house include solar panels and special foam insulation keeping the home cool and dry in the summer, landscaping using native plants, low wattage lighting systems, a/c system with fresh air cycling, Energy Star rated appliances and motion sensors for bathroom lighting and ventilation.  Everything possible is being built from recycled products including concrete, wood and glass. 

Interested buyers can visit www.2020Alton.com or contact Tara West of Park Miami Realty at 305-926-8223 for more information.

PART 4 - ARE YOU GREEN WITH ENVY?

Inspired by a new definition of luxury, “supplement of the soul”, we embarked upon a very exciting journalistic journey in this article series. We discovered one of the most important universal principles that must be applied in your luxury real estate marketing practice if you sincerely desire to gain or sustain market leadership.  Here is a recap:

1. Determine what feeds the soul of your client (Part 1) 
2. Accurately assess the luxury mindset of your client (Part 2)
3. Adopt what we call the “Objective Luxury Real Estate Agent Mindset" (Part 3) 

The next component of this universal principle may require some additional soul searching on your part:  Clear your mind of envy!  Nothing will impede your personal success more, as a luxury real estate marketing professional, than being  “green with envy” when it comes to the wealth, possessions or social status of others.

Envy is:

 “The pain caused by the good fortune of others”  - Aristotle

"A reluctance to see our own well-being overshadowed by another's because the standard we use, to see how well off we are, is not the intrinsic worth of our own well-being but how it compares with that of others" – Kant

Are you green with envy?

If you secretly begrudge your clients for being able to afford the luxury homes you are marketing, this is important internal personal feedback (from you, when you are in your best state of mind) that you need an attitude adjustment. Instead of clubbing yourself over your head with this feedback, use it to propel yourself into a more affluent state of mind. And, watch your luxury real estate marketing practice soar!

This blog posting has been provided by Ron and Alexandra Seigel, the Language of Luxury Community Founders and managing partners of Napa Consultants, International, the leading luxury real estate strategic marketing firm. They specialize in personal and company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing. Photos courtesy of Ron and Alexandra.

With its reinforced concrete, steel, stone, glass and wood, One Thousand Ocean embodies a look of modern and casual elegance. This seven-story, 52-unit building sits on the tip of a private peninsula in Boca Raton, Fla., surrounded by water on all three sides: the Atlantic Ocean, Boca Raton Inlet and Lake Boca Raton/Intracoastal Waterway.

“This one-of-a-kind boutique building encompasses a harmonious blend of one-story residences, one- and two-story beach villas and sprawling, customizable penthouses,” says Jamie Telchin, President of Development at LXR Luxury Resorts & Hotels. “The ambiance at One Thousand Ocean is warm, welcoming and bright due to the abundance of floor-to-ceiling glass.”

 Of the remaining six residences at One Thousand Ocean, three are move-in ready and include a two-story beach villa two one-story residences. Delivered with finished flooring and decorator gourmet kitchens and baths, purchases can start living the enviable One Thousand Ocean lifestyle almost immediately. The three other available residences are expansive penthouses ranging from 5,600-8,700-square-feet of air-conditioned living space with expansive outdoor terraces that add approximately 3,600-4,500-square-feet respectively. The penthouses provide stunning panoramas of sea, sky and city and are completely customizable.

One Thousand Ocean owners who elect Premier Club membership privileges at the Boca Raton Resort and Club enjoy innumerable amenities and services, both at the resort and at One Thousand Ocean. As an example, due to the building’s proximity to the resort, member residents are able to opt for room service from the Beach Club in the privacy of their own home.

Residents and prospective residents of One Thousand Ocean live truly an enviable lifestyle with gorgeous living spaces, mesmerizing beachfront views, an abundance of amenities and special services such as pool service, room service and private catering. And with only six remaining residences available, it is a lifestyle we wouldn’t want any of readers to miss out on.

PART 3: THE OBJECTIVE LUXURY REAL ESTATE AGENT’S MINDSET

In part 2 of this series we shared the two mindsets of luxury consumers.  This post is about YOU, the luxury real estate marketing professional, developing your mindset.  We emphasized that you have to suspend your judgments about your client’s lifestyle and personality.  To do that you must adopt the Objective Luxury Real Estate Agent Mindset.

Easier said than done?   Being truly objective is the key to a successful real estate transaction.  Objectivity is the beginning of a successful and long- term client/agent relationship.  Here is what is at stake: longevity in the business and an enviable reputation as the go-to person in your marketplace.

The easiest way to gain the Objective Luxury Real Estate Agent Mindset is to keep your purpose in mind at all times:  closed transactions and clients becoming raving fans. Or, as one of our own mentors used to say, “Don’t let the ants get in the way of the elephant”.  Here is an example:

Our company had a great listing.  We were the listing broker for one of the premier entertainment office buildings in Los Angeles.  We got a call from an assistant who was working for a celebrity to make an appointment to view one of the vacant floors in the building for their offices.  We set a time, and she gave us a hint that the client may be a few minutes late.  As a rule of thumb this could translate to an additional hour in our experience. 

Prior to heading out for the appointment, we prepared by loading the car with items that could be done while waiting for them in the building owner’s conference room.   The assistant arrived on time.  She took a cursory look at the space, and told us that we would have to wait for her bosses as they were running late and coming in separate limos. 

First to arrive was the wife.  She was a famous actress in an Oscar winning movie. She threw the mink on the couch and proceeded to complain to her assistant and ignoring us.  We waited until she ran out of breath with her tirade and suggested we take a look at the space.  She had a blast critiquing the finishes, and after she was done, we explained that we would design the space to suit their particular needs. She left with the harassed assistant, and said she liked the space. 

Then, the husband (the manager of a mega star) arrived and reenacted the same scenes his wife had just dramatized.  When he was done we viewed the space.  He calmed down and stated that he, too, liked it. We exchanged cards and he asked us to keep him informed of any other locations that we thought would match his needs. He thanked us profusely and apologized for being late. We had no doubts that he would refer us future business.

What kept us objective in this scenario?  Our understanding that we were hired to do make sure that building was leased.  We were not hired to pass judgment or psychoanalyze their personalities or to gossip about their celebrity histrionics. That was none of our business.  What we kept in mind was this:

They were interested in the building

They were qualified to lease the space

The owners would be happy because their marquee name would add to the prestige of the building

The commission would be sizable

Keeping this vision clear in our minds was a great way not to let the ants get in the way of the elephants.  And, that is how you, too, can adopt the Objective Luxury Real Estate Agent Mind as a luxury real estate marketing professional.  This will supplement your soul and also your bank account!

This blog posting has been provided by Ron and Alexandra Seigel, the Language of Luxury Community Founders and managing partners of Napa Consultants, International, the leading luxury real estate strategic marketing firm. They specialize in personal and company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing. Photos courtesy of Ron and Alexandra.

When a Russian couple recently fell in love with a $3.35 million home in Ft. Lauderdale's Las Olas Isles, Ben Giordano's real estate team from Giordano Group, Inc. was uniquely suited to handle the transaction.

Two members of his six-person team speak Russian.

The six bedroom, six bath home on a deep canal on Nurmi Isles -- a short boat ride from the Intracoastal -- is just a few minute drive from both downtown and the beach. "You could walk," Giordano says with a smile, "but at this price level buyers seldom do."

"My team and I made them comfortable from the get go," he says. "Not only are they foreigners, they're unfamiliar with transactions here -- my job is to make them feel secure. At the end, they were very grateful and very satisfied."

Had the clients spoken Spanish, French, Italian, or Arabic, Giordano's team would have made them feel equally at home. An international edge, you might say, is his niche.

That and luxury waterfront property along the Florida coastline from Miami Beach to Palm Beach. "It was obvious to me that I'd specialize in waterfront," he says. The Tunisian born luxury agent grew up wind surfing, spear fishing, and boating in the Mediterranean, though he's called Florida home since 1990.

Affiliated with real estate powerhouse Re/Max, with offices in 86 countries to help him hone his international reach, Giordano goes well beyond the standard services agents usual provide, combining a steely code of ethics with exceptional attention.

"I work with a select number of clients," he says, "And they are my top priority, treated with utmost courtesy and respect."

With a background in construction, as well as a masters in real estate, he helps buyers find decorators and contractors, even offering concierge services for the particular needs of his rarified clientele.

"Many of my clients aren't here all of the time," he says. So the menu might include "checking the property, minor repairs, cleaning up before they arrive, fresh flowers, groceries, whatever they need.

"My approach with my team is no nonsense," he says. "We roll up our sleeves and get the job done for our buyers and sellers."

Nestled on the northern tip of Key Largo covering nearly 2,500 tropical acres of land and bordered on three sides by water, the Ocean Reef Club can only be accessed by members and their guests via the private jet to the airport on site, a yacht to the secured marina or by car through the gate. With amenities ranging from your own personal chef to a pre-k to 8th grade school, the community has all the amenities of a big city, in a secure small town atmosphere.

Inspired by its surroundings, Ocean Reef Club offers a wide range of activities, such as its 36 holes of golf, 20 tennis courts, shopping, and world-class spa making it possible to live a quintessential Florida lifestyle. Days could also entail SCUBA diving, catching lobsters and bringing them back to the Club's chef to prepare to succulent perfection.

The Ocean Reef Club lets you invest in a lifestyle that is truly unique: one that is decidedly Floridian with modern luxuries yet genuine in its congeniality. For this reason, properties have been selling well, with a particularly busy December 2012. Explore the possibilities of membership through these and other unique properties.

This custom-built oceanfront single family home is located in Sunrise Cay. The five-bedroom, four-bathroom home boasts water views from every room, a spa-like master retreat and even 100 feet of water frontage for your boat.

The next four-bedroom home is a gracious rancy style, drenched in sunlight and ideally situated on a canal. Upgrades inside include plantation shutters, large master bedroom and his and her offices.

The last home is a newly-built Sunrise Cay masterpiece created by Fran Murphy. High quality materials and the finest in furnishings meld seamlessly together to create this spacious 6-bedroom family retreat. Boasting 360-water-degree views, a graduated infinity pool and 100 feet on the Atlantic Ocean, the entire family may never want to leave this paradise-like setting.

Presenting an opportunity to live the family lifestyle you have always dreamed of in a relaxed and effortlessly elegant environment, the Ocean Beach Club paves the way as a premier community in South Florida with unbeatable amenities.

In Part 1 of this series, we shared an inspired definition of luxury, "Supplement of the Soul". This prompted us to do some soul searching for this article series and define a universal principle that, if applied objectively, can give you a tremendous competitive edge as a luxury real estate marketing professional. 

Here it is: If you really understand what feeds the soul of your clients you can better help them get what they want. And, they in turn will help you get what you want—more referrals! 

But, here is the catch. You must suspend your own judgments about what feeds their soul. And, that does take some soul searching on your part.   

If you secretly harbor judgments about your clients, sooner or later, they will feel it and that will definitely inhibit referrals. Being non-judgmental about what feeds their soul accelerates the speed of trust, which IS the accelerator of referrals. Once you get your own judgments out of the way you will find that you can work with a greater variety luxury real estate clients. And, that means more business. 

There are two universal mindsets of luxury consumers.  This does not mean that your clients are totally in one mindset or the other. It means that one is their dominant mindset. Luxury consumers are either predominately “self-actualizing consumers” or they are predominately “status seeking consumers”. The key is to accept that one mindset is not better than the other, no matter how you were raised or what you personally believe is right for you.

Stay objective and non-judgmental. Watch for the clues your clients give you about their dominant mindset.  Then go about helping them get what they want, what feeds their soul. 

Watch for Part 3 of Soul Supplement!

This blog posting has been provided by Ron and Alexandra Seigel, the Language of Luxury Community Founders and managing partners of Napa Consultants, International, the leading luxury real estate strategic marketing firm. They specialize in personal and company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing. Photos courtesy of Ron and Alexandra.