One of Northern California’s top Realtors, Jerilynn Babington, is hosting her 10th annual seminar on real estate. The free session will explain why this is a great time to make a move and will offer a private mortgage banker, a real estate talk show host, real estate specialists, a home inspection consultant and a staging expert. Sessions are offered Feb 6 and Feb 10 in Lafayette, Calif. You can register through the link below. Also, check out Babington’s article on “Strategies For a New Emerging Opportunistic Market.”
www.thetimetomove.com

jb-article.doc

For $25 million, the home of Pete Sampras and Bridgette Wilson can be yours. In addition to the putting green, detached guesthouse and theater, there is, of course, a north-south tennis court.

http://www.latimes.com/classified/realestate/la-re-hotprop27jan27,0,7821003.story

Unique Homes recently co-sponsored a special preview reception at 2700 North Ocean on Florida’s Singer Island, the new oceanfront condominium resort that graced the December/January cover of Unique Homes. Now complete, the two ultra-luxurious 27-story towers attracted more than 400 real estate professionals, who ascended on the 8.8-acre site to tour the designer-furnished models and rich, refined public spaces. Models were staffed by their respective designers, who graciously answered questions.
Guests were treated to wine and hors d’oeuvres at the private, poolside 2700 Grille. The afternoon culminated with a drawing for a bottle of fine champagne and Tiffany crystal flutes, provided by - Unique Homes magazine. The winner was Peggy Moore, who is looking forward to moving into 2700 North Ocean and living its luxurious lifestyle.
“We were very pleased to welcome brokers and Realtors to 2700 North Ocean,” said Dan Catalfumo of Catalfumo Construction and Development, the visionary behind the project and whose company is the general contractor. “This is our most luxurious project in our 30 years in business, and we are proud to be delivering something that is exceeding expectations. From its oceanfront location to the architecture, quality of the construction and interior design, 2700 was designed to be a landmark destination for living and vacationing.”
According to Catalfumo, 2700 North Ocean presents exceptional purchase opportunities in a highly desirable location in northern Palm Beach County. Condominium residences span 1,700 to 7,200 square feet of air conditioned living space, with prices from $1.1 million to $6.95 million. Views include the ocean, island of Palm Beach immediately to the south, and/or the Intracoastal Waterway.

For further information, visit www.2700northocean.com or call 561-259-2700.

At right, Cara Catalfumo from Catalfumo Construction and Development and Christina Lodar from Unique Homes magazine, present Peggy Moore (the winner of the drawing) with champagne and Tiffany crystal flutes. Moore is looking forward to moving into 2700 North Ocean.

Maxine and Marti Gellens were named the number one agents for Prudential California Realty’s La Jolla office in 2007. “Their sales volume of $165,407,330 was the tops in the market” stated manager Nicki Marcellino, “and their consistency year-to-year in up and down cycles is unmatched in San Diego Real Estate history.” The mother-daughter team has sold thousands of homes valued at more than $1.3 billion in the past 10 years. Their combined 55 years of experience in their native San Diego marketplace makes them uniquely qualified to serve their clientele. “We’re proud to be San Diegans,” said Maxine Gellens, as she headed with her four grandkids off to the Chargers game, “just ask anyone in my section of the Chargers’ Qualcomm Stadium or the Padres’ PETCO Park, I rarely miss a game!”

This house gives a while new meaning to “panoramic views” and wraparound porch.” It actually rotates 360 degrees! For $2.295 million, this one-of-a-kind Wilton, Conn., home could be yours. Check out this video:

http://openhousenyc.tv/index.php?tag=connecticut\

Chase International announced last week that it is listing a home dubbed as “The Ultimate Lake Tahoe Fun House.” Nirvana at Tahoe in Incline Village, Nev., is an art-filled entertainer’s dream on one acre. A giant carved bear made from one piece of redwood and weighing two tons greets guests to the home, along with raccoon eye peep holes and leaves imbedded on the entry floor intended to look as if they have just blown in the door.

Inside, a floor-to-ceiling fireplace is surrounded by startling inlaid agates, geodes, titanium quartzite and fossils. Hammered copper double doors open into the master bedroom. A handrail of twisted Manzanita and juniper leads upstairs. The upstairs is reminiscent of a children’s fun house with large overstuffed furniture that looks like it’s straight out of Alice in Wonderland and a custom fireplace is created from melted glass on rock, stained glass and marbles. The game room showcases electric neon colored carpet, LED lighting, a poker table with custom made furry swivel chairs, surround sound and more. A fiber optic bar bordered by copper railings with glass panels is the perfect spot for guests to gather during a party. An oversized blinking butterfly flaps its wings from a perch above the bar adding yet one more element of fun.

Listed at $5.588 million, to call this a unique home would be quite the understatement.

http://www.chaseinternational.com/70020692

The CEO of Hilton Hotels purchased a $27.5 million dollar estate in Bel-Air while an Academy Award winning actor sold his Orange County digs for a record $35 million this week according to The Wall Street Journal.

Christopher Nassetta, the head of Hilton Hotels and one of the nation’s most highly compensated CEO’s purchased the home of NFL team owner Georgia Frontiere (St. Louis Rams of the NFC).

Located in Bel-Air, the estate sits on 1.8 acres and was originally listed for $30 million.

Designed by architect Paul Williams, the home has 15 bathrooms tennis court and outdoor pool.

Represented by Kurt Rappaport of the Westside Agency of Beverly Hills, the home was originally constructed in 1931.

A graduate of the University of Virginia, Mr. Nassetta was ranked #298 in total compensation by Forbes Magazine.

A winner of the 1995 Academy Award for Best Actor in the film “Leaving Las Vegas,” actor Nicolas Cage recently sold his Newport Bay home for a record $35 million dollars.

Cage purchased the property in 2005 for $25 million and is the owner of multiple residential dwellings on the west coast. The home is located next door to the residence of the late actor and Oscar winner, John Wayne.

Orange County realtor Rob Giem of HOM Real Estate represented the buyer, 70-year-old Jerry Herbst of Las Vegas. James Chalke of Nelson Shelton & Associates represented Mr. Cage.

Mr. Cage made his film debut in the comedy classic “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” which also included fellow Oscar winner, Sean Penn.

Mr. Cage’s breakout role was as Ronny Cammareri, the reclusive baker and Cher love interest in “Moonstruck.”

Born in 1964 Nicolas Coppola, his father August Coppola was a professor of literature and is the brother of Academy Award winning director Francis Ford Coppola. He is also the nephew of actress Talia Shire who appeared in all three of “The Godfather” franchises including several of “The Rocky” series with Sylvester Stallone.

Cage attended Beverly Hills HS where he met fellow actor Johnny Depp, who encouraged Cage to seriously engage the acting profession.

Christina S.N. Lewis reports in her Wall Street Journal column this week about a new $65 million listing in the Hamptons. The 6-acre oceanfront estate in Southampton, N.Y., reportedly was bought in 2003 from the producer of the 2002 film “Chicago” for $23 million.  The guesthouse alone boasts 7,500 square feet, with three bedroom suites, staff quarters and a four-car garage.  For more info and photos, check out the Journal:

http://www.realestatejournal.com/columnists/private/20071231-private.html?rejcontent=mail