An exceptional array of art, antiques, and jewelry will add to the allure of Florida’s Gold Coast as the Palm Beach area hosts the American International Fine Art Fair, February 4 to February 8, 2009.

More than 90 prestigious exhibitors from more than 13 countries are anticipated to attract local and global connoisseurs for an international event highlighted by carefully vetted exhibits featuring artwork of all periods and disciplines. The fair also provides the largest collection of period and haute couture jewelry found in any U.S. exhibition, with participants including Harry Winston, Van Cleef & Arpels, Veronique Bamps, David Morris and Buccellati, to name a few.

“Within the realm of art and antique fairs, the Palm Beach event is globally recognized as America’s most glamorous and elegant art and antique fair,” says David Lester, who founded the event in 1997, alongside his wife, Lee Ann.

Daytime activities will include golf, tennis, and beach outings, in addition to daily educational and informative lectures. Invitation-only events include private dinners at the Norton Museum of Art, the Flagler Museum, and Donald Trump’s exquisite Mar-a-Lago estate.

The event commences February 3 with a private art preview and reception, sponsored by legendary jewels Van Cleef & Arpels, with proceeds benefiting the Norton Museum of Art.

Lester says, “The event provides a unique, elegant yet intimate atmosphere, which makes possible a special interaction between the dealers and collectors. The goal of the fair is to provide exhibitors with a world-class venue for showcasing their artwork and opportunity to develop new relationship with fledgling collectors as well as connoisseurs who regularly peruse the global marketplace seeking rare and unusual acquisitions.”

He continues, “The extraordinary scope of art, antiques and jewelry are only part of what makes this annual fair week so wonderful.”

For details on activities, exhibitors, and pricing, please view the following link: American International Fine Art Fair.

—Holly Marie Busacca

Above image courtesy the American International Fine Art Fair website, www.AIFAF.com

The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) announced its addition to the Steering Committee for the Architecture and Design Education Network (A+DEN). A+DEN is a collaborative association of architecture and design organizations committed to fostering the growth and development of design education on the national level. They work to integrate the design process in K – 12 curriculums and raise youth awareness about the built environment.

A+DEN serves as a channel for sharing information with educators and students through national and regional conferences, forums and workshops. They also work to identify and share best practices in architecture and design education. A+DEN’s long-term goals include increasing the public’s involvement in the design process.

In 2009, A+DEN will undertake a major redesign of the organization’s Web site and the creation of a highly useable communication platform. The organization will also continue to participate in and present at major national and international conferences, as well as hosting its own conference November 6 & 7, 2009, in Chicago.

The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) is a community of people—designers, industry representatives, educators and students—committed to interior design. Its more than 40,000 members engage in a variety of professional programs and activities through a network of 48 chapters throughout the United States and Canada.

A+DEN was formed in October 2005 and is dedicated to fostering the growth and development of architecture and design education on a national level. A+DEN further strives to raises youth awareness about he built environment and advance the integration of the design process across the K-12 curriculum.

—Robert Burke

The American Institute of Architects conducts a quarterly Home Design Trends Survey with a panel of 500 architecture firms that concentrate their practice in the residential sector. For the third quarter of 2008, AIA’s survey found that proximity to public transportation, rather than privacy, has become a major consideration of consumers, as consumer preferences drift away from remote areas and towards "infill" sites that are closer to public transport, entertainment options, notable schools and other resources. The survey, which focused on community and neighborhood design, also noted that consumers are paying more attention to making sure their homes’ exteriors are constructed of durable, environmentally friendly materials than to decorating lavishly indoors.

Future AIA Home Design Trends surveys will focus on kitchen and bath trends, overall home layout and use and specialty rooms and systems.

For the full report for the third quarter of 2008, visit www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek08/1205/1205b_hdtsq3.cfm

– Sarah Binder

When Real Estate agent Stephen Pringle of Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate decided to donate a bookshelf that a seller left behind, he got more than he bargained for. While dropping it off at The Marin County Food Bank’s thrift store, GoodStuff, Pringle met Sue, an employee who inspired him to do more.

After receiving an email from Sue about how the amount of people in of need food has drastically increased, Pringle forwarded the email to other Pacific Union agents and took out a full-page ad in the local newspaper in order to get support from the community.

The Marin Food Bank provides meals for nearly 3,000 people each month and the number is still growing. Pringle is willing to pick up food, furniture, clothing and other items from people’s homes. “I have been picking up furniture and clothes in Marin and donating at their thrift store weekly,” says Pringle. Many people are also drop off items at his office to bring over to the food bank.

“With all of the people losing their homes to foreclosures and becoming homeless and losing their jobs I feel that we need to do something for these families, says Pringle. “We have had a great run in the real estate market over the last 10 years and its time to take care of our community.”

For more information or to make a donation, contact Stephen Pringle at 415.720.7832 or springle@pacunion.net

—Shari Barbanel

 The October 2008 IAS360™ House Price Index has been released by Integrated Asset Services, LLC, a leader in default management and residential collateral valuation, and shows that the housing market is seeing double-digit declines in some markets. 

All of the nine U.S. Census Divisions recorded declines in housing prices during the month of October. The South and West are seeing some of the largest drops in a October 2007 to October 2008 comparison; the South saw a 10.2 percent decline and the West has reported an 18.7 percent decrease in housing prices.

It’s the markets with the most significant declines that should be monitored closely as those markets will often be the first to show improvements. “We’re continuing to see a decline in housing prices across the country and at the county level. That said, we’re also seeing some signs of strengthening in counties that are located in ground-zero states of the housing crises,” said Dave McCarthy, President and CEO of Integrated Asset Services. “With the IAS360 and the other granular Integrated Asset Services iMVI data, we are keeping a close eye on the counties within hard-hit states, because [those are the counties] that will be the harbinger of signs of a market recover.”

States such as Arizona and Florida have been most affected by the grim state-of-the business. But, as the market fluctuates, there is hope. According to October 2008 numbers, some counties in Arizona and Florida are beginning to see home prices appreciate.

Using the combined data of 15,000 ‘neighborhoods,’ the IAS360™ House Price Index monitors the monthly median house price changes in 360 counties, nine census divisions, four regions and the nation overall.

—Lauren Varga
 

Breathtaking ocean views of Florida’s Gold Coast complemented exclusive art selections at an invitation-only cocktail reception hosted by the St. Regis Resort & Residences in Bal Harbour.

The Related Group, one of the nation’s leading builders of luxury condominiums, collaborated with New York’s famed Marlborough Gallery to host a premier event showcasing Art Basel Miami’s most prominent artists. Marcia Levine of Marlborough Gallery said, “Art Basel Miami is a significant art show that brings buyers and their respected art advisors from around the world. We are delighted to create this special preview for St. Regis Resort & Residences, Bal Harbour.”

With soaring ceilings and expansive spaces, St. Regis Residences are ideal for art acquisitions, and the resort’s art program is set to include a collection of prestigious works by acclaimed artists.

“Residents of St. Regis are also art collectors,” said Jorge Perez, chairman and CEO of The Related Group. “They appreciate beauty, fine design and creativity, so gathering this group together with the talented artists that show at Art Basel is a synergistic match for those who appreciate the luxury culture.”

—Holly Marie Busacca

From left to right: Pierre Levai of Marlborough Gallery, Dr. Sanford Ziff, Marcia Gail Levine of Marlborough Gallery and Jorge Perez, chairman and CEO of The Related Group

A recent report form earlier this month suggests that in order to stabilize the current market, prices must drop. The Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) offers this as a direct solution to the housing and economic turmoil.

The report, "The Key to Stabilizing House Prices: Bring Them Down," notes that prices are still out of line with trend levels in bubble markets and calls for government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs – Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae) to restrict the buying of mortgages in these areas. This would lead to fewer loans being issued in these markets and prices would adjust to normal levels.

It also suggests that house prices used in mortgage appraisals should be based on rental values to avoid over-valuation. For more details, please check out "The Key to Stabilizing House Prices: Bring Them Down."

—Robert Burke

Toronto-area Canadians considering purchasing a second home in the southern U.S. now have a new option to learn about state-side resort developments—they can visit an interactive, permanent expo instead of resorting to hours of internet research or spending thousands of dollars jet-setting to various locales in the deep south.

Located in a ground-floor retail space in the Soho Metropolitan Hotel and conceived by marketing expert Harold Green, who has helped launch resort developments throughout North America, Central Showplace boasts beneficial relationships and affiliations with lenders, lawyers and accountants, as well as with Canadian real estate brokers. The expo’s staff have visited many of the featured resorts, making them an additional, though no less knowledgeable, resource. Central Showplace’s goals include answering buyers’ questions and concerns in a pressure-free environment, as well as providing U.S. developments with a valuable platform to get their name out to Canadian-based second home buyers. Ongoing events and seminars will supplement the permanent expo features.

Central Showplace’s Web site contains links to Arizona, Alabama, California, Florida, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas real estate, as well as many useful tools such as a mortgage calculator, real estate news and a currency converter.

 – Sarah Binder

Brasada Ranch, a 1,800-acre luxury outdoor and golf community located in Central Oregon recently earned its second LEED gold rating. The development’s 17,000-square-foot Ranch House headquarters that houses guest suites, a restaurant and the community’s administrative offices has received a LEED gold certification.

The Ranch House was built with reclaimed wood from the nearby Ochoco lumber mill. Artifacts from the 75-year-old mill have been integrated into the Ranch House’s décor, along with lava rock and native material featured in the stonework. 

Other environmental designs that helped the Ranch House earn its LEED gold rating include the roof that is made with durable 100 percent recycled materials and a unique permeable paver system in the parking area that allows for rain water to soak into the ground instead of running off the roof to other areas of the property.

The Ranch House, as well as all of Brasada Ranch’s core community buildings are heated and cooled by a high-tech, ground-source lake-loop system that is tied to the pond on the ranch’s private championship golf course. The system is 60 percent more efficient when compared with traditional systems for heating and cooling.

Last year, Brasada Ranch became the first newly constructed destination resort in the country to receive a gold rating when the Discovery Center, the 8,300-square-foot centerpiece structure of the community was LEED certified.

—Shari Barbanel

To live the life of luxury is to experience the Ritz-Carlton; to immerse oneself in historical beginnings is to explore Georgetown, Washington, D.C., which predates the city of Washington and the District of Columbia; to have the best of both worlds is to reside within the Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown.

Take an elevator to the fourth floor of the Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown, and step into more than 3,000 square feet of pure luxury. Currently listed at $5.95 million, this transitional penthouse is positioned to take in Potomac River views from almost every room—including the living room, which boasts walls of glass.

The painstaking attention to detail found throughout the residence is nothing less than breathtaking with top-of-the-line materials and craftsmanship. Residents will enjoy two bedrooms, two and one-half baths, formal living areas and a Poggenpohl kitchen. The master suite is comfortable and stylish with a sitting area and a master bath that showcases elegant finishes.

Nearby landmarks such as the Key Bridge, the National Cathedral and historic Georgetown add charm and exclusivity of this Ritz-Carlton offering. "The ‘epicenter’ of Georgetown is one block away,” says listing agent Christopher Ritzert of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. “The streets are lined with stores, boutiques, restaurants and clubs as well as many historic homes and buildings.”

The Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown, also offers concierge services, room service, a contemporary lobby, bar and restaurant for all residents’ use.

For more information on this offering, please contact Christopher Ritzert of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.

—Lauren Varga