Coldwell Banker Apex Blog

California Dreaming

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 06:18:28 -0600

$27 million oceanfront home in Malibu, CA listed by Chris Cortazzo

At Coldwell Banker Real Estate, we come across some incredible homes from across the globe, but this Malibu home listed by Coldwell Banker mega-agent, Chris Cortazzo, grabbed my attention from the first photo.

When you dream of heading to Southern California and living that Pacific Coast lifestyle, this is the exact home I envision myself in. Sure it’s probably not realistic for me, but hey it’s my dream. Perfectly located on the bluffs in Malibu and overlooking some of the most premium beachfront you can find is this California castle. Listed for $27 million it boasts 7 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, a 50 ft pool in the back and the interior design was done by Tim Clarke.

I love how Chris Cortazzo describes the interior in his property details on coldwellbanker.com, he says “Interior designer Tim Clarke’s coastal modern aesthetic imbues the home with warmth and livability.” I like warmth and I love livability.

Magnificent doesn’t do this place justice. I think it needs it’s own Spotify playlist to listen to while viewing the property details.

Check out all the pics and the full details on this 10,000 sq. ft. home on coldwellbanker.com.

The Storm and The Strong!

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 08:45:59 -0600

Hurricane Irene left devastation along the coast and a mess for our friends and family there to clean up. The photo above brought to mind how strong the Coldwell Banker network really is. You notice the Coldwell Banker sign standing firm with water rising everywhere.

Coldwell Banker is a company born in 1906 out of one of the United States worst disasters....the San Francisco earthquake and fires. Two gentleman, Coldwell Colbert and Benjamin Banker saw a better way to help the community they loved rebuild. They founded a real estate company on what was a revolutionary idea at the time with the motto of "the clients interest above all else".

Fast forward............1933. The Great Depression. A time that only the strong survived! Not only did Coldwell Banker survive, we continued to innovate. The Coldwell Banker Previews program was created in 1933 and is now widely recognized as the PREMIER luxury marketing program in the world. With a clients list that reads like a who's who including 4 past United States Presidents, world leaders, business leaders, celebrities and sports greats, this incredible program again was created in a time that other companies floundered.

Hurricane Katrina.........Our Coldwell Banker friends all along the Gulf quickly got business back on track and served tirelessly to help the communities they loved.

Community.....it really is what Coldwell Banker is all about. We just happen to have a very large community located in 47 countries. We love the communities and clients we serve..... YOU are what make us strong and YOU are what make us the Premier Real Estate Organization in the World!

Here's to a fast recovery to our clients, friends, family and colleagues that were in the path of Hurricane Irene. Our thoughts and prayers are with you today.

Former Beach Boy Brian Wilsons Home For Sale By Coldwell Banker

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 10:11:46 -0600

Does anyone love the Beach Boys as much as I do? I spent many years listening to their music, dancing with my first boyfriend to “Little Surfer Girl,” and I always daydreamed about living the beach / surfer life! As we enter the last month of summer, it seems only appropriate to discover that Beach Boy icon Brian Wilson’s former home is for sale by Coldwell Banker agent, Betty Theisen Placek, where someone will be able to live the “good vibrations” all year long! Located in St. Charles, just outside of Chicago, the home is now on the market for $1.49 million. While it’s not on the beaches of Kokomo, it is a fabulous listing with a bit of musical history to top it off.

According to the Chicago Daily Herald, Brian actually wrote and recorded most of his 1998 “Imagination” album in the home. He had a custom underground music studio built so he could have “fun, fun, fun” without bothering his neighbors, and the Daily Herald also reported that a slew of famous musicians have spent the night within these walls, including Paul McCartney, Sean Lennon and Eagles band member Joe Walsh.

Recording Studio

The space itself is absolutely gorgeous, with 6527 square feet of living space, nine fire places, five bedrooms and six baths, and not one, but two, master suites. In addition to the media room, it also has a gym, gardens, pond and a pool.

While I’m currently a California Girl, I must say that if I was living in the Chicago suburbs I would have to check the home out for myself. Wouldn’t it be nice?

Coldwell Banker Sells Most Expensive Home In America

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 10:06:12 -0600

Coldwell Banker agent, Sally Forster Jones, is no stranger to selling luxury properties. With over $1 billion in sales to her name, it’s no surprise that she was involved in the sale of the most expensive home for sale in the United States, the Spelling Manor.

The final sales price cannot be divulged, but the original list price for this enormous estate was $150 million. The affordability radar on coldwellbanker.com told me that it was outside of my price range, otherwise I would have made an offer.

The Spelling Manor is the home of Candy Spelling and her late husband, Aaron Spelling. The identity of the buyer has not been divulged, although Forbes and The Wall Street Journal have some speculations on who the new home owner could be.

Congratulations to Sally Forster Jones for her work on this amazing property and just goes to show you how working with a trusted Coldwell Banker agent can yield some amazing results.

For more details on the Spelling Manor sale, check out this article from Forbes.