Filed under: Estates

When it comes to remote vacation homes ease of management can be almost as important as location. That’s one of the major selling features for the Sundowner on Nevis, an idyllic Caribbean island. The Sundowner is part of the Four Seasons Nevis where all homes come with security systems, provisioning services for food, and routine maintenance of the homes. The home is prepared for your arrival and locked up when you leave. You also get access to the resort’s championship golf course, clay or hard tennis courts, a full range of watersports, the fitness center, and the full-service spa. The home has five bedrooms (each with walk-in closets and refrigerators), massive living room and a kitchen.

The home sits on 1.19 acres in the hills for views of the ocean and St. Kitts in the distance and, a bit closer the 13th hole of the award-winning Robert Trent Jones II golf course. There is an infinity pool with a huge terrace and there’s a bar downstairs for poolside amusing. The home also has a wraparound terrace. The decor doesn’t seem to quite match the home’s pricetag and the kitchen is a bit less than fabulous but you aren’t there to cook, you’re there to soak up the sun. This home is listed at $4.5 million.

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One doesn’t really think of real estate when discussing rare objects. After all, land is everywhere. When it comes to discussing what’s “rare” in real estate there are a few distinct categories and despite the old adage, it’s not just location, location, location. In fact location is just one of the considerations. When it comes to location, one thing to take into account is that the smaller amount of land available, the rarer the land. Property on islands in the Caribbean such as Richard Branson’s Necker Island or places like Nantucket, Bermuda, Kiawah Island has a certain rarity just because the real estate available is defined by the shoreline. There’s no chance of endless sprawl in these places. Another factor in rarity which also goes under the heading of location is proximity. Nearness to New York City pumps up the prices in the Hamptons, Westchester County and Greenwich, Connecticut.

Sometimes rarity comes down to exclusivity. We see this in the case of private communities where owners pay to be safely tucked behind gates and have access to shared facilities like clubhouses. Exclusivity is sometimes taken to its most ruthless degree when it comes to New York real estate. Getting into one of the famous buildings in New York City such as 740 Park takes not just money but also a fair bit of clout.

What I think makes real estate most rare is history. A piece of real estate that has been lived in by famous people and has a long history achieves a certain level of rarity. The Dakota in New York is a prime example, the list of famous people who have made the Dakota home are as much a part of its value as the building’s charm and location. Also under the rubric of history is architecture. For example, in Los Angeles where I live, homes created by modern architect Richard Neutra are worth far more than their square footage and acreage might lead you to believe. A Neutra home owned by Vidal Sassoon recently hit the market for $25 million.

At the intersection of location, exclusivity and history you find some of the rarest pieces of real estate, European castles that are hundreds of years old, villas perched cliffside overlooking the Mediterranean, homes that have their own vibrant character. One of my favorite examples, La Rondinaia in Ravello Italy, was owned by Gore Vidal and is now being turned into a niche hotel. My pick for the rarest piece of real estate currently on the market is Bran’s castle, the castle in Transylvania that inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which is expected to fetch upwards of $135 million. The rarest real estate is, the kind that almost never comes on the market, it remains handed down in families. For some more of the historic estates on the market check out the gallery below.

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One doesn’t really think of real estate when discussing rare objects. After all, land is everywhere. When it comes to discussing what’s “rare” in real estate there are a few distinct categories and despite the old adage, it’s not just location, location, location. In fact location is just one of the considerations. When it comes to location, one thing to take into account is that the smaller amount of land available, the rarer the land. Property on islands in the Caribbean such as Richard Branson’s Necker Island or places like Nantucket, Bermuda, Kiawah Island has a certain rarity just because the real estate available is defined by the shoreline. There’s no chance of endless sprawl in these places. Another factor in rarity which also goes under the heading of location is proximity. Nearness to New York City pumps up the prices in the Hamptons, Westchester County and Greenwich, Connecticut.

Sometimes rarity comes down to exclusivity. We see this in the case of private communities where owners pay to be safely tucked behind gates and have access to shared facilities like clubhouses. Exclusivity is sometimes taken to its most ruthless degree when it comes to New York real estate. Getting into one of the famous buildings in New York City such as 740 Park takes not just money but also a fair bit of clout.

What I think makes real estate most rare is history. A piece of real estate that has been lived in by famous people and has a long history achieves a certain level of rarity. The Dakota in New York is a prime example, the list of famous people who have made the Dakota home are as much a part of its value as the building’s charm and location. Also under the rubric of history is architecture. For example, in Los Angeles where I live, homes created by modern architect Richard Neutra are worth far more than their square footage and acreage might lead you to believe. A Neutra home owned by Vidal Sassoon recently hit the market for $25 million.

At the intersection of location, exclusivity and history you find some of the rarest pieces of real estate, European castles that are hundreds of years old, villas perched cliffside overlooking the Mediterranean, homes that have their own vibrant character. One of my favorite examples, La Rondinaia in Ravello Italy, was owned by Gore Vidal and is now being turned into a niche hotel. My pick for the rarest piece of real estate currently on the market is Bran’s castle, the castle in Transylvania that inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which is expected to fetch upwards of $135 million. The rarest real estate is, the kind that almost never comes on the market, it remains handed down in families. For some more of the historic estates on the market check out the gallery below.

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I don’t describe too many homes as romantic but looking at the photos for this one, that’s the word that first sprung to mind. Now this could be because I have certain romantic associations with Nob Hill in San Francisco (and specifically with the Nob Hill Inn) but I think it’s the home. This stately home was built in 1915 in the flourishy Beaux Arts style. It has four bedrooms and has a beautifully extravagant redesign by interior designer Paul Wiseman that relies on a palette of creams and whites with rich golden tones. The home has private offices, a wine cellar and a “pentroom” on the roof terrace that offers beautiful San Francisco views. It is listed at $7.9 million.

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I don’t describe too many homes as romantic but looking at the pictures for this one, that’s the word that first sprung to mind. Now this could be because I’ve certain romantic associations with Nob Hill in San Francisco (and specifically with the Nob Hill Inn) but I think it’s the house. This stately home was built in 1915 in the flourishy Beaux Arts style. It has four bedrooms and has a beautifully extravagant redesign by interior designer Paul Wiseman that relies on a palette of creams and whites with rich golden tones. The home has private offices, a wine cellar and a “pentroom” on the roof terrace that offers beautiful San Francisco views. It is listed at $7.9 million.

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Ever wondered which neighborhoods are experiencing the most growth and are the most lucrative in terms of real estate investing? Forbes has compiled a list of the top five neighborhoods that have grown above and beyond the rest. Whether the growth is due to a dramatic drop in crime or rezoning and infrastructure development, here are the top five and their percentage of growth since 1990 which make the rest of our hometowns look measly on the investment scale.

• Miami Beach (City Center) in Miami, Florida — 1532% growth
• Ohio and Westgate Avenues in Los Angeles, California — 3081% growth
  
• Rosslyn/Highlands in Washington, D.C. — 566% growth
  
• Riverside Drive and 149th Streets in New York City, New York — 4391% growth
• Grove and Webster Streets in San Francisco, California — 522% growth

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Ever wondered which neighborhoods are experiencing the most growth and are the most lucrative in terms of real estate investing? Forbes has compiled a list of the top five neighborhoods that have grown above and beyond the rest. Whether the growth is due to a dramatic drop in crime or rezoning and infrastructure development, here are the top five and their percentage of growth since 1990 which make the rest of our hometowns look measly on the investment scale.

• Miami Beach (City Center) in Miami, Florida — 1532% growth
• Ohio and Westgate Avenues in Los Angeles, California — 3081% growth
  
• Rosslyn/Highlands in Washington, D.C. — 566% growth
  
• Riverside Drive and 149th Streets in New York City, New York — 4391% growth
• Grove and Webster Streets in San Francisco, California — 522% growth

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Filed under: Estates, Sports

More proof that Nascar is massive business comes in the plans for a luxury residential tower in Concord, North Carolina near the Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The Arcadian will include penthouses, corporate suites and one-, two-, and three-bedroom units as well as a parking garage,conference rooms, a putting green, theater, fitness center, terrace pool, concierge services, shops and a signature restaurant. According to a report in the Charlotte Observer, buyers have sign contracts on 30 units since sales began in late November. The goal is to have the building ready no later than fall 2012 but that depends on sales. One Charlotte, the 40-story luxury building planned for downtown Charlotte, which we covered last May, has now been delayed. The tower will have 13 stories with 151 units priced from $395,000 to $3 million.

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Filed under: Estates, Sports

More proof that Nascar is large business comes in the plans for a luxury residential tower in Concord, North Carolina near the Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The Arcadian will include penthouses, corporate suites and one-, two-, and three-bedroom units as well as a parking garage,conference rooms, a putting green, theater, fitness center, terrace pool, concierge services, shops and a signature restaurant. According to a report in the Charlotte Observer, buyers have sign contracts on 30 units since sales began in late November. The goal is to have the building ready no later than fall 2012 but that depends on sales. One Charlotte, the 40-story luxury building planned for downtown Charlotte, which we covered last May, has now been delayed. The tower will have 13 stories with 151 units priced from $395,000 to $3 million.

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This home is so stereotypically Martha’s Vineyard you can practically smell the salt water. The new shingled home is in the Cow Bay area of Edgartown the main town on the small island off the coast of Cape Cod. You don’t get ocean views with this one but you get water views of Sengekontacket Pond. The home also has access to private association beaches of Cow Bay on the eastern shore of Martha’s Vineyard. The five-bedroom home is either very staged or decorated by someone with a keen love of the preppy. Check out the living room complete with model sailboat and the quilt with the nautical flags. There are also two master suites with private bathrooms. The home is on a little over two acres and has a heated inground pool. Pools surrounded by grass don’t exactly light my fire but this is probably just a place to rinse off since you’ve got the ocean so nearby. It is listed at $6.5 million.

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