Cody

The following story was written by Stewart Lytle and appeared on the front page of the Home Center section of The Dallas Morning News on Sunday, April 29:

When Mary Poss listed a $4.3 million home in Preston Hollow for sale recently, she knew she wanted to advertise it on the Luxury Portfolio International web site.

Limited to homes priced at more than $750,000, the high-end real estate web site markets more than 25,000 properties a year around the world. This site translates the home advertisements into nine languages, in more than 200 countries and in more than 60 different currencies.

So Poss was not entirely surprised when she got calls about the house from a potential buyer in India, but she also heard from buyers in Paris, France and Paris, Texas.

“I thought that was pretty funny,” she says. But not unusual.

The Ebby Halliday Realtor, who was the president pro tem of the Dallas City Council, says, “Every single day someone from around the world is moving to Dallas.”

A big reason, she thinks, is Ebby Halliday Realtors’ affiliation with Luxury Portfolio International. The site was created in 2005 by the Leading Real Estate companies of the World, which Ebby Halliday helped start 48 years ago.

It is targeted at the affluent homebuyer. According to an independent research firm, the typical visitor to LuxuryPortfolio.com has a household income of $1.32 million, owns a primary home valued at more than $3.8 million and a secondary home valued at more than $5 million.

“Luxury Portfolio has established itself as the go-to website for today’s affluent consumers, delivering the industry’s most comprehensive online information on luxury homes, markets and trends and representing quality companies, agents and service in markets worldwide,” says Paul Boomsma, president of Luxury Portfolio International.

In addition to bringing the affluent buyer, Luxury Portfolio’s reporting system allows brokers to share with their sellers not just how much traffic each house receives, but where the prospective buyers live and what language they viewed the site in. 

Ebby Realtor Heidi Loewinsohn attributed a recent sale to the network because of the data she could give her client.

Loewinsohn was working with a corporate CEO to sell his 5,000-square-foot house in Flower Mound.

Because it was listed with Luxury Portfolio, the CEO could see who was looking on the web at his $845,000 house sitting on 4 acres near the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Almost 20 percent of the interested home lookers were from the Washington, D.C., area. Another 11 percent were from San Francisco, CA, the web site told him.

“That information was very helpful to him. We were able to target some additional advertising in those markets,” she said.

The home was sold in a matter of  weeks to a Major League Baseball player.

The site is also useful for out-of-town buyers, who have no clue what Realtor could help them buy a new home in an unfamiliar city.

“We are known for the best locally branded companies in the world, and we maintain that reputation by holding our firms to a higher standard of quality and service,” Boomsma says.

Stephanie Pfeffer, the network’s executive vice president, put it more succinctly. “We are the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.”

Cody

Celebrity related news, particularly celebrity real estate, is always a hot topic – which is why we’ve compiled a list of some of the most exclusive and beautiful celebrity homes currently on the market.  And we’re proud that all of the following celebrity homes are represented by our fellow Luxury Portfolio International members:

Basketball Legend Michael Jordan
Highland Park, IL  |  $29,000,000

This secluded, 56,000 square foot compound includes an indoor, regulation-size basketball court, a tennis court, a putting green and three multi-car, climate-controlled garages.  Tour this home.

Actress & Talk Show Host Rosie O’Donnell
Miami Beach, FL  |  $19,500,000

Located on prestigious Star Island, this waterfront estate is comprised of an 11,000 square foot main house, two separate guest houses and 203′ of Biscayne Bay frontage with a large dock.  In addition, neighbors include names such as Madonna, Sylvester Stallone and Gloria Estefan.  Tour this home.

Singer Ricky Martin
Golden Beach, FL  |  $17,900,000

Live La Vida Loca at this Mediterranean estate located on one of Florida’s most exclusive private oceanfront communities, popular with International homeowners and celebrities because of its 24-hour security patrol.  Your own private 108′ beach is included.  Tour this home.

Actor Jack Nicholson
Aspen, CO  |  $15,000,000

Aspen is no stranger to celebrity homes, but this one is unique.  Instead of a sprawling estate, this home is an historic Victorian built in 1895.  Known as Newberry House, the home overlooks Hallam Lake in Aspen’s West End.  And Jack isn’t planning to leave the area, this is one of two homes he owns in Aspen.  Tour this home.

Actor Mark Wahlberg
Beverly Hills, CA  |  $13,995,000

Located on two prime acres, this gated estate has all the expected amenities, plus a sport court and an incredible detached 2,500 square foot gym, complete with a boxing ring, where the actor trained for his Oscar-nominated performance in The Fighter.  Tour this home.

Singer Christina Aguilera
Beverly Hills, CA  |  $13,500,000

If this home looks familiar, it might be because it was the former home of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne when they filmed their MTV series, The Osbournes.  Among the many amenities is the oversized closet with a salon area, which was featured in InStyle magazine.  Tour this home.

Rapper 50 Cent
Farmington, CT  |  $9,999,999

This gated, 50,000 square foot mansion is situated on 17+ acres.  In addition to a pond, a pond house, and an infinity edge pool with grotto, the home also offers a night club, theater and gym.  Tour this home.

NFL Legend Terry Bradshaw
Thackerville, OK  |  $9,950,000

Ideal for a family home or corporate retreat, and located only one hour from the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, this almost 750-acre ranch has a four-stall stallion barn, a 20-stall show barn with lab and office, a 54-stall mare barn and a 75′ x 140′ covered arena.  Tour this home.

Baseball Player Carlos Beltran
Sands Point, NY  |  $5,800,000

This South Hampton style Colonial is surrounded by over two acres of park-like grounds and includes a gym with kitchen, a karaoke bar, home theater and pool room.  Tour this home.

Interior Designer & Television Host Nate Berkus
Chicago, IL  |  $1,995,000

Oprah’s favorite interior designer remodeled this stunning Gold Coast condo with new hardwoods, a completely redesigned master bath with a custom English tub, and more.  And, of course, it’s been featured in Chicago Magazine and Elle Decor.  Tour this home.

OTHER NOTABLE HOMES FOR SALE THROUGH LUXURY PORTFOLIO INTERNATIONAL:

The Beverly House
Beverly Hills, CA  |  $95,000,000

Built by banking executive Milton Getz on property purchased from William Randolph Hurst, this home is located on 3.7 flat acres atop a private knoll, just three blocks from Sunset Boulevard.  The celebrity connection?  The home hosted John and Jacqueline Kennedy during their honeymoon, and was also featured in the classic films The Godfather and The Bodyguard.  Tour this home.

Tranquility, Home of Tommy Hilfiger Co-Founder
Zephyr Cove, NV  |  $75,000,000

Originally offered for $100 million, Tranquility is Lake Tahoe’s most prestigious property, comprised of 210 acres with its own private lake.  The compound is made up of 8 buildings: the main residence, a conservatory, a guest residence, an art studio, a boat house pavilion, a gymnasium with indoor basketball court, a stable, and an additional residence for guests or staff.  Tour this home.

To see the finest collection of luxury homes currently available for sale worldwide, visit luxuryportfolio.com.

Comprised of Ebby Halliday, Realtors and Dave Perry-Miller & Associates, the Ebby Halliday Companies are proud to be the exclusive North Texas affiliate of Luxury Portfolio International. 

Kendall

Celebrity homes are always a hot topic. The world was amazed when Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen’s purchased their mega mansion. And, remember when heiress, Petra Ecclestone paid $85 million in cash for Candy Spelling’s 57,000 square foot estate (which by the way was listed AND sold by our Luxury Portfolio International counterpart in Beverly Hills, Hilton & Hyland)? But around here, it’s even more exciting when a celebrity is selling a home, especially when it’s listed through one of our very own Ebby Halliday, REALTORS agents! If you caught the celebrity home segment on The TODAY Show this morning, you saw the impressive Oklahoma ranch of NFL great Terry Bradshaw, listed by Ebby Halliday’s Laura Brewer.

This Love County,OK ranch sits on more than 700 acres and was custom built with six bedrooms and six and two-half baths spread across over 8,000 square feet of living space.  The outside living area offers more than 1,000 square feet of space with a kitchen, firepit and bar. Truly a ranch, this estate also boasts a four-stall stallion barn, 20-stall show barn, 54-stall mare barn and a covered arena.

Also, featured in the segment is Rosie O’Donnell’s waterfront Miami mansion, listed by our fellow Luxury Portfolio International member, Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell.

See below for the full clip from The TODAY Show. And, be sure to check out more information on the property, here on the Luxury Portfolio International site.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Cody

In 2011, the Ebby Halliday Companies maintained its position as the luxury market leader in North Texas, selling more homes priced at $1 million and greater than any other firm, according to NTREIS MLS Sold Data. Comprised of Ebby Halliday, Realtors and Dave Perry-Miller & Associates, the firm surpassed its nearest competitor by almost $160 million in sales, and more than doubled the sales of the third nearest competitor.

“The truest measure of an extraordinary luxury real estate brokerage is not in the claims, but rather in the sustained proven results,” said Company President & CEO Mary Frances Burleson. “While 2011 was a year of many changes for luxury real estate in our market, our focus has remained the same since 1945 – to first and foremost deliver an unparalleled level of service to our clients. We strongly believe that commitment to service, and the dedication to our core values of ethics and trust, are what allowed us to remain the leader in luxury sales in our marketplace.”

Associates of Ebby Halliday and Dave Perry-Miller, who are regarded as the most respected in the industry, also participated in the highest sales in the following neighborhoods (in alpha order): Allen, Bluffview, Flower Mound, Frisco, Greenway Parks, Highland Park, Irving/Las Colinas, Lakewood, Lake Highlands, Oak Cliff/Kessler Park, Plano, Preston Hollow, Rockwall, University Park and Uptown.

“We’re proud to have maintained our luxury position locally, but because now, more than ever, luxury real estate is a global business, we are also proud to be the exclusive Dallas affiliate of Luxury Portfolio International,” said Burleson. Through this premier, invitation-only organization, The Ebby Halliday Companies partners with the finest independent brokerages from around the world who embrace a full understanding of international marketing, which brings unrivaled global exposure to the luxury homes it represents. Significant 2011 sales for Luxury Portfolio included both the buyer and seller of the Spelling Mansion in Holmby Hills, California, which was listed at $150 million, and the Evermay Estate in Washington, D.C., last listed at $25.9 million.

Celebrating almost 70 years, the Ebby Halliday Companies is the largest independently owned residential real estate company in Texas and ranked 12th in the nation. The company was also recently ranked #1 based on closed transactions and number of properties listed by Dallas’ leading business publication. In addition to residential real estate sales, the company is also comprised of its ancillary service divisions, The Lending Partners, Home Team Mortgage, Home Team Insurance and Texas Premier Title.

For more information on the luxury leadership of The Ebby Halliday Companies, visit luxuryleaders.com. To see current luxury homes for sale, visit ebby.com and daveperrymiller.com.

Cody

The spring edition of the Luxury Portfolio International Magazine is now available. This publication is produced two times a year by the luxury real estate network Luxury Portfolio International and includes extensive home design and luxury-focused content, as well as a selection of the world’s most exclusive properties from around the globe. 

In the latest edition readers will enjoy a rare look at the Illinois compound of NBA legend Michael Jordan, bask in the ultimate serenity of a Bali-themed Kauai estate and survey a timeless oceanfront luxury estate in British Columbia. Luxury enthusiasts can also catch up on trending topics such as the new design paradigm in home décor or take a look at how special property types complement specific luxury lifestyles. The magazine also reveals interior designer insights and the latest innovation, exploration and relaxation amenities.

The newest edition is mailed and distributed to affluent consumers through Luxury Portfolio’s network in more than 30 countries and sold on newsstands in over 50 countries. In addition, it will be circulated at the Luxury Portfolio SUMMIT, March 22-24 at Waldorf Astoria Orlando in Florida. 

“We are exceptionally pleased with this edition and especially thrilled to be able to feature the property of NBA legend Michael Jordan,” notes President of Luxury Portfolio International Paul Boomsma. “The content, features, design tips and truly breathtaking properties are sure to transport any reader and enthrall the luxury enthusiast we know is drawn to our publication.”

The Ebby Halliday Companies are proud to be founding members and the exclusive Dallas affiliates of Luxury Portfolio International.  All luxury homes represented by Ebby Halliday, Realtors and Dave Perry-Miller & Associates benefit from the extensive national and global distribution of the magazine, which directs traffic to the award-winning website, LuxuryPortfolio.com.  In addition, the company has several current listings featured in this edition of the magazine.

Click here to view the latest edition of Luxury Portfolio International Magazine, or visit www.luxuryportfolio.com to learn more.

Cody

The Spring 2012 issue of Grand Vie: Luxury in Living magazine has arrived and has been direct mailed to almost 30,000 luxury homes across the DFW Metroplex.   

As usual, it’s filled with some of the most luxurious homes currently for sale – including the truly amazing landmark home at 4248 Armstrong, which is one of the most significant architectural properties ever built in Highland Park; an exquisite European estate located at 5115 Ursula which is surrounded by bountiful gardens, a lighted tennis court and outdoor living spaces perfect for springtime dining al fresco; and our elegant cover home which is perfectly sited at 4212 Versailles, greeting guests with a dramatic entry and a gracious circular staircase.  From classic to contemporary, this edition also features luxury homes in Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Fairview and Rockwall.

For the second time, we explore spectacular luxury vacation homes in a special section.  Just in time for your summer getaway, Dallas real estate blogger Candy Evans showcases several sandy hot spots for fun in the sun including a Spanish-style estate in Casey Key, Florida that features 290 feet of waterfront and your own tropical sanctuary.  Also on her radar are the many perks of life in the Caribbean.  The beautiful estate in Turtle Cove, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands is just what you need to relax with its five master suites and breathtaking ocean views.  This section will also take you to Montecito, California, dubbed the American Riviera (and for good reason), and Kilauea, Hawaii.

The “Spotlight On” feature highlights the USA Film Festival, which is dedicated to the recognition and encouragement of excellence in the film and video arts.  Be sure to add the 42nd Annual Film Festival, April 25-29, to your schedule.  You might have even spotted Grand Vie in the gift bags at the Festival’s Oscar Night America Dallas event, Dallas’ only official Oscar-watching party.

And finally, this issue continues the use of Quick Response (QR) technology.  At The Ebby Halliday Companies, we continuously strive to provide our clients with the very best in home marketing, utilizing the most current communication tools.  That’s why every page features a graphic QR code, that when scanned with a Smartphone QR Reader, immediately delivers a full photo gallery, property details including room dimensions, current price and school information, and direct access to the listing Associate via phone or e-mail.  Some even feature property videos.  This immediate connection to the online world makes it easier than ever for Grand Vie readers to find instant, up-to-date information on their property of interest.

Like walking into a good friends’ home, we hope you feel at home in the pages of our spring edition of Grand Vie: Luxury in Living.

If you would like the see the latest edition of the magazine now, browse the online flipbook (complete with links to the property detail pages with the most up-to-date information) at grandviemagazine.com.

Cody

Closet space is important to home buyers at every price range.  But in the luxury real estate market, closets are taken to the next level.  Often times the master closets of luxury properties are the size of some people’s entire homes, have amenities like coffee bars and security systems, and some could even be mistaken for high end boutiques.  Recently, CNBC.com highlighted extreme closets from properties represented by Luxury Portfolio International. 

Included in the collection are a few celebrity homes: the Chicago condo of interior designer and daytime television host Nate Berkus (listed by Luxury Portfolio member Baird & Warner) and the Beverly Hills mansion of Christina Aguilera (listed by Luxury Portfolio member Hilton & Hyland), which was formerly owned by Ozzy and Sharon Osborn. 

Also included is the closet of a University Park home listed by Dave Perry-Miller & Associates.

So if the resting place of your prized Birkin collection is equally important as where you rest your head at night (or if you’re just curious and want some ideas for your own closet), see the full compilation at CNBC.com here.

Ebby Halliday, Realtors and Dave Perry-Miller & Associates are proud to be the exclusive Dallas affiliates of Luxury Portfolio International.

Kendall

Have you ever wondered where some of the heavy hitters from the tech industry plug their laptops in at night?

MSNBC shares some of the homes of the industry giants including famous Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, pictured above.  He may not list his address on his Facebook profile, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a view of his home.

This $7 million house is a modest choice for the Harvard dropout, who is reportedly worth $17.5 billion, but it is just down the road from his Facebook empire and offers heated floors in the master bath and an outdoor fireplace.

To see the full article and view homes from other well-known techies of Twitter, Zynga, Spotify, One Kings Lane, Google and more, click here.

Cody

According to the Travel Channel, Aspen, Colorado offers some of the most expensive real estate in the country, with an average home price of $6 million. 

Which is why Jigsaw Ranch, priced at $48,500,000, is truly the best of the best in US real estate – and the riverfront family compound happens to be offered by Joshua & Co., our Luxury Portfolio International counterpart in Aspen. 

This rare legacy opportunity is for sale for the first time in 37 years and is nestled on 80 serene acres which boasts two main houses, a guest house, a log cabin and a gatehouse.  And because it’s located only minutes from downtown Aspen you can easily indulge yourself with the best Aspen has to offer by shopping Gucci, Fendi and Prada, or dining at Caribou Club, Cache Cache and Il Mulino. 

This amazing property was recently featured on the Travel Channel – you can see the full video tour featuring Joshua Saslove by clicking here.

And if you’re in the Aspen area, visit our friends at Joshua & Co. at one of their four locations, including their newest space at 630 E. Hyman Street pictured above.  To search the best offering of luxury homes for sale across the globe, visit LuxuryPortfolio.com.

The Ebby Halliday Companies are proud to be the exclusive Dallas affiliate of Luxury Portfolio International, which boasts more global properties than Sotheby’s or Christies.

Kendall

Patti Dee Flanders, of the Ebby Preston Center office, was just appointed as the listing agent for a home that was named by D Magazine as one of Dallas’ 10 Most Beautiful Homes in 2011.  3722 Cragmont Avenue is one of the city’s prettiest pads, with three bedrooms, and two full and one-half bath.

This English Tudor, built in 1927, has a slate roof, stone walkway, beamed ceilings, leaded glass windows and gorgeous greenery. The outside of the home has a storybook charm, while the inside is just as beautiful with a mosaic floored entry with a curved staircase. You have to see this renovated home to truly discover all it has to offer.

To see the full list of the 2011 most beautiful homes, click here. For more information on 3722 Cragmont, visit the property website at 377Cragmont.ebby.com.