A gorgeous luxury home recently sold in Holmby Hills, California. The purchase price for the Owlwood Estate was an eye popping $90 million. The historic home is located in a very affluent neighborhood in the district of Westwood, in west Los Angeles.

The buyer of this $90 million luxury estate was Sturmer Pippin Investments, LLC. Mercer Vine is an emerging, Los Angeles-based real estate firm and represented the buyer. Adam Rosenfeld is the firm’s founding principal and was quoted, “Rarely has there existed an estate that combines a truly legendary past with even greater future potential. Mercer Vine’s goal was to reach a deal that gave the buyer the financial flexibility and profit potential needed to reimagine the Owlwood Estate. After months of careful planning and negotiation, this deal ensures that the estate will remain part of Los Angeles real estate history for years to come.”

The Owlwood Estate home buyers will partner with Woodbridge Luxury Homes on future renovations. Woodbridge Luxury Homes is a highly respected company that focuses on increasing home values across luxury neighborhoods. Their expertise is utilized by focusing on modernizing classic estates. They always take into account a home’s rich history in all of their remodeling projects. As of this date, there are no concrete plans that have been announced.

The beautiful home was built back in 1936. It is an expansive property that offers 12,200 square feet of living space. The upscale estate was designed by architect Robert D. Farquhar. It has a distinct Tuscan-style design and exudes luxury at every turn.

There are two adjacent lots that are now part of the current property. This land was not part of the original estate. As a result, the total acreage now is greater than 10 acres in size. The Owlwood Estate address is 141 South Carolwood Drive in Holmby Hills.

Bob Shapiro is the head of Sturmer Pippin Investments and CEO of Woodbridge Luxury Homes. He was quoted, “The Owlwood Estate has been the unchallenged symbol of uber-luxury since being built during the Great Depression, and we will keep it that way for another 80 years. We fully intend to honor this property’s legendary past by ensuring it remains the absolute definition of luxury living for wealthy buyers from around the world.”

Since it was built, Owlwood Estate has been owned by a bevy of noted celebrities and business owners. The list includes singers Sonny & Cher, actor Tony Curtis, the founder Hotel Bel-Air Joseph Drown, as well as Joseph Schenck – the co-founder of 20th Century Fox. What a VIP experience it must be to actually live in this incredible luxury estate.

As a reference, there are many multi-million home listings in the greater Los Angeles area. The luxury real estate market is red hot in SoCal. Here is a list of currently available homes for sale:
673 Siena Way, Los Angeles – $47,900,000
9719 Heather Rd, Beverly Hills – $35,000,000
44 Beverly Park Cir, Beverly Hills – $31,000,000
46 Beverly Park Cir, Beverly Hills – $29,995,000
355 S Mapleton Dr, Los Angeles – $26,500,000

Are you ready to make your dream of owning a luxury home a reality? Start a living a life of luxury!

If you are looking to purchase luxury real estate like the Owlwood Estate, please contact us today. We work with many of the top luxury home agents around the world. Come back soon to follow our luxury blog.

Photo: Mercer Vine

Looking for luxury real estate in Italy? Now you can own the luxury Villa Antinori di Monte Aguglioni near Florence, Italy. This incredible property was once owned by one of the great Tuscan families in all of Italy.

Between the years 1498 and 1517, Villa Antinori was owned by the Del Giocondo family. If you are not aware who they were, Lisa Del Giocondo is believed to have been the subject of the world famous Mona Lisa. This iconic painting, also named “la Gioconda” was painted by Italian artist Leonardo Da Vinci around the year 1505. Lisa del Giocondo was the wife of Francesco del Giocondo.

Villa Antinori can be found only five kilometers from the renaissance city of Florence. At the beginning of the XX century, Marchioness Nathalie Antinori participated in the redesign of both the villa and spacious garden. She was assisted by Egisto Paolo Fabbri, who was her brother. He was also an artist and architect. The luxury villa’s layout remains to this day.

As you enter the property, you drive up a meandering driveway with large cypress trees on both sides. You stop to park near the beautiful Italian garden. The entire property measures 27 hectacre in size. The garden was designed by Cecil Pinsent, an English architect.

The main building measures 2,800 square meters. If you include the custodian’s house, a chapel, plus other onsite buildings for agricultural use, the surface area grows to 3,700 square meters.

The interior of the main house is spectacular. You’ll notice elegant furnishings and incredible craftsmanship in all the detail work. The current owners are proud to share the results of their complete renovation project.

Chianti Classico is located in the heartland of the famous, Chianti wine region in Italy. If you have a keen eye, you will notice that the facade of the luxury Villa Antinori di Monte Aguglioni can be seen on one of the brand’s own wine bottle labels.

When discussing Villa Antinori, Lionard Luxury Real Estate founder Dimitri Corti was quoted, “This is one of the most interesting historic homes which we have in Tuscany, on of the most requested regions in the luxury sector.”

We work with the best luxury real estate professionals around the world. If you are looking to purchase a high-end property like Villa Antinori, please let us know. Return again to follow this luxury blog and keep up on the latest real estate news.

Photos: Lionard

If you are looking for authentic island living, then consider tropical, Barbados. Living a luxury life is a dream for many people. Whether you have the wealth to live on an island or desire to retire on one, it’s a wonderful VIP experience.

Barbados is blessed with white sandy beaches, beautiful coral reefs, and surrounded by warm turquoise waters. The west side of the island is called the Platinum Coast. You will find numerous, luxury resorts and fine dining restaurants. Golf lovers will be in heaven playing the well manicured, golf courses. To unwind and release the stress in your life, just lay poolside or on the beach and listen to the soothing sounds of the Caribbean Sea.

As a market leader in luxury home ownership in the Caribbean, UNNA Resorts & Residences is now offering ownership arrangements at two, unbelievable Barbados properties. Live in style and the ability to explore this amazing country. immerse yourself in its culture and the endless, natural beauty.

Barbados is located in the eastern Caribbean and part of the British Commonwealth. Saint Peter’s Bay, Barbados (photo above) is a place to enjoy life at a slower pace. Now own a beachfront home and make Barbados living your dream come true. It’s a VIP lifestyle, few will ever experience. The Saint Peter’s Bay offers spacious, three and four bedroom beachfront homes. This luxury real estate collection comes with a wide array of luxury amenities. The property believes that families or individuals should focus on what is important in life. The service-centric environment living helps achieve that reality of true luxury.

In Port Ferdinand, you’ll find an incredible luxury marina, docked with numerous luxury yachts. Now you can own a large luxury home, 2,500 square feet or greater in size. It’s time to explore living a luxury life on Barbados on your radar. These gorgeous, luxury homes offer superior design and high-end finishes. Enjoy scenic views of the Caribbean Sea and marina from your luxury villa. This is island living at its very best. Your ownership also allows you direct dock access. The refinement of the Port Ferdinand residences awaits.

Does living a luxury life on Barbados sound appealing? Contact The Life of Luxury and we can help provide you with Barbados luxury home details. Consider both Port Ferdinand and Saint Peter’s Bay and own a luxury villa. We enjoy sharing the best places in the world to live and visit. Come back soon and follow our luxury blog.

The luxury real estate market in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania continues to thrive. Consider owning a luxury condominium in The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia.

Located inside Center City, The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia is a luxury residential skyscraper that is a towering 48 stories high. It holds the distinction of being the tallest residential tower in Philadelphia. Center City includes the city’s central business district, in addition to its central neighborhoods.

Last year was strong year for City Center real estate sales. The Philadelphia area saw $1.39 billion in sales. To date, over 200 condo units have been sold in The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia. The milestone was a wonderful achievement and validates the desire for luxury living in the city. In fact, the condo sales established the property as the most successful luxury residential building in the history of the “city of brotherly love.”

As the largest city in Pennsylvania, the real estate market has rebounded strongly from the last recession. If you desire to own a luxury condominium in this iconic skyscraper, you better act fast. As of this publishing, there are only 65 condo units remaining.

You can enjoy incredible views of downtown Philadelphia as well as the Delaware River. Many of the most desirable floorplan units are still available for purchase. If you want to live a VIP lifestyle in Philly, now is your chance.

Since there are no other luxury condominiums available for immediate occupancy, now is the time to enjoy luxury living in VIP style.

There are numerous luxury amenities available, including – wide-plank hardwood floors, plus floor to ceiling windows. Those the right condo for you and select from 14 different floor plans.

The Life of Luxury can help you buy that perfect luxury home or real estate investment. We work with many of the top real estate agents in the country.

Let us know if you want to learn more about The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia condos for sale. Come back soon to read more luxury home articles in our luxury blog. Stay on top of all the latest news and luxury real estate listings.

Super Bowl 50 is only 2 days away and the San Francisco Bay Area is buzzing with all kinds of Super Bowl festivities sponsored by the NFL. With tens of thousands of visitors here for the big game, the red hot San Francisco Bay Area luxury real estate market is also a popular topic of discussion.

As the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers prepare to battle on Sunday for bragging rights to the NFL championship, another battle has been underway. After the depressing real estate landscape recovered from the last recession, this area’s home values have taken off. Fed by a booming tech sector that drives Silicon Valley, the buying demand far outstrips the available housing supply.

Many people visiting for the iconic Super Bowl game are amazed at the countless luxury homes found throughout the region. The Bay Area luxury real estate market is one of the strongest anywhere in the world. Record prices are being set almost daily as housing prices have skyrocketed to crazy levels.

In a recent story by the San Jose Mercury News, across the U.S. home prices rose 6.1 percent nationwide between November 2014 and November 2015. It’s predicted that real estate prices will go up another 5.2 percent by November of 2016. As a comparison, the San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco area has seen prices increase by 15.7 percent through November 2015. The Oakland-Hayward-Berkeley region was up 9.7% and the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara region spiked by 9.7 percent. Most real estate analysts predict steady increases in the hot Bay Area housing market in both sales and prices.

Last month a record sale for a luxury home was broken Oakland-Berkeley hills. This mansion sold for a staggering n $20.5 million. The luxury home design was inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright and encompasses 14,000-square-foot on a 20 acre parcel of land.

Photo: John Lamparski / BRAVO

Fans of the hit BRAVO TV show “Millionaire Listing San Francisco” saw 3 successful realtors deal with the wild, Bay Area luxury real estate market firsthand. Roh Habibi, Andrew Greenwell and Justin Fichelson dealt with demanding market conditions as well as demanding clients. I had the pleasure to speak with Roh Habibi and he expressed what a wonderful experience he’s had doing season 1 of the show. He also mentioned how crazy the San Francisco real estate market has become, but he loves the non-stop action.

Currently there is a luxury home on the market in San Francisco for a whopping $28,000,000. This luxury estate has 7 bedrooms and 8-1/2 baths. It is 9,095 square feet in size and found in the highly desirable Pacific Heights area. If that’s too big of a home for you, how about a $12,000,000 property in Presidio Heights? This luxury home features 4 bedrooms and 4.5 baths. It’s 3,950 square feet in size. As an example of the rapid price appreciation, this home last sold just 2.5 years ago for a relative bargain of $3,300,000.

While the majority of buyers live in the Bay Area, many are investors from out of the area and even overseas. Millionaires from Europe and China have been investing in the luxury real estate market. But what does the future hold? Nobody knows but this accelerated price rise can’t go on forever. There are some signs that things are slowing down as more and more residents are priced out of the market. We likely will see a bit of a correction at some point down the road, but no one is currently predicting another housing collapse like we experienced during the end of the last decade.

The Life of Luxury works with many of the best realtors in country. If you are looking at buying a Bay Area luxury real estate market property, contact us today. We’ll help you locate that perfect luxury home, as well as assist with the any finance or lending needs you may have. Return to follow this luxury blog for more stories on the luxury real estate industry.

Looking for a luxury stay in Costa Rica? Consider the Villa Buena Onda boutique hotel for an amazing, tropical VIP experience.

Villa Buena Onda is an adults-only hotel and features eight guest rooms that are quite spacious. The locals call it VBO for short, but it’s an ideal place to stay for newlyweds, couples or anyone wanting to celebrate a romantic getaway in the beauty of Costa Rica.

You will find Villa Buena Onda on north-west corner of Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. The Guanacaste Provence doesn’t receive as much rainfall, so the warm and dry climate makes it an ideal destination for vacationers.

The views from the hotel are incredible. You can see the property’s salt water infinity pool, a chaise lounge area and lush green lawn. As you gaze further out, the nearby town of Playas del Coco and blue waters of the gorgeous Pacific Ocean take your breath away.

Foodies will like that all your meals are included in your hotel stay at Villa Buena Onda. There’s a covered patio on the first floor where you can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can order from the restaurant’s la carte menu. Rest assured all meals are fresh and made to order!

This Costa Rica boutique hotel takes attention to detail to another level. From the curved wall of the lap pool to the relaxing lounge area, each level of design has a purpose. The furniture that was chosen is not only of the highest quality, but blends in perfectly to the natural setting that surrounds the hotel.

After a busy day sightseeing or playing in the Pacific Ocean, consider a relaxing massage. On the second floor, there is an open air terrace that faces the open ocean. Unwind, listen to the music and give in to a tremendous massage.

Another must do is taking a dip in the lap pool. After splashing around, be sure swim up to the outdoor bar. You’ll find five seats and can order your favorite cocktail or drink of choice.

Be sure to get out and try something adventuresome. Ask the hotel’s concierge desk for recommendations on what to see and do. They can help make your arrangements like a local guided tour or a tranquil boat ride to a quiet beach. There are many activities such as fishing, snorkeling, or swimming in the Pacific Ocean.

For an unbelievable vacation in Costa Rica, stay at the Villa Buena Onda hotel. Get close to nature and enjoy this luxury, boutique hotel. We can assist with your travel plans. Read our luxury blog to hear about more top vacation destinations around the world.

Photos: Villa Buena Onda

The tropical country of Belize is located in the Western Caribbean. Now you have an opportunity to invest in arguably the most luxurious rainforest resort in the entire Latin America region.

Located in 1,000 acres of private Belizean rainforest, adjacent to the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve is a boutique nature resort that provides a truly, eco luxe sanctuary. This area of Belize offers the culturally rich Maya ruins along with and an impressive, local ecosystem.

This exclusive development is comprised of only 25 eco luxe residences, but just ten units are for sale. As an owner, you receive freehold title and are entitled to 30 days personal use p/a. The remaining time for each residence is rented out as part of the property’s luxury hotel. Owners will get 40% of the net rental income from each residence.

Each Belize residence is decorated with a central theme of stylish Old World Colonial charm. Each area of the design has been carefully blended with superb furnishings and unique pieces of antique furniture brought in from across the world. Each residence bedroom has a four-poster bed that were locally handcrafted using indigenous Belizean hardwoods.

Built to take advantage of the beautiful rainforest views, your luxury retreat has a large outside deck that has been suspended in the canopy. Just sit back, relax and enjoy natures’s tropical sights and sounds. Your dream of living among nature can actually come true. Enjoy a VIP lifestyle.

In total, there are 13 detached deluxe residences, 8 luxury residences and no more than 4 spacious two-bedroom residences. The deluxe residences feature greater than 700 sq ft of total living space that includes a beautiful indoor and outdoor bathroom. The luxury residences provide 1,000 sq.ft of living space. They come with a large wooden floating deck and with a private plunge pool. The two-bedroom residences offer 1,800 square feet of living space and feature a central open-air living room. In addition, you will have two individual bedroom suites with en-suite indoor and outdoor bathrooms.

As owners of the Belize residences, you will have access to the following amenities on the property – lodge & pool, bar & lounge, natural Maya spring pools, cigar lounge, wine cave and the luxury spa. What a great way to live and what a wonderful place to live.

Pricing for the luxury residences in Belize begin at $230,000 US.

If you are interested in learning more or possibly purchasing a Belize Residences unit, contact us today. To keep up on other luxury real estate news, follow this popular luxury blog.

A record breaking real estate deal has taken place near San Francisco. The impressive Locksley Hall located in the Bay Area city of Belvedere, has just been sold for a staggering $47.5 Million. The home, across the bay from San Francisco was listed with Neal Ward Properties.

Locksley Hall features 9,235 square feet of living space and includes five bedrooms, seven bathrooms, plus three half-bathrooms. The property includes about 30 acres of land on the southern tip of Belvedere Island.

This incredible luxury home was originally built back in 1895 by CO Perry, who was a banker from San Francisco.

Although the $47.5 million sales price is steep, Locksley Hall was actually listed for much higher prior to the real estate market crash almost a decade ago. The luxury home was once listed at $70 million.

The home is three stories high and provides stunning local views, including the iconic San Francisco skyline, the world famous Golden Gate Bridge and nearby Angel Island. This gorgeous place provides a VIP lifestyle. Elevator service provides access to all the home’s floors.

The luxury mansion was last purchased in 1995 by millionaire Robert Friedland for $5.5 million. He and his wife invested about $30 million in remodeling and renovations to the amazing property. The listing states, “The home underwent a massive restoration of approximately $30 million to retain its original architectural detail while bringing the property into the 21st century.”

On the top floor you’ll find the luxurious Master Suite. There’s an adjacent sitting room and of course, a luxurious bathroom. The master bath features double showers and woven mosaic marble tiles. There’s a spa tub and extra spacious walk-in closets to hold all of your clothing and fashion accessories.

If you are in the market for a luxury home, please contact The Life of Luxury. We work with many of the top real estate agents, and can refer a professional realtor in your area. If you like reading about luxury homes and a luxurious lifestyle, then please come back again to follow this luxury blog.

Photo: Neal Ward Properties

Sky high prices for luxury homes in Beverly Hills, California is nothing new. But recently, a new luxury real estate listing appeared for an eye popping $135 million. It’s a luxury mansion formerly owned by comedian Danny Thomas.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the luxury mansion sits on 2-1/2 acres of land and is part of Trousdale Estates in Southern California.

The luxury home is approximately 18,000 square-foot in size and features eight bedrooms and 12 bathrooms. The homes’ architectural design was Moorish inspired. Viewing some of the photos and you know that the next owner will be living in ultimate, VIP style.

Due to it’s location, this luxury mansion provides 360 degree views of the entire Los Angeles area. The incredible view from the home’s expansive balcony (see photo below) is stunning. Due its elevation, you will have privacy not found in other parts of Beverly Hills.

The luxury home is being listed by real estate agent Aaron Kirman, who is president of Aaroe Estates, part of the John Aaroe Group. When asked to describe the lavish interior, Kirman was quoted, “The décor has a specific market, but the market that likes it, loves it. There is a market for people who love ornate detail.”

Although we don’t know the name of the current owner, he or she undertook an incredible renovation project and peeled back the home’s interior down to the studs, before remodeling it to its current, lavish state.

The home next door sold last year for a lofty $70 million. That luxury estate was purchased by the founder of Minecraft, Markus “Notch” Persson. Beverly Hills living is definitely a VIP lifestyle.

According to public records, Danny Thomas purchased the Trousdale Estates property way back in the late 1960s. The mansion was then built in 1970. Danny Thomas died form heart failure on February 6, 1991 at the age of 79. After Danny Thomas’ widow passed away in 2000, their children – including actress Marlo Thomas, then sold the property. Public records hsow the sale value was $15 million.

The property includes a beautiful swimming pool to relax, soak in that year-round SoCal sunshine and enjoy the panoramic, local views. Inside you’ll find large archways throughout the house, plus $2.5 million of chandeliers purchased by Jacques Garcia, who is a well known French architect and interior designer.

You can hold incredible social gatherings and parties in the indoor ballroom. Don’t worry but not having enough parking. There is space for up to 20 vehicles.

If you are interested in learning more about this $135 million luxury mansion that was once owned by comedian Danny Thomas, please contact The Life of Luxury today. Come back again to follow this luxury blog and read about other luxury real estate findings around the world. We work with many of the top realtors, so be sure to contact us and we can refer you to the best, luxury real estate agent in your area.

Owning rental properties can be very frustrating. Many real estate investors are sick and tired of the hassle of dealing with tenants, trash, toilets and numerous other frustrations that owning and managing apartments, homes and commercial properties bring.

Many real estate investors are now searching for a 1031 exchange property so they can leave the numerous headaches of property management behind them.

Property prices are definitely up and continue to rise, especially in highly desirable markets like New York and California. With higher selling prices comes the issue of capital gains. So investors are looking for a viable replacement property so they can possible use the section 1031 exchange to defer their pending capital gains taxes.

Dwight Kay is the founder and CEO of Kay Properties and Investments, LLC (KPI). The company’s website is www.kpi1031.com Dwight say, “Many of our clients had previously never heard of DST properties and how they can be used as 1031 exchange replacement properties.”

One intriguing option that 1031 exchange investors should be aware of is utilizing a Delaware Statutory Trust (DST) 1031 replacement property. But don’t worry, this program is not just for properties located in the state of Delaware. Mr. Kay explains his firm’s clients and properties cover all 50 states.

Dwight continues, “Whether it be, for example, a Costco in Utah, a Walgreens in New Jersey, a CVS in Florida, or a 300 unit multifamily apartment property in Texas, our clients are able to invest from as little as $100,000 to over $5,000,000 via a 1031 exchange into our Delaware Statutory Trust (DST) properties.”

Now curious what DST 1031 replacement property is? A 1031 exchange allows a person to defer their capital-gains taxes on a property sale, if they actually reinvest the proceeds in what is called a “like-kind” property. These properties can include apartment buildings, vacant land, farmland, office buildings and warehouses, plus other types of properties. A key issue is the seller only has 45 days to identify what property they are going to exchange into.

Kay believes in diversification. He says many real estate investors that he deals with are at a point in their life where they want to diversify their real estate holdings. He said, “Although diversification does not guarantee profit or guarantee against loss, they realize having a large portion of their net worth in a sin.”

If you are looking to sell a property and maybe diversify your holdings, a DST 1031 exchange property replacement property may be worth looking into. Contact us and we can help put you in touch with a real estate or financial professional in your area. Come back to follow our luxury blog and read about luxury real estate or other industry topics.

Living on the incredible beach of Malibu, California among Hollywood celebrities is a dream for many people. Well, we wanted to share with you a simply stunning, luxury home that is for sale for a whopping $12,995,000.

This custom home was recently rebuilt and provided a breathtaking, 270′ view of the scenic Pacific Ocean. The home by designed by a highly respected San Francisco architect and features 3 bedrooms, 3 full baths plus a partial bath.

Featuring 3,000 sq. ft. of interior space and about 6,626 sq. ft. of exterior space – the contemporary, Malibu home offers a wonderful oceanfront, coastal living experience.

If you live the ocean, the south facing cove is perfect for watching the local sea life, playing water sports or just relaxing under the warm SoCal sun. Just imagine the wonderful parties you can host. Your guests will remember their unforgettable beachfront experience for a long time.

The home’s unique design utilizes tall glass provides a unique in-outdoor feel and allows you take full advantage of the picture perfect views of the Pacific Ocean’s blue waters. Lounge on the wide decks and when the sun sets and there’s a bit of chill in the air, sit around one of the sculptural, fire pits.

Inside is pure luxury. The kitchen features white lacquer Italian Cucina with Calacatta stone that surrounds a large, 10-foot island. The kitchen is equipped with a built-in Sub-Zero refrigerator and Miele appliances.

The home has gorgeous hardwood flooring, a second floor laundry room, a steam room, custom lighting system and central A/C. The two ocean front and third en-suite bedrooms include custom Italian closets by Molteni. The home is also equipped with a security system.

For additional information on this beautiful, luxury Malibu home – contact Jennice Ann Tronciale at Sotheby’s International Realty.

The Life of Luxury works with many of the top realtors around the world. If you are in the market for a luxury home like the Malibu property featured above, we can help put you in touch with the best, local realtor to assist you. Like reading about luxury real estate? Come back often and follow our popular luxury blog for the latest luxury home news.

Photo: Sotheby’s International Realty.