All posts by Unique Homes Staff

A Luxury Twist in Jamaica Living

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Cocosan Villa, nestled high in the San San Estate in Portland Jamaica, forms part of the Geejam Collection. It offers a uniquely designed take on contemporary Jamaican living. This villa features six bedrooms with balconies overlooking scenes of the beautiful parish of Portland and eight bathrooms. 

Cocosan’s upscale design is poised with elegance and modern day comfort, while engaging the tropical aesthetic of the Caribbean. The property, listed by Kaili McDonnough Scott of Coldwell Banker Jamaica Realty for $2.9 million, also boasts a gym, sauna, heated lap pool and Jacuzzi, and state-of-the-art kitchen.

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Featured Agent: Vanda Demeure of Coldwell Banker Demeure Prestige

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Vanda Demeure

Coldwell Banker Demeure Prestige,
Wealth Partnership

8 Rue Lamennais, Paris 75008
+33.6.72.95.68.30 | O. +33.1.85.01.78

vanda.demeure@coldwellbanker.fr | www.coldwellbankerprestige.fr

A Russian native, fluent in French and English, Vanda deals with international buyers and sellers from all over the world. Vanda’s ambition is to offer the best possible service. For that reason, she is always working hard to meet the very high expectations of her clients. For the last 10 years, Vanda has been one of the most prominent luxury real estate agents in Paris, France and Europe. Vanda has been recognized worldwide for her professionalism and work ethic. Today, she works to bring to the most high-end international clients the best of Coldwell Banker Global Luxury in Paris and Monaco. Vanda combines her undeniable experience and knowledge of the Real Estate market to offer the most unique service to her sellers and buyers.

Listing by Vanda Demeure

Indre-Et-Loire

 

This elegant castle was built in 1869 by Mr. Jean-Francois Cail on a beautiful park. Ideal for entertaining. The home is very spacious with more than 6-meter-high ceilings. Terrace, 8 bedrooms, 8 baths. €3,950,000.

 

 

Vanda Demeure originally appeared as an Elite agent in the
Unique Homes Spring ’19: Elite edition.

See her page here.

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Embrace the Charm of Mexico City

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Consistently ranked among the world’s top places to visit, Mexico City is a global capital welcoming more than 12.5 million visitors each year with its renowned cuisine, vibrant culture, rich history, unique neighborhoods and modern-day travel offerings.

Over the years, the city has become a sprawling metropolis bursting with a vibrant personality blending old and new. Each of the distinct neighborhoods, or “colonias,” attracts tourists from all over the world to experience their unique culture.

The Roma neighborhood is home to Mexico City’s trendy creative class. Bursting with colors, the streets are filled with restaurants, galleries, bars, foodies, artists and eclectic bed and breakfasts. The neighborhood is the namesake and filming location for Alfonso Cuaron’s internationally acclaimed movie, “Roma,” which won three Academy Awards in 2019.

Located just a few blocks from the house where “Roma” was filmed, Ignacia Guest House is an ideal bed and breakfast for the visitor who wants to embrace the art and culture of the city. Blending history, Mexican artisan tradition and the city’s contemporary culture, Ignacia Guest House opened its doors in February 2017. The name is derived from the housekeeper who looked after this 1913 casona for over 70 years, Ignacia.

 

 

The bed and breakfast allows visitors to immerse themselves in the city’s culture. Each morning, the guest house’s chefs make a trip to the local market to purchase organic, local ingredients for the day. The design of the house itself also proves to blend a contemporary design and a reflection of the city’s timeless culture. With its chromatic color palette and unique interior furniture, the bed and breakfast creates a contemporary living space without losing the charm of the city’s culture.

The Ignacia Guest House is a quintessential example of a spot where visitors can expose themselves to the beauty of Mexico City and all it has to offer to tourists from around the world.

Photos courtesy of Jaime Navarro

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Port Aransas announces new summer festivals

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For years, the coastal town of Port Aransas, affectionately called “Port A” by its residents, has seen visitors from other areas of Texas and from all throughout the U.S. In fact, the amount of visitors so far in 2019 has exceeded last year’s numbers by 40 percent.

 

This influx of new visitors is only expected to rise with the new festivals Port A is involved in over the summer. The location has long been described as an ideal fishing destination, and the 84th Annual Deep Sea Roundup is a reflection of just that. As the oldest fishing competition on the Gulf Coast, the Deep Sea Roundup, taking place from July 11 to July 14, brings people from all over to enjoy fishing in this relaxed atmosphere. Also attracting fishers from across the nation is the Texas Legends Billfish Tournament, taking place from August 7 to August 11.

The Beachtoberfest is a seven week-long festival involving a 5K run, a music fest, fishing tournaments, chef competitions, craft beer tastings, an art walk and other events as well. Also located at Port Aransas, the festival is taking place from September 13 to October 27.

Port A’s underrated food scene will also be showcasing itself during the Texas Super Chef Throwdown Series, occurring from September 18 to October 21. Consisting of 30 chefs from all around the state, the event qualifies the winning chefs to the World Food Championships in Dallas, Texas, consisting of 450 chefs competing from around the world.

All these events, taking place in Port Aransas, are a reflection of the culture and lifestyle in this coastal town — one where breathtaking luxury meets a casual atmosphere and invites all families to join in on the festivities.

Photos courtesy of Cinnamon Shore

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Featured Agent: Cheri McCann of McCann Realty Group Ltd.

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Cheri McCann

McCann Realty Group Ltd.

3307 Yonge Street, Toronto, Canada

416.481.2355 | cheri@cherimccann.com | www.mccannrealty.ca

McCann Realty is one of the finest boutique brokerages in Toronto. Cheri, ranked among the top 7 agents in Canada with her previous brokerage, has over 30 years of experience in Toronto’s high-end real estate market. Our clients have access to a team of highly experienced specialized agents with intimate knowledge of the Toronto market providing our clients with white glove service, deep practical expertise, exclusive access to opportunities, and a strong network of buyers and sellers. Hardwork and integrity get you the results you want!

HARDWORK — INTEGRITY — RESULTS

Listing by Cheri McCann

2 CHEDINGTON PLACE PH | BRIDLE PATH

One-of-a-kind, 2-story penthouse with 4 bedrooms and 6 baths in Bridle Path. Private elevator to the 8th and 9th floor, 5,390 square feet, 4 terraces, 4 parking spaces, and 2 lockers. $8,100,000.

 

 

 

Cheri McCann originally appeared as an Elite agent in the Unique Homes Spring ’17: Elite edition. See her page here.

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Ride in Style for a Good Cause

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New limited-edition beach cruisers created in partnership by Timbers Kiawah – Ocean Club & Residences and Peter Millar aim to raise awareness for the conservation of endangered sea turtles.

Available for both adults and children, the custom bikes don an original turtle print designed by Peter Millar and will first debut at Timbers Kiawah to mark the start of nesting season, a vulnerable time when guests of Kiawah Island must be most aware.

Residents of the oceanfront property, a prime new offering on Kiawah Island, will have exclusive access to the property’s fleet and can ride the cruisers on the island’s 30+ miles of scenic biking trails. The cruisers will also be available for sale to the public through a limited release. Retail for the cruisers is $1200 and all proceeds will be donated to the Town of Kiawah’s Turtle Patrol program, the impactful group behind protecting the area’s endangered turtles.

Another important aspect of the partnership is turtle conservation education, which will come to life for residents through sessions taught by local experts. Leaders from the Turtle Patrol and more will be engaged to lead education for adults and fun activities for Timbers’ smallest residents, The Timbers Tikes, highlighting the importance of recycling, keeping beaches clean and protecting the Loggerhead sea turtles, which are native to the area. The sea turtle programming will debut alongside the cruisers in Summer 2019 at Timbers Kiawah, which opened in October 2018.

Photo courtesy of Timbers Kiawah.

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Cher Makes a Name for Herself in Real Estate

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Although she has been one of the world’s greatest stars as a singer, comedian and actress, Cher might have had an even more successful career as a real estate developer.

From Florida to California and Hawaii, Cher has had her hand in designing and decorating a number of homes including on the Big Island in Hawaii at the exclusive gated Hualālai Resort where she and her architect-partner, William Long, designed a stunning ocean-view, Bali-style house – a result best described as contemporary meets exotic.

The current owner, billionaire businessman Bob Parsons, who founded GoDaddy in 1997 and the founder of PXG/Parsons Xtreme Golf has put the home on the market fully furnished for $10.955 million.

Since 1970 when Cher and Sonny Bono bought their first serious home, Cher has been fully engaged in managing the decor, first in conjunction with decorator Ron Wilson. She would tell him what she wanted, he would say it was impossible, and she said, “just do it.” He always did and worked with Cher on her next five home acquisitions through 1991. In 1996, she bought a property in Miami Beach when she took over the decorating herself and also launched Sanctuary, her mail order catalog.

By now, her style was permanently grounded using large pieces and varied textures, simply without clutter. After selling the Miami Beach mansion in 2002 she bought and decorated another grand mansion in Malibu, then advanced from decorating to designing the actual home in Hawaii with the assistance of Mr Long in 2008.

Taking full advantage of Hawaii’s perfect weather and gentle tradewinds, Cher’s design maximized these climate elements by emulating the Balinese open-pod architectural style with great expanses of movable glass walls that create a vanishing threshold for indoor-outdoor living.

Since air conditioning is rarely necessary and overhangs prevent rain showers from coming in, it’s not only refreshing but also a practical approach to year-round living. Spread across just over three quarters of an acre, the 9,446-square-foot house is made up of a series of pods that are arranged with the owner occupying the central pod which contains the main living and dining rooms, kitchen, casual dining on the lānai, and master suite. Guests have separate individual pods at the courtyard entrance so they don’t have to traverse the main living area when coming and going.

Overall, the home includes six bedrooms, six full and two half baths. Some of the baths open to private gardens for outdoor showering. The master suite faces the ocean, has an office and private deck with wrap-around water feature. The master bath has custom-stone sinks and a free-standing soaking tub open to its own private garden. Outside there is an infinity-edge pool and spa with wide panoramic views of the ocean and the members-only Ke’olu Golf Course. The buyers will also have access to the resort’s shared amenities, which include tennis, golf, a swimming pool, private beach club, six restaurants and access to the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai.

Cher designed and decorated Bali-style house inside the gated Hualālai Resort is now for sale, priced at $10.995 million. The listing agent is Rob Kildow, director of residential sales at Hualālai Realty, Kona-Kohala Coast.

Source: TopTenRealEstateDeals.com

Photos courtesy of Hualālai Realty   

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Lakeshore Oasis in Canada

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With 54 feet of beachfront, this lakefront home in Vernon, British Columbia is ideal for entertaining — it features a dock, boat lift, outdoor living spaces and two full kitchens.

Inside, details include open-concept living, vaulted ceilings, granite countertops hardwood floors and a covered deck with outdoor gas fireplace and views of Okanagan Lake. The lower floor includes waterfront living at its best with in-floor heating, a wine cellar, summer kitchen, outside shower and large walk-out patio with outdoor gas fireplace and built in barbecue.

“Guests are always welcome, as the house has a self-contained 3-bedroom casita above the garage with lake views and a private deck,” says listing agent Norm Brenner of Coldwell Banker Four Seasons Real Estate, who is listing the home for $2.95 million. “It is ideal for those that want to entertain or anyone that has extended family.”

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IQ Raising Amenities

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Raise your IQ as you indulge in these one-of-a-kind amenities. Communities are constantly coming up with new ways to create impressive amenities for their residents and guests, and these communities are doing just that. 

From studying the stars through a luxury telescope, to hands-on learning from conservationists, residents at these communities are offered the chance to learn from the comfort of their own homes. 

Study the Stars in Style

As you are perched atop a protected hilltop, set up a telescope and take in the stars at Headwaters — a tech-inflected home community developed by Freehold Communities.

The structure has been carefully deconstructed to become the setting for a stargazing amphitheater. Astronomers from the University of Texas frequently gather with Headwaters families to create a high-touch, outdoor classroom for residents to learn about celestial events — eclipses, meteor showers and supermoons.

Located in Dripping Springs, Texas, the Headwaters integrates 1,000 homes within expanses of natural habitat, eight miles of walking trails, as well as five protected hilltops.

Photos courtesy of Freehold Communities

Learn from Onsite Conservationists

With thousands of acres of unspoiled nature and 32 miles of riverfront, Palmetto Bluff offers a natural classroom where teachers — onsite conservationists and guides — run tours, classes, workshops and field trips open to all residents of the luxury, South Carolina community. Learn about life oaks, wild turkeys and other Low Country flora and fauna on bike, horseback or on foot, or head to the May River to explore by kayak, canoe or paddle board.

Looking to learn about the area’s rich history? Onsite archeologist Dr. Mary Socci leads artifact hunting expeditions from past communities dating back 12,000 BC and even leads cemetery walks that include past inhabitants’ pets.

Photos courtesy of Palmetto Bluff

Explore Surrounding Nature

At the Walden Monterey, the luxury agrihood where expansive lots will start in the $5 millions, developers are launching a tree-naming app described as “Pokémon go meets Google Sky, but for trees.” The goal? To increase residents’ interactions with nature through gamification.

Focus on Sustainability and Environmentalism

Located along Ecuador’s Pacific Riviera in the town of Puerto Caya, Oceanside Farms allows residents to gather for onsite lectures and TedX presentations focusing on sustainability and environmentalism.

Discover Astronomy from an Astronomer  

For those interested in astronomy, Mountain Shadows is the place to be. The destination offers the Cocktails Under the Cosmos Series and the Spirited Sipping Seminars. Astronomy lessons take place at the hotel’s Camelback Overlook rooftop deck, offered to both hotel guests and residents of the community. Each astronomer-led event features a signature cocktail themed around that month’s astrological sign, which can be seen brighter in the valley due to its low light pollution and dramatic desert backdrop.

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Featured Company: Churchill Properties of Massachusetts

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Churchill Properties

123 Brimbal Ave, Beverly, MA | 122 Main Street, Suite 4, Gloucester, MA | 49 Union Street, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA | 169 Bay Road, Hamilton, MA 01982

1.833.MOVING.9 | www.churchillprop.com

Churchill Properties is a full service residential real estate firm offering excellence in brokerage services to Boston’s North Shore communities through our offices located in Manchester-by-the-Sea and Hamilton, Mass.  We are members of the elite Leading Real Estate Companies of the World network including 4100 offices and 130,000 agents in 65 countries worldwide. Our unique marketing and sales program utilizes multiple media channels and promotional activities including:

 

Featured Property: Annisquam, MA

The Stage Cove House is a direct waterfront property in Annisquam Village, just steps to the Cambridge Beach, including a private dock. Sweeping views over Wingaesheek Beach and the Annisquam Yacht Club. $2,500,000. 

 

 

Churchill Properties originally appeared as an Elite company in Unique Homes Spring ’19: Elite edition. See the ad here.

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