Life DeLUXE – Top Realtors Share Ultimate Luxuries
When it comes to luxury, there might be no more astute opinions than those of Portfolio’s top award-winning Realtors®. Ranked by gross closed sales, Portfolio boasts being the home of the top agents in the city. They immerse themselves in luxury through their work every day and know the trends and what discerning homebuyers are looking for when seeking the good life. We caught up with them to find out their thoughts on luxury real estate as well as what brings luxury to their own lives.
Kevin Best - #1 REALTOR®
Portfolio: In your opinion what is the ultimate real estate luxury?
KB: “The ultimate luxury is a dream house within a residential airpark and hangar for your personal aircraft. It’s such a great experience to walk out of your home into your hangar, and take off rather than go to the airport, deal with TSA and fly commercially. Not only is it convenient, it also gets you to your destination far more quickly. I market and sell this lifestyle at www.thresholdranch.com off of Boerne Stage Rd. This is the perfect location for the aviation enthusiast. “
Back at the house, Best has other ultimate luxuries his buyers often require. “The master bath is becoming more spa-like with calming color palates and details like decorative tiles. It’s all about the spa. More and more I see treatment rooms off of the bath with massage tables allowing the massage therapist to come to your home and not have to set anything up; the home is designed to the homeowner’s personal wants and preferences. There are also a lot of athletic gyms offering convenience at home.”
Garages have gotten fancy too. “With lots of new construction, the three-car garage is a thing of the past; now it is 4 or 5 car garages. With very expensive cars filling them, clients want garages that are almost like dealerships; air conditioned spaces showcasing lots of auto paraphernalia or memorabilia, sleek floors and everything tucked away into cabinetry that matches the ones in the home. They are outfitted like extensions of the home.”
Portfolio: What brings luxury to your own life?
KB: “For a decade I flew my Cirrus SR22 aircraft with its parachute system, a single-engine, very fast plane. It’s an absolute luxury to take off and fly to the coast to fish or a quick vacation in your own airplane. I recently sold my plane. With our young kids, it’s something I’ll eventually gravitate back too.”
Patti Nelson - #2 Luxury REALTOR®
Portfolio: In your opinion what is the ultimate real estate luxury?
PN: “The luxury that is in demand, especially for younger buyers, is smart technology and smart homes. Luxury buyers are looking for integrated button touch ease. What can be done with technology is amazing – I call it sophisticated control for the home.” Citing a recent home sale, “it had whole home technology including : motorized shades, home security, lighting features for mood and to highlight art, sophisticated audio and visual systems, garage door control, climate control/energy management, and camera views throughout including the pool, all navigable through iPad, or iPhone.” For outfitting your own home, Nelson recommends Sterling Home Technologies in Boerne.
Portfolio: What brings luxury to your own life?
PN: “I work hard, so I really value my time with my husband, children and friends. We are a family that lives and breathe the Spurs. Our indulgence is the new theater box seats for the Spurs games. These tickets have incredible seating, inclusive meals and are a great way to spend time with each other. Not just for our family, but friends and the occasional client too.”
Nelson also shared that she enjoys traveling with her husband, kids and her great group of girlfriends. Favorite destinations are Telluride, Cabo, and New York City.
Debra Janes - #4 Luxury Team
Portfolio: In your opinion what is the ultimate real estate luxury?
DJ: “I’ve seen every kind of home luxury, but what is a real luxury for discriminating homebuyers is for those that they love to be around them and to feel comfortable. Making a mansion feel like a home takes the whole heart of the homeowner; it's more than brick and mortar. My clients have everything - a luxurious lifestyle, but what they really enjoy is having family around them, keeping close to them with properties capable of accommodating groups.”
Portfolio: What brings luxury to your own life?
DJ: “My Range Rover HSE. I’m not a car fanatic, but I love it! It’s solid as a rock, so well-engineered – it drives like a car, but it’s an SUV. I wanted it to be simple, and the white exterior and ivory interior appealed to me. It has a Batman car seat in the back for my grandbaby, Hudson.
Debra is an all-breed dog lover and lifetime fan of the Westminster Dog Show which she attended for the first time last year. Her future includes a very furry luxury. “We have a miniature Aussie and a Beagle-Bassett rescue dog, but we are adding one more dog. We are on a waiting list for a highly-pedigreed English Cream Golden Retriever.”
Who is Portfolio Real Estate?
We are top performing real estate professionals, experienced in representing exclusive properties and the people who buy and sell them. Where you live is a reflection of who you are and the life you prefer to live, and WE have the keys to the finest our area has to offer.
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