If you haven’t had the chance yet to view the Parade of Homes, then today is your last chance to check out the newest trends in luxury new home construction. I was able to check out a few in my spare time this week, and I have to say that some of the homes are simply stunning. My favorite by far was the “Dream Home” located in Edina.
Not only does it sit on a fantastic lot, the design inside and out is classic. Designed by Charles Cudd De Novo, one of the premier luxury home builders in the Twin Cities, the home boasts 8700 square feet.
From this home and others on the market, here are some of the newest trends found in luxury homes in the Twin Cities:
Deep, rich, and dark hardwood floors. Some almost look black giving a great contrast to the lighter colors of the home
Built-in cabinets and bookcases everywhere. Many are made to look like furniture, placed in nooks and along walls. These features are not only classic, but very functional on eliminating clutter and keeping a grand home organized.
Marble. For high end homes, granite is no longer the staple. The use of marble for counters and floors is being seen more and more, especially for tiled bathroom floors, tiled luxury showers, and kitchen/bathroom countertops.
White cabinetry and trim has made a dramatic comeback with a high end twist. Many of the most expensive homes available today feature white everywhere, which mixes well with dark furniture or colorful accessories.
Huge, organized closets worthy of Rachel Zoe.
Informal office space open to the home. For instance, in the home above, informal space is part of the huge mudroom off the garage giving easy access to computers and such to family and children.
There are tons of additional features highlighted in the newest luxury homes found in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Edina, and Lake Minnetonka, but if you want a first hand glimpse, take a free day and visit some of the local open houses on weekends throughout the area.
Some of you might be wondering where I have been the past month. While I hate to be away from the blog so much, it happens sometimes that other parts of the business take me away from writing. I have to say that the reason this time is a good one, as I have just done something I have been dreaming of doing ever since I entered real estate – opening my own real estate brokerage.
The company is small to start out with, but that’s the way I like it. Too many real estate brokerages spend tons of money of what I call “Go Big, Go Large”. Their money goes to expensive offices that no one visits, nor any agents actually work from. Overhead eats them up, and their agents suffer. The old way of running a real estate company is dying. I plan on being a part of the new way.
My boutique firm sells real estate in the Twin Cities, including Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Lake Minnetonka, and the surrounding Metro areas/counties. While we cater to all price ranges, special emphasis is given to luxury properties, historic homes, and waterfront/lakefront real estate. By keeping the firm small, we will be able to better serve our client’s needs with personal attention. Clients will not be lost in a shuffle of a big box firm where no one knows their name. While our goal is to be the best, it is not to be the biggest. Think “Jerry McGuire” if you will.
Being as I have just opened Kirby Fine Homes, it will take time to get everything in place. This year a new website will be developed for the brokerage, and knowing me, an Internet presence will quickly be established. I am very excited about this new venture, and can’t wait to see what 2011 brings for the local real estate market!
“Kirby Fine Homes – Opening Doors to the Most Exceptional Homes in the Twin Cities”
While most of us that live in the Twin Cities know that the first place we think of to find high end goods is Edina’s Galleria, the Mall of America, or MOA to us locals, is revamping its style to include some luxury brands previously only reserved for the West side. For those of us that now cringe to travel to the Galleria because traffic is just so dog gone annoying, we can now take a detour to the shops at MOA.
The “South Wing” of the mall is getting a face lift to draw in high-end brands, including porcelain tile and crystal chandeliers, all to a luxury price of $5 Million. Current tenants include Burberry, Hugo Boss, Betsey Johnson, Nordstrom, with more to come in the upcoming months. The true test of keeping these brands here will be sale driven, as rent in MOA is pretty high. Only time will tell if true Lux can survive in Bloomington, the shopping ugly step child of beloved Edina.
If you forgot about the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Lake Minnetonka Luxury Home Tour, aka the Twin Cities, then you have one more weekend to get off the couch and out of the house to view some major architectural homes for sale. Half of the homes surround Lake Minnetonka, and the rest are mostly in Edina, Prior Lake, Credit River Township, so there should be no excuse that the homes are too spread out.
If you have been on the tour in the past few years, you might have already visited a few of the homes as they are repeats, but hey, sometimes it’s fun to keep dreaming. I have always like the home in Credit River Township, so it might be interesting to see it again, but I know I just have to visit the home on Palmer Pointe in Minnetrista.
Tickets cost $20 at Caribou Coffee, or $25 at the luxury homes, but if you only want to see one or two of them, you can always just go the $5 route for each single home. Let me know which homes you liked the best!
"While holding myself to the highest professional and ethical standards, I pledge to take my clients real estate success to new heights by helping them make prudent real estate decisions, and in the process, prove worthy of their trust and friendship so that I may become a long term friend and advisor."
All photographs on this blog are registered with the US Copyright Office and are the property of Jennifer Kirby. Use of photos are forbidden without written permission from the owner.
All views expressed on the Minneapolis - St Paul Real Estate Blog are those of Jennifer Kirby, and are not to be assumed the views of the Brokerage. Please contact me if you have any questions.
