Our dynamic team of agents made remarkable real estate moves around the country this month, from listing an all-new home in Beverly Hills with a prehistoric piece of art to a pair of exceptional estates in Santa Barbara. Here are some of the month’s must-read media clips.
BRAVOTV – Mauricio Umansky, Farrah Brittany, James Harris and David Parnes were spotlighted on BravoTV.com for their appearance on The Hollywood Reporter’s annual list of “Top 30 Real Estate Agents in Hollywood.” James and David were lauded for the $120 million sale of L.A.’s most expensive home, Mauricio’s team of agents (known as The Umansky Team) was touted for bringing in $278 million in sales and Farrah was named one the L.A. real estate industry’s most promising up-and-comers.
1300 BEVERLY ESTATES DRIVE – This newly listed home is grabbing headlines on Mansion Global and The Wall Street Journal for its incredible style and unusual decor. Represented by Stefan Pommepuy and Blair Chang, the 12,500-square-foot estate is a project of Tim Ralston of MLR, an Oregon-based development company. Adding to the home’s caché is a $1.5 million Allosaurus skeleton from the late Jurassic period, which is on prominent display. “It seems like there is a desire among some of these high-end homeowners to have a distinctive visual feature as a focal point of the home,” Ralston told WSJ, though he noted that the item is not included in the home’s $37.95 million price.
SANTIAGO ARANA – The Agency’s managing partner and No. 7 ranked real estate broker in the nation and the No. 3 broker in California was profiled by Fox Business News. Santiago shared details about his experience coming to America from Bolivia and bussing tables in Montecito before his real estate career took off. “I did a little bit of real estate in the day and worked double shifts in restaurants at night in order to survive,” Santiago recalls. After several confidence-shaking setbacks, Santiago has risen to be among the nation’s top agents, selling more than $340 million in total sales volume in 2018.
365 EL CIELITO ROAD – Located in the heart of the “American Riviera” in Santa Barbara, this estate—represented by Billy Rose—boasts a number of unique features. Fox Business noted the home’s “pro-mindfulness details” which include “meditation areas, a card-reading room and a Chumash medicine wheel.” The estate’s owner, designer and author Xorin Balbes, reportedly brought in an elder from the Chumash tribe to create the home’s wheel for healing ceremonies. The home also features elements to support sustainable, off-the-grid living, such as solar energy, well water, chickens, fruit trees and vegetable gardens.
ANDREW MCDONALD – Mensbook sat down with managing partner of The Agency’s Orange County offices, Andrew McDonald, to hear about his favorite high-quality items of the moment, which range from dressed up sneakers and a top-tier espresso machine to the 2020 Porsche Taycan.
OAKVIEW ESTATE – The Manual called out a few of Oakview Estate’s most incredible features—including its ultra-peaceful Montecito setting. “With the Los Padres National Forest in the front yard and the Pacific Ocean in the backyard, there’s no shortage of stunning vistas at Oakview,” the publication noted of the property, represented by Eric Haskell. “There are also very few neighbors, with just under 9,000 residents in Montecito at last count. This means you get to quietly enjoy the lap of luxury the estate provides with no interruptions, except for maybe the sound of the migrating gray whales in the spring.”
70843 TAMARISK LANE – Palm Springs Life highlighted the historically distinctive details of Jeff Kohl and Ruben Valerio’s Rancho Mirage listing on Tamarisk Country Club, which was designed by William F. Cody, an influential architect in the Modern Architecture Movement. “The current owners are in the process of applying for historical designation,” Valerio told the publication. “Plans were found tucked away in the garage that confirm the house’s pedigree. This was a truly significant discovery that adds to the rich history of Cody’s mark on Tamarisk.”
YERBA BUENA ISLAND – Unique Homes featured the new residential community located on a naturally formed island in the heart of San Francisco Bay. Spearheaded by Wilson Meany and Stockbridge Capital Group, Yerba Buena Island is set to welcome 266 condominiums, flats, townhomes and estate homesites, with marketing and sales represented by The Agency Development Group. “Meany’s developments, which include the historic San Francisco Ferry building, typically reflect the importance of holistic living and people’s connections with each other and the nature that surrounds them—Yerba Buena Island will be no exception,” the article states. Located minutes from the Financial District, Yerba Buena Island will offer residents daily commuter service to and from Downtown San Francisco via the new ferry terminal under construction on the neighboring Treasure Island.
