Broward motor yacht Java

The Fractional Collection has learned of a unique ownership opportunity available at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show taking place from October 29 through November 2 in South Florida. Ever thought about owning a megayacht for sole ownership, chartering purposes or perhaps turning into a fractional ownership enterprise? It’s no secret there are some great deals out there for yachts right now, but one of the best may be the auction offered by The Sacks Group Yachting Professionals (TSGYP).  They have announced that if on the closing day of the show the 121-foot (36.9m) custom Broward Motor Yacht JAVA has not been purchased, she will be sold at auction at 3 pm on Monday, November 2nd. The auction will be held on board the yacht itself, located at The Sacks Group’s display at A-Dock/Dock-1 in the Las Olas Marina.

“This is a rare opportunity for a buyer looking for a reasonably priced, beautifully outfitted and meticulously maintained megayacht,” said Bruce Schattenburg, TSGYP Managing Director/Broker.  “At the recent Monaco Yacht Show, we were surprised at the high prices listed for many of the European brokerage yachts on display. We feel that the best deals right now can be found in the U.S., especially with the dollar still weak versus the Euro. JAVA represents an excellent investment for the right owner.”

Auctioneer Kurt Bosshardt of Bosshardt Luxury Collection added: “JAVA is a well-established luxury charter yacht. As a bonus, she already has at least two charters reserved for the coming season, worth in excess of $150,000, which will go with her to the successful bidder, plus many repeat guests have already expressed an interest in returning this year.”

The auction will be open to pre-registered yacht brokers, whose commission will be protected by the rules of the event, Bosshardt said. “Any broker bringing a buyer to the auction, and acting clearly as a disclosed agent of the bidder, will be guaranteed at least a four percent commission.”

Launched in 1990, JAVA features an elegant contemporary interior that has been updated and refreshed by an extensive refit. She accommodates 10 guests in five staterooms, including a full-beam master suite, two queens and two twins, each with en suite bath. A great entertainer, Java has a formal dining area and an informal Country Kitchen, as well as al fresco dining options. Her spacious sundeck with an eight-person Jacuzzi and her water-sports toys are particularly popular with guests. JAVA is available for charter in the Caribbean this winter starting at U.S. $69,000 per week, plus expenses.

For more information on auction rules and other specifics, please visit The Sacks Group website or phone 964.764.7742.

Trans-Exec President David Bilson stated, “When you think about it, if you take off from Los Angeles to Paris, as soon as you get about two hours into your flight, you lose the ground-based Internet service, leaving eight hours of no connection.  With a flight to Hawaii, it’s even worse.  With our new advanced global Internet service, you are connected from the moment you board to the moment you land.” Bilson also stated that the company is responding to his clients needs. “We have found that it has become a business and personal necessity to stay connected at all times.”

The latest research seems to back-up his statement. In a survey conducted by Wakefield Research for WiFi Alliance, 76 percent of frequent business travelers said they would choose a flight based on WiFi availability.

The benefits of the service to Trans-Exec clients have been immediate. Bilson revealed that one recent client was able to complete an important business transaction during his flight thanks to the new service. “Our client told me there was a movie deal that started coming to fruition while he was on the airplane,” relays Bilson.  “Our client was able to receive several crucial emails from the actor’s agent and the screenwriter, set up a web meeting and sealed the deal.  The client said if it hadn’t have been for the Internet, the deal might have collapsed.”

Some of the other in-flight services Trans-Jet offers includes in-flight spa services and chef-trained cabin attendants deployed in eight state-of-the-art Gulfstream jet aircraft.  As the Fractional Collection sees it, the bottom-line is private jets have hit yet another high note.

Car aficionados and even the mildly curious who like to ogle sleek and shiny autos running the gamut from custom ‘rods to classics all know that Scottsdale is the place to see the best and the fastest.  Although temperatures here thankfully cool down in fall and winter, that’s exactly when the hottest auto auctions and shows in the country rev-up for visitors from around the world. The largest hot rod and custom car association in the world comes to Scottsdale Nov. 20-22 with the Goodguys 12th Annual Southwest Nationals. Held at WestWorld of Scottsdale, the event offers unique exhibits, a swap meet, model and pedal car show, and a hot rod cruise.

Kicking off the New Year Jan. 17-24, 2010 is the grande dame of auto events, the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction with more than 1,000 collector and special interest automobiles. Also held at WestWorld, Barrett-Jackson will feature hundreds of luxury lifestyle vendors and is a must-see event for high-end travelers and car aficionados alike. (Visitors to Las Vegas can also experience the Barrett-Jackson auction October 7-10 at Mandalay Bay for the 2nd Annual Vegas edition of the world-famous auction).

Just down the road, the boutique-style Russo & Steele Collector Auto Auction takes place Jan. 20-24 and will boast American muscle cars, European sports cars, hot rods and customs in an all-reserve auction format. And rounding off the car events is the Gooding & Company Auto Auction on Jan. 23 at Scottsdale Fashion Square. The annual event brings high quality collector vehicles to downtown Scottsdale and has sold the second highest-priced car in Arizona’s auction week history. Gentlemen, start your engines.

David Burden, President, Timbers Company

Respected for their nine platinum-level properties and brand consistency, Timbers Resorts has been an acknowledged leader in the premium second-home real estate market since David Burden founded the company in 1998.  Recently, he took time out from a busy schedule to chat with us about the Timbers vision, current trends, and where he sees the brand in the future.

Can you talk a little about the unique vision of Timbers and what sets your properties apart?
We focus on established, high-end resorts, and are now also looking at including some urban locations.  When we are considering a destination, first we look into what sort of opportunities the location presents, then we look for the ideal site there.  ‘Ideal’ meaning if you essentially had limitless financial capability, what would you acquire.  If we cant find that, we usually pass. Lots of developers do a fine job of second and third row projects and promote their lower prices, but we don’t really sell on that level. Once we have chosen a site, we then set out to create something that is consistent with the hopes and expectations people have for that resort. That is to say, we don’t do a homogenous timbers look. We also aren’t looking for the newest exotic island.  We like locations with legacy, such as Scottsdale or Steamboat Springs, where high-end has sold in the past and will continue to sell in the future. These are places where the market may have gone when they were children, and now they are bringing their kids and grandkids.  Looking at our market in geographic terms, it’s primarily the US, which constitutes about 75 percent of our sales, but we have a growing percentage of European clients, who now make up the remaining 25 percent.

It seems Timbers plays multiple roles, working variously in the development, marketing and management of properties. Can you elaborate?
First and foremost I am a developer.  I really enjoy the whole process: acquiring the land, getting approvals, the concept and design, then building it.  We also think we are pretty good at the marketing and selling of our projects because we feel a key part of marketing is the creation of the product.  So when it comes to merchandising, the marketing and selling, we are a bit of a control freak — we just don’t think anyone can understand it like us.  At the same time, we have worked very successfully with outside brokerage firms, so to the extent they can create an opportunity and close the sale, we are happy to work with them.  But still, the product has to be presented properly, it’s a rifle shoot, not a shotgun approach. Regarding sales, we have a corporate team here at our main office in the mountains of Colorado, as well as teams located at all of our projects.  We generally turn over operations to trusted companies like Auberge. In some cases, we have been so successful selling-out our projects, the operator and their partners have approached us and acquired the property, like Auberge did with Esperanza in Cabo.  It was a great opportunity for everyone as they are better equipped to resell; we don’t really do that type of operation.  Even in this situation, however, we maintained Timbers reciprocity, so as an owner at Esperanza, you can still trade exact weeks on a one-to-one basis with another one of our  properties, such as Tuscany.  And touching on reciprocity, this is one of the best tools we have to keep resells down.  Owners want this option.  For instance, we had 22 trades last week. Some other numbers that underscore the success we’re having is we currently have 288 owners, and just four resales.  Reciprocity isn’t the only way to keep resells down.  Another important part of our success is staying involved in operations.  A good example of this is our partnership with the Plumpjack Group at the Carneros property.  We see eye-to-eye on how best to run the property – Plumpjack delivers superb operations and we manage the real estate.

How will fractional-interest projects continue to make sales?
In our case, the strategy is to stay focused on where our market is and make sure our reputation remains stellar as the top residence club property that you can own. New projects like our Steamboat Springs development (eds note: slated to open 1st quarter 2010) will keep us on target. Other tactics are to maintain a strong database and partner with good companies.  We’re working on joint marketing projects with American Express, Sentient Jets and Hertz with their top-end offerings.  We’re also enhancing our offerings, like our property in Italy, which now features 97 acres of producing vineyards.

Are troubled whole-ownership resorts appropriate for redevelopment as fractional interest properties?
For Timbers, it’s not normally something we would consider. Typically, if it’s not working as whole ownership, it probably won’t work as a fractional either. There is usually a pretty good reason a property is failing and for us, fractional ownership isn’t just a fallback. There are exceptions though and we are seeing two or three such projects coming to us every day, where once per week was the norm before. We’re actually starting a services division to look at these types of projects.

Does Timbers ever get involved in any consumer financing?
We’ve never been involved in financing in the past, but to be proactive, we feel we have to now.  There really hasn’t been much need in the past, but that’s changing. In the case of Steamboat, which is almost evenly split between whole ownership and the residence club, we have gone out in the marketplace to secure financing for both components. We’ve been very successful here. By contrast, you don’t see much in Napa, that’s cash.  But I can say that it’s not the norm — there are a few companies out there providing financing, in addition to our lenders who are working with us on end loans. The bottom line is we have to be more proactive in locating it, it’s not easy, but its there.  Ultimately, however, it’s always different for us because we are all over the world.  For instance you don’t want to finance a consumer loan in Italy, it’s cash.

Where do you think the luxury hospitality market is headed now, and how is the fractional industry positioned to serve it?
Consolidation is definitely happening.  After such a rush to develop over the last seven or eight years, water is finding its own level and some of the weaker projects are going by wayside.  Those with a sound foundation, however, will continue.  In our case, we have a good flag as developers and we want to keep our image polished by building stellar resorts.  As an example, we’re pursuing a spectacular property in San Francisco.  It’s an intimate urban project – less than 20 units – which we will co-develop with an investment group, we’re just being just very careful.  Overall, I would say fractionals probably make more sense now than ever before.

What are your future plans for the company?
More than ever we will stay in the top markets and not get tempted by bargains.  For the most part, we will stick to our plan, which is to keep on moving into top locations in the US and around the world. (editor’s note: Timbers added two more properties to their portfolio this year: Rancho Valencia in Southern California and The Links Cottages at Doonbeg in Ireland). We expect to expand as the economy improves and are making sure our marketing department is ready. At the same time, although we’ve been asked to look into other parts of the world such as Asia and Australia, we haven’t taken anyone up on it just yet.  We’re flattered, but right now, this is all down the road.

CARLSBAD, Calif. - August 2009

“Unlike other rental situations such as private homes, La Costa guarantees a consistent product every time a guest stays through the program,” says Lynn Gilford, villa rental manager. “There are no surprises and an entire resort staff is right on site for any special requests.”

La Costa’s Villas feature spacious kitchens with Viking appliances and cozy living areas perfect as an office away from the office or a place to entertain. Saltillo pavers, fireplaces and patios complement the Villas’ charming Spanish colonial architecture and décor. A stackable washer and dryer within each villa and plasma televisions add to the comfort and convenience of this home away from home.

When booking a vacation rental, additional amenity packages are available to compliment any stay. Special packages have been arranged for unlimited golf, fitness classes, tennis clinics and special rates at the Spa at La Costa.

The Vacation Rental Program includes weekly housekeeping service with other services for fee on request. Villas are pet friendly and require a $100 non-refundable pet deposit. Vacation Rental guests have resort guest access to La Costa’s exceptional recreational amenities including two 18-hole championship golf courses, The Spa at La Costa, a 17 court Tennis Center, seven pools and the Athletic Club. Families can enjoy Splash Landing, an exciting pool area with 100 foot water slides and sandy beach, as well as Kidtopia, a supervised children’s program, and Vibz, a family game lounge.  For dining, La Costa offers the signature BlueFire Grill or the family-friendly Legends Bistro. Other options include the Spa Café, Splash Grill and Lobby Bar. Guests can even choose to have room service in the privacy and comfort of their own villa.

La Costa’s Vacation Rentals rates vary by season and unit size along with length of stay.  Villas are also listed for sale by La Costa Resort Real Estate group. For more information or reservations, call Lynn Gilford at 760-929-6326 or visit www.lacosta.com/vacationrental.

About La Costa Resort and Spa
La Costa brings a taste of the coastal California lifestyle to each and every visitor. Touched by fresh ocean breezes and set within a lovely 400-acre village, La Costa provides an idyllic setting for creating special memories. Amenities include the 43,000 square foot Spa at La Costa, 610 spacious guest rooms, a Clubhouse with fitness center, two restaurants and various cafes, and two championship golf courses. Escape to La Costa’s playground for a quick vacation or make it your own through the purchase of a Villa vacation home. Only at La Costa will guests find such a large coastal playground, such variety of recreation, such relaxed comfort and such fun. For more information on La Costa Resort and Spa, call (800) 854-5000 or visit www.lacosta.com.

About KSL
Founded in 1992, KSL Resorts manages seven time-honored resorts with outstanding recreational amenities, including spa, golf, tennis and ski. Each is refined yet unpretentious, rich in legacy, and genuine in service. The KSL Resorts are:

• Hotel del Coronado (San Diego)
• Beach Village at The Del (San Diego)
• La Costa Resort and Spa (Carlsbad, Calif.)
• Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa (Rancho Mirage, Calif.)
• Vail Mountain Lodge & Spa (Vail, Colo.)
• Barton Creek Resort & Spa (Austin, Texas)
• The Homestead (Hot Springs, Va.)

For more information, call (866) KSL-7727 or visit www.kslresorts.com .

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Located on the western end of Simpson Bay Lagoon, Porto Cupecoy’s marina will be the newest and one of the most upscale in the Caribbean, serving as the social and commercial hub of the 181-residence village and a destination for the entire Caribbean owing to its location in Simpson Bay, one of the Caribbean’s most protected harbors and an international yachting destination. Porto Cupecoy homeowners and transient visitors will have the opportunity to dock or moor their sailboats and yachts (from 30 to 300 feet in length) in one of marina’s 54 slips, eleven of which are able to accommodate mega yachts. Pleasure craft slips are priced from USD $100,000 to $160,000, with mega yacht slip pricing available upon request.

“Simpson Bay Lagoon, where the marina is located, is the Caribbean’s largest salt water lagoon and has long been a natural yachting hub for the Caribbean,” said Bernard Sarme, Orient-Express Managing Director/Project Director for Sint Maarten Real Estate.  “Porto Cupecoy is the island’s newest and most luxurious marina and will prove to be the perfect jumping off point for boaters looking to explore nearby islands and cultures.”

Being a white-glove marina, patrons will have access to all village facilities and a range of services, including yacht provisioning, onsite car and tender rental and water shuttles to the airport or throughout the lagoon upon request.  All marina clients can also take full advantage of VIP-vessel concierge services, which include electrical, fuel and standard maintenance assistance.

Porto Cupecoy’s marina village will feature European restaurants and cafes, as well as artisan galleries and designer boutiques. An onsite grocery store, pharmacy, and banking services will prove an added convenience for homeowners and visitors. And the village pool, fitness centre, tennis courts, and gated entrance will offer the services and amenities of a luxury resort.

Located on Sint Maarten in the Caribbean’s Netherlands Antilles, Porto Cupecoy is comprised of richly-appointed one- to four-bedroom residences, set in a harbor-side village with a European-Mediterranean ambience. One, two and three bedroom residences are listed from USD $450,000 to USD $2.5 million and are now available for preview via the sales center and fully-furnished model homes – a one-bedroom and a two-bedroom – which are open and available for viewing seven days a week. Porto Cupecoy is on target for a late 2009 opening.

To inquire about the Porto Cupecoy marina, call 599.545.2318. For more information on Porto Cupecoy or to watch a digital tour preview video, please visit www.portocupecoy.com.

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Orient-Express Hotels (www.orient-express.com ) has offered exceptional luxury travel experiences since 1976, when the company first purchased Hotel Cipriani in Venice and then shortly afterwards, recreated the celebrated Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, which weekly, links London, Paris and Venice as well as other destinations.  Today, the company owns or part-owns and manages 50 businesses, 40 of which are highly acclaimed hotels that are each unique in style, from the Mount Nelson in Cape Town and Rio’s Copacabana Palace, to the Grand Hotel Europe in St. Petersburg and Maroma Resort & Spa on Mexico’s Riviera Maya.  There are two restaurants, including ‘21’ in New York, two river cruise operations and six tourist trains.  Orient-Express prides itself on providing the ultimate in luxury and service for its guests, in some of the world’s most magical locations.

Orient-Express real estate developments draw on over 30 years of experience in the creation of luxury resorts and travel experiences.  The company’s overriding commitment to providing the highest quality of service, products and amenities in its hotels, trains and cruises is also a standard in its real estate developments. In addition to Porto Cupecoy, Orient-Express is currently offering luxury lifestyle residences at Keswick Estate (Charlottesville, Virginia) and Napasai (Koh Samui, Thailand).  The company owns development land in Madeira; New South Wales, Australia; Riviera Maya, Mexico; and St. Michaels, Maryland.