1942 CHARMING COTTAGE NOW UNDER CONTRACT IN BOYNTON BEACH

A sense of history seeps through this charming cottage of 1458 living sq ft with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, in historic downtown Boynton Heights in Boynton Beach. Note the pecky cypress dining room ceiling, typically designed wood-burning fireplace for those years, many French Doors. This vintage home is completely restored, with endless charm. No HOA! Low maintenance. Gourmet kitchen with cubby-shelves has granite counter tops and designer hardware. The roof is metal. Floors are beautiful wood and marble. Front path is Chicago brick. New plumbing and electrical wiring. Advanced security system. Beautifully landscaped with small yard. Near historic downdown, the beach, and I-95 access. Pet ok. All on 1-story. Priced well at $200,000... don't miss this one if you are looking for a historic home. Off Boynton Beach Boulevard. Call Marilyn for a showing at 561-988-0070. VISUAL TOUR

1926 PALM BEACH HISTORIC HOME SOLD IN 2008

Featuring typical 1920's arched windows, Spanish tile roof and ornaments on the front exterior, a 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath Royal Park Palm Beach home with 2754 total square feet was sold for $2,250,000. Note the decorative tiles in the pathways in the yard. Originally listed in February 2007 for $2,749,000, the house also included a living room with fireplace, arched windows and doorways, hardwood floors, a kitchen with dark tile edging on the countertops, French doors, chair rails, and Spanish tile on the patio. The Guest Cottage has a living room, 1 bedroom and 1 bath.

PRESERVATION FOUNDATION GIVES AWARD TO RENOVATED PALM BEACH COTTAGE

A total house renovation, "down to the studs," received the Palm Beach Polly Early Award from the Preservations Foundation for sensitive residential preservation. The 3 bedroom, 2 bath 1700 living sq ft cottage has a one-car garage and is located on Seabreeze Avenue. It was originally purchased for a retirement home but plans for the owner changed, and it is now up for sale. Built between 1919 and 1925, some of the restorations include the original fireplace in the living room, heart pine floors from a pre-Civil War era mill in North Carolina, Chicago brick paver patio around the pool, French doors, and an extra-high coffered ceiling in living room. If you would like more information about this charming cottage, call Marilyn Jacobs at 561-988-0070 or email marilynfjacobs@gmail.com

DELRAY BEACH, LAKE WORTH & BOCA RATON OLDER HOMES FOR SALE

Today there are eleven single family houses for sale in Delray Beach, built between 1925 and 1930. They range in price from a home on SE First Avenue for $249,900 and a home on North Ocean Boulevard for $4,450,000. Two Boca Raton homes built between 1925 and 1930 are on the market in Old Floresta. Both feature bygone craftsman ship including pecky cypress ceilings and Spanish tile floors. One is for sale for $1,495,000 with original walls and stunning grounds and pool on a large peaceful lot. The interior includes a fireplace, arched doorways and windows and has 5 bedrooms, 4 1/2 baths. Another listed for $1,399,000 is 3109 sq ft, 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, and also has arched doorways and windows, chair rails, and parquet floors. Among the 63 homes for sale in Lake Worth that were built in 1929 or earlier, the earliest was built in 1920, Spanish style, yellow exterior. It features hardwood floors, arched doorways, a brick paver driveway and is located in downtown Lake Worth on Federal Highway. It has 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, and 1644 sq ft of living space. Listed at $359,000. If you are looking for a historic home, call Marilyn Jacobs at 561-988-0070 or e mail Marilyn at marilynfjacobs@gmail.com and ask her to send you the listings and show these interesting homes to you which have many of the original features restored. When you do come, bring your camera!

LANDMARKED VILLA LEONCINI SEEKS NEW OWNERS

“You Have Arrived!” will surely fit the forthcoming new owners of the historic landmarked Tuscan-inspired Palm Beach VIlla Leoncini estate and it’s 3-story entrance tower. Designed by Palm Beach Architect Howard Major in 1926, the style is Tuscan Italian Renaissance, borrowed from a Lake Como villa. It was first named La Torre Bianca (“The White Tower”)and has a U-shaped floor plan with rooms wrapping around a patio, providing an easy flow from room to room and outdoors. The now deceased owner was a founding member of the Horticulture Society of South Florida, and transformed the grounds into a lush paradise. There are 300 varieties of orchids. Drive down to the motor court and front door, set with cast-stone quoins arched around the door and flanked by two griffin statues, sitting as sentries. Inside the entry are twin doorways with linen-fold caring and the original black-and-white marble tile floor set on the diagonal. There are French doors crowned by fan windows with beautiful views of the courtyard, patios and pool. The formal living room features floor to ceiling pecky cypress paneling and picture molding, built-in bookcases, a wood burning fireplace and a delicate antique marble mantel. The floor is Cuban tile. The dining room with emaed ceiling, features antique Portuguese blue and while tile pictures on the walls, copies of a room in the Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen. The separate guesthouse has two bedrooms, 2 baths, kitchen and laundry facilities. Come see… and buy! Live with history.

5 OPEN HOUSE TOURS 5 - Sunday 12/14 from 1 to 4 pm - no equity, no HOA

WHILE THESE ARE NOT (YET) HISTORIC HOMES, COME AND SEE A VARIETY OF BEAUTIFUL BOCA RATON HOUSES... if you MISSED THE TOUR, Marilyn will be happy to show you ANY OF THESE HOMES!




ORDER OF PHOTOS: B, A, 1, E, C

1920’s ERA “DOUBLEDOG” EL CID HOME NOW FOR SALE

Accompanying friends who were house hunting and with no intention of buying, Ross Meltzer and Tom Samet, Interior Decorators in East Hampton, fell in love with “Doubledog” at first sight. Atop the two piers flanking the entrance gate sit a pair of dog statues, which gave the house it’s name. Having occupied 14 homes over the years, moving is a habit for these fellows. Now they are spending more time in East Hampton, so have put the historic 4 bedroom, 4 ½ bath home and guest cottage up for sale at $2.75MM. Furnishings are available separately. This home is Samet’s favorite of the bunch, “incredibly private and it faces southeast, so all day it’s bright… it’s also on a slight hill so we have the views and a breeze.” He further describes it as “old-timey.” The National Register of Historic Places and the City of West Palm Beach list the house as a historic home. Previous owners have maintained the home and its original design with no major alterations, although five years ago the kitchen was extended fifteen feet.. Some features include many French doors, windows opening to 3000 sq ft of wraparound terraces on three sides, a Chicago-brick driveway on the fourth side. There is a Santa Barbara fell to the house, with tall, mature hedges and fountains. The house also has oak and poplar floors, more northern-like. Mizner reminders include the mantel in the living room, pecky cypress ceilings throughout the downstairs rooms, and the four antique wrought-iron gates in the garden. There is a charming 1920’s ear old fashioned telephone room with chaise. Colors are dramatic and include butterscotch with touches of Chinese red in the living room. There are intracoastal views through the many windows. The large garden has a dining gazebo, Geoergian-style pool and formal gardens with statuary. The kitchen features a Spanish-tile floor, custom cabinetry, a beamed ceiling, granite countertops, and top-of-the line appliances. A barrel-tile roof with eaves supported by corbels is a prominent feature of 265 Granada Road. The arched windows look out into the courtyard. The next owners will be charmed too… and love the sense of history that surrounds the house.

HOMES LISTED FOR OVER $100MM HIT BY REAL ESTATE SLOWDOWN

Culling the list of most expensive properties that are for sale from published property listings, high-end brokerages and conversations with real estate agents, here are updates us on the state of the high-end real estate market. Note that in Europe especially many estates and luxury markets are shopped privately for undisclosed prices. Financier Leonard Ross took his Beverly Hills Hearst Mansion listed for $165MM off the market, as did Prince Bandar of Saudi Arabia with his $125MM Aspen Ski Lodge. But “our Donald,” Donald Trump, closed on the sale of his $100MM Maison de L’Amitie in Palm Beach, Florida to Russian oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev, having given away the largest single residence price concession of all time of $25MM. Trump bought the house for $41.4MM four years ago, so still made a nice profit. Two houses remain on the market right now for $125MM each. The “Fleur de Lys,” in Beverly Hills, CA, modeled after Louis XIV’s Versailles palace, with Versailles-style decor, is 45,000 sq ft. Built over 5 years, included are a 50-seat screening room and library filled with 1st Edition books. There is a 9-car garage, 12 bedrooms, and 15 bathrooms. This Holmby Hills estate is sandwiched between Beverly Hills and Bel Air. A Jacobean manor with interior features similar to Dunnellen Hall, the estate has features such as vaulted ceilings, travertine marble floors, bay windows, limestone walls and wood paneling and sprawls over 40 acres of rolling hills edged with tall trees, is 21,897 sq ft and has a 52-foot long indoor swimming pool.

1928 LAKEFRONT REVIVAL HOME FOR SALE NEAR ORLANDO AND COCOA BEACH

Looking for a historic home to buy with original details? This circa 1928 2-story home, a short walk to Indian River, has been fully restored. Set on a half acre, it is high on a hill. There are 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 3200 sq ft. No HOA Fees. Remaining original details include hardpine floors, wood burning fireplace, formal living and dining rooms, original French Doors, wrought iron porch and balcony, 40’x15’ inground pool and gazebo. The house is in Riverside, a community established in 1923. No historical restrictions.

FLAGER'S PERSONAL RAIL CAR ON DISPLAY IN PALM BEACH

Henry Morrison Flagler’s personal rail car, built in 1886, is now on view, and you can walk through the new 8100 sq ft Pavilion at the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach to see it. The railway car, which he frequently lived in for short travel periods, has been restored to its original appearance, using records from the National Museum of American History, the Smithsonian, the Delaware State Archives and the Hagley Museum and Library in Delaware. See the salon, master bedroom and bath, guest quarters and kitchen. The car is called “A Palace on Wheels.” See the fine appointments, including the oak paneling and desk. Flagler traveled by this railcar in 1912 along the Overseas Railway to Key West to celebrate completion of the FEC Railway, a phenomenal engineering feat. This is the first public Beaux-Arts style building built in the US in 60 years. Its design is consistent with Whitehall, which was completed in 1902. The Museum’s Pavilion Café is also in the building. Flagler owned much of the land along both sides of the hundreds of miles of track, and has been called “Florida’s Godfather.” For more information, go to http://www.flaglermuseum.us/ or call 561-655-2833.

MORE ON WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE HOUSE… NOW REPORTED TO HAVE SOLD FOR $750,000,000

Now comes word that the anonymous Russian billionaire who bought the exquisite Villa Leopolda historic estate on the French Cote d’Azur paid a higher price than previously reported. This purchase overtakes the previous highest purchase of a London home by Laksmi Mittal for his son for $236,000,000. (WOW these are all a lot of zeros!). Villa Leopolda is between Monaco and Nice, overlooking Cap Ferrat near Villefranche-su-Mer. It is a cream-colored turreted mansion with two guest houses. King Leopold II of Belgium built the villa in 1902. In 1916, King Leopold’s nephew and heir, King Albert I, turned the villa into a hospital for wounded officers during WW1. The Agnelli family later owned the property (Fiat auto tycoons) and held legendary jet-set parties in the 1960’s, with guests including Frank Sinatra and Ronald Regan (in his acting days). Fifty full-time gardeners are employed to take care of 20 acres of gardens and terraces, with 1200 olive, orange, lemon and cypress trees. The grounds are considered among the most spectacular on the Cote d’Azur. Seller was Lily Safra, widow of murdered banking billionaire, Edmond Safra. A Russian oil oligarch is said to be the new owner. But not Roman, Abramovich, owner of the Chelsea Football Club, who owns a $100,000,000 mansion near Antibes. It is reported that 60 villas and mansions on Cap Ferrat are owned by wealthy Russians.

CASON COTTAGE, DELRAY BEACH, BUILT IN 1915, OFFERS TOURS

Cason Cottage, located at 5 NE 1st Street. Was built in 1915, and is operated as a museum by the Delray Beach Historical Society. The Historical Society and City of Delray Beach restored the cottage museum in 1988. It is a vernacular style home with craftsman cottage details, solidly constructed of Dade County pine. The permanent exhibit reflects Florida lifestyle 1915-1935. Tours by appointment – call 561-243-0223. Admission is $3. Gift shop on premises.

SEA GULL COTTAGE GETTING LIFT

Built in 1886, Sea Gull Cottage is Palm Beach’s oldest building and Henry Flagler’s first home there. The cottage is adjacent to the Royal Poinciana Chapel, built in 1896 by Flagler for his guests. This week crews are raising the Victorian-style cottage by a foot to improve drainage, only the first major step in a reconstruction, restoration and expansion project. Wood siding will be removed in sections and replace with more weather-resistant Hardi board. Second floor rooms will be eliminated to make space for a 2.000 sq ft addition for religious education classrooms and meeting place. A turret removed some time ago will be replaced. The height of the piers supporting the cottage will be increased and a concrete foundation for the addition will be poured to secure the base. The doors and stained glass windows have been temporarily removed and windows will be incorporated into new impact-resistant windows. Since 2006 the cottage has had permanent landmark status, keeping the cottage on chapel grounds. Preservation groups are accepting more and more the use of newer materials to replace historic construction materials. Completion of all work is expected in about a year.

95th BIRTHDAY COMING UP FOR “SINGING PINES” HOUSE

For the last 30-years, “Singing Pines” house has been the home of the Boca Raton Children’s Museum. Celebrations are scheduled for October, along with the first phase of expansion, and will feature a look back at Boca’s pioneer history, a display “for kids and about kids.” Located at 498 Crawford Boulevard, the museum will soon look like a village green. Author Diane Benedetto has written a book on what it was like to be a kid in the pioneer days and will be taking part. A Memorabilia Closet will hold toys and clothes from that era. Historic photos will be included, in particular on of the aftermath of a 1920’s hurricane where everything is devastated but “Singing Pines” remains standing. The house was built by William Myrick who purchased the property from Henry M. Flagler’s Model Land Company and the Myricks were one of 13 families who settled in Boca Raton in 1913. Phase II will be a high-tech house with a mini-Imax theatre and computer labs that give children an opportunity to create science projects, make films… and more. It will be named “The Voyager,” using designs from H.G. Wells and Jules Verne. Museum Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 12-4 pm. For more information call 561-368-6875.

WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE HOUSE? $500,000,000!

Once owned by Bill Gates, La Leopolda, 10 acres, said to have the best views in Southern France, reportedly built by Belgium’s King Leopold for his mistresses, has been purchased by  a Russian billionaire, reportedly for CASH. A regular 80% mortgage would have monthly payments of over $3,000,000! 

ADDITIONAL NOTE: In August 2008, Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov put Villa Leopold under contract for $750MM. In March 2010, he tried to back out of the deal and wanted his $50MM deposit back.  Owner Lilly Safra went to court and they ruled in her favor and she was also awarded damages.  Ms. Safra indicated she would be donating the money to charities.