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A magnificent soft contemporary home listed by Luxury Portfolio member First Team Estates recently came in at #6 on Top Ten Real Estate Deals’ list of Top 10 Coolest Beach Homes.

Situated above the white sand beaches of Laguna Beach and near the renowned Montage Resort, the amazing luxury home is filled with captivating views of ocean and sky through wall to wall glass windows and a glass ceiling. Private stairs lead down to the peaceful beach.

Reading more details and viewing pictures of this fine home leave no doubt as to why it appears on the list of coolest beach homes – see more on Luxury Portfolio.

In the video below, Bill Raveis, President & CEO of Luxury Portfolio member William Raveis Real Estate, shares some insight on purchasing a home in a recession and compares the current marketplace with past declines.

Taken from the William Raveis blog, where several recent posts utilize video to great effect.

Sleek, stylish, and functional beauty fused into elegance personify Daniel Libeskind designs. Yes, Libeskind's architecture is controversial, but so is paying one million euros for the newest Lamborghini, the Reventon.  Regardless of your taste one cannot argue that Libeskind designs employ cutting edge philosophies, boast awesome attention to detail, and push the limits of lines and geometric forms far beyond the norm. Libeskind's design philosophies are fully alive in his first signature series residential home, The Villa, the first of which is for sale in Ticino, Switzerland, represented by WETAG Consulting.

You can read more about Libeskind's design theories and this stunning home on the WETAG International Insights blog.

Casa Del Cielo ("House of the Sky") crowns the entire 14th floor of Alhambra Place – an exclusive waterfront boutique building in Fort Lauderdale that houses only 23 residences. The custom penthouse was combined from two units and boasts outdoor living spaces with 360-degree views of the Fort Lauderdale skyline, the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway.

Inside and out, the home is completely unique, made up of finishes and design elements imported from all over the world. There are Venetian plaster and hand-painted accents, Honduran mahogany moldings, English fireplace mantles, Moroccan tile work, Tibetan and Indian columns and more. The matchless penthouse also includes deeded yacht dockage and three garage spaces.

The House of the Sky is currently listed at US $4,995,000 by Premier Estate Properties.

See more photos and incredible details on Luxury Portfolio.

Luxury Portfolio member Ebby Halliday Realtors was recently honored with a 2009 WebAward, presented by the Web Marketing Association, for their great website, Ebby.com.

Recipient of a Standard of Excellence Award, Ebby.com was recognized for outstanding achievement in web development.  Congratulations to Ebby Halliday for this great honor!  Read more about it.

From the highly visible (and operational) light topping the home to cabinets and exterior and interior lighting modeled after circa 1890s lighthouses, the owner’s admiration for the coastal structures is readily apparent in this truly unique luxury home. The deep water home on Polowana Island is a replica of the 104-year-old Boca Grande Lighthouse on Gasparilla Island, Florida.

The 360-degree widow walk atop the tower of this South Carolina home dubbed simply “The Lighthouse” provides for expansive views across the water and beyond. Douglass fir post and beam construction and old growth hickory floors are showcased within the home’s distinctive shell, along with a remarkable custom built gourmet kitchen.

This singular luxury property is currently on the market and listed at US $1,100,000 by Lowcountry Real Estate.

See more photos and details on Luxury Portfolio.