Smith and Associates, Tampa Bay area broker, recently received an inquiry through LuxuryPortfolio.com after potential buyers saw their ad in a Luxury Portfolio Wall Street Journal advertisement. The ironic part – the couple who sent the inquiry lived just blocks away from the Smith & Associates office. Janet Mendez, the listing agent, explained that seeing the advertisement in the Wall Street Journal simply reinstated the positive impression the potential buyers already had of the broker. After making the purchase, the buyers were so pleased with their overall experience that they also gave the listing of their existing property to Janet!

When a property generates leads from Dubai, it is clear that it is being viewed by an affluent group of potential buyers. This is exactly what happened to Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell. The Emirati found the Florida broker when he saw a Luxury Portfolio advertisement in Departures magazine. The ad led him directly to LuxuryPortfolio.com where is found a Miami property listed by EWM that suited his needs to a tee. The potential buyer soon booked a flight to travel to Florida to view the property. Sherrie Porter, vice president of Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell, explained, “We are pleased to know that our affiliation with Luxury Portfolio has not only given us global connections, but also generated internally leads and new revenue sources for us.”

Chocolate is an indulgence that many enjoy, but for some a feeling of regret accompanies partaking in such a guilty pleasure.  The efforts of Original Beans Inc., a new premium chocolatier based in San Francisco, could help change those negative emotions.  For every purchase of an Original Beans bar - priced at $13 per 3.5 ounces - the company promises to plant a tree in the forest where the bar's ingredients were farmed.  Customers can also track the origins of their bar by entering its lot number on the Original Beans website.

Sounds like a great idea to me; I'm more than willing to help the environment by eating chocolate.  You can read more about this novel concept in a recent San Francisco Chronicle article.

A contemporary Chicago home on LuxuryPortfolio.com was chosen to be featured in yesterday's post on Cool Houses Daily, a blog by FrontDoor.com. 

The home certainly meets the "cool" requirement, with a design utilizing all glass and steel to create a gallery-like environment perfect for displaying art.  Currently listed at $5,700,000 by Rubloff, Inc., the Chicago luxury home also boasts a 42-foot atrium and a large terrace with dramatic views.  See all the details on Luxury Portfolio.

Read the Cool Houses Daily post.

For some, a fine cigar is more than good smoke- it marks a special occasion and serves as a symbol of an upscale lifestyle.  Prices for the best cigars in the world vary greatly, and you don't have to spend a fortune for a superior smoke that marks a celebratory time or provides a taste of the good life.

Cigar Aficionado recently unveiled their Top 25 Cigars of 2008 and at the top of the list was the reasonably priced Casa Magna Colorado Robusto.  At $5.25, the Casa Magna is less expensive than all but one of the other cigars on the list, yet offers a rich Nicaraguan flavor.

View more information on the Top 25 Cigars of 2008 here.

A contemporary brick luxury home featured on LuxuryPortfolio.com recently received additional exposure on Open House Chicago- a locally produced TV show focusing on home searches, purchases and advice from experts. 

The 13,000 square foot home in Park Ridge, Illinois, is situated on the Park Ridge Country Club golf course and is currently listed at $3,499,900 by @properties.  Open House Chicago featured the home
after finding the listing on LuxuryPortfolio.com- see the property details here.

Click here to view the segment aired on the show.