Historic Hospitality

Julia Broder -- Greetings from The Riverside Realty Group in beautiful Westport, CT! Spring is in the air, and flower buds are everywhere. Don't we deserve some great weather? And I'll tell you what else you deserve -- some luxe inspiration from my Luxe Properties website! Visit it often for the latest and greatest in real estate.

This Luxe Properties column is your showcase for new, special luxe properties . . . luxury listings from the best independent boutique firms, of course! Learn all about luxe areas and beautiful residences that are for sale . . . ready for a wonderful buyer like you . . . then give me a call and we'll have fun shopping for your new home together.

Watch Me On TV! Luxies, I'm so excited to be making my Prime Time television debut . . . so please watch me on HGTV's My House Is Worth What? show on April 20, 7pm Eastern. Please check your local listings . . . and blow luxe kisses to me as I take homeowners through their home, give everything the once over, and give them an estimate of what their home will sell for. It was a LOT of fun taping . . . and I hope it will be a lot of fun for you to watch!

Join Our Small Enchanted Circle! My goal is to take you to areas of the world . . . fine communities everywhere . . . and show you luxe properties for sale that you may not know of! The world is small, but the best luxe properties are known to a small, close-knit real estate network. We keep our luxe relationships strong to serve our luxe clients' needs. We offer privacy, integrity, and service to a select few . . . and I am honored and thankful for your business and your trust in handling your luxe property investments.

Let me take you all over the world with my connections to the finest luxury properties . . . whether new construction or fine vintage properties. Over the past few weeks we've been to Capri . . . Aspen . . . Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico . . . Atlanta . . . Boca Raton . . . Westport . . . Buck’s County! Let’s work together . . . just visit me on my Julia Broder website, and I hope we can get in touch with one another soon. 

Where Are We Going, Julia? My real estate connections have taken you all over the world . . . but we have not even scratched the surface yet! My latest Luxe Property is in the Southern part of the United States . . . in wonderful coastal Savannah, Georgia!!!  

Savannah, Georgia . . . the first colonial and state capitial . . . it is known as America’s first planned city. It has the most intriguing urban plan! Created in 1733 by Georgia’s founder General James Edward Ogelthorpe, it's a combination of 24 historic squares, some of which are still in use. There are historic Inns, churches, museums, and extraordinarily landscaped parks. The city showcases stunning azaleas, magnolias, oleanders, and crape myrtles. The South has some of the most stunning plants and flowers!

Savannah's historic district is the nation's largest, a survey of America's 13th colony and its architectural styles . . . and it's a spectacular landscaping gem of a city. Spanish moss and mighty oaks interplay with the older buildings in the most magical way!

Did You Know? Here's an interesting, little-known oddity about Savannah's historic city squares: many monuments are located in squares that do not match their names! For example, the Ogelthorpe Monument is in Chippewa Square instead of Oglethorpe Square . . . The Pulaski Monument is in Monterey rather than Pulaski Square . . . and the list goes on!

Well Planned! The city was plotted on each side of a north-south axis, in lots of 40, 60 x 90-foot residential lots in two rows separated by alleys. This master design accommodated the first families to move here in the 1700s. It created a sense of exciting, new urban design and it introduced the city to its Luxe Life!

Packed With History! So much history and fascinating human stories unfold in this city of urban and historic growth . . . Savannah's town squares are rich with urban legend. Here are some of the highlights of Monterey Square, one of Savannah's loveliest and most colorful squares. You'll see how every foot of historic Savannah is rich with detail and memories!

• Named for the capture of Monterey, Mexico in 1846 by Gen. Zachary Taylor during the Mexican War, the monument in the center commemorates Count Casimir Pulaski, a Polish nobleman mortally wounded in the Siege of Savannah in 1779.
• Built in 1878, Temple Mickve Israel serves the third-oldest Jewish congregation in America, established in 1733. The temple houses the oldest Torah in America, and a museum is home to many historically valuable books, along with letters from Presidents Washington, Jefferson, and Madison to the congregation.
• Mercer House (in the photo above) was designed by John S. Norris before the Civil War, but it wasn't finished until 1871 after the conflict. Built for General Hugh W. Mercer, a relative of songwriter Johnny Mercer, the home was abandoned in the 1960s, and later restored in the 1970s and furnished with antiques by Jim Williams, who was featured in the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. In this house, Williams shot his lover, Danny Hansford. In 1990, Williams died near the spot where Hansford was killed.

Savannah Factoids! Savannah is a community with average April temperature of a high of 78 degrees to a low of 53 degrees . . . and due to its close proximity to the Atlantic coast, Savannah has milder winters and cooler summers than the Georgia interior. The weather makes it perfect to take advantage of Biking . . . Birding . . . Charter Fishing . . . Dolphin Tours . . . Ghost Tours . . . Golf . . . Horseback Riding . . . Jet Skiing . . . Scuba Diving . . . Kayaking . . . Mini Golf . . . the Wildlife Center . . . Nature Tours . . . Sailing . . . Tennis . . . and Walking Tours so you can learn more about this amazing city! 

Visit the Home Of . . . Juliette Gordon Low (founder of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America) . . . the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences (one of the South's first public museums) . . . and the First African Baptist Church (one of the oldest African-American Baptist congregations in the United States).

Money and Culture, Y'All! The economy of Savannah is enriched by the wonderful Port of Savannah, a source of commerce today and in times past, many fortunes were made here . . . goods to England from the New World were shipped from the port here.

The City of Savannah has a rich and growing performing arts scene, offering cultural events throughout the year . . . like the Savannah Music Festival . . . the Savannah Sinfonietta . . . the Savannah Choral Society . . . the Savannah Concert Association . . . and the Savannah Children's Theater! You can also visit the City Market, the Historic Forts, Riverfront Plaza, and Factors Walk! There is so much to do and see when you live in this fabulous city, my wonderful Luxies!

My Featured Luxe Property: There is such a romantic sense of charm and yesteryear when you step into the wonderful historic district of Savannah Georgia! Luxe life in the late 1800s is redefined in this restored and renovated brick, 1895 Victorian, built by J.A. Sullivan.

This stately Victorian, currently an inn, but also available to you as a private residence . . . your choice . . . is located right in the center of Savannah, the hub for all things luxe in the 1800s. And this luxe property is located on the street named after the founder of Georgia, General James Edward Ogelthorpe!

Historic Luxe Heritage . . . satisfying even the most demanding luxe Historic Property buyer today. In Savannah you will still find some fabulous examples of Victorian architecture and homes that have been restored with care to reflect today’s lifestyles.

Savannah Victorian buildings are very desirable to own . . . and needless to say, the good ones do not come on the market very often! I am so excited to highlight this wonderful semi-freestanding Victorian!

Luxe Property Highlights: 4,800 square feet, renovated with loving care in 1994 to preserve the Victorian's historic integrity while upgrading the residence for modern living

Seven bedrooms

Three full baths and one half bath

This inn (or private residence, if you wish) also boasts a garden-level rental, and that makes this an even more desirable luxe investment!

Decorative details make this a warm and friendly place . . . several fireplaces . . . beautiful moldings . . . rich wood floors . . . granite kitchen countertops and upgraded appliances . . . all with historic Savannah at your fingertips . . . and Savannah enjoys a steady appreciation in home values!

Give Julia Broder a call at 1-203-247-7500: As new businesses and Luxe Baby Boomers come to settle along the gorgeous Atlantic coast of Georgia, more and more need is being created for these specific luxe properties in this highly desirable area. Call me for a showing or more information on this fab Victorian in Savannah and I’ll connect you with the best luxe agent in Savannah -- whether you're wanting to be an innkeeper or convert this charmer into something more posh-private.

Thinking of buying real estate now . . . SO SMART! My Luxies are ready to cash in on all the wonderful opportunities to find a special luxe property not on the market for years! Just let me know . . . I have several special properties in my Luxe “pocket” just for you . . . for those few in the know!

As an affiliate agent with The Riverside Realty Group, I can put you in touch with only the finest agents and properties . . . each one private and professional, knowledgeable and trustworthy. And call me for advice on how to help you list and sell your beautiful home . . . or help you find a new home for 2008. I offer total luxury real estate services with your privacy in mind.

Till next time . . . I'm getting my next luxe property ready to showcase, and we'll travel together to another fantastic community! (Until then, please visit my Luxury Properties website and email me at julia@juliabroder.com with your comments, ideas, and real estate questions. I always love to hear from my Luxies!)

All the best,

Julia

                      

Photo Credits: HGTV, The New George Encyclopedia, Explore Savannah, Wayne Chambers Gallery