Are we the only ones asking, “Where did 2013 go?” Granted, it is not the most original question to be asked at this time of year—but 2013 has been an especially milestone-filled year for Coldwell Banker Previews International® and our luxury lifestyle blog, Previews® Inside Out.
For starters, Previews celebrated our 80th year as a leader in marketing exceptional homes. We also saw tremendous energy for luxury real estate, both in the United States and abroad. Betty Graham, president of Coldwell Banker Previews International, NRT turned over reins to Ginette Wright, closing an important chapter—and opening a new one too. Betty had noted earlier this year: “If there is one word that comes to mind when I think of luxury in the year 2013, it’s ‘renaissance.’ A statement that seems quite apropos, looking back on all that has followed.
Editorially, Previews Inside Out expanded our content to draw readers deeper into the Previews world. But which stories were our most viewed for the year? Keeping in line with the renaissance theme for 2013, we expanded our annual list to the top 10:
1. Luxury Market Report Fall 2013 – In October, Coldwell Banker Previews International released its Fall 2013 Luxury Market Report to great fanfare during Coldwell Banker’s Generation Blue Experience conference in New York City. We’re not surprised it topped our list of most-visited stories. Operative words: luxury consumer survey, an expanded list of the top 20 ZIP codes and cities for luxury sales and listings, spotlights on Aspen and Italy. For more? You can still download the full report at the bottom of the story.
2. Luxury Market Report Spring 2013 – In March, Coldwell Banker Previews International released its first Luxury Market Report of the year. The report centered on the question: “What is value? And who—or what—determines it?” and covered such topics as pricing $10 million+ homes and six great communities that offer great value for today’s luxury buyers. Popular among readers? Yes. Still available to review? Yes.
3. High Society: Inside Highclere Castle – Only a handful of homes in the world carry the prestige of having Kings and Queens of England, along with a host of nobilities and celebrities roaming its interiors. Highclere Castle, the setting of the award-winning “Downton Abbey” series, is one such home…and one that exclusively opened its doors to Previews Inside Out in March 2013.
4. Winter Getaways Worth Buying – Why choose to stay for a week when you can stay for a lifetime, in your very own luxury home? That’s the question Previews Inside Out asked—and answered for our January 2013 issue. Costa Rica…Colorado…Hawaii. There’s a posh winter getaway for just about any affluent buyer.
5. Previews Guide to Entertaining – For our holiday entertaining issue in December, Previews® Inside Out tapped the creative mind of Jes Gordon, an award-winning event producer, reality TV personality and author of “Party Like a Rock Star: A Celebrity Party Planner’s Tips and Tricks for Throwing an Unforgettable Bash.” If you want to know what makes a party unforgettable, read on.
6. House Tour Quixote Winery – The architecture of Napa’s Quixote Winery might inspire this phrase: “If Dr. Seuss was an architect…” but it is a world all its own…and one we shared exclusively with our readers for the September 2013 issue.
7. A Day for Diamonds – To celebrate Valentine’s Day for the February 2013 issue, Previews Inside Out explored the dazzling effect of jewelry from the point of view of Harry Winston, one of the world’s most acclaimed jewelers.
8. Legendary Golf Clubhouses – Conversations about golf usually center on the course itself—but what about the clubhouse? For our April Great Outdoors issue, Previews Inside Out shared an exclusive excerpt from the “Legendary Golf Clubhouses of the U.S. and Great Britain” book, giving readers a look behind golf high society.
9. Legends Architecture of Marmol Radziner – Fans of modernist architecture took particular joy when our May issue was released. As part of our LEGENDS of La Cienega 2013 sponsorship, Previews Inside Out had the honor of interviewing Leo Marmol of Marmol Radziner, the award-winning architecture firm behind the restoration of Neutra’s iconic 1946 Kaufman House, among others.
10. Previews Guide to Great Escapes – The holiday season often marks a season of travel for the affluent. So in keeping with that tradition, we highlighted seven “Great Escapes” from the slopes of Lake Tahoe or sunnier locales like Hawaii for the December 2013 issue.
As always, thank you for making 2013 a milestone year for Previews Inside Out. We already have some exciting things planned for 2014—think bolder, think brighter and most of all, think new! Here’s to a Happy New Year, inside and out.
