company brochure - John Bruce Nelson Associates

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J O H N B RU C E N E L S O N
A S S O C I A T E S™
“WE’RE HOME”
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A FEW
OF THE
CELEBRITY CLIENTELE WE HAVE WORKED WITH IN THE PAST
Paul Allen
Ambassador Walter Anenberg
Julie Andrews
Tom Arnold
Fred Astaire
Rosanne Barr
Jerry Buss
Bijan
Charles Bronson
The Sultan of Brunei
Peggy Bernstein
The Burgerack Family
Alan Carr
Beverly Coburn
Joan Collins
Marvin and Barbara Davis
Oscar De La Hoya
Richard Donner
Michael Douglas
Kenneth Edmonds (Baby Face)
Blake Edwards
Robert Evans
Sheik Mohammed Al-Fassi
Ted Field
Larry Flax
Patrick Frawley
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Gordon Getty
Ted Grenzeback
Charlotte and Alexander Hagaan
George Harrison
Brian Harvey
Hugh Hefner
Jerry Herman
Rick and Kathy Hilton
Mark Hughes
Helen Hunt
Shah Pahlavi of Iran
Michael Jackson
Sir Elton John
Irene Kassorla
Kirk Kerkorian
Ting Shao Kwang
John Lennon
Michelene Lerner
DK Ludwig
Arch Obler
Shaquielle O’Neal
Jerry Orbach
David O’Selznick
The Malouf Family
Portland Mason
Michael Morrison
Tony Murray
The Nazarian Family
President Richard Nixon
Elvis Presley
Lionel Richie
Kenny Rodgers
Henry Salvatori
Vidal Sasoon
Royal Family of Saudi Arabia
Willie Shoemaker
Norton Simon
Frank Sinatra
Aaron Spelling
Dwight Stuart
Prince Scifar
Eddie Tsai
Kiki Vandeweigh
Robert Vaughn
Gore Vidal
Hal Wallis
Sy Weintraub
Dave Winfield
Ambassador Wilson
Gary Winnick
Bob Whitaker
Pia Zadora
“Teardown is the new word on everyone's lips in what has become known as the Platinum
Triangle, the prestigious residential area of Los Angeles that encompasses Beverly Hills, Holmby
Hills, and Bel Air, and teardowns are rampant on almost every one of its fashionable streets...
‘We’re in a renaissance out here. There’s nothing like it in the world,’ said the enormously
successful Realtor Bruce Nelson as he drove me around the various high-priced areas in his pale
yellow Rolls Royce Corniche, in which the telephone never stopped ringing.”
—Dominick Dunne, The Mansions of Limbo
TABLE
OF
CONTENTS
OUTLOOK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
FOUNDING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
MEGA SALES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-9
HISTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-11
BEVERLY HILLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
HOLMBY HILLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
BEL AIR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
LAND SALES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
SUPER SALES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12-14
FULL-PAGE PHOTOS
BILLIONAIRE’S HORSESHOE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
THE FORMER WARNER BAXTER ESTATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
GORE VIDAL’S ITALIAN VILLA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
(Listed exclusively with John Bruce Nelson and Associates)
“When the world’s richest men and women decide to shop for an edifice that will serve as a suitable
shrine for their personal mythos, they often call upon John Bruce Nelson & Associates. They
come to JBN for their shrewd ability to appraise a property’s true worth on the current market, for
their extraordinary depth of understanding of architecture and interior design and for their uncanny
ability to match the personal panache of their clients with appropriately flamboyant estates.”
Taken from Among the Mansions of Eden—David Weddle
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Created, Published and Edited by James Bennett Design
Produced by Raymond Bekeris
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Questions contact Raymond Bekeris at (310) 276-2000
OUTLOOK
Welcome to John Bruce Nelson & Associates, a Los Angeles
based real estate firm catering exclusively to the needs of
the world’s most discerning clientele. I am Bruce Nelson,
co-founder, and I would like to give you a bit of
information about our company.
As the broker of choice for celebrities, executives,
and world leaders, JBN takes pride in handling the largest
residential real estate transactions year after year.
With properties in both America and Europe, JBN
has set some of the highest residential real estate records
in the “Billionaires Horse,” a term I use to describe the
wealthy neighborhoods on the westside. With over three
billion in sales, our level of commitment is second to
none, and our experience and discretion is without peer
throughout all luxury communities in the City of Angel’s
westside, especially those of Bel Air, Beverly Hills,
Holmby Hills, Sunset Strip, West Hollywood, Brentwood,
Westwood, Pacific Palisades, and Malibu.
If you are considering a sale, it is essential that the
value of your residential property be carefully established
so that you can receive the highest possible return from
your investment. In choosing JBN, you are guaranteed
the experience that comes from over 25 years of the
most consistent dedication within the real estate
industry. JBN’s philosophy regarding the sale of a home
is quite different than that of other companies. It is
because of the way that JBN caters to its clients’ needs
and demands that has allowed us to attain such a high
status in the industry.
JBN can be extremely helpful when it comes to
making an informed decision as to where and how to
acquire a home that will suit your needs. The marketing,
the negotiations, the terms and conditions, and finally the
close of escrow are all aspects of selling a property. Each
step is complex and there is nothing like experience to
give the client an edge.
Over the last five years, JBN has expanded globally.
From castles and villas, to islands, lakes and golf courses,
the world’s elite trust JBN in representing them, and in
finding them new properties. We have come to earn an
international clientele and a name in the industry that
causes new international clientele to contact us
frequently.We proudly represent some of the world’s finest
properties, owners and buyers.
As our client list continues to grow JBN appreciates
the loyalty we have established in the community.
Additionally, we understand that listening to our clients’
needs and helping them make sound decisions means
having happy homeowners. JBN is confident that our
advice and expertise are tools that you will appreciate and
find indispensable. We are confident that our advice will
be something that you will appreciate at the end of the
day. This is why we have led the way for over 25 years.
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Cheers,
FOUNDING
This is our story, and here’s where it began...
In the early 1980s, Raymond John Bekeris began his
career in real estate. He had been living in an apartment in
Westwood, and sold the entire building for $7,000,000. After
this sale, it was apparent that Bekeris had a knack for the
business. After all, a real estate agent’s first sale is rarely at such
a high price. Bekeris went on to join Bruce Nelson and
immediately formed John Bruce Nelson and Associates (JBN).
JBN received significant interest in part due to
mainstream media attention, such as “The Today Show,”
“20/20,” and “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.”
“Lifestyles” host, Robin Leach, interviewed Bekeris, who
then coined the term “The Platinum Triangle,” in
reference to the area comprising Beverly Hills, Bel Air
and Holmby Hills. At this time, JBN sold the westside’s
first major teardown estate. It was the former Bing
Crosby estate, situated on four acres, overlooking the
fairway of the Los Angeles Country Club. The estate at
596 South Mapleton Drive, in Holmby Hills, was owned
at the time by Patrick Frawley (founder of the Schick
Center), and then sold to Aaron and Candy Spelling. JBN
had the exclusive listing on the property.
By the mid 1980s, JBN was very closely involved with
the westside residential real estate market and associated
with many of the record breaking sales that took place
during that time. JBN’s sales include the first home ever to
be sold over $5,000,000 (located in Beverly Hills), the first
home ever to be sold over $10,000,000 (located in Holmby
Hills) and the first home ever to be sold over $20,000,000
(located in Beverly Hills).
In 1990, the real estate market began to drop and
continued to drop for six long and depressing years. During
this recession, JBN continued making the largest and most
significant sales each year. Near the end of 1995, JBN sold
a home in Beverly Hills at 1156 Shadow Hill Way (at that
time the largest private residence in Beverly Hills) for
$11,500,000. It was the first sale over $10,000,000 in almost
three years. JBN not only found the buyer, but also had the
exclusive listing on the property.
In the first part of 1996 the market was still dropping,
and it wasn’t until 9 months later that the market began it’s
turn around in August of 1996. On the westside, the first
two sales that signified the turn around of the market were
South Mapleton Drive and North Carolwood Drive in
Holmby Hills. Not only did JBN make both these sales, but
also resold both properties within four months.
Again in 1997, JBN helped break through to another
unprecedented level. JBN was the first brokerage company
to establish the value for prime land to be in excess of
$4,000,000 per acre when it sold a tear down home in
Holmby Hills on Baroda Drive, (under two acres), for over
$8,000,000. The value of land had not been at that level
since the late 1980s. JBN reconfirmed land value in 1999, at
over $4,000,000 per prime acre when it sold a home in Bel
Air on just less than four acres for close to $17,000,000 (the
largest sale of the year for any brokerage company). The
home was then torn down.
In 1999, JBN made the two largest real estate sales of
the year. Both of these sales were in Holmby Hills and in
excess of $12,000,000. In the same year, JBN accomplished
another unprecedented event by selling a 1.1 acre parcel of
land for $10,000,000 which is the highest price paid for land
to this day.
In 2001, JBN sold the famous Sheik’s property on
Sunset Blvd. and Alpine Drive, in Beverly Hills. JBN sold
this property once before, and would sell it again for a third
time in 2004. JBN also resold 1156 Shadow Hill Way (the
largest single family residence in Beverly Hills) for a fourth
time in 2004. 2004 was a great year for JBN, and included
the sales of four more of the most significant properties in
the Platinum Triangle, all of which were off the market.
The sales mentioned above represent only a small
percentage of JBN’s accomplishments. Since opening its
doors, JBN has continued to be among the top producers,
if not the top producer every single year. JBN remains a
very private, and exclusive firm. By doing so, it is able to
give its clients the respect and attention they deserve. This
has been the key to our success.
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MEGA SALES
Mega Sales made by Raymond Bekeris.
Homes on this exclusive list are all valued within striking distance of $50,000,000. Some are valued over $50,000,000. There is
probably not another agent/broker who has more than two mega sales to their credit; Raymond Bekeris, our president, has made
eleven Mega Sales. (A couple of these properties have changed or been developed since sold.)
141 SOUTH CAROLWOOD DRIVE “OWLWOOD”
11101 CHALON ROAD
350 NORTH CAROLWOOD DRIVE
688 NIMES ROAD (SOLD THREE TIMES)
1143 SUMMIT DRIVE “PICKFAIR”
1146 TOWER ROAD (4 ACRES
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IN
BEVERLY HILLS)
1130 SCHUYLER ROAD “THE KNOLL”
1312 RIDGECREST ROAD “FORMER DK LUDWIG ESTATE”
500 SOUTH MAPLETON DRIVE (SOLD TWICE)
457 BEL AIR ROAD
596 SOUTH MAPELTON DRIVE
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HISTORY
JBN has been involved in some of the greatest real estate
transactions in Los Angeles history. There is a great and
vibrant history to the area, and we take pride in our
accomplishments and the records we have set.
BEVERLY HILLS
In the early 1900s the Hamel & Denker Ranch covered the
area known today as Beverly Hills. Mexican ranch hands
lived on the land, farming and enjoying life. The name of
the original Spanish land grant including Beverly Hills was
El Rancho Rodeo de las Aguas, or “the Ranch of the
gathering waters.” It was 1905 when Edward Lawrence
Doheny Sr. discovered oil nearby and several oil operators
took options on the Hamel & Denker Ranch in hopes of
finding oil below the bean fields that covered Beverly Hills.
All the wells turned up dry though.
By 1906, Charles Canfield, Burton Green and Max
Whittier formed the real estate syndicate, The Rodeo Land &
Water Company. Shortly after, they took title to the Hammel
& Denker Ranch. Rodeo Land & Water hired landscape
architect and community planner, Wilbur David Cook, Jr.
who proposed a master plan for the community. Before the
end of the year, the Rodeo Land & Water Company had also
started five model houses above Santa Monica Blvd.,
including one which still stands at 515 North Canon Drive.
Different trees were planted on each street. On October 22,
1906, Beverly Hills was formally opened and Rodeo Land &
Water started selling off lots. Lots started at $900. The city
took the name Beverly Hills because Burton Green, who
was a great admirer of William Howard Taft, learned that the
President had recently visited Beverly Farms, Massachusetts.
The Beverly Hills Hotel was erected in 1911 to
promote the city, and slowly new developers trickled in. By
1920, Beverly Hills’ population was at less than 650, a
substantial increase from 250 in 1914. When Douglas
Fairbanks and Mary Pickford moved into Pickfair though,
Beverly Hills replaced Hollywood as the address to live in.
By 1930, Beverly Hills’ population rose to almost 17,500
people. Residents now included Harold Lloyd, Charlie
Chaplin, Tom Mix and Buster Keaton to name a few.
In Beverly Hills, JBN has made five benchmark sales:
JBN sold the first house for $5,000,000. This property is
located at 1506 Lexington. In 1982, JBN sold Barbara and
Marvin Davis “The Knoll.” It previously belonged to Kenny
Rogers. JBN sold the house for $20,250,000. This was the
first house ever sold for over $20,000,000. JBN also sold 450
Martin Lane, still the highest sale in Trousdale Estates. JBN
sold the first house in the “flats” of Beverly Hills for over
$5,000,000.The property is located at 807 North Elm. JBN
also sold the highest priced condo in Beverly Hills.
HOLMBY HILLS
When John Wolfskill died in 1913, his ranch was the
most valuable piece of land between Beverly Hills and
the Ocean. His heirs sold the 3,296 acre ranch to
Broadway Department Store founder Arthur Letts, Sr.
for $2,000,000 in 1919. Three years later, the Janss
brothers re-purchased the land for $7,000,000. On the
former Wolfskill Ranch’s most picturesque land, the
Janss Investment Company prepared a 400 acre estate
district known as Holmby Hills. The lots ranged from
1 to 4 acres each. Finally, all the houses had to cost at
least $25,000, $5,000 more than the minimum in Bel
Air. In 1925, the estate sites hit the market.
In the 80’s, JBN sold Aaron Spelling 594 South
Mapleton. It was the first residential sale in the United
States over $10,000,000. In 1999, JBN sold 461 Faring for
$12,500,000 and 10231 Charing Cross for close to
$15,000,000. JBN has made 32 sales in Holmby Hills.
Considering there are only around 200 homes in the area,
JBN takes pride in this fact. JBN has made eleven sales on
South Mapleton Drive.
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BEL AIR
In 1922, oil millionaire Alfonso Bell bought 4,500 acres that
stretched from Sunset to Beverly Glen, and Sepulveda to
Mulholland, for $2,500,000. Bell named the area Bel Air, or
“beautiful appearance.” Bell subdivided the estate sites into
one acre or larger. Bell built the Bel Air stables on Stone
Canyon and a riding ring across the street on the south side
of Chalon. Uniformed guards checked visitors in at the gate
and escorted them into Bel Air upon request. On
October 15, 1922, Bel Air officially opened. Bell built a
clubhouse, tennis courts and an 18 hole golf course in 1926.
Then the depression hit, and for the first time, the real
estate office was forced to sell to the movie people,
something they never did before. Bell wanted nothing to
do with them. By the 1930s though, Bel Air picked back
up again.
In 1997, JBN sold a Paul William’s home for
$17,000,000. The property, located at 457 Bel Air Road, is
the former estate of Grace and Henry Salvatori.
Four out of the five great estates of Bel Air were all
sold by JBN. It is well established throughout the industry
that JBN is the leader when it comes to selling Bel Air
properties. From the East Gate to the West Gate and in
between, JBN has sold almost every other major property
in Bel Air.
LAND
Land is one of the hardest things to sell, and there are only
a few landmark properties left. One of the greatest Los
Angeles land stories occurred in 2002. 10535 Rocca Court
had been on the market for six years, and was listed with
seven different brokers. The owners called in JBN, and
asked for our help. Raymond Bekeris, of the firm, sold the
estate site within 45 days of listing it. After six long years on
the market, it proves that the right representation and a
name such as JBN will make all the difference. Today, a
$30,000,000 house sits on the property.
In 2001, Bekeris did something very similar. 1201
Laurel Lane, a 2.5 acre parcel which served as Samuel
Goldwyn’s croquet court, was one of those major pieces
of land that was undeveloped in Beverly Hills. It had
been listed with several other top agents without any
luck. JBN was asked to list the property, and it sold
within the first 90 days. JBN then sold it two more times
within a single year! Today, a 22,000 square foot home
sits on the property.
One of the most famous land sales in Beverly Hills is
that of 9601 Sunset Blvd., known to most as “The Shiek’s
Property.” With a total of 3.6 flat acres, the lot which spans
an entire block and ends on the northwest corner of
Sunset and Alpine, was made famous when Sheik Al Fassi
bought the property. The house was built and owned by
Max Whittier, one of the founders of Beverly Hills, along
with Burton Green. The Sheik painted the house lime
green and painted the statues the real color of skin.The
plastic flower pots topped everything off! JBN has sold the
property in three separate deals.
One of Los Angeles’ greatest properties is located in
Bel Air at 11101 Chalon Road. It is made up of 8.5 acres
and is still undeveloped.The property sits within a half mile
north of Sunset Boulevard and has one of the most
unbelievable panoramic views on the westside. JBN sold it,
representing both the buyer and seller in the transaction.
At the corner of Bellagio and Stone Canyon, sits a 4
acre parcel of land which is within walking distance from
the Bel Air Hotel. It was sold twice by JBN in 1997.These
are just a few of our land sales. 1000 Hillcrest, 88 Beverly
Park and 22 Beverly Park are among many others. JBN
also sold the vacant land at the corner of Roxbury Drive
and Benedict Canyon to Kirk Kerkorian.Today his house
stands there. In 1999, JBN sold 335 Copa de Oro.This was
a 1 acre parcel of land. No other 1 acre parcel of land had
ever sold for this much before and no other 1 acre parcel
of land has since. Often, properties that have difficulty
selling with other brokers will sell with us because of our
strong connections with the community and the
reputation we have for listing only the finest properties
and homes.
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SUPER SALES
Super Sales made by Raymond Bekeris.
Each property on this list is valued within striking distance of $20,000,000 and most worth in excess. No other broker
has sold more than a half dozen or so of these properties categorized as Super Sales. Raymond Bekeris has over forty
sales in this category. (A couple of these properties have changed or been developed since sold.)
201 BARODA DRIVE
10431 BELLAGIO ROAD
10664 BELLAGIO ROAD (SOLD THREE TIMES)
88 BEVERLY PARK
10231 CHARING CROSS
145 COPLEY PLACE “GUGGENHEIM”
1115
10710 LEVICO WAY (SOLD TWICE)
10741 LEVICO WAY
1506 LEXINGTON ROAD
608 MOUNTAIN DRIVE
LA
ALTURA ROAD
10701 LEVICO WAY (SOLD TWICE)
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616 NIMES ROAD “LION’S GATE”
617 NIMES ROAD
1018 PAMELA DRIVE
10535 ROCCA COURT
1014 NORTH ROXBURY DRIVE
10281 CHARING CROSS ROAD
1112 SCHUYLER ROAD
811 STRADA VECCHIA ROAD (SOLD TWICE)
248 SOUTH MAPLETON DRIVE (SOLD TWICE)
539 SOUTH MAPLETON DRIVE (SOLD TWICE)
545 SOUTH MAPLETON DR. (SOLD THREE TIMES)
1400 TOWER GROVE DRIVE
10550 BELLAGIO ROAD (SOLD TWICE)
9601 SUNSET BOULEVARD (SOLD THREE TIMES)
1156 SHADOW HILL WAY (SOLD THREE TIMES)
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380 COPA
DE
ORO (SOLD TWICE)
10690 SOMMA WAY
805 NIMES PLACE
450 MARTIN LANE
1201 LAUREL LANE (SOLD THREE TIMES)
537 PERUGIA WAY (SOLD TWICE)
MARKETING
Advertising used to be the key. Now, with extensive internet options and the
public’s access to the Multiple Listing Service (“MLS”), the focus is on quality
rather than quantity. We spend an enormous amount of time and effort on our
advertising, writing ads, and making sure that the property is shown correctly.
In today’s world it’s important to understand value because the buyers and sellers
are becoming more sophisticated. We use the MLS and we are members of the
Beverly Hills Board of Realtors. We prefer to run fewer high quality ads, rather
than numerous small ads that are of little notice and tend to be overlooked.
The big difference between us and the other Brokers is our extensive knowledge
of the market and the vast number of contacts that we have built up through the
years. Our reputation for putting deals together that “stay together” and getting
top prices for our clients is well documented. We remain actively involved with
all the current market trends and updates.
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A Note From Raymond:
In addition to the sales mentioned in this publication, most of my sales have been in the $1 Million
to $10 Million Dollar Range. I have been specializing in residential real estate on the westside
for 26 years. Keeping an open, honest, and ethical approach has been my base. In choosing me
to represent you, with more sales to my credit than any agent/broker in my industry, I can
personally promise you that you will receive the best service possible.
“LET’S WORK TOGETHER”
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J O H N B RU C E N E L S O N
A S S O C I AT E S
www.PlatinumTriangle.com
310-271-0101