observed8 la vida boca
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Each client has a concept of what they want, and we try to offer a variety. I would say that 99.9 percent of the time we have what they’re looking for.
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Reel Estate Meet Verna Shore, President of Locations Extraordinaire, a Boca Raton-based company that Mansion Maven: Verna Shore
pairs mansions and estates with fashion, TV and film projects and corporate mega-events. The Heel Deal: Tamara By OliviaMellon Goodwin
The entertainment industry is fascinating – what services does your company provide?
We locate glorious waterfront mansions and estates, fabulous yachts, planes, gardens and swimming pools for the fashion, film and TV industries. We also arrange mansion tours and rentals for weddings, as well as accommodations for CEOs and celebrities who don’t want to stay in a hotel. We represent 1,000 mansions in South Florida and 100 in New York. Sounds glamorous. Who’ve you worked with?
All of the top fashion-industry power brokers and Hollywood celebrities – Vogue, Gucci, Neiman Marcus, Ralph Lauren, Victoria’s Secret… Also, Jen30
nifer Lopez, Gwyneth Paltrow, Scarlett Johansson, Catherine Deneuve and many more. How does someone have their home considered for a project and how much can they earn?
I invite people to send photos of their homes to our office and am always open to discussion. Because each event is customized, I can’t give a pat answer for earnings. For example, fashion rates can range anywhere from $500 to $5,000 per day. Do you look for specific qualities in a property?
It depends on the client – some want places that look Old World, others Key West or Americana.
T h e B o c a R at o n Ob s e r v e r
Each client has a concept of what they want, and we try to offer a variety. I would say that 99.9 percent of the time we have what they’re looking for. I understand you’ve brokered several deals to have buildings blown up for film projects?
Top Hollywood director Michael Bay and producer Jerry Bruckheimer needed a mansion that was comparable to Miami’s Vizcaya to shoot Bad Boys II. While there wasn’t one available, I did find the Coca-Cola mansion in Delray Beach, which was scheduled to be demolished. They rewrote the script to accommodate the mansion and ended up blowing it up. I now have another
mansion on the Hillsboro Mile available for the same scenario. This is such a niche business. How did you think to start it?
When I moved to Florida I was modeling and photographers wanted to shoot pictures at my home in Boca. Many of my girlfriends thought that was fun, and offered their homes. It just evolved. Given the economy, is the market still as brisk in South Florida?
There’s been a little glitch, but Florida will always be desired for the weather. Florida is the land of gorgeous skies, oceans and swimming pools; it’s where photographers want to shoot. O