Like many raised in Israel, Assaf Avissar began traveling immediately after completing his obligatory military service. Curious and passionate about understanding people from many backgrounds, he worked his way around the world, immersing himself in many cultures. Long stays in such places as Sydney, Costa Rica, Brazil, and New York helped shape Assaf's concept of where he would (and wouldn't) eventually want to settle down. Arriving in San Diego to visit a friend, Assaf quickly knew he had found home. "It was different than anywhere: beautiful, laid-back, diverse, surrounded by great surfing — a place where your community is your family. It felt like freedom. This is the good life!" said Assaf, now a San Diego local for over 20 years and a proud U.S. citizen.
And San Diego, it seemed, was ready for his international brand of hustle. Assaf quickly gained a reputation for his dedication to his clients' needs — putting himself in their shoes, understanding their needs and wants, and refusing to let them down. Based on past experience with his family's real estate business, Assaf chose to become an agent just when the market seemed at its worst, mentoring with Penny Nathan as she was founding Ascent Real Estate (now Coldwell Banker West). Where others saw hardship, they explored the opportunity to create win-win situations and help clients thrive in tough times. Assaf says, "We set out to prove that honesty was an asset, not a weakness; focusing on the client, not the commission, is the only way to provide true value." As a result, Assaf is always in demand.
Assaf specializes in Metro and coastal properties; with his wide professional network and supportive team, he serves all of San Diego County with a deep familiarity for the area's unique communities and market conditions. With his unique combination of empathy and hustle, Assaf helps buyers and sellers make the most of a home sale with the least amount of stress.
Assaf was recommended to us from a family friend and we could not be happier! He instantly built rapport with us and we felt we could truly trust him right off the bat. As first time home buyers...we knew nothing! Assaf took so much time breaking everything down and explaining every step of the way. I can confidently say Assaf had our best interest in mind and made sure we got exactly what we wanted. Once we entered escrow Stephanie was extremely helpful making a very stressful process go smoothly. She was very patient answering many questions from us and helping us get what we wanted from the seller. Overall, we are so happy and grateful for Assaf and Stephanie’s knowledge of the market, attention to detail, loyalty to their customer, and negotiation skills. We can’t wait to move in to our dream home!
- CarlyAssaf Helped me out to purchase my first home in San Diego and made my move from Seattle to San Diego as easy as it can be. I think that his responsiveness was one of the most important attribute that helped this deal to be successful. He was very knowledgeable about the neighborhood and area and knew what to match to my wants and needs.
- JonWe worked with Assaf and his team to sell our property in San Diego while living in Kansas City (after working with him to buy it a few years ago). We are so pleased with how smooth the process went and also with the price we got for it. We completely trust Assaf to advise and represent us. With San Diego not being our primary residence, we rely on him to educate us on the different neighborhoods of San Diego. He is incredibly knowledgeable about the pros and cons of buying in different areas. We are currently using Assaf to help us find a new property. He keeps us informed of new and coming soon listings, is always available and immediately responsive. He has spent countless hours taking us to see new listings and has been very patient with us as we have taken our time and changed our minds a few times. I cannot recommend Assaf and his team more highly. There is no one else I'd want to work with when buying or selling in San Diego!
- Liz
Santaluz single-story custom home with rare double ocean and golf course views! Wake up to an amazing sunrise view of hole #7 with Black Mountain as a backdrop. Later in the day, stay warm in front of a fire wall and watch hot air balloons and a beautiful sunset ocean view! Architect Scott Grunst designed this updated Tuscan home with 3 en-suite bedrooms, state-of-theart theater, and a multipurpose casita. The movie theater can be converted into a bedroom as well.
This home is perfect for entertaining in the dining room with its groin vaulted ceiling and wine wall, west-facing heated loggia, or one of the private outdoor courtyards. This home has wood beams, custom cabinetry by Rutt, Miele appliances, granite, quartzite, and marble countertops, custom light fixtures, Rohl and Hansgrohe plumbing fixtures, 2 washers and dryers, Sierra Pacific windows and doors, whole house filtration system, and custom California closets. Other features include an oversized spa with a waterfall, a putting green, fully owned solar with backup Tesla batteries, and droughtresistant landscaping with drip irrigation.
It’s time to drink up. Literally. Invivo Air, the “world’s first winery airline,” just completed its inaugural tasting flight, with plans for additional jaunts later in 2023.
“We’re thrilled to open Invivo Air to the public and deliver a truly unique experience for those that come on board,” says Invivo Air cofounder Rob Cameron. “We’re looking forward to guiding our guests through the ultimate wine lovers experience.”
On its maiden voyage, the New Zealand-based company flew guests on an Air Saab 340 replete with Cloud Wine emblazoned on the exterior. The plane departed Auckland Airport January 31 on an “all-inclusive viticulture vacation (that) took 30 wine guests from Auckland to Queenstown for an overnight adventure, throughout which they tasted more than 16 wines,” says Invivo.
The guided eight-step wine-tasting at 18,000 feet featured tasting pours from the awardwinning Invivo, Graham Norton and Invivo X, Sarah Jessica Parker ranges. Two hours after take-off, Invivo Air made its descent into Queenstown, where guests were treated to a tour and
tasting of select Pinot Noir wines at Legend’s Terrace, one of Invivo’s oldest vineyards in scenic Central Otago.
A five-course, banquet-style meal at Botswana Butchery with paired wine and spirits in central Queenstown followed, before quests retreated to their lakeside rooms at the five-star Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. They returned to Auckland on an Invivo Air flight the next morning.
“We were thrilled to welcome our guests on board Invivo Air and deliver such a special experience,” says Tim Lightbourne, Invivo cofounder. “As a Kiwi company, we loved showcasing some of our stunning wine regions, vistas, gastronomy and, of course, wine to our passengers. We’ve had such positive feedback from our guests, we’re planning our next experience. We’d love to run an international flight for our next trip!”
Ready for your wine flight? Invivo Air is currently taking registrations and destination requests for future flights, with dates and itineraries to be announced later in 2023.
Article source: https://blog.coldwellbankerluxury.com/invivotakes-wine-tasting-to-new-heights
This month, Coldwell Banker Around the World is venturing to a place where antiquity and the modern world collides: Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia.
“A friendly smile here goes a long way,” shares Crispian Knowles, manager of Coldwell Banker Cambodia. With a rich and ancient history, Cambodia is home to some of the most famous temples in the world — most notably Angkor Wat, considered a wonder of the world. And after a day of exploring ancient temples, you could easily spend the night wandering through the culinary scene. Though not as famous for its cuisine as some of its neighbors, Cambodia has plenty to share, from hole-in-the-wall establishments to high-end bistros, to food stalls at markets. You can enjoy plenty of delicious local specialties, including a variety of dishes featuring Khmer noodles, and partake in the quickly growing “coffee culture” scene.
“The country is developing quickly. I appreciate the diversity it brings,” notes Ms. Khim Tith Azha, sales supervisor of the Coldwell Banker Cambodia team. While the country has deep historic roots,
new growth is sprouting up everywhere and more is anticipated. The population is young, with the average being only 15 years old. With this dynamic, shifts in lifestyle are occurring. For instance, it used to be common for Khmer families to live in practical single-family homes. Now, however, buyers are seeking out luxury properties in gated communities, condos and detached single-family dwellings.
Foods Phnom Penh is known for: Nom banh chok/Khmer noodles (rice noodle soup topped with a fish gravy and crisp vegetables), amok (street food steamed in banana leaves), bai sach chrouk (marinated pork and rice, a common breakfast), and prahok ktis (creamy dip/ condiment used for vegetables and steak, also known as “mudfish sauce”).
Common local modes of transportation: Motorbikes (scooters) and the original tuk-tuks (motorized three-wheel taxis). There has also been a large rise in cars, particularly SUVs.
https://blog.coldwellbanker.com/coldwell-banker-around-the-world-april-2021
POPULATION OF CAMBODIA: 16,900,000
LANGUAGE(S) SPOKEN: Khmer
CLIMATE: Tropical
CURRENCY: USD / Khmer Reil
TYPES OF ARCHITECTURE: Cambodian architecture has become synonymous with Khmer architecture and, more precisely, to the iconic constructions of Angkor temples during the growth and peak of The Khmer Empire. The architecture and construction industry in Cambodia is a main priority and a basic foundation of social development.
MAIN INDUSTRIES: Textiles and tourism.
AVERAGE HOME PRICE IN PHNOM PENH: $114,164 (468.4 million riels), according to the National Bank of Cambodia as of Nov. 2022.
