When things get rough, the rough get tough. Especially if you’re real-estate broker extraordinaire Edie Marks, an agent with The Kentwood Co. in the Tech Center.
Tell Marks that the upper-end housing market is slow these days, and it starts her creative juices flowing. Her latest move: drop the price of a $13 million Cherry Hills Village mansion by $2 million, plus throw in a $200,000 agent bonus — above and beyond the usual commission.
“It’s significant,” said Edie, one of the top real-estate agents in Colorado. “To make sure this is not forgotten by the agents, we’re putting a $200,000 agent bonus on top of their commission. We’re trying to be different. There are more properties on the market, and you really want people to be aware of what you’ve got. When I went to the Diabetes Foundation (event), three agents said, ‘We got your fliers.’ You’ve got to distinguish yourself in a market like this. The world changes, and you adjust with it.”
Casting call.
Producers at High Noon Entertainment in Centennial are looking for homeowners needing home renovations in 2010 for the next HGTV show that starts shooting this month.
“If you think you’ve got what it takes to be the general contractor of your own home renovation, and you think you can do it cheaper than the pros, then we want you,” said Jennifer Darrow, executive producer for High Noon Entertainment. “We are looking for dynamic home owners who plan to renovate a room in their house in 2010 using their own budget and acting as their own general contractor.”
Interested homeowners should e-mail generalcontractor@highnoontv.com for an application and more info about the show.
Hair affair.
John Paul DeJoria, the mega-bucks CEO of the hair- products empire of John Paul Mitchell Systems, last week surprised 400 local employees of Floyd’s 99, Colorado’s rock n’ roll barbershop, who had gathered for a company meeting expecting an inspirational speech from a John Paul Mitchell rep.
“It feels great to know that we show up on his personal radar,” said Rob O’Brien, one of the three brothers who founded the barbershop chain in 2001. “It was a very pleasant surprise.”
DeJoria was in town to oversee the opening of high-end Paul Mitchell, The School at South Teller Street and West Alaska Drive in Belmar on Friday.
Truffle time
Every year Barolo Grill owner Blair Taylor and his boys and girls oversee the gathering of white truffles in Italy and bring them back for Denver devotees to enjoy.
This year’s jillion-course truffle dinner on Monday is sold out, but to share the love, Taylor has chef Brian Laird offering truffle-spiked dishes through Saturday.
“The little white guys are ripe and ready to be had,” Taylor said. “Reports are that the quality is excellent this year due to a long and mild fall season in northern Italy. Our truffle-hunter friend, Andrea Rossano, has his dogs barking in anticipation.”
Choice of an all-truffle Piedmont tasting menu, as well as some single plates a la carte. Reservations: 303-393-1040.
Pop pooped?
The EatAspen blog is reporting that the famous Aspen Popcorn wagon may have pooped out after the closing of D19 restaurant. According to the blog item, the storied wagon could be up and popping in the winter season, “but by who and serving what, is another question.”
Eavesdropping
at Jay’s Bistro in Fort Collins: “Sex should be a byproduct of companionship.”
Penny Parker’s column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Listen to her on the Caplis and Silverman radio show between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-AM (630). Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail pparker@denverpost.com.
