Auction house brings Vegas excitement to market By Joyce Owen Does the sound of a steel drum band put you in the mood to spend big money? One local company is trying to dazzle clients in order to lure them to their upscale real estate auction. Century 21?s Ron Friesen has partnered with Spence Mann to create the Premier Auction Group to auction luxury properties. With an eye toward glitter and fl ash, Friesen promises something different. We are taking auctions to the next level with more style, more showboating,? he said. ?At one of the homes, clients will be greeted with music by a steel drum band.? Friesen visited auctions in the area, and while property was selling, he thought buyers from other areas of the country needed a little something more to encourage them to come to the event. Buyers looking for a multi-million dollar home expect to live in a gated, exclusive community, Friesen said. He believes the lifestyle these buyers expect should start at the front gate. To accommodate such rich expectations, there will be valet parking, catered food and live music to entertain clients at the event. ?We are bringing big city style, like something you would see in Las Vegas, to this area,? he said. The first two Premier auctions are March 10. A Palmeira Villas home in Seagrove, featured in the 2006 Parade of Homes, will be auctioned at 11 a.m. At 4 p.m., a 5,000-square foot home in Destiny West, with an appraised value of $2.9 million, will be up for bid. While there will be a party atmosphere at the auctions, the serious side of business will be covered. Bryan Kiefer, a real estate attorney, will be onsite to handle legal questions. People?s First Bank and Southern Escrow also will have representatives at the auction to assist buyers. Premier hired Steve Lister, a real estate auctioneer who has experience with more than 15,000 property auctions in 43 states and three countries. For novice buyers, bidder?s assistants can be assigned to help clients through the process.
