Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Introducing: Hiles' Wine Collection

Marcus Hiles Wine Collection
The wine collection of Marcus Hiles has been built up over 30 years.  Marcus is known throughout the wine world as a savvy collector, focusing on rare vintages from the Bordeaux and Burgundy regions of France.  His collection spans thousands of bottles and hundreds of desirable vintages, including rare champagnes from some of the storied producers. As in his wine collecting, Marcus also applies his vast skill in researching market conditions for his real estate ventures.  He is the founder and CEO of two prominent property development firms in Texas, Western Rim Property Services and Mansions Custom Homes.
Market trends dictate actions, and no one understands this better than Mr. Hiles. During the course of his business career, he has identified prevailing market shifts and has moved to capitalize on them.  In wine collecting, the same skills apply.  One of the most interesting trends to emerge in the wine industry recently is the phenomenon of canned wines.  Purists may scoff at the idea of wine in cans, but the industry is enjoying tremendous growth in this sector. In 2016 alone, sales of canned wines shot up to over $14 million, a 125% increase from the year before.  One may remember the popularity of boxed wines, which were met with disbelief at first but went on to captivate the wine drinking population.  So too are canned wines, reaching a young, well-heeled market who appreciates quality and value in those small aluminum cans.
The trend may be new, but the concept of canned wines is not.  Several major retailers have produced canned wine since 2009. The increase in popularity of these wines stems from their convenience; a can of wine can be opened anytime, anywhere, and the problems of storing an unfinished bottle are eliminated. No opener or special skill are required to sip from a can of wine – their portability and surprising quality have led critics to change their thinking about these wines.  In fact, many producers of canned wines cannot meet the ever-increasing demand, and those wines are selling out in cities across the United States.
Serious wine collectors, however, understand that the bottle is still king.  Rare vintages from years gone by are the most desired in collections.  Marcus has amassed a small fortune in wines from fabled producers like Domaine de la Romanee-Conti and Chateau Lafite Rothschild.  Champagnes from Krug and Dom Perignon round out his impressive collection. He stores the wines in a carefully-controlled facility called the Magnificent Cellar, which can be found beneath the sprawling Dallas-area estate he calls home.  The cellar is cooled and humidified by an underground river, providing perfect storage conditions.  As the markets dictate, he periodically opens his cellar and selects lots for sale to wine collectors from around the world.  In 2010, he did just that, rounding up 6500 bottles, or about 20% of his collection, for auction with Sotheby’s Hong Kong. He had learned that Asian collectors were clamoring for certain vintages stretching back to the 1960s, especially from French vintners.  In the resulting sale of wine lots, Mr. Hiles and Sotheby’s netted $13.8 million, including auction, storage, and transportation fees.  This eclipsed previous wine sales records and far exceeded the pre-sale estimation of value, which was pegged at just under $5 million. The sale set off a trend for Sotheby’s Hong Kong, which leapfrogged its sister New York auction unit to become the dominant wine auctioneer in the world. 

Monday, September 19, 2016

The Benefits of Custom Built Houses in Fort Worth

Marcus Hiles custom homes


Looking for a custom built home in Fort Worth? Marcus Hiles is your man. As founder, chairman, and CEO of Western Rim Property Services and Mansions Custom Homes, Marcus has carved out a remarkable niche in the Texas real estate industry, with properties that deliver far more value than their cost would indicate. Now on his 26th year of developing quality residential communities, Marcus is embarking on a new stage of his career that promises even bigger and better things for prospective Dallas-Fort Worth property buyers.

The Dallas-Fort Worth area has traditional been one of the most active and vibrant real estate markets in Texas, a state which definitely has done more than its share in upholding the real estate industry in the United States. In Dallas-Fort Worth communities such as Tyler, Prosper, Rockwall, North Richland Hills, and Collin County, property development continues on at a healthy pace, with much of the development attributable to Marcus Hiles’ two development firms.

Fort Worth has become an especially prized real estate market in the past several years, with residential property sales in the area having registered a remarkable 22% increase in the first quarter of 2016, up from the first quarter of the previous year. Altogether, more than 7,000 single-family homes were sold in the area during the 3-month period.

Custom homes represent a significant chunk of the total number of homes sold in Fort Worth, and Hiles has definitely had a hand in the development of many of them. Custom homes offer all the convenience of modern living with the features and amenities that residential property owners expect from the finest homes in the market. More than that however, custom homes provide a more personalized living experience that addresses any unique concerns and preferences that property buyers may have about prospective investments.  

Luxury is one such concern, and for prospective buyers in Fort Worth, Marcus Hiles definitely delivers. With Mansions Custom Homes, Marcus offers a range of high-end amenities and lavish luxury features that would be unheard of at these prices only a few years ago. Granite kitchen countertops, marble baths, and rich dark woods are typical features of these properties, with Italian marble flooring lending an air of luxury that really enhances the living experience. For those looking for a luxury custom home in Fort Worth, Marcus’ Mansions Custom Homes is the only logical choice.

Luxury isn't the only reason to opt for a custom home. Many prospective buyers of such properties are interested in ‘green’ living as a lifestyle, and are always looking for ways to reduce their carbon imprints. This concern actually coincides with Marcus’ own sensibilities, being a lifelong advocate for environmentally friendly living. Properties under the Western Rim Property Services and Mansions Custom Homes banners therefore come with features such as radiation blocking e-windows, green appliances, and thermal insulation. With these features, Marcus Hiles delivers on his goal of providing the market with a wide range of high-quality homes that offer convenience, comfort, and luxury, in addition to environment-friendly living. 

Thursday, September 8, 2016

Fort Worth's Most Prominent Figure in Real Estate

Marcus Hiles Fort Worth Real Estate

Marcus Hiles is a man of many talents. Known primarily as a property development executive, the Fort Worth native is also an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and an avid wine collector. All the responsibilities associated with these roles would leave most anyone with little time for anything else, but Marcus also manages to devote time and resources to civic work and social development initiatives that are close to his heart. Hiles is a man who is equally passionate about professional accomplishment and making a significant contribution to society, and his years spent in his professional career attest to this focus.

Hiles made his mark in the Texas real estate industry by way of Western Rim Property Services, and later, Mansions Custom Homes. Now two of the most prominent firms in the North Texas real estate arena, Western Rim and Mansions are prime examples of the dedication and care that Marcus places into every aspect of his career. In fact, it may be said that both firms perfectly illustrate Marcus’ own personal and professional values and wide range of capabilities. He currently serves as chairman and CEO of both firms.

Capabilities aside, what really makes Hiles stand apart from many other property management specialists are his unflagging tenacity and commitment to excellence, both of which were qualities instilled in him from a very young age. Growing up in a decidedly middle-class community, Marcus knew early on that he had to develop focus and perseverance in order to make something of himself. But Marcus was up to the task, and with an astonishing degree of discipline and persistence, he managed to work his way through college. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Rice University, and then went on to further studies at Pepperdine UniversitySoon after college, Marcus pooled his resources together into startup fund for a new business enterprise, and Western Rim Property Services was born.

With Western Rim Property Services, Marcus set his sights on developing upscale rental properties in some of the best locations in and around Dallas. Most properties under the Western Rim brand are located in communities such as Rockwall, Prosper, Tyler, and North Richland Hills, with each offering luxury materials and top-of-the-line construction at affordable costs. The company’s inventory consists of apartments, townhomes, and condominium developments, and offers access to parks, fitness centers, club houses, exercise trails, and golf courses.

Mansions Custom Homes addresses residential needs in the upper range of the real estate price scale. Built to the same exacting standards as Western Rim properties, homes under the Mansions brand are built for the ultimate in luxury, with fabulous appointments, topnotch finishesand world-class styles.

When not busy with the demands of running his two real estate firms, Marcus devotes his time to other passions: wine collecting and socio-civic work. As a wine collector, he made headlines in 2010, when he sold off 6,500 wines from his own Magnificent Cellar collection in a Sotheby’s Hong Kong auction. Marcus is also a noted philanthropist, having contributed millions of dollars to schooling and work placement programs, as well as to environmental and public development causes.