In this market, even a stunning beauty can end up a wallflower. 20 Linda Isle is a lavish European-inspired villa boasting one of the most prestigious addresses on the California Riviera. Surrounded by breathtaking water views, it's filled with a dazzling array of luxury amenities, including a six-slip private dock that can accommodate a 92-foot yacht.

Nonetheless, the estate had languished on the market for a year. It had been off the market for several months when Luxury Properties Specialist Susan Weir of Prudential California Realty took the listing.

Her first move was to list the property at a higher price than its last offering. That may not seem logical, but Weir doesn't always listen to logic. "I had a gut feeling," she says.

Next, Weir called in her top-flight home staging expert. "In times like these, it's not enough for a home to look good. It has to look perfect," she explains. "Even an attractive property can make an even better impression — but it's hard for someone close to see that." Other than plants and a few accessories, most of the elements in the transformation were already on hand. "You'd be amazed at how many wonderful pieces we found tucked away in secondary rooms," says Weir.

Step three was pulling out all the stops on the Weir Team's formidable marketing machine. They showcased the property with a magnificent brochure; created a dedicated website; and plotted a powerful, carefully plotted advertising strategy highlighted by sweeping online exposure on all the top real estate sites.

Now it was just a matter of being ready to show the property at a moment's notice. "We made it so easy for someone to see it," says Weir. "I set up the home and conducted nearly every showing personally. We encouraged evening visits so prospective buyers could see the incredible lighting at night."

Interested buyers from across the country and as far away as Korea and Japan began contacting Weir. Within a few weeks, an agent saw an ad for the estate in a luxury homes magazine. She brought it to the attention of a client who had just sold his business in Texas and was working with her to find his California dream home.

The client had in fact just returned to Texas from a West Coast scouting trip. When his agent saw the ad, she was still in town. Weir happened to be at the property when she called, and invited her to come over on the spot. The client made a full-price offer over the phone, sight unseen. A week later, he flew back to admire his investment.

But Weir long ago learned that nothing is over until it's over. As she, her sons/partners Carter and Ryan, and the buyer stood on the private dock admiring the view while an inspector checked the structure, it suddenly rose and fell like a ship on the high seas. They were having an earthquake.

"I must admit, I wondered how this would affect the close," she smiles. The group returned to the house, the inspector declared everything to be fine, and the deal was done.

What's next for Weir? A friend of the property's seller has referred her to someone who's selling a $4 million property. This one, too, has been on the market for a year.

The Weir Team is based at Prudential California Realty Corona del Mar. Susan Weir can be reached at 949-566-1122 or by emailing susan@prucdm.com.

For more information about the Luxury Properties Division of Prudential California Realty, visit www.luxsocal.com.