I ran the word “luxury” this morning through a Multiple Listing Service search of Pierce County properties and came up with 266 listings trying to capitalize on an association with elegance. They ranged in price from $132,900 to $4.9 million.

On the high end: A 5,767-square-foot waterfront estate in Lakewood with a greenhouse, a pool, a pickleball court, granite slab counters, a master suite and guest quarters. Sounds very much like luxury.

On the low end: A Central Tacoma condo measuring 545 square feet. There are granite counters, though they are tile not slab, and wood-laminate floors, birch kitchen cabinets and a backsplash with mosaic inlay, according to the listing, which says, “Luxury available now!”

The pictures are nice of both, but I don’t associate luxury with a one-bedroom in a space smaller than some studio apartments. And while I haven’t seen this condo in person, I don’t associate laminate with luxury, either.

Like many words, luxury begins to lose its meaning when over used and it seems to have become code for certain amenities, which might be nice, but don’t necessarily translate to a life of luxury: stainless steel appliances, wood floors, crown moulding, granite of some kind.

But perhaps just the association with something luxurious has allure in marketing. One enterprising real estate agent touted the location of a double-wide manufactured home that is down the street from a luxury house.

Any thoughts?