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Sawtelle is an Up-and-Coming West L.A. Neighborhood

March 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Sawtelle Blvd in West Los Angeles

I recently sold a home to a young guy on Corinth Ave.  He was excited because it was walking distance to the up-and-coming Sawtelle neighborhood in West Los Angeles, where his favorite markets and restaurants are located. A recent article in the Los Angeles Times talks about the gentification of  the area knows as "Little Osaka".   This area, along Sawtelle from Santa Monica to Olympic, has always been a draw for its Japanese restaurants, but it is now branching out to cater to a wider … [Read more...]

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Going Green to Save Some Green

March 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Going Green in Los Angeles

By Andrew Hill @ www.NewHomeSource.com Contrary to some mistaken ideas, going green doesn’t have to be strange and uncomfortable, and it definitely doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, many green ideas are designed to increase your comfort and to save you money. Don’t believe us? Well then consider these fun, cost-effective ways to make your home a little greener. One of the simplest and most cost effective ways of going green is to lower your water consumption. Left unchecked, … [Read more...]

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Take a Break From The Los Angeles Real Estate Scene And Just Admire The Beauty

March 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment
How a seller sees his or her home

Sometimes you just have to stop and take a breath from the hustle and bustle of the Los Angeles real estate scene and get away from it all. I have taken a break to travel for two weeks in India and one week in Bangkok.  India, as I am sure you know, is an eye opening experience, from the extreme poverty to the extreme beauty.  And the ultimate is, of course the Taj Mahal. You can explain the feeling as you see it up close for the first time.  Unfortunately I did not do it … [Read more...]

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Buying a Home in Los Angeles? Can I Change Your Mind?

February 28, 2012 By 2 Comments
Buy a Haveli in Mandawa, India

I am presently traveling in India which is an eye-opening experience to put it mildly. Extreme poverty at the one end with India's richest man building the world's first billion dollar home at the other. However, you can pick up some bargains in the middle. In Mandawa there are several abandoned properties.  Built in 1852, the  Mandawa haveli below with approximately 30 rooms,  spectacular views of the village, and wonderful murals can be grabbed up for the bargain price of around … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buyer Tips, Featured Posts, Los Angeles Photo/Video Blog Tagged With:

What’s Your Point?

February 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Los Angeles mortgage points explained

What's Your Point??  Nawwwww ... Not THAT Point! A great scene, isn't it?  But it's not those "points" I'm going to talk about in this blog.  No, I'm talking the "points" referred to when discussing mortgage costs and options.      I've had several discussions as of late, with some pretty confused borrowers regarding these "points".  They've had no real grasp of exactly what a "point" is prior to our discussion.  What it can equate to in cost to them.  How the cost of a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured Posts, Mortgage Information Tagged With: ,

Brentwood Area of Los Angeles Housing Market Overview | January 2012

February 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Brentwood Community, Brentwood Homes for Sale

Let's check in and see how the Brentwood housing market did in January. Brentwood single family homes under $1 Million Sold:  2 / +2 over same period last year Median Price:  $792,500 Active 7: Absorption rate*:  3.5 months Brentwood condos under $1 Million Sold:  8 / -1 over same period last year Median Price:  $484,000 / -13.42% over same period last year Active:   47 Absorption rate*:  6.02 months Brentwood single family homes $1 to $2 Million Sold:  6 / +2 over same … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Brentwood Market Reports, Featured Posts Tagged With: ,

5 Top Los Angeles Zip Codes

February 6, 2012 By 1 Comment
Downtown lofts and condos for sale, market report

According to Trulia's latest  Metro Movers Report the 5 top Los Angeles zip codes chosen by local Los Angelenos for living are: 91436, 90036, 90066, 90064, and 91604. Where are these desirable zip codes? 91436 covers upscale Encino which lies in the heart of the San Fernando Valley. 159 single family homes were sold over the past year Median price $934,000 49 Active listings Median price $1,000,000 Absorption rate*  - 3.82 months 90036 includes the Fairfax district and  Park … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buyer Tips, Featured Posts, Seller Tips Tagged With: , ,

Downtown Los Angeles Condos | Market Report

February 2, 2012 By 2 Comments
5-1

Let's take a look at how Downtown Los Angeles condos fared over the past year. For the purposes of this report I have broken the price ranges down to under $500K, $500K to $1 Million, and the over $1 Million bracket. The largest movement is in the under $under 500K category. Market absorption indicates the amount of time it will take to sell the existing inventory on the market.  Six months is a balanced market; under six months a sellers' market; over six months a buyers' … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Downtown Los Angeles Market Reports, Featured Posts Tagged With: ,

Selling your Los Angeles Home and Buying Another? Use the Same Agent

January 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Los Angeles Real Estate Agent, Los Angeles Rental Properties

Los Angeles home sellers often contact me to help them find a home to buy or rent. Knowing that they are obviously already working with a Realtor® my first question is, "have you asked your current Realtor® to help you?" Today I received one of those calls from a lovely lady who said, and I kid you not, "Oh no.  He is so busy selling my home I didn't want to bother him."  Now don't get me wrong.  I am certainly more than willing to help someone  who is buying a Los Angeles home, but … [Read more...]

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Just Because you are Buying a New Los Angeles Home Doesn’t Mean you don’t Need an Inspection

December 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Whether New or Not, Always Get a Home Inspection when Buying a Los Angeles Home

I am working with a first-time Los Angeles home buyer who is in the process of purchasing a brand new construction home.  The home is a stand-alone condominium, one of four on the lot. It would seem tempting to waive the inspection on a brand new home, because after all what could be wrong!  There are building codes to be met and one would think even a visual inspection by the builder would catch the odd mistake. The California real estate purchase contract requires that a home buyer … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buyer Tips, Featured Posts Tagged With: , ,

Palms|Mar Vista Housing Market Report, November 2011

November 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Palms Community, Palms Homes for Sale

It's time to take a look at the Palms|Mar Vista housing market.  In our local MLS the two areas are joined and splitting them would not show an accurate picture. The important figures to look at here are the number of homes sold per month and the existing inventory.  If there is more than six months' worth of inventory this designates a buyers' market, less than six months a sellers' market and around six months it balanced. Median shows the middle price range, i.e. half the homes sold … [Read more...]

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Brentwood Real Estate Market Report, November 2011

November 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Brentwood Community, Brentwood Homes for Sale

Let's see how the Brentwood real estate market is doing. There are actually two Brentwoods in California.  I of course am referring to the community in Los Angeles. I always struggle with what information to include in these reports. Average price vs. median price:  Average prices can affect what is really going on if there is one extremely high-priced sale.  So I use the median price. Average days on the market:  One house staying on the market for a long time, possibly because it … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Brentwood Market Reports, Featured Posts Tagged With: , , ,

Thinking of Buying a Los Angeles House? Rein in your Spending this Holiday Season!

November 4, 2011 By 2 Comments
Find out the cost of buying a home in Los Angeles

You are excited about buying a Los Angeles home and have been very good about keep your credit immaculate.  However the holiday season looms putting your hard work in jeopardy. Your shopping list sits in front of you beckoning.  You are probably not going to pay cash for all those gifts, or write a check.  You may open store credit, apply for a new credit card, or simply jack up your balance on your existing credit card. Too many enquiries on your credit in a short period of time is going … [Read more...]

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Help With Your Los Angeles Real Estate Needs

October 31, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Downtown lofts and condos for sale, market report

Buying a Los Angeles home, selling a Los Angeles home, or even looking for a Los Angeles rental can be a confusing task.  You don't know where to begin. What might you need help with? Selling a Los Angeles home How are you going to price your home?  Pricing is an art these days.  Price it to high and it is going to sit on the market, price it just right and you may encourage multiple offers and get more than you asked for. Is your house ready to be put on the market or is there … [Read more...]

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Have a Daughter? Educate her about Finance, Credit and Buying a Home

October 20, 2011 By 1 Comment
Educate your Daughter about Finance, Credit and Buying a Home

   Maybe the following has become a more personal worry to me this last year because I became the grandfather to a beautiful baby girl last October.  That certainly has brought the urgency of the following topic "home" to me. In the not too distance past, having conversations with a daughter concerning finances, credit, and buying a home just never would have happened.  Thankfully, those times are now behind us.      As I've mentioned before in previous posts, talking finances and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured Posts, Mortgage Information Tagged With: , ,

You Do Not Need an Attorney for Los Angeles Real Estate Transactions

October 10, 2011 By 1 Comment
Title Insurance

California is an escrow state but escrow procedures differ between Northern and Southern California and from county to county.  For the purposes of this post I will address the reason you do not need an attorney for real estate transactions in Southern California. What is Escrow? Escrow is a neutral party which provides protection to both the buyer and seller during the real estate transaction.  Examples of the function of escrow are: Receives and holds the good faith deposit from buyer … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buyer Tips, Featured Posts Tagged With: , ,

Los Angeles – A Mixture of Lifestyles

September 29, 2011 By 8 Comments
Los Angeles Lifestyle Search

When we think of Los Angeles, we may think of the glitz and glamor of Beverly Hills, the beaches of Santa Monica and Malibu, the kookiness that is Venice Beach, the heydays of Hollywood, and the skyscrapers of Downtown. Those thinking of moving to Los Angeles, may become overwhelmed at the idea of choosing an area in which to live.  I know I would be if I were new to the city. It would be impossible to describe each of the unique areas of Los Angeles in one post, and I certainly do not … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buyer Tips, Featured Posts, Los Angeles Real Estate News Tagged With: , ,

Buying a Home in Los Angeles by Neighborhood – Westwood and Century City

September 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Westwood Real Estate Market

You are new to Los Angeles, thinking of buying a home in Los Angeles, but have no idea where to start. We could use West Los Angeles as an area, but this is such a loose term and there arguments as to what really constitutes West Los Angeles.  In my mind West Los Angeles is an area that stretches from Westwood south to Rancho Park and Palms, west to Beverly Hills, and east to Brentwood  and Santa Monica,  and for the purposes of this post it will be included together with Century City, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured Posts, Westwood Tagged With: , , ,

Getting the Best Price When Buying a Los Angeles Home

September 10, 2011 By 4 Comments
Getting the Best Price When Buying a Los Angeles Home

When buying a Los Angeles home you would like to feel that you are getting the best price.  But if you have a Los Angeles home for sale  you feel the same.  East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meet.  You know how it goes. This is what makes the pricing of a home so difficult.  The seller always thinks they could have sold it for more and the buyer that they could have bought it for less. So what is the best price? Let's say you have been working at buying a … [Read more...]

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Luxury Homes for Rent in Los Angeles

August 25, 2011 By 1 Comment
Los Angeles Real Estate Market 1st Qtr 2012

I am getting a lot of calls lately from people looking for luxury homes for rent in Los Angeles.  Often these are calls from assistants doing a preliminary search for their bosses, so having a Los Angeles real estate agent help with the search is going to make life so much easier. Los Angeles homes for rent are going extremely quickly, not quite so much on the luxury end but  if the property is something special, then it too will go.  For that reason having someone watching the listings … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured Posts, Rentals Tagged With: ,
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