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Los Angeles, CA Real Estate News

By Endre Barath, Jr., Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002
(Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties)
Diane and I have been going to the Festival of Books for the past 24+ years. If memory serves me correctly, we only missed the first two... Now with that said this year we did not get a new coffee mug. Usually, we get one every year commemorating our visit to the Festival of Books. This year was a total disappointment.The marketing was too vague and too discouraging. In the old days if you wanted to see an author you did not have to pay to enter. This year the message was mistakenly focused on, that you cannot get to see a panel or an author unless you pay for a ticket. Really??? False messaging. Sadly, many bought into this message including us.I told Diane it was just poor English and not clear messaging... we disagreed... on a side note I was right.So, with that said, let me tell you...
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By Endre Barath, Jr., Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002
(Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties)
Friday Funday: I thought how about a fun dinner.... I always cruise the Internet, and I saw someone post a recipe for baked cabbage. Loved the idea and it so happened I had cabbage in the fridge as well as I always have olive oil.Now I thought this would go well with bake Argentinian Red Shrimp.Then I figured how about some great Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Bisquists to accompany the dinner Wishing you a safe and healthy life and I look forward to your comments. If you are looking for a knowledgeable, focused and goal-oriented Realtor in the Beverly Hills area who will help you achieve your Real Estate goals, please reach out to me directly! If you are looking for a pet friendly Beverly Hills Realtor who can handle and sell the most difficult properties that no one else could, please reach ...
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By Endre Barath, Jr., Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002
(Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties)
2401 San Marco Dr. Los Angeles CA 90068: Accepting Backup Offers...Directions : Head East on Franklin Ave to Cahuenga BLVD (N) first right (E)on to Dix St and first left (n) on Holly Dr. to the end turn (L) to San Marco, land is just past 2407 San Marco Dr.Remarks: Best priced vacant land in the Beach Wood Canyon area. Truly a fantastic opportunity to build your dream home in the highly desirable Hollywood Dell section of the Hollywood Hills East. This lot is equally desirable for a developer to build for spec. The house next to this lot on a more difficult upslope with smaller frontage was built recently. This up sloped lot has about 58 ft of frontage with panoramic canyon views. Just imagine being surrounded by nature and multimillion dollar homes and still be minutes from the city an...
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By Endre Barath, Jr., Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002
(Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties)
As most of you who read my posts, we have been supporting the Los Angeles Festival of Books for the past 24 plus years. We missed the first two and then we became loyal supporters year after year. Yesterday we went and you can read my post of what I thought. Now with that said we did not go this year the second day, like we always did two days in a row. Ironically, I had an easy day with real estate today.Well, not to dwell on it here are a few Fotos that I did not post yesterday.No matter what I wish you a wonderful week ahead and if you have time enjoy reading books. Please buy and read books. Wishing you a safe and healthy life and I look forward to your comments. If you are looking for a knowledgeable, focused and goal-oriented Realtor in the Beverly Hills area who will help you ach...
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Nationwide in November, the number of existing homes "pending sale" dropped to a 7 year low.   The National Association of Realtors Pending Sales Index dropped 4.0% to the lowest level since its inception in 2001. The deepening recession has brought about massive job losses and a record decline in consumer confidence.  The silver lining is that housing is becoming affordable once again for many who have been priced out of the entire Westside of Los Angeles  real estate market  since 2003. Economists believe president-elect Obama's proposed massive spending plan, together with steps by the Treasury and Federal Reserve to lower mortgage rates will help bolster the housing sector later this year.   The Housing Affordability Index, which looks at the relationship between home prices to inte...
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By Kai Cross
(PEARL Home Design & Staging)
Folks, just like real estate agents have the Realtors Association, home Stagers have the International Association of Home Staging Professionals, or IAHSP. The IAHSP conducts surveys of markets conditions and how they apply to the home staging industry. And the most current info shows that staging is STILL an important part of selling a home:Fully 94.6% of all homes that are staged by a member of the IAHSP sell within 35 days. A non-staged home remains on the market, on average, for 175 days. Yes, my friends, you read that correctly. So the solution for those who either want or need to sell their home is, Home Staging!
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By Car Credit Loan, Bad Credit Car Loans
(Car Loans for Every Credit)
Best Online Bad Credit Auto LoanIn today's world, having a quality automobile is almost a need. With an automobile in hand you can cover great distances at your convenience and as per your schedule. You will find that many people, these days, buy vehicles through auto financing rather than using own funds. In fact, financing is necessary for most people to be able to purchase a best automobile.However, many people cannot get best auto loan, because either they have a bad credit record or financing norms of dealers do not accept the credit record or they have to charge a very high interest rate to ensure protection for themselves in case the buyer defaults on his/her car payments. Their bad credit could be due to job loss and failure in some payments, high medical expenses resulting in l...
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By Steve jobson
(SJ Reality)
Im new to the board although Ive been here many times reading the shared thoughts of the many contributors, I joined today to primarily get feedback on a new site that Im thinking about launching called www.NewREOLeads.com   Ive noticed that, while selling REOs, its much easier to work with a buyer who is specifically looking for them.   As we all know, most tend to need a bit of TLC when moving in.  So I figured this site would be a great place to fill in the gap between selling and buying agent to make the process a little easier.   What are your thoughts about the www.NewREOLeads.com  site idea?  Take a look at it and click on a few of the links (it will also help pay for the hosting fee).   Thanks in advance for your advice and input on this. -SJ
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By Krish Smith
(autoloan123.net)
The car has become one of the basic needs of the current world of today. All of the daily chores, be it going to the grocery store to even catching up with important business dealings, all become much simpler with the help of a car. The problem comes up when you don't have enough cash for one. The situation becomes even worse then you have a poor credit history. You can be tagged as having bad credit due to various things such as: -Arrears-Defaults-Bankruptcy-No Proof of Income-Self-Employed Status-slow credit or No Credit-Country Court Judgments-Individual Voluntary Agreements A poor credit history can make your financial life a real owner. With the growing cost of living everywhere, one is barely able to take care of the basic needs with their regular incomes. In the modern world of t...
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By Andrew Martinez, Fannie Mae Homepath Mortgage
(Commercial Capital Funding )
The CDC/504 loan program is a long-term financing tool for economic development within a community. The 504 Program provides growing businesses with long-term, fixed-rate financing for major fixed assets, such as land and buildings. A Certified Development Company is a nonprofit corporation set up to contribute to the economic development of its community. CDCs work with the SBA and private-sector lenders to provide financing to small businesses. There are about 270 CDCs nationwide, with each covering a specific geographic area.Typically, a 504 project includes a loan secured with a senior lien from a private-sector lender covering up to 50 percent of the project cost, a loan secured with a junior lien from the CDC (backed by a 100 percent SBA-guaranteed debenture) covering up to 40 per...
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By Michelle Minch, Home Staging Los Angeles and Orange County, CA
(Moving Mountains Design Home Staging, Pasadena, CA)
Stage your Bedroom with Feng Shui - Start 2009 Right! Welcome better sleep, better health and positive changes in the bedroom with Feng Shui. With the New Year approaching, now is the perfect time to invite positive change into your life. Recommendations about Feng Shui remedies will vary from school to school and practitioner to practitioner. Often the focus is on compass direction,  which may necessitate moving the bedroom to another part of the house. Since most of us cannot afford to move our bedroom or don't have the extra space, here are some tips to get your bedroom in top Feng Shui shape without a major upheaval, just an investment of your time. Despite the fact that different schools have differing "cures", following are some basic changes you can make that apply to all bedroom...
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By Joshua Barré
(LA West Real Estate)
1)I am grateful for all of the amazing people I have in my life and for all of the love, friendship, guidance and support they give to me. 2)I am grateful for one simple fact of life: It is never too late to make a change.  Every moment is another opportunity for change.  3)I am grateful for the roof over my shoulders, and vehicle to transport me from one place to the next 4) I am grateful for finding and being able to wear my Yellow Lance Armstrong "Livestrong" bracelet.  I will wear it today and think of my dear, late grandma Betty. 5)I am grateful  for the millions of choices I am confronted with each and every day.  And for  the freedom to choose for myself. 6)I am grateful for hearing the voice of a loved one today, and knowing I am loved. 7)I am grateful for the exciting journey  ...
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A delightful display of planets and the moon will occur on New Year's Eve for anyone wishing to step outside and look up just after sunset. Venus, brighter than all other planets and stars, will dangle just below the thin crescent moon in the southwestern sky. It'll be visible -- impossible to miss, in fact -- just as the sun goes down, assuming skies are cloud-free. Jupiter and Mercury will set less than an hour after the sun, so timing your viewing just after sunset is crucial. You'll also need a location with a clear view of the western horizon, unobstructed by buildings, trees or mountains. All the planets, along with the moon and sun, traverse an arc across our sky called the ecliptic, which corresponds to the plane in space that they all roughly share. For this reason, you could d...
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By Joshua Barré
(LA West Real Estate)
2008 was the year that subprime borrowers and speculators got hurt by the real estate crisis. 2009 could be when everyone else gets hit. Here's why. Going into 2009, with the deepening recession and mounting job losses, serious housing troubles could infect wealthier communities and markets that were just beginning to stabilize this summer before the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers on September 15 sparked the most serious financial turmoil in decades. Housing prices are expected to fall 12.5% nationwide next year. On December 23, Credit Suisse forecast that more than 8 million homes will go into foreclosure over the next four years or approximately 16% of all US households with mortgages. Housing and mortgage problems pushed the nation into a recession that could amplify and expand the re...
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By Joshua Barré
(LA West Real Estate)
If you haven't figure where to go tonight yet. Here's a few choices around the West Side Marina del Rey New Year's Eve Fireworks, Dec. 31 Bring in the New Year with a bang!  Watch the sky light up with amazing pyrotechnics shot from the south jetty over Marina del Rey.  Join the New Year's countdown at 11:59 p.m., that will be signaled by one firework per second.  When the clock strikes 12 midnight, the five minute fireworks show can be seen from almost anywhere in the Marina.  Prime viewing locations:  Fisherman's Village and Burton Chace Park.  Many restaurants and hotels offer special celebration packages for New Year's Eve, and local cruise companies, like Hornblower Events & Cruises, offer special cruises for New Year's Eve. The Marina del Rey Hotel - Waterfront Banquet Room **If y...
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By Dom Naidoo, Malibu to the Marina Real Estate
(Westside Properties)
Happy last Monday of 2008! Another cold morning here in Southern California. I have already learned my lesson this season to definitely dress warmer. With the biggest party of the year this week, the big question is "What are you doing for New Year's Eve?". Here are a few ideas: 10,000 Deep: Giant Maximus  Purportedly the world's largest 21+ New Year's Eve celebration right here in downtown LA, featuring a giant Ferris wheel and Moby headlining music acts across three different stages on seven acres.7p-4a. $75 per person. 8th and Figueroa Sts. (323-464-7373). Westside home Search   Viceroy Santa Monica and Om Records present an unforgettable New Year's Eve Soiree under the stars with drinks and dancing. Wednesday, December 31st, 2008 Starts at 8:00 p.m.   DJs: Jason Bentley, King Britt,...
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By James Garton
(Legal Shield, Independent Associate)
We all know that a FSBO is a whole lot better off using the services of a real estate professional. We know statistically a real estate agent will sell the home for more money, faster, and keep the home seller out of legal hot water because of his/her lack of compliance requirements. The problem is how do we get into the FSBO's front door to even discuss our services? One mention of the word broker, or real estate agent and we often hear those famous words: "Thanks but NO THANKS!!". Most FSBO's see a real estate agent commission as a "Loss of Profit", and not an investment. They think all we do is put up a sign in the front lawn and insert a few ads in the local newspaper, which are all things the savy FSBO thinks they can do for a lot less then paying real estate commissions. The FSBO ...
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By Dom Naidoo, Malibu to the Marina Real Estate
(Westside Properties)
  SaMo Skating: Ice at Santa MonicaMake like SoCal actually has precipitation, and skate your hearts out two blocks from The Promenade.Daily 10a-10p thru Jan 19. 1324 5th St. $10 including skate rental. Nearby: Cora's Coffee Shoppe; Capo; Anisette Brasserie LA TOFU FESTIVAL Little Tokyo Service Center, 231 E. Third St., Suite G104 90013 Los Angeles, CA (213)473-3030 Hearst the CollectorWhen: November 2008-February 2009Where: Los Angeles County Museum of ArtWhat: LACMA showcases nearly 170 works in the collection of William Randolph Hearst, one of LACMA's most prominent donors. Scoop: Controversial, dominant and generous, Hearst was a complicated figure in regard to his art. This exhibition shines light upon one of the country's most well-known collectors. www.lacma.org. The L.A. Westsid...
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By Michelle Minch, Home Staging Los Angeles and Orange County, CA
(Moving Mountains Design Home Staging, Pasadena, CA)
Stage your kitchen with Feng Shui - Start 2009 Right! Welcome prosperity and good health with sound Feng Shui practices. With the New Year approaching, now is the perfect time to invite positive change into your life.There are many schools of Feng Shui with many different schools of thought as to how to achieve goals. Recommendations will vary from school to school and practitioner to practitioner. Often the focus is on compass direction,  which may necessitate moving the kitchen to another part of the house, or rearranging the major elements (stove, sink, refrigerator, etc.) Since most of us cannot afford to move our kitchen or remodel it, here are some tips to get your kitchen in top Feng Shui shape with little or no cash outlay, just an investment of your time. Despite the fact that ...
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By Endre Barath, Jr., Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002
(Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties)
  As the year is coming to a close, we need to reflect of what is going on currently in the Real Estate market in Southern California.   Looking at the current state, price of homes are down anywhere from 20% to 45% depending which Micro Market area you are looking at compared to 2007 prices.  As a consumer you should be jumping from joy, that you have the opportunity to step into the Southern California's Real Estate Market.  Interest rates are hovering around 4.5% - 6% depending on the size of the loan and your credit worthiness. Again as a buyer this should make you salivate from joy either you can get more for your money or it will cost less to buy what you want.  Inventory is up so you have a better selection as a buyer. This is fantastic, you can go home, ask your Realtor to do th...
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By Dom Naidoo, Malibu to the Marina Real Estate
(Westside Properties)
Happy Hump Day and Chrismas Eve! Tomorrow is the big day, have you finished your shopping yet? I know I have just one gift left to buy. If I run out of time and do not return to my computer to post my Merry Christmas blog, I wish all of my family, friends, associates and readers a very happy holidays. Here are today's weather forecasts for the Los Angeles Westside areas: Santa Monica, CA 49°F Current:Mostly CloudyWind: NE at 0 mphHumidity: 81% Today Beverly Hills, CA 47°F Current:Mostly CloudyWind: E at 0 mphHumidity: 77% Today Pacific Palisades, CA 49°F Current:Mostly CloudyWind: NE at 0 mphHumidity: 81% Today Malibu, CA 42°F Current:Mostly CloudyWind: N at 0 mphHumidity: 93% Today Los Angeles, CA 51°F Current:ClearWind: E at 5 mphHumidity: 68% Today  
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By Dom Naidoo, Malibu to the Marina Real Estate
(Westside Properties)
Bel Air, CA - 90077 neighborhood details   Demographics zip 90077 County National Neighborhood type Suburban Population 9,083 10,341,064 281,522,000 Pop. density 1,235.9 8,392.8 79.6 Percent male 48.6% 49.5% 49.1% Percent female 51.4% 49.8% 50.9% Median age 47.5 34.0 37.6 People per household 2.5 2.9 2.6 Percent married 65.0% 45.6% 58.3% Percent single 35.0% 54.4% 41.6% Median household income $160,999 $59,463 $41,994 Avg. income per capita $89,272 $27,702 $21,587 Crime zip 90077 County National Violent crime risk index 7.0 6.3 3.0 Property crime risk index 5.0 5.5 3.2 Housing zip 90077 County National Median home value $2,414,000 $419,500 $185,400 Median age of homes 39.0 29.6 27.8 Home appreciation 22.4% 23.4% 12.3% Percent owning home 83.3% 49.4% 63.4% Percent renting home 11.5% 43....
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By Endre Barath, Jr., Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002
(Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties)
 I was reading, recently in one of my internet browsing, that the GSE's are considering allowing some borrower to refinance without the use of an updated appraisal. WOW, that has scared the daylights out of me.  So if you do not know what a GSE is let me explain. They are a hybrid form of a Corporation, designed to take privately provided capital to develop public missions. That means they do not use any tax payer money, nor do they have government guarantees to their securities. They surfaced in 2003 and 2004 on the radar screen, for being in the news for various financial irregularities such as how they raise private capital and how they do their accounting. (I could write a book vs. a post about that).Fannie Mae(FNMA) and Freddie Mac(FHLMC) own upwards of 70% of  all the residential ...
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By Bradley Giles
(The Heger Company)
I can not wait to hear and read from all of you ActiveRain members.  I came across the network in the most recent Commercial Investment Real Estate magazine.  Hopefully posting a "new member" post is not a bad first step in getting to know everyone.  These testing times are where we can all benefit from networks like this and the kowledge passed through it. Hope all is well and happy Friday! Brad Giles
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