Halloween stores have already began popping up all around the area and children and adults are already choosing this year’s costume.   As a benefit for Palos Verdes homes owners, the Costume Closet in Palos Verdes will extend their hours beginning October 16, 2017, and continue through November 4, 2017.  The extended store hours will be Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays.  On October 31, 2017, the store will only be open from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. so that the staff can enjoy the holiday also.  To make it easier to return, your costumes after Halloween they will be keeping special hours from Wednesday, November 1, through Friday, November 3, 2017.  The hours will be 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Saturday, November 4, 2017, they wi... 10/03/2017

My favorite Palos Verdes Homes on the September 19, 2017, Palos Verdes real estate Broker’s Tour (30 homes had open houses today) are described below.  We currently have 187 single family Palos Verdes homes for sale ranging in price from $1,050,000 in Rancho Palos Verdes (The low in Eastview is $949,000) to $40,000,000 in the City of Rolling Hills.  There are 30 Palos Verdes condos/townhomes for sale priced between $340,000 and $2,298,000.  My favorite Palos Verdes homes today are:          Chris Adlam’s (Vista Sotheby’s Int’l Realty) 30637 Calle De Suenos, Rancho Palos Verdes 90275(above left) is a 6 bedroom, 10 bath, 7,676 square foot home for $6,998,000.  This spectacular Country Club home features breathtaking ocean views, gourmet kitchen, majestic master suite, billiard room, and ... 09/28/2017

During the month of October 2017, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy is offering outdoor hikes/activities for Palos Verdes home owners to enjoy including bird walks, nature walks with naturalists, nocturnal full moon walk and volunteer opportunities which are listed below. Special Events:  Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy’s Palos Verdes Pastoral Garden-To-Table Dining event will take place on October 15, 2017, and will feature the best of California handcrafted and organic foods and wines, with major partners Terranea Resort and Whole Foods Market. Seating is extremely limited so please call (310) 541-7613 x202. Wildlife Tracking Workshop will meet on Saturday, October 7, 14, 21 and 28, 2017, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at various locations.  Dedicated volunteers are n... 09/27/2017

     PVE-CARES Senior Health & Wellness Fair will take place on Friday, October 13, 2017, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Neighborhood Church located at 415 Paseo Del Mar, Palos Verdes Estates. Palos Verdes 12th Annual Senior Health & Wellness Fair is offered by PVE-CARES (Community Assistance and Resources for the Elderly and Seniors).  The program was created by the Palos Verdes Estates Police Department to assist seniors so they may live independently and feel safe in their homes on the Peninsula.  The program offers many different events to increase awareness of what the city offers for seniors – updating them on security issues, how to notify the police department when leaving on vacation to local assistance in health care and medical needs. Palos Verdes homes owners will once ... 09/27/2017

Palos Verdes Peninsula’s Point Fermin Park is a beautiful park sitting along the edge of the palisade and consists of 37 acres of landscaped lawns, pergolas, and colorful gardens. When at the top point of the park, you will get breaktaking views of the coast of the Santa Catalina Island, and enjoy watching seals, dolphins and an occasional whale pass by. This is a great location where you can enjoy the picnic areas, barbecue pits, children’s playground and small amphitheater which is the home to “Shakespeare in the Park” and numerous music venues.The park was given it’s name by the British explorer George Vancouver who had visited the property in 1793 and wanted to thank Father Fermin Francisco de Lasuen for his hospitality at the mission in Carmel.This is one of the few places along th... 09/27/2017

Palos Verdes’ Point Vicente Interpretive Center was built by the City of Rancho Palos Verdes in 1984 at the cost of $1.3 million. The property consists of almost 10,000 square foot which features exhibits on the natural and cultural history of the Peninsula, with a special emphasis on the Pacific gray whale. This is the premier whale watching site of the coastal area which has volunteers who watch daily to record annual migration of the Pacific gray whale, from December through April.On the tip of the point near the Interpretive Center you will see the Point Vicente Lighthouse which was built in 1926 and stands on a cliff 130 feet high, and is itself 67 feet high. The other buildings on the site provided housing for Coast Guard officers who worked in other areas. During the World Wars t... 09/27/2017

Palos Verdes homes sales in the Palos Verdes Drive North neighborhood for the first half of 2017 decreased to 31 single family homes sold in 2017 compared to 45 in 2016.  Price per square foot for Palos Verdes Drive North houses that sold in the first half of 2017 increased to $602 from $594 in 2016, a 1.4% increase.  Average sales price for Palos Verdes Drive North homes sold in the first half of 2017 increased to $1,705,897 in 2017 compared to $1,569,528 in 2016.  The most expensive Palos Verdes home sale in the Palos Verdes Drive North neighborhood was $2,987,500 and the lowest priced Palos Verdes home sale in the Palos Verdes Drive North neighborhood was $920,000.Currently, the Palos Verdes Drive North neighborhood has 20 Palos Verdes homes for sale.  There are 19 single family home... 09/22/2017

Palos Verdes homes owners have an opportunity to join family and friends at the 26th annual Cowboy Days celebration at the Empty Saddle Club on Friday, September 29 through Sunday, October 1, 2017.  This fun event will have something for everyone!Friday’s activities will start at 2:00 p.m., with sign ups for Cutting and Adult All Around entries.  Friday night they will be serving tacos with all the fixings which you can pre-purchase at a price of $15 per person ($18 at the door) followed by music and dancing and the popular Table Horse Race!Saturday’s activities include Team Roping, Trail Competition and Gymkhana events, that will be presented by the Youth and Junior Riders.  There will be performances by The Happy Hoofers and the local Jr. Drill Team.  You will also enjoy shopping at t... 09/20/2017

My favorite Palos Verdes Homes on the September 12, 2017, Palos Verdes real estate Broker’s Tour (26 homes had open houses today) are described below.  We currently have 192 single family Palos Verdes homes for sale ranging in price from $1,099,000 in Rancho Palos Verdes (The low in Eastview is $1,049,000) to $40,000,000 in the City of Rolling Hills.  There are 27 Palos Verdes condos/townhomes for sale priced between $498,800 and $2,298,000.  My favorite Palos Verdes homes today are:       Frank Fountain & Heidi Agid Mackenbach’s (RE/MAX Estate Properties) 2 Open Brand Road, Rolling Hills 90274 (above left) is a 5 bedroom, 6 bath, 5,007 square foot home for $4,395,000.   This exquisite Rolling Hills estate features panoramic coastline/ocean/city views, gourmet kitchen, one bedroom gues... 09/18/2017

Palos Verdes South Coast Botanic Garden is one of the world’s first botanical garden developed over a sanitary landfill.Amazingly at one time the Garden was covered by the Pacific Ocean. In the ocean there were a vast population of single cell algae called a diatoms. As they died they left behind a sediment know as crude distomite which has industrial uses for filtration as a stregthening component in building materials. During the early 1900′s the Dicalite Company began mining the earth and in 1944 the mine was sold.  By 1956 the mine declined and the site was sold to the County of Los Angeles to become a sanitary landfill.In 1961 a group of private citizens headed by Frances Young prevailed upon the County Board of Supervisorys to convert this site into a botanic garden. It was an exp... 09/16/2017

Palos Verdes Promenade Ice Chalet is a great place to visit, especially on a hot day and is one of the best skating locations here in the South Bay. They offer a fun family environment that would appeal to all members of the family.  If you have a young new skater who is trying to become familiar with the ice, they have their new “Bobby” a seal skating aid which you can rent for $8 to help guide your child around the ice.  They offer daily public skating and lessons of all types such as figure skating, hockey, broom ball, and camps throughout the year.For those who need a little help in learning how to handle the ice, they now offer free introduction classes on Saturday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., with admission and skate rental fees.  On your birthday you can also come in and enjoy a... 09/15/2017

Palos Verdes real estate sales August 2017 for Palos Verdes homes decreased compared to July.  62 Palos Verdes houses sold in August which decreased from the 78 homes sold in July and decreased from the the 65 homes that sold in August 2016.  There were 84 Palos Verdes single family homes pending in August which increased from the 66 homes pending in July.  The number of active Palos Verdes homes for sale in August (194) decreased from the 220 homes for sale in July. Average sales price for Palos Verdes homes sold in August decreased to $1,693,000 from $1,813,000 in July and from the $1,747,000 in August 2016.  Price per square foot for Palos Verdes houses that sold/closed escrow in August decreased to $602 from July ($642).  Average days on market in August increased to 40 days from t... 09/12/2017

South Coast Botanic Garden will be celebrating the 60th Annual Fall Orchid Show and Sale, which showcases hundreds of blooming orchids from all over the world, on Saturday, September 16, 2017, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sunday, September 17, 2017, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Palos Verdes homes owners can meet local commercial orchid growers to learn about companion plants, potting, planting and growing of orchids.  The growers will be offering a variety of unique species and hybrid orchids.  Not only will these plants be on sale, but expert volunteer members will be teaching the popular Orchids-R-Easy classes with demonstrations throughout the show.  The vendors will each have a display exhibit with an orchid theme.  There will also be volunteers to answer your questions.Classes ... 09/11/2017

 Palos Verdes homes sales in the Valmonte neighborhood for the first half of 2017 increased to 26 single family homes sold in 2017 compared to 20 in 2016.  Price per square foot for Valmonte houses that sold in the first half of 2017 decreased to $719 from $722 in 2016, a -0.4% decrease.  Average sales price for Valmonte homes sold in the first half of 2017 increased to $1,710,451 in 2017 compared to $1,706,533 in 2016.  The most expensive Palos Verdes home sale in the Valmonte neighborhood was $2,800,000 and the lowest priced Palos Verdes home sale in the Valmonte neighborhood was $1,070,000.Currently, the Valmonte neighborhood has 11 Palos Verdes homes for sale.  There are 11 single family homes for sale ranging in price from $1,425,000 for a 4 bedroom/2 bath, 2,114 square foot home, ... 09/07/2017

The Palos Verdes Library District has great free movies that they will be showing in the month of September.  Each month they offer a different selection of foreign movies, the latest releases and classic cinema.  Most of the screenings will have some post film discussion which adds an opportunity to socialize with others in the community.  The September Classic Movies at Noon will not be taking place because of the Labor Day holiday, but will return in October with In The Heat of the Night which will be shown on Monday, October 2, 2017, from 12:00 noon to 2:30 p.m.  The Classic Movies at Noon series takes place on the first Monday of every month and features Hollywood films from the 1930s through the 1970s. On Thursday, September 14, 2017, at 5:30 p.m., Cine-Monde film series (a film ... 09/06/2017

La Venta Inn is a historical landmark building that stood alone on the Peninsula hillside after it was built in 1923, at the cost of $17,000.The Inn was first called “Clubhouse 764″ but later had a name changed to La Venta (the sale) to represent the location where potential land purchasers were brought up to purchase a piece of property. In 1924 they were given lunch or dinner then taken to a cottage outside to close the deal.The building was designed by Pierpont and Walter Davis. The property was surrounded by rare and exotic plants to show prospective owners the varities that could be grown here on the peninsula. In the 1930′s early La Venta visitors were able to enjoy both meals and some even stayed in the few rooms that were available. It became the black tie restaurant and weekend... 09/05/2017

My favorite Palos Verdes Homes on the August 29, 2017, Palos Verdes real estate Broker’s Tour (15 homes had open houses today) are described below.  We currently have 200 single family Palos Verdes homes for sale ranging in price from $959,000 in Rancho Palos Verdes (The low in Eastview is $819,000) to $40,000,000 in the City of Rolling Hills.  There are 26 Palos Verdes condos/townhomes for sale priced between $345,900 and $2,298,000.  My favorite Palos Verdes homes today are:         Laurie Hurley & Timothy Hurley’s (Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices) 30316 Camino Porvenir, Rancho Palos Verdes 90275 (above left) is a 5 bedroom, 3 bath, 3,355 square foot home listed for $1,995,000.  This gorgeous updated Country Club home features soaring cathedral ceilings, an extra large two level mast... 09/05/2017

Palos Verdes residents will be celebrating LA Fleet Week September 1 through 4, 2017, with the arrival of five large navy ships (last year there were only three) which will be visiting the Port of Los Angeles.  This years visiting ships are: USS Anchorage, a San Antonio class amphibious transport dock landing ship, USS Dewey, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, USS Scout, the eighth ship in the Avenger class of mine countermeasure ships, USCG cutter Active WMEC-618, the eighth Coast Guard vessel to bear that name, and HMCS Ottawa, a Royal Canadian Navy Halifax-class frigate.  This is a great opportunity for Palos Verdes homes owners to tour these active duty ships for a one of a kind visit.  The ship tour tickets will allow admission to one ship only at a specific designat... 09/01/2017

The Korean Friendship Bell sits on the San Pedro side of the Palos Verdes Peninsula and is sometimes called the “Bell of Friendship”. The bell was donated as a Bicentennial gift in 1976 to the people of Los Angeles by the Republic of Korea to celebrate the bicentennial of the U.S. independence, honor veterans of the Korean War, and to recognize the friendship between the two countries. Over forty years ago then mayor, Tom Bradley dedicated the Korean Friendship Bell. The Friendship Bell weighs 17 tons and is twelve feel high and 7.5 feet wide.  The bell is made of copper and tin, with gold, nickel, lead and phosphorous for tone quality. On the sides of the bell the Statue of Liberty is paired four times with a Korean spirit.  Each Korean spirit holds up a different symbol – a design of ... 09/01/2017

Palos Verdes homes sales in the Monte Malaga neighborhood for the first half of 2017 increased to 23 single family homes sold in 2017 compared to 13 in 2016.  Price per square foot for Monte Malaga houses that sold in the first half of 2017 increased to $676 from $674 in 2016, a 0.2% increase.  Average sales price for Monte Malaga homes sold in the first half of 2017 increased to $2,828,304 in 2017 compared to $2,001,962 in 2016.  The most expensive Palos Verdes home sale in the Monte Malaga neighborhood was $7,000,000 and the lowest priced Palos Verdes home sale in the Monte Malaga neighborhood was $1,500,000.Currently, the Monte Malaga neighborhood has 16 Palos Verdes homes for sale.  There are 16 single family homes for sale ranging in price from $1,468,000 for a 3 bedroom/2 bath, 1,... 08/30/2017