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Archive for November, 2009

Listing Homes During the Holidays Goes Against Conventional Wisdom?

 Holiday-Season Listings: Advantages? 

You probably remember Summer, but that was a long time ago. Turkey Day is near and, wham!, it’s 2010.

So is now – right now – a good time to put your home up for sale?

Conventional wisdom, and most people’s experience, would say no. Indeed, lots of listings take the holiday season off entirely and come back in January or February.

“11 Reasons to List During the Holidays”

1. Holiday-season buyers are more serious.
2. Some buyers must buy by year-end for tax purposes.
3. Job transferees often start in January; they’ll want a house by then.
4. Buyers have more time to look during the holidays.
5. Those buyers will face more limited supply due to the ordinary dropoff in listings.
6. Supply will “dramatically increase” in January, so if you wait to sell, you’ll be one of many more options later.
7. Homes show better with holiday decorations.
8. Holiday-season buyers are more emotional, so they’re “more likely to pay your price!”
9. Sell now and you can be ready to buy in Spring when more options are available to you.

  

Source: Manhattan Beach Confidential

Cash For Clunkers: Check out What Brock Harris Has to Say #1

Brock is a friend of ours who serves the Silverlake, Hollywood East Market, including Los Filez.  I particularly like his takes, understanding of investment properties, and we will post his latest news.   Call him direct if you need a property out there and mention our names for a better deal!

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Brock Real Estate – Cash for Clunkers Extended, Home Edition.
November 6th, 2009. This issue is going out to 3,468 subscribers.
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It’s all over the internet so I won’t repeat every detail, but basically, the $8K homebuyer’s tax CREDIT (not a deduction – a credit actually offsets what you have to pay in April) is extended through April 30 of next year. Because the most common type of loan today requires 3% down, this credit makes an average LA house a no-money down purchase.

Existing home owners get some love too. Trader-uppers get a $6500 credit if they’ve lived in their current residences for at least five years.

In both cases, if you make over $125K a year ($225K for a couple), or if the new house costs over $800K, no soup for you.

In other news (not news if you’re currently writing offers): according to Redfin, 61% of real estate sales in LA are “competitive” (read: multiple offers).

Here’s a hot tip to get a great deal: If you are a TENANT in a house that’s been foreclosed on, you have a golden opportunity to BUY the house. Most bank listing agents are all about volume, they just want it sold, and with you IN the house, it’s darned hard to market (and sell). MAKE AN OFFER. I’ve heard of people doing this twice.

The listing agent likely won’t represent you (bank agents usually can’t “double-end” deals), so call me if you’re living in a house and an REO sign just went up in the front yard.

As always, if you’re thinking of moving, call me!

Brock
(213) 842-7625

P.S. If you are TENANT in a house that’s been foreclosed on, here’s a VERY handy breakdown of your rights: http://211losangeles.org/News/tenantsforeclosure.pdf

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Contact Info
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Thanks for reading and forwarding to friends and family.
To be taken off any future mailings scroll down and click.

Brock Harris
Brock Real Estate
DRE License # 01511068
2235 Hyperion Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90027
cell 213-842-7625 fax 323-644-9387
brock@silverlakerealestate.com

Hussey-Design Takes Ultra Contemporary To the Next Level

Just when you think you have seen all the magazine articles, HGTV specials, and press regarding Architecture in The New Age, along comes another project by Hussey Design which eclpises the way we think the modern home should be.

As the City of Los Angeles closes in on our Westside world, as density and the need to walk or ride to shopping and entertainment becomes paramount; new designers or builders must figure how to create the ideal living environment in A+ neighborhoods on average to good lots.  Nowadays we want location yet privacy, luxury without being too ostentatious, and mix in a lot of practicality. 

In the short time I have known Rob the builder, designer of this home , I have come to realize that he has a knack for understanding how people aspire to function and live in their own home.  He strives to make things beautiful, yet smart.  With his quest to use sustainable materials and natural light, what you end up with is something to always be excited to come home to.  I have seen thousands of LA’s premier homes and have yet to see anything like the last two Rob has been involved in.  Seven hundred Kingman is exactly this, an oasis to come home to.

Today, 700 Kingman Ave in the Santa Monica Canyon is evolving into a masterpiece as it nears completion.  Like his last project 171 Anita in Brentwood, www.171anita3.com, which is now complete you will find some similarities and some dramatic differences. Take a look for yourself:

ROB HUSSEY’S LATEST HOME: AN EDGY, ECLECTIC MODERN NESTLED IN THE SANTA MONICA CANYON AND FEATURING A THREE-CAR GARAGE, TWO-STORY VOLUMES, GLASS CATWALKS, BENT STEEL STAIRS, ALUMINUM, MAHOGANY, AND PLATE GLASS WINDOWS, COLORED PLASTER WALLS, CONCRETE FIREPLACES, CONCRETE COUNTERTOPS AND SINKS, RHEINZINK PANELS AND ROOFS, EXPOSED WOOD, CONCRETE AND STRUCTURAL STEEL, RADIANT HEAT, FINISHED CONCRETE AND BLACK BAMBOO FLOORS, SALINE POOL AND SPA, KOI POND WITH FLOATING BRIDGE, OUTDOOR SHOWER IN BAMBOO GARDEN, AND WATERFALLS. INDOOR-OUTDOOR ARCHITECTURE HIGHLIGHTED BY THREE 10-FOOT SLIDING GLASS DOORS THAT OPEN THE LIVING AREAS TO OUTDOOR POOLS, SPAS, PONDS, WATERFALLS, FIREPLACES AND DINING PATIOS. A NUMBER OF FEATURES

DESIGNED BY HUSSEY INCLUDING SCULPTURAL CHANDELIERS, FLOATING BASEBOARDS, FIREPLACE HEARTHS, CANTILEVERED GLASS SINK, CONCRETE WINE WALL, AND A HANGING GLASS SHOWER WALL. IMPECCABLY FINISHED WITH UNPARALLELED ATTENTION TO DETAIL. LOCATED ON KINGMAN AVENUE, THE NICEST STREET IN THE CANYON AND BUILT INTO THE SIDE OF THE CANYON WITH EXTERIOR ACCESS FROM NEARLY EVERY ROOM.