Category: Blog
It was news when Oleg Tverdovsky bought a beautiful Manhattan Beach home in 2007 for 2mil 49 thousand dollars and it is certainly news now that he sold it for $2,065,000. The beautiful Manhattan Beach home has 3,350-square-foot of living space home with five bedrooms and four bathrooms. Los Angeles is not losing him altogether, as the super star still owns a home in Bel-Air which he bought in 2010 for $5.4 million. Read More
In recent years, in the South Bay real estate Market, condominiums have become more and more popular with all age groups and income brackets, and for good cause. More and more people are choosing condos as their homes and many say its because of less maintenance and upkeep over a single family home. In a condominium complex there is no yard work, painting that has to be done,(except for inside)etc. When purchasing a condo or a home in a planned development, or cooperative or common interest development, like a condominium, there are covenants written specifically for that complex or development to maintain the property values, safety, asthetics, etc., thus helping to increase the value of the investment the homeowners have made. Covenants are often lumped together under the collective term of "covenants, conditions, and restrictions" or CC&Rs, which is a term commonly found in real estate documents. Since most covenants involve some kind of condition or restriction placed upon the buyer, the collective term "CC&Rs" has been more widely used in recent years to indicate the existence or future existence of limitations associated with the use of the purchased land also. CC&Rs basically affect what you can do, or not do, on "common area" of the property. For example: you most likely can't park your boat or RV in the driveway, put up a basketball hoop, put up a fence, even plant trees without pre approval from the homeowners association and in accordance with the developments CC&Rs. In some condo buildings, or developments, you may not be able to rent out your condominium unit. When looking at real estate to purchase, your South Bay Realtor is the best person to explain the CC&Rs and the responsibility of the homeowners association for a condo building or complex. CC&Rs are written by attorneys and are submitted to the building department and approved by the city during the initial construction permitting phase. Read More
Its that time again….Daylight Savings Time Ends and the rush of Holidays Begin. To make sure that your finishing off your year strong I’ve included the following 15 ways to manage your day effectively. Make it a great one!! Fall Back! This Sunday at 2 AM... Read More
Unless you are looking for a single family home, or a home in a particular area like the beach, Torrance has a selection of senior housing like no where else. Condos, town homes, and beautiful apartments are just waiting for discriminating senior to come and experience the new and... Read More
Most people look at corner lots as a plus, however even though you might get a bigger sized lot for the same price, it might not be what you want in the long run. There is more upkeep and maintenance as the total front yard area is usually much bigger. On the other hand look at this Torrance Home for sale, It sits perfectly on a corner lot on Maple Ave. There can be the problem of people using the sidewalks on either side and then cutting across the yard. Traffic noise could be much higher due to having a home basically on two different streets, however if there is stop signs then it might be less. Corner lots are not preferred by people who have young children as they usually would rather have larger backyards for the kids to play in. You could have more parking on a corner lot. The lot is much larger. You would only have one neighbor on the front side instead of two. You would usually have more unobstructed views out your windows. Corner lots allow more light to come into the home. It really comes down to your own preference and the corner lot and home itself. There are pros and cons and each situation has to be looked at individually. Price of course will play a big part in the consideration. Read More
Shopping around and taking some time can pay off today when looking to find the best deal in mortgage loans for either purchasing or refinancing that new South Bay Home, however one needs to be aware of all of the costs involved and specifically the origination costs. Those costs can be as little as zero dollars and go all the way up to thousands. Talk to several banks and other direct mortgage lenders but also talk to mortgage brokers and mortgage bankers to get a clearer idea of what is available and who has the best all around rates. Read More
Well, it's almost that time of year to start looking for that "perfect pumpkin" to carve and to start thinking about a costume to wear for trick or treating, or that Halloween party. Everyone wants to have a safe and happy Halloween for themselves, their guests and their children. Using a few safety tips and some common sense can help you make the most of your Halloween season, keeping it as enjoyable for your kids as it is for you! The excitement of children and adults at this time of year can sometimes make them not as careful as they would normally be. Kids look forward to Halloween for many reasons. They like the dressing up in costumes but mostly they like it for the candy and treats! Even some adults still like to go out trick or treating. It makes them feel young and happy again. The best rule of safety for Halloween is to use common sense, accompany your children while they are out trick or treating and don't eat any of the candy until you are back home, in the light and can see what you are eating. Be traffic wise, watch out for cars when cutting back and forth across the streets. If your kids are going out by themselves, have them follow a planned route and supply them with a cell phone in case of emergency. Have a set time for them to be home. Let them know that they should stay together as a group if going out to trick or treat without an adult. Let your children know not to cut through back alleys and fields if they are out alone. Make sure they know to stay in populated areas and not to go off the beaten track. Let them know to stay in well lighted areas with lots of people around. Know about any city curfews in your planned route of trick or treating. Remember, children should always go out trick or treating accompanied by a responsible adult if possible. If you have a group of kids going, get two or three of the parents to help by going along to keep their eyes on what going on around them. Read More
When we are getting ready to sell our El Segundo home, or even if we are just wanting to update our homes we need to know which improvement has the best return in value. Obviously some updates will bring in a better return in value than others. First and foremost is kitchen remodels which is always 100%. Doing high end kitchen remodeling is not always the best way to go either. Mid range or minor remodels of kitchens most often brings in best return in value according to Remodeling Magazine. Most potential buyers don't care if the new refrigerator is a built in Sub Zero type or something less. The same is true with having the 8 burner stoves, under mount sink or travertine floors. Granite counters are not necessary. Simple laminates, newer faucets and sparkling sinks sell. Buyers don't want leaky faucets or stained sinks. With regards to the cabinets; resurfacing is the best option and replacing the doors and/or hardware is the best way to go. The national average of recouped cost is more than 100% for bathrooms. New floors, fixtures and lights payoff. Buyers will shy away from buying a home if the roof needs to be replaced. Some other suggestions: Patch cement cracks in the sidewalks, resurface asphalt driveways, plant some flowers, caulk the windows and doors, replace doorknobs and locks, repair and paint broken fences. Overall, buyers want to buy a home that has no deferred maintenance, newer appliances, updated plumbing, electrical and heating (including a/c), modern conveniences and is ready to occupy. Read More
No amount of decorating can make a Hermosa Beach house feel like a home without using the right accessories. The correct accessories can be the icing on the cake - the touches that transform a space into a unique and personal reflection of its inhabitants. Good planning and some basic knowledge about decorating is essential when adding any accessories, for any occasion. You can also make your own accessories. This is a fun way and a cheap way to add some style to your home. For example, things like curtains, pillows and other items made up from any fabrics will soften a room and add comfort to a home. Many good books on the subject are available and are recommended whether you are new at this or an old pro. Books that cover floors, furniture, doors, windows, furniture arrangement, using flowers and bouquets, painting ideas, tools required, tips and many other ideas are available, as well as the going labor costs if you have to hire outside help. Read More
Not knowing how long to keep different things contributes to household clutter. Being very unorganized can cost you time and money also. Find out when things should be tossed out before spending time packing them for a move for example. Learn what documents you should keep and which ones should be shredded or tossed. Same with old medicines and prescriptions. Most of us keep closets and drawers full of old clothes that should have been tossed years ago. Makeup? Toss it out if its a year old or more. Same with spices in the kitchen. Toiletries usually are used up by the expiration date, but if not, use the 1 year toss out rule. A good way to save on everything you use is to get everything organized. All clutter will cost you time and money. If you don't know where something is, and you need it, you will go out and purchase a duplicate, costing extra money. When you have to look and look for something each time you need it, this is costing you valuable time. If you can get your items organized, your life will become much simpler and finding the things you want easier. Read More