Blog

Zillow Group is facing a $60 million lawsuit for negligence after a listing on its site was hacked last month.  The listing – for a $150 million property in Bel Air, California – was hijacked by someone using a Chinese internet protocol address who posted false sales information about the property, according to an article in The Washington Post. (more…)

Most markets across the country are still seeing home prices inch up, although at a slower pace than in previous quarters. The national median single-family home price in the fourth quarter of 2018 was $257,600, up 4 percent from a year ago, the National Association of REALTORS® reported Tuesday. (more…)

Basics of Curb Appeal Landscaping Drawing the attention of passers-by with an attractive street-side view is not an impossible task to accomplish. But these few basics could help you get started. Make sure to include a focal point in your yard – be it a bench, fountain, tree, or anything you think goes with your house. Whatever you’re planning on doing, don’t overdo it. Just keep it clean and tidy so that the whole place looks aesthetic and composed. Throw away the old and bring in the new. Always take out the weed, rotten and dead stuff before it catches the attention of onlookers. At the same time, try and update the look of your house with a thing or two that’s in trend, but inexpensive. Now that you’re aware of the basics let’s get into the landscaping ideas that will instantly give your house a facelift and is quite easy on the eye. (more…)

Tax Reform Update: A New Way to Reduce Taxes on Rental Income by Amanda Han | BiggerPockets.com Looking for expert tax tips to maximize your deductions this year? The Book on Tax Strategies for the Savvy Real Estate Investor by Amanda Han and Matthew MacFarland is written by experienced CPAs and geared towards investors. Pick up a copy from the BiggerPockets Bookstore! (more…)

Our quarterly homes sold reports for San Marino are available now.  They are being mailed now and are also available on my website for you to download. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or if you'd like any specific or additional information about the current market.  

The San Marino Public Safety Commission was well-attended by approximately 20 residents on Monday, Jan. 21., a vast majority of whom were in attendance to hear updates and share concerns on the proposed San Marino projects to be funded by the Measure R funding, a tax voted in by Los Angeles County voters that was dedicated exclusively to vehicle-oriented projects. Michael Throne, San Marino Parks and Public Works director and city engineer, presented a detailed proposal for five different projects that are meant to relieve congestion and increase capacity and efficiency along major thoroughfares in San Marino. The city has been allocated $32 million in Measure R funds for the 2020-2021 fiscal year, with no local match requirement, as part of a 4-year expenditure plan. Throne noted that the funds are twice the amount that the city currently has saved in its capital improvement fund and would increase capital programming by 66 percent. for more click here

Los Angeles County will see moderate job growth of just over 1 percent for the rest of this year, but the median home price will rise as much as 10 percent. Those are the projections from an economic forecast released April 26 from Los Angeles-based Beacon Economics. Continued here...

Investing for retirement is historically fraught with risk and fear. Investors in this group are generally older, ready to press on the brakes and work less yet still need a reliable source of income. Of the myriad opportunities available, one investment vehicle stands above the rest as far as consistency regardless of the current economic climate and has withstood the test of time through all cycles of the economy and various administrations. That vehicle would be real estate. For more of the article, please click here.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="373"] Real Estate Prices could tumble 8-12% if the new tax law passes[/caption] And despite studies that have indicated that the mortgage interest deduction might not be good tax policy, it's been good for the real estate market. Without it, the NAR anticipates that housing prices will fall by at least 10% across the board. The organization recently released a report breaking out on a state-by-state basis how the proposed tax reform efforts might hurt home values. Their findings?  The NAR estimates that home values would fall in every state. (more…)

So you've decided to list your home this winter. Perhaps you've had a job change, need to relocate out of the area, or have financial or family reasons for moving. No matter what is driving the move, you may be concerned about selling at this time of year. But just because you missed the boat on the spring selling season doesn't mean you can't get your home sold quickly, and for a profit. A few tips can help get it moving.