The Coolest House on Caravan!

14200 Mulholland Dr.
Bel-Air, CA

This stunning, sexy and sleek contemporary masterpiece is located atop prestigious Mulholland Drive. With its award winning design and dramatic 4,200 sq. ft. open floor plan, this home will take your breath away.

Completely remodeled by famed designer Thomas Schoos (Tao, Koi, Huntley) from floor to ceiling, this 4 bedroom, 4 baths, features hardwood Bamboo floors, loft, media room, and Swarovski crystal chandeliers. The custom closets, heated Salt water pool + Hot tub, 3 car garage, state of the art Gaggeneau chef's kitchen, 3 crushed glass fireplaces, and custom elevator combines elegance and luxury. With panoramic views. and located adjacent to the Beverly Glen Center, it's the best central Bel Air location in all of L.A. (Minutes from 405 & 101 freeways, Beverly Hills, Sunset Strip/Hollywood, Valley, Brentwood, UCLA and Santa Monica). The ultimate entertainer's dream home! Contact: Matt Altman- matthew@hiltonhyland.com 310-278-3311 323-791-9398

Lemonade Coming Soon to Brentwood!

Lemonade Restaurant offers a variety of salads, soups, sandwiches and, of course, lemonades in 5 locations in the Los Angeles area. However, they will soon be coming to Brentwood and bringing all their delicious goodies with them. Lemonade is a bit of the old mixed with the new...

From beef short rib sandwiches to moraccan chicken, mac n' cheese to chicken chili, and red velvet cupcakes to chocolate cherry brownie, Lemonade brings a variety of mouth watering dishes. This cafeteria style restaurant elevates lunch to a whole new level! The countdown begins until Lemonade arrives in Brentwood on 425 S. Barrington! I'll keep you posted...

For more information about Lemonade locations and menu, check out their website at http://www.lemonadela.com/lemonade-home

Wal-mart to Offer Healthier Foods

The large retailer, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., said it will strive towards stocking healthier foods at affordable prices. The company aims at offering thousands of food items by 2015 with reduced salt, sugar, and fat content by 10 to 25 percent.

The retail giant has more than 140 million customer visits a week, putting them in a position to make a huge difference. Wal-mart said it plans to reduce prices to save customers about a billion a year on fresh fruit and vegetables.

Some might see this move as a PR effort to win over the public and politicians that oppose Wal-mart's growth into urban markets, but the campaign is striving to make a difference nonetheless. It's the first step towards ending the divide between healthy and affordable foods. And let's face it- it's about time we have both.

Westside Real Estate Charts

Westside Real Estate Market Activity for 2010

Here are some statistics and charts for the Westside-Los Angeles real estate market. These statistics have been provided because they provide a large statistical sample and therefore, they more accurately indicate market trends. I think it is intersting to compare the Beverly Glen stats to these and see how The Glen stacks up against the greater Westside.

If you have questions or comments about this information, feel free to post comments here or, contact Mickey Kessler at mkessler@verizon or 310-367-2322.

(click on any chart for large view)

First Capital Mortgage Update

7 Mortgage Trends to Expect in 2011

by Steve Eckhoff of First Capital Mortgage

While they are expected to continue their climb, interest rates are still near historic lows, Financial experts suggest that borrowers should apply for a new mortgage loan, or refinance their home loan when the time is right for their individual needs, rather than attempt to time the market. While risk takers may be enthusiastic about waiting until the last minute to lock in a low mortgage interest rate, most homeowners and homebuyers prefer to observe general mortgage market trends and focus more intently on their own finances. Predicting a specific mortgage rate for a particular time is pretty nearly impossible, but real estate market observers have identified a few trends that they anticipate will impact the mortgage market in 2011:

1. Mortgage rates will slowly rise throughout the year
The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) anticipates that rates will rise slightly in 2011, hovering around 5 percent and increasing to about 6 percent in 2012. Holden Lewis of Bankrate wrote this past fall that economists had predicted a rise in mortgage rates by the third quarter of 2010. At the end of 2010, mortgage rates began to climb out of the 4 percent range and slightly above 5 percent. While any increase in mortgage rates is unwelcome to homeowners who want to refinance or to buyers, a 5 percent mortgage rate is still historically in the low range of interest rates.

2. Overall demand for mortgages will decrease
The MBA predicts that total mortgage originations for 2011 will decline to less than $1 trillion, driven by subdued economic growth and a lack of consumer confidence.

3. Mortgage refinancing applications will drop
Mortgage refinancing has represented a large portion of all mortgage applications in any given week this year, with the refinancing applications accounting for about 80 percent of all mortgages written this year. The MBA predicts that refinancing activity will drop below 40 percent of mortgages in 2011 and decline further to 26 percent of mortgages in 2012. Not only will rising mortgage rates reduce the demand for refinancing, but the pool of qualified homeowners will shrink. Homeowners who could qualify are likely to have done so in 2010, and others have difficulty obtaining a loan approval because of reduced equity or credit or income challenges.

4. Mortgage applications for a home purchase will become a greater part of the market
The MBA predicts that stabilizing home prices and modest increases in home sales will
increase the number of applications for a mortgage for a home purchase.

5. Jumbo loan mortgages will be more attractive
In 2009 and earlier in 2010, mortgage rates for jumbo loans (loans over $417,000 in most housing markets and above $729,750 in high cost housing markets) were far higher than mortgage rates for conforming loans. The higher rates prevented homeowners from refinancing and kept some purchasers out of the market for more expensive homes. In the Q4 of 2010, mortgage rates on jumbo loans decreased, which will likely spur refinancing applications and purchase applications for the high-end housing market.

6. All-cash purchases will become a larger part of the market
Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the National Association of Realtors, says that all-cash purchases represented about a quarter of all existing home purchases in the last four months of 2010. He anticipates all-cash purchases to continue to represent a significant portion of the market in 2011.

7. The mortgage loan process will remain slow and complex
Holden Lewis at Bankrate says even if the number of loan applications drops, lenders anticipate that the time between application and closing will continue to take as much as 60 days. In fact, many lenders recommend a loan lock of 60, 75 or even 90 days to ensure that the loan process will be complete within the lock period. One issue is simply the new level of documentation and verification that is required for a loan approval. Another issue that slows refinancing applications is the existence of a second mortgage or a home equity line of credit, which must be resubordinated to the first loan when refinancing. Getting a lender to agree to keep the home equity loan in the second position can be time-consuming.

The bottom line
While these general mortgage trends may impact the real estate market overall, each homeowner or buyer considering applying for a mortgage should meet with a lender to determine the cost and availability of a loan that meets his or her needs.

For inquiries and more information contact Steve Eckhoff of First Capital Mortgage at 310-470-8080 or Mickey Kessler of Coldwell Banker at 310-367-2322.

Restaurant Deals for January!

Whether you're a foodie or not, you can still appreciate discounts from restaurants all over Los Angeles.

DineLA restaurant week is a two week dining event that gives locals and food lovers a chance to indulge in a 3-course meal at a variety of restaurants for a special price. This event will go from Jan. 23-Jan 28; and Jan. 30- Feb. 4.

Lunch menus range from $16-$28 and dinner starts at $26-$44, depending on the restaurants. No tickets or coupons are required for this discount, but reservations are recommended as some restaurants fill up quickly.

Popular restaurants like Lawry's Prime Rib and BOA Steakhouse are participating in this event, as well as local favorites like Fraiche and Napa Valley Grille. This might be the perfect time to sample some new restaurants in the area!

For a complete list of participating restaurants, visit http://discoverlosangeles.com/restaurantweekv2/index.jsp

Great deals for the westside!

Feeling like some thai food? Want to also save money? Today the website groupon.com is offering $40 worth of authentic thai cuisine for $20! The featured restaurant is Boraan in Beverly Hills, CA.

If you're in Santa Monica, there's also a 56% discount for one all day pass to Art Los Angeles Contemporary. Maybe it's time to take a break and gaze at the wonders of creativity...

Check out livingsocial.com to also find deals in your area. These websites offer a great way to enjoy local restaurants and entertainment while saving you money :)

Want FREE land?

Happy New Year everyone! Let's start off 2011 with some free land. Yes, you read that right- FREE LAND.

Some towns in states such as Iowa, Minnesota, and Kansas are offering free land in hopes of attracting more people to the area.

In Marne, Iowa, applicants need only to submit proposed floor plans for the house they want to build. Of course there is a catch. Just because the land is free doesn't mean that there's no cost at all. You have to hire architects, constructors, plumbers, etc.. to build your home. In Richland, Minnesota, the free land also comes with fees for services provided by the town such as streets, curb, water, and sewer which can easily add up to thousands of dollars.

For those of you that are interested in this "free" land and are ready to move out to the midwest, check out this link for more information: http://finance.yahoo.com/real-estate/article/111360/7-towns-where-land-is-free?mod=realestate-buy

Christmas is over...now it's time for the RETURNS!

Hope everyone had a happy Christmas. Now that the gifts have been opened, the next step to wrapping up the holidays is to make all those returns... Yes, I know it can be a hassle to take back all those unwanted presents, especially when retailers don't want to take them back. However, to make returns easier on you and the retailer, here are some tips:

1. Gift Receipts- Make sure to give your recepient a gift receipt for the present. It makes it a lot easier for them to exchange the item for something else. If you're the one making the return, bring along your gift receipt. It makes the process faster because the store doesn't have to look up the item and make you fill out extra documentation.

2. Bring ID- Be ready to show your ID for your returns. With return fraud estimated at 14.8 billion last year, according to the National Retail Federation, retailers are pushing towards ID for all returns.

3. Know the return policy- Pay attention to the policy of the retailer. Some items are exchange only while others offer no refunds at all. Also, some stores set a limited time for which you can make your returns. Thus, if you miss the deadline, then the item is forever yours...So read the receipt or call the retailer directly to find out when you have to make the return by.

4. Go early- Personally, I have experienced better and faster service when I go to the store as soon as they open. There tends to be less crowds in the morning and the cashiers aren't burnt out by the time it's your turn in line to be helped.

Those are just a few tips to make those holiday returns go more smoothly. Remember, you can't avoid the returns so you might as well make the best of it. Goodluck!

The BEST GIFT for the holidays!

The U.S. economy may be getting the best gift of all this holiday season...

According to Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary index of consumer sentiment, confidence among U.S. consumers rose to 74.2 from 71.6 at the end of November. This is the highest level its been in the past 6 months. Consumers seem to be spending more and hesitating less. Now what could possibly be a better gift than a recovering economy?

Goodbye freeway...hello BULLET train!

Tired of driving from NorCal to SoCal? Well that may soon be a problem of the past because California is receiving more federal funding for the construction of a bullet train.

The Department of Transportation announced that it would be redirecting 624 million to California's high speed rail project, putting the state's total federal funding to 3.1 billion. The estimated cost to build a system that would link Sacramento and San Francisco to Los Angeles and San Diego is near 43 billion.

The question now is: how long will it take to build? Maybe we won't be saying goodbye to the freeways anytime soon...

For full article, visit: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2036197,00.html

Who says we don't have seasons in Los Angeles?

Took these photos while driving around Los Angeles...

Hope you enjoy this bit of Fall/Winter...

Musha Restaurant

424 Wilshire Boulevard Santa Monica, CA
Can you say mmMMackerel?! Musha is a small Japanese tapas style restaurant in Santa Monica with the most amazing seared mackerel. It's brought out to your table, the meat is thinly sliced, and the waiter comes and torches it in front of you O_o I went here with a friend and we each got our own fish, because it was too good to share. It's $11 per order, but BOY was it worth it!

The tofu fries are also good, crispy on the outside and soft inside...definitely refreshing from your typical potato fries. My friend and I also shared an order of croquettes which was decent, but not memorable. However the udon noodles with clams, garlic, and mushroom was YUMMY! The sauce was made perfect, not too salty and full of flavor from the clams and garlic. The noodles were chewy, not undercooked, so really nice texture :)

We ended the meal with apple tartin and vanilla icecream, which again was decent, but didn't really blow me out of the water.

Overall this is a cute little place hidden away from the promenade. It's not a good place if you're going with a big group because the space is small. I'd recommend going here on a date because it's cozy and the plates are made for sharing. Beware, it does get a bit busy during the dinner rush but it stays open until 11:30pm so you could come here after a nice walk on the pier a couple blocks down.


posted by Jennifer Nguyen

The coolest house on caravan!

822 N. Norman Pl., Los Angeles,

California

A warm and inviting mid-century architectural that exudes style and serenity, secluded from the street by lush landscaping. Conveniently located within walking distance of shops and restaurants.



The remodeled kitchen is a work of art with soaring 20-ft. ceilings opening to a zen bamboo garden and patio with period fountain.
The open flow from the living and dining rooms to the lawn and pool invites a real California lifestyle.

There are three family bedrooms and two baths plus a large custom office as well as a family/media room with fireplace and additional office on the first floor.


An elegant master suite with stunning bath and large walk-in closet is a peaceful oasis with its balcony overlooking the lush, private grounds and swimmers' pool.
There are three family bedrooms and two baths plus a large custom office as well as a family/media room with fireplace and additional office on the first floor.

Contact:
Mary Beth Woods- mwoods@marybethwoods.com
310-571-1358
Mickey Kessler-
mkessler@verizon.net
310-367-2322

Cyber Monday beats Black Friday report says

Searching for a new tool box? Hammer? From home products to clothes, online stores are offering it all and then some.

According to research firm Coremetrics, Cyber Monday pulled in 31.1% more online sales than Black Friday this year.

Coremetrics reported that Cyber Monday generated 19.4% more purchases than last year. Consumers seem to be more inclined to the convenience of online stores where you can shop wherever and whenever. The average online shopper spent about $194.89 according to Coremetrics.

As an additional bait, some companies often offer additional savings, extra freebies, and low to free shipping when you buy online. This after-Thanksgiving retail boost may just be what the economy needs!

For full article in the LA Times, visit http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/11/cyber-monday-black-friday-online-purchases-coremetrics.html

Just in! Morgage trends for 2011...

Some morgage trends to look out for according to Bankrate.com.

Bankrate asked a half-dozen mortgage professionals to weigh in on where housing is headed as 2010 comes to an end and 2011 begins. Here are some of their predictions:

1. Mortgage rates will stay low.

2. Foreclosure "overhang" possible.

3. Processing time will remain long.

4. Zero cost refinancing will look more attractive.


Want more info? You can visit: http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=26405117

Recent Sales in 90024 & 90025

Hi all! Here's the 411 on recent sales in Westwood...

*Does not include all areas in Westwood.

Have questions about your area? Feel free to contact me!

Home improvement tip #1

The first tip in home improvent:

Understand that the cost of a job may not get the equal amount in resale value later on.

If you're planning to spruce up your home, be aware that not all improvement jobs will get a big investment return when you decide to sell. In general, you will end up paying more for the job than what you will get back in return, which is about 16% less in value.

Check out the list for what job gives you the highest return on investment.

For more information on home renovation visit http://money.cnn.com/2010/11/16/real_estate/home_remodeling_costs/index.htm

Housing in California now MORE affordable!

Good news everyone! As featured in the Los Angeles Times, housing affordability in California is on a rise, meaning more buyers could afford a standard home in the fabulous Golden State. For more details and information, check out the LA Times link provided below.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2010/11/housing-affordability-on-the-rise.html

I Have A New Listing in Beverly Glen! Check Out This Exciting Condo Alternative. . .

OPEN TODAY 1-4 PM! For those of you looking for a condo, but secretly wishing that you could buy a home on the Westside in the same price range, check out my new listing at 1260 Fernbush Lane in Beverly Glen. List Price $679,000!!!

For showings and more information contact Mickey Kessler at 310-367-2322 or mkessler@verizon.net