Los Angeles, San Fran, San Diego and Washington D.C. region post gains as home prices still falling in most U.S. cities

While this article paints a dismal picture of the national real estate market, there is some good news for our region…See below and click the link to the article.

Of the 20 major metropolitan areas tracked by the Case-Shiller index, only three regions aside from Washington posted year-over-year gains: Los Angeles, San Diego and San Franciso.

Washington region posts gains as home prices still falling in most U.S. cities

        

Frank Zappa On The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson 4/3/1986

Two true icons of the late 20th century sitting down and chatting

I have been a huge fan of Frank Zappa’s music for a long time. It seems fitting to post this on FZ’s birthday. RIP Frank. Thanks for all the music. This is a two part interview. Part one is posted here, you can follow the link at the end of the video to part 2.

One Of My Favorite Radio Shows - WNYC’s Radiolab

I absolutely love WNYC’s Radiolab. If you dig stuff like This American Life (the best show on Radio) you will love Radiolab. If you love animals then you’ll love this story.
If you love this story. Share this blog post with a friend. Enjoy!
The player above will play the full program, but the story that I love is begins at the 3:57 mark. I recommend just sitting back and listening to the intro to the show. They set it up very nicely. The story that I love follows the intro.

NoHo Arts District Rentals – Available December 1st – 3 bedroom and 2 bedroom with bonus space

Gorgeous Newly restored 3 Bedroom 2 bath Craftsman with private yard, formal dining room, covered rear patio, lovely landscaping, Central heat and AC, alarm system. washer /dryer, Brand new everything. 1 car Garage, and additional off street parking. Pets will be considered. Offered at $2,500/month.

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Recently remodeled classic California cottage. Spacious 2 bedroom with a loft, and over 150 extra sq ft of bonus space. New kitchen, new bath, AC,  washer /dryer, private secure rear yard. 2 parking spaces. Pets will be considered. Offered at $1,800/month

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Easy to show. Email Anthony – anthony@anthonydp.com

www.anthonydp.com has launched!

Introducing the all new anthonydp.com! Your one-stop spot for Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and Westside real estate. Easy navigation, elegant, simple design, integrated MLS search tool. Click the link above and check it out.

Some Photos Taken Around Town

A message to my wife...

Cement Imprint

 

Homefront September Newsletter is now available online

This month's newsletter is now available. Click the link below. Feel free to share it online, or click the link at the top of the page to join the email list.

Follow this link:
HOMEFRONT SEPTEMBER 2010 EDITION

Just how low are interest rates?

Pretty Damn low. Check out this graph:



Via www.mortgage-x.com

If we just compare rates in June of this year to the present we find a drop off of .37% on a 30-year fixed mortgage, while 15-year fixed loans are .38% lower.

On a $500,000 loan, that amounts to a savings of about $1,900 per year.

Just Sold - 3253 Benda Street, Hollywood Knolls

1937 Hollywood Knolls traditional with modern appeal. 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths plus wonderful gallery-like den/office with high ceilings. Stylish and tranquil house ffeaturing crown moldings, hardwood floors, newer double paned windows, copper plumbing, remote controlled lighting, and a cool vibe. Great outdoor spaces - front view deck off the living room, secluded brick courtyard, side patio and grass yard. Tuck under attached garage with storage/workshop area. Terrific house on a lovely leafy hillside street.

Just Sold - 1815 Ridgeley, Mid-City

Lovingly renovated Mid-City Spanish, wonderful curb appeal, open floor plan with great layout, lots of natural light, and an expansive oasis-like backyard that has been fully landscaped. Brimming with character this home features:




Refinished oak hardwood floors, Moorish arched window,coved ceilings, crystal doorknobs and restored doors/hardware,Italian butterfly granite counters in kitchen, new cabinetry, and remodeled bathrooms with authentic Mexican tiling, French doors, redwood deck, private lanai, tankless hot water heater, copper plumbing, and restored Spanish tile roof.
Sold For $535,000

Just Sold - 938 Palm Ave #10, West Hollywood

Terrific price, spectacular location for this stunning West Hollywood condo. Two bedroom, 2 bath second floor unit in small pool building in the heart of prime WeHo, north of Santa Monica Blvd. Features include: open floor plan with newer Australian Merbau hardwood floors, designer kitchen with stainless steel appliances, 4 skylights, enormous master bedroom suite with Jacuzzi tub, and spacious closet, in-unit laundry, large dining room, recessed lighting, 2 side by side parking spaces and additional storage locker, building boasts a lovely, private pool area. No need to drive anywhere, this great home is walking distance to great shops, restaurants, bars, and grocery stores.

Listed For $485,000

Sold For $475,000

Click here to see the video tour

Click Here for the virtual tour

Coldwell Banker's Annual Awards Announced

Last month I was awarded membership in the Coldwell Banker’s International Diamond Society, a level achieved by only the top 5 percent of the approximately 96,600 sales associates worldwide in the Coldwell Banker® system. This marks the second year in a row that I have been given an award, and this is a step up from last year’s Sterling Society award. It comes with the accolades of the company's CEO.

“Coldwell Banker is recognized as a leader in the real estate industry because of professionals like Anthony Diaz-Perez,” said Jim Gillespie, president and chief executive officer of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. “Anthony has been given the International Diamond Society Award because of his outstanding dedication to helping customers recognize the value of real estate as a long term investment and finding the home that’s right for them.”

I am honored by this recognition. It is nice to have the appreciation of my company, but what matters most is the appreciation and loyalty of my clients, without whom I could never have achieved this award.

Just Sold - 5506 76th Street, Weschester

Located in the Osage heights area of Westchester - This spacious 3 bedroom 2 bath, 1400 square foot home boasts gleaming hardwood floors, permitted master suite and two story garage/office additions, den, sun porch, and lots of closet space. Close to the Westchester charter school on a quiet residential street.
Sold For $596,000

Great New Condo Listing - 938 Palm Avenue #10, West Hollywood

Terrific price, spectacular location for this stunning West Hollywood condo. Two bedroom, 2 bath second floor unit in small pool building in the heart of prime WeHo, north of Santa Monica Blvd. Features include: open floor plan with newer Australian Merbau hardwood floors, designer kitchen with stainless steel appliances, 4 skylights, enormous master bedroom suite with Jacuzzi tub, and spacious closet, in-unit laundry, large dining room, recessed lighting, 2 side by side parking spaces and additional storage locker, building boasts a lovely, private pool area. No need to drive anywhere, this great home is walking distance to great shops, restaurants, bars, and grocery stores.

Listed For $485,000

Click here to see the video tour

Click Here for the virtual tour

Friday Morning, Inglewood

Copyright Anthony Diaz-Perez

Shipping Container Dwellings Strike Again!

Via Curbed LA

I have already posted on modular shipping containers homes. It seems that even the Boy Scouts of America know sustainability. Curbed LA covers the architectural firm Gensler's replacing of the cabins that southern California scouts use on Catalina Island with sustainable shipping container structures. Check out the story here.

Massive Solar Power Project Proposed For Owens Valley

Many of you already know the rich and troubled history behind the city of LA and more specifically the Dept of Water and Power (LADWP) and the Owens Valley. For those of you who don't, the short version is: every drop of water that we get originated from the Owens river. The Los Angeles aqueduct, the brainchild of William Mulholland, delivers water from the the eastern Sierras into the DWP system. The growth and expansion of the San fernando Valley and the LA basin can be attributed to Mulholland's acheivement.

An impressive feat of engineering on the one hand, but a painful chapter in the lives of those Owens Valley residents who saw their environment completely change, and not for the better. The eco-system of Owens lake was obliterated and the valley now struggles with dust storms that result from the drying of the landscape.

There may be a happy ending to this sad tale with the recent news that the DWP has Proposed an enormous photovoltaic solar project at Owens lake. The proposed project, when completed, would span an area the size of Cleveland, Ohio. If approved, the resulting sustainable energy and green jobs that it would create, may be a gift that keeps on giving for the locals.

The DWP will need to enlist local support and repair the trust (if it ever existed)between the community and the Los Angeles municipal government. Given the history of the past 100 years that may be the biggest hurdle of all.

See the Los Angeles Time article here.

DataQuick Releases December Sales Figures - Market Has Improved Since December 2008

MDA Dataquick has just put out the December 2009 sales figures. Sales in the Southland rose 12.1% when compared with sales in December 2008. Their findings also indicate that the medain sales price has risen in each of the last eight months.

Trending upwards? Perhaps. Read the article HERE.

New Favorite Website - Lovelylisting.com

Sara Lorimer is your host and commentator for some of the most intriguingly weird, tasteless, and hilarious real estate photos taken from Multiple listing services from around the world. She's really very funny.


Via Lovelisting.com

Check it out:

http://www.lovelylisting.com/

90 Day Flip Rule Waived - Good News For Homebuyers and Investors

In an effort to stimulate more sales and stabilize the real estate market the Department of Housing and Urban Development, better known as HUD, has waived the "90-day flip rule."

The rule was put in place to protect buyers from predatory speculators who would purchase properties on the cheap, make low cost cosmetic repairs, and place the houses back on the market in an effort to pull a large profit. Many innocent buyers were left with substandard homes, and little recourse to the mitigating of damages. HUD, which oversees the FHA government insured mortgage program has not allowed FHA financing for homes that seller have owned for less than 90 days.

That rule will now be waived for the next year. Effective February 1, 2010 any buyer acquiring financing with an FHA mortgage can purchase any property regardless of how long it has been owned by the seller. This change will allow many buyers, a lot of them first-timers, to choose from the entire inventory of available homes. It will also allow many investors to quickly turn around rehabbed properties, and get them sold. The safeguard from the scumbags out there, of course will be your licensed REALTOR! Choose wisely.

The effect this will have may help stabilize pricing and create more activity in the housing market. Another potential result will be to revitalize blighted neighborhoods in areas where vacant properties are rampant.

See the press release from HUD here

Element Live/Work Lofts Marina Del Rey - 6 Units Back On Market

All 41 units sold during the December 13th court-ordered auction. After some delays, due to auctioneer errors, the average price per square foot came out to $415/sqft. The average overbid was $124,879.

Now that the dust has settled on the auction, as expected some of these units have already fallen out of escrow. They are now being offered on the open-market (refreshing no?) at the final auction sales prices.

The complex is a great build if you are a loft fan. The floor plans are bright, open and include Viking appliances, Ceasarstone counters, dual-sink bathrooms with large shower areas, dual showerheads and separate over-sized tub, generous balconies, polished concrete flooring. Each unit comes with 2 parking spaces, and there is a fitness center on site.

There are now 6 units available at the following prices.


Unit 201 $479,400 -- 1,070 sqft ($448/sqft)
Unit 207 $438,600 -- 1,270 sqft ($345/sqft)
Unit 409 $462,060 -- 1,070 Sqft ($432/sqft)
Unit 510 $448,800 -- 910 sqft ($493/sqft)
Unit 511 $518,160 -- 920 sqft ($563/sqft)
Unit 512 $805,800 -- 1,560 sqft ($516/sqft)

My opinion is that units 207 and 409 represent some of the better deals in the area for new construction boasting top-of-the-line amenities.

Have you seen these units? What's your opinion?