Palos Verdes Lifestyle - Norma Toering's PV Real Estate Blog

Point Fermin area of San Pedro home sales report for September 2009.

Active listings: 7 Homes are currently for sale in Point Fermin priced from $410,000 to $1,580,000.

Pending sales: 3 Properties are currently in escrow priced from $268,000 to $429,900.

September sales: 3 Houses sold in September 2009 in Point Fermin:

• Denison Ave $475,000
• Kerckhoff Ave $520,000
• Kerckhoff Ave $549,000
  

Previous Palos Verdes and San Pedro Market Reports

Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty
(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800

PalosVerdesLifestyle - Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper.

South Bay Los Angeles cities I sell real estate, property, houses and homes in: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Long Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Find Norma on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn - Email Norma

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Palisades home sales activity report for San Pedro, California during September 2009.

Active listings: 13 Properties are currently for sale in the Palisades priced from $525,000 to $2,299,000.

Pending sales: 5 Homes are in escrow priced from $469,000 to $630,000.

September sales: 6 Houses sold during Sept. 2009:

• Almeria St $525,000
• 26th St $540,000
• 26th St $547,500
• Patton Av $580,000
• 27th St $600,000
• Parker St $635,000
  

Previous Palos Verdes and San Pedro Market Reports

Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty
(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800

PalosVerdesLifestyle - Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper.

South Bay Los Angeles cities I sell real estate, property, houses and homes in: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Long Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Find Norma on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn - Email Norma

Palos Verdes Homes for Sale - Palos Verdes Houses
Palos Verdes Horse Property - Palos Verdes Realtor Blog
Palm Desert Area Lots for Sale - Homes with Views in Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes Coastal Homes

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South Shores home sales activity report for San Pedro, California during September 2009.

Active listings: 9 Homes are currently for sale in South Shores priced from $729,000 to $1,259,000.

Pending sales: No houses in South Shores are currently in escrow.

September sales: No properties closed escrow during September 2009 in the South Shores neighborhood.

Previous Palos Verdes and San Pedro Market Reports

Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty
(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800

PalosVerdesLifestyle - Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper.

South Bay Los Angeles cities I sell real estate, property, houses and homes in: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Long Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Find Norma on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn - Email Norma

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Perhaps you fell in love at first sight. Or maybe it took some time for those feeling to emerge, but if you're like most homeowners, you love your house. After all, it is home and the place where many milestone moments in your life have taken place. There are memories to be dealt with.

If you're ready to sell it, it's time to sever the heartstrings and take a long hard look at those emotional ties. Yes, this is a bit of a breakup. It's time to shed some light on the flaws, deal with the deficiencies and acknowledge it is time to move on.

Leaving gracefully is always a challenge. Do you simply walk away, or do you engage in some home therapy to make the place more appealing to prospective suitors?

You may recall memories of kids and pets frolicking on the family room floor. They see stained and worn carpet.

You see a roof you have nursed through the years with patches and tar. They see a big expense looming on the horizon.

You see the trees you planted as saplings towering high overhead. They see trees that need to be trimmed.

The pool has a small leak, but it was not a big of deal to you. It will be to them.

The decision to sell moves the savvy homeowner from owner to seller, and those are two very different stances. As a seller, your house is now a product to be placed on the open market. The days of it functioning as your home are numbered.

It's easy to overlook flaws when you're in love; you've grown accustomed to the quirks and personality of your home. However, those endearing attributes can cost you thousands of dollars when it comes time to sell.

More Seller Tips from Norma!

Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty
(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800

PalosVerdesLifestyle - Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper.

South Bay Los Angeles cities I sell real estate, property, houses and homes in: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Long Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Find Norma on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn - Email Norma

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Your down payment of 20% is in the bank for that million-dollar home you want to buy in Palos Verdes. Congratulations, but there is still work to be done before you start shopping:

Know the Score: If you're not already familiar with your credit score, find out what your number is. If it's below 700 spend a few months pumping it upward. If necessary, there are professionals who can help you clean it up.

They've Got Your Number: One of the first things a lender will do when you apply for a loan is run your credit score. That's why you know what it is and have taken the steps to send it skyward.

Low is Better than High: Credit card balances are best kept on the low side in the months before you plan to purchase a home. Running a high balance will impact your credit score and your ability to secure a home loan.

Wait for New Wheels: Monthly installment payments impact your credit score, so postpone adding a new car (or other major purchase) in the months before you plan to buy a home.

Show Me the Money: In addition to the down payment, you'll need at least three months of living expenses tucked away--maybe more.

Keep the Job You Have: The months before a move is not the time to change jobs. Banks are looking for some stability and recent job-hopping makes them a little jittery.

Two Homes Equal Two Payments: It takes a truckload of cash to carry two homes for an indefinite period of time. The banks do not want to take back your home; they already have enough real estate on their books from past mistakes. More than likely, they'll give you the soft rejection, by asking you to come back when you have more cash or have sold your current house.

My advice is to sell the first one before you buy the next one. You may have to rent until your dream home comes on the market, but straddling two homes can be a very uncomfortable and expensive experience. Not to mention cause for many a sleepless night. Make life a little easier on your nerves. Sell first, and sleep well.

More Buyer's Tips from Norma!

Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty
(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800

PalosVerdesLifestyle - Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper.

South Bay Los Angeles cities I sell real estate, property, houses and homes in: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Long Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Find Norma on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn - Email Norma

Palos Verdes Homes for Sale - Palos Verdes Buyer's Agent
Palos Verdes Horse Property - Palos Verdes Realtor Blog
Palm Desert Area Lots for Sale - Homes with Views in Palos Verdes
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I must admit I sometimes forget to tweet, and when I'm busy with clients would-be friends queue up for days on Facebook waiting for me to "friend" them.  Now and them I even take a break from blogging on Active Rain, although I must admit this forum, is an established part of most days--I rarely let a day pass without checking the MLS and the same goes for posting on Active Rain. 

At the end of a busy day like today I'm simply too tired to tweet, and I want a good night's sleep more than a new friend on Facebook.  I know, that's very anti-social of me, but I learned a long time ago that writing an offer or countering one is a fish on the line instead of a pole in the water.

Actually my blogging is to blame for my hit and miss social networking schedule. My first appointment today found my website, was impressed and scheduled a consultation.  A past client wanted to see property and later this afternoon wrote an offer on the property.  My blog and Google get the credit for bringing the next buyer and we are scrambling to get loan pre-approval before the house of choice goes under contract to someone else.  I could go on, but I'm sure you get the point.  The market is heating up and I'm happily working the leads Active Rain, Google and my website are sending my way.

Sorry Twitter and Facebook, but maybe we can schedule a late night get together this weekend after I open an escrow or two.  I want to spend more time with you, really I do.  My question is, do you deserve more than my leftover minutes and snippets of time, or will the occasional playdate have to do?

Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty
(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800

PalosVerdesLifestyle - Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper.

South Bay Los Angeles cities I sell real estate, property, houses and homes in: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Long Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Find Norma on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn - Email Norma

Palos Verdes Homes for Sale - Palos Verdes Houses
Palos Verdes Horse Property - Palos Verdes Realtor Blog
Palm Desert Area Lots for Sale - Homes with Views in Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes Coastal Homes

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Sometimes, balance finds us.  I never set out to be an either/or agent; I am neither a buyer's agent nor a seller's agent, I am my client's agent.  Without adhering to a strict agent type-casting identity, when I look back on closed transactions for the year they are always astonishingly balanced.  This year is following the same pattern.  As a matter of fact, as of this moment my business is in perfect balance:  50% sellers and 50% buyers.   

I absolutely love working with both sellers and buyers.  There is a symbiotic relationship between the two.  My prospective buyers feed my sellers' pool and my sellers often become my move-up buyers.  They all become my clients, and because of the extended relationship we have, I am already familiar with their needs and housing goals.  I've always felt being both a buyer's agent and a seller's agent makes me a better agent.  I know having a history with my client's is an advantage for them, and it certainly is advantageous for me.

I look at hundreds of listings each year for my buyers, at the same time I am keeping my finger on the pulse of local prices and value for my sellers.  It's a cinch to price a home when you have looked at every competitor in the neighborhood.  Likewise when I list a home I usually have a buyer or two to invite to the first public open house or sneak preview.  If my listing is not the perfect match for a buyer I usually have a suggestion of another home that will better suit their needs.

Working with sellers and buyers puts you one move ahead when playing the real estate matchmaking game.  In the competitive field of real estate it adds depth to your prospective client base, a sharper edge to the agent's knowledge of the local market and a dash of confidence to the foundation of our business--the clients.  It also graces you with many long and rewarding relationships, and after all is said and done, real estate is a relationship business.

Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty
(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800

PalosVerdesLifestyle - Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper.

South Bay Los Angeles cities I sell real estate, property, houses and homes in: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Long Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Find Norma on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn - Email Norma

Palos Verdes Homes for Sale - Palos Verdes Houses
Palos Verdes Horse Property - Palos Verdes Realtor Blog
Palm Desert Area Lots for Sale - Homes with Views in Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes Coastal Homes

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The Eastview neighborhood of Rancho Palos Verdes posted some almost unbelievable real estate activity for September 2009.  If you are still of the opinion you can get a steal in this popular neighborhood check the numbers below:

Active Listings:  6 Single Family Homes are for sale priced from $599,900 to $919,000.

Pending Sales:  15 Single Family Homes are in escrow! 

September Sales:  3 Single Family Homes closed escrow:  Highmore Ave. - $629,900.

Macarthur St. - $735,000;  Sparta Drive - $810,000.

I showed a new bank owned listing in the neighborhood yesterday.  There was a parade of ongoing showings while I was at the property.  My guess is the bank owned property will soon join the other fifteen Eastview homes already in escrow and some lucky buyers will call it home!

Previous Palos Verdes and San Pedro Market Reports

Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty
(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800

PalosVerdesLifestyle - Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper.

South Bay Los Angeles cities I sell real estate, property, houses and homes in: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Long Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Find Norma on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn - Email Norma

Palos Verdes Homes for Sale - Palos Verdes Houses
Palos Verdes Horse Property - Palos Verdes Realtor Blog
Palm Desert Area Lots for Sale - Homes with Views in Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes Coastal Homes

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Hey Gordon Gekko, maybe greed is not so good after all.  Looks like a lot of your old Wall St. cronies are in a world of pain after gorging on greed and experiencing a delirious high on OPM (other people's money) for the past decade or two.  Now a few power players are seeing the world through vertical bars and have given up their Palm Beach glow.

A bit closer to home, and my profession, a few real estate related professionals (I use the word loosely, and we won't even mention the Big Boy Bankers) and others involved in the housing market fiasco are being scrutinized for their actions during the wild housing feeding frenzy. The sharks were definitely playing in the real estate pool. 

Placing the investigative microscope in any micro market would surely uncover a shady deal or two.  Those shadowy deals are not always sealed in smoke filled rooms; many are closed with Power Point Presentations and promises of future rewards.  Can we all say collusion?  When done on a grand scale it damages the economy and threatens the stability of a nation.  When executed on an individual deal it often slips beneath the radar, but if someone gains too much, someone else loses too much.  Knowing your "too" (and the law's) will keep you out of  the dirty pool players.

 I learned early in my real estate career when to say, "No."  I want to feel good about the work I do.  I also like to sleep at night.

Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty
(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800

PalosVerdesLifestyle - Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper.

South Bay Los Angeles cities I sell real estate, property, houses and homes in: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Long Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Find Norma on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn - Email Norma

Palos Verdes Homes for Sale - Palos Verdes Houses
Palos Verdes Horse Property - Palos Verdes Realtor Blog
Palm Desert Area Lots for Sale - Homes with Views in Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes Coastal Homes

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The Silver Spur neighborhood in Rancho Palos Verdes is selling houses like hotcakes!  September 2009  was a busy month for the neighborhood:

Active Listings:  5 Single Family Homes are for sale priced from $750,000 to $1,295,000.

Pending Sales:  3 Homes are in escrow priced from $829,000 to $999,000.

September Sales:  5 Homes closed escrow-- Rollingwood- $655,000;  Springcreek - $859,000;  Ironwood - $870,000;  Flambeau - $885,000; Silver Spur Rd. - $975,000.

If you have a Silver Spur home you would like to sell, now might be an excellent to explore listing it with your agent of choice.  The demand is high and the inventory is low.

Previous Palos Verdes and San Pedro Market Reports

Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty
(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800

PalosVerdesLifestyle - Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper.

South Bay Los Angeles cities I sell real estate, property, houses and homes in: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Long Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Find Norma on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn - Email Norma

Palos Verdes Homes for Sale - Palos Verdes Houses
Palos Verdes Horse Property - Palos Verdes Realtor Blog
Palm Desert Area Lots for Sale - Homes with Views in Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes Coastal Homes

Subscribe via ActiveRain - Subscribe via Email - Start your own blog on activerain!