Palos Verdes Lifestyle - Norma Toering's Palos Verdes Homes Blog

Last week a prospective buyer called and asked who should meet with the lender.  Her fiance will be contributing the bulk of the down payment, but she is the one with steady employment and spotless credit.  After hearing a little bit more of their history I suggested they both sit down with a lender (I gave them three names) and discuss their goal, their financial picture and let the lender decide the best loan and terms tailored to suit their situation.

Just as there are a variety of homes to choose from, there are also a variety of loan programs offered.  The lender is the local expert when it comes to home financing.  The best contribution I can make as your real estate agent is to make sure you meet with a lender early in the house hunting process.  A pre-approval letter is one of the best ways to win sellers' confidence and increase the odds of opening escrow.  If you've done your homework by obtaining a strong letter from a lender and your down payment is in the bank you are on your way to a successful home buying experience.

You will soon be opening up your new front door!

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.

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Country Club neighborhood real estate and home sales report for the city of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA in December 2010.

Homes for sale: 12 Homes are listed for sale in Country Club priced from $1,140,000 to $2,490,000.

Pending sales: One property is in escrow priced at $1,050,000.

December sales: Two homes sold in Dec. 2010:

• 6892 Alta Vista Dr $2,250,000 5 Bed/5 Bath 1986 yr.blt. | 5,285 sq.ft. | 20,110 lot
• 30200 Cartier Dr. $2,800,000 | 5 Bed/7 Bath 2010 yr.blt. | 6,188 sq.ft. | 15,600 lot
  

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

Homes In Palos Verdes - Palos Verdes Agent Home
Palos Verdes Horse Property - Palos Verdes Property Blog
Needles River Front Land - Homes with Views in Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes Coastal Homes - Palos Verdes Homes
Palos Verdes Photography - Palos Verdes Videos
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes - Beach Cities Homes

Palos Verdes Drive West neighborhood real estate and home sales report for the city of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA in December 2010.

Homes for sale: 10 Homes are listed for sale in the PV Drive West area priced from $1,149,000 to $7,900,000.

Pending sales: 4 Houses are in escrow priced from $850,000 to $2,999,999.

December sales: One home sold in Dec. 2010:

• 70 Via Del Cielo $3,000,000 4 beds/5 bath 2000yr.blt. | 4,183 sq.ft. | 21,963 lot
  

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

Homes In Palos Verdes - Palos Verdes Agent Home
Palos Verdes Horse Property - Palos Verdes Property Blog
Needles River Front Land - Homes with Views in Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes Coastal Homes - Palos Verdes Homes
Palos Verdes Photography - Palos Verdes Videos
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes - Beach Cities Homes

Palos Verdes Drive South neighborhood real estate and home sales report for the city of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA in December 2010.

Homes for sale: 16 Homes are listed for sale in the PV Drive South area priced from $799,000 to $12,000,000.

Pending sales: 5 Houses are in escrow priced from $839,000 to $3,400,000.

December sales: 3 Homes sold in Dec. 2010:

• Arrowroot Ln $819,000 4 bed/2 bath 1963 yr.blt. 2,094 sq.ft. | 22,413 lot
• Sea Cove Dr $825,000 2 bed/1 bath 1950 yr.blt. 1,594 sq.ft. | 9,196 lot
  
• Packet Rd $1,075,000 4 beds/3 bath 1960 yr.blt. | 2,830 sq.ft. | 10,620 lot
  

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

Homes In Palos Verdes - Palos Verdes Agent Home
Palos Verdes Horse Property - Palos Verdes Property Blog
Needles River Front Land - Homes with Views in Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes Coastal Homes - Palos Verdes Homes
Palos Verdes Photography - Palos Verdes Videos
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes - Beach Cities Homes

The carwash is an integral part of the Los Angeles lifestyle.  I wash my car, or rather I have my car washed, almost as often as I wash my hair because I feel better when both are clean.  I am grateful for the convenience and ease of pulling in, hopping out of the car and twenty minutes later driving away in a sparkling clean car.

The carwashes are staffed with minimum wage workers who clean and buff cars all day long.  I always tip, but last week I tipped large and the young man assigned to my car deserved it.  He was meticulous in his attention to detailing the interior and exterior--no drip was allowed to dry on the windows or mirrors.  He cared about doing a good job, and I rewarded him with a tip that reflection my appreciation for going above and beyond my expectations.  His smile and a car ready for the work week ahead were my rewards.

My "mobile office" was ready for another week of selling real estate in Palos Verdes.

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

Homes In Palos Verdes - Palos Verdes Agent Home
Palos Verdes Horse Property - Palos Verdes Property Blog
Needles River Front Land - Homes with Views in Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes Coastal Homes - Palos Verdes Homes
Palos Verdes Photography - Palos Verdes Videos
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes - Beach Cities Homes

Last summer, while traveling in Ireland, I snapped this picturesque rural setting.  The dirt road was just wide enough for one car, the stone bridge was probably just as narrow and the little farm house was nestled in a grove of trees.

I find I'm either drawn to the peace and serenity of the country life, or the fast pace of city life in my travels.  Perhaps that is because I live in suburban Los Angeles (although Palos Verdes is not your average suburb). 

If you're searching for a home that inspires you to attempt to capture its essence with a photo or two, and consider what life would be like in the coastal communities of Rancho Palos Verdes and the neighboring Beach Cities, Norma Toering & Team can help you.   We welcome the opportunity to explore your options and let you experience the natural beauty of Palos Verdes and the homes that grace the coastline and hills.

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

Homes In Palos Verdes - Palos Verdes Agent Home
Palos Verdes Horse Property - Palos Verdes Property Blog
Needles River Front Land - Homes with Views in Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes Coastal Homes - Palos Verdes Homes
Palos Verdes Photography - Palos Verdes Videos
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes - Beach Cities Homes

Jungle:  A location marked by an intense competition and struggle for survival.

Life in the real estate jungle is a competitive one and continues to drive home Darwin's theory of "Survival of the Fittest" with ruthless abandon.  Fewer sales and declining prices equate to shrinking survival dollars for real estate agents during the money drought of a slow market.  Like hungry animals, some will migrate to new territory in search of survival, others will look for new "food" sources in their current locale.  It's the law of the jungle: eat or be eaten.

The Internet offers an abundant hunting ground for real estate leads. I recently read only 5% of agents have a systematized approach for reaping the riches of the Internet jungle.  It's a brave new world, but it is also immense and filled with thousands of ways to waste your marketing time and money.  Promoters are filled with big promises and small deliveries.  Gurus abound offering to enlighten you and show you the way.  The truth is no one can show you the way.  No one can spoon feed you success.  It is up to you to find the platform and step to center stage.

If you're trying to hid under your broker's wing, or behind a lead generation system and wait for leads to fall into your lap maybe you'll get lucky, but having a Plan B is crucial.  Success in real estate is no longer dependent upon the brokerage you are associated with; success is self-generated.  So gear up and get out there.  Find your own food.  Feed your own.  Drive your own business.  Blogging is a smart move to secure your territory in the real estate jungle.  It is a great way to showcase your listings and build your inventory of satisfied clients. 

Waiting to be fed by floor leads, broker leads or purchased leads is so last century.

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

Homes In Palos Verdes - Palos Verdes Agent Home
Palos Verdes Horse Property - Palos Verdes Property Blog
Needles River Front Land - Homes with Views in Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes Coastal Homes - Palos Verdes Homes
Palos Verdes Photography - Palos Verdes Videos
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes - Beach Cities Homes

I confess I worked right through last weekend.  It was not the plan, but it is what happened.  One thing I've learned about the day to day life as a real estate agent is balance is important, but so is flexibility.  Last minute cancellations and short notice calls to show property are part of the game when working with buyers.  Urgent calls to sellers to report a canceled showing appointment are disappointing (especially to the seller) but life is not written in stone--more like a magic erasable slate.  A wise broker once told me to set my appointments in pencil, and keep an eraser in hand.

Monday I managed to fit in my five mile morning hike at Trump National Golf Course and a practice real estate video.  I enjoy combining work related tasks with personal endeavors.  I must say the morning spent walking the cliffs above the Pacific Ocean felt nothing like work.  It was easy to sit at my desk the rest of the afternoon and catch up on my real estate seat-work of blogging, lead follow up from Sunday's open house at Trump National (anyone want to buy a $4.4M house?) and a host of other real estates duties I needed to complete to keep my business humming along.

Tuesday there was a webinar, new listings to preview and a niche mailer to be designed and printed.  Once again, no sunglasses were needed for the drive home, I did need headlights to maneuver my way along the dark streets of Rancho Palos Verdes.

Today I will play a bit more.  My business partner (and son) is off to Big Bear to visit his college roommate.  This is birthday week for both of them.  His former roommate is interested in buying a foreclosure so his trip to the mountains is both business and pleasure. 

That's one of my favorite things about real estate:  The boundaries are hard to define.  The lines of work often cross over into the space of our personal life and weave a day of work and play.  As long as the weave keeps a balanced pattern it can be a wonderful life to lead.

I'm off to walk, buy some fresh flowers for the office and have a beautiful Wednesday.  My calender tells me I'll be working all weekend, so a little mid-week play is in order!

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

Homes In Palos Verdes - Palos Verdes Agent Home
Palos Verdes Horse Property - Palos Verdes Property Blog
Needles River Front Land - Homes with Views in Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes Coastal Homes - Palos Verdes Homes
Palos Verdes Photography - Palos Verdes Videos
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes - Beach Cities Homes

Mira Catalina neighborhood real estate and home sales report for the city of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA in December 2010.

Homes for sale: 5 Homes are availble for sale in the Mira Catalina area priced from $875,000 to $2,498,000.

Pending sales: 3 Houses are in escrow priced from $750,000 to $4,999,000.

December sales: 5 Homes sold in Dec 2010:

• 30595 Ganado Dr $715,000 4 Bed/2 Bath 1967 yr.blt. | 2,074 sq.ft | 14,870 lot
  
• 3663 Greve Dr $765,000 3 Bed/3 Bath | 1964 yr.blt. | 2,357sq.ft. | 8,590 lot
  
• 3768 Falconhead Dr. $830,000 3 Bed/3 Bath | 1969 yr.blt. | 2,304 sq.ft. | 30,770 lot
  
• 3708 Hightide Dr. $975,000 3 Bed/3 Bath 1970 yr.blt. | 1,984 sq.ft. | 9,997 lot
  
• 2 Paseo De Castana $1,300,100 4 Bed/5 Bath 1999 yr.blt. | 4,107 sq.ft. | 32,517 lot
  

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

Homes In Palos Verdes - Palos Verdes Agent Home
Palos Verdes Horse Property - Palos Verdes Property Blog
Needles River Front Land - Homes with Views in Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes Coastal Homes - Palos Verdes Homes
Palos Verdes Photography - Palos Verdes Videos
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes - Beach Cities Homes

Palos Verdes Drive East neighborhood real estate and home sales report for the city of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA in December 2010.

Homes for sale: 19 Home are available for sale in the PV Drive East area priced from $895,000 to $3,350,000.

Pending sales: 7 Houses are in escrow priced from $900,000 to $1,750,000.

December sales: 5 Homes sold in the PVDE neighborhood during Dec. 2010:

• 3536 Newridge Dr $818,000 4 Bed/3 Bath | 1973 yr.blt. | 2,661 sq.ft. | 18,160 lot
  
• 4313 Miraleste Dr. $974,800 4 Bed/3 Bath 1956 yr.blt. | 2,957 sq.ft. | 11,080 lot
  
• 2808 Via El Miro $1,055,000 3 Bed/4 Bath 1962 yr.blt. | 2,594 sq.ft. | 26,570 lot
  
• 48 Avenida Corona $1,075,000 3 Bed/2 Bath 1951 yr.blt. | 1,991sq.ft. | 23,470 lot
  
• 3217 Crownview Dr $1,199,950 4 Bed/3 Bath 1975 yr.blt. | 3,132 sq.ft. | 22,400 lot
  

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

Homes In Palos Verdes - Palos Verdes Agent Home
Palos Verdes Horse Property - Palos Verdes Property Blog
Needles River Front Land - Homes with Views in Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes Coastal Homes - Palos Verdes Homes
Palos Verdes Photography - Palos Verdes Videos
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes - Beach Cities Homes