My office got voted the best Real Estate office to work at in the South Bay!
Pretty amazing since there’s only a thousand to choose from.
Concerts in the Park
Photo Credit: City of Manhattan Beach
One of my favorite summer activities is discovering all the fun things there is to do for free!
I spent many years as a Nanny and to keep the children busy, I would research local places that offered a good time for the kids and myself. A few years ago, I discovered CONCERTS IN THE PARK.
Every year, the city of Manhattan Beach provides a series of summer-long concerts held at Polliwog Park. The concerts vary from Elvis and Beatles tribute bands to local musicians.
The performances are free to the public and offer an excellent outdoor dance floor for you and the kiddos. The first concert will begin on Sunday, June 28 and will continue until September 6, 2015. Concerts play from 5:00-7:00 PM.
If you’re looking for a kid-friendly activity, pack a picnic and head to your local park for some free fun!
For more details and rules, please refer to the City of Manhattan Beach’s website.
Decorating for Summer
Happy June!
While Summer will officially begin June 21, I cannot help but get excited for decorating my home! Life is just easier in the summer with the warmer weather, barbeques, and sunshine.
Below I’ve shared some of my favorite summer Home decorating tips from Better Homes and Gardens
Brighten dark walls with colorful art pieces.
Mix bright floral, tropical, or nautical-theme dishes with your everyday plates and bowels.
Interject bright, summery colors in your home with freshly picked flowers.
Find more on my favorite ways to design the home during the summer on my Pinterest board,Summer Home Design.
Honey, don’t forget the dog!
One of the most forgotten steps when preparing to sell a home is to remove any signs of pets. While some believe that pets should be completely removed from the home during the listing, I beg to differ.
Pets are common to have in households, however, having yours in a home during a showing may lessen your chances of finding a buyer.
Pet owners who are looking for a home that will complement their needs will seek amenities such as a large backyard vs. a home that has a dog mat lying on the floor.
My suggestion when showing your home to buyers who also have pets is to show them the large backyard, grassy areas, and extra rooms. While we adore our pets, not all are accepting of our fur babies and we want buyers to feel as comfortable as possible in what may potentially be, their new home.
There are many ways to have your pet feel comfortable with doggy day camp, such as Dinah’s Doggie Daycare or having the pet stay with a family member during the showing. Also, there are many reliable dog walking services that could keep your dog happy while you’re busy selling your home such as, Walk the Dog and Purfect Companion.
It is best to stage your home so that viewers do not predict there are any pets in the home. This can be simply done by removing pet beds, kennels, and water and food bowels. However, it is also important to remove any scents that may scare away potential buyers.
A deep cleaning will remove loose hairs and wipe away any sign of pets. Another easy step is hiring a carpet cleaner to come in and remove any stains and remove deep rooted scents in the ground.
Although our fur babies are adorable, it is best to keep them away so that we can get our home sold the fastest!
Setting the Stage to Sell
Photo Credit: www.homestagers.com
A common question clients often ask is, “Should I stage my home?”
Home staging has become more common in recent years because of its tremendous results!
By staging your home, you allow potential buyers to paint a picture of themselves in the home.
It’s difficult for some to envision themselves in an empty home or one that is already lived in, so by applying simple modifications, you can present your home in a place they can’t see themselves without!
While staging may cost money, it’s not nearly as much as reducing your first price. There are many ways to set the stage without breaking the bank!
An important step before staging is to declutter and make the home as presentable as possible. Simple steps such as vacuuming, dusting, and shining the floor and windows will instantly revamp a home.
Another helpful tip is adding natural light by eliminating curtains and blinds. A bright home will gain far more attention than a dark, uninviting home will.
Buyers with children will want to find a home they can raise their children in. If your home has great child amenities such a large yard or jungle gym, be sure to emphasize on these features.
By applying simple staging tips to your home, it will sell far quicker and will make the moving process easier.
If you’re curious of more affordable ways to stage
your home, feel free to contact me!
Market Statistics for the Palos Verdes Peninsula
Spring has sprung and the market is picking up again! 65 homes were sold in the month of April, which is the highest number sold since last August 2014 and about 11% higher than last month.
Average Price has also increased about 14% over last month. Inventory is still low, since last year we had an average of approximately 175 houses on the market per month and this year we are running about 144 homes.
Kid’s To-Go Box
Often times, during the chaos of moving, we tend to forget about the ones who matter most- our children.
While moving can be a joyous and exciting period for parents, children tend to feel forgotten and develop a fear of leaving a home they’ve been raised in.
Many factors can affect a child’s transition to a new home from a new environment to city. In addition, many leave behind old classmates, friends, and schools. Some have their entire schedules altered as the distance from their home to school may increase, causing them to have to wake up earlier.
It can all be “too much,” too soon.
While we are busy planning the move, I want your child to feel good and happy about this move just as you are. My goal is to assist parents in easing their children’s fears of moving. Each child in the home is given a Kid’s To-Go box packed with goodies such as crayons and items personalized to their hobbies to help them feel special too!
Remember, “The best journey takes you home,” and with the Kid’s To-Go Box, life doesn’t have to be so tough.
Let’s make a house a home for the ones who matter most.
What is Escrow?
You’ve heard the word, seen it on for sale signs, and wondered,
“What exactly is Escrow?”
I sat down with Suzanne Dessert, escrow officer of Keller Williams Palos Verdes to answer some of your everyday questions.
How long have you been an escrow officer and how do you differ from other officers?
S: For 30+ years. I am proactive and try to anticipate my agents needs so they are free to go out in the field to prospect and bring in more business.
How would you define the escrow process in the simplest form?
S: A third impartial party who accepts mutually agreeing instructions from the seller and buyer. Escrow takes instruction and follows orders. An escrow officer does not represent the buyer or seller, or give advise-which is a common misconception. An escrow office is the orchestra leader of the transaction!
So, you don’t tell agents what to do?
S: No, I guide the agents through the escrow process and point out the problems, if any that may occur.
Interesting, so how long does a typical escrow last and what is involved?
S: 30 days is the normal, but we have closed some escrows in 7-10 days. Escrow involves money, documents, mutual agreeing instructions (nor unilateral), and customer service.
What are some issues that may interfere with the escrow process?
S: With the lending- when agents do not give loan documents in a timely manner. Usually when the documents are not returned from buyers and sellers or escrow instructions are not followed.
If you could give client’s one advice, what would it be?
S: When the buyer is getting credit from the seller/ agent, it has to be approved by the lender as early as possible. Any credit to the buyer has to be approved by the lender. Whether it is credit or new finance involved, get approved! If it is an all cash transaction, no problem with buyer credits.
How do you keep clients informed throughout the process?
S: COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION, is they key. I am constantly phoning and emailing my agents.
What does it mean when an agent says, “It fell out escrow?”
S: The buyer or seller can cancel the transaction, but the agents must provide escrow with a fully executed (by seller & buyer) CAR cancellation form designating to is to receive the buyers GFD if deposited in escrow.
Did You Serve?
The military is very close to my heart and I stay committed to serving Veteran home buyers by constantly expanding my knowledge of V.A. loans.
I’m proud to have recently been certified with the “Did You Serve? Agent Certification!”
Thank you to all the troops who are dedicated to serving our country!
Beyond the Horizon
Growing up, I spent countless days with a pen and paper in hand. I found writing to be very therapeutic for me. I would write poetry, novels, letters, and stories.
I decided to pursue Journalism in college and upon graduating, I was fortunate to find an internship with a prestigious real estate magazine. I spent the summer working with the magazine, writing on behalf of top producing agents, and the market. I found the material interesting, but soon realized I may have studied the wrong major.
I told the editor of the magazine that although I appreciated my time with the magazine, I couldn’t accept the offer of pursuing a full-time position with the company. Most Journalism graduates would have killed for the position, but something didn’t feel right.
I needed more. I had a yearning desire to help others all my life and didn’t see it possible behind a desk. So, I took a risk and left a promising job to pursue real estate.
I realized that what you think you want isn’t always right for you and in order to succeed, you have to take chances.
Real estate is very much the same way. You may think you know exactly what your dream home is and what you want, until you see something else. Sometimes, the things we want aren’t necessarily the things we need and there are things far more suitable for us.
I advise clients to be open-minded in pursuit of a new home. Do not limit your chances of finding the perfect home for you by discriminating or prejudging a home.
My goal is to assist clients in finding their Dream homes by giving them plenty of options of not only what they believe they want, but seeing beyond the horizon so they can find something that is not only perfect,
but perfect for them.
By willing to consider new ideas, you never know what you’ll find.
“The horizon is only the limit of our sight.”