Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Best editorial about CA housing crisis EVAH. Thanks, Mike Gatto.

From today's L.A. Times comes this editorial about the current housing crisis, 10 points to keep in mind about housing affordability in California.  The writer is Mike Gatto, who was a CA assemblyman for several terms.  Click here for the article.  My favorite sentence: While having a roof over your head is a human right, being hip is not.

I would add this one thing: Developers build where they build in order to make a profit.  That's why they build/flip expensive stuff -- because there is more money to be made.  Could California come up with a way for developers to make a profit in less expensive areas without cutting corners? I don't think it's a matter of zoning as much as it is a matter of profit. Thoughts?
Photo courtesy of L.A. Times.



Saturday, September 16, 2017

Priced for drama or priced for sale?

It’s no secret that much of L.A. real estate sells for more than the asking price.  And it’s no secret that Realtors sometimes price their properties for a little less what they will certainly sell for in order to quickly get offers.  The sales price of a particular property – what qualified buyers are willing to pay for a property, along with availability of funding, comparable home sales and property condition – usually winds up being exactly what the home is worth in the current market.

But how much is too much when it comes to underpricing? Recently, I have been looking for properties for clients on the popular eastside of L.A.  And I have seen places deliberately priced for more than $100,000 under what they will eventually sell for.  Yup, One. Hundred. Thousand. Dollars. Less.  The Realtors know it.  The sellers know it.  A lot of buyers don’t know it, though, and get excited about the prospect of buying in their desired neighborhood. A lot of buyers’ hearts get broken.


Why is this extreme underpricing necessary? All it does is disappoint many, many potential buyers who will never be able to really afford the particular property.  It wastes everybody’s time.  And it creates a lot of unnecessary drama around the showings and the marketing process.  Who benefits from this approach? In a hot market, the sellers are going to get the best price the market will bear anyway.  Is it bragging rights? Do the Realtors and sellers need that much attention?  C’mon, guys; let’s try to bring some fairness to a process that’s already pretty unpleasant.

Monday, September 11, 2017

Midcentury modern lease in Studio City


Want to lease a home with a tranquil canyon vibe and a midcentury modern design? 3541 Laurelvale in Studio City will be just what you're looking for. Two bedrooms plus convertible office, two baths, big outdoor area/backyard with tree-top view, large kitchen, dining area, 2 car garage with pull-through for extra parking and more. Yes, pets are allowed (with restrictions) and it's in Carpenter Charter school district too.  Available in early October; $4800 a month and minimum one-year lease. Call me for an appointment to see.

Sunday, September 10, 2017

From today's L.A. Times: Young couples are buying again. Yes, but that commute!

Today's L.A. Times' biz section has an article entitled A new generation of  young home buyers is tiptoeing into the market.   The number of first-time, under-35-year-old home buyers has ticked up since the recession.  Yes, the article does go into how tough it is for most first-time buyers and how unaffordable most r.e. is.  One of the profiled couples (pictured above) bought in the Riverside County "exurb"of Murietta and are delighted by their new big house.  Of course, the man now has a 75-mile commute to work.  Seventy-five miles.  Let that sink in...
Photo courtesy of Glenn Koenig/LA Times