Check out my new Yelp review!

I was thrilled to receive this Yelp review from my client on recently-closed Weslin in Sherman Oaks: 

Judy recently handled the sale of my aunt's home in Sherman Oaks for me. As executor of the estate and trustee of the trust holding the deed, there was a lot of unfamiliar territory for me. After reading reviews for real estate agents in the area, I selected Judy to list the home. I was glad I did!


From the beginning, Judy adopted her role as the "seller's agent" with a high degree of professionalism and enthusiasm. Her advice proved to be spot on, and I appreciated her calm demeanor when things became even more complicated (17 wildly different offers for the home flooded in the first week). This was not your typical sale due to differing disclosure requirements, legal issues, etc., and I am very glad that Judy was there to help me navigate the process.

I cannot recommend her highly enough.

Wild and wacky Weslin is closed

4167 Weslin in Sherman Oaks closed last week.  What a wild ride! The house is a fixer on a large lot south of the boulevard, and was owned by Dorothy Townsend, the first female L.A. Times city desk reporter.  It then passed to a trust with 18 (!) beneficiaries.  Here's how it went:

-We listed the house at $640k since it needed work.
-The brokers' open house drew so many people that there was a traffic jam of Realtors all the way down Benedict Canyon.  I received over 100 calls about it the first two days it was listed.  This is the most activity I've ever had on a listing.  Fifteen separate parties asked me to represent them in the transaction and I said no, because concessions would have been expected during the process.
-We received 20 offers within 5 days.  The offers ranged from $555k to $725k, with most being slightly above the asking price.  Half of the offers were all cash.
- We chose the highest cash offer.  They immediately backed out because they didn't like the condition.
- We went with our first backup offer, also all cash.  They backed out because they didn't like the condition.
- By now, we had two inspection reports indicating more fixing was necessary than we had originally known.  This included foundation damage. Uh-oh.
- Flop sweat.
- The trust attorney had a couple of issues to resolve as well, which caused us to put the property on hold for 10 days.
- We went back to the original offerors and furnished the inspection reports to them.  Five of them came back with reduced offers.
- We again went with an all cash offer.  The buyer immediately released $1000 to the seller and removed all contingencies.
- Still, more flop sweat.  And still plenty of phone calls.
- ...But there were no further incidents thanks to buyers' agent Art Oganesyan and stalwart escrow officer Harlene Dunn.  The trustee was a model of patience and graciousness, too. It closed a little over two weeks later for $604k.  Whew!

Who is Dorothy Townsend and what does she have to do with real estate?

Dorothy Townsend, an L.A. Times journalist from 1954 to 1986, was the first female staff writer to cover local news in a city room long populated only by men.  Soon after demanding that the city editor assign her to cover the 1965 Watts riots, Dorothy and her all-male team won a Pulitzer Prize for reporting on the story.  She continued to cover tough news assignments and many women journalists who came after Dorothy saw her as a pioneer.  She recently passed away at 88.

 

Now, the Sherman Oaks home that Ms. Townsend shared with her husband, Richard Vanderveld, has been listed by me for sale by the couple’s trust.  The address is 4167 Weslin, SO 91423.  This classic traditional Sherman Oaks south-of-boulevard home needs some fixing and updating, but the stunning location, gorgeous landscaping and architectural details make it a wonderful, welcoming place to live. And two bedrooms plus den, 2 baths and full 1+1 guest house make this home a terrific value.  Other features include generously-sized kitchen, two fireplaces, living room with stepped ceiling and view; dressing area in master, formal dining room, formal entry, covered deck with view, expansive lot with pool, terrace and covered patio plus a view of the surrounding hillsides. Guest house (permits unknown) has kitchenette, separate bedroom and ¾ bath plus separate entrance.  Garage has 3 parking spaces.  Listed for $640,000; sold “as is.” Specs: 1719 sf main house, 10831 sf lot, built in 1939. MLS #12-597141.

For more info, please contact me or see additional pictures on my website at www.judygraff.com.