House of the week! 3510 Chandler, Burbank

I'm going to start picking a "house of the week" to feature in this blog (don't hold me to this weekly timetable, though).  The home will be in the L.A. area, and will hopefully be unique in one or more ways.  To start--

This one is for every buyer who believes that there is no such thing as a home for sale in Burbank under $700,000 anymore.  You're right.  But the exception proves the rule, and 3510 W. Chandler in Burbank is a great exception for the right buyer.  It is listed (not by me) for $584,500.  That's less expensive than many condos and townhomes in similar areas these days.

Chandler has a lot more to offer than meets the eye budget.  Yes, the house is small -- 809 sf., 2 beds and 1 bath.  And it's on a small lot -- 2,589 sf.  That's bigger than a lot of townhomes and condos, though.  It has a one-car garage (there is lots of street parking around here too), wood-burning fireplace, a/c, laundry room and little yard.  These homes on this stretch of Chandler are little gems.  They were built along the railroad tracks as starter homes back in the 1940's.  The railroad tracks are long gone, and a gorgeous -- and famous -- bike/walking path has replaced it.  The home is also walking distance to all of Magnolia Park's attractions.  Did I mention the great schools in Burbank?  

Of course, buyers, call me if you would like to tour this home.  It's going to be a terrific choice for buyers who are looking for a condo-alternative, or investors who want those hard-to-find, relatively inexpensive rental properties in great areas.  

New listing in Magnolia Park, Burbank

This is 907 N. Lima in Burbank's Magnolia Park. It features 4 beds, 3 baths, 2400 sf and has been completely redone inside.  Lima is one of my favorite streets in this terrific neighborhood, and this house is very close to all the cool stores and restaurants.  Plus, it's in the award-winning Roosevelt Elementary district.  Although it's not my listing, please call me if you want to see it -- it's priced at $918,000.

Open Sunday 1-4 pm: 848 N. Avon St. in Burbank's Magnolia Park

Come visit us, rain or shine, at 848 N. Avon in Burbank! We'll be showing off this lovely 3 bedroom, 2 bath home, playing music, and talking up the terrific Magnolia Park neighborhood from 1 to 4 on Sunday.  The home is listed for $675,000; you can see more pictures on my site at JudyGraff.com under "Featured Properties." Yes, you'll have time to visit Porto's, do some shopping on Magnolia Blvd., view our house and still be home in time to watch the red carpet activity for the Oscars.

New Burbank home for sale at 848 N. Avon in Magnolia Park!

I'm thrilled about my new listing at 848 N. Avon, in the Magnolia Park area of Burbank.  It will list on Monday for $675,000.  The first open house is next Sunday, March 2, from 1 to 4.  Please call me for showings.

Interactive FloorPlan Presentation

This Tudor revival has been wonderfully expanded while maintaining beloved vintage details.  Right across from outstanding, award-winning (and public) Roosevelt Elementary and in the heart of Burbank’s hip Magnolia Park. 3 beds, 2 baths, 1774 sf, spacious kitchen is perfect for multiple cooks and lots of gear, character dining room, master suite with French doors to backyard deck plus updated bathroom with spa tub.  Transitional design includes newer light fixtures, breakfast bar, skylights, original plus newer windows, hardwood floors throughout, fireplace.  Tons of storage including attic space in house plus loft in garage.  Separate deck overlooks large, green backyard, refreshed landscaping, and a built-in barbecue.  House is super-close to all area attractions -- this area was recently flatteringly described by website Gawker as Burbank’s Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Get your kid into Burbank's award-winning Roosevelt Elementary School

Looking for a fabulous public elementary school in a wonderful location? Roosevelt Elementary School in Burbank may fit the bill.  It has high APIs and GreatSchools.org score of 8. It's very close to the newest, coolest attractions of Burbank's Magnolia Park, including restaurants, vintage shops, services, etc.  And best of all, I will soon have an adorable 3+2 for sale right across the street. Private message me for details. If you've dreamed for decent public schools for your children in a cool affordable neighborhood, this might be your chance to make that dream come true.

Need vintage clothes or goods? Burbank's Magnolia Park has you covered

I've posted before about the plethora of vintage clothing and merchandise shops on Burbank's Magnolia Blvd.  Today, the L.A. Times features an article about the Burbank treasure trove of vintage stores.  Click here to read.  The article focuses extensively on the gigantic Playclothes store (pictured above) and its services to the entertainment industry, but the whole area features lots of retro goods (check out The Blue Pig) and is a pretty fun walking area, too.

There are 3 gun stores in one mile on Magnolia Blvd. in Burbank

In light of recent current events, I'd like to point out: there are three gun stores on Magnolia Blvd. in Burbank between Buena Vista and Victory.  One is about 60 feet away from a children's daycare center.  In the same stretch of Magnolia, there are only two bars (both serve food), Tony's Darts Away and Tin Horn Flats.

BTW, on the morning after the Trevon Martin verdict, there was a line outside of one gun store at 10 a.m.  It was a Sunday.

I've blogged about this before.  What kind of businesses does Burbank really need? I know that it's tremendously difficult to open a restaurant or place like Luna Vine (wine bar) in Burbank. Was it difficult for the gun stores, too?  Shouldn't it be? And how many gun stores do we need in a one-mile stretch?

Sold in Burbank's sweetest, and most carbohydrate-y, spot

My clients Andy and Lynnette just closed on this 3+2 on Niagara in the heart of Burbank’s Magnolia Park.  If you follow me at Judy Graff, Broker Realtor on Facebook, you’ll see the picture of them and their two adorable kids in front of the house.

Lynnette and Andy have been looking for over a year now. Like all of my other buyer clients lately, they made other offers on other properties, only to lose out in multiple offers.  How’d they get this one? The sellers wanted a young family in the house, and Lynnette wrote them a beautiful letter. We still can't believe their luck. Yes, the house needs work, but like many of my buyers, Andy and Lynnette plan to fix it up themselves over time.

The location of the house is amazing.  L&A are mere steps away from Bella VistaRestaurant, which has perhaps the best pizza in Burbank.  If that weren’t enough, Monte Carlo Deli across the street offers gelato, Italian food, and an Italian grocery. Yummy Cupcakes is also just a few steps around the corner. And just down the street: from Urban Eats, Porto’s, Romancing the Bean.  Best of luck with everything, and bon appetit, Andy, Lynnette, Louis and Juliana.

Open today, Sunday, 4/21 from 2 to 5 - 621 N. Keystone, Burbank

Come visit Steve and me at this gorgeous character home in the heart of Burbank.  You might even be able to see Rusty the cat (that's him in the dining room).  It features 3 beds, 1 bath, 1272 square feet, all the original details you could hope for in a character home, a redone kitchen, redone bath, huge backyard, and central Burbank location.  It is listed for $635,800 and we'll be there today from 2 to 5.

Second chance at 1122 N. Cordova in Burbank is back on the market

Update 3/12: we're back in escrow with a cash buyer.Here's your chance to own a great 3+2 in Burbank's Magnolia Park now that the previous buyers have flaked out (yes, more dirt to come -- later).  No open houses are planned at this point, but call me or your own Realtor if you'd like to see.  The home is super-close to all of Magnolia Blvd's attractions and features a/c, hardwood floors, a huge backyard, huge master suite, all copper plumbing, new windows and more.  It's listed at $535,000 and I have a couple of non-scary inspection reports for serious buyers.  More pictures can be found at www.JudyGraff.com.

Cordova in Burbank and Denny in North Hollywood are both in escrow

1122 N. Cordova in Burbank's Magnolia Park went into escrow last week.  Now, we just need to find the sellers a place to live (offers have been submitted).  More about that later.  And 5227 Denny #101 in the North Hollywood Arts District is in escrow.  We got the call saying the offer was being submitted about an hour after the first showing on the first day.  And we have to find those sellers a place too (offer submitted there as well).  Whew! Yes, we are very lucky.

Open today from 1 to 4: 1122 N. Cordova, Burbank

Please come visit Steve and me today at this great 3+2 home for $535,000 in Magnolia Park.  Big backyard, fresh paint, new windows, all copper plumbing, big master, and hardwood floors are just some of the features.  Plus, the home is close to Portos, Its a Wrap, Romancing the Bean, Mindful Nest, the Chandler bike path and more Magnolia Park attractions.

Just listed: Burbank 3+2 in Magnolia Park for $535k

Update 2/13/2013: If you're interested in seeing this home, you might not want to wait.  Showing traffic has been heavy.  Okay, buyers -- is your heart set on a 3+2 home in Magnolia Park super-close amenities like stores, shops, restaurants, the Chandler bike path, excellent public schools and more? Check out 1122 N. Cordova Ave. and prepare to have your dreams come true.  This well-maintained traditional has gorgeous hardwood floors, dining area, cute kitchen, big bathrooms (one new), huge master, plenty of closet space, copper plumbing, central air, a big backyard, two car garage, hot tub all new windows and new interior paint.  It offers lots of expansion opportunities for those that want to add on.  I will have it open for brokers Thursday, Feb. 14, from 9:30 to noon and it will have a public open house on Sunday, Feb. 17, from 1:00 to 4:00.  Please call or email me with any questions.

A not-so-open letter to potential buyers

My buyer clients recently had a disappointing experience with a deliberately under-priced home in Burbank.  It was originally on the market for $600's+ and had a $100,000 (!!!!) price reduction after 30 days.  That's really a big drop for a home in great condition and it immediately drew four offers. Yes, even in this market, some underpriced houses are drawing multiple offers.  Here's the heavily edited post-mortem email that I wrote them.

"[Buyers] I know the [street name] house was a disappointing situation.  But here's some "back story": ...[Some Realtors] are known for deliberately underpricing their properties in order to attract multiple bids and sell them quickly...The strategy is very controversial, but [some agents] and their sellers find it successful. My experience has been that properties sell just as quickly when they're priced correctly, but that's me. 

Additionally, [some agents] often have their own buyers for their properties -- who they then have bid against each other for the under-priced houses.  The [street name] house was really under-priced for that many square feet in Magnolia Park, so I wasn't surprised that it drew so many offers so quickly, even in this market.

So the take-away is that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Here's what you can do so you're ready to rock next time:

- Follow through with [buyers' lender] and obtain a full pre-approval.  Those mean more to listing agents and sellers than a pre-qualification.  Also, be able to show proof of funds to close in a liquid form.  In other words, your entire down payment, plus about 2%-3% for closing costs, should be readily available on a page or two from a bank or financial institution.

- Most listings are added to the mls Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.  We can check every day, and if something is appealing, get in before the open house.  [Of course, this requires that you use a Realtor in your home search.  Just saying - ed.] And also, not all homes are open every weekend.  This way, you won't miss anything.

 - ...[Adjacent areas] to your [dream location]...may be worth considering.  [They may]...have great housing stock, and prices might be coming down.  It might be worth considering.  Perhaps you'll let me give you a tour sometime...

Anyway, please call me with any questions and know that I'm here to help."

1106 N. Cordova, Burbank closed today and here's how it went

1106 N. Cordova Street in Burbank closed escrow today.  We had two offers very quickly after putting it on the market at the end of May, and it sold over list price at $464,000. The transaction went very smoothly -- I wish all transactions could go this well!

Here's how we got offers over listing so quickly: 1) The sellers had the home expertly upgraded.  No, it wasn't a flip in the classic sense as the owners had lived there 17 years until they bought a bigger house last summer.  They spent some money, and it showed. 2) It was beautifully staged. (That's the living room, above.) I thought this was essential as the house was small and I knew furniture would make it look bigger.  I'll post a before-and-after video soon. 3) I marketed the hell out of this.

The inspection went pretty well as far as inspections go, although the water heater conked out and the sellers had to replace it. The buyer, her agent and his team were really on top of things and responded to everything in a reasonable, timely manner.  And we had a back-up offer.

However, there's pain in every escrow.  The only pain here was with the appraisal.  As I said in a previous post, the first appraisal came in low.  Even though the buyer was putting down a hefty sum, Wells Fargo balked.  The buyer changed lenders (Great Western), we had a second appraisal that came in to value, and the lender got the loan done in two weeks (!!!).  And everybody is happy!

Burbank home is in escrow

The sellers of 1106 N. Cordova, Burbank received multiple offers and accepted one this a.m. Of course, the house is still available for backup offers.  I am thrilled to have had a listing that was so nicely redone and I am grateful that the sellers took my advice and had it professionally staged.  More details on this escrow as it goes along.

Open house on Sunday, 6/5, 2 - 5 - 1106 N. Cordova, Burbank 91505

This beauty is open today from 2 to 5. It is listed for $459,000.  Features: updated and redone throughout, 2 beds, 1 bath, fabulous Magnolia Park neighborhood, new a/c, new windows, new interior and exterior paint, new light fixtures, fireplace, refinished hardwoods, big backyard, and a regular sale! There's nothing else in this stellar neighborhood in this condition for this price. Come visit me and special guest Steve (who'll be there with his playlist, of course). More pics can be found at www.JudyGraff.com.

New listing coming Friday, May 27

Wait until you see how gorgeous this 2 bedroom, 1 bath is.  The owners have updated and redone it, and it features an expanded, remodeled kitchen, a remodeled bathroom, sunny bedrooms, new windows, new light fixtures, hardwood floors, new a/c and heat, a big back patio and huge backyard.  It has also been staged by Color Me Sold. It's in the heart of Magnolia Park, in Burbank, and is very close to the Chandler bike path and all the cool restaurants and shops on Magnolia Boulevard.  Plus, it's in Roosevelt Elementary's district.  It will be available to see and on the multiple listing service on Friday, May 27.  More then.

921 N. Frederic, Burbank

I just saw 921 N. Frederic on Burbank's weekly caravan and I am impressed.  This 1104 sf 3+2 is listed for $549,000 and has been remodeled with a nice new kitchen, parquet and bamboo floors, new windows, redone bathrooms, etc., etc.  It feels much bigger than the 1104 sf to me.  It also has a bigger-than-usual grassy backyard and a good Magnolia Park location.  I recently sold a home on Frederic about a block away for $620k that was larger.  Query: there are lots of kids on this stretch of Frederic.  Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

I also viewed 1505 N. Pass in Burbank. It's also noteworthy.  It's a 3+2 and is a flip.  The kitchen is really spacious.  The only downside: there's no landscaping in the backyard.  It is listed for $495,000.  Last year, I sold a house just down the street for $485k which was a 3+1 and nowhere nearly as upgraded, so this seems like a fair price to me.

Those are today's standouts.  Tomorrow I'll be on caravan in Toluca Lake and Studio City.

Burbank's Magnolia Blvd. now has three gun stores

How many gun stores does one Burbank street need? Lots, apparently. Magnolia Boulevard now has three gun stores within the mile between Victory and Buena Vista. Is there that much demand in that neighborhood? (I'd like to point out that there are only two bars in the same stretch of road. Probably a good thing, considered.) Is this what the Magnolia Park folks (the merchants association) had in mind? Is this what the city council had in mind? Is this the same city council that would not allow new restaurant establishments on the same stretch of road a few years back because patrons might park on surrounding residential streets? Um, priorities?