About Los Angeles' Hollywood Hills - Sunset Strip

This Saturday, March 17^th is St Patrick’s Day!

St Patrick’s Day is largely celebrated by Irish-Americans. Having lived in Boston, MA for over 10 plus years I have learned to accept it, even though it is not a federal holiday in the United States, in Boston it was treated as such. Alcoholic drinks and food would start around 11:30am and continue on until you ran out of energy or passed out. Most people celebrated St Patrick’s Day by wearing green clothing and drinking traditional “green beer” or other “green alcoholic” beverage.

Having relocated to Los Angeles, I have learned that Angelinos are not clueless; rather they just do not celebrate St Patrick as Bostonians do. This does not make them less “Irish Traditionalists” after all even in Ireland St Patrick’s Day was just a minor religious holiday until the 1970’s.

Basically St Patrick’s Day as we know it today, was invented in the United States by Irish-Americans. It was a way to pay respect to the saint and also create as well as strengthen their Irish ethnic identity.

Interestingly St Patrick was not even Irish. He was born in England around 390 A.D. He was kidnapped and made a slave in Ireland St Patrick died on March 17^th, 461 A.D. and was forgotten about.

According to legend St Patrick used the thee leaves of a shamrock to explain the Christian holy trinity (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) Hence the wild growing thee leaf clover became a symbol of St Patrick’s Day.

Ironically now days, the St Patrick’s Day Parade,drinking until one becomes silly and packing the pubs has returned to Ireland and the population has embraced this new tradition in Ireland as well.

So with that said:

A bit of trivia: When they say to you 'Top of the morning to you' respond with 'And the rest of the day to you’. Also enjoy St Patrick’s Day in moderation.

If you are a consumer who is considering buying or selling a home, investment real estate, vacation homes, or beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Century City, Westwood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Marina Del Rey, Venice or Malibu. Feel Free to give me a call at 310.486.1002 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 310.486.1002 end_of_the_skype_highlightingor emails me at homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at http://www.endrebarath.comYour Pet Friendly Realtor. I contribute a portion of my commission to Local Animal Rescue Organizations.

What are the most important features for buyers of Luxury homes in Los Angeles CA?

Views:

There are many features that are important. I have found that Tantalizing Views are very high on the list to Single or Double Income no kids families. Now the Best Views are rated of having the Post Card Views of down Town Los Angeles and Century City Skyline. The more stunning the views the more it is a high priority to potential buyers. This is then followed by the simple Postcard view of Downtown. This is followed by views of the Century City Skyline. Then the rest is the Southern views of the West Los Angeles Skyline with some Ocean views. Needless to say these views are from the Hollywood Hills, Sunset Strip, Beverly Hills Post Office and Bel Air areas of Los Angeles.

Indoor & Outdoor Entertainment Space:

The buyers of Luxury homes also require gracious entertaining space which includes a large formal living room and dining room as well as a generous family room with numerous fireplaces. They also require high ceilings and French Doors that lead to a great back yard. In other words it has to be indoor outdoor flow for entertaining. Ideally there will be a pool already there. If not there should be room for a pool, spa, gazebo and barbecue.

Modern Chef’s Kitchen:

The kitchen must have top of the line appliances with spacious eat in area which of course must overlook the well appointed back yard. In other words, granite counter tops brand names like Wolfe, Subzero, and Bosch are the minimum acceptable appliances.

Bathrooms:

At the minimum the master bath must have a steam shower, spa tub and walk in closets. The number of bathrooms must consist of at least 3.5 anything less than that will not be acceptable by today’s sophisticated luxury buyer.

Three-Car Garage:

The Garage has to offer a large finished space for three cars with ample storage space.

Contrary to the media, the high demand homes I described above are selling quickly. The buyers need to be prepared to make an offer almost immediately. One of the major reasons this must be done quickly is, because there are very few homes that meet all of the above requirements. Inventory for homes like this is limited. Interestingly enough, there are many buyers from all over the world who want the same home. Buyers from Canada, China and Europe are bidding for these homes. The European buyers are generally all cash buyers from Italy, Germany and Russia. Chinese buyers have been lately Cantonese.

Price Range:

Interestingly enough the Price Range could be anywhere from $2.8 million to $25 million depending on living square feet of the home as well as size and flat area of the back and or front yard. The higher end homes generally have larger living and indoor and outdoor entertaining space.

If you are looking for a Relocation Specialist who understands you needs, requirements and sophisticated taste. Please reach out to me if you are looking for homes I just described above.

If you are a consumer who is considering buying or selling a home, investment real estate, vacation homes, or beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Century City, Westwood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Marina Del Rey, Venice or Malibu. Feel Free to give me a call at 310.486.1002email me at homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at http://www.endrebarath.comYour Pet Friendly Realtor. I contribute a portion of my commission to Local Animal Rescue Organizations.

Warning Real Estate Political Humor: This housing market is booming!

I was in the middle of responding to my international buyer’s questions and I received this e-mail. I had to stop and share it with everyone. Normally you do not see me post cartoons or jokes, but I had to make an exception. Tell me if you agree.

If you are a consumer who is considering buying or selling a home, investment real estate, vacation homes, or beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Century City, Westwood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Marina Del Rey, Venice or Malibu. Feel Free to give me a call at 310.486.1002 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting email me at homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at http://www.endrebarath.com Your Pet Friendly Realtor. I contribute a portion of my commission to Local Animal Rescue Organizations.

8000 Dickson Lane, LA, 90046, $525,000 (!)

Here is a new short sale listed today in the Hollywood Hills area. This unassuming, small (980 sqft) home is tucked up in the hills off of Laurel Canyon, a major mountain pass in the area. This little fixer cottage is priced to sell quickly at $525,000, after the owners tried to do a loan modification. (The success rate of loan mod applications is less than 6%).

The rooms are small, but they manage to squeeze in 2 bedrooms and 2 baths! The living room/dining area is all one room, with charming French doors and parquet wood floors.

The kitchen is compact, has not been upgraded recently.

The home was built in 1963, probably as a little getaway cabin...for an owner that worked "in town."

The backyard area is an upslope, with the lot size of 3723 sqft.

If you're looking for a cozy little cottage...that's a bit of a fixer and is priced right...this just might be your house. If you'd like to see this house in person, please email me or call me at 213-309-5005.

Listing provided courtesy of Laura J Sarman-Getzoff, Re/Max Olson & Associates,Inc.

1420 Rising Glen Road, Hollywood Hills, CA 90069

This home is a beautiful example of a classic, post and beam, mid century home in the Hollywood Hills. Built in 1955, this spacious beauty has been on the market since early March of 2011...and now it’s a bank approved short sale, listed for $2.9 million.

This magnificent, mid century home is tucked away in a very elegant part of the Sunset Strip area of the Hollywood Hills, straight up Sunset Plaza Dr. This particular street is considered to be a “wide” street for the Hollywood Hills...in other words, normal. Most of the streets in the hills are narrow, curving roads that wind around hidden bends...very sexy and very dangerous.

This home has all of the classic features of the modern mid century home...the wood slatted ceilings, the open floor plan, walls of glass...

Two of the three bedrooms open up to the outside space.

One of the bedrooms has an updated version of the 60's, round, metal fireplace, hanging from the ceiling, along with a sky light to bring in even more light.

The large, open kitchen keeps the wood slat decor going in the same color tones of the cabinets, flooring, table and bar. And yes, those are fountains outside...for your viewing pleasure!

The baths are sleek, modern, beautifully upgraded. Love that egg tub!

This post and beam, mid century beauty was last sold in June, 2007 for $3.8 million. This time around the pricing started at $3.495 million in early February, 2011 and slowly ebbed it's way down to the current "bank approved" short sale price of $2.9 million.

If you'd like to see this home in person, please email me or call me at 213-309-5005.

Listing provided courtesy of Judy Feder, Hilton & Hyland.