West Hollywood, CA

I was interested to read about CreditKarma.com, an online company that supplies registered users with their credit report and credit scores for free.

Unlike other companies that supply credit reports that advertise free reports but actually end up charging for their services, CreditKarma.com is truly free for consumers.

The company (founded in 2007) is funded by its advertising revenue and in turn is able to offer users free credit reports and scores.

This is a win for consumers who up until now had to pay about $15.95 (or more) to receive their credit report and score directly from the credit reporting agencies; Experian, Equifax and Transunion.

My biggest concern is that a user needs to provide his or her Social Security Number (which makes sense) ..... but I'm not convinced about the security and privacy offered by the CreditKarma.com once they receive one's Social Security Number.

The website currently boasts 800,000 registered users so I was curious if any ActiveRainers have had any experience with this site.

There are so many stunning homes in The Bird Streets that I know that all of my rich kids would love that I could blog exclusively about this neighborhood all day long and never get tired of it! Since I haven't showcased a home in this area for a while, I thought I would offer you a refresher course on The Bird Streets. This uber chic neighborhood off of Doheny, north of Sunset is some of the most sought after and prized real estate in all of Los Angeles. Named after, you guessed it...birds... these streets feature some of the best views and high profile residents in the city. You will pay a premium to fly with this flock, but for the rich kid with no limits there are few better placed to call home.

Today's Hot Prop is a stunning redone mid century set on a lot with extensive landscaping and foliage for ultimate privacy, yet not overpowering the the extensive views that span from city lights to the ocean (on a very clear day). What I really love about this home is the open floor plan with floor to ceiling windows throughout. It gives you that indoor/outdoor feeling from every room. Although I am not a huge fan of marble, when used tastefully, can provide for a super swank effect. If you have ever viewed the townhomes at my listing on Croft, The Luminaire, you will understand what I mean. I love the contrast of the large carrara marble fireplace with the dark hardwood floors and white beamed ceilings. The entire house screams minimalist chic, allowing the house to speak for itself without being overpowered by large fixtures and overly done kitchens/bathrooms. When you step outside to the massive deck, it's almost as if you are in treehouse (albeit a very expensive one), while you look out to views of the city. You can tell that the owner has exquisite taste and an extreme pride of ownership with every detail carefully thought out.

1529 Oriole Lane, Los Angeles, CA 90069 - 3br/3ba, Roughly 2,677 sq ft - $2,950,000

AMAZING MID-CENTURY ARCHITECTURAL THAT IS SET IN WOODED PRIVACY IN THE COVETED BIRD STREETS. THIS HOME FEATURES FLOOR TO CEILING WINDOWS THAT FRAME WONDERFUL CITY TO OCEAN VWS, DUAL MSTR SUITES; ONE W/A FRPL & CITY VWS & THE OTHER W/A PRVT PATIO IN A WOODED SETTING. THE OPEN FLOOR PLAN INCLUDES EXPANSIVE DECK W/VWS, BEAUTIFUL CARRERA FRPL, CLEAN LINES, DARK HRDWD FLRS THROUGHOUT & AN ABUNDANCE OF NATURAL LIGHT. A THIRD BEDROOM & ADD'L BATH COMPLETE THIS RESIDENCE - Listed by Coldwell Banker Beverly Hills East by one of the coolest and kindest agents I know!

I feel like this is Oprah's "My Favorite Things Week", but instead of giving you the latest Dustbuster (do they even make thoseanymore) or Panini Maker, I am treating you to some of my favorite streets/neighborhoods that you may not be aware of. This is especially for the newer rich kids who haven't discovered these hidden gems of residential living in the heart of everything.

Much like Nichols Canyon, Marmont Ave/Lane is a mish mash of smaller homes in the 1-2 million dollar range as well as large, architectural properties that can price at 3 million and up. The streets of Marmont lie right behind the famed Chateau Marmont, a fabled Hollywood landmark. Affairs to remember, overdose related deaths we wish to forget, and everything in between have happened at this hotel. It's a wonderful place to grab dinner on the outside terrace or have a drink by the pool. It's old school Hollywood glamour at it's best.

What I like about this area is that again, it's somewhat hidden yet in the midst of everything. In contrast to Nichols, Marmont has less of a woodsy vibe to it and is more of a traditional Hollywood Hills neighborhood. Right now there are currently four active listings ranging from $1,097,750 for a 22oo sq ft fixer that is in probate to a 3,500 sq ft - 4br/4.5ba, well done Mediterranean for $4,495,000. Right now the average days on the market for these listings are about 3 months. Two of these have been on the market for 200 days each, with a cost per square foot of $1284 and $1032. These homes are definitely priced on the very high end of the spectrum and rival an updated home in the Beverly Hills flats at these prices if not higher. Side note - if you are on the market for more than 6 months with the same list price and you haven't sold, with all due respect to the sellers/agents - it's time to reduce and relaunch!

The streets behind the the Chateau have always in high demand because of the views they offer, as well as the close proximity to the best parts of Sunset Blvd. There have been two sales thus far on Marmont Ave/Lane since January 1, 2009. A partially updated tudor style ranch with 2119 sq ft for $949,000 and then a slick, gated mid century compound with pool and 2640 sq ft of living space for $1,856,650. The average days on the market for these two homes was just about two months, which for 2009 is exceptional. When pricing a home for a client or figuring out what to offer with a buyer there are premiums and intangibles that go into it that magic number besides just price per square foot, but this is always a good place to start. The blended average of these two sales was about $575/sq ft.

Although I focus a lot on slick, contemporary properties, I am also a huge sucker for traditional Spanish style homes with tons of character. I was driving the streets of Marmont one caravan last April with no real goal other than to pull over to talk my best friend off a ledge due to her dramatic relationship with her boyfriend. I stumbled upon 8265 Marmont and instantly fell in love. I made it a Hot Prop of the Day back then (click on the address for a detailed review and the rather funny story) and is still in my mind as a property that I would one day love to purchase. It just feels so special from the inside and out - it's hard to describe. You just know when you love a property. For whatever reason, it expired from the market with a subsequent reduction to $1,550,000 ($100,000 less from when I wrote the blog entry). I'll leave you with the pictures of this property and the hope that we will see it on the market again sometime soon or that it sold to someone who loves it as much as I do!

The Famous (or infamous) Sunset Strip in West Hollywood is about to receive a $6.5 Million facelift after more than 75 years of use - $5.4 Million in city funding and $1.1 Million from the federal stimulus package.

Sunset Blvd is a major arterial street serving more than 60,000 commuters on a daily basis.

The Sunset Strip Beautification project which includes repaving the street, repairing sidewalks and adding landscapes and medians, is expected to take six months to complete and will commence in January 2010.

I'm excited about this project because the strip is an integral part of the Los Angeles.

Many well-known clubs and bars are situated on this part of Sunset Blvd, some with good stories, some with bad ....

but whatever the case may be, the 'Sunset Strip" is always bustling, always busy, and an exciting place to see and be seen.

It's my opinion that the West Hollywood condo market is improving!

This month there have already been a healthy number of closings with two units selling above the magical $1 Million mark and there have also been a few units in the popular price range of $600,000 - $700,000.

1100 Alta Loma Rd - $1,775,000 (Listed at $1,995,000)

8703 West Knoll Dr - $1,100,000 (Listed at $1,200,000)

935 Westbourne Dr - $678,500 (Listed at $724,000)

1010 Curson Ave - $640,000 (listed at $674,900)

8121 Norton Ave - $612,500 (Listed at $699,000)

It's noteworthy that 33 of the 159 units currently listed For Sale are above $1 Million ..... representing 21% of active listings in the area.

(Statistics are obtained from The CLAW MLS and are deemed reliable but are not guaranteed)