Many of us love looking at houses...even if we aren't going to buy any time soon. And some of us like to take that one step further, ooh-ing and ah-ing over homes that only exist on paper. That makes Houseplans.com both a great resource for those who want to build their own home, AND a fun way to spend a couple of hours.
With plans for nearly 30,000 different homes online, surely your own dream home is up there somewhere. Plus, many of the plans come in a variety of sizes and configurations, and they've even got a module to let you "draw" your own changes and edits onscreen. Styles run the whole gamut from quaint cottages to Greek revival to Spanish to architectural (like this one we love -- sleek design, and a clever way to work with steeply sloping ground). Now all you need is a lot!
http://losangelesrealestatetalk.com/2009/03/27/for-new-home-buildersor-window-shoppers/
The Washington Post takes a look at the pros (and cons) of leasing out your property in today’s market, rather than selling. The article makes a number of good points about how to find and screen tenants, whether to use a leasing management company, and tax advantages you can gain from an investment property. One thing we’ll take exception to, though, is the idea that you should shelve your plans to sell your existing home and buy something larger (or that otherwise better fits your needs) until prices rise again. For one thing, you can’t know exactly how long it’s going to take for the value of your home to rise above what it was when you purchased it — and why put your life and needs on hold indefinitely? Second, and equally important, is the fact that though you may be selling your existing property for less than what you perceive as its “value” — you’ll also be buying your new home at a far lower value as well — so that when home prices do rise again, your net gains would be higher on the higher-priced home. The bottom line — do what’s right for you!
If you have interest in leasing out your property, don’t hesitate to contact me.
Legends of La Cienega Design Walk, a three day celebration of the galleries and shops of Los Angeles’ legendary design district. Explore and get inspired! Take in seminars, book signings, and guided tours. For details about this special event visit click here.
If you go, be sure to email me your review of the event!
British actuary Ross Russell and his wife Sally decided to leave behind their hectic London lives and move to the countryside. They wanted to build a home that was a little unconventional, but the local planning council was apparently more traditionally-minded. The end result — an interesting fusion contrived by Russell and a childhood friend who grew up to be a successful architect — is a fairly rustic-looking timber-clad shell that slides all the way back to reveal a modern glass and steel structure completely open to the land and the sky above. (The sliding shell, by the way, does have skylights cut out.) We always talk about “bringing the outdoors in,” but a wall of French doors just can’t compete with this. Read the whole story here.
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Realtor Valerie Fitzgerald represents buyers and sellers of real estate all over Los Angeles including, Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood, Century City, Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, and Malibu
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