Glendale, CA Real Estate

What's happening in the 91201

Chris — Mon, 28 May 2012 22:57:09 GMT

It's slim picken's here in Northwest Glendale folks! As of today, there are only 16 single family homes listed for sale in the 91201 zip code.

These homes range in price: from $375,000 for this cute little home at 407 Thompson.....

to $1,050,000 for this home at 1729 Foothill near Brand Park Library.

These homes are averaging 81 days on the market.

Thinking of selling your Northwest Glendale home? Call me today and let's get started!

Don't take it personal!

Chris — Thu, 24 May 2012 06:17:00 GMT

One of the biggest challenges that agents face when presenting an offer to a seller is to make sure that the seller does not get offended. Some sellers will either get offended if the price is not what they are expecting, or if the buyer is making certain demands such as a long escrow. Selling your home is strictly business and as we say in real estate, "everything is negotiable". If you take things personal, you may lose a good buyer!

Your listing agent is obligated to present you any and all offers that they receive on your property. Trust your professional to guide you as to how to respond to an offer. Keep in mind that some buyer's feel the need to make a low ball offer in order to feel like they did everything they could to get the best deal on your property. Whatever the case may be, don't cut off your nose to spite your face! This is business, don't take it personal!

Friday Fun

Chris — Sat, 19 May 2012 00:05:16 GMT

When you need a car or truck, do you: "Go See Cal?"
When you need an attorney to fight for you, do you: "Call Larry H. Parker?"

If you were to put a local real estate agent in the same category as Cal and Larry, who would it be??

Have a great weekend!

The importance of having a buyers agent

Chris — Thu, 10 May 2012 05:44:05 GMT

When I first started in this business my mentor told me that buyers were liars, one day they say that they are working with only you and the next day they tell you that they purchased a home with another agent that they met at an open house. The harsh reality of it was, she was right! This made me hell bent on earning my client's loyalty. Before I knew it I was working with lots and lots of buyers and to this day, I rarely have one go astray!

Since so many buyers have finally hopped off the fence and made the decision to buy, the market has become much more competitive. For some reason buyers are overlooking one of the most important things about buying a home which is having a good REALTOR. It seems as though there are many buyers that think that they know more that an experienced REALTOR knows. Many buyers think they can find the good deals on their own by searching the Internet. Others think they will have a better chance at getting the deal if they work directly with the listing agent. I am about to paint a completely different picture by telling you the stories of my most recent sales both of which I closed last week.

Buyer #1- searched the internet and visited open houses every Sunday. Finally her parents convinced her to hire a REALTOR, that's where I came in. We looked at several properties but none of them seemed like a good fit. I decided to speak with an agent friend of mine who was getting ready to sell her home. I asked if we could see the home because I thought it would be perfect for my client. I assured her that my client was well qualified and a very serious buyer. As luck would have it, my client fell in love with her home and we wrote an offer and quickly opened escrow. Had it not been for me, my buyer would never have known about this house.

Buyers #2- relocated from Colorado and enrolled their son at Burbank High School. When they interviewed me to be their agent, they insisted on finding a character home in Burbank with at least 2000 square feet. Not an easy find considering most of the homes in that school district were built in the late 40's early 50's. Their son only had 1 year left in high school so I suggested that we look in Glendale. They suddenly realized that they were focusing on Burbank for the wrong reason. Why be tied down to a certain neighborhood just for a few more months of high school? We looked at several properties before we found "the one". We went to see it on the day it was listed and we wrote an offer that very night. I prepared my clients for a multiple offer situation so we came in strong. The next day the listing agent called to say that there were 2 other offers and one of them was her own offer. I felt comfortable that my clients wrote a strong offer and I submitted it to the listing agent with a nice cover letter sharing a little info about my clients along with an approval letter and proof of funds. The listing agent called the next day to say we got the property, WHOOO HOOOO! Why did she choose us over her own offer? It's simple, we wrote a better offer not to mention that I know the listing agent well and we respect each other as professionals.

Am I tooting my own horn? Maybe a little but the point I am trying to make here is that it is important to have a buyers agent in your court, especially now. Don't rely on some random fast talking agent that you meet at an open house or who just happens to be the listing agent of a home you are interested in. Find an agent you can trust, an agent with the integrity that is needed to help you make one of the biggest decisions of your life!

Over pricing your home

Chris — Tue, 08 May 2012 01:12:25 GMT

In today's constantly changing real estate market one thing remains the same, it's never a good idea to over price your home. Some owner's think that they should ask more than their home is worth so that they have some wiggle room for negotiating. The problem with that concept is, that the higher you list the lower your offers will be.

Today's "serious" buyers are doing their own homework, they are comparing prices and looking at the number of days in which the home has been on the market. When it's apparent that the home is over priced they will submit a low offer. After a few low offers, most sellers will realize that they need to reduce the price. Unfortunately, by this time the home has lost its momentum and once again buyers will be considering the total number of days on the market when they submit their offer.

Keep in mind of you list your home for too high of a price, you will inevitably end up selling it for less than if you had priced it right in the beginning!

Low baller need not bother

Chris — Thu, 03 May 2012 23:47:12 GMT

With so much negative media attention to the real estate market, it's no surprise that there are a lot of buyers that think they can get a low ball offer accepted. One of my client's actually confessed to me that she took one of those weekend seminars on how to buy real estate for cheap. At the seminar they told her to offer 60% below list price!

The days of making low ball offers are quickly fading away! In Glendale we have been experiencing multiple offers and many of the homes are selling for asking or above. This is a clear sign that the market has bounced back. CNN Money predicts that this year will be the last chance for bargain hunters to take advantage of the weak housing market. The question is, will you?

Glendale Park For Sale

Chris — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 05:15:19 GMT

Now that I have your attention... I would like to invite you to visit me this Sunday at 1471 Royal Blvd. in Glendale from 1:00-4:00. I will be holding this oh so beautiful Rossmoyne home open in celebration of National Open House Weekend.

Please stop in and take a look at this very special home.

Your lifestyle and what is says about you

Chris — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 22:19:24 GMT

A home that is cluttered and dirty speaks volumes on how the owner takes care of their property. Most of my clients will walk right out of a home that is messy! It's no good to have nice furniture or expensive appliances if your home is a pig stye.

Our homes and places of business are a huge reflection on how we live and how we take care of things. This is one of the reasons why I take pride in caring for my home and office.

When it comes time to sell your home. Put yourself in a buyers shoes and imagine what it would be like for you to walk in to your home as a prospective buyer. Would you want to buy your home if you were a buyer? What does your lifestyle say about you?

Another Bel Aire Bomb!

Chris — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 23:01:26 GMT

Yesterday I blogged about a flip that flopped at 1806 Bel Aire. Today I am going to talk about another property just down the street at 1944 Bel Aire. It was originally listed for $749,000, pretty high in my opinion. Just 7 days later the property was reduced to $715,000, that's a $34,000 price reduction in just 1 week! But wait.....7 days later it was reduced once again to $699,000, that's a total of $50,000 in just 2 weeks! Now it is currently listed for $649,000 that is a $100,000 difference in the original list price and it's only been on the market for 49 days. At this point the property has lost it's appeal to anyone who might have been the slightest bit interested. What's a seller to do??? Stay tuned, I will keep you posted on the final outcome.

Flip Failure!

Chris — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 01:14:33 GMT

Take a look at this listing at 1806 Bel Aire Drive in the 91201. It was sold as a short sale in December for $480,000. Minimal work was done on the home and it was re-listed in January for $599,000! Just 20 days later it was reduced to $589,000 and then reduced once again to $569,000. It is now listed for $565,000 (I guess they thought a $5,000 reduction would to the trick) and now it has been collecting dust for 77 days.

What went wrong with this flip? What went right would almost be a better question! I would almost guess that the buyer went to one of those weekend seminars on how to flip homes or something, I can typically spot those buyers a mile away. Did this aspiring flipper think he/she would actually make $119,000 profit with just a little paint and handy work? This flip gets a F in my book.

Just Listed!

Chris — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 20:22:03 GMT

This exceptional 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath home is located 1471 Royal Blvd, Glendale. Originally designed and built with great attention to detail by Paul Burkhard, a noted Glendale architect, for his own family. It is currently occupied by the second owner, who has lovingly maintained it over the years.

Open this Sunday from 1:00-4:00.

In a white room with black curtains

Chris — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 06:55:23 GMT

For years I had all of the interior walls in my home painted white. For what ever reason I was afraid to experiment with color. Often times friends would suggest to me that I should add a splash of color because I live in a Spanish home. Little did they know that they would create a color monster. My home is now painted with several warm tones and I just love it! However, I have to admit since this new trend of painting everything white has made it's return, I find myself toying with the idea of going back to white walls. What do you think?

The importance of staging your home with a professional

Chris — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 03:08:52 GMT

There are a lot of people out their who like to refer to themselves as professional home stagers. Maybe they have had a little interior design experience or maybe they simply think they have good taste. What sets them apart from a professional home stager is that they tend to stage a home based on their own personal taste rather than carefully staging a home so that it will appeal to a wide variety of buyers.

Today's buyers are not only shopping for a home, they are shopping for a lifestyle. Why do you think that the new home developments have models for buyers to look at? Home staging is a way to entice a buyer to literally imagine themselves living in your home. Today's buyers are obsessed with home improvement shows and home furnishing catalogs such as Pottery Barn or Crate and Barrel. Your home needs to look like something out of a catalog or TV show, which should not include your collection of Beany Babies on the bed in the guest room!

Take a look at this empty dining room, it doesn't exactly leave much for the imagination does it?

Below you will see a perfect example of professional staging! By the way, this home sold in less than a week after it was professionally staged and the cost was a lot less than a price reduction would have been!

Your personal shopper for real estate

Chris — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 02:55:07 GMT

I have a personal shopper that I work with at Nordstrom in Arcadia. She always makes great suggestions when I need something for a special occasion. She is good about letting me know when there is a sale and will often set something aside for me. Yes, I could waste a bunch of time on the internet or in and out of stores, dealing with other sales people, but Adrianna knows me and she knows what I like. She is an expert at what she does and she just makes life so much simpler because she saves me time. Oh, and the best part is, that her services do not cost me a thing!

When it comes to real estate you may want to consider a personal shopper as well. Sure, you could surf the net until the wee hours or spend your weekends in and out of open houses or you could find an area expert like myself, who will work hard for you. Oh and having a personal shopper for your real estate needs won't cost you anything extra!

Seemed like a good idea at the time!

Chris — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:16:23 GMT

When it comes to home decor, I always recommend that you stick with the things that can stand the test of time. Stay true to the original character of your home instead of making it something that it is not especially when it comes to permanent things like windows and flooring. Focus on restoring rather than replacing. Take a look at these lovely stairs and railing for example:

Over the years I have seen all kinds of trends come and go, garden windows, popcorn ceilings, pinewood paneling, you name it I have seen it all. Todays trend might seem like a good idea at the time but eventually you will end up saying "what was I thinking?".

The history of smog

Chris — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 23:29:27 GMT

Check out this old incinerator that my client and I discovered in a back yard yesterday. It's hard to imagine that there was ever a day that residents were allowed to burn garbage in their own back yard! More than 300,000 backyard trash incinerators puffed out white plumes -- and black soot -- across the city in the late 1940's.

In 1947 the LA County Board of Supervisors established the nation's first air pollution control program. The word SMOG actually comes from the words smoke and fog. Click here to read more about how smog was discovered.

Talk about a blast from the past!

Mind your manners!

Chris — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:13:28 GMT

I work with a lot of buyers. Almost every time I take a client to see a home they want to know if someone is living in the house before we go inside. The majority of them prefer it when the home is vacant or when the owner's are not home. One of the complaints I hear most often about occupied homes, is when a homeowner let's their dog jump, drool and sniff everyone who comes through the home. Often times the dogs want to play and will get underfoot. I have literally had client's walk out of a home before they finish viewing the entire place all because of an unruly dog!

If you have your home listed for sale and you want to sell it, please be sure to keep your dog outside or at least in a certain area so that it won't bother people viewing your home. Keep in mind some people have a fear of dogs. Just because you think your dog is friendly that does not mean everyone wants to be friends with it!

There are a few exceptions of course

Home Buying 101

Chris — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 05:55:19 GMT

One of the first things I learned in real estate was never to waste my time on a buyer that has not been pre-approved before we start looking at homes. I don't think it's too much to ask considering Realtors don't get paid until they sell something. Why in the world would we waste our time looking for properties, scheduling appointments and wasting gas if you can't afford to buy a home? Better question is, why would you want to waste your own time doing that?

I realize that might sound a bit harsh but there is nothing worse than finding a home you love all to find out you can't afford it. Not to mention your offer is pretty much worthless without an pre-approval letter whether you can afford it or not! In many cases a lender will approve you for an amount that you can afford, but depending on your level of comfort, you may not want a payment as high as the maximum amount you can afford.

Home buying doesn’t begin with home searching; it begins with a mortgage pre-approval. Often, first-time home buyers fear getting pre-approved because they’re afraid the lender may tell them they do not qualify for a mortgage or they qualify for a loan smaller than expected. However, by getting preapproved, buyers will make a financial decision rather than an emotional one!

Trends In Home Decorating

Chris — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 06:21:29 GMT

Over the years I have seen many trends in home decor. Whether it be country or contemporary I have seen it all. There are a few new trends that are hot right now and Eclectic is one of them.

Eclectic decor draws it's attention from contrast. It's about mixing different design periods, color schemes and textures. It's about breaking all of the rules of conventional home decorating.

The great thing about Eclectic decor is that is fun, personal and for the most part inexpensive. It can be a little on the tricky side if you aren't careful you will end up with a room full glorified hodgepodge. Be sure to not to over do it! The best way to master the mix is to keep it simple and start with a few of your favorite things but most importantly, have fun!

Deal alert!

Chris — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:47:30 GMT

Check out this beautiful 4 bedroom 3 bath home located on one of my favorite streets in NW Glendale. Situated on a 9,540 square foot lot with 2,900 square feet of living space, tastefully updated inside and out! You won't be disappointed when you see this beautiful home! On the market for $1,025,000, motivated seller wants to sell!

Care to take a look? Call me, 818-458-8998!