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Observations about Interest Rates and the Real Estate Market by Endre Barath, Jr. a Beverly Hills Realtor
Yesterday morning at 11:19 a.m. we made our official farewell to Summer 2025 (the autumnal equinox). The Federal Reserve finally lowered the benchmark federal interest rate by 0.25% on September 17th, the first rate cut of 2025. If you are one to keep current with the media, this rate cut has shown a great deal of encouraging headlines. As I stated in the beginning of September, I expect this to boost individual buyer’s activity as well as investor activity in the Greater Los Angeles area. Many buyers who were previously borderline due to lack of affordability should now turn into actual buyers. Add to the mix other buyers who were sitting on the fence; they too should now be encouraged to step into the market as well, further increasing activity in the greater Los Angeles area. Needless to say, with more buyers competing for the same amount of home inventory will translate to sellers being firmer on their list and sales price. As you’ve often heard me say, “do not wait too long” because the competition will increase and you may very well miss out to savvy buyers and savvy investors. Another point of interest, I have started to notice economists making predictions about how home prices will be increasing in my market area. Even the California Association of Realtors’ economists have made a prediction and anticipate home prices to increase by about 3.6%. So, with that said my advice and suggestion is don’t wait, buy now. Real Estate buyers and sellers have a Herd Mentality meaning that when the majority buys or does not buy they follow suit. Hence my suggestion is to become the leader of the herd; you will thank me six to eight months from now. In addition to selling homes and condominiums, my niche market is selling vacant land. This gives me the ability to gauge whether builders’ sentiments are improving or staying the same. This is based on both the number and type of land inquiries I receive on my listings. With that said, my take is that builder sentiment has remained unchanged over the past three months, but now I am starting to see an increase in inquiries on my land listings. Clearly this is a good sign of things to come. Finally, let’s add to the mix the seasonal changes. In my experience, I have always found that the Fall is a great time to buy or sell a home. There is less competition due to parents focusing on back to school and the majority of people overall focusing on the quickly approaching holiday season. The best part for sellers is that the buyers who are out there are serious, real buyers. In closing let me reemphasize to take advantage of the lower interest rate which is more favorable to affordability. Don’t wait to see if additional rate cuts are coming in the final months of the year. Keep in mind, you can always refinance if it is in your favor. If you are looking for a pet friendly Beverly Hills Realtor who can handle the most challenging properties that no one else could, please reach out to me directly. If you are considering buying or selling a home, a luxury home, luxury investment real estate, luxury vacation homes, or luxury beach properties in...
read moreThe Man from St. Petersburg by Ken Follett A book review by Endre Barath, Jr. a Beverly Hills Realtor.
The Man from St. Petersburg by Ken Follett: A book review by Endre Barath, Jr. a Beverly Hills Realtor. Published in 1982 and collecting dust on my bookshelf since 2005, although I am repeating myself all I have to say is “I’m so glad I finally read it”. In all fairness, I should have read it much sooner, but that is another story. Don’t let the title fool you, this is not a story that revolves around St. Petersburg, Florida. Rather, it’s a story whose beginning is 1914, just at the cusp of the beginning of World War I. Hence if you favor historical fiction and were wondering about the how’s and whys before the start of what is dubbed The Great War, let Ken Follett tell you in this book. The novel is filled with political and personal drama along with espionage and intrigue. As with all of Ken Follett’s books, you will be kept on the edge of your seat and unable to turn the pages fast enough. I felt as if I was in the room when Winston Churchill was interacting with the Earl of Walden as they waited for the Romanov envoy in an attempt to seal the deal of a secret alliance between England and Russia. The issue focused on strategic real estate acquisition, which I found ironic and uncannily parallel to today’s Ukraine Russia negotiations. Simply put, I was so mesmerized with the plot and the events that I will be googling to learn how much of the plot and characters are indeed the true history vs. fiction. Of course I am not referring to the character of Winston Churchill, rather to Feliks, Prince Aleksei, Lord Waldren and Charlotte to name but a few. At this point, I remain convinced that this novel is how it really played out. If you are looking for a pet friendly Beverly Hills Realtor who can handle the most challenging properties that no one else could, please reach out to me directly. If you are considering buying or selling a home, a luxury home, luxury investment real estate, luxury vacation homes, or luxury beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Century City, Westwood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Marina Del Rey, Venice or Malibu, feel free to contact me at 310.486.1002 (m) or homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at https://www.endrebarath.com. Berkshire Hathaway Beverly Hills A portion of my commission will be donated to a local and reputable animal rescue organization or...
read moreHope you had a relaxing Labor Day weekend! Welcome Fall!
As we welcome Fall, here’s hoping you had a relaxing Labor Day weekend and if you are in the LA area that you managed to stay somewhat cool. I am personally ready for some much cooler weather. No doubt you’ve read the headlines about tariffs and inflation that are intended to scare people; the reality is quite the opposite. The Stock Market has been on fire, higher than ever before and certainly more so since the Covid Pandemic shutdowns. Bank of America is bullish about the market and projecting a continued optimistic view for the Stock Market despite tariffs and inflation. As a reference point, they say that in the past nine months the Stock Market has had at least 20 high points. Furthermore, they are expecting that rate cuts and potential 2026 stimulus will outweigh tariff risks and other uncertainties. On the Real Estate side of the economy, home prices have surged. Some economists who closely monitor this indicate that they have surged twice as fast as monthly rents. To complicate matters, interest rates have been stuck between 6-8% for the past five years. Affordability remains the issue. I often think of my father when he decided to buy a home in the early 1970’s. He read all sorts of reports and one in particular from MIT pushed him off the fence. He realized that high inflation and interest rates were keeping him at the point where he would not even be able to afford to rent, let alone buy a home. Then he thought that if he bought something, he would at least stabilize monthly payments while inflation worked to increase the value of his home. Indeed it did! Even at the bottom of the Real Estate Market in the early 1990’s he sold his home for three times what he paid for it all after having lived comfortably in it for 20 years.My point is, do not fall into the trappings of the headlines; if you are considering buying or selling it is not about timing. If you are a seller, it’s about properly pricing, and if you are a buyer, it’s critical to have a solid Realtor that will give you the facts and statistics of the local market. Right now there are fewer buyers out there, hence sellers are more open to negotiations. If you wait for the interest rates to drop, you just might be competing with more buyers who are sitting on the fence. Ultimately it could cost you more in the long run instead of enjoying your own home and increasing your home’s value. Please reach out to me directly for advice and representation. In the meantime, enjoy my Newsletter. Important dates in September: September 22 Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown; and it is the first day of Autumn. (Yom Kippur begins at sundown on October 1) If you are looking for a pet friendly Beverly Hills Realtor who can handle the most challenging properties that no one else could, please reach out to me directly. If you are considering buying or selling a home, a luxury home, luxury investment real estate, luxury vacation homes, or luxury beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Century City, Westwood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Marina Del Rey, Venice or Malibu,...
read moreJoin me on a flashback in American history to August 27th, 1967 a post by Endre Barath a Beverly Hills Realtor
Join me on a flashback in American history to August 27th, 1967. The Barath family landed at New York’s JFK International Airport all thanks to my father, Endre Barath, Sr., writing a letter to then President Lyndon B. Johnson who granted permission for us to legally live in the United States. This was a dream come true for my dad as he always wanted to live in the U.S., a free democratic country where you could express your views without being punished by the government. In his mind, the U.S. was the only country where this would be possible in 1967. While he had made attempts to leave Communist Hungary many times, he would not leave without taking his entire family which consisted of me and my mother. When he arranged for all of us to go to the Winter Olympics in Austria in 1964, that was the start of making his dream become a reality. He decided he would not return to Hungary, and we managed to find refuge in an immigration camp. This is where he began the process of trying to get into the United States legally, but the powers to be kept turning him down. This was largely in part because my father was a powerful engineer in Communist Hungary, a position you could only hold if you were a member of the Communist Party. Many suggested he emigrate to Canada and cross the border illegally and no one would care. This was never a consideration for my dad, so he kept trying until he finally exhausted all of his attempts. As a last resort, my father wrote a personal letter to Lyndon Johnson asking for his help. Interestingly my father received a message back from the American Embassy in Vienna to pack up his family and his belongings as he was being granted the opportunity to legally immigrate to the United States. The window of time was extremely short; this was the now or never moment. You can imagine how our world was turned upside down, just as we had started settling into life in Austria, getting comfortable with the German language and the Austrian way of life. My mother was a bit distraught as the job of getting everything packed up and put together fell largely to her, but we did manage to pack it all up and get ready to relocate. My father was thrilled beyond words, and needless to say when we arrived in the U.S., he quickly realized that a few years of learning English was not enough. He also discovered the challenges of finding a job in the mechanical engineering field. My mother did not speak the English language either and had to learn. All these years later and I did not understand why the short notice to pack up and come to the U.S. and why on August 27th. My father of course never questioned it, he was just thrilled that it happened. So after all these years, I decided to see what else happened in history on August 27th, 1967 and I learned that President Lyndon B. Johnson’s birthday was August 27th and he turned 59 years old on that day in 1967. I do wish my parents were still alive so I could share this with them....
read moreThe Afghan by Frederick Forsyth: A book review by Endre Barath, Jr. a Beverly Hills Realtor
Autographed First Ed hardcover As most of you have likely gathered by now, I am a huge fan of espionage thrillers with this genre making up a very large piece of my personal reading shelves. British author, Frederick Forsyth, is a master at espionage fiction; I am a huge fan and own many of his novels, and I am the proud owner of a first edition hardcover of The Afghan. After having recently learned of his passing, I was saddened to realize that only one of Forsyth books is autographed. To honor him and mark his passing, I chose to pick up and read The Afghan as my next book. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. This novel was published in 2006, and I bought my copy in November of that same year. For fun, I often keep my book receipts tucked in the inside cover so I can see just how long it takes me to read the book after I buy it and also to compare book prices from then to now. One bright side of my dropping a social media platform is that I’m much more free to read so many wonderful books that I acquired over the years. With all this said, let me jump in and share my thoughts on another great read, The Afghan. This book centers on espionage and contemporary terrorism and Al-Qaeda is about to do something large. One big problem, however, is that neither American nor British Intelligence agencies know what is about to take place. Enter Colonel Mike Martin whose job it is to infiltrate the terrorists. As a bonus, Colonel Martin has a striking resemblance to Izmat Khan, a former Taliban commander, which makes him ideally suited for this task at hand. I loved the detailed descriptive training of Colonel Martin’s transformation into Khan, which involved acquiring deep knowledge of the Afghan culture, language, religion and customs. Having lived in four different countries myself, I fully appreciated the challenges Colonel Martin faced assimilating to the different cultures and accents. Even the smallest slip could have blown his cover in an instant. This alone kept me on the edge of my seat as I was not just reading but living in the moment. Clearly Forsyth’s background as a correspondent for Reuters and a reporter for the British Broadcasting Corp. TV & Radio helps the reader move at a fast pace, and trying to keep up with the plot at times can be challenging particularly if you’ve not had military or covert experience or training. As for me, I loved every twist and turn that others might consider a distraction to the plot. I am so glad I read this book rather than put it on the backburner to keep the sequential order of his books. All I can say is I look forward to reading more of his previous books that had been collecting dust on my bookshelves, and I am sad that there will be no further works coming from the pen of one of my favorite authors. If you are looking for a pet friendly Beverly Hills Realtor who can handle the most challenging properties that no one else could, please reach out to me directly. If you are considering buying or selling a...
read moreThe Key To Rebecca by Ken Follett a book review by Endre Barath,Jr. a Beverly Hills Realtor
Well, I finally dusted off another great book from my home library, The Key To Rebecca by Ken Follett. I so enjoy picking up and reading a hardcover book that has been collecting dust on my bookshelves simply because of lack of time. Reading has always been a passion of mine, and I’m happy to back reading in earnest. The Key to Rebecca is an historical fiction spy thriller centering around World War II. It was published in 1980, and I am the proud owner of a first edition autographed book; I still remember how thrilled I was to attend an in-person author reading, discussion and signing with Ken Follett in downtown Los Angeles when he was promoting The Hammer of Eden and how gracious he was to sign all of my books that I touted to the event. The Key to Rebecca is yet another a page turner where you feel as if you are a participant in the drama and not only a reader. I was transported to Cairo in my mind as the German spy is sending critical information via secret code to the Erwin Rommell’s German Army (aka the Nazis) about the British Forces. I’ve always been intrigued how German spies and British Intelligence sent coded messages during World War II. In this particular story, it was done via a book called ‘Rebecca’, a much loved classic novel by none other than the late great Daphne du Maurier. Having been a realtor for many years and the stress of needing to conduct business and timely communications well before cell phones existed brought back some fond (or not so fond) memories for me. I am forever grateful for the improvements over beepers, pagers, and suit case phones, which ultimately led us to today’s smart phones. Hence my fascination with the challenges that spies had to contend with to get their messages across enemy lines. Of course, Ken Follet is also a master at writing historical details. As with his spy, Alex Wolff, there was a real-life spy at the time who also grew up in Egypt thus having mixed German and Arab cultural upbringing just like Ken Follet’s spy. The similarities were amazing. The young Anwar Sadat also played an important role in the novel’s plot. According to Wikipedia, Sadat even mentions this arrest of the actual spy (not Wolff) in his own autobiography. And Sadat’s arrest by the British is largely derived from Sadat’s own autobiography (check it out). Finally, the motor cycle chase scenes in Cairo will take your breath away, at least they did mine. All of this inspired me to check see if there was a movie made. Well, it turns out that there was a TV movie in 1985 starring Cliff Robertson. I am now on a quest to find the movie and watch it. The only downside to that is it would take me away from reading another one Ken Follett’s great books. If you are looking for a pet friendly Beverly Hills Realtor who can handle the most challenging properties that no one else could, please reach out to me directly. If you are considering buying or selling a home, a luxury home, luxury investment real estate, luxury vacation homes, or luxury beach properties or vacant land in Southern...
read moreJust Sold!!! 3930 Topanga Canyon Blvd Malibu CA 90265 another vacant lot!
Directions: Take Pacific Coast Highway to Topanga Canyon Blvd approximately five hundred feet from the corner on the north side of the street is the land (across and past Oasis Imports) Remarks: Price Reduced! Seller wants it SOLD NOW! This is one of the least expensive vacant lots in Malibu and in such close proximity to the ocean. Lots like this don’t last long in this market! Buyer to verify all information and rely on their own investigations. Ask listing agent for a plat map and go direct. Alternatively great investment to hold for future appreciation. Sold AS IS & WHERE IS. Drive by and MAKE OFFER. Keep in mind 500 ft from PCH is an amazing opportunity to build an Ocean View Home! Private Remarks: never got to do a video, since the Palisades Fires shut the area down. Now I am receiving many inquiries. Please reach out to me for a plat map and go on your own to the property. If you are looking for a pet friendly Beverly Hills Realtor who can handle the most challenging properties that no one else could, please reach out to me directly. If you are considering buying or selling a home, a luxury home, luxury investment real estate, luxury vacation homes, or luxury beach properties or vacant land in Southern California, Los Angeles, Century City, Westwood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Marina Del Rey, Venice or Malibu reach out to me at 310.486.1002 (m) or homes@endrebarath.com or visit my website...
read moreThe Gentlemen of 16 July by Rene Louis Maurice and Ken Follett : a book review by Endre Barath, a Beverly Hills Realtor
The Gentlemen of 16 July by Rene Louis Maurice and Ken Follett a book review by Endre Barath, a Beverly Hills Realtor Yet another book that has been on my bookshelf for decades, a small hardcover book just patiently waiting for me to pick up; interestingly enough, it is a nonfiction, published in 1978. I am a proud owner of a first edition, signed by none other than Ken Follett. As with any of Ken Follett’s books, this one is also a page turner. It is the story of the French criminal bank robber, Albert Spaggiari, who spent a couple of months digging a tunnel underneath the “impregnable” vault of the Societe General Bank of Nice in France. The year is 1976, and Albert Spaggiari did end up getting arrested after he and his gang of thieves stole about 100 million francs worth of valuables from the bank. If you can imagine, however, during his trial he somehow distracted the judge and jumped out of a window and fled on a waiting motorcycle. Spaggiari was never again caught and thus died a free man – or should I say a rich fugitive! As I previously mentioned, the authors wrote the book so it read as a page turner fiction novel. Without giving away the secret in the Epilogue, the authors do mention that in April 1977 they received a postcard from Spaggiari that read simply: Bien le bonjour d’Albert! In spite of there having been a rumor floating around that Spaggiari had been murdered, the postcard included a picture of himself wearing a coat and a beret to hide his appearance. By the way, the co-author name Rene Louis Maurice is a pseudonym for three French journalists who did not want their names identified; Ken Follett, of course, was an already established author of three previous books at the time this book was published (The Eye of the Needle, Triple and The Key to Rebecca). As a postscript, I read that Albert Spaggiari died on June 10th, 1989 due to lung cancer at the age of 56. Sadly, his body was found by his mother in front of her home in France as he would clandestinely visit her while mainly living out his life in Argentina. If you’re looking for a fun fast-paced read for a summer weekend, this one fits the bill and comes in at under 170 pages. If you are looking for a pet friendly Beverly Hills Realtor who can handle the most challenging properties that no one else could, please reach out to me directly. If you are considering buying or selling a home, a luxury home, luxury investment real estate, luxury vacation homes, or luxury beach properties or vacant land in Southern California, Los Angeles, Century City, Westwood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Marina Del Rey, Venice or Malibu reach out to me at 310.486.1002 (m) or homes@endrebarath.com or visit my website...
read moreThe Great Elephant Migration arrives in Beverly Hills – A Time Sensitive Blog Post!
The Great Elephant Migration arrives in Beverly Hills – A Time Sensitive Blog Post! Have you heard (or herd!) of the Great Elephant Migration? If not, I’m about to fill you in, and if you live anywhere in the vicinity of Beverly Hills, CA, you can see it for FREE (although donations for the worthy cause would be appreciated) up until August 1, 2025. The Great Elephant Migration (From India With Love) arrived in Newport, Rhode Island on the Fourth of July 2024. Their 5000-mile journey is at its conclusion in Beverly Hills, CA until August 1. This amazing herd of 100 life-sized elephants and their calves have spent the past year traveling all over the United States, making stops in New York City, Miami Beach, Houston and Jackson Hole, Wyoming just to name a few. I was thrilled to learn about this exhibit and the wonderful opportunity to see them thanks to one of our friends. Obviously, the herd are not live elephants. These gorgeous replicas are made from lantana camara, one of the world’s top invasive weeds. This fast growing, noxious shrub has covered over 300,00 sq kilometers of India’s Protected Areas and limits the wild roaming elephant’s freedom. Hence, I find it extra special that each elephant has been created and constructed by “The Real Elephant Collective”, a community of 200 indigenous artisans from India’s Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Tamil Nadu. These artisans not only bring attention to this problem but also help remove lantana camara by their herd construction, thus helping the animals roam more freely. It also brings to light the ability of elephants and humans to be able to co-exist. I am posting just a few photos to give you a mere glimpse of the quality of the artwork that went into creating these magnificent pieces. If you would like to learn more about this interesting cause, visit the attached link (About Us | The Great Elephant Migration). You can even purchase your own elephant as these remarkable pieces are for sale with prices ranging from $8,000 – $ 22,000. As I mentioned above, donations of any amount are appreciated if the purchase price is a bit out of your reach or if you simply don’t have the room for one. The exhibit is free at Beverly Gardens Park on Santa Monica Boulevard (9439 Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 to be exact) and encompasses 4 blocks. There is ample parking in the surrounding Beverly Hills parking structures (I parked at Santa Monica and Roxbury). It’s available for viewing between the hours of 7:00 am and 10:00 pm so if you are a morning, afternoon or evening person you can enjoy the herd at your convenience. If you are looking for a pet friendly Beverly Hills Realtor who can handle the most challenging properties that no one else could, please reach out to me directly. If you are considering buying or selling a home, a luxury home, luxury investment real estate, luxury vacation homes, or luxury beach properties or vacant land in Southern California, Los Angeles, Century City, Westwood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Marina Del Rey, Venice or Malibu reach out to me at 310.486.1002 (m) or homes@endrebarath.com or visit my website...
read more3930 Topanga Canyon Blvd Malibu CA 90265 Accepting Backup Offers!!
Directions: Take Pacific Coast Highway to Topanga Canyon Blvd approximately five hundred feet from the corner on the north side of the street is the land (across and past Oasis Imports) Remarks: Price Reduced! Seller wants it SOLD NOW! This is one of the least expensive vacant lots in Malibu and in such close proximity to the ocean. Lots like this don’t last long in this market! Buyer to verify all information and rely on their own investigations. Ask listing agent for a plat map and go direct. Alternatively great investment to hold for future appreciation. Sold AS IS & WHERE IS. Drive by and MAKE OFFER. Seller is open to seller financing as well. More photos to be posted tomorrow and a video is also in the works. If you are looking for a pet friendly Beverly Hills Realtor who can handle the most challenging properties that no one else could, please reach out to me directly. If you are considering buying or selling a home, a luxury home, luxury investment real estate, luxury vacation homes, or luxury beach properties or vacant land in Southern California, Los Angeles, Century City, Westwood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Marina Del Rey, Venice or Malibu reach out to me at 310.486.1002 (m) or homes@endrebarath.com or visit my website at https://www.endrebarath.com....
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