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Did you know that Property Taxes can be reassessed?
Did you know that Property Taxes can be reassessed? If you bought your home in the past three years this might not apply to you. On the other hand, if you bought your home previous this time frame, you might want to make sure that you are not paying too much in taxes. If your property’s assessed value is higher than what the property is actually worth today, then you may be eligible for a reduction of your property taxes. For Los Angeles County Go to the following website: http://www.assessor.lacounty.gov on the left side of the page go to FORMS and click on ASSESSMENT, then go to 2011 Decline-in-value Review Application and click on RP-87-Fill In Print & Mail. Just fill out the form and mail it in. For Ventura Count Go to the following website http://www.assessor.countyofventura.org :at the top of the page go to Quick Form Links and click Decline In Value Reassessment. Just fill out the form and mail it in. I would encourage all of you to at least check it out, you might be pleasantly surprised that your tax obligation might be less than what you expected. 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 or emails me at homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at https://www.endrebarath.com Your Pet Friendly Realtor. I contribute a portion of my commission to Local Animal Rescue Organizations. ...
read moreThink Big Anything is Possible: well not always Wordless Wednesdays
When I was growing up I was always told by my parents and teachers: Think Big and you will see anthing is Possible! Well not always. John Wooden said once : we should keep our dreams within the realm of possibility—difficult but possible—and make every effort to achieve them…mix idealism with realism and add hard work. This is more my style and I thought this picture illustrates my point! 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 or emails me at homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at https://www.endrebarath.com Your Pet Friendly Realtor. I contribute a portion of my commission to Local Animal Rescue...
read moreWhat sells a home? Is it the Kitchen, the Bathroom or the Realtor?
What sells a home? Is it the Kitchen, the Bathroom or is it the Realtor? Many home sellers in Los Angeles wonder what sells a home, is it the kitchen, the bathroom or is it the Realtor. Well the answer is clear as day to me it is a combination of many variables. Many experts think that since the kitchen is the heart of the home that the kitchen sells the home. In my opinion it is a contributing factor, provided the kitchen has a great floor plan and is made into the focal point of the family room. Then the kitchen becomes the showpiece of the home and it is a large contributor to the sale of the home. Many buyers understand that it costs a lot of time, money and planning to have a good kitchen and many buyers want an up to date kitchen but are not willing to take on this problem themselves. The same goes for bathrooms, today’s buyers would like high-end fixtures spa, shower and sink. Now if you have lived in your home for 20 plus years and are ready to sell and you do not have an updated luxury kitchen nor luxury bathrooms. I do not think that this is the time to spend $50-$100, 000 on all the upgrades. The most important aspect you need to focus on is not to price yourself out of the market. Hence this is when a trusted advisor comes in the form of a Realtor and gives you constructive advice. Why? Because the Realtor understands what the market place is like in your neighborhood and the Realtor wants to sell your home just as much as you do, for the most money the market can bear. Hence you do not need to be overwhelmed, with the help and advice of your Realtor you might only have to do some minor changes, such as a fresh coat of paint and de-cluttering and hence you would save yourself a lot of time, aggravation and costs! Should you need any help feel free to reach out to me directly for a private consultation. 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 or emails me at homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at https://www.endrebarath.com Your Pet Friendly Realtor. I contribute a portion of my commission to Local Animal Rescue Organizations. ...
read moreLabor Day is synonymous with The Muscle Beach Championship in Venice
Labor Day, is synonymous with The Muscle Beach Championship in Venice CA In turn The Muscle Beach Championship in Venice CA is synonymous with Joe Weider, Ben Wider & Betty Weider. Joe Weider is immediately associated it with bodybuilding, he has been a legend in the world of weights and for co-founding the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB), and being the creator of bodybuilding competitions Mr. Olympia and Ms. Olympia with his brother Ben Weider When Joe was 17 he published the first issue of Your Physiqueen in 1936; and is now known as Muscle & Fitness. Joe Weider has developed numerous magazines dedicated to topics related to bodybuilding, among them Muscle Power, Shape, Men’s Fitness, Living Fit, Prime Health and Fitness, Fit Pregnancy, Cooks, Senior Golfer, and Flex. If you know anything about bodybuilding than you must have heard of’ Brothers of Iron’, published in 2006 with Ben Weider, in 1983, Joe also had a publishing empire about anything and everything related to body building. Then In 1980, Joe Weider sold his Weider Publications to the American Media company and continued making a lot of money with Nutritional Supplements (a colorful venture with which he was involved, but that is food for another post). Betty Weider was an established super model when she married Joe Weider and started her second career as an active participant in Joe’s health and Fitness Empire. Her face and bikini clad figure were in many of the ads of Joe’s Muscle Builder Magazines and Mr. America magazines. She also appeared on the covers other body building magazines with top bodybuilders such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno and many others. Betty was one of the first women who advocated balanced diet and cardio-vascular resistance for women. She was one of the first supermodels to advocate training to shape your body. She used her own fabulous figure of (37-18-36) as an example what could be done with working out. So how fitting that Betty Weider-wife of Joe Weider will be inducted into the Muscle Beach hall of Fame and will receive the “Lifetime Achievement” award for her work in promoting fitness on a competition level. So if you want to see hard bodies then it is a mandatory attendance for you at Muscle Beach on Monday Labor Day. Men and Women from across the United States and the world will be competing. There will be a 1000 seat bleachers set up and admission is free for spectators. The prejudging will begin at 10:00 am. I anticipate this will generate a lot more than a 1000 spectators so come early. 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 or emails me at homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at https://www.endrebarath.com Your Pet Friendly Realtor. I contribute a portion of my commission to Local Animal Rescue...
read moreThe Library Over the River…
Most of my readers know I seldom re blog, in the past five years I can count on one hand. I understand we do not have the right to tell other communities what to do, BUT in this case we must stand up. This Library must remain where it is OVER THE RIVER!!! The Library Over the River… The Renton Public Library was dedicated in 1966 and opened its doors in 1968 to replace the former out grown Carnegie Library, Renton’s first official Public Library built in 1914. (See below: The Library that Neva Got Built.) I’m intentially avoiding politics today yet suffice it to say the local politics, the State, and the fine citizenry of Renton, Washington have been of differing opinions and quite divided about a proposed location for yet another new library more centrally located in very downtown near the Piazza and the Metro Transit Depot. The current Renton Public Library (The Library Over the River) exists on the SE corner of Liberty Park, Renton’s oldest Park, at the very eastern edge of old downtown. It’s a typical 60’s building right out of the Century 21 sensibility, with simple clean lines and not overly state like many of the government buildings of the time. It doesn’t look like it could 2nd as a bomb shelter or an amunition depot. Personally, I love this place. I like it just as it is and quite frankly I think anyone who’d want to move it is an idiot. (And I wasn’t going to get political!) Many towns strive for decades to have such a wonderful setting for a library and for other’s it’s simply to late, downtown is already developed and there is no special place like this to enjoy a public space who’s purpose is learning, culture, knowledge, and being a resource to enjoy and benefit from with extras like the park, the river and its trail. The Library over the River is one of a very few in the United States like it. Arguments are being made it should be scaled down for these times. I’m the first one to agree downtown needs a lot of help but not at the expense of an area of the city that’s already working well and wonderful. It’s not an either or proposition… The point was made that it should be next to a major public transit center. The Metro Bus Depot is only 2 1/2 blocks away, and there is a bus stop at the entrance. I used to work downtown Seattle and walked from my office 3 1/2 (bigger) blocks to the Seattle Public Library, up hill (both ways :O) at least once a week, if not 2, and the setting was no way near as beautiful. I spent thousands of hours here over the years for many different reasons and I brought my kids here too in hopes they’d learn to appreciate what it had to offer. Through feast and famine, regardless, we had wonderful times here and enjoyed the river and the park. From the Library you can walk the Cedar River Trail north (about a mile) all the way to Lake Washington. You can also head south from here and walk a few miles along the river towards Maple Valley. I for one am happy...
read moreNature taking a break: Wordless Wednesdays, well almost wordless!
Nature taking a break: Wordless Wednesday’s almost This is nature taking a break: Someone sent this to me so I had to share! Evidently somewhere in Colorado the owners of the Rain Barrel where wondering what happened to the water every morning! Well here is the answer!!! 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 or emails me at homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at https://www.endrebarath.com Your Pet Friendly Realtor. I contribute a portion of my commission to Local Animal Rescue Organizations....
read moreWhat is a Short Sale: a Sellers perspective?
What is a Short Sale: a Sellers perspective? I just received a call today: I need to sell my home, please help. This made me think, how many sellers do not understand what a short sale entails. Well to put it simply: Every Short Sale depends on the seller’s lender consenting to the transaction and agreeing to release the lenders’ financial interest in exchange for less than what is owed. Keep in mind in some cases the lender’s approval of a short sale does not mean that the lender relives the seller of liability for repayment of the entire debt. Keep in mind that the seller can sell his home and still owe the unpaid balance, plus interest and penalties to the lender. Furthermore the Lender may then seek a deficiency judgment against the seller for the difference. A short sale is a very complex transaction that involves numerous issues, legal and financial. It is imperative that a seller get good advice from friends, family, realtors, attorneys and accountants. If not it could be a legal and financial disaster that could be in effect for up to 20 years after the transaction. Hence I cannot emphasize how important it is to have the right Realtor, Attorney and Accountant for getting the right advice. 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 or emails me at homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at https://www.endrebarath.com Your Pet Friendly Realtor. I contribute a portion of my commission to Local Animal Rescue Organizations....
read moreHot August Nights 40th Anniversary at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles
Hot August Nights 40th anniversary at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles CA It is hard to believe that it has been forty years since Neil Diamond perform at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles, CA. I just graduated from High School and wished I could have been there. As a consolation I had bought the Double Album called “Hot August Nights”. Fast forward from 1972 to 2012 and Neil Diamond was back at the Greek Theater. This time thanks to Diane, I did not miss out. This time Neil Diamond did not have an opening act band, he was the main attraction. We went on a Hot August night on the 18th, 2012. By the time the concert started temperatures dropped to mid to high seventies. Neil Diamond was ageless, for a 71 year old he sang and entertained the crowd like when he was in his 30’s. He did not “talk his songs” as Diane likes to say about entertainers who lost the “voice” he “SANG HIS SONGS”. The Greek Theater holds about 6000 plus people and the place was filled, not an empty seat, only when people went to dance in the aisles. He sang for two hours and fifteen minutes and the crowd would have loved him to stay and sing for another two hours or more. He closed with “Sweet Caroline” and the place went wild! If you have the opportunity go see him perform, you will not be disappointed. 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 or emails me at homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at https://www.endrebarath.com Your Pet Friendly Realtor. I contribute a portion of my commission to Local Animal Rescue Organizations....
read moreDo you know where the world’s smallest front yard is?
Do you know where the world’s smallest front yard is? Well, if you were not sure, let me tell you, it is in Venice, CA. close to the ocean north of Washington Blvd. Millions of tourist and even locals often walk by and are amazed. It is probably one of the most photographed front yards in the greater Los Angeles area. We decided to take the afternoon off and give ourselves a well deserved brake. We went for a stroll on the beach. So on the way back we decided to walk on the walkway in front of the homes. Most people who live here consider the beach as their back yard and put up with the nuisance of everyone walking by their homes. Others have some fun with it. That is the category I would place this home owner 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 or emails me at homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at https://www.endrebarath.com Your Pet Friendly Realtor. I contribute a portion of my commission to Local Animal Rescue Organizations....
read moreHave you read ‘The Fear Index’ by Robert Harris?
Have you read ‘The Fear Index’ by Robert Harris? If you have been keeping up with the Wall Street Meltdown in 2008 you will have a clear understanding how it happened and who was the cause of it. Have I got your attention? Well Robert Harris had mine I read this book in three days and if I did not need to conduct Real Estate, show properties, present proposals for listings and write blog posts I would have read it in one day! As a loyal fan of Robert Harris’s books it was easy for me to pick up the book and feel confident that it will be worth the money & the read! As some of you know, I have mentioned a few of his books that are must read: (‘The Ghost’ US ed. British ed. “The Ghost Writer”; “Fatherland” & “Pompeii” to name a few) and of course Special mention is needed for “Archangel”(http://actvra.in/x8v ) Not wanting to be a spoiler: Science, Technology, Super Computers, Thinking computers and Greedy Economists, Scientists all mixed together is the story. Is it believable? If we did not have the problem in 2008 at Wall Street, (when they had to stop the stock market trading so we would not have a meltdown of the stock market), I would say the story is ‘Not believable’ it is way too ‘Futuristic’. Now that we know it happened, as far as I am concerned, it is an explanation of’ how it happened’. Just to give you a small taste the Title: ‘Fear Index’ comes from ‘The Volatility Index’ of Wall Street. The main character has developed a revolutionary form of artificial intelligence that predicts movements in the financial markets with uncanny accuracy. His hedge fund, based in Geneva, makes billions of dollars. This book is about real time quotes, delayed quotes and expectations of what will happen based on current events! Science, Technology & current events meet Venture Capitalists! Reads like a true story and at the same time you cannot put the book down because you need to know what will happen next and will there be a happy ending? 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 or emails me at homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at https://www.endrebarath.com Your Pet Friendly Realtor. I contribute a portion of my commission to Local Animal Rescue Organizations....
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