A Community Gives Back

By: Barbara Lipkin

Sometimes it is the little things in life that make you feel good. Having collected samples of toiletries and makeup for a while, I realized that the person to whom I dropped off items for Haven House, a haven for abused women and their children, was no longer accessible. I sent out an email to my office and the response was overwhelming. One of our marketing gurus, Randall, contacted me immediately. While a student at Pepperdine, he had done some work for the organization and was very impressed. One of my friends had just gone to Las Vegas and came back with great stuff. Bags appeared in my office. My daughter, Michele, sent out an email to friends and clients. Two enormous bags were dropped off today including one from a friend who is a hairdresser to the stars. Everyone pitched in.

When I dropped the bags off today, they were delighted. They need lots of things since women and their children leave their homes with nothing but the clothes on their back. Thank you to all of you who contributed. You have made my day.

Barbara Lipkin

Knowledgeable, caring and successful are words that best describe Barbara Lipkin, a Hidden Hills resident and top producing realtor with over 28 years experience. Barbara combines personal concern for her clients with professional expertise to achieve outstanding results in her field.

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Protect Yourself Against the Most Recent Burglar MOs

By: Barbara Lipkin

According to the LAPD, burglaries have become more frequent in the West Valley area and 7-8 have been via doggie doors. Police stated that burglars often spray dogs with some form of mace when they break in. Home owners should consider investing in secure doggie doors that will prevent future burglaries.

Also, burglars have taken advantage of second story homes by using residents’ ladders to climb to an upstairs window. These windows are often not wired to set off alarms so a break-in will go undetected. In multiple cases, homeowners have not been setting their alarms which creates an even easier entry for potential burglars.

Please take precautions to keep your home safe.

Barbara Lipkin

Knowledgeable, caring and successful are words that best describe Barbara Lipkin, a Hidden Hills resident and top producing realtor with over 28 years experience. Barbara combines personal concern for her clients with professional expertise to achieve outstanding results in her field.

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The first positive signs in the house market

By: Lori Einhorn

The real estate market in 2012 is finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We are going to see a shift and settlement in several depressed factors within the real estate arena. New ideas and concepts are emerging, while other ones are being reinforced and perfected.

According to the National Association of Realtors the inventory of residential real estate is down more than 20% from a year ago and median list prices are up an average of 4% nationwide. Most individual real estate markets have reported an increase in prices and very few have seen a decline. This is a sign that there is stabilization and recovery in process. There is a good reason to believe that prices will start to increase slightly across the board by the end of 2012. Appreciation is still a distant concept – being a buyers’ market and the mentality that everyone wants to submit a lowball offer on an already low price is going to slow down a value recovery.

Mortgage interest rates will remain at historic lows, however home ownership rates continue to fall, due to lack of job stability and mortgage qualifying guidelines. This is leaving the door open to many foreign investments. USA is seen as #1 for real estate investments worldwide, both residential and commercial. Distressed properties actually represent the majority of housing inventory – this still includes a strong trend with short sales (lenders are improving and streamlining their short sale process, mainly due to strong government involvement) and foreclosures (REO properties – shadow inventory – are going to be released in the market more than in 2011.) Just Bank of America has claimed a 60% increase in short sales in 2011 over the previous year and they expect 2012 to be at the same level or more.

Several lenders have started offering lease option sales. Homes that have been foreclosed are leased back to the homeowner through a lease option program and eventually are allowed to purchase the house back. This trend is going to become more popular in 2012, with so many REO properties sitting in “shadow inventory.”

Bulk REO Trading will be on the rise. With so many homes foreclosed, waiting to be released in the market (banks are controlling how many homes are released at one time, so not to flood the depressed real estate market with distressed property prices and drive values down further,) banks are looking to sell these homes in packages to investors.

Home remodeling and improvements will be on the rise – owners prefer adding or remodeling their existing home instead of trading up or buying a new home.

Lori Einhorn

Organized, focused, excellent communicator, motivated, persistent: are only a few of the positive words used by clients and other real estate professionals to describe Lori's business style.

Daylight Savings 2012

By: Karen Lee

Modern DST was first proposed in 1895 by George Vernon Hudson, a New Zealand entomologist. Since it’s origin, it has been adopted in much of the world. However, adding daylight to afternoons benefits retailing, sports, and other activities that exploit sunlight after working hours but causes problems for farming, evening entertainment and other occupations tied to the sun.

Whether it’s a good thing for our economy is debatable, however, one thing is sure. On March 11th at 2am, we will move the time one hour forward. Make sure to change your clocks and go to bed an hour early so you’re alarm doesn’t startle you too much in the morning. I know an hour less of sleep may be unpleasant but just remember, it means that summer is near!

Karen Lee

Karen Lee, estate agent at Ewing & Associates Sotheby's International Realty, specializes in representing estate properties throughout the Greater West Valley area including Woodland Hills, Calabasas, West Hills, Agoura and Tarzana.

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Real Estate has Changed Views

By: Jeff Biebuyck

In the past, drones have been most closely associated with their ability to gather intelligence in wars or even science-fiction. As of late though, real estate agents have taken advantage of drones for a completely different reason. Photographers like Daniel Gárate have been hired to use their camera drones for aerial shots and videos of homes. Gárate’s services are used primarily to help realtors sell luxury homes in the LA area.

A few weeks ago this practice was deemed illegal by police and Gárate’s career along with others was brought to an abrupt stop. The LAPD warned real estate agents not to hire photographers using drones because they believed it violated a few aviation laws. This past Tuesday though, the President signed a new aviation law permitting drones to take aerial shots within certain parameters. Fortunately for Gárate he will no longer need to fret over paying the bills but while he celebrates should we be concerned about our privacy? This new law potentially gives drone users the ability to capture virtually anything from the privacy of your own home. Definitely something to think about.

Jeff Biebuyck

Jeffery Biebuyck, Branch Manager of the Sherman Oaks Ewing & Associates Sotheby's International Realty Office, oversees all office operations, expansions, and new agent recruitment. Jeff thrives on using his talented and creative mind to help agents focus on their business and achieve success.

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Victory for Calabasas Coyotes

By: Jeff Biebuyck

The Calabasas Coyotes’ men’s basketball won the Marmonte Championship last night, February 9, in overtime (65-61) against Westlake. Key players included Jeremy Lieberman who scored 26 points and Josh Cohan who scored 15 points and had 10 rebounds. The team has been the clear frontrunner in the league this season but these victories have meaning both on and off the court. On August 25, 2011 a car crashed into assistant varsity coach, Joseph Frazier in a hit-and-run accident. Since then, he has been in a coma in the Northridge hospital.

The team decided to dedicate their season in honor of his fight stay alive. This season also marked head coach, Jon Palarz’s 300th career win in double overtime against Simi Valley Royal. Having a strong season and ending the season on such a high note could not be a more perfect way for the team to show their appreciation for Frazier.

Jeff Biebuyck

Jeffery Biebuyck, Branch Manager of the Sherman Oaks Ewing & Associates Sotheby's International Realty Office, oversees all office operations, expansions, and new agent recruitment. Jeff thrives on using his talented and creative mind to help agents focus on their business and achieve success.

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Relief From Costly Repair Bills for Calabasas Homeowners

By: Jeff Biebuyck

At the City Council meeting this past Wednesday, February 9, Calabasas Council members announced the repeal of the current septic-tank inspection process in the city. The current ordinance will be replaced with the inspection protocol used at the state level. Owners of homes in Calabasas have been inspected for faulty septic-systems and charged thousands of dollars in repairs to fix leaks. The state law though, only requires owners of failed septic-systems to make repairs if they are 600 feet from bodies of water impaired of nutrients or 100 feet from bodies of water that contain pathogens.

Because of this, if a leaky system is only found to be polluting someone’s backyard then there will be no order for repairs. This change will prevent many Calabasas homeowners from paying high fees to repair their systems. In the City Council meeting, Mayor James Bozajian apologized for any difficulties since the beginning of the ordinace in 2009. Now that the ordinance has been repealed, there will be no inspections until the law has been officially changed. As of now there are 31 homeowners who have citations but City Manager Tony Coroalles stated “We do not expect many properties to fit into this category”. Calabasas residents can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Jeff Biebuyck

Jeffery Biebuyck, Branch Manager of the Sherman Oaks Ewing & Associates Sotheby's International Realty Office, oversees all office operations, expansions, and new agent recruitment. Jeff thrives on using his talented and creative mind to help agents focus on their business and achieve success.

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Buying Real Estate Now

By: Cindy Libonati

Shared by the KCM blog

John R. Talbott, previously a Goldman Sachs investment banker, is a bestselling author and economic consultant. When it comes to the housing market he is also a prophet. When housing prices started to skyrocket in 2003, he published The Coming Crash in the Housing Market correctly warning us that a real estate bubble was forming. Then in January 2006, he called the absolute peak of home prices in the US by releasing a new book, Sell Now! The End of the Housing Bubble.

Mr. Talbott, the person who accurately predicted the housing bubble and its bust, now has a new prediction – IT IS THE TIME TO BUY A HOME! In a recent article, Homes – Buy Now!, Talbott simply explains:

“I have been waiting for more than five years to offer this advice. It is now time in most cities across the country to buy a new home or refinance your existing home with thirty-year fixed rate mortgage debt.”
He goes on to explain that his conclusion is based on four different metrics, all of which favor buying today:

• Home Prices Relative to Peak Prices During the Bubble
• Home Prices Relative to Construction Costs or Replacement Costs
• Home Prices Relative to Incomes and Rents
• Home Prices in Real Terms, Not US Dollar Terms

Bottom Line
If the person who called the real estate bubble and its bust says now is the time to buy, we believe it is time to buy.

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Important Event for all Calabasas Residents

By: Dana Olmes

Mayor James Bozajian will present the 14th annual State of the City Speech on February 9, 2012 at 7pm at the Founder’s Hall in the Calabasas Library. The speech will review the city’s accomplishments of the past year as well as goals for the future. Mayor Bozajian plans on placing an emphasis on city finances, public safety, environmental responsibilities, and community services. All resident’s are encouraged to come and reflect upon the achievements of Calabasas during 2011. After the speech, there will be a reception hosted by the Calabasas Chamber of Commerce where residents can meet with Chamber Business Members and City officials. For anyone unable to attend the State of the Speech Address it will be taped and replayed February 12, 2012 on CTV as well as on-demand at cityofcalabasas.com.

Dana Olmes

Dana Olmes, estate agent at Ewing & Associates Sotheby's International Realty, specializes in representing residential real estate properties throughout the West San Fernando Valley and Conejo Valley areas. She has significant expertise working with various gated and equestrian communities in the area such as Hidden Hills, Calabasas, Bell Canyon, Agoura and Westlake Village.

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A relationship workshop for couples and singles

By: Serena Scott Thomas

Sometimes, just a little communication can go a long way. Facilitator Joi Andreoli is conducting a 2 hour relationship workshop that will discuss some of the hot topics in relationships like:

• The fundamentals of masculine and feminine energy
• How to be the male energy or how to be the female energy…
• Tools for communicating that invite respect or cherishing

Share your dating and relationship experiences in a fun and supportive environment this Saturday, December 17th from 1:30pm-3:30pm. The cost is $25.

Location: 22020 Clarendon St., Ste. 200, Woodland Hills 818-314-8598

RSVP by: Thurs. Dec. 15^th to Joi Andreoli

Facilitator: Joi Andreoli, MA, MFTI, WANT® Educator and Transactional Analysis Practitioner

Serena Scott Thomas