Friday, June 24, 2016

100 Reasons to Call Palos Verdes Your Home - Norma Toering



 This is going to be a long list, and I'm only going to scratch the surface, so let's get started. The list is in no particular order--just the way it popped into my head after living in the area since 1989. The Palos Verdes Peninsula is a 26.3 square mile area located in the southwest corner of Los Angeles County. The Peninsula is 23 miles south of downtown Los Angeles.

  1) The Climate: Average temperature in January--66 degrees. Average temperature in July--77 degrees.
  2) The Coastal Location: It's the Palos Verdes Peninsula and the Pacific Ocean kisses three sides 24/7.
  3) The Views: Ocean to the south and west. LA city lights to the north and LA Harbor to the east.
  4) The Schools: PV is home to a top ranking public system and a plethora of top-notch private schools.
  5) The Open Space: A drive around Palos Verdes reveals lots of wide open space. There's room to breathe.
  6) The Variety of Housing: From condos to cottages to mega million compounds it all available in PV.
  7) Urban Amenities: At your fingertips but not in your backyard.
  8) Horses: They are welcome in many areas of the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
  9) Trails: If you have horses you need trails and PV is laced with riding trails.
  10) Foghorns and Lighthouses: Does it get anymore coastal than that?

  Lighthouse 1 brighter 

  11) Great Libraries: I know you can find everything on the Internet, but there's something about books...
  12) Great Parks: Many PV parks have stunning views.
  13) A World Class Resort/Hotel: Terranea offers luxurious accommodations in an ocean front location.
  14) Recreation Opportunities: Five golf courses, tennis clubs and miles of hiking trails to name a few.
  15) Beaches: I can't believe this one didn't pop into my head until now.
  16) The Untamed Beauty: Towering cliffs and a craggy coastline showcase some of nature's best work.
  IMG_8604 
  17) 278 Days of Sunshine!
  18) Trees: We don't like them to block our views, but we love their shade and beauty.
  19) It's Dark at Night: There's very little neon in PV, very few traffic lights and even fewer street lights.
  20) The International Flavor: The cultural stew is varied, food choices abundant and people mix eclectic.
  21) Wayfarers Chapel: The glass church on "The Hill" designed by Frank Lloyd Wright's son.
  22) Abalone Cove Shoreline Park and Ecological Center: Graced with bluffs, tide pools, and incredible views.
  23) Point Vincent Interpretive Center: Great whale watching site.
  24) Whale Watching Boat Rides: Get up close and personal with the gentle giants of the sea.
  25) Catalina Express: Will speed you the 26 miles to Catalina Island in just over an hour. Great day trip!
Looking for your dream home in Palos Verdes?

26) Secret Surfing Spots: The locals hold these surf spots close to their chest.
27) Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead: Load up the kids and the ski gear. You can be on the slopes in 3 hours.
  28) Palm Springs and Other Glorious Desert Destinations: Just over 2 hours away and you're ready to play.
  29) South Coast Botanic Garden: Former landfill a bloom with local floral including a rose garden.
  30) Roses: They thrive in the coastal climate of Palos Verdes.
  31) Bougainvillea: You will see the brilliant colors throughout the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
  32) Norris Center for the Performing Arts: Voted best live theater in the South Bay.
  33) The Art Center: PV's art community is alive and well.
  34) The Queen's Necklace: Where the ocean meets land along the beach cities coastline. PV top view!
  IMG_0026 (2) 
  35) Trump National: Great place to golf or simply walk--I do the latter almost daily.
  36) George F. Canyon Nature Center: 36-acre park with educational center and hiking trails.
  37) Ice Chalet: Daily ice skating available at the Promenade Mall.
  38) Starbucks with a panoramic ocean view at Golden Cove Plaza i.
  39) The Promenade Mall: Never too crowded and always a good movie playing.
  40) Torrance Beach: Located in the shadow of the Palos Verdes Peninsula with white sand and bike path.
  41) Cabrillo Marine Aquarium: Much smaller than the one in Long Beach but great for kids.
  42) Vincent Thomas Bridge: The much-photographed bridge connects San Pedro to Long Beach.
  43) Sunrises
  44) Sunsets
  45) Bedrock: It's earthquake country, but most PV homes are built on solid bedrock
  46) Deep Canyons and Towering Cliffs and Hills: The topography is anything but boring.
  47) Paragliders: The PV cliffs are a magnet due to the thermal drafts.
  48) Ocean Breezes
  49) Tide Pools: Filled with little creatures of the sea.

Starfish best 
  50) The Restaurants at Terranea: I've eaten at all of them--no favorite they are all delicious. 
  51) Trump National Restaurant: Best breakfast spot is on the outdoor patio with a view of the Pacific. 
  52) RAT Beach: Tucked beneath the hills of Palos Verdes Estate this is a fabulous beach for kids.

  blog rat beach

53) The Getty Museum: Overdose on art at your leisure. I once gazed at Van Gogh's Irises for hours.
  54) Beverly Hills: A fun place to visit and shop, but I'm always ready to head back to "The Hill" (PV). 
  55) The Nickname: The locals refer to Palos Verdes Peninsula as simply The Hill. 
  56) The Abbreviations: RH, RHE, PVE, RPV, PVDN, PVDS, PVDE, PVDW, PVP, and the list goes on... 
  57) Farmers Market: Sundays 9 AM to 1 PM at Peninsula Shopping Center. 
  58) Portuguese Bend Beach Club: Private beach with Palapas, firepits, and rocky beach. 
  59) Palos Verdes Beach and Athletic Club: Private ocean front club on the bluff overlooking the Pacific. 
  60) Jack Kramer Tennis & Swim Club: My kids loved playing tennis and swimming here.
  61) Walks on the Wild Side: Lace up your hiking boots, grab the camera and explore PV. 
  62) Morning walks in coastal fog. 
  63) Wave Watching on a high surf day. 
  64) Staples Center: Sports and concert venue extraordinaire.

  Private Stables in Palos Verdes  

  65) Horseback Riding: Saddle up. 
  66) Tennis, anyone? 
  67) Dining: From ocean view dining to tiny bistros, PV offers a wide variety of dining options. 
  68) Seniors: Aging in place is a popular option for PV seniors, and there is ample community support. 
  69) Palos Verdes Street Fair and Music Festival: Come join the fun. 
  70) The Traffic: Or lack thereof... 
  71) The Beach Cities: They are next door and offer an unlimited expansion of everything from dining to dancing. 
  72) Amusement Parks: From big daddy Disney to go-cart parks Southern Cali is the place to get your amusement park fix. 
  73) LAX: It may not be your idea of a good time, but it's close when needed. 
  74) JetBlue: When I have the option I fly out of Long Beach. JetBlue to NYC is the best. 
  75) World Class Shopping: Rodeo Drive, South Coast Plaza--from diamonds to discount malls it's all in LA. 
  76) Cruise Ships: Watch them leave, watch them arrive or board one in the LA Harbor. 
  77) Peacocks: Love them or hate them they are a part of the PV landscape.
  Palos Verdes Peacock

78) See PV: Take a drive around the PV Peninsula on Palos Verdes Drive--PVDS and PVDW are not to be missed. Pull over often to enjoy the views. 
  79) Shakespeare in the Park: What's not to love about an outdoor play on a warm summer night? 80) The drive up the coast. 
  81) The drive down the coast. 
  82) Starry Nights 
  83) Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific: It's a hands-on experience and a favorite of my grandchildren. 
  84) Hiking: The hills at Trump National are my gym of choice.

  Palos Verdes Coastline 
  
85) The Olmstead Brothers: Landscape architects for PVE. Their father, Frederick, designed Central Park in NYC. 
  86) Malaga Cove Fountain: It's a landmark and one of my favorite places to meet clients coming from the beach cities. 
  87) Paseo Del Mar: An ocean-view boulevard with stunning views and homes. Drive it or better yet, walk it. 
  88) The Greenery: PV is an oasis of vegetation in the concrete and asphalt jungle of Los Angeles.
  89) Hills and Cliffs: The flat land of LA is a stark contrast to the rolling hills and towering cliffs of Palos Verdes. 
  90) The Atmosphere: The surrounding area is urban; PV has a small town feel. 
  91) Frank Vanderlip: For having the vision of what Palos Verdes could be and the money to develop it. He purchased the land without seeing it in the early 1910s. 
  92) Eucalyptus Trees: They are not native flora, but they are at home in Palos Verdes. 
  93) Whales: They can be seen along the coast from December to March. 
  94) Dolphins: They frolic along the coastline too. 
  95) Seals: Part of the local water fauna show too. 
  96) Hollywood Sign: Iconic symbol of LA and the entertainment industry--PV is a popular destination for filmmaking. 
  97) The View of Catalina Island: On a clear day you can see every crevasse and canyon on the Island and at night the lights of Avalon. 
  98) The Razzle Dazzle of LA's Lights: From the vantage point of PV, LA's city lights twinkle below like millions of holiday lights. 
  99) Advanced Placement Courses: My four children took many and graduated from the Palos Verdes School District with numerous college credits. Great way to save on college costs while living the Palos Verdes lifestyle in a little slice of paradise. 
  100) The beauty of it all.


  Sell Smart, Buy Wise, and Live Well
  Norma Toering - REMAX Palos VerdesNorma Toering, Broker-owner of Charlemagne Intl Properties
(310) 493-8333

 PalosVerdesLifestyle- Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Chosen by MovingCost.com as one of the best Los Angeles realty blogs. Awarded 5 out of 5 stars by Lender411 blog review. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper. South Bay Los Angeles cities I sell real estate, property, houses and homes in Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Long Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Based on information from the Association of REALTORS®/Multiple Listing as of the initial date of this article/blog publication and other sources. Display of MLS data is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by the MLS. The Broker/Agent providing the information contained herein may or may not have been the Listing and Selling Agent.
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Monday, June 20, 2016

The Beaches of Palos Verdes and the Beach Cities


It's hot here in the Greater Los Angeles area, and per a bevy of weather forecasters, the thermometer is going to reach new heights today. With that in mind, I thought you might like to see a few photos of the beaches (and a few rocky coastlines) of the South Bay of Los Angeles.

  Private Beach in Rancho Palos Verdes--residency or membership required.

  Cool breezes on the coast of Palos Verdes CA 

Not much sand here, but look at that whitewater along the Palos Verdes coastline.     View from Hollywood Riviera
What could be better than an evening stroll to escape the heat and enjoy a Palos Verdes sunset? 
     142 The Pacific Ocean in Manhattan Beach with Malibu in distance 
Stroll along The Strand in the beach cities and dip your toes in the cool froth of the Pacific Ocean.  
   20100807-IMG_3875-4 

It's the ocean, so swim close to one of the lifeguard shacks--there are riptides and sharks (yikes) in the beautiful Pacific Ocean.   
   Hermosa Pier Sunset 
An evening stroll on the pier (safely above the water) is the perfect way to end a summer day.

  Port bend beach buoys

If you're thinking about moving closer to the coast or dreaming of owning a beach bungalow or luxury villa on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, or in the beach cities of Manhattan, Hermosa or Redondo, give us a call we can help you realize your coastal dreams.  Need a top agent to help with your Palos Verdes home?

  Charlemagne Properties Norma and Josh Toering 

 Norma Toering 310.493.8333 or Norma@CharlemagneProperties.com
 Josh Toering 310.525.9440   

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Palos Verdes Real Estate Market Update--June 2016



Demand remains high for Palos Verdes single family homes. Although inventory has increased slightly, the ever present demand from buyers who aspire to live on the Palos Verdes Peninsula gobbles up new listings with a seemingly insatiable hunger.

There are currently 218 single family homes for sale in Palos Verdes. That a small increase and it's good to see that number pass 200, but the other statistic that must be considered is 121 single family Palos Verdes residences are in escrow with accepted offers. At this rate of consumption, we will run out of inventory in less than two months unless new listings are added to the depleted supply.

Slider June 2016

Now is an excellent time to put your property on the market if you are considering selling. Palos Verdes remains in a marketing favoring sellers; interest rates are still enticing buyers, and prices have more than recovered from the recession and housing crash. This market won't last forever--nothing does--but it's here now and waiting for savvy sellers to take advantage of the near "perfect storm" scenario for those fortunate enough to have a property to sell in this market.

What is your home worth?

As we near the halfway point of 2016, 290 single family Palos Verdes homes have sold year-to-date. That number is substantially lower than the 710 total number of PV homes sold in 2015. Will we finish as strong in 2016? That is still to be determined, but current conditions indicate the Palos Verdes real estate market will continue its strong run through the summer months and well into the fall.

We hope you find this information of value and will pass it along to friends or family who may have a move in their future. We thank you in advance for trusting us to help people you care about with their important real estate decisions.

LaRotonda Pro Shot

Don't hesitate to give us a call. We are standing by and ready to help you realize your real estate goals.

- Norma Toering - Broker
310-493-8333

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Palos Verdes Uber Luxury Home Prices Are Escalating


On Tuesday mornings, I am always anxious to check to see what new listings are on the broker open house tour. Yesterday, as is my habit, I took my second cup of coffee upstairs and opened up the local MLS open house tour schedule. It was all pretty routine until I began selecting homes to include on our weekly trot around the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

I selected twelve homes to personally tour. Some matched buyers' wants and needs, some were comparable properties for upcoming or current listings, and it's always good to know the price, location, and condition of your competition, but the utterly amazing thing was the number of mega multi-million dollars homes on the list. Two homes topped $10,000,000!

Since time did not permit us to view all the mega million dollars mansions on the list, we opted to tour an oceanfront property in Palos Verdes Estates listed for $11,900,000. The stately gated property exudes understated opulence and offers a commanding view of the coastline and the Pacific Ocean. It's grand without being ostentatious and it's a property that makes the most of its coveted oceanfront location. Time will tell if it sells for its asking price, but as they say, there's a limited selection of oceanfront properties in Palos Verdes. For the uber luxury buyer,it's a must see and a chance to own one of Palos Verdes Estates grandest oceanfront estates.

170 Luxury pic 

 What is driving the Palos Verdes luxury home market? Here are my best guess answers:

  1. We're beginning to get buyers venturing onto the Palos Verdes Peninsula who are priced out of the Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach markets. $10,000,000 just doesn't buy the same luxury house in Manhattan Beach as it does in Palos Verdes.
  2. Silicon Valley is finding its way to the beaches of Southern California. Perhaps Silicon Beach buyers are heading up "The Hill" to find their luxury home as well.
  3. Interest rates remain low and although many homes in the luxury price range are cash transactions, some buyers still prefer to finance a portion of their home purchase.
  4. Palos Verdes coastal properties are undervalued when compared to similar properties in Malibu, Montecito and La Jolla.
  5. Uber luxury home buyers are savvy investors and real estate plays an important role in their asset in their investment portfolios.
Slider luxury June 2016  

If you're in the market to buy or sell a Palos Verdes luxury home, we can help you accomplish your Palos Verdes luxury home goals. You may reach us at 310.493.8333 or 310.525.9440, or email us at Norma@CharlemagneProperties.com or ToeringandTeam@gmail.com.

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Palos Verdes Luxury Homes - June 2016


What a difference a few months can make in the real estate market. Charlemagne Int'l Properties' market slider for luxury homes in Palos Verdes and Beach Cities clearly shows the once sizzling hot luxury home market in Manhattan Beach. Hermosa Beach and to a lesser degree Redondo Beach has cooled off and moved from a hot seller market to neutral territory.



On the other hand, the Palos Verdes luxury home market is getting hotter by the month. Perhaps buyers priced out of the beach cities are making their way up the hill to the higher altitude but lower home prices found in Palos Verdes. Whatever the reason, now is a fabulous time to sell your Palos Verdes luxury home. The real estate market has more than recovered from the decreases in value the area experienced during the recession, and the demand for premier Palos Verdes luxury properties continues to grow in this stunning coastal area.



No market lasts forever, and this one will not be an exception to the rule. What are you waiting for? Let's get the listing process started before the tides change--and they will.



PV luxury home market update for properties priced at or above $3,000,000.

52 Palos Verdes luxury homes are currently for sale.

17 Palos Verdes luxury homes are in escrow with accepted offers.

Six Palos Verdes luxury properties sold in May 2016. Three properties were located in Rancho Palos Verdes, one in Palos Verdes Estates, one in Rolling Hills and one in the unincorporated area of the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

What is your home worth?


Norma Toering, Broker at Charlemagne Intl Properties
310-493-8333

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Palos Verdes Homes with Pools


Memorial Day weekend is in the past and summer vacation is upon us. It's the time of year when many buyers begin to think about purchasing a home with a pool.   Many homes in Palos Verdes do have pools, and if that's an amenity on your "Must Have" list we can help you find the best home with a pool for you and your budget.

  Monte Malaga Pool

 Check out the maps below and if a particular property catches your attention we will happily arrange a showing, plus provide you with additional details about the property and the neighborhood.



Branded Pro Pic from Madison
  • Norma Toering - Broker at Charlemagne Intl Properties
  • 310-493-8333
We'd be honored to be your agent when time to sell your Palos Verdes luxury home.