Palos Verdes Coastal Homes 310-493-8333: December 2010

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Your Home Is Staged Whether You Know It or Not

Forget about fifteen minutes of fame. The average home showing takes less than ten minutes. If your home captures the heart and soul of the prospective buyers they may stay longer. If not, they are gone in under five minutes. Yes, your house is staged whether you know it or not.

The image of your home is frozen in time in the buyer's mind. Images of the style, the condition, the smell, the amenities and the ambiance are locked away for future consideration or rejection. These components make up the overall "staging" of your property at the time of each showing.

When you grant permission to show your home you are issuing tickets to a show. Consider it your personal Broadway production. Just as a theatre patron expects to be entertained and have an unforgettable experience, the prospective buyer wants to be "moved" by a house they hope to call home. Your job is to set the stage, engage their senses and make the value of your home visible on every level.

Are you ready for your close up? Whether you pay for professional staging or not, your home is the stage and the prospective buyers are the players. You get one showing to make them want more. Give it your best shot the first time.

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players...Shakespeare

For advice on how to make every showing unforgettable contact Norma Toering & Team.

Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty
(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800

PalosVerdesLifestyle - Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. 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. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

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Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Palos Verdes Home Sales 2010

Palos Verdes Home sales in 2010 ranged from a high of $5,500,000 (Rolling Hills sale) to a low of $450,000 (Eastview area in Rancho Palos Verdes). The Palos Verdes Peninsula offers a wide selection of homes in various styles and price ranges.

Here is the breakdown for sold inventory of Palos Verdes homes for 2010:

Sales over $5,000,000: 2 Single Family Home Sales

Sale price from $2,000,000 to $4,999,999: 68 Single Family Home Sales

Sales from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000: 256 Single Family Sales

Sales under $1,000,000: 190 Single Family Home Sales

Total Single Family Palos Verdes Home Sales YTD: 506 homes sold on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Sales are up and inventory is low in Palos Verdes. For a Free e-market analysis of your property contact Norma Toering & Team. Find out the value of your property as the sun sets on the first decade of the 21st Century.

Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty
(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800

PalosVerdesLifestyle - Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper.

Find Norma on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn - Email Norma

Needles River Front Land

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Selling Your Palos Verdes Peninsula Home --Three Phases

The move from one residence to another does not happen overnight; it takes planning, preparation and time to execute the three phases of selling one home and purchasing a replacement property.

Phase One: Once the decision to sell is made it is time for the pre-sale planning and property preparation to begin. This is the time to engage the services of a real estate professional. An agent can provide you with recent sales and current listings in your neighborhood. It is important to know the neighborhood real estate comps for precision pricing of your property. If your price is too high it will languish on the market for months. On the other hand, you deserve to receive the highest value the current market will support. An agent will review recent market activity with you and based on the condition and location of your home will offer a suggested list price.

The agent will also offer suggestions on improvements to increase the appeal and value of your property. Fresh paint and new carpet are transformational changes. Clean windows are a more subtle improvement but will add additional light and sparkle to every room. A room by room approach will create a pre-sale "To Do" list that will not only please prospective buyers but maximize the desirability and value of your home.

Phase Two: Marketing your home begins the moment it is listed on the MLS and your agent sends it viral on the Internet. It takes new techie knowledge and old school tired and true methods to sell a house in today's slower market. A savvy agent will employ a variety of marketing tools to ensure all prospective buyers are reached one way or another.

Phase Two requires excellent communication and negotiations skills. Follow up and follow through will increase the likelihood your property will sell faster and at a higher price.

Phase Three: Once an offer is accepted it is time to open escrow and begin the inspections and complete all disclosures and a plethora of California Association of Realtors requirements. From rooftop to basement your home will be poked and prodded with each discovery being documented.

The escrow period is typically 30 to 60 days but may vary from sale to sale depending upon circumstances of the parties involved in the sale and purchase. As the sale nears completion the seller must finalize moving arrangements. If another home is being purchased the closings must be fine tuned to coincide and often requires some amazing juggling on behalf of agents, seller and buyer.

When selecting an agent to guide you through the process of selling make sure it is a professional you trust and is responsive to your requests and questions. It takes several months to move from the idea of moving to the completion of the sale. I like to tell my clients, "I am your new best friend for the next few months, and I'll do my best to make sure we enjoy our time together."

Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty
(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800

PalosVerdesLifestyle - Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper.

Find Norma on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn - Email Norma

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Wednesday, December 1, 2010

High-end Home Expectations on the Palos Verdes Hill

I previewed four Palos Verdes Peninsula luxury homes yesterday. The price of the homes ranged from $2,400,000 to $3,800,000 and I noticed several common threads connecting the amenities offered in the luxury properties:

1) Outdoor Living Areas - Complete with pools, spas, cabanas, seating area focused around fireplace or fire-pit and a high quality outdoor kitchen. This is Southern California and outdoor living is a year-round possibility.

2) Oversize Gourmet Kitchen - With top of the line energy efficient appliances, walk-in pantry, large center island, causal dining area and seating for guests who enjoy congregating in the kitchen to watch (or help) the cook prepare the food.

3) Oversize Master Bedroom and Bath Suites - The trend is to create a spa experience at home with a luxurious retreat where the homeowner can go to retreat, refresh and rejuvenate body, mind and soul. Think multihead showers, whirlpool tub and towel warming racks. A meditation room, a library or a sitting room with a view and a very luxurious bed complete the high quality luxury hotel feel to these at home bedrooms.

4) In Home Office Headquarters - A place for the homeowners to manage the household and their busy lives now dependent upon the Internet and wireless communication. A command central of sorts for living life in the 21st century.

5) High Tech at Home - Superior surround sound theatre and music throughout the home is expected as the home theatre experience rivals that of the local movie complex. Other home techie trends are sensored faucets, room darkening shades that open and close with the touch of a button (for movie watching or sleeping in) and fail-safe security systems.

Luxury home buyers on the Palos Verdes Hill expect their homes to keep pace with their changing needs and improve their quality of life.

Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty
(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800

PalosVerdesLifestyle - Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper.

Find Norma on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn - Email Norma

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