Beverly Hills, is the world renowned home of the rich and famous. There is something for everyone in this beautiful enclave, including the best dining, shopping, and some of the most expensive real estate in the country.  In fact, 90% of Beverly Hills is zoned for residential use.  62% of the housing is apartments and condos, and 37% single family.       Beverly Hills, is almost entirely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, except for a small area of Doheny Dr. on the east which borders West Hollywood.  It is approximately 5.7 square miles in radius, with the approximate boundaries being the Los Angeles Country Club to the west, Whitworth Dr. to the south, Robertson Blvd., San Vicente Blvd. and Doheny Dr. to the East and the Hollywood Hills to the north. Beverly Hills is an incorporat... 11/09/2011

Top 11 Tips to Sell your Beverly Hills Home   When considering selling your Beverly Hills home, there are many things you can do to quickly help you earn more money on the sale of your home.  The real estate market in Beverly Hills is very active right now and when selling your home, you will want to capture the attention of the buyers over other competing properties.    Beverly Hills Real Estate Expert-Heather Paul with Coldwell Banker  “A local Beverly Hills Real Estate Agent” provides some great tips to help you sell your Beverly Hills or Los Angeles home quickly and for the most money.   Feel free to contact me anytime with your questions when selling your home.  I hope these tips provide much use to you and wish you much success in selling your Beverly Hills home or property. TOP 1... 11/06/2011

Update on our Third Cat:  Jill As some of you know our household consists of Dougy, Jack & Jill, our three Cats.  Dougy came from the Lange Foundation and Jack knocked on our Patio Door and insisted that we let him in. Jill was the latest addition from the Lange Foundation as well. Needless to say we went thru some Cat relationship dynamics.  Those of you, who have cats, know what I am referring to. Specifically, that the dynamics change when a cat is added to the house hold or if one goes to Rainbow Bridge. Not trying to bore you with the details.  When Jill was incorporated into our household, Jack got along with her instantaneously. Dougy on the other hand kept hissing, growling and was basically not in favor of the new addition to the house hold. As a Realtor who works out of the ho... 10/29/2011

We are coming towards the end of 2011 so it is a good time to check in on Beverly Hills home sales to date this year.   Single Family Homes   Sold Low High DOM Active Absorption Under $ 1 Million 5 $800,000 $995,000 64 0 - $1 to $2 Million 37 $1,016,000 $2,000000 75 11 2.9 $2 to $5 Million 50 $2,095,000 $4,800,000 72 24 14.4 Over $5 Million 29 $5,175,000 $35,000000 142 57 19.7 Condos Under $ 1 Million 49 $334,900 $985,000 85 34 6.9 $1 to $2 Million 18 $1,030,000 $1,700,000 128 21 11.7 $2 to $5 Million 1 $4,400,000 655 7 70 Over $5 Million 4 $6,085,000 $13,826,000 202 4 10 All information from the CLAW MLS is deemed accurate but is not guaranteed   Absorption rate is the time it will take existing listings to sell based on prior sales over the past 10 months.  6 months is a balanced mar... 10/25/2011

411 Oakhurst “The Oakhurst” in Beverly Hills, CA 90210 If you love an exquisite recently built Mediterranean condominium than you must check out 411 North Oakhurst Dr. “The Oakhurst” was built in 1990 with the most discriminating buyer in mind, who wanted to live on a quite tree lined street inside the Beverly Hills school system. The complex is quite not pretentious, just solid busting with quality from the 24 hour concierge to the 16 hour bellman. Each unit has three side by side parking spaces. It is a quite small building consisting of 34 Townhomes with custom crown moldings and all the features your discriminating taste require such a granite counter tops and modern state of the art appliances. Some units have Patios & Balconies others just have Balconies. All units have romantic f... 10/22/2011

I am pleased to announce an uber significant sale for Rich Kids Real Estate Group for two reasons: 1) This was a record breaking sale for me in terms of the closing period. My client immediately fell in love with the property and we recorded within 5 days from acceptance of offer – my fastest escrow period…ever. It would not have been possible without the help of an individual who I have looked up to since before I became a licensed agent  (see next item). 2) I had the opportunity to work with the most accomplished and recognized residential developer in Beverly Hills (if not the world), Brian Adler. Brian has made his mark on the Beverly Hills real estate scene in numerous ways since age 21, but is probably best known for developing the ultimate in gated living chic, Beverly Park North... 10/17/2011

This Beverly Hills Post Office short sale “appears” to be a new listing...on the MLS for 3 days, but it’s actually an extended listing.  It was listed about 2 ½ months ago with another agent as a “Notice of Default” sale, for $1,895,000.   The home did not sell, and is now listed with another agent as a short sale for $1,795,000.  And while it is a great location up in the hills, adjacent to the Vineyard Beverly Hills Estates...the comps show that the price is still too high.This is a mid century home, built in 1958 with 3,024 sqft, but much of the sought after architectural details are MIA.  I wonder if the vaulted ceilings were lined with wood back in the day?The home definitely takes advantageous of the gorgeous views, and does so with the stereotypical “walls of glass” that the cove... 09/25/2011

Spago Beverly Hills, CA the Flagship Restaurant of the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Empire is next door to my office.  Very appropriately, since our Coldwell Banker Office generates probably the most business internationally for the entire Coldwell Banker Organization, depending when you do the statistics we are either one or two amongst the rest of the offices. Many times I have seen the Chef Wolfgang Puck stand in front welcoming his guest. That is what I call the ultimate in Marketing and Customer Relations. He is an Icon & one of the original creators of “super star chefs” and he still uses the basics. He gives his clients a warm welcome, a warm introduction and then fine service and great food. This is giving the ultimate dining experience to the first time visitor or to the repeat cl... 09/24/2011

Mukesh Ambani’s house is finally finished! Mukesh Ambani’s house is finally finished! He is one of the richest men in Asia the World, who’s net worth is around 50 Billion Dollars. (He is the Chairman of Reliance Industries) Originally the home was supposed to be 50 stories high and they down scaled it after the uproar it caused. So now it is only a mere 26 stories high, consisting of about 400,000 sq feet of living space. Three helicopter pads, six levels of parking, a ballroom and a 600 member staff to handle the upkeep of the home to name a few of the features. So if you thought Donald Trump was extravagant with his homes or the Arabian princes and kings, well you were wrong. Mukesh Ambani puts them all to shame. The cost for this home was 1.8 billion US Dollars. Now with that said I ... 09/21/2011

Pawsitively Perfect Evening in Beverly Hills, CA We had a Pawsitively Perfect Evening in Beverly Hills, CA. Together The Pet Care Foundation (PCF) also know as  Pets 90210 (www.pets90210.org)  and the Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) (www.animalrescuecorps.org ) had their first annual PAWSITIVELY PERFECT EVENING in the Japanese Garden of Paula Kent Meehan’s Beverly Hills Estate. We had fun while advocating for those without a voice as we honored local guests Councilmen Tony Cardenas and Paul Koretz and actress & animal advocate Debra Wilson. Our purpose was promoting animal rights, and in particular, bringing attention to puppy mills. Actress Elaine Hendrix was the MC of the event, and Bill Crowe, Director of The Pet Care Foundation, was instrumental in bringing the event to fruition. There wa... 09/18/2011

  9563 LIME ORCHARD RD , BEVERLY HILLS 90210$1,800,000 “Bank Approved Price” This Beverly Hills mid century home was recently listed as a short sale with a "bank approved" listing price.  When I see the words "bank approved price" as a Buyer's Agent it takes the guess work out of wondering where the bank will counter back...now we know.  But, as a Listing Agent letting Buyers know this is the "approved" price...that the bank has spoken and countering at this point is a waste of time...can be off putting to Buyers.   Always remember...in real estate, everything is negotiable. Sp take a look at this Beverly Hills mid century short sale home.  This home was built in 1961, which was towards the end of the mid century design influence, and it's bones are definitely showing in a good way.  Th... 09/06/2011

Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon since 1966, now  2011 MDA Labor Day Telethon?!  I have watched the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon since 1967 one year after it’s inception by a Comedian from the Rat Pack Days. Jerry Lewis single handedly made the Muscular Dystrophy Association a house hold name. ‘Jerry’s Kids’, we grew up watching every Labor Day Saturday to Sunday five pm hopeful and wishing that he would out do the previous year’s total.  I remember when he broke the $1million mark as well as when he broke the $6million mark… than as MDA  kept getting main stream, corporate sponsorships. Ed McMahon’s help and contributions from Seven Eleven Corporation sponsorship and on and on went the history of Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. Every Labor Day Sunday I remember the Parade Magazine’s cover page had “Jerr... 09/05/2011

Beverly Hills: HUD HOME DEAL OF THE WEEK is a CONDO!412 N. Palm Dr., #604, Beverly Hills, 90210This bank owned penthouse condo,  a 2+2 in prime, walkable Beverly Hills is a strong deal, priced under the current market comps, list price $659,900.    A corner unit, built in 1964, just towards the end of the mid century design era, with the influences of this modern period very much in play...high ceilings, open floor plan, large  sun-bathed rooms. The kitchen still has the original 1964 fixtures, all in great shape: stacked double ovens, (with a great 60’s graphic stove clock), a “built-in” wall can opener, and an inlaid electric blender on the countertop.  The kitchen is large enough for an eat-in table area, or sleeker yet would be to build a breakfast bar in this space and face the sto... 09/04/2011

Ask detailed questions about their experience and skills to help you find the right agent for your home sale. BEST BEVERLY HILLS REAL ESTATE AGENTS Working with the right Beverly Hills real estate agent can mean the difference between getting prompt, expert representation and feeling like you're going it alone when selling your home. Here are 10 questions to ask when you're interviewing agents. 1. How long have you been selling homes? Mastering real estate requires on-the-job experience. The more experience agents have, the more likely they'll be able to handle any curveballs thrown during your home sale. 2. What designations do you hold? Designations like GRI (Graduate REALTOR Institute) and CRS; (Certified Residential Specialist), which require that agents complete additional real es... 09/03/2011

  So you have a hankering for a nice juicy steak and not sure where to get one, then get yourself down to Mastro’s Steakhouse in Beverly Hills, California! The Mastro’s Steakhouse is located at 246 North Canon Drive in Beverly Hills, California. The Mastro’s Steakhouse offers so many delectable dishes that will make a grown man cry, but the steak speaks to you and makes you want to sink your teeth right in! The Mastro’s Steakhouse is well known for its world class service and its exquisite cuisine that symbolizes fine dining at its finest. If you have a special occasion coming up, the Mastro’s Steakhouse is a great way to celebrate! For more information regarding the Mastro’s Steakhouse please visit the link provided: http://www.mastrosrestaurants.com/ What a great way to celebrate any ... 08/25/2011

     If you are looking for a luxurious hotel to stay at and not sure where to stay, then be sure to book your next hotel stay at the Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, California! The Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel is located at 9882 South Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills. The Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel offers the most luxurious rooms, suites and private villas that are surrounded by beautiful lush gardens. This gorgeous hotel has been described as an “Exclusive oasis with a prestigious address” and that is not an exaggeration! The Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel is the perfect place to have a wedding or a special event. For more information regarding the Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel please visit the link provided: http://www.peninsula.com/Beverly_Hills/en/default... 08/25/2011

James Hook & Co. est. 1925 Boston, MA As some of you know I have relocated from Boston, MA to Los Angeles CA in the late 1990’s. I have been a Fan of James Hook since the late 1980’s. They have fresh Maine Lobster delivered daily. I could buy fresh lobster for around $4.99 a pound, not much has changed, now days you can buy it for anywhere from $5,99 to $7.99 a pound depending on size and time of year. Since we moved out to Los Angeles, CA it has become tradition that if Diane goes back to visit family and friends she returns to Los Angeles with one or two Lobsters generally 2.5 -3.0 lbs range.  This trip I went along so I had to visit my favorite Lobster Seller in Boston, MA James Hook & Co. James Hook is a Family Business and it has a small town atmosphere when you visit the source. T... 08/24/2011

Insalata Caprese: Tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. Some people call them ‘Super Foods', the new trend.  If you have been to the island of Capri a short distance across from Naples, in Italy, a top tourist attraction for affluent people from all over the world and had spent time in August there (The Italians call it Alta Stagione, the high season in August), than I am sure you had Insalata Caprese.    While you are there you must visit the The Grotta Azzura, The Blue Grotto. (Keep in mind that it is expensive and the lines are long if you go during peak season). When I went, I was totally amazed at the “Blue Colors” a reflection of the Sun, the Sand and the Grotto. The colors do not do justice to the real life experience. Besides leaving with a Memory I hope will never leave me, I learned... 08/22/2011

Wondering how the Beverly Hills real estate did the first half of 2011 compared with 2010?  The numbers in red  in the sold section are the percentage difference over the same period last year. Beverly Hills Single Family Homes Sold:  73/  +2.8% Average Price Sold:  $3,632,569/ -8% Average Days on Market:  86/ -3% Average Sales to List Price:  86.19%/ -4% Active:  70 Average Price Active: $7,864,000 Average Days on Market:  108 Beverly Hills Condos Sold:  47/ -13% Average Price Sold:  $1,438,005/ +18% Average Days on Market: 114/ +14% Average Sales to List Price:  88.67%/ -8% Active:  54 Average Price Active:  $1,552,403 Average Days on Market:  133 Beverly Hills homes for sale are doing  quite well.  With around 5.67 months of inventory, it is a sellers’ market.  Six months is balance... 08/11/2011

La Terrasse – the new light-filled twenty-unit, five-story condominium building offering all that is best in Beverly Hills living. Rich, Italian wood cabinetry, floor-to-ceiling limestone fireplaces, brushed walnut and limestone flooring, and polished marble and granite countertops complete each exquisite residence. Grand terraces for lavish indoor/outdoor entertaining. Beautiful views and vistas are experienced through expansive walls of glass. Five unique floor plans designed for today’s lifestyle including four approximately 4,000 square-foot Penthouses are just the beginning of La Terrasse living. Just open the door of your beautiful residence to begin to experience the further amenities of La Terrasse – a fabulous stadium-seating Media and Entertaining Room with full Catering Kitc... 08/08/2011