I wrote a blog post in 2010 how ironic, twelve years later I might not need to change much to it? Let me know your thoughts    https://activerain.com/droplet/5cXM The first step in home ownership is to figure out how much you can afford each month. Many first-time buyers look at their current rent and base it  what they can afford. The key is to know how much one can afford. Once this is determined the rest is easy.The key is to know what the budget is in the long run. Do not spend every penny of your income to your housing budget. Remember you still need to eat and there are unexpected costs, or should I say unplanned costs that you need to think about. Even if you need to cut back on your down payment for the sake of having a reserve in your bank account for emergencies it is worth d... 10/01/2022

A day in the life of a Beverly Hills Realtor, one who has been licensed for over 26 years (not including my time as a Boston, MA Realtor).  Given all these years of practice, you can probably imagine that I have a slew of stories from which to choose to share on the platform! A couple that crossed my mind were the time I went with a client to look at condos in the San Fernando Valley and one of them had a camera and tripod focusing on the sleeping area;  or there was the listing appointment where the owner had at least 15 stray cats and another 10 cats that were meandering between inside/outside the home.  (As a cat dad and pet friendly realtor myself, I had a tough time not taking the listing.) The story that ultimately won out is the time that I fired a group of 3 brothers with whom I... 09/29/2022

Do the headlines affect the Real Estate Market? Observations by a Beverly Hills Realtor   While the gurus offer their investment suggestions of gold and diamonds to name just a few, not many are willing to step up and say park your money in real estate.  Why not, you may ask?  Well, they love volatility since it justifies their existence, and they can preach to the masses.  On the other hand, if you really want a tried and true way long-term investment to protect your money, I have no problem saying park your money in real estate.As a first-time buyer, you will be putting money into your own pocket rather than the landlord’s pocket; five to ten years from now, you will be glad you did. If you are a multiple property owner and landlord, you already know that those who are afraid to buy o... 09/28/2022

Monday Motivational Quotes are always beneficial to all. Seldom do I write them, part of it is because I am self motivated.There are times when I enjoy reading them and then there are times I enjoy sharing them. So with that said please enjoy and let me know your thoughts. “We cannot solve problems with the kind of thinking we employed when we came up with them.” — Albert Einstein   “Learn as if you will live forever, live like you will die tomorrow.” — Mahatma Gandhi   “Stay away from those people who try to disparage your ambitions. Small minds will always do that, but great minds will give you a feeling that you can become great too.” — Mark Twain I have always loved all three of these wonderful people and read about their lives so the quotes have an extra special meaning to me. Hope... 09/26/2022

There are some days we just need to persevere now with that said. Let me share some powerful quotes and hope they will make your day easier to handle:"...Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game." -Babe Ruth"...Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up..." -Thomas A. Edison"...Real Estate is a challenging profession it is not for the weak, you need to stay strong if you want to succeed. That is 26+ years of experience speaking..." Endre Barath, Jr. Wishing you a safe and healthy life and I look forward to your comments. If you are looking for a knowledgeable, focused and goal-oriented Realtor in the Beverly Hills area who will help you achieve your Real Estate goals, please reach out to me directly! I... 09/19/2022

With so many contradictory headlines out for everyone to read, I thought you would appreciate the most recent Real Estate Activities in the 90210 zip code. Personally, I understand the frustration, keep in mind when someone publishes market statistics that end in July or Middle of August may I suggest you just delete it or move on. The Real Estate Market is in a very fluid state mostly due to Inflation and increases in interest rates in the 90210 zip code. I am a fan of Altos Research, because they keep their data current up to the day I post the information, rather than months or weeks behind as many other reports. The market has settled in at a relative stasis in inventory and sales conditions. It's a Buyer's market that has seen prices trend lower. Expect that consistent up trends in... 09/12/2022

Looking for the latest update: What is going on in the Greater Los Angeles Real Estate Market? Observations by a Beverly Hills Realtor, Endre Barath, Jr.I get asked this question almost every other day from existing clients and those clients who are considering buying or selling. I keep repeating myself like a broken record: Please do not listen to the “headlines” instead let’s look in the areas you are considering buying or selling.  So they ask is this the new normal??Keep in mind the larger trends are a good indication of the pulse of the market, but it is not a tell all.What I am seeing there is not only a low demand to buy, but it coupled with low supply. There are fewer buyers who are considering buying and there are fewer sellers who are considering selling to either move up or i... 09/02/2022

One of my favorite Fish Stories, this story has been told over & over... Thank you Ray Henson  &  @Margaret Rome for inspiring me to share it here with the community. (the above photo is of a painting  by my grandfather there grainy part is the fish) Here is one of my favorite Fish Stories. Every word of it is true and it has been told over the decades and the story never changed one bit. Keep in mind, the story has been told over dinners and at family gatherings by three generations and still, the story never changed.My Grandfather made a living selling his paintings in Germany, Austria, and Hungary from the 1920’s to the early 1950’s. His paintings were also exhibited in museums all over Hungary. (the picture above  taken is  at an art exhibit in a museum in Gyoer, Hungary and the  pa... 08/30/2022

Truth or Dare:  No Fish Stories here in the August Challenge!...    We all go on vacation to get away from it all and have a great time, but I want to know, what vacation day was your worst?              I was flying back from Europe and for some strange reason the flight from Vienna was diverted to Paris, instead of having me fly to JFK the Airline then flew me to London and from there I ended up in Minneapolis Minnesota. When I arrived, the customs guys looked at me and I smiled  and said thank God I am on US soil…. From there I went to LaGuardia airport in, N.Y. and took a Limo to Waterbury, CT. Vacation was great but getting home was a challenge.      What would be your bucket list vacation or, if you have already taken it, tell us about it?  Pictures encouraged.        My bucket li... 08/26/2022

CanvasRebel Magazine: Meet Endre Barath a Beverly Hills Realtor... I was recommended by a friend that they should interview me. I was honored to be recommended and that they selected me for the Interview I am even more grateful.  Not wanting to bore you with the entire interview. I will give a quick excerpt  and if you want to read the rest of the Interview please click on the link. below.We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Endre Barath. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Endre below.Alright, Endre thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your professional career?Having been a Captain in the US Army, I learned the importanc... 08/23/2022

 I am so appreciative of the Five Star Reviews. I provide the same service to all my clients, but those who go the extra mile and publish  a Five Star Review I am even more appreciative, that they were willing to write and publish it for all to see what service they received! Endre Barath recently acted as our realtor for a duplex property my sisters and I needed to sell. Unfortunately, our brother had passed away around a year ago. Due to our ages, we were not comfortable traveling from the East Coast to LA to assist on preparing the house or managing the transaction. Endre did a fantastic job helping to pull it all together, while interfacing not only with the 3 of us, but also our lawyer, and three local friends who assisted on repairing, cleaning and emptying the property. We found ... 07/25/2022

The best Marketing Enhancer Purchase I have ever made!I have been busy with all my listings and prepping for my duties in Paris  with the great Chef Alain Ducasse.  Hence, I did not have  much time to focus on my own purchase from the  Active Rain point store. Now with that said, let me tell you what my purchase will be.Keeping in mind, I eat and sleep Real Estate in the Greater Los Angeles area. As listings are becoming more competitive,  it is important to have an edge over the competition. Hence when it comes to  getting the Luxury home listings in Bel Air, CA 90077 and in Beverly Hills, CA 90210  we need to show off our marketing skills.The sellers are now focusing on what is our marketing strategy and how is better than our competition. Gone are the days when we told the sellers we... 07/24/2022

When it comes to sales, what is really going on in the Greater Los Angeles and Beverly Hills Real Estate markets? Observations by a Beverly Hills Realtor.Today I received an email link from one of my concerned client’s. The link was giving the gloom and doom headline along with several cut and pastes taken from the National Association of Realtors (NAR’s) statistics to substantiate the message. See for yourself as I have highlighted the gist of it here:“Price reductions 29% since last month” and “Sales are down since last month”This headline in itself does not put things in proper perspective since pre-Pandemic shutdown these were the standard prices and sales statistics. As a Beverly Hills Realtor, for the past two years I have been joking that the world is coming to an end, but real e... 07/20/2022

There are some days you just have to chill and listen to Andre' Rieu... If you never heard him here is your opportunity. I find him very relaxing and when I am about to or do rant about various subjects I decide to go on Utube  and listen to some of his music and amazingly enough the calm returns.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPSBLFhz8i8    (The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss)So why I do not do it more often I am blaming myself... So with that said here are a few links hope you enjoy them as much as I do.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3aGlKYlEiY  (you never walk alone) I am always amazed that the crowd who comes to see Andre' Rieu reaches all generations. Funny part is he does not seem to age. He looked as old as I watched him thirty years ago:)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtM519L... 07/15/2022

Beverly Hills, CA 90210Tue Jul 05 2022This week the median list price for Beverly Hills, CA 90210 is $11,995,000 with the market action index hovering around 30. This is less than last month's market action index of 31. Inventory has increased to 163.  The Market Action Index has been trending lower for several weeks while prices have remained relatively stable. If inventory continues to grow relative to demand however, it is likely that we will see downward pressure on pricing. Prices in this zip code seem to have settled around a plateau. Look for a persistent down-shift in the Market Action Index before we see prices deviate from these levels. Market Segments Each segment below represents approximately 25% of the market ordered by price. Median Price Sq. Ft. Lot Size Beds Bath Age Ne... 07/05/2022

Depending on what part of the country you live, you’ve undoubtedly noticed that the market is shifting to either a balanced or a buyer’s market. Media headlines and information only add to the confusion.  Hence, we are all left with many variables and a great deal of mixed messages.  None of this affects the savvy buyers who see this as an advantageous negotiation tool since there is less competition and sellers of course also understand that there are fewer buyers out there. The flood of information is amazing, all you have to do is look in your email inbox, and it is filled with mixed messages and mixed signals. Every day I am flooded with emails from gurus who want to teach me how to get more buyers or sellers. I’m “guaranteed” to get my money back thanks to the monthly  and annual g... 06/29/2022

Wordless Wednesdays: Tunisian Couscous with Shrimp... if you are interested let me know and I will provide the Recipe. In the mean time wishing you a fabulous rest of the week Wishing you a safe and healthy life and I look forward to your comments. If you are looking for a knowledgeable, focused and goal-oriented Realtor in the Beverly Hills area who will help you achieve your Real Estate goals, please reach out to me directly! If you are looking for a pet friendly Beverly Hills Realtor who can handle and sell the most difficult properties that no one else could, please reach out to me directly!! If you are considering buying or selling a home, a luxury home, luxury investment real estate, luxury vacation homes, or luxury beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Century Cit... 06/22/2022

Well I can relate to this face as the prices were increasing by the minute we never knew if the Appraisal would come in at the $250,000 over bid on a property that was well priced.Now that our market is moving from a Seller's Market to not a Balanced Market, but a Buyer's Market. I thought this picture would clearly represent where we will be in the next few months.Hope you enjoyed some Real Estate Humor.   Wishing you a safe and healthy life and I look forward to your comments. If you are looking for a knowledgeable, focused and goal-oriented Realtor in the Beverly Hills area who will help you achieve your Real Estate goals, please reach out to me directly! If you are looking for a pet friendly Beverly Hills Realtor who can handle and sell the most difficult properties that no one else... 06/16/2022

This meal was inspired by Alfred Portale and his recipe from the Gotham Bar & Grill Cookbook. Let me know what you think.The ingredients are:  1. Persian Cucumber                                        2. Half a Japanese Cucumber                                        3. 8-10 Marinated Olives                                        4. One fresh Avocado                                        5. about six or eight San Marzano tomatoes                                        6. Toasted Bread/ Croutons more to taste                                        7.  Italian Jar salad dressing to taste ( he used a different                                                     dressing)                                        8. Lemon juice about two table spoons.                                        9... 06/12/2022

Do you know what happened  on June 6th, 1944?  Does Operation Overlord mean anything to you?To history buffs and patriots June 6th means the Airborne operation and  the Allied invasion of Normandy  which began  on June 6th at 6:30 am local time. Also known as Operation Overlord during World War II, more recognizable and known as D-Day. In case you did not know this was the largest seaborne invasion in  the history of the world.Things never go as planned there were a lot of casualties. Sadly, despite all the planning and prepping including Naval artillery and Air Force bombings the estimated allied casualties were at least 10,000 and confirmed dead of 4,414 the first day.In honor of all these soldiers who lost their lives I wanted to thank them and salute them. At the same time, I wanted... 06/06/2022