La Crescenta, CA    January 2009   Market Index A market index of above 1.20 is a seller's market, between 0.80 to 1.20 is a balanced market, and below 0.80 is a buyer's market.   The Market Index ticked up two points to 0.31.    New Listings - 36 new listings, almost double last month's 17 new listings.  Last year there were 30.    Pending Listings - 16 listings entered compared to 11 last month, and 13 last year.    Pending Ratio - 0.44, down from last months' 0.65, down for the first time in three months.  Last year the ratio was 0.43.   Listing Inventory -102 properties compared to 82 homes left on the market last month.  Last year we had 115 listings on the market.    Sold Listings - 16 listings sold, versus 13 listings last month, compared to 10 the year before.     Average Sales ... 02/25/2009

Market Index A market index of above 1.20 is a seller’s market, between 0.80 to 1.20 is a balanced market, and below 0.80 is a buyer’s market.    The index declined one point to 0.29.    New Listings – 17 new listings, compared to 22 last month. Last year there were 9.   Pending Listings – 11 new escrows opened, compared to 11 last month, and 8 last year.   Pending Ratio – 0.65, up for the third month in a row.  Last year the ratio was 0.89.   Listing Inventory –82 homes left on the market, compared to 90 homes last month.  Last year we had 118 listings on the market.      Sold Listings – 13 listings closed escrow, compared to 16 last month, compared to 11 the year before.  The small number of sold listings is probably overstating the values this month, but the upward trend since Septem... 02/03/2009

Have you heard of La Crescenta, California? It's a charming town that is nestled in the foothills in Southern California. It's about twenty miles north of downtown Los Angeles. The community has the feeling of a mid-sized town, in our opinion. There are differing areas, including some that are more rural. These areas are up the hills, in the mountains, and have many trees and a feeling like you've really been taken away from the city. You can learn more about La Crescenta here: La Crescenta The Chamber of Commerce website is here: La Crescenta Chamber of Commerce If you are in Southern California, and want to visit a unique community - come to La Crescenta! 01/31/2009

La Crescenta and Montrose Market Update January 27, 2009 Everyone is asking me "hows the market" There are 4 new listing in the last 7 days in La Crescenta and Montrose area. Only 1 home sold in the last 7 days.   This year 9 homes sold.  So homes are Selling in the area.  People are still getting loans in the area. 01/27/2009

  Deals How many of you love getting a great deal on things you buy.  People around the united states find deals and then post them on these websites.  It has every kind of deal clothes, GPS, TVs, Computers, coupons and much more. bensbargins.net slickdeals.net fatwallet.com   Woot has one item for a great price per day.  They sell one item every day till they run out of stock.  Starting at midnight. When there is a great price on something the sell very quickly. woot.com  I love these two websites.  They are my favorite site.  I usually check them out at least once a day.   Give me some feedback what you think of the sites.  I personal love them. Also my friend use them all the time.   01/26/2009

OLIVE BRANCH   I think everyone loves eating.  Here is a great restaurant.  Some of you might not have had Persian food, but you are missing out!  I am half-Persian, and I introduced this food to my wife, and it's now her favorite.  Please go visit Olive Branch (NOT OLIVE GARDEN). It is in La Crescenta, CA.  So If you are in the area, you must go.  Let me know if you love Persian food like me. There are many more Persian places you can go in L.A. also.  Another favorite is Raffi's in Glendale, not very far from Americana at Brand. 01/15/2009

Market Index A market index of above 1.20 is a seller’s market, between 0.80 to 1.20 is a balanced market, and below 0.80 is a buyer’s market.   Declined five points to 0.30, mirroring other markets, but not as severe a drop.    New Listings – 22 new listings, compared to 27 last month. Last year there were 45.   Pending Listings – 11 new escrows opened, compared to 11 last month, and 9 last year.   Pending Ratio – 0.50, up from last month’s 0.41.  Last year the ratio was 0.20.   Listing Inventory –90 homes left on the market, compared to 99 homes last month.  Last year we had 162 listings on the market.    Sold Listings – 16 listings closed escrow, compared to 24 last month, compared to 17 the year before.   Average Sales Price - $580,235, down from last month’s $597,238, but still abo... 12/14/2008

A friend/client recently encountered the strangest scam with her rental property in La Crescenta. I thought you should all be alerted. My friend received an e-mail about her Craig's list ad. The gentleman said he was being relocated from England to Los Angeles and that he would arrive on a specific date, 3 weeks in the future. He said he really liked the home based on the Craig's List ad, and had instructed his employer to send her a check for the first month plus security deposit. The language was very odd, very formal and slightly archaic. In fact, it sounded a lot like the Nigerian 411 scam e-mails - the ones where the writer pleads for help from a US citizen to help them move a twenty million dollar inheritance. My friend was instantly suspicious. However, she couldn't see the risk ... 11/19/2008

Market Index Up slightly to 0.32, last September during the mortgage meltdown 0.14.  New Listings – Fifty Five new listings this month, compared to forty-four in August. Last year there were 27. Pending Ratio 0.22, a drop of five points from August, the third month it declined. Last year the ratio was 0.22. Listing Inventory – Dropped to 98 from118 in August.  Last year we had 158 listings on the market.  Sold Listings – Sold 19, down from 24 last month and  16 last year. Average Sales Price $552,747, which is 24.6% down from last September, compared to 19.3% below last August. Price per square foot –$342.68, down 24% from last year.  The true value shift appears  to be around 20% if you average the two figures.   The area has not lost as much value as some.  If you can find the right h... 10/12/2008

Here is a July calendar of events for the Foothill area:  7-12-08     Montrose Art Walk 9am to 4pm on Honolulu Avenue  7-12-08     Lady Falcon Rummage Sale 7am to 2pm at CV High  7-19-08     Cruise Night  5:30pm to 10:30pm on Brand Blvd., Glendale  7-25-08     Summer Night on the Plaza  6pm to 9pm at Glendale City Hall  7-26-08     Lady Falcon Car Wash 7am to 1pm corner of La Crescenta and Honolulu 07/10/2008

Here is another view of the Foothills from the La Crescenta area.  We are usually above the smog!  Small town community but close to downtown Los Angeles.  What a wonderful place to live and work! The La Crescenta area has wonderful schools and lots of parks.  We are currently building a new library at the corner of Foothill and La Crescenta.   07/06/2008

We live in a fairly secluded community.  Very few people know we are here, but we are just minutes from Glendale and Downtown Los Angeles.  We are an area of lovely homes and even lovlier people! Welcome to the fabulous community of La Crescenta! Check out available homes at http://century21crest.com/index.htm   07/06/2008

Crescenta Valley High School.  The facade was recently remodeled.  This is a great school for athletics, the arts and general education.  We have a terrific faculty with talented coaches and teachers.  Test scores are above average.  We rate a 10 out of 10 on the "great schools" website.  Glendale School District rates an 8 out of 10. 2900 Community Ave.La Crescenta, CA 91214   07/06/2008

It is going to be a great weekend in the La Crescenta area!  We will have our usual fireworks set off from Crescenta Valley High School.  You can view them from most homes in the area, but pull up a chair at Lincoln Grammar School and join the festivities.  Remember to restrain your dogs and give them comfort during the fireworks.  Animal Control sees an increas in requests for service following every Fourth of July. Our neighbors in Sunland/Tujunga will be having their annual Fourth of July Parade and will have activities in Sunland Park.  Lots of fun and games for the kiddies.  Remember to bring lots of water. Most of us aren't traveling too far this year, what with gasoline at record highs.  But, I will just bet that you can stop in at almost any home in the neighborhood and find som... 07/03/2008

View Larger Map 07/03/2008

July is a great month in La Crescenta!  All of the High School kids have already had try-outs for athletics at Crescenta Valley High School.  Summer league play is beginning.  We will be having our usual Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration at or near Crescenta Valley High School on the Fourth! For those of you who are new to the area, we are the center of the universe when it comes to Blue Ribbon Schools.  We have blessed with extraordinary teachers, coaches and administrators.  We have some fabulous local restaurants.  Just a few of my favorites are La Cabinita, Divina, New Moon, Joselitos and Tortas de Mexico.  Try all of our local restaurants and compare them.  The service in this part of the world is exceptional. La Crescenta is located in the Foothills just a hop, skip and a jump ... 06/29/2008

For Condominiums: 5 Condos sold with an average of 3 bedrooms and 2 baths with a 1,476 sf average. The average Days on Market were 105. The average sold price was $507,500. For Single Family Homes:18 homes sold with an average of 3 bedrooms and 2 baths with 1,647 sf. The average Days on Market were 81. The median price of these homes were $597,500 with an average Days on Market at 59 days.Homes are moving pretty fast due to the end of the school year approaching and the buyers that I'm coming across are anxious to get their children into the excellent school system that La Crescenta has to offer.  05/06/2008

On the extra large postcard pinned to the wall in the grocery store there was this colorful message:  For Sale: Rally Neat House!  It continued...."There are lots of trees -- BIG ONES!  There's a 4-ft. wall in the lower front yard that a family of toads lives in; they have two openings in the wall to go in and go out.  There's a great big back yard with a patio for barbecues, and a lawn for sports."The house has three bedrooms: one for mom and dad; one for myself and my younger brother; and one for my little sister.  We have a good place to eat and plenty of room to watch television, and if you like roses, my mom has a great rose garden in the front yard surrounded by a flagstone porch.  The soil in the rose garden is great for growing fishing worms, too."You can buy this house for abou... 12/11/2007

The leaves have fallen, with the real estate market fluttering in the winter winds of the Foothills.  As most of you are preparing for Christmas, Realtors® are busy helping buyers and sellers figure out what to do next.  The Glencrest Team is working with buyers and sellers and we are busier now than we were during peak selling season.  Why is that?  Sellers that need to sell need to figure out the best way to squeeze the most out of their sale, and buyers are trying to determine when the rock bottom price is really rock bottom.Going by the numbers, when the Market Index is above 1.20 we have a seller's market, between 1.20 and 0.80 a neutral market, and below 0.80 a buyer's market.  Last November La Crescenta was had a Market Index of 0.37, in July 0.031, and in November 2007 a Market ... 12/05/2007

The leaves are falling from my maple tree, mirroring the sales activity in La Crescenta.  If you are a buyer, pay attention...actually, if you are a seller, you should too!Back in June, at the peak of the spring sales season, we had a market index of 0.31 with 155 active listings, selling 25.  Fast forward to October, a market index of 0.18, 148 listings active, and 10 sold.  Not a huge change just looking those numbers, but all put together, an index of 0.18 means buyers are really in control.Although not the end of the world as we know (according to some media outlets), the gradual accumulation of listing inventory coupled with the increasingly restrictive lending requirement has created a perfect storm.  As inventory levels increase, the number of qualified buyers has decreased, so w... 11/18/2007