Happy Thursday everyone! Here is more green tips for making your kitchen environmentally friendly... Between the refrigerator, oven, microwave, and lights, kitchens can consume a lot of energy, but here are some ways to reduce your kitchen's energy usage and save some money: "Right size" your appliances: The larger your appliances, the more energy they consume. And, large appliances take up more space, meaning you'll need to heat and cool additional square footage to accommodate them. Finding the "right size" appliance to fit your needs-instead of just buying the largest one available-can help you to save energy. Replace old refrigerators: If your refrigerator is more than 10 years old, it might be time to consider replacing it. Old refrigerators can account for up to 15 percent of a ho... 03/05/2009

Happy Thursday everyone! Hope everyone's week has been well so far. I was reading the Palisadian Post and was very happy to see a familiar face. Marie Steckmest is Citizen of the Year for 2008. Leader of the campaign to "green" Pacific Palisades. The post has been giving the award each year since 1947. The citizen of the year banquet, also featuring the Golden Sparkplug awards presented by the Community Council, will be held on Thursday evening, April 23, at the American Legion Hall on La Cruz Drive. Ticket information will be provided in the Palisades Post's next issue. From all of us here at Westside Properties, the Palisades Home Team congratulates Marie on being such a wonderful citizen year after year!! All the best Marie. To preview the finest real estate and the best deals on the... 02/26/2009

Happy Monday! My apologies for being very busy and neglecting my buyer, sellers, and readers. It has been almost a week since I last posted about Pacific Palisades. Here is the weekly market snapshot of the Pacific Palisades 90272 area: New Listings 14170 W. Sunset Blvd., house $4,695,000 15242 Friends Street, house $1,849,000 18063 Sandy Cape Drive, house $2,495,000 665 Swarthmore Avenue, house $2,395,000 509 Mount Holyoke Avenue, house $2,795,000 18020 Sea Reef Drive, house $2,695,000 1439 Chastain, house $3,450,000 1356 Piedra Morada Drive, house $3,199,000 16647 Charmel Lane, house $1,989,000 225 Monte Grigio Drive, house $1,675,000 1018 Villa Grove Drive, house $2,875,000 16754 Via La Costa, house $3,355,000 18219 Coastline Drive #4, condominium $975,000 15515 W. Sunset Blvd. #408,... 02/23/2009

 The Pacific Palisades American legion Post 283 donated over 2.1 million dollars to the Fisher House. I recently sold a listing in the Palisades on Erskine(in 7 days!!). I had the opportunity to meet the seller's close friend who is a member of the legion. After reading the Palisades Post this weekend and see Mr. Maguire's picture, I was happy to say I know that man! To read the article, please follow this link: http://www.palisadespost.com/content/index.cfm?Story_ID=4648 To preview the finest real estate and the best deals on the Westside of Los Angeles including Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Malibu, Brentwood, Bel Air, Beverly Hills, West L.A., Marina Del Rey & Mar Vista please visit our website: http://www.westsidehomefinder.com/ When you are ready to view the properties or just h... 02/17/2009

Well I am glad the weekend is here. Happy Saturday everyone! It's been raining in Southern California for the past two days.....get out the row boats and rain slicks. Here is today's weather forecast for the Los Angeles Westside: Pacific Palisades - currently 50 °F, Today 56° | 49°   Malibu - currently 47 °F, Today 58° | 54° Santa Monica - currently 50.7 °F, Today 58° | 49° Beverly Hills - currently 49.4 °F, Today 58° | 49° Brentwood - currently 52 °F, Today 59° | 47° Marina Del Rey - currently 49 °F, Today 56° | 44° Topanga Canyon - currently 48 °F, Today 55° | 42° Culver City - currently 51 °F, Today 59° | 47°        To preview the finest real estate and the best deals on the Westside of Los Angeles including Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Malibu, Brentwood, Bel Air, Beverly Hills, ... 02/07/2009

Click on these sites to learn how to make your house safe for you and your family: Download the Safe Home, Safe Me coloring book at Kids Stuff Safety links at KidsClick! The Parents' Corner at the FDA Kids Home Page FEMA for Kids Kids Safety Topics Child safety checklist Tips to make your home more secure Home security tips Kid safety topics Take the Smoke Alarm Quiz    To preview the finest real estate and the best deals on the Westside of Los Angeles including Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Malibu, Brentwood, Bel Air, Beverly Hills, West L.A., Marina Del Rey & Mar Vista please visit our website: http://www.westsidehomefinder.com/ When you are ready to view the properties or just have a question, please contact us: 310.459.8191 or info@wsprops.com PACIFIC PALISADES SANTA MONICA MALI... 02/05/2009

 Did you know that in the United States, homes are responsible for 21 percent of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions? That fact, plus rising energy costs and a decision by California's Public Utilities Commission mandating that new housing developments are "zero net energy" by 2020, has caused consumers, homebuilders, homeowners, property managers, REALTORS®, local governments, schools, and others to focus on the energy-efficiency of homes and buildings.That's why real estate is a green issue. As these groups and individuals seek ways to reduce the energy costs of homes, even more emphasis will be placed on eco-friendly designs and cost-savings. If you are a homeowner, there are steps-most are relatively easy-that you can take to make your home more energy-efficient; if you are a futu... 02/03/2009

Happy Monday everyone! Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Steelers for winning such an exciting Superbowl yesterday. I truly enjoyed the game! Here is the Pacific Palisades Real Estate New Listing Hotsheet for the past week: New Listings:   854 NAPOLI DR, PACIFIC PALISADES , CA 90272 Map $5,999,900 5 Bedrooms, 4 Bathrooms Save  |   Photos (8) Listing # 09-342961 Courtesy of: John Anselmo - Anselmo,John 09-342961158 34.043388-118.507951 1216 AMALFI DR, PACIFIC PALISADES , CA 90272 Map $5,895,000 6 Bedrooms, 6.5 Bathrooms Save  |   Photos (20) Listing # 09-343949 Courtesy of: Coldwell Banker- Pac.Palisades - Douglas,Mark 09-343949158 34.051836-118.505569 1189 CUMBRE ALTA CT, PACIFIC PALISADES , CA 90272 Map $5,295,000 7 Bedrooms, 11 Bathrooms Save  |   Photos (20) Listing # 09-344227 Court... 02/02/2009

Tired of hearing, "But Mom, I'm hungry!"?  Well, check out these sites and teach your kids how to cook for themselves . . . and the rest of the family: Kids and Family at the Dairy Council of California Kids Cooking Club Back of the Box Recipes Meals.com The Cook's Thesaurus Check out children's recipes Search under kids at allrecipes.com Recipes with an insect theme   01/30/2009

 Although certifications are necessary to officially designate a home "green," anyone can make their home and their lives greener. A home's individual green features are what make it environmentally friendly or "greener." An environmentally friendly home is a home that-compared with a standard home-uses less energy, water, and natural resources; creates less waste; and is healthier for its inhabitants. Homes can be built green-conscious, or they can undergo green enhancements (eco-conscious alterations or remodels) after they are created. A home that is eco-friendly should encompass one or all of the five key green principles outlined below and should:*  Conserve natural resources*  Use energy efficiently*  Have improved indoor air quality relative to normal building standards*  Create ... 01/27/2009

This article in LA times caught my eyes because it is a great benefit to a lot of my clients who are 1st time home buyers and could benefit from this tax credit. Maybe it can buy a few pieces of new furniture and a 62" LCD TV for the new home. On January 15, the House Democratic leadership outlined its $825 billion economic stimulus package, loaded with $275 billion in tax cuts and $550 billion in new spending on healthcare, education, and alternative energy and infrastructure improvements. In the tax section was a significant improvement to last July's congressional effort to stimulate home sales. It offered a credit of as much as $7,500 to buyers who had never bought a house or hadn't owned one during the last 3 years. To qualify, taxpayers would need to complete a home purchase betwe... 01/27/2009

Today is the 1st day on Lunar Calendar which is the Chinese New Year, year of OX. Here I wish everyone a happy new year 新年快樂 (pronounce "Sun Nin Fai Lok" in Cantonese) and 恭喜發財 (Kung Hei Fat Choi). I learned that Kung Hei Fat Choi is the 1st thing everyone says to each other in Chinese New Year. It translated to "Congratulations and be prosperous", which is a great thing to say especially in Real Estate business. There's also a lot of four word phrase that Chinese say to greet each other. Like wishing you: 身体健康 Good healthy year. 心想事成　May All Your Wishes Come True 生意兴隆　Business Flourishes 岁岁平安　Peace All Year Round 和气生财　Harmony Brings Wealth 心想事成　May All Your Wishes Come True 吉祥如意　Everything Goes Well 国泰平安　The Country Flourishes And People Live In Peace 招财进宝　Money And Treasures Will He ... 01/26/2009

HOW TO RAISE YOUR CREDIT SCORE 100 POINTS IN 45 DAYS Sound too good to be true? Not as much as you’d think. Try out these five simple steps to improving your own credit score…you could see dramatic results! 1. PAY YOUR PAST DUE ACCOUNTS. Yes, this sounds obvious, but understand that credit scoring software severely penalizes you for having accounts with a past due balance. Making sure all of your accounts are current, and paying the amount that shows as being past due on the credit report can increase your credit score by a significant amount. 2. TRY TO “GET RID” OF YOUR LATE PAYMENTS. Contact all creditors that have reported late payments on your credit and request a good faith adjustment that actually removes the record of late payments reported on your account. Be persistent, if the... 01/25/2009

From Luxury Real Estate - Malibu, Beverly Hills, Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, BrentwoodI have been reading report after report in regards to “tips to smart remodeling”. Most homeowners overweigh the value of their remodeling ideas and expectations.Here are some things to think about:No Guarantee on Payback - Certain projects, in certain hot markets, may produce a profit — in other words, you may recoup more than you spent on the remodel when it’s time to sell the house. The average homeowner should expect to recoup no more than 80 cents on the dollar for any project, according to remodeling online’s “Cost vs. Value Report“– and again, that’s if the house is sold within a year. Wait longer, and the value of your remodel drops(makes me think of the value of a new car dropping once you... 01/25/2009

Troy Corsby Thomas, 45, is alleged to have been the brains behind more than 150 daring break-ins in 3 years. The thieves hauled away more than $10 million worth of valuables and cash. According to police, the Hillside Burglars usually wore black clothes, ski masks and gloves when breaking into homes in Bel-Air, Beverly Hills and Holmby Hills, the so-called Platinum Triangle, Pacific Palisades Brentwood, Hollywood Hills and the hills above Encino and Sherman Oaks. The lists of Thomas's victims are the rich and famous: homes of Hollywood celebrities, professional athletes, studio bosses, corporate titans and multimillionaires such as country music stars Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, former Paramount Pictures CEO Sherry Lansing, Max Factor heir Davis Factor, Paris Hilton and Duran Duran guita... 01/23/2009

According to EAS, Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) mortgage applications fell by 9.8% during the week ended January 16 to 1,195.3, reversing about 2/3 of the prior week's jump of 15.8%. The Purchase Index climbed by 2.5% to 303.1. Despite the recent decline in mortgage rates, purchase activity is still 31.1% below its year-ago level. The Refinance Index dropped by 12.4% to 6,491.8. Refinancing activity now accounts for nearly 85% of all new mortgage activity and its 55.4% above its year ago level. Contract Mortgage Rates jumped last week. The 30-year fixed rate increased by 35 bps to 5.24% while the 15-year fixed rates increased by 36 bps to 4.99%. 1-year Treasury ARMs was unchanged at 5.89%. Despite this week's increase, mortgage rate has declined substantially over the past 2 months... 01/23/2009

Housing starts measure initial construction of residential units (single-family and multi-family) each month. According to EAS, it plunged by 15.5% in December to a record low of 550K. This was their lowest level since record keeping began in 1959. Housing starts have declined by 45% over in 2008 following a nearly 40% decline in 2007. Starts are now 75.8% below their January 2006 peak level. Single-family starts are 48.9% below their year ago level after falling by 37.6% in 2007 and now 78.2% below their January 2006 peak level. Substantial declines in single family starts over the past 2 years have helped more builders bring down inventories of unsold new homes significantly. With declining sales, weak credit market and tight lending standards, single family housing starts will remain... 01/23/2009

The salmonella outbreak has led to 474 reported illnesses and may have caused six deaths. Federal health officials say the salmonella recall now involves about 31 million pounds of peanut butter and peanut paste. The following is the list of Peanut Butter Recall product. Please take your time to review the list. If you have purchased the following product, please take it back to the store. Most companies will offer refunds for recalled items, but you will need to contact them directly and should have your product handy for its identification code. For Kellogg's, call (877) 869-5633, and for Little Debbie, call (800) 522-4499 http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm Candy Product Recalls    Blanton's     Hy-Vee     Landies     South Bend Chocolate Company     We... 01/22/2009

Local Education Kehillat Israel Early Childhood Center: Parent Panel Thu, Jan 29, 7 pm - Kehillat Israel16019 W. Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades A panel of our current parents will answer questions posed by potential parents about our preschool program and community. Please RSVP to diane@kehillatisrael.org by Jan 27. ***Applications now being accepted for the 2009-10 school year for the ECC. Enrollment of new students begins on Mon, Feb 2.***The winter session of our Infant/Toddler program at Kehillat Israel still has spaces available in our Mon or Wed classes for parents and their children ages 4-22 mos.    Children's Nature Institute Presents Tykes on Trails Wed, Jan 21, & 28, 10 am-12 pm - Temescal Canyon15601 Sunset Boulevard, Pacific Palisades Join Tykes on Trails for children 2-4 ... 01/22/2009

A girl friend of mine sent me this link. Apparently a lot of department lost the lawsuit on over charging consumers for many years and now the lawsuit is settle to give away $175 million worth of free cosmetics for 7 days. A lot of you may already know about this and today is the 2nd day. So go while supply last!!! http://www.cosmeticssettlement.com/   Welcome to the Information Website for theIn re Cosmetics Cases(Azizian, et al. v. Federated Department Stores, Inc., et al.,Docket No. 4:03-CV-03359-SBA) (updated as of December 1, 2008) As part of a class action settlement, $175 million worth of free cosmetics products will be distributed to members of the class (see below to determine whether you are a member of the class) for a maximum of seven days, while supplies last, on a first co... 01/21/2009