I recently completed some research for several clients of mine interested in a beautiful complex of condominiums overlooking the Ocean in Rancho Palos Verdes.  I thought I would share my findings with all of you!  The real estate market in the South Bay area, including the Palos Verdes Peninsula, has faired better than some neighboring areas, however, we have all seen a slowdown in activity and a slight decrease in perceived home values.  Unfortunately, the press has in some cases exaggerated the state of the market and this has affected how some buyers approach a purchase.  Also unfortunate are the situations where homes are placed on the market at inflated prices only to sit stagnant and consequently slide down below their true market value. Palos Verdes Bay Club sale prices have near... 11/05/2007

Unless your child is bouncing off the walls and may have adhd most schools do not have testing for ADD. I was very surprised to find out that schools can not test for ADD. These children can slip through the cracks as my middle daughter did.  She tested out with a verbal vocabulary at College level in 6th grade but her written skills were 4th grade level.  Trust me, If you find yourself losing it or pulling your hair out anytime over homework time, chore time or get out of bed to go to school time on a daily basis,Or your child has an extremely bad temper- 9 times out of 10 it is ADD.Most schools will not offer the services of a school sychologits to test your child for add or adhd.  They leave it to the parents to find out on their own.  Which I did, my palos verdes school teachers wer... 10/11/2007

Yes, you read this right.  The newest information and marketing charts have charted out new cycles in real esate for the past ten years.  Ever since the government stepped in to control the interest rates, economists have charted a new trend in real estate cycles.  The current cycles have been very short duration and this down cycle is predicted to end in the next 2 mos.  Thecycles have been running 25 mos. We are at the 23rd month of this cycle.  It looks like the predictions are coming true and remember you heard it hear on Mary Thomas' blog first. Of course I heard it straight from Marilyn Budde, Asst. Manager for Remax Palos Verdes, Malaga Cove last week.  Today, I also heard it from Sandra Sanders our fantastic owner of Remax Palos Verdes and Remax Execs.Sandra Sanders stated today... 10/09/2007

 Why did Donald Trump step on Toes and get a bad review with his Ficus Trees.  Well, the Palos Verdes Peninsula is a special breed of its own.  Ever since the first settlers came to this area and sold land to the developers it ran under one agreement that the natural beauty and preservation of the peninsula comes first.That is a well know rule on the Peninsula and very well respected by most of the residents.  If you drive the Peninsula at night, you will notice the lack of street lights, a requirement that was agreed to by our forefathers and the promise is still honored today.  WE all give up some amenities to live here and respect the Peninsula.  I must say that I really have been impressed with the Lowe Enterprises Group developing Terranea Resort.  After a tour of the resort under ... 10/09/2007

Today, the market has been a little tired of bad press.  The South Bay has no bad press,  The real estate market is still booming and we are once again seeing multiple offers on and off the hill. There are lots of reasons not to buy now.. Wrong.. Waiting will only cost you more money in higher interest rates 1% can do damage to the tune of $150,000.00 or more on a 30 year mortgage if the rates go up.I hear this all the time, the speculative buyer that is waiting for the market to drop. Yes , you might see a drop of 5% which by the way is 50,000.00 on a $1,000,000.00 property.  But what about the risk you are taking if th e interest rates go up and you plan to stay in your home for more than 10 years.If you do the math, with a  1% hike in interest rates, you will save no money and it wil... 09/27/2007

 Are looking for the best middle school in California? Did you know it is in the Los Angeles County Area in Palos Verdes Peninsula.Ridgecrest Middle School is ranked in the top 10 in the United States. Not only do they have an excellent curriculum and athletic standing but did you know that the Drama Team took first place last year out of 75 middle schools.  Students in the Drama team where able to preform for some famous faces in Hollywood Last year.Ridgecrest is also a back pack free school.  Students do not have to carry those heavy text books because the School supplies a text book for the Students at home and in the classroomI can not say enough about this excellent middle school in Rancho Palos Verdes. If you would like to check out your local school and compare ratings and test s... 09/13/2007

  If you are looking for a custom wedding floral designer or hosting a exclusive celebration, you must check out Emily Cristiano at Cristiano Design. Emily specializes in events held at La Venta Inn, Trump National, Beverly Hilton, Private Estates and the Holiday Homes Tour. Events also done in Manhattan Beach and the South Bay. Cristiano Design has gone from creating romantic moods at the La Venta Inn to a wedding at the Portuguese Beach Club decorating a sandy beach in a Hawaii Theme which included bringing in Palm Trees, Hawaiian Flowers, spectacular mood lighting,Tiki Torches Elegant and a spectacular gazebo laced with exotic Hawaiian blooms and plants, all  just steps away from the waves..  What ever your wedding dream is Cristiano Designs can make it come true. Modern, Romantic, H... 08/29/2007

 Just new this month is a premier community website that is for the Palos Verdes Community where the Local Residents and Merchants can place ads,garage sales,merchandise for sale, automobiles,employment all for free,merchants can place their coupons for free and list your special community event, church organizations, clubs, special children activities etc...It also has local news, garage sales, classifieds, real estate, search the multiple listings on your own and much more community information.  IF you would like to browse or add your own event or merchants discounts, Please go to http://www.ilovepv.com/ and enjoy.  08/15/2007

PALOS VERDES CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE Mark your calendars for the  PALOS VERDES CONCOURS D'ELEGANCEPortions of the Proceeds from this classic car show  will go to the Palos Verdes Art Center that funds such projects as Art at Your FInger Tips, the main art education for the Palos Verdes Elementary Schools over 7,000 Students have benefited, Special Mornings for the Youth Disabled and Young Adults and  several other community projects for Special Need Adults in Redondo Beach Center and much more.Get ready for a great time and a great charity for your donations.The Palos Verdes Concours d'Elegance moves this fall to the seven-acre Founders Park at the Trump National Golf Club. The classic car show, now in its 15th year, is set for Sunday, September 16. The Concours held three shows from 2000-2... 08/12/2007

Great schools.com is a fantastic link for parents that would like to search their school district rating and compare it to the location that they are moving too.  The easiest way to find the best schools in your neighborhood. You can compare your individual school be it elementary,middle or high school  You can also search by zip codes and by cities.  You will find test scores and test results by School District, City and each individual school The State Testing scores on great schools.com go from 400-1000. Palos Verdes Schools being rated in the high 900"s.  The Palos Verdes Schools are number one in the State of California.  What that means to families relocating to California is basically this-  If you are purchasing a home in a school district that is rated 850 or above that school ... 08/11/2007

This month the old marineland site is breaking ground for a spectacular golf resort by Lowe Enterprises.  We are going to be living near the most spectacular Hotel,Spa and Whole-ownership Villas, Casitas,Hotel and GOlf Academy on the West Coast.  This Terranea Hotel,Spa and Golf Academy will rival the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel for a comparable luxury resort which will now be in our own back yard. Lowes has 5 other developments in the Untied States that have been wonderfully successful. This project has been in the works for over 8 years and will soon have the approval on the Coastal Committee and will be available to purchase soon.The Terranea Developers will be unveiling their architectural renderings soon and have been delighted to keep the historical architecture and history of t... 08/07/2007

If you are looking to relocate to the Palos Verdes Peninsula in California there are several places to get information on the Internet. The city halls of Rancho Palos Verdes, Palos Verdes Estates and Rolling Hills Estates have many interesting relocation information available.  Palos Verdes has a temperature of around 70 degrees year round. The temperature can very on the Peninsula as much as 10 degrees depending upon location  The Rancho Palos Verdes area bordering on San Pedro does have a warmer climate and less fog.  Some areas of the Peninsula do have more fog but it is not a fog like the mid west.  It comes in and blows out very quickly, It rarely lingers in one place for very long and is gone with in minutes.Our schools are rated #1 on the state of California. Try great schools.co... 08/02/2007

Searching for the Best rated Schools in California Great schools.com is a fantastic link to find the top rated schools across the United States for public schools.   Also this is great for us parents that would like to search their school district rating and compare it to the location that they are moving too.  You can compare your individual school by elementary,middle or high school  Or you can compare your school distircit scores to others by Zip Code or by City Name.  You will find test scores and test results by School District, City and each individual school. The average for the State of California is 500 on the State Testing Scores.  The Test Scores run up to 1000, with Palos Verdes Schools being rated in the high 900"s.  The Palos Verdes Schools are number one in the State of C... 08/02/2007

 This is a chart of sale prices per square foot of homes in Monte Malaga from 4/06 to 07/07.As you can see the market is holding strong on view properties. Most of my view properties are still going up and are receiving multiple offers.  Especially  with the breaking ground of Terranea Project.  THis promising 4 star Golf and Hotel Resort with whole ownership packages becoming available for sale soon is gong to contribute to our strong real estate market.  Terranea will include a Hotel with a spa, beach access, 3 restaurants with spectacular ocean views, 3 pools, one with a water slide for the children . Golfers luxury Paradise with professional golfer instructors, shuttles to and from the Trump Golf Course.  Lowes Enterprises have developed several of these Golf Resorts throughout the ... 08/02/2007

Unless your child is bouncing off the walls and may have adhd most schools do not have testing for ADD. I was very surprised to find out that schools can not test for ADD. These children can slip through the cracks as my middle daughter did.  She tested out with a verbal vocabulary at College level in 6th grade but her written skills were 4th grade level.  Trust me, If you find yourself losing it or pulling your hair out anytime over homework time, chore time or get out of bed to go to school time on a daily basis,Or your child has an extremely bad temper- 9 times out of 10 it is ADD.I had an evaluation at my request for my son in the 4th grade after I found several doctor's that diagnosed him with ADD.  The teacher's comments were he is easily distracted, he talks and is everyone's bus... 07/26/2007

 As you can see from the Palos Verdes Peninsula Chart.  The Peninsula of Palos Verdes on the whole as actually shown an increase in prces per square foot from 4/06 to 07/07.  Luxury home market is just doing fantastic, especially our Palos Verdes Ocean View properties.  4/06 was 602.00 per sq. ft. and the month of 10/06 showed a rise to $619.00 per square foot and the current 07/07 show another high of $620.00 per sq. ft.  THis is just a general overview of the Palos Verdes Area.  For a more accurate chart of your Palos Verdes neighborhood and detailed price per square foot of your home please just give us a call. We have charts and analysis avaliable for all of the South Bay and Los Angeles County.   Lunada Bay/ 07/24/2007

If you need to know where the best schools in California are and you are new to California, you can search great schools.com.  If you want to check your school rating compared to the neighborhood you are moving into all you do is place your zip code. This site is across the USA so you can check any state.Palos Verdes are the best rated schools in the state of California.  If you live in the South Bay of Los Angeles County 90275 and 90274 zip codes than you are very fortunate. Palos Verdes has 2 High schools currently to choose from. Both are college preparatory and excellent test scores.  The latest article written on the high schools said that Palos Verdes High School excels in athletics and Peninsula High School excels in academic scores and accelerated classes.  Don't be deceived, th... 07/23/2007

Currently, a new Internet real estate idea was given air time on 20/20 and so were some pros and cons.  Red Finn like Catalyst promises to give the Buyer back a rebate for their commission.  All the Buyer has to do is drive around find the house view the house and email the Red Fin agt. to write the offer.  Red Finn advertised that the Buyer can save up to $10,000.00 on a price of $500,000.00Sound great doesn't.  Well this will too come to pass just like Catalyst that offers a 3% commission 1.5% to each agent... Well that didn't fly well because the agents did not want to lose valuable salary so why would they want to show a home with a discounted commission.  The public does not know that the Real Estate commission is split 4 ways.  25% to the Buyer's Agent and 25% to the Selling Broke... 07/21/2007

L.A. 's real estate juggernaut continued to roll last year as assessed values in the county jumped 9.3 percent to top $1 trillion for the first time. According to figures from Los Angeles County Assessor Rick Auerbach, the total assessment roll for the county hit $1.04 trillion as of the end of 2006, Though that's below the 11 percent increase during calendar year 2005, it's still well above the 28-year average increase of 7 percent. Increase was driven largely by home sales. Even though the volume of sales fell slightly. Also, L.A. County hasn't seen the huge spike in new home construction that other counties have, meaning the supply of homes is more limited. The substantial gain in assessed values represents good news for local government coffers. Excluding utilities, non-profit holdi... 07/19/2007

Palos Verdes market selling statistics for 2006-2007.  Townhouse/condos on the Palos Verdes Peninsula this includes Palos Verdes Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes.  Price per square foot selling prices in 4/06 Sold at 542.00 per sq.ft  in 10/06 reached a high of $607.00 per sq,ft  and currently the selling price for 06/07 is at 526.00 per sq.ft.  By the way 05/07 jumped up to $565.00 per square foot.  SO as you can see Palos Verdes is not dropping and the Real estate market is still great whether it is Estates, Starter Homes or Townhouses in Palos Verdes.   Market time for the year was 52 days in 04/06 and is currently 42 days as of 06/07.  Our townhouse/condo inventory was 141 units for sale in 05/06 and dipped to a low of only 70 units in 02/07 and is now back up to105 units for sale as... 07/19/2007