I found this article very exiting since I have been enduring a couple of short sales that are now on year number two!! :) NAR Hails Bill to Hasten Lender Response to Short Sale Requests September 16, 2010 WASHINGTON (September 16, 2010) – Homeowners who are underwater with their mortgage may find that relief is on the way from a bill strongly supported by the National Association of Realtors® that would impose a deadline on lenders to respond to short-sale requests.The legislation, H.R. 6133, “Prompt Decision for Qualification of Short Sale Act of 2010,” was offered yesterday in Congress by U.S. Reps. Robert Andrews (D-N.J.) and Tom Rooney (R-Fla.). The bill would require lenders to respond to consumer short-sale requests within 45 days.“The short sale, which requires lender approval, i... 09/17/2010

The City of Santa Monica requests proposals from qualified individuals or businesses to operate a concession Santa Monica Pier opportunity on the Santa Monica Pier. Available locations: Kiosk #1: 322 Santa Monica Pier Kiosk #2: Trolley Kiosk The Request for Proposal can be viewed at http://www01.smgov.net/business/space_avail.htm Proposals are due no later than: 5:00 p.m. on October 15, 2010 For additional information contact: Elana.Buegoff@smgov.net Showing properties 1 - 5 of 358. See more city of Santa Monica real estate. (all data current as of 9/17/2010) $1,198,000 : 832 Cedar Street, Santa Monica 3 beds, 2 full baths Size: 2,145 sq ft Lot size: 6,477 sq ft Year built: 1924 Parking spots: 2 Walk Score™: 77 $385,000 : 2424 Oak Street, Unit 2, Santa Monica 1 beds, 1 full bath Size: ... 09/17/2010

Santa Monica Glow All Night Arts Festival will take place on September 25th from 7:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. This is the second annual festival and will be a spectacular evening of light installations, art shows and exhibits.  Concentrated along the beach the pier and Palisades Park local and international artists will be displaying their works. There will plenty to eat also, and local eateries and hotels are offering discounts for the evening. Come visit us in Santa Monica for a night to remember! 09/14/2010

Your Guide to Savoring Santa Monica Place View, compare and crave Santa Monica Place restaurants and cafes all at once. Depending on what you’re hungry for, you can browse by cuisine or restaurant type. Stay tuned for new openings — the tastes are always expanding. Restaurants are listed in alphabetical order. Retailer Type Location Website Blue Stove Sit Down Located on the upper floor of Nordstrom Visit Website Charlie Kabob Food Court Level Three Visit Website Chicken 'n' Ribs Food Court Level Three Forty Carrots Specialty Level One Kings Road Cafe Specialty The Market Visit Website La Sandia Mexican Kitchen and Bar (310) 393-3300 Sit Down Level Three Visit Website Manchu WOK Food Court Level Three Visit Website Ozumo (424) 214-5130 Sit Down Level Three Visit Website Pinches Tacos F... 09/10/2010

The World Memorial Tour will start at the Santa Monica Pier in California this Saturday on September 11, 2010. The World Memorial is a federal charity foundation and will tour the country and plans on flying the" flag" in all 50 states. The "flag" is a 30 by 58 feet US flag which has been named the "Patriot Flag". It will be flown at the September 11 memorial on the Santa Monica Pier. The event will begin from 9 am and last till 9pm. On display will be a 200 pound steel piece from the World Trade Center among other items. In addition to the Patriot Flag, there will be approximately 200 other flags flown. These will consist of the 50 US State flags and each of the countries that lost citizens during the attacks. The mission statement of the World Memorial Group is"... to keep the memorie... 09/09/2010

Santa Monica Condos -  Market Report for August 2010: Number of Units Sold: 24 units Average Days on the Market: 41 days Median Price: $677,500 Average List Price: $752,000 Average Selling Price: $741,800 Lowest Price Condo Sold: $296,000 Highest Price Condo Sold: $1,455,000 Total Sold in Dollars: $17,805,000 Stewart Penn - Realtor for homes, condos & lofts in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Hollywood Hiils, the Sunset Strip and throughout the greater Los Angeles area. Information obtained from The MLS is deemed accurate but not guaranteed. 09/07/2010

The Santa Monica real estate market remains steady. All categories are a healthy sellers' market except in the the over $2M single family niche. 6 months inventory represents a balanced market. The median price remains steady. Santa Monica Real Estate Market Sales Trend 12 Month Sales Low Median High Avg DOM % Sold vs List Price Active Listings Single Family Under $2M 173 $438,000 $1,060,000 $2,000,000 65 96.03 66 Single Family Over $2M 75 $2,0000,000 $2,795,000 $6,862,000 69 96.45 42 Condos Under $2M 379 $131,000 $660,000 $2,000,000 51 96.87 184 Condos Over $2M 8 $2,000,000 $2,510,000 $3,100,000 79 93.47 14 6 Month Sales Low Median High Avg DOM %Sold vs List Price Single Family Under $2M 86 $535,000 $1,031,750 $2,000,000 62 96.58 Single Family Over $2M 49 $2,000,000 $2,825,000 $6,862,0... 09/04/2010

When is a $4.4M home a great value? When it is worth a while lot more. The word on the street is that this home already has 7 offers pushing the winning bid significantly OVER asking! What does this home have that is so immensely appealing… you decide and let me know if you wish to make an appointment to see it as well. 09/03/2010

Thursday, September 2, 2010 An icon of American music born in New Orleans, Dr. John is indelibly linked to the traditions and singularity of the city’s musical and cultural heritage. Mac Rebennack burst onto the rock & roll scene in the late 60s as Dr. John, the Night Tripper, merging the Rhythm and Blues, voodoo rhythms and chants of his native New Orleans to create a persona perfect for the psychedelic era. Over the years he’s thrown Jazz, Classic American Songbook, Zydeco, Boogie Woogie and Rock into the musical mix. In 1972 he recorded “Dr. John’s Gumbo,” an album covering several standards with one original, considered a cornerstone in New Orleans music. "In 1972, I recorded Gumbo, an album that was both a tribute to and my interpretation of the music I had grown up with in New Or... 09/02/2010

Santa Monica California Real Estate Market Reality The Santa Monica California real estate market continues to remain strong.  Here is my latest analysis of Santa Monica real estate:  Single Family Homes in Santa Monica  July 2010 sales total: 23 Current Pending Sales: 48 Active Listings: 114 Distressed Single Family Property Watch in Santa Monica, CA: There are 2 single family home Bank-Owned/REOs for sale in Santa Monica There are 3 single family Short Sales for sale in Santa Monica This represents that 4.5% of the Santa Monica single family home real estate market is distressed properties for sale. Active Single Family Homes for Sale in Santa Monica by price range: Under $1,000,000: 21 $1,000,000 - $1,500,000: 27 $1,500,000 - $3,000,000: 37 $3,000,000 + : 27 Single Family real estate... 08/23/2010

Santa Monica Pier is a hundred year-old Los Angeles landmark that offers a great place to hang out on a sunny day, grab a snow cone, and ride the Ferris wheel until your stomach turns. When you've had your fill of Santa Monica pier, you may consider heading down the coastiine for a quick workout at the original muscle beach in Santa Monica. Located not more than a quarter mile to the left of Santa Monica pier, the original muscle beach in Santa Monica has been thought of as the birthplace of the fitness boom of the twentieth century. The original muscle beach in Santa Monica is a historic landmark in the world of bodybuilding, while the workout area itself dates back to the 1930's. The collection of workout equipment is where famous fitness guru Jack LaLanne and other world famous body ... 08/19/2010

The new shopping mall in Santa Monica recently opened its doors on August 6th and the crowds haven't stopped coming since. The shopping mall in Santa Monica has done wonders to revitalize the downtown city center of Santa Monica, with new stores and Santa Monica restaurants that have brought renewed interest to Third Street Promenade, Ocean Ave., and the Santa Monica pier. The new mall in Santa Monica, known as Santa Monica Place and designed by Frank Gehry, is an open-air, modern shopping center that was built with sustainability and green-building principles in mind by: Utilizing more natural light and natural air-flow ventilation Adding a solar roof to retailer areas, saving enough energy to power 90 homes Improving pedestrian access to all sides of downtown, so it’s more convenient ... 08/18/2010

There is a new Santa Monica ocean front listing at The Oceanaire, 535 Ocean Ave. This is a 2 bed 2 bath, 1,541 sq. ft. condo for $2,995,000 on the 7th floor.  HOA dues are $1,318. This would seem to be grossly overpriced so we will watch the progression of this listing closely. Search properties for sale at The Oceanaire in Santa Monica 08/18/2010

APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2010      Beginning Date: 4/1/2010 Board Number: All Ending Date: 6/30/2010 Price Range: All   County: la City: SMCA Area: All               Residential Detached Sales    Other Statistics   Price Class Bedrooms         2 OR Less 3 4 OR More    Attached Detached Active Attached Active   $0 - $99,999 0  0  0    0  0  0    $100,000 - $149,999 0  0  0    1  0  0    $150,000 - $199,999 0  0  0    0  0  0    $200,000 - $249,999 0  0  0    0  0  0    $250,000 - $299,999 0  0  0    1  0  1    $300,000 - $324,999 0  0  0    1  0  2    $325,000 - $349,999 0  0  0    1  0  2    $350,000 - $374,999 0  0  0    2  0  3    $375,000 - $399,999 0  0  0    0  0  7    $400,000 - $424,999 0  0  0    1  0  3    $425,000 - $449,999 0  0  0    3  0  6    $450,000 - $474,999 0  0  0    3  0  5 ... 08/17/2010

The Solaire townhomes in Santa Monica are newly constructed and designed by local architect David Kellen. Each townhome features expansive, airy floor plans with plenty of light and ocean breeze. The three contemporary townhomes hit the market earlier this summer and range in price from $1,195,000 to $1,395,000. The tri-level Solaire townhomes in Santa Monica are each two bedroom, two and a half bath units, ranging in size from 1,752 to 2,028 square feet. The kitchens are outfitted with stainless steel appliances, while each home enjoys views from the rooftop decks and generous patios throughout. The homes have direct garage access to two parking spaces. Homeowner's Association dues are $306/month. Townhome & community Amenities for the Solaire, Santa Monica townhomes include: Central ... 08/17/2010

There is a new Santa Monica Ocean Front property listing at 101 Ocean Ave..The unit is on the 7th floor and is a 2 bed 1.75 bath, 1,385 sq. ft. unit listed at $1,695,000.  There is also a bonus room that could function as an office.  The HOA dues are $1,188 per month. Search properties for sale and lease at 101 Ocean Ave. Santa Monica 08/16/2010

Sales of Santa Monica, CA condos remained steady in July, 2010. Despite a roller coaster-like fluctuation in market conditions over the last year, forty-one (41) Santa Monica, CA condos were sold in July of 2009, while the Combined L.A./Westside MLS reflects exactly the same number of forty-one (41) condos sold in Santa Monica for July 2010. This could be a positive indicator that the market is on the rebound, at least for west side condos, especially since the summer months are typically not peak home buying months.  Condos Sold in Santa Monica for July 2010: Supply continues to slightly outpace demand as there was a 15% increase in available Santa Monica condos for sale for July 2010, as compared with the same month last year. There were two-hundred seventy-two (272) Santa Monica, CA ... 08/16/2010

Thursday, August 12, 2010 Not many bands can say they’ve recorded with such diverse artists as Chaka Khan, Dave Matthews, Talib Kweli and John Scofield. Nor can many, if any, bands lay claim to opening for The Rolling Stones on one tour and having Stevie Wonder sit in with them on the next. The enduring musical relationships Soulive has developed, from the aforementioned artists to Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Joshua Redman, Robert Randolph, Kenny Garrett, The Roots, Fred Wesley, Ivan Neville and so many others, speak volumes about both how versatile and popular these talented musicians are.  Brothers Neal Evans, Hammond B3 organ, and Alan, drums, along with guitarist Eric Krasno have built a body of work known for its grooves and catchy, upbeat tunes while incorporating their brand o... 08/12/2010

In early 2008, I staged a beautiful vacant Santa Monica townhome. At the time, it was my favorite staging to date – very contemporary, hip and fun…not to mention, the agent wrote me the most glowing recommendation I’d ever gotten! As things go in the “small world” of Los Angeles real estate, the buyer’s agent for that property loved my work and hired me to stage one of his listings…and another and another. That agent has been a steady client ever since and tells me he won’t take a listing unless the seller agrees to have me stage it! Aren’t those type of clients the BEST? So last week this agent calls to tell me that his clients (the ones that bought that Santa Monica townhome) are now selling, and it was time for me to “work my magic” again! It’s not often we get a second chance to sta... 08/10/2010

Santa Monica Single Family Homes Market Report for July 2010 Number of Homes Sold: 22 Average Days on the Market: 41 Median Price: $1,525,000 Average List Price: $1,846,000 Average Selling Price: $1,769,000 Lowest Price Home Sold: $675,000 Highest Price Home Sold: $6,169,000 Total Sold in Dollars: $39,000,000 Search The MLS - Stewart Penn - Realtor for homes, condos & lofts in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Brentwood, Century City, Westwood and throughout the greater Los Angeles area. Information obtained from The MLS is deemed accurate but not guaranteed. 08/08/2010