May 2012 
There are 15 blog entries for May 2012.
Big Fish(es) Reeled In
Thursday, May 31st, 2012 at 12:29am. 171 Views, 0 Comments.
Some big-ticket properties have newly reached deals – reeled in their big fish, if you will.
The priciest non-Strand home in MB is one. It needed just 6 weeks to find a buyer.
128 5th (5br/6ba, 4225 sq. ft.) was new last year but blank. Its buyer paid $5.250m in May 2011 and went to work inside, spending gobs on a full, high-end customization, including custom furniture, art and electronics.
The finished, furnished home has never been lived in.
The buyer changed course and bought a waterfront property 3,000 miles away. Turns out he needed yacht parking, and MB does not (currently) offer that. It was time to unload 128 5th here in MB, after all that work.
The list price: $6.799m.
Time on market: 43 DOM.
(For our review from late April, click…
The priciest non-Strand home in MB is one. It needed just 6 weeks to find a buyer.
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| 128 5th |
The finished, furnished home has never been lived in.
The buyer changed course and bought a waterfront property 3,000 miles away. Turns out he needed yacht parking, and MB does not (currently) offer that. It was time to unload 128 5th here in MB, after all that work.
The list price: $6.799m.
Time on market: 43 DOM.
(For our review from late April, click…
Pre-Summer Inventory Check-In
Tuesday, May 29th, 2012 at 6:20pm. 207 Views, 0 Comments.
There's a rough dividing line between the "Spring" real estate market (kicking off with the Super Bowl) and "Summer" market, which more or less begins now.
If you meant to sell (or buy) in the Spring, too late. Now comes what is more typically a slower time of year for both listings and sales. Inventory tends to climb gently throughout the Summer.
We dare not predict, though – 2012 has packed some serious surprises, with low inventory, a flip to more of a sellers' market and more and more sales stacking up that could make you say "huh?!?"
We did think this would be a good time for another check-in on inventory. Our newest chart (click to enlarge) looks at active and pending listings as of mid-February (the start of "Spring") this year and from another post…
If you meant to sell (or buy) in the Spring, too late. Now comes what is more typically a slower time of year for both listings and sales. Inventory tends to climb gently throughout the Summer.
We dare not predict, though – 2012 has packed some serious surprises, with low inventory, a flip to more of a sellers' market and more and more sales stacking up that could make you say "huh?!?"
We did think this would be a good time for another check-in on inventory. Our newest chart (click to enlarge) looks at active and pending listings as of mid-February (the start of "Spring") this year and from another post…Weekend Opens (5/26-5/27)
Saturday, May 26th, 2012 at 10:20pm. 151 Views, 0 Comments.
Funny how temps these days in the low now 60s feel a little warm. Same temp in March – you might be reaching for a sweater.
This must be how Summer begins, when your body's ready for it.
And this is the weekend when, ceremonially, Summer begins.
It's also a weekend that new listings generally avoid. Why debut when "everyone" is away?
But fear not, there's one great MB destination home for the weekend looking for your attention Sunday, over at 625 31st, near where all the Snoopers were crawling just last week. It's worth your time if you're here in town Sunday.
To plan your weekend tours, try this Redfin map list of open houses – sort by price or sub-region of MB by clicking the title on a column.
Or click here for the more traditional Beach Reporter list of…
This must be how Summer begins, when your body's ready for it.
And this is the weekend when, ceremonially, Summer begins.
It's also a weekend that new listings generally avoid. Why debut when "everyone" is away?
But fear not, there's one great MB destination home for the weekend looking for your attention Sunday, over at 625 31st, near where all the Snoopers were crawling just last week. It's worth your time if you're here in town Sunday.
To plan your weekend tours, try this Redfin map list of open houses – sort by price or sub-region of MB by clicking the title on a column.
Or click here for the more traditional Beach Reporter list of…
MB Centennial Parade at a Glance
Thursday, May 24th, 2012 at 11:24pm. 195 Views, 0 Comments.
It took 100 years for MB to put on an event like last Saturday's Manhattan Beach Centennial Parade, so here's hoping you'll forgive us for taking a few days to get some photos up online.
Below is a little selection of our photos from MBC's prime position at the start of the parade route.
We saw 100 entries, a few dozen dignitaries and notables, heard a few marching bands and old-time crooners, saw hundreds of girl scouts and a goodly number of boy scouts (girls win!), watched a few dozen horses hoof it, enjoyed endless numbers of elementary school marchers (plus MBMS kids too), and even caught both a stagecoach and Santa on virtual film.
A friend said lovingly of the parade: "So small town." But he quickly clarified: "That's why we love our little town!"
In…
Below is a little selection of our photos from MBC's prime position at the start of the parade route.
We saw 100 entries, a few dozen dignitaries and notables, heard a few marching bands and old-time crooners, saw hundreds of girl scouts and a goodly number of boy scouts (girls win!), watched a few dozen horses hoof it, enjoyed endless numbers of elementary school marchers (plus MBMS kids too), and even caught both a stagecoach and Santa on virtual film.
A friend said lovingly of the parade: "So small town." But he quickly clarified: "That's why we love our little town!"
In…
Big Views Discounted
Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012 at 4:30am. 200 Views, 0 Comments.
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| Current house at 636 8th |
Sure, $4.575m is still some kind of stratospheric price for dirt, but it's now about 6% off from the start price, and just 6% above the most recent, nearby, reasonably comparable lot sale in the Hills from 2010.
If you want to appreciate what they're offering at 636 8th (a 9950 sq. ft. lot), you might need to devote 2 minutes to our short video capturing those views:
The potential here is impossible to miss.
The problem is that it's a $7m++ project for whoever undertakes it, and that requires a rare combination of acquisition capital and patience to achieve the right result.
We recounted a list of Hill Section comps in our…
Weekend Opens (5/19-5/20)
Saturday, May 19th, 2012 at 3:41pm. 162 Views, 0 Comments.
On a landmark weekend for MB, new listings are not the big draw. Sorry to say.
The true real estate must-sees are all on the Sophisticated Snoop tour, including some nice MB properties.
The tour includes this little "Monterey Colonial" beauty at 2523 Valley, which we've raved about here in the past. (Including the nice deal the current owners got in 2010.)
The other MB homes:
1148 Fisher, a standout architectural modern with ocean and PV views near downtown; and
652 31st, a "Coastal Carolinas" (don't say Cape Cod) inspired home on one of the prestige blocks of MB's Tree Section.
And there are 3 pretty nifty Hermosa homes on the tour as well. Hours are 10am-4pm Sat/Sun, $30 at the door if you did not pre-buy your tour tix. Here's the flyer.
Of course, this…
The true real estate must-sees are all on the Sophisticated Snoop tour, including some nice MB properties.
The tour includes this little "Monterey Colonial" beauty at 2523 Valley, which we've raved about here in the past. (Including the nice deal the current owners got in 2010.) The other MB homes:
1148 Fisher, a standout architectural modern with ocean and PV views near downtown; and
652 31st, a "Coastal Carolinas" (don't say Cape Cod) inspired home on one of the prestige blocks of MB's Tree Section.
And there are 3 pretty nifty Hermosa homes on the tour as well. Hours are 10am-4pm Sat/Sun, $30 at the door if you did not pre-buy your tour tix. Here's the flyer.
Of course, this…Get Your Cape Cods
Friday, May 18th, 2012 at 4:29pm. 149 Views, 0 Comments.
For a time there, no one could find a decent Cape Cod in the Trees.
For a time last Fall, there was 1417 Elm (5br/5ba, 3000 sq. ft.) on the market, a truly gorgeous bit of craftsmanship but a home with no real yard. The sellers held out for $2m+, didn't get it and rented the property out instead.
Recently we saw 1700 Elm (5br/4ba, 3200 sq. ft.) give it a go near $2.2m for a month, but that listing quit suddenly.
But seeing the market warming up, 2808 Elm (5br/4ba, 3225 sq. ft.) tried again, after unsuccessful runs in 2010 and 2011. This time, the sellers scored. (See "What a Difference a Year Makes.")
The sale at 2808 Elm has just closed, and it points to an upward market, doesn't it?
Last year, they couldn't get a nibble with the price as…
For a time last Fall, there was 1417 Elm (5br/5ba, 3000 sq. ft.) on the market, a truly gorgeous bit of craftsmanship but a home with no real yard. The sellers held out for $2m+, didn't get it and rented the property out instead.
Recently we saw 1700 Elm (5br/4ba, 3200 sq. ft.) give it a go near $2.2m for a month, but that listing quit suddenly.
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| 2808 Elm |
The sale at 2808 Elm has just closed, and it points to an upward market, doesn't it?
Last year, they couldn't get a nibble with the price as…
Clunky, Beautiful, Ocean Views
Tuesday, May 15th, 2012 at 3:00pm. 183 Views, 0 Comments.
Among the most recent deals in MB, you'll find quite a mix.
No, there's not a single home that's both "clunky" and "beautiful" with ocean views. At least not among the current crop. Here's the roundup:
2300 Elm (5br/3ba 2780 sq. ft.) definitely qualifies as clunky. It's a dated, worn-out late-1980s home with an unusual layout.
Entry is off the side of the home (unusual), there's no real master bedroom (unusual) and one upstairs bedroom opens to a vast bonus room with wet bar (unusual).
We said no master – there's one one br with an attached bath, but it's a small bath, and whose master is off the living room?
The yard here is surprisingly ample for a 4480 sq. ft. lot, and could really be something with a little work.
Truly that's the story of 2300 Elm – a…
No, there's not a single home that's both "clunky" and "beautiful" with ocean views. At least not among the current crop. Here's the roundup:
2300 Elm (5br/3ba 2780 sq. ft.) definitely qualifies as clunky. It's a dated, worn-out late-1980s home with an unusual layout. Entry is off the side of the home (unusual), there's no real master bedroom (unusual) and one upstairs bedroom opens to a vast bonus room with wet bar (unusual).
We said no master – there's one one br with an attached bath, but it's a small bath, and whose master is off the living room?
The yard here is surprisingly ample for a 4480 sq. ft. lot, and could really be something with a little work.
Truly that's the story of 2300 Elm – a…
Weekend Opens (5/12-5/13)
Saturday, May 12th, 2012 at 6:37pm. 210 Views, 0 Comments.
We're tumbling toward Summer here, and there would seem to be some pressure if you're selling to get your listing out there and find a buyer. But Mother's Day weekend is one of those with comparably few debuts.
Yes, it'd be very nice to buy mom a new house for Mother's Day, but everything has to fall together just right.
A note to readers: We appreciate your indulgence as MBC's been a little bit light on content recently. Some of you have been keeping Dave very busy working on offers, negotiations and all of the details of pending deals, and that has sometimes cut into blog writing time. We're trying to keep up with everything, though.
To plan out your weekend tours, try this Redfin map list of open houses – you can sort by price or sub-region of MB by…
Yes, it'd be very nice to buy mom a new house for Mother's Day, but everything has to fall together just right.
A note to readers: We appreciate your indulgence as MBC's been a little bit light on content recently. Some of you have been keeping Dave very busy working on offers, negotiations and all of the details of pending deals, and that has sometimes cut into blog writing time. We're trying to keep up with everything, though.
To plan out your weekend tours, try this Redfin map list of open houses – you can sort by price or sub-region of MB by…
Another Lucky Repeater
Thursday, May 10th, 2012 at 8:39pm. 161 Views, 0 Comments.
Yet another near-fixture of the local market these past few years has a deal.
201 Larsson (3br/3ba, 3900 sq. ft.) is a bachelorish sorta-modern with a Miami Vice flavor, giving non-family buyers a lot of what they might want: Ocean views from the top of the hill, a big main floor for entertaining, including a pool and spa, a huge and utterly modern kitchen, grownup playroom with pool table and, separately, a substantial home gym.
201 Larsson has been offered off-and-on in 2009, 2010 and 2011, with prices as high as $3.3m and as low as $2.245m. The property racked up nearly a year's worth of DOM spread out over several listings.
Just last year, we were told there was a new motivation to sell, but the Fall 2011 listing flopped.
This year, Larsson came out…
201 Larsson (3br/3ba, 3900 sq. ft.) is a bachelorish sorta-modern with a Miami Vice flavor, giving non-family buyers a lot of what they might want: Ocean views from the top of the hill, a big main floor for entertaining, including a pool and spa, a huge and utterly modern kitchen, grownup playroom with pool table and, separately, a substantial home gym.201 Larsson has been offered off-and-on in 2009, 2010 and 2011, with prices as high as $3.3m and as low as $2.245m. The property racked up nearly a year's worth of DOM spread out over several listings.
Just last year, we were told there was a new motivation to sell, but the Fall 2011 listing flopped.
This year, Larsson came out…
