October 2012 
There are 17 blog entries for October 2012.
Transforming an LV Cottage
Tuesday, October 30th, 2012 at 3:20am. 210 Views, 0 Comments.
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| 1605 Harkness |
This Liberty Village cottage was in original – and degraded – condition when it hit the market in February. (See our review from then.)
But boy, oh, boy, did they rework it over the ensuing 6 months or so.
This 60-year-old scraper was given the treatment by some inspired pro remodelers. They added square footage.
It was: 3br/1ba, 1075 sq. ft.
It is now: 3br/2ba, 1500 sq. ft.
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| Added-on Family Room at 1605 Harkness |
In…
Sunday Opens (10/28)
Sunday, October 28th, 2012 at 3:14am. 210 Views, 0 Comments.
Is it bad luck to list when the ghosts and goblins are gathering?We think not. Never believed in that stuff, though we love the scary movies.
Still, almost no one brought new listings to market in MB this week.
The ones that did, they'll do fine. Almost guaranteed – based on the hungry market tiers they're hitting.
Surely if you're a dedicated MB'er, you've spent more time designing your pumpkins for Sunday's races than thinking about real estate.
As you prepare to roll decorated squashes down Manhattan Beach Boulevard, consider this:
MB is also the originator of the Pinewood Derby, i.e., dads cub/boy scouts engineering blocks of wood to roll down tracks. No kidding. (Click this plaque pic to enlarge.) Why all the rolling down hills in MB?
Is it something…
Sad Sand Sale Headlines Recent Closings
Friday, October 26th, 2012 at 2:20pm. 175 Views, 0 Comments.
Among a few new closed sales, we see a compelling – and sad – Sand Section story come to a close.
Also, a big, high-up view lot in the Hill Section closes, and how 'bout an 80s house in the Trees?
300 7th St. has been the site of much controversy over recent years.
Now it will be the site of much construction.
The little 70-year-old duplex on this larger-than-average corner lot (3325 sq. ft.) seems headed for the dustbin. There's talk of a future-forward, high-end TH development headed to this site – inspired by the "British West Indies" style of that dreamy triple-lot house on the Strand. (See "Big, Beautiful, Too Much?")
The controversy around this site had to do with the (outgoing) owner griping about ocean views down…
Also, a big, high-up view lot in the Hill Section closes, and how 'bout an 80s house in the Trees?
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| 300 7th • Endangered 1940s Duplex |
Now it will be the site of much construction.
The little 70-year-old duplex on this larger-than-average corner lot (3325 sq. ft.) seems headed for the dustbin. There's talk of a future-forward, high-end TH development headed to this site – inspired by the "British West Indies" style of that dreamy triple-lot house on the Strand. (See "Big, Beautiful, Too Much?")
The controversy around this site had to do with the (outgoing) owner griping about ocean views down…
Fastest Close Possible Downtown
Wednesday, October 24th, 2012 at 3:57pm. 171 Views, 0 Comments.
It's doubtful that the Guiness Book keeps track of such things, but a recent 4-day closing on a downtown MB property must be some kind of record.
We're looking at 326 13th, a half-lot*, dated quasi-duplex right in the thick of downtown. There ain't much to love about the property as-is except, perhaps, location.
This one popped up publicly on Oct. 9th, requested offers by Oct. 14th, and was in escrow (posted) on Oct. 17th.
The sale closed just 6 days later – 4 business days later – on Tuesday.
Granted, the terms of sale included no repairs. The buyer brought all cash. But still, a 4-day close is really quick.
Quick like an Olympic sprint. Or, if you prefer, a pit stop in a car race. (Pull the old names off title, put on the new names, a quick push, and zoom,…
We're looking at 326 13th, a half-lot*, dated quasi-duplex right in the thick of downtown. There ain't much to love about the property as-is except, perhaps, location.This one popped up publicly on Oct. 9th, requested offers by Oct. 14th, and was in escrow (posted) on Oct. 17th.
The sale closed just 6 days later – 4 business days later – on Tuesday.
Granted, the terms of sale included no repairs. The buyer brought all cash. But still, a 4-day close is really quick.
Quick like an Olympic sprint. Or, if you prefer, a pit stop in a car race. (Pull the old names off title, put on the new names, a quick push, and zoom,…
Welcome Back to a Few
Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012 at 1:57pm. 162 Views, 0 Comments.
A couple of properties have hit (or "re-hit") the MLS with the old quickie-relist tactic this past week. Do they feel new?
Meantime, another listing from last year is back this year, lease having expired, looking for a nice markup this year – even though they couldn't sell last year.
We welcome these listings back – though 2 never left – and wonder what may become of them.
It's of special note that they're making these moves in late October. Not exactly a hot time in a normal market. Will we see these listings continue into next year?
1030 1st (5br/5ba, 4300 sq. ft.) is a mid-90s Mediterranean built into a very favorable position high up the hill.
In our July review, we referred to the "huge, huge PV & ocean views, made possible as the hill drops down and…
Meantime, another listing from last year is back this year, lease having expired, looking for a nice markup this year – even though they couldn't sell last year.
We welcome these listings back – though 2 never left – and wonder what may become of them.
It's of special note that they're making these moves in late October. Not exactly a hot time in a normal market. Will we see these listings continue into next year?
1030 1st (5br/5ba, 4300 sq. ft.) is a mid-90s Mediterranean built into a very favorable position high up the hill.In our July review, we referred to the "huge, huge PV & ocean views, made possible as the hill drops down and…
Weekend Opens (10/20-10/21)
Saturday, October 20th, 2012 at 5:12pm. 183 Views, 0 Comments.
This is a big week in the MBC household not because of anything specific RE-related, but something else. So before we dive into Manhattan Beach real estate, permit us a little sharing.
Mrs. MBC got a very nice writeup in the Beach Reporter (click that link!) for a project she's been working on for her blog, The Jolly Tomato.
Jeanne's "Real Food" series has put the whole MBC family on the road off-and-on for months, visiting farms and food facilities to see where food actually comes from.
Put it simply: Kids dig farms. Real food is good. And not everyone can do this, so Jeanne does, and shares. Everyone's better off.
Did we mention that you should totally check out the nice Beach Reporter story?
Now, back to real estate....
To plan your weekend open-house…
Mrs. MBC got a very nice writeup in the Beach Reporter (click that link!) for a project she's been working on for her blog, The Jolly Tomato.Jeanne's "Real Food" series has put the whole MBC family on the road off-and-on for months, visiting farms and food facilities to see where food actually comes from.
Put it simply: Kids dig farms. Real food is good. And not everyone can do this, so Jeanne does, and shares. Everyone's better off.
Did we mention that you should totally check out the nice Beach Reporter story?
Now, back to real estate....
To plan your weekend open-house…
Starting Over at 512 1st
Friday, October 19th, 2012 at 6:18pm. 201 Views, 0 Comments.
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| Holy tilted house, Batman! |
It was a visual cue that something was awry with this mid-90s built contemporary.
That cue proved correct.
There was the very curious layout – 3br downstairs, the master on the third floor, living spaces sandwiched in between.
There was the odd use of the lot – a separate garage building up front on 1st St. with a guest unit/bonus room on top. A "yard" in between, but not on the sunny southern side of the lot.
And within the brazenly different building, there were quirks. One observer wrote: "[I]t does have a number of rooms with curved walls, which leave unusable corner spaces."
MBC said, "512 1st…
End of Q3 Sales & Medians
Wednesday, October 17th, 2012 at 7:15pm. 212 Views, 0 Comments.
We like to use major markers like the close of quarters to take up questions of prices and sales pace.
We last did this in a major way at midyear in two somewhat detailed posts. (See "Sales Data for First Halves of '06-'12" and "More Median Price Data, 2006-2012.")
With 9 months (3 quarters) in the bag for 2012, here's what the data tell us. (Click either chart to enlarge.)
Citywide, we are running at a median price of $1,511,250 for SFRs in all areas. That's year-to-date, Jan. 1-Sept. 30, 2012.
This is the most modest uptick of 1% over the same period for 2011.
The median price is down, however, from 2010, by about 5%.
Sales volume was comparable for each of the past 3 years, 2010-2012, though 2012 marks a modest high for the past 4 years at 264 closed…
We last did this in a major way at midyear in two somewhat detailed posts. (See "Sales Data for First Halves of '06-'12" and "More Median Price Data, 2006-2012.")
With 9 months (3 quarters) in the bag for 2012, here's what the data tell us. (Click either chart to enlarge.)
Citywide, we are running at a median price of $1,511,250 for SFRs in all areas. That's year-to-date, Jan. 1-Sept. 30, 2012. This is the most modest uptick of 1% over the same period for 2011.
The median price is down, however, from 2010, by about 5%.
Sales volume was comparable for each of the past 3 years, 2010-2012, though 2012 marks a modest high for the past 4 years at 264 closed…
How Not to Measure the Market
Tuesday, October 16th, 2012 at 5:19pm. 164 Views, 0 Comments.
A real estate sale flyer made the rounds in MB this week, prompting questions to MBC.
Among other things, the flyer made the claim that sale prices in MB – west of Sepulveda – are up 33.4% year-over-year.
It's obviously fishy, but readers wanted to know – what, exactly is wrong here?
And how are we actually doing, flyers notwithstanding?
It was less than one month ago, and before the close of Q3 2012, that we published our "Quick Median Price Update," showing median prices up 4% YTD for all of MB, flat west of Sepulveda.
Flat, 33%. You know, different people see the data differently, right?
We'll give you a real Q3 update tomorrow.
But first, this flyer. We saw the source info on the claim and instantly knew this would be an easy debunking.
The huge, blinking…
Among other things, the flyer made the claim that sale prices in MB – west of Sepulveda – are up 33.4% year-over-year.It's obviously fishy, but readers wanted to know – what, exactly is wrong here?
And how are we actually doing, flyers notwithstanding?
It was less than one month ago, and before the close of Q3 2012, that we published our "Quick Median Price Update," showing median prices up 4% YTD for all of MB, flat west of Sepulveda.
Flat, 33%. You know, different people see the data differently, right?
We'll give you a real Q3 update tomorrow.
But first, this flyer. We saw the source info on the claim and instantly knew this would be an easy debunking.
The huge, blinking…
Sunday Opens (10/14)
Sunday, October 14th, 2012 at 3:18pm. 190 Views, 0 Comments.
In politics, as the election approaches, everyone wonders if there might be an "October Surprise." That is, some news event or twist, possibly sparked by one campaign, that could dramatically affect voters' choices as Election Day nears.
In real estate, it's different. In MB, the "October Surprise" is how many new listings keep popping up. You would think no one sets their sights on selling in the Fall. But it just happens. A lease expires, someone's life situation changes suddenly, an opportunity opens up for a great new property – suddenly, a home comes to market.
We saw 8 new listings Friday and have 7 public opens to review here. In mid-October! Surprise!
To plan your weekend open-house tours, try this Redfin map list of open houses – sort by price or…
In real estate, it's different. In MB, the "October Surprise" is how many new listings keep popping up. You would think no one sets their sights on selling in the Fall. But it just happens. A lease expires, someone's life situation changes suddenly, an opportunity opens up for a great new property – suddenly, a home comes to market. We saw 8 new listings Friday and have 7 public opens to review here. In mid-October! Surprise!
To plan your weekend open-house tours, try this Redfin map list of open houses – sort by price or…
