Plan a day of fun in El Segundo with two events..

Manhattan Beach: Pool Party July 4, 2008

Hermosa Beach: No city planned activities

Redondo Beach:

Seaside Lagoon is the setting for a huge July 4th celebration The fun begins at 2:00 pm and continues until 11:00 The fireworks and Laser show starts at 9:00 click this link for more information and prices of tickets on the sand.

Torrance: Wilson Park is the place for the annual Old Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration The fun starts at 11:00 and finishes with a Fireworks show at 9:00pm

Palos Verdes Estates: Old Fashioned Independence Celebration at Malaga Cove School begins at 10:00 am

A bicycle parade and pie-eating contest are some of the activities

Rancho Palos Verdes: 33rd annual Independence Celebration runs from 11:00 am -5:00 pm at Point Vicente Park There will be music, Arts & Crafts, rides, a pie-eating contest and a hula hoop contest.

Westchester Don't miss the annual parade at Loyola and Manchester.. it starts at 11:00 am at Loyola Marymount University and continues along Loyola Blvd. to Westchester Park. Call (310) 645-5151 for more info

Lawndale: Lawndale will hold it's celebration on Thursday July 3, 2008 from 5-10.

There will be food, crafts and other attractions with a big fireworks show at Leuzinger High School Football field

Price reduced on this turnkey townhome just blocks to the Redondo Pier and beach..

Value Priced at $624,500

Public Open House: Sunday 1-4 pm

This is a delightful home with hardwood floors and a new kitchen. There are 2 bedrooms.. each with private bath. The upper level features a "great room" style living area and a powder room.. The kitchen has been totally remodeled with granite counters and tile floors. Each bedroom has a private patio and there are two additional decks off the living room and kitchen.

The property is priced to sell at $624,500.

Please join me Sunday to view this wonderful home. For a private viewing please call me at 310-721-7438 or e-mail me.

Manhattan Beach Hill Section ...  

Open House: Saturday June 28, 2008 1-4 pm and Sunday June 29, 2008 2-4. 

 New Price!!!!

  511 N. Dianthus Manhattan Beach CA 90266

 $1,399,500

 Don't miss out on this lovely Hill section view home. Features include large living room with city views, fireplace and big deck. The home is over 1900 square feet with three bedrooms, 2 baths, dining and family areas. The back yard is lovely with Koi pond and waterfall. If you would like a private appointment please contact me.

Please join me Saturday to view this wonderful home. For a private viewing please call me at 310-721-7438 or e-mail me.

I have a client who is looking for a $1.3-$1.6  priced home.  They have 40% down and have been pre-qualified.  However they work a lot of hours and want something in "move-in" condition.  It doesn't have to be new or over 3000 square feet or even have a huge yard.  They just want a nice house that doesn't need a lot of work. 

Sounds pretty reasonable doesn't it.  We have looked at a number of homes that sound perfect only to find that when the home was updated an architect was not part of the process.  Many homeowners are afraid that using an architect will cost too much money.  The truth is that using an architect and obtaining permits  for the work being done are two of the most important and cost effective steps an owner should consider before beginning a project.

A home that has been poorly remodeled with a strange addition will have a harder time selling then one that hasn't been remodeled.  One of the remodel No-No's  is the Walk-Thru bedroom.    Homeowners do it because it is a less expensive initial  choice then other concepts.   However a walk-thru bedroom is rarely a good idea...especially when you are trying to market the home as a 3 bedroom and one of the bedrooms is a walk-thru. Think about it... would you want to sleep in a room that everyone must pass through to get to the rest of the home.  Transitioning from room to room is extremely important in the overall flow of a home.  A good floor plan is worth a lot of money... a bad floor plan will cost you a lot of money.

Even a project as simple as updating a kitchen usually benefits from some expert advice.  Sorry, but  the cabinet people at Home Depot do not qualify.  A good architect can give you excellent advice and make a few changes that can change a kitchen from OK to WOW.  Those are changes that translate to big bucks when you sell and make your home more enjoyable while you live there. 

I recently showed a home with a large "great room" off the kitchen.  The great room was great but you could barely turn around in the kitchen.  Had they widened the kitchen by two feet it would have changed the entire feel of the home and still had space to spare for the great room.   My clients were ready to buy the house but finally decided against it as remodeling the space would now be prohibitively expensive because of other changes done to the property.    

 You will be surprised to find how reasonable the fee is for a small project.  Many large firms give these projects to young architects who are supervised by more experienced members of the firm.  Just a few changes can make a space feel better.  However a bad remodel can last forever. 

 One of the reasons Manhattan Beach property holds value is that people are constantly updating  their homes.  We tear out walls, add rooms, spruce up kitchens and baths or just tear down and build new.  

Many potential sellers decide to update their home in an effort to get the best price possible.  Unfortunately too many homeowners decide that it's too expensive or time consuming to pull a permit for the work they want done. It amazes me that someone will spend $20,000, $40,000 or even $100,000 or more and not pull a permit that costs $1000.00.

True story....I have a friend who wanted a new deck. Before she started I told him he should get it permitted.. but the man who built it ( not a licensed contractor) said it would be OK and a permit would be a hassle.  A few  weeks after the work was finished a neighbor complained. The City told him that he had to tear down at least a third of the deck to meet code.  He  loved the deck and decided to try for a variance.  He hired an attorney to help the plead the case... but the City denied the appeal.  My friend  spent $10,000 for the deck and will spend another $4,000 to tear down and modify it to meet code plus pay the attorney fees.   The permit would have been about $700 or less.

Thinking of adding an extra room?  If you add square footage to your home without obtaining a permit an appraiser will not include it as part of the appraised value of the home.   So your new 600 square foot addition that cost you $80,000 won't increase the value of your home if it is not permitted.

Here's the rule for most cities.. be sure to check your local requirements. The only things that don't need a permit are new cabinets, tile work or flooring that don't require plumbing or electrical changes. You can change out the tile in the bath if you don't put in a new tub or any type of additional plumbing. You can add new kitchen cabinets and granite counters if you don't move or add any electrical or plumbing to accommodate the work you are doing. You can't add any square footage, move a wall or enclose a patio without a permit. If you add a new roof you will need a permit. If you add a deck or a gas hook up you will need a permit. Technically you are supposed to obtain a permit if you replace the water heater.

If the person you have hired for the project is adament about not obtaining a permit it just might be because he is not a licensed contractor.  One of the reasons to use a licensed contractor is that they must have insurance.  You definitely do not want to hire someone who doesn't have insurance to cover his workers. 

It may seem like a pain to do all this but in the long run it will be worth it. Getting an after the fact permit is not terribly difficult but it is a lot more trouble and expense then if the work had been permitted in the first place.