Happy Fourth of July! Forth of July is to all Americans the birth of our country and is celebrated nationwide by various means by many.

Here in Malibu many people have the day off for Independence Day and are enjoying a long weekend of parties and barbeques - taking advantage of our climate and the summertime.

Of course Malibu is strict on firework displays due to the threat of wildfires so it does not permit them. However there are several offshore events where barges are taken out off the coast and a display is carried out from there.

This year the Malibu Times lists two:

9 p.m.: Launch from barge offshore Malibu Colony

9 p.m.: Launch from barge offshore area of 27900 block of PCH

We are sure it will be a great show! Make sure you check back to this blog often (or even subscribe to it through our RSS feed) to keep up to date with what is going on in Malbu and the surrounding Westside area of LA.

If you are considering purchasing a home then please contact Judy Kunisaki on 310-317-8396 or by contacting her through her website www.judysellswestside.com

Its back! Its that time of year again (already?) The 37th Annual Malibu Art’s Festival is on its way in about three weeks time. Tickets are already on sale for the event which is being held in the Civic Center parking lot on July 26th and July 27th 2008.

Building on last years successful event this year it is expected that there will be 200 exhibitors.The annual event is always successful and is run by the Malibu Chamber of Commerce.

This year is sure to feature some great work as Malibu is home to many artists and is a cultural hub for southern California.

If you are interested in purchasing a property in Malibu or the surrounding Westside Los Angeles area then please contact Judy Kunisaki on 310-317-8396.

Click here to search the Malibu MLS for your perfect property

Kent & Susan McCray have decided to put their Malibu Mansion on the market for a cool $3.8 million. Kent McCray was the producer for "Bonanza"  as well as "Little House on the Prairie" and "Highway to Heaven".  Susan McCray was the casting director.  This listing has been announced in the Los Angeles Times.

The property itself just below Pepperdine University and is a 5,607 square foot house with four bedrooms and six bathrooms. The Master Suite includes two bathrooms and the outdoor kitchen features granite counter tops. There is also a pool, spa and beautiful gardens on a property which features gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean.

If you are considering purchasing a home like this in Malibu and need some help on selecting a home as well as professional Real Estate advice from a professional with many years experience in Malibu and the surrounding areas, please contact Judy Kunisaki on 310-317-8396.

Click here to search the MLS System in Malibu and the surrounding areas

 Pacific Palisades  has long been heralded as a great exclusive enclase in the Los Angeles Westside area. However this month the Los Angeles times has decided to review the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in its Real Estate section.

The article goes on to explain the history of the Palisades, which dates back to the early 1920’s where a group of methodists established the neighborhood. The Palisades has always maintained an exclusivity compared to other areas due to its enviable position in the Santa Monica mountains. During World War II the Palisades became home to many German artists and other such professionals who fled Nazism.

Of course these days the small town vibe is echoed by most in Pacific Palisades and many Celebrities have or have had homes here including: current California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chris O’Donnell as well the late former President Ronald Reagan.

If you are interested in purchasing a home in Pacific Palisades or the surrounding area in or around Malibu then please contact Judy Kunisaki on 310-317-8396.

After only days on the Real Estate market, Canadian rock musician and celebrity Avril Lavigne has a $5.2 million offer on her Beverly Hill’s Mansion. Most sellers would be very pleased to receive such an offer after just, 36 days! However it gets even better. The offer is cash!

The rock stars home is a palatial 6,864 square feet with five bedrooms and six bathrooms as well as a butlers pantry and library. The listing describes it as "nestled serenely," in the exclusive, private Mulholland Estates in Westside LA. The property is situated on a grand lot with tropical gardens a trademark pool and spa. For the sports persons out there there is even a tennis court!

Although originally listed at $5.8 million the cash offer is clearly an advantage in this situation!

If you are considering purchasing a property in Malibu or the Westside Los Angeles area then please contact Judy Kunisaki on 310-317-8396 for professional Real Estate advice in the area. 

The national park service has announced today that the Solstice Canyon part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is to re-open Friday! This is great news as the Canyon has been closed since the wildfires last november due to all the hillside vegetation being burnt away leaving unstable soil. Since it was closed during the fires the National Parks Service has worked tirelessly to bring the area back up to scratch and has repaired roads as well as contained the soil and arranged for drainage channels to service the area effectively to protect bridges from the next heavy rains which increase the water level.

Asides from stablizing the area the National Parks Service has taken up the job of removing "alien" vegetation and restoring the native plants which inhabited the canyon before the intervention of human-kind. Of course there is the nearby Wildlife Center which is a great place not to be missed.

If you are looking for a great day out in the wilderness, yet just a stones throw away from home then why not visit Solstice Canyon. Solstice Canyon parking lots are open daily from 8 a.m. to dusk. For further information, call 805.370.2301

If you are thinking about purchasing a property just outside Malibu in the Santa Monica mountains then please contact Judy Kunisaki on 310-317-8396.

The California Coastal Commission has decided to reduce the lot width requirement for homes built by the Malibu Bay Co. who are planning to build four properties on a two acre beach front lot near Broad Beach.

The Commission agreed 10 to 1 to amend the cities ruling about the lot requirments (to around 45 feet) so that the properties could be built despite the opposition who were concerned about the Gobuse Dune Beetle which inhabits the area. Without this being passed there would only be two properties allowed to be constructed.

Whilst the move is not favored by all - some see it as over development and adding greater risk to the already packed shoreline. It is largely thought of as a precedent for future development.

If you are considering purchasing a beach from property in Malibu or surrounding coastal areas then please contact Judy Kunisaki on 310-317-8396.

No X-Files jokes please! Actor David Duchovny and Tea Leoni are selling their Malibu Mansion for a cool $12 million. The property is a grand affair with five bedrooms and 4 bathrooms spread across over 6500 square feet.

The property features two pools as well as sweeping canyon and of course, the obligatory Pacific Ocean views. This old country style estate is set on 5.5 acres and apart from the main house a seperate 2 room guest house and private gym!

Although it is not clear from public records when exactly the couple purchased the home, the main house appears to have been built in the french style in 1996 and is located off Carbon Mesa Road. The area itself is popular with celebrities due to its private setting. Ed Harris, Sean Penn & Kenny Chesney (although he is listing his home for sale) all own property here!

If you are considering purchasing a home in Malibu or are you interested in this particular home? Then please contact Judy Kunisaki on 310-317-8396.

 Story Reported by the Real Estalker on the Real Estalker Blog.

With a negative national housing picture it is interesting to see Fox Business Online reports that there is bumper business in Beverly Hills and the Westside, LA,  California area.

A headline that one would only associate with the boom times of yesteryear are occuring right now in the Southern California real estate market. Some Real Estate brokers are reporting a dramatic increase in business as people scramble to snap up Beverly Hills real estate. Leading to demand outstripping supply! There are even cases it appears where more than the asking price has been achieved!

Also with lenders tight on lending on construction projects - leading to a decline in the number of new homes being constructed in the area this has lead to an increase in activity and the value of new construction property - particularly due to the scarcity of land in the area.

Part of the increase is due to the influx of foreign buyers who are taking advantage of the weak dollar and the strong Euro/Sterling and Canadian Dollar. This is of course not the first time that a boom in sales in the Westside area has been reported and it appears that its appeal and popularity goes from strength to strength as many buyers are aching to take advantage of the market and own their own slice of the Golden State.

If you are considering purchasing a home in the Westside area then please contact Judy Kunisaki on 310-317-8396 for professional and personal Real Estate assistance.

Ted Danson, renouned star of 80’s show "Cheers" has finally sold his Malibu Colony property for an undisclosed price. The property had been on the market for over a year and was originally listed at a cool $18.5 million.

However the Cape Cod style property which was recently remodeled in 2002 features 3550 square feet and a gorgeous oceanfront patio with the required stunning views of the Pacific Ocean, was most recently seen listed at $16.25 million.

Malibu Colony is a popular area with Malibu’s celebrity fraternity due to it being guarded and thus offering unparalleled privacy. With this property in particular its ocean view from the front is what really makes it special. The property also features Viking kitchen appliances as well as a farmhouse sink!

If you are considering purchasing a home of this caliber or in this price range in Malibu or the surrounding westside area then please contact Judy Kunisaki on 310-317-8396.

You can of course use the complimentary MLS Search facility by clicking here.