Why is my home not selling in this hot market in Malibu, CA or Calabasas, CA?!?! — Good Advice from Los Angeles Times, May 4, 2013

By kunisaki | Published: May 8, 2013

Common lament by the sellers are “why is my home not selling in this hot market?”  Los Angeles Times on May 4, 2013 notes that these “turnoff listing… send shoppers scurrying away, often because of mispricing, excessive restrictions on access to buyers and agents, failure to clean or make repairs and a variety of other marketing bungles.”

In a good summary:

“* Poorly cleaned, messy houses with obvious deferred maintenance.

* Sellers who insist on being present — or hover nearby — when shoppers visit so they can point out every feature they improved or like. Better for sellers to be out of the house or out of sight.

* Smells inside the house that are either bad–especially from dogs, cats and other pets– or come across as contrived, such as scented candles, potpourri plug-ins, etc. When buyers encounter obviously artificial smells they wonder: What are the owners covering up?

*Just because houses are selling fast in your area doesn’t mean yours will. You’ve got to think of it as a product you’re marketing, not just as your home. Get it in shape to sell. Price it realistically. Be flexible and cooperative showings and negotiations. Unless it has grossly off-putting features–costly physical defects, ugly design, bad location, bad schools — your property should sell.”

If you are considering purchasing a home in Beverly Hills or in any part of the Westside region of Los Angeles then contact Judy Kunisaki for professional Real Estate advice. You can call her on 310-317-8396 or you can check out her website www.judysellswestside.com

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Posted in Calabasas, Judy Kunisaki, Luxury Homes, Malibu | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Malibu,California Home Sales climbing with December 2012 record closings per Malibu Times

By kunisaki | Published: January 28, 2013

Malibu Times published an excellent article on January 16, 2013 - it notes that December 2012 was a record month in recorded closings by having 33 transactions recorded in that month alone.  The key appears to be steady sales in “March, May, June and September escalating over 20 units for single family homes sold in the 90265 ZIP code. November was surprisingly strong also, with 21 deals.”  The highest sale in Malibu took place in later portion of December.  It was the former Mark Hughes property which was not listed in the multiple listing and it sold for $75 million.  The key to understanding Malibu is that the buyers understand when they purchase existing homes - these are homes that may not be approved under the current Coastal standard.  The top two sales in December – definitely fall under that criteria – as the buyer obtained incredible estates with private paths to the beach, that has Coastal approvals firmly in place as long as the remodeling projects stay within the built out square footage.  This is hugh!

Moreover, lest you think this is “hype” — Merrill Lynch Wealth Management forecasts that 2013 real estate recovery is definitely taking place in many parts of the United States.

The housing activity in prime areas along Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Calabasas as well as Malibu — all point to recovery taking place.  The key is note that good properties that are priced well [not overpriced, but priced for its neighborhood] are getting multiple offers from strong buyers.  It means that Buyers should not be complacent and if they need a loan, they should be well prepared and have a pre-approval letter from a credible lender as well as proof of funds at the time offers are presented.  It also means that Sellers should review their pricing if they have not had offers and realistically analyze their pricing — all egos aside.  Buyers are savvy with the internet and very well aware of the inventory and pricing — pricing is still “king” in this market movement.

If you are considering purchasing a home in Beverly Hills or in any part of the Westside region of Los Angeles then contact Judy Kunisaki for professional Real Estate advice. You can call her on 310-317-8396 or you can check out her website www.judysellswestside.com

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Real Estate, Many Think Bottom Has Hit – it depends on the area and price range such as in Malibu, California or Pacific Palisades, California

By kunisaki | Published: September 11, 2012

real estateMany think the bottom has hit with regards to real estate. July saw the largest average gain in home prices since the bubble burst and while people are reluctant to shout great news from the rooftops there is nonetheless improvement being seen across the board. Consider recent headlines: “Here’s More Evidence That Home Prices Have Hit Bottom” from The Wall Street Journal; “Real Estate Outlook: New Home Sales Rise” from Realty Times; “Pending home sales touch two-year high” from MSNBC. News is getting more and more positive, pushing out pessimism and, dare we think it, letting optimism leach through the doom and gloom.

It should be noted that the optimism is cautious. We are not heading back into an unrealistic boom time; we are experiencing a slow and steady strengthening of real estate markets around the nation, although there are areas that are experiencing some big sales. Consider another recent headline from MSNBC which read “Million-dollar home sales soar in Silicon Valley”.

What does this mean for you? If you are a buyer it appears that if you buy a home today you will be buying a home at or near the bottom of the market. If you intend on holding on to this home for the long haul you are, in essence, buying at the ideal time. Buying at the bottom and selling at the top is everyone’s dream strategy when it comes to investing. While we don’t know when another top will hit, we can rest assured that we are as close to the bottom as possible.

Click here to read “Here’s More Evidence That Home Prices Have Hit Bottom” from The Wall Street Journal

It totally depends on the property and whether the sellers have taken a realistic approach as to what to price their home — realistic pricing sees action in having their home sold. More importantly those going into escrow tend to close instead of cancelling the escrow by angry buyers who dislike being fooled by greedy sellers.  Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, Santa Monica and Westwood has seen multiple offers on those properties that are priced well.  Same occurrence is taking place in Malibu and Calabasas — the key is buyers have been diligently viewing homes in their select areas and they are ready to buy now. 

If you are interested in leasing, purchasing a property or selling a property in Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Calabasas or the surrounding Beverly Hills/southern California area then please contact Judy Kunisaki for professional real estate advice in the Westside Los Angeles area, on 310-317-8396 her online contact form on her website.

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Annual Malibu Triathlon is taking place this weekend September 15th and 16th in Malibu, California

By kunisaki | Published: September 11, 2012

Zuma Beach in Malibu, California will be the focal point for over 5,000 participants anticipated to be at the 26th Annual Nautica Malibu Triathlon.  It is a charity drive that benefits the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles – according to the article it quotes over $5 million has been raised in the past 5 years. 

If you are interested in leasing, purchasing a property or selling a property in Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Calabasas or the surrounding Beverly Hills/southern California area then please contact Judy Kunisaki for professional real estate advice in the Westside Los Angeles area, on 310-317-8396 her online contact form on her website.

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Remain A Renter or Become An Owner, That Is The Question

By kunisaki | Published: September 11, 2012

real estateShould you remain a renter or become a buyer? That is the question! Let’s face it today’s rates are low, hitting an average of 3.66% for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage this week, and combined with low property values there has not been a better time to be a buyer in years. If you have been waiting to buy now could indeed be the ideal time.

Things to think about:

  • Are you buying a primary residence or an investment property? If you are wanting to buy a primary residence consider where your life is at this moment. Are you planning to stay in your area for a long period of time (say 2 to 5 years)? If not you may be better off renting.
  • Can you afford to buy a home? Do you have money for a down payment? Can you secure a home loan? Do you have steady income? Do you have additional funds set aside for any repair issues that may arise?
  • What do you want? A condo for one person and a single family home to raise a family are two different spaces entirely. Think about where you are at this point in time and make the choice that suits your lifestyle needs.

Rates hit another historic low this week tempting many into home ownership. It’s a tough question and certainly not one to be made lightly but if you decide that buying a home is right for you then realize that you are lucky enough to be buying near the bottom of the market in most locations.

Click here to read “Remain A Renter or Become An Owner, That Is The Question” from Realty Times.

If you are interested in leasing, purchasing a property or selling a property in Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Calabasas or the surrounding Beverly Hills/southern California area then please contact Judy Kunisaki for professional real estate advice in the Westside Los Angeles area, on 310-317-8396 her online contact form on her website.

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Calabasas, California offers a beach bus to Zuma Beach in Malibu, California for Summer fun!

By kunisaki | Published: July 2, 2012

The City of Calabasas offers a beach bus down to the Zuma Beach at Malibu, California during summer 2012.  It runs regularly on Mondays, Tuesday, Thursdays and Fridays only — it does not run on Wednesdays, Week-ends and Holidays.  The cost is $2.00 for round-trip — with $1.00 charged each way – a photo identification is required.

There are basically 5 pick up and drop off locations in Calabasas and ends in Malibu at the Zuma Beach – Lifeguard Tower #7  [by Morning View Drive and Pacific Coast Highway].  This is a very cool way to enjoy the beach at very reasonable rates.  Enjoy this beach ride from June 18th, 2012 to August 17, 2012.

If you are interested in leasing, purchasing a property or selling a property in Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Calabasas or the surrounding Beverly Hills/southern California area then please contact Judy Kunisaki for professional real estate advice in the Westside Los Angeles area, on 310-317-8396 her online contact form on her website.

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Malibu, California Beach Home Listing Analytics and Coldwell Banker Internet Advertising blows away the competition in May, 2012!

By kunisaki | Published: June 30, 2012

The Beach Home Market analysis for Malibu, California listings in mid- June 2012 clearly shows Coldwell Banker having 52 homes listed – number one representation.  The second place company is Prudential Malibu Realty having 18 homes listed, third place goes to Pritchett-Rapf and Associates having 13 homes listed, fourth place goes to Sotheby’s International Realty having 11 homes listed and fifth place goes to The Levin Group having 6 homes listed.

The good news is as the buyer’s agent – I have seen all of these in inventory as well as almost all those expired, withdrawn or cancelled.  The caveat is some agents had placed the homes briefly on the market for 1-2 days and withdrew it – for selective showings.  In this market, it benefits the buyer to have a knowledgeable agent who really knows the market inventory.  Home purchase is a major investment whether it is a secondary or primary home or rental investment — ultimately, the buyer should enjoy their new purchase!

Coldwell Banker has published its May 2012 – eMarketing Analytics Report – where it shows consumers from 169 countries on 6 continents visited CaliforniaMoves.com in May, 2012.  The Top 5 countries in order: #1 – United States, #2 – Canada, #3 – United Kingdom, #4 – Australia and #5 – China.

The internet leads have mainly come from #1 – Coldwell Banker Websites  with 31%, #2 – Realtor.com, #3 – Trulia.com,and  #4 – Zillow/Yahoo!

Our national website- ColdwellBanker.com had 2.6 million visits in May – that is a record!

If you are interested in leasing, purchasing a property or selling a property in Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Calabasas or the surrounding Beverly Hills/southern California area then please contact Judy Kunisaki for professional real estate advice in the Westside Los Angeles area, on 310-317-8396 her online contact form on her website.

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Posted in Beach front real estate in Malibu, Coldwell Banker, Finance, Internet marketing analytics | Tagged , , | Comments closed

Malibu Lumber Yard Gallery features local artist Seda Baghdasarian in Malibu, California – over 50 portraits on display

By kunisaki | Published: June 30, 2012

The Malibu Lumber Yard [MLY] gallery is featuring a local artist – Seda Baghdasarian – from June 30, 2012 to July 25, 2012.  Her paintings – over 50 portraits – will display her talent that depicts the various beach beauty she has experienced over 10 years she has lived on the Malibu Beach.

 Come and enjoy this art exhibit at the Malibu Lumber Yard.  While you are here, enjoy the treats at the Chocolate Box Café, Café Havana, and Crumbs. 

If you are interested in leasing, purchasing a property or selling a property in Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Calabasas or the surrounding Beverly Hills/southern California area then please contact Judy Kunisaki for professional real estate advice in the Westside Los Angeles area, on 310-317-8396 her online contact form on her website.

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Posted in community, Judy Kunisaki, Malibu Art, Malibu Lumber Yard Shops and Treats | Tagged , , , | Comments closed

Buyer’s Quandary – is this a good time to buy in Malibu, California or Calabasas, California or Pacific Palisades, California — Yes it is according to LA Times 6-10-2012 article!

By kunisaki | Published: June 10, 2012

Buyers are caught in a quandary as they just realized that the real estate market has changed during the past two-three months and now they must decide – do they continue to sit on the fence or take action and buy that home now?  Today’s article written by Los Angeles Times – June 10, 2012 – addresses the current issues facing the buyers in today’s market from a large market spectrum. 

Key article highlights that this is “a shortage of good homes.”  “Would-be buyers are packing open houses and scrambling to make offers on properties before they are even listed. Bidding wars are erupting.”  This is something I have been mentioning to my clients that the market has changed and no one knows when the bottom has hit until it has happened and we look back and reflect that it occurred somewhere in the recent past.  The main key is if you find a home you like and it has majority of the points you like, don’t wait any longer to buy it– just buy it!

This article points out the “the much-predicted foreclosure wave that was expected to dump more homes onto the market has not materialized. Fewer borrowers are entering defaults, and banks are better managing the properties they do have on their books.”  One of the new tools the banks are utilizing includes negotiating with the homeowner to stay on the property by leasing their home back from the bank.

Another aspect is “many people who bought at the top of the cycle are so deeply underwater, they can’t get the price they need to sell and are therefore not bothering to put their homes on the market.”  This is holding the listings off the market and thus “holding the market back.”

The “number of days a home sits on the market has also decreased, meaning properties are selling faster. For the entire six-county Southern California region, the median number of days a home sat on the market fell to 33 last April from 43 the same month a year earlier.”

So ask yourself the question, are you a serious buyer now – entrust a realtor to assist you with the home search.   If you need a loan – one of the best sources is First Capital Mortgage – a leading Mortgage Banker that I recommend to my clients. 

If you are interested in leasing, purchasing a property or selling a property in Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Calabasas or the surrounding Beverly Hills/southern California area then please contact Judy Kunisaki for professional real estate advice in the Westside Los Angeles area, on 310-317-8396 her online contact form on her website.

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Posted in Calabasas, Finance, Judy Kunisaki, Malibu, Pacific Palisades | Tagged , , , , | Comments closed

Now is the time to buy the Malibu California beach home to enjoy beautiful summer sunsets

By kunisaki | Published: June 2, 2012

Summertime and Beach Homes in Malibu, California

 

June has arrived and now is the time to get the beach home.  The best beach weather and sunset times in Malibu, California can be enjoyed in  August, September and October. 

The current statistics show that between Jan 1, 2012 and June 2, 2012:

21 beach homes have closed escrow – sold price range from $2,250,000 to $21,000,000. The average square feet was 3,564 s.f. living area.  The average days on market was 257 days.

12 beach homes are in escrow.  25%  are firm in escrow and 75% are still going through property investigations, bank or loan approval. List price range from $1,100,000 to $17,500,000. Average days on market for the 75% are 491 days and for the 25% the average runs 52 days.

70 beach homes are still available for sale. For ease, here is the breakdown by general location [East end is Topanga Beach and West end extends to Ventura County].

19 homes are available from Topanga Beach to Surfrider/Malibu Pier.

17 homes are available from Corral Beach to the Point Dume/Westward Beach.

16 homes are available from Malibu Colony Beach to Malibu Road Beach

15 homes are available from Broad Beach to Encinal Bluff Beach

3 homes are available in the Ventura County area – Malibu Bay Club and Whalers Village.

If you are interested in leasing, purchasing a property or selling a property in Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Calabasas or the surrounding Beverly Hills/southern California area then please contact Judy Kunisaki for professional real estate advice in the Westside Los Angeles area, on 310-317-8396 her online contact form on her website.

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  • Judy Kunisaki, GRI, ePRO
    Coldwell Banker Previews International
    23676 Malibu Road
    Malibu, CA 90265
    Direct (310) 317-8396
    Cell (310) 877-5316
    Office Fax (310) 456-5872
    jkunisaki@sbcglobal.net









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