After many years of discussion, offshore drilling in Malibu and California as a whole is on the cards again.

Many people are of course interested in the story as it would provide an economic boost to the area. Environmentalists are of course concerned about any potential plans implementation.

However legislators are against the idea, but the new Obama administrations energy policy has opened up the idea again. In the wake of last summer’s oil crisis and spike in gas prices, many in the nation called for the drilling moratorium to be rescinded in an effort to reduce America’s dependence on foreign energy sources. However Californians are generally split on the issue with 51% thinking local offshore drilling is a great idea, while many feel that the billions that would be invested would be better spent on alternative energy development and going green.

In Malibu the BHP Billiton Offshore Liquified Natural Gas terminal was opposed by Malibu Realtors and many local environmentalists.

This story will be watched closely by all those in Malibu.

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If you are interested in purchasing a property or selling a property in Malibu, Pacific Palisades 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 or via her online contact form on her website.

Leonard DiCaprio owns three homes in Malibu and recently (November 2008) has put one of his properties at 32628 Pacific Coast Highway up for sale at $8,999,000 in the hope of flipping this property which he purchased for only $6,350,000.

However he now has reduced the price of this Encinal Bluffs home to a bargain $7,999,000. However, while waiting for it to sell the famed Titanic actor has put the property up for lease at a monthly rate of only $25,000. This is great value for a 2374 square foot private property with stunning Pacific Ocean views.

The home is divided into a two bedroom two bathroom main house and two one bedroom guest suites. There is also a four car garage, hot tub overlooking the ocean and a set of steps down to the private cove below!

The property can be let short term of $50,000 per month according to the MLS.

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If you are interested in purchasing a property or selling a property in Malibu, Pacific Palisades 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 or via her online contact form on her website.

Summer is almost here and there is a lot of activity in the real estate market at the moment.

With signs of a national housing marketing turn around lead by areas such as Malibu and other parts of California as well as a surge of mortgage applications things are looking on the up! In fact, in areas like California it is expected that there may be a shortage of inventory in the very near future triggering some price rises!

After all home prices are at their most affordable for decades, consumers are benefiting from the lowest mortgage rates in nearly half a century (with fixed rates in the four percent range!) and there is a great selection of homes available!

In fact, for mortgage applications the increase is welcome news – applications for purchases of resale and new homes were up eight percent for those using conventional loans, and a remarkable 17 percent gain in applications to buy houses using low-downpayment FHA mortgages.

Americans are also feeling more optimistic about the economy with a new poll showing that consumer confidence was up. This also is translated in buyer affordability with 55 million American households being able to afford the median house price – up 45% in the last 24 months.

This is very encouraging news. It is a sign for those who are renting that the time to buy really is now and that they may be left behind if they do not act fast. With 30 year fixed rates so low owning a home is now in many cases cheaper than renting. Combined of course with the $8,000 tax credit for first time home buyers and purchasing a property now is a very attractive option indeed!

Watch this space for more on this as it develops! – Subscribe to our blog using our RSS feed. (Click here!)

If you are interested in purchasing a property or selling a property in Malibu, Pacific Palisades 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 or via her online contact form on her website.

It is all happening in Malibu!

The long awaited Lumberyard Mall is just days away from opening. The project has been years in the making and finally the developers Richard Weintraub and Richard Sperber will at last celebrate the ribbon cutting will take place at 9:30 a.m. Saturday with the official opening set for Tuesday, April 21 where, in addition to the developers there will be a host of celebrities there including David Spade and Matthew McConaughey.

The Lumberyard mall is opening with 15 retail and food establishments and they are as follows: Cafe Habana, MILK, Adrianna Shamaris; Maxfield, Tory Burch, Intermix, James Perse, alice + olivia, J.Crew, Kitson Men, Planet Blue Kids and Theory; and Crumbs Bake Shop. There will also be a family-style restaurant is planned for upstairs with sweeping views of the Pacific Coast Highway.

The Trancas Country Market has news of its own. It is looking to expand its existing building space by 37,000 square feet, and possibly add another 11,000 square feet by 2012! It is inviting Malibu businesses to move into the development. The expansion and renovation plan calls for a 37,372 square foot addition to existing buildings on the 14-acre shopping center with ground breaking for the development starting as early as this fall, subject to the planning commissions blessing.

With all of this development occurring in Malibu it is no wonder people want to relocate to the area!

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If you are interested in purchasing a property or selling a property in Malibu, Pacific Palisades 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 or via her online contact form on her website.

Actress Diane Keaton is selling her luxurious Beverly Hills home for a cool $11.995 Million.

The property sits on an enviable lot and was constructed in 1927. Keaton is known for buying and refurbishing LA Real Estate. This property was restored by architect Ralph Flewelling.

The home contains an inner courtyard with stylish fountain as well as  seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms in 7,145 square feet. The master suite has dual bathrooms. There is a separate guest suite. The home has a pool, and the yard has pathways lined with olive trees.

The courtyard separates the media room, den and staircase to upstairs from the kitchen and family room. This is certainly a home not to be missed as it oozes Spanish colonial charm.

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If you are interested in purchasing a property or selling a property in Malibu, Pacific Palisades 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 or via her online contact form on her website.

April is the National Association of Realtors Fair Housing month which is now in 2009, in its 41st year and commemorates the passing of the Fair Housing Act in 1968.

The National Association of Realtors is committed to ensuring that there is equal access to housing an in its strict code of ethics article 10 is written with the Fair Housing Act in mind.

What does the law actually say? Well in short – the following:

Fair Housing Act (1968) - The Fair Housing Act declares a national policy of fair housing throughout the United States. This law makes illegal any discrimination in the sale, lease or rental of housing, or making housing otherwise unavailable, because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.

NAR guidelines are strict and by using a Realtor you can be sure that they are following these guidelines to ensure that all have access to housing.

If you would like to know more about what is going on locally for Fair Housing Month contact your local Realtor. If you are in the Malibu, California, area then contact Judy Kunisaki and her team in Malibu for more information.

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If you are interested in purchasing a property or selling a property in Malibu, Pacific Palisades 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 or via her online contact form on her website.

Malibu’s relationship with the ocean is a long battle between land and sea. There is a great way to watch the show not only from the beach or from a boat in the ocean but from the 780 foot pier!

One of the areas best known landmarks, the more than 100-year-old pier in Malibu has a long and interesting history, serving as private shipping wharf, public promenade and even U.S. Coast Guard lookout station.

The Los Angeles Conservancy has announced the Malibu Pier as a recipient of its 28th annual Preservation Awards, which recognize outstanding achievement in the field of historic preservation. The pier has been practically rebuilt after El Nino storms in 1993 and 1995 nearly destroyed it.

When the pier fully reopened last year, there was much public praise. The award was given to the pier as during its renovation it stayed true to its original concept. The state started renovations of the pier in 1999 with a budget of $6.2 million.

The pier is nearly completely open and is restored to the condition of a 1950’s tourist attraction. It really is great news for the community.

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If you are interested in purchasing a property or selling a property in Malibu, Pacific Palisades 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 or via her online contact form on her website.

According to the National Association of Realtors existing home sales in February went up countering January’s losses.

Although, the spike in sales is still slower than it could be as people are waiting for the full effects of the Obama Administration’s Stimulus plans to come into play.

Home sales rose 5.1% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.72 million units in February from a pace of 4.49 million units in January.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said first-time buyers accounted for half of all home sales last month, with activity concentrated in lower price ranges. “Because entry level buyers are shopping for bargains, distressed sales accounted for 40 to 45 percent of transactions in February,” he said. “Our analysis shows that distressed homes typically are selling for 20 percent less than the normal market price.”

This is exciting news showing that properties are selling and first time buyers are returning to the market. This national trend, Yun goes on to say, is lead by the boost in home sales in California.  Where, the median home price is starting to rise for the first time in three years! Also the number of buyers looking at properties increased last month at 5% over the previous period as well as 5% over last year!

We will post more on this story when we hear it. Things are definitely looking up for 2009!

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If you are interested in purchasing a property or selling a property in Malibu, Pacific Palisades 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 or via her online contact form on her website.

The former Malibu home of Nick Nolte, which he sold to an undisclosed buyer back in 2004 for $2.8 Million is now up for sale at a cool $3.65 Million.

The lavish french style home is a sprawling 4939 square feet and features hardwood floors, four bedrooms and four bathrooms all on an oversized 80,150 square foot lot.

The property also benefits from stunning Pacific Ocean and canyon views. The home is generously proportioned inside and the use of natural light means that the beautiful views are made the most of.

Details surrounding the sale are still sketchy, it is hoped that more will be released soon!

This home has it all! It will surely not last long.

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If you are interested in purchasing a property or selling a property in Malibu, Pacific Palisades 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 or via her online contact form on her website.

OK, we all know of Barbie is a plastic children’s doll, however despite being aimed at young girls, Barbie is a worldwide icon for girls and this month she celebrates her 50th Birthday in style.

How you ask? With a top notch birthday bash at none other than the Barbie Malibu Dream House in Malibu California just off the Pacific Coast Highway across from Zuma beach!

The property offers a unique experience for guests and it begins with the bright pink stylized “B” on the entrance and continues as you travel past the custom pink-engine block VW Beetle. The home itself is a decent 3,500 square feet and is decorated in a unique eye catching comfort-kitsch.

The property oozes “girly” luxury which really personifies Barbie – including custom made “B” rugs! In her closet there is even fifty pairs of pink shoes! The homes interior design is reflective of Barbie’s position as a cult icon.

Much of the homes interior is to be shipped to Las Vegas where it will recreate the dream house in a Barbie-themed suite at the Palms Casino, which is slated to open in May.

What is for sure with $3 billion in wholesale business a year, the brand is here to stay and perhaps in 10 years we will be celebrating Barbie’s 60th?

History for Malibu, in the making!

If you are interested in purchasing a property or selling a property in Malibu, Pacific Palisades 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 or via her online contact form on her website.