Green Real Estate has always been Malibu’s thing – with the need for more efficient use of water to ensure a good water supply to the city  - it is something which has been extremely popular here in the west coast, which has been leading the way with the general trend – the California Association of Realtors even launched a green website!

Driving energy efficiency amongst the existing housing stock is one thing - even NAR encouraged people to become less wasteful by converting their HQ in Washington DC to be more “Green“. But supplying the market with greener new builds is something which is important and requires the whole industry to get involved. Malibu is a perfect flagship city for such projects due to its trendy image in the real estate world. Even local celebrities are going green with their real estate – look at Cindy Crawford!

 According to a new study from the U.S. Green Building Council and Booz Allen Hamilton, construction in the green-building industry will support 7.9 million jobs over the next four years while pumping into the American economy $554 billion. Currently, 2 million American jobs are supported by the same industry and more than $100 billion in gross domestic product and wages is generated. From 2000 to 2008, $178 billion in gross domestic product was contributed to the economy and 2.4 million direct/indirect and induced jobs were created or saved which generated $123 billion in wages.

That represents a huge number of jobs and a vast sum of money and, an opportunity to expand on!

With buildings in the United States being responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of Gross Domestic Product per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity with the eventual goal of ALL building to be green.

In fact Malibu City Council even recently proposed a Green Building Ordinance! We wrote about some Environmentally Friendly homes in Pacific Palisades hitting the market a couple of years ago!

Also, going green and buying a green home may not just save you money in running costs, it can also bring rewards when it comes to the time to sell, with green homes commanding higher prices than regular real estate!  

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.

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Summer is here and the Malibu Real Estate market is really heating up!

Despite the issues with financing at the moment many deals are going cash as buyers are taking advantage of the current market conditions. Sales are increasing nationwide and in Malibu the increase in activity has industry professionals optimistic that the market is well and truly on the turn.

According to MLS/CLAW (Combined Los Angeles Westside Multiple Listing Service) figures, 69 single-family residences sold between Jan. 1 and July 31. Last year 62 homes sold, including at Heathercliff and Paradise Cove mobile home parks, and 18 condos sold so far this year, compared to 15 last year at this time.

Also if you are looking for a beachfront property, now is the time -  on the beach there are over 50 homes for sale, where three or four years ago there were maybe less than 20 homes for sale. With some agents reporting cash sales making up around 80% of their deals it is not surprising that financing worries are on everyones mind. Interest rates are fantastic at the moment, however qualifying can be a pain, even if you have money and good credit.

Well priced properties by realistic and patient sellers are seeing rewards for their hard work. Sure home sales are picking up but the process may be a little bit slower than previous due to financing issues. The moral of the story is to be patient and work with your agent.

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.

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Pacific Palisades residents Brynn Thayer and and husband, David Steinberg, have sold their longtime home for $2,995,000. The couple bought the house in the mid 1990′s and have decided to sell the home as they have relocated to Bel Air.

The property in Pacific Palisades contains a 3,300 square foot post-and-beam house, built in 1972. It contains four bedrooms and 3 1/2 bathrooms and sits on a heavily treed lot of about half an acre.

The property is ideal for entertaining. Inside there are three fireplaces in the gated four-story home, which also featured ocean views from the master bedroom suite. Outside, there is a terrace and patio areas providing additional space.

Pacific Palisades is well known for its great local environment of leafy streets and beautiful properties.

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.

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Judy Kunisaki – CA DRE license 00963582

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.

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.

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.

With such a beautiful climate and stunning real estate it is no wonder that Malibu benefits from having some of the most gorgeous gardens around.

How do people show off their gardens? Well, the Malibu Garden Club is one way. This club is 50 years old this year and is famous for its locally popular Garden Tours which it has run for the past 12 years. The Annual Malibu Garden Tour, which takes place in May, recognizes four or five local homes each year for their unique designs incorporating native and exotic planting.

The club started having meetings in 1958 and now, sadly, due to an aging membership and a lack of new, young adherents, the club is close to disbanding so if you are interested in gardening and want to get involved now is your chance to help! In the early years the club thrived as new presidents were elected, membership expanded and yearly garden parties were added to the calendar each August, with raffles and a monthly “Newzette”was sent to members. Yearly dues are at $25 and with a once-a-month club meeting the commitment to the club is minimal, but with maximum benefit. The focus is of course on general gardening tips, although recently they have had talks on eco-gardening and careful water usage.

The Malibu Garden Club meets the first Wednesday of each month at the Point Dume Club House. More information on membership can be obtained by calling Linda Androlia at 310.457.3860 or e-mailing sunstonetours@aol.com

Gardens are such an important part of real estate and something which can be enjoyed year round in southern California. So get out and make the most of it!

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.

This stunning Pacific Palisades home owned by famous movie producer Dylan Sellers has been listed for sale at $2.995 Million.

This luscious property is a new construction and is set in a beautiful lot surrounded by plenty of greenery. The main home is a five bedroom four and a half bathroom property which has a great inside and outside flow and features gorgeous views of the surrounding area – including mountain and ocean vistas. The interior of the property has a homely feel and features custom tile work, walnut floors and three fire places! (Click here to see the virtual tour and here to see the MLS page.)

This property takes advantage of the bright and sunny climate enjoyed by Southern California with lots of natural light. The home is a spacious 3,990 square feet and the Mediterranean flair is enhanced by the drought resistant planting of agave and olive trees in the grounds. The rear of the property has a private garden with a free form pool and spa giving the new owners a chance to cool off from the hot Southern Californian Sunshine!

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.

After many months of planning and construction the Malibu Lumber Yard Mall is finally coming together!

Despite a delayed grand opening in the Summer the development is nearly ready for occupation. Stores are preparing to move in already to get ready to start trading when the opening occurs. The original opening of November 2008 was delayed to February 2009 and now the summer due to the developer making provisions to meet the requirements of the waste water discharge permit.

The City has an interest in the Mall opening as soon as possible and trading quickly as Under the special lease agreement with the City of Malibu, Lumber Yard mall owner Richard Weintraub will pay the city $925,000 per year. The city will then receive 30 percent of the mall’s annual profits when they exceed $2.2 million.

Stores will move into the mall beginning in March and filling the remaining vacant spaces will be an ongoing process. The mall will host many different tenants and have some stores catering to high end clients.

The announcements of the stores to open so far are as follows:

Clothing

Planet Blue Kids

J. Crew

James Perse

Alice & Olivia

Kitson

Maxfield

Theory

Tory Burch

Home

Andrianna Shamaris

Food

Crumbs Bake Shop

The two restaurants the mall will house have not been announced yet.

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.

Fall is finally apon us, the memories of those lazy summer days begin to fade and here in southern California the sun still shines, but the weather just gets a little bit cooler – ideal for those DIY projects!

With the holiday season approaching now is definately the time to start looking at your home and planning ahead.

Speaking of the sun still shining here in LA, with higher energy costs these days, many people are investigating and investing in using solar energy. Read the great article courtesy of Realty Times in my September Newsletter on selecting your solar system contractor.

Also, with the recent government shakes ups in the Real Estate sector there is a great article on what the housing and economic recovery act of 2008 means to you. (an important read!) as well as information on how the Federal Government is making rules to prevent bad loans in the future.

If you are interested in Westside real estate, and are looking to purchase a property in Malibu, Beverly Hills Post Office or even Pacific Palisades then please contact Judy Kunisaki for professional Real Estate advice in the region. Call the office on   310-317-8396   or via her online contact form.