Interest rates are low, buyers are out with venom, my kids are thriving, Tiger and Bynum are healthy, even my neurotic sixteen year old cat has not peed in the house in weeks, and then this.

My family and I were coming back from brunch in Venice this last Sunday when this bright yellow monstrosity was seen taking over the fast lane on the 134 East. My seven year old started laughing, my two year old cheered, and my wife and I were left speechless, which is amazing all on its own. I actually thought of a real estate term while passing it in the carpool lane: encroachment. It felt as if we were being swallowed whole. While Obama is in Europe spreading the goodness and trying to clean up a monumental hole that W left him, this spectacle that shouldn’t be street legal is on the streets of Los Angeles. And, if that weren’t bad enough, it’s available for rent. I have a better idea, go to http://www.teslamotors.com/ and check out the S.

OK, for now I got the rant completely out of my system. Let’s get back to the first ten words of this entry. The bottom of the market is here. Prices for real estate are finally within reach and the interest rate on a conventional loan is 5% or under. A double-whammy. So, it truly appears to be a time that offers more potential for investment than in recent history.

Whether it’s a refinance, purchase, loan modification, investment property, or an upgrade, the opportunities are out there.

Friends

This weekend one of my best friends came to Los Angeles from her home in Oakland, CA. As much as I try to justify different reasons for her visit to LA, astoundingly the reality is she just came in to help a friend.

Amy Perl is a well known and brilliant photographer based in the Bay Area. Her specialty is working with kids. She has taken timeless shots of my children over the years and now she came down to spend the weekend with us and photograph my band, Egg. We are in the middle of revamping the website and in need of photos for marketing and publicity. Months ago when the band thought of having Amy take the shots I thought it was spot-on but not realistic, as she lives up North, has a family, and that we flat out couldn’t afford her. Well, I asked, she said yes, and now Egg is the proud parent of some amazing Amy Perl pictures. http://amyperl.com/

Switching over as I do:

“Loan modification is a process whereby a homeowner's mortgage <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortgage> is modified and both lender and homeowner are bound by the new terms. The most common modifications are lowering the interest rate <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interest_rate> , reducing the principal balance, 'fixing' adjustable interest rates <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interest_rate> , increasing the loan term, forgiveness of payment defaults & fees, or any combination of these. Wikipedia, 2.9.09

A lot is changing in the real estate market right now. Banks are coming to the realization that they either help their customers find a way or everybody loses. Loan modifications, refinancing, and new programs to get people into houses are becoming a lot easier to obtain. I have been working with different institutions to get my clients the help they need on a case-by-case basis. Of course, please let me know if there is anything I can do to assist you.

HOUSE OF THE WEEK:

I am helping an incredible couple sell their home. It has arguably the best views I have ever seen from a residential hilltop home and has a flat area the size of a football field. This property has a 4800 square foot home sitting atop well over an acre and is ultra private.

Satellite, Financing and South Paw

So, I just got a new car. It is a Mini Cooper Clubman and it came with satellite radio. Without sounding like the king of hyperbole, it has changed my life. I can’t handle regular radio anymore. Now that I know what I was missing, I wish I had gotten satellite a long time ago. The music channels are great…but it seems like I’m always listening to news. So, here’s the question:

Is becoming a news radio junkie a good thing?

Ever since I became a realtor, I have been more interested in national trends, but the Obama era has made me obsess on national and international news. A while back I went through a phase where I read every book I could that represented the Liberal perspective. It got to a point where my therapist strongly suggested that I not read Michael Moore or anyone like him for a while. Well, years later, I find myself obsessing on the news again. From the bailout package and housing to health care, I easily get swept up in the need for change. “Ignorance is bliss” is a saying that I am guessing has been around a while. Man, it’s hard not to get swallowed in the drama of our global politics when everything in the press is negative. Some would say I’m susceptible to the addictive qualities of the news. I’m starting to think that my therapist had it right; sometimes stumbling through life with naïve positivism can be nice. I think I’ll move over to Dr. Radio!

A quick note on financing. This, in my opinion, is where the problem and resolution of the financial debacle is centered. Wells Fargo is trying to do something about it. Last week they announced a loan package that is 90% financing. I have a great lender at Wells for you to contact if this interests you.

Also, all Polar Bears are left handed. True.

The Facebook Effect

It seems just a short time ago that our parents put our social security number all over our possessions for safety in case of theft. Can you believe that? Now, with the internet being as accessible as a home phone (remember those?), life has changed. I am continuously intrigued with the networking sites. My site of choice is Facebook. It is mind-boggling who reaches out for a reconnection via the web. Some make me feel a bit peculiar, some very happy, and others…well....

It’s also curious to challenge who will accept a friend request. Did I mention my sudden closeness with Brian Boitano? But I digress.

Today I received an email from a family friend who I have not seen or spoken to in twenty seven years. I was nine the last time I saw her. A quick email, picture, and voila...back in touch. I think the last time I saw her, my older brother Gary thought it would be a fun idea to streak by the campfire while she was cooking s’mores, still my favorite dessert. She was roughly seventeen and Gary the same. The site of my older brother naked, except for a pair of Converse All Stars, running through the desert is still ingrained in my brain. She included the above picture of me sitting in the back of our family dune buggy in Anza Borrego ( http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=638 ), averting spinal disaster by a mere few feet. And to think my kids are locked into their five point harness while heading three blocks to our local Ralph’s. Definitely a different time.

To Real Estate:

Yesterday I held 881 Matilija Road open from 1pm-4pm. This was virtually the same time as the Philadelphia vs. Arizona game, so I thought that we would get four or five groups through. We had over 110 people through the home in those three hours. It felt like 2005-2006 all over again. Please visit Clarkliving.com or StephenPlacial.com to see pictures of the house. Additionally, a home in Silver Lake went into multiples and was bid up over $100,000 last week. With change in the air, Obama taking office tomorrow (seeya W.) http://www.redbubble.com/people/melinda/t-shirts/2271571-2-bye-bye-george-bush, and some old friends reconnecting, 2009 is shaping up to be a great year.

Twinkie, Bok Choy or fantastic 3/3 with views

What is it about a piece of asparagus that is inherently unappealing to a child?

I, for one, like asparagus. But as a little guy I detested them. That goes for any vegetable in the squash family as well as Brussels sprout (Brassica oleracea), tomatoes, and, of course, the king of soggy…spinach. On the other hand, any kid will look at a cupcake and just know that it’ll be delicious and as close to the opposite of a rutabaga as that little brain can conjure.

I watch my two year old vehemently turn down healthy food on a day to day basis just to reach out for anything in our house that’s junk. And don’t get me wrong; being the great parents that we are, we get the “organic” pop tarts from Trader Joe's. Is it as simple as insisting that your child eat a Twinkie, forbidding bok choy?

Over to real estate:

Today I submitted an offer on behalf of my clients on a beautiful home that would suit their family, educational, and spatial needs. The home has been on the market for six days and has four offers. I wrote an offer last week for a different client which had three offers. What’s going on?

According to the Today Show this morning I should pack it up as a realtor and go interview to be a barista at the local coffee house. Is it LA? Today’s forecast is 80 degrees, clear, and 14% humidity. Is it the interest rate? Today it’s 4.75% on a 15 year fixed. It’s all a bit confusing to me.

All I know is that I am looking out my office window at a beautiful view of downtown LA and looking forward to having the sunroof down on my way to lunch with Ceinwyn. No disrespect to Matt, Meredith, Al and Anne, but the coffee I’m making will be for me and real estate is where I’m staying.

Welcome to 2009.

With the new year comes all of the real estate craziness. The interest rates are at a historic low and buyers have come out with a vengeance. A home in NW Glendale just went on the market and currently has eleven offers. There is a buzz happening. If you’re sitting on the fence, I strongly encourage you to think about making your move (pun intended).

On another note:blogging - To write entries in, add material to, or maintain a weblog.

Just a few months ago I really didn’t know what blogging was. It sounds funny too. A little like flogging: verb (used with object), flogged, flogging. To beat with a whip, stick, etc., esp. as punishment; whip; scourge. Or clogging: to hinder or obstruct with thick or sticky matter; choke up: to clog a drain. That’s pretty nasty. Hogging: to appropriate selfishly; take more than one's share of. Dogging: to follow or track like a dog, esp. with hostile intent; hound.

I think this is the most accurate: blogging: to masquerade one’s inconceivable narcissism with clever yet random tidbits of information to better enhance one’s business, personal life, and, in most cases, self esteem via the internet.

What do you think?

There are always fascinating options out there for residential dwellings. And, there will always be the kind of person who embraces the slightly different and capitalizes greatly. I have recently been researching storage containers. A friend/client is in the container business and is very hip to the vast possibilities. For a multitude of reasons these large metal containers are amazing. They are built incredibly strong and for the most part are inexpensive. Traditionally they have been used to bring large quantities of products on ships and trains all over the world. But, some creative people have seen containers as a great way to recycle, help the needy and create some absurdly cool living situations. I for one was bowled over when I realized what people were doing with them. They are stackable and of course can be laid next to each other for greater width. Here is a movie that my wife’s company did the music for about these containers through Lexus. www.thepowerofh.com/

Here are a few links to show how this is done and some final products:

http://www.jetsongreen.com/2008/09/incredible-harb.html

http://bldgblog.blogspot.com/2006/09/container-home-kit.html

http://weburbanist.com/2008/06/01/more-cargo-container-homes-and-offices/

http://shippingcontainerhousedesign.com/containerhome_1280.html

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=los+feliz+container+house+photo&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=1&ct=title


Happy holidays,
Steve

Weather, good music and Dishwasher Magic

OK – here I am again. After a few moments of weather here in LA I have to say, it’s kind of nice. Last Friday I played golf in the early morning and tennis as the sun was setting. Three days later there’s snow on the mountains and I was able to turn my sprinklers off. Now that it’s December Trader Joes is carrying Candy Cane Joe Joes. All is right with the universe.

Speaking of right with the universe:

Just over two years ago my wife and I remodeled our kitchen and went the high end appliance route. We ended up with a Miele dishwasher. It is most fancy! First off, it is built into our kitchen to be indistinguishable. It looks to be just another drawer or cabinet in our kitchen (if I knew that was the plan we could have gone for a cheapie model). For the amount of money we spent on it, I kind of want it to be the first thing our friends see when they walk into our house. Right there in the front foyer with a spot light on it. “Wow, I didn’t realize Steve and Ceinwyn had such a high end dishwasher”. Secondly, it its some cool cutlery rack on top. Who knew? Anyway, it started acting up about a year ago. Dishes were not getting clean and it was backing up every couple of months alerting us with a series of beeps that made the neighborhood dogs take notice. Unfortunately, I figured out how to take it apart and clean it out. This became a fairly regular event until two weeks ago I called a Miele repairman to come out to take a look. I was prepared for a huge and costly problem. But the guy told me that "hard water" is causing calcium deposits to accumulate in the filters and inner workings of the dishwasher. “Hard water?” I guess Glendale and many areas in LA have this hard water problem. He suggested a product called “Dishwasher Magic”. Really? This has got be a joke or a scam or something that won’t fix my dishwasher but will cost me a bunch of money. Well he supplied us with five bottles of this stuff at $19.00 a bottle. This shit is incredible! Our dishwasher now looks brand new and cleans the dishes! I am serious, it cleans the dirty dishes. The filters are clean, the drainage problem is gone and now the symbiosis between my wife, children and me is back.

Here is the kicker: With twenty five seconds of research I found Dishwasher Magic for $5.95 a bottle. I am buying a case and running one bottle through at the beginning of every month. This’ll be my new year’s resolution.

Off to my daughters winter musical and then to the Hotel Café with some friends to see Gary Jules play.

Some weather, good music and Dishwasher Magic… Life is good.