Aug
18
Showers versus tubs, what’s better for resale?
Posted by kcotter under For Buyers, For Sellers, General Information
I should know, right? It™s my job following people around as they look at homes with both showers and bathtubs. Which is more profitable when it comes to resale?
Well, I don™t really know. I know which of my clients like baths and which like showers (isn™t that a weird thing to know about someone doing business with you?) I know that sometimes a bathtub or shower is so important to someone that they might not buy a house/condo if what they want isn™t right.
I know water pressure is important because I™ve had three different buyers let that influence their property choice.
But professionally what would I say based on my own experience? I rely on builders and home designers¦I figure they do a lot of surveying and focus groups on how create the home environment. In new homes I™m seeing over-sized tubs and separate showers. Which says to me, they don™t know either“better have both, just in case.
If I absolutely have to have an answer I would say ” don™t remove the only tub¦or get a tub if there isn™t at least one. Then just make the house something comfortable because you have to live there until you sell.
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May
5
“Home Alone” house for sale
Posted by kcotter under For Buyers, For Realty Professionals, For Sellers, General Information
The house that starred in “Home Alone,” the 1990 classic with Macauly Culkin is on the market. Here’s a photo from from an msn newstory. The house is in a Chicago suburb and the owners 
(who lived in the house during the filming) are now downsizing. It’s 4,250 sq. ft. There’s a great little video on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnwafUMZ8fE&feature=player_embedded) with the listing agent and the owners talking about how their home has become an icon. Check it out…$2.4 million.
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May
3
Most expensive house in Long Beach, CA
Posted by kcotter under For Buyers, For Realty Professionals, For Sellers, General Information
I was curious. Long Beach is an unassuming little beach city with demograhics that are spread widely over most economic brackets, ethnic backgrounds, age, even sexual orientation. It’s not the hometown for movie stars, like Malibu or Beverly Hills. So what would the most expensive home here cost? According to a search I ran today it’s $10,500,000. However, it’s more than just a house, it’s a “compound” on Naples with lots of water frontage,
a swimming pool and a yacht dock. Every bedroom has a private bath (that’s 7). 
The kitchen has three refrigerators and two dishwashers. 
There’s a wall that is a 450-gallon built-in aquarium. In the Multi-listing’s description, it says: “Entertain 250 people guests easily.” (I don’t know how even a big house would make that easy) There’s a pool house, too. And while it’s not my listing, the listing agent is offering to cooperate with a buyer’s agent–So I can show the property and submit an offer on your behalf! Anyone interested in buying this, please give me a call… it will be fun!
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Mar
21
Tribute to a passed client
Posted by kcotter under For Buyers, For Sellers, General Information
One of my clients died last week. I don’t know why I was shocked, she warned me when she bought her property 9 years ago. She said: “I’m going to love this place so much that when you get a call to sell it–it will be from my kids, after I go.” That’s exactly what happened.
What I remember about her is that when she called me about buying, she said was was a retired Real Estate Agent/Escrow officer and she doubted that I would ever be able to earn her business, other than just showing her my listing.
But she did hire me…I was either knowledgeable or pathetic enough.
Her criteria was pretty rigid… definitely had to have a gas range, a window over the kitchen sink, it had to be bright and light, and she needed two parking places–so when her kids came over they could park.
She wanted to look at everything that met her minimum standard. We went out two or three times a week for months. On the weekends she’d go to open houses on her own.
One of the most memorable moments with her was when we tripped a burglar alarm looking at someone’s place.
I was embarrassed and afraid the police would come… and they did… but she was glad because she now knew exactly how long it would take the police to come if she ever needed help!
I’m sorry I have to sell her place, but I can really appreciate what a great place it is and was for her.
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Jun
22
Carol Burnett’s childhood home
Posted by kcotter under For all, For Buyers, For Sellers, General Information
The childhood home of Carol Burnett is very easy to find in Hollywood. Anyone at least 40 years old, probably knows who Carol Burnett is — she had her own variety TV show in the 1960s and ’70s, then starred in several movies (for those younger, she was the voice of the cranky Kangaroo in the more recent animated movie: Horton Hears a Who.) Burnett wrote a book about her childhood because she wanted to preserve her history for her children (three daughters).
I found the book both fascinating and inspiring. Carol Burnett had a very nontraditional childhood, one might think unfortunate and poor. Still Burnett emerged as a comedienne/entertainer who has contributed much in laughter and entertainment through her work. That’s one of the reasons I devour biographies–I find hope and encouragement because everyone’s story is different and opportunities present themselves to anyone indiscriminatly. It’s character and determination that makes opportunity purposeful.
When I read “One more time: a Memoir“, in the 1990s, I worked pretty close to the building Carol lived in as a little girl/teen. I was a magazine editor and our offices were across the street from Grauman’s Chinese. I was delighted that I could identify such a infamous landmark! Later this book was the inspiration for a play written by Burnett and her daughter (who died from cancer before the play was ever staged.)
Why this makes the “BLOG” now is that I just finished listening to “This Time Together,”also by Burnett which is a collection of antecdotes mostly that take place where the previous book left off.
(I say I “listened to” because since Ipods and Audible.com were invented I can absorb morebooks by taking advantage of my iphone while driving/walking/chores, etc. in addition to reading!)
I got a bit nostalgic to see that old apartment house, while hearing about it again, but I don’t drive to Hollywood every day anymore — so I went to one of my favorite blog sites AND PICTURES OF THE BUILDING WERE THERE!!!!!!!
http://www.iamnotastalker.com/2010/04/30/carol-burnetts-childhood-home/
If you’re as interested in people homes, as I am, you’ll love this Iamnotastalker.
.com because it’s full of interesting information about homes and locations used on TV shows, etc.
In fact, if you are interested in Carol Burnett’s association with the buildings, there’s an interest postscript to the story and many more details than I’ve provided!
PS The artwork for the books was taken off Amazon.com, where I buy many of my books.
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Jun
11
Big Trouble in Real Estate
Posted by kcotter under For Buyers, For Sellers, General Information
The number one cause of lawsuits in residential real estate, according to attorney John Giardinelli, has to do with owners disclosing facts about their homes when selling.
At a recent class I attended, Mr Giardinelli (from The Giardinelli Law Group, APC) said that about 85% of cases pertaining to real estate are about disclosures after Close of Escrow.
That™s why using a listing agent with experience is very important when selling a home.
Did you know that you should disclose œghosts and œhauntings?
Did you know that neighborhood nuisances need to be disclosed?
I™m not trying to scare you! An experienced Realtor is familiar with the most recent disclosure forms required and can guide you smoothly through the process.
Working with a larger, brokerage like Century 21 Beachside helps, too. There™s a larger number of transactions, ergo lots of agents asking questions and answers are constantly being desiminated BEFORE you need that experience.
One of my favorite quotes is: œExperience is something you wish you had five minutes before you have it. Source, unknown.
I™ve had ten years experience and have asked many, many questions in those years. That means, I probably already have the answer to almost anything that would come up in an average transaction¦. for instance, what about Rumors?
If you are thinking of selling your home“even if not now, but in the future“let™s start building a relationship to help make your sale successful and smooth.
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Nov
25
Pilgrim Houses
Posted by kcotter under For Buyers, For Sellers, General Information
Pilgrim Houses
As Thanksgiving approaches, we talk alot about the Pilgrims…Everyone obsesses about how the started the holiday and a big feast.
Do you know what I think about (because, of course, I’m a Realtor)? They invented first gated community in America!
- 1 and 2 room models
- Large kitchen conveniently located throughout whole house
- Expansive hearth/stove/range/microwave combination
- Natural stone flooring (lots of stones in all that DIRT)
- Wall to wall to wall to wall wood paneling
- VIEW from homes with windows
- Lofts
- Large backyards (lots 50′ by 50′)
- Small complex (just ninteen units)
- Security (eight to nine feet walls)
- Low Association dues (community service)
- Community bathrooms!
Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts When the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock there was virtually an untapped plethora of lumber for home construction. While none of those homes still exist (photos are of replicas), historians surmise that wooden homes were built utilizing English construction techniques. Oak, pine, walnut and cedar were used to build frames. Clay, sand and gravel were used, as well as wood pins for fastening. At first, the roofs were thatched, but numerous fires lead lawmakers to prohibit that starting in 1627.
Most homes had dirt floors and later board floors. There was one central living room where everything happen: dominated by a hearth. Then, there were lofts where children and servants slept. There were very few windows and those had to be shuttered in the winter–the first settlers wrote home and encouraged prospective colonists to bring paper and linseed oil to use instead of glass. Glass did come eventually.
Colonist families averaged seven to eight children who were home schooled. However, by the time the youngsters reached six or seven years of age, they were put to work helping their parents.
Religion and civic accountability dominated the settlement™s social life–and laws prohibiting idleness kept everyone out of trouble.
If you would like to read more on your own about the Pilgrim settlement the links below were great resources.
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Jul
15
More Real Estate Advertising Goofs
Posted by kcotter under For Buyers, For Sellers, General Information, Real Estate Advertising Goofs
Here’s another segment in my overbundant supply of goofs by Real Estate agents describing their listings. These goofs have actually appeared on the Multilistings. Read these and scroll the blog entries through for even more!
This was regarding a house built in 2003:
“Completely updated kitchen”
What could you possibly have to do to update a 2003 kitchen? Have they invented new things in the last five years?
“…has very nise cerbeapel”
Didn’t even know people cared about Cerbeapel? I think we’re going for “curb appeal?”
“..specious…equidistant…buildong”
But no cerbeapel?
Come back for more!
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Jul
15
Way to go! Mattman!
Posted by kcotter under For Buyers, For Realty Professionals, For Sellers, General Information
Number one son, Matthew, just graduated from the University of California Santa Cruz!…with a Bachelor of Arts in– can you believe it? I don’t even know! It has something to do with Politics, but when they announced the actual degree, I was too busy bawling my eyes out, I forgot to listen! (And too embarrassed to ask him later!)
For 17 years he was “my baby.” I nick-named him Mattman, because he is my superhero. When I was pregnant, I was living in Korea and some bonehead doctors told me there were abnormalities in early tests. They suggested I get Amniocentesis to make sure I should have him. I was a baby myself at 25 and pretty freaked out. But, then I thought: of course I was going to “have” him, no matter! So I found strength in my Mattman to trust and to grow-up: I told the doctors to get lost and leave us alone! I just felt he was going to be “okay” and believed unconditionally. And, other than turning out exactly like me in most ways– no other defects!
While his older sister, the brainiac med student, breezed through school… Matt and I bonded over his homework. Turns out he’s very dyslexic (and in having him diagnosed, we found out I am, too. That’s probably why we were having so much trouble with his homework!)
I am exceptionally proud that he has the strength of character to overcome a handicap of sorts. He’s great at believing himself (although he may not believe that!) He tried out for a lead in The Sound of Music — and if after he wasn’t cast, he still learned the lines and went to rehearsal because he knew he was Kurt, darn it! Once the director started working with Matt, she recognized that he really is very talented gave him two performances.
Now he’s off to TVs-ville. While Matt’s not completely committed to a career or future plans–but he has secured an internship on the Dr. Phil show. So look for the back of his head in wide-shots next fall!
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Jun
4
TV star’s house in Foreclosure
Posted by kcotter under For Buyers, For Sellers, General Information
The ex-Tonight Show’s announcer Ed McMahon’s house is on the market and facing foreclosure, according to aol, this morning:
McMahon, who starred in StarSearch, TV Bloopers and also known for many commercials, is $644,000 behind in his house payments.
Countrywide apparently filed a default notice — it’s “flagged: in the tax records.
McMahon has not been working much since he broke his neck 18 months ago…
The house was listed in Feburary of 2007 and expired after 471 DOM.
In case you’re interested: news reports McMahon owes: $4.8 million. The house is in a gated community and was last listed for $6.25 mil.
Here are some photos of the home:I got these off the expired listing for the house that matches the tax records. According to the MLS listing, the house features: his and hers baths. It was built in 1989. It’s on a 14,736 sq. ft. lot. It’s six bedrooms and five baths and more than 7000 sq. ft.
The former listing agent complained in news reports that part of the “hard-sell” could be Britany Spears living up the street and papparazi everywhere. However, the home is said to be in a gated community.
Maybe the harder sell is the “history” — McMahon, you may remember, sued and won a $7.2 million an insurance settlement after claims that mold killed his dog Muffin and sicked him and his wife.
Even the rich and famous are not immune from real estate troubles!
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