choosing a professional who cares: Safety Tips for Realtors - Part II - 04/24/09 04:28 PM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
In the last Blog we talked about some of the ways you can protect yourself when showing property. I shared suggestions for things you can do before viewing the property. Here are some suggestions for things to do at the actual viewing.
1. Never wear expensive jewelry or carry valuables on you. Keep your cell phone on you at all times, but everything else stays home or at the office.2. Park on the street, not in the driveway. This seems counter intuitive, but think about it. If you park in the driveway you can easily be blocked in. Yes, you … (4 comments)
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choosing a professional who cares: Assessor Scam - 04/23/09 08:28 AM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
It is unfortunate, but in times of economic strife con men flourish. What is worse their prey is often the people who can least afford the scam. There is a current scam happening in Los Angeles that we all need to be aware of and make our friends, families and clients aware of as well.
Home owners are receiving letters that are worded in such a way that they appear to be from the County Assessor's office. They are not, they are from private companies. The letters tell the home owner they can pay lower taxes if they … (0 comments)
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choosing a professional who cares: Feng Sui - 04/23/09 08:24 AM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
I am a fan of Feng Shui. Having been a successful Realtor for many years I have walked into a wide range of rooms and I can tell you that rooms convey a mood, a mood that affects how people perform and act in the room. Rearrange the furniture and the mood will change.
For those that are skeptical of the principles of Feng Shui I offer the example of a messy desk. Sit down at a messy desk and notice how much work you get done. Clutter and loose papers on a desk top draw your attention … (0 comments)
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choosing a professional who cares: Renewal - 04/22/09 04:07 PM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
Spring is a time for renewal. Even the religious holidays at this time of year are about renewal. Spring is a great time to look around your condo and consider how you can breathe new life into the space. Often it doesn't take much. Consider taking one room and doing an easy weekend makeover.
A fresh coat of paint in the foyer can make a world of difference for your entire home. Simply changing the accent pillows on the sofa or on your bed can transform a room. I am a big fan of fresh flowers largely because … (0 comments)
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choosing a professional who cares: Wedded Bliss - 04/03/09 09:29 PM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
Newlyweds have a great deal to contend with in this day and age. With both partners usually working who wants to take time to trim hedges or contract a gardener? There are certain times in life when we shouldn't have to deal with the mundane day to day mumbo jumbo, and certainly one of those times is when you are a newly wed. Does that mean that newlyweds should miss out on all the perks of home ownership? Certainly not! One ideal solution is vertical living. Buying a condominium affords the bride and groom a lifestyle free of … (1 comments)
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choosing a professional who cares: Transitioning To Condo Life - 04/02/09 03:24 PM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
There are many reasons to transition to Condo living. In today's market there are a variety of home owners who have found the need to downsize their living space and living expenses. Many have found that an affordable condominium makes an ideal investment and superlative living situation. With amenities like gyms and fitness centers in the building it is easy to see the benefits of Condo Life on health and wallet. There is frequently a savings in time, commute times reduced to next to nothing and gas costs are greatly reduced as a result. Condo life is a great solution … (0 comments)
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choosing a professional who cares: Getting Creative - 03/25/09 11:06 AM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
When times get tough, the tough get creative. Now is not the time to give up, now is the time to get smart. For me getting smart means utilizing technology. Right now business people are slashing their operating budgets to accommodate tough markets. Many are them are cutting out their advertising budgets.
I understand the need to lower overhead, but I don't agree with cutting your advertising budget, especially when there are some great ways to advertise for pennies.
If you are not utilizing the power of the internet to market your business then you are seriously missing … (1 comments)
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choosing a professional who cares: Attending Seminars - 03/25/09 10:42 AM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
As part of my ongoing commitment to growth, I make it a regular practice to attend seminars on topics that I think will help me to be a better person and or develop my business. It's important to constantly refresh your knowledge and commitment.Attending a seminar can be a much needed break from business as usual. It is a great way to meet new people and more than anything else it is an opportunity to learn something new.
Years ago I mentally charged myself with getting at least one good idea from every seminar I attend. It is … (0 comments)
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choosing a professional who cares: Greening Your Thermostat - 02/18/09 01:59 PM
By Coco Clayman Cook
One great way to help the environment is to adjust your thermostat. Here in Southern California it may not seem like a big deal, but it is. By lowering your thermostat 2 degrees during the cold wither months and raising it two degrees during the hot summer months you can make a substantial savings in power. We all like our comfort and no one is suggesting that you turn your air conditioning off in double digit weather. The idea is that even small differences can make a difference. The word of the day is simply to reduce. Two … (0 comments)
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choosing a professional who cares: Greening Your Coffee - 02/17/09 11:13 AM
By Coco Clayman Cook
Coffee is one of the great joys in life and by bringing your own cup to your local coffee shop you can save a substantial amount of paper and post consumer waste. Imagine a small mountain built entirely out of coffee cups and you can quickly imagine how much paper could be saved if everyone simply brought their own! Of course there are always times when you get caught out and need a quick cup. There are still ways you can reduce your carbon footprint while using a paper cup. If you use a "jacket" (the insulator that … (0 comments)
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choosing a professional who cares: Greening Your Commute - 02/17/09 11:07 AM
By Coco Clayman Cook
Looking for ways to help the environment? Here in Los Angeles one of the best ways you can reduce your carbon footprint is to reduce your commute. I think one of the greatest advantages to living vertically and enjoying the LA Condo Lifestyle is the ability to walk from your condo to work, shopping, night life and world class dining. It's great for your health and well being and the environment also benefits. If you don't have the good fortune to live vertically, consider ways you can reduce your gas consumption. Taking public transportation, even one day a … (0 comments)
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choosing a professional who cares: Going Green in 2009 - 02/12/09 09:41 PM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
One of my New Year's Resolutions has been to further my commitment to going GREEN. If you haven't already gone green, now is the moment to do it. If like me, you were already consciously trying to reduce, recycle and reuse, now is the time to take your greening to the next level. Our fair city has pledged to go green and the long range benefits for all of us out way any perceived inconvenience. Going green or greener has never been easier! In the next few months I will be featuring green topics in my blogs to help … (0 comments)
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choosing a professional who cares: The Curve Ball - 10/11/08 11:08 PM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
Sometimes life throws you a curve. I am a specialist in the area of luxury condominiums for Los Angeles' famed Westside. It's not unusual for a divorce attorney to contact me and ask me to give them a broker price opinion to sell a couples luxury condominium for a couple who has decided to divorce and needs to dissolve their assets. Moving can be stressful on it's own but when it is due to the dissolution of a marriage it can be particularly rough. Often there is personal property to be divided or disposed of and extremely tight … (0 comments)
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choosing a professional who cares: Selling a Condo After Death - 09/15/08 02:24 PM
by Coco Clayman-Cook
I frequently have family members call me with condo listings after the death of a dear family member. There is a need for expertise and sensitivity in matters such as these. After the death of a loved one there are financial burdens and issues that need to be addressed with speed and proficiency but with an awareness of how emotionally charged the situation can be.
In most cases the condo will need to be prepped and staged to sell quickly. This requires an experienced eye, some one who knows what the current market is and has their finger … (0 comments)
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