la condo professional realtor: Making Time - 04/28/09 10:28 AM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
It's important to make time for the things that are important to you. Time has a way of marching by regardless of our wishes. If we don't schedule what is most important to us it has a way of slipping to last on the list. I have a friend who has said for years that she wanted to work out and get in shape, but it never happened. Last summer she sat down with her planner and scheduled time to go to the gym every day. Now she is in the best shape of her life.
The first … (5 comments)
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la condo professional realtor: Questions - 04/22/09 04:02 PM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
I think asking questions is one of the smartest things a person can do. Questions and answers are what help us to grow and learn. I love when readers write in with questions. It doesn't matter if it is about Feng Shui, the economic stimulus package, LEED Certification or Condominium Amenities, they are all music to my ears.
Please feel free to join the dialogue by asking a question in the comment section below and then stay tuned as I answer your question in a subsequent blog. Especially where real estate is concerned it is worthwhile to have … (0 comments)
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la condo professional realtor: Leed Certification - 04/17/09 09:32 AM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
You may have noticed buildings sporting LEED Certification sprouting up in and around Los Angeles lately. LEED Certification comes in four different levels, certified, silver, gold and platinum. Each level describes a range of environmentally sound considerations that have been observed in construction or renovation.
Some of the design elements considered in the rating are sustainability of the site, energy efficiency, water efficiency and green construction methods/materials. LEED certification is not easy to obtain. These coveted certifications add to the value of a home both immediately and long term.
As more and more consumers join the green movement, … (0 comments)
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la condo professional realtor: Condo Value in Today's Market - 04/17/09 09:27 AM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
Value is the single most important thing when considering real estate. This is true for both buyers and sellers. The numbers attached to the market will go up and down but it is all relative to value. If you own something of value it will survive any market and still serve you well.
If you follow the trends in today's market, Los Angeles Condominiums continue to rank high in value. As gas prices continue to yo-yo more and more consumers are looking for ways to cut their gas bills. Living closer to work is one valuable answer. While … (1 comments)
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la condo professional realtor: Your Condo Garden - 04/16/09 12:24 PM
By Coco Clayman Cook
Spring is here and it is time to spruce up the plants on your balcony. Personally, I love orchids, succulents and flowering plants. But the other day I visited a friend who has created a wonderful garden on her balcony, all with vegetable plants. It was clever, chic, healthy and quite beautiful, not to mention economical.
I especially loved her hanging salad bowls. She has always had tiered hanging baskets of flowers on her balcony, this year they have lettuces, herbs, spinach and even heirloom cherry tomatoes. They were lovely. While I was there she took a … (0 comments)
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la condo professional realtor: Tax and the Homeowner - 04/16/09 12:20 PM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
Home ownership has plenty of advantages, but one of the easiest to recognize is the tax advantages. It is widely known that a great time to purchase property is when the cost of ownership is similar to or less than the cost to rent. If the cost to rent is even close to buying the owner will generally find that after taxes are taken into consideration it is actually cheaper to own than to rent.
Imagine being able to build equity, having the freedom of home ownership and all for less money than to rent. Why wouldn't you … (0 comments)
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la condo professional realtor: Tax Credits For First Time Home Buyers - 04/15/09 10:11 AM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
Are you interested in buying a condominium? The new economic stimulus package has a special enticement just for you. If you have not owned a primary residence in the last three years the new law considers you a "first time home buyer". In some cases you can even own a vacation home and still qualify. If you buy a home this year, before December 1st you can potentially qualify for an $8,000 refundable tax credit.
If you keep your home for more than three years the tax credit does not ever have to be repaid. If you sell … (0 comments)
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la condo professional realtor: REO Condominiums - 04/15/09 10:07 AM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
I believe in being honest with my clients. There are times when honesty is not appreciated; it is in those times when I think it is doubly important to be honest. I am versed in the sale of REO property. I am REO MAC trained and certified, and like a lot of people I was excited last summer to tell my clients about the exciting deals that were available in the REO arena of Real Estate for Los Angeles. REO properties are those that have been foreclosed on by the bank, they failed to sell at auction and … (0 comments)
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la condo professional realtor: Think Green! - 04/14/09 09:51 AM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
With all the talk about recycling, reducing and reusing it's important to remember one of the most essential elements of living green, which is thinking green. Let's face it we have all gotten used to doing things one way and it's hard to break old habits. But if we simply start to "think green" it won't be long before we find our selves "living green". All it takes is asking yourself, "What can I do today to reduce my carbon footprint." Notice I didn't say "erase my carbon footprint". If we simply think about what we can do, … (0 comments)
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la condo professional realtor: Green Kitchens - 2 - 04/14/09 09:15 AM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
Two important elements in any green kitchen design are countertops and flooring. There are ample choices in green countertops depending on your taste and budget. You can even utilize recycled tiles reclaimed from demolished sites. You'd be amazed at what you can find. There are also tiles and other countertops made from recycled paper, hemp, engineered stone, even concrete. This is a fast growing market so there is already a wide array of color choices to choose from.
Green flooring is also seeing a grand expansion. Bamboo is one of the more popular floorings on the market. It … (0 comments)
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la condo professional realtor: Green Shopping Bags - 04/13/09 11:31 AM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
More and more people are seeing the light and using reusable shopping bags. Why? What harm can a little plastic shopping bag do? You'd be surprised. Plastic and paper shopping bags require a great deal of energy to create. Once they are used they clog landfills and the plastic bags pose a threat to sea and wild life. As the bags decompose they shred into smaller pieces that animals mistake for food. Ingesting the bags can make the animals sick and potentially kill them. The cost of recycling plastic bags is significant. It is much smarter to use … (0 comments)
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la condo professional realtor: Green Kitchen Appliances - 04/13/09 11:26 AM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
If you are redoing your kitchen or just ready to purchase some new appliances you will want to think "green". Traditionally the kitchen is the room in the house that uses the most energy and frequently the most water. It is worthwhile to invest in appliances that utilize these resources with the least waste. Even if you pay more for the appliance the savings on your utility bills should make up for the added expense.One easy way to shop for appliances is to look for the energy star label. Appliances that wear this label have been rated by … (0 comments)
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la condo professional realtor: Green Kitchens - 1 - 04/11/09 09:25 AM
By Coco Clayman=Cook
One of the benefits of the worldwide interest in green construction is the wide variety of green products that are newly available. In the coming years we should continue to see an increase in colors and styles of green design elements. One of the rooms in the home that could most benefit from a greening is the kitchen. One huge element of Kitchen design is the cabinets. Most cabinets contain urea-formaldehyde which is not beneficial for the environment or your family's health. The market is just starting to offer alternative materials such as wheatboard. Solid wood is another … (0 comments)
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la condo professional realtor: Green Websites - 04/11/09 09:21 AM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
If you are looking for some informative sites on the web for "Green Living" here is a great list that was shared with us by my good friend and Celebrity Lifestyle Designer, Erin Ferucci.
Greenhomeguide.com - this is a great resource for green construction and design components.Saveourenvironment.org - a great comprehensive site with a useful "green gardening technique" section.Greenercars.com - this site features ratings on all cars for mileage, emissions, etc.40mpg.com - there is a great calculator on this site that will figure out exactly how much money you will save by driving a car that gets 40 … (0 comments)
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la condo professional realtor: Greening Your Office - 04/10/09 10:26 PM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
Is your office practicing environmental consciousness or eco terrorism? One of the first things to consider is your printing habits. It is not only the paper that is used in printing that has an environmental impact; the ink is of even greater concern. A significant portion of the ink used in today's printers contains VOCs, volatile organic compounds. Organic sound good doesn't it? Don't forget the volatile. VOCs are detrimental to ground water and contribute to global warming. The next time you purchase a printer try to buy one that does not use this type of ink.
Until … (0 comments)
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la condo professional realtor: Greening Your Computer - 04/10/09 10:23 PM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
Computers have a great potential to aide us in global greening, if we are willing to utilize them properly. First, it is important to properly maintain our computers so they work as long as possible. This is also great for our wallets. Maintain your computers by regularly vacuuming the front and the back of the tower. This will prevent dust from clogging the venting holes and will add years to your computer's functionality.
Also keep in mind that as long as your computer is plugged in it is draining energy. When your computer is off, unplug it. When … (0 comments)
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la condo professional realtor: Environmentally Conscious Skin Care - 04/06/09 10:35 AM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
We've all started to consider the impact our daily choices are having on our health and our planet. There's no better place to gauge how you are doing than to look at your skin care regime. Have you considered how your self care products are made and packaged?
Taking a trip into your bathroom and reading the labels on your products will give you some information but it won't tell you the whole story. Just because a product uses the words "organic" or "natural" doesn't mean that they are necessarily good for you or the environment. Look for … (0 comments)
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la condo professional realtor: The First Steps - 04/02/09 03:08 PM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
A baby's first steps are vital. They may not be the most finessed but they are just the beginning of a series of steps that will create a lifetime of memories. A young family's first steps are equally important. The importance of entering into home ownership can not be overstated. But there are many things to be considered, not the least of which is the added expense that inevitably comes with a child. Buying a home doesn't have to be a huge overwhelming step. I frequently recommend that young couples begin their home buying experience with a more affordable … (0 comments)
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la condo professional realtor: Greening Your Water - 04/01/09 09:57 AM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
Now that we all know the benefits of proper hydration it is normal to see bottled water offered everywhere. This is a lovely thing but also creates an abundance of plastic bottles and not all of them can be morphed into cute reusable shopping bags. A great way to reduce plastic waste is to install a water filter in your home. Water filters generally pay for themselves very quickly and have far reaching benefits. I always have a big liter of water with me wherever I go and I do have a water filter in my kitchen. but … (1 comments)
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la condo professional realtor: Green Cost - 04/01/09 09:49 AM
By Coco Clayman-Cook
I love the ongoing dialogue about going green! I recently received this email with many helpful suggestions from my friends at Green for Life after posing the question; does it cost more to go green? I thought it was worth reprinting here. Thanks for the many great suggestions, keep them coming! Hi Coco,
Does it cost more to go Green? It will cost us and our environmentmore if we DO NOT go green. Being green doesn't have to be complexor expensive. The greenest thing that we do can be the simplest.
First of all we can purchase used furniture … (0 comments)
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