norma toering real estate broker: Where Will This Week Take Me?
- 10/02/11 07:28 AM
One thing I know for certain is I will not spend the week sitting at my desk--and I like that. It's only Sunday morning but a glance at my calendar tells me I will be showing a new client luxury leases in the Greater Los Angeles Area. These will be furnished high-end homes and a pleasure to show. There's a short sale escrow to track, and a new short sale offer to write. There's a recent sale to follow up on, two clients pondering whether to list this month or postpone (and in need of recent market data to help them make … (5 comments)
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norma toering real estate broker: Life at Calico Lake in California---39477 Mountain View For Sale
- 09/06/11 10:49 AM
If you're looking for a vacation home, a nice little weekend getaway or year-round living, this custom built one level home on Calico Lake may be the answer to your house hunting dream.
The price was just reduced over Labor Day weekend to $539,000! The four bedroom beauty is located on one of the prime lots at Lake Calico (near Barstow). No expense was spared from imported tile to high efficiency windows. The community will soon be gated for added privacy. HOA fees are $183 per month and include water.
If boating and off roading are your pleasures … (14 comments)
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norma toering real estate broker: Leasing in Manhattan Beach, California
- 06/15/11 01:20 PM
Summer is here, and the beaches of Southern California are a major selling point whether buying or leasing property in the Beach Cities of Redondo, Hermosa and Manhattan Beach. Who can resist the cool ocean breezes on a sunny California day?
Manhattan Beach offers a variety of properties for lease. There is something for almost every budget.
18 Homes are available for lease in Manhattan Beach, CA ranging in monthly rents from $3,200 to $35,000. 12 Homes leased out during the month of May for $2,995/mo to $11,000/mo. The average rental price from completed leases in May was … (6 comments)
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norma toering real estate broker: Looking for a Luxury Real Estate Agent in Los Angeles?
- 06/15/11 04:14 AM
If you're making a move to Los Angeles with the intentions of purchasing a luxury home somewhere within the metropolitan sprawl you want to know you and your purchase are in the care of a competent, tech-savvy agent. You need an agent that will not only diligently protect your interests but will also show you only the creme dela creme of the homes meeting your criteria. Your agent should protect your time as diligently as your dollars.
I've represented musicians, actors, business owners and top corporate executives during my real estate career, and they always appreciate my effort to make the purchase … (6 comments)
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norma toering real estate broker: Backing Away From Buying? Perhaps Leasing in Los Angeles Is the Best Short Term Solution for You
- 06/14/11 12:01 PM
It is a gutsy move to fly into an unfamiliar city and purchase a luxury home over a long weekend. I've done it and thankfully it usually worked out fine. But in today's uncertain housing market it can also be a risky move. Perhaps the commute will be worse than you thought. Perhaps the neighborhood turns out to be not the one you want long term. Leasing can be a short term alternative allowing you to become familiar with the area, settle into your new job and look for new digs after the other areas of life are more settled.
… (6 comments)
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norma toering real estate broker: TBTB
- 06/12/11 04:54 PM
Too busy to blog (TBTB) certainly describes my life at the moment, and that's actually a positive statement and not a complaint. These are times that make me wish I had a stockpile of fresh content in my draft file. Alas, that's not the case.
The past week created lots of fodder for blog posts, trouble is the events were coming in rapid succession and there was no time to record them--it was wild enough living them! I just received a counter offer minutes ago and they would like an answer tonight...see what I mean?
The life lesson in this … (26 comments)
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norma toering real estate broker: Pay It Forward--It Was Cold, Breezy and I Was Very Busy, But I Went Anyway
- 06/12/11 04:35 PM
Last week was jammed with buyers in town, escrows with issues, sellers needing service, offers on listings and buyers writing offers--just your typical real estate week, but there was also a graduation to attend. I was crazy busy, but I went anyway and would not have missed it.
It was a blustery, cold day, the public address system was barely functioning but I sat patiently and listened to over 300 names called as Ridgecrest Middle School held their graduation ceremony. My grandson deserved my presence at this important marker in his education and it did not really matter whether deals were falling apart … (6 comments)
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norma toering real estate broker: Leasing Your Palos Verdes Home
- 06/10/11 12:33 PM
I listed a house for lease last week. The home belongs to one of my clients and he decided a few years ago rather than sell it in the current market, he would lease it. It is in a desirable location and it usually leases within a few weeks. I expect this year will be a repeat performance of years past. We already have one application and three showings are scheduled for the weekend.
Leasing remains a popular option for both sellers and buyers in Palos Verdes. I'm currently working with two couples relocating to Palos Verdes and each wants to … (4 comments)
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norma toering real estate broker: Good Morning Shanghai, Moscow and Cape Town
- 06/08/11 10:11 AM
At 5:15 this morning I booted up my computer to find several emails from far away clients. That's the very cool thing about becoming an international agent--while I'm sleeping I'm still working, or at least my blogs and emails are out there in the world doing their global duty. Yes, I work in "The Rain" both day and night.
The first email I opened was from Cape Town, South Africa. A job relocation will soon bring this client to Los Angeles. We've been corresponding since he found my Active Rain blog a few months ago.
Next, I moved on to an email from … (16 comments)
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norma toering real estate broker: Which Road to Choose
- 06/06/11 02:26 PM
Tomorrow my clients will be facing their real estate D-Day--decision time. After their offer was accepted they received several unexpected (and unwanted) surprises in the disclosures. We researched, evaluated and received bids. Tomorrow we will consult with the City to discuss the unpermitted structure. Will it stay, or does it have to go? Will the buyers stay, or will they go? What road will the City approve?
The due diligence discovery phase of purchasing a property always is a bit of an adventure. Inspections and seller disclosures are critical in helping the buyers decide whether to move forward with … (17 comments)
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norma toering real estate broker: Property Tax Reduction For a Senior--Pay It Forward
- 06/03/11 01:57 AM
A senior client of mine requested my assistance in obtaining a reduction in his California property taxes. We began the task several months ago by submitting recent comparable sales in the neighborhood to the appropriate governmental agency. Although comparable properties are selling 20 to 30% less than he paid in 2008, it can be a long, arduous task to obtain a reduction in annual property taxes, but it can be done.
Later this month I will appear at a hearing with my client where we will plead his case for a property tax reduction. In California, property taxes are reassessed upon sale at … (9 comments)
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norma toering real estate broker: The Hare and the Tortoise in Me
- 05/31/11 04:02 AM
The hare and the tortoise both reside within me--how's that for a personal discovery revealed by a recent challenge I accepted?
When I accepted the 31 Days of May Challenge to post a blog article each day of the month, I knew there would be days when I would not have the time or inclination to write a post, but as the lyrics to a country song say, do it anyway, and I did. I've never felt I produce my most creative efforts on demand and certainly not on daily basis. I usually wait for inspiration, a catalytic event or … (18 comments)
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norma toering real estate broker: Podium Phobia?
- 05/30/11 11:12 AM
If you suffer from podium phobia the Peninsula Toastmasters are meeting tonight! Their meetings offer a friendly, comfortable environment in which to learn and practice public speaking techniques and leadership skills. If you would like to hone and perfect your skills why not drop by Coco's Restaurant, 28300 S. Western Ave., Rancho Palos Verdes at 7 p.m. on Mondays? Yes, there is a meeting tonight, but you are invited to drop in any Monday night.
I remember my college public speaking course. I purposely signed up for the 7am Saturday class so I could get it out of the … (7 comments)
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norma toering real estate broker: Pay It Forward--A Rest and Renewal Day
- 05/29/11 02:45 AM
Last week was a demanding week to say the least. New listings, offers to negotiate, buyers in town--all the usual real estate stuff, just more of it. Most days started at 5am and ended after 10pm. Lots of good stuff happening but after a full week of long days and short nights this agent actually took the day off yesterday, indulged in a spa treatment, took a nap and went to bed before 10pm. How very decadent of me!
I saw the opening in my schedule and took full advantage of it. Today, there is an open house … (6 comments)
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norma toering real estate broker: Palos Verdes & Beach Cities Luxury Leases
- 05/28/11 05:12 AM
I'm working with two relocation buyers and both are considering leasing for one year before purchasing a home in Palos Verdes or the Beach Cities of Redondo, Hermosa and Manhattan Beach. They want to get to know the various neighborhoods and decide where they want to put down roots.
If you are relocating to the South Bay area of the Greater Los Angeles Area and thinking of leasing while you discover the various neighborhoods, your commute route and amenities of multiple locales, a luxury lease may be the perfect temporary fit for you. Since I just listed a lease … (6 comments)
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norma toering real estate broker: Lower Lunada Bay Lease in Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274
- 05/27/11 02:02 PM
A picture is worth a thousand words so I won't write a lengthy post or bore you with flowery prose. This home is for lease and will be available July 2011. It is a block from the ocean bluffs and in a sought after neighborhood.
4 Bedrooms
2.5 Baths
2267 Sq. Ft. (per tax assessor)
11820 Sq. Ft. Lot (per tax assessor)
$5,200 Per Month with minimum one year lease required
Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800
PalosVerdesLifestyle- Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area … (0 comments)
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norma toering real estate broker: Was There a Death in the House?
- 05/24/11 06:28 AM
"Are you the seller aware of within the last 3 years, the death of an occupant of the Property upon the Property?" All California sellers must answer the above question.
"Yes" was clearly checked on the Seller Property Questionnaire. "Elderly owner died of natural causes." In California all sellers must disclose any death occurring on the property during the previous three years. I'm not sure what is so magical or exorcising about three years, but the law has spoken and that is the final decision. After three years and one day it is no longer a material fact.
The owner … (14 comments)
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norma toering real estate broker: 20 La Vista Verde, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275--The Purpose of an Open House
- 05/23/11 02:11 AM
I was so impressed with Patricia Kennedy's report of over 60 attendees at her weekend open house, I thought the Washington D.C. housing market must be hotter than in my little niche of the woods. Not so! I has a stream of people in and out of my new listing at 20 La Vista Verde Sunday afternoon.
There were agents previewing and showing, plus more than sixty people from the public sector. Showings are scheduled for this week and one determined-to-find-a-home wife sent her husband back to see it. I met neighbors and friends looking for a house for friends, sellers … (10 comments)
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norma toering real estate broker: Let Them Eat Cake--Pay It Forward
- 05/21/11 03:11 AM
"Let them eat cake." Marie Antoinette's idea was not a great solution to the French bread shortage but it was a fabulous idea for a "just married" couple prior to signing a counter offer in my office last week.
I must admit the girl at the bakery was taken aback when I told her I needed a wedding cake to go--now! There was no time to give the week notice they require or to be too picky. "That one in the window will do," I said with a smile. "But let's add a white dove and some silver wedding rings."
Ten minutes later … (48 comments)
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norma toering real estate broker: The Weather Is in Charge of My Calendar Today--I'm Sipping Tea While It Decides What I'm Going To Do
- 05/17/11 06:36 AM
I had a productive plan penciled out for today. There were homes to see, a new listing to photograph and showing appointments to keep. Then Mother Nature showed up this morning with a slow, steady rain and a very gray day. I rescheduled the showings (Californians prefer their house hunting trips to be topped off by sunshine and balmy temperatures) and I'm sipping tea and watching the sky from my wall of windows as I wait to make a decision about the 4PM photo shoot.
Today may not develop as planned, but that's fairly typical of a real estate agent's day--every … (6 comments)
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One thing I know for certain is I will not spend the week sitting at my desk--and I like that. It's only Sunday morning but a glance at my calendar tells me I will be showing a new client luxury leases in the Greater Los Angeles Area. These will be furnished high-end homes and a pleasure to show. There's a short sale escrow to track, and a new short sale offer to write. There's a recent sale to follow up on, two clients pondering whether to list this month or postpone (and in need of recent market data to help them make … (5 comments)
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