Greystone Mansion: A Quiet Love Letter to Los AngelesThere are places in Los Angeles that impress you immediately.And then there are places that quietly stay with you.Greystone Mansion is one of those places for me.Tucked into the hills of Beverly Hills, behind stone walls and mature trees, Greystone feels almost removed from the city surrounding it. You are only minutes from the energy of Sunset Boulevard and Rodeo Drive, yet once you begin walking through the grounds, Los Angeles seems to become quieter.Maybe that is what I love about it most.A Little Piece of Old Los AngelesCompleted in 1928 for Edward “Ned” Doheny Jr. and his family, Greystone Mansion was designed by renowned Southern California architect Gordon B. Kaufmann.And it was quite an estate.The Tudor Revival mansion contai... 09/23/2026

Recently, I attended the Beverly Hills Mayor Meet & Greet with Mayor Craig A. Corman, hosted by Greater Los Angeles REALTORS® in partnership with the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce at The Maybourne Beverly Hills.It was a great opportunity to connect with fellow REALTORS® and learn more about what’s ahead for Beverly Hills.The discussion covered SB 79, the new Metro station, future development fees, cooperation between the City and the business community, and greater REALTOR® involvement in public service. An informative evening and a valuable look at some of the issues shaping the future of Beverly Hills, while connecting with fellow REALTORS® and industry professionals. Always valuable to stay informed, connected, and involved in the communities we serve.*Photos courtesy of Greater ... 09/16/2026

I am plagiarizing the headline from one of my client's books. His conclusion at the end of his book was "It's a Race Against Time" I loved his book and let me share a few quotes from him:If you have managed to read through to this point, we congratulate you. Not only for your stamina but also for being able to check your intellectual, scientific, political and other specialty prejudices at the door and kept an open mind.Needless to say, the above message is powerful. Not many people can do the above, I have seen it not only on FB, and other internet platforms but here as well. Often when I write a post or read a post on this platform those words above resonate with me.I have been on this platform for 17 years and have eliminated many phony baloney, two faced people, those who speak from... 02/04/2025

As I reflect back on what we just experience last month with the fires I could not help but search for wisdom and messages that would be worth repeating. Now with that said I hope Malcolm Turnbull is right, over time I have seen the opposite at times. We learn hard and forget fast.Now this quote really resonated with me how about you? What are your thoughts about the above message?Loved the messages, but I wonder if we will really learn and implement the above messages. Let me know your thoughts.  Wishing you a safe and healthy life and I look forward to your comments. If you are looking for a knowledgeable, focused and goal-oriented Realtor in the Beverly Hills area who will help you achieve your Real Estate goals, please reach out to me directly! If you are looking for a pet friendly ... 02/03/2025

January 2025 is in the rear-view mirror.  For most of you reading this and for me, January 2025 will always mark the month that the Palisades and Eaton fires ravaged through Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Altadena, upending over ten thousand families from their homes and causing destruction beyond imagination.  These fires are the most challenging and catastrophic disasters that people in the greater Los Angeles area have faced in a lifetime. Gratefully as of yesterday, the fires are 100% contained and the tireless efforts and work of debris removal is underway.  Our hope remains that Karen Bass and Gavin Newsom be true to their words for a change and expedite the rebuilding process when it is safe to do so without allowing any bureaucratic red tape to stand in the way.  Over the weekend... 02/02/2025

   News about President Trump signing the release of the JFK, RFK and MLK assassination documents. I am sure most of you heard about this. I am so thrilled that after so many decades the documents will be released. At the same time, I am so grateful for him taking this brave directive.I have been reading every book, every article about these assassinations since they happened. Keep in mind I was ten years old when President Jack Kennedy was assassinated. I was heartbroken and decided to keep learning of the who and they and the why.Then, I was watching MLK's   & RFK's assassination within months of each other, I was even more devastated here I am five years later barely one year in the United States as a legal immigrant and this happened.I have been reading every book ever written about... 01/25/2025

As most of you know, I am a fan of motivation and John Wooden never gets old for me."...I am old enough to remember when President Calving Coolidge observed, " No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave.""Some say I believe in old-fashioned traits: courtesy, politeness and consideration. I do believe in these qualities, but they aren't old-fashioned. They never go out of style-- even when they seem to be increasingly scarce."'...I believe they are still common. We just see their opposites so much in the media that we think that's all there is....'Now with that said hope you had a chance to have a relaxing Martin Luther King Day as well as enjoy democracy in action passing the torch from the 46th President to the 47th one!Wishing you a saf... 01/20/2025

Happy New Year one and all.  As we usher in 2025, if you've made any New Year's resolutions, are you still on track with keeping them?  I personally do not set any resolutions in any new year, instead I continue to carry on my business in the same manner as always.  Real estate platforms recognize me for my quick response time,  and I trust everyone reading this also finds that to be true and to your liking. I've noticed that real estate activity is picking up.  I've gotten quite a few inquiries (even on New Year's Day) on my active land listings, the few that are being quietly marketed and my lease listing that I mentioned in last month's newsletter.  Customarily inquiries lead to showings and showings lead to sales -- a good sign of things to come for my clients.Interest rates are be... 01/04/2025

Happy New Year!  I find that many sellers and real estate agents wonder about: What Key Features and Trends do Home Buyers want, especially now in 2025?Personally, I ask the potential buyers directly, nevertheless it is nice to have some of the information that others have already researched in advance. I will still ask the same questions from the potential buyers, and this strategy allows me to confirm if the information I received was accurate or not.The most important aspect of any home buyer is their desire to have a fresh start and a place they can call home. Clearly it is a huge benefit to call a place your own. I still remember when I bought my first home and how that felt. I have never forgotten that feeling and is still with me many decades later.Now with that said what are you... 01/03/2025

If you are considering selling or buying real estate in California, my advice is check out the potential person you are about to reach out to for representation. Now with that said, start with a Google Search, see how the person appears on the Internet.Then do not just stop there, go further check out the Brokerage the person works for and see if that person is still active with that brokerage.Feel free to go a step further and do a public license check at the Department of Real Estate. there are so many who claim to be in the Real Estate Profession but turns out they might not be active and have not been active for years or decades or months. Do not be fooled by impostors.Just because they put a DRE License Number in their signature block does not necessarily mean they are actually act... 01/01/2025

 This post is to my friends, follower and those who read my posts on all the different platforms I publish my posts. Here we are this is the last weekend of 2024 and what do we have to show for it?Well, if you are a chocoholic, wine lover and a food connoisseur like me, I can show a lot of good sweets and meals. If you are an investor, buyer or seller of real estate, I hope you enjoyed my posts as well and reached out to me privately for help and advice.I also want to mention that I am so grateful for the friends who have given us good chocolate, great wine and shared our meals and wine with us.I look forward to 2025 and just to be clear, I am still working and showing properties as we speak. Just because it is the last weekend of the year, it does not mean I am sitting at home relaxing... 12/28/2024

What’s Up with Real Estate?National news and local views for the week ending Friday, December 27, 2024 Here we are a few days before 2024 will be in the books, hence I thought I would share this report. National Real Estate News Inflation gets stuck The November CPI (Consumer Price Index = inflation for you and me) was the last major piece of economic data before the Federal Reserve makes their next interest rate decision on December 18. Both "headline" and "core" (stripping out food & fuel) CPI rose by 0.3% month-over-month in November, which lifted "headline" annual CPI from +2.6% YoY --> 2.7% YoY, while "core" annual CPI was stuck at +3.3% YoY. [Source: BLS]  A little lowerHaving jumped 100 basis points (1%) between the Fed's first rate cut on Sept 18 and the US Presidential Election... 12/27/2024

Are you familiar with Home Light? I stumbled on it and look, what I found. Clearly one more way for buyers and sellers to find you. In my case lot of good information, not 100 percent accurate but quite a few beneficial listings and sales.  A few were missing from the various months and years, nevertheless I thought this could be beneficial if a potential buyer or seller stumbles on the platform and is looking for a seasoned realtor.Please let me know what your thoughts are on this platform?  Wishing you a safe and healthy life and I look forward to your comments. If you are looking for a knowledgeable, focused and goal-oriented Realtor in the Beverly Hills area who will help you achieve your Real Estate goals, please reach out to me directly! If you are looking for a pet friendly Bever... 12/22/2024

I must admit this post was inspired by receiving an email from Homes.com I was so impressed with the information they provided that I felt I needed to share it here.In all fairness, there are other platforms, the Z. and R.coms of this world. but they do not send me information like this.Keep in mind I am a non-paying member of the three platforms I mentioned above. They clearly resonated with me giving me information that if need be I could share with my sellers.Periodically I get asked how the activity on their listings is, with that said what a great way to share the information instead of just saying a have received a few calls, but no offers.Let me know your thoughts and what other platforms you can compare it to that are so generous with the factual data and information.Wishing you... 12/17/2024

Hard to believe Ludwig von Beethoven would have been 254 years old today! One of my favorites and may I say, Greatest Composers of all time has been Beethoven.Having watched the movie " A Clockwork Orange" made me a Beethoven Fan. Shortly after it I had the privilege to travel to Europe for about three months thanks to the 1972 Summer Olympics, where I was an interpreter at the Olympic Committee. Hence before it, I made a special trip to visit Bonn, West Germany in those days there were two Germanies East (Communist) and West (Democratic Republic) It was such a memorable experience to go to his Birthplace and the best part it was converted to a museum for all to visit. Now let me leave you with some of my favorite Beethoven quotes: "To play a wrong note is insignificant. To play without... 12/16/2024

This Market Update is written by Prosperity Home Mortgage Company’s Capital Market specialists each week to bring insight into what's happening in the market and how it may affect mortgage rates and real estate trends.  Rates are provided by Housing Wire in conjunction with Polly. Rates are updated in real-time. Polly data is calculated using actual locked rates. Rates are inclusive of locks that occur below par, at par and therefore consider discounts, points, and rebates. Rates are based on a scenario with a 780 Credit Score, <60% LTV, Purchase transaction. As of 12/12/2024 – 12:00 PM EST. Market Commentary Interest rates fell slightly for the week of December 6th -December 12th . The highly anticipated Consumer Price Index came out this morning and it showed the annualized rate of in... 12/13/2024

Gifts we receive, I was so grateful when I received this present, there are friends who know I have many likes, may that be books, cookbooks or cooking related is always a winner. Then there are other one that are just play fun and entertaining, like wine glasses like this one.Then I have friends who know I love good wine, good Champaigne and good glasses to drink them. So with that said what do you think of this glass???Well, going back close to 10 years or more I received this wine glass, like Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist  has not used her coffee mug, I seldom use my gift of this wine glass. I truly appreciate the thought and effort that went into giving me this gift. Wishing you a safe and healthy life and I look forward to your comments. If you are looking for a know... 12/11/2024

Hard to believe I wrote a post two months ago about Mount Dora Olive Oils, and here we are both bottle are gone now https://activerain.com/droplet/JgjZ      Check out the above post if you missed it.Thank you Katina Hargrove 352-551-0308  for introducing me to this great company. Needless to say, I learned the hard way That the two bottles of Ultra-Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil I was not able to buy again, because they were out of stock.So, with that said I checked the platform and indeed they had a disclosure that these types are not listed due to rapidly changing availability.Now with that said I bought two others, and I am confident they will both be very good, if not you will read about it here:))Wishing you a safe and healthy life and I look forward to your comments. If you are lo... 12/10/2024

Monday Motivations: Over the Top by Zig Ziglar, his book never gets old for me. I can open up any page and share a message that not only will resonate with me but anyone on this platform.So, with that said did you know what the mission statement of The Zig Ziglar Corporation is?"To be the Difference Maker in the personal, family, and business lives of enough people to make a positive difference in America and the world."I had no idea of this and had his book now hate to admit it since 1997.  Go figure but the beauty of his book is open up any page and you will get a positive message."These ten little two-letter words---If it is to be it is up to me---are absolutely valid. The solution is to do it now"Let me know your thoughts. I am a firm believer he was spot on. Wishing you a safe and ... 12/09/2024

This week the median list price for Beverly Hills, CA 90210 is $8,495,000 with the market action index hovering around 27. This is an increase over last month's market action index of 26. Inventory has decreased to 177. As most of you who read my posts know I love Altos Research and get their updates daily. Hence rest assured these are current data as of today.The market shows signs of warming up, with sales demand recently increasing faster than inventory. Prices have not yet responded as the market is still working through excess inventory. It’s unlikely that we’ll see prices level off or move higher until the MAI sustains its upward trend and maybe not until the inventory is depleted enough to create a Seller’s market.Again, this week in this zip code we see a downward notch for pric... 12/07/2024