New Listing in the Topanga Plaza Area, Woodland Hills- Warner Center Adjacent

Love shopping, dining, and entertainment and want to live in a tight knit community on a tree-line street??? My partner Tori Lee and I just listed this charming Ranch style home in the Topanga Plaza Area in Woodland Hills!!! This move-in-ready Woodland Hills home is within walking distance of Westfield Topanga Mall, fine dining (Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion & Fleming’s Steak House, to name a few). Enjoy summer concerts and movies in Warner Center Park conveniently because it’s Warner Center Adjacent! Warner Center, Woodland Hills, is the West Valley’s premier business and entertainment destination and attracts visitors all over LA and surrounding cities because of all the amenities it has to offer.

This turn-key home offers 3 beds (can easily be converted into a 4 bedroom) 1.75 baths, upgraded a/c, copper plumbing, refinished hardwood floors, new paint, with lots of outdoor space set on a 7,500 sq. ft lot. It’s one of the most well-priced per square foot homes in Woodland Hills and can be purchased with as little 3.5% down!! Priced at $429,000 this home is a steal and waiting for you to call your home. For more information please call me at 818.414.1914 and please checkout http://www.6461HannaAve.com to view the virtual tour!!!

2008 SUCCESS!!! MARK’S SUCCESS TRACKER

Thanks to all my clients for making 2008 a success so far! I’ve sold 16 homes and over $6.5 million in residential real estate this year!!

MY RECORD SPEAKS FOR ITSELF!

THANKS TO ALL OF MY CLIENTS FOR MAKING 2008 A PHENOMENAL YEAR!

2008 HOME SALES:

6850 BOVEY AVE. $460,000

19630 SATICOY ST. $299,000

6534 AURA AVE. $369,000

20134 LEADWELL #334 $275,000

5500 OWENSMOUTH #318 $260,000

18433 HATTERAS #507 $355,000

9174 LANGDON AVE. $390,000

6501 RANDI AVE. $475,000

22652 PAUL REVERE $840,000

23745 BURTON ST. $585,000

20232 LORNE ST. $430,000

10179 LARWIN AVE. #2 $379,000

13320 ROSCOE BLVD. $360,000

11542 BURBANK BLVD. #4 $292,500 IN ESCROW

7836 SHOUP AVE. $439,000 IN ESCROW

5354 DENNY AVE. $339,000 IN ESCROW

$6,547,500 GROSS SALES

For more information please visit www.MarkSellsLA.com

Written by Mark Gonzales Copyright 2008

Mark Gonzales, Realtor, real estate agent specializing in marketing and selling residential homes, condos, and commercial real estate sales in Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, Woodland Hills, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Encino, Tarzana, Calabasas. Please visit www.MarkSellsLA.com for more information.

THE NUMBERS ARE IN!! SALES INCREASE 16% FOR THE MONTH OF JULY

The San Fernando Valley real estate market is reacting favorably to historically low interest rates and affordable pricing as existing single-family home sales have increased 16.2 percent in July from a year ago.

Mary Funk, President of the Southland Regional Association of Realtors states, "The numbers indicate that the market is at the bottom with sales on the upswing. Demand is increasing because people realize that what they could not afford before they probably can afford now. Come next year, people who are waiting will find that they will be paying more."
In fact the median price of a single-family home as increased a modest 1.0 percent from June to $435,000. Local experts believe that the market will remain busy and may pick up added momentum in the coming months. Pending escrows indicate future resale activity and show the market is picking up. There were 1,141 pending escrows at the end of July which is 39.2 percent higher than a year and up 1.2 percent from this June. This coupled with the fact that active inventory levels have been declining since November 2007 where the number of active listings were 7,505. As of the end of July there were 6,950 active listings. Seems like the law of economics may come to fruition as there is more demand and less supply; making way for the stabilization of the real estate market.

CHECK THE STATS FOR YOURSELF: http://www.srar.com/members/stats/summaries/2008/july/SFV.pdf

For more information please visit www.MarkSellsLA.com

Written by Mark Gonzales Copyright 2008

Mark Gonzales, Realtor, real estate agent specializing in marketing and selling residential homes, condos, and commercial real estate sales in Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, Woodland Hills, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Encino, Tarzana, Calabasas. Please visit www.MarkSellsLA.com for more information.

SHERMAN OAKS GALLERIA RENOVATED IN LESS THAN A MINUTE

Here’s a cool video I found on YouTube showing the 2 year renovation of the Sherman Oaks Galleria from drab indoor mall to the outdoor lifestyle and entertainment center that attracts patrons from all over. It is home to many entertainment production companies and influential businesses. Check out the 2 year renovation in less than a Los Angeles minute.

For more information please visit www.MarkSellsLA.com
Written by Mark Gonzales Copyright 2008
Mark Gonzales, Realtor, real estate agent specializing in marketing and selling residential homes, condos, and commercial real estate sales in Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, Woodland Hills, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Encino, Tarzana, Calabasas. Please visit www.MarkSellsLA.com for more information.

IS THIS REALLY THE WORST MARKET IN YEARS???

Here’s a quote I took from an article from the Southland Regional Association of Realtors, September 2008 Realtor Report:

“There were 6,950 active listings throughout the San Fernando Valley at the end of July, down 3.4 percent from a year ago. Of that total, single-family homes accounted for 75 percent of the active listings.

At the current pace of sales, the active inventory represents a 7.5-month supply - slightly higher than the 5- to 6-month supply deemed to represent a balanced market.
By comparison, the inventory during the recession of the 1990s hit a record high of 14,976 in July 1992 and the inventory compared to pace of sales was three-times higher at a 23-month supply.

Contrary to an inaccurate public perception, the active inventory in the San Fernando Valley has been trending lower since November 2007 when it stood at 7,505.”
I used to think that prices had a little further drop to go, but now that the new sales data has been released I’m starting to think that pricing may increase slightly next year and that inventory may stay flat rather than increase as buyer’s who were unable to get their offers accepted in multiple offer situations begin to offer more for the next property they find that they like. It’s a hard call, but I really think that now is the time to buy. Dang! I wish I signed a six-month lease for the rental I live in instead of a 1 year. Hopefully there will be something I like at a good price next year.

To my readers and clients: What do you think? Do you think market is positioned for a rebound? Feel free to post comments by clicking the link below.

For more information please visit www.MarkSellsLA.com
Written by Mark Gonzales Copyright 2008
Mark Gonzales, Realtor, real estate agent specializing in marketing and selling residential homes, condos, and commercial real estate sales in Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, Woodland Hills, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Encino, Tarzana, Calabasas. Please visit www.MarkSellsLA.com for more information.

JUST A QUICK REAL ESTATE THOUGHT

Being at the forefront of current Los Angeles real estate market as a Realtor who entered the industry in 2005 (at 22 years old) I can truly say that this is my best year yet. There are many buyers who have been waiting on the sidelines to fulfill the need and dream to own their own home. They are looking to live and own a home for the sake of owning long term regardless of where the market will be 2-3 years. They have great credit, choose fixed financing and are able to afford these homes with their real, tax-documented income. As such buyer’s absorb the inventory, we will we begin to see stabilization in the depreciation of homes and begin to see modest returns 3-6% until the next economic expansion where incomes begin to rise.
In fact, I sold over 14 properties homes in the last 120 days days which is amazing considering we have over 18,000 Realtors in the San Fernando Valley and there are 900-1600 sales per month. So yes, I believe the market is beginning to rebound, there are multiple offers on well priced properties and there are bargains out there for those who are willing to work at submitting offers on multiple properties until the right property is found for the right price.
Please contact me if you’re interested in seeking representation in your next real estate transaction!

For more information please visit www.MarkSellsLA.com
Written by Mark Gonzales Copyright 2008
Mark Gonzales, Realtor, real estate agent specializing in marketing and selling residential homes, condos, and commercial real estate sales in Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, Woodland Hills, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Encino, Tarzana, Calabasas. Please visit www.MarkSellsLA.com for more information.

MULTIPLE OFFERS! HAPPENING AGAIN?

Yes it’s true! I’m seeing multiple offer situations on well priced properties. Multiple offers can be seen on Foreclosure and Short-sale listings the most. The general impression out there is that Real Estate isn’t doing so hot right now. While it may be true that number of sales are their lowest in over a decade. Single family homes in the $300k-$400k range are attracting multiple offers from qualified buyers who are utilizing special FHA loans which require only 3% down payment and to everyone’s surprise there are buyers who are placing offers with ALL CASH and 20-50% down payment. With inflation at its highest level in years, the dismal performance of the stock market, many savvy investors still bet that purchasing Los Angeles real estate is a secure long term investment. I agree with this due to basic laws of economics; supply and demand factors: they’re not making any more land, developments are becoming more vertical than horizontal, and the glitz and glamour continues to lure more people to the city resulting in appreciating values over next 7-10 years.

My Brag Sheet

I pride myself in having the academic knowledge and theoretical skills to help clients make educated decisions. After a long and treacherous journey through college, I am proud to say that I earned my Bachelor's Degree in Business and Real Estate from California State University, Northridge . Whereas most agents have only taken relatively few courses in Real Estate, I have formal training in the fields of Real Estate & Business Law, Real Estate Finance, Business Communications, and Economics. I love to talk and make sure that I’m fighting for your best interests. By using my negotiation skills I have helped save homebuyers significant amounts of money, while home sellers I represented received top dollar for their homes. In addition to my academic accolades, I’m a self proclaimed internet marketing geek!! I make sure that the homes I sell are listed on of the country’s most powerful internet real estate websites. My client’s homes can be seen REALTOR.COM, HOMEGAIN.COM, ZILLOW.COM, and RE/MAX.COM. Shoot me an e-mail or if it's really important call me and I'll show you how I can help you reach your real estate goals!

Buying and Selling...It's Serious Stuff!

Buying and selling a home is one of the most significant financial decisions a person can make in their life. With the dynamics of the real estate market and the increasingly important role of technology and the internet, it is important who you choose to represent you in the purchase and selling of your home. An excellent Realtor must have the experience, knowledge, and innovation to successfully sell homes in today's real estate market. Recognizing that Los Angeles’ real estate consumers are savvy, sophisticated, and of course hip and stylish, I have created a plan and system that successfully helps clients reach their real estate goals while making the experience positive and fun.