Author: cgilles
Hermosa Beach celebrates St Patrick's Day 2014! Come out and enjoy the Parade & 5 K run. Lots of fun activities to celebrate this weekend! Read More
I am a first time buyer and am confused about many aspects of the buying process in California. Just how many different agencies are involved when you purchase a home in this state? There are 5 different Companies you will be dealing with, each having a very important part in the transfer of property. Your Realtor-what is referred to as a buyer’s agent Appraiser- An appraiser is licensed under the state real estate commission who evaluates the house and property that is to be purchased for the Lender. The appraised value of the house is what the lender will go by for the mortgage loan. Home inspector- An inspector is usually a building contractor or specialist. This inspector should be hired by you, the purchaser, to “inspect” the structure, plumbing, electrical and roofing to insure that the house being purchased is in good working and safe condition. Mortgage Lender- this is either a bank or a other lending institution who will carry the loan(Trust deed) on the property. Escrow officer-A third party who holds any money transfers in a trust account until closing and gathers all pertinent documents concerning the property. Traditionally, the Escrow Company is where you will sign all the documents and close the deal. Title company- does a search of the property for any liens or other encumbrances. They insure that the property’s title is “Clear” Read More
I was just reading the article in the Daily Breeze about the graffiti on the wall on the strand of Hermosa Beach. How dare they!! I believe those responsible are calling it Funsters. If it looks like duck, walks like a duck and swims like a duck it is a duck. In other words by drawing on the walls in Hermosa, whether it be with calk or spray paint it is graffiti and the ones doing it should be accountable financially for it. Sigisfredo Moreno power-washes off a long stretch of “Funism” chalk art along the Strand in Hermosa Beach on Thursday morning. The company he works for is contracted by Hermosa Beach to remove graffitti. Funism group had planned to clean up their art, but the city beat them to it. (Brad Graverson — Staff Photographer) Sigisfredo Moreno power-washes off a long stretch of “Funism” chalk art along the Strand in Hermosa Beach on Thursday morning. The company he works for is contracted by Hermosa Beach to remove graffitti. Funism group had planned to clean up their art, but the city beat them to it. (Brad Graverson —Daily Breeze Staff Photographer) Last week, many city workers pressure-washed a chalk mural that began near 22nd Street and stretched a few blocks along The Strand. Supposedly, K.P. and several other Funism followers had planned to wash the drawings that they had done days before, but the city got there first. So bill the “artists” for this and let them pay for the cleanup. The city, along with most residents and visitors consider it an eyesore. By allowing this and it continuing , you are inviting others to come in and add their graffetti. Let’s remember, that those who use spray paint and tag also consider their work "art". Read More
Manhattan Beach lead the strong rebound in California's luxury housing market in 2013 as sales of homes costing $1 million or more soared 45% to their highest level in six years. ayres-manhattan-beachAccording to La Jolla based DataQuick, 39,175 homes costing $1 million or more were purchased. Manhattan Beach recorded 439 million plus sales, the most in the state in 2013. Even some undeveloped lots sold for $900,000. Malibu had the most expensive sale in 2013, $74.5 million for an 8 bedroom, 14 bath beachfront estate on almost 5 acres. This was also the most expensive sale in the U.S. at the time and a record for Malibu. In some communities, including Santa Monica, all of the sales last year were $1 million or more according to DataQuick. Read More
Good news for the South Bay Real Estate Market. Well Fargo has lowered its FICO score standards from 640 to 600. This means that more people can qualify for mortgage loans that do not have perfect credit. You can be pretty sure that other lending institutions will follow the lead of Wells Fargo. "The goal is to increase access to credit, especially for low- and moderate- income borrowers and first-time home buyers," said Tom Goyda, a bank spokesman. "These are fully underwritten, fully documented loans, consistent with FHA program guidelines and responsible lending principles." Read More
One of the best kept secrets in the South Bay is Redondo Beach’s Hopkins Wilderness WILDERNESS PARK2Park. This eleven acre camping, picnic and study park is located just where Sepulveda becomes Camino Real in Redondo Beach(see our Map below). It sits high upon the El Segundo Sand Hills. You will find meadows, water streams and ponds housing turtles, crayfish and bullfrogs, Wilderness Park welcomes visitors as well as day and overnight campers (reservation required). WILDERNESS PARK-map There is no entrance fee for day visitors with the park being open six days a week (closed Wednesday) from 10:00a.m. - 4:30 p.m. daily. This is a great place to take the children to introduce them to Nature. You can even camp over night if you wish. But if you are not that ambition they have wonderful camp site for picnics. It is worth a trip just to see what is offered at this unique city park and once you do see it , I guarantee you will be back. Read More
Fun Things to Do Around Long Beach this weekend Read More
San Pedro will again host the "Tall Ships Festival" in 2014, scheduled for August 20th thru the 24th. A dozen ships from all over the world are expected to sail into the Port of Los Angeles for the 5 day festivities.ship The timing of the event will help to showcase the new $40 million dollar addition to San Pedro's waterfront; the "Downtown Harbor Project" featuring a new harbor and new landscaped town square, still under construction just north of the Los Angeles Maritime Museum. More than a quarter million people are expected to turn out for the festivities. A port spokesman said that the port is drawing more and more visitors each year with all of the new activities and events taking place there. Read More
This was an unusual event. But then the Seattle Seahawks are an unusual team. Led by an unusual head coach Pete Carroll. At team will mirror their coach and the Seahawks certainly do just that. How many NFL players would take the time to go through the kitchen at the health food store, “My Fit Foods” and thank the cooks who fed them all week while they were there? Lets be clear: NFL offenses don't usually work out together in April on a beach hundreds of miles from the team facility. The players came from all over the country. There regimen consisted of lunging, sprinting and skipping across Hermosa's notoriously soft sand. This challenged the players' lower bodies in ways many of them hadn't experienced. And then there was the weight training circuits designed by Subin, owner of the The Yard, and the weight training was tweaked based on feedback from the players. Their meals were catered by a health food shop up the street. After lunch they would make a short drive to the field-turf at Mira Costa High School, where Wilson would throw and 20 receivers, backs and tight ends caught. And this is how The winning of the super Bowl began in The South Bay. Read More
It’s official … Manhattan Beach had the most $1,000,000 + homes sold in 2013 per Gregory Wilcox, Daily Breeze writer. Manhattan Beach recorded 439 million-plus sales — the most in the state in 2013 — edging out Hillsborough in Northern California’s San Mateo County by three sales. Manhattan Beach... Read More