Whether your home has a lot of outdoor space or just a little, it’s possible to make good use of it. But in order to optimize your space, first you need to know how you want to use it. Not everyone wants to use their outdoor space for the same functions, and you want to have some idea of what function or functions it should serve for you.
If the space is large enough, divide it into zones. For example, you might have one area for relaxing with a book, one for a garden, and one for socializing with guests. Various types of lighting can help to transform each zone individually or your entire space. Perhaps you want soft ambient lighting, or maybe you want more functional lighting for reading or dining. Regardless of what you use your space for, a couple things are to be expected in any outdoor space, and those are seating areas and greenery. Choose weather-resistant materials such as wicker, teak, or metal and add cushions for improved comfort. Opt for plants that require minimal upkeep and grow well in your area.
Across the Los Angeles South Bay the number of homes sold in January was down compared to December—way down. For the same time period median prices are mixed with most sales either flat or down.
Looking at sales volume in January versus January of last year, shows big increases in activity. However, that serves more to show how slow the real estate market was at the beginning of 2023, than how good it is today. Median prices were likewise up for most areas when compared to the same month last year.
From a historical perspective, looking back at 2019, still the most recent “normal” business year for real estate, we see sales volume overall remains 21% below that benchmark. Median prices, which shot up during the pandemic have stubbornly stayed up. As of January, median prices range from 25-30% above the 2% inflation factor the Federal Reserve targets.
The combination of inflated prices and mortgage interest rates testing the 7% level has created a stagnant market place. Typically a presidential election year would bring rosy news about a growing economy and low interest rates. At this point there’s only one month of data, not enough to make any forecasts, but 2024 is off to a slow start.
Beach: Sales Off 46%
Month to month sales volume in the Beach cities collapsed by 46% in January. After back to back increases in the number of homes sold for November and December, the huge drop was unexpected. Juxtaposed against the 13% increase in median price, it demonstrates the current market dynamic.
The only actual buyers are people who have no choice but to move, despite the low inventory and high interest rates. At the same time, most sellers are stalling because they don’t want to be sitting on the market for weeks. And, because most sellers are also buyers, they’re waiting for a better market with more homes available and lower interest rates for their replacement purchase. As a result, the number of available homes listed on the MLS is further depressed.
This has brought about a rare phenomenon, the “off-market” sale. Both buyers and sellers are actively looking for deals that can be consummated without the competitive environment of the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Buyers love the fact there are no bidding wars. Sellers are glad to sell at asking price without endless open houses and dozens of showings. The properties usually end up on the MLS as history, but not as competition. How long this trend will last depends on the economy over the next few months.
The market at the Beach has clearly improved since last year. Sales from January of 2024 have climbed 30% compared to January of 2023. At the same time, median price has moved up 7%. Of course, as mentioned earlier, last January was far from a good market in real estate.
Given the turmoil of recent years, one is compelled to look back at 2019, before the pandemic with it’s rock-bottom interest rates and sky-rocketing prices. Using that metric, January sales this year fell 34% below January of 2019. Median price this January was 43% higher than it was in January of 2019. Clearly “normal” is still a long way off.
Harbor: Sales Off 13%
Month to month statistics from the Harbor area demonstrate a truism. Pointing the way toward stability in the market, many of January’s home sales came with a reduced price. The median price dropped 4%, rather than increasing as it did in the Beach cities. Those price reductions appealed to buyers and the number of transactions increased considerably. Correspondingly, the sales volume only dropped 13% as opposed to a 46% drop at the Beach.
Harbor area sales for January 2024 ended with 9% more transactions than the same month lin 2023 in an unsurprising response to the market collapse of last winter. Also on the positive side, median prices for Harbor area homes increased by 7%.
Pre-pandemic residential sales for January 2024 was mixed in comparison to January of 2019. Sales volume was off, with 16% fewer homes sold in 2024. At the same time, median prices were up 44%.
Hill: Sales Off 16%
November and December of last year looked like a bad thing was turning good, and then January 2024 came along. Home sales on the Hill suffered less than at the Beach or Inland, but a 16% drop in sales volume in an already moribund market hurt. Median prices on the Hill hit that “sweet spot” with no change up or down.
Compared to January of 2023 the number of home sales on the Hill went stratospheric climbing 50% for the month. Of course, having read this far you know last winter was a low spot in the market. Combine that with the comparatively small number of sales on the Palos Verdes Peninsula and it’s easy to have outsize percentages. While sales volume was up 50%, median prices climbed a more modest 8%.
January 2024 versus January 2019 in home sales on the Hill showed an solid improvement. The number of homes sold increased by 27%, in contrast to falling sales in the Harbor and Beach areas. With the number of home sales up, a 37% increase in the median price is a welcome addition.
Inland: Sales Off 36%
Home sales in the Inland area closely followed those at the Beach in January. Similarly, the month ended with a calamitous 36% drop in the number of homes sold—down to 67 homes from over 100 in both November and December. Likewise, the median price came in with an 11% increase, slightly less than at the Beach. This shows the effect of “sticky prices” where a lot of sales don’t happen because the sellers are resistant to lower offers and buyers are balking at higher prices.
On a year over year basis, January 2024 showed 8% growth in the number of sales compared to last January. Median prices continued following the long downward slide of 2023 and dropped another 6%.
Comparing the Inland sales to 2019, the most recent stable year, the number of homes sold has dropped by 39% leaving a lot of room for recovery. The median price has climbed 40% over that five years, roughly 27% greater than the “ideal inflation” sought by the Federal Reserve.
Beach=Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, El Segundo
Harbor=Carson, Long Beach, San Pedro, Wilmington, Harbor City
PV Hill=Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates
Ocean view corner end unit flooded with natural light in highly sought-after Palos Verdes Bay Club. Enjoy sunrise and sunset views from two private, tiled decks and floor to ceiling windows in living area as well as bedrooms. Although this unit is on the first level, the building itself is significantly elevated and the corner location affords open and expansive views. This unit has the Delaware B Floor Plan (See Listing Supplement). The Delaware plans are the only units in the complex with 2 view balconies as they are always end corner units facing the ocean. Double front doors lead to a foyer and great room with living and dining areas. Remodeled kitchen and baths with high quality features. Floors are waterproof wood-look vinyl, travertine, and tile. Washer/dryer hookups inside unit (washer/dryer not included) and community laundry just down the hall. Other upgrades include electronic custom-made blinds for floor to ceiling windows in living room and custom walk-in closet (instead of wardrobe closet in original floor plan) in primary bedroom. The unit comes with two subterranean parking spaces and two storage units. Recent improvements for this building include new roof and updated hallways with new carpet, wallpaper, and paint. Palos Verdes Bay Club offers two oceanside pools and spas, two tennis courts, other sport courts, a social hall, a fitness/game room, beautiful grounds, and walking trails to the ocean and nearby Terranea.
For additional photos see https://moeryphotography.com/clients/AClark/32735SeagateDr107
Friday, March 15, 2024 8:00 PM $25-$40 a person, wine tasting $16 or free for members
From the moment Grammy-nominated Caro Pierotto strikes her first note, her captivating warm voice energizes the room. Accompanied by her all-star band, you’ll hear covers and originals in Portuguese, Spanish, and English featuring elements of samba, reggae and soulful pop.
“The expressiveness and technical mastery in Caro Pierotto’s voice underscores Brazil’s tradition of great female singers – from Sylvia Telles to Gal Costa.”- Ernesto Lechner/Latin Alternative for NPR
Pierotto’s music has found audiences all over the globe. Her 2023 album, ‘Sambalismo’, has been cited as one of the Brazilian Music Albums of the year.
Captain John and the band deliver vintage sea shanties and nautical tunes with Celtic-punk and pirate-rock swagger.
Kraus leads this merry crew of powerhouse musicians after years spent as a sea captain and growing up in a musical household. His pioneering band perfectly combines his love for music, the sea, and the legacy of seafaring storytelling. And, just so we’re all clear, John Kraus really is a captain – on LA Maritime Institute’s stunning Tall Ships! The Goers are: Tim Weed on violin, David Dutton on the drums and jazz legend Bob Aul on fiddle and tuba. Paul Givant of Rose’s Pawn Shop shows up frequently to play guitar and banjo.
Roots & Rambles is a concert workshop series featuring musicians dedicated to the preservation, artistry, and evolution of folk and traditional music in the United States. One hour before the concert. Please RSVP if you plan on participating. Concert tickets are required to participate.
Roots & Rambles is made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
TUESDAYS @ 5:30PM — 7:30PM The Lighthouse Cafe, 30 Pier Avenue Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 310 376-983
Andy & Renee-Banana Leaf
THU, FEB 22 & 29 @ 6:30PM — 9:00PM Banana Leaf & Beach Cities Social, 1408 S Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
DYLANFEST 34
Saturday, May 25th! Tickets on sale soon! Torrance Cultural Arts Center
One of the largest Bob Dylan festivals in the world is being held for the 34 year. Organized by Andy Hill and Renee Safier, this all day event exclusively presents music created by Dylan and performed by 50-60 artists, some international and all well known here in LA.
Andy & Renee & Hard Rain at Wilson Park
SAT, JUN 29 @ TIME TBA Wilson Park, 2200 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance, CA 90501
Andy & Renee & Hard Rain-Songs From Laurel Canyon
SUN, JUN 30 @ 8:00PM The Grand Annex, 434 W. 6th St., San Pedro, CA 90731
SoCal favorites play originals and Songs from Laurel Canyon. Hear classic rock hits of the late ’60s and ’70s from Buffalo Springfield, Carole King, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, CSNY, plus a set of the band’s award-winning original songs culled from their 17 CDs. Get tickets at https://grandvision.org/event/andy-renee-hard-rain-songs-from-laurel-canyon/
This is a once a month (every third Tuesday) show that is designed as a listening room for world class songwriters, many with hit songs, long touring/recording associations with music legends ETC… to play their original music in an intimate setting. NO COVER BUT DONATIONS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURED AND GO TO THE SONGWRITERS. Project Barley serves excellent Food (Gourmet Pizza, wings, sandwiches, salads), wine, and award winning beer. Food served till 8:30pm. No reservations so arrive early to get a table. This month we are proud to present: TED RUSSELL KAMP, BLISS BOWEN, JASON FEDDY AND JODI SIEGEL
TED RUSSELL KAMP is an LA-based singer/songwriter, producer and Grammy winning bass player. He just released a new record called California Son that is already riding up the charts and receiving excellent reviews!
Ted writes, records and travels the world performing his own country / roots / Americana music from his eleven critically-acclaimed albums. Ted also plays live, records sessions, and collaborates on songs with A-list songwriters and musicians in L.A., Nashville, Austin and around the world. Ted often works out of his home studio — The Den — and has produced several well-received albums for fellow artists there. Ted has also had the honor of being a friend, collaborator and member of Shooter Jennings’ band for most of the last 15 years. Ted also played on the 2020 Grammy winning Country Album of the Year, Tanya Tucker’s While I’m Living.
BLISS BOWEN
Bliss Bowen is a singer-songwriter and writer who spent most of her childhood inhaling the salt air of the Atlantic Ocean and the folklore of the Pine Barrens of South Jersey (aka Springsteen country). She then rooted herself in the foothills of Sierra Madre in Southern California, where she finds abundant inspiration for her soulful Americana songs and stories. Bliss is currently preparing for the late spring release of her album Ghost Trees, which she has been recording with a crew of exceptional musician pals from L.A.’s Americana-roots community. Whether performing as Bliss Bowen & Friends with her rocking band or in duo and trio configurations for more intimate performances, she connects with audiences honestly via her powerful, heartfelt singing and storytelling and evocative roots music. reverbnation.com/blissbowen, blissbowen.bandcamp.com, open.spotify.com/artist/3q3x9BbcTh50q4v6tb6Ozh
JASON FEDDY
Jason is Laguna Beach CA Arts Alliance “Artist of The Year” 2019/20. He has worked as a singer/songwriter and guitarist ever since his school days, pausing only for 5 years as a morning jock on KX93.5, Laguna Beach, Ca’s local radio station. He is a central figure in the music scene of Laguna Beach, curating and producing the city’s numerous outdoor music series. His album of songs from the plays of Shakespeare and the show, “Shakespeare’s Fool” are critically acclaimed.
JODI SIEGEL
Jodi Siegel, originally from Chicago, IL, is a singer, songwriter and guitarist. Over the years Jodi has opened for and or shared the stage with many respected musicians including: Albert King, Robben Ford, Robert Cray, J.D. Souther, David Lindley, Fred Tacket and Paul Barrere (Little Feat) and countless others. Her songs have been recorded by Maria Muldaur, Marcia Ball, Tommy Ridgley and Teresa James.
There’s a strong tendency to want to pay off your mortgage as quickly as possible. There’s also a strong reason for lenders to not want you to do that — they get less money because you aren’t paying as much in interest. Because of this, they frequently use prepayment penalties. This is an extra fee for paying off your mortgage too quickly or before the term of the loan ends. If you’re simply paying the minimum amount anyway, this won’t affect you, but if you think you may want to pay off your loan early, you’ll want to know your options.
Different states have different laws regarding prepayment penalties, and some don’t allow them at all. In states where they are allowed, they come in two types: hard prepayment penalties, which are fixed fees regardless of the reason for prepayment and that are usually a percentage of the loan amount, and soft prepayment penalties, which are only charged if the borrower pays a large amount in a short time period. Even in states that allow prepayment penalties, not all loans will have them, and you may be able to negotiate with your lender for their removal. When shopping for loans, make sure to read all the terms of the agreement, and talk to a legal professional if there’s anything you don’t understand or want to learn how to negotiate.
If you’re planning to sell your home, or just want to be informed about current trends, you may want to know about present day homebuyers’ preferences. The problem is that looking at general trends only tells you about the largest cohorts of homebuyers, which are Millennials and Baby Boomers. Not only do these two groups have vastly different preferences between each other, it also ignores Gen X and the admittedly small group of Gen Z homebuyers.
Knowing the demographic makeup of your region can help you to understand what the people in your area are looking for. Alternatively, knowing what other cohorts desire can help tailor your choices to attract people to your home. There are certain things you cannot change, such as the walkability or access to public transportation in your neighborhood and presence of nearby parks or schools. However, if you know which types of people are looking for the sort of things that exist where you are, you can base your decisions about things you can change based on that group’s preferences.
Currently, Baby Boomers are not in the business of buying large, fancy homes. They’re looking to downsize, or remodel a home to suit their personal needs. They also generally want a healthcare facility nearby, since their age can lead to medical complications. Gen X is looking for a mix of business, family care, and leisure. Many Gen X people are working and also spend time caring for their aging parents, which leads them to want either nearby parks or recreational facilities to improve their work-life balance, or a suburban or rural lifestyle if they work from home. Millennials are the largest cohort of potential homebuyers, but they also can’t currently afford expensive homes. Rising housing costs mean Millennials are currently transitioning from renting to their starter homes, since many of them have had their initial homeownership plans delayed. As for what they’re looking for, they’re big on technology and sustainability, and prefer easy access to employment hubs via either walkability or public transportation. The group of Gen Z homebuyers that are actually able to afford a home have probably not been much affected by delays, so their digital native and eco-friendly identity is even more pronounced than in Millennials. They prioritize energy efficient homes, smart technology, and cultural diversity.
Solar energy has been growing in popularity in recent years, and there are good reasons for that. Solar energy is highly sustainable, and isn’t subject to fluctuations in the market since the amount of available solar energy is not market-dependent. Some people aren’t convinced though, and that may be the result of some misconceptions.
A big reason people don’t even entertain the idea of solar energy is that they think it’s too expensive. While initial installation can be pricy, the savings over time allows the investment to pay off relatively quickly. This is especially true because utility prices are increasing, and solar panels don’t require utility payments, so your electricity bills may be cut out entirely. There are also government incentives in place that will allow you to offset the initial investment cost. Solar panels do have some maintenance costs, but they’re pretty minimal — just some regular cleaning is generally sufficient.
Others believe solar panels are only effective in warm, sunny weather. A more appropriate statement would be that direct sunlight enhances their efficiency. They still work perfectly fine in cloudy or rainy weather. Also, they actually work better in colder temperatures, not worse. This is because their efficiency is determined by a difference in energy between the photon particles in sunlight and electron particles in the panel — which have lower energy at colder temperatures — not the total amount of energy received. This means a hot, sunny day may result in the same efficiency as a cold, overcast day.
