TUESDAYS (except 12/23) @5:30PM — 7:30PM The Lighthouse Cafe, 30 Pier Avenue Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 310 376-9833
Andy & Renee-Banana Leaf
THURSDAYS (except 12/25 & 1/1) @6:30PM — 9:00PM (except Thanksgiving) Banana Leaf & Beach Cities Social, 1408 S Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Andy & Renee: Livestream #254
FRI, DEC 19 @ 6:00PM (PST, UTC-08) Studio32, 17411 Delia Ave., Torrance, CA 90504
Watch Live, or anytime at https://youtube.com/live/5rl8lfPx0pM?feature=share. Local? Come watch in person! Just RSVP to reneesafier@hotmail.com. For the online viewer, the Livestream shows are free to watch, but the option to contribute is there for those who are in a position to do so. You can see our song list to make requests and contribute at https://andyandrenee.com, PayPal (paypal.me/andyandrenee) or Venmo, (www.venmo.com/Renee-Safier). A portion of the proceeds will go to the Los Angeles Midnight Mission. We are sustained by the generosity and support of the fans who love the music, and who donate as they are able. If you use funds from your bank vs. your credit card, we aren’t charged a service fee, but either way, we appreciate your support!
Sold Out! Andy & Renee with Hard Rain: New Year’s Eve Party!
Wednesday, Dec 31st, Doors 7:30p. Music 8:30p.
Get Tickets at https://grandvision.org/event/andy-and-renee-and-hard-rain-new-years-party/.
South Bay folk-rockers return with hits from across the decades. Includes late-night appetizers, party favors and a champagne toast to start off 2025!
Andy Hill and Renee Safier with their band Hard Rain have been referred to as “America’s best kept secret.” Performing over 200 shows a year, the band delivers a style of Americana folk-rock that’s thoughtful, musical, danceable and full of memorable hooks.
The duo is also behind Dylanfest the day-long music festival, now in its 33rd year, celebrating the music of Bob Dylan and featuring over 70 of L.A.’s best musicians.
🥂Enjoy Premium Champagne selected by somelier JP Molinari at Andy & Renee’s New Year’s Eve Party by reserving a Bottle in advance! Valid only with a concert ticket.
Andy & Renee-Brews Hall
FRI, Jan 2 @ 7:00PM — 10:00PM Brews Hall Del Amo, 21770 Del Amo Circle East, Torrance, CA 90503
Closing the year out with a bang, Tuesday, December 16, 2025, will be everybody’s favorites, the beach/folk/rock sounds of Barley (Unplugged), americana/roots band; the Pollen Collective and of course yours truly! Barley has played every year at Christmas time since we started this series…almost 4 years ago. they are all accomplished singers, songwriters and musicians…and very cool people, with great songs and cool harmonies.
The Pollen Collective are playing for the first time. I’ve been a fan since the very first time Isaw them play earlier this year…great songs, harmonies and overall vibe! What a night this will be. Don’t miss it!
Big doings are coming for 2026! First of all, our good friend and infamous Jacaranda promoter, John Antich, has graciously offered to sponsor this South Bay monthly songwriter series, and for that we are truly grateful and excited! With his help and expertise, 2026 will be a year to remember! Check the flyer below for the upcoming schedule.
After a big 7% dive in October sales, annual real estate sales flattened out in November. Compared to November of 2024, the numbers are showing zero change for the Los Angeles South Bay. Sales were mixed across the areas. Median prices were mostly increased, though modestly compared to early in the year.
Downward pressure has increased in both sales and prices from month to month throughout the year. While 2025 continues to exceed 2024 in all metrics for all areas, the margin has grown smaller continually. Anecdotally, the real estate market has been slow and is slowing. This time of year slower sales are expected, though the seasonal slowdown this year seems to be a bit faster than usual. Median prices are not necessarily affected by the season, so the shift in pricing is one more indicator of a slowing real estate market.
Even two decreases in the prime rate by the Federal Reserve has done nothing to help. The most recent drop of .25% actually saw a .125% increase in the mortgage rate the next day.
In a couple weeks the year will be closing out and 2025 will become history. We’ll get the annual wrap-up out to you with a forecast for 2026 as early in January as possible. Enjoy your holidays!
Beach:
The number of homes sold in November in the Beach area plummeted in comparison to October. Sales dropped 30%, coming in at a mere 81 units. At the same time, the median price dropped to $1,750,000 to register an 8% decline. This is the sixth time this year Beach Cities sales have fallen compared to the prior month, and the eighth time the median prices have done likewise.
November of this year compared to November of 2024 showed mixed results. The volume of sales dropped 2%, while the median price rose 6%. This is the third month in a row annual sales have declined at the Beach. The annual median started in January at 32% increase, and has steadily dropped, falling below 0% four separate months.
With only one month remaining, the year to date numbers show a strong 12% growth in sales and 6% increase in the median price. The sales volume remains 17% below the number of homes sold during the same period in 2019. The median price at the end of November was higher than that of 2019 by 45%, significantly above the Federal Reserve System’s ideal of 2% inflation per annum.
Harbor:
November real estate was good for the Harbor area. At 262 homes, monthly sales volume looked horrible–down 19%–but that seemed really good next to the South Bay wide drop of 23% in home sales. A median price of $812,000, an increase of 3% above October figures, was impressive compared to an approximate drop of 6% in most of the South Bay.
On an annual basis, this November came in with a modest 2% increase over last year. Again, this was a marked improvement over the 0% increase of the South Bay as a whole. Year over year median price was the only market statistic for November home sales the Harbor area didn’t dominate. Both the Beach and the Hill areas showed greater increases, at 6% and 10%, respectively.
Year to date, the Harbor area gives a classic display of capital growth, with a 2% increase in sales volume and a matching 2% increase in median price. Sales have fallen to 21% below 2019 levels, while the median price remains at 40% above 2019.
Hill:
Like the Harbor area, the Palos Verdes peninsula slipped in the number of homes sold compared to last month. With only 45 properties sold in November, the Hill dropped 18% in sales. The median price of $1,990,000 gave an 8% increase over the October median sales price.
Year over year, November residential sales rose 13% above 2024. This was the highest increase in sales volume of the four areas, far exceeding the total South Bay number, which was 0% growth. The Hill also came in with the greatest median price, jumping by 10%.
Looking at the combined activity of January through November, compared to the same period last year, sales volume was up 7%. Median price for the period was up by 1%. Compared to pre-pandemic statistics from 2019, PV home sales were down by 15% year to date, and the median price was up 45%.
Inland:
For November the Inland area dropped in all four metrics, sales volume and median price, for month over month and year over year. The number of homes sold dropped 28% on 102 units. The median price fell 6% to $865,000.
Annually, volume fell 8%, the steepest decline in the South Bay. Compared to last November, the median price was off by 3%.
Year to date remained in positive territory with 0% change in number of sales and a 1% increase in median price. Sales volume continues to be off from 2019, showing a 19% decline. Median price compared to pre-pandemic pricing remains up by 33%.
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 Inland=Torrance, Lomita, Gardena
Christmas is coming up, and whether you love the holiday season or dread it, there’s something you can look forward to — gift giving. It turns out giving to others is good for your health! According to Professor Michael Norton and his Harvard Business School study, participants are happier spending money on others than themselves.
This residual happiness is not limited to spending and physical gift giving. In fact, a National Institutes of Health study found that when people give to charities and volunteer their time, it activates the region of the brain associated with pleasure, social connection and trust. And with the holidays firmly around the corner, there’s no better time to get your give on.
Giving is not only good for our emotional well-being but our physical health, too. Kathleen Lawler of the University of Tennessee conducted a study that found participants had lower blood pressure when providing social support to others (as opposed to those who didn’t), leading to the conclusion that giving reduces stress and improves longevity.
Generosity’s health-boosting effects tend to ripple out and gather up others in its wake. It’s linked to the release of oxytocin, commonly dubbed the “love hormone.” This induces warmth, empathy and the propensity to be generous towards others, which kick-starts a behavioral circle of giving, according to neuroeconomist Paul Zak.
Taking up a new hobby is an excellent New Year’s resolution, and with everyone having a camera at their fingertips these days, you might have an itch to try properly taking up photography. Becoming a good photographer is more than just point and shoot, though. It’s all about composition, framing and understanding space. Here are three top tips for getting started.
A staple of good photography is the rule of thirds, in which you split the image up into nine imaginary boxes, all equally spaced across the frame, using two horizontal and two vertical lines. Placing the subjects of the photo in the cross sections with background elements such as sky or sea aligned with the lines helps to create the best possible framing for your picture. Some cameras will generate this grid automatically, so you don’t even have to imagine it.
Even if you only intend to photograph one thing, the rest of the image is also part of the photograph. Take advantage of that by using empty space to highlight the true subject. Zooming out and allowing your subject to take up a smaller space in the picture can bring focus to the beauty of the image and help create a story as well as taking the pressure off the subject to draw focus.
Consider a frame within a frame. While a slightly tricky technique to pull off, sometimes the environment itself will provide you with a stunning extra frame for your subject within the frame of the photo. This could be an obvious one like a car window or a doorway, or it could be beautifully created by objects in the shot, such as gaps in trees in the foreground or fortuitously placed shapes in the background.
Most real estate transactions involve a preliminary title report. This report has details relating to the condition of title for each parcel of real estate. It will verify ownership, reveal any liens and encumbrances and identify easements. These title search elements are found in county property records. Once the information is gathered, it sets forth the conditions for which the title insurance company will issue a title insurance policy. A preliminary title insurance report is usually run once a real property sale opens escrow.
The preliminary report will also outline exclusions that would not be covered under the title insurance policy. The exclusions section of the report is important because it informs all parties of problems before a sale will close. Unpaid taxes, liens, unrecorded easements and judgements will be “clouds on the title” that will have to be resolved prior to change of ownership and before a title insurance policy can be issued.
In the winter, there’s less real estate activity, but that also means that the most motivated buyers will have fewer options — which might just include your home. So, if you’re planning to sell in the winter, it’s important to not get lazy, even if demand is low. Good maintenance is important this time of year, whether you’re selling or not. This is especially true in areas that get snow. Drafts, fogged windows or heating that struggles to keep up can raise concerns quickly. Before listing, service your heating system, seal any gaps around doors and windows and address any lingering repairs.
Once you’re ready to list, make sure prospective buyers actually want to look at your home. Snow or no snow, first impressions matter. Keep walkways clear, salt any icy areas and trim dead branches or leftover fall debris. If you have outdoor lighting, use it to brighten the pathways and highlight your entryway, as shorter days mean buyers may be arriving after dark. Be sure to keep everything clean and clutter free. Winter boots and coats can multiply fast at this time of year, so create a neat entry space and hang any winter clothing out of the way. Fresh rugs, clean floors and organized storage areas will go a long way toward improving your home’s appearance.
Make the inside of your home comfortable as well. Warm temperatures, soft lighting, and subtle seasonal scents help buyers imagine themselves settling in. If you have a fireplace, showcase it. Consider layering throws, arranging comfortable seating and ensuring windows are spotless to maximize natural winter light.
Home of Jen & Jeff Wallin, Manhattan Beach. Address given out with ticket purchase.
Annual Holiday Cookie House Concert and fundraiser for the Midnight Mission. Please bring a toy for Toys for Tots. $40 donation requested. BYOB and a dish to share. Limited seating available, so get your tickets soon!
Andy & Renee with Hard Rain: New Year’s Eve Party!
Wednesday, Dec 31st, Doors 7:30p. Music 8:30p.
Get Tickets at https://grandvision.org/event/andy-and-renee-and-hard-rain-new-years-party/.
South Bay folk-rockers return with hits from across the decades. Includes late-night appetizers, party favors and a champagne toast to start off 2025!
Andy Hill and Renee Safier with their band Hard Rain have been referred to as “America’s best kept secret.” Performing over 200 shows a year, the band delivers a style of Americana folk-rock that’s thoughtful, musical, danceable and full of memorable hooks.
The duo is also behind Dylanfest the day-long music festival, now in its 33rd year, celebrating the music of Bob Dylan and featuring over 70 of L.A.’s best musicians.
🥂Enjoy Premium Champagne selected by somelier JP Molinari at Andy & Renee’s New Year’s Eve Party by reserving a Bottle in advance! Valid only with a concert ticket.
Gian Carlo Menotti’s classic children’s opera: Amahl and the Night Visitors Opera Sung in English with supertitles
The Holiday Opera Classic ~ a treat for all ages! A heartwarming tale of a disabled youth and his encounter with the Three Kings…sung with splendor and humor. Fully staged, libretto in English. Enjoy the event with an add-on snack buffet and holiday craft fun.
Come early to enjoy snacks and crafts.
The Grand Annex Arts Saloon
Thu, Dec 04, 2025 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM Doors 5:30 PM Live Music Starts at 6:30 PM
Enjoy a laid-back evening of music and art at this new First Thursday event, with your hosts, local musicians Chris and Emily Huff. December features music duo LuCa.
LuCa is a duo that is based in Southern California, made up of Lupe Montiel and Carlos Rodriguez. Their different backgrounds bring a pop yet indie sound to their music. LuCa has been a band since 2021, and is hoping to share their music and energy with everyone. Lupe is also Grand Vision’s Education Program Coordinator.
Kick off the holidays with a night of mid-century swing, nostalgic Vince Guaraldi tunes (think A Charlie Brown Christmas), and seasonal favorites. Former Glenn Miller Orchestra frontman Mark Kopitzke seamlessly bridges the velvet of Sinatra with a modern, soulful groove. He tours international music halls, major cruise lines, and is a regular at Disneyland with his Secret Agents band. The band features: Christine Araoka on keys, Anthony Johnson on drums and Mackenzie Leighton on bass.
Fly By Night LA performs the music of Rush with a high-energy stage production featuring an immersive laser light show, giant inflatables and special effects. The five-piece band takes Rush’s music to a whole new level, featuring the stunning Maria Schneider on lead vocals (Continuous Signal). Hear these great rock classics in an exciting new way. Not to be missed!
Get ready for the ultimate Dolly Parton holiday celebration! Join us at The Grand Annex in San Pedro, CA for a magical evening of Dolly’s greatest hits blended with festive Christmas favorites.
Sing along to Dolly classic and timeless holiday songs in a joyful, high-energy tribute starring the Broadway award-winner Kim Eberhardt.
This is the ultimate Dolly Christmas Experience – full of sparkle, music and holiday cheer. Perfect for a festive night out with friends, family or anyone who loves Dolly!
San Pedro Waterfront Arts presents A Christmas Carol
Directed by Renee O’Connor-Sura (House of Bards Theatre Company) and Jacob Nye (Encore South Bay Theatre Group).
Help the Toberman Neighborhood Center stock their food pantry – please bring canned and shelf-stable foods to receive a raffle ticket for our Silent Auction.
Doors open at 1:00 PM for a special dessert reception, donated by John and Lucrecia Jacobson for all ticket holders.
This idea was the brainchild of married social entrepreneurs, Fred Allen and Linda Grimes, who met in New York City when Fred was the Broadway Lighting Designer for this very successful one-man play. “We wanted to present this work, as it has informed our relationship for the past 29 years and its messages are very relevant to today’s world situation”, notes San Pedro Waterfront Arts District Executive Director, Linda Grimes. The San Pedro Arts District believes by sharing culture, we can reach common ground.
This performance is a part of the San Pedro Waterfront Arts District’s Culture Talks series.
South Bay folk-rockers return with hits from across the decades. Includes late-night appetizers, party favors and a toast to start off 2025!
Andy Hill and Renee Safier with their band Hard Rain have been referred to as “America’s best kept secret.” Performing over 200 shows a year, the band delivers a style of Americana folk-rock that’s thoughtful, musical, danceable and full of memorable hooks.
John Jorgenson is a multi-instrumentalist and master guitarist who is recognized across rock, jazz and Americana genres. As the leader of the John Jorgenson Quintet (JJQ) his musicality and virtuosity absolutely shine. The group’s style is inspired by the dynamic string-driven swing created by Django Reinhardt in Paris in the 1930s, yet Jorgenson’s compositions draw additionally from Latin, Romanian, Greek, classical, and rock music.
Strings Chamber Ensemble Series “From Classical to Pop”
Grand Vision is pleased to announce its new Strings Chamber Ensemble Series!
Concertmasters Shura Sasaki and Juhee Jeon lead the ensemble in performing well-known classical pieces and pop songs in a string quartet.
The first concert, “From Classical to Pop,” features a mix of both classical and “pops strings” music. The classical pieces include the complete Haydn Quartet No. 53 (Lark) Op. 64. No. 5, and works from Mozart and Beethoven. The “pops strings” pieces include a medley of your favorite Beatles hits, and other popular songs, like What a Wonderful World, Some Day My Prince Will Come, A Girl from Ipanema, and Por Una Cabeza Tango. Arrangements by Shura Sasaki.
Violinists Shura Sasaki and Juhee Jeon bring over 25 years of teaching and performing experience to the concert series. Shura has served as concertmaster for Orchestra Nova Los Angeles and performed with the Long Beach Ballet and Downey Symphony. Juhee has performed in numerous venues and churches, including with the Elohim Chamber Ensemble in Korea, and has directed several youth orchestras. Both musicians teach students at the highest strings level through the Certificate of Merit program.
Ten months of data tell a story of Los Angeles South Bay real estate market that has bounced from strong monthly volume increases one month to devastating decreases the following month and back again. Likewise, monthly median prices have ranged from double digit positives to double digit declines.
Both sales volume and median prices suffered the same wild swings early in 2025. As the year progressed, sales statistics have begun to stabilize. For the most part volume and price are now differing from last year predominately in single digits.
Most of those changes are now ending as declines. For the first time this year, October sales volume was down in all four market areas, for a total decline of 7%. Last month volume was down in three of the four, and down across the South Bay, though by a statistically insignificant amount.
Year over year median prices slipped in October for the high end of the market. Homes in the Beach and Hill areas fell slightly. Those in the Harbor and Inland areas rose slightly. With the notable exception of the Beach area, median prices have been falling all year. At this point it looks entirely possible to see the final median price for 2025 fall below that for 2024.
Forecasts from the Federal Reserve hint at another .25% decrease in the prime rate during the December meeting. While such a move has a “feel good” quality, some Fed leaders have said the real problem is a weakening in the employment market. Estimates made earlier in the year are already being revised to show increased unemployment and decreased purchasing power. Either of those alone will impact real estate. Both together could kick off the recession major banks are preparing to face.
Beach:
Compared to September business, home sales at the Beach jumped up 18% in October. For perspective, it should be noted that sales volume was down by 9% in September, after falling 17% in August. While volume increased for the month, the median price dropped 3%, coming in at $1.899,000.
This close to the end of the year, annual comparisons are more meaningful than month to month. The 118 homes sold in October was a 9% reduction from the same month in 2024. Similarly, the median price took a hit, ending a mere $1,000 below last year.
Year to date, both the sales volume and the median price are still up from the first 10 months of 2024. Sales volume is up 14% and the median sales price is up 8%. Both metrics have been deteriorating since the end of the first quarter and are expected to continue downward.
Harbor:
With 322 homes sold in October, the Harbor area experienced a 5% increase in sales volume over September. The area simultaneously registered an inconsequential $2,250 decrease in median price from $795,000 to $792,500.
Sales volume fell 7% from last October after having dropped 3% in September. Sales have declined in four out of the last five months. Despite the lower number of sales, the median price increased by 2% for the month, following a 5% increase in the prior month.
Year to date, home sales in 2025 have lessened each successive month in comparison to 2024. As of October, sales volume this year was 2% higher than it was in 2024. Continued declining sales threaten to shift the market into negative range. The median price for the first ten months stood at 1%. That number too appears to be faltering.
Hill:
October left little question about the real estate market on the Hill. Nearly everything was down—monthly and annual—volume and prices. On sales of 55 homes, volume dropped by 31% from September. The median price of $1,840,000 was 14% below the prior month.
Looking at the same month in 2024 shows 17% drop in the number of homes sold on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, the largest decline among the four areas for the month of October. The median price for the month was likewise the largest decline of the month, dropping 4%.
Through October, sales volume in the Hill area brought a bit of relief with a 6% gain over the same period in 2024. The median price took that respite away as it dropped 1%.
Inland:
Monthly statistics for the Inland area showed the most positive results of the four areas, though they ended mixed. With 142 homes sold, the area had a 20% gain in sales. The volatility of the monthly data came through with a decline of 9%, as the median price fell to $919,000.
Comparing the month of October from 2024 to that of 2025 shows the opposite mix with the number of sales down 1% while the median price rose by 5%.
With 2025 nearing its end, the year to date number is most important. As the year has passed by the outlook for the total year has looked increasingly negative. Each successive month the sales volume has moved toward negative growth, as has the median price. The Inland area was the closest to negative for October with 1% more sales for the period than were recorded in 2024. For the same period, median price in the Inland area has remained 2% above the median for 2024.
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 Inland=Torrance, Lomita, Gardena
Open houses are a very useful tool for learning about a property. But it’s not just about walking in, taking a look around, and walking out. Full advantage of visiting an open house is achieved if you can time your visit when there are very few lookers roaming through the house. Too many visitors, and you won’t be able to take in details and may not have an opportunity to speak to the agent or homeowner. If you’re the only visitor, you might miss out on insights from others looking at the property from a different perspective.
You can also learn about more than just that one property. If you’re focused and paying attention, you can learn about an entire neighborhood just by visiting open houses. Observe your surroundings as you’re traveling and notice patterns in traffic and what the neighbors are doing. Once inside, use the information you learn not only to decide whether you want this home, but what some of your expectations can be for other homes in the area. This is particularly effective if you are visiting more than one open house in the same neighborhood. And this is just from the open houses — you can absolutely use this opportunity to directly speak to neighbors. Sometimes neighbors even visit open houses without any intent to buy.
The appeal of a condo over a single family residence or an apartment unit is that is a mix of independence and convenience. This isn’t the right choice for everyone, but even if it is, that doesn’t mean everything is necessarily perfect. There are plenty of hidden pitfalls to consider, some of which apply to any purchase, but some of which won’t necessarily apply to other types of homes.
It’s not uncommon for condos to have deferred maintenance, particularly since the HOA often needs to agree to it. A fancy entrance lobby can hide deeper problems. Take a good look at hallways, stairwells and elevators. Peeling paint or broken lights often signal bigger maintenance issues. Sometimes the issue isn’t deferred maintenance, but foundational problems. Walk the grounds and check for cracks, uneven floors or other signs of sloppy workmanship.
Check the finances. If monthly condo fees seem high compared to nearby buildings, find out why. Ask to see the condo association’s financial statements. Ensure that there’s a healthy reserve fund to deal with unexpected problems. Check to see if the owners are up to date on their payments, as well. If lots of owners are behind on payments, that’s a warning sign. It could mean the community’s financial stability is at risk and that repairs might get delayed.
Spend some time visiting, including at different times of the day. This will help you get a feel for the actual day to day living. You might not notice thin walls until you can hear your prospective neighbors at night, and you want to be prepared for what rush hour traffic is like in the area. Talk to current residents, as well. No one will know better than those who live there what living there is like. They may also be more willing to discuss complaints they have about management with a potential neighbor than they would be sending in a complaint to management.
Assembly Bill 851 is a new law that requires written attestation that a home sale was not due to an unsolicited purchase offer. It went into effect November 10, 2025, and will remain in effect until January 1, 2027. The law applies to select ZIP codes within Los Angeles County and Ventura County. The affected ZIP codes are 90049,90263, 90265, 90272, 90290, 90402, 91001, 91024, 91103, 91104, 91106, 91107, 91301, and 91302 in Los Angeles County, as well as 91320 in Ventura County.
The goal of this bill is to reduce predatory purchasing in areas affected by the recent wildfires. However, it applies to all sales in these ZIP codes, regardless of whether the seller was affected by the wildfires or not. Under AB 851, an unsolicited purchase offer refers to any offer made without public indication that the owner is willing to sell. Public indication can be a listing with an agent, a For Sale By Owner sign, or a public online posting. Both the buyer and the seller must sign the attestation, and it must be attached to the grant deed.
October. 24th, Nov 12 & Nov 19 @ 7:00PM — 11:00PM Terranea Lobby Bar, 100 Terranea Way, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
HARD RAIN HALLOWEEN Rock-n-Roll Costume Dinner Party
Saturday, October 25th Hosted by Jim & Lisa Bragg-Cohn, Palos Verdes Doors Open 5:30 Music 6:30-10:30 BYOB Please bring a side dish to complement Dinner. Tickets are $45 Address given out with ticket purchase. Questions? Contact Lisa @ 310.613.6314 or lisaabragg@cox.net
Andy & Renee-Brews Hall
FRI, NOV 7 @ 7:00PM — 10:00PM Brews Hall Del Amo, 21770 Del Amo Circle East, Torrance, CA 90503
South Bay folk-rockers return with hits from across the decades. Includes late-night appetizers, party favors and a champagne toast to start off 2025!
Andy Hill and Renee Safier with their band Hard Rain have been referred to as “America’s best kept secret.” Performing over 200 shows a year, the band delivers a style of Americana folk-rock that’s thoughtful, musical, danceable and full of memorable hooks.
Energetic pop-folksters and founders of the Portland Folk Festival, Scott Gilmore and Sarah Vitort and their trio bring their optimistic Americana to international stages.
Montana-raised, Los Angeles-based Americana duo Joselyn & Don blend Laurel Canyon folk, soul, alt-country and classic Americana.
The Walt Johnson Sinatra Tribute Band ft Michael Falcone🍷
Frank Sinatra’s legacy comes to life with an 8-piece band fronted by Sinatra’s lead trumpet player, Walt Johnson and spot-on vocals by Michael Falcone.
The Grand Annex Arts Saloon
Thu, Nov 06, 2025 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM Doors 5:30 PM Live Music Starts at 6:30 PM Free Event
Enjoy a laid-back evening of music and art at this new First Thursday event, with your hosts, local musicians Chris and Emily Huff. November features jazz duo Adriana Nicole & Neo.
AdrianaNicole is a jazz vocalist who just released her first single, “In the World.” Her sound is influenced by her New Orleans upbringing as well as Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. She is also the lead singer for the bossa nova group, Seabreeze Jazz Band. Neo is a seasoned bass player and musical director with over two decades of experience in global music tours, spanning South America, London, Beijing, and Hollywood.
Chris and Emily Huff can be found around town harmonizing as a father-daughter duo or performing solo. They are known for their Texas-tinged Americana covers and originals played at local hangouts like Lighthouse Cafe and Pedro festivals like Fleet Week. They also performed at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium during the inaugural Arts Open San Pedro.
Don’t Stop Believin’! Experience the Southland’s #1 Journey tribute band’s high-energy, faithful renditions of all the greatest Journey hits. Enjoy “Don’t Stop Believin”, “Open Arms”, “Wheel in the Sky”, “Lights”, “Anyway You Want It”, “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin” and more!
Everly Brothers Experience with the Tin Drum Family Band
The Zmed Brothers with Burleigh Drummond, Jr return with classics like “Bye Bye Love,” and “Wake Up Little Susie.” Drummond’s delightful family band opens featuring his dad, Ambrosia’s founding member, Burleigh Drummond, Sr.
In real estate, sales volume is always a good indicator of market direction, of what buyers are focused on. Looking across this year in the Los Angeles South Bay, with September in the mirror, the number of homes sold each month in comparison to last year, tells a story. The tale starts in January with a healthy 11% increase over January of 2024. In February that number nearly doubled to a 19% increase.
In March the comparison dropped into single digits and through May increases were 2%. 9% and 7%. Buyers were not responding to the homes on the market. Sales were slowing. Then June hit with a zero change and July followed with a -1%—even more slowing. August showed a 10% rebound in sales, frequently attributed to the ‘back to school’ rush of sales closures. For September homes sales dropped back to 0% versus September of 2024.
Essentially much of the annualized increase in the first quarter of the year has evaporated. What was a 30% annual growth is now a 6% growth rate. Delving a little deeper into where in the South Bay changes are occurring shows sales declining in the Beach area (detail below) as well as in the Harbor and Inland areas. Last month sales on the Hill were the only positive influence on the broader South Bay sales statistics (detail below).
The impact of the slowing homes sales across the South Bay can be seen in the falling prices across the region. September is the first month since January where median prices rose in all four areas. The year started with increases across the board and immediately started losing ground in February with a price decline in the Harbor area. For the next six months median prices slid in more than half the sales recorded, see-sawing back and forth across the four areas.
As of now, with the third quarter of the year complete, median prices are up appreciably only at the Beach. Year to date, compared to the same period in 2024, prices of Beach area homes were 9% higher than last year. However, keep in mind, the other three areas are essentially at zero growth versus 2024. Price appreciation at the Beach has remained stronger than the rest of the South Bay, but appears to be faltering as the year goes on.
So, what should one expect for the balance of the year? Sales are 15%-20% below pre-pandemic levels, while median prices are 30%-50% above. Based on the supposed ideal of 2% inflation, those prices should be around 12.5%, or roughly one third of the increase we’re seeing. At least a few financial CEOs are referring to the current environment as an “asset bubble” in the nature of the 2008 collapse.
A good deal of the price appreciation is a result of lower inventory levels which are not expected to recover until the end of the decade. It remains as a reminder of when interest rates were hovering around 3% and home prices were easily inflated. While many are still riding the wave of inflationary increases, many buyers are balking.
At the same time the economy in general is squeezing the typical home buyer with stubborn mortgage interest rates, an increasing cost of living and shrinking paychecks. It seems apparent something is going to give. Jamie Dimon, of JP Morgan Chase, is reported to have said the market could implode within six months, or could last another two years.
Confining the discussion to local real estate, the market appears to be on course to a point where price resistance causes inventory levels to drop enough to compel sellers to lower prices. Extending the spreadsheet out to the end of the year, while continuing the current trend shows homes sales continuing to decline, slipping to about 4% over 2024 levels for the South Bay as a whole. Median prices at the end of 2025 should be slightly lower than they were in 2024. Probably not by a statistically significant margin, but lower.
Beach:
Monthly home sales at the Beach took a 9% hit in September, dropping to 98 units sold. Month to month sales volume has been up and down throughout the first three quarters. While there have been some dramatic swings—like a 40% drop in January, followed by a 70% increase in February—most of the ups and downs have been confined to a much narrower range.
Looking at monthly median prices, September was $1,962,915, up from last month by 5%, the highest gain since it rose 30% in January. Six of the seven intervening months were negative with August being the only other positive month, and that with only a 1% increase.
On an annual basis, September is the first time in 2025 the number of homes sold in the Beach Cities has dropped below same month sales for 2024. Sales volume has dropped several times in month to prior month sales, but this is the first annual decline.
The Beach had been having an unbelievable year, with sales volume increases in the double digits most months. Then, September plummeted from a 15% increase in August to a 14% decline in annual sales. At the same time, median prices repeated the 10% increase experienced in August.
Year to date, through the third quarter, the number of sales stands dramatically higher than the rest of the South Bay. The 17% increase in volume is nearly three times the 6% found across the region. Similarly, the median price at the Beach came in with a 9% increase, while the median across rest of South Bay was 0%. Will the Beach cities continue the out-size performance seen to date? Probably not, but we have three more months to find out.
Harbor:
Monthly sales in the Harbor area dropped 1% in September, falling to 308 homes sold. This follows a 1% increase the prior month. These small monthly swings indicate a stable market, as opposed to the broad double digit sweeps during the early months of the year.
The median price last month was $795,000 up 2% from August. Since the beginning of the year the month to month price changes have all been in single digits and mostly positive. This contrasts sharply with the Beach area, where monthly prices have fallen nearly every month this year.
Year over year, September home sales in the Harbor area dropped 3%. This is effectively a return to the pattern started in June when sales volume began to slide. August was the outlier, up by 7%, similar to the rest of the South Bay in the month before school starts.
Median prices for this September were 5% above last September. It was also the first increase in the median price since June. The median is beginning to look rather flat at the Harbor.
With three fourths of the year gone, the Harbor area appears to be setting the pace for the South Bay. Sales volume has been shifting down since before the summer buying season and currently rests at a 3% increase in the number of homes sold compared to the same period in 2024. Median prices have been moderating, with a year to date increase of 1% over last year at the third quarter.
As an interesting side note, compared to the same period in 2019, sales volume is down 21% (that ten year Covid deficit), and median prices are up 41% (the Covid bubble?).
Hill:
Any conversation about statistics and the Palos Verdes Peninsula needs to start with an understanding that this is a statistically tiny sample and one or two unusual sales can dramatically skew the results. September of this year is a classic example.
Contravening the direction of the rest of the region, September sales on the Hill skyrocketed 36% over August for a total of 80 homes sold. The median price likewise showed a significant increase, jumping 19% to hit $2,143,000.
Comparing this year to last September shows a phenomenal sales volume increase of 70%. This is nearly three times any similar percentage recorded this year. That same upward leap carried across to the median price which came in at a 26% increase; nearly three times any other increase in the region.
Looking at the detail of this anomaly one finds that in a typical September there are somewhere around 60 units sold on the PV Peninsula. Last year there were only 47 homes sold—this year there were 80. Nothing special, just two successive years going opposite directions in a tiny sample.
Despite the scorching monthly numbers, for the first nine months of the the year, Palos Verdes shows a 10% increase over 2024 sales volume. Still a healthy increase, but much more in line with reality. Median price for the year to date is actually a 1% decrease even though the September statistics show increases in the median. Out of nine months, four have been increases while five have been decreases.
Looking back at 2019, the last ‘normal’ year before the pandemic, reveals sales volume is currently 11% above that of 2019 and the median price is up 45%.
Inland:
The Inland cities experienced an 11% sales decline in September, falling to 188 homes sold, after an anemic August increase of only 2%. Yet another indication the residential real estate market is on a downward trajectory. That fall was accompanied by a surprisingly strong 14% increase in the median price, jumping up to $1,006,000. Month to month sales data for the Inland has been relatively consistent so far this year, with ranges often in the double digits.
Looking back to the same month last year shows an 8% drop in the number of Inland area homes sold. This is consistent with the rest of the South Bay, excepting the fluctuating numbers on the hill (see above). The median price, like the South Bay overall, was strongly positive with a 14% increase.
Looking at the Inland area longer term, comparing the first three quarters of 2024 to the first three of 2025 shows a modest increase of 1% in the number of home sales. This is the lowest increase of the four areas in LA’s South Bay. Year to date across the region is a 6% increase in volume. Sjifting focus to the median price, the record shows 0% change, or at best a rounding error in the 2024 versus 2025 median prices.
Once again, looking back to the 2019 baseline, Inland area home sales volume in down 18% from 2019 and the median price is up 33% from 2019.
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 Inland=Torrance, Lomita, Gardena
This Tuesday’s show, Oct. 21, 2025, is a who’s who of LA’s Americana/Roots legends; guitar slingers Rick Shea and Tony Gilkyson, plus everybody’s favorite songbird Amilia K Spicer and yours truly! For more information on these wonderful artists, check out their websites:
Lots of wonderful things are happening with the songwriter show (newly re-named Rhythm & Rhyme), including our new sponsor, Jacaranda promoter and good friend to all musicians and music lovers alike throughout southern California; John Antich. John has graciously stepped up to help sponsor the Tuesday show as well as co-host a handful of shows throughout the year.
Next month we will print large and small posters of all the 2026’s booked artists (six months at a time starting January-June 2026). I’m so grateful and super excited to bring you all the very best of the best musicians to play for you every month. I will announce some of the legendary musicians scheduled to play in 2026 next month on this newsletter and at the live shows. So Stay tuned!
Deciding to sell your home can seem very daunting. After all, the decision of which home to buy is very important — and typically, when you’re selling your home, you’re also buying a home at around the same time. Coordinating all that is difficult. While this is all true, knowing when to sell is actually a lot simpler than knowing what to buy.
Many of the reasons to sell are primarily personal. Do you need to upsize because you have a kid coming soon? Are you ready to downsize because your kids have moved out? Did you switch jobs? It all pretty much boils down to: Does your current location no longer serve your changing needs? If that’s the case, it probably is a good time to sell, as long as the market isn’t tanked. Much of the time, even your finances are better served in a home that caters to your needs than a slightly less expensive home that simply doesn’t work for you.
Sometimes the reasons are purely practical. If maintenance starts piling up, keeping up with it can be both more expensive and more time consuming than switching to a lower maintenance property. This can be one that doesn’t require as many, or any, repairs, or just a property that is smaller or easier to maintain. It’s also possible in any given moment that the numbers just simply make sense. Maybe your home value has risen, and you know you can sell and purchase a property with a better fit at a similar or lower price. Recognizing this does require keeping a critical eye on the market, and acting on it requires adaptability and a willingness to let go of any sentimental feelings about your current property.
When a buyer makes an offer on a home where the proceeds from the sale would be less than the seller owes on the loan, this is called a short sale. At this stage, only the agreement between the buyer and seller is involved. However, in order for a short sale to close, the lender must also approve it.
The seller’s agent takes a short sale package to the lender for review and approval. The package includes the purchase contract, a hardship letter explaining why the seller can’t keep the home, and any market conditions that create the need for a short sale.
The lender will analyze the short sale request and determine how accepting less than what is owed affects their bottom line. The lender may come back with a letter stating the specific terms and contingencies that must be incorporated into the deal in order to release the lien and close. The sale will be “approved for short sale” if the buyer and seller can meet those specified terms.
Some people sell their houses before buying others, giving them clear budgets for their next places. It makes financial sense, but there’s the risk that you might end up couch surfing or having to rent somewhere in the meantime. Others buy first, locking in their dream homes before they’re snatched up, but that can mean carrying two mortgages at once. So is there a way to eliminate both issues, by both buying and selling simultaneously?
Absolutely. It will take some planning and help from an agent, but you can definitely buy and sell at the same time. The key is timing. Your agent will help align your sale with your purchase. You may have to negotiate a rent-back deal or a flexible closing date. It’s also smart to get preapproved for a mortgage early so you know what’s realistic. And if you need a financial cushion, options like bridge loans or home equity lines of credit can help you cover gaps between buying and selling. It’s something that requires both planning and flexibility on the part of both you and your agent, but it’s certainly a viable option. As an added bonus, it’s also faster than finishing out two separate deals.
