SPRING IS ALMOST HERE!! A lovely time of year, and also one of the best  times to start thinking about getting your home ready for prospective buyers.  What can you do to make your home ready for sale? Hire A Listing Agent from a Reputable Firm to evaluate a maketing strategy. Wash Window and Screens Use groundcover and Mulch around flower beds and plant seasonal flowers Repaint front door.Clean front porch and mailboxes Replace Old Doormats Clean Outdoor light fixtures Powerwash exterior of house or paint Powerwash driveway Clean Carpets   I hope this will get you off to a good start!  For more ideas and suggestions specific to your home, please contact me for a consultation. 02/07/2010

 Three free Neighborhood Chamber Music Concerts featuring members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic  Friday, January 29, 2010  at 7pm        Friday, February 26, 2010  at 7pm  Friday, March 19, 2010   at 7pm        Culver City  City Hall  admisson and parking is Free! Join us! Mike Balkman Council Chambers 9770 Culver Boulevard Reservations Required: Cultural Affairs Hotline 310.253.5716 01/09/2010

 Culver City Farmers Market This is the place for fresh produce and more. It is located on Main Street Downtown every Tuesday..rain or shine from 3-7 Culver City Restaurants The restaurant scene is exploding in Downtown Culver City, with new restaurants popping up all the time. From spicy BBQ to Japanese cuisine, spend your evening exploring our many and varied fare. Watch here for information on the Newest Restaurants! Art Reception Trapings with new works from women artists opening Jan 15-Feb6 WWA gallery is located at 9517 Culver Boulevard. Family Event Dinosaurs at Star Eco Station..Dinofaire  A Dino dig..food..and fun for the whole family.at STAR eco station 10101 Jefferson Blvd. (310)842-8060 for tickets and information. 01/08/2010

Kaaren Hall, president of uDirect IRA Services is speaking about doing real estate deals in your IRA!  Even though you've been able to self-direct your IRA for over 30-years it's still the best-kept secret!  Join about a hundred real estate investors in Culver City on Thursday January 14th and learn more.    6:30pm - Networking Begins 7:15pm - Deals, Wants & Needs 8:00pm - Speaker Begins Come early and sign up to Announce your own Wants & Needs at the beginning of each meeting! Location: Naked Real Estate Investors Center 10601 Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA   www.uDirectIRA.com 01/04/2010

November 2,2009    President Obama has signed  Act (H.R. 3548) that included, as an amendment, the extension and expansion of the very popular Homebuyer Tax Credit! Homeowners who have owned their current homes at least five years, are now eligible for tax credits of up to $6,500 when they purchase a new home. As well at the extesion of the first time homebuyers credit of up to 8,000. In order to Qualify  buyers in both groups have to sign a purchase agreement by April 30, 2010 and close by June 30 2010. The purchase must be the primary residence, under $800,000. Vacation property does not qualify. There is a provision in the bill that states that home buyers do not have to repay the credit provided the home remains their primary residence for 36 months after purchase, This Requirement ... 11/06/2009

   Calendar View List View   November2009   Program Select All Events Arts & CultureEducationEnvironmentGovernmentGovernment MeetingsKids & FamilyNeighborhood   Sunday, November 1 L.A. GOAL 19th Annual Inside Out Art Exhibition & Sale 11:00 am One day only! Annual art show and sale of paintings, ceramics, mixed media, textile art and one-of-a-kind hand painted objects. Generously hosted by the Koplin del Rio Gallery in Culver City. Hours: 11 a.m - 5 p.m. Sunday November 1.   read more Monday, November 2 Culver City Redevelopment Agency 7:00 pm Regular Meeting   read more Tuesday, November 3 Just 4 Kids Winter Day Camp Registration Packets Available 11:30 am Culver City Just 4 Kids Winter Day Camp Winter Day Camp is for children ages 5-13. Activities include arts & crafts, songs, trips,... 10/29/2009

  Senators agreed on October 28th to extend the beneficial first-time Home Buyers Tax Credit..and to also consider a smaller credit to repeat buyers. Senators agreed to extensThe tax credit and add to the  the existing credit by offering a reduced credit for up to $6,500 to repeat buyers. About 1.4 Million home buyers have qualified for the existing credit. The National Association of Realtors esitmates that 350,00 of these buyers would not have been able to buy..without it. New Home Sales fell 3.6% last month. Some builders blamed the drop on the uncertainty about the tax credit extension. There has been no "cost estimate" for extending this tax credit..though similar proposals were projected to cost about 10M. 10/29/2009

                                                        WE TELL SCARY STORIES                                                              Children's storytelling theatre company on  Saturday, October 31st at 2 pm. a interactive, 45-minute storytelling performance ideal for 4 - 11 year olds, but fun for the entire family.                                                            JULIAN DIXON LIBRARY 4975 Overland Avenue. We Tell Stories will complete its yearlong visit at The Culver City Julian Dixon Library performing  Holiday tales on Saturday, December 12th at 2 pm.   In unique We Tell Stories fashion, actors unfurl imaginative costumes and props from an old steamer trunk and the fun begins.  Audience members participate from their seats, and then several are chosen to join actors o... 10/27/2009

Tme is running out to claim the $8,000 first-time homebuyers tax credit!  This benefit was passed earlier  as part of the economic stimulus package,  good for up to $8,000, or 10% of the purchase price, and applies to people who have not owned a home in the previous three years. Unlike a similar program from 2008, the credit does not have to be repaid. This credit is in effect only until DECEMBER 1 2009 Any first time homebuyers who are serious about purchasing property should be out looking right now. The National Association of Realtors attributes much of current home sales activity to the first-time buyer tax credit. It estimates that 1.8 million buyers will file for the credit, and 350,000 of them wouldn't have been able to buy without it. Realtors are pushing Congress ito consider ... 10/22/2009

  The New Mortgage  plan will help the agencies finance mortgages for first-time homebuyers and develop rental housing. Housing Agencies have had difficulty raising money because of the housing crisis and credit crunch. The new program will use mortgage Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to help correct financing difficulties.. The two companies will package mortgages made by the housing agencies and sell them as bonds to the Treasury Department. While it will not solve all our credit problems,it will provide additional assistance to borrowers. Fannie and Freddie also will help to provide short-term financing, with backing from the Treasury. State and local finance, who have pressed for federal help for months.Any losses from loan defaults will be entirely covered by fees paid by the state agen... 10/20/2009

Based on the Culver City Third Quarter Market Report, the median home prices have fallen 6%.   The properties on the market in any given month where a buyer could have written a first position offer to purchase it at any time during that month.  Different from Months Supply of Inventory below.  The number has increased 3%. The number of properties going into contract on any given month shows the sales activity.  This has increased 100%. The Culver City Third Quarter Market Report, shows a drop of 28% in the number of new properties coming on the market in any given month.  The shortage of inventory should lead to an increase in home prices.   This measures the speed of the market on a monthly basis.  All the Days on the Market are added up and then divided by the number of properties in... 10/15/2009

   Calendar View List View   October2009   Program Select All Events Arts & CultureEnvironmentGovernmentGovernment MeetingsHealthKids & FamilyNeighborhood   Monday, October 12 City Council Meeting 7:00 pm City Council Meeting   read more Wednesday, October 14 Committee on Permits and Licenses 10:00 am Regular Meeting   read more Wednesday, October 14 Planning Commission 7:00 pm Regular Meeting   read more Wednesday, October 14 City Manager's Budget Meetings 7:00 pm Workshop on the City's work plan and budget   read more Thursday, October 15 Police/Juvenile Diversion 6:00 pm Regular Meeting   read more Thursday, October 15 Baldwin Hills Community Standards District Town Hall Meeting 6:00 pm The County Board of Supervisors has directed County staff to conduct a review of the Baldwin Hill... 10/12/2009

  Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 38,816. The community is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also has a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Since the 1920s, Culver City has been a significant center for motion picture and later television production, in part because it was the home of MGM Studios. It also was the headquarters for the Hughes Aircraft Company from 1932 to 1985. National Public Radio West and Sony Pictures Entertainment now have headquarters in the city. The area of Culver City was earlier inhabited by Gabrielino Native Americans. The city was founded primarily on the lands of the former Rancho La Ballona and Rancho Rincón de los Bueyes. From 1861 to 18... 10/10/2009

Culver City (90230, 90231, 90232, 90233) is a fully incorporated  city within the City of Los Angeles. It was founded by Harry Culver and incorporated in the 1917.Originally a center for movie production with MGM and Sony Studios, it was the headquarters for Hughes Aircraft.  Sony Studios is still located in the area.  Movies that were shot in Culver City include, The Wizard of Oz, The Thin Man, Citizen Kane, and the front of Culver Studios, was reputed to have been used as the facade of Tara in Gone With The Wind.The downtown area of Culver City has been revitalized and is fast-becoming a new entertainment destinations with its restaurants and art galleries, the latter prompting the New York Times to call it the "nascent Chelsea".The new light rail project in Los Angeles  from Downtown... 10/04/2009

Housing Index shows the pace of home prics declines slowed in July..a sign that the market is near bottom! The pace of price declines slowed in July for Los Angeles to -14% compared with the same month one year ago according the the S&P/Case -Shiller US National home price index. These figures support stabilization nationally for Real Estate Values. We still need to remain observant in the coming months to see if the expiration of the first time homebuyers tax credit will effect these figures. In Los Angeles including Orange County the 20 year index is now at 2003 levels, going back to just before home prices made their most dramatic gains in the housing "bubble" Making Sense of the News For first time homebuyers, this remains an ideal time to consider purchasing a home. Interest rates ... 09/30/2009

  KaBOOM! - It's Playground Design Day WHO: Children, Teens and AdultsWHAT: Design a new Veterans' Memorial Park Playground WHEN: Thursday, October 1, 2009 - 4 PM to 8 PMWHERE: Veterans' Memorial Building, Garden Room4117 Overland Avenue, Culver City, CA 90230Light dinner & free on-site child care will be providedVOLUNTEER FOR PLAYGROUND DESIGN DAY HERE"Design Day" on October 1, 2009 from 4 PM - 8 PM in the Garden Room at the Veterans' Memorial Building kicks off a community project to revitalize the Veterans' Memorial Park playground. KaBOOM!, a national non-profit that empowers communities to build playgrounds, has selected the City of Culver City as a community-build partner. Through the KaBOOM! partnership, the City and the Culver City Great Parks Association, with the help of commu... 09/30/2009

  Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 38,816. The community is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also has a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Since the 1920s, Culver City has been a significant center for motion picture and later television production, in part because it was the home of MGM Studios. It also was the headquarters for the Hughes Aircraft Company from 1932 to 1985. National Public Radio West and Sony Pictures Entertainment now have headquarters in the city. The area of Culver City was earlier inhabited by Gabrielino Native Americans. The city was founded primarily on the lands of the former Rancho La Ballona and Rancho Rincón de los Bueyes. From 1861 to 18... 09/23/2009

The Wizard of Oz - September 12, 2009 at 7:30pm in Culver City's City Hall Courtyard. Culver City City Hall is located at 9770 Culver Boulevard and parking and dining are available in Downtown Culver City. For more information call the Culver City Cultural Affairs Hotline at 310.253.5716 or go to www.culvercity.org. No reservations are required for this family event. The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland, received the Best Music, Original Song Academy Award for the timeless "Over The Rainbow". The story follows Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto as they travel from their home in Kansas to the magical land of Oz. The Wizard of Oz was filmed entirely in Culver City at MGM Studios and this year marks the 70th Anniversary of its release in 1939. Special permission for the screening has been pr... 08/19/2009

I was driving on Sepulveda the other day and I saw the massive Target opening. I was surprised to go to the other Target down the street on Sepuleda Blvd and they said they plan on keeping the two Targets open. This is a shopaholic's dream come true. The Fox Hills area of Culver City has always had a tarnished image. Being close to the traffic nightmare that is the bend of the 405. You Westsider's take note. There is the 90 Freeway and Slauson as a short cut around all the traffic. Plenty of reason to visit the new Westfield Fox Hills Mall come October 2009 which will include at 347,000 square foot expansion. I don't think I have been to Fox Hills mall in many years. Perhaps digging through for a bookcase at the JCPENNEY furniture store. The plans for the Fox Hills mall are amazing. We... 08/15/2009

The West Side Los Angeles Market Conditionshave gone through a change which started in the beginning of the Summer  traditionally one of the strongest seasons for home sales. The First-Time Home buyer Tax Credits, along with the interest rates and short-sale market has produced a market condition where homes that are priced correctly for this market, are getting multiple offers. This First time Buyer Condition, along with the very strong Investor Market..has buyers hopping to have the chance to pick up some of these well priced properties.  Many buyers are finding that they have been Out Bid on a property when an investor offers "ALL CASH" . In fact, some of the Short-Sale listings are demanding all cash offers!  Some of the offers are high enough to completely eliminate the need for th... 07/25/2009