Rodeo Realty

March 9, 2016

Nicole Nash's listing featured in LA Times

A listing for Rodeo Realty agent Nicole Nash is featured in the Los Angeles Times Hot Property.

The West Hollywood home is one of this week’s Home of the Day. The bright contemporary located at 1236 Greenacre Avenue once belonged to Bangles guitarist Michael Steele.

The gated sanctuary is equipped with an 8-zone Elan g! entertainment and control system which allows you to stream music inside and out with a mobile device.

la-fi-hotprop-home-of-the-day-cul-de-sac-conte-001 — LA Times

Other home features include French doors, an open-plan kitchen with center island and Italian porcelain floors.

For more info on the featured property, view the LA Times article HERE

March 8, 2016

West Hollywood Lifestyle hits the road with Josh Flagg

FB_IMG_1457404592508 — West Hollywood Lifestyle/Photography By Jim Jordan

Rodeo Realty’s Josh Flagg is covering the 2016 spring issue of West Hollywood Lifestyle magazine.

Writer Lindzi Scharf met with the star of Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing to discuss real estate. She mentions meeting Flagg outside the Four Seasons Hotel off Doheny, where he currently resides.

“I just can’t seem to stay in a house,” Flagg tells Scharf. “I keep buying houses, and people keep offering me more money for them — right after I buy them.”

The two pull out of the hotel’s driveway in a Rolls-Royce 1960 Silver Cloud Convertible.

josh-flagg-620x502 — West Hollywood Lifestyle/Photography By Jim Jordan

“My grandmother used to drive Rolls-Royces, and I guess that’s what got me into them,” Flagg tells Scharf. “New cars, you buy them, and they go down in value the minute you take them off the lot. An old classic car only goes up — granted, you’ve probably spent more money just maintaining the car over the time, but at the end of the day, these cars are incredible investments.”

Flagg hits the road and starts talking cars — the article states he reportedly owns a fleet of Rolls-Royces.

“I’d rather not say how many, but quite a few,” said Flagg.

For more on West Hollywood Lifestyle’s Hitting the Road with Million Dollar Listing’s Josh Flagg, click HERE

March 7, 2016

Rodeo Realty's Mormino Team scores touchdown with LA Rams

The saying “luck is when preparation meets opportunity” could not be more accurate when it comes to Rodeo Realty’s newly formed Mormino Team, Carmen Mormino and Ursula Nanson.

Through relentless phone calls, emails, and follow-ups over the past six-months, the goal to be the Rams go-to source for real estate and information is now coming to fruition.

Jamon Brown, guard for the Los Angeles Rams, spent the weekend with Mormino scouring the area for a new home as well as getting a crash course as to all the Conejo Valley has to offer him and his bride-to-be.

“I decided when rumors were starting about the Rams move here to be pro-active and reach out to everyone imaginable to get our name out to those in the organization who would benefit,” said Mormino.

Mormino said Jamon has passed on his contact info to a majority of his teammates, and the domino effect has begun with 5 – 7 players already lined up to utilize the Mormino Team’s services.

“Many of these players are in their early twenties, and our purpose is to guide them in the right way, earn their trust, and to build long-term relationships,” said Mormino.

After meeting with the Rams head coach prior to their players-only meeting in Manhattan Beach, Carmen said he was shocked at the information that was provided and how lucky he felt. He said he was informed by Jeff Fisher “Coach Fish”, that the players are being advised to only focus North of Calabasas–which puts The Mormino Team in a prime position considering these are the areas they specialize in.

None of this “luck” would be taking place if it were not for the efforts and Carmen putting this idea in motion last year while many were telling him it was next to impossible.

“I thrive on doing what others say can’t be done, and to have Ursula with the same mindset working on this project, the results are already exceeding what I envisioned at the start,” said Mormino.

March 5, 2016

Economic update for the week ending March 4, 2016

U.S. Employers add 242,000 jobs in February – The Labor Department reported that U.S. Employers added 242,000 new jobs in February. This was far better than the 190,000 new jobs economists surveyed had predicted. It was also viewed as a very positive sign after a disappointing 172,000 jobs added in January. It was feared after the low January report that job growth could be stalling, but the February number of 242,0000 net new jobs put the 2016 average job gains numbers back to over 200,000 per month. The national unemployment rate held steady at 4.9%, the lowest level since February 2008. Wage growth was disappointing showing hourly wages up just 2.2% from last February. Wages were looking like they were beginning to rise over the last few months, after being stagnant for years, so this was a disappointing number. The Federal Reserve has a wage growth target of 3.5%.

California Unemployment Rate drops to 5.7% in January – The Employment Development Department reported that California’s unemployment rate slipped in January to 5.7%, down from 5.9% in December. Year over year non farm payrolls increased by 444,900 from last January when the state’s unemployment rate was 6.8%.

Stock markets rise for third straight week – Stocks rose again this week as rising oil prices bolstered energy stocks, and the outlook of economics in oil producing regions. Oil prices have risen 30% from their February lows. A strong jobs report showed that U.S. Employers’s are still confident and expanding, which also helped stocks on Friday after the report was released. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the week at 17,006.77 up from 16,391.99 last week. The S&P 500 closed the week at 1,999.99 up from 1,948.05 last week. The NASDAQ closed Friday at 4,717.02 up from 4,590.47 last week.

Bond yields – Bond yields have risen slightly since hitting historically low levels in mid February. It’s not unusual for bond yields to rise as stocks rise as investors sell bonds to buy stocks. The 10 year U.S. Treasury bond yield closed Friday at 1.88% from 1.76% last week. The 30 year U.S. Treasury bond yield closed Friday at 2.70% from 2.63% last week.

Mortgage rates -The Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey showed that average rates on February 25, 2016 were as follows: The 30 year fixed average rate was 3.64%. The 15 year fixed average rate was 2.94%. The 5/1 ARM average was was 2.84%.

Have a great weekend!

March 4, 2016

Jason Peteler, Ben Bacal listing featured in The Wall Street Journal

The Hollywood Hills contemporary home at 6654 Emmet Terrace was featured this week in the Wall Street Journal’s “House of the Day.”

Ben Bacal and Jason Peteler are two of the listing agents for the property.

The luxury estate is not only featured for its breathtaking features but also for its 11-minute promotional marketing movie. The Wall Street Journal calls it, “A Los Angeles house that stars in its own divorce drama.”

The married owners of the contemporary home came up with the story line and created the video in which they play a couple on the verge of splitting up.

For photos and details on the home view The Wall Street Journal feature HERE

You can also vote the featured home for “House of The Week”. Click HERE to vote.

March 4, 2016

Josh Flagg Covers The Vital VOICE

12717965_1075686459119164_9097514667522167891_n — Vital Voice Cover

Josh Flagg claims he “doesn’t just sell houses, he sells a lifestyle”. The Rodeo Realty agent and star of Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing gave an in-depth interview to The Vital VOICE about his career, lifestyle and success.

“I hope to be where I am now in five to ten years,” Flagg told Vital VOICE. “If I continue doing what I’m doing now, I’ll be very happy.”

Flagg is featured on the front cover of the magazine and also on Vital VOICE’s website and Facebook.

To read the entire Vital Voice article At Home With Josh Flagg, click HERE

March 3, 2016

Rodeo Realty’s Allison Gold in LA Times Hot Property

Allison Gold of Rodeo Realty currently has a listing that is being featured in the LA Times Hot Property.

The charming Spanish home featured was once home to Hollywood actress Betsy Drake. The classic and romantic property is beautifully crafted with vintage accents and located In the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. Built in 1931, the 1,722sf home is located at 2223 Veteran Avenue, an excellent location within the highly rated Westwood Charter school district. The 3 bedroom/2 bathroom property features high beamed ceilings, built-ins, a gorgeous living room with a wood-burning fireplace, a formal dining room, fabulous deco tile and arched doorways into several rooms.

Betsy Drake purchased the property in 1980 and filled it with more than 50 pieces of mid-century art by both international and local artists. She began her Hollywood career in 1948 with her first film “Every Girl Should Be Married”, a romantic comedy in which her character devises outlandish schemes to hook one of classic Hollywood’s leading men Cary Grant as a husband. Approximately two years after that, on Christmas Day 1949, Drake and Grant married. Drake appeared in about 10 films including “Dancing in the Dark” (1949), “The Second Woman” (1950), “Room for One More” (1952), and “Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?” (1957). Drake also wrote the original script for “Houseboat” (1958), starring her husband Grant. The couple divorced four years later in 1962 after 13 years of marriage. After her marriage, she studied at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute at Harvard, worked with families at a community mental health center and wrote a novel, “Children, You are Very Little,” about an 8-year-old girl growing up in a shattered family. She eventually moved to London, but still maintained her charming Spanish. Drake passed away in 2015 at age 92.

la-fi-hotprop-betsy-drake-house-20160303-001 — (Rodeo Realty | Inset: Getty Images)

To view the LA Times article on the featured property, click HERE

March 2, 2016

Rodeo Realty's Ben Bacal setting standard for luxury real estate videos

[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUNpg8wZa_c” width=”340″ height=”200″ autoplay=”yes”]

Luxury meets Drama. Rodeo Realty’s Ben Bacal is setting the bar high for luxury real estate videos. The 10k mini-movie shows off a Hollywood Hills contemporary all while keeping you in suspense.

6654 Emmet Terrance is listed at $4,500,000. The one-of-a-kind home was designed and built by Ori Ayonmike, the owner and his wife are the actors in the mini-movie.

For more information on the property, click HERE

February 29, 2016

Rodeo Realty’s Martin Halfon in LA Times Hot Property

Martin Halfon of Rodeo Realty currently has a listing that is being featured in the LA Times Hot Property.

The luxury estate belonged to prolific TV producer, Alan Landsburg. The Emmy winner and Oscar nominee purchased the beautiful contemporary home in early 1998. The two-story 7,390 sq. ft. estate has a large living room with a fireplace, a formal dining room connecting to an open cook’s kitchen and a broad family room with ceiling-to-floor glass walls that overlook a luxurious pool. The second level offers two guest bedroom suites, a master suite and a private balcony that looks out into the lush canyons and city views. The upper level also has a media room with a full bar and a gym with a relaxing sauna spa.

Alan Landsburg lived in the luxurious home before passing in 2014 at age 81. He moved his family to Los Angeles in the early 1960s after receiving a job with documentary film producer David Wolper. He worked as a producer on Wolper’s popular “Biography” series that profiled entertainers, world leaders and other high-profile names. He then produced, wrote and directed “A Thousand Days: A Tribute to John Fitzgerald Kennedy,” which aired in 1964 on the one-year anniversary of the president’s assassination. During his five-decade career in Hollywood he produced 50 television movies, many of which were based on true stories and tackled important social issues. They included “The Ryan White Story,” “The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal” and Mickey Rooney’s telefilm “Bill,” which was a true story based on a mentally challenged man who was trying to adjust life outside an institution. His credits also include National Geographic specials, the adventure series “The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau,” the 1983 films “Porky’s II: The Next Day,” and “Jaws 3-D”. Landsburg was nominated for an Oscar for “Alaska Wilderness Lake,” which he produced. He was also nominated for five Emmys, winning the 1970 telepic “A Storm in Summer,” written by Rod Serling and starring Peter Ustinov, who played a crotchety delicatessen owner who ends up taking in an African American boy.

Listing agent Martin Halfon’s relationship with the Landsburg family stems back to the 1960s. He and Alan’s daughter Valerie Landsburg, who you may know from the TV series “Fame,” have been childhood friends since elementary school at El Rodeo School in Beverly Hills.

la-fi-hotprop-alan-landsburg-house-20160229-001 — Courtesy of LA Times.

To view the featured property in the LA Times, click HERE

February 27, 2016

Economic update for the week ending February 27, 2016

Stocks rise for the second consecutive week – Stock markets rallied Monday as oil prices rose 7%. Unfortunately, oil prices and stocks retreated from the highs of the week. Oil prices ended the week just over $32 a barrel, up 3.2% for the week. Stocks are up about 6% from their February lows. Markets were also encouraged by an upward revision in 4th quarter GDP, and an increase in durable goods orders. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the week at 16,639.97, up from 16,391.99 last week. The S&P 500 closed the week at 1,948.05, up from 1,917.78 last week. The NASDAQ closed Friday at 4,590.47, up from 4,505.93 last week.

Bond yields – The 10 year U.S. Treasury bond yield closed Friday at 1.76%, unchanged from 1.76% last week. The 30 year U.S. Treasury bond yield closed Friday at 2.63%, also almost unchanged from 2.61% last week.

4th quarter GDP was revised higher – Investors were encouraged Friday when the government released its second revision to the 2015 4th quarter gross domestic product. GDP was revised upward from a growth rate of 0.7% to 1%. Analysts feared that it could actually be revised downward to 0.4%, so this was a report that was met with optimism.

Durable goods orders up 4.9% in January – A stronger than expected durable goods report in January has analysts believing that this may be pointing to the beginning of a possible turnaround in manufacturing. Manufacturing in the U.S. has been hit by a strong dollar which makes our goods more expensive overseas and goods manufactured elsewhere cheaper for U.S. consumers. Fear of pullback on purchases of U.S. made goods caused manufacturer’s to slow the pace of manufacturing. This was done to lower inventory levels so as not to get caught with an oversupply of goods. As the pace of orders rise, companies boost manufacturing and are beginning to allow inventory levels to rise from historic low levels. This is a positive sign that boosted markets.

Mortgage rates -The Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey showed that average rates on February 25, 2016 were as follows: The 30 year fixed average rate was 3.62%. The 15 year fixed average rate was 2.93%. The 5/1 ARM average was was 2.79%.

Have a great weekend!