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Real Estate Agent Blends Business and Charity

Congratulations to Ben Salem! The Southland Regional Association of REALTORS® (SRAR) chose him as Good Samaritan of the Month for December 2010. For the association’s announcement visit: http://www.srar.com/node/946

The SRAR Good Samaritan program is designed to feature REALTORS® that have made a difference in their community through charitable and/or volunteer endeavors, according to SRAR. Monthly recipients are featured in the REALTOR® Report and their name is added to the Good Samaritan plaque hanging in the front lobby of SRAR.

Salem has been a member of the association since 2003. The following is an exerpt from SRAR’s announcement.

Working under the umbrella of Rodeo Realty, Ben Salem Properties donates 2% of every closed transaction to various charities. His colleagues have recognized him for his work educating industry professionals in the area of REO evictions and best practices. Ben has donated his time on a variety of panels that have been focused on borrowers’ rights; the difference between personal property and debris; techniques for occupancy determination; and how to break the ice with occupants.

In addition to the education he provides to his client base and peer group, Ben has become very active in an organization called “No Paws Left Behind”. “No Paws” is an organization that helps to care for abandoned animals that are victims of the current surge in foreclosures. They also work directly with families in foreclosure, providing assistance with vet bills, food, and help in finding pet-friendly alternative housing and money to cover deposits.

Ben teamed up with “No Paws” founder, Cheryl Lang to help raise awareness and funds to care for these animals by providing shelter until they can be transitioned into new homes. Lang estimates that nearly one million pets including dogs, cats, birds, horses and other animals are at risk as the foreclosure crisis mounts.

In April of this year, Ben and his Elite REO Team helped organize a Casino Night in Palm Springs that raised roughly $25,000.00 for “No Paws”. Funds raised for this event will cover costs including the care of pets left behind, support of local animal shelters, adoption, spaying, neutering and vaccinations. In many cases families are forced into choosing between buying groceries and caring for their pet.

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Bing Crosby Home in Brentwood

I know it’s a couple of days past Christmas, but I couldn’t resist sharing this Brentwood home with celebrity and holiday credentials.
Michael Barasch of Rodeo’s Encino office is listing a home that was once owned and designed by iconic crooner and actor Bing Crosby. As most of you know, Bing Crosby was well known for singing holiday favorites such as “White Christmas.”
The mini estate is set on almost 10,000 square feet of landscaped park like grounds. Built in 1937, it has almost 2,500 square feet of living space, 3 nice bedrooms, formal living room, separate family room, formal dining and a gourmet kitchen.
Additional features include hardwood floors, 2 fireplaces, crown molding, recessed lighting, sky lights, French doors, sparkling pool, outdoor kitchen, separate baths for each bedroom and a warm and inviting floor plan. The master suite features vaulted open beamed ceilings, a large walk-in closet and a master bath with steamer shower, separate tub, tumbled marble and much more.
The house was featured in a Christmas day Los Angeles Times story about other Bing Crosby homes on the market in L.A.: http://www.latimes.com/features/home/la-hm-hotprop-bing-crosby-20101225,0,316269.story
The property web site is: http://103anita.com/

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California Home Sales for November 2010

An estimated 31,403 new and resale houses and condos were sold in Calfornia last month, according to MDA DataQuick. That was down 3.9 percent from 32,669 in October, and down 12.4 percent from 35,860 for November 2009.

For MDA DataQuick’s full breakdown for the month of November visit:
http://www.dqnews.com/Articles/2010/News/California/RRCA101216.aspx

The median price paid for a home last month was $255,000, down 0.4 percent from $256,000 in October, and down 2.3 percent from $261,000 for November a year ago. The year-over-year decrease was the second in a row after eleven months of increases.

Of the existing homes sold last month, 37.8 percent were properties that had been foreclosed on during the past year, said MDA DataQuick. That was up from a revised 36.7 percent in October and down from 40.1 percent in November a year ago. The all-time high was in February 2009 at 58.5 percent.

Alex Lazo at the Los Angeles Times also did a story on the November numbers that brings in a few more voices. Visit: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-home-sales-20101217,0,7438765.story

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Rodeo Realty Celebrates the Holidays in Style

Rodeo Realty’s 2010 holiday party took place on Saturday, December 18th at the Sheraton Universal in Universal City. What a blast! More than 700 agents, brokers, employees and guests attended decked out in their finest holiday attire.

The five hour event included an open bar, dinner, a few words from Rodeo’s founder and president Syd Leibovitch, and lots of dancing. It was a great way to wind down 2010 and start looking forward to great things in 2011!

Here are some photos from the party. Wish I could have included ones of everybody, but this will at least give you a taste of the festivities and hopefully a few chuckles.

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Rodeo Realty's Holiday Party 2010

Rodeo Realty hosted its annual holiday party on December 18th at the Sheraton Universal in Universal City. More than 700 agents, brokers and their guests attended in elegant yet festive attire. The event included drinks, dinner, some words from Rodeo’s founder and president Syd Leibovitch, and lots of dancing. Thanks to Syd Leibovitch and everybody who attended. May 2011 be a great year!

Here are some photos from the event. I wish I could have included shots of everybody, but this will at least give you a taste of the party and hopefully a few chuckles.

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Blending Show Business and the Business of Buying and Selling Homes

The entertainment industry and real estate seem to go hand-in-hand. Gossip about celebrities buying and selling multi-million dollar homes are staples of the L.A. Times, New York Times, Huffington Post and more.

But what about real estate agents who are also working in the entertainment business? Columnist Lauren Beale of the L.A. Times recently did an article on the subject, so I decided to look into whether or not we have “industry” folk working among us right here at Rodeo Realty.

The answer is yes we do, and this is the first in a series of blogs interviewing them. Some are actors, others musicians. Regardless, all of them say there are plenty of parallels between show business and the business of buying and selling homes.
“In my 21 years as an actor and more than 1,200 auditions, rejection means absolutely nothing to me,” said Carmen Mormino of the Westlake Village office. He has acted on “Days of Our Lives,” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” among other television shows. He has also appeared in movies such as “The Stepfather” and “One Hour Photo.”
Actors hear so many “No’s” that sometimes they start believing it, he said. But like in real estate you can’t let rejection get you down. You have to go right back out there and meet more people until something clicks and deals get done.
Actors also have to think outside of the box in order to land certain roles, said Mormino, who began his real estate career four years ago and was on Rodeo’s list of top producers for the month of October 2010.
You can’t just play a character as you think it should be played; you have to live it and be real, he said. You also have to be real in order for real estate clients to trust you. “Acting has given me the confidence to be myself,” said Mormino.

Real estate is also not just a side gig. He has a family and said that balancing acting and real estate is the best way to maintain consistent income. He enjoys the thrill of helping people buy and sell homes and is proud to call himself both an actor and real estate agent.

Every now and then, however, the two careers meet in strange ways, said Mormino. He recently met somebody at an open house who happened to be a well-known television director. There was a point of connection, because the director knew Mormino is also in the entertainment business.

A colleague’s sister is a huge “Days of Our Lives” fan. So when she found out about Mormino’s recurring role on the show, she called her sister right away. Mormino –knowing the value of good fan and client relations- set his colleague’s sister up with some much appreciated Days of Our Lives memorabilia.
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Rodeo Realty Secures Space for New Sunset Strip Office

Rodeo Realty is moving forward with plans to open a new office on the iconic Sunset Strip in West Hollywood.
The company recently leased an approximately 9,000 square foot office space at 9200 W. Sunset Blvd., Suite 200.
The zip code is 90069 and the office building is located at the intersection of Sunset and Cory Ave. Sotheby’s International and DBL Realtors used to occupy the same space.
Rodeo is currently building-out the office and plans to have it up and running by mid January. The branch will house approx. 100 agents and is the company’s second Westside location -the other being located in Beverly Hills.

Fred Henry, who joined Rodeo Realty to manage the new branch, said the Sunset location is in close proximity to the Beverly Hills office. It’s a fabulous building with great exposure and amenities. The location also gives agents easy access to Westside communities and clients in the entertainment industry.

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White Rock Island for Sale Near Catalina's Isthmus Cove

Bud Mauro and Susan Miller of Rodeo Realty’s Northridge office are listing agents for White Rock Island (aka Bird Rock), which is located approximately 1500 feet off of the mainland side of Catalina Island’s Isthmus Cove (Two Harbors).
The island consists of 1.3 acres that were acquired from the United States government in the late 1920’s. At one point there was talk about constructing a casino on the island, and then a yacht club. But none of those plans ever came to fruition. 
T.V. director Michael Caffey is the island’s current owner. He inherited it from his father, who was the first private owner in the 1920s. Caffey, 80 years old, worked on hit shows such as “The Mod Squad” (1968-71), “Barnaby Jones” (1973-80) and “MacGyver” (1989-91).

The property even recently appeared in L.A. Times Hot Properties section:
http://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/la-hm-hotprop-michael-caffey-20101210,0,4490957.story

Bird Rock has been used as the location for several movie settings and more recently as the subject of a TV production series hosted by Huell Howser, entitled “California’s Gold”, “A search for California’s rich history and natural wonders”. The waters surrounding the island are a marine paradise.

With proper building permits and approvals the Bird Rock may lend itself nicely to certain “easy on the environment” projects such as a yacht club, scuba dive school or other developments with water related activities. It’s under the jurisdiction of LA County.

The zoning is unclassified according to Los Angeles County planning. Due to the island’s proximity to other land masses, schools or other developments, the regular permit process of notifying property owners within a certain radius may not apply.

The nearest land is Catalina’s Two Harbors area, which is zoned MXD (Mixed – Use Development) and R–R (Resort & Recreational). For more information contact Bud Mauro or Susan Miller @ (818) 363.4997 or e-mail BudMauro1@aol.com or info@SusanMiller4Homes.com.

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Leslie Appleton-Young Gives California Market Update for 2011

Leslie Appleton-Young, chief economist for the California Association of Realtors, gave her 2011 California Market Update today (December 8th) at the ArcLight Cinema in Sherman Oaks. More than 150 Rodeo Realty agents and employees attended the event.
The short version of her presentation on what’s to come for the economy next year: “We’re kind of stuck and there’s not strong momemtum to make 2011 much different,” said Appleton-Young.
The economy is recovering, she said. But high unemployment is preventing the recovery from gaining momentum. Consumer confidence is bouncing along at a lackluster rate. Consumer spending remains quite low. And while inflation isn’t much of an issue today, it may be a bigger issue in the future.
Fixing California’s financial problems is also likely to involve more layoffs in the state.
There continues to be a disconnect between high-end list prices and sales prices, she said. Some high-end markets, such as Malibu and Beverly Hills, have supplies in excess of 10 months. Inventory is tighter in some of the lower-end markets.
Short sales are closing, but banks need to do more to speed up the process, said Appleton-Young. And distressed properties will continue to play a large roll in many markets. Agents need to understand what type of market they’re working in, either a distressed one or others. 

The median home price in California is forecast to increase 2 percent, according to Appleton-Young.

She encouraged agents to leverage technology in the coming year, and get involved in the issues. A few of her reading recommendations for 2011 include: “Crisis Economics” by Nouriel Roubini; “Delivering Happiness” by Tony Hsieh; “Switch” by Chip and Dan Heath; “Linchpin” by Seth Godin; and “What Would Google Do?” by Jeff Jarvis.
To see Appleton-Young’s slides from the presentation, visit the following link. Please be patient, because it takes about a minute for the presentation to open:
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Protecting the Mortgage Interest Deduction

If you haven’t seen it already, the National Association of Realtors has issued a Call for Action to protect the mortgage interest deduction. 

The California Association of Realtors web site says the President’s Deficit Reduction Commission has released preliminary recommendations to change how the country spends money and collects taxes. One of its provisions calls for dramatically limiting the mortgage interest deduction.

NAR has issued a Call-for-Action and is asking all REALTORS® to call their members of Congress and urge him or her to preserve the MID. As the housing market continues to recover from the worst financial crisis in recent history, any change that reduces the ability of the market to heal is misguided and must be rejected.

Please contact your member of Congress today. When you connect to NAR’s Action Center, enter your name, e-mail address, and your phone number. NAR’s phone system will immediately contact that phone number. You will hear some brief talking points and then be connected to your representative’s office. It’s a quick and easy call. Please make it today.

More info: http://www.realtoractioncenter.com/realtor-party/click-to-call-mid.html

Here’s a link to CAR’s web site: http://www.car.org/newsstand/news/midaction/

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