Tag: Rodeo Realty

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Out & About: Santa Monica Edition

Originally established as a seaside retreat at the turn of the 20th century, today Santa Monica attracts families and renters to its beachside lifestyle, proximity to Los Angeles (just 15 miles), and overall high quality of life. Santa Monica has many things to offer from the famous Santa Monica Pier to the Santa Monica Farmers Market. There is surely a wealth of things to do for the whole family!

Snag a picture at the Route 66: End of the Trail sign

That’s right, the iconic Route 66 that runs all the way from Chicago to LA officially ends in Santa Monica.  As one of the first U.S. highways, covering a total of 2,448 miles (3,940 km), Route 66 served as the primary highway for those who migrated from east to west over the last century. This landmark sign overlooking the Pacific Ocean at the Santa Monica Pier symbolizes the official stopping point of historic westward travelers.

Check out the Santa Monica Farmers Markets

Taking place every Wednesday and Saturday mornings from 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM, the market is located on Arizona Avenue between Second and Third Street; on Sunday, it’s at 2640 Main Street. Not only do these markets have organic produce you can take home and cook, but you can also find stands selling food you can eat right there on the spot! Established in 1981, the market aims to keep modest goals of providing reasonably priced, high quality produce to the city’s community.

Grab a drink at Chez Jay – The World’s Most Glamorous Dive Bar
1657 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401

For nearly half a century this tiny bar has been a showcase for the adventurer Jay Fiondella’s treasure hunts, hot air balloons, and historic artifacts from legendary shipwrecks! Fiondella started and operated Chez Jay in 1959 and has been a sanctuary for celebrities coming to hang out through the years, from the likes of the Rat Pack to even the Jonas Brothers. If you’re looking for that “come as you are” experience with history, Chez Jay is the place for you.

Get a picture of the mosaic-covered – Farnam House

The Farnam House has been featured in national newspapers and television shows, and even won a TLC contest for the most interesting house in California! Louise and Aziz Farnam have spent 13 years applying various tiles, plates, and glass to their 1930’s bungalow in Santa Monica. This is one local gem that is absolutely worth saying you witnessed!

Have lunch at Santa Monica’s oldest restaurant – The Galley

Decorated with set pieces from the Mutiny on the Bounty and under the glow of multicolored Christmas lights, the booths are cozy and romantic. Offering delicious seafood and steak, ask about the now off-menu, “Favorite Land Food” they will still make it for you! A neighborhood staple since 1934, The Galley has been a long-time favorite for Santa Monica locals and visitors.

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Home Tips: Easy Decoration Ideas That’ll Holiday Up Your Home

This holiday season, consider these charming touches when decking out your own halls. Classic in inspiration and modern in execution, they bring cheer to nearly every room in the house and are as easy to implement as one, two, three.

Cue the Conifers

Make your mantel look amazing with a colorful assortment of vintage and inexpensive evergreens. The bottle-brush variety are readily available online and at craft stores; the miniature ones were plucked from a model train set. Votives make the snow-dusted landscape sparkle.

Jingle all the Way

To make comings and goings much more festive, gather a variety of craft-store bells and string them onto two loops of wire. Mold them into a cluster shape, twist the ends of the loops together and tie a big bow. Hang the ornament from a doorknob with a piece of cord.

Fake a Flame

Enjoy candlelight without the fire hazard by placing LED votives on windowsills, mantels, and stairs!

Stock up on Stockings

Nope, they’re not just for kids. These John Robshaw beauties add texture and color to any space and can be put to new use. Fill sachets with fallen pine needles, tuck them inside the stockings and perfume your home in a stealth way.

Go out with a Bang

Christmas crackers date back to mid-19th– century Great Britain. These crackers are prettily wrapped cylinders that hold tiny gifts and emit a loud pop when pulled apart. Place a pile in a bowl by your front door and send guests home with a jolly, fun party favor.

Spread the Love

Rather than tucking mistletoe in a doorway, make family meals warn and fuzzy with an overhead centerpiece. Wrap wreath frame with fresh eucalyptus and faux mistletoe (toxins in the real berries can harm kids and pets) and attach ornaments with floral wire.

Light the Way

To set up this modern menorah, arrange eight bud vases in a row, with a taller one in the middle, and place tapers inside. For added stability, put a bit of candle glue in the bottom of each vase. Post-holiday repurpose the vessels for greenery or small garden clippings.

Count Down TO HOLIDAY OF YOUR CHOICE

The whimsical Advent calendar comes together in a few basic steps. First, paint a two-by-four foot pegboard slat; let dry overnight. Using stencils, craft paint and a brush or sponge, paint the numbers you would need on muslin gift bags; let dry overnight.

The next day, evenly space small wooden pegs in the board; fill the bags with little toys, candy and handwritten messages and hang the bags in order. Then, just place it on a console table or ledge, lean it against the wall (or mount it, if you have small children), and let the anticipation build to your favorite holiday.

**IDEAS Sourced from MarthaStewart.com
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5 Smart-Home Tools That You Did Not Know You Needed

There’s this notion going around that everything needs to be “smart” for ease of lifestyle —  even your home.  Fortunately for you, the market is saturated with smart-home tools, with new ones added almost every day. Below is a list of a few smart-home tools for your home that you did not know you needed.

Voice Assistant

The most common way that homeowners get started with smart-home technology is by purchasing a voice assistant device such as an Amazon Echo (Alexa) or Google Home Assistant. These come in a variety of sizes. From the Google Mini or Echo Dot to the larger hubs such as the Google Hub or Echo Show (which offer touch screens and more robust speakers). You can place them in popular areas in the house, such as the kitchen or bedroom, to look up information, play music, and control other smart-home devices. From there, homeowners can choose other smart-home products that are compatible with their voice assistant.

Smart Thermostat

The next item that energy-conscious homeowners will want to purchase is a smart thermostat. Popular brands include Ecobee, Nest, and Honeywell. Nest has been acquired by Google, which is transitioning the “works with Nest” program to work with Google Assistant and offer additional products such as a video doorbell, a smart-lock, cameras, and a security system. Ecobee is our  personal favorite since it includes an additional occupancy and temperature sensor that can be placed in any room of the home. Both systems have scheduling and geofence features that will adjust settings based on whether the owner is home using their phone as a presence sensor.

Video Doorbell

Ring has helped video doorbells gain popularity with their aggressive advertising on Nextdoor and Facebook. There are other great options from Google, Simplisafe, and Skybell. A video doorbell allows the homeowner to see who’s at the door, monitor when packages arrive, and avoid those pesky door-to-door salespeople. Beware: if you don’t have a strong Wi-Fi connection you’ll be disappointed with the video quality.

Smart Lighting

Whether you install a switch at the wall or just replace a few lightbulbs, smart lighting is a popular choice for convenience, security, and entertainment. We recommend going with a system such as Lutron, which does not require a neutral wire and can be controlled via voice or application with a smart bridge device. Philips Hue or LIFX bulbs are both great options for lighting up a room with color, and each includes a variety of scenes that can help set the mood. Smart lights and switches can also be integrated with a home hub such as Hubitat and connected to other devices such as door or motion sensors. Smart bulbs can also be compatible with Alexa and Google Devices.

Smart Plugs

Plugs are another cost-effective way to control dated devices such as lamps, fans, or holiday lights. This allows the homeowner to setup a variety of automations and use his or her smartphone or voice assistant to turn them on or off. Some versions also include energy monitoring, which can be used to trigger other automations or to simply let the owner know how much power they’re currently using. Perk: You can set these to go on or off on a timer so that your pets aren’t left in the dark when the sun sets.

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Agent Story: Equestrian Estates Director Jay Geisenheimer Sells Estate of Singer Leona Lewis

British pop chanteuse Leona Lewis has quietly sold an equestrian estate in Glendale, CA for $2.25 Million. Jay Geisenheimer, Rodeo Realty’s own Equestrian Estates Director, represented Lewis when she purchased the estate for $1.2 Million back in 2013. The equestrian estate was listed for sale by another agent at $2.9 Million and sat on the market for 2 years. Lewis returned to Geisenheimer, who sold the property at $2.25 Million in two months!

This is an absolute gem of a property in the Rancho. It sold for the highest price the Burbank/Glendale area has seen– more importantly to Jay, it sold to an equestrian with horses.

Jay commented: “I have been riding in the Rancho for 30 years and have lived here for 22. With deep roots in the equestrian world, I am able to bring horse people to horse properties time and time again. I sold to a horse person, something VERY important to my world” – she continued with “we do not have prices like this in my world, so this was a huge accomplishment and opener for the few remaining large properties in the Rancho” 

Please see the property here: www.154AllenAvenue.com

For more of Jay’s listings, click HERE.

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Brendan Barry sells Vintage 1930’s Spanish to Comedian Chris O’Dowd

Rodeo Realty’s Brendan Barry recently closed sale on a 100-year-old Spanish bungalow to comedian Chris O’Dowd.

The sale picked up media coverage in outlets like Variety and Architectural Digest. Both publications focused on the homes Old-Hollywood charm. Originally built in 1930, the two-story residence was on the market for the first time in 50 years. Located in the affluent Beverly Grove neighborhood of Los Angeles’ Mid City West, the home sold for nearly $2.15 million.

It boast almost 3,000 square feet of living space and features authentic details throughout. From its hand-forged wrought iron accents to a gently curved stone staircase that ascends unto the terra cotta tile foyer is golden era glamour.

The home also features natural light that floods in through the living rooms multi-colored stain glass window. While stunning accents like the antique crystal chandelier hanging in the homes formal dining room add a touch of elegance.

This is the second piece of U.S. real estate for U.K. Actor/Comedian Chris O’Dowd and his writer/TV Presenter wife Dawn O’Porter. Their first home on this side of the pond is a mere few blocks away from their new abode.

O’Dowd is most notable for his role in Bridesmaids and Sundance TV’s State of the Union. He will also be featured in the CBS All Access upcoming reboot of The Twilight Zone hosted by Oscar Winner Jordan Peele.

Variety article-click here.
Architectural Digest article-click here.
To view Brendan Barry’s current listings click here.
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Rodeo Realty President-Syd Leibovitch lands on 2019 Swanepoel Power 200 List

Syd Leibovitch recognized as one of the most influential and powerful people in residential real estate.

The 2019 Swanepoel Power 200 list is out and Rodeo Realty’s President, Syd Leibovitch, is once again recognized as one of the most powerful people in the residential real estate brokerage industry!

Out of hundreds who were considered, Syd Leibovitch was one of 200 who made it onto the SP200 list.

“The SP200 is based on a great deal of research,” said Stefan Swanepoel, Editor-in-Chief of the Swanepoel Power 200. “We send hundreds of requests for additional information, personally verifying announcements, stats and actions that took place over the past year.”

The 2019 SP200 ranks Syd Leibovitch at #108 among the 200 recognized.

“Rodeo Realty founder Leibovitch heads one of the leading residential real estate firms in Los Angeles and Ventura counties with nearly 1,000 agents in 12 offices who do $5.2 billion in annual sales,” said the SP200.

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The WALL Fitness Hosting Open House for Rodeo Realty Agents

If you set health and fitness goals for 2019, The WALL wants to help you stay on track! Learn more about Los Angeles’ newest fitness studio by attending, Wine Down With The WALL.

The facility is hosting an Open House for all Rodeo Realty agents! On Tuesday, February 12, stop by the The WALL from 5 – 6 p.m. to enjoy some wine, get a VIP tour of the studio, and meet celebrity trainer, Jason Wimberly. In addition, those who attend the one-hour event will receive a Rodeo Realty gift bag and will be able to sign up for a free workout class!

If you would like to attend, please RSVP by clicking link: https://bit.ly/2SyRxHq

The event will take place at 730 South La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles. There is free parking for 90 minutes with validation. To learn more about the facility, click HERE.

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