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The Facts About Foreign Buyers

No Author — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 07:26:00 EST

While much of the country is ramping up for a triple-dip, San Marino continues to experience an active and competitive real estate market. It would appear that the huge insurgence of foreign buyers, armed with cash and the ability to close extremely quickly, is the force behind San Marino�s hearty sales. According to Sinora Chan, the branch manager of West Coast Escrow in San Marino, over 75% of the deals she has handled in 2011 have involved overseas buyers, most of these involving all-cash transactions.

Architectural Details Part II - Front Entry

No Author — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:58:00 EST

As a residential realtor, I understand the emotional attachment that people have with their home. Wikipedia defines a home as �a place of residence or refuge.� This definition is very simple and makes me think of home as a place to live, sleep, store my things, and protect myself from the weather. Digging deeper into the importance of home, Wikipedia also points out that, �home may relate instead to a mental or emotional state of refuge or comfort.� This more abstract definition begins to get at the heart of why our homes are deeply personal.

Real Estate Chart, May 25-31

No Author — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 13:31:00 EST

Real Estate Chart, May 25-31

Work With What You Got

No Author — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 13:30:00 EST

Because most San Marino homes were built many years ago, renovations are a regular part of most homeowner�s lives. Some homes have been so completely and beautifully renovated before sale, that prospective buyers can imagine moving into the home without having to make any changes. Most homes, though, have some flaw or provide plenty of room for improvement. Let�s face it, even homes that have been renovated at some point will eventually need to be attended to again some years later. Renovations seem to be a perpetual part of every homeowner�s life.

Are We In For a Double Dip?

No Author — Thu, 19 May 2011 12:11:00 EST

When the national real estate economy fell upon hard times, the San Marino market was one of the last to feel the effects of the slump. After holding out valiantly, the San Marino market began to see a dip toward the end of 2007 and came to to its low point in 2009. Not only did the median sales price dip, but the sales volume was affected, as well. San Marino real estate went into a bit of a hibernation, as residents sought to ride out the difficult financial times, not wanting to sell property at a low point.

San Marino Schools - The Cornerstone of Our Community

No Author — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 11:47:00 EST

The beginning of April is an exciting time for San Marino High School seniors, as they make their final decisions about which college they will attend in the fall. Our kids are extremely privileged to receive a San Marino education.

Minding Your Credit

No Author — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 17:08:00 EST

The topic of credit scores is not a particularly �sexy� topic, and yet that three-digit number can either open doors to great opportunity or bar you from achieving your dreams. Similar to the grades that we received in school or our score on the SAT, the credit score rates our financial dependability to potential creditors. How credit scores are determined is a bit of a mystery, and we are warned to check our credit scores regularly to ensure that our identity has not been stolen. We are also warned that checking our scores too often actually reduces our score. No wonder most of us just ignore the topic and hope that everything is okay.

Carrie's Featured Listing For the Most Recent Quarter

No Author — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 17:06:00 EST

Featured Listing: 2804 East California Boulevard, Pasadena/Sophisticated one-story Contemporary on an acre lot

Carrie�s Analysis For the Most Recent Quarter:

No Author — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 17:05:00 EST

The San Marino home sales data for the year of 2010 shows that our market has improved since 2009. Both the average sales price and the average price per square foot have increased. In addition, sellers got 98.0% of their asking price compared to 95.7% in 2009. One nagging reminder that San Marino is still in a recovery mode is the continued lower sales volume. A total of 114 properties sold in 2010, compared to 125 properties in 2009.

Mold: The Four Letter Word of Real Estate

No Author — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 17:21:00 EST

As I completed last week°òs article on water intrusion, I was forming ideas for a follow-up article on mold, the nasty by-product of water intrusion. With all of the rain that we were receiving, these topics seemed relevant and interesting. As I am formulating this article, the sun is shining and my daughter is heading off to the beach for some tanning. I am not going to allow this sudden Southern California warm spell to push me off course, though. Since we are still in the middle of winter, I would like to discuss the important topic of mold.

The Jackie Robinson of Architects

No Author — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 13:17:00 EST

As residents of the Greater Pasadena area, we are truly blessed to live amongst so many outstanding architectural homes and public buildings, built by famous and world-renown architects. These gems are tucked in many of our neighborhoods and are a pleasure to view, especially when they have been beautifully renovated. As we walk our neighborhoods, it is as if we are walking the rooms of an art gallery, viewing masterpieces made of wood, nails and plaster.

A Wonderful Carrie Benuska Video

No Author — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 10:59:00 EST

Check out Carrie's video

Going Green Part IIby Carrie Benuska

No Author — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST

Last week I discussed some of the common-sense Passive Systems that can be incorporated into any home to improve its affect upon the environment.

Real Estate Contingencies 101

No Author — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EST

Purchasing a home is a huge financial decision and can also be a stressful process. It is filled with negotiations, inspections and a sea of paperwork. The first weeks of an escrow are of primary importance, because it is in this period that the buyer must confirm financing, thoroughly investigate the property, and negotiate any repairs that the home may need. In order to allow the buyer time to complete these steps without fear of losing their deposit, the California Residential Purchase Agreement utilizes several contingencies, which give the buyer a little breathing room. When writing up an offer, buyers specify how much time they need for these important tasks

The East Village, by Carrie Benuska

No Author — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 11:02:00 EST

After weeks of winding our way through the varying sections of our city, this article will conclude my series on �Our San Marino Neighborhoods� with an exploration of the East Village. Nestled right below Huntington Drive and to the East of San Marino Avenue, this neighborhood is serviced by Carver Elementary School and is conveniently located right below many Huntington Drive businesses. Walking to the San Marino Grill for breakfast, getting a birthday present at San Marino Toy and Book or picking up a prescription at Huntington Pharmacy are all a snap if you live in the East Village. As I thought about how to present this part of town, I decided to break it up into three smaller areas. Each area is wonderful, but much more than the solid architecture, fresh paint jobs and lovely gardens are the incredible people who live there.After weeks of winding our way through the varying sections of our city, this article will conclude my series on �Our San Marino Neighborhoods� with an exploration of the East Village. Nestled right below Huntington Drive and to the East of San Marino Avenue, this neighborhood is serviced by Carver Elementary School and is conveniently located right below many Huntington Drive businesses. Walking to the San Marino Grill for breakfast, getting a birthday present at San Marino Toy and Book or picking up a prescription at Huntington Pharmacy are all a snap if you live in the East Village. As I thought about how to present this part of town, I decided to break it up into three smaller areas. Each area is wonderful, but much more than the solid architecture, fresh paint jobs and lovely gardens are the incredible people who live there.

This Week's San Marino Map

No Author — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 10:50:00 EST

The Upper East Side

No Author — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 10:36:00 EST

The Upper East Side of San Marino is a place close to my heart, because I have lived here for over a decade with my husband and three kids. This section of town stretches from Sierra Madre Boulevard to San Gabriel Boulevard and is north of Huntington Drive.

Poet�s Quarter by, Carrie Benuska

No Author — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 22:47:00 EST

Nestled between Sierra Madre Boulevard and the Huntington Library, Poet�s Quarter is a
divinely fantastic neighborhood, with ready access to the 210 freeway and
several important north-south and east-west thoroughfares. Sections of this
neighborhood are equally as grand and awe inspiring as our high-end Lacy

Carrie's New Video

No Author — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 12:30:00 EST

Check out Carrie's new video

Is Flipping Back In Style?

No Author — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 12:28:00 EST

During hot times in the real estate market, as home prices are increasing and buyer demand is high, people have had great success in buying properties, fixing them up and then selling them for a profit.