The area was largely transformed in the mid-twenties by developer A.W. Ross who sought to create a commercial district comparable to downtown Los Angeles out of a rough road and farmland west of Western avenue. The result was the Miracle Mile which attracted huge commercial interest, making Ross’ venture a resounding success. Since that time, the Miracle Mile has managed to stay relevant for over 80 years.

The Miracle Mile boasts a few high rises and multistory commercial buildings like the Variety building and the Samsung building, but it remains mostly a low rise neighborhood. Many of its apartments, condos and commercial properties remain only a few stories high. The low rise buildings reduce the urban aesthetic and inject a hint of suburbia that is refreshing. Many of the apartments rent for between $2000 to $5000 and some studios go for as little as $1000. Condos and houses in the area average between half a million and $1.5 million dollars.

This is definitely a neighborhood for the trendy urban dweller that likes to be just within reach of everything. The Miracle Mile sparkles with the magic of possibility and excitement. It also has a relatively young demographic which ranges between 20-40 year-olds and the seasonal influx of UCLA students. On an average day you will find strolling couples, joggers, and foodies enjoying their favorite meal or beverage at a local eatery or coffee shop. The historic Wiltern Theater and El Rey Theaters are just minutes apart on the Miracle Mile giving way to a bastion of ethnic and local eateries, offering cuisine from India and Italy to Africa and Korea.

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is undoubtedly one of the crown jewels of the Miracle Mile. It houses a number of fine art collections, hosts cultural events year round and is located only seconds from the La Brea tar pits, a naturally occurring phenomenon in Southern California. The famous Peterson Automotive Museum along with LACMA are among the many museums and cultural spots in the neighborhood.

While the Miracle Mile appears mostly untouched by the economic downturn, the neighborhood has seen some changes. It has seen the demise of a few local businesses and many have been replaced with big box commercial venues and franchises. Additionally a number of newer condos are being developed in the area, along with a luxury car dealership. And while many of the changes have been beneficial, there are markedly more commercial, residential and medical office vacancies. The neighborhood has also seen foreclosures on a few of its condos and single family residences. These changes may be a temporary sign, but shrewd buyers and renters may want to remain vigilant in the current bear real estate market.

Overall, the Miracle Mile has remained relatively stable. The area has many factors working in its favor. Its proximity to Hollywood, UCLA and Beverly Hills has helped to keep this a vibrant and economically resilient neighborhood. The La Brea Tar Pits, Museum Row and its numerous entertainment venues also help to keep the Miracle Mile a hot spot for affluent Angelenos, students, and tourists. Its cultural diversity and proximity to many of Los Angeles’ notable neighborhoods make it a desirable location for those who like accessibility and variety.

The racial makeup of the city is a decently rich mix, with Caucasians and Asians being the largest two groups represented, but a healthy mix of many people. And while Rancho Palos Verdes is a decidedly affluent town, with a 2007 estimate of median household income at around $112,00.00 annually, don’t worry – there are plural lovely and affordable condos! (And some that are maybe not so affordable. But still lovely, to be sure.)

The schools of Rancho Palos Verdes are lauded as some of the nation’s best. And that goes for its highly regarded private schools as well as the public Palos Verdes Unified School District as well. The excellent educational institutions of the area greatly increase its desirability for families with school-age children (or those who are planning ahead).

While the city has its own independent government, it uses LAPD and LAFD staffers at its emergency services stations. The former, however, will often find themselves bored in this safe, secure town. Residents are rather used to that type of lifestyle, what with median home prices hovering just under 1.5 million dollars.

But like I said, fear not! We can beat the heck out of that and still give you plural bedrooms and bathrooms! Some wonderful properties for <375k – 625k. Take a look.

The area, which is yet another unincorporated but “census-designated” area of Los Angeles County, gets its name, aptly, from the huge marina that dominates the region. The marina (which is really more than a dozen smaller marinas loosely connected) can dock over 5,000 small to medium sized boats. So if you own a boat or are just a general boating enthusiast, well, this may be a good place for you, captain.

Being so close to the water, it stays nice and cool in Marina del Rey all year round. The temperatures rarely go much above 80 degrees, even in the middle of the summer. With 45 degrees Fahrenheit being about as cold as it ever gets in winter, this is a pretty mild place, really. And a pretty new one, by the way: the area was not fully developed and the harbor not officially active until 1965 (that after decades of false starts, abandoned building projects, etc.).

If sea breezes, beautiful beaches and a laid back lifestyle sounds about right to you, visit us at CondoDomain. Yeah, some of our featured properties here are north of one million dollars, but c’mon… the view baby.

In recent years, much of the city has been very much on the rebound, as it were. From Downtown to South Los Angeles (as it was re-designated to break the stigma of the area’s former name, South Central), Los Angeles is becoming a much safer place to live, to work and to raise a family.

And what does that mean? Well, many things. But for our purposes, it means that for the home hunter who is willing to bet the city’s ascendance will continue, now is the time to buy! Baldwin Hills is a neighborhood of Los Angeles it would be easy enough to overlook. It is tucked to the south of the 10 Freeway and to the east of Culver City. It shares borders with some historically unpleasant areas on its own eastern edge and, as such, is an area many seek to avoid. But this reaction is out of date. Restaurants and shops are cropping up and homes are available. Take a look yourself and see if maybe you can’t picture what this neighborhood could look like in a few years’ time.

Take a look at these stats (as of 10/18/11):

1 BR: Active Listings – 5 • Lowest – $190,000 • Average – $197,200 • Highest – $199,000

2 BR: Active Listings – 8 • Lowest – $269,900 • Average – $308,675 • Highest – $349,000

3 BR: Active Listings – 6 • Lowest – $250,000 • Average – $347,500 • Highest – $389,000

Interested? Contact us and we can help you participate in the Baldwin Hills renaissance. CondoDomain.

Famous boulevards and avenues pass through the neighborhood — Melrose, Sunset and Santa Monica, to name a few — bisected by little streets lined in charming homes and apartments.

The makeup of this city-within-a-city (a feature common to Los Angeles; unique to the area) has much to do with its neighbor, Beverly Hills, immediately to the West. There are plenty of single family residences with tiny but neat yards, but the rarity of turn over and price tags are something of a limit on moving into one.

However, many of the beautiful 1920s and 30s homes that line West Hollywood’s streets were built as duplexes or to house three or four families, often intended for the people who worked in the mansions of Beverly Hills’ wealthy residents.

Today many of those homes once thought of as “servant’s quarters” are some of the most sought after real estate in the LA area. They are well built (good old back-in-the-day construction) with all the little features that are so often left undone today: wainscoting, crown molding, nooks and built-ins, etc. And when you live in WeHo, everything is just a short walk away, be your goal groceries, live theater, a cocktail or a new outfit.

Most of these multi-family residences are rentals, but if you are lucky enough to score a condo in West Hollywood, you’re a happy home hunter. People who move to Los Angeles often find themselves drifting toward this central location and rarely find themselves leaving it again. And if you found a condo like this, why would you?

Not far from downtown, not far from the beach, close to Hollywood, just below the mountains… West Hollywood truly is in the middle of all that is Los Angeles. And with the aforementioned mix of things to do and the wide ranging kind of people you’ll meet there, in many ways it is a perfect slice of Los Angeles life.
Image courtesy of City of West Hollywood, CA
Images courtesy Sunset Strip Realty

Koreatown is seen as a “mini Seoul” boasting a huge Korean population with a posh nightlife that has upscale Karaoke studios and pool halls. But it’s the location that makes it’s real estate so desirable. As quoted in wikipedia;

“In 2000, the city of Los Angeles began to promote smart growth and removed many of the parking, low-housing, bed, pollution, tourist and new construction taxes that placed restrictions on any development and growth. With very little open land left in the city, the city eyed pre-1980′s Koreatown as the ideal and model for the future of L.A. Most importantly however, Koreatown is in the center of the city of Los Angeles.”

Check out these trulia.com condos and see what the K-Town market is like.

Aside from San Francisco and Oakland, this is the third biggest Chinatown in California. LA’s Chinatown is small but efficient — And I will refrain from any film references with incestual adultery staring Jack Nickolson. With shops and restaurants sprouting up, as well as the Geffen Museum. Like Koreatown, it offers a central location as well as access to the Metro. Check out these trulia.com listings to see what’s for sale in Chinatown.

Little Tokyo is by far the smallest of the three. If it weren’t for a YELP event I wouldn’t have even known it existed. But what a gem. Walk to the Museum of Contemporary Art, and enjoy one of only 3 Japantown’s in the entire state. It is home to these luxury lofts.

Navigating the real estate market in the current economy can be a daunting task for seasoned real estate professionals yet alone the average American.  Making prudent decisions in the current market can often mean the difference between what is fiscally responsible or what is financially ruinous, and distinguishing between the two is not always apparent.

When the stock market gains and loses 300 + points from day to day, uncertainty abounds in virtually every quadrant.  Luckily, academics are studying the markets to make sense of the chaos.  According to the USC Casden Forecast:  2011 Multifamily Market Report, vacancy rates and rents are projected to continue to decline in 2011.  The report sites the fact that jobs created in 2010 and 2011 will allow those forced into consolidated living arrangements to secure non-shared housing units.

According to the report the creation of new housing in Los Angeles will continue to decline with just over 2000 units created in 2011.  The report noted that in Los Angeles, “Only 221 of these units are part of condominium repositioning projects.”  It appears Americans are not in the buying mood; and developers have taken note.  The report estimates that 2000 new housing/real estate projects were put on hold under market constraints.

Rental Vacancy in Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Department of Housing reports that vacancy rates for multifamily units in Los Angeles were relatively high at 7 percent in 1998 but continued to decline into 2000.  Those rates remained steady until about mid 2008 when vacancy rates began to increase but then showed signs of decline.  That decline has continued and is confirmed by the 2011 Casden Report.  Additionally the the majority of family dwellings currently under construction in Los Angeles are multifamily units, and not single family housing or condominiums.  If you are in the market to buy a condominium you may find that you are definitely in a “buyer’s market,” since most Americans tend to be straying away from the traditional concept of ownership and relying more heavily on rental options instead.

There are always a hundred festivals, gallery shows, farmer’s markets, arts and crafts events, etc, popping up in LA, and all those things are interesting and amusing. But they’re also fleeting: here today, gone tomorrow. What I have come to find recently, through a series of very informal surveys (read… conversations) is that many residents — even longtime residents — have not taken advantage of the myriad inexpensive (or free) sights and spots our city and surrounding locales have to offer.

So here I will posit a few permanent fixtures of Los Angeles that will cost you only pennies (or at least only dollars) and are guaranteed to please. Who knows… some of them might be a few steps from your home. Oh, and all of these will be family friendly, so load up the whole car.

INEXPENSIVE:

The Griffith Park Observatory
You probably know it from Rebel Without a Cause. And you’ve probably driven past signs for the observatory a thousand times, perhaps thinking “Hey, I should go there sometime.” Well, have you thought that? Yes? Have you visited? A-ha…

The observatory sits atop the mountains that run through Hollywood, affording you stunning views on clear days. Hiking paths crisscross the surrounding hills. The architecture of the building is unique and impressive. Oh, and inside is room after room packed with models, dioramas, art, etc. It’s almost too much to see in one visit, especially if you include a visit to the planetarium.

Image Courtesy WikiMedia Commons / Griffith Park

The California Science Center
The Science Center would seem like a place geared largely for schoolchildren, but it is so well curated that adults and kids alike will be thrilled by a visit, which could easily last all day. Parking at Exposition Park will cost you between $8 and $10, but then, unlike the other local museums, the Science Center is free (if you can bring yourself to walk past the donation box, that is). Inside is not only a wealth of knowledge on countless topics, but also dozens of hands-on installations. It is a sensory thrill, and stimulating at every turn. You can travel from the bottom of the ocean to vast deserts to outer space, all in one building.

Image Courtesy WikiMedia Commons / CA Science Center

Descanso Gardens
Tucked away just north of Glendale, Descanso Gardens offers a beautiful escape from the go-go pace of LA, and for about $5. The 150 acres are a mix of carefully manicured patches of flowers and shrubs, and areas intentionally allowed to grow “wild.” Streams and waterfalls, hedges wrought of rose bushes, etc bisect the landscape. One can scarcely believe they are a mere 15 minute drive from the towering skyscrapers of Downtown LA.

Image Courtesy wikiMedia Commons / Descanso Gardens

FREE:

Travel Town Museum
Just a half mile from the Los Angeles Zoo (a fine zoo indeed… but not cheap for, say, a family of four), Travel Town offers an enjoyable afternoon to all visitors. There is a museum with several exhibits and housing several old cars and wagons, but the reason to visit is outside on the grounds. Or rather the reasons — it’s the trains. Almost a dozen massive locomotives and train card perch about Travel Town, dating from the 19th Century to much more recent models. Adults will enjoy the living history; kids will be absolutely thrilled.
Image Courtesy WikiMedia Commons / Travel Town

Bergamot Station
Just off the 10 Freeway in Santa Monica, Bergamot Station is a collection of art galleries that might as well just call itself a museum. With dealers specializing in art ranging from paintings by long dead masters to the most avante gard and cutting edge, the score-odd galleries of Bergamot Station will stimulate your nicely intellectual side, and for free. Unless you decide to acquire artwork, in which case not free.

Image Courtesy WikiMedia Commons / Bergamot Station

The Beach
OK, you know all about the beach and yeah, I’m kidding. No one needs to tell you it’s there. But has it been a while? Lots of Angelenos seem to never take the time to go visit the Pacific, even though it’s right there.

Image Courtesy WikiMediaCommons / City of Malibu, CA

100 residential lofts compromised primarily of steel and glass, sit right in the heart of the ‘Marina Arts District’. Starting in the low $500,000′s, these ultra-modern raw spaces come at raw prices! Enjoy the modern design of the kitchen dressed in all stainless steel. Take in spectacular views of the ocean from your stunning and private patio.

Make sure to take advantage of all inclusive living with the communal courtyard that has a romantic fireplace. If safety is a concern, enjoy the underground gated parking and electronic guest entry system. With 4 different floor plans to choose from, make sure to see them soon before the best ones go. Optional sliding glass doors allow for extra sun light and versatility with your space.

The building is equipped with 6 elevators so no matter what unit you are in, there is a lift nearby. Enjoy 2 spaces per unit with additional spots for guests. Energy efficient heating and A/C will save you money in the long run while making you feel good about controlling your carbon footprint. In-home washer and dryer in all units as well as pre-wired high-speed broad band and cable TV — perfect for a work at home situation.

A perfect artist’s nest with 11-foot ceilings that are lined with windows and walk out balconies. 8-foot doors throughout allow maximum space when transporting furniture or art without banging your property. Mounted light fixtures give a sense on artistic elegance and save space from cluttered lamps. Most units come with walk-in closets as well for all your wardrobe needs.

For the true appreciator of elegance, enjoy the extras that come standard with your new loft:

–European-style-cabinetry with  chrome handles
–Stainless steel countertops and shelves
–Full height marble backsplash
–Bertazzoni commercial style stainless steel gas range
–Avanti stainless steel microwave oven
–Liebherr stainless steel built-in refrigerator
–Miele “Inspira” dishwasher
–Stainless steel duel-compartment sink with polished chrome faucet

These lofts were truly designed for the artists and you should expect to meet some of them as your neighbors. A truly great steal for what you get. Move fast on these ultra sheik condos.

For more information on availability at 4080 Glencoe Avenue, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292, or to schedule a viewing, call 877-852-6636 today!

Photo courtesy of galleryloftsmarinadelrey.com

With good cause, dear friends! Venice embodies the vibrancy of Southern California and boasts much more than beaches and bathers. More, too, than the host of colorful characters many visitors hope to see on the famed boardwalk area (be it the man on stilts dressed like something from The Chronicles of Narnia or the rollerskating rocker with an electric guitar in his arms and an amp on his back). Beyond the boardwalk’s bevvy or bars and restaurants and eclectic mix of shops and street sellers lies some of the finest architecture in California. Indeed lining the boardwalk, facing out over the Pacific Ocean are numerous beautiful homes… so you better start saving yesterday.

Just after the turn of the last century, Abbot Kinney, a wealthy conservationist, developer and businessman (and world traveler fluent in six languages, part of a family steeped in Washington politics and so on) carved Venice out of the surrounding communities with a vision to recreate the famed Italian city. Which he did, complete with man-made canals and gondolas importer from Italy. But Kinney’s vision of a cultural mecca — a new hotspot for the artists and intelligentsia — foundered somewhat. Rather than a center of learning and arts, Venice, CA became a much-visited vacation and amusement location, sometimes compared to Coney Island, NY.

Today, Mr. Kinney would likely feel rather proud that the city he envisioned has in many ways come to fruition. Today’s Venice is indeed a hotspot for artists and thinkers. And for free spirits and surfers and tourists and locals alike. It is the mix of people, as well as the brightly colored, often modernist architecture, and the sheer volume of things to see and do in this famous town that make it deserve its venerated name.

But it’ll cost you a pretty penny to live here. Venice boasts beautiful homes, especially if you always dreamed of living near the beach. It may be worth the hefty mortgage to live in town like Venice in a places like these:

700 Main Street | 615 Hampton Drive | 1414 Innes Place

All very nice, right? Beautiful, certainly. At least the third one is under a million.

Image courtesy Sameer Khan / WikiCommons.org