I’m super excited for our new listing at 1131 S Ridgeley, open for the first time today, Sunday from 1-4! The house was built in 2008. It’s a two story gated and hedged 4173 square ft modern building that has 10 ft ceilings and huge windows that pour in sunshine, but it’s warm and homey with rich mahogany floors throughout. There’s a new pool and spa that the current owners had installed in 2019. Upstairs, all 3 bedroom suites have a walk in closet, a private bath, and a balcony. Every part of the primary suite is huge – the bedroom, closet, and bathroom. The balcony off the primary suite has full unobstructed views of Century City! The owners are exuberant and their house is full of relics of their life in the Southern California sunshine, including surfboards + wetsuits, drums + speakers, skateboards, pickleball paddles and tennis rackets (none as staging props)! It’s an honor to represent this awesome family for the fourth time on the sale of their house at 1131 S Ridgeley!
I’m excited for the first open house at 1137 S Ridgeley today, Sunday from 1-4. Right next door to 1131 S Ridgeley, it’s a coincidence that our two unrelated clients who happen to be next door neighbors are selling their houses at the same time! To honor the style of each house, we chose different stagers and different style staging. 1131 is modern and 1137 is traditional. 1137 feels like a classic TV sitcom family house that’s just the right mix of public and private space, with a sweet pool in the backyard to round out the offering. We’re pretty proud of how each of the houses turned out. It’s an honor to represent our awesome client for the fifth time on the sale of her house at 1137 S Ridgeley!
206 S Mansfield is new to market and open today, Sunday 2-5, for the second Sunday. Last week 35 groups came to tour the property! It’s fascinating how the 5340 sq ft duplex building is a square with an outdoor courtyard right in the center of the structure! The interior courtyard could almost be a room in the middle of the property, with sliding glass doors from all sides to access it! The downstairs owner’s unit gets exclusive use of the center courtyard and the lower is delivered vacant at the close of escrow!
It was also happenstance that we listed for lease 2 properties right next door to each other, also unrelated owners, at the same time. They both leased immediately. 339 N Orange leased for 7650 a month. 345 N Orange leased for 7250 a month. Both tenants, like their landlords, are stellar. We received an application to lease 308 Sycamore #108, listed for 8000/month. We’re expecting an application tomorrow for 109 S Mansfield, listed for 6400 a month. We have two more leases (on Orange Dr) coming soon.
Congratulations to Bryan on closing 547 N Highland for 2,512,000 this week, representing the buyers (who wrote offers on four different houses before buying this one)! Congratulations to Berel on closing 239 S Alta Vista for 2,165,000, representing our repeat buyers, who were searching for their perfect next house and the perfect time to buy it for years! Congratulations to David on closing 644 S Highland for 2,545,000 this week, representing the buyers! It was fun to hear of all our agents’ goals for the year at our 2024 business planning lunch this week!
2021 and 2022 were record years of low interest rates and thus record years for us. In 2023 interest rates went up, Measure ULA was adopted, and lots of buyers and sellers decided to sit it out and not engage in the market temporarily while interest rates were at their peak. I’m proud of how hard we worked this last year and what we accomplished in a tough market and climate!!! Comparing 2023 with the prior year of 2022, this year we did 65% of the total transactions (in units) we did last year, in ‘23 we did 74% of the listings we sold in ‘22, we represented 60% of the buyer sides we did in ‘22, and total closed volume was 65% of the prior year. Our final closed volume for 2023 was just over 114M. So far 2024 began with interest rates significantly lower and promises of additional successive interest rate drops over the course of the coming year. The year has only just begun but we’ve been slammed (and loving it!) On Thursday we scheduled 5 listing appointments! The flurry of activity is very much welcome and wholeheartedly embraced with enthusiasm and excitement!
Last week Sunday I attended a memorial for my Uncle Bozi and I loved being with my cousins and family. My Mom was extraordinarily close to her siblings and their kids; she cherished her relationship with so many members of her family. Before My Mom was born, 2 Gestetner brothers married 2 Solomon sisters. One couple had 9 kids and the other had 11 kids. The 20 kids grew up together, almost as siblings, because their moms were sisters and their dads were brothers. My Mom was the youngest of 9. My Mom considered her cousin Tuky (one of the 11) her twin because of how similar they were (even consistently in weight and dress size)! Like My Mom, I find some of my cousins so similar to me it’s uncanny! At the memorial, they spoke of how my Uncle had passion and curiosity, he paid so much attention to detail, he was handy and innovative in his ideas and execution, he had a true appreciation for aesthetics and beauty, and he had a real love for people – especially family. I always felt like my uncle loved me and my family. Seth picked me up from my uncle’s house for our first date! I spent so much of my childhood staying with my aunt and uncle; they were our hosts every time we visited NY to spend time with My Mom’s family and we went all the time! Like My Mom, I love her family and I cherish the time together every time I get to see them! I must visit more often!
Wishing everyone an awesome beautiful week ahead!
Xoxoxoxo,
Sheri
