Malibu is magical. Not only for its natural beauty but also for the engaged and caring community. Moving to Malibu always brings a surprise  with it: One suddenly feels more connected to everything around us and experience an increased feeling of well being. Here is what one of my clients had to say.

My Client Describes Moving To Malibu is a post from: LivingMalibu.com

When it comes time to buy your Malibu home you need an agent that is knowledgeable of the area and one you can trust to negotiate the best deal on your behalf. Here is what one of my clients, a distinguished Surgeon,  had to say about me: Client Review

Client Reviews, Malibu Real Estate Agent, Rita Simpson. is a post from: LivingMalibu.com

In today’s Wall Street Journal Report on “Squaring Off On Personal Finance” one of the questions debated by experts was: Is it time to Buy, or  will prices continue to slide? Opposing opinions are correct for different markets. Here is why It’s time to Buy property in Malibu:

On one side ,some argue that homes are more affordable than they have been in decades due to the adjusted prices and the historically very low-interest rates, with mortgage payments lower than the rents the homes now command in the market.

On the other side, pessimists insist that prices will continue falling as more foreclosures are added to the inventory of homes for sale. The problem with the question is that the correct answer varies by location! The conclusions for Malibu for example, might vary wildly from the overall national picture portrayed in these debates.

Consider Malibu, a small town, with less than 14,000 inhabitants. and 322 homes currently on the market and 103 homes under stress, 67 of which have already been foreclosed on. The potential impact that the additional 36 homes (a mere 11% potential increase in Malibu inventory, now in the Pre-foreclosure state) could have on the Malibu Real Estate prices, if they actually get foreclosed on, should be far less than the risk posed by the shadow inventory (pre-foreclosure properties and foreclosed properties off the market) in places like Riverside, where the number of properties on the market is 1,631  with 874 distressed properties. If the 874 properties are added to the inventory in the next few months that would increase their inventory  by 54%. That is the BIG difference!

Therefore, depending on the city you are interested in buying, make sure you understand the relative impact the foreclosure volume may have on that specific market’s inventory. Generalities cannot help you. If it’s relatively low, prices will not be as vulnerable as the pessimists predict and if you have been thinking of buying your Malibu home and take advantage of the unique opportunities the Malibu Real Estate market offers you today, or else you may hear yourself saying: ‘ I should have, when I could!”

Here is a glimpse to some selected Markets for the Comparative RISK:

Is Now The Time To Buy Your Malibu Home? Deeper Research Shows Malibu Market Is Least Vulnerable is a post from: LivingMalibu.com

Summer is right around the corner, and the  Malibu summer lease season is in full swing. Prices vary from $200,000 per month at the Colony to around $5,000 in the southern wet beaches near Santa Monica. Many of the best properties get reserved year after year, way before the season starts, but there are still some great inventory out there. Where else in the world but in Malibu, can you spend a summer surfing, kayaking, Paddle boarding, diving, hiking, biking and still be within 45 minutes of all your business? This unique attribute of having all the nature and sports amenities Malibu offers coupled with its proximity to a major business and entertainment center, that is Los Angeles, makes it more than  just an amazing summer spot…

Spending your Summer In Malibu

During your  Malibu stay, you most likely will encounter many of our local resident celebrities who nonchalantly cruise their hometown. Malibu has long been home  to celebrities. Among  the many you may run into: Mel Gibson, Barbara Streisand, Sally Field, Richard Gere, Tom Hanks, Leonardo Di Caprio,  Jane Seymour, Sean Penn, Ed Norton, George Hamilton, Bruce Willis, Dick Van Dyke, Cindy Crawford, Robert Duvall, Martin Sheen, Steven Spielberg, Goldie Hawn, Cher, Pierce Brosnan and several more.

Here are some  things to do in Malibu and  more Malibu suggestions and a slide show, some homes for lease to look at, but make sure you call me to learn about leases that are not listed in the MLS. Have fun!

Showing properties 1 - 12 of 12. See more Summer Beach Leases- 5/12/2012 12:56:16 PM.
(all data current as of 5/20/2012)

1. $4,700 : 20638 PACIFIC COAST HWY, Unit 11, Malibu
   
   1 bed, 1.0 baths

   Home size: 576 sq ft

   Lot size: 8,475 sqft
2. $6,300 : 31894 W SEA LEVEL DR, Malibu
   
   2 beds, 1.5 baths

   Lot size: 3,406 sqft
3. $25,000 : 27244 PACIFIC COAST HWY, Malibu
   
   2 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,107 sq ft

   Lot size: 9,148 sqft
4. $200,000 : 23402 MALIBU COLONY RD, Malibu
   
   6 beds, 4.0 baths

   Home size: 4,687 sq ft

   Lot size: 15,246 sqft
5. $60,000 : 33306 PACIFIC COAST HWY, Malibu
   
   2 beds, 3.0 baths

   Home size: 2,070 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.53 ac
6. $17,500 : 24748 MALIBU RD, Malibu
   
   2 beds, 2.75 baths

   Home size: 1,740 sq ft

   Lot size: 7,418 sqft
7. $12,000 : 19050 PACIFIC COAST HWY, Malibu
   
   2 beds, 2.0 baths

   Home size: 576 sq ft

   Lot size: 2,579 sqft
8. $16,000 : 27400 PACIFIC COAST HWY, Unit 105, Malibu
   
   3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 2,200 sq ft

   Lot size: 3,828 sqft
9. $125,000 : 23678 MALIBU COLONY RD, Malibu
   
   7 beds, 7.0 baths

   Home size: 5,127 sq ft

   Lot size: 14,366 sqft
10. $15,000 : 21922 PACIFIC COAST HWY, Malibu
    
    4 beds, 3.0 baths

    Home size: 3,068 sq ft

    Lot size: 7,836 sqft
11. $12,000 : 33634 Pacific Coast HWY, Malibu
    
    3 beds, 2.0 baths

    Home size: 1,232 sq ft

    Lot size: 2.07 ac
12. $70,000 : 24920 MALIBU RD, Malibu
    
    3 beds, 4.5 baths

    Home size: 3,375 sq ft

    Lot size: 6,499 sqft

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Grab Your Malibu Beach Summer Rental Now! is a post from: LivingMalibu.com

Low Rates Spur Demand for homes in Malibu.

Low Mortgage Rates Helps Malibu Real Estate Buyers is a post from: LivingMalibu.com

Malibu Real Estate is moving nicely this Spring. The most active  areas for home sales in Malibu  so far this year have been:

Point Dume with 4 sales totaling over $30 million so far. One of the properties sold at $21 million skewing the average which would have been in the mid threes. Malibu Road followed with  4 sales totaling $21 million, an average of $5.3 million per home. The Broad beach area came in next with total sales of $17.5 million split into 2 categories the beach front with an average of $6.5 million and the land-side properties with an average of $1.5 million. Other  active areas have been Malibu Park with 6 sales totaling $15 million, averaging $2.5 million per home and Corral/Latigo with8 sales averaging $865K. The record low price paid per square foot was $234 for a home up Kanan Dume Road and the record highest price paid per square foot was $3,286 for a beach home on La Costa beach.

Most Active Home Sales Areas In Malibu This Year is a post from: LivingMalibu.com

Stunning Architectural located across from Zuma Beach with whitewater ocean views. Home hidden behind gates with beautifully landscaped grounds, infinity pool and spa, and great entertainment areas.  Short walking distance to the beach.

30227 PACIFIC COAST HWY, Malibu, CA 90265 (MLS # 12599147)

Stunning, Recently remodeled (2005) Architectural located across from Zuma Beach with whitewater ocean views, fabulous 6 bedroom home hidden behind gates with beautifully landscaped grounds, infinity pool and spa, and great entertainment areas. Ocean view Master Suite with attached office/gym, natural light, gourmet chefs kitchen, security cameras. Short walking distance to the beach.

Property Type(s): Single Family, Residential

Last Updated	5/10/2012	Tract	n/a
Year Built	1985	Community	Malibu
Garage Spaces	n/a	County	Los Angeles
Total Parking	n/a	Walk Score ®	35

Schools

Additional Details

Features

Location

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Listed with Christopher Cortazzo DRE# 01190363, Coldwell Banker-Malibu West

(view all details for MLS #12599147)

Malibu Architectural Home For Sale Across Zuma Beach is a post from: LivingMalibu.com

New Hotel In Malibu In the Works is a post from: LivingMalibu.com

Selling a home even in beautiful Malibu can be a daunting undertaking these days, and while you may be helpless to control the state of the market or the number of prospective buyers in your price range, here are a few ways to be proactive against some of sellers’ most common pitfalls:

Problem: Competition. Are there too many homes for sale in Malibu in your price range? If there are too many options open to buyers in your market, you may not see as many showings as you’d like.

What You Can Do: Unfortunately, the state of the market in your neighborhood or town is pretty much beyond your control. You’ll need to think about how you can make your home a more attractive sale, either by lowering your price or providing attractive terms of sale.

Problem: Your asking price is too high. It’s stating the obvious, but if your asking price is too high, you’ll price yourself right out of a lot of potential showings. Further, even if you do manage to land a buyer at your price, his or her financing is more likely to fall through during the sale if the house will not appraise.

What You Can Do: Working with a trusted real estate agent to come up with a fair asking price is vitally important. Make sure you are educated about the market you’re selling in, and price your home accordingly. Ask yourself whether you’d rather net a little less than you had hoped – or not be able to sell at all.

Problem: Your home lacks curb appeal. The condition of your home inside and out is critically important to making a sale. If your home doesn’t show well, a potential buyer is going to head elsewhere. Most buyers are looking for a house they can move into without a ton of small repairs and cleanup.

What You Can Do: You’ve been meaning to fix that leaky faucet or repaint the fence in the front yard, so now is the time to do it! Of course, this should have been done when you decided to sell, but it’s never too late… De-clutter your rooms and store all personal effects. Consider investing in some new curtains, bath towels and throw rugs. To make sure that you nail that crucial curb appeal, spruce up your yard with new plantings, trim hedges and weed flowerbeds, and keep the lawn short and neat. Those minor repairs that you have been living with will add up in the eyes of a prospective buyer.

Problem: Location. Everyone’s heard that old maxim that real estate is all about “location, location, location!” But what do you do if you’re trying to sell a home on a busy street, or too close to a major highway?

What You Can Do: There are actually a few things you can do to increase your chances of a sale. If your home is on a busier street, highlight any benefits on the flip side—maybe your backyard is fenced in, your taxes are low or you can walk to a school nearby. Make sure you pay extra attention to those highlights. If you are in an area where your home is very close to a major highway, consider some type of privacy hedge or fencing. If you have older windows consider replacing them – the benefit will be two fold, you will have new windows as a selling feature and those new windows will provide a little more sound buffering inside the home. Last, consider selling at a time when the foliage is in full bloom to help naturally block sound or visual effects from nearby highways.

Problem: Your home is not easily accessible for showings. Are you getting a lot of showing requests that you are turning down? Many sellers make the mistake of not accommodating a buyer’s request for showings because requested showing times are an inconvenience to the seller.

What You Can Do: Try and remember that your home is a product for sale. Do whatever you can to cooperate with showing requests, even if they are last minute or on off hours. Make sure the house is always tidy while you are listed, so if you get a last minute showing you don’t have to run around spending hours cleaning. Do you have showing requests on a rainy Saturday? Take the kids to the museum. And if you get that 7pm showing request, take the family out for a bite to eat that night.

Problem: Your pet is an issue. Pet problems can go beyond the presence of an unfriendly pet barking or jumping on a potential buyer. Pet owners also need to go to extra lengths to make sure to remove pet hair, eliminate dander, and keep odor to a minimum.

What You Can Do: Yes, it’s extra effort, but you’ll reap the benefit of breaking out the lint brush, keeping the vacuum cleaner handy, and disinfecting areas where your pet has made a mess. Take your pets out of the house during showings or make sure they are crated. A potential buyer is there to view the home that is for sale, and should not have to worry what your pet is going to do.

Problem: Your agent is not aggressively marketing your property. Is your home listed in MLS and on public websites? Most buyers are shopping for a home online these days, so having an online presence is highly important. How well is your home being depicted in photographs and descriptions? Have you had enough open houses to showcase your home to the area brokers and to the public?

What You Can Do: First, consider the questions above and assess your answers. If you are dissatisfied with how your home is being marketed, you may need to sit down for a brainstorming session with your agent. Make your concerns and your wishes known.

Problem: Your agent is not familiar with your area. Did you list your home with an agent from outside of your area? Do they know much about your market, the comparables in your neighborhood and selling features of the community? Does your broker have to come from far away to simply show the house?

What You Can Do: Listing your home with a local Malibu agent is critical. If your agent knows little about the Malibu market, the comparables or the community how can they properly position your property for sale? They may be missing important selling features of your home, such as close proximity to a certain coveted school, or the selling price of a pending comparable. If they have to travel a long distance just to get to your property, over time they may lack motivation to show your home.

Do your research. Selling your home is a partnership between you and your real estate agent. Be an active participant. If you can contribute knowledge and strategy to the process of selling your house, you’re less likely to be tripped up by the common stumbling blocks that can prevent a sale.

Selling your Malibu Home? Tips here is a post from: LivingMalibu.com

Now you can register online to participate in all the programs offered by the City of Malibu. Click here for a full menu of offerings and return every season for new programs.

Register for Sports, Activities & More in Malibu is a post from: LivingMalibu.com