My parents were big on manners when we were growing up, please and thank you were a must in our household.  Recently I have noticed that many kids seem to be missing those words from their vocabulary.  In addition to the lack of manners I have also noticed the terrible way in which people speak to each other especially on the internet.  Before I started my blog I looked at other blogs and I was appalled at what some people were posting on their blogs!  My Mom always said "You'll get much further in life if you learn to always be nice" of course she followed that up with "Save that mean streak for when you really need it"    I would like to encourage all of my Blog viewers to take a look at the article on Web Manners . I actually purchased The Power Of Nice book for my son last Christmas, when he opened it he said "Mom why do I need to read a book about something you have been teaching me all my life?"  I guess I did something right!

 

Thanks Mom For Teaching Me That It Pays To Be Nice!

On the back of the Glendale News Press this morning is a full page ad for the Residences at the Americana .  Remember the days when we would see for rent signs in front of apartment buildings that read "No Deposit" or "First Months Rent Free"?  Todays ad offers a couple of incentives, $1,000 gift card (For the Americana of course) if you move in within 2 weeks and 1 months rent free on select apartments.  I noticed on the website that it reads apartments starting at $2,000 and todays ad reads starting at $1,820.  So if you have been considering living in Luxury "Carouso-Style" then now might be a good time.  Also free at the Americana this Wednesday is a free Summer Concert featuring En Vogue (I love those funky divas!) and tomorrow you can Free Your Mind with  Free yoga at 9:30 sponsored by my favorite store at the Americana LuLuLemon! 

This month the total number of sales in Northwest Glendale was 8 with a median sales price of $547,000, compare that to last Julys number of sales, 18 with a median sales price of $827,000!  Currently there are 32 homes on the market with an average of 168 days on the market and 23 homes pending sale.  A few of the pending sales have been pending for several months now, short sales I assume.  

Yesterday on brokers caravan I was chatting with Chris & Gerri Cragnotti (Can you believe that I used to watch Chris and his brother David when they would walk to the office from Incarnation after school, WOW I am getting old! But Gerri Looks fabulous as always! ) and we were talking about how crazy things have been in Northwest Glendale.  That cute little house at 2050 Rangeview already has several offers, I knew that one was going to go fast!  But whether or not the Foggs have the Midas touch remains to be seen as 1434 Lee Drive is still on the market, oh yeah that was SOLD not GOLD, silly me!

no pun intended   Yesterday I spent the day in Beverly Hills with my son's girlfriend.  We had a late lunch on Melrose at Urth Café . While we were eating she told me about a book she just finished called Skinny Bitch .  We got to talking about how obesity has become such a problem in the United States.  My sister a Critical Care nurse in NY said her hospital just opened a unit dedicated to those having gastric bypass surgery.  She swears the reason obesity is such a problem these days is because it has become BIG business.  People are making money off getting people fat and getting them skinny.  Everything from Super Size meals to Plastic Surgery, you name it!  However, later when we decided to drive back to Glendale and see Dark Night we stopped in at my favorite fitness wear shop Lululemon and found out that they offer FREE yoga classes every Sunday on the lawn at 9:30 HOW COOL IS THAT!!!  FREE YOGA CLASSES!!  We were surprised to hear they had over 50 people there yesterday morning!  So if you are looking for a nice way to spend your Sunday morning, you might want to check out the yoga classes at the Americana and remember there FREEEEEEEEE! 

Surprise-surprise another article about how our local real estate market continues to decline, this one on the front page of the Glendale News Press .  A neighbor recently asked me if I knew how many foreclosures were currently on the market in our Northwest Glendale area.  From what I could gather from the MLS there were 55 homes currently for sale in the 91201 & 91202 zip codes.  Of those 55 homes 12 were either short sales or foreclosures.  My neighbor was so surprised as she thought the number would be much higher, why wouldn't she with all of the negative things we are reading and hearing in the news about real estate.  But this local Realtor/Glendale native is looking at the glass half full.  I have a new listing and an escrow that is closing tomorrow and I am currently working with some very serious buyers.  So for all you Debbie Downers and Chicken Little's out there, I say the sky is NOT falling, things are lookin up!

Saturday night I was out celebrating the 40th birthday of my good friend and fellow Realtor Kris.  Most of the other gals at the party work in a real estate related field too.  My friend's Alexis from Design Escrow and Amy from First Horizon, commented on how Dickson Podley REALTORS is the talk of the town or shall I say towns, Pasadena, Arcadia, La Canada and Glendale.  We got the cream of the crop from Coldwell Bankers La Canada office and now we have taken over Keilholtz Realtors as well as Webb-Martin.  We certainly have grown over the past couple of months thats for sure and there is a very good reason for that, Dickson Podley REALTORS is one of the most respected names in the biz which is why I am very proud to be associated with them.

Happy 40th Birthday Friend and welcome to the club!!!! 

Last night my friends and I were talking about how much our home town of Glendale has grown.  Here is a little info that I found on the City of Glendale's website: 

Between 1980 and 2000, Glendale grew significantly more than neighboring areas. In January of 2008 our population was estimated to be $207,157.

GLENDALE COMPARED TO OTHER AREAS

Glendale Realtors were out in full force last night to take a look at the luxurious residences at the Americana.  I have visited many different new housing developments over the years but the Americana has clearly set a new standard of living.  The question is will Glendale attract those who demand such a high standard of living?  I over heard one Realtor say "This is Glendale NOT Beverly Hills"  It's easy to be enticed by the newness of it all but even the most beautiful and expensive Mercedes Benz looses that new car smell over time.  But time will tell and I will say there sure seemed to be a lot of excitement in the air last night!


  

 

We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us happy is something to be enthusiastic about.

Charles Kingsley
English Anglican clergyman & novelist (1819 - 1875)

Today started off with a workout with my trainer and then we went across the street for a quick and healthy breakfast.  We bumped into another member of our gym who stopped over to say hello and he told us that he and his wife were in escrow on a nice home near the beach in Ventura, I am so excited for them, they deserve to have a nice place to get away for the weekend!  Then as I was heading home my friend Cindy called to tell me that my former clients at 1434 Lee decided to list their home for sale by owner!  I wish them lots of luck!  By the time I got to my office I had a call from my new clients telling me that they were ready to get things started so here is a sneak peek at my new listing, stay tuned for more details and info.  Now I am off to meet my good friend Phyllis and we are going over to the Americana to take a look at the new condo's over, lets see what all the buzz is about shall we! 


 

As most of you know my parents were both Los Angeles Police Officers, and when my Dad was teaching me to drive he said "Now I know you are going to speed once in a while, everybody does, but a good driver pays close attention to her surroundings and if you speed you better make sure you don't get caught, so be sure to always check your mirrors"  Of course that was years ago when a police car was easy to spot in the rear view mirror, black & white with lights on top.  Well this evening I got a sneak peek at one of Glendale's new police cars and I can tell you it isn't going to be easy to spot one in the rear view mirror or side view mirror for that matter!  So for those of you who have yet to abide by our new hands free cell phone law, and you think you won't get caught because you are going to pay attention I am here to tell you THINK AGAIN!  This new car is amazing you would NEVER guess it is a police car.