Dana Graham

What do a roof, Cleveland, satellite dish, kitchen tile, and a stewardess have in common?

Answer:  Me.  My clients are constantly amazed at the things I do to help with their transaction, and the above are just a few examples: In 1989 I had a listing in Montemalaga which had the original wood shingle roof -- about 30 years old, shot, and leaking.  The seller (for reasons I'd just as soon not get into here) refused to make any repairs on the house, despite the fact that she was getting a fair price for it from...Continue Reading!

2425 32nd Street, Santa Monica — Lovely Sunset Park

Cute Pre-War (1937) 2 bedroom home in lovely Sunset Park.  Situated on a 40 x 160 lot with lots of lawn area, a 2-car detached garage, and plenty of charm, this house is priced to sell at $795,000.  Call me with any questions -- 310 613-1076.  [nggallery id=12]Continue Reading!

One Level Rancho Palos Verdes Townhouse

SOLD IN 10 DAYS!  Yes, this is one of those rare 1834 square foot one level townhomes at 77 Hilltop Circle (I had it taped and it's actually 1859 square feet).  Remodeled, view of the City, attached 2-car garage with direct entry, 2 bedrooms + den, atrium, formal dining, and the best part:  it's all on one level.  If you've been waiting for one of these, you probably know the floor plan.  These come up every couple of years (there are only...Continue Reading!

29 Ocean Crest Court, Rancho Palos Verdes

SOLD IN 5 DAYS!  Homes in the small, highly desirable complex of Sea Gate Villas rarely come up, and 3 bedroom ones are even rarer, but I have just listed this 3 bedroom 2465 square foot (large) unit.  It features large rooms, turn-key condition, a lovely view of the ocean and Santa Barbara Island (peek of Catalina), and a quiet privacy rare in townhomes.  In addition to the 3 bedrooms, there is a formal dining room, family room, living room, and direct entry from...Continue Reading!

March 2012 Newsletter

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Termites (and other exciting stuff)

There seem to be a lot of misconceptions about termites as it relates to real estate sales, so here's the straight scoop: First of all, there is no law that says that a seller must provide a termite clearance at close of escrow, so let's get that out of the way now.  There is, however, a strong custom that the seller do that. In the real estate context, a "Termite Report" deals not only with termites but with dry rot, fungus, etc,...Continue Reading!

As Seen in the Peninsula News February 23, 2012

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Short Sales — A to Z

Short sales have been in the news the last few years and I've handled some of them.  Whether you're selling or buying, there are a few things you should know before jumping in. Short sales are, by definition, sales made when the amount owed to lenders is greater than the market value of the property.  Given the decline in values the last few years, there are quite a few of them out there, as there were in the early 1990's under...Continue Reading!

Fire!

The recent fire off Chartres (Shart, like the French city, not Chart-ress as the media mis-pronounced it) Drive near Hawthorne and Crest reminded me that there has never really be a serious fire in PV, at least that I can recall in the last 64 years.  This one was between 15 and 20 acres and, as with all the previous ones, burned no homes.  If you just watch it on TV, of course, the news media does all they can...Continue Reading!

The Top Ten Reasons Escrows Fall Out

When I got into this business 35 years ago, my office couldn't help but notice that my escrows almost never fell out.  They were so impressed that they had me give a series of classes on the subject to the newer agents.  500+ escrows later, my escrows still almost never fall out.  What follows are the Cliff Notes on why that is, without giving away all my trade secrets. First, by way of general explanation, every contract provides a buyer contingency period...Continue Reading!