Come See Our New Upgraded Blog

CLICK HERE TO GO TO OUR
NEW UPGRADED SUPERBLOG

Michael Collins, a well-known specialist in homes, condos and other prime properties on the Westside. He has consistently received top accolades throughout his real estate career.

He is one of the most successful real estate professionals in Los Angeles.

His real estate career spans over 23 years in which he has continually achieved outstanding sales production and has earned an impeccable standing in the real estate community.

Direct Phone: (310) 281-3915

http://michaelhcollins.com

reBlog from David Findley: Los Angeles Dogs: Where to Enjoy the Beach with Your Dogs

I found this fascinating quote today:

Los Angeles Dogs: Where to Enjoy the Beach with Your DogsbyDavid Findleyon June 6, 2010David Findley, Los Angeles Dogs: Where to Enjoy the Beach with Your Dogs, Jun 2010

You should read the whole article.

A week in review

I have not blogged in some time, work has been steady and satisfying. A listing I had finally closed this past Friday, it had been on the market for over a year. I was put on the market as a conventional sale and as time went on and information came apparent, it became a short-sale, we had a very interested buyer who choice to stick it out for the long run and eventually this buyer got the property, he had a persistent and smart agent and my sellers had a strong negotiator who made the deal happen. A long and happy ending. I am also in the process of closing a deal with client who I have really enjoyed working with, they are selling these house and buying another, they were a referral from a gentlemen who bought my very first home, I don't know him all that well but he was kind enough to send these clients my way. I only mention this because these days of stressful deals, it is such a pleasure to work with nice, gracious and appreciative people, these guys are. These are stressful times in the real estate industry, we're all feeling beaten up but occasionally we have the opportunity to work with people who understand the pressure we're all under to perform and make good. I try to hold myself to a higher standard and go the extra mile, I always will. Happy Memorial Day to all.

How important a good reputation can be

Today I met a client at a new condo building that was opening for the first time today. My client had been following its completion for the past 3 months with great anticipation. We got there at 10am sharp in the rain and were both surprised at what a great project it turned out to be. The construction quality was beyond what I would have thought based on the price point and I think my client agreed based on the many properties he's seen over the past 3 months. What made it an even more pleasant surprise was the listing agent who I had never met seemed to know me and when I introduced myself to him and my client, he could not have been nicer and more accommodating to my clients questions and went on and on, to my discomfort on what a great reputation I have and how lucky my client is to be working with me.

That stuff aside, what matters to me most is that my client is well taken care of and I know that this made him feel good about the entire experience, so far. I really try to be a good person, treat people right and be kind and complimentary to all. Life is tough and we need to treat each other with kindness and respect, little to ask and easy to accomplish.

20 Cities Surviving the Recession

This recession has been a brutal one for many job-seekers. The job market has deteriorated in many parts of the country, but some cities were harder hit than others, and some cities are starting to emerge from the recession, offering new job opportunities.

Things do seem to be improving on the jobs front — at least in some places. Indeed, Forbes offers a list of cities where the recession is easing, based on data from the 40 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas. Yahoo Hot Jobs also reports on cities that are offering expected job growth in 2010. Here are 20 cities where the recession is ending — and you might be able to find a job.

Washington, D.C.

The nation’s capital is on its way to recovery from the recession, and this includes Arlington and Alexandria in Virginia. Job growth is beginning, and home prices appear to be stabilizing somewhat. The government is hiring again, and that is helping matters for the D.C. area as well.

Austin, Texas

The Austin area has seen good job growth even during the recession, ranking number one in that category between 2007 and 2009. The capital of Texas has been somewhat protected from the effects of recession, and enjoys a solid three-year job growth forecast. Texas has been a good place to be this entire recession, and Austin is one of the leaders.

Minneapolis

The Minneapolis-St. Paul area is doing well, also, providing a beacon of economic hope in the Midwest. While the job growth potential isn’t as good as in some Texas cities, Minneapolis nevertheless shows solid progress in job creation, and offers a degree of stability in the housing market.

Dallas

Another Texas town, Dallas is offering some encouraging signs of economic recovery and job creation. Included in this area is Fort Worth and Arlington. While not as far along as Austin, Dallas still provides a number of opportunities for those looking to escape some of the ravages of recession.

Denver

Nestled high in the Rocky Mountains, it is easy, sometimes, to overlook Denver. However, this is a mistake if you are looking to escape the recession. The city might have been a little slow during the recession, but it appears to be coming out of the funk nicely, with a decent jobs growth forecast and a relatively stable housing market.

Houston

Again, the resiliency of Texas is seen in the Houston area. There is a good job growth forecast for the next three years, and Houston even saw a positive ranking during 2007 through 2009 — during the height of the recession. And it looks like Houston is ready to hit a period of economic growth running.

San Antonio, Texas

There’s just no escaping Texas. San Antonio has the distinction of being number one out of metro areas when it comes to the three-year job growth forecast. It was even number two on the job growth list for 2007-2009. If you are looking for a job to help you overcome your own personal recession, you might consider San Antonio.

Boston

The area that includes Boston, Cambridge and Quincy in Massachusetts is providing a nice Northeastern haven from the recession in some ways. Home prices are relatively stable, the city saw reasonable job growth during the recession. While the three-year forecast for job growth isn’t as impressive, the city nonetheless is showing signs of economic life.

Los Angeles

It may come as a surprise that Forbes considers L.A. on this list. However, the area including L.A., Long Beach and Santa Ana is showing some signs of rebounding. The metro area has a large gross domestic product, and the three-year job growth forecast is ranked 12, showing that improvement is on the way.

Kansas City, Mo.

Another Midwestern gem, Kansas City is showing that it is ready to climb out of the recession. The three-year job growth forecast in Kansas City is ranked 14. The city kept jobs reasonably well during the recession, and is now looking forward, with job creation and with stabilizing home prices.

Fort Hood, Texas

This Army base, and the surrounding areas of Killeen and Temple, provide jobs in the form of health care services and other services needed to keep the base running. There is also high demand for higher education jobs, and the fact that military base consolidation is going to Fort Hood means future opportunities.

Salt Lake City

This mountain city is known for its quality jobs and technology industry. The entire state of Utah saw minimal fallout from subprime lending, even though the local real estate market did fall. Cutbacks at the state level are modest, and there are good opportunities for growth in Salt Lake City.

Durham, N.C.

There are a number of industries that are helping Durham move out of its recession funk, including pharmaceutical, higher education and research. While prices fell during the recession, they appear to be stabilizing as population growth encourages demand for homes. Yahoo considers Durham a professional hot spot.

McAllen, Texas

This area includes Mission and Edinburg. Like the rest of the metro areas in Texas, McAllen is showing promise for the future. Employment growth has happened even during the recession, and there is demand for technology and business professionals. Service industries are also doing reasonably well in McAllen.

Lafayette, La.

Energy is one of the major industries in Louisiana, and Lafayette stands to gain as the economy improves. Recent increases in oil prices have been helping the city out of the recession. Lafayette shows future promise as it tries to develop additional industries that are less dependent on fluctuating energy prices.

Olympia, Wash.

With its state government jobs, the capital of Washington is attractive. Additionally, it is seeing job growth helping it out of the recession as businesses choose Olympia over the high costs in Seattle. Business growth has helped the city move out of the recession, but state government employment is expected to decline.

Raleigh, N.C.

Throughout the recession, Raleigh’s strong underlying business community and higher education community helped reduce exposure. This base is giving Raleigh, even though it did suffer during the recession, a strong foundation for recovery moving forward. There is special emphasis on the technology and services industries in Raleigh.

Huntsville, Ala.

The home of Space Camp is also known for an economy that is considered fairly diverse. There is a growing military base that should bring in new jobs, and the variety of jobs already there, including professional, research, technology and manufacturing, are creating a solid base for recovery from the recession.

The next two cities may not be completely ready for economic recovery, but they show promise since they are among those listed as good cities for green energy jobs. If you are looking to ride the wave of future jobs in green industries, you might consider the following cities as possible candidates.

Portland, Ore.

This city is considered among the most sustainable in the U.S. A growing percentage of Oregon’s jobs are in green industries. However, Portland continues to struggle with high unemployment. But with the continued interest in green energy, especially as the economy improves, the city might find itself in a better position soon.

San Francisco

Like Portland, San Francisco is still reeling a little bit from the recession. However, the city shows signs of getting ready for a recovery, and part of that is due to green energy. Permits for LEED-certified buildings are up, and that means construction workers will be needed.

Finding a job in this economy is still difficult, even in some of the cities that are seeing a measure of recovery from the recession. The job hunt still requires that you get things in order, and that you persist in your efforts. Looking in certain cities, though, might help increase your chances of finding a job and overcoming your own personal recession.

Los Angeles Top 10 Best Walking Neighborhoods

his top 10 list is as scientific as it can be with one person compiling the facts from a sampling of some Los Angeles residents. (Read: those I come into contact with — a diverse, albeit narrow group.) So as with science, my findings are totally debatable.
So I present: The 10 Best Walking Neighborhoods in L.A., with a couple honorable mentions thrown in.

Got others? Let’s hear your opinions. Unlike stodgy scientists in labcoats, I can be swayed without Petri dishes, or excruciatingly long documentation in wording suitable for the SATs.

While the list is in numerical order, that’s only for the sake of order. I repeat, the numbers are arbitrary. No need for West Side Story-type rivalries to ensue. Los Angeles, let’s be neighborly….

1. Between the Ocean and Lincoln, Washington Boulevard and Just North of Montana.
If you think I’m going to slice and dice this area of Venice and Santa Monica, you’re nuts. The whole thing is great: Abbot Kinney, the Venice Canals, Main Street and Montana Ave. in Santa Monica, and all along the water. So I’m counting it as one. (The beach is like pizza, even when it’s not so good it’s still good.).

2. Bronson Canyon.
So many options — especially for a culinary outings. You can hike up the canyon or walk to the Bougeois Pig for a coffee. You can eat some really good chicken at Birds (and enjoy a divine Cadillac Margarita) or get yummy pre-prepared foods at Gelson’s Market. Pass a lovely evening at La Poubelle (even though in French it means “garbage bin”), or get some eggs or late night grub at 101 Cafe. For the post-meal walk, there are quiet streets with lovely homes. You even have the choice of an easy stroll or taking on some hills. Oh, and don’t forget the Scientology people-watching. (Why do they walk around in pairs looking at the flora and fauna?)

3. Charleville and Beverly Drive to Robertson and Olympic.
This part of L.A. has quiet, charming streets and lots of local shops to sample: salons, coffee shops, restaurants, etc. You can walk this area and enjoy the flowers, palms, manicured lawns and chirping birds. You live in Los Angeles for this — take advantage!

4. Vermont and Franklin.
You’ve got the great bookstore Skylight Books, the famous pies from House of Pies, and blocks of charming neighborhood to explore. You can even head up to Griffith Park if you are feeling particularly jaunty, or you can leave the car behind and walk up to the Greek Theatre for great summer shows. You can also hit Barnsdall Park with its amazing art program. This park with the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house makes a great picnic spot to enjoy a lovely day or find your inner Renoir. You won’t believe you are on Hollywood Boulevard. But back to the pies, don’t skip the pies. They are that good.

5. Larchmont and Beverly Boulevard.
You have blocks of quiet, gorgeous streets to roam and the lovely shops on Larchmont to sate your window-shopping habit. You can also venture up to Melrose for Hollywood-classic restaurant Lucy’s El Adobe or an Astroburger. Wander this part of Hancock Park for hours to enjoy winding avenues, old Hollywood homes and sunshine.

6. Fountain Between La Cienega and Fairfax.
This area has some of Los Angeles’ most unique homes, but it’s not for the faint of heart as it is on quite a hill. While not an easy walking spot, it is an enjoyable one. You have stores of every possible kind, tanning salons (a given), smoothie shops, hotels, dry cleaners, dog stores and more. Actually, this area dips to Santa Monica and up to Sunset, so you can really get your walk on. And there are unique places to find, like William S. Hart Park — a former ranch left to the citizens of Weho to enjoy when its cowboy-star owner passed away.

7. Melrose and La Cienega.
Now I don’t mean that particular intersection, but if you are on these blocks, head away from the main roads and you’ll discover lovely streets to roam. There are also tons of coffee shops, restaurants and now, high-end stores as well. But really, the homes and streets around here are the draw. Most people think of this area as where to go for Urth — or what you drive through to get to Sunset or Beverly Hills. They are missing out. It’s so lovely for a walkabout.

8. Silver Lake.
The area around the lake is so charming and relaxing, you won’t believe you are seconds from Downtown. Stroll the lakeside, detour up some hillside lane and get lost in the maze of micro-neighborhoods. You’ve got streets and local spots to explore, amazing homes to find (the architecture of some is crazy) and a variety of people and styles. Added bonus: amazing views when you get to higher ground.

9. Echo Park.
C’mon, people, this area even offers walking tours! And yes, I am talking about the actual Echo Park and area surrounding it. It’s got Los Angeles history (you’ll feel like you stepped back in time here), Hollywood history (Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and “Gilligan’s Island” were shot here) and good, fun things to see and do. In the summer there is a paddleboat competition (genius) and it’s a nice place to roam. Surprise find: Santa Monica isn’t the only place with great stairs to climb, either.

10. Baldwin Hills.
People love to run from other parts of L.A. over to this part of town to get in a great workout and enjoy one of the best views of Los Angeles. This plot of land was the site of the first Olympic Village in 1932, when the Summer Games were held in L.A.. And you know that back then they could have picked pick anywhere, so that’s saying something. Baldwin Hills has often been called the Black Beverly Hills as Ray Charles, Tina Turner and more recently John Singleton lived in the area. The neighborhood’s big, old homes always make me feel like I’ve stepped back into the ’50s. And the views and history of the area (its Baldwin Hills Village complex is a National Historic Landmark) make it one of L.A.’s best.

Honorable Mentions:

Hollywood Dell.
Not many people know about it, which is why it’s so lovely. The area is a hilly collection of roads, and when the reservoir was open it was a great several-mile loop with great views of Hollywood estates. After the rains a few years ago it closed, but it’s still worth the walk around the neighborhood and what is, to my mind, the best view of the Hollywood sign.

Little Tokyo in Downtown L.A.
There are great gardens, Buddhist temples, museums (including the Geffen Contemporary), restaurants and more to explore. Walking tours, too. It’s an L.A. cultural gem.

So, fellow Angelenos, did i miss anything?

Mission Accomplished

Today I had an opportunity to go on a listing meeting that was originally not granted to me. This seller called me, asked me to come over to his home to take a look and discuss pricing and marketing. I was not available for a few days so we scheduled it out two days. He then called me the next day to say that he wanted to cancel the meeting, he had hired another agent. (a message) I called him back and got his cell VM, I thanked him for the call and suggested that I would still like the opportunity to meet with him, if only for a few minutes. I did not hear back from him for over a week and assumed that he had signed a contract with the other agent. He called me this morning and asked me to come over to meet with him, I did not ask any questions, went prepared and had a really nice meeting with him. It turned out he thought about it and was not happy with the energy level of the agent he met and wanted someone younger (I love that) and with more energy. I learned two things from this experience, one always follow-up with a call or a note, be nice and wish people well and two, never delay a meeting, when someone wants to meet, do it as soon as possible. Don't give them time to meet others. Let them meet you first.