Is Your House Making You Sick? Improving Your Indoor Air Quality     As a very involved West Hills Realtor I commit to provide  information to the public because as we may know many people spend a large portion of time indoors - as much as 80-90% of their lives. We work, study, eat, drink and sleep in enclosed environments where air circulation may be restricted. For these reasons, some experts feel that more people suffer from the effects of indoor air pollution than outdoor pollution.   Nation Wide and  here in West Hills as well we are aware that there are many sources of indoor air pollution in any home. These include combustion sources such as oil, gas, kerosene, coal, wood, and tobacco products; building materials and furnishings as diverse as deteriorated, asbestos-containing i... 01/28/2013

West Hills Real Estate/ Identifying Air Quality Problems                                                                         Identifying Air Quality Problems   Some health effects can be useful indicators of an indoor air quality problem, especially if they appear after a person moves to a new residence, remodels or refurnishes a home, or treats a home with pesticides. Another way to judge whether your home has or could develop indoor air problems is to identify potential sources of indoor air pollution. Although the presence of such sources does not necessarily mean that you have an indoor air quality problem, being aware of the potential sources is an important step toward assessing the air quality in your home. Finally, look for signs of problems with the ventilation in your hom... 01/28/2013

                                           Home Modification for the Elderly   Here in West Hills we have several contractors that make home modification and repairs that includes adaptations to homes for elders that can make it easier and safer to carry out activities such as bathing, cooking and climbing stairs, as well as alterations to the physical structure of the home to improve its overall safety and condition.   Why Is Home Modification And Repair Important?   Home modification and repair can help prevent accidents such as falls. Research suggests that one-third to one-half of home accidents can be prevented by modification and repair.   Home modification and repair can allow elders to remain in their West Hills homes. Older people tend to live in older homes that often need rep... 01/27/2013

West Hills Real Estate-Let's Have a Garage Sale   Let’s Have a Garage Sale! Free 'Yard Sale' Website Before the Sale Find out if your West Hills area requires a permit or has any restrictions regarding garage sales. When choosing items to sell, a good rule to follow is sell anything you have not used for a while, or that you don't foresee ever using again. Pick your sale dates. The most popular days are Thursday through Saturday on a non-holiday weekend. Place a short ad in your local newspaper. This will attract people who wouldn't normally see your street signs. Invite a neighbor or friend to join in your West Hills sale, the more stuff you have to sell, the better! Plus, it's cheaper to split the cost of the newspaper ad with someone. Price everything! Prices should generally be 10-5... 01/26/2013

  Increasing the Value of Your West Hills Home                   Like most Americans, your West Hills home is probably your single largest investment. While the value of your home is largely determined by such things as location, size, condition and amenities, there are still steps you can take to maximize its worth.  First, you need to evaluate your plans carefully if you're improving your West Hills home to put it on the market. Cutting corners could hurt rather than help your prospects. You don't want to go overboard either. Your home's value should be no more than 20% above the average. That means a $10,000 kitchen improvement project might be a better idea than a $10,000 hot tub, especially if no other homes in your area have hot tubs.  In other words, it's best to keep changes sim... 01/25/2013

It’s not surprising that people receive emails like the one below.   The surprise is when people believe that they a legitimate and get into situations where they loose their hard earned money just because someone took advantage of their desperation in these hard times. If it sounds too good to be true it usually is. Please be aware of these scams so that you don’t become a victim of one. One of the most common ones that I receive is a desperate plea to help the widow of a king or Monark that just died. They need help to move millions of dollars from banks that are over sees  to banks in the United States. Of course the entire email is a come on to try to steal your money. Just be aware!!!   Greetings               (THIS IS THE SCAM) POSITION: A fast-growing online mail management busi... 01/24/2013

Parkwood Barbershop, Best Haircut in West Hills Where: 23711 Vanowen St. & Platt West Hills, Ca. 91307Hours: M-Sat  9:00am-7:00pm  (7 Barbers )What: Men's Haircuts  Contact: RobertPhone: 818-703-7927     Specializing in Men's Haircuts on West Hills Robert at Parkwood Barbers has been cutting hair in West Hills since 1967. The mostly male barber staff knows how to cut a man's hair. I take my Dad there and my husband goes there also so I should know. Seriously, unless you're still wearing a men's perm, the staff at Parkwood will be able to cut your hair with no problem. Their specialty is making your hair look good...and we all know you can't have a good haircut without the fade. My guy Robert is the best. I can't speak for any of the other barbers but I know if you  are in need of a qual... 01/22/2013

I often hear from my West Hills clients who are worried about their parents (or themselves) when it comes to living in their home through their retirement years.  There are lots of reasons why a dream home can become a retirement nightmare as we age.  From safety issues to neighborhood concerns, there are numerous factors which impact whether or not a home is ideal as we get older.  Consider:   1. Falling / slipping hazards.  Are bathrooms designed with mobility challenges in mind?  Are the surfaces we once loved (hardwood, tile, concrete) now slipping hazards?   2. Accessibility.  Is a second story practical?  Will stairs become a painful hassle in years ahead?   3. Entrapment.  Could locks in the house be inadvertently engaged, trapping a resident in a back bedroom or bathroom without... 01/21/2013

With the Spring and Summer wedding seasons not so far off, it won’t be too long until we hear the forks and knives ringing out against wine and water glasses alike. Celebrations call for toasts, and you might just be called upon to make one yourself--for a son, a daughter, or even an associate who is up for retirement.   Here are a few classic wedding toasts, sampled from around the web: which I would like to share with my West Hills friends and clients.   “May you both live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.”   “May you live each day like your last, and live each night like your first.”   “Here’s to the two secrets to a long-lasting and happy marriage: A good sense of humor and a short memory!”   While the etiquette of toasting varies across cultures and situation... 01/20/2013

West Hills Ca-Homes-What’s the best way for my clients to reach you? I hope this letter finds you well! I’m working on a project right now that I thought you might benefit from, and wanted to drop you a line about it.   Periodically my West Hills  clients ask me for referrals for all sorts of services from home repair to gardeners to accountants. The range is really all over the map. I’d like to be able to refer my clients to people I know, like, and trust.   Right now I’m refreshing my “who does what?” database of clients and contacts. Would you let me know what you’re up to these days? A lot of people have changed jobs and started new businesses in the past few years here in West Hills.   If you have a moment, please let me know:   What are you up to professionally right now?   2) Wha... 01/19/2013

West Hills Ca- Real Estate-My empty chair- What would you tell me?   My empty chair- What would you tell me?     I recently heard a great story from the writer Dan Pink about Amazon.com, and the important meetings regularly held when CEO Jeff Bezos and his executive team are all present. Around the table at each one of these “red letter” meetings, Bezos makes sure there’s at least one empty chair.   That empty chair is there to remind everyone in the room that the most important person isn’t actually in the room. It represents the customer, the person for whom the meeting exists in the first place. What would they say? What do they need?   In between meetings, appointments, and showings, I’ve been looking at the empty chair in my West Hills office with this anecdote in mind. It has me t... 01/18/2013

West Hills Ca-Homes for Sale- How to prevent the moving company blues   There are lots of good reasons to hire a moving company whenever you move to or from West Hills. It lowers your moving day stress, saves your back, and with the right company can ensure that your goods are safe from accidental damage.   But for every sweet song of a smooth move, there are an equal number of “moving company blues” tunes out there. From a few sad notes of regret to total devastation, making a mistake when hiring a moving company can be an experience you’ll never forget.   Here are some tips for my West Hills neighbors to help make the right move when it comes to choosing partners for your next relocation:   1) Get in-house estimates for your move from anywhere between 2 to 4 companies. Many may say th... 01/17/2013

I put a few thoughts together recently on the art of selling a home here in West Hills. You might find the approach interesting if you’re wondering how agents generate quick home sales for top dollar:   Marketing a home is not like marketing a commodity, such as bottled water. While everyone needs shelter, it would be a serious oversimplification to say that’s all a home offers.   Many agents take the perspective that a home is the right home for a buyer simply because they happen to be selling it. The truth is it can be a real waste of time and effort convincing people that a home’s qualities are exactly what they’re looking for. It’s far more efficient to market a West Hills home’s qualities to the segment of buyers who have a natural lifestyle fit for the home.   Profiling and segmen... 01/15/2013

I’m not even kidding. This is probably the best cosmetic upgrade you can make (on limited budget) before you list your West Hills home:   When you’re preparing your house for the market, almost every agent will explain how valuable curb appeal is when it comes to marketing your home. Curb appeal can mean a lot of things, of course, ranging from wholesale replacement of the roof, paint, and landscaping, to a few tidy details designed to spruce up the place.     One of the best (and most cost-effective!) tune-ups you can make works both from the curb and from up close. It’s kind of like Botox for your home’s face. It’s a little something I like to think of as the “Front Door Tune-up.”     The front door is a focal point on your home, both from a distance and up close. Here’s how to levera... 01/14/2013

 West Hills Homes/Welcome to the New Year- Here’s to your own “Lucky ’13,"   Dear West Hills Friends I wanted to share these thoughts with you on New Year’s Day. I was sidetracked by an escrow closing, my husband’s hospitalization, now he  with his pacemaker is a bionic man. Also I take care of my 91year young Dad. So I was tied up.   Now I’m not- so here we go!!!   Happy New Year!!!! The fresh start in January is always a welcome reminder that much of life is what we make of it, and I hope you’re feeling good about your prospects this year.   Despite what the news cycle chooses to deliver on a nightly basis, I’m pretty optimistic about what I see in the market and among my colleagues. If nothing else, I have faith that good friends and good neighbors make us resourceful and resilient. ... 01/13/2013

West Hills Ca-Real Estate-Are space heaters all expensive death traps?   With temperatures dropping, some people in West Hills are turning to space heaters to take the edge off the chill. Used correctly and safely, they can save a little money.   The humble space heater gets a bad rap, but when used correctly it can actually represent a good option for taking the edge off the winter chill. Here are some tips about how to safely use a space heater and when it’s a good choice:   Are you heating your whole West Hills house when the family is concentrated in the living room? Turn down the central heat and use a modern space heater rather than heat the empty rooms.   1. A space heater can be a wise choice when you live in an uninsulated or poorly insulated home.   2. Avoid unvented combustio... 01/12/2013

West Hills CA-Home Buyers-West Hills Real Estate   Dear Mr. Mrs.West Hills Home Buyer   This month I’ve been reaching out to friends and clients who were swept up in the real estate downturn to check in and see how they’re doing.           Many have been in touch recently about the possibility of returning to West Hills home ownership.   You might have some of the same questions they have.For instance: Can I get a mortgage? Have home values stabilized? Is it possible to buy again for what I’m paying in rent now? How can I be sure I won’t end up in the same situation?   The truth is, many people who lost their homes in West Hills as little as two years ago may already be in a good position to buy again. Home prices and fixed-rate mortgage rates are quite favorable. There are many excelle... 01/11/2013

West Hills Real Estate,Short Sale Homes/Esperanza's Videos   West Hills Real Estate,West Hills Homes. Find Single Family Homes from $300,000 to 2,000,000+ Foreclosures, Bank Owned Homes, REO's, Short Sales, Fixer upper homes for lease Condos and West Hills Community     West Hills is a nice quiet area in the West San Fernando Valley.     West Hills real estate includes many entry level homes with tree lined streets and well kept yards. West Hills postal codes are 91307, 91304                                                                                                                                       The area was originally inhabited by Native Americans of the Tongva tribe that lived close to the Los Angeles River, which originates in West Hills from El Escorpion and Bell Creeks.... 12/19/2012

West Hills Ca-Selling your home?-10 little fixes to sell a home faster           Sometimes clients ask me what my secret weapon is to help sell a home faster.               The devil is really in the details when buyers look at a home. Lots of everyday wear and tear that you don’t even notice can ding your home in the eyes of potential buyers. Here’s my list of ten simple improvements you can do to help your home sell faster:   1.    Spruce up your baseboards: Pets, kids, and stumbling husbands in the dark can make a mess of your baseboards. Repainting baseboards after repairing scratches with putty can make the border of any room look new.   2.    Fill in nail holes: Part of interior repainting should be careful attention to those errant nail holes from pictures, shelves, and other wal... 12/18/2012

West Hills CA-First Time Home Buyers-3 big Myths about Home buying    There are myths about the home shopping experience that must be addressed.      I’m here to save you pain, buyers.  I like to make the home buying experience as stress-free as possible, so please hear me out on these three big myths about home buying:    Myth #1: “That house has been on the market so long I bet we can work the seller down easily.” Not necessarily. Exceptionally high days on market could mean almost anything. The seller could be bullheaded about their price. The seller may not be particularly motivated to sell for emotional or other personal reasons. Don’t forget: A sales-weary seller isn’t likely to respond to your host of rational reasons why their house should be a bargain.    Myth #2: “I want to lo... 12/17/2012