Coco 's LA Condo Lifestyle Blog

by Coco Clayman-Cook

I frequently have family members call me with condo listings after the death of a dear family member.  There is a need for expertise and sensitivity in matters such as these.  After the death of a loved one there are financial burdens and issues that need to be addressed with speed and proficiency but with an awareness of how emotionally charged the situation can be.

In most cases the condo will need to be prepped and staged to sell quickly.  This requires an experienced eye, some one who knows what the current market is and has their finger on the pulse of the current prospective buyers.  I always encourage the loved ones to go into the residence and remove the most treasured pieces of memorabilia before I stage it.  In doing so it helps the loved ones to accept the inevitable changes that will happen to the home while still demonstrating respect for their loss.

I also work hand in hand with their trust attorney to make sure that if there are any special disclosures necessary we take care of them. Loved ones generally want to sell as quickly as possible but it doesn't mean that it is easy for them. Pricing the property is critical.

Experience has taught me that the best way to help them is to do my job effectively and inexpensively. 

by Coco

Once you are settled into your luxury condo, it's time to really invest in your lifestyle. Look around you. Your walls are the perfect color; your furniture is all in harmony with its surroundings, and your floors . . . your floors need help. You've invested in high quality plush carpets and perfectly designed imported rugs, now you need to invest in their week-to-week maintenance.

This is where your luxury appliances come into play; personally I am a fan of the Dyson floor cleaning system. The great thing about Dyson vacuums is they're designed for someone who wants impeccable floors without having to work for the quality. They're fast, efficient, and stronger than any other vacuum on the market without damaging the floors below them. The rolling-ball design makes them easy to use, and the lifetime warranty ensures each product is worth the investment.

Purchase one, use it once, and then settle in to admire your condo once again. Your walls are the right color; your furniture is all in harmony with its surroundings, and your floors are . . . perfect.

by Coco Clayman-Cook

The economy has changed significantly in the last two years.  With gas prices at an astronomical high, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that business is changing and about to change even more.  While the real estate market continues to stumble there is one area of the market that is stepping firmly into the limelight; the luxury condo market. Many of my clients are in the financial fields and look at condos on a price per square foot basis. Some of the funniest conversations I have had have been trying to explain to someone from Goldman Sachs that his condo is where he will live and love and grow and relax - that it can't be broken down to a price per square foot only.

With the cost of renting approaching the cost of ownership more and more savvy buyers are looking to vertical living.  Factor in the tax break that comes with home ownership as well as gas savings by living closer to work and luxury condo ownership quickly becomes a smart investment.

Not only do the numbers stack up in condo ownership, it also affords a sweet lifestyle. Close proximity to fine dining, world class entertainment and LA's famous night life are definite advantages.  Valet parking, concierge services, state of the art fitness facilities and additional conferencing space all available in house make luxury condo ownership a very attractive package.

To view the exciting opportunities in this exciting market, give me a call. Let's crunch those numbers!

by Coco

Congratulations!  As you start your journey together there are a lot of important decisions to make, not the least of which is where you will live.  You know you want to own a home at some point, but you don't really want the hassle or the financial strain right now.  On the other hand you'd like to know that in a few years a home will be financially possible.

Consider living vertically. Buying a luxury condominium is a great way to enter the housing market.  It's infinitely more economical and offers you all of the benefits of building equity without burdening you with unwanted expenses for gardeners and maintenance professionals.

Best of all vertical living allows you to be close to all of the things that matter.  Imagine saving gas and commute time, by living closer to work and all of the restaurants, shopping and nightlife that Los Angeles is famous for.

Vertical living is an excellent choice for couples who are just starting out.  It is a great way to have the life you want now and to set yourself up for your future.  For more information on luxury condominiums on the Westside of Los Angeles visit my website www.lacondolifestyles.com

by Coco Clayman-Cook

Whenever a loved one dies, emotions run high. Tensions are up, and often the reading of the will only brings additional levels of pain and stress, not the least of which is for the probate attorney. When trying to deal with buying and selling property in the interest of settling an estate, it's important to ensure the most capable and efficient real estate agent is on your side. You need an agent who has experience dealing with high-end properties and fast-acting purchases and sales. You need Coco Clayman-Cook.

As a real estate agent with years of experience, I've handled plenty of properties in the interest of settling estates. I work quickly and efficiently whether it is directly with a client or with the client's attorney, and I guarantee satisfaction on every transaction. As an agent who appreciates the trying times of settling and disbursing an estate, I strive to make myself available in any and all ways necessary to help for a quick and efficient settlement.

Photo courtesy of Erin Ferucci at Ferucci Designs.

by Coco Clayman Cook

It's never easy when a marriage ends.  Not only are there emotions to untangle there are also investments, property and a life to dismantle. Real estate is often one of the hardest assets for a couple to split after their marriage has ended. Community Property laws are meant to protect us during emotional times. However, sometimes it seems as if those laws only make it tougher.

Because properties are so often sold during a divorce in order to ensure an equitable division of assets, it is important for attorneys to make sure they have the most competent, capable real estate agent involved. That is where I come in. I have considerable experience buying and selling property from dissolved marriages, and I am prepared to handle any transaction in a smooth and efficient manner. I will act quickly and confidently to ensure a rapid sale of property which will in turn help all parties see their cases ended in nothing but the most satisfactory manner.

If you need to sell your luxury condo due to a divorce, I hope you'll trust your business with me.

Everyday we find ourselves facing another test: Can we succeed today? This isn't just a matter of succeeding at our careers, our families, or our personal goals. This is a matter of succeeding at life. You must first succeed at life before you can succeed anywhere else.

Succeeding at life means believing in and taking care of yourself. Remind yourself that you can achieve anything as long as you believe you can. The test starts with you. As you face the individual challenges of the day-schedules, jobs, kids, clients, the world-repeat to yourself just how capable you are. You can handle the fast-paced schedule, the difficult client, and the challenging family as long as you remember that every morning you answered, "Yes, I will succeed today."

At the end of the day, you answer your question not with what you achieved but with every time you didn't quit. Look at what you did accomplish and what to be grateful for. Did you sell that house or condo today? That is quantitative thinking. Think instead in terms of quality. You may not have sold the house but did you give up? Did you do what is best for your client and not yourself? Now to me that is a great day and a big success when so many agents out there thing only of themselves and it shows. 

When you couldn't make the schedule you set for yourself, did you cancel everything or reschedule as needed? Did you merely accept that it was not supposed to be that way and move on? By rising to the requirements of the world without giving up, you have assured that at the end of the day you can answer again, "Yes, I succeeded today."

by Coco Clayman-Cook

Now more than ever we see real estate agents giving in to the Buyer's market and the changing economy. More and more clients are coming to the realization that they can't make the easy sale on their house that they may have been able to four years ago, and the very practice of "flipping" has ended. As more people give in to this new and different market and seek other careers, now is the time for the dedicated real estate agents to rise to the occasion.

It's important to remember the rules of gravity and the pattern of history: what goes up must come down, but what goes down will eventually rise again. As agents, it is our responsibility not to fall in the first place. Gandhi said we must be the change we want to see in the world, and this is where we must begin. We don't want our selling clients to give up, and it is our job to tell them the truth. We have to help our Buyers get what they want. We are in a service business. I don't want my clients to over pay and if they do I let them know. To me honesty and integrity and my word are all I have. We all want to see the market rise again, and so we must remember that the market starts with us.

Are you the best realtor you can be?  Are there things that you wish you could accomplish but you constantly find yourself at the end of the day thinking there just isn't enough time?  I am a huge fan of Timothy Ferriss' book The Four Hour Work Week.  While the book isn't specifically written for realtors there are so many principles that apply - it is certainly worth reading. In fact I sat and highlighted it and then gave it to one of my favorite clients as he has a four hour work week every week. I need a new copy!

One concept in the book that changed my life and my business was really taking a look at what areas of my business actually needed my hands on attention and what areas I could pass off to and outside source.  That's right; I outsource an enormous amount of my office work.  I don't outsource it far.  I use virtual assistants that live in the Los Angeles area.  But once I was able to let go of the idea that I needed to do everything myself, or directly oversee it, suddenly I had more time to do the things that I excel at, the things that ultimately make my business stronger and more lucrative.  It also leaves me more time to do the things I enjoy.  This past week I started golf lessons and loved it!

Being the best realtor you can be means being able to outsource and also making time for yourself to do what you do best.   I highly recommend it!

by Coco Clayman-Cook

There's nothing wrong with wishing.  People wish for things all the time, and sometimes their wishes come true. There's nothing wrong with that either.  What isn't effective is when people wish for something and then become angry, depressed or despondent when the wish doesn't come true.

There is a great deal of misunderstanding currently about the power of positive thinking.  Thinking something over and over, no matter how positive it is isn't a guarantee that you will get results.  It's a good start but no where near a finish.  To really harness the power of positive thought you need to make sure that you take action that is in alignment with your positive thinking and that you aren't doing anything to sabotage yourself.

For example, if you are wishing to be healthier, you can sit and wish it and wish it and wish it and you may feel slightly better just from the stress relief of meditation but if you continue to smoke cigarettes and eat unhealthily it is unlikely that you will see a big change.

Let's take a moment and think of it in reverse.  Imagine that you stop smoking and start eating better, but your every waking moment you are thinking about what you don't have - the cigarettes. This is a thought that will eventually bring you back to smoking - believe me I was a smoker and this thought is negative, "I'm so unhealthy.  I can't stop smoking.  I can't eat this way....ect,etc,etc.  How long do you think you can keep the positive changes up with such a negative mindset? 

Probably not long. To stop smoking think of all the positive things about it - that you are not poisoning your body, that your are cleansing your soul, that you are taking care of yourself, that cigarettes are poison and if the urge comes up then breathe and walk away from what ever you are doing that is making you want to smoke.

To really make our wishes come true we need to stay positive, take appropriate action and make sure that we don't sabotage ourselves.