Coco 's LA Condo Lifestyle Blog

Remember six months ago when everyone was talking about New Year's Resolutions.  Personally, I love to set goals and make plans to better my life, health and business.  I have a system to make my "resolutions" stick for the entire year - not just the first two weeks of January. This is the ideal time to check on those resolutions and or make new ones.

First, I take stock of the  year, what has worked and what hasn't.  I follow the simple rule that if something is working keep doing it, if something isn't working changes have to be made.  It would be naive to think that everything is going to work 100% of the time. I don't waste time attaching negative labels, I just evaluate the situation, get grateful for the knowledge of what doesn't work and make a calculated change.

Next, I evaluate if I need any new goals.  I actually take time during my daily meditation to visualize what I want my life to look like by next New Year's Eve.  I find that this method is much more effective, showing me what I really hope to manifest in my life, not what I "think I should" achieve.  Once I have a vision of what my ideal life would look like, I ask myself, "What would need to change to get there?" and "What would need to happen." This is how I develope new goals.  I write them down.  I make sure that I write them in a place where I will see them everyday.

Now I check in with my daily action plan, am I taking the proper daily action to complete my goals?  If not what are the obstacles? How can I remove them. Everyday I take action towards my goal and I continue to visualize what my life will look like when I achieve my goal. Someone recently told me about The Fayrene Principal - which is the effect of water dripping on stone over time -the stone loses.  Whenever I need daily inspiration I visualize The Grand Canyon.  Everything is possible with daily action.

As a real estate professional I believe having a presence on the World Wide Web is absolutely crucial.  I spoke with a colleague in another state the other day who shared an interesting story about a new client who had come to her via her website. The new client was a lovely, intelligent woman in her late 70's.  While in the client's home my colleague noticed a large magnet advertising another local realtor. My friend noted the magnet but said nothing.  The client must have noticed her looking at the magnet and shared with her that she looks forward to receiving the magnet every year, it has a calendar on it and she uses it to hold her doctor's business card to her refrigerator.  My colleague was more than a little mystified as to why this treasured piece of marketing had not done its ultimate job. Why hadn't the client called the realtor on the magnet when she was ready to sell her home?  Without being asked the client offered "I couldn't find him on the web!"

It seems that the client googled the magnet realtor's name and was not able to find an email address for him; in the meantime she happened upon my friend's website.  Good business for my friend, bad business for magnet man.  I found myself thinking about the time and expense it takes as a realtor to have magnets made and distributed.  I am sure that the magnets have garnered him some clients, or he wouldn't continue to print them. But as a realtor in this modern market you have to have a strong web presence in addition to every thing else.  Even a 70 year old client understands that.

I am a great believer in the principles of Feng Shui and the peace and harmony it can bring to your life and your home.  Now that we are in the summer months I thought it was an ideal time to talk about Feng Shui for the balcony.

The first order of business is cleanliness.  Feng Shui tells us that clutter, dirt and trash weigh down our energy and prevent chi from flowing into our lives and our homes.  Make sure that who ever cleans your home pays particular attention to your balcony, especially the corners, to make sure that there are no dead leaves or soil collecting there.

Feng Shui also teaches us that corners need to be softened. If your balcony sports sharp corners structurally you can balance them by placing tall healthy plants in the corners, or place a round table in the corner with a trailing plant with coin shape leaves on the table and allow the plant to trail over the corner of the balcony. 

Always make sure that your plants are healthy as a sick or dying plant is actually worse than no plant at all. Never place pointed leaf plants or spiky cactus plants on your balcony as they will not allow for good energy to flow into the home.  Plants with vibrant colors are always welcome. 

Make your balcony an inviting haven, you will attract good energy and it will help you to enjoy your home.

The power of positive thought is about learning how to focus your mind on what is possible instead of focusing on negative things.  It doesn't mean being "Pollyanna" and pretending that everything is always "hearts and flowers" wonderful.

Whenever you are faced with something difficult - acknowledge it as a challenge and then ask yourself, "What can I do?" When you open your mind to the possibility that something can be done then you are harnessing the power of positive thought.  You will be amazed what can occur when you allow your thinking to come from the place of possibilities.

I love those wonderful opportunities that sprout up in your life, the kind that need to be grabbed a hold of before they slip through your fingers.  I have a property that is just such an opportunity.  Imagine luxury living, in the perfect location at a price that is life changing.  Where is this phenomenal property?  The Cove in Marina del Rey! 

Unit 1805 is a Junior Penthouse that has never been lived in; it has a spectacular open floor plan with a gourmet kitchen featuring all stainless appliances.  This resort living residence sports a huge master bedroom with its own private balcony, ultra luxury bathroom, dual sinks, spa tub, separate shower and two walk in closets.  The dinning area flows seamlessly into a large open living room, complete with a fireplace, and then out onto the tremendous balcony which boasts an expansive view of the city lights. Also included in the floor plan are a large guest bedroom with full bath, an office area, breakfast bar, powder room and a laundry room.  This is a full service building and the residence comes with parking for three cars.  This fabulous Junior Penthouse is offered at $1,195,000.  On a per square foot basis, this is one of the best deals in the city!  It is also available for lease at $5,995.

Live in luxury, close to the Marina and in resort surroundings.  This listing won't last, don't let this opportunity pass you by.

I love the principles of Feng Shui and the amount of peace and harmony they can bring to any home.  I am especially fond of quick Feng Shui fixes for the bathroom as they are so sensible and relevant in today's society.  One of the basics in Feng Shui for the bathroom is keeping things clean.  Certainly we are all striving for a clean bathroom, but Feng Shui asks us to pay strict attention to the fixtures, that they are clean and functioning properly.  A leaking faucet is a huge no-no and should be repaired immediately.

One overriding theme in Feng Shui is water, in very basic terms to waste or misuse water could become a money drain.  The idea is to minimize the effects of water running down the drains of your tubs, toilets and sinks.  First of all the toilet seat should always be kept down.  A red string can be tied to the piping under the cabinet. Silk flowers can be placed on either side of the toilet.

You can also place a black or red rug at the base of your toilet and by placing an arrangement of pebbles or fresh flowers on the back of the toilet or on a shelf above the toilet you can restore balance.  Another quick fix is placing a mirror on the back of a bathroom door.  And if your bathroom is located in the center of the house, painting it red can minimize the effects of water leaving your home. Imagine a lovely red bathroom with fresh cut flowers in lovely crystal vase and delightful mirror mounted on the back of the door. Lastly in each of my bathrooms I have a nightlight which brings energy to the room. Sounds divine to me!

When looking to the sky for the next chapter in luxurious Los Angeles living 1200 Club View is without a doubt one of the brightest hot spots on the horizon. Designer Richard Keating has created a masterpiece of spacious metro living that will redefine luxury living. 

With 21 floors and only 35 residences, the emphasis is on quality and space.  At this point the Club View is literally under construction as the new owners have taken the original plans prepared by Fifield the previous owner and tweaked them to make them even better. Each floor has approximately 8000 square feet and there will be whole floors available and half floors available.

The ultimate in privacy luxury and anonymity the Club View is certainly going to rock the block on the Wilshire Corridor. The location is minutes from Beverly Hills and across the street from the Los Angeles Country Club. Views will be unbelievable and the services will be top notch.

1200 Club View has quite a history behind it. In 2004 Chicago based Fifield Corporation acquired the property and began making plans to build one of the most luxurious addresses on the Wilshire Corridor. In 2007, the project was purchased for 95.8 million by Dubai-based, Emaar Properties, an acknowledged real estate giant.  With an estimated completion date of 2009 the units are expected to start at approximately $5,000,000.

The amenities are still being decided upon but I promise you that there will be nothing less than the best in this exclusive compound. 

Contrary to popular belief this can be a good time to sell your home, provided you are willing to approach the sale with the right attitude. The market has changed significantly, so a seller in today's market needs to be smart about how they prepare their home for the sale process.  A seller needs to have their home shine like a precious gem in a sea of pebbles.  I'm not talking about a massive renovation; today's market won't offer a return on a large expenditure of that nature and time is of the essence.  I'm talking about strategically staging your home to showcase the value that is already there.

Something I sometimes suggest is that we first get an interior designer or stager to come in. If the listing is one that I get after another agent had it and it did not sell then I may even bring in a Feng Shui consultant to see what is going on in the unit. It's worth having new professional eyes come into your home, make suggestions and then together we will make a plan to execute them.  Hiring a qualified designer/stager can make the difference between having your home sell in a month or remain on the market for months.  Call me and I'll be happy to provide you with the name of a top notch stager.

The other key element to selling your house right now is setting the right price.  This is where people get a bit squeamish, understandably.  But if you look at the big picture you can clearly see that the homes that come on the market competitively priced move quickly.  It is not just what you think or I think - it is also what the bank thinks. Homes that come into the market, priced optimistically, hoping for the right buyer are tending to sit.  Those sellers end up coming down over the next few months and usually end up closing at a price far below where they had hoped.  In the end it is usually better to put your best foot forward from the start.  Buyers are out there and with the proper staging and the right price your home will shine in their eyes.

This week's featured property is none other than the gorgeous ocean side Regatta. This luxurious residence is aptly named for the passing sailboats that regularly make their way through the Marina breakwater and out into the ocean beyond.  This 20 story vision of glass and clean lines was built in 1999; its modern style is designed to maximize privacy and security while still providing jaw dropping views.  Regatta's floor to ceiling signature glass walls create captivating light filled living spaces that accentuate the California luxury life style.

As part of the Marina del Rey community, Regatta offers the best of beach life while remaining within close proximity of downtown Los Angeles, LAX and all of the world famous, shopping, dining and cultural events available on the Westside. Amenities for Regatta include valet parking, 24-hour security, clubhouse, conference room, well-equipped exercise room, swimming pool, sauna, sun deck, and a spa.