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11 Cool things to do on the 4th of July in Los Angeles 2019! Scroll down to #11 for Revi’s personal favourite!

 

11 Cool Things to do on the 4th of July in Los Angeles (2019)

Scroll down to #11 for Revi’s personal favourite!

 
by Revi Mendelsohn

July 4 is just around the corner! Do you know what you’re doing on Thursday?  Scroll down to the last one to see my personal favourite 4th of July Fireworks spot in Los Angeles!

Whether you want to visit a Los Angeles Landmark, attend a festival type party, view an outdoor movie, see a traditional fireworks show, or savor a gourmet dinner followed by pyrotechnics, we’ve got you covered.

Below is our quick, easily scannable list of 11 fun things to do in Los Angeles on Thursday, July 4, 2019. Enjoy!

1. Rose Bowl, Pasadena

See fireworks at the Rose Bowl. Americafest is still going strong after 93 years! Doors open at 5:30, but parking lot fun starts at 2pm.  The events end at 9:30.

2. Downtown Los Angeles, Grand Park

The biggest free Independence Day block party in Los Angeles is back at Grand Park this July 4. The annual affair promises a day of picnicking, music, and dancing, all culminating with a massive fireworks display above Downtown L.A. The event will feature two stages with DJs, live musical performances, 40 food vendors, and for the first time ever a 75-foot Ferris wheel for attendees to ride (paid tickets required).

The party begins at 3 p.m. and the fireworks go off at 9 p.m.

3. Pacific Palisades

Palisades Rocks the Fourth returns for 2019 with its annual community event featuring music, activities and more. On July 4 at 4 p.m., the gates of Palisades Charter High School will open for a fun-filled day featuring food trucks, family-friendly activities and a festival stage concert program. The main stage kicks off at 6 p.m. for two-and-a-half hours of live music, followed by a fireworks show at 9 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $10. Children under 2 can attend for free.

4. Woodland Hills

Councilman Bob Blumenfield’s July 4th Fireworks Extravaganza, hosted by Valley Cultural Center, returns to Warner Ranch Park in Woodland Hillswith a breathtaking fireworks display in the heart of Southern California. Gathering over 60,000 people from 6 to 9:30 p.m., this party includes delicious munchies from more than 20 local restaurants, arts and crafts from local vendors and businesses, and a free concert, all topped off with a 15-minute spectacular fireworks show. Attendees may bring blankets, low chairs (under 3′ height), tarps and pillows to hang out on the grassy lawn. Admission is free; however, VIP packages are available that include a reserved seat for $20,  a reserved seat + parking pass for $35, or backstage seating for $100. Tickets can be purchased via the link above.

5. Long Beach

Spend Independence Day aboard the Queen Mary for a day full of live entertainment, family-friendly activities, delicious food, carnival activities, arts and crafts, and more. The festivities lead up to one of Southern California’s best firework shows synced to patriotic music. The event runs from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. with fireworks beginning at 9 p.m. off the stern of the ship. Tickets sell out every year, so advance purchase is recommended.

6. Monterey Park

The City of Monterey Park Presents: Fourth of July Entertainment & Fireworks with a  day-long holiday celebration full of fun for the whole family. Taking place Thursday, July 4 from 4 to 9 p.m. at Barnes Park, this community event includes music by Bulletproof Soul from 7 to 9 p.m., food vendors, and its annual fireworks show at 9 p.m.

7. Topanga Canyon

Celebrate Independence Day in an old-timey fashion in Topanga Canyon. Theatricum Botanicum’s 5th Annual Independence Day Old Fashioned Barn Dance and Barbecue features innocent pleasures from days of yore, like a pie-eating contest, watermelon seed-spitting contest, horseshoes, and more.

8. Marina Del Rey

Reputedly the best fireworks show on the Westside is July 4th at the Marina, with two prime spots in Marina del Rey ideal for watching the show, complete with synchronized music.  The 20 minute fireworks show starts at 9pm. 

9. Hollywood

Watch an outdoor movie.  Cinespia at Hollywood Forever is hosting a screening of the classic E.T. followed by fireworks.

10. Hollywood Bowl

The Hollywood Bowl is famously one of the best spots in L.A. for watching fireworks. This July 4, a dazzling spectacle will set the skies above Hollywood aglow, capping a performance from Nile Rodgers & CHIC.

11. Cheviot Hills/Rancho Park/Century City  REVI’S TOP CHOICE!

Watch Hillcrest Country Club’s annual fireworks show from Cheviot Hills Park. There are always plenty of families watching the show there.  Bring a blanket and some snacks for the kids and get ready for a fun and free show! 

 

Send me a message to tell me your favourite 4th of July spot! I will include it in next year’s list!

I look forward to hearing from you.

Revi Mendelsohn, Realtor 310-963-7384  [email protected]

The Mendelsohn Group | eXp Realty of California, Inc. Beverly Hills

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True or False?

 

TRUE OR FALSE?

Q. When you hire me to sell your home, all I do is place a sign in front of your house.

A. FALSE

As agents, we do so much more than just place a sign in front of your house when we sell it. In fact, did you know that my team and I handle over 500 line items for each transaction?
I put together a partial list of items that I typically handle for my clients when selling their home.

CONSULT WITH THE SELLER to learn what their motivation is for selling. Some want do downsize, upsize or move to a different area or state. I have even determined after speaking with sellers that they truly do not need to move and I have helped them come up with a solution to make their living situation more suitable to their needs by referring them to lenders, decorators, etc.
MEET AT THE PROPERTY AND REVIEW ITS CONDITION : This is a very important step as it is up to me as your agent to explain to you how the condition of your home will affect the price and timeline for the sale.
MAKE SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE APPEARANCE AND CONDITION OF THE HOME: Once we agree to work together, we review options to make the home more appealing and marketable to potential buyers. A coat of paint can go a long way, as can decluttering and organizing. We have referrals to qualified service providers that can help you with organizing your home, providing you with a step by step plan for making your home the best that it can be. We also help plan out a budget for improvements. We will prepare a cost benefit analysis for each dollar spent and discuss the best use for your money and time.
SET UP A CUSTOMIZED MARKETING PLAN: Each property has its own needs and appropriate style for marketing. With the use of the internet, social media, facebook ads, email campaigns, and in some cases paper marketing, we will ensure that your home gets the maximum exposure when it is ready to hit the market. We will hire a professional photographer to photograph your home and show it in its best light.
EVALUATE CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS TO RECOMMEND THE BEST LISTING PRICE: We will provide you with a list of comparable homes that have already sold, as well those that are on the market so that we can determine the most appropriate price for your home. Selecting the most appropriate price will lead to the highest sale price in the shortest number of Days on Market.
SET UP OPEN HOUSES AND SHOWINGS: We will plan out a timeline for you starting with when the home will be ready to photograph, MLS list date, Open house schedule, and approximate offer review and opening of escrow.
CREATE AN ORGANIZED OFFER SPREADSHEET: We will share offer information in an organized and easy to understand method so that you are aware of all activity pertaining to offers on your home.
REVIEW AND CONSULT WITH YOU ON THE OFFERS THAT HAVE COME IN: We will go over each offer and determine the best course of action for each one individually. We will advise you on how best to counter each offer to bring you the highest possible sales price and successful close.
PREPARE ALL PAPERWORK REQUIRED FOR THE SALE OF YOUR HOME: We use electronic signing programs to save you time and paper. We will prepare all of the paperwork required to successfully close the sale of your home.
LIASE WITH ALL SERVICE PROVIDERS: As your Realtor, we are essentially your project manager and we are here to ensure that the service providers involved are doing their job. We co-ordinate with inspectors, escrow, title, lenders, fellow agents, repair people, etc on your behalf to keep the transaction moving along.
HELP YOU PLAN YOUR NEXT MOVE: We will help plan out your next move and coordinate and advise on dates to help you transition to your next property. Whether you are renting, buying, or moving out of state, we have the resources to support and help you every step of the way.

This is just a sampe of the items my team and I handle for you when you hire us to sell your home.

Want more information or want to meet?  Click here to set up a time to chat with Revi.

Revi Mendelsohn, Realtor, The Mendelsohn Group

Rodeo Realty Beverly Hills   310-963-7384

I’m so pleased to report that we just opened up our 4th escrow for our latest buyers, after showing them just one property!  I’m sure you are scratching your head and wondering, “How is that even possible?, it takes me 3 days of shopping just to find the right fit in jeans!”
Since 2004, I have been honing my skills so that I can help my clients determine what THEY want in their next home.  Before we start shopping, I ask my clients to come up with a “TOP 5 dealbreaker list”.
We do that by using the following guidelines.  The rules are the same for everyone, regardless of budget.
  • List no more than 5 things, in order of importance that are a MUST for your next home. (See examples below).  It is possible that you will have more than 5 things that are important to you, but if we focus on the top 5 on the list, we will be more likely to find you your home in the most efficient manner. Feel free to list #6 and #7, as it’s always good for me to know as much about you as possible.  Typically, we are able to get at least 3-4 of the top 5 deal breaker list items in your next home, assuming there is a limit to your budget and price range.
  • The list is NOT set in stone.  It is a starting point, and it MAY change over time.  By visiting properties both in person and online, you start to realize what you want and what you don’t want in your next home.  For example, you may not even realize that having a spanish style home was even important to you when you first called me.
  • Keep me posted if your needs change during our search. It’s important that we are all on the same page so that I don’t show you properties that no longer meet your Top 5 needs.
TOP 5 dealbreaker examples:
Ricky and Janet                                                                                               
  1.  Under $2M
  2.  Three+ bedrooms, 2.5+ baths
  3. West of the 405
  4. Guest House or office space separate from main house
  5. NOT on a busy street
Rachel and Jeff
  1. Within 7 miles of work
  2. Two+ bedrooms, 1.75+ baths
  3. 1400+ sq ft
  4. up to $1M
  5. Open concept living room/kitchen

Jonathan

  1. Must be in Santa Monica
  2. The biggest place I can get for under $700,000
  3. Prefer HOA dues under $500 per month
  4. Must have bathtub in bathroom (or place to put one)
  5. 1 bedroom is ok. (can we get two bedrooms?)
If you want to know more about how to work through and prioritize your “Top 5 dealbreaker list”, contact me and we can set up a time to discuss and work through it together.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Revi Mendelsohn, Realtor, The Mendelsohn Group
310-963-7384 cell/txt  [email protected]
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WhatBuyersdontwant
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Today’s buyers have access to so much more information than they had just 10-20 years ago.  Did you know that once upon a time if you wanted to know what was on the market, you had to actually KNOW a Real Estate agent in order to get access to the PRINTED BOOK of listings?

Today, that is no longer the case. If I put a listing on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service), I can get it in front of thousands of potential buyers in a matter of minutes.  Give me a few days, and I can get in front of tens of thousands of buyers.

When buyers look up listings, they almost always check Days On Market (DOM).  They are looking to see how long a property has been sitting on the market before they consider the property as an option.  As a Realtor, I do the same thing.

Why?

DOM can provide us with a tremendous amount of information when preparing our strategy to help our clients buy a property.  The shorter the DOM, the less likely the seller will be willing to look at a lower price offer.  The longer DOM, the higher the chance we have an opportunity.  When I say opportunity, what I mean is that, the seller is likely tired of having their home invaded by visitor coming to take a look. They have to keep it clean as well as find a place to house the family pets during the showing or open house. They are likely ready to have an offer placed in front of them and move on with their lives.

The problem is…

When  property has more than 14 DOM here in the Los Angeles/Beverly Hills area, people start to wonder, “WHAT’S WRONG WITH IT?”.  Every other listing has sold in the first 2 weeks, why is this one sitting?

There could be many things wrong with the house, but I would make a bet that it has to do with PRICE and PRESENTATION.  If the house was priced right based on how it shows and its other attributes like size, location, surroundings, etc, it would have sold by now.

So what should you do?

Listen to your agent when they show you a listing that has high DOM.  Before you ask, “What’s wrong with it?”, go in with an open mind, and see if you might like the house.  With the right agent on your side, you might just be amazed at what can be accomplished.  I have come across some incredible deals for my clients in a tight market.  With the right approach, style and demeanor, lots can be accomplished in a tight Real Estate.

Would you like a customized strategy formulated for your home search?  Would you like to learn how to WIN that next multiple offer situation?  Give me a call at 310-963-7384 and let’s talk, or click here to set up an appointment directly in my calendar.

Regards,

Revi Mendelsohn, Realtor

 

The Mendelsohn Group presents at Career Day!

Last week, The Mendelsohn Group was invited to and had the pleasure of presenting at TWO Career Days! Environmental Charter Middle School in Inglewood and Shalhevet High School on LA’s Westside welcomed us and gave us the chance to spend the afternoon with their student body. Both fun-filled days involved professionals from all different career fields educating students about what our jobs entail.

We took the opportunity to not only educate, but to inspire young kids to work hard and find what they are really passionate about. I got to talk about how I found my passion in Real Estate, how I’ve worked to be successful, and what we do in an average day at The Mendelsohn Group! We covered everything from gaining clients, and helping buyers find a home to listing a home and marketing our listings and brand. We also got to answer questions the students had for us, and hear what their dreams for the future were.

Students at both schools were incredibly smart, attentive, and passionate about their futures. We are so thankful to both Environmental Charter Middle School and Shalhevet High School for inviting us to share our love of Real Estate with such eager children! We were so happy to be a part of such an influential day for these soon-to-be young professionals. And the students got w some of our new Mendelsohn Group swag — water bottles and pens!

 

I think we even helped inspire some future realtors!

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Another Moms Night Success and Plans for the Next

Moms Night Out Number 3 was a success! Wednesday, March 30th was our last Moms Night Out at Seasons 52 in Santa Monica, as this location will be closing next week. The events crew at the restaurant took such great care of us, by giving us FREE happy hour food and drinks for the first two events! We are sad to see them go, but are very excited about exploring new locations for future Moms Night.

Click photos to enlarge

Our next Moms Night is going to be held a bit more centrally located for those of you coming from the Valley or the East. We will be meeting on April 19th at En Sushi at 6:30 PM. Get there before 7 PM to take advantage of their fabulous happy hour deals! If you haven’t received e-vites yet for Moms Nights yet, be sure to sign up by clicking the link below!

Click here to join us!

We plan to continue meeting once a month at different restaurants around the greater Los Angeles area. The Mendelsohn Group has a Google Form and closed Facebook Groups to send out information about future meet ups. We would love for you to join us at one of our nights out, and feel free to tell your friends! Just fill out your name, email, and what part of town you are in, and we will send you official invites to each upcoming event. If you are interested, click the link below to add yourself to our list.

Click here to receive an invite!

We’ve also got a closed Facebook group for moms to ask questions, set up play dates, and arrange to get together. We would also appreciate any feedback and ideas about events, locations, etc. If you’d like to be a part of this forum, please direct message Revi on Facebook expressing your interest (click here)! Include your full name, email address, and where you are from.
We can’t wait to meet you at our next Moms Night Out on April 19th!
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Top 5 Tips for Opening a New Escrow!


Opening escrow, especially for the first time, can be a bit like navigating uncharted waters. Based on our experience opening multiple escrows for over 12 years, The Mendelsohn Group has compiled a list of useful tips to help homebuyers through escrow with ease!

  1. Read through all paperwork and stay on top of all signatures. If you were to print out every single piece of paper involved in the purchase or sale of a home, the file would easily be three inches thick! As you can imagine, it can be a bit overwhelming to deal with all of that paper. Do your best to stay on top of it and READ and sign as it is sent to you. Don’t hesitate to call your agent with any questions before you sign.
  2. If you are currently renting, DO NOT GIVE NOTICE of your intended move-out date until ALL CONTINGENCIES are removed on your sale. This is incredibly important because if something falls through, you could potentially be out of a place to live! As Revi always says, “I’d rather you have two places to live than none!”
  3. Avoid posting anything on social media regarding the sale. This helps protect you against your landlord finding out of your plans to move prematurely. Posting on social media during negotiations could also affect you negatively because you never know which friends buyers/sellers have in common. When Revi is representing you, she is always planning strategically to get you the best possible deal! As Revi says, she keeps things “in her back pocket” to benefit you in the deal.
  4. Do not discuss any repair or inspection matters with your lender under any circumstances. This is key to ensuring a smooth lending process. If you are unsure of any matters, consult your real estate agent. Bringing inspection matters to the lender’s attention can complicate the loan, and potentially cause the deal to fall apart.
  5. While in escrow, do not make any large purchases such as a new car, furniture, or anything that can affect your credit score and ability to get the loan. The lender repeatedly checks your credit ratios during and up to the close of the loan. Before making any changes such as employment, opening or closing bank accounts, or making large deposits, speak to your realtor and your lender to confirm it has been set up properly. Revi and The Mendelsohn Group team are here to help you every step of the way — no question is too big or too small!

If you have any questions regarding the escrow process, or real estate in general, do not hesitate to contact Revi Mendelsohn at 310-963-7384!

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TOP 8 reasons Why Home Buyers Want The Mendelsohn Group on Their Side

Are you thinking of buying property? Maybe you are looking for investment opportunities. Or maybe you are ready to take the big leap into owning your first home. The thought can be overwhelming if you don’t have the guidance of an experienced team on your side. The Mendelsohn Group has over 12 years of residential purchase experience. We specialize in the following to ensure a positive home-buying experience, and get the best possible outcome for our clients:

  • We help our clients pay an average of 3% UNDER asking price
  • We offer a proprietary “Top Five Deal Breaker System” to help clients determine what is most important in their next home
  • We make our clients feel like they are our only clients through award-winning* customer service and sales experience
  • We provide outstanding project management skills. We have an excellent reputation amongst our peers, as evidenced by listing agents preferring to work with The Mendelsohn Group
  • We regularly secure property from multiple offer situation through successful packaging buyers to listing agent
  • We have excellent negotiation of repair credits due to experience and understanding of home repair
  • We practice solution-oriented strategies to bring all parties of the sale together
  • We present top notch service providers for any repairs after the sale, as well as follow-up with clients to ensure they are settled in their new home

*Rodeo Realty’s Vice-President’s, President’s, and Executive Circle awards 2010-2015  and Coldwell Banker’s Prestigious President’s Circle 2007

Another happy family in front of their first home!

Another happy family in front of their new home!

Last week we closed escrow for a family on a wonderful home in West LA. After several months of searching, we were able to secure 2nd backup position on a home (2nd backup means that 1st backup is in front of us, but 1st backup is behind the buyers in escrow). It was a bit of a challenge for our buyers, as they had access to a special loan program for Military Veterans. This Veterans Administration loan is unfamiliar to most agents in LA.  We had to educate the listing agent and sell her on our buyers. In a matter of 4 days, the 2 other buyers both in escrow and 1st backup dropped out and we won the house! Now our clients’ kids have a yard to play in and to plant a vegetable garden in. They never imagined that they would have two extra bedrooms, one for a home office and the other, a playroom.

For more stories of The Mendelsohn Group’s successful purchase negotiations, click here! If you are looking for these types of results in this highly competitive Real Estate market, call Revi at 310-963-7384.

 

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Why Home Sellers Want The Mendelsohn Group On Their Side

Are you thinking of selling your home? The thought can be overwhelming if you don’t have the guidance of an experienced team on your side. The Mendelsohn Group has over 12 years of property sales and listing experience. We specialize in the following to ensure a stress-free transaction, and get the best possible outcome for our clients:

  • An average of 108% of percent of asking price
  • Full preparation of the home, and assistance with all renovations ranging from painting to complete kitchen refacing. Click here to see our unique approach.
  • Complete consultation on property condition to determine which repairs are most cost effective prior to listing, preventing and reducing buyer credit requests while in escrow.
  • Access to and referrals of top notch service providers for any repairs
  • Marketing the listing on multiple platforms, to ensure it is reaching the biggest audience
  • Under 4 days* on market to receive first offer (*average based on 4 most recent sales) Click here to see the outcome of all of our most recent sales.

The Mendelsohn Group strives to get the most for our clients, through our unique approach in preparation for launch, to our negotiation skills during the escrow process, all the way to staying in touch long after the close of the sale. Take it from our clients below, who sold their home for 18% OVER asking price working with The Mendelsohn Group, and click here to read more of what people have to say about us!

She was patient, professional, and extremely knowledgable

“We recently sold our Mar Vista home and realtor Revi Mendelsohn worked with us from day one to put together a successful sale. She worked closely with us months before our home sale to determine what sort of improvements we might decide to make. She helped guide us through so many complicated decisions about the best ways to prepare our house to go on the market. Every step of the way, she was patient, professional, and extremely knowledgable. In fact, every piece of her advice paid off. We sold our house for way over our asking price and I’m certain the amazing result we achieved was due to her smart, sensitive, and forward-thinking approach. I had seen her recommended so many times online and wondered if she was really as good as everyone said. And I can tell you that she absolutely is the real deal. She is so easy to work with and will go to bat for you no matter what. You will not be disappointed. If you or anyone you know needs some real estate assistance, talk to Revi. You’ll be so happy you did!” – Cindy and Trent Jones, Home Sellers in Mar Vista 2015

If you have any questions or inquiries, feel free to call Revi at 310-963-7384. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

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First Moms Night Out Success!

After seeing an anonymous post on social media from a mom new to Los Angeles discussing how hard it was to make friends in a new place, The Mendelsohn Group got inspired. We thought, why not put the feelers out to see if we could get a group together? From this idea, the first Moms Night Out came to be!

Having moved from Canada to Los Angeles nearly 15 years ago, I understand how difficult it can be to meet people. Even if you haven’t moved, being a mom and finding ways to make friends sometimes prove challenging. This resonated with me, and I wanted to make it easier for us moms to have a night to ourselves!

On January 19th at the Season 52 in Santa Monica, thirteen ladies got together to mingle with other moms new to Southern California. We had people from not only all over the country, but all over the world! The night was a blast — Seasons 52 was generous enough to support our evening with complimentary happy hour food and drinks for the first hour! We talked about our hometowns, kids, hobbies, and so much more, and enjoyed getting to know each other.

 

We plan to arrange a meeting once a month, at various restaurants all around Los Angeles. The Mendelsohn Group has started a Google Form and closed Facebook Groups to get information about future meet ups. We would love for you to join us at one of our nights out. You don’t have to be from out of town to come, and feel free to tell your friends! Just fill out your name, email, and what part of town you are in, and we will send you official invites to each upcoming event. We want to keep the momentum going, and continue the growth of this wonderful community. If you are interested, click the link below to add yourself to our list.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1je95Gm9xyQGdPbVAh9jIkLKxFnE3YWqj9BWwpTejTHw/edit

We’ve also created a closed Facebook group for moms to ask questions, set up play dates, and arrange to get together. If you’d like to be a part of this forum, please direct message Revi on Facebook expressing your interest (click here)! Include your full name, email address, and where you are from.
We can’t wait to meet you at our next Moms Night Out!
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