Ironically, today's blog on ActiveRain is about....active rain! Now approaching day number 3 of heavy rainfall in the Southbay area, more flooding is expected in the San Pedro area.  With much of the Harbor Area prone to heavy water runoff, there has been a lot of flooding in the streets and homes, especially around the area of 4th and Grand. On Tuesday, it was estimated that over 1.5 inches of rain fell in just 30 mins.  The pictures of the flooding shows just how much damage that kind of rainfall can do! For many residents, evacuation was the only option and officials delivered a mandatory evacuation of some areas.  The American Red Cross was not only going door-to-door to help warn and evacuate, but they also provided some temporary housing for those being forced from their homes. Re... 01/21/2010

The torrential rains of the past few days forced me to spend more time in the office than usual. In case you haven't heard or noticed, Los Angeles received some much needed rain and we went from drought to flood conditions overnight.  In keeping with her history, California does everything in a big way, and this week of rainfall is no exception to the rule.   As I watched a river of water flow down the street in front of my office and surfed the MLS for new listings of interest, I noticed a charming, recently flipped house popped back on the market.  A light bulb flashed in my head--or was that lightning?  My FHA buyer, previously excluded by the 90-day flipping rule, was getting a second chance at this cutie. I knew I needed to act swiftly and waiting for sunshine to show it was out of... 01/21/2010

They say it never rains in Southern California...NOT!! San Pedro CA Real Estate   Well I have to admit that most of the time we are spoiled here.  It averages at least 70 degrees even in December and January.  So I won't complain because we really need the rain.  But wow!  I woke up to the sound of rushing water and I thought my house was getting flooded!  I ran around trying to focus my eyes and get my faculties going so I could understand where that sound was coming from... All the faucets were turned off and I didn't see any water in the house and then it hit me!  I opened the blinds and it was pouring like I have never seen it!  Water was rushing down the street so fast, it looked like a flood.  The skies were black and you couldn't even see our beloved Vincent Thomas Bridge which i... 01/19/2010

Wendy Rich-Soto San Pedro Home Sales Report December 2009 San Pedro CA San Pedro CA real estate and home sales report for zip code 90731, CA in December 2009.   Active listings: 40 homes are currently on the market in San Pedro CA, 90731 that range from $85,000-$400,000.   Pending sales: 3 homes are pending sale ranging for $319,000-$459,000.   December closed sales: 1 home sold in San Pedro CA, 90731; . 890 W. 2nd Street   $255,000     Wendy Rich-Soto, Realtor "Your San Pedro Real Estate Girl" 01/15/2010

22nd Street Park Grand Opening San Pedro CA After waiting with anticipation for our new 22nd St. park's opening, the day finally came here in San Pedro California!  It was a gorgeous day in January for a celebration like this!  It must have been 78 degrees!!  The grass is so green and stretches out across the 18-acre park.  Los Angeles/San Pedro Mayor Antionio Villaraigosa told the hundreds of attendees that this park was keeping with his vision for a green San Pedro. "What a terrific day to open this beautiful park," he said. "Today the community reclaims this scenic piece of land for the enjoyment of local residents and visitors.  This park is yet another example that the port is on the right track in balancing its business needs with the community's needs." There was so much to see a... 01/11/2010

  Can I help you? No we are just looking! San Pedro CA Real Estate     In my career as a Realtor, I have learned that sometimes people just aren’t ready to buy a home the first time you talk to them.  They want to educate themselves first.  They don’t want to be sold and they don’t want to be forced into something.  They are not going to let anyone make them purchase before they know all the ins and outs of buying.  They aren’t going to get taken advantage of like when they bought their last new car.  They have learned from past mistakes!  They are smarter than that!   While it is true that there is trickery out there and fast talking sales people who are going to try and do whatever they can to get you to buy today, that doesn’t account for all of us in the Real Estate industry.  The p... 01/08/2010

  Grand Emporium My favorite shop in San Pedro California   I have to admit I am a sucker for anything that has to do with hearts and flowers or has a Victorian era flare.  With this shop it starts with the outside appearance of the store front which is absolutely gorgeous and makes you feel like you are in England walking through a small quaint village.       The Grand Emporium is located in downtown San Pedro and is right next to the Whale & Ale which, if you are in the mood for fish and chips is the place to go!  This is a British Pub and restaurant.The pub is fashioned in typical English Victoriana Oak-Panelled throughout with elegant brass fittings.You can even sit outside and watch passers by and talk to the locals as you dine!  It is part of the fabric of our town and you will fe... 01/08/2010

Updated foreclosures in San Pedro for 12/28/2009 to 1/8/2009. If you have been following the foreclosures I have been posting for the past month or so, I have added to the list! Don't forget...if you would like to see the long list of foreclosures in San Pedro, read my earlier blogs.   San Pedro foreclosures 1512 W. 15th Street 1250 Park Western Drive #59 343 Walker Ave 1150 W. Capitol Drive #145 326 S. Miraleste Drive #204 307 S. Weymouth Ave   For information on how I can help you with all of your real estate needs, please contact me at 310.989.4466 or chamb@earthlink.net.   You can also visit my website at www.RebeccaChambliss.com 01/08/2010

  Are you ready to be a homeowner? San Pedro California Real Estate     So you feel pretty brave now about the real estate market here in San Pedro California do you?  You have done your homework and you are ready to make the plunge! The question I have for you is “Are you ready to be a homeowner?”   There are a few things to consider before you go out into San Pedro market and start looking at homes you might want to buy;   Down payment:   How much are you ready to put down?  Right now if you are considering an FHA loan, your down payment minimum is 3.5% of the purchase price.  You can get all of that as a gift or use your own funds.  There are down payment assistance programs for those who qualify here in Los Angeles County.    If you would like to obtain conventional financing the mi... 01/03/2010

  Sometimes love just ain’t enough! Buyer Beware!! Buying a home in San Pedro California~   This post is for EVERYONE who is considering buying a home ANYWHERE!  There is so much thought that should go into buying a home.  You should really sit down and consider what things are important to you in a home.  You can have a dream list that illustrates all the bells and whistles you would love to have.  But you better have a reality list that gives you a clear cut picture of what you must have and will accept.     Now I know you are thinking that NO ONE should tell you what type of home to buy.  I agree NO ONE should! It is up to you but I want to illustrate a point for you.  I knew a young couple who felt like they had paid their dues.  They had begun with a starter home with small square ... 12/31/2009

  Why would a Realtor care if I lose my home?     Our housing crisis has caused so many American’s to lose their homes.  It is a sad fact and there are varying reasons why this has occurred.  When you have lived in a home for years, maybe raised your children there, or made cherished memories inside its walls~ it’s so hard to let go.    There are stages of grieving that occur that make everyday life a chore;  1. Denial and isolation 2. Anger 3. Bargaining 4. Depression 5. Acceptance   The loss can be overwhelming.  Now you may lose your home to a foreclosure or you may do a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure.  You could also do a short sale and sell your home without losing it.  There are many factors that will determine what is right for you.  Everyone’s circumstance is different.  However, t... 12/30/2009

  If you are still in doubt Take a look at these numbers~   “Can you believe this Realtor honey?  She actually wants us to believe that the housing market is recovering!!”  Yes I can just imagine the skepticism out there.  There are so many conflicting reports for you to hear and read.  But how about this;   According to today’s Case-Shiller report, prices continued to increase in October for the fifth straight month in a row!  Now we may not be totally out of the woods yet, that is for certain, but we are making progress and for every skeptic that is waiting to see what happens next, opportunity is passing you by.      MoM Change YoY Change Date of Max Change from Max Prices Last at This Level in... Consec. Mos. of Increase LA Area 0.7% -6.3% Apr-06 -39.0% Sep-03 5 San Diego Area 1.1% ... 12/29/2009

Modern architecture has its roots in San Pedro.  Looking into the history of mid-century modern architecture, I am continuously finding that San Pedro is home to the beginnings of real architectural greats. In my last blog, I focused on Richard Neutra, one of the world’s most influential modern architects…but he wasn’t the only one! From 1940 to 1942, two architects instrumental in mid-century modern design worked together for a San Pedro company called Allied Engineering, Inc. These architects, A. Quincy Jones and Frederick E. Emmons, would eventually forge a partnership that would go down in history books. Jones, after returning from service in the Navy, was awarded the “Builder’s House of the Year” award from Architectural Forum magazine in 1950. The same year, the magazine awarded t... 12/29/2009

Who knew San Pedro had such a pedigree in modern design? Richard Joseph Neutra who is considered to be one of the world's most influencial modern architechts-his designs are highly collectable-was hired by the Federal Public Housing Authority to build an expanisive housing project in San Pedro in 1942 called Channel Heights.  Neutra designed 600 single and two story dwellings on a huge plot of land (that sat between Capital and Westmont and Western and Channel-hence the name of the project) with ocean views, a health center, community buildings, day care, open gardens and even a supermarket .   Channel Heights was designed for shipyard builders and workers and their families during the war.  San Pedro had a huge influx of workers who came to find work at the once busy ship yards. Built ... 12/29/2009

As the 2009 year winds down, we are still seeing activity in foreclosures in the area. I have updates on some homes in one of the three stages of foreclosure updated as of 12/15/2009. Some of these homes may already be listed for sale. The others may be coming onto the market soon. For information on how I can help you with all of your real estate needs, please contact me at 310.989.4466 or chamb@earthlink.net! You can also visit my website at www.RebeccaChambliss.com   90732 San Pedro Foreclosures 1230 W 1st Street, San Pedro 366 S Miraleste #371, San Pedro 1730 W 1st Street, San Pedro 2233 Stonewood Court, San Pedro 12/29/2009

Pt. Fermin neighborhood real estate and home sales report for San Pedro, CA in Novemeber 2009. Active listings: 11 Homes are currently for sale in the Point Fermin area priced from $259,000 to $1,6500,000. Pending sales: 5 Homes are in escrow priced from $339,000 to $999,000. November sales: 2 Houses sold in Point Fermin during November 2009: Denison $305,000 Kerckhoff Ave $422,000 All Point Fermin, San Pedro real estate and home sales reports. Previous Palos Verdes and San Pedro Market Reports Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800 PalosVerdesLifestyle - Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper. South B... 12/23/2009

Palisades neighborhood real estate and home sales report for San Pedro, CA in Novemeber 2009. Active listings: 10 Homes are currently for sale priced from $469,000 to $2,299,000. Pending sales: 5 Houses in the Palisades area are in escrow priced from $499,000 to $799,000. November sales: 2 Homes sold during November 2009: Averill Ave $582,000 26th St $620,000 All Palisades, San Pedro real estate and home sales reports. Previous Palos Verdes and San Pedro Market Reports Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800 PalosVerdesLifestyle - Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper. South Bay Los Angeles cities I se... 12/23/2009

South Shores neighborhood real estate and home sales report for San Pedro, CA in Novemeber 2009. Active listings: 8 Houses are for sale in South Shores priced from $599,000 to $1,679,900. Pending sales: 3 Homes are in escrow priced from $629,000 to $799,000. November sales: There were no closed sales in November 2009. All South Shores, San Pedro real estate and home sales reports. Previous Palos Verdes and San Pedro Market Reports Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800 PalosVerdesLifestyle - Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper. South Bay Los Angeles cities I sell real estate, property, houses and ho... 12/23/2009

  Why wouldn’t you choose San Pedro California For your next home?   Have you ever listened to a friend, co-worker, or family member about a subject and just believed what they said without really checking into it yourself?  I mean it must be true if they told you right?  Sometimes I think that people’s perception on San Pedro is a little off.  When working in Long Beach I would ask my clients what areas they would consider purchasing in.  They would give me the run down of communities like; Long Beach Signal Hill Lakewood Torrance Seal Beach Lomita But 9 times out of 10 no one said San Pedro.  Loving this town as I do, I would ask them “What about San Pedro?”  Then I got varying replies about distance from work and then there were comments about crime rates, that the town doesn’t have ... 12/17/2009

  San Pedro California 22nd Street Park~ Grand Opening!   The long anticipated opening for the brand new park at 22nd and Miner is only a week and a half away!  See the attached flyer for details.  This park is a fantastic edition to the San Pedro Harbor community and boasts of 18-acres, including 4.6 acres of open grass area suitable for informal sports activities, and 1.4 acres of vegetative ground cover, with meandering, serpentine decomposed granite pedestrian walkways throughout the park.  If you can make it to the opening on January 9th 2010, be sure to come!  There will be a free lunch and activities provided!   See you at the park!  http://www.portoflosangeles.org/       12/17/2009