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The following is information supplied by Cheryl Ward of Palos Verdes Patch: Registration is now open for Palos Verdes Peninsula Summer Schools (PVPSS). A wide range of quality choices are offered from Kindergerten Readiness to Elementary and Middle School arts, enrichment and academic classes and, for-credit High School Academic classes. PVP Summer Schools high school is WASC accedited, assuring a top-notch program of courses that are elligible for inclusion in a student's high school transcript. PVPSS offers summer academic and enrichment programs to support and supplement those offered by the Palos [...]

Interest rates remained flat this week.The following are excerpts from the newsletter on interest rates published by HSH Associates : "Mortgage rates have been higher in 2013 than the end of 2012, largely driven there by growing optimism about the prospects for the economy, and a Federal Reserve pumping cash into the market, boosting asset prices, especially stocks. With a choice to keep money in ultra-safe investments like Treasuries which yield almost nothing or jump into stocks, which are up about 9 percent this year, at least some investors have opted [...]

Escrow is the process which facilitates the transfer of title, the funding of a new mortgage, the payoff of an existing mortgage, the issuance of new title insurance, the proper payment of all fees and expenses and the proper pro rations between buyer and seller. The escrow agent acts a third party to insure that all parties to the transaction have met their obligations prior to the recordation of any documents relating to the sale. Some states utilize lawyers instead of escrow agents to close a transaction, however most residential real [...]

The San Pedro Shred: Festival of Skate event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the corner of Gaffey and 36th streets. Highlights include bands, food trucks, vendor tents, freeride and downhill 101, slide jam and pro downhill demo. The online Wheelbase magazine is one of the main sponsors, and you can register on thier site at Wheelbasemag.com. San Pedro Shred:Read more about the San Pedro skateboarding festival To the right, local skater Nathan Marton takes part in the original San Pedro Shred in 2012. (Photo courtesy of [...]

The following are excerpts from a Los Angeles Times article published yesterday: "The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller index of 20 U.S. cities recorded an 8.1% year-over-year increase in January, underscoring the vigor of the recent recovery. It was the biggest year-over-year jump since summer 2006, when home prices peaked during the subprime lending boom. The index was essentially flat compared with December, increasing just 0.1%. Yet some economists remain concerned that the price gains still depend too much on low mortgage interest rates and the new trend of big corporate investment in [...]

PALOS VERDES ESTATES LANDMARKS Neighborhood Church One of the more spectacular buildings in Palos Verdes Estates is the mansion constructed in 1928 for J.J. Haggarty of Haggarty's Department Stores.The original mansion included a 6 car garage. In addition to the magnificent villa, Haggarty also built a pier extending from his property into the ocean for the purpose of launching his boats. False rumors claimed he used it for smuggling imports into the country. This pier, just to the south of the Swim Club, can be seen in old photographs of the [...]

The following is an article published today by Palos Verdes Patch: Peninsula Center Sold for $87.3M New owners Vestar and UBS Global Asset Management plan to "significantly upgrade the center." By Nicole Mooradian Email the author March 25, 2013 "The Peninsula Shopping Center in Rolling Hills Estates has been sold for $87.3 million in an all-cash transaction, the purchasers announced in a news release Monday. In a joint venture, Phoenix-based real estate company Vestar and UBS Global Asset Management acquired the 300,000-square-foot retail center anchored by such stores as Pavilions, Rite [...]

Sometimes it is interesting to break statistics apart to analyze the sum of their parts. For instance, the real estate market for single family homes on the Palos Verdes Peninsula has different dynamics depending on the price range of the homes. There are currently 101 homes listed for sale on the Palos Verdes Peninsula as of the end of February: The number of months of inventory of homes for sale as of the end of February was 2.3 months based on February sales. This indicates an overall very tight market. If [...]

Great Rolling Hills Estates Townhome For Lease 15 Cresta Verde, Rolling Hills Estates $2,500 Per month MLS # PV13050730 Ocean View townhouse in Cresta Verde Palos Verdes , Private , Clean and in Turnkey Condition. 2 Large Master bedrooms each with their own Private bathrooms plus a Half bath downstairs. Hunter Douglas window treatments, Fireplace in the Living room, Newer appliances, Breakfast Bar. Ocean View is from front master bedroom. Large rear Slate Patio off of living and Dining area with plenty of room for Family and Entertaining. Wonderful Lush Garden [...]

The Promenade of the Peninsula Shopping Center is going to be offering a fun event for the kids on Easter Sunday March 30th at Ruby's Restaurant from 8:30 am to 10:00 pm. Your kids will be able to have Easter Sunday breakfast with the Easter Bunny !! There will also be story time with the Book Frog. Tickets are available at Ruby's Restaurant for $15 with children free. For more information about Palos Verdes and South Bay Real Estate and buying and selling a home on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, visit [...]

History of King Harbor In September 1938, a bond issue was passed that called for construction of a 1,485-foot breakwater north of the Redondo Beach pleasure pier to construct a boat harbor with the assistance of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The proposed breakwater was begun in 1939 but only partially finished. The short breakwater changed the flow of the current along the shoreline resulting in extensive beach erosion and the destruction of shoreline homes. The north beach area suffered several seasons of heavy damage and residents called for the removal [...]

Happy St. Patrick's Day !!! Happy St. Patrick's Day !!! Today is the day that everyone has a bit of Irish blood flowing through their veins, but I am proud to say that I and my family have more than most.My maiden name is Donnelly, and my Dad's family roots trace back to Dublin, Ireland. My husband Bruce's original ancestor from Belfast Ireland Robert Megowan, came over from Belfast in the early1770's. He lived in the Philadelphia area, and was active in the Revolutionary War. In 1776, he was chosen to [...]

The number of properties on the market in Rolling Hills Estates ( including the unincorporated area of Palos Verdes Peninsula ) has decreased substantially this year down to only 10 homes, a 44% decrease from the prior year. The number of properties sold monthly has increased substantially over the last 5 months, averaging 9 sales a month, a 200% increase over the comparable period last year . There are 12 homes in escrow as of the end of February. Click Here for a current search of homes for Sale in Rolling [...]

Here is a great article on the opening of the Dudes Brewing Company where my son Brendan is the "Assistant Brew Dude" that was published today in the Palos Verdes Patch: The Dudes' Brewing Co. Launches in the South Bay Beers from Torrance's Dudes' Brewing Company hit local bars Thursday as the brewery hopes to make waves in the South Bay. new The Dudes' Brewing Company "Head Brew Dude" Jeff Parker readies a beer filter at the Dudes' brewery in Torrance. CreditJohn Schreiber Photos CreditJohn Schreiber CreditJohn Schreiber CreditJohn Schreiber CreditJohn [...]

CALCULATION OF PROPERTY TAXESProperty Taxes in the South Bay of Los Angeles County are computed by the standard 1.0% of the property's assessed valuation (in accordance with Proposition 13, a property's assessed valuation is the original purchase price, plus the cost of improvements, based on the value of permits pulled, plus an increase in valuation of 2% per year) plus additional tax rates for voted bonded indebtedness, plus direct assessments such as school parcel taxes. Copies of building permits are sent to the Assessor. New buildings, additions, and other structures require [...]