Rolling Hills is Horse Country – California Equestrian Homes

Posted on August 2, 2012 by Norma Toering

Horses relaxing in Rolling Hills, CA.

If you are in the mood to saddle up the horse and go for a leisurely ride you might want to consult the Palos Verdes Peninsula Horsemen’s Association Trail Guide. It is the only complete guide to the equestrian trails of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Maps feature all of the equestrian trails superimposed on an aerial map.

The PVPHA Guide sells for approximately $20, plus tax, and includes an equine service directory. The Trail Guide may be purchased at the General Store in Rolling Hills Estates, or you may order it from PVPHA, P.O. Box 4153, Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274.

View of the Pacific Ocean from Rolling Hills CA

In the market to purchase a horse property? The gated community of Rolling Hills offers some of the finest equestrian estates in Southern California. Riding trails lace the hillsides and snake along the canyon bottoms. Enjoy magnificent ocean views and expansive vistas of the Los Angeles area from your horseback vantage point. Rolling Hills Estates is noted for its many equestrian neighborhoods also.

Would you like to tour equestrian estates online? If so, I will send you an e-list of properties currently for sale in Rolling Hills and Rolling Hills Estates. (Email Norma your request.)

Hikers, a horse is not required to enjoy the trails of Palos Verdes!

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Rolling Hills CA City Hall Offices

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PalosVerdesLifestyle- Norma’s award winning site as the best Palos Verdes homes and real estate blog since 2007. Selected by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Chosen by MovingCost.com as one of the best Los Angeles realty blogs. Awarded 5 out of 5 stars by Lender411 blog review. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper.

Palos Verdes Home Blog – Homes Available in Rancho Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes Equestrian Homes – Palos Verdes Real Estate Agent
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Photos of Palos Verdes – Palos Verdes Videos
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes – Manhattan Beach Homes

South Bay Los Angeles cities I sell real estate, property, houses and homes in: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Long Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Based on information from the Association of REALTORS®/Multiple Listing as of the initial date of this article/blog publication and /or other sources. Display of MLS data is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by the MLS. The Broker/Agent providing the information contained herein may or may not have been the Listing and/or Selling Agent.

California Housing Market Picks Up In June

Posted on July 19, 2011 by Norma Toering

In Southern California, housing sales jumped up 11.7% percent from the May numbers which is about twice the normal bump up for the spring escrows that finish in the summer. Prices for that same area edged up almost 2% for the month, but are still down compared to last June.

“California’s sluggish housing market showed some signs of life in June, with both Southern California and the Bay Area notching sales increases from May to June. June sales in the state increased 9.7% from May, with 38,975 newly built and previously owned houses and condominiums bought by shoppers, according to San Diego research firm DataQuick.

That figure was down 11.3% from June 2010, the last month to experience a surge of deals fueled by the now-expired popular federal tax credit for buyers.”

from The Los Angeles Times By Alejandro Lazo

Norma Toering - REMAX Palos Verdes 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. Chosen by MovingCost.com as one of the best Los Angeles realty blogs. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper.

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Palos Verdes Luxury Homes – Beach Cities Homes

It May Not Be Spring, But the Housing Market is Heating Up in Palos Verdes

Posted on March 7, 2011 by Norma Toering

Interest in Palos Verdes properties is picking up. Last week Norma Toering & Team opened escrow on a Redondo Beach property. Next week we will close escrow on a Redondo Beach condo. The weekend found us busy showing Palos Verdes and Torrance properties. Today there was a mad dash to Long Beach to drop off keys to an upcoming listing and then off to show a view home in Rancho Palos Verdes. We have the South Bay area of Southern California covered!

Two new listings should be ready to hit the market in late February or early March. One buyer is heading back to China and another one will arrive South Africa in a few weeks. Thank heavens for my Google Calendar and comfortable showing shoes!

If you’re thinking of buying this spring, don’t wait too long to hop off the indecisive fence and begin your house hunting odyssey. With the right guide, it will be an enjoyable journey. Consumer confidence is on the rise, and interest rates and home prices may very well follow suit.

We’ll make a great team: You know what you’re looking for, we know the market and where to find what you want. Let’s get together and make it happen!

Norma Toering - REMAX Palos Verdes 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.

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Homes In Palos Verdes – Palos Verdes Agent Home
Palos Verdes Horse Property – Palos Verdes Property Blog
Needles River Front Land - Homes with Views in Palos Verdes
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FAQ in Real Estate–How Will I Know When We Hit Bottom?

Posted on January 25, 2011 by Norma Toering

“How will I know when we hit the bottom?” That was my client’s question as he mulled over the pros and cons of submitting an offer. “You won’t know until after it happens,” was my response.

It will take months for the numbers to be totaled, tallied and analyzed. Graphs and charts will pinpoint the low by the year, month, and probably the day it occurred. Meanwhile, the home that was perfect for his family, his commute and within walking distance to the elementary school for his children will house another family.

The waiting game is a gamble. Yes, maybe the prices will drop. Yes, maybe a better house will come on the market. Yes, maybe the interest rates will go down. But life changes drive the real estate market.

My top five clients at the moment are stirring up my real estate activity due to these life changes:

Birth of twins! Suddenly the romantic cottage is no longer an option. Up-sizing is a necessity.
Career advancement. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime in another state and will require uprooting and moving.
Retirement. Can travel be far behind? I’m searching for a condo and she’s checking out cruises.
Divorce. Need I say more?
Debt. His company was sold, and he’s unemployed and saddled with a large mortgage hit each month.

Change is constant and it is a powerful force in the real estate world. Life does not stop for a down market. The investors may be taking a break, the lenders may be restructuring their loan policies, the flippers are not as plentiful, but to quote the familiar, life goes on.

Norma Toering - REMAX Palos Verdes 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.

Find Norma on: Facebook – Twitter – LinkedIn – Email Norma

Homes In Palos Verdes – Palos Verdes Agent Home
Palos Verdes Horse Property – Palos Verdes Property Blog
Needles River Front Land – Homes with Views in Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes Coastal Homes – Palos Verdes Homes
Palos Verdes Photography – Palos Verdes Videos
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes – Beach Cities Homes

Luxury Leases in Palos Verdes

Posted on January 25, 2011 by Norma Toering

If you are in the market for a luxury lease in Palos Verdes you will find many options available. Perhaps you long to spend a year living in a seaside villa while you acquaint yourself with the area prior to purchasing a home. Maybe you are an executive on temporary assignment and want your California living experience to mimic an episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Perhaps you want a gated hideaway, or ranchette with stables. The Palos Verdes Peninsula offers a wide variety of luxury homes and at any given time several of these premiere residences are for lease.

There are currently five homes for lease in the gated community of Rolling Hills. Listed lease prices range from $7000 to $12,500 per month. If you’re looking for the security of a gated community, large lot and ultimate privacy, Rolling Hills is a must see community.

Palos Verdes Estates, located on the west side of the Palos Verdes Peninsula is home to oceanfront estates and hillside villas. At any given time a few choice residences are for lease. Likewise, Rancho Palos Verdes, home to Trump National Estates and the multi-million dollar Oceanfront development, offers an ever-changing list of luxury homes for lease in Palos Verdes.

If you would like more information regarding luxury leases contact Norma Toering & Team.

Originally posted on my PVLifestlyle blog: Luxury Home Leases in Palos Verdes, CA

Norma Toering - REMAX Palos Verdes 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.

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A Charity Far From Home but Close to My Heart–Pay It Forward

Posted on January 25, 2011 by Norma Toering

I began 2011 looking for a new charity to give some of my time, effort and a little money. I believe we find what is meant to be found and lose what we no longer need. I already give to The Children’s Miracle Network each time I close a sale. I’ve collected Toys for Tots for many years and served on the Board of Happy Hats, a local non-profit organization, that serves the needs of hospitalized children.

Okay, it is fairly evident I like children. I am a former first grade teacher and mother of four. My grandchildren are the stars in my sky. I know the greatest hope for correction of flaws in the system lies within the power of present and future children of the world. If we want to see a change (and there are some things needing improvement if not radical changes) then we need to change the way children are treated, educated and valued–especially little girls born into this patriarchal world in third world countries.

Thanks to Carra Riley, a fellow Active Rain member, I discoveredEmpower Nepali Girls Foundation. I’m still learning about the program and I’m making my first, of what I hope will be many, donation to help a Nepali girl attend school and not be sold as a sex or domestic slave at the tender age of eight. That’s just wrong–so very wrong.

It does not require only major acts to change the world; millions of small acts of kindness will impact mankind.

Norma Toering - REMAX Palos Verdes 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.

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Selling Your Palos Verdes Peninsula Home –Three Phases

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Norma Toering

The move from one residence to another does not happen overnight; it takes planning, preparation and time to execute the three phases of selling one home and purchasing a replacement property.

Phase One: Once the decision to sell is made it is time for the pre-sale planning and property preparation to begin. This is the time to engage the services of a real estate professional. An agent can provide you with recent sales and current listings in your neighborhood. It is important to know the neighborhood real estate comps for precision pricing of your property. If your price is too high it will languish on the market for months. On the other hand, you deserve to receive the highest value the current market will support. An agent will review recent market activity with you and based on the condition and location of your home will offer a suggested list price.

The agent will also offer suggestions on improvements to increase the appeal and value of your property. Fresh paint and new carpet are transformational changes. Clean windows are a more subtle improvement but will add additional light and sparkle to every room. A room by room approach will create a pre-sale “To Do” list that will not only please prospective buyers but maximize the desirability and value of your home.

Phase Two: Marketing your home begins the moment it is listed on the MLS and your agent sends it viral on the Internet. It takes new techie knowledge and old school tired and true methods to sell a house in today’s slower market. A savvy agent will employ a variety of marketing tools to ensure all prospective buyers are reached one way or another.

Phase Two requires excellent communication and negotiations skills. Follow up and follow through will increase the likelihood your property will sell faster and at a higher price.

Phase Three: Once an offer is accepted it is time to open escrow and begin the inspections and complete all disclosures and a plethora of California Association of Realtors requirements. From rooftop to basement your home will be poked and prodded with each discovery being documented.

The escrow period is typically 30 to 60 days but may vary from sale to sale depending upon circumstances of the parties involved in the sale and purchase. As the sale nears completion the seller must finalize moving arrangements. If another home is being purchased the closings must be fine tuned to coincide and often requires some amazing juggling on behalf of agents, seller and buyer.

When selecting an agent to guide you through the process of selling make sure it is a professional you trust and is responsive to your requests and questions. It takes several months to move from the idea of moving to the completion of the sale. I like to tell my clients, “I am your new best friend for the next few months, and I’ll do my best to make sure we enjoy our time together.”

Norma Toering - REMAX Palos Verdes 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.

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Homes In Palos Verdes – Palos Verdes Realtor Home
Palos Verdes Horse Property – Palos Verdes Realtor Blog
Boitano Palms Lots for Sale – Homes with Views in Palos Verdes
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Needles River Front Land and Acres

High-end Home Expectations on the Palos Verdes Hill

Posted on December 1, 2010 by Norma Toering

I previewed four Palos Verdes Peninsula luxury homes yesterday. The price of the homes ranged from $2,400,000 to $3,800,000 and I noticed several common threads connecting the amenities offered in the luxury properties:

1) Outdoor Living Areas – Complete with pools, spas, cabanas, seating area focused around fireplace or fire-pit and a high quality outdoor kitchen. This is Southern California and outdoor living is a year-round possibility.

2) Oversize Gourmet Kitchen – With top of the line energy efficient appliances, walk-in pantry, large center island, causal dining area and seating for guests who enjoy congregating in the kitchen to watch (or help) the cook prepare the food.

3) Oversize Master Bedroom and Bath Suites – The trend is to create a spa experience at home with a luxurious retreat where the homeowner can go to retreat, refresh and rejuvenate body, mind and soul. Think multihead showers, whirlpool tub and towel warming racks. A meditation room, a library or a sitting room with a view and a very luxurious bed complete the high quality luxury hotel feel to these at home bedrooms.

4) In Home Office Headquarters – A place for the homeowners to manage the household and their busy lives now dependent upon the Internet and wireless communication. A command central of sorts for living life in the 21st century.

5) High Tech at Home – Superior surround sound theatre and music throughout the home is expected as the home theatre experience rivals that of the local movie complex. Other home techie trends are sensored faucets, room darkening shades that open and close with the touch of a button (for movie watching or sleeping in) and fail-safe security systems.

Luxury home buyers on the Palos Verdes Hill expect their homes to keep pace with their changing needs and improve their quality of life.

Norma Toering - REMAX Palos Verdes 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.

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Colorado River Front Property

Home Seller Tips: Inside Your Listing Agent’s Head – Palos Verdes

Posted on September 17, 2010 by Norma Toering

Come closer. I’m going to give away a secret or two; I’m going to tell you what goes on inside a listing agent’s head when she, or he, receives the call to list your house. After the initial conversation of setting time and date, most agents trust what you told them, but behind the scene verification process gets underway:

1) Check the tax assessor’s record and verify the seller is the owner and has authority to sell. If you don’t own it, you can’t sell it.

2) Check with title company for outstanding trust deeds and liens–if the property is over-encumbered and in a short sale situation the agent will need additional documents and financial information from the property owner. If the bank has a voice in the sale, we need to make sure they have the information they need to make a decision.

3) Compare tax record information with seller’s statements regarding number of bedrooms, baths etc. Discrepancies in listing information can cost the seller showings, sales and money.

4) Review recent sales, current listings and pending sales in the neighborhood. Pricing cannot reflect yesterday’s values or some hoped for future value. Present value is the only number that matters. An appraiser will use recent sales to establish value; a savvy listing agent will use the same tools. The statistics and numbers tell an undeniable story of current value.

5) Tour the property, take notes and make recommendations that will increase the likelihood of achieving top market value for the property. Your agent sees many properties each week. They know which homes are selling and which homes are simply building an unimpressive number of days on the market. You may not think washing the windows or removing heavy draperies is important, but coupled with other recommendations it will help your home rise above the competition and tilt the selling odds in your favor. Condition counts!

6) Hit the nail on the head with the price. We know you want more and believe your home is worth more than a similar house on your street. That is true for you because you are vested in the property and have emotions as well as money wrapped up in the property. Remember, those are your emotions and your money, not the prospective buyer’s.

It takes time to compile the necessary information, knowledge to understand it and experience to apply it. Begin the listing process with the groundwork firmly in place and you will achieve your goal of selling your property. After all, your end goal is to sell, and not languish in listing limbo month after month.

Norma Toering - REMAX Palos Verdes 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.

Find Norma on: Facebook – Twitter – LinkedIn – Email Norma

Selling Palos Verdes Homes – Palos Verdes Agent Home
Palos Verdes Horse Property – Palos Verdes Realtor Blog
Boitano Palms Lots for Sale – Homes with Views in Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes Coastal Homes – Palos Verdes Homes
Palos Verdes Photography – Palos Verdes Videos

Needles Land for Sale on the Colorado River

2017 Suana Drive, RPV – Mid-Century Modern in Palos Verdes

Posted on September 1, 2010 by Norma Toering

2017 Suana Drive, Rancho Palos Verdes CA – Mid-Century Modern with views of harbor, city and water.

It is a brand new listing and this is the first open house; don’t miss seeing this Mid-Century Modern with a view extending from San Pedro to Long Beach and beyond.

The home has three bedrooms, two baths and a view from nearly every room! 2017 Suana Drive

List Price: $849,000

Norma Toering - REMAX Palos Verdes 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.

Find Norma on: Facebook – Twitter – LinkedIn – Email Norma

Needles Land for Sale

Norma Toering – Palos Verdes Realtor

Homes for sale, local real estate news in Palos Verdes California

Category Archives: General Information

Rolling Hills is Horse Country – California Equestrian Homes

California Housing Market Picks Up In June

It May Not Be Spring, But the Housing Market is Heating Up in Palos Verdes

FAQ in Real Estate–How Will I Know When We Hit Bottom?

Luxury Leases in Palos Verdes

A Charity Far From Home but Close to My Heart–Pay It Forward

Selling Your Palos Verdes Peninsula Home –Three Phases

High-end Home Expectations on the Palos Verdes Hill

Home Seller Tips: Inside Your Listing Agent’s Head – Palos Verdes

2017 Suana Drive, RPV – Mid-Century Modern in Palos Verdes