I wanted to invite you to a very interesting Open House were having for Jerome Palayo of Sunia Homes a new Developer/Builder were working with. I mentioned it to you a couple of weeks ago and would love for you to come by. About 2yrs ago he and his wife bought a little 2+1 at 915 Rosemont Ave90026 in Echo Park. After seeing that the home needed much more in repairs and updating then it was worth paying, he and his wife  chose to tear it down. Now they’ve built one of the Greenest Home I’ve ever seen!

He has a background in architecture and frankly he saw a need for a home that was made with sustainable materials, thoughtful by design and made from recyclable materials. The cost to build a new 3br 2ba, 2000 sqft home from the ground up and in 4 months was about $150 per sqft foot! Which isn’t bad and they’ve have had allot interest from neighbors, friends and people who’ve driven by and actually stopped and asked questions about the home. Now their intention is to build homes in urban areas like Echo Park, Silver Lake and other areas. While their house isn’t on the market yet, were going looking to bring Buyers, Investors and Realtors to see what they’ve created and offer them a real alternative to what’s out there. They actually want to create a lifestyle more then just building energy efficient homes.

So if you are interested in this lifestyle as well as concerned about the imprint you have on the environment and are thinking of new construction, then this could work for you. The Open House will be this Thursday, February 2rd at 3:00 pm to 6:00pm. We’ll have wine and cheese and would love your support so please come by 915 Rosemont Ave LA, 90026 and see this incredible home and a newer idea in urban living!

If you want to know more please contact me at dansmyrealtor@gmail.com or call 323-839-3936.

Thanks,
Dan Ortega
Keller Williams Los Feliz

This is a shout from Ivanhoe Elementary School – one of the best in the city, as you know.  I am writing to ask you to help school out in a time of great need. Basically, the school is going to lose critical personnel and infrastructure unless they are able to raise 335K by May 11.

The money raised augments the severely diminished funds they receive from LAUSD.  Those state budget cuts hit schools very hard. They have 150K on-hand so far and about 50K in uncollected but pledged money. Most of the money comes from the families, many of which arestruggling profoundly- not that we are not all up against it with this economy and this market. But here’s the thing: I know you have sold in the Ivanhoe school district, are selling there now, or plan to sell there in the future, you know that sense of confidence when you get to say to a young mother and father, or soon to be mother and father, that the house is in Ivanhoe.  If they were considering private school, and they buy in Ivanhoe, they save themselves tens of thousands of dollars.  Now some might argue that there is an Ivanhoe premium tacked onto houses in the district, and I would agree to an extent. However, close scrutiny of the numbers fairly shows that the premium is well worth the long term savings.

Please tel your clients if they have, are, or will buy or sell in Ivanhoe, they are a direct beneficiary of the fantastic work of the staff there, as well as the dedicated efforts of the community.  The staff, the parents, and the children keep the school consistently in the highest echelons of performance.  Giving to Ivanhoe is in everyone’s best financial interest because it will help the school continue to be as excellent as it is.  It makes the area that much more special and it makes the sale that much easier.

Lastly, it may help (though you may find it infuriating) to understand the logic of public school funding in this modern world:  the better the school does, the less money it gets.  Yes.  That’s what I just wrote, the better the school does, the less money it gets.  Does that seem like a structural incentive to be mediocre?  I believe so.  But, getting mad at the bureaucracy of LAUSD and the perverse incentive structure of our national education system, which dictates this weird inversion of common sense, is like getting mad at the rain and running out and hollering at it:  you get wet, it doesn’t stop raining, and you might get sick from carrying on like a crazy person
in the downpour.  If it outrages you, I welcome and encourage you to channel that energy and do something about it, but, in the meantime, please help the school stay great. Full disclosure:  I have two children at Ivanhoe, so I have a triple interest: my kids and my job.  Our family has given significantly and will continue to do so.
Please dig as deep as you can.  The address and website are below. Give in your own name or in the name of KW.  Alternatively, they have a banner program so you can purchase ad-space on the fence of the school on Rowena if you’d like.  Or, the kids are doing a Fitness Fest by which they raise money with pledges – you can pledge through a child you know at the school or you can pledge through one of my kids (they would be verygrateful!). All donations are tax deductible because the parents organization,Friends of Ivanhoe (“FOI”), is a 501c3.  Know that whatever you do, even if it’sjust hundred bucks, will be meaningful, it will be a tax write-off, and it will be good business.
Dan (Mr. Ivanhoe) Thanks so much for reading and contributing to the school and for passing this on to your Buyers, Sellers and all the people that follow you blog! You are a great Realtor and a true friend of Ivanhoe!

Cheers,

Joe Mellis

By Mail:

Friends of Ivanhoe
P.O. Box 39985 Griffith Park Station
Los Angeles, CA 90039

Website to learn more:  http://www.friendsofivanhoe.org/CPIE_B7LD.html

Glad to help and as always contact me fo all your Real Estate needs at dansyrealtor@gmail.com or call 323-839-3936

Best,

Dan Ortega

4354 RUSSELL AVENUE                                                                                       LOS FELIZ  $599,000

I’m so excited to present my latest listing! This charming 3 bedroom 1.5 bath home with an attached legal studio has been well taken care of and maintained by the Sellers. The main house features a large living room/dining room, bright kitchen and lots of closet space. The third bedroom is being used as an office and has the half bath. The entire home offers a water filtration system and a newer sewer line. There’s a wonderful covered patio, great for entertaing and the front yard is nicely landscaped as well as having fruit trees. The garage is designated a bonus room with a roof top area and some views of downtown. There are 2 uncovered parking spaces as well being a corner lot, which make for an ideal location. And very close to all that the Village and Hillhurst have to offer! I’ll be holding it open Sunday April 10th from 2-5 and this coming week. Please check out http://www.4354russell.com/ for more pictures and if you would like more information or to set up a private showing please contact me at 323-839-3936 or e-mail me at dansmyrealtor@gmail.com.

As always thanks for checking in and I would love to assist you with your Real Estate goals!

Best,
Dan Ortega
Assistant Manager
Keller Williams Los Feliz


Happy New Year Everyone!   I hope you all had a great Holiday Season and that this is your best year ever! I wanted to thank everyone who reached out for my help Buying or  Selling in 2010 and making it my most rewarding year to date! Now that things have settled down a bit I wanted to talk to you a little about this Home in Highland Park.

ModOp Design presents a newly restored Craftsman home in an ideal North of York Highland Park location. The exterior retains the classic charm of its 1911 origin while the interior is up to date 2011. I love all wood double paned windows, beautiful custom cabinets, solid walnut floors.They’ve upgraded electrical and plumbing and the bathroom vanities have Carrara Marble. You’ll even find Heath Ceramics accents in the kitchen and bathrooms. The extra large garage is perfect for a workspace or storage, and I love the wrap around front porch, its a great place to relax. There’s a private deck and shaded outdoor backyard entertainment area. I’m very excited about this home and know the Developer’s work from homes such as Ave 50 and Occidental in Silver Lake. If you would like to this house please contact me at dansmyrealtor@gmail.com your call me at 323-839-3936. with some indicators claiming a bottom in home prices nearing and interest rates inching up, it may be a good time to make the move towards your home purchase.

“Dan Ortega has been a great source of knowledge in the whole home buying process. He’s super attentive and detail-oriented in every step of the negotiations and closing of the deal. He helped me get a great place in a short amount of time. I would totally have Dan represent me again in the future!

- Calvin L.”

Thanks Calvin for your kind words, I’m thrilled to have helped you and look forward to a long friendship!

Thanks as always,

Dan Ortega

This Legendary Paul Williams Monterey Mediterranean is on the market for the first time in almost 50 years. The Rene Faron residence, of Chasen’s fame, commissioned Williams to build this villa on one of the most verdant and beautifully sited knolls at the top of the Moreno Highlands. A grand motor court leads to grassy yard with professionally landscaped gardens & grounds all privately wrapped around the villa that has undergone a museum quality restoration, including systems. Top to bottom refurbishment with the finest materials and taste hallmark the eat in kitchen with imported appliances, formal living and dining rooms, + library, all overlooking the gardens. The luxurious master suite has 2 patios with views of the Observatory, Hollywood Hills, Hollywood Sign, & Silver Lake.3 additional bedrooms and wine cellar w/storage add to this extraordinary home. Grace, style, serenity & privacy are hallmarks. Ivanhoe school. The pinnacle of gracious living.
ROOMS: Basement,Breakfast,Center Hall,Dining,Family,Lanai,Living,Patio Covered,Patio Open,Other
EQUIP: Alarm System,Built-Ins,Dishwasher,Dryer,Garbage Disposal,Hood Fan,Range/Oven,Refrigerator,Washer.

When I went to see this house I remembered when it was on the market in 08 and it’s gone through a transformation. A positive one and now it is simply wonderful! Nicely done and tasteful which made the experience of seeing it for the first time like new. Can you tell we like yet? The entrance opens up to a center hallway with living room on the right and formal dining room on the left. The kitchen is bright and big with marble counter tops everywhere. The hardwood floors are in perfect shape throughout and the bathes have been updated to a tee. There are several patios and outdoor spaces for entertaining and views of the reservoir, Griffith Park as well as downtown views form the rooms facing east. With 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths and around 3200 sqft and a real flat lot, this home is everything that’s great about Silver Lake living. All this and in Ivanhoe. We usually don’t get to excited about properties and try to give our unbiased opinion but this one is a winner! If you would like more information about this home please contact me atdansmyrealtor@gmail.com or call me at 323-839-3936. Or if you would like to be on my mailing list of homes in Silver Lake and surrounding areas please send me an e-mail. You can also go to www.silverlakelife.com for a list of homes currently on the market.

As always, thanks and I look forward to hearing from you!

Dan

Real Estate 2.0 Podcast – Short Sales, Open Houses and Mayer Hawthorne (CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD)

Topics:
Gong in the Office?
Crispy Crust Pizza
Open House Manners
Short Sales in Silver Lake
Sunset Junction 2010
Mayer Hawthorne
www.DansMyRealtor.com

www.SilverLakeLife.com