Luxury starts at home. Luxury means paying attention to the little details to make sure you never have to “settle.” Decorative pillows are the perfect place to start. A condo may mean less space than an oversized home, but it also means the details count. Your pillows won’t be overlooked in the bigger picture because more often than not, the little details always make the overall picture. As you make your picture, what do you want people to see? What do you want them to feel? What is the vibe that you want to experience when you enter your home?

Be sure when you answer this question that you consider the two purposes of a pillow: to decorate and to comfort. Each pillow should serve a balance between splaying properly across your carefully chosen chaise while still providing a luxurious resting spot for you at the end of the day. You can answer both of these needs by conscientiously considering color schemes and durability with each and every aspect of your décor. The end result is a luxury condo which is the picture of perfection with the feeling of home.

To me the different textures, leather, silk, fur, shaggy sexy pillows, tailored pillows with piping – all of these give a certain touch to your home. I change my pillows all the time. I picked a huge sectional for my living room in my condo and I move around and change the pillows quite often. One of my favorite places is the fabric store.

Once you are settled into your luxury condo, it’s time to really invest in your lifestyle. Look around you. Your walls are the perfect color; your furniture is all in harmony with its surroundings, and your floors . . . your floors need help. You’ve invested in high quality plush carpets and perfectly designed imported rugs, now you need to invest in their week-to-week maintenance.

This is where your luxury appliances come into play; personally I am a fan of the Dyson floor cleaning system. The great thing about Dyson vacuums is they’re designed for someone who wants impeccable floors without having to work for the quality. They’re fast, efficient, and stronger than any other vacuum on the market without damaging the floors below them. The rolling-ball design makes them easy to use, and the lifetime warranty ensures each product is worth the investment.

Purchase one, use it once, and then settle in to admire your condo once again. Your walls are the right color; your furniture is all in harmony with its surroundings, and your floors are . . . perfect.

by Coco Clayman-Cook

I frequently have family members call me with condo listings after the death of a dear family member.  There is a need for expertise and sensitivity in matters such as these.  After the death of a loved one there are financial burdens and issues that need to be addressed with speed and proficiency but with an awareness of how emotionally charged the situation can be.

In most cases the condo will need to be prepped and staged to sell quickly.  This requires an experienced eye, some one who knows what the current market is and has their finger on the pulse of the current prospective buyers.  I always encourage the loved ones to go into the residence and remove the most treasured pieces of memorabilia before I stage it.  In doing so it helps the loved ones to accept the inevitable changes that will happen to the home while still demonstrating respect for their loss.

I also work hand in hand with their trust attorney to make sure that if there are any special disclosures necessary we take care of them. Loved ones generally want to sell as quickly as possible but it doesn’t mean that it is easy for them. Pricing the property is critical.

Experience has taught me that the best way to help them is to do my job effectively and inexpensively. 

by Coco Clayman-Cook

Judy had a great life.  She was happy, independent and active.  She owned her own home and ran a successful business.  The future was bright and her life made sense.  Then she got her diagnosis and in an instant everything changed.  The doctors were optimistic but they didn’t pull any punches, she was in for a long fight.  Suddenly everything that had once made sense no longer fit.  The beautiful home with five bedrooms which had once been a joy and a comfort was now too far away from the hospital and too much space to manage. She needed to keep it simple. And simple included a one story condo instead of walking up stairs.  Simply walking upstairs to the master bedroom was now an endless trek that zapped her energy.  That’s when Judy called me.  She knew she needed a luxury condominium and she didn’t have the time or energy to waste.

I helped Judy moved to a fabulous light filled luxury condo where she was able to be close to UCLA and get her treatments and be in an environment that was easy to navigate. The building staff was able to help Judy with all of her needs, accepting deliveries, checking in therapists and even arranging taxi service. 

I am happy to report that Judy is once again healthy, happy and independent, but believe me now that she has it she will never want anything except the condo lifestyle and she is still living in her luxury condo and LOVES it.  

It turns out that she prefers to live closer to the LA nightlife and her new gym that she joined to get out and meet more people.  Congratulations Judy on a miraculous recovery and on your new life!

by Coco Clayman-Cook

I’m a big believer in having it all.  If you can have it all (without hurting anyone) why wouldn’t you?  A colleague referred a client to me recently; the client was a young widow with grown children moving to the area for the first time.  She had originally come to my colleague looking for a house, but after listening to the clients wants and needs my colleague referred her to me for a luxury condo.  At first the client was extremely reticent.  She didn’t think she wanted to live in a condo, because she hadn’t seen what the LA Condo Lifestyle could be.

When I asked her what she was looking for she said, “I don’t want to feel like I live in a city when I’m at home.  I want to feel like I live in a secluded garden, but I don’t want to be so remote from things that I have to sit in my car for an hour to buy some decent shoes either.  I want to be safe.  I want to be able to entertain, and I want to be able to travel when I want to.”  She said all this and then threw her hands up into the air as if it was all impossible.  I knew better.  This is why the colleague had referred her to me.

I told her that everything on her list was possible with a luxury condominium.  I told her, but I don’t think she believed me, so then I showed her.  Now she is a believer. 

Having it all isn’t hard; sometimes you just have to know who to ask.  I’m Coco Clayman-Cook if you are looking for a luxury condo on the Westside of Los Angeles, ask me.  I’ll be happy to help you have it all.

by Coco Clayman-Cook

The economy has changed significantly in the last two years.  With gas prices at an astronomical high, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that business is changing and about to change even more.  While the real estate market continues to stumble there is one area of the market that is stepping firmly into the limelight; the luxury condo market. Many of my clients are in the financial fields and look at condos on a price per square foot basis. Some of the funniest conversations I have had have been trying to explain to someone from Goldman Sachs that his condo is where he will live and love and grow and relax – that it can’t be broken down to a price per square foot only.

With the cost of renting approaching the cost of ownership more and more savvy buyers are looking to vertical living.  Factor in the tax break that comes with home ownership as well as gas savings by living closer to work and luxury condo ownership quickly becomes a smart investment.

Not only do the numbers stack up in condo ownership, it also affords a sweet lifestyle. Close proximity to fine dining, world class entertainment and LA’s famous night life are definite advantages.  Valet parking, concierge services, state of the art fitness facilities and additional conferencing space all available in house make luxury condo ownership a very attractive package.

To view the exciting opportunities in this exciting market, give me a call. Let’s crunch those numbers!

Congratulations!  As you start your journey together there are a lot of important decisions to make, not the least of which is where you will live.  You know you want to own a home at some point, but you don’t really want the hassle or the financial strain right now.  On the other hand you’d like to know that in a few years a home will be financially possible.

Consider living vertically. Buying a luxury condominium is a great way to enter the housing market.  It’s infinitely more economical and offers you all of the benefits of building equity without burdening you with unwanted expenses for gardeners and maintenance professionals.

Best of all vertical living allows you to be close to all of the things that matter.  Imagine saving gas and commute time, by living closer to work and all of the restaurants, shopping and nightlife that Los Angeles is famous for.

Vertical living is an excellent choice for couples who are just starting out.  It is a great way to have the life you want now and to set yourself up for your future.  For more information on luxury condominiums on the Westside of Los Angeles visit my website www.lacondolifestyles.com

by Coco Clayman-Cook

Are you thinking about downsizing?  There are numerous reasons to downsize.  Taking care of a large house is a time consuming commitment.  Downsizing can help to create more freedom and less stress, and it doesn’t have to mean doing without.  In fact, I recommend downsizing a luxury lifestyle by purchasing a luxury condominium.

A luxury condo gives you all of the benefits of owning your own home but removes all of the hassle and commitments.  Imagine living in beautiful sculpted gardens without ever having to pay a gardener again.  Imagine being able to take an elevator five floors to be able to work out in a state of the art fitness facility.  Consider being able to host a large event in a deluxe multimedia ballroom without ever having to leave your home and with out having to maintain the room.  These are just some of the advantages of luxury living condo style.

One of the most exciting features of luxury condo life is the ability to “lock and leave’.  Consider the benefits of being able to travel with the secure knowledge that your home is completely safe. Courteous staff will see to your every need while you are away; whether it is accepting deliveries or allowing some one in to water your plants. 

Luxury condo living is life’s answer to downsizing without sacrificing your current lifestyle. If you are interested in downsizing and would like to take a look at what the LA Condo Lifestyle can do for you, I hope you’ll call me.  I’d love to show you all the benefits of vertical living.

by Coco Clayman-Cook

Those of us in the condo market have already experienced first hand the recent upswing in the market but it’s always nice to have the media cover it as well.  Howard Fine aptly covered this market upturn in his recent Los Angles Business Journal report entitled Uptick Seen in L.A. Home Sales.

In the report Fine frequently acknowledges the recent surge in L.A. condo sales.
      L.A.’s housing market, pushed along by lower prices and sharply higher condo sales, is showing some signs of life…
     While sales activity normally picks up going into the summer, June’s increases far exceeded the typical seasonal surge, especially in the condo market…
     There were 1,254 condo units sold in June, up 115 percent from May. That was the largest number of condos sold in one month since July 2007…
     One reason for the surge: price. The median price of a condo that changed hands in Los Angeles County fell 12 percent year over year to $386,000.
Fine cited several reasons for the surge in condo sales, among them:

• Foreclosure and REO properties have encouraged bargain hunters to enter the market. This in my opinion has not affected the prices of condos on the Westside – Sellers are still listing their units too high and Agents are taking them too high and they are sitting.
• The price of renting approaching and in some places exceeding the cost of buying. Rentals always go up as property values go down and many condos that were built as condos are being rented as apartment as they have no choice but to do that.
• Gas prices have encouraged a new group of home buyers to seek the advantages of vertical living. Gas prices have significantly affected the choices people make on where to live and how close they are to their place of employment. There are areas that used ot never have homes up for sale and now they have more than ever.
• Foreign buyers are taking advantage of the lower valued US currency to purchase high end condos.  Foreign buyers are coming in and making purchases. But with all the bad press out there they are making low offers and sellers are not taking them which I believe to be a mistake as the properties would not appraise in today’s market. Any offer received should be considered.
• In particular Fine cited the overall price advantage for buyers purchasing condos.

Indeed, the math has changed considerably for renters thinking about entering the condo market. … monthly rents have increased about 50 percent in the last six or seven years to about $1,950 on average, while home and condo prices have fallen by double-digit percentages from their peaks.

There are so many reasons to become a condo owner; it is refreshing to see the media acknowledge it.

One of the biggest issues in real estate at this time is that agents are taking listings at a price above what the unit is actually worth. I have to admit that I have been guilty of this myself. It’s really hard to know what something is worth right now. We can look at comparative sales, upgrades and the other units that are for sale in that price range. But that doesn’t always give an accurate picture anymore.

When a buyer is here from overseas they want to make sure that any condo they buy is worth the price. Yes, the Euro is strong and the overseas buyer gets more for their money but they have been following the market and are usually in no rush . They are also looking for prime properties and/or “deals”. And believe me they want to make sure they do not overpay.

This much is true, smart agents will turn down a listing or give it back as we cannot get a price for a Seller that they need to come out “whole”. And as the days go by, there may be fewer and fewer Lenders that are willing to lend and the ones that are in the market have guidelines that are changing each week. We just saw one major bank be shut down and the buyers that were getting loans from that bank had their loan docs pulled at the last minute.

Buyers and Sellers need to be fully aware that buildings are compared by the size of unit, the age of building and sale comps. This is a Buyer’s market. Each bank then has their own formula as to how they calculate the value after gathering the appraisal and reviewing the sales. Savvy buyers are on the MLS all the time looking daily at new listings and tracking properties and have many resources available today to see what the values are on other web sites like Zillow and Trulia. They may look for a property for six months as they hear and see values coming down even on the Westside.

A savvy buyer investigates all of the components that may affect their condominium purchase, the age of the building, the improvements, whether permits were pulled and what the current value is to not only them but to a bank. They view their condominium first as their home but also as an investment. 

A savvy Seller listens to their agent and makes sure that the property looks its best prior to putting it on the market. If you are planning on doing some remodeling prior to putting the unit up for sale please ask a professional which improvements make sense as time is of the essence and the return on your investment may not be there. We in the trenches know what buyers are looking for.