Tuesday, December 4, 2007

BUY THE BEACH!


HEAR THE SEAGULLS CALLING...

Originally built in 1930, this fabulous Spanish Beach House was lovingly updated with a second story just 8 years ago...beautiful hardwood floors, plaster walls (even in the addition), woodburning fireplace, 5 bedrooms, 4 baths, a formal dining room, lovely garden with water feature and brick BBQ/Fireplace, oversized double garage with additional parking pad, spacious family room opening to garden...all of this plus more and only two blocks to the beach!
You can see the waves from the front lawn.

Total of 2573 square feet inside on a 6000 square foot lot (street to alley lot with alley access for the garage and parking pad.)

See a bunch of photos at http://www.realestateshows.com/227947 or check my website for more information http://www.yoursouthbayteam.com/.

Call for your personal private preview today! You won't find another home like this for a LONG LONG time (if ever.)

Asking Price is $1,499,000

Charlie's 2008 Homeowner Seminar Series

If you live in the South Bay, you won't want to miss our Homeowner Seminar Series in 2008! We have already scheduled our speakers and topics and we're all excited. Here's a peek at our schedule for 2008 ...

January 22, 2008
Carol Quan
Los Angeles County Assessor's Office
Talking about the Propositions and how they affect your tax base! A great time to ask all those questions about your property taxes - Carol has all the answers.

April 1, 2008
Gary Chan
1031 Exchange Expert
Talking about 1031 Exchanges, Living Trusts and how to handle all your title issues and keep those capital gains dollars in YOUR pocket.

July 15th, 2008
CPR Refresher and Pool Safety Presentation
It's time to gear up for summer and prevent problems from ruining your vacation and harming your kids. It's always good to freshen up your CPR techniques and prepare your pool areas for fun and safety.

October 21, 2008
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department will be presenting information on Neighborhood Watch implementation and Holiday Safety ... from Halloween to Christmas Shopping...how to keep you and your family safe and happy.

Join us for any of these seminars or ALL of them. Please call for location information and to RSVP (seating will be limited.) Call Charlie @ 310-534-3940 or email charlie@yoursouthbayteam.com or charlie@lomitahomes.com and watch our blog for updates to our seminar series.

MAKING IT GREAT FOR 2008!

GRATITUDE!



Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude.


Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness.


Thankfulness may consist merely of words.


Gratitude is shown in acts.

Henri Frederic Amiel

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December 1st, 2007

Charlie Hoffmann and Team South Bay hosted their annual "Gratitude Party." A celebration of clients and friends...time to relax and play and renew for the coming year. We enjoyed a huge "Mashed Potato Bar," Crunchy Kosher Hot Dogs, Slurpy Drinks (for the kids) and a mass of home baked cookies and munchies. The best part, however,was the fabulous cartoonist, Michael Garisek. He drew the most playful and artistic caricatures of all the guests. People lined up to watch and have their pictures done. It was a lot of fun. If you're looking for a great way to bring smiles to all the faces of your friends, clients, kids or neighbors check out Michael @ http://www.cartoonforu.com/.

A special thanks to all the Team South Bay people:
Sam Martelaro (Farmers Insurance)
Sheila Martelaro (Pacific First Financial)
Gale Kadota (North American Title)
Jackie McGee (Peninsula Escrow)

Thank you for a GREAT year! Watch for Charlie's 2008 Homeowner Seminar Series.

Happy Holidays to all!






Monday, November 5, 2007

NEED GARAGE? WE'VE GOT IT!!






Lomita Pines has some great homes. All custom built, each one unusual in its own way but this one is special for all you car enthusiasts, hobbiests, vacationistas, or just those of you with a bunch of STUFF! Not only do we have a beautiful three bedroom, 2 bath city view home, but we have all that plus a FOUR CAR GARAGE! Hmmm...not to mention a beautifully remodeled kitchen, formal dining room, balcony, covered patio, street to alley driveway and additional downstairs kitchenette ... but a FOUR CAR GARAGE! Take a peek, you don't see that many here in the city. Check out the information on the "rest" of the house too!

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

LEMONADE IN THE PARK ...

I may be dating myself here, but this picture reminds me of my childhood...hot summer days with ice cold lemonade, park-like backyards, playsets, lots of room and lots of time and lots of fun! Today, it's hard to find BIG BACK YARDS with quiet park-like settings.... nice places to sit and sip and talk. Put away the IPODS and Blackberries and just enjoy the quiet, watching the kids play...it makes you feel young again. And if you're the parents in this setting, it makes you feel secure and comfortable that your family has a safe, fun place to play and relax!

This is a lovely home in Lomita Pines. Not only does it have this fabulous back yard, it also has four bedrooms, two and one half baths, a large yet cozy living room with fireplace, remodeled kitchen, covered patio, balcony with city views, attached garage with custom cabinets and direct entry into the home, security system, forced air heat and air conditioning. Great floorplan too... one bedroom and bath downstairs has a private entrance (perfect for teens, nannies, inlaws or just guests.) Beautiful handcrafted oak stair rails lead to the spacious upstairs bedrooms with lovely city views. You have to preview this home to appreciate it. More information is available at: http://www.realestateshows.com/196690 or http://www.lomitahomes.com/.

Oh, did I mention that this home is also on a Cul De Sac? Visit us and feel the difference this neighborhood could make in your life and the lives of your family members.

Call me for more information on this and other beautiful homes in the Pines that may fit your needs. My business is in your neighborhood!

It's a Good Life!

Monday, July 23, 2007

It's a Dog's Life!!

Buttons is my first born. She's a mixed breed; what's playfully called a "Pekapom" which is a Pomeranian Pekingese mix. Buttons found me through an ad in the Penny Saver. We were both in need of a best friend. I found her at what I thought to be a private home with a batch of newborn pups. Later I found out it was really a "puppy farm." I picked her (or I should say she picked me) from inside a cardboard box, surrounded by squealing siblings with teary eyes and matted squashes of fur, all begging for attention. She eyed me quietly and drew me in by her lack of fussing. I know now that was her personal pattern of passive aggressive behavior. We rode home quietly with my 16 ounces of fluff hanging from my shoulder, fast asleep and breathing in my ear. When she wasn't sleeping, she was bouncing around like a rubber ball. To avoid stepping on her, I carried her around the house on my shoulder. My shoulder became her quiet place, her safe place, her happy place.

One day I returned home from work and found her in a puddle of blood and vomit in the middle of the kitchen floor. I wrapped her in a towel and rushed her to the vet. It was then I found out she was from a "puppy farm" and had not been cared for properly. She had been infected with Parvo which is a virus and usually deadly to little tiny pups like her. The vet said she needed to be quarantined and I could visit her daily. Each day I would come, walk through the pan of bleach solution to prevent introducing more germs into her environment, and we would visit. We both cried each time I had to leave. After about 10 days, the vet said there was nothing more to do. He told me to take her home and hope for the best. That was twelve years ago. She's still my boss today.

Eleven years ago, Buttons and I moved into our new home in Lomita Pines. We moved in the day after Christmas Day. We spent the day unpacking boxes - stacking them in each appropriate room. Buttons had a box too, a big box of puppy toys. I opened her box and left it on the floor in the family room. Later in the day, tired and sleepy I put Buttons on my shoulder and headed for the bedroom. As I past her box in the family room, I noticed it was empty. I was confused. I began looking for her toys, thinking I had dumped them somewhere by accident. As I went from room to room I noticed something peculiar. Every room had at least one puppy toy. Buttons was sleeping on my shoulder and I didn't want to wake her to ask the question, but I knew...she had made Lomita Pines her new home too!

Buttons and I would love to help you find a special home in Lomita Pines too, or any of the great South Bay cities. Visit our websites: www.yoursouthbayteam.com, www.lomitahomes.com, www.inthepines.com or call us anytime for a personal tour.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Welcome to Charlie's Neighborhood


Greetings from Lomita Pines!


I first stumbled upon my little piece of heaven 11 years ago. It's now where I work and play and rest and rejoice! I was cutting through Lomita Pines one day to avoid some traffic snarls and low and behold I was beckoned to this Open House... The rest is history. Lomita is a Spanish name which means "little knoll." We refer to her as the "Little Hill" because we're attached at the hip in several places to "THE HILL" which is the Palos Verdes Peninsula. I guess you could say we're sort of a stepping stone to Palos Verdes. I liken my area to a fancier version of "Big Bear." I love the smell of the Pines and Harbor Breezes. We're actually the same distance from the Ocean (Redondo Beach) on the west as the Harbor on the east. You can bicycle from Lomita to the beach as easily as catching a helicopter to Catalina in the harbor (or a cruise ship - they leave most Friday nights as well as other times for trips to Mexico and most exotic places.) You can even hear the ship whistles blow when the breezes are right. We have our own library, fire station and even police force (actually the workforce portion is provided by Los Angeles County but we house them right here in Lomita.)


We just celebrated our 100th anniversary this year! Some of the residents seem to have been here since the city was established (well, maybe not that long) but demographics are changing and we're welcoming lots of new young families! It's a breath of fresh air, with larger lots, mostly custom homes (we don't have a lot of "tracts" in Lomita) and quaint "Mom and Pop" stores throughout the community. I'd be delighted to give you a personal tour.


Call me anytime and check my websites: http://www.inlomitapines.com/, http://www.lomitahomes.com/ and http://www.yoursouthbayteam.com/ if you're interested in seeing some of my listings and photos of my little town. Hope to see you soon!