A 150-seat cabaret venue run by Grand Vision in the heart of San Pedro’s thriving arts district. Enjoy state-of-the-art sound enhancing a unique listening experience, complemented by a commitment to community. Many wonderful restaurants are nearby and beverages are available throughout the show.
Greenwich Village Coffeehouse Andy & Renee and Guests
Classic rock and folk hits of NYC’s Greenwich Village. Hear the music of Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger and more. With guests Marty Rifkin, Joel Raphael, Dave Crossland and James Lee Stanley.
Singer-songwriter David Robert Pollock hosts talent from LA’s indie music scene – reminiscent of a ’70s variety series like “The Dean Martin Show” – but with a thrilling, dark comedy twist.
Immerse yourself in first-class folk-rock with faithful renditions of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s “Teach Your Children,” “Helpless,” “Suite Judy Blue Eyes,” “Love the One You’re With” and more.
7-9PM, Tuesday, August 20, 2024 Project Barley Brewery 2308 Pacific Coast Hwy, Lomita, CA 90717
THIS MONTH’S AUGUST SONGWRITER SHOW IS GONNA BE EPIC! MY BUDDIES FROM MASON SOUTH (PHIL PARLAPIANO, DOUG HAMBLIN, LYNN COULTER) WILL BE MAKING A RARE LOS ANGELES APPEARANCE AND I FOR ONE AM SO EXCITED TO HEAR THEM AND YOU WILL BE TOO! ALSO APPEARING FOR THE FIRST TIME IS THE WONDERFUL PI JACOBS. THIS IS HER FIRST TIME COMING DOWN AND YOU’RE GONNA LOVE HER! -Jodi
Mason South
MASON SOUTH is an Americana, blues, roots trio; Phil Parlapiano, Doug Hamblin and Lynn Coulter. All three have been sidemen to some of the industry’s most legendary and respected musicians like; Albert King, John Prine, Rod Stewart, Dixie Chicks and many more. LA’s Mason South began ‘as a sideman’s side project’ in the early 2000s and continues today in trio format.
Louisiana-born percussionist/vocalist Lynn Coulter brings his unique swampy feel and soulful vocals. He has been a constant presence on the LA music club and session scene. Lynn has performed/recorded with Rita Coolidge, Carole King, Paul Butterfield and Smokey Robinson and many others.
LA native Phil Parlapiano is a true multi-instrumentalist—organ, piano, mandolin, guitar, accordion and pretty much anything else that’s left lying around the studio. He is a first call session player and recently ventured into acting as well! Phil has toured and recorded with John Prine, Carlene Carter, Lucinda Williams, Iris DeMent…the list is very long
Bay Area born guitarist Doug Hamblin has played everything from new wave power pop (Jo Allen and The Shapes) to folk and rock. His debut album of original blues on the indie label Blueprint Records reached Billboards’ Top Ten and earned him a Blues Artist of the Year BAMMY nomination. Since relocating to LA in the 90s Doug has performed/recorded with artists as diverse as Dr John, Southside Johnny Lyon, Steve Miller Band, Johnny Rivers and Stephen Stills.
Together these three gifted performers move thru a deep catalog of their own original songs that span a wide variety of styles they like to call a “100% American Blend—Rock, Soul, Country, Blues.
Pi Jacobs
Pi Jacobs draws inspiration from her unconventional upbringing in “The Land of Weed and Wine” aka Northern California. Blending roots-rock swagger and storytelling soul, her music has drawn comparisons to Tom Waits, Dolly Parton, and Lucinda Williams. She has been heard on NPR, DittyTV, Austin Music TV, Americana Highways, American Songwriter Magazine, and regularly on tastemakers KCSN, WFUV and stations across the nation.
Jodi Siegel
Jodi Siegel, originally from Chicago, IL, is a singer, songwriter and guitarist. Over the years Jodi has opened for and or shared the stage with many respected musicians including: Albert King, Robben Ford, Robert Cray, J.D. Souther, David Lindley, Fred Tacket and Paul Barrere (Little Feat) and countless others. Her songs have been recorded by Maria Muldaur, Marcia Ball, Tommy Ridgley and Teresa James.
She has recorded two CD’S; Stepping Stone and her latest CD, “Wild Hearts,” produced by Steve Postell (Immediate Family, David Crosby, Eric Johnson, Robben Ford, Iain Matthews), is filled with great songs, cool grooves, intimate, smart lyrics and some of the best of the best musicians in Los Angeles today including; Mike Finnigan (organ, piano), Hutch Hutchinson, Abe Laborial Sr., Alphonso Johnson (bass), Russ Kunkel, Michael Jerome Moore, John Ferraro, Arno Lucas (drums, percussion), Joe Sublett (Saxophone) and Maxayne Lewis and Clydene Jackson (background vocals). Each song has a soulful delivery with an undeniable down-home elegance. It has received great reviews by Patrick Simmons (Doobie Brothers), Maria Muldaur, Walter Trout, David Mansfield (T Bone Burnett), Leland Sklar, Mike Finnigan and Doug Macleod to name a few.
PROJECT BARLEY serves excellent Food (Gourmet Pizza, wings, sandwiches, salads), wine, and award winning beer. Food served till 8:30pm. No reservations so arrive early to get a table.
July brought a bonanza—of sorts—to real estate in the Los Angeles South Bay. Sales volume, which had been falling below last year for three of the last four months jumped up 20%. Granted, July was an unusually slow month in 2023, compared to most years including 2024.
Month over month showed a comparable increase. Total sales volume was up 6% from June to July. The only negative for monthly sales was in the Harbor area where activity was off by 8%.
More importantly, year to date through July, sales volume was up 1% across the South Bay compared to the same period in 2023. With over half the year past already, some growth is a positive sign. This close to November on a presidential election year, one would expect the market to be looking better than it has been.
In fact, The number of homes being sold has still not recovered from the pandemic. Sales this July were 22% fewer than they were in July of 2019! As discussed previously, because the mortgage interest rates were temporarily at rock bottom, about 40% of the homeowners in California currently are “trapped in a mortgage they can’t afford to leave.” This promises to maintain downward pressure on home sales for the better part of a decade. Paradoxically, the reduced inventory is contributing to rising prices.
More homes were being sold in July, and they were being sold for greater prices. Annual increases in the median price were up 15% in entry level neighborhoods. At the Beach and on the Hill median prices didn’t reach quite as high, but were still more than 10% above July of 2023.
Monthly pricing showed the contrast between high end and entry level homes more clearly. In the Beach area the median dropped 3% from June, while on the Peninsula, there was no change in the median price. In contrast, the Harbor and Inland areas rose 6% and 5% respectively over June numbers.
Comparing the first seven months of this year to last year shows inflation continues to plague the real estate economy. Median prices rose in a range between 6% and 9% in the South Bay during the period.
Beach: Highest YTD Sales Volume Increase
Sales in the Beach cities jumped from 90 homes in June to 118 in July for a massive 31% monthly increase. This was matched by a 30% annual increase over July of 2023. Month to month statistics, as well as same month last year comparisons have shown tremendous variability this year.
The rapid fire changes precipitated by the pandemic, and subsequently by the Federal Reserve in an effort to keep the economy under control, created wild swings in the number of homes sold. At the same time the shifts in median price were less frequent and considerably less wide-ranging.
Today, looking at the year to date summaries for both, sales volume and median price, the numbers have moderated greatly. Sales volume at the Beach measured against last year has ranged from negative 27% to positive 33%. That huge range smoothed out to 6% growth in the year to date view.
Likewise, the median price, which has been a bouncing ball, declined 3% from June and increased by 11% over July of last year. Comparing the year to date from 2023 to 2024, the median settled in with a 6% increase for the longer term perspective.
Harbor: Highest YTD Median Price Growth
Monthly sales volume in the Harbor area fell 8% to a total of 316 homes sold in July compared to 342 sold in June. Annual sales moved the opposite direction, rising 17% from July of 2023 to July this year. For the first seven months of 2024 sales have fallen 1% compared to the same period last year.
Median prices had fallen 6% in June and have reclaimed that loss with a 6% growth in July. The new median, $848,500, is a 15% improvement over July of 2023. Year to date the median price is up by 9% in the Harbor area over the same seven month period in 2023.
Interestingly, every month this year has been a growth month for the year over year median price at the Harbor. The lowest increase has been 4% in March and again in June. The highest has been 18% in both February and May.
Hill: Highest Median Price In South Bay
Monthly data for the PV Peninsula came in with 73 homes sold for a 22% increase in volume over June. Annually, sales showed a 46% increase over July of 2023, a welcome change from the 24% drop in June vs June numbers. Year to date sales posted a 4% increase in volume over the same seven months in 2023.
PV registered a 12% annual increase in median price to $2,015,000 in July, so far the highest median in the South Bay for 2024. It doesn’t quite reach the $2,300,000 of May, 2023, but is one of the more impressive months in recent years. The monthly increase from June was negligible, but the timing in 2023 coincided with a downward shift in median sales prices. So, the change shows up as a 8% increase in the year to date median.
Inland: Median Price Hits $1,000,000 First Time
Sales volume for the Inland area jumped in July—up 15% month to month for a total of 142 homes sold, and up 9% since July of last year. Being past the halfway point of the year boosts the value of the the year to date statistics which come in at a mere 2% through July.
At the same time, the July median sales price for the Inland cities climbed 15% above July 2023 and hit $1,000,000 for the first time! Last year’s number was pretty run-of-the-mill so lends some import to this year’s improvement. The 2024 year to date median price calculation supports the strength shown by the monthly and annual numbers with a solid 7% increase over 2023.
Why Use Median?
A brief comment on median price and why it’s often used in real estate: Averages are used for a great many things in making comparisons, and for things that change frequently, averages do a great job. Medians, on the other hand, minimize the ‘jerky’ nature of averages and show directional movement better than a lot of up and down action.
A median is exactly the middle of a group of numbers, so that half are higher and half are lower. So the impact of a single outlier number shows less distortion on the longer term trend line of the values. In other words, it’s easier to see what your investment will likely be worth in 10 years.
Most of us don’t buy houses often enough to care about movement over the last 30 days. We’re interested in staying put for 10 years, plus or minus. The median trend will show us the most likely path.
Beach=Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, El Segundo Harbor=Carson, Long Beach, San Pedro, Wilmington, Harbor City PV Hill=Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates Inland=Torrance, Lomita, Gardena
Photo catalina_from_wayfarers_chapel.jpg by Carl Clark
Improving your home can be an exciting yet daunting task. To help you navigate your home improvements smoothly, here are six things not to do when giving your house a makeover.
Don’t plant trees too close to your home. It might seem like a great idea to add some greenery, but planting trees too close to your home can lead to root damage to your foundations and plumbing. Plant trees at a safe distance to avoid future headaches. A good landscaper or garden center employee should be able to help you find the best plants for your lot.
Don’t clean windows on a sunny day. Cleaning windows when the sun is shining directly on them can cause the cleaner to dry too quickly, leaving streaks. Choose a cloudy day to get a spotless, streak-free finish.
Don’t ignore regulations. Skipping the necessary permits might save time initially but can lead to major issues down the road, including fines and even the nightmare of having to undo your work. Always check local regulations, get the proper permits, and keep them for your records.
Don’t use the wrong tools. Although not investing in fancy tools might save money, using the wrong tools for a job can lead to poor results and potential injury. Make sure you have the right tools or hire a professional if needed.
Don’t forget to protect your furniture. There’s nothing worse than eyeing up a beautifully renovated room only to find your couch ruined by dust, debris, and flying paint. Cover your furniture with sheeting or move it to another room to keep it safe. Resist the urge to move your drop cloths and sheets before everything has dried, as you could smudge and track paint around by mistake once you think you have the job done!
There isn’t necessarily an ideal time to sell your home, but there are definitely seasonal trends. Home sales are generally highest in spring and lowest in winter. There are several reasons for this, but there are also two seasons that are neither spring nor winter — summer and fall — and they also have advantages and disadvantages. So, why might you choose fall?
From a pragmatic standpoint, there isn’t a lot of competition in the fall, but there’s still some demand. Many sellers wait until spring, assuming that because that’s when most people buy, it’s the ideal time to sell. However, this results in an abundance of available properties, making it harder for any single home to stand out. In contrast, fall’s quieter marketplace means your home has a better chance of catching buyers’ attention. At the same time, it’s not winter, when many buyers aren’t looking to buy at all. Of course, there’s less of a difference in California where much of the state doesn’t have freezing temperatures. This isn’t limited to buyers and sellers, either — the entire industry runs at a more comfortable pace. Lenders, real estate agents, lawyers, surveyors and appraisers all tend to have less work during the fall, meaning the process can happen much quicker and more smoothly than in the busy spring and summer months.
Secondly, the cozy ambiance of fall can really enhance your home’s appeal. First impressions are important, and many people perceive fall to have a natural beauty, with its colorful leaves. Typical fall decorations, such as pumpkins and scented candles, can also feel warm and inviting. Moreover, cooler temperatures make house hunting more pleasant, encouraging potential buyers to attend open houses and viewings — though in California, this is more typical of the latter half of fall, as heat waves are not uncommon in September. All of these elements can create a strong emotional connection for potential buyers.
If you’re selling your home, you need to be prepared to potentially receive offers below asking price. That’s just the way negotiations work. It’s important to examine the offers objectively, without getting offended, and understand why a prospective buyer might offer what appears to be a low amount. The reason could differ from person to person, and knowing what the buyer is thinking is important for understanding how to respond to the offer.
Obviously, you can’t read the buyer’s mind, but you can talk to your agent. Your agent may have insights into market conditions or particular wording in the offer, and can also speak to the buyer’s agent. It’s possible that your home is overpriced. This doesn’t necessarily mean that someone made a mistake in valuing your home — sometimes a home is actually worth more than surrounding homes, but is at a price point that isn’t appealing to people looking in that area. This could require compromise. It’s also possible the buyer is simply leveraging the nature of negotiations, expecting you’ll counter higher than their offer, but below your initial asking price. Another possibility is that the buyer is well-qualified up to a certain amount, and is hoping for a quick and uncomplicated transaction. If, however, the offer is egregiously low and the buyer is not willing to compromise, it’s probably best to forget about it.
When you’re trying to remodel your home to sell it, the best way to get ahead of the curve is to focus on the kitchen. Kitchen remodels can be very expensive, but that’s because they’re also very valuable. Even if you do nothing else, a well-done kitchen remodel can be highly cost effective, even if the cost is high. That means staying up to date on the current trends in the kitchen.
Right now, that’s stainless steel. Stainless steel is durable and easy to clean, and at least right now, considered aesthetically appealing. While some go as far as to include stainless steel countertops and cabinets, you don’t need to go that crazy. Stainless steel everything can feel cold and industrial, but you can balance that with marble countertops, traditional wood cabinets, or even just splashes of color. You could also pick between large or small appliances, and make one of those categories stainless steel; either one has the same effect.
