Jodi Siegel’s All Pro Songwriters Showcase is held at Project Barley the third Tuesday of every month. This craft brewpub serves excellent food (gourmet pizza, wings, sandwiches, salads) along with wine and award winning beer. Food served till 8:30pm. No reservations. https://projectbarley.com/ 2308 Pacific Coast Hwy, Lomita, CA 90717
Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps
Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps coming up in May! Gonna be a rocking time! This band is grammy nominated and have been touring all over the world and we are lucky to have ’em at the All Pro Songwriters Night, Tuesday, May 20, 2025 from 7-9pm. For more information on Teresa and the Tramps go to https://teresajames.com/
Jodi Seigel
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.
April 26 – 8:00 PM, Doors 7:00 PM The Grand Annex 434 W. 6th St., San Pedro, CA Tickets
Paul Givant is the frontman, songwriter and founder of the Americana folk-rock band Rose’s Pawn Shop. He tours nationally and internationally with the group at festivals, theaters and clubs.
Since 2018, he has been writing solo records, through which he processes life’s highs, lows and complexities. Inspired by the sounds of 1970s folk rock, his new record Marigold is a deeply personal story of growth. Listen to the first single from Marigold, “Tripping On the Moon.”
Opening for Paul will be Mary Scholz / 8 PM
Mary Scholz’s “songbird vocals” (Americana Highways) and evocative songwriting have made her a live circuit favorite for over a decade. With her unique brand of gritty folk charm, the Philly-born, LA-based artist forges a personal connection with her audience every time she takes the stage. Zachary Ross of Rose’s Pawn Shop will join her for a few songs.
Spotlight on Singer-Songwriters presented with Blackbird Record Label
Hosted by Americana-Country artist Manda Mosher, a five-time LA Music Awards winner. Mosher performs along with Dead Rock West, Silas Nello and Pi Jacobs.
Grand Vision and Blackbird Record Label collaborated to put this Spotlight Series line-up together through a generous grant from the Live Music Society.
LA-based Blackbird Record Label, founded by recording artist Manda Mosher and record label executive and music supervisor Eric Craig, represents a strong community of Americana and Alt-Country artists. Manda and Eric are also the founders and producers of the annual California Country Show at Americanafest in Nashville.
🍷Pre-Concert Wine Tasting:
Taste fine wines led by professional sommelier, Jean-Philippe Molinari.
Free to Grand Vision members at the Friend, Champion, VIP Circle, Arts Advocate and Performing Arts Patron level – up to two per household, $16 per person for all others. Concert tickets are required to participate. Members’ tasting tickets must be redeemed in advance. Tastings begin one hour before the show, please arrive no later than 30 minutes into the tasting to participate.
LA Poverty Dept. presents The Covid Hotel – A Free Play
The Covid Hotel Welcomes You to the Future is a performance by Los Angeles Poverty Department, a theater group from Skid Row that has performed throughout LA and the world. It is inspired by interviews with healthcare workers who ran the LA County Health Department’s Quarantine & Isolation sites for unhoused COVID patients. The performance celebrates the unexpected innovations of these “Covid Hotels” and amplifies the programs that are building upon these innovations to provide low-barrier access to healthcare and housing. The performance will be followed by a discussion with local professionals who work with underserved communities.
This performance is free and open to all. No RSVP required.
Hailing from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mermans “Mofaya” Mosengo and Jason Tamba formed Afro Fiesta, and recently rounded out the band with Coco Buono and Jose Agote, two members of the Argentine rock band Los Pinguos.
With early musical influences such as Bob Marley, Tracy Chapman and Peter Tosh, the band plays a fusion of eclectic styles including Afro-beat, reggae and Latin rhythms. You may recognize them from playing with Twanguero in their other band, Los Silverbacks.
Afro Fiesta has been part of the movement Playing For Change (PFC) since its inception. PFC aims to inspire, connect and bring peace to the world through music. Through PFC, Afro Fiesta has performed more than 400 concerts in over 25 countries, including headlining in Brazil for an audience of 35,000 and opening for Robert Plant in Australia. Earning a reputation as innovators, Afro Fiesta has performed at numerous music festivals, including SXSW and OBZ Festival in South Africa.
Original Wings band member, Laurence Juber and his full band deliver unforgettable moments from the rocking side of the Wings catalog. Hear “Getting Closer,” “Spin It On,” “Rockestra,” “Maybe I’m Amazed” and more.
Juber is recognized internationally as lead guitarist in former-Beatle Paul McCartney’s band Wings, with whom he won a Grammy. Since then, he has established himself as a world-renowned guitar virtuoso. His playing fuses folk, jazz, blues, pop and classical styles, creating a multi-faceted performance that belies the use of only one instrument.
The Two Tracks, hailing from Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains, ignite their original Americana with Dave Huebner’s driving cello, creating a sound that’s both “sweet lonesome prairie” and “barn dance hootenanny.”
With songwriting by husband and wife Dave and Julie Huebner, the band’s four-part harmonies are backed by Dave’s driving cello and Julie on guitar, Taylor Phillips on bass and Fernando Serna on drums.
A promissory note is a legal document that will be created if there is a loan being obtained as part of the purchase of real property. The written note is designed to enforce a borrower’s promise to pay back a lender. The payor agrees to pay a certain amount of money to a payee in the future on a specified date. The note must spell out the name of the payor and the payee, and it must be signed by the payor.
It does not have to be notarized, but to be enforceable, a promissory note must contain an unconditional promise to pay a sum of money under specified terms and conditions of repayment. The note must also include an absolute date for payment. A concise promissory note will also include an interest rate and describe the collateral being used to secure the note.
Moving to a completely new area is exciting, but the early days can also feel isolating. Finding your community is the key to feeling at home, and luckily, there are plenty of ways to do just that. Here’s how to start making connections in your new neighborhood.
Simple as it may sound, one of the best ways is to just get out there. Get to know your physical surroundings. You don’t even need a plan — take a walk or bike ride with no specific destination, and you’ll soon come across the local coffee spots, parks and community centers where people hang out. If you feel like you need a friend to help you along the way, introduce yourself to your neighbors. Most people appreciate a friendly new face. This is even something you could do before buying a new place, to make sure the community is right for you.
You could also go with a more structured route. Look for clubs, sports leagues or hobby groups that match your interests. If there are none to your usual taste, endeavor to try something new. Whether it’s a book club, yoga class or local volunteer group, shared activities help forge friendships faster. Perhaps there isn’t a regular group that appeals to you, but many towns host local festivals, farmers’ markets and outdoor concerts. While these won’t occur as often, these types of gatherings can still offer a relaxed way to meet your neighbors and learn a bit more about local life. Keep an eye on social media or your town’s local website or forums for upcoming events.
Speaking of social media, it’s also a perfectly acceptable method of finding local people, not only events. Online social media platforms such as Nextdoor, Meetup or local Facebook groups can connect you with people nearby. Many communities have online groups for newcomers, making it easy to ask for recommendations and join in on local happenings.
There’s growing research into how trees are much more social beings than we’ve realized, as forestry ecologists look into the way trees communicate. Trees have demonstrated using networks of fungus in the ground, relaying messages to each other warning of predators, sharing nutrients with their “sick” neighbors, and even forging “alliances” with different tree species.
The underground fungal networks used by trees have been likened to the internet, variously called the “wood wide web,” “mushroom internet” or “mycorrhizal network.” Vast swathes of mycorrhizal fungus connect different trees in the forest. Trees are then able to send nutrients through these pathways to be picked up by connected trees as well as chemicals that act as “distress signals,” causing their neighbors to release substances that can defend against disease or attack from predators.
Ecologist Suzanne Simard is one of the researchers delving further into these studies. During one of her studies, she witnessed a Douglas fir tree that, having been colonized by insects, sent chemicals acting as a warning to a nearby ponderosa pine tree. This caused the pine to create enzymes that would protect it against insects. In other studies, she has seen older trees sending carbon, nutrients and water to young seedlings, the same way a mother would nurture her child.
Watch live or anytime at https://youtube.com/live/lndrJnpUhc8?feature=share
Local? Come watch in person! Just RSVP to reneesafier@hotmail.com. For the online viewer, the Livestream shows are free to watch, but the option to contribute is there for those who are in a position to do so. You can see our song list to make requests and contribute at https://andyandrenee.com/tickets-tips…, PayPal (paypal.me/andyandrenee) or Venmo, (www.venmo.com/Renee-Safier). A portion of the proceeds will go to the Los Angeles Midnight Mission. We are sustained by the generosity and support of the fans who love the music, and who donate as they are able. If you use funds from your bank vs. your credit card, we aren’t charged a service fee, but either way, we appreciate your support!
Andy & Renee & Hard Rain & Friends- Dylanfest 35
SUN, MAY 11, 2025 @ 12:00PM — 8:00PM Torino Plaza, Torrance Cultural Arts Center, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance, CA 90503
March was not a good month for sellers of South Bay realty. Median prices for residential property collapsed into red territory for nearly all areas. Sales volume was right behind it with falling numbers everywhere except the Beach cities. Even at the Beach, where the number of homes sold rose, the median price went negative.
So to what should this market slow down be attributed? Is it the elevated interest rates? Probably not, since mortgage rates have actually come down, albeit only slightly. Perhaps it’s a lack of inventory? Not likely, as there are more homes on the market in most neighborhoods. Tariffs? There are none on real estate. Has inflation driven off the buyers? Possibly. Median home prices are up in a range from 40% to 74% across the South Bay, though most of that price jump occurred when mortgage interest was toying around the 3% area.
Economic chaos is probably a more accurate answer than any other. Investors like stability, which is not in evidence today. Right now, investors can’t tell from one day to the next, whether to expect recession or inflation. In order to buy low, or to sell high, it’s necessary to know which direction the economy is going. When they can’t tell, investors park their money in the least volatile place they can find.
It’s often called the “investor flight to safety.” So, when the IMF warns of “major negative shock” to the international economy, investments shift to gold and bonds. Right now, both are doing quite well. At some point the investment community will decide real estate has fallen as far as it’s going to, and then we’ll return to—inflation.
Beach:
Monthly home sales in the Beach cities climbed 11% above February, while the median price plummeted by 8%. The number investor flight to safety.of homes sold increased from 109 in the prior month to 121 units in March. The median price dropped $180,000, ending the month at $2,000,000.
On a year over year basis, the sales volume was even more insane, with 59% growth over March of 2024. The last time the local market saw sales numbers this high was during the pandemic, when interest rates were at rock bottom. The craziest part of the story—is seeing that with all those sales, the median price for March actually dropped $10,000. The decline was small enough to register as a 0% change.
Year to date comparisons to the first three months of last year showed similarly divergent percentages, though not quite as radical. Sales volume for the first quarter of 2025 exceeded 2024 by 43%. For the same period of time, the median price at the Beach rose an astonishing 22%. This compared to low and negative numbers across the rest of the South Bay for both sales volume and median price.
Harbor:
Talk about diverse—the Harbor area did a complete 180º turn on the Beach area. Monthly, the Beach was: volume – up, median – down; the Harbor was volume – down, median – up. The Harbor came in with a 7% drop in number of homes sold, falling to 253 units from 273 last month. The median sale was $803,000, a 6% increase over last month’s $760,000.
The same diversity, or is it perversity, kicked in on the yearly statistics. Compared to March of 2024, this year the Harbor area dropped 9% in the number of homes sold, while the median price of those homes climbed 4%.
First quarter home sales at the Harbor continued to climb, though not as aggressively as the Beach area. The sales volume rose 4%, which is more in line with business on the Hill and for the Inland area. For the same time frame, the median price fell 1%.
Hill:
Month to month sales in Palos Verdes showed a 9% increase, climbing from 46 units in February to 50 in March. While the number of homes sold climbed, March saw a 4% drop in the median price.
Comparing March of 2024 to this March brought 0% change for both the number of homes sold and the median price. Exactly 50 homes sold in both years. The median price actually declined by $10,000, though the change was statistically insignificant.
There was also no change to the sales volume for the first three months of this year. Median price on the Hill rose 11% for the first quarter of 2025.
Inland:
While March brought 11% growth in the number of homes sold compared to February, the Inland area challenged market pressure and registered a 1% increase in the median price. With 114 sales for the month, compared to 103 for last month, the Inland area maintained positive volume. At the same time, the median price improved by $12,500, up from the February median of $900,000.
Annually, March flipped the statistics, with both the sales volume and the median price dropping. Home sales fell by 9%, the same decline the Harbor area experienced. The median price was off 1%, which doesn’t seem like much until compared with the 40% growth since 2019.
Year to date the Inland area showed 6% growth in the number of homes sold compared to the first quarter of 2024. Like the Harbor area, the Inland area delivered a significant drop in the median price, coming in with 0% change.
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
This show is SOLD OUT! To be put on the waitlist, call the Grand Annex (310) 833-4813 by 6:00pm Friday, 3/28. Placement on the waitlist does not guarantee a ticket.
LA-based Blues legend returns with his signature picking style learned from masters like Lightnin’ Hopkins and Mance Lipscomb. Joined by an array of Blues artists including Ray Bailey and Mo Beeks.
Spotlight on Singer-Songwriters presented with Wonder & Awe Productions
Hosted by Brenda Carsey who performs with Kid Lightning, Joseph Eid and pop-folk artist Madison Malone – whose credits include lyrics for Celine Dion and soundtracks for General Hospital and ABC’s 20/20.
Grand Vision and Wonder & Awe Productions collaborated to put this Spotlight Series line-up together through a generous grant from the Live Music Society.
Gathering for the Grand: WOODSTOCK Peace Love & Music Party
Limited tickets may still be available, call the Grand Vision office at (310)833-4813 if you would like to purchase tickets to the 2025 Gathering for the Grand Gala.
The 16th Annual Gathering for the Grand Gala will be on April 12, 2025 at the Palos Verdes Golf Club. Together, we’ll toast to the next exciting phase of renovations at the historic Warner Grand Theatre and celebrate fifteen incredible years of concerts at the Grand Annex Music Hall. The theme is: WOODSTOCK A Peace, Love & Music Party. At the gala, we will be honoring Andy Hill & Renee Safier and they will perform a full set of music with their band, Hard Rain! Enjoy groovy drinks and dance to the iconic music of Woodstock.
Paul Givant Marigold Record Release Concert Opener: Mary Scholz
Paul Givant is the frontman, songwriter and founder of the Americana folk-rock band Rose’s Pawn Shop. He tours nationally and internationally with the group at festivals, theaters and clubs.
Since 2018, he has been writing solo records, through which he processes life’s highs, lows and complexities. Inspired by the sounds of 1970s folk rock, his new record Marigold is a deeply personal story of growth. Listen to the first single from Marigold, “Tripping On the Moon.”
FRI, APR 18 & 25 @ 7:00PM — 10:00PM Brews Hall Del Amo, 21770 Del Amo Circle East, Torrance, CA 90503
Andy & Renee & Hard Rain-The Lighthouse
SUN, APR 20 & May 4 @ 2:00PM — 5:00PM The Lighthouse Cafe, 30 Pier Avenue Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 310 376-9833
Andy & Renee & Hard Rain & Friends- Dylanfest 35
SUN, MAY 11, 2025 @ 12:00PM — 8:00PM Torino Plaza, Torrance Cultural Arts Center, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance, CA 90503
A full day of nothing but Bob Dylan music, performed by 50-60 Los Angeles musicians, with never a repeated song! Tickets on sale NOW!!
Andy & Renee & Hard Rain-The Grand Annex
FRI, JUN 27, 2025 @ 8:00PM The Grand Annex, 434 W. 6th St., San Pedro, CA 90731. Featuring the music of Jackson Browne and Lucinda Williams. Get Tickets at https://grandvision.org/event/andy-renee-hard-rain-2/
Andy & Renee & Hard Rain-Torrance Summer Concert Series
SAT, JUL 5, 2025 Wilson Park, 2200 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance, CA 90501
Andy & Renee & Hard Rain-Malaga Cove Library Park Concert
WED, JUL 9 @ 6:30PM Malaga Cove Library Park, 2400 Via Campesina, Palos Verdes Estates, CA
LEED stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design,” and is a certification system originally developed by the U.S. Green Building Council but now used worldwide to promote energy-efficient, eco-friendly construction. The LEED standards prioritize energy and water efficiency, improved indoor air quality and sustainable building materials, and reduced carbon emissions.
Buildings can be awarded a rating of either “certified,” “silver certified,” “gold certified” or “platinum certified.” Points are earned by incorporating sustainable features such as proper insulation, high-efficiency appliances, nontoxic materials and water-saving fixtures. You can earn points whether you’re building from the ground up or making renovations, so you should continue to pay attention to LEED guidelines even if you aren’t building new to potentially achieve an official certification.
Beyond being a smart choice for the planet, a LEED-certified home offers long-term financial benefits. The lower energy and water consumption of a certified home leads to reduced utility bills, and homes with LEED certification also tend to have higher resale value. As buyers become increasingly eco-conscious, these kinds of sustainable living spaces are more in demand than ever.
Since summer of 2023, South Bay real estate has been erratic, inexplicable and highly inflationary. Both the sales volume and the median price jump up, and then down, and then up again with no apparent rationale. For example, the number homes sold in the Beach cities was up 29% in December, down 40% in January and up 70% in February. Over the same months, the median price in the the Beach cities went up 9%, up 30%, and down 7%. Those are huge jumps, and with contrary indicators.
Some of that crazy action made sense during the pandemic, but post-pandemic, where the economy should be leveling out, all the numbers should be moving in the same direction, consistently.
The number of homes sold should be on the increase constantly until 2027/2028, as sales stabilize following the out-sized impact of the low pandemic-era interest rates. Those low interest rates caused a sizable percentage of future buyers to step up to the plate earlier than they would have normally. Those buyers will not be back in the market for another four to five years, at the earliest.
The median price of those homes should be increasing in line with the Federal Reserve target of 2%. The fact that they are increasing one month and dropping the next indicates a dysfunctional market. The degree to which prices and sales are bouncing around indicates an out-of-control economy.
Why is this a problem? The list price of your house is determined by recent sales. When the recent sales are all over the map, your broker is hard-pressed to get your asking price correct.
Typically, we try to provide some sort of a forecast for the coming months. Unfortunately, the fundamentals are not lining up in any direction right now. Maybe next month.
Beach: Sales Up, Prices Down
The number of February home sales in the Beach area jumped to 109, 70% above those of January. At the same time the median price dropped 7%, ending at $2,180,000.
Compared to last year, February sales were up 42%, with an annual increase in the median price of 23%.
Year to date, sales of homes rose 34% versus the first two months of 2024. Median prices for the same period increased by 27%.
Harbor: Sales Up, Prices Up
On a monthly basis, sales volume in the Harbor area jumped by 12%, ending with 273 homes sold in February. Median prices for the Harbor climbed 1%, reaching $760,000 for the month.
While year over year sales volume was up by 14% for February, the annual median price at the Harbor dropped 4%. This marks the first annual decline in median price at the Harbor since 2023. Economic volatility has created a lot of wide monthly swings, but the variances annually have been more restrained.
Compared to the first two months of 2024, the number of homes sold increased by 12%, despite negative sales volume in January. Median prices fell by 2% for the same period.
Hill: Sales Up, Prices Up
From January to February sales of home on the Palos Verdes Peninsula increased by 44%, from 32 to 46 units. That jump was accompanied by an 8% growth in the median price, matching the 8% increase of last month. The February median price came in at $2,047,000.
Comparing February sales this year to those of last year shows a 28% rise in the number of homes sold. Likewise, the median price climbed 16% from last February.
Looking at year to date for 2025 versus 2024, sales volume is flat at 78 homes sold for the two month period. In the same time frame, median prices have shot up by 11%, clearly an inflationary statistic.
Inland: Sales Up, Prices Flat
February home sales in the Inland area hit a total of 103 properties, registering an 18% increase in volume over the prior month. The median price for February came in at $900,000, exactly the same as January.
Looking back to last February shows a 10% increase in the number of homes sold, along with a 4% rise in the median price.
Combined home sales for January and February of 2025 surpassed sales of 2024 by 18%. The median price went up by 2% for the same period.
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
A covenant is a binding contractual agreement between two parties to do or not to do a specified act. Covenants are usually enforceable by the courts if they are reasonable, clear, definite and lawful.
A breach of covenant is the failure to obey a previously agreed-upon legal arrangement that was created honestly and in good faith. When one party to a contract refuses to uphold their obligation as spelled out in that covenant, that party is in breach.
In real estate, a breach of covenant most often occurs when a buyer or seller backs out of a contract to buy or sell a home. A breach can also occur when either individual fails to perform any of the terms of a purchase contract. Breaching a contract should be taken seriously. The party who has suffered from the breach usually has recourse in a court of law, where the legal remedy could result in monetary damages being awarded.
Back in 2022, California suffered a series of wildfires. The response from the government was to require proof from homeowners that the structure met current fire safety guidelines, including a five-foot ‘defensible space’ surrounding the structure where no combustible materials should be present. Unfortunately, the recent fires in California have proven that simply requiring proof of meeting existing guidelines wasn’t enough. Our fire safety needs to improve, and with that come seven new methods of fire hardening. While these aren’t legally mandated, they are certainly recommended and your homeowner insurance may start to require them.
Three of the new recommendations focus on the defensible space. In addition to avoiding placing or building using combustible materials within a five-foot defensible space, such materials or vegetation also should not be placed underneath decks. The defensible space should also be extended vertically as well as horizontally, to six inches underneath the exterior surface of the building. Additional buildings should not be constructed using combustible materials within 30 feet of the main structure, if the lot is large enough to build them farther away. The remaining four recommendations are specific materials or upgrades: a Class-A Fire Rated Roof, enclosed eaves, fire-resistant vents, and multi-pane windows.
This coming Tuesday we are ending the year with a big bang and not a whimper! Two exceptional vocal groups – Barley (doing a rare acoustic set), and the talented women from JAKL! They are very different musical groups and styles, but equally cool! Perfect for a rocking cool Yule night of reckless abandon! I’ll be playing a set of mostly new songs and even a holiday song from a few years back!
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.
Barley
Since 2010, Barley has been an unstoppable musical force in South Bay Los Angeles.
You may have seen Barley opening for such acts as Toad the Wet Sprocket, Colin Hay, Vertical Horizon, Iron Butterfly, Robbie Krieger of the Doors, or many, many others.
Barley can also be found performing at some of Southern California’s largest festivals, including Beach Life, KAABOO, Concerts on the Beach, Music on the Meadows, Fiesta Hermosa, and hundreds of other stages big and small.
Jakl
JaKL, (Jaynee Thorne, Karen Tobin, Leslie Barker) The Los Angeles-based singer/songwriters with numerous recording credits, have joined forces, talents, songs, and harmonies to create a compelling vocal blend. Their sound is acoustic, organic, and unique. Their well-crafted original songs, as well as choice selections from other esteemed writers, involve the listener in their meticulous arrangements and this labor of love…
On the heels of an encouraging October real estate market, November saw the South Bay market plummet into the red. Compared to last month the number of homes sold fell by nearly 30%, while the median price collapsed at the Beach and on the Hill. At the same time, the Inland and Harbor areas showed modest growth in median price, posting a 2% gain in both areas.
This was a surprising downturn following across the board sales growth in the October market, accompanied by generally positive price appreciation.
Looking at year over year, same month sales provides a slightly more positive result. Both the Beach and the Hill show the number of homes sold down by 3% and 13% respectively. The Harbor area maintained sales growth of 2% while the Inland area increased by 4%. Both areas were off substantially from the 20-30% increases of October.
Year over year median prices were equally depressed. The Beach and the Hill, the high end of the South Bay market, both lost ground in the single digits. The Harbor and Inland areas, which make up the bulk of sales in the South Bay, grew at 4% and 5% respectively.
It’s too early to attribute this shift to the election results because most of the transactions closing escrow in November would have been negotiated in October. If anything, the decline reflects nervous anticipation leading up to the election. December sales will provide a much more definitive indication of how the public has reacted to the election results.
For right now we know that current sales volumes are running about 10% below December of 2023. And, we know that December last year was lower than December 2019 by 30%. Back at the end of October conditions seemed to be improving, but today it would seem we are still trying to climb out of the Covid trough.
Beach: Sales Off 35% for November
The number of homes sold in the Beach Cities dropped from 127 in October to 83 in November showing a 35% decline for the month. At the same time the median sales price dropped from $1.9M in October to $1.65M in November for a loss of 13%.
On an annual basis sales volume was off by 3% compared to last November, while the median price was flat.
Year to date, 1,059 Beach homes have been sold compared to 1007 during the first 11 months of 2023. This is a 5% increase in the number of homes sold. The median price rose 7% from $1,675,000 last year to $1,787,500 year to date.
Harbor: Sales Fall 26% in November
Harbor area home sales plunged 26% from October, dropping to 256 units from 345 sold last month. At the same time the median price climbed 2%, to $787,500 from $775,000.
On the flip side, same month, last year sales moved the opposite direction, rising 2% this year compared to 252 homes sold in November of 2023. The median price this November was up 4% over the $760,500 recorded in November of last year.
With only one month remaining in the year, the Harbor area displays modest increases in both the number of homes sold so far this year and the median price of those homes. Annual sales have reached 3,160 to date, 3% higher than last year’s 3,076. Median prices for the year have climbed from $740,000 last year to $780,000 this year.
Hill: Market Drops 39% for the Month
Home sales on the Palos Verde Peninsula dove down 39% from October to November, wiping out all but 1% of last month’s gain. As mentioned in the October issue, during the last quarter of 2023 mortgage interest rates were hitting around 8%, which drove the South Bay market to a standstill. The fact 2024 sales volume is falling below 2023 is a concerning matter. Interest rates are once again pushing up against 8%, which has been an impenetrable barrier in recent years. While the number of homes sold dropped precipitously, the median price came in with only a 6% decline, falling from $1,914,500,in October to $1,805,000 in November.
Comparing November of 2023 to November this year turned up a steep fall again. This year brought a sales volume decrease of 13% accompanied by another 7% drop in the median price.
As 2024 heads for closure, the dramatic swings of earlier in the year are mellowing out. Through November, the 597 sales on the Hill have settled in at just 1% above last year. Similarly, the median price, which has ranged from an increase of 26% to a decrease of 15% throughout the year, is coming in at 3%, or $1,927,500.
Inland: Home Sales Collapse by 22%
November sales of 111 homes in the Inland area totaled a 22% drop from the 143 sold in October, rounding out a total decline of 28% for South Bay real estate this month versus last month. Despite the fall in month to month sales volume, the Inland area enjoyed a 2% increase in median price over October.
Same month last year sales increased by 4%, moving up from 107 units in 2023. At $895,000, the median price for November Inland area homes was up by 5% over the $851,000 of last year.
Looking at year to date sales volume of 1,313 shows a mere 1% increase over January-November of 2023 when 1,302 homes sold. Median price fared higher, with a 3% jump from $867,500 to $895,000 this year.
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
Gift giving often comes with a lot of waste. A significant amount of this is the wrapping paper or gift bags, but the gifts themselves can also generate a lot of waste. Fortunately, there are ways to mitigate this without making your gift any less meaningful.
Your gift doesn’t have to be a physical object at all. Consider gifting an “experience” instead: for example, a day out at the theater to a show you know they’ll love, a pass for a museum, or dance lessons. Or, simply take time off work to be with them, or offer to help them so they can use their added free time as they wish.
For those who appreciate practicality or aren’t big on surprises, there are some additional options. Talk to your loved ones. Ask them what they want or need. It won’t be a surprise when they get it, but you’ll know it’s something they truly want. Plus, you don’t need to wrap it if they already know what it is. If your friends or family have bills piling up or a debt they’d like to be able to settle, just offer to pay it for them. But just in case they still like the gift giving nature of the holidays, try to purchase more sustainably. A good way to do this is to buy used or secondhand items. The stigma around secondhand items or regifting doesn’t really need to exist, especially if it’s something that you know the person who’s receiving it will appreciate.
Though much of California doesn’t experience temperatures below freezing, winter is noticeably cooler than the rest of the year even in the most temperate areas of the state. So regardless of where you live, you may want to conserve heat in the cooler months. The easiest and fastest way to do this is by turning on the heater, but it’s most certainly not the most energy efficient way. It’s also easy to combine multiple methods.
There are a couple of cheap and relatively easy options. One is to reseal your doors and windows. Over time, the caulk and weatherstripping around doors and windows may begin to degrade. This may seem like a minor issue, but even small cracks or holes can result in heat loss. Make sure to replace damaged weatherstripping or recaulk. The other is to purchase thermal curtains. Thermal curtains are not particularly expensive, and are effective at trapping heat inside. This is especially the case if you don’t have dual-pane windows.
Some options cost nothing at all. An option that many people never think of is to change the direction of ceiling fans. Many people with ceiling fans are aware that they can go both directions, but most don’t realize that a low-speed clockwise rotation will push warm air down from the ceiling to which it has naturally risen. Closing the doors in rooms that aren’t in use also helps, by reducing the space in which warm air is distributed. However, this is more effective if you are already using a heating system. The last option is passive solar heating. This refers to opening curtains during the day, when the sun is shining into the home and raising the ambient temperature, and closing them at night to trap the heat inside. Thermal curtains can certainly help with this, but any curtains will do.
Lead singer and drag queen Pickle with her 9-piece Big Band perform American Songbook classics and contemporary pop songs from k.d. lang to Katy Perry.
Pickle, LA’s premier singing drag queen and host, will be performing her very first drag holiday show with her 12-piece big band! A Los Angeles native, she started playing dress-up as a child and got into the drag sphere as a student at Hamilton High School Academy of Music. She began establishing her drag identity and artistry at Sarah Lawrence College, where she received her BA in Liberal Arts. TICKETS
New Years Eve Celebration with Andy. Renee and Hard Rain
South Bay folk-rockers return with hits from across the decades. Includes late-night pizza, party favors and a champagne toast to start off 2025!
Andy Hill and Renee Safier with their band Hard Rain have been referred to as “America’s best kept secret.” Performing over 200 shows a year, the band delivers a style of Americana folk-rock that’s thoughtful, musical, danceable and full of memorable hooks.
