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Notes on the local market

A shaded sidewalk lined with mature trees beside a road with a few distant cars

November 1, 2026 · 7 min read

Which Part of Westchester Has Quiet Streets and Shops You Can Walk To?

Westchester buyers who want quiet streets and shops they can walk to are asking for two things that pull in opposite directions. Here is where the shops are, where the quiet is, and how to test a block before you offer.

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A new two-story wood-framed house under construction with scaffolding on a cleared lot

November 1, 2026 · 7 min read

I Own a Small Del Rey Bungalow. Should I Remodel It or Sell to a Builder?

Owners of small, older Del Rey bungalows often feel pulled between a remodel and a builder's offer. Here is how to weigh the two, what a builder is really buying, and why you do not have to pick your buyer in advance.

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A multi-story building wrapped in metal scaffolding under a clear blue sky, with a construction crane behind it

October 31, 2026 · 6 min read

Your Marina del Rey Condo Building Is Planning a Big Repair. Should You Sell Before the Owners Vote?

Selling before the vote rarely makes the project disappear from your sale. Buyers will see it in the HOA documents and the minutes either way. Here is how the timing really works and how to decide.

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A bright living room with a wall of large windows, a wood-framed lounge chair, a low wooden coffee table and a leather sofa

October 31, 2026 · 6 min read

Is a Mid-Century Mar Vista Home Worth Paying More For, and Who Buys Them?

Mid-century design can be worth paying more for in Mar Vista, but only when the design is still there and the house works for how you live. Here is how to tell the difference, and who you will be competing with or selling to.

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A long school hallway lined with blue lockers along both walls under ceiling lights

October 30, 2026 · 7 min read

Westchester or Culver City: Which Is Easier for Daily Life With School-Age Children?

Westchester or Culver City is one of the common cross-shopping decisions on the Westside for a household with school-age children. The honest answer depends on which district you want, which commute you have, and which part of daily life you want to be easier.

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Headlights and taillights on a divided highway at dusk under a hazy sky

October 30, 2026 · 7 min read

Does Traffic on the 405 or Culver Boulevard Change What a Del Rey Home Sells For?

Traffic exposure in Del Rey is one of the things buyers and sellers both overthink and underthink. Here is how the 405 and the four arterials actually move price, and what to do about it before writing an offer or a listing agreement.

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Aerial view of a small marina with rows of empty boat slips beside waterfront homes

October 29, 2026 · 6 min read

Does a Boat Slip Come With a Marina del Rey Condo When You Buy?

A view of the water is not a slip. In Marina del Rey, slips are rented through the anchorages that run them, so a buyer who wants to keep a boat nearby should find out exactly what, if anything, transfers before making an offer.

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Architectural floor plans spread out and overlapping on a table

October 29, 2026 · 7 min read

Can I Split My Mar Vista Lot or Build a Second Home Under SB 9?

SB 9 lets many Mar Vista owners split a single-family lot into two, or build a second primary home on the lot they have. Whether yours qualifies depends on the zone, the history of the house, and who has lived in it.

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A hand checking off items on a handwritten checklist in an open notebook

October 28, 2026 · 6 min read

Is Del Rey Better Value Than Mar Vista for a Buyer Who Wants a House?

Del Rey and Mar Vista share a border, a council district and a community plan, so the value question comes down to the house, the lot and the street. Here is how to compare them honestly before you write an offer.

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A closed double-pane window with white frames and sheer curtains, autumn trees outside

October 28, 2026 · 6 min read

Was Your Westchester Home Soundproofed by LAX? How to Find Out, and Why It Matters When You Sell

Many Westchester homes near the airport went through the City of Los Angeles soundproofing program for LAX. Here is how to confirm whether yours did, where the paperwork lives, and how that work reads to a buyer.

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A hand holding out a set of house keys in front of an open door

October 27, 2026 · 7 min read

Can You Rent Out a Marina del Rey Condo by the Month, or Only by the Year?

In most Marina del Rey condos you can rent by the month as long as each stay runs longer than 30 days. Here is where that line comes from, what your HOA and the County can add, and what to check before you sign anyone up.

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Wall-mounted electric vehicle chargers with coiled cables in a shared concrete parking garage

October 26, 2026 · 7 min read

Can You Add Solar or an EV Charger to a Playa Vista Condo or Townhome?

California law makes it hard for an HOA to say no to an EV charger or solar, but it lets the association set conditions. Here is what those conditions usually look like in a Playa Vista condo or townhome, and what to check before you write an offer.

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