Kathleen Finnegan

Author Archive

architecture & design film festival

In celebration of its 5th anniversary, the Architecture & Design Film Festival will make its Los Angeles debut, presenting 30 feature-length and short films from eight countries that explore the human elements of art, fashion, architecture, and design in our everyday lives. In addition, the festival will offer panel discussions, Q&As with filmmakers, a pop-up bookshop by Hennessey + Ingalls and more that are all open to the public!   For complete information on the films showcased, tickets, and speakers, please click... Continue Reading >

10 tips for home flipping

Buying, renovating and selling a house for profit, known as house flipping, is the latest buzzword in real estate. There is no magical formula to ensure success at flipping houses. However, there are essential tips to help investors earn more money. 1. Do not get emotional about house flipping. It is after all a business. If the numbers do not work, proceed to the next property. Some investors commit the mistake of being too attached to the flip that they sell... Continue Reading >

Calabasas beer festival

  Join us for a charity fundraiser wrapped around a beer tasting event. 100% of the proceeds benefit American Cancer Society   Where : Agoura Hills - Calabasas Community Center - 27040 Malibu Hills Rd, Calabasas, CA 91301 (818) 880-2993 When : Friday, February 7, 2014 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM (PST) What: General Admission - all you can drink -  Feb 7, 2014 $25.00   Vendors participating in this years tasting, 1. Ascendant Spirits - Breaker Bourbon 2. Dirty Tequila 3. LAB Brewing Company 4. Peroni 5. Ventura Surf Brewery 6. Wolfcreek... Continue Reading >

tight housing inventories still affecting the markets

Home buyers continue to face limited choices of homes for sale in many markets, according to realtor.com®’s National Housing Trend Report. As we open the new year, the first-quarter inventory figures are especially crucial as our first indication of seller confidence for the 2014 home buying season, the market is still showing significant demand, but in order to have a strong home buying season, sellers need to put their homes on the market. Some of the markets that saw the highest upticks... Continue Reading >

top 5 interior trends for 2014

Home remodeling may have taken a backseat during the recession, but not anymore. According to a 2013 Hanley Wood survey, remodeling sales were up 10 percent compared to 2012, and 45 percent of remodelers surveyed expected another 10 percent growth in 2014. Home remodeling is back in again, and with the desire to improve our homesteads come a bunch of new and exciting trends we’ll start seeing next year. 1. Modern Kitchens According to data compiled by Hanley Wood and Remodeling Magazine, 61... Continue Reading >

property taxes – avoiding reassessment

This is a question that my clients bring up a lot. How to transfer property taxes and/or avoid reassessment. This post should help to shed a little light on, what tends to be, a confusing matter. Prior to the passage of Proposition 13, the county assessor in each county would reassess the value of property every four years or so. During times of high appreciation, property taxes often quadrupled, leaving those on a fixed income unable to afford the taxes, and being... Continue Reading >

rose bowl flea market

It had been a while since we  made our way over to the Rose Bowl flea market, so I headed out a few weeks back. We had such a great time strolling up and down then isles packed with interesting trinkets - definitely worth the trip! If your in the Pasadena area, check it out! Here is some info, Rose Bowl Flea Market and Market Place is held on the second Sunday of every month, regular admission starts at 9am for the general public at $8.00... Continue Reading >

getting prepared for pre-approval

What is a pre-approval? A pre-approval is a commitment in writing from a lender that a borrower would qualify for a particular loan amount based on income and credit information. Most pre-approval letters are good for 60 to 90 days. Why you should get pre-approved? There are many reasons why you should get pre-approved. The most important reason you should get pre-approved early in the process of purchasing a home is that you will get an accurate idea of how much you can... Continue Reading >

straight up!

You probably recognize the name of this cocktail - round our circle of friends, we know it as Finnegan favorite. Moscow Mules usually contain sugar syrup - which involves melting sugar and water together. To make it easier, I add Sierra Mist Natural as the sweetener instead of the sugar syrup... and did you know it is made with real sugar, no artificial ingredients, 100% natural flavoring? The addition of Sierra Mist adds a light, sparkling touch without adding too much... Continue Reading >

home buyer tech tools

Home buyers are increasingly depending on the internet when beginning their search. Here are a few sites that are sure to lend a hand. Google Maps Real Estate Google Maps has grown enormously as a service since its launch in 2005, adding features like walking directions and Street View [source: Google]. Type in an address in any populated area, and Google Maps can likely pinpoint local businesses and give you a good look at it with satellite imagery. But there's another feature... Continue Reading >