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December Unwrapped: Properties, Places & Faces Making Headlines at The Agency

by | Dec 23, 2020

The holiday season has been anything but quiet in the world of real estate. From penning articles on the Canadian market to listing and selling some of the most spectacular homes around the globe, here is a look at what made headlines in December at The Agency.

4212 MEADOWLARK DRIVE – This Calabasas traditional represented by Gina Michelle and George Ouzounian was featured in The New York Times article exploring California homes in the $1.6M range. Built in 1967, the five-bedroom home boasts an airy foyer, light, bright living room, fireplace with marble surround, custom cabinetry, exquisite new kitchen, office, updated baths and solar roof panels. Glass doors open to spacious patios, a swimming pool and flat grassy yard.

MAURICIO UMANSKY – The Agency founder and CEO lent his expertise to International Banker, penning the article Canada’s Luxury Market Remains Strong Amidst Covid-19. Mauricio teamed up with Peter Torkan and Steve Bailey to discuss the state of real estate in Ontario, as well as Jason Binab and Brian Danyliw for insight on the Vancouver Island market. Coast to coast, the Canadian market is seeing limited inventory and rising prices as buyers shift priorities when it comes to amenities and location. “With no signs of slowing down, the market uptick and tight inventory are anticipated to continue into 2021,” writes Mauricio. Read the article in full here.

926 S. MILL STREET – If there was ever a year to perfect the art of the home bar, 2020 was surely it. In the article, Home Bars That Bring A Little Something to the Party, The Wall Street Journal offered some pointers for both form and function, sharing a collection of spectacular home bars. Among them was this ski-in/ski-out, nine-bedroom home at the base of Aspen Mountain, represented by Allie Lutz, Heather Sinclair, Chris Flynn and Lisa Hatem. The entertainer’s level includes a professional game room and bar with a custom billiard’s table, wood paneling and decorative wine barrels, ideal for enjoying après cocktails in the comfort of home.

GRIFFIN SWEET & INGRID SACERIO – In its regular dive into the trenches of the real estate biz, The Wall Street Journal asked two of our own whether they’d ever had a seller walk off with everything but the kitchen sink. Griffin shared a story from when he and Ingrid represented the developers purchasing a 6,000-square-foot property in prime West Hollywood. Upon getting the keys from the seller, they found she’d stripped the place bare, taking the light fixtures, the dishwasher, the microwave, the cabinets, the toilets and you guessed it—even the kitchen sink. Read the full story here.  

1240 N. WETHERLY DRIVE – The former estate of the late Estelle Getty, star of The Golden Girls, was featured in both Forbes and Mansion Global. Represented by Paul Lester and Aileen Comora, the exquisitely private, gated home in L.A.’s Lower Doheny Estates enclave was originally built in 1948 and has been thoughtfully updated and restored for the modern lifestyle. “A historic estate such as this, and in such a coveted area, rarely hits the market,” writes Forbes of the five-bedroom home featuring expansive grass lawns, a Hollywood-style pool, dog run, vegetable garden, office suite, gym and wine cellar.

JON GRAUMAN, INGRID SACERIO & CAMELLIA YEROOMIANThe Los Angeles Times spotlighted three notable sales by The Agency’s own in this month’s Hot Property round up, including Jon Grauman’s sale of the historic Los Feliz home of singer Michael Feinstein. Also featured was the sale of Ingrid’s Studio City listing and home of ‘X-Men’ star Shawn Ashmore and Camellia’s sale of the spectacular Hollywood Hills home Nile Niami bought from Scooter Braun.

MICHELLE SCHWARTZ & ARVIN HADDAD Realtor.com turned to the experts at The Agency for input on the nation’s most expensive home headed to auction. Listed for $160M, Villa Firenze in Beverly Hills will also be the most expensive property in the U.S. to ever hit the auction block. “One thing to note is that it takes a very open-minded seller to welcome this strategy. If there is a reserve number in place that’s not met during the auction, it will negatively affect a buyer’s perception of the property value far more than if the property was to simply sit on the market for an extended period of time,” Michelle tells Realtor.com. Arvin added, “This presents an opportunity for buyers who have enough cash to parlay on an exotic adventure. Anything under $75M would be a steal.

NICK SANDLER & BENNETT HIRSCHThe Hollywood Reporter took a deep dive into the state of L.A. and the San Fernando Valley’s current starter home market, consulting Nick and Bennett for their expert insight. THR reported the entry end of the market is hitting “unheard-of heights,” with a 50% increase in recent sales in the $2M-plus range with fewer than 2,000 square feet. “Ultimately, for the $2M Valley starter home, those properties, depending on the nuances, could have increased 25-40% in value over the last 10 years,” Bennett told THR. This doesn’t mean buyers are shying away. Nick told THR he typically receives 50 showing requests within hours of listing homes in the $1.5M to $2.5M range. “We’ve shown one of them over 100 times in four days,” Nick says, meaning first-time home buyers must be prepared to try and try again.

7860 FAREHOLM DRIVE – The same piece by The Hollywood Reporter featured Sam Plouchart’s listing, a three-bedroom Spanish home above the Sunset Strip with sweeping city to ocean views. Owned by actor Billy Miller of Truth be Told and Suits, the 1920s home features 2,214 square feet with an original fireplace, elegant archways, a custom kitchen with marble countertops, and a covered loggia with TV and lounge. 

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