Laura’s Tips for Preparing Your Home for the Holidays

Home for the holidays….sounds warm and inviting, but if you are the one hosting family and friends it can be a little stressful on you and your home. The tips below will ensure your home is ready for holiday parties and guests.

Home Safety Check

If you have not changed the batteries in your smoke and CO detectors, now is a great time to get that done.
Make sure you have a fire extinguisher handy.
Check your first-aid supplies – at minimum you will need band-aids, burn creams, and ice packs.
Check for tripping hazards inside and outside
Replace burnt out lights inside and outside, especially near walkways

Check Appliances

Inspect the refrigerator and clear out blocked freezer vents. Re-position food in fridge and freezer for better air flow. Tighten loose screws on door handles and replace rubber seal of not closing properly.
Clean out microwave thoroughly and use a degreaser to wipe out the dust and grease from the ventilation unit.
Do NOT clean your oven. Self-cleaning cycles run hard on your oven and may cause it to fail during a crucial cooking moment. Simply wipe clean and use the self-clean cycle for after the holidays.
Inspect the dishwasher strainer and remove any food debris. Wipe out detergent buildup from interior walls, gaskets, and moving parts.

Address the Toilet

Avoid back-ups and make sure there is proper flushing action
Replace flapper valve or the entire flush mechanism if needed
If toilet rocks, tighten up mounting bolts

Hope you find these home tips helpful!

IS THE TIME RIGHT FOR YOU TO SELL? ALL OUR LISTINGS THIS YEAR SOLD OVER ASKING! CONTACT ME TODAY FOR AN EXPERT PRICE OPINION

323.646.6569 Laura@LauraAndersonRealtor.com

Pop-up Gallery at Keller Williams Larchmont

Dear Friends, Clients and Neighbors,

It’s that time of year again! We’d love for you to join us for a fun evening of art, music, food and drinks from Larchmont neighborhood restaurants and vendors.

I would love to have you “pop” on by and say hello!

Thanks!

Laura

Preparing Your Home For El Niño Rains

Everyone is talking about the predictions of El Niño rains this winter season and while most Californians welcome the much needed water for our drought stricken state, others fear the impact it will have on their homes. Below are a few tips to ease your mind and help you prepare for the worst of El Niño.

Check Your Roof – Don’t wait for the water to start dripping from ceiling! Take action now and hire a professional roofing contractor to inspect and repair your rood if necessary.
Gutters – Gutters and downspouts can clog easily this time of year as the winds start to kick up. While cleaning out the debris, be sure to check for any breaks and make sure the gutters are secured tightly to the roof line. Make sure downspouts are directing water away from the foundation.
Trim Trees & Palms – This is also a good time to cut back over hanging branches and trim any Palm trees. Strong winds and El Niño rains can easily bring those branches down, potentially damaging your home.
Proper Drainage – Be sure that your yard and landscaping drains well. If you recently changed your landscaping or added in hard-scape areas the drainage pattern may have changed. Consult your landscaper on how to avoid water pooling.
Sprinklers & Rain Barrels – You may have already reduced your watering days to help with the drought. If it does start to rain, you will want to turn off your automatic sprinklers to conserve water. You may also want to consider installing rain catching barrels to collect water for later use.
Sump pumps & Generators – Major storms like El Niño can take out the power and excessive rain fall can flood basements and garages if good drainage systems are not in place. Be prepared for it all with a back up generator and a sump pump to keep you dry.
Bugs! – Wet weather may drive ants and other bugs to hide in your home. Contact your local exterminator to avoid these unwanted guests.
Storage – If you have a shed or garage that you store power tools or other equipment that could be damaged by water, be sure to protect those items with water proof covers and bins. Also a good idea to store valuables off the ground level.

Preparation is the key to ensuring your home is ready for the El Niño rains this winter. Contact me today for a list of professional roofers and other home vendors who can help you get your home ready.

IS THE TIME RIGHT FOR YOU TO SELL? ALL OUR LISTINGS THIS YEAR SOLD OVER ASKING! CONTACT ME TODAY FOR AN EXPERT PRICE OPINION

323.646.6569 Laura@LauraAndersonRealtor.com

Larchmont Fair – KW Booth

We had our annual Larchmont family this past Sunday.

KW Larchmont participated with a booth and made Halloween Treat or Trick Bags with the Kids and we helped raised $72 for Good Sheppard Women’s Shelter.

Climbing walls, pony rides and water rollers were among the activities that drew kids and their families to the annual Larchmont Boulevard Association Family Fair on October 25. Fair goers also visited the many booths along the boulevard, which was closed from Beverly Blvd. to First St. for the fair.

http://larchmontchronicle.com/larchmont-family-fair-draws-thousands-to-boulevard/

Larchmont Village Fair

Come Join Me at the Keller Williams booth this Sunday October 25th for the Larchmont Village Family Fair.

The Larchmont Family Fair, from noon to 5 p.m. on Larchmont Blvd., between First St. and Beverly Blvd. This year’s festivities will include camel and pony rides, booths featuring food, drinks and games (sponsored by local schools and non-profit organizations), children’s activities such as water bubble rollers, a photo booth, petting zoo, rock climbing wall, small rides, balloons, free crafts, face painting, dunk tank and much more!

Entry is free and items purchased at the non-profits’ booths support those worthy organizations. Halloween costumes are encouraged.

Ruby’s Corner – Faircrest Heights VONS Remodel

Representatives from Faircrest Heights, PicFair Village, Carthay Square, South Carthay, Pico Del Mar and Council Office representatives, Liz Carlin and Jordan Beroukhim, met with Vons Market executives as a follow up to previous discussions about the renovation of the Pico and Fairfax store. As we mentioned last month, Vons is planning a $1 million interior remodel plus $300K to $500K in exterior improvements, including a vertical garden on the side of the facility landscaping, berms, etc.

Vons representatives brought artist renderings of the facade and landscape improvements and photographs of the proposed food departments. They include:

A full service meat and seafood counter, with service from 8 am to 8 pm. The seafood will be supplied by the Santa Monica Seafood Market.

A fresh-made kitchen to prepare fresh fruits and vegetables for “grab and go” convenience and cooked meals that are prepared on site in the new extended deli section and sandwich bar.

Improved selections of Kosher, organic and low sodium foods, as well as ethnic and cultural foods.

Floral selections designed on site upon request.

A full-service bakery with all items made on-site.

Improved circulation within the store will be improved, including new check-out lanes to facilitate faster service.

They plan a number of improvements to the parking lot for security. We requested that they include the traffic island at Fairfax and Pico in their overall improvements. They indicated that they would work with the City to do so.

Construction is expected to begin early next year and continue for approximately 12 weeks. The store will remain open during construction, as most work will be completed during late night hours.

Neighborhood representatives had previously expressed displeasure with Vons’ quality and service and pointed out that the market does not meet the needs of the diverse communities it serves.

Vons executives plan to apply for rezoning of the property to mixed use designation in the future. This would substantially increase the property’s value and make the replacement of the existing store and development of a new 48,000+ square foot store more economically feasible. This would be done in partnership with an experienced mixed-use developer.

Meet Ruby

Ruby is a loving toy poodle living in Faircrest Heights with her mom Laura Anderson. She enjoys going for walks and mingling with the neighbors and neighborhood dogs. Ruby loves her community and wants to keep you up to date on all the latest and greatest projects, developments, and local events. If you or someone you know in the community has an event coming up or should be featured in Ruby’s Corner, email me at Laura@LauraAndersonRealtor.com with details and a few photos. Next time you see Ruby, be sure to stop and say hello!

IS THE TIME RIGHT FOR YOU TO SELL? ALL OUR LISTINGS THIS YEAR SOLD OVER ASKING! CONTACT ME TODAY FOR AN EXPERT PRICE OPINION

323.646.6569 Laura@LauraAndersonRealtor.com

Ruby’s Corner – Reynier Village Resident Kathryn Pellman

This week’s featured Reynier Village resident is Kathryn Pellman.

Kathryn’s whimsical quilts combine fashion and quilting to create single frame cartoon stories featuring mostly female figures she calls fashionistas with long limbs and knobby knees that invoke fashion illustration. She describes her quilts as a celebration and exploration of women and femininity that at times is semi-autobiographical.

“Fabric and thread are my paint; the sewing machine is my paintbrush. My quilts have a strong connection to traditional quilting making in their construction with the sandwiching of three layers that are stitched together and broderie perse, a traditional style of applique when images from commercially printed fabric are cut and appliqued on to a background fabric. Since I do not use patterns to draw the images, each piece is unique. “

Kathryn has a Certificate in Fashion Design and has been sewing ever since she could thread a needle. Her quilts have been exhibited throughout the United States and published in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, American Quilter and Patchwork Quilt Tsushin. Kathryn is also the coauthor of Backart — On the Flip Side, which demonstrates techniques to making the back of your quilts look as beautiful as the front.

Kathryn loves living in Reynier Village, and can often be spotted walking the neighborhood with her dog Liza. For more info on Kathryn’s quilted art, check out her website http://www.kathrynpellman.com/

Meet Ruby

IS THE TIME RIGHT FOR YOU TO SELL? ALL OUR LISTINGS THIS YEAR SOLD OVER ASKING! CONTACT ME TODAY FOR AN EXPERT PRICE OPINION

323.646.6569 Laura@LauraAndersonRealtor.com

Ruby’s Corner – Faircrest Heights Starbucks Coming Soon!

Ruby’s Corner

Starbucks Coming Soon to Faircrest Heights

Attention coffee lovers! Plans are in motion for Starbucks to take over the existing Burger King site on La Cienega and 18th St. This new location will feature a drive-thru and the remodel is expected to start in April 2016. Construction is anticipated to take approximately 3 months which means it will be ready just in time for summer!

Meet Ruby

IS THE TIME RIGHT FOR YOU TO SELL? ALL OUR LISTINGS THIS YEAR SOLD OVER ASKING! CONTACT ME TODAY FOR AN EXPERT PRICE OPINION

323.646.6569 Laura@LauraAndersonRealtor.com

Faircrest Heights Open House Guide

Click the map below to see these Faircrest Heights and surrounding neighborhood properties available to tour this weekend on

Saturday, September 26th & Sunday, September 27th for Open House!

For more information on any of these Los Angeles homes for sale or for a Private Showing,

Contact Laura Anderson at 323-646-6569 or Laura@LauraAndersonRealtor.com

IS THE TIME RIGHT FOR YOU TO SELL? ALL OUR LISTINGS THIS YEAR SOLD OVER ASKING! CONTACT ME TODAY FOR AN EXPERT PRICE OPINION

323.646.6569 Laura@LauraAndersonRealtor.com

National Child Passenger & Safety Week

National Child Passenger & Safety Week is a national effort to bring awareness to the overwhelming need to ensure your child’s car seat is installed and being used correctly.

Is your child’s car seat installed properly?

Is the car seat appropriate for your child’s age, weight and height?

Stop by the event to have your child’s safety seat inspected by certified technicians representing the California Highway Patrol. This free event is open to all ages and will include Child ID Kits with fingerprints and a photograph – one of the most important tools used by authorities to aid in the recovery of a missing person.

Saturday, September 19, 2015

11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

National Council of Jewish Women, Los Angeles (NCJW/LA)

543 N. Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(Located between Clinton and Rosewood)

Free car seat raffle at 1 p.m.

(Special thanks to LA County Public Health Injury & Violence Prevention Program)

**Advance reservations for car seat inspections are highly recommended** Please email Stephanie.Cohen@asm.ca.gov or call (310) 450-0041 for an appointment.

For more information about National Child Passenger Safety Week and/or National Seat Check Saturday, please visit www.nhtsa.gov.

IS THE TIME RIGHT FOR YOU TO SELL? ALL OUR LISTINGS THIS YEAR SOLD OVER ASKING! CONTACT ME TODAY FOR AN EXPERT PRICE OPINION

323.646.6569 Laura@LauraAndersonRealtor.com