Mary Cummins, Real Estate Appraiser, Real Estate Appraisal, Los Angeles, California, Mary Cummins.

Mary Cummins is a real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California with 38+ years of experience. Cummins provides real estate appraisals for banks, lenders, mortgage brokers, Appraisal Management Companies (AMCs), lawyers, Courts, factors and private parties for lending, lawsuits, probate, estate planning, divorce and all types of litigation. Cummins provides 1004, 1073, 1025 and other form reports, narrative reports and historical appraisals besides real estate research and appraisal advice.

Showing posts with label house. Show all posts

Friday, November 12, 2021

Home Staging is to Increase Sales Price. It's Not About Racism. Mary Cummins Real Estate Appraiser

Recently there have been a few media articles about black people who allegedly white washed their home i.e. removed all traces of blackness and received a higher appraisal value. These misleading articles have spread a false narrative about real estate agents, appraisers, sellers, buyers and the legitimate process of "home staging."

When someone lists their home with a real estate agent for sale the agent will tell them they must prepare and stage their home. Below is a brief summary of how a seller should stage their home in order to get the best price in the least amount of time from Smart Box Moving and Storage. As a real estate broker and appraiser for over 38 years I agree with this list.

"When you are preparing your home to put it on the market, experts suggest that a key part of home staging is removing personal items from the house. A strategically staged home typically sells faster and for more money so it’s important to take the necessary steps to properly stage your home. Removing certain items from the home will make your home feel larger, more organized, and will also help prospective buyers visualize themselves living in the home. Prospective buyers will take notice of every detail in your home so don’t turn them away by having the wrong items in your house. Consider removing the following items to ensure your home appeals to all buyers.

Family Photos

While you may adore those large portraits of each of your kids, it’s best not to showcase those when you are staging your home. Buyers might be distracted by all of your family photos and it could make it harder for them to envision themselves living in your home. The idea is to help buyers visualize themselves in your home and this can be difficult with a display of family photos.

Taste Specific Artwork and Accessories

Typically, when you decorate your home, you do so according to your own taste and personality. However, when staging a home, you don’t want your personality to stand out. For instance, you might be an avid hunter but not everyone will appreciate animal heads hanging on the wall. People might also be offended by certain artwork such as nudes, religious art, or political posters. It’s best to remove any taste specific decor and place a few neutral pieces around the home instead.

Collections

Collections have a tendency to take over a space and make it appear cluttered. Buyers might miss the detailed crown molding if they are distracted by an overwhelming collection. A portable storage container is a great solution for storing your valuables and collections while you are selling your home.

Awards and Certificates

While you might be proud of those diplomas, sports trophies, and school certificates, now is not the time to display them. Much like the family photos, it can be difficult for buyers to envision themselves in your home when they see so many of your personal items. Depersonalizing space is important because it will help buyers psychologically move in.

Firearms

If you keep guns in your home, it might be a good idea to place them in storage while selling your home. Not all buyers will be comfortable with the idea of having firearms in the home and this can be a deterrent.

Personal Items

As tiresome as this might seem, it’s important to erase the evidence that you actually live in your home any time you are showing it to a potential buyer. Remove personal items such as toothbrushes, medications, shampoo, glasses, dirty laundry baskets, dirty dishes and so on. You can hide many of these items in pretty baskets or boxes with lids. You can even hide things in plastic bins that will easily slide under the bed.

Pets

They may be your best buddies but your furry friends don’t appeal to everyone. Pets are messy, dirty and stinky and not all buyers love them. Some people might be turned off by the fact that there are pets in the home so it’s important to find a place for them to go when you are showing your home. You should also remove any evidence of pets living in your home such as food bowls, cages, and toys.

Excess Furniture

Having too much furniture crammed into a room can make the space look smaller and this is definitely something you want to avoid when selling a home. Your goal should be to arrange furniture in a way that compliments the architectural features of the room while giving the illusion of spaciousness. You also want furniture that serves a purpose and showcases how the room could be used. For example, a desk and chair would show that the room could be used as an office while a bed and dresser would show that the room would make a nice bedroom. Avoid excess furniture or furniture that doesn’t belong. For example, you wouldn’t want a treadmill sitting in your bedroom. A portable storage unit is an ideal solution for storing your excess furniture while your home is on the market. "

The most important item to remove is personal items and photos. From blog article "Why You Should Remove Personal Items in Home Staging," "Removing personal items is perhaps the most important thing when it comes to home staging. Potential buyers don’t want to know about the family that lived on the property before. You risk distracting or alienating potential home buyers by leaving personal items on display (family photos, religious texts, favorite movies, even sports memorabilia). Imagine walking into someone else’s home for the first time. You’re likely on your best behavior and very hesitant about breaking something or going into a room you’re not supposed to be in. It’s not as comfortable as your own home because the space simply is not your home. That’s the opposite of what you want your buyers to feel. Ideally, when someone walks into a staged property, they can easily visualize the space as their home. Lining the walls with personal artifacts ruins that illusion. Nobody wants to feel like they’re intruding."

There are a few people with their own agenda who are promoting the false narrative that black people must white wash their home when it's being appraised because real estate appraisers are racists who appraise black people's home lower than market value. That is absolutely false. Real estate appraisal is based on the home characteristics and recent sales only. Appraisers don't care about the race of the owner, tenant or buyer. We generally never even meet them or know what color they are. We only care about the structure and what other similar homes have sold for. We use the same methodology as Automated Valuation Methods which are robots who don't see any people or the home.

Sometimes a homeowner will tell me "I'm sorry my home is messy today." I generally jokingly tell them, "it's fine. The bank wouldn't care if you had dead bodies hanging in here. They only care about the structure and the value." That is the absolute truth. The bank just wants to make money on the loan. They want a full market value appraisal so they can make money. The appraiser wants the same. If we were to come in below market value, we'd never be hired again and lose money. There is absolutely no incentive for an appraiser to come in low.

A few media articles stated that a black family had their home appraised. The value was lower than they liked. They decided to white wash, stage their home and request a new appraisal. The second later appraisal came in higher. In this quickly appreciating market of course a later appraisal would be higher yet they attributed the rise in appraisal value to their white washing. They could have just changed the door mat and the same thing would have happened. With certain areas appreciating 30% in a year that turns out to 2.5% per month. With a $500,000 home the appreciation could be $25,000 in two months. The appreciation could be even higher if they first had it appraised it during a slower sales time of year then later reappraised during the peak sales times when there were more buyers, sales and higher sale prices. It would be even higher if it's an area that's being revitalized or as some say "gentrified." I've seen increases of 40-50% in a year in some of these gentrifying areas recently.

Racism is a huge problem in the US which we must try to eradicate. Racist things happen to people of color all the time. Since the murder of black George Floyd racism against black people has been a huge issue. That said not everything is due to racism. Many people's appraisals are coming in lower than expected because of the fast appreciation rate in the market. Closed and recorded sales lag 45-60 days behind contracts for sale. During that time home values appreciate. This is not the fault of the appraiser but the nature of the mandatory historical approach to home value.

Mary Cummins of Cummins Real Estate is a certified residential licensed appraiser in Los Angeles, California. Mary Cummins is licensed by the California Bureau of Real Estate appraisers and has over 35 years of experience.

Mary Cummins, Mary K. Cummins, Mary Katherine Cummins, Mary, Cummins, #marycummins #animaladvocates #losangeles #california #wildlife #wildliferehabilitation #wildliferehabilitator #realestate #realestateappraiser #realestateappraisal #lawsuit real estate, appraiser, appraisal, instructor, teacher, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Brentwood, Bel Air, California, licensed, permitted, certified, single family, condo, condominium, pud, hud, fannie mae, freddie mac, fha, uspap, certified, residential, certified resident, apartment building, multi-family, commercial, industrial, expert witness, civil, criminal, orea, dre, brea insurance, bonded, experienced, bilingual, spanish, english, form, 1004, 2055, 1073, land, raw, acreage, vacant, insurance, cost, income approach, market analysis, comparative, theory, appraisal theory, cost approach, sales, matched pairs, plot, plat, map, diagram, photo, photographs, photography, rear, front, street, subject, comparable, sold, listed, active, pending, expired, cancelled, listing, mls, multiple listing service, claw, themls, historical appraisal, facebook, linkedin

Mary Cummins

Mary Cummins of Cummins Real Estate Services has been in real estate since 1983, over 35 years. She is licensed by the Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers. Mary Cummins was an agent and broker licensed with the California Department of Real Estate selling residential income, commercial buildings, raw land and homes for Merrill Lynch Realty in Beverly Hills and Westside Properties in Los Angeles before concentrating on appraisals. Mary Cummins currently provides real estate appraisals, expert witness testimony, historical research, legal real estate research for mortgage brokers, banks, lawyers, factors, insurance companies, financial consultants and private individuals. Mary Cummins was born and raised in Southern California. Cummins attended Beverly Hills Good Shepherd Catholic School and Beverly Hills High School. Besides being on the Dean's list, Mary Cummins was a top ten national swimmer and competed on the men's water polo team. Mary Cummins began college at the age of 15 attending the University of Southern California on scholarship, majoring in Psychology/Sociology. http://www.animaladvocates.us http://www.facebook.com/AnimalAdvocatesUSA

Sunday, July 4, 2021

Main reasons home loans, mortgages are denied. It's not the appraiser. - by Mary Cummins

main reasons mortgage home loans denied, mary cummins, los angeles, california, real estate, home loan,

Here are the main reasons mortgage loans are denied. It's not the appraiser or appraisal.

1. Debt to income ratio (37.2% denial rate).

Your debt to income ratio (DTI ratio) should be no great than 43%. You can improve this by paying off debt, reducing interest rate on debt or renegotiating debt to lower the monthly debt payments. Your net assets (total assets minus liabilities) still factor into the loan so make sure the debt balance doesn't increase too much when you lower the rate or payment.

Another thing they consider is your monthly housing cost ratio which is (monthly housing costs / monthly income). "The top ratio is calculated by dividing your new monthly mortgage payment by your monthly gross income. Typically, this ratio should not exceed 28%. The bottom ratio is equal to your new monthly mortgage payment plus your monthly debt divided by your gross income per month. Typically, this ratio should not exceed 36%."

As a rule of thumb your monthly rent, utilities or mortgage, taxes, insurance, home maintenance, utilities should not exceed 30% of your gross monthly income. If your housing cost is over 30%, you are considered cost burdened and have a high risk of not being able to pay your rent or mortgage. All poor people, people making minimum wage, moderate earners are cost burdened paying over 50-70% of housing costs if they live in Los Angeles or similar areas. Median rent for an average one bedroom is $2,100/month here. Two minimum wage earners working full time can barely afford that if they don't eat much. You should not be buying a home at the moment. Work on increasing your income. I know it's a "let them eat cake" thing to say and I agree. It's not easy for most people.

2. Credit history 34.8%.

You need a FICO score of 580 to 620 absolute minimum to get a home loan. You can improve this by always paying your bills on time. Make sure you have some little loans like a small balance on a credit card, gas card, department store card...to build credit. Start that at least two years before you try to buy a home. Start with one card only and make payments. After a year add another. Don't apply for a lot all at once. You'll be denied and end up with many inquiries on your credit report which is a big red flag for denial. And remember, the lower your FICO score, the higher the risk to the lender and the higher borrowing rate for you. Get your score as high as possible so you can save money. It's doesn't make sense that poor people pay higher interest rates but it's related to the higher risk for the lender.

3. Collateral 19.7%.

Generally the home is the collateral for the loan. You can also use other real estate or assets such as bonds, life insurance or investments. Your parents could cross collateralize their home for your home loan if they love you more than life itself. The total loan to value ratio should be about 80%. This would be about a 20% down payment. If you want to only put down 5%, the risk and cost goes up and you're much more likely to be denied.

It's possible that the issue was not the appraised value but the fact it needs repairs, has broken windows, is in a flood, wildfire, landslide, hurricane, tsunami ... zone, has unpermitted additions, is over 150 years old, is next door to an oil refinery... If you are doing a low down payment loan, don't buy a fixer. You're more likely to be rejected because you'll need down payment money and the money to fix it.

4. Other 12.9%

Everything other than what is listed here. The lender just can't discriminate against you based on race, religion, gender... The lender can deny you the loan based on credit, income, assets, liabilities and everything else in this article. That is legal.

5. Credit application incomplete 8.9%

You'd think this would be a no brainer but it's not. People either don't want to complete the application or just don't. This is only for loan applications which were submitted and not for loan applications which were started but never submitted.

6. Unverifiable information 6.7%

Unverifiable information arises from inaccuracies in an applicant’s employment history or tax records or discrepancies between the application and credit report. This could be from unreported income that doesn't show up on taxes, tax returns which show no real income for years, bank statements which don't match stated income, a loan you paid off which isn't on your credit report, bills you paid which weren't reported or the person is just plain lying on the application or their taxes or both.

7. Insufficient cash 4.0%

You must have sufficient funds to cover the down payment and closing costs and fees or lenders may deny their application. You generally can't borrow the down payment or fees. Research has shown if someone can't even save for a down payment, they are not credit worthy and there's a higher chance of the loan going under. If you haven't saved enough for a down payment, you're not ready to buy a home. Work on your debts, budget, income and save some money. You should have a 20% down payment and six months worth of monthly expenses saved before you buy a home. You should also meet all the other requirements I've listed here.

8. Employment history 1.8%

Lenders want to see that applicants have worked in the same job for at least two years. They want a stable, steady earner. This also means you can't just get your Uncle Benny to lie and state you worked for him for two years. They need an independent way to verify it usually with W2s, 1099's, bank statements, cashed checks, verifiable tax returns... In the 1980's to 2009 mortgage brokers actually forged tax returns, W2s, 1099's and bank statements or they did no document loans which didn't require them. Those are a few reasons we had three real estate busts during that time. Thanks to Obama and Dodd Frank we are less likely to have another bust because the borrowers are more creditworthy today due to independent verification.

9. Mortgage insurance denied .1%

"Mortgage insurance protects the lender and allows borrowers making a down payment of less than 20% to still qualify for a home loan. Applicants who are denied mortgage insurance that need it are also likely to be declined for their loan." Mortgage insurance is insurance to pay the monthly Principle Interest Taxes Insurance (PITI) payment if the borrower can't make the payment. It's added to the monthly mortgage payment. As it is mortgage insurance is for high risk borrowers. To be denied that means you are a super crazy high risk borrower. If you're denied mortgage insurance, you are not credit worthy or ready to buy a home. Go work on yourself. Work to increase your income, reduce your budget and expenses, increase your savings and try again much later.

https://constructioncoverage.com/research/top-reasons-mortgage-loans-are-denied-2021

Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the USDA. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.

Google+ Mary Cummins, Mary K. Cummins, Mary Katherine Cummins, Mary Cummins-Cobb, Mary, Cummins, Cobb, wildlife, wild, animal, rescue, wildlife rehabilitation, wildlife rehabilitator, fish, game, los angeles, california, united states, squirrel, raccoon, fox, skunk, opossum, coyote, bobcat, manual, instructor, speaker, humane, nuisance, control, pest, trap, exclude, deter, green, non-profit, nonprofit, non, profit, ill, injured, orphaned, exhibit, exhibitor, usda, united states department of agriculture, hsus, humane society, peta, ndart, humane academy, humane officer, animal legal defense fund, animal cruelty, investigation, peace officer, animal, cruelty, abuse, neglect #marycummins #animaladvocates #losangeles #california #wildlife #wildliferehabilitation #wildliferehabilitator #realestate #realestateappraiser #realestateappraisal #lawsuit

Mary Cummins

Friday, September 4, 2020

Whitley Heights, H.J. Whitley personal residence on Whitley Terrace, by Mary Cummins real estate appraiser

Whitley Heights, Mary Cummins, real estate appraiser, Los Angeles, California, H J Whitley, personal residence, home, 6643 Whitley Terrace, 90068, real estate, appraisal, appraiser, lawsuit, complaint

Los Angeles home development Whitley Heights was built in the 1920's by H. J. Whitley aka Hobart Johnstone Whitley. Whitley designed the hilly development with curvy streets, walkways and stairways. The homes were generally Spanish or Mediterranean in style on custom upslope and downslope lots with mountain, city and some even had ocean views.

Whitley's personal residence above was at 6643 Whitley Terrace alternate address 2073 S Grace Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90068. It's a street to street property. The home was built in 1919 at a cost of $12,000. The architect was E. C. Wiseman. Contractor was A. S. Barnes who was the architect and designer of most of the homes in Whitley Heights. The home is 43' x 39', eight rooms, six bedrooms, four baths, 3,342 on 9,384 sf site.

From the Historical home listing, "Italian Villa, two stories, stucco, Mission tile roof, French windows and doors, Palladian entrance on Whitley Terrace with urns and statuary. Arched colonnaded facade, lower columns Corinthian capitals — upper floor Ionic capitals. Acanthus detail in plaster cornice. Arched plaster friezes over French doors, curved colonnades on terrace. Stained glass window."

Whitley died June 1931 and his wife sold the home in 1938. It was listed for sale at $25,000. It has been owned by Geoffrey Purdy, Amanda Helena Purdy, the Purdy family since that time. Below is the newspaper ad advertising it for sale in 1937.

Below is the Google map street view of the home in case you want to check it out.

Below is the plat map.

Below is the original permit.

More about Whitley Heights. Below are some photos of Whitley Heights homes which have sold within the last five years.

"Whitley Heights is a residential neighborhood and historic preservation overlay zone in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Central Los Angeles, California. Known as a residential area for actors and other people in the motion-picture industry, it is divided between a hillside single-family district and an apartment area. It is notable for an attempt by its homeowners' group and the city to close off public streets to outside traffic, an effort that was ruled illegal by the courts.

The preservation zone is split into two parts by the Hollywood Freeway (U.S. Highway 101) running through the Cahuenga Pass. Streets within the zone's northern part are a one-block portion of Cahuenga Boulevard, Iris Drive, and some of Whitley Avenue; it consists almost exclusively of single-family homes. The southern zone, about 80% of the original plot, embraces Fairfield Avenue, Wedgewood Place, Whitley Avenue, Cerritos Place, Hollyhill Terrace, Grace Avenue, Emmet Terrace, Las Palmas Avenue, and Milner Road, and is almost exclusively zoned for apartments. It is within walking distance of the Hollywood Bowl, and Hollywood Boulevard is nearby.

Hobart J. Whitley bought the hillside area in 1901 and 1903, and hired architect Arthur Barnes to build houses in a Mediterranean style he thought would suit Southern California's climate. Five years later, Whitley Heights was seen as a "magnificent hill of forty acres situated in the very center of Hollywood and overlooking the entire city."

As a contemporary account noted, "This hill has been one of the show places of Hollywood for some time. Here. Mr. Whitley intends erecting a handsome home at some future date, and toward this end, he has cultivated and beautified the grounds, laying them out in winding roads and planting a great variety of rare trees and shrubs, some of which were imported from the Hawaiian Islands and Mexico."

In 1918, Whitley commissioned architect A.S. Barnes to design Whitley Heights as a Mediterranean village on the steep hillsides above Hollywood Boulevard. Whitley sent Barnes to tour the Mediterranean area to study its architecture and landscaping of Italy's historic hill towns before returning to the Southland, where he designed most of the Whitley Heights houses between 1918 and 1928. The development grew during the 1920s, and it became the first Hollywood celebrity community.The streets in the development were dedicated to public use in 1920 and 1921, and they were improved by the city between 1924 and 1927. Most of them had no sidewalks, with stairways built from level to level to encourage walking.

On the evening of June 23, 1920, the residential subdivision of Whitley Heights was opened with a festive barbecue that gathered an assemblage of businessmen and politicians. "The occasion was attended with a special significance as it was the scene of a reunion of many men who were connected with Mr. Whitley in his first efforts to make the vegetable gardens into a wealthy city more than twenty years ago, men who had gathered at a similar affair in 1902 to watch the turning on of the first electric lights in Hollywood," wrote The Times. The subdivision already had several homes on the terraces that divided the hill into four grades. Three years later, in 1923, the Whitley Heights Civic Association was founded.

Preservation zone

"The hill's narrow, winding streets, paved in 1926, connected by flights of pedestrian stairs and supported by retaining walls, still serve the community . . . Electrical lines and utilities placed in underground conduits, another novel concept for the times, as well as the original street lamps, function as they did in the late 1920s." — Los Angeles Times

In 1982, Whitley Heights was made a state historic district by the California Historical Resources Commission after research done by actor Brian Moore, president of Whitley Heights Homeowners. Moore traced property titles in the area, gathered old photographs and articles, and read through the papers of Hobart J. Whitley, which were housed in the special collections library at the University of California, Los Angeles.

He was impelled to begin his research in 1981 after a bungalow was demolished by a developer who wanted to build tract homes. To qualify for the designation, an area had to be at least 50 years old and retain many of its original characteristics. At the time almost all of the homes, with their red tile roofs, balconies, and arched windows and doorways, were original. Later, the district was also made a national historic place, the first such in Hollywood. In 2004, the area was made into a Los Angeles historic preservation overlay zone."

Below are photos of some homes which sold within the last ten years on the local MLS.

Mary Cummins

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Donald Trump sells his home in Beverly Hills at 809 N Canon Dr, 90210 for $13,500,000

Donald Trump Beverly Hills home house 809 N Canon Drive, California 90210, Beverly Hills Hotel, Mary Cummins, real estate appraiser, appraisal

Donald Trump sold his home at 809 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, California 90210 for $13,500,000. Seller was 809 N Canon LLC, Trump Tower, 725 5TH AVE # 26THFL, NEW YORK NY 10022, and buyer was Hillcrest Asia Ltd. The home was built in 1927. It is 5,395 sf on a 29,295 lot. It's located on an acute corner with three major streets surrounding it. It has 5 bedrooms, 6 baths and a pool.

Donald Trump bought the property in 2007 for $7,000,000 at the peak of the market six months before the great recession began. Trump appeared to have owned it with no loan. The current owner paid all cash.

I ran some comps +/- 15% GLA, within six months of date of sale properties between Carmelita and Sunset, and Bedford and Alpine. Value $9.5-$10M tops. The location is bad because it's at the intersection of Sunset Blvd and Beverly and Canon. It's a corner lot with a tight angle. Lack of privacy, security and noise, light pollution from Sunset Blvd. You also can't build on most of the lot because of the irregular shape and setbacks.

The previous owner was Thomas C Bowles a real estate investor who died in 1985. His wife Mary Bowles survived then died in March 2006. The trust sold the home to Trump. The home had been in the family since at least the 1960's.

Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the
Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the USDA. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.

Mary Cummins

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Ronald Reagan, Nancy Reagan's home at 668 St Cloud, Bel Air, Los Angeles, California - Mary Cummins real estate appraiser

Ronald Reagan, Nancy Reagan, home, house, bel air, holmby hills, los angeles, california, 668 st cloud, 668 saint cloud, 90077, dead, died, death

UPDATE: Seems they released news that she died before they removed her body from the home. I would have thought they would have removed her before they unleashed the media and fans. That was another cause for the huge traffic over here. It was gridlock. I couldn't leave the house all day because of this. From TMZ. This area is legally Los Angeles so LAPD is in charge. The officers gave her one final salute as she left her home. There are two hearses. The second is in case the first breaks down. They also will probably use it as a decoy so the mortuary doesn't get mobbed. She'll be buried with her husband at the Reagan library.

There is no street parking in this area. Don't drive over here. There's now a huge traffic jam with tour buses and Reagan fans. The streets in this area are very narrow. You can only see the front gate or side fences from the street. You can't see anything else. It's not worth the trip. Just look at the photos here instead. To my neighbors, don't even think of leaving the house today. It's total traffic at Beverly Glen, Sunset and Bel Air Rd. People are using Beverly Glen entrance instead of Bel Air Rd.

The last time I saw Ronald Reagan was years ago on the driving range at the Los Angeles Country Club. He had Alzheimer's but he could still walk around and hit the ball. Obviously he had security with him so he didn't get lost. He could still recognize Nancy at that time. Eventually he couldn't. Nancy then wrote one of the saddest articles in the local Beverly Hills paper about what it's like when her husband didn't recognize her or his children anymore. Alzheimer's is a horrifying disease. When the person loses memory and brain function they get confused and frightened.
_______________

Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy Reagan bought their home at 668 St Cloud (Saint Cloud) in Bel Air, California in 1989 for $3,000,000 after Reagan left office. Ronald Reagan lived there until his death in June 2004 from Alzheimer. Nancy Reagan lived there until her death this morning March 6, 2016.

The remodeled Reagan house is 7,192 sf with three bedrooms, six baths, plus a guest bedroom with a bath behind the living room. It was built in 1954 on 1.29 acres. There are also servants' quarters above the garage, and a swimming pool.

"The Reagans' immediate neighbor on one side is Jerrold Perrenchio, a movie producer, who bought the large Kirkeby Estate, once the setting for the ''Beverly Hillbillies'' television show, for $13.5 million in 1986."

Previously the Reagans were renting the home for $15,000/month from their friends who bought it in 1986. Their previous home in the Palisdes was given to them from General Electric. Nancy Reagan gave an interview to Vanity Fair after her husband Ronald passed away.

Ronald Reagan, Nancy Reagan, home, house, bel air, holmby hills, los angeles, california, 668 st cloud, 668 saint cloud, 90077, dead, died, death

Below is a photo of their previous home in the Palisades. Here is a list of all of their homes.

Ronald Reagan, Nancy Reagan, home, house, bel air, holmby hills, los angeles, california, 668 st cloud, 668 saint cloud, 90077, dead, died, death

CONSPIRACY THEORY: Some say the original address was 666 St Cloud. It was not. That address never existed. Because President Reagan lived there the Department of Building and safety removed the original home permits. That permit only gave dimensions but it was still removed for security reasons.

There are a few recent permits in 2013 for plumbing, electrical. The only other permits which show are for a 4' x 4' guard house which is next to the front gate. They also converted the garage into a home for security officers. They changed the zoning to R3 to allow for multiple residences. Below are the permits.

Ronald Reagan, Nancy Reagan, home, house, bel air, holmby hills, los angeles, california, 668 st cloud, 668 saint cloud, 90077, dead, died, death

Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the
Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the USDA. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.

Mary Cummins

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Mayor Eric Garcetti, Amy Wakeland house for sale 2120 Avon Ave, Los Angeles, California 90026 Echo Park

Eric Garcetti and his wife Amy Wakeland's house on 2120 Avon Ave, Los Angeles California 90026 is currently listed for sale at $1,650,000. Eric Garcetti and his wife Amy Wakeland rented the home for $4,750/month (MLS report is not verified) when they moved into the Mayor's Getty House Mansion few years ago.

Per the MLS "The Garcetti/Wakeland residence. C. 1953. Daniel L. Dworsky, AIA. Recently featured in the Wall Street Journal and on the cover of Dwell. Sited on almost half an acre of land, this 3 bedroom/2 Bathroom Echo Park Hills Post and Beam home was renovated and expanded by Architect Elissa Scarfano to emphasize its modernist characteristics while making it more comfortable for current living utilizing sustainable materials and greater energy efficiency."

The home was featured in "Dwell" magazine in 2009. When I bought/won lunch with Eric December 2005 he told me he just built a "green" environmentally friendly home. He also said he adopted two cats from the shelter. He obviously just renovated and expanded the home and was just trying to easily explain it to me. He did adopt two cats and also fostered many wonderful human children. He was extremely polite, professional, funny, witty and kind at the meeting.

I bid on his eBay auction for lunch because I wanted to learn what is the best way to get pro animal, wildlife, environmental motions passed in the city of LA. He told me the city council members control the city as of course they do. Mayor only has veto power in certain situations. He told me to contact all the council members, build a relationship, contact their animal, environmental people in their staff. He told me to provide them with honest information, help them with animal, environmental issues which of course I did. Our group probably spayed neutered over 100 animals directly referred from the council members not to mention free humane nuisance wildlife control.

He told me if I want a pro animal motion passed, I should fully research it, do pros and cons, write it... I must show why the motion is good for the city, and of course animals. I must show it won't cost the city anything, will improve their image, improve public safety, reduce liability and help animals. I did this with every motion then contacted council members to get them to propose, second...the motions, vote for... The rest is history! Win win win motions for animals, the city and council members! I have since shared this knowledge with others. Since 2005 there have been many pro-animal, enviro motions passed in Los Angeles!

Below photos are from when they were leasing it. This is their photos. It matches the photos from the Dwell magazine. If you were to buy it today, Amy's garden was not maintained and is gone.


			Eric Garcetti, Mayor Eric Garcetti, home, house, Amy Wakeland, Amy Elaine Wakeland, 2120 Avon Ave, Los Angeles, California CA 90026, Echo Park, for sale, sold, green, eco-friendly, architect, Daniel Dworsky, Elissa Scrafano, Gil Garcetti, Jewish, Mexican, Democrat, City Council, President, US Navy, Columbia University, Oxford


			Eric Garcetti, Mayor Eric Garcetti, home, house, Amy Wakeland, Amy Elaine Wakeland, 2120 Avon Ave, Los Angeles, California CA 90026, Echo Park, for sale, sold, green, eco-friendly, architect, Daniel Dworsky, Elissa Scrafano, Gil Garcetti, Jewish, Mexican, Democrat, City Council, President, US Navy, Columbia University, Oxford


			Eric Garcetti, Mayor Eric Garcetti, home, house, Amy Wakeland, Amy Elaine Wakeland, 2120 Avon Ave, Los Angeles, California CA 90026, Echo Park, for sale, sold, green, eco-friendly, architect, Daniel Dworsky, Elissa Scrafano, Gil Garcetti, Jewish, Mexican, Democrat, City Council, President, US Navy, Columbia University, Oxford


			Eric Garcetti, Mayor Eric Garcetti, home, house, Amy Wakeland, Amy Elaine Wakeland, 2120 Avon Ave, Los Angeles, California CA 90026, Echo Park, for sale, sold, green, eco-friendly, architect, Daniel Dworsky, Elissa Scrafano, Gil Garcetti, Jewish, Mexican, Democrat, City Council, President, US Navy, Columbia University, Oxford

Information from Los Angeles Building and Safety about improvements, permits and reports.

Eric Garcetti, Mayor Eric Garcetti, home, house, Amy Wakeland, Amy Elaine Wakeland, 2120 Avon Ave, Los Angeles, California CA 90026, Echo Park, for sale, sold, green, eco-friendly, architect, Daniel Dworsky, Elissa Scrafano, Gil Garcetti, Jewish, Mexican, Democrat, City Council, President, US Navy, Columbia University, Oxford

Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.

Mary Cummins, Mary K. Cummins, Mary Katherine Cummins, Mary Cummins-Cobb, Mary, Cummins, Cobb, real estate, appraiser, appraisal, instructor, teacher, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Brentwood, Bel Air, California, licensed, permitted, single family, condo, pud, hud, fannie mae, freddie mac, uspap, certified, residential, certified resident, apartment building, multi-family, commercial, industrial, expert witness, civil, criminal, orea, dre, insurance, bonded, experienced, bilingual, spanish, english, form, 1004, 2055, land, raw, acreage, vacant, insurance, cost, income approach, market analysis, comparative, theory, appraisal theory, cost approach, sales, matched pairs, plot, plat, map, diagram, photo, photographs, photography, rear, front, street, subject, comparable, sold, listed, active, pending, expired, cancelled, listing, mls, multiple listing service, claw, themls,

Mary Cummins

Mary Cummins, Real Estate Appraiser, Animal Advocates, Los Angeles, California

Friday, November 12, 2021

Home Staging is to Increase Sales Price. It's Not About Racism. Mary Cummins Real Estate Appraiser

Sunday, July 4, 2021

Main reasons home loans, mortgages are denied. It's not the appraiser. - by Mary Cummins

Friday, September 4, 2020

Whitley Heights, H.J. Whitley personal residence on Whitley Terrace, by Mary Cummins real estate appraiser

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Donald Trump sells his home in Beverly Hills at 809 N Canon Dr, 90210 for $13,500,000

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Ronald Reagan, Nancy Reagan's home at 668 St Cloud, Bel Air, Los Angeles, California - Mary Cummins real estate appraiser

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Mayor Eric Garcetti, Amy Wakeland house for sale 2120 Avon Ave, Los Angeles, California 90026 Echo Park