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  Despite national economic concerns, April was a remarkable month at JohnHart Real Estate as our agents doubled down on their determination, selling significantly more homes than in March. And that inexhaustible grind was felt in April’s absorption rates. Following January’s unanimous drop, February’s unanimous surge, and another drop-heavy month in March, April finds neighborhoods more split in their favor of buyers and sellers. Let’s dive into the usual FAQs – if you know the drill, feel free to skip ahead to the good stuff! Burbank – 42% Encino – 14% Glendale – 34% Long Beach – 35% Los Angeles – 24% Northridge – 38% Palmdale – 25% Pasadena – 37% Rancho Cucamonga – 36% Reseda – 29% Upland – 28% Valencia-Santa Clarita – 33% Photo credit: Junkyardsparkle Absorption Rate FAQs What is an absorption rate? We use a statistic called an absorption rate to estimate whether a specific housing market favors the buyer (buyer’s market) or the seller (seller’s mark...

  Featured image credit: APK Few airports mirror the essence of their surrounding city quite like Palm Springs International. However, fashion can no longer come at the price of function, as the city plans an aggressive expansion of the airport to the tune of $2.2 billion, greenlit by the city council on January 23. And while every effort will be made to maintain the historic charm of Palm Springs International Airport, a burgeoning tourism industry and population boom mean that any changes need to be big . And that’s one thing the airport is not. \ The Need Isn’t Fast-Approaching. It’s Here. Photo credit: Visit Greater Palm Springs While most regional airports have been struggling since the global COVID-19 pandemic, that’s never been the case with Palm Springs International Airport. In fact, the modestly sized airport is having trouble keeping up with a steadily increasing demand. The current design of the airport is capable of comfortably accommodating ar...

  Featured image credit: Employees Only When prohibition ended in the United States toward the conclusion of 1933, bootleggers likely wished they’d never see the inside of another speakeasy for as long as they lived. But here in Los Angeles, nearly a century after Americans were permitted to enjoy a little alcoholic refreshment without Johnny Law breathing down their neck, people can’t get enough of these exclusive, often hidden watering holes. So what makes the kind of speakeasy Los Angeles patrons embrace? It’s not a precise formula. Yet success stories frequently involve some combo of secret entries, retro atmospheres, craft cocktails, and the ultimate bittersweet ingredient: nostalgia. Here are 21 standouts (one for each year of the legal drinking age).  Alley Lounge  12223 W Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066 Photo credit: The Alley Lounge It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia may have emphasized that a bar without a sign is a red flag o...

  While Southern California has enjoyed a particularly insulated industrial commercial development trend that even withstood the COVID-19 pandemic, we mentioned that new laws may be bringing that party to an abrupt end. But a steadily rising demand for specialized industrial property could bring relief to investors capable of accommodating aerospace and defense company needs. It’s not an easy adaptation. Nor is it an inexpensive one. But the region’s need for testing and production of aircraft, spacecraft, and defense systems could leave certain investors rethinking the way we use industrial space. Rising Demand for Aerospace and Defense Facilities Photo credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Numbers have already been showing an increasing demand for specialized commercial space for aerospace and defense companies for years. Speaking with the New York Times , real estate brokerage JLL’s Tom Taylor, the manager of their aerospace and defense division, confirmed that l...

  Featured image credit: CalWild Even if you want to completely ignore TLC’s sage 1994 warning, Los Angeles doesn’t seem like the place to go chasing waterfalls. First of all, we’re pretty much situated in a Mediterranean landscape of arid, chaparral-saturated hills and valleys. And we’re no strangers to severe droughts. Finally, we’re a sprawling metropolis, the second-largest in the U.S. But when we do get rain, the Greater Los Angeles area actually offers a pretty decent selection of waterfalls. You just have to know where to find them. Here are 12 waterfalls in Los Angeles worth chasing.  Brown Mountain Dam – Man’s Imitation of an LA Waterfall Seco Arroyo, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011 Approx. Hike Distance: 1.2 miles Difficulty: Challenging Dogs Allowed: With Leash   About 3 miles up Arroyo Seco Road from the Angeles Crest Highway, you’ll find a trail branching off to Brown Mountain Dam, a “waterfall” that’s not like the other waterf...

  Featured image credit: Los Angeles If you’re curious about Sherman Oaks houses for sale, get in line. This is one of the most coveted neighborhoods in the San Fernando Valley. Just don’t remind them that they’re in the Valley. They famously tried to secede from it in 2002. Sherman Oaks is beloved for its serene suburbia, general safety, and numerous shopping and recreation options. Sounds like the perfect candidate for JohnHart’s Neighborhood Watch column! The (Expanding) Boundaries of Sherman Oaks Photo credit: Cbl62 A sizable neighborhood, Sherman Oaks finds its northern borders stacked between Oxnard Street (where Van Nuys begins) and Burbank Boulevard (at the boundary of Valley Glen). The 405 freeway cuts its western border with Encino just beyond it. Coldwater Canyon Avenue separates it from Valley Village to the east. And its southern sector travels significantly into the Santa Monica Mountains, terminating at Mulholland Drive.  But Sher...

  Is there any false advertising quite so beloved as the California state flag? Emblazoned across the banner, a grizzly bear confidently strides across bountiful pastures lit by a single red star. Yet, you’re not likely to find any red stars above the Golden State. And in Southern California, pastoral green expanses are pretty rare, too. And, unless you’re visiting the zoo, you can rest assured you won’t see any grizzly bears in California. In fact, you’d have a better chance of finding Bigfoot. But this wasn’t always the case. And, if a growing collection of researchers, tribal leaders, and citizens have their say, it might not stay the case. Could the return of California grizzly bears be in our future?  The End of the California Grizzly Bears Photo credit: Envato Experts believe that around 10,000 grizzly bears once roamed across California, enjoying salmon and seal carcasses to their heart’s content. But by 1848, prospectors were descending on the st...