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Mar21

The New Century City: An Enticing Place To Call Home

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With its glistening towers and flourishing business district, Century City, L.A.’s city within a city, is home to some of the finest restaurants, hotels, shopping and entertainment venues in Los Angeles. Founded 50 years ago, this upscale mini-metropolis has long been a draw for Hollywood royalty, business elite and presidents, even dubbed Ronald Reagan’s Western White House when he took an office at Fox Plaza. With a number of new residential offerings and enhancements under way, the 176-acre Westside community is quickly becoming much more than a business center and rather an alluring destination for visitors and residents alike, drawn to its increasingly walkable lifestyle and proximity to the very best of Los Angeles.

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Making history behind the gates of Century City’s most exclusive and storied community, Century Woods, The Enclave at Century Woods is bringing a new brand of luxurious modern living to the area. Once the backlot of 20th Century Fox film studio and the landing site for Reagan’s helicopter, Marine One, Century Woods has long been coveted for its ultra-private, tree-lined setting, the past home of Gerald Ford and current home of Don Rickles. As Century City sees mostly condominium development, The Enclave at Century Woods is carving out its own little sliver of history, featuring a collection of 10 distinct residences, the first new detached residences in Century City in three decades. In fact, The Enclave may offer the last opportunity to purchase new single-family homes in Century City, where there are only 42 free-standing homes, all of them in Century Woods.

The Enclave features ten, masterfully-crafted residences that uniquely blend timeless Mediterranean-style architecture and sophisticated contemporary design. Four to five-bedroom villas range in size from 5,700 to 6,700-square feet, offering thoughtful simplicity and seamless indoor/outdoor design. Light-filled interiors open through French doors to private balconies and a charming central courtyard, a splendid fire-lit setting for dining, entertaining and enjoying the quintessential California lifestyle. Adding to the allure are the exclusive amenities of Century Woods, including 24-hour security, an effortless, lock-and-leave living experience, landscaped, park-like streets, indoor and outdoor pools, fitness center, tennis courts and a residents’ clubhouse with kitchen, fireplace, lounging and entertaining areas.

The Enclave at Century Woods is also centrally located in the heart of Century City, steps from some of the city’s major enhancement projects now underway. TheWestfield Century City Mall is undergoing an $800 million dollar expansion and will soon include eight acres of outdoor space with plazas, gardens and tree-lined pathways designed to embody the Southern California lifestyle. New high-end shops will include Nordstrom, and one-fourth of the mall will be devoted to cuisine with dozens of new restaurants and the West Coast’s first Eataly, a 90,000-square-foot gourmet Italian food emporium co-owned by celebrity chef Mario Batali.

Century City is already renowned for its world-class dining with a number of local favorites including the ever-popular Craft and the innovativeHinoki & The Bird. Also, a plan is in the works to dramatically improve Century Plaza to include a 100,000-square-foot public plaza and two acres of open space, which would enliven the pedestrian experience in the neighborhood, a valuable asset for homeowners at The Enclave.

Also within walking, biking and short driving distance of the community are acclaimed schools, private country clubs, and three championship golf courses, as well as Beverly Hills, the beaches of Santa Monica, the urban culture of West Hollywood and the sports and entertainment center of Downtown Los Angeles.

Mar3

The Real Deal Interviews Kofi Nartey on Emotional Agents and Michael Jordans Estate

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The life of broker Kofi Nartey, managing director of the Agency’s Beach Cities office in Marina del Rey and director of the company’s sports and entertainment division, has been anything but dull. He’s acted in commercials, films and television shows, including “True Blood,” “Modern Family,” and “Psych.” His acting and real estate careers have converged with his frequent screentime on HGTV’s “Selling LA.”

In his twelve years selling luxury L.A. properties, his client list has included basketball great Michael Jordan; recording artist Iggy Azalea; and NFL veterans LaDainian Tomlinson and Marcellus Wiley.

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He’s currently trying to sell, along with Agency CEO Mauricio Umansky, Jordan’s Highland Park estate, which is listed for just shy of $15 million. (It was knocked down from its original asking price of $21 million when it was listed by another agency several years ago.) Both Nartey’s acting and marketing experience shine through in the listing for the property: he narrates the promotional video from the perspective of Michael Jordan’s home, cracking jokes like “You think you’re big, well I’m bigger,” and pointing out all of the compound’s bells and whistles.

The Real Deal sat down with Nartey to chat about Jordan’s property, his biggest pet peeve and more.

DOB: July 21, 1975 Hometown: Los Angeles Family: Married. 2 children

The video of Michael Jordan giving a tour of his own property went viral. How did the idea for the video come to be?

So my goal was to a do property video, which we often do, but not to do it in a traditional way. So I put on my ad agency hat and we decided to do an ad campaign which captured the essence of the house. The essence is that it’s the Michael Jordan estate that was built on hard work and championship.

And he was game for that?

I didn’t think he knew exactly what we were gonna do at the start, but he agreed to it. The proof was in the pudding, because it was the most viral real estate video campaign ever.

The house has been listed since 2013, but it still hasn’t sold…

It was listed for a couple of years before (the Agency) took it over last year. Our biggest marketing push was at the end of last year. We get calls from people who have seen the video and a portion are just interested out of curiosity, but some are serious, which is a good sign.

What’s your favorite area of Los Angeles?

Anywhere that gives you the combination of city and ocean views. Water views are great, but they disappear at night. I love when you can get the water during the day, but you get the twinklies at night.

Which way is the L.A. real estate market going?

It’s a tale of many markets at different price points in different neighborhoods. The $1 million to $2 million market is still very strong. We’re seeing limited inventory, so the properties that come on are selling pretty quickly. The $2 million to $5 million market is also relatively strong. The uber high end, $20 million-plus, is slowing a little bit.

What’s your biggest pet peeve about selling real estate?

Agents that have a tough time managing their own emotions. The clients have a right to be emotional. It’s our job as agents to help them manage their emotions. It’s tough when you are dealing with an emotional agent.

If you weren’t selling real estate, what would you be doing?

I would have a marketing firm that works with startup companies, helping them figure out their brands, helping them go to market, helping them come up with their creative ads. A lot of small to medium sized companies or startup companies miss the mark when it comes to marketing. That’s something I know pretty well and feel like I could help with.

Who’s your favorite type of customer?

A motivated customer. If they’re not motivated, you can do a bang-up job, give them 110 percent, but at the end of the day, they still may not want to pull the trigger or sell the property.

Who’s your customer from hell?

I have opted not to work with some people because it’s not a right fit and that avoids the customer-from-hell scenario. I can smell it out upfront and say, ‘I may not be the right fit for you’ and then we don’t have to go down that road.

Feb23

L.A. Times Home of the Day: An indoor-outdoor vibe in Calabasas

Designed by Abramson Teiger Architects, this modern home epitomizes Southern California’s indoor-outdoor lifestyle with disappearing glass doors, open-plan living areas and a saltwater swimming pool. An adjustable, metal-clad roof line can be maneuvered to capture views of the surrounding Santa Monica Mountains.

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Location: 1055 Cold Canyon Rd., Calabasas, 91302

Asking price: $4.395 million

Year built: 2015

Architect: Abramson Teiger Architects

House size: 5,027 square feet, four bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms

Features: Steel beams, open-space floor plan, floor-to-ceiling glass, polished concrete, center-island kitchen, outdoor living room, circular fire pit, swimming pool and spa

About the area: In January, 9 single-family homes sold in the 91302 ZIP Code at a median price of $2.14 million, according to Corelogic. That was a 26.6% increase in median price compared with January 2015.

Read the article here

Feb16

NBC Interviews Kofi Nartey On The Rams Move To L.A.

Feb11

L.A. Times Home of the Day: A front-row view of Staples Center

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This sharp looking penthouse atop the Luma Lofts building in downtown L.A. takes in views extending from the surrounding cityscape to the coastline. Open-plan interiors feature a two-way fireplace that divides the living and dining areas. Glass doors open to a wide terrace balcony that overlooks Staples Center.

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Location: 1100 S. Hope St., #PH204, Los Angeles, 90015

Asking price: $5 million

Year built: 2007

House size: 3,400 square feet, three bedrooms, four bathrooms

Lot size: 10,007 square feet

Features: Floor-to-ceiling windows; vaulted ceilings; hardwood floors; open-plan living, dining and family rooms with a two-way fireplace; chef’s kitchen with stone countertops; master suite with dual vanity; private terrace balcony

About the area: In December, 9 condominiums sold in the 90041 ZIP Code at a median price of $710,000, according to Corelogic. That was a 4.0% increase in median price compared to December 2014.

Feb8

Watch Kofi Give Hollywood Today Live a Tour of a $20 Million Dollar Home

Feb4

The Convergence Of Greatness At Super Bowl 2016

As the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers show up to Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, February 7 to play in the capstone game of the 2015-2016 NFL season, throngs of fans will descend on San Francisco to cheer and witness history.

“Super Bowl 50 is a monumental event,” said Kofi Nartey, Director of the Sports & Entertainment Division at The Agency. “Both teams have worked to get to the top, and the showdown of athleticism is certain to be both exciting and a rich example of quality sportsmanship.”

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The epic venue for the National Football League’s annual event is Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, arguably the greenest and most technologically advanced professional football stadium in the United States, offering unparalleled amenities within the 1.85 million-square foot arena.

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Opened in 2014, the arena is home to the San Francisco 49ers football franchise and seats 68,500 spectators. The arena features 9,000 exclusive club seats and 174 luxury suites that have access to six private clubhouses, all featuring gourmet cooking stations and a full-service bar and lounge. Another four lavish lookouts are open to a select 70 suites and include the Citrix Owners Club, the 27,000 square-foot NRG Solar Terrace and two Trophy Clubs fit with fireplaces and multiple cocktail bars.

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 The Super Bowl 50 Host Committee believes that this year’s  milestone Super Bowl is a golden opportunity for  philanthropy. Their goal is to lift up Bay Area communities,  unite the region through a spirit of generosity and leave a  legacy that lasts forever; they want to make Super Bowl 50 the  most giving Super Bowl ever through their non-for-profit  organization, the 50 Fund.

 “What it comes down to is good football and a day that gives  back,” said Kofi. “Watching the culmination of years of hard  work, combined with efforts of the coaches, trainers, film staff and more, Super Bowl 50 is a celebration of the best of the best. We wish both the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers the best of luck.”

For more information on The Agency’s Sports & Entertainment Division, contact Kofi Nartey. And, to hear Kofi’s thoughts on the games, follow him on twitter @KofiSellingLA.

Feb4

5 Things You Can Learn From The Super Bowl #TBT

As the Director of the Sports and Entertainment Division at The Agency, part of my job is staying dialed in to athletes, entertainers, and the homes they buy and sell. My own experience in sports and entertainment has kept me fascinated in events such as these. This year’s Super Bowl matchup is a great one and reminds us of some valuable lessons.TA_020216_SuperBowl_BlogHeader

  1. Be the Best at Something. This year’s match up pits the NFL’s number one offense against the number one defense. Both teams have worked to become the best in opposite categories, yet managed to reach the same pinnacle of success. Figure out what your unique advantage is, and dominate that area of your field. Also, be clear in articulating this unique value proposition to your clients and prospects.

  2. Teamwork. This seems like an obvious one, but people often forget peripheral members of their team. For these two teams, it has taken the efforts of more than just the players on the field. The coaches, trainers, film staff, equipment staff, scouts, administrative staff, and several others have contributed towards their successful seasons. Take a moment to think of all the people who contribute to you being able to do your job well. Take the time to thank these people and figure out ways to work with them more effectively. (Don’t forget to thank your family, spouse or significant other.)

  3. Raving Fans. Both teams have amazing fans that have supported them through the good and the bad. The Seahawks even have a nickname for their fans, “12’s.” This is to represent the twelfth man. In life and business, it’s important to know who your biggest supporters are. These are the people who will sing your praises and tell others about you. Celebrate and acknowledge your biggest fans.

  4. Silence the Crowd. Both teams have the daunting task of blocking out the all of the hype of the game. On the field, they have to block out the screaming and yelling of the opposing team’s fans, and off the field, there is a plethora of positive and negative press. Whatever field you are in, you will have fans and foes as you move up the ladder. Don’t give either too much weight. Let your performance at your job speak for you. Then, celebrate your victories and silence the neigh sayers.

  5. Rise to the Occasion. Both teams worked hard and played hard to make it to the Super Bowl. The team that is victorious is the team that can best execute what it knows and rise to the occasion. In life and in business, we have opportunities to rise to the occasion. These are the moments when preparation meets opportunity. Embrace these moments, and focus on the execution of what you know over the outcome. With the right preparation behind you, you will achieve your desired outcome more often than not.

As always, Focus & Finish!

Feb1

RADIO INTERVIEW: Kofi talks Luxury Real Estate, Michael Jordan Estate, Rams, Playboy Mansion and More!

Jan15

Check out Kofi’s article in the L.A. Times on The Rams coming to Los Angeles

Read the original article here

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“I’ve been on the phone with the Rams’ offices, sports agents, business managers, players, players that aren’t on the team but that have relationships with players on the team,” he said.

 

Like other agents trying to land new clients ever since the Rams return to Los Angeles became official, he hopes all the dialing will lead to return calls from the dozens of players, coaches and executives who will be looking for a place to live before the 2016 season kicks off.

Kaminsky is one of a handful of such agents in town who specialize in working with professional athletes, helping them find new digs as they move from team to team. All are competing to lock down part of the bonanza that comes with the relocation of an entireNFL organization.

 

“You’ve got your 53-man roster, plus coaches, assistant coaches. We’ll have 100-plus people looking for homes,” said Kofi Nartey, an agent at the Agency, a high-end Beverly Hill real estate firm. “That’s a lot of people looking for places.”

The firm will even be staffing up just to work on Rams relocation projects, helping players hire moving companies, have cars shipped across the country and research local schools, he said.

Some agents started reaching out to their contacts long before NFL owners approved the move from St. Louis this week.

“Within the last six to eight months we’ve really revved up our conversations,” said Ikem Chukumerije, chief executive of Marina del Rey firm Westside Premier Estates. “It’s all about relationships. If we don’t have connections to a player but someone else does, they get the business.”

That business, at least on the front end, probably won’t be that lucrative. Real estate agents make the big money when clients buy or sell, but most agree that Rams players are more likely to rent than buy.

Many players are on short-term contracts and NFL careers are notoriously brief, averaging a little over three years, according to the players union. So if they have permanent homes in the St. Louis area or elsewhere, they may think twice about buying into the Los Angeles real estate market — especially given how expensive it is.

The median home price in the Los Angeles area is $506,800 — more than three times the median price of $160,000 in the St. Louis area, according to the most recent figures from the National Assn. of Realtors.

Chukumerije recalled working with an NBA player who was renting a 4,200-square-foot home in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and, upon moving to L.A., wanted to find something similar in Brentwood.

“They were leasing in Fort Lauderdale for $5,600 a month, but in Brentwood, you’re talking over $12,000,” he said. “We had to shift our search a little bit.”

But even the lowest-paid NFL players make a league-minimum salary of $435,000, so they aren’t exactly priced out of the market. Still, the agents probably will line up a lot of rental units but arrange relatively few sales.

An agent might get a commission of 2% to 3% of a lease they help arrange. Even on a $10,000 a month lease, that’s an annual commission of just $2,400 — tiny compared with the hundreds of thousands in commission an agent might make on the sale of a multimillion-dollar home.

But agents say it’s worth the effort. They hope to build up relationships with players now, which could lead to more — and more lucrative — business later on.

“You can do 10 leases that don’t net much, but those lead to one sale that makes up for all of them,” Nartey said.

Aside from the question of whether to rent or own, the other big decision players will have to make is where in Southern California they’d like to live.

Agents are speculating that Rams players will be interested in a few areas popular with pro athletes: Manhattan Beach has scenic beachfront property and is close to both Los Angeles International Airport and Inglewood, while Calabasas has huge homes in secure, gated communities.

Other areas could see interest from players, too.

“For younger guys, the 21- to 25-year-olds who are single, I see them gravitating toward downtown L.A. and maybe Hollywood,” Chukumerije said.

Some agents suggested players might prefer to have their primary residence in a state with no income tax, such as Florida, though tax accountant Rob Babek said there would be little benefit in doing so.

Babek, a partner in the Century City office of accounting firm Marcum who does the books for a handful of athletes, said pro players pay state income taxes based on where they play their games — some to their team’s home state and smaller shares to every state where they play over the course of a season.

“Even if you’re living in another state, you still have to pay California taxes because half of your games are here,” he said.

But more than almost any other factor, agents said players will decide where to live based on the location of the team’s training facility. That’s where they will go for daily practice, as opposed to the Inglewood location of the stadium, where they’ll only go eight times a season and which won’t be ready until 2019.

NFL coaches are strict about players showing up on time at practices, and being even a few minutes late can cost a player hundreds of dollars, depending on a team’s schedule of fines. L.A.’s heavy traffic makes that a real possibility.

The location of the training facility has yet to be announced, though there’s speculation the team is looking in Westlake Village and Long Beach. That could push players beyond the South Bay to look in the western San Fernando Valley or perhaps Orange County.

“The ballplayers are going to want to be somewhere convenient to the training facility. If the training facility is in whatever city, you might find players congregating there,” saidDavid Carter, executive director of the Sports Business Institute at USC’s Marshall School of Business.

He noted that many L.A. Kings players live in the beach cities, close to the team’s El Segundo training site.

“Hermosa and Manhattan [Beach] are company towns for the Kings,” Carter said.

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