Useful Websites for Researching Real Estate in Los Angeles

Being the second largest metropolis in the country, the intersection of law and real estate in Los Angeles is intricate, if not confounding.  Zoning laws and building regulations are constantly changing.

For example; the latest issue to have arisen is the mapping of the Hollywood Fault (which intersects the heart of Hollywood and the Hollywood Hills)  Literally, billions of dollars of real estate has just found itself susceptible to a city law that prohibits construction atop a faultline.  Which means, not only are the massive residential towers at Hollywood and Gower halted mid-excavation (those alongside the Capitol Records Building) – but also, every homeowner who wants to add a second story or convert a garage – has suddenly found themselves at odds with the law.

Experts and resources are often at odds with each other about which truth prevails in any specific situation, but below are a few resources we’ve found to be helpful in our travels and travails across Los Angeles.

• Permits for any Property – The age old question of ‘what’s permitted’ should start here.  LADBS (LA Dept. of Building and safety) has all permit activity  (and violations) from any property since the year 2000 online.  If you want anything pre the 21st century, you’ll have to take a trip downtown and dig through the micro-fiche (which can also be fun).
• LA County Tax Assessor - Come here to research the stats of a specific property (go to the ‘view property maps and data’ link); you can also use this site to pay your property taxes.
• Navigate LA - this is the mecca of city planning information.  You can view city sewer lines, property boundaries, topography, soil details.  There’s more information here than you’d ever be able to process.
• LADBS - The Department of Building and Safety oversees all construction permit requests, violations and information.  An imperative research for anyone investigating property.
• LAUSD School Finder - discover what Los Angeles Public school a specific address/property attends (these results can bolster or burden the value of any property instantly).
• Great Schools – Once you find your public school, come here to see how it ranks
• Los Angeles Traffic Update
• Los Angeles Craiglist
• Curbed LA - if you want the real skinny about anything and everything happening in real estate in LA, this is one of our gems.
• The Real Estalker

A quick and easy way to calculate Property taxes

Articles on the Purchase Process and Financing

• Real Estate Glossary of Terms
• Life of an Escrow
• What is Title Insurance and Why Do You Need It?
• Common Ways to Hold Title
• Important Property Tax Dates and Information
• Financial Calculators; Rent vs. Buy, Loan Payments, Rate Changes

Questions? Contact us now, and our team will be more than happy to assist you in all of your real estate related matters.