| L.A. Times - Real Estate News Home of the Week: Spanish Colonial Revival-style in Pasadena The four-bedroom, five-bathroom house built in 1920 for industrialist James Wigmore lists for $2,875,000. A decorative cast stone entrance opens to this restored Spanish Colonial Revival-style house in Pasadena's South Orange Grove area. Built in 1920 for industrialist James Wigmore, the house retains such original details as coffered wood ceilings and arched doorways. Home prices decline for a third straight month The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller index of 20 large U.S. cities fell 1.3% in November from October as foreclosures continue to drag down the housing market. Three straight months of home-price declines in the biggest U.S. cities showed that foreclosures remain a significant drag on a housing market that is entering its fifth year of deterioration. Obama proposes refinancing plan for underwater homeowners The president aims to help about 3.5 million people with good credit who are unable to refinance at historically low rates because their homes are worth less than their mortgages. Homeowner wins back her house after fighting foreclosure Karen Mena managed to get a foreclosure on her San Bernardino home rescinded. But she continues to negotiate with Bank of America over loan terms and could still lose the house. Foreclosure commonly represents the end of a struggle. A borrower can't pay a mortgage, loses a home and moves on. Property disclosure ranks high among real estate legal disputes A biennial research report by the National Assn. of Realtors indicates that a handful of real estate agents and brokers and their clients either don't know the law or don't care to follow it. When it comes to lawsuits, real estate agents and brokers tangle mostly among themselves. A quirky Spanish Revival in Los Feliz A.F. Leicht designed quirky Spanish Revival houses in Los Angeles as well as evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson's landmark Angelus Temple. His interiors often had irregular-shaped or curved walls, rooms or hallways. This Los Feliz villa, with rounded rooms, fancifully shaped living room French doors and elliptical master bathroom, captures his signature style. Chris Paul buys Avril Lavigne's Bel-Air mansion for $8.495 million L.A. Clipper Chris Paul may be quick down the court, but he moves pretty fast when it comes to buying multimillion-dollar real estate too. Many homeowners decide remodeling is wiser than moving They don't believe they can sell their property for what it's worth, so they're spending money on making their homes more comfortable. Do you fit any of these descriptions? Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie sell Malibu house to Ellen De Generes The talk show host pays $12 million for the 4,088-square-foot house with four bedrooms and four bathrooms. The ocean-view home sits on 1.26 bluff-top acres with beach access. In one of the more talked-about transactions in town, actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have sold their Malibu beach house to daytime host and comedian Ellen De Generes for $12 million. White House details mortgage refinancing plan for homeowners The White House hopes to help millions of homeowners lower their monthly mortgage bill with a $5 billion to $10 billion plan to set up a streamlined refinancing program for people who are current on their payments. |