Contact Michael



Million Dollar Report

Strategies to Sell a Home, Even When Buyers Are Getting Scarce

If you’re considering selling your home now, you might be thinking, Why didn’t I do this a year ago? The 13-year residential real estate bull market came to an abrupt end in 2022 as skyrocketing mortgage rates undermined would-be buyers’ purchasing power. A buyer who can afford a $2,500 mo...
READ MORE

Steps To Buying A House Remotely

Picture source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/blue-and-gray-concrete-house-with-attic-during-twilight-186077/ With the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, it has become the new standard for both buyers and sellers to do all of their real estate work from the comfort of their homes. While some things stil...
READ MORE

Property Manager’s Quick Guide to Keeping Tenants Happy

Image source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-sitting-on-sofa-while-looking-at-phone-with-laptop-on-lap-920382/ Property Managers play a vital role for both the landlord and tenant. Landlords trust that their Property Managers are on top of ensuring that their rental property runs smoothly...
READ MORE

Housing Likely to Withstand Future Recessions

  The economy has been going at such a robust pace that economists worry some consumers may be waiting for the next recession to hit and drive prices down, just as the Great Recession did. But a newly released report from First American Financial Services, a title insurance company, predi...
READ MORE

When I Move Out, Should I Keep Insurance?

There are 3 considerations when moving out of your home and deciding if you should keep insurance. First off, if you have a mortgage on the property, then it is likely that in your note and loan paperwork it will state that you will keep fire and liability insurance in place with the lender as lo...
READ MORE

New California Real Estate Laws for 2019

Our legislators passed a raft of laws affecting the real estate industry last year. The following is a summary of the most significant changes affecting you. For the full text of a California law visit http://leginfo.ca.gov/ – or – http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/ for federal laws. A legislative bi...
READ MORE

The Proper Placement of Smoke Alarms

Wondering what the proper placement of smoke alarms is? Installing your smoke alarms correctly - and making sure they are in working order - is an important step in making your home and family safer from fire. Read on... Courtesy: Mike Ojeda - Equity Title Company...
READ MORE

Recognized As Top 10 in Southern California for Sotheby’s International Realty

Sotheby's International Realty has announced Michael B. Bell as being in the Top 10 in Sales for Southern California offices. The ad below was run in the Saturday Edition of Los Angeles Times on January 19, 2019. ...
READ MORE

Fraud Alert: Outwitting Phone Scammers

By Barbara Pronin It’s a sorry day when we can’t even count on our phones to tell the truth. But new applications like SpoofCard, which gives criminals a way to change what someone sees on their caller ID display, present the newest nightmare for the title and, by extension, real estate i...
READ MORE

7 Senior Technologies Your Parents Need at Home

As our aging population is growing, senior technology is evolving to make day-to-day life easier. Here are seven innovative products that help the families of seniors feel safe and can improve their loved ones' quality of life: Medical alert systems The most popular technology for seniors is a ...
READ MORE

Seller Success Story: Modern Contemporary in Pasadena

We successfully represented the Seller on this modern contemporary residence in Pasadena and received a full price, cash offer and sold it in 4 days. The home was previously listed with a different agent for 123 days. We took over the listing and repositioned it with our innovative market...
READ MORE

Another Happy Seller: Sierra Madre Traditional Residence

We successfully represented the Seller on this traditional Sierra Madre residence and received a full price, cash offer in just 8 days and closed the sale in 13 days upon offer acceptance. Full Price Cash Offer | Represented Seller | Listed at $1,098,000 As a local real estate br...
READ MORE

Seller Success Story: Pasadena Classic California Craftsman

After being on the market with a previous agent for 90 days with no activity, we successfully represented the Seller in repositioning the property and received multiple offers in only 6 days. Multiple Offers | Sold Over Asking Price | Represented Seller | Listed at $1,900,000 As a...
READ MORE

Market Update: First Quarter of 2017 Area Market Report

The first quarter 2017 Market Report for Sotheby's International Realty is in! According to the Pasadena Foothills Association of Realtors ITEC Multiple Listing Service, in the first quarter of 2017, units sold increased in Altadena by 16% compared to the first quarter of 2016. San Marino saw...
READ MORE

A Happy Homebuyer: San Marino Colonial Residence

Modern sophistication and thoughtful design describe this highly upgraded residence in desirable San Marino. This home garnered multiple offers and we were able to represent the buyer successfully. Multiple Offers | Represented Buyer | Offered at $2,880,000 As a local real estate broke...
READ MORE

Introducing: 238 Barranca Road in Bradbury Estates

We are pleased to present this 5-acre, gated compound in guard-gated Bradbury Estates. Nestled in the exclusive, guard-gated Bradbury Estates, this is a rare opportunity to own an expansive, gated compound on over 5 acres of horse property that includes an approx. 4,899 sq.ft. Craftsman reviv...
READ MORE

Resale ROI

Wondering what the greatest and least return on investment in 2017 was? Typically, the 29 projects on this year's report paid back an average of 64.3 cents on the dollar in resale value. View the infographic below for the top 5 projects with the greatest ROI and the top 5 projects with the lowest...
READ MORE

Just In: Market Report for Greater Pasadena in the Fourth Quarter of 2016

According to the Pasadena Foothills Association of Realtors ITEC Multiple Listing Service, units sold increased in Pasadena by 9.5% and in South Pasadena by 9.4% in the fourth quarter of 2016 compared to the fourth quarter of 2015. Altadena saw the biggest drop in units sold with a decrease of ...
READ MORE

Housing Challenges for an Aging Population

The U.S. is at the beginning of a 20-plus-year surge in the older population, and is thus at a critical point for putting in place the affordable housing options, accessibility features, and in-home care services that will be needed over the next two decades. As the infographic below shows, there...
READ MORE

You’re Saying It All Wrong: Real Estate Words

There are widespread words in real estate that are mispronounced, misspelled, and misused. Linguists say that the more expensive the house, the more likely the potential for gaffes because pricey homes often come with elaborate descriptions. Here are a few words that are frequently used in real e...
READ MORE

Another Seller Success Story: New Construction in Pasadena

We successfully represented the Seller on this exceptional penthouse single-level condominium. It was previously listed by the builder when presales started in 2016. In late 2017, I took over the sale of the last unsold penthouse condominium. I repositioned the home using our innov...
READ MORE

Sotheby’s Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide

The season of giving is here, and Sotheby’s has curated the perfect holiday gift list to inspire you. Whether it’s an ultra-rare first-edition book, memorabilia from your favorite band or a dazzling winter-themed jewel, our selection of objects from upcoming auctions around the world offers ...
READ MORE

Millennials On Homebuying: 2025 Forecast

The U.S. housing market continues to move ahead, but a generation of homebuyers is being left behind. Home ownership rates have fallen across all age groups since the housing collapse in 2009, but the biggest drop has been among the millennial generation. The home ownership rate will continue to fal...
READ MORE

Freshen Up Your Home: Updates That Will Give You The Most Bang For Your Buck

Whether you're planning to remain in the home for a while or looking to freshen up the place to put it on the market, here are some updates that experts today say will give you the most bang for your buck: ...
READ MORE

Just In: Market Report for Greater Pasadena for Third Quarter of 2016

According to the Pasadena Foothills Association of Realtors ITEC Multiple Listing Service, three of the five areas covered in this report enjoyed an increase in median price in the third quarter of 2016 versus the third quarter of 2015. Pasadena, Altadena, and La Canada Flintridge experienced...
READ MORE

Michael B. Bell | Never Too Busy To Talk