Southern California fence company's value for residential and commercial projects

Nothing defines the Southern California landscape of residences and businesses quite like the fence. This picture is from a recent commercial fencing project at Westminster Presbyterian Church on North Lake Avenue in Pasadena.
 

Ray and colleague Jim of Top Notch Fencing

For those seeking the best value for their custom fence, Ray Marcogliese, (Marco-lee-ace) owner of Top Notch Fence in Temple City, California, offers a 35-plus year blend of fence construction experience and old-fashioned values such as such as reliability and quality.

From construction of a 20-mile fence near the Salton Sea to beautiful wrought-iron gardens, from
industrial-complex razor wire to grandma’s picket fence, Top Notch Fence takes great pride in nearly 4 decades of complaint-free business.

Adds Marcogliese very seriously, “I always try to do extra. I want the property around the fence to look better than when I began.”

 

Marcogliese’s biggest concern is not the difficulty of the job but the satisfaction of the customer upon
completion. 

He says he learned from the best in the business, spending long days not just picking up tips on fence construction but also studying the customer as well.

“Good value is extremely important in this industry.” Says Marcogliese. “And we provide it better than anyone.”

 For more, click here to visit the Top Notch Google Plus Profile.

The Best Value in Los Angeles Mortgages Depend on Personal Circumstances

Real estate home buying trends and mortgage rates in Los Angeles vary greatly and that means finding the best value in home mortgages will depend in part on your neighborhood.

The Mount Washington area to the north and east of downtown LA is a popular zip code to hunt for homes and mortgage broker-banker Richard White says it was the third most popular zip code nationally in 2003.

"Home buyers found there was a 64 percent jump in home values from the 2^nd quarter of 2012 to the 2^nd quarter of 2013." Richard told me he lives in the Mt. Washington area and said the lower

priced homes were popular.

"Higher end homes weren't appreciating at the same rate so in the Los Feliz area to the north there was a 5 percent jump at the same time."

Richard says listening to homebuyers, their goals, and their specific circumstances helps him tailor a mortgage and run a total cost analysis.

"I run scenarios for people in all stages whether they're home buyers with low credit scores, buyers over age 62 considering reverse mortgages, or people looking to buy on their own for the first time."

Richard can run many scenarios including a rent-to-own cost analysis and check figures and costs for refinancing to 15 year mortgages, and a cost of waiting analysis. He expects to work with people from all backgrounds.

"I don't target market any particular kind of mortgage need. Instead, I get many different buyers of all income levels and ages needing a specific product. Some are turned down by banks and others may only want to stay in a property for 7 years."

A broker-banker has more lending options than a bank, says Richard who has a degree in finance and has nearly 25 years experience.

"As a banker broker we utilize all different types of financing institutions that offer all the Fannie, Freddie, Fha products plus portfolio products. I have to look at the client and see their goals and fit into the best product. In some cases, using retirement funds may be answer while in other cases we'd stay away from those funds."

"If someone's nnot approved at the bank they need to talk to a mortgage banker with few dozen products. There are guidelines but there are variations. My job is to find out what works best."

Click here for Richard White, ArcStone Financial and learn more about personalized mortgage products for home buying in Los Angeles.

A spread sheet Richard uses

Finding the Best Value for Refrigerators and Appliances in Pasadena

Getting the Best Price for a New Refrigerator

An idea for getting a best value for refrigerators and other appliances or major household purchases could mean shopping around major and minor holidays.

We bought a 28-cubit foot LG refrigerator during a Labor Day sale at Best Buy in Pasadena in the Hastings Ranch area.

The original cost was $ 1, 400 and there was an announced sale price of $ 1,097.

Another 10 percent off was announced in a store flyer and the price dropped another 5 percent because we applied for a Best Buy credit card.

Delivery was free, too.

The LG Refrigerator Features

The LG refrigerator is a side-by-side and runs quietly and is considered an ultra-large model.

I'm impressed with the lightweight doors. They open and close easily without a great deal of suction as is the case in some refrigerators. Our most recent model was used and it seemed like it took a hard yank to get the doors open.

A welcoming blue light is innovative in the refrigerator and the ice dispenser is truly meant to be used from the outside only.

The temperature can be controlled by an outside touch panel.

LG has a trademark on the Spaceplus Ice system used.

On the company's web site for appliances there are details on how a conventional compressor has

higher peaks and lows during run times and that results in greater motor noise and more uneven cooling.

Click here on this portion of the LG website for the details on energy efficiency. 

LG Dependability in My View

I'm not a LG fanatic by any means. We'll give the refrigerator a try and I hope it lasts for several years or more without the need to service it or have it hauled off. If that's the case, then our price for less than $ 1,000 will be a Best Value indeed.

We had a low end LG dishwasher and got rid of it at the end of 2012 and we went several months without even having a dishwasher.

We have a full household but the insulated rubber inside the dishwasher wore off easily and became damaged. The metal inside became damaged as well and LG was difficult to work with in help to fix it or make a claim.

A person came out and said he would make a report on what he saw. We couldn't get the company to budge on refunds or replacement.

LG Reviews Online

On this site, Consumer Affairs.com about LG refrigerators there are many negative reviews.

We're getting off to a great start with the LG refrigerator and I'm glad we got it during a holiday. Keep your eyes peeled around the end of October for possible deals in your area and of course at Thanksgiving so you can get the best value for your refrigerator or other appliance.

In a related post, here is a Best Value for teapots and kitchen products.

Best Value Car Rental at Los Angeles International Airport with Hubber

If you're flying out of Los Angeles International Airport here's your chance to rent your car and get paid instead of paying for parking.

Offer - Want a 3-Day Free Tesla Rental?

List your car between August 21 and September 30 and you'll be entered to win a 3-day free rental in a 2013 Tesla Model S in Los Angeles.

Hubber is a new rental concept coming on to the scene that allows travelers to list their cars for rent on the company website. Cars must be 2003 models or newer and have 100,000 miles or less.

Car owners can get paid from $10 to $30 per day depending on type of vehicle and other specifications. Another benefit is a free car wash.

Hubber Website

Click here to enter the Hubber website and use the promo code "List My Car."

The Tesla rental can be used between October 1^st and November 24^th.

More News on Hubber

I wrote an article on Hubber and founder Paul Davis earlier in the year.

Click here to read the article on Examiner.com, LA BusinessNews Examiner.

A Best Value Candidate for Frozen Yogurt Desserts in Hollywood, California

Check Frog Frozen Yogurt on Cahuenga and Selma (1550 N. Cahuenga) in Hollywood for a best dessert value or healthy snack value.

I personally have not had the chance to try it and I did not receive any compensation to write this post (be sure you tell the FTC if they don't believe me), but here are reasons for the store's popularity in the local area, according to owner Damien Breen during a conversation with me:

Price and Value – premium ingredients with same prices as competitors. Regular cup is $ 5.95 and large is $ 6.95.

Ingredients – Almond-milk and goat-milk based products are available and a range of sorbets. Someone else went to the trouble of milking the almonds and goats for you.

Quality - organic hand-crafted line available.

Self-serve – put in as much or as little as you want in the store.

Convenience – order online and have the product delivered.

Don't worry. This is NOT the owner Damien.

Delivery – No delivery charges. Frog Frozen Yogurt delivers daily from noon to midnight in a 3-mile radius from its store using trucks outfitted with industrial freezers to keep yogurt at zero degrees. There is a minimum order of $10.

I asked Damien how he got the name for the store. Real simple. "FR" from frozen and "OG" from yogurt. Oh, yeah. It's all in a nice pink color, of course.

Click here on ilovefrog.com to see selections and order online.

Consider this as a Best Value in Organic Home Grocery Delivery

How do you spot a best value in the world of organic home grocery delivery?

Grocery delivery companies have come and gone and the big names like Vons have high minimum orders and pricey deliveries.

Winder Farms, a Utah-based company, has hit on a model they see working in Utah, Las Vegas, and Orange County, California.

CEO Mike Dutton told me scheduling and pricing are key.

"We can deliver produce from the farm to the household in 36 hours. Customers sign up for a weekly scheduled delivery and we can have one truck delivering to 100 or homes on any given night."

Mike said the efficient model keeps delivery costs down. "Our delivery fee is $ 1.99 and we provide fresher produce."

The value also comes from selection.
 
Winder Farms has about 250 products in Orange County and will add about 100 new products per year.

A quality control process working with suppliers includes a product selection team and quality assurance team that gives growers a scorecard to gauge results.

Mike Dutton said he looks for farmers, bakers, and other suppliers who want to grow their business. 

Winder will consider products that are not readily available on grocery store shelves.

Click here to visitWinder Farms for a closer look.

Also, click here to read Winder Farms' competitive advantages on Running a Small Business.net.

Banzai Gushing Geyser Water Park - A Best Value

If you're searching for a good value and an alternative to wading pools or inflatable pools try this combination bounce house and water slide.

I'm giving the Bansai Gushing Geyser Water Park a Best Value rate.

Durable construction makes it possible for four kids to climb, slide down and splash in the water basin.

We bought it online for $ 299.00 in May and the water park rates high for both price and value.

We've used it about four or five times in the past month and the kids have been active on it for two to three hours at a time.

When we originally bought it, we decided that if we got one summer use from it we would be happy.

The material is strong yet light weight to move and I envision getting at least two more years use and perhaps three more years use.

It's simple to set up. The air blower inflates the tower within two minutes and a garden hose easily attaches. The cord stretches about 12 feet.

I rate the geyser water park as a Best Value, especially at the price.

The price is right and it offers a fun experience as a backyard summer fun toy that's a great alternative to just a wading pool or a slip and slide. 

Best Entertainment Value – Shakespeare by the Sea

If you're looking for a good summer entertainment value consider attending Shakespeare by the Sea in one of several Los Angeles County locations.

 All's Well that Ends Well, June 2013, Glen Oaks Park Glendale

Fans of Shakespeare and lovers of quality outdoor theater can rate Shakespeare by the Sea as a Best Value. Here's why:

Quality Acting

We have attended a Shakespeare by the Sea performance each year for the past three years and have been impressed by the quality of acting. First of all, the actors themselves set up and tear down. Secondly, they bring Shakespeare to life in local park setting and they have limited control over the surrounding environment.

Free – Low Cost

The organization is headquartered by the sea in San Pedro and is supported entirely by raffles available at the performance, private donations, and merchandise sales in addition to limited grants. There's no obligation and no hard sell for donations.

Pleasant Environment for Small and Large Groups

Los Angeles County is fortunate to have quality parks. We have attended performances in La Crescenta, Glendale, and Farnsworth Park in Altadena.

The sound quality can be rated highly along with the costumes and set.

The parks are a nice alternative or supplement to any free or paid summer concert series. The settings are nice places to bring family and friends.

Shakespeare by the Sea rates as a Best Value for Entertainment.

Click here to visit the non-profit organization's website.

Merchandise sales help meet the operating budget