The Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica

Featured Articles - April, 2004

Patience and Persistence Pay Off in Purchase of Adjacent House

For 35 years, our church hoped to buy the adjacent house on 18th Street for office space and religious education classrooms. For 35 years, all our offers were rejected — the last one as recently as a year ago.

But suddenly on Sunday, February 29, a “For Sale” sign appeared on that lawn next door, and our church leaders sprang into action. Carol Kerr, our president, called an emergency meeting in the sanctuary on Monday, March 1, to discuss whether to make an offer on the adjacent property. An email announcement and a telephone tree notified most of the congregation of the meeting. Also present was Pat McGuire, longtime church member and a real estate broker who has helped many of our members sell or purchase homes. Pat’s strategy for an offer was simple: create an offer the seller could not refuse.

“This meant,” explains Pat, “outsmarting all other Patience and persistence pay off in purchase of adjacent house prospective buyers in the following ways: make an all cash offer, with no appraisal or loan contingency, offer to pay all the seller’s closing costs, let the seller determine all time lines, escrow and title company, take the property ‘as is’ with no inspections or termite work, present our offer to as a ‘net’ amount to the seller, hire the listing agent as our broker, so the listing agent gets the entire commission and has a “fiduciary” obligation with us to serve our needs, and last, if need be, offer a ‘failsafe,’ to exceed any other offer’s net by $10,000.”

The board, knowing that action had to be swift, authorized payment of up to $1.2 million. Out of 30 offers on the property, ours was chosen, and escrow is due to close April 4. The purchase price ended up near $1,265,000, including the closing costs and broker’s commission.

“Most of the bidders were developers, since the property is both large (11,000 square feet) and zoned R2, which means it can have condo units built on it,” said Carol. “ If condos in this area are going for $600,000 each, and the developers can build up to seven units, the math works out to about $4.2 million in sale proceeds to a developer. If the developer can buy the property for less than $2 million and build the condos for another $1 million, the developer makes a very nice profit. So that is why we had to compete against developers.”

Of course, there was no time to provide legal notice for a special congregational meeting to make the decision officially before the closing. In the spirit of maintaining transparency in our processes, the board scheduled a town hall meeting on March 21 to address any questions or concerns about the purchase, to discuss the use of capital campaign funds to finance the purchase pending a decision on whether to keep or sell the 17th Street property, to do some brainstorming on how to use the 17th Street property and the new property on 18th Street, and to invite church members to tour the house. According to Pat, the house was built by Judge Taft, a founding member of the congregation, in 1914 and has been in the same family since then. “It may have been a ‘kit house,’ where sections are delivered and assembled on the lot,” Pat surmises. “They were very popular back then — you could get them through the Sears catalog.

About 1927 Judge Taft sold half of his lot to the organizers of our church. His son, who lived there later and owned the property after his father’s death, was apparently hostile to the church and refused to consider selling the house. His daughter, the current head of the trust that owns the property, did not live there, but rented it out, and she was somewhat curt in replying to inquiries (from Ernie Pipes and others) about selling. I spoke to her one time and she said that the house would not be sold unless all the heirs agreed; there was much sentimental attachment as their grandfather had built it.”

Pat describes the house as in “surprisingly good condition,” with original hardwood floors, copper plumbing, and a serviceable roof. “But,” he comments, “the main asset is the distinctive style, which is invaluable. There are very few Craftsman-style cottages left with many original fixtures, such as the lovely built-in china closet and huge windows. It would be a crime to lose it.”

From a cosmetic standpoint, adds Carol, “It does need quite a bit of work inside. It has not been updated for 30 years, and seems shabby, but the bones are good. The house is not huge, but it could support four generously-sized classrooms.”

And as the Rev. Judith Meyer points out, “The purchase of the property next door is the culmination of years of hoping for this opportunity. It opens up new possibilities and alternatives that we have not yet even fully imagined. The results, however, are sure to be great.”

Planned Giving Gives Thanks to Those Who Have Given

We often speak of the importance of saying “thank you.” We know it feels good to hear it; we know it feels good to say it.

So here are “thank-yous” to some of the members who have given bequests to our church.

Bequests and gifts:

Ellen L Barker – 1942
Mary Perrin – 1952
Margaret Chapman – 1965
Claire & Ludwig Biber – 1976
Morris Jacobson – 1985
Melissa C. Mason – 1995
Earl Morgan - 2003
Ofelia Lachtman – 2004

Planned giving has an effect — consider giving!

For further information contact Ron Crane, or call the church office at (310) 829-5436.

—Ron Crane, Planned Giving Committee

Calling All Campers!

Would you like to be a happy camper? Then don’t miss our church’s annual family retreat weekend, June 18 to 20. Come with us to the beautiful de Benneville Pines Camp and Conference Center, and enjoy clean mountain air, walks in the woods, crafts, campfires, singing, discussion groups, children’s activities, teen activities, swimming at Jenks Lake or in the pool, great food, fellowship, and relaxation. Rustic cabins are clean and comfortable, with indoor plumbing and hot showers, for “roughing it, gently.”

Very shortly, you will see a table in Forbes Hall after each service to sign up. Watch for more details, coming soon. Questions about registering or helping with registration? Contac Marv Pulliam.

Do you have a skill or talent to share? We are looking for a few good people to lead activities and workshops during the weekend. Some possible ideas include discussion groups (on spiritual growth, current events, men’s issues, women’s issues, living a balanced life, whatever), art and/or crafts (for children, adults, or both), yoga workshops, folk dancing, sing-alongs, hikes and/or nature activities, bridge or poker night, talent/no-talent shows. Do you have special knowledge of astronomy, geology, botany, wilderness lore? Could you teach massage, tai chi, charcoal sketching, or origami for a couple of hours? Do you love to lead children’s activities? I would like to provide a variety of workshops for all tastes, so please get in touch with Sharon Voigt Damerell, Program Dean, if you have ideas for activities you would be willing to lead.

Appreciation

Three volunteers, Dan Kegel, Greg Wood, and Bob Dietz, spent many hours after work and on Saturdays and Sundays to troubleshoot the office computer system. During the work the voicemail system failed and the computers acted up, but everyone could do their job. Some of the computers may be beyond repair, but keeping everyone working throughout the process earns high praise and many thanks.

A special reception to welcome Catherine Farmer was organized by Wendy Johnston and Alicia Van Ooyen and a committee of Beverly Alison, Dorothy Steinicke, Erika Valore, Beth Rendeiro, Chris Brown, Steven Van Ooyen, Moira Johnston, Rosy DePaul, Nicolaas Van Ooyen, Paice Van Ooyen, and Diane Fletcher-Hoppe. Thanks to all of you.

Special thanks to Helen Burns, Shirlee Frank, Peggy Kharraz, Sue Moore, and Sandra Trutt, the Dining for Dollars Committee, who organized and prepared materials for the biggest fund-raiser of the year. The events offer a variety of dinners and community experiences. 

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