Fred Sed's Blog

Why Hire An Aggressive Orange County Realtor? | Friday's with Fred

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 11:02:10 -0700

In today’s Orange County real estate market there is a low inventory of available homes for sale and a high demand, what does this mean? This means every buyer and seller has to be very aggressive if they want to get what they really want or they will miss out on either buying the Orange County home that they really want or receiving the offer for their home that they deserve.

Why an Aggressive Orange County Realtor Makes Sense

With so much competition in the current Orange County real estate market you want to hire a realtor who has the skills and tenacity that you’re looking for to help you sell your Orange County home or rent one.

The Orange County realtor that you choose should have a game plan ready for you so that when you’re ready to start searching for a home, they will know exactly what homes are for sale and guide you to the homes that match your criteria. Once you’ve decided on the home of your dreams, they will immediately present an offer on your behalf to the buyer and not stand back in the shadows to let other real estate agents get in their way and ultimately cause you to lose out on the home that you really wanted.

Lots of Actions for Everyone in this OC Real Estate Market

It doesn’t matter if you’re buying, selling or you plan on renting; you need to have an Orange County real estate agent who will act quickly or risk losing you the home of your dreams.

To avoid the heart ache of not being able to buy, sell or rent the home that you really want, you should contact a top Orange County real estate agenttoday.

At Fred Sed & Associates we have a great team of experienced real estate agents who are aggressive and they will use the right strategies to make sure that you’re able to purchase the home that you want or invest in that rental property that you have been thinking about. Contact us today at (949) 272-0125 or email us at info@bestocpropertes.com to learn more about how we can help you.

Why Buy In Irvine? Part 3

Thu, 31 May 2012 11:58:16 -0700

Why Buy In Irvine? Part 2

Irvine California: one of America’s top 50 cities, business friendly and also a city that has some of the best schools in the United States. With all of these benefits, who wouldn’t want to move here? In part three of 3 of this three part series “Why buy In Irvine?” were going to cover the final reasons why you should buy in Irvine.

Fashion Sense

Irvine California is one of the most fashionable cities in the United States. According to a recent study by bundle.com, Irvine outranked New York, Los Angeles and Miami as being a city with residents who have an eye for fashion.

Thanks to the demand for fashion in Irvine there are more boutiques, name brand clothing stores, department stores and thrift stores here and surrounding areas than anywhere in the United States. No matter what your budget is, you will be able to find a great deal on the clothes that you’re looking for in Irvine.

Attractions

This city is also close (within driving distance) to some of the top attractions and tourist destinations in the United States including: Wild Rivers, Knotts Berry Farms, Disneyland, Angel Stadium and so much more.

The great thing about living in Irvine is that you will never be without ideas for things to do on a weekend because, there’s always plenty of places to go and things to see that you will never be bored living here.

Restaurants

Besides having some excellent attractions within driving distance, Irvine also has some excellent restaurants like: Lucca Cade & Market, Bistango and Stonefire Grill. Irvine is a paradise for people who love good food and drinks. What’s even better about Irvine is that if you’re willing to drive for a great meal there are hundreds of more excellent restaurants around Orange County that are waiting to be discovered.

Why Buy In Irvine? – Part 2

Thu, 31 May 2012 08:59:18 -0700

Why Buy In Irvine? – Part 1

What’s the first impression that comes to your mind when someone says Irvine, California? Besides

having top Orange County realtors who will sell you an excellent Orange County home, Irvine has a lot of fabulous benefits for everyone and the city recently gained the recognition as one of America’s top 50 cities. In the second part of this three part series were going to cover the benefits of moving to Irvine for families

Top Schools

Irvine has one of the top school districts in the United States; the K-8, elementary and high schools

make Irvine an ideal place for parents to send their children to school and unlike other school districts in the United States they can have confidence that their children will be educated by teachers who will offer their children a top notch education.

Colleges

This part of Southern California has some excellent colleges including the University of California Irvine,

Irvine Valley College, Concordia University and Chapman University. A recent survey found that at least 7% of the Irvine population has attained their doctoral degrees and this statistic is growing every single year.

Beautiful Parks

Unlike other urban cities in Southern California, Irvine has exceptional parks that will make anyone

who lives here feel like they are in the country instead of living in the city every day of the week. If you’re searching for parks; there are 21 community parks and over 60 neighborhood parks and these statistics are growing every day. One of the coolest things about Irvine is that it has actually made building parks a priority and families 20 years from now who are fortunate enough to live in Irvine will have more parks to play in than they do today.

Why Buy In Irvine? Part 1

Wed, 30 May 2012 14:57:03 -0700

Thinking about buying a home in Irvine, California? You’re not alone. Irvine has developed into one of America’s Fifty Best Cities over the last 10 years and there are many reasons to buy a home in Irvine. In the first part of this three part series were going to cover the financial reasons why you should consider relocating to Irvine.

Income Level

Irvine has a median income of just over $84,000 and almost 65% of the population is college educated. What does this mean for you? Well, if you’re college educated and looking for a job where your skills will be in demand and you will get the respect that you deserve, you won’t be able to find a better part of the country than Irvine to enjoy a high paying career.

Irvine California Homes

The median listing price for a home in Orange County California is $555,000 with an average square footage of just over 1,600 square feet and there are more owner occupied homes (7,023) than renter occupied homes (1,977) than any other part of the United States.

Good Job Opportunities

Besides its close proximity to Anaheim and the entertainment industry, Irvine has a bustling business community that is welcoming in new businesses on a weekly basis and now boasts over 16, 0000 businesses. For those people who don’t want to work in Irvine, the city is close enough to commute to Riverside and even San Diego for those people who want to drive or take the train.

Start a Business in Irvine

Business owners who plan on relocating to Irvine can be encouraged in that Irvine has a highly trained work force and 95% of Irvine residents who are over the age of 25 have either attained their high school diploma or GED. Irvine also is more business friendly and has less of a tax burden than other cities like San Diego.

Great Rocky Point Home - 4484 E Pepper Creek Way Anaheim Hills

Tue, 29 May 2012 23:46:32 -0700

Great Rocky Point Home | Large Master Suite!

Overview
Maps
Photos
Description
Neighborhood

$649,000

Single Family Home

Main Features

4 Bedrooms
3 Bathrooms
Interior: 2,727 sqft
Lot: 11,658 sqft

Location

4484 E Pepper Creek Way
Anaheim Hills, CA 92807
USA

To get updates on open home dates and other property events, please click the "Like" button below:

Fred Sed

Realty One Group
(949) 272-0125
Fred@BestOCProperties.com
http://www.BestOCProperties.com

Listed by: Massoud Davar

Our recent listings

Great Rocky Point Home | Large Master Suite!
Beautiful 4B Home in Country Hills Estates
Gorgeous 3B,3B Condo By The Beach!!!
Beautiful Spacious Detached Condo
Beautiful Condo in Anaheim Hills!

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4B,2B Home in Country Hills Estates | 300 Sandlewood Ave La Habra

Tue, 29 May 2012 22:34:39 -0700

Beautiful 4B Home in Country Hills Estates

Overview
Maps
Photos
Features
Description
Neighborhood
Market Stats

$595,000

Single Family Home

Main Features

4 Bedrooms
2 Bathrooms
Interior: 1,900 sqft
Lot: 8,646 sqft

Location

300 Sandlewood Ave
La Habra, CA 90631
USA

To get updates on open home dates and other property events, please click the "Like" button below:

Fred Sed

Realty One Group
(949) 272-0125
Fred@BestOCProperties.com
http://www.BestOCProperties.com

Listed by: Ivette Reese

Our recent listings

Beautiful 4B Home in Country Hills Estates
Gorgeous 3B,3B Condo By The Beach!!!
Beautiful Spacious Detached Condo
Beautiful Condo in Anaheim Hills!

Subscribe to our listing feed

Nearby properties for sale

Renting vs. Buying – Which Is Better For The Orange County Resident?

Tue, 29 May 2012 17:44:14 -0700

Almost everyone comes to the point in their lives when they make the decision to either keep renting or

buy their first home. For some people the decision comes earlier in life than others but it’s a decision that needs to be made and during the process of searching for a home the question will come up “is it better to rent or buy?”

Buying

If you’re considering buying an Orange County home, the advantages of buying a home begin with freedom.

When you buy a home you will have the freedom to decorate it any way you want as well as make any changes and alterations to the interior or exterior of the home like changing the windows or re-landscaping the front yard etc.

As a home owner you will also enjoy security because, you will no longer have to be concerned about your landlord raising your rent or engaging in shady tactics that will only cost you money.

Last of all, the top advantage of owning a home is that it’s an investment that will help you to build your credit, acquire equity and you will be able to sell the home sometime in the future for a profit. Even though the real estate market has it’s ups and downs, ultimately it’s still typically better to own a home for the long term because. You can also rent your home out if you no longer wanted to live there, but didn’t want to sell that home and you will be able to generate positive cash flow every month from home.

Renting

A Big advantage of renting is also freedom, but for different reasons. When you rent, you can easily move to another apartment, condo or Orange County rental property compared to being faced with the decision of having to either rent your home or sell it if you’re a homeowner.

The other benefit of renting is that all of the responsibilities for the home, condo or rental property that you’re renting will fall back on your landlord or the homes owner so if the roof leaks, a pipe breaks or the water heater needs to be replaced, the financial costs to fix those problems will be the responsibility of someone else.

Even though it’s easy to rent, the disadvantage of renting is that renter isn’t able to build equity over the time that they are renting and they won’t have anything to show for the money that they’ve paid for rent every month compared to a homeowner who has their home and equity that they’ve acquired if they’ve owned that home for a period of time.

If you’re considering buying your first Orange County home why not give us a call? All of the top Orange

County real estate professionals at Fred Sed & Associates are experts at helping our clients at finding the home that’s right for them. Whether you are looking for a rental home while you prepare to buy, or if you're ready to buy today, contact us today to learn more about how we can help you find the home of your dreams.

Free Rental Services for Homeowners Facing Foreclosure

Fri, 25 May 2012 11:56:10 -0700

Don't let a foreclosure fall on your head.

Take action to protect your family and credit.

We have experience helping dozens of families Short Sale their home while helping them relocate to a new home within their criteria.

We will walk you through the process so you will know exactly what to expect and also help you with the steps necessary to rebuild your credit so you can buy a new home again in as little as 3 years.

Call us at (949)272-0125 for a free consultation and to see how we can make the relocation process as simple and stress free as possible.

http://www.PreventOCForeclosure.com

What to Look Out for When Buying a Short Sale | Friday’s with Fred

Fri, 25 May 2012 09:18:52 -0700

For many Orange County home owners the short sale option is still “on the table” and they are considering it right now to get out of their “underwater home” and get financial relief. The sad fact about short sales in California is that only about 60% of them actually close escrow and this is due in large part to inexperienced real estate agents handling those short sales.

Here are five tips that every home owner and short sale buyer in Orange County should follow to insure that they are able to successfully navigate through the Orange County short sale process.

Use an Experienced Listing Agent

Before choosing an Orange County short sale listing agent, you should verify their level of experience by asking them the following questions:

How many short sales have you closed in the last year?
Is this your only source of income?
What’s your marketing plan to drive more potential buyers to my home?

Verify the Listed Price

Make sure that the listed price is the same as the approved price. Even though this may seem like an easy step it's not uncommon for an agent to list a price prior to receiving bank approval. This step can be easily avoided if the price is verified from the very beginning.

Inspect the Home

For Orange County short sale buyers; they should inspect the home that they are planning on buying so they can have full knowledge of any potential problems that the home may have like termites, water damage, plumbing problems etc. This step can easily save a buyer $10,000 or more in repairs that they wouldn’t have had to make if they inspected the home thoroughly before buying it.

Sellers Commitment

If you’re a short sale buyer, you’re committed and are serious about the home that you’re considering buying but, is the seller serious? Make sure that the seller is committed to short selling their home before you move forward with the short sale process because, some sellers have been known to back out of short sales leaving buyers with nothing but empty promises.

Does It Have Liens?

Last of all, but most important, any Orange County short sale buyer and seller should verify that the home they are interested in buying or selling doesn’t have any liens on it. Why is this step important? Liens are like old skeletons in the closet that homeowners many times don’t know are there and once a lien is uncovered, it can delay the short sale process for weeks or months until the lien holder accepts payment for the lien.

Got more questions about short sales? We can help! At Best OC Properties we have the short sale experience that you’re looking for which will help you to short sell your Orange County home or buy that Orange County short sale that you’ve had your eye on. Call us today at (949)272-0125 to learn more about how we can help you through the short sale process.

Importance of professional photos of your home when selling

Thu, 24 May 2012 08:56:45 -0700

“A picture is worth a thousand words”; this saying is very true, especially in the real estate world in this day and age when the average home buyer spends time online looking at homes first before they go and look at those homes in person.

The Keys to Taking Pictures

The first step to taking great pictures of a home is staging the pictures. Start out by cleaning each room in your house, you shouldn’t hesitate to clean all the way down to the baseboards and carpets because, a clean house will be noticeable in pictures just like a dirty house will be.

Once you have each room cleaned you should spend time staging the rooms in your home by removing unnecessary junk and keeping each space as clutter free as possible. During the process of cleaning you shouldn’t hesitate to experiment and try new things like adding new artwork to your walls, rearranging plants and changing around furniture because, a little experimentation could mean the difference between selling your home quickly and having it stay on the market longer.

Hire A Pro or Take Pictures Yourself?

One of the quickest ways to sell your home is taking great pictures but if you don’t have the time or desire to do it yourself you should hire someone to take the pictures for you. Some of the best places to find photographers is at local community colleges or graphic designer schools in your area.

If you want to take pictures of your home yourself you should invest in a new digital camera from your local store. You can expect to spend at least $150 or less for a decent digital camera but the investment is worth it especially if the pictures from your camera help you to sell your home quickly

Once you have taken at least five good pictures of each room you should download them to your computer and spend time editing each picture before you upload them to the real estate website where you will be listing your home.

Importance of proper landscaping prior to selling your home

Wed, 23 May 2012 21:08:00 -0700

Any top Orange County realtor knows that one of the keys to success with selling any home is landscaping but sadly many Orange County home owners fail to take the advice of their real estate agent when it comes landscaping and their homes stay on the market for longer than they should.

Landscaping Curb Appeal Tips

The first step to planning a great landscape that has curb appeal is to hire an Orange County landscape design company like Signature Landscape in Mission Viejo to give your home’s landscape a fresh perspective. If you are unable to hire a landscape designer at this time you can still give your Orange County home a freshly landscaped look by doing the following:

Lawn – Mow & edge your lawn then reseed plus fertilize areas of your lawn where there isn’t any grass growing. After you’ve fertilized just make sure that you water your lawn at least once a day in the early morning hours or late afternoon to insure that the soil stays moist and the grass grows.

Shrubs – Cut back any shrubs or bushes from your home and minimize them as much as possible. This step will help to make your lawn and garden seem bigger and make a potential home owner feel like it has more space than it does.

Add Color – Before you show your house for the first time stop by your local garden center and buy some new flowers to plant in your garden. Prospective home owners will love the new flowers and adding color to drab parts of your garden will make it seem less boring.

Clean, Clean, Clean

Aside from pruning, seeding and planting, spend a day with a power washer and clean your driveway plus any stepping stones that lead from your house to the garden. This step will help to get rid mold, mildew, dirt, grim and help to make those areas outside your home look new again.

The Importance of Staging Your Home Prior to Selling

Tue, 22 May 2012 10:03:50 -0700

One of the keys to success with selling any Orange County home is staging your home to sell. Why is this step important? Staging a home to sell will help the buyer to imagine or see themselves living in your home and you will be able to sell your home quickly compared to the home owner who doesn’t stage their home before listing/selling and then they wonder why their home hasn’t sold quickly.

Remove The Clutter

Any top Orange County realtor will tell you that the most important step to staging a home is removing the clutter in each room because, by removing the clutter, the rooms in your home will seem bigger and the potential buyer will feel that your home offers them more space than similar homes that may be for sale in your area.

When you’re removing the clutter, make sure that you separate everything into piles like: trash, donations, save for later or keep. As you're separating make sure that you honestly evaluate how often you use the items in each room because, it’s easy to hang onto items that you’re not really using or haven’t used in a long time.

Landscaping

Part of staging your home also includes the landscaping, you should cut back overgrown shrubs or trees, reseed and fertilize your lawn (if needed) and plant new flowers in your flower beds because, a well kept yard is a clear sign to a potential buyer of what they will find inside the home.

Windows

Clean all the windows of your home inside and out; while you’re cleaning you should also inspect all windows to make sure that they can safely open and close because, there’s nothing more frustrating than to have potential buyers find problems with your home while they are inspecting it.

Doors

Last of all, but most important, you should clean every door in your home and make sure that it is fingerprint free and clean. If you have a few extra dollars to spend, you should invest in a couple quarts of paint and paint the doors in your home soon because, doors that are freshly painted also leave potential buyers with positive impressions of your home.

www.bestocproperties.com

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Top 10 Advantages of Hiring a Top Listing Agent | Pt 4

Mon, 21 May 2012 09:25:53 -0700

Top 10 Advantages of Hiring a Top Listing Agent | Pt 3

In the final part of this four part series: “The Top 10 Advantages of Hiring A Top Listing Agent” were going to cover the most important advantage that you will receive when you hire a top Orange County realtor and we will provide you with a checklist of questions to ask your realtor so you will be able to find the right realtor for buying or selling an Orange County home.

#1 The Real Deal (Really!)

When you hire a top Orange County listing agent you will automatically benefit from an individual who has experience in buying and selling homes.

Having someone who holds a real estate license and knows the ends and outs of the real estate market is a huge asset to any home buyer or seller compared to the hassle and trouble that can come when someone tries to buy or sell an Orange County home on their own.

What Questions To Ask

Alright, we’ve covered the Top 10 Advantages of Hiring a Top Listing Agent, here are the top 10 questions you should ask a realtor before you hire them to either buy or sell a home in Orange County.

1. How long have you been a real estate agent?

2. Is being an Orange County real estate agent your full time job?

3. How many homes have you bought or sold within the last year?

4. What marketing plan or strategy do you have for selling my home?

5. Can you provide me with references? (Important when hiring a new agent)

6. What separates you from other Orange County realtors?

7. Can I review all documents before I sign them?

8. What is your fee?

9. Do you offer any guarantees?

10. Are there any disclosure laws that apply to me?

Don’t hesitate to sit down and ask your realtor hard questions because, in the end, buying or selling a home in Orange County will be one of the most important things that you will do in your life.

If you have any questions about the buying or selling a home in Orange County, contact one of our experienced agents at Fred Sed & Associates today at 949-272-0125 or email us at info@bestocproperties.com. We look forward to the opportunity of earning your business

Why Hire a Buyer’s Agent in Orange County? – Friday’s with Fred

Fri, 18 May 2012 09:55:32 -0700

Buying a home in Orange County is easy right? If you ask the average home buyer they might say yes but for others who have encountered difficulties during the home buying process the answer will be no. What’s the best way to simplify the home buying process in Orange County? It’s hiring a buyer’s agent.

How Does A Buyers Agent Benefit You?

The first way that a buyer’s agent benefits the buyer is that they are completely free for the buyer to hire and they don’t make any commission until they’ve found their buyer a home, condo or rental property.

How many professions can you think of that don’t charge an upfront fee? Most companies these days require upfront payment for their services and they don’t provide the same quality of service and support that an Orange County buyer’s agent can offer home buyers in Orange County.

You Need Excellent Representation

Thanks to the problems that sometimes arise during the home buying process, many home buyers find themselves settling for a home that was second or third on their list; to avoid this from happening it’s important for every home buyer in Orange County to hire a buyer’s agent to represent their best interests during the home buying process.

An Important, Life Changing Decision

Hiring a top Orange County buyer’s agent can be compared to hiring an attorney to represent your best interests in court; you wouldn’t go to court unprepared especially if there was $250,000 looming would you? Of course not, you would hire the best attorney possible to represent your best interest in court and insure that you received the verdict that you deserved.

If you’re searching for an Orange County home right now and still don’t have a buyers you should call one of the top Orange County buyer agents at Fred Sed & Associates today. We have the skill and experience you need to insure that you’re able to buy the home of your dreams.

Top 10 Advantages of Hiring a Top Listing Agent | Pt 3

Thu, 17 May 2012 16:14:54 -0700

Top 10 Advantages of Hiring a Top Listing Agent | Pt 2

In part three of this four part series (The Top 10 Advantages Of Hiring A Top Listing Agent) we are going to cover
the hidden advantages of hiring a top listing agent in Orange County that will help to save any Orange County
homeowner time and money.

#4 The Best Advantage for the Orange County Home Owner

Hiring a top Orange County real estate agent is free, that’s right, FREE!! Unlike other services where you have to pay
up front before the service is performed on your behalf, the OC real estate agent will work for you and they will
only get paid once your home sells.

#3 Your Transaction Will Be Confidential

If you’re worried that you might have to disclose your income or financial information to sellers, think again, when
you hire a top Orange County Realtor your financial information will be protected and your real estate
transaction will be handled in a confidential manner.

#2 No More Pain In The Neck

With a top Orange County listing agent you will no longer have to continue straining your neck to look into the
windows of homes that you’re interested in buying because, your Orange County real estate agent will have the
keys that are needed to get into the homes that you’re interested in seeing so you can save the strain on your
body and easily check out homes that you’re interested in.

#1 The Best Search Results

If you’re interested in buying an home or condo in Orange County you’ve probably done your fair share of searching online for
the right home but what you don’t know is that your Realtor will have access to better
search results than you do so you can fit the right home that matches your specifications and fits within your price
range.

At Fred Sed & Associates we’re excited about the start of summer because we know that more home buyers will
be searching for the home of their dreams than ever before. If you haven’t contacted one of our
real estate agents yet what’s stopping you? We have the best team of top Orange County real estate agents that
will help you to quickly sell your home or buy the home of your dreams. Contact us today.

Top 10 Advantages of Hiring a Top Listing Agent | Pt 2

Wed, 16 May 2012 21:34:55 -0700

Top 10 Advantages of Hiring a Top Listing Agent Pt. 1

In part two of this four part series “Top 10 Advantages of Hiring a Top Listing Agent” we're going to cover three critical advantages that that set a top Orange County real estate agent apart from the others working in the Orange County real estate market today.

#7 Your Buffer Zone

As an Orange County homeowner you would be swamped with offers if you were to attempt to list your home yourself and you would also be overwhelmed by the tactics and strategies of real estate agents that are representing other parties. When you hire the best Orange County real estate agentpossible you will automatically benefit because your real estate agent will act as a “buffer zone” and protect your best interests by filtering out bad offers and save you the time and hassle of having to endure unproductive visits.

#6 They Have A Network

If repairs need to be made to your home before it can be listed, your Orange County real estate agent will be able to recommend the top professionals in your area who can get the job done for the best price. Every OC Real estate agent knows that it’s not always easy for a homeowner to sell their home, that’s why they keep a database of affordable contractors, vendors and suppliers which will help to save a consumer money when a repaid job needs to be done on a homeGet More “Bang” For Your Buck

#5 Get More “Bang” For Your Buck

During the economic recession, nobody understands the difficulties that homeowners face better than Orange County realtors and they will help home buyers and sellers to get a good return on the investment or funds that they have to work because, they value relationships and know that by providing honest service and support you will want to use their services for buying or selling and your home in the future.

Do you need help buying or selling your home? At Fred Sed & Associates we have a great team of Orange County real estate professionals who love helping home buyers and sellers find the home of their dreams. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.

Orange County 2012 1st Quarter Real Estate Market Recap | Fridays with Fred

Fri, 11 May 2012 09:50:20 -0700

In the first quarter of 2012 the Orange County Real Estate Market saw an 8.9% increase in sales with a total of 6,321 homes sold throughout Orange County. Much of this was due to lack of available inventory, low interest rates, and low home prices. The inventory available is near a seven year low and appears to become more scarce.

Beautiful 3B,3B Detached Rental Home in Irvine | 71 Alevera St

Mon, 07 May 2012 18:05:44 -0700

*** BEAUTIFUL DETACHED VILLA STYLE OAK CREEK HOME!! ***

Overview
Maps
Photos
Description
Neighborhood
Market Stats

$2,595

Single Family Home

Main Features

3 Bedrooms
3 Bathrooms
Interior: 1,360 sqft

Location

71 Alevera St
Irvine, CA 92618
USA

To get updates on open home dates and other property events, please click the "Like" button below:

Fred Sed

Realty One Group
(949) 272-0125
Fred@BestOCProperties.com
http://www.BestOCProperties.com

Listed by: Fred Sed

Our recent listings

*** BEAUTIFUL DETACHED VILLA STYLE OAK CREEK HOME!! ***
Fantastic Italian Westpark Rental
***Elegant Home for Rent in RSM***
****Gorgeous Condo 3Bed Condo in RSM****
**** HURRY! Bank approved Short Sale! Spacious 4B, 3B, House****

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Top 10 Advantages of Hiring a Top Listing Agent | Pt 1

Mon, 07 May 2012 13:47:55 -0700

One of the most important things that anyone who lives in the Orange County area will engage in is hiring a top listing agent to help them sell a home. In part one of this four part series we’re going to break down the benefits of hiring a top listing agent so that you find the real estate agent who will be right for you.

The Area Expert

One of the first signs that you’ve found a top Orange County listing agent is when speaking with that agent, you know that they are very knowledgeable about your community. Your Orange County real estate agent will have no problem knowing all there is to know about the schools in your area, shopping centers, attractions, restaurants and employers that are hiring because, he or she will be able to use all of those benefits as selling points when selling to a person who may be interested in moving to your area but might not have any experience there.

You Will Get Your Asking Price

The next benefit of hiring a top Orange County real estate agent is that you will save time and money when it comes to trying to sell your home, yourself (FSBO) and you will save the hassle of getting involved with an inexperienced Orange County real estate agent who charges a low commission with the promise to help you sell your home quickly, but 30 to 60 days later, they will still be trying to sell your home and you will be left frustrated with their lack of results. 20% of agents sell 80% of homes, so make sure that the agent you use is in the top 20%.

It’s All about Negotiation

Last of all, one of the most important benefits of hiring a top Orange County listing agent is the agent's negotiation skills, you will benefit from having an agent who’s experienced at negotiating tough deals and you will be able to get the asking price on your home instead of having to go down in price.

At Fred Sed & Associates we have a team of experienced Orange County real estate agents who have the skills to help you sell your home quickly. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you buy your first home, sell your home or buy the rental property you’ve been thinking about.

How To Select The Right Offer On Your Home | Friday's with Fred

Fri, 04 May 2012 11:06:23 -0700

Selling a home in Orange County can be more complicated than just choosing the offer with the highest price. Here are the top 5 things to consider when choosing the right offer for you.

1) What financing is the buyer presenting? Are they paying with all cash, which will eliminate complications with bank funding and reduce the escrow period.

2) Length of the closing time. Will the buyer be selling a home and need longer to close escrow? Are you transferring and need to sell your home fast?

3) Are they asking you to cover closing costs?

4) Are they asking you to include any furniture or appliances with the sale?

5) What are they offering to buy the home for compared to what the projected market value of the home is?

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Five Steps To Selecting An Offer On Your Home

Fri, 04 May 2012 08:40:50 -0700

Orange County home owners are in the perfect position right now because, there is a low supply of homes in the OC real estate market and that means it’s a sellers-market.

With multiple offers to choose from, every Orange County home owner who is selling their home, should take a step back and use these tips to examine the offers that they received on their home before moving forward.

What Type of Buyer Financing? The first thing to examine when a buyer submits an offer is their financing:

Are they going to be paying with all cash?
Will they have a low down payment with high loan financing terms?
Is the buyer going to submit a high down payment with low finance terms?

Length of Closing Time Requested

How long is the closing time the buyer requesting? Do they want seven days, 14 days, 30 days or longer? More time can mean an added cushion for you, if you’re still searching for another home but, if you’re interested in selling your home fast, you should find out in advance how long the closing time the buyer is requesting is so their desire lines up with your plans.

Do they Want Closing Costs?

One of the most important steps to selling an Orange County home that every realtor will tell you is verifying the buyer’s final requests, especially if they are asking you to pay their closing costs. You could find that the buyer is asking you to pay $2,000 or more of their closing costs so it’s always best to confirm this in advance before approving their offer.

What Special Items do they want?

It may sound funny to you but, some buyers might want special items from your home to be included in the sale. The buyer could ask for your furniture or certain appliances in your home because, some items within a home like an area rug, kitchen table or couches make a home more appealing to the buyer so it’s always a good step to have your Orange County realtor verify if the buyer wants any furniture or appliances from your home included in the sale.

Wrapping up The Deal

Last of all, but most important, you must verify what the seller is offering for your home and make sure that they are meeting your asking price to insure that you don’t sign an offer that’s lower than what your home or other homes in the area may be worth.

If you have questions on the offers that you received on your Orange County home, CLICK HERE to fill out our free consultation form. We at Fred Sed & Associates have all the tools that you need to sell your Orange County home fast and benefit from this seller's market.

2012 1st Quarter Orange County Real Estate Recap

Thu, 03 May 2012 11:45:43 -0700

The first quarter of 2012 ended strong for the Orange County real estate market as sales were up and the state of the OC real estate market reminded many top Orange County realtors of the 2004-2005 real estate boom.

Short Sales

We saw more Orange County short sales in the first quarter of 2012 thanks to lenders like Bank of America, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae speeding up their short sales processes so homeowners could short sell their homes in as little as 20 days compared to thirty days or longer that homeowners have had to wait with other lenders.

Another thing that helped the short sale market was cash incentives and government programs that paid homeowners between $3,000 and $35,000 just to short sell their homes. These incentives helped many homeowners get out of their underwater or distressed homes and move on with their lives.

Foreclosures

Many Orange County real estate agents noticed a big difference between the first quarter of 2012 compared to Q1 of 2011 in a drop of foreclosures which were at their lowest level in five years! How long this will last is anyone’s guess because, another wave of foreclosures is expected to hit the U.S. real estate market before the end of the year.

Median Home Price

The first quarter ended strong with a median home price of $425,000 and there were almost 11,500 homes available, this means that it’s a seller’s market and many Orange County home buyers have been coming out of the shadows to seller their homes with confidence that it’s time to sell.

Overall, the state of the Orange County real estate market remains strong and echoes other markets across the United States, many top Orange County realtors including us at Fred Sed & Associates are excited that the economic recession is ending and more buyers will soon be able to enter the OC real estate market to buy a first time home, condo or rental property.

Top 4 Things to Consider When Qualifying For A Mortgage

Thu, 03 May 2012 11:17:17 -0700

Ask any top Orange County Realtor and they will tell you that qualifying for a mortgage is one of the most important parts of the home buying process because, it will give you, the home buyer, the opportunity to see what type of Orange County home you can afford.

Will you be able to buy a three bedroom, two bath home in Orange County? Or will you have to start out with a two bedroom, one bath, town home? Pre-qualification is the important first step that you need to follow for finding out if you will be able to move into the home of your dreams. Before you meet with your mortgage broker or lender, here are the steps you should follow:

Financial Assessment

Review your assets like: CD’s, stocks, bonds, mutual funds and savings accounts that you can cash in and use towards the down payment on your Orange County home.

Calculate

The next step is to contact your local realtor to use their mortgage calculator. A mortgage calculator is important because, it will add up or enumerate all of your assets and financial state to determine what your monthly mortgage will be, mortgage term and interest so you will have a clear idea of what your financial future will be like with a monthly mortgage payment.

Research

Once you’ve contacted an Orange County real estate agent like Fred Sed & Associates or used a free online mortgage calculator, you should next start researching Orange County homes to see if you can find the right home which will fall within the price you can afford. If you don’t find homes that fall within your price range, you may want to re-evaluate your expectations and opt for a home that doesn’t include added features like an in-ground swimming pool or Jacuzzi.

Credit Report

Last of all, but most important, before meeting with a mortgage broker or lender, make sure you pull copies of your credit report with the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Transunion and Experian because, you should know what’s on your credit report before you apply for a mortgage loan.

How To Avoid Foreclosure | Part 5 Short Sale

Tue, 01 May 2012 09:56:23 -0700

How To Avoid Foreclosure | Part 4 Bankruptcy

In the final part of this five part series “5 steps to preventing foreclosure” we’re going to cover short sales, the final option that every Orange County homeowner should consider before choosing foreclosure.

Short Sale vs. Foreclosure

Banks prefer short sales vs. foreclosures for variety of reasons including:

Speed – Short sales can take a minimum of 20 days to complete (depending on lender)

compared to 60 to 120 days that foreclosures can take for completion.

Loss – A lender will take less of a financial loss on a short sale compared to foreclosures where

they can lose up to $80,000 or more on a home.

Stability – Short sales help to stabilize neighborhoods and raise home values because, with less

homes sitting vacant in a neighborhood, more buyers will want to move to a well-populated, safer neighborhood.

Credit – A short sale in Orange County, California or any other part of the country will leave less

of an impact on a homeowners credit report and they may be able to buy another home in four years or less (depending on lender).

Understand the Short Sale Process

Step 1 – Hire a top Orange County Short Sale agent like Fred Sed & Associates that specializes in short sales. This step is the most important part of the process because, a short sale specialist can help you with every part of the short sale process like writing a hardship letter plus they don’t charge an upfront fee and only get paid once your short sale is approved.

Step 2 – Find out which financial documents your bank will require and then create your packet. Many lenders typically require at least two years-worth of W2’s, income tax returns, paycheck stubs, bank statements and proof of other sources of income.

Step 3 – Practice sound financial principles during the short sale process. If your lender pulls your credit report and sees that you recently went to Maui before your short sale, they will think that you have enough money to make your mortgage payment and will not grant your short sale.

In Closing

As of March 2012 more banks are approving short sales than ever before including Bank of America who recently announced that their approval time for short sales has gone from 30 days down to 20 days. Many lenders including BoA are now paying homeowners up to $30,000 dollars or more to short sell their homes so now is the right time for homeowners who live in underwater homes or are dealing with a financial hardship in Orange County to start the short sale process.

http://www.bestocproperties.com/how-to-avoid-foreclosure-part-5-short-sale/

How To Avoid Foreclosure | Part 4 Bankruptcy

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 08:52:16 -0700

How To Avoid Foreclosure | Part 3 Refinance

In part 4 of this five part series ‘5 steps to preventing foreclosure” were going to cover bankruptcy and
learn more about the ins and outs of this option to help Orange County homeowners determine if it’s the
right choice for them.

Will You Lose Your Home?

During the Chapter 7 bankruptcy process, the homeowner will typically lose their home when the trustee
sells it to pay off their unsecured creditors, although this is a common option, homeowners may actually
be able to keep their homes, with an option known as the homestead exemption, that enables the
homeowner to protect a portion of the equity in their home.

If the homeowner doesn’t have enough protected equity in their home under the homestead exemption,
the bankruptcy trustee can sell their home during the bankruptcy process.

Figuring Out the Homestead Exemption

Here’s how homeowners can figure out their non-exempt equity:

Step 1 – The homeowner must figure out the homestead exemption amount that they can claim. This
figure is typically up to $100,000 dollars.

Step 2 – Factor in what commission the trustee will make. The commission will be at least 25% on the
first $5,000 dollars, 10% on the preceding $50,000 dollars and 5% on the remaining balance which can
be up to $1 million dollars.

Step 3 – Determine the cost of sale. This amount is typically 8% of a home’s market value.

Step 4 – Total amount that’s owed on all mortgages on the home.

Step 5 – Total amount owed for tax liens or mortgage liens.

If the homeowner comes up with a number negative instead of a positive number, their home does not
have enough equity or incentive for the trustee to sell it in the bankruptcy because, there will not be any
money left over once the house is sold to pay off their unsecured creditors.

Get Legal Help Today

Every Orange County homeowner who is considering bankruptcy should seek out legal help and contact
a qualified bankruptcy attorney today. Bankruptcy is a viable option that may enable homeowners to
keep their homes and possibly buy another home within seven years or less if their home is sold
in bankruptcy.

How To Avoid Foreclosure | Part 5 Short Sale

http://www.bestocproperties.com/how-to-avoid-foreclosure-part-4-bankruptcy/