• Down payment assistance* (currently in the form of a grant)

• For the purchase of primary residences in California

• New or existing properties are eligible

• Program is NOT limited to first-time homebuyers Thousands of people each year dream of becoming homeowners. The CHF Platinum Program may help that dream become a reality. This homebuyer assistance program currently provides low-to-moderate income families and individuals with a Gran tthat does not have to be re-paid. Many times this allows them to purchase a home much sooner than they thought possible.*

The Program is available for the purchase of an owner-occupied singlefamily residence, approved condominium or planned unit development located in the state of California.

The Grant made possible through the Program can be used towards the homebuyer’s down payment and/or closing costs on a 30-year fixed rate fully amortized FHA, VA or USDA mortgage.

The Program is available for purchases of both new and existing homes and is NOT limited to first-time homebuyers.

*Certain restrictions apply on all programs. 

December Pending Home Sales Index for The State Of California Real Estate!

California pending home sales lower in December; distressed sales rise as lenders push through more REOs, short sales, C.A.R. reports

LOS ANGELES (Jan. 24) – The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®’ (C.A.R.) Pending Home Sales Index dropped as expected between November and December, tracking the annual seasonal slowdown.  However, the index was higher than a year ago for the eighth straight month, a trend that bodes well for the start of the spring home-buying season.  C.A.R. also reported that sales of distressed properties increased in December, as lenders pushed to close REOs and short sales to move them off their balance sheets before the end of the year. 

Pending home sales:
C.A.R.’s Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI)* fell from a revised 108.7 in November to 91.6 in December, based on signed contracts.  The index was up from the revised 82.5 recorded in December 2010, marking the eighth consecutive month that pending sales rose from the previous year.  The decline follows a normal seasonal drop that usually occurs in November and December.  Pending home sales are forward-looking indicators of future home sales activity, providing information on the future direction of the market.

Distressed housing market data:

• Equity sales made up 52.7 percent of home sales in December, down up from 55.1 percent in November but up from 51.7 percent in December 2010.
• The total share of all distressed property types sold statewide rose to 47.3 percent in December, up from November’s 44.9 percent but down from 48.3 percent in December 2010.
• Of the distressed properties sold statewide in December, 22.2 percent were short sales, up from the previous month’s share of 21 percent and up from last December’s share of 19.6 percent.
• The share of REO sales rose in December to 24.6 percent, up from November’s 23.5 percent, but down from the 28.3 percent recorded in December 2010.

Multimedia:

View a video of C.A.R. Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young discussing highlights of the December existing home sales and price report, which was released Jan. 17.

View a chart of closed housing sales by sales type.

View a chart of pending sales compared with closed sales.

View a chart of the historical trend in the share of equity sales compared with distressed sales.View a chart of housing supply for REOs, short sales, and equity sales.

Share of Distressed Sales to Total Sales
(Single-family)

Single-family Distressed Home Sales by Select Counties
(Percent of total sales)

**Note:  C.A.R.’s pending sales information is generated from a survey of more than 70 associations of REALTORS® and MLSs throughout the state.  Pending home sales are forward-looking indicators of future home sales activity, offering solid information on future changes in the direction of the market.  A sale is listed as pending after a seller has accepted a sales contract on a property.  The majority of pending home sales usually becomes closed sales transactions one to two months later.  The year 2008 was used as the benchmark for the Pending Homes Sales Index.  An index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2008.

Leading the way...® in California real estate for more than 100 years, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (www.car.org) is one of the largest state trade organizations in the United States, with 155,000 members dedicated to the advancement of professionalism in real estate. C.A.R. is headquartered in Los Angeles.

Most Popular Names Chosen In 2011 By Orange County Residents

Jacob and Sophia were the most popular names chosen by new parents in Orange County in 2011— for the second year in a row. New boy names making the list were Jayden (4th) and Dylan (10th), and Andrew (7th) returned after being absent from 2010’s Top 10 roll-call. Other popular boy names were Matthew, Daniel, Ethan, Nathan, Anthony and Alexander. Popular girl names included Isabella, Emma, Olivia, Mia, Emily, Samantha, Ava and Chloe. Victoria rounded out the girl names. The list was compiled from 46,000 births. For more information, visit www.ocrecorder.com.

GET ANNUAL FREE CREDIT CHECK

It never hurts to keep an eye on your credit report. Your financial credit score can help you now or down the road whether you are buying a car or a home or renting.

Go to http://annualcreditreport.com  and get your free credit report.  While there, get a credit report for your minor children. They have a Social Security Number and agencies are finding identity theft on children. If you want to buy a credit score, go to Trans Union or Equifax.  Costs about $15.00 and would be informative. Stay away from freecreditreport.com. They are the largest seller of personal information of any URL in the US of A.

PROTECT YOUR HOME AND YOUR WALLET

If you own or plan to purchase a home, then you know that insurance is not just a luxury, it’s a requirement.  While you should not skimp on certain coverage items, there are some steps you can take to reduce your overall premium.

If you have a security system installed (and operating!), you might lower your premium by 5% or more.  You'll just need to provide your insurer with a copy of your contract or latest statement.  Also, while newer homes have smoke alarms already installed, hooking them up in an older home might also reduce your premium by as much as 10%.

Just like health or auto insurance, if you increase your deductible on homeowners insurance, you'll reduce your premium.  Just be sure you're prepared to pocket smaller repairs like broken windows or damages from leaks.

If your policy is held by a company that also offers auto or health insurance, look into discounts for multiple policies.  You could save a percentage on both your homeowners and auto policies, for example.

Another money (and time and stress) saver is to document everything in your home with a photographic inventory.  Store photos, cds or videos in a fireproof box or, preferably, a safe deposit box off site.  This will reduce the time and effort required to complete a claim, and guarantee an accurate replacement payment.

Larry Weichman is President and Broker of Costa Mesa-based real estate powerhouse Weichman Realtors,”the most trusted name in Costa Mesa Real Estate”. Larry and his highly-trained team of professionals have proudly served Costa Mesa since 1976. For questions about an upcoming sale or purchase, call him directly at 714-241-4532 or email your questions to Larry@TeamWeichman.com. Be sure to visit Larry Weichman in Costa Mesa CAfor the latest news and information on the Costa Mesa real estate market. Lic #00573423

 Search all available listings 

Search Golf Course Homes 

View all available foreclosures instantly 

Search Short Sale Homes in your area

 Search Recent Home Sales

(714) 241-4532

1525 Mesa Verde Drive East

Costa Mesa, CA 92626-5221 

 DRE Lic. 00573423

Weichman Realtors /Costa Mesa Chamber Chairman of the Board Santa Set to Have a Busy Tuesday Dec. 20th! Including Channel 9 News!

Holiday Lights: How To Safely Economize

Who doesn’t love the sight of holiday lights twinkling all about? Just don’t take any chances with safety—or run up a huge electricity bill. Here are a few tips to consider when planning your holiday display:

Do you still use those old traditional sets of colored bulbs? If you do, you should be aware that some of those older strings can use up to 10 watts per bulb. Strings of modern 5 miniature lights use about 70 percent less electricity— and the bulbs last longer. If you want super efficiency, buy some LED holiday bulbs. These bulbs are safe to touch, won’t burn your hands, and they’re shockproof and shatterproof. Best of all, LED bulbs present no fire hazard, the bulbs last a long time, and they can cut your energy costs by 85 percent.

Additionally, don’t overload your home’s electrical circuits. Older homes generally carry a maximum of 1,800 watts. Newer homes generally can handle 2,400 watts. All outdoor cords, plugs and sockets should be weather-proof. Keep your electrical connections off the ground. Make sure your wiring is clear of drainpipes and railings, too. Check your light sets for frayed wiring, damaged sockets, or cracked insulation before you decorate. If you find any of these problems, replace the entire set. Make sure you buy the kind of lights you need—indoor sets for your tree and other areas inside your house, and outdoor sets for exterior displays.

Lastly, always make sure that the lights you purchase have the Underwriters Laboratories label, which ensures that they meet safety requirements.

Larry Weichman is President and Broker of Costa Mesa-based real estate powerhouse Weichman Realtors,”the most trusted name in Costa Mesa Real Estate”. Larry and his highly-trained team of professionals have proudly served Costa Mesa since 1976. For questions about an upcoming sale or purchase, call him directly at 714-241-4532 or email your questions to Larry@TeamWeichman.com. Be sure to visit Larry Weichman in Costa Mesa CAfor the latest news and information on the Costa Mesa real estate market. Lic #00573423

 Search all available listings 

Search Golf Course Homes 

View all available foreclosures instantly 

Search Short Sale Homes in your area

 Search Recent Home Sales

(714) 241-4532

1525 Mesa Verde Drive East

Costa Mesa, CA 92626-5221 

 DRE Lic. 00573423  

Have A Tree For Christmas? Be Careful Not To Burn Your Home Down!

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) reports more than double the number of open-flame fires on Christmas Day than on an average day, and about twice as many on New Year’s Day.

Property loss during a holiday fire is 34 percent greater than in an average fire, and the number of fatalities per thousand fires is nearly 70 percent higher.

If the source of the fire is a highly flammable Christmas tree, the toll in property and lives is even greater.

It takes less than 30 seconds for a dry tree to engulf a room in flames, according to the Building and Fire Research Laboratory of the National Institute for Standards and Technology.

To minimize risk, buy a fresh tree with intact needles, get a fresh cut on the trunk, and water it every day. A well-watered tree is almost impossible to ignite. Keep the tree away from heat sources, such as a fireplace or radiator, and out of traffic patterns. If using live garlands and other greenery, keep them at least three feet away from heating sources.  No matter how well the tree is watered, it will start to dry out after about four weeks.

Larry Weichman is President and Broker of Costa Mesa-based real estate powerhouse Weichman Realtors,”the most trusted name in Costa Mesa Real Estate”. Larry and his highly-trained team of professionals have proudly served Costa Mesa since 1976. For questions about an upcoming sale or purchase, call him directly at 714-241-4532 or email your questions to Larry@TeamWeichman.com. Be sure to visit Larry Weichman in Costa Mesa CAfor the latest news and information on the Costa Mesa real estate market. Lic #00573423

 Search all available listings 

Search Golf Course Homes 

View all available foreclosures instantly 

Search Short Sale Homes in your area

 Search Recent Home Sales

(714) 241-4532

1525 Mesa Verde Drive East

Costa Mesa, CA 92626-5221 

 DRE Lic. 00573423