orange county: Spring Cleaning Checklist For You
- 05/22/12 01:59 AM
It's not too late to do your spring cleaning if you haven't already. Many people get so busy that it's summer by the time they get to it. If that's the case with you, here is a handy checklist to help you get it done. Kitchen: Dust and vacuum your refridgerator coils - This can not only save you money by your fridge running more efficiently, it can also years to the life of your refridgerator. Defrost freezer and/or deep freeze - I know, I know. Many people dread doing this, but it's good for keeping tabs on what you have … (1 comments)
orange county: Home Market Time At Lowest Point In 7 Years In The O.C.
- 05/01/12 03:45 AM
It's been fascinating to watch the ups and downs of the slow recovery of our real estate market in Orange County and, as I stated numerous times last year, we're not there yet and we still have a ways to go. Good news does keep trickling in, however, and the latest report by Jon Lansner in the Orange County Register shows demand for homes in the O.C. at its highest point in 7 years! Current records show that on the average homes in Orange County are taking 4 fewer days to sell. As of the end of April, Steve Thomas of ReportsOnHousing.com says … (0 comments)
orange county: Finding the Right Neighborhood for You and Your Family
- 02/14/12 07:11 AM
One of the most important considerations in planning your move is to find the right neighborhood for you and your family. Beyond the practicalities and aesthetics of your new home, there are important points to consider about the area you're looking at possibly moving to. Here is a checklist of 12 points to consider: How close is it to your place(s) of employment, entertainment and shopping for your needs. How close is it to a hospital and medical facilities? Are there more homeowners than renters? Are there quality schools with high standards? Is there daycare available close by? Is there … (0 comments)
orange county: Orange County Foreclosures at Lowest Point in nearly 2 years
- 02/07/12 08:18 AM
The number of foreclosures in Orange County continues to drop and over the past two weeks we have reached our lowest total of foreclosures countywide since June of 2010...nearly 2 years! What this means to you as a home buyer is that there will be fewer and fewer of these deals available as experts predict that 2012 will be a year of foreclosures being a hot commodity with an expected market availability time of only 1.1 months. In plain English, they will go fast and you will lose out if you wait too long. Short sales have reached their lowest point … (0 comments)
orange county: Real Estate Recovery in 2012?
- 01/17/12 07:13 AM
There was a great article in the Orange County Register recently regarding 2012 and what real estate experts and insiders are predicting. The overall concensus seems to be that we should see slight improvement in 2012, but the real improvement won't be realized until 2015 at the earliest. Cameron Merage, the founder and CEO of First Team Real Estate had some interesting insights into the coming year and made these points: 1) We will see a flat to improving market in 2012 just as we did in 2011. 2) Economic rebound could be delayed by more influx of foreclosures and … (0 comments)
orange county: Homebuilding On The Rise? Not Quite What You Think...
- 10/07/11 07:47 AM
Recently, I wrote about how apartment rents are on the rise in the Orange County and Beach Areas and that experts are projecting this to be the case for the next 5 years or so. Reports are coming out now that new home construction is up exponentially from last year, which is true; however, as you will see that report on its surface can be a little misleading. New home permits in Orange County are up 73.7% from the same period last year. That's 3,901 housing units...at a value of $694 million dollars, which is 38.3% higher that the same period … (0 comments)
orange county: What REALLY Adds Value To Your Home?
- 07/11/11 12:24 AM
There are many misconceptions about what truly adds value to your home and can make it sell for a higher price. Some sellers have found out the hard way that modifications they perceived as adding value actually do the opposite, especially in today's market. In past years, the big culprit has been the addition of a swimming pool. NAR has released reports over recent years that clarify what adds value and what doesn't. Here is a checklist of some of the results. Central AC can add up to 12% to the price of a home. Remodeling to add additional living area … (0 comments)
orange county: Sunny Side Up for the OC
- 04/28/11 12:18 AM
In spite of the gloom and doom that dominates the national news, the first quarter of 2011 showed some overall positives for the OC.
Home sale pricing rose in 40% of the Orange County market, including 27 of 83 zip codes showing improvement. Sales have come down slightly (by 0.9%) from where they were a year ago, but that tends to happen when prices go up even slightly. However, 8 of the OC's zips showed an increase in both sales and pricing: Costa Mesa (92627), Garden Grove (92843), Seal Beach (90740), Santa Ana (92703), San Juan Capistrano (92675), Mission … (1 comments)
orange county: Buyers: Like It Or Not, Waiting Is A Risk
- 04/08/11 06:36 AM
Are you looking to buy a home? Are you looking to refinance your existing mortgage? Agents seem to always be saying "It's a great time to buy!" or "It's a great time to sell!" no matter what the market is like. While it's important for us all to maintain a positive mindset in the face of adversity, it's just as important to know the facts about the Beach Areas real estate market so as to deal with it realistically. The waiting game is interesting because for a while there are people who wait and wind up benefiting from it. Other people … (1 comments)
Surf the sand? What would you do? If you're new to the area, just visiting or if you're a local wanting to rediscover what's around us in the Beach Areas, GW Tours' SegwayTours are a fun way to do it. From downtown Huntington Beach to the beaches themselves, the segway tours will take you all over. I love living here and sometimes it's easy to either forget or take for granted what we have in our own back yard! And come on...if you haven't ridden a segway before, you know you're just ACHING to! You'll be in good hands, too, because my friend and … (0 comments)
orange county: NOW Is A Good Time To Put Your House On The Market...?
- 03/22/11 04:11 AM
I'm sure you've heard that phrase before. “Now is a GREAT time to sell!” It's a phrase that has been beaten to death, unfortunately, by too many agents who are worried more about saying the right thing than guiding clients to a healthy decision. Now the phrase has become cliché, but quite frankly there is truth to is in the O.C. The time is really, really good to plan the sale of your house in the next 4 to 8 weeks. Just over a year ago in January 2010, the local number of unsold houses was large enough that CAR (California … (2 comments)
orange county: Navigating the Pricing Tug-Of-War
- 02/10/11 03:48 AM
If you're a home owner looking to sell, take time to assess your situation and do your homework on home values in your area before stating your asking price. There's a nice piece in the Orange County Register by Marilyn Kalfus on recent statistics and trends that has some good advice on what to expect. In the article, she quotes broker Steve Thomas as saying “Just because it is the best time of the year to sell, that does NOT mean that buyers are willing to pay a premium for a home in today's market.” The article goes on to refer … (0 comments)
orange county: Look At Your Home From Both Sides
- 02/02/11 08:27 AM
If you're thinking about buying a home, you probably have good idea what you want your new Beach Areas home to be like. If you're thinking about selling your home, this post will give you some insight from the buyer's side which will help you make decorating choices that won't cause you more work as you get your home sell-ready. Everybody wants the “best deal” when looking to buy a home, and that so-called “best deal” looks different in each buyer's eyes. Truth is, though, the best deal is usually on a home that needs some work...the proverbial “fixer-upper,” and … (0 comments)
It's not too late to do your spring cleaning if you haven't already. Many people get so busy that it's summer by the time they get to it. If that's the case with you, here is a handy checklist to help you get it done.
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