OC Realty Blog

Whether you’re selling real estate in South Orange County California or anywhere in the nation, one of the top five factors that make your home sell is Curb Appeal! 

Most of us know it when we see it -– the house in the neighborhood that catches your attention each time you drive past it. The owners obviously care about their home and it shows in the details that are noticeable even to someone passing by in a car. Yes, this house has curb appeal, and if you’re going to place your home on the market, you’ll want to create curb appeal too. And if you’re buying a home, most often you look for curb appeal, otherwise you may not even bother to look inside!Great curb appeal is created through details, especially the walkway, lighting and landscaping. If it seems like it would be difficult to approach your home, make it more welcoming by keeping your walkways clean and clutter-free. Trim back the overhanging trees or bushes.

If you’re thinking of selling your home and would like additional tips on creating curb appeal, don’t hesitate to call or email me.

Identify your property price range and strengthen your bargaining power by understanding the difference between these two tools. 

While a pre-qualification provides you and with a “ballpark” estimate of your power, it’s only as good as the information provided.  A pre-approval is backed by verification of your income, credit, and asset information.  It allows you to know what homes you can truly afford and greatly strengthens your negotiating power, especially in multiple offer situations. 

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When you’re ready to write up that purchase offer, most sellers today require a pre-approval letter from your lender be submitted with the offer so they know they are receiving an offer from a qualified buyer.  If there happens to be multiple offers, you stand a stronger chance of getting the home if you have the pre-approval letter and the other party does not.

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If you’re a real estate buyer in the South Orange County areas of Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, Dana Point, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Laguna Beach, Corona Del Mar or Newport Beach, call or email me for more information on the pre-approval process.

(Part 3 of a 5-Part Series): 

If you don’t have one already, you should meet with a financial planner to determine the best course of action to plan your future investment portfolio.  In addition, a meeting with your tax accountant is beneficial in identifying ways to reduce your tax burden.  They can also give you advice on which files and records you can discard in preparation for the move.  When reviewing your financial plans, consider these key points: 

• Is it time to cash in on your stocks, mutual funds, bonds, etc? 
• Examine your portfolio mix to see if it’s at the right risk level for you. 
• Do you need to rollover a 401K, take distribution or setup a SEPP account? 
• Review your need to setup an emergency fund in a passbook savings or CD account. 
• Protect your home equity by:  

§         Transferring your existing tax base under Prop 60 & 90 (California only)

 §         Excluding capital gain tax under IRC 121 §         Deferring capital gain tax by doing an IRC 1031 like-kind exchange on your investment property. 

I can’t stress enough how important it is to do this financial review.  You want to make sure you have solid plans to take care of your needs after retirement.

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If you need help with your move in the South Orange County California areas of Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, Rancho Santa Margarita, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Corona Del Mar or Newport Beach, please contact me to help you with your transition as I am a qualified Senior Real Estate Specialist.

For the calendar month of March 2007,  real estate sales for all types of Orange County home sales decreased 25.5 percent.  The median sales price, however,  increased 0.6 percent.  The median is where half the homes sold for more and half for less.  Types of homes selling, as well as home value changes, cause the median to change.  (Source:  Orange County Register April 15. 2007).

If you’d like the information on a city that is not listed, just call or email me.

What’s the best way to help your home make a great first impression on would-be buyers? Real estate experts agree that “staging” your home to show it in the most favorable light is well worth your time and effort.Beyond the pre-sale cleaning and organizing you would expect to do, successful staging includes strategically arranging objects and furniture, adding decorative touches and more. Here are a few tips from the pros to help buyers make an immediate emotional connection with your home:

Whether you do the staging yourself or have your home done by a professional, area experts say that homes that are staged often sell 75% faster and for 5-10% higher than the asking price!

If you need more information about staging your home, you can call or email me.  I’m your resource for valuable staging ideas and referrals to professional stagers in the South Orange County California area.

When is the right time to buy?  People move into home ownership for a variety of reasons.  Some want to become established in a community or to provide a more permanent home for their family.  Many think that real estate is a good investment.

There are many advantages to home ownership: 

. . .  Appreciation –Your home can increase in value over time, increasing your equity and your personal net worth.

 . . . Personalization –You can change or improve your home to suit your style and needs, such as painting or wallpapering, installing new flooring, or upgrading the bathrooms. 

. . . Space – A house generally offers you more space inside and out than a rental apartment, along with the ability to remodel the existing space or add on. 

. . . Enjoyment – Plain and simple, most homeowners take a great deal of pride in their homes.

When you are ready to purchase a home in South Orange County California, I welcome the opportunity to help you.  I specialize in the areas of Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Corona Del Mar, and Newport Beach.

What Is It?  A type of financing where the buyer or seller pays extra points (often called discount points) in return for a lower interest rate.

The low-down on buydowns is that they are commonly used to make qualifying for a loan easier since they lower a loan’s interest rate.  Most common is the temporary buydown where you prepay interest in exchange for a lower rate on the first 2-3 years of a loan.  Often the builder, seller or lender, all who want to make the housing more attractive to buyers, will pay for the buydown.  Also, the lower starting rate makes it easier for the buyer to qualify for the loan.

Example: How do you do a temporary 3-2-1 buydown for a $250,000 fixed rate loan?

Step 1 (Chart shows lower payments for the Buyer)

Step 2 (Chart shows buydown cost to builder, lender or seller)

This mortgage option is a win-win situation for both Buyers & Sellers.  The Buyer gets lower payments for the first two years, which can enable them to get into a home which they might not using a conventional mortgage. . . and although the Seller or Lender has some out of pocket costs at closing, the house gets sold, and this cost is usually much lower than taking a price reduction.

For more information on this type of loan, call me at 949-244-0719 so I can put you in contact with our local lender in the South Orange County California area.

(Part 2 of a 5-part Series): 

There are many good housing options for Active 55+ Adults, from apartments, to condos, to Co-Op’s, to attached and detached homes.  The focus for the housing selection should be a place that is smaller, lower maintenance, less costly and opportunities for recreational activities.  In addition, you should consider these key factors: 

• Research various community floor plans, amenities, activities. 
• Consider easy living designs – one-level housing, no steps, wide doors & hallways. 
• What features do you need - # Bedrooms, #baths, square feet, senior community. 
• Decide what type of housing is best for you, single family residence or condo/townhome. 
• Is the home located near stores, shopping, recreation activities, family, health care. 
• Do you need a warm, dry climate for health reasons? 

Really give some thought as to where you want to move.  You should also make your selection carefully, as this could be the home you retire in.

If you need help with your move in the South Orange County California areas of Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, Rancho Santa Margarita, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Corona Del Mar or Newport Beach, please contact me to help you with your transition as I am a qualified Senior Real Estate Specialist.

When visiting South Orange County California, a must see is the 5-Star Montage Resort and the adjacent public park they constucted as part of the development.  Treasure Island Park in located in South Laguna Beach and near to Laguna Niguel and Dana Point. 

Opened in 2003, Treasure Island Park has one of the most beautiful grounds I have ever seen.  It includes meandering walking paths, wide array of plants, cozy sitting benches, steps to the beach, coves for snorkeling, picnic tables, lookout points, 5-star bathrooms and access to the Mosaic Bar & Grill or the Studio for fine dining.

For more information, visit these websites:

http://www.beachcalifornia.com/treasure-island-beach-laguna.html

http://www.montagelagunabeach.com/index.html

There are many people who own real estate that are not married.  Those people that are unmarried or domestic partners just need to have a good understanding of their rights with regards to real estate ownership.  I’ve found a great article that answers these questions:

• Why should unmarried couples & domestic partners worry about real estate co-ownership issues?
• How does domestic partner registration affect real estate co-ownership?
• How does real estate “title” affect unmarried couples?
• How do unmarried couples & domestic partners  hold title to real estate?
• What happens when the deed does not state how title is held?
• Can an unmarried partner claim rights to the other partner’s separate property?
• What facts support a claim of joint ownership?
• How can unmarried couples avoid property disputes?
• Do all unmarried couples who co-own property need a co-ownership agreement?
• What are the major issues for couples who co-own property?
• How do most unmarried couples resolve these issues?
• How do forced buyout and sale provisions work?
• Can sellers discriminate against unmarried couples?

. . . . and more.  If you fit into this category, it is worth taking a few minutes of your time to read through this informative report.  Just click on the following link.

http://www.andysirkin.com/HTMLArticle.cfm?Article=4&Hit=1