Orange County CA Real Estate

In Part I of Mission Viejo Relocation Tips, we talked about strategic planning, choosing a good relocation realtor and house hunting. In this blog, we'll talk about packing and moving details. If your relocation is taking you to another state, this is your golden opportunity to organize and get rid of stuff that has been clogging up your storage areas for years.

First off, is it garbage or is it good stuff? Here are 4 good tips.

1.) Us the two year rule. If you haven’t used it, or looked at it, for the past two years, then you should probably get rid of it... relocation is tuff enough without having to drag this stuff around with you.

2.) The “Junk Drawer”. Every house has one. Some homes will have more than one (ouch!). It could be a drawer, shelf, basket etc. that holds stuff of emptied pockets and items that have not other spot. Save your back, and throw this stuff away.

3.) Check the expiration date. Check the refrigerator, cabinets and pantries for food, prescriptions, vitamins and toiletries and throw out everything that’s past the date.

4.) If it’s broke – don’t’ fix it! Every garage or storage area has some things that are broken. As you find these items, ask yourself if your really going to fix it. If not, throw it away, for this will help to make your relocation less stressful.

This next section is about how to pack for your relocation to Mission Viejo. In the long run, it pays to purchase the right packing materials. Here’s a list: 1.) Sturdy cardboard boxes – various sizes. 2.) Packing tape and dispenser. Use heavy duty packing tape not masking tape. Those dispensers save a lot of time. 3.) Bubble wrap and packing paper – if it’s valuable, you don’t want the relocation to cost you more money in broken valuables. 4.) Box cutter. 5.) Small tool kit.

Here are some tips on how to pack efficiently for your Mission Viejo relocation. Pack one room at a time and label each box with the contents, and it’s destination (ie; kitchen, bath). Put heavy items in smaller boxes so you won’t hurt your back. Don’t put tape on painted wood surfaces. Double box fragile items and add plenty of cushioning (ie bubble wrap) When loading the moving truck, make sure the items you need least are loaded first.

If your hiring a moving company, shop around and ask for some referrals. Get three bids and try to elliminate any open ended items in the quotation.

Relocation can be a stressful time, but planning ahead will help to smooth things out. can reduce some of the stresses. The good news is, your future relocation to Mission Viejo will bring you to one of the best cities in America… for here you’ll find friendly neighbors, great schools, very low, perfect weather, tons of year round recreation, and a beautiful setting. If you would like to know more about us and our Mission Viejo Relocation Realtor services, please visit our website at: Mission Viejo Realtor.

Often, the Orange County real estate market statistics reported on TV and in the press are based upon data from 3 to 9 months ago.  Usually this Orange County market data is reported on a quartley basis, and is based on homes that have sold and closed escrow, which means those homes were priced and placed on the market 2 months before that.  So in a changing market, the press may be stating one condition of the Orange County Real Estate market, while the actual market conditions may be different.  Such is that case this time. 

The Orange County register recently printed an article about record breaking home prices plus continued upward momentum.  But a detailed analysis of the current Months of Inventory tells a slightly different stroy.  Months of Inventory is simply the amount of time (number of months) it would take to sell all of the homes curently in inventory if there were no new listings of homes added to the market.  The smaller this number is, the hotter the (sellers) market is, and visa versa.  2 to 4 months is generally considered to be a sellers market, and 4 to 6 months is a neutral market, and 6 or more monhts ( which happens seldom in Orange County ) is considered to be a buyers market. 

We have been tracking current Months of Inventory on a weekly basis in south Orange County since July of 2002, for 5 different price ranges.  Since July of this year the market has been slowly cooling down from a very hot pace in the first half of this year.  On July 5th the overall south Orange County real estate market had a 1.9 months of inventory which is a very hot sellers market.  Since that time that market has slowed down a bit to a current overall leverl of 3 months of inventory for south Orange County.  Still a sellers market, but a much healthier balance between supply and demand. Price appreciation has also slowed way down to the point where current sales prices are on par with what homes sold for two months ago.

What does the future hold for Orange County real estate ?.... that's the million dolar question.  Some think we have a bubble  wating to burst, while other respected analysts predict strong apprecaiton in the near term... one analyst even predicted that Orange County home prices will double within 10 years !  Personally, I see a market for the next 5 years that is in the middle of these two extremes (safe bet huh?)  Slightly increasing interest rates and the simple ecomincs of the average buyer not able to afford the average home price at today's salaries,  I believe will keep the appreciation rate low for the next 3 to 5 years.  On the other hand, due to strong job growth, the re-birth of technology, the emergence of bio-technology, and the newly discovered  The OC lifestyle, I don't see a let up in demand, or a dearth of owners wanting to sell, which will prevent a bubble from bursting.

If you want to view all homes listed for sale in Orange County, of if you would like a free evalution of your Orange County homes value, just visit our website at:  Orange County Real Estate .

Cranwell Dr., Aliso Viejo

Spacious 4 bedroom - 3 Bath detached home with 2,251 SqFt of living area was just listed in the beautiful city of Aliso Viejo, CA.  It's a Corporate Relocation so it has been priced to sell at $850,000.  It has a great location being steps to the Park and Aliso Viejo school, and it backs to a Private Greenbelt for extra privacy. Decorator Perfect with Double Door Entry to Spacious Living and Formal Dining with Cathedral Ceiling and Dual Staircase. New Distressed Hardwood Floors, Premium Carpets & Neutral 2-tone Paints. Huge Family Room with Custom Fireplace open to Spacious Kitchen with Maple Cabinets, Tiled Island plus Nook. 1st Floor Bedroom, Huge Master bedroom Suite plus Upstairs Laundry and Jack-n-Jill bedroom/bath.

At this time, there are 227 homes listed for sale in Aliso Viejo, and the minimum priced home is $329K for a 1 bedroom, 1 bath condo.  The highest home currently active for sale in Aliso Viejo is $1.89 Million for a 5 bedroom, 4 bath and 3,950 SqFt estate on Remington Ln. The average price of all 227 homes and condos for sale in Aliso Viejo is $655,869 with an average days on market of 38 days.  The median price in Aliso Viejo for all active homes for sale is $585,000. 

There are a total of 131 homes that have sold and are currently in Escrow in Aliso Viejo.  The real estate market in Aliso Viejo has been slowing down, but still remains strong with a current months of inventory of 2.6 months, which is still a sellers market.

If you would like to view all Aliso Viejo homes listed for sale in the MLS, just visit our website at: Aliso Viejo Real Estate.

There are 68 Condos Active for sale in Dana Point a the present time.  The Average Condo Price is $755,325 and the Median Home Price is $699,000. The Average Days on Market is 42 Days which is an indication of a healthy real estate market.

Currently, there are 23 Condos sold In Escrow in Dana Point and the Median House asking Price was $645,000.  The lowest priced Condo sold in escrow is a 1 bedroom, 1 bath with 700 SqFt for $335,000.  The most expensive Condo in escrow is a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath Condo that sits on the Dana Point harbor bluffs with a panoramic ocean view and is price at $1.39Million. 

For the past 30 days, there were 23 Condos that sold and  closed escrow in Dana Point with an Average Days on Market of 62 days. The Average Price home sold was $788,000 and the corresponding Median Price of  Condos sold and closed in Dana Point in the past 30 days was $707,000.

The Condo market in Dana Point has been cooling down over the past month or so.  Currently there is 4.4 months of inventory of Condos on the market which is consider to be a neutral market.

If you would like to view all Dana Point Condos for sale, simply visit our website: Dana Point MLS Search.

New Listing on Calle Carmelita, Capo Beach

Brand new listing in very desirable Capistrano Beach area of Dana Point CA.  It's a spacious 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath detached home with approximatley 2,000 SqFt of living area with a small view of the Ocean priced at $947,000.  Featurs include a gourmet kitchen, with stainless appliances and refrigerator.  Opens to a huge great room with fireplace and large entertainer's deck.  Property has a private yard  and 2 car garage with storaage shed.  In addition, this Capistrano Beach property includes a seperate 1 bedroom 1 bath unit attached to the rear of the home with a seperate entrance which makes this home a perfect fit for a family that needs a 'granny unit' or for an investor who wants to rent in Capo Beach. 

Capistrano Beach is a very popular area with Dana Point locals and is located just southeast of the Dana Point Harbor.  Currently, there are 44 homes listed for sale in Capistrano Beach, ranging in price from $259,000 for a Studio unit Condo, on up to $6.95 Million for a 3 bedroom, 4.5 bath, 6,500 SqFt estate with an Ocean View.   The average price for all homes active for sale is $1.648 Million with an average days on market of 66 days.  The median price is $1.25 Million.   

At this time, there are 18 homes and condos that have sold and are currently in escrow in Capistrano Beach.   The months of inventory is 3.7 months in Capistrano Beach which is essentially a neutral market. 

If you would like to view all homes listed for sale in Capistrano Beach and Dana Point, simple visit our website at:  Dana Point Real Estate.

Planning to relocate to Mission Viejo? Great... but before you do, plan ahead. First you need to locate a home. Do you rent or buy? We recommend you first find a good Relocation real estate agent, and buy instead of rent... for why move twice if you don't have to, and save the hassle and extra expense.

How do you find a good relocation realtor in Mission Viejo? On the Internet or by referral from close family member or friend. On a Search Engine use the search terms "Mission Viejo Relocation" or some such combination. Here you'll find an assortment of realtors who have experience and cater to clientele who are relocating to Mission Viejo from out of the area. If the relocation department at your work is offering you incentives or rebates, make sure that the Mission Viejo Realtor talks with your relocation department and agrees to their terms and conditions.

Even though they have a website, make sure the Realtor you choose makes extensive use of modern technologies for you want to be able to do some of your research and correspondence via the Internet and email. Have your real estate agent set you up with a free email alert service which will email new listings of homes for sale in Mission Viejo as they come on the market.

With a couple of visits to Mission Viejo (or surrounding cities) and research via the internet, you should be able to focus your search on a few neighborhoods that meet your needs, desires and offer homes in the price range your looking for. At this point, it time to put your current residence on the market for sale. You can drive a harder bargain here in Mission Viejo if your current residence is sold in escrow. Make sure your listing agent selling your home makes the contract contingent upon you finding a suitable replacement property in Mission Viejo.

In the next Blog about Mission Viejo Relocation tips – Part 2, we'll talk about packing and moving.If your looking for a great Realtor to work with you on your relocation to Mission Viejo, or if you want to search for homes for sale in Mission Viejo, please click on our website below.

On most every ridge top in Laguna Niguel, rests a subdivision of detached homes or attached condos. The first home subdivisions built over majestic views of the valleys and surrounding hills were Niguel Hills, Pacesetter and Pacific Island. These homes were first constructed in the late 1960's and remain very popular locations to this day. Pacific Hills is very desirable due to the close proximity to the coast which provides for many properties offering panoramic Ocean views.

The least expensive of these homes in at 2446 Howes Dr. in the Village Niguel Terrace tract. This condo is priced at $419,900 and has 2 bedrooms, 1 bath and 918 SqFt of living area with a panoramic view from the rear second story patio.

On the other end of the spectrum, is a magnificent estate currently on the market for sale for $4.6Mil to $5.4Mil. This magnificent property is located on Morning Drive in the Bear Brand Tract and boasts of panoramic view from the infinity pool in the back yard, and a spacious 6 bedroom, 6 bath home with 8,000 SqFt of living area.

There are currently 68 condos and homes on the market for sale that offer a panoramic view. Of these 68 homes, the Median price is $1,145,000, as compared to the median price of non-panoramic view condos and homes which have a median price of $764,900.

If you would like to view online all Laguna Niguel view homes for sale, please visit our website: Laguna Niguel Real Estate.

There are 97 homes currently under contract (In Escrow) in San Clemente and the Median asking Price is $999,900. Again, the ratio of the homes active for sale (200) as compared to the homes sold In Escrow (97) is another indicator of a healthy real estate market. For the past 30 days, there were 58 detached Homes sold and closed Escrow in San Clemente with an Average Days on Market of 54 days. The Average Price detached home sold was $1,034,000 and the corresponding Median Price of closed homes sold was $880,000. The real estate market for San Clemente Attached housing is even a bit stronger.

There are 86 attached Condos currently Active for sale in San Clemente and they have been on the market for sale an average of 51 Days. The Average Condo is Priced at $708,000 and the Median asking Price is $619,000. For Condos sold In Escrow there are a total of 30 with a Median pirce is $649,000.

In the past 30 days, there have been 27 Condos sold that closed Escrow . The Average price of these Condos were $670,000 and the Average time of Market was 43 Days. The Median Condo price sold in the last 30 days was $594,000 in San Clemente, CA. In summary, although the San Clemente Real Estate market has been slowing down a little bit over the past several months, it is currently still a sellers market with demand out stripping supply. If you would like to search for all San Clemente Real Estate listed for sale, just visit our website at: San Clemente MLS Home Search.

Dana Point is beautiful seaside community in south Orange County, CA.And Buying a Dana Point Condo is a great alternative to a detached home, given that the median price of a detached home now stands at $1.25 Million. The process of buying a Condo can be broken down into four major steps.

Step 1, is to get pre-qualified for a loan. This process is often overlooked but very important. The pre-qual letter accomplishes three things. One, it tells you how much the mortgage bank will loan to you, which added to your down payment, will determine the maximum price you can pay for a Dana Point Condo. Two, the pre-qual will also give you a very accurate estimate of your monthly payments, so you can determine that is something you are reasonably comfortable with. Finally, the pre-qual letter will bring legitimacy to your purchase offer when presented to the seller of the Condo.

Step 2, is when the Condo hunting process begins. It's always a good idea to obtain the services of an experienced and professional local Realtor to work with at this stage. Ideally, the real estate agent will make use of modern day technologies. You'll also want to work with an agent that works a lot with Buyers, versus the local neighborhood Listing Agent specialist. Once you have found this Buyer's Agent, have them set you up on an email Alert service which will send you an email when a new listing comes on the market. Although it sometimes happens, don't expect to find the perfect Dana Point Condo on the first outing. The first 5 to 10 Condos you'll preview are an education process for you to familiarize yourself with the pluses and minuses, features and locations, and price differentials of each Condo. Plus it's an opportunity for your real estate professional to find out exactly what you do and don't like in a Condo. If after a month or two, you haven't found that Condo that inspires to to take action, it may be time to re-evaluate your search parameters and make some adjustments such as: Number of bedrooms, 1 or 2 garage, add some other cities, age, condition, or possibly increase the price a little bit with a different loan option from your lender.

Step 3 is the purchase offer stage. Here is where an experienced Realtor really comes into play, for a good Buyer's Agent may save you several thousands of dollars. Make sure you review with your Realtor the comparable sales and homes currently for sale in nearby Dana Point communities to evaluate if the seller is asking a fair price. If it seems that they are asking a premium, where non is justified, don’t be afraid to make a lower offer. All the seller can do is say no, but most likely you'll get a counter offer. On the other hand, if the asking price seems low compared to comparable properties, then don't look a gift horse in the mouth and have your Agent immediately write up a full price offer.

The final step is the Condo investigation process, and a good Buyer's Agent is also invaluable at this stage. Here, you will be reviewing many documents from the seller which discloses details of the property to you, which you'll review with your agent. An appraisal will also be conducted so as to insure that a neutral third party professional agrees with the contract price. Another important item, is hiring a professional and local Dana Point home inspector who'll investigate the current condition of the Condo and deliver to you a written report for your approval. Last but not least, is you be given numerous documents that pertain to the Condo home owners association. Here you want to review with your agent to see if there are any pending or current lawsuits, the funding of the association and other such details.

If you like to search for all Dana Point Condos listed for sale, please visit our website; Dana Point Real Estate . Or if you have any further questions about buying a Dana Point Condo, send us an email using the 'Contact Us' link above.

As reported by the Orange County register, the median Orange County home price for the month of August reached $617,000, which is another record.  A closer look at the market statistics reveals even more interesting information.

For south Orange County detached homes (from Irvine to San Clemente and from Dana Point to Rancho Santa Margarita), there were 577 homes sold last month in August, and the median sold price was $839,900. This is $222,900 higher than the median home price for all of Orange County.  The average days on market for the month of August for south Orange County was 44 days. 

For August of the year 2004, the median south Orange County detached home sold price was $769,000 with a total of 407 homes sold.  Year to year that's an appreciation of 9%.

South Orange County Condos did even better in terms of appreciation over the past year.   For August of this year, the were a total of 513 Orange County Condos sold, and the median Condo sales price was $600,000.  For August of 2004, the total sales volume for Orange County Condos was 307 with a median sales price of  $435,000.  This is an appreciation rate of 37% year to year. The reason that Condos appreciated more percentage wise that detached homes is that they are simply more affordable and therefore there is more demand in these lower price ranges.

If you would like to view all homes listed for sale in Orange County, simply visit our website at:  Orange County Real Estate.

The various scenarios in which you might find a house for sale below market are: Fixer Uppers, rental houses, houses in Probate, houses that have been on the market for awhile, houses in foreclosure and pre-foreclosure, and relocation sellers.

Fixer uppers, or houses with gaudy decor are a great way to acquire a house at below market. Before you buy, make sure you do your financial homework. Calculate the cost of the house repairs or renovation, and subtract that figure from the market value of the other houses in the neighborhood that are in fixed up condition. Then have your agent make an offer that is 5% or so below that calculated price.

Rental houses in which the landlord is from out of town can sometimes be a good way to pick up a house under market. Sometimes you'll find that out of area landlords wound up with a rental house by default years ago and are not very experienced at property management. After several years of heart and head aches, and the third tenant in two years just moved out of the house and left it in disrepair, the landlord has had it and wants out. It's your buying opportunity.

Houses in probate may also be in need of repair, but you have the extra advantage from the 'penny’s from heaven’ syndrome. There may be multiple heirs who do not get along, or they may be from out of the area or state. Often times, the heirs simply want the house sold quickly, in it's 'As Is' condition, and be done with it. Make sure your agent knows the in's and out's of Probate real estate procedures before buying.

Houses in foreclosure in Aliso Viejo do not come up very often, but when they do, they are a great way to buy below market. There are actually three times at which you can buy. One, the house is not in technical foreclosure yet, but the owner is behind on payments and needs to sell now. Two, the owner has procrastinated, and the bank has begun foreclosure proceedings, and the owner is now even more motivated to sell now. Third, the foreclosure auction took place, and now the bank owns the Aliso Viejo house in what is commonly called an REO property. In either scenario, you are dealing with a motivated seller, which is always to your advantage when buying.

Houses for sale in which the owner is relocating to another state, usually produces a motivated seller. They seller doesn't have much time, and they are usually consumed with the details of the new job, learning about new neighborhoods, schools and finding a replacement home, etc. A quick offer, with a short closing period and few contingencies will sometimes enable you to buy the house for below market.

Finally, if the house has been setting on the market for sale in Aliso Viejo for 70 days or more with no offers, usually means that the house is a bit overpriced for what it is. In this situation, the seller may become desperate and will jump at the first offer that comes in even if it is a below market price.

The most efficient way to buy a house for sale as described above, is to search the Aliso Viejo MLS. You can do so by visiting our website:   Aliso Viejo Real Estate.

1. What is a Fixer Upper home ? - A fixer upper is simply a neglected and/or poorly maintained home that sells for below the market value in the neighborhood. The three main sources of Fixer Uppers in Mission Viejo are a.) rental homes where the tenant damaged the property and the landlord is sick and tired of repairs and decides to sell. b.) older homes owned by an elderly person who has not made repairs to the home for many years. This property could also be in Probate. c.) a home where the owner has come upon hard financial times and has neglected the property for a while. This type of property may also be in foreclosure.

2. Where to find fixer-uppers? - Although you can find a fixer upper in most any community, the odds are most of the Fixer Uppers you'll come across will be in older moderately priced neighborhoods in Mission Viejo. Fixer uppers can be found in the local newspapers such at the Orange County Register, and the Orange County Penny Saver. You can also find fixer uppers listed for sale by a Realtor and these can be found online in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Finally, you can drive by different residential streets on the way to work or shopping and keep an eye out for homes that have been terribly neglected and in bad condition, called the blemish on the block (B.O.B.) and write the owner a letter.

3. Are Fixer Uppers a good value ? - Sometimes... like any other investment you have to do your homework to calculate the potential net profit. To do this, you first need to figure out what the average house of that size in that neighborhood of Mission Viejo sells for in good condition. Then you need to estimate the cost of repairs. Be conservative here, for many new fixer upper buyers underestimate the cost of repairs. You also need to calculate the costs to purchase (ie: title insurance, escrow, loan costs etc), and if your are planning to sell immediately after repairs, you need to include the cost of sales and the interest payments. If your estimates yield a net profit of $15,000 or more, then go for it.

4. What type of home should I buy ? - A detached home is usually a little bit better option than a Condo, for you do not need the permission of the Association for repairs. A 3 bedroom 2 bath is better than a 2 bedroom, 1bath. Also, if you are relatively new to this, a so called 'cosmetic' fixer is preferable. A cosmetic fixer is a home that may need new carpet, paint, misc light or plumbing fixtures, some broke windows or doors etc. Unless you're an experienced contractor it's a good idea to stay away from properties that have major mold issues, large cracks in the foundation, hillside or soils movement, etc. The general idea is to find the worst cosmetic fixer in an otherwise nice neighborhood.

5.) How do I finance the Purchase ? - Today, there are many options that did not exist 10 year ago. You'll need two sums of money. One sum of cash will be for the purchase costs which will be title, escrow and the down payment. This number can vary widely from $5,000 to $100,000 primarily dependent upon how much you want to put down. The second sum of cash needed will be for renovation costs, which can also vary widely from $5,000 to $50,000. Plus you'll most likely need a new loan as a first trust deed to purchase. Many lenders today will allow the purchase of a cosmetic fixer with low down payment, but not always. Sometimes, the appraiser will require that a particular item be repaired prior to funding which could kill the deal... So it's a good idea to interview several lenders and let them know what you are trying to accomplish before you purchase. There are also other sources of financing such as a low cost line of credit loan on your personal residence, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Section 203 (K) rehabilitation loan program which can advance you money for repairs. Another program is the Federal Housing Administration's Title 1 FHA loan program where you can possibly  borrow based upon future value.

6. What kind of return is there on remodeling jobs? Paint and carpet are usually offer the best return on remodeling dollars. Remodeling Magazine produces an annual "Cost vs. Value Report'' that can help to answer this question. Most recently, the highest remodeling paybacks have come from updating kitchens and baths, home-office additions and extra amenities in older homes. While home offices are a relatively new remodeling trend, for example, you could expect to recoup 58 percent of the cost of adding a home office, according to the survey. Bottom line, is if you buy in a middle income neighborhood of Mission Viejo, keep the repairs simple and don't over do it.

7. Do building codes come into play? It depends on upon who you are and the amount and type of work. If you are simply painting, installing new carpet, and fixing some broker doors, windows and faucets, you usually do not need a permit in Mission Viejo. If you are doing more extensive work such as a room addition, kitchen or bath remodel, etc. than you probably do need a permit from the city of Mission Viejo. Building codes are established by local authorities to set out minimum public-safety standards for building design, construction, quality, use and occupancy, location and maintenance. There are specialized codes for plumbing, electrical and fire, which usually involve separate inspections and inspectors. All buildings must be issued a building permit and a certificate of occupancy before it can be used. During construction, housing inspectors must make checks at key points. Codes are usually enforced by denying permits, occupancy certificates and by imposing fines. Building codes also cover most remodeling projects. If you are buying a house that has been previously significantly remodeled, ask for proof of the permits involved before you purchase to avoid future liability for fines.

If you would like to search for fixer upper homes in Mission Viejo that are listed for sale, then please visit our website: Mission Viejo Real Estate