October 2009

Get Your Home Sold with Leslie!

Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 3:15pm. 272 Views, 1 Comments.

Frustrated that your home didn't sell, or just thinking about putting your house on the market?

Take two minutes to let Leslie show you the proven results of her strategy for getting your Orange County home sold!

Orange County Home Buyers - Additional Benefits Await You!

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 at 7:53pm. 377 Views, 0 Comments.

When you buy a one of the homes for sale in the great South Orange County communities like Coto de Caza, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Dove Canyon, Ladera Ranch, or Robinson Ranch you will get the opportunity to apply for a Homestead Tax Credit.  The following is take from the Orange County Tax Assessors web site.

Homeowners' Exemption Overview

Q: What is a California Homeowners' Exemption?

A: A Homeowners' Exemption could save you at least $70 per year.  If you own and occupy your primary residence on January 1, you may apply for a Homeowners' Exemption that will exempt $7,000 of your home's assessed value from taxation for that tax year.

Q: How do I get a Homeowner's Exemption?

A: New home owners will usually receive an exemption…

Selling Your Orange County CA Home for a Profit - What's That Mean to Your Taxes?

Monday, October 26th, 2009 at 10:11pm. 387 Views, 0 Comments.

So, you are selling your Orange County CA house and walking away with a boat load of cash.  What are the Real Estate tax implications you need to be aware of? When you sell your home, you can realize up to $250,000 in profit if you're a single owner, $500,000 if you're married or joint tenants, and not owe any capital gains tax.  Anything above that amount, consult your tax professional for more detailed information on your tax liability – as it depends on the length of time you’ve owned the home and your tax bracket. But wait – there’s more! There's no limit to the number of times you can use the home-sale capital gains tax exemption. If you plan and play the game according to IRS rules, you can make tax-free profits of $250,000 (or $500,000 depending on…

Rancho Santa Margarita Homes for Sale - Here's What's Going on Today

Monday, October 19th, 2009 at 8:32pm. 180 Views, 0 Comments.

148 Homes for Sale Today in Rancho Santa Margarita

There are 148 for sale today in Rancho Santa Margarita - ranging from a $104,900 1 bedroom 1 bath  500 sq ft condo to a 3500 sq ft 4 bedroom 4 bath view home in Dove Canyon listed at $1,295,000.  And everything in between!  Including 90 single family homes and 58 condos.  75 Short Sale listings and 8 REO or Bank Owned homes.

So those are the numbers, but here's the real story - well priced homes for sale in Rancho Santa Margarita are flying off the shelf - in all price ranges.   Buyers - you know what you are facing out there today, right?  Very stiff competition - multiple offers, over asking price, 20% down or even people with all cash. 

Check out this video to learn how to set yourself up for…

Orange County Real Estate Update: The Fed and Home Affordability

Friday, October 16th, 2009 at 5:27pm. 252 Views, 0 Comments.

Orange County real estate is on the move, and it is important to know there are several factors that are included when mortgage companies set their rates.  Most recently, mortgage rates are higher after the Federal Reserve released the internal notes of its September 22-23, 2009 meeting.

Known as the "Fed Minutes", the report details the conversation and cross-currents that led to the Federal Reserve's decision to vote "unchanged" on the Fed Funds Rate after its last meeting.

The Fed Minutes are the lengthy companion to the more famous, succinct post-meeting press release.

As a comparison:

• Press Release: 383 words
• Minutes: 6934 words

The extra level of details is a big deal because Wall Street is perpetually in search of clues about what…

Joint Homeowners, Joint Accounts?

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009 at 12:10pm. 283 Views, 0 Comments.

If you have been following me on Facebook, you know this issue has come up, but not in the way you think.  I am toying with the idea of putting together a blog entry detailing some of my most "interesting" real estate transactions.  Not to spoil it, but let's just say, opening a joint bank account for 2 days should never be part of the escrow process.  Below is some good advice for any couple, not just homeowners, about how to handle their finances:

When you own a home with a spouse or partner, the issue of what's mine, what's yours, and what's ours can be a divisive one.

Each household has its own money management methodology and, according to financial talk-show host Suze Orman, most leave significant room for improvement.

In this 4-minute…

How to be a Succesful Home Buyer in Today's Orange County Real Estate Market

Saturday, October 10th, 2009 at 11:45am. 365 Views, 2 Comments.

Buying a Home in Today's Orange County Real Estate Market Takes Hard Work

It's a great time to buy a home in Orange County - are you up for the challenge? In today's fiercely competitive real estate market you can expect to experience the following situations:

• Multiple offers - this means there are other buyers who what the same house you want and may fight harder to win.  You must know exactly what you are willing to do to get the home you want.  This includes the amount you can spend, the cash on hand for an initial deposit, how quickly you can move, and how much of a down payment you can afford.
• Rejected offers - can you handle rejection?  Maybe even 22 times?  It can pay off to be persistent. But it takes time and effort.
• Paying more that list…

Ladera Ranch Homes for Sale - Here's How it Looks Today

Thursday, October 8th, 2009 at 10:10pm. 162 Views, 0 Comments.

Ladera Ranch Homes for Sale - How Buyable are They?

Today in Ladera Ranch, there are 53 equity owner homes for sale, 2 REO homes for sale, and 39 active Short Sale listings.  This tells me that buyers in Ladera Ranch today have a choice of 55 homes for sale that they can actually move in to in the next 45 days - just in time to participate in the first time home buyer tax credit.  Which in turn means there is super buy-ability in Ladera Ranch today.

So what can you buy in Ladera Ranch?  Here's a sample:

The Biggest Home for Sale in Ladera Ranch

7450 sq ft in Convnant Hills - custom home - 5 bedroom 5 bath with a pool and view (duh)

Offered at $4.2M

The Smallest Home for Sale in Ladera Ranch

1230 sq ft condo - 2 bedroom 3 bath excellent…

Attention Orange County Homeowners: FHA Is Changing Its Streamline Refinance Guidelines November 2009

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 at 6:33pm. 284 Views, 0 Comments.

Here is some important information I came across that concerns both home buyers and homeowners:

Beginning November 17, 2009, the FHA will make it harder to qualify for its popular Streamline Refinance program.

Available exclusively to homeowners with existing FHA home loans, the streamline program is meant to help homeowners reduce mortgage payments as simply as possible.

As such, the program carries minimum eligibility requirements.

In fact, the FHA Streamline Refinance is more notable for what it doesn't require from applicants.

• There's no income verification
• There's no asset verification
• There's no employment verification
• There's no appraisal required

The two biggest qualifiers, really, are that the homeowner meets a minimum credit…

Mission Viejo Homes for Sale - Market Update

Tuesday, October 6th, 2009 at 8:40pm. 161 Views, 0 Comments.

Check Out the Amazing Homes for Sale in Mission Viejo Today!

Mission Viejo homes for sale today range from a massive custom water front home with a dock in guard-gated Tres Vistas on Lake Mission Viejo priced at $2.999M to a 1 bedroom condo in Casa Loma with a 2 balconies priced at $145K.  And everything in between!

So, lets break it down a bit further and find out what these Mission Viejo homes for sale are all about.  Here's the 411:

• 232 Total Active Listings (meaning homes in Mission Viejo available for sale and not already sold)
• 66 Condos
• 166 Single Family Homes
• 75 Short Sales
• 12 REO or Bank Owned Homes
• 143 Standard Sale (not in danger of foreclosure, a real equity seller)
• 2 Probate Sales (owner has died and the court must approve the…