Bank Owned in Mission Viejo - Will Be Listed Soon

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 at 8:17pm. 242 Views, 0 Comments.

Mission Viejo home buyers - check out this new REO listing before it hits the open market!



Check out this great Mission Viejo home! About 1500 square feet with no common walls, all three bedrooms are upstairs. The master has a walk-in closet while the two additional bedrooms have a Jack and Jill bathroom, and one has a walk-in closet.   This home also has a convenient upstairs laundry room.

Get on the early interest list and we'll arrange a private tours before it is listed in the So Cal MLS. If you are interested in Mission Viejo homes for sale and pre-approved for a purchase price in the low $400,000's - call Leslie for more information. 949-678-3373

Coto North Course Hole Number 2

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010 at 7:08pm. 374 Views, 2 Comments.

Number 2 North is a scoring opportunity.  At only 323 yards from the Blue and 349 yards from the Gold, distance is no problem.  Two relatively simple shots will give you a chance at birdie or an easy par, but as with most holes at Coto, a mistake can lead to real trouble very quickly.

Off the Tee

(click the image to enlarge)

From the Blue Tees, the fairway is just a long iron or fairway wood away.  The perfect shot is about 190 yards over the mound to the right of the large tree, straight at the green.  Feel like going for the gusto?  A driver will put you inside 100 yards – as long as you can hit a 15 yard-wide target. 

Right is bunker, steep hillside, and OB.  Slicers beware - your ball may end up in the living room of a large custom home…

Coto North Course Hole Number 1

Friday, August 6th, 2010 at 1:07pm. 441 Views, 2 Comments.

Ok, let's just say it:  Coto North #1 is tough.  Very tough.  It's not the hardest hole in the world, or the country, or maybe even in Orange County, but this golf hole is no slouch.  A 601 yard par-5, it's rated number 1 in difficulty on the North, so it's one of the two hardest holes on a course that sports a rating of 75.5 and a slope of 147 from the back tees.  I'm a mid-handicaper, ranging over the years from about a 10 to a 16 index.  For the first year after I joined the club, I never made less than a 7 on this hole, and after 10 years of play I'm still more likely to make a 7 than a 5.

What makes it so hard?  Lets start with the view from the tee!

View from the Blue Tees

(click the image to enlarge)

Can You Say "Intimidating"?

You can…

Mission Viejo Activity for June 2009

Thursday, July 2nd, 2009 at 11:22am. 298 Views, 0 Comments.

Mission Viejo Real Estate Activity for May 2009

There are currently 264 homes actively listed for sale in Mission Viejo, a 7.6% drop from May.  Asking prices ranging from $149,000 for a 1-bed 1-bath 636 square foot condo to $2,995,000 for a 5,800 square foot custom 6-bedroom home on the lakefront.  86 of the homes listed are Short Sales, almost a 16% drop from May.  11 are Bank Owned, meaning 37% of the homes on the market are "distressed" sales.

149 homes came on the market during the month at an average list price of $272 per square foot, down from May's average of $281 per square foot. 50 of the homes listed in June (33%) are already in escrow or have sold.

165 homes came off the market pending sale.  The average list price per square foot at…

Coto Monthly Activity for June 2009

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009 at 7:07pm. 304 Views, 0 Comments.

Coto de Caza Real Estate Activity for June 2009

There are currently 148 homes actively listed for sale in Coto de Caza, with asking prices ranging from $369,000 for a 2-bed 2-bath 1,342 square foot condo to $22,000,000 for a 16,000 square foot custom Los Ranchos Estate (on the market since February of 2008).  21 of the homes listed are Short Sales, and only 2 are Bank Owned, a small drop from last month and still a total "distressed" ratio of less than 16%. 

For the third month in a row, 37 homes came on the market during the month, but at a significantly lower  average list price of $367 per square foot. 7 of the homes were listed at prices over $3,000,000, 2 new listings were cancelled before the end of the month, and 4 have already gone into…

First Time Buyer Information Page

Sunday, June 7th, 2009 at 1:02pm. 268 Views, 0 Comments.

Thinking about taking the plunge and buying your first home?  We've created a new web page just for first time buyers.  Check it out to learn some of the details of the Federal Tax Credit and the new CAR Mortgage Protection Plan.  You can also visit our Home Buyer's Quick Start page.

Use Your Tax Credit to Lower Closing Costs!

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009 at 12:10pm. 222 Views, 2 Comments.

First-time home buyers got another boost from HUD last week, when it was announced that buyers who qualify for a one-time tax credit of up to $8,000 can now apply that credit towards closing costs on an FHA loan, or to increase their down payment from the required 3.5%.

Thinking about taking the plunge? Check out our home buyer's quick start tips!

Ladera Ranch Activity for May 2009

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009 at 11:48am. 253 Views, 1 Comments.

Ladera Ranch Real Estate Activity for May 2009

There are currently 140 homes actively listed for sale in Ladera Ranch, with asking prices ranging from $220,000 for a 1-bed 2-bath 1,100 square foot condo to $4,899,900 for a 8,700 square foot custom 6-bedroom home in Covenant Hills (on the market since July of 2008).  66 of the homes listed are Short Sales, but only 4 are Bank Owned, meaning 50% of the homes on the market are "distressed" sales.

41 homes came on the market during the month at an average list price of $283 per square foot, and 13 of those are already in escrow or have sold.

75 homes came off the market pending sale.  The average list price per square foot at the time they were "pended" was $249, a reduction from the $266 per square…

Saddleback Valley Real Estate Activity for May 2009

Monday, June 1st, 2009 at 7:40pm. 296 Views, 0 Comments.

Saddleback Valley Real Estate Activity for May 2009

Including Coto de Caza, Rancho Santa Margarita, Trabuco Canyon, Mission Viejo, Ladera Ranch, and Lake Forest

There are currently 1002 homes actively listed for sale in the Saddleback Valley, with asking prices ranging from $85,000 for a 1-bed 2-bath 985 square foot condo in Lake Forest to $22,000,000 for a custom home in Los Ranchos Estates of Coto de Caza.  404 of the homes listed are Short Sales, but only 31 are Bank Owned, for a total 43% of the homes on the market "distressed" sales.

The two communities hardest hit by owners in distress are RSM and Ladera Ranch, with 50% or more of the homes on the market either Short Sales or Bank Owned.

406 homes came on the market during the month at an…

Mission Viejo Activity for May 2009

Monday, June 1st, 2009 at 6:42pm. 285 Views, 0 Comments.

Mission Viejo Real Estate Activity for May 2009

There are currently 286 homes actively listed for sale in Mission Viejo, with asking prices ranging from $115,000 for a 1-bed 1-bath 450 square foot condo to $2,995,000 for a 5,500 square foot custom 6-bedroom home on the lakefront.  102 of the homes listed are Short Sales, but only 8 are Bank Owned, meaning 38% of the homes on the market are "distressed" sales.

126 homes came on the market during the month at an average list price of $281 per square foot, and 38 of those are already in escrow or have sold.

146 homes came off the market pending sale.  The average list price per square foot at the time they were "pended" was $273, a reduction from the $287 per square foot of the original listing.

85…