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ORANGE COUNTY BUYERS

Information about buying a home in Orange County, California! Learn more about home buying, getting pre-approval for a loan, how to get through the processes of choosing the right home. more.

ORANGE COUNTY SELLERS

 		  
 

                                                                                                               Information about selling homes in Orange County, California! Get the latest information preparing your home for sale, how to price your home to sell, what it takes to sell a home in this changing market.  Read more.


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Entrepreneur.com calls Mission Viejo 

One of Top 3 Cities to Buy Real Estate!

 

According to Entrepreneur.com, 2008:


"Whether you're an investor ...or you're looking to purchase that next move up, here are my picks for the best areas to buy a home:

  • Killeen, Round Rock, Austin, Texas: Killeen has the lowest average home price in any market in the nation while still maintaining quality. Round Rock and Austin have seen incredible job growth and very stable home prices despite the downturn nationwide. Jobs continue to grow here--a factor for keeping inventory low and prices stable.
  • Mission Viejo, California: Mission Viejo has the lowest crime statistics in the nation. With no murders in 2007 and a low rate of violent crime, this is a good place to raise a family. Prices are relatively stable, and the job market in the nearby cities of Irvine and San Diego means there is consistent demand from job seekers.
  • Palm Beach, Florida: I'm taking a risk here because this area has been pummeled by foreclosures in 2007. But there are also a lot of baby boomers retiring, and Palm Beach is looking mighty attractive. If you don't like this high of a risk (which translates to great prices), check out Tampa or Clearwater in the same state.
  • Las Vegas, Nevada: Yes, Las Vegas has been hit hard by incoming investors, who watched their home values disappear and then left those homes empty. Las Vegas comes in quite high on the national foreclosure list, almost always within the top three metro areas. But there's an upside--a very strong job market. In 2007, Las Vegas experienced a 12 percent increase in population, partly driven by retirees looking for Sunbelt states to move to. Coupled with low prices, we could see inventories reduced here, which would also stabilize prices. Be careful what you buy, but I like it."

If you are planning to buy in South County, consider Mission Viejo Homes as a good value. Other areas, including all of Saddleback Valley, continue to be some of the best buys in real estate.

 

Curb Appeal--Have You Got It?
 
YOU'VE SEEN Mission Viejo homes with curb appeal. They look like everything is beautiful and is in its correct place. For some Mission Viejo homes, curb appeal comes naturally because of the way the house is set on the lot. But true curb appeal requires more than just where the house sits.
Other things that add to the curb appeal of Mission Viejo homes are: The yard looks meticulously manicured, the curbs are not scuffed with black tire marks, the numbers on the curb are clearly painted, the gutters and sidewalks are swept and clean, there are no cobwebs or dust on the front of the house or the front porch, the windows are sparkling clean and you can see portions of the inside of the house through open curtains. The garage door is down, and no cars are parked on the driveway. The house has been painted within the past few years, and special attention to the front door area has been taken, with new door handles and a new doorbell button. The front door has a fresh coat of semigloss. If the house has shutters, they are freshly painted, too.
Most Mission Viejo homes can have curb appeal. Regular maintenance and gardening are the biggest factors contributing to curb appeal. The biggest turn-offs are: dirty exterior, peeling paint, oil stains and old cars in the driveway, basketball hoops in the street, skateboard ramps in front of the house, garage doors left open, plant overgrowth, dirty walkways with toys strewn along them, too many potted plants on the porch, rusty/tarnished hardware on the front doors, closed drapes at every window, torn window screens. You can see how inexpensive it is to get good curb appeal. Clean, Clean, Clean. Unclutter. Stash the toys and sports gear. Paint a little. Replace a few worn items. And clean some more.


Those who have Mission Viejo homes with curb appeal can get a higher price for their homes. If you would like more information about selling your Mission Viejo home, call April Hay or visit: www.GreatMissionViejoHomes.com

 

 

4-Star Home Staging 

 

Often I am asked what can be done to a home to make it sell quickly and for a better price. As we all know, home prices have dipped due to more short sales and foreclosures being on the market. If you want to sell your home, you must compete with those listings by having your home stand out in a very positive way.

Sparkling move-in condition may put Mission Viejo homes ahead of those foreclosures that are not nearly as pristine. Not all buyers want to paint and make repairs when they buy Mission Viejo homes; many are inspired to put in offers on homes that they can imagine moving into immediately. Some sellers make the mistake of thinking their collection of stuff is going to be appreciated by buyers. This in not usually the case. Personal items and knickknacks are very distracting to buyers; they start wondering about the seller more than thinking about living there themselves. So what can you do to make your Mission Viejo home make the very best impression on the greatest number of buyers? There are several things you can do that can make a real difference.

The most common advice is to remove all knickknacks, personal photos, excessive furniture, etc. This is great advice, and I completely agree with it, but I have found that most of us have a hard time discerning how much stuff is too much and what stuff if a turn-off to buyers. Often sellers benefit by a professional staging consultation to identify items that should be removed.

Try this mental exercise:
Imagine walking into a 4-star hotel suite and looking around. You would expect to see only the basics in the way of furniture, minimal yet tasteful decorations, impeccable cleanliness, no evidence of personal items or trash, beds made neatly, everything in its functional place. You know others have stayed in the room, but there is no obvious evidence of it. Imagine the suite has tasteful decor, only a few pictures on the wall, the curtains are clean and open, and there aren't any personal items of someone else sitting around. Take a deep breath and you expect that clean smell of fresh linen and fragrant cleaning solutions. You also expect the glasses (dishes) to be clean and put away, the kitchen sink clean, the bathroom to be spotless with the toilet lid down, sparkling sink, a clean shower curtain or door, and no wet towels hanging on the rod. You expect the walls to be clean and fairly recently painted. You don't expect to see fingerprints on doorways or by light switches. The closet doors are closed, and so we cannot see whether there are clothes in them.

Now see how close you can make your home match this image.

It's true, our Mission Viejo homes are not hotel suites and this may seem like an extreme staging goal. We all have normal lives with the need for normal personal items in our homes. Nonetheless, during the selling period, you will benefit greatly by making the sacrifice of trimming down your possessions, by moving them to storage, by packing them for the move, or by selling them or giving them away to charity. The 4-Star Hotel Suite image may be extremely difficult or impossible to achieve, but keep it in your mind as a do-your-best goal to attract the greatest number of buyers. Don't beat yourself up if you can't quite get the look, but aim for the uncluttered, ultra-neat-and-clean look for your home and buyers will be impressed and more willing to put in offers.

The three most important factors in getting a home sold are: Price, location, and condition. You may not be able to fully control the price or market value, and you can't control the location of your home, but you do have control over the showing condition which can affect the price and the length of time on the market.

 

Give Your Home A Gold Star!

 

With so many listings of short sales and bank-owned properties, it might seem hard for a regular listing to compete. The ERA Gold Star Property designation is a way for regular Orange County listings to stand out above the rest, advertising that Gold Star homes of high quality and an excellent value.

 

To maintain the standard of the Gold Star, not every home can qualify as an ERA Gold Star Property. Because of this standard, when buyers see that the home is an ERA Gold Star Property, they can be assured they are walking into a quality home. To be designated a Gold Star Listing, the home must be in excellent, squeaky clean condition. It goes through a professional home inspection and repairs are made PRIOR to going into the MLS. The home receives a professional staging consultation so that it will show at its best--clutter-free, furnishings correctly placed, and superior interior design techniques employed to create a welcoming ambiance that will please potential buyers.

 

Prior to listing, a detailed seller's disclosure is completed and can be presented to the buyers before the offer is written. The results of the professional home inspection are also provided to serious buyers so they can review the results and see what repairs have been made before they make an offer. And to further assure the buyer that the home they are buying will be trouble free, the ERA Gold Star Property comes with a full year buyer's home warranty!

 

Now, compare the ERA Gold Star Property with many other listings that are available on the market today. So many short sales and bank-owned properties have questionable maintenance, typically come with no warranty, are generally not in tip-top condition. Those that are vacant are typically not very clean. Repairs are not made on these properties. The listing prices of these homes tend to be lower than the lender is actually willing to accept, and it is quite likely the offer will not be responded to for weeks, months, or not at all.

 

On a Gold Star home, the terms of the sale can be finalized quickly and you can be assured that your planned moving date will be your actual moving date. Your escrow will run smoothly because there are no unknowns or surprises when a buyer puts an offer in on an ERA Gold Star Property. With an ERA Gold Star listing, your home will carry the Gold Star designation within ERA.com, the real estate website that gets more hits than any other real estate website in the world. People who are looking for quality homes can search among the ERA Gold Star Properies and your home will be shown right there among the best of all homes. Of course it will also be marketed to all other segments of ERA.com and all the other internet real estate search engines that will broadcast your listing.

 

Your ERA Gold Star Property marketing will be branded with Gold Star, advertising that yours is a beautiful, well maintained home. Your listing will include a minimum of 10 color photographs and a panoramic "virtual tour" that will be included in the MLS and on the website that will be created especially for your home. Flyers, postcards and other advertising will carry the Gold Star brand so buyers can recognize your home is in a league well above those homes that are listed as short sales and bank owned properties. An audio description of your home will be included on ERA.com, giving even more exposure of its "gold star" features.

 

ERA recognizes that special homes deserve special recognition and special marketing methods. So, what can you expect from listing as a ERA Gold Star Property? Let's first look at the alternative--to list as an AS-IS property. If you don't list as an ERA Gold Star Property, then you will be in direct competition with the short sales and bank owned properties and can expect to receive offers that are comparable to those homes. On the other hand, if you can qualify as an ERA Gold Star Property, you can expect the reward of getting a higher price for your home and a quicker sale. Doesn't that sound like the best way to sell a fine home? ERA Gold Star marketing works for Mission Viejo homes, Laguna Niguel homes, Newport Beach homes, Lake Forest homes -- ALL South Orange County homes!

 

If you are confident you own a home that is in excellent condition and that could appeal to even the fussiest of buyers, then contact April Hay for an ERA Gold Star consultation. Gold Star homes do not necessarily need to be new homes or modern homes; rather, they are the kind of homes that show true "Pride of Ownership." They are homes that have been maintained and upgraded on a regular basis. If you are interested in attracting a price that is higher than that of a short sale or bank owned property, April Hay can show you the powerful marketing strategy and appeal of your home earning the "Gold Star."

 

Not every agent provides all the Gold Star features mentioned above. Only April Hay enhances ERA Gold Star Property listings using additional features such as a professional staging consultation by a famed interior designer and the creation of an individual website just for your home. Call April Hay to learn more about all the special features of her ERA Gold Star Property listings.

 

Is Your Realtor Working for You?

 

Doing open house yesterday at one of the Mission Viejo homes we have listed, it amazed me to hear many who attended say that they have agents whom they were "working with." One woman went so far as to say her agent had told her to go out and look at open houses! I looked at her in disbelief and commented that it seemed odd that she was actually working for her agent rather than vice versa. In my own business, I work for my clients, not the other way around. If they want to buy a home, I help them find one that matches their criteria.

The first step of determining a true business relationship with a real estate client is to find out if there is a means to doing business: financial qualification. If a person is able to qualify for a loan and has a sufficient down payment, they are ready to do business. At that point, my client becomes my top priority and I will do whatever it takes to help them find the perfect home. I provide them with information regarding the purchase. After a purchase price is negotiated, I complete every detail of the transaction afterward that will assure a smooth transition into their next home. If a qualified buyer is being told they should go out and find their own home via driving around to open houses, then perhaps the buyer should question--who is working for whom?


One of the best ways I know to get a great overview of local real estate sales and pricing is to go to http://www.mlssnapshot.com/. Log yourself into the feature and you will receive an instant one page report that gives you a bounty of information on which homes are for sale, photo flyers on them, which homes have recently sold, what price they sold for, what the trend in sales prices is for that area. I own this service, so you can be assured that your email address will not be shared with anyone. The report is set to come every month; however, you can change the setting yourself to have it come more frequently if you choose. Those who get this report rave about it.

If you are considering buying a home, call me and I will work hard for you. I will help you find the home you have been dreaming of and will negotiate the best price and terms.

 

Good News for Sellers

 

Recent weeks Realtors across Orange County has seen more buyers coming out to look a Mission Viejo Homes for sale, Laguna Niguel homes for sale, Lake Forest home for sale, and homes throughout South Orange County.  These buyers are serious about buying a home.The have heard the good news that FHA financing can get them into a home with little or now down payment. It's a perfect time for first-time home buyers to take the plunge into buying a home. 

 

Prices are down, low interest loans are available and there is a sizable inventory of homes on the market. This is good news for sellers who have been on the market for a while. Escrows are opening as buyers hop off the fence and decide to buy.  It is expected to be a good time to buy between now and Mid July.  As buyers start to buy, inventories should go down, giving hope to a turn around of the recent fall in prices. 

 

The recent dramatic rises in fuel costs are causing a lot of people to consider moving to locations closer to their jobs. Homes that are close to shopping, schools and entertainment are also in greater demand, as we prepare for what could be a serious recession in the economy. 

 

What to Do When You Can No Longer Make Payments

With approximately 15-20% of Mission Viejo homes being sold as short sales today, it is no secret that many people are having a hard time hanging onto their homes.  But how does one qualify for a short sale?  And what is the benefit of selling as a short sale or just allowing it to go to foreclosure?  As a Home Retention Consultant in my spare time, I am asked this question frequently.

 

First, to qualify as a short sale, the home must be your primary residence, you must owe more than what the home is worth, and you must have an actual hardship that has caused you to be unable to make payments. Hardships vary, but often times it is a case of a homeowner losing their job, a long-term illness that has created a financial deficit, or a loan that has an increased interest rate that has raised the payments beyond what the homeowner can pay.

 

The first thing a homeowner should do when they miss a payment is to contact the lender and ask for the Loss Mitigation Department. That is not the same department as the Defaults Department.  Explain the situation to the loss mitigator and ask for a loan workout.  Depending on your reason for the request, the lender will most likely request financial documentation, including tax returns and recent pay stubs, that shows your inability to pay. They will also want a letter from you describing your hardship.

 

Loan workouts vary, but if you had a temporary loss of wages, you chances of getting a workout that allows you to keep your home are better than if you have no way in sight of making future payments.  When the lender sees little hope of you catching up or being able to make the payments in the near future, they are likely to suggest that you list your home as a short sale prior to it being foreclosed. 

 

Prior to listing your home as a short sale, it is important to call your tax adviser right away to find out what affect, if any, it will have on your taxes. Another question to ask your financial advisor is what affect a foreclosure will have on your credit versus doing a short sale. Generally speaking, a foreclosure tends to have a more devastating effect on credit, but this is a question you should ask of your financial advisor regarding your particular situation.

 

When you are satisfied that listing your home makes financial sense, call an agent who has experience in doing short sales. Some agents who are also Home Retention Consultants have direct contact to lenders and services and have internet tools that insure the process will go more smoothly. I am a trained and experienced Home Retention Consultant and can assist you in contacting your lender for a workout and in listing your home as a short sale. Call me,  April Hay, at 949-525-1575.

 

One other question I am asked when listing short sales is, "Will you tell everyone my home is being sold as a short sale?"  The private remarks section of the listing seen by Realtors must indicate the home is being sold as a short sale. The public remarks do not need to have this information, and I do not advertise the home as a short sale. I do not plaster "short sale" signs in the yard or hand out flyers to all the neighbors that the home is being sold as a short sale.  I try to respect the privacy of my clients whenever possible in selling a short sale listing.  Some short sale homeowners may feel embarrased to have their situation advertised to all the neighbors, so I try to protect their privacy as best I can and still sell the home. 

 

If you call me regarding the possible need to do a short sale, my first priority is to help you determine if there is a way for you to keep your home. 

 

 


April Hay, ERA Pacific Meridian, Specializing in Orange County Real Estate, Mission Viejo Real Estate, Aliso Viejo Real Estate, Laguna Hills Real Estate, Laguna Niguel Real Estate, Rancho Santa Margarita Real Estate.

 

You can find great local Mission Viejo, California real estate information on Localism.com April Hay is a proud member of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network, a free online community to help real estate professionals grow their business.