Orange County Real Estate Success

There’s no place like home…

The words are as true today as they were for a young girl prepping for a return trip back to her Kansas homeland. This is especially true when the residence is your own – lock, stock, and barrel. True, achieving home ownership requires a bit more than focused heal clicking. But the benefits are well worth the effort you’ll put into securing a precious piece of property that has YOU all over it. 

Anyone who has ever plunked down a wad of hard-earned greenery each month to fulfill legal obligations to a landlord knows the pain of money going down the drain. The cash is being put to good use, of course. For the landlord. Do you really want to finance Mr. or Mrs. Landlord’s vacation in Maui with the fruit of your labor? Obviously not. Fortunately, home ownership provides a financially sensible alternative. That’s because monthly house payments build equity over the duration of the mortgage. Once a mortgage is paid off, the property is legally and completely yours. At that point, you can bid a fond farewell to house payments. You are now living free of charge in a place of your own!

Aside from getting their hands on your monthly cash disbursement, landlords typically require compliance with a set rules and regulations governing what you can and can’t do in their place. Owners are known to be pretty difficult beasts should you dare to violate one of their sacred laws. No, they don’t all belong on broomsticks or in cages. But rules are rules, good people. And when you’re a paying guest, you’re obliged to follow all those carefully considered do’s and dont’s. Should you take it upon yourself to enlarge your landlord’s kitchen, you can count on some pretty serious intervention sooner or later.

No such restrictions with a home of your own. Unless you’re violating some sort of municipal code, you pretty much can do as you please – paint the walls in dazzling fluorescent rainbow colors, shape the hedges to resemble your favorite zoo animals, put in shag carpeting so high it will give you a nose bleed. Whatever your heart desires. The choice is all yours.

Once you move into your dream home, you’ll no doubt be inundated with house warming gifts from friends and relatives. One of your favorite relatives has a very special gift for you. Except in very rare instances, your present from Uncle Sam doesn’t come wrapped in colorful paper. But you’ll appreciate it just the same. It’s called a tax incentive. In the vast majority of cases, homeowners can save thousands of dollars a year in taxes.

If you’re contemplating your first home purchase now or in the future, you’re definitely on the right track. Ensuring a solid financial future, personal independence, and boundless gratification, home ownership offers a number of irresistible incentives guaranteed to leave even the most diehard procrastinators wondering why they waited so long. Don’t be one of them.

If you’d like to learn more about buying a home in Orange County, I’m ready to help.  Just contact me at 949.338.7408 or angie@askangie.com. Or follow me @AngieWeeks or @WeeksTeam.

First Time Buyer Mike Aragonez

Not too long ago, I bought my very first home. It was right here in Orange County. The whole thing was new to me, of course. So when I first started house-hunting, I had no idea what it would be like. Luckily, it turned out to be a relatively smooth experience.

The first thing I learned is that the right Realtor can make all the difference in the world. That’s why it’s important to get someone you’re totally comfortable with. In my case, I decided to go with Angie Weeks. It was definitely the right choice.

First of all, she was very professional in her approach. I’d say she combined kindness with a ‘go getter’ personality. Whatever needed to get done, got done. In record time.

Not only did things get done, they got done according to my wishes. I had very definite ideas on what I wanted in a home and community. Angie listened to every single thing I said, then got to work to make it all happened. I’d say she works real hard to go the extra mile and make sure her customer is satisfied. It’s obvious she really has a good heart.

As I said earlier, your Realtor can make all the difference in the world. It’s a good idea to invest some time to find one who’s the right fit. You wouldn’t believe what a big help it is, especially if you’re a first-time home buyer.

Time-Saving Tips Guaranteed to Make Home Buying Easier

When buying a home, most of us are so focused on saving big bucks that we often forget there’s another important element well worth saving – time. The sad fact is, far too many house hunters waste hours and hours in their well-intentioned searches for the ideal residence. No, they don’t have too many spare minutes on their hands. Rather, they simply aren’t aware there’s a better and more efficient way to go about it. The better way consists of 5 simple steps guaranteed to dramatically reduce time-waste and make home hunting a much more delightful experience. Please keep in mind that the steps work best when taken in the following order:

1. Talk to your friendly lender to see what you’re pre-qualified for. Unless you’d rather squander tons of time looking at properties that will get you a big NO from the bank.
2. Save precious gas and hours by conducting online searches in your chosen cities and price range. To bolster this process, make certain you get daily email updates of new properties hitting the market.
3. Once you narrow your prospects to a chosen few properties, motor over to the community with your agent and make sure the locale is to your liking.
4. Choose your top 2 communities. Time goes a lot further when you narrow your focus to a few select locales. Wandering indecisively is a major time gobbler.
5. Purchase the property that comes up next in your preferred community. There’s no need to wait any longer, is there? Never let a great opportunity slip away.

Follow these five steps when buying a home in Orange County, and you’re sure to minimize your search time considerably. If you’d like to learn more, I’m ready to help. Just contact me at 949.338.7408 or angie@askangie.com. Or follow me @AngieWeeks or @WeeksTeam.

Home Buyer Tax Credit is Gift for Golden State

The California government has done it. And thousands stand to benefit. No, they’re not giving away money. But they’re doing something close to it. On 3/25/10 Governor Schwarzenegger signed the Home Buyer Tax Credit into law. That means, fellow Californians, if you’re a resident of the golden state, you could be eligible for hefty tax savings when you step up to buy a home.

So How Much Are We Getting? 

The legistlation, officially known as AB 183, has earmarked $200 million for home buyer tax credits. $100 million is available for qualified first-time buyers of existing homes. The other $100 million has been allocated for people purchasing new or previously unoccupied homes.

Who Can Take the Credit?

Any eligible taxpayer who buys a qualified personal residence between May and December of 2010 or a qualified principal residence between Dec. 31, 2010 and August 1, 2011. The credit is equal to the lesser of 5% of the purchase price or $10,000, and is to be taken in equal installments over three consecutive years. The law further stipulates that buyers must reside in the home for a minimum of two years. Otherwise they have give up the credit, most likely in the form of repayment to the government. Basically, if you don’t stay, neither does the money. So plan on hanging around for awhile.

Seize the Opportunity

No doubt about it. This newly-enacted home buyer tax credit is a golden opportunity for residents of the Golden State. Not only does the legistlation spell major savings, it also eliminates the need to rush headlong into a home purchase before April 30, 2010 – the day the federal tax credit expires.

If you’d like to learn more about the home buyer tax credit, I’m ready to help. Just contact me at 949.338.7408 or angie@askangie.com. Or follow me @AngieWeeks or @WeeksTeam.

First Time Buyer Brett Olson

Recently, I bought a home in Orange County – my first. Like most first-timers, I really didn’t know what to expect. But it wasn’t long before my uncertainties began to vanish. That’s because I had a super Realtor there with me every step of the way. Angie Weeks really knew the ins and outs of the Orange County Real Estate marketplace. And she was there all the time with lots of advice and support. I always felt I had somebody on my side. Angie definitely went above and beyond what I had ever expected. I have a lot to be thankful for.

The first thing I would tell any first-time buyer is this – make sure you have plenty of patience. That’s the key. Eventually you’ll find a good deal. Believe me, they’re out there. Just don’t be in a rush. You’ll get the house you want.

The other thing that’s really important is to go into the market with an open mind. That’s the best way to figure out exactly what you want. Sure, it’s pretty typical to be unsure when you first enter the marketplace. But once you embark on your house hunt, you’ll gradually become familiar with all the possibilities. Suddenly, things you never thought of prior to the search might become major issues. On the other hand, things you considered a big deal may not seem so important after you’ve looked around a while. It’s all a question of taking the time to figure out what you want.

Mission Viejo Homes Offer Ultimate Appeal

Great people, great schools, great environment – there’s plenty to luv about the sunny city of Mission Viejo. And if you’re searching for one of the many ideally-located Mission Viejo homes, you now can register with an Orange County Real Estate resource that will make your house hunt a whole lot easier, effective, and enjoyable. We’re talking full coverage that targets exactly the kind of place your heart desires.

This resource even allows you to extend your search beyond the confines of daytime hours. Don’t worry. You won’t lose any sleep. It’s all done for you online with a Nightly Neighborhood Search. You could literally find the home of your dreams while you dream.

Of course, needs vary. Fortunately, Mission Viejo offers buyers a diversity of choices. A great example is the La Paz tract. Rating sky high on the desirability scale, La Paz is noted for its generously large lots – sometimes stretching out to acres of upscale family living. For the recreation-minded, nearby Lake Mission Viejo offers plenty to do… or not do when you’re in chill-out mode.

If you’d like to learn more about the excellent selection of Mission Viejo homes currently available, I’m ready to help. Just contact me at 949.338.7408 or angie@askangie.com. Or follow me @AngieWeeks or @WeeksTeam.

Procrastinators Beware: You Could Be Losing Up to $8 Thousand

April 30 – that’s when it’s all over, people. You’ve gotta be in escrow by that date in order to qualify for the extended first time home buyer’s tax credit. It all boils down to this: get your home purchase contract in the pipeline by the deadline, or forefeit up to $8,000.00 in tax credits. Poof! Gone! Hasta la Vista, baby! And time won’t make an exception for you. It’s slippin’ away. You’ve got about seven weeks to get it in gear. On your mark, get set, go! 

But if this time crunch isn’t enough to propel you into a mad dash worthy of an Olympian champ, consider this – the deal has to close within two months of the April 30 deadline. In calendar time, the whole thing has to be signed, sealed, and delivered by June 30. If not, say good-bye to your chance to put up to 8k in your pockets.

True, in a grand show of governmental largesse, Uncle Sam already has extended the tax credit one glorious time. But if you’re sitting on your big sofas waiting for this generous act to repeat itself, make sure your crystal ball is in full working order. Because if you don’t have one of these handy devices, there’s no telling what our friends in Washington will do. So unless you’re prepared to risk 8k on a hunch, it’s best to spring into buyer mode now.

If you’re a first time home buyer, the government is offering you a great way to save up $8 thousand. But the offer won’t be on the table much longer. If you’d like to learn more about benefiting from this generous first time home buyer tax credit before it vanishes, I’m ready to help. Just contact me at 949.338.7408 or angie@askangie.com. Or follow me @AngieWeeks or @WeeksTeam.