Home Seller Tips
Tiny Homes & Cutting Edge Home Performance Monitoring
Tiny Home owner / builder Corbett Lunsford
Good times at Orange County Association of Realtors today – we got to tour a tiny home & meet the builder! First cool point, the builder, Corbett, is a totally *normal* person, who has never built a home. He’s towed this tiny 7000 miles & it’s still in tact! Hopefully this inspires some of you readers who are interested to explore tiny builds further 😊 Check out the pics!
Tiny Terrors?
But wait. Isn’t it dangerous to try to build your own home? Well, builder homes aren’t as safe as you might think. Construction crews blow it all the time. A good build is about time & attention, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist. It’s ok if you don’t want to DIY, but read on for some tips about ensuring your existing home is safe for your family.
Your home is a system.
Everything is designed to work together. But does it? Is the symphony in tune? You get a heart monitor at the hospital, but what about a home monitor for your most important investment?
And hey – energy efficiency is all the rage – the government will give you a rebate for replacing your furnace or air conditioner with a higher performance model; plus you’ve heard about all the solar credits too. Who wouldn’t want lower bills & tax breaks?!
How do I know my home is safe & efficient?
You won’t know until you get an Energy Audit & do some home performance testing! Here’s your 4-3-2-1 on what you want to look for:
4 Elements – heat flow, airflow / pressure, moisture, air quality.
3 Recommendations – air sealing (control heat bleed), insulation, HVAC / mechanicals
2 Systems – enclosure, engine (anything that moves)
1 Goal – CONTROL
Thermal imaging can tell you so much about a home’s efficiency. If you’re building a home, buying a home, or selling a home, then consider doing a blower door test and an infared thermal photography scan. This will prove beyond a doubt your mission critical systems are functioning or failing. More tests to prove efficiency are:
- Duct / air tightness testing
- Zonal pressure testing
- HVAC testing
Home Diagnostics with Corbett & Grace Lunsford will be on TV next year if you’d like more info on how to go CSI on a home! Want it sooner? Check out #TinyLab on social media.
Call the AskAngie Team at 949-338-7408 or tweet @angieweeks if you need a referral to do one of the tests mentioned – we want you safe & smiling in your home, whatever size it may be 🏡 😄 🌟
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Orange County Real Estate Forecast for 2016
Had a great afternoon today listening to expert Gary Watt’s predictions for OC’s real estate market this year. Last year, we had a modest appreciation of 4.8%. Real people scenario: If you own a 500K condo, it’s now worth 524K🙂 What’s in store for this year?
OC Inventory Predictions
Inventory should stay around 6500 homes, and appreciation is expected to be 2-3%. If our inventory goes up to 7500 homes, then we’ll have flat appreciation. If everyone freaks out because the election candidates suck and list their home, then a negative 2% is expected (if inventory rises over 7500).
New home sales should continue to decline (they were down last year), and high end and single family homes should decline. Not in overall price, just in volume, mostly due to affordability.
Rates aren’t expected to go much above 4%. Historically, the Feds have always lowered interest rates in an election year, and this year it’s different…so we have to see if that affects our market.
Buyer Trends in Orange County
First time buyers are 28% of our market, the main reason it’s lower than the rest of the country is affordability. Qualifying for homes is stricter, which is also a factor. And let’s not forget about student debt.
As a nation, the average is 63.7% for homeownership. Only 49.1% of Orange County residents are homeowners; our county is one of the hardest to buy in.
What about the younger buyers? 20% of Millennials are currently homeowners, but we’re seeing a commitment issue with about 10%, who don’t even have ‘buying a home’ on their radar.
Chinese & foreign buyers are still a force to be reckoned with. They like to spend their cash here.
OC Rental Activity
Our rental market is on fire, and will continue to be. The rental gap is about $1000/mo. Many residents are taking a short term mindset of saving the extra monthly spend instead of a long term equity building mindset. There are also many who are still rebuilding credit from foreclosure or short sale, who will remain renting until affordability and credit scores increase.
Overall, we should have another good year in 2016, as long as we don’t get an El Nino of inventory! If you are considering listing your home, the sooner the better, because our busy season starts to slow after May. Call or text Angie at 949-338-7408 to have our team crunch numbers and get a spreadsheet of your potential profit!
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )2016 OC Home Fair & Homeownership Day – You’re Invited!
Will you be able to move in 2016?
Thinking about making some real estate moves this year or next? Check out The OC Home Fair at Chapman University coming up on Jan 30th. The event is free and offers 5 sessions guided by experts (1/2 hour each) with various classes for all levels of real estate education.
Taking a Saturday every year to protect your biggest investment is a great success strategy. Just think of how much better your life would be if you maximized your real estate opportunities! This event is pitch-free and will teach you to do just that. Fill out the form below for a personalized session plan based off your individual real estate goals:
We look forward to seeing you at #HomeownershipDay & helping you achieve your OC real estate goals!
Questions??? Comment below or like our for more details Facebook page.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )TRID – What Consumers Need to Know
TRID is the TILA / RESPA Integrated Disclosure Rule which is designed to help consumers understand the mortgage and real estate buying process more thoroughly.
How to most industry people see it? TRID is dirt spelled backwards🙂 It’s a pretty big change and it’s causing delays. We’re annoyed.
45 is the new 30. That’s what everyone’s saying about an escrow timeline. In order to close in 30 days, everything has to flow perfectly. Now be honest, how often does that happen???
In this perfect world…Escrow needs to get the fee sheet over the day the lender requests it.
Furthermore, disclosures need to go out immediately, and the appraisal needs to be ordered pronto. Before loan docs, well pretty much before anything, a CD (Closing Disclosure) needs to get out to the borrower. The best lenders right now are providing this digitally, and those who aren’t (*ahem* B of A, Chase, Wells) have a closing timeframe of 60+ days, which is completely unacceptable. Every time something big changes, a new Closing Disclosure must go out and there is a 3 day mandatory waiting period. There’s no more room for sloppy documents and slow turnaround for paperwork. Having a good real estate team (title, escrow, lender, and Realtor) who all communicate is crucial more than ever with these TRID guidelines.
Delays can be caused by any one or more of these simple elements within the escrow process:
- HOA dues
- HOA transfer fees
- HOA move in/out fee
- Sewer lateral
- Roof inspection
- Pest inspection
- Security deposit transfers
- Insurance Certification costs
- Prorated rents
- Seller rent backs
- Mobile signing fees
- POA preparation fees
- Subordination prep fees
- Draw deed fees
- Buyer paid Realtor commission
- Repair credits
- Carbon monoxide detectors missing
Inspections should be done as soon as possible to avoid any of the above issues. Changing lenders in the middle of the deal now undoes the entire timeline and forces everyone to start over. You need to interview your lenders and have your team in place BEFORE escrow starts. Call us if you need referrals for competent lenders here in Orange County.
If you’re already in escrow with another team, make sure your agent orders Home Warrantee, all disclosures and inspections right away, and is in good touch with the lender. These are all standard practice already with the AskAngie team.
As a seller, you can help too. Right when you open escrow, call the management company right away with the credit card info and order your HOA documents. They are famously one of the slowest moving parts of an escrow so it should be addressed on day 1.
If you have any comments or questions about working with the new normal and TRID, don’t hesitate to call 949-338-7408, comment below, or tweet @AngieWeeks !
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )2016 Real Estate Forecast for Orange County
Will you be able to move in 2016?
Today I had the pleasure of meeting Leslie Appleton Young with California Association of Realtors, and hearing a ton of facts and figures about where real estate stands in the state of California. Wow have we come a long way since 2007! Congrats to all of you who held on to your property!!
As of 2015, the housing market has officially recovered, and we’re rolling along at a steady pace. Over 94% of homes were equity sales this year🙂 Median price is $482,150. Jobs look good; OC is actually #3 on the list up 3.2%, and construction is #2 on the industry list. All great news for housing. But the big question is…
What About Interest Rates????????
Leslie doesn’t really believe rates are going to jump the way other forecasters do. Well that’s good news…if she’s right🙂 She said there may be an increase next year, but it happens, she’s not expecting rates to go up until March 2016…so you’ve got a little time to get going! (But please note the best time to buy in OC is always Oct-Jan)
Market Stats & Demographics
We are below average with first time buyers in the market right now, less than 30%. On the other hand, over 30% of properties sold this year went to all cash investors. 75% of boomers are homeowners. 20% of millennials are homeowners. The good news is that 43% of all boomers worry about their children’s down payment… and are willing to help their millennial offspring with gift funds. International buyers are actually down to 4% this year, they were at 8% in 2013. 45% of Millennials have NO IDEA if they could qualify for a loan or not. What?! Need to check on that kiddos!🙂
If you’d like all of CAR’s facts, figures, and 2016 economic forecast click here.
Why aren’t people buying homes?
- Affordability
- Inventory
- Foreclosure pipeline is dry
- Trouble qualifying for a loan
- They’re happy where they are (average time between homes right now is 10 years)
Regardless of what the facts & figures say, home prices are on the rise right now and many people are getting priced out of the market. Don’t let this happen to you – TAKE ADVANTAGE of interest rates and consider picking up an investment or upsizing to build a strong portfolio and long term wealth! Tweet Angie today @angieweeks or text or call 949-338-7408.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )OC Home Fair & SoCal Home Ownership Day 2015 is this weekend!
Have any plans for this Saturday March 28th? If not, come visit the OC Home Fair at Chapman University. Learn everything about everything on home-owning, buying/selling, investing and plenty more! The speakers are industry leaders and hand selected – the best of the best! The event is designed to help normal people make the most of real estate, and Chapman graciously hosts it with our YPN group, The OC Register, and NeighborWorksOC every year for FREE!
Existing Homeowner Classes
For all you home owners out there, there are plenty of seminars that could help and educate you. Everyone wants to save money, right? “Go Green and Save Money” and “ Ways to Reduce Your Electric Bill” are a couple of seminar suggestions that will help save precious pennies! Would you like to be an “Automatic Millionaire Homeowner“? It’s actually a really easy concept – you’re invited to come learn how. Thinking about a loan mod? Loan Modifications Tips and Tricks is taught by a non-profit. You’re welcome😉 Then, it may be time to consider Moving On Up: Making a Smooth Transition.
Classes To Buy A Home
Loans can be confusing, so there are TONS of classes, FHA Loans and Changes: What You Should Know or How Interest Rates Affect Buying Power is also super important.
First time buyers, check out “Steps to Buy Your First Home” to know what to do. Need better credit first? Well.. there is a class for that too, Ways To Improve Your Credit Score. Foreclosures are always a bummer! But did you know there is Life After Foreclosure and you can get back in the game? Closing costs can be scary but we have a class for that; Closing Costs: What Should I expect?. Want to know The Escrow Process, What to Expect With Your Home Inspection, or How To Make The Most Of A Small Space? Come find out!
Learn How to Invest in Real Estate
Investing is always a good long term plan if done correctly. Find out Property Management: Do’s and Don’ts and Commercial Property Purchases: Do’s and Don’ts. Staging Your Home for Top Dollar is totally important along with, Deferring Capital Gains Taxes: 1031 Exchanges and Orange County Housing Market Report. All of these sessions are custom tailored to teach you crucial things to know!
A huge thank you to the OC Register, YPN, Neighborworks OC and Chapman University. They have all put hard work into promoting and supporting this annual event. Also a big thank you to all the speakers who take time out of their day to help educate the community on the important factors of everything Real Estate!
Now, Hurry and register for any class that interests you before all the seats fill up at www.OCHomeFair.com!!
Questions or comments? Hashtags are #HomeownershipDay or #OCHomeFair. See you Saturday 12-5pm!
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Orange County Real Estate Appraisals – “Ask The Appraiser”!
Frustrated with OC real estate appraisals? Contact the professionals at the AskAngie team to learn tips and tricks to find a more accurate appraisal estimate!
Appraisers…..we love to hate them. They scrutinize your house, call your ‘baby’ ugly, and they tell you it isn’t worth as much as you would like. But they are a critical part of every real estate transaction when you’re getting a loan, so we have to learn to speak appraisal language. What does an appraiser do, anyway? In a nutshell, appraisers determine an unbiased price your property is worth at any particular moment in time. They do this by pulling ‘comps‘ or comparable properties near you, and then factoring in upgrades and features to nail down a property price. The bank hires an appraiser to confirm the loan they are about to give you is on a safe, solid, properly priced property. This week we had the pleasure of hearing long time Laguna Beach appraiser Mary “Vicky” Wilson tell us how we can get closer to the right numbers. As an agent in the business 11 years, some of this info was totally new to me! I’m sure you’ll learn a few things too – so read on🙂
First off, appraisers take a completely factual and non-emotional approach. So to get on the same page with them…you’ve gotta use your head, not your heart. Every price adjustment and comparable property needs to be validated with a series of facts behind it, not just thoughts or feelings.
Basic guidelines Orange County Real Estate appraisers follow:
- **Appraisers do NOT NOT NOT use a price per square foot average.** Don’t even try to value your property like this. You may be able to justify it to the buyers agent, buyer, and yourself, but the appraiser isn’t buying it, and they give the bank the green light needed to lend the money needed & close this deal. Now, lots and land are an exception to this rule, but the main dwelling is NOT.
- Comps must be reasonable substitutes. ie single level properties vs 2 story properties are NOT comparable. Read that again because it takes a minute to sink in. SERIOUSLY?? The 2 story that is 3 doors down is not a comp if you’re a single story??? Notsomuch in the eyes of the appraiser. Be careful not to price a less desirable model in a neighborhood the same as the most desirable if they differ in stories.
- To follow along these lines, lenders don’t want an appraiser to compare properties that are 15% plus or minus in size. If you are the smallest model, you may not be a comp with the largest, and vice versa.
- Lenders require 4 closed sales AND 2 backup or pending sales that support the value opinion & your price tag. Pay attention to active, pending, & backup listings because the appraiser is! They are looking for upward or downward trends in your local market. One high closing in your area won’t help you, remember FOUR closed properties are needed, plus 2 more that are under contract.
- Did you know there are only 17-20 line items on an appraisal? Appraisers stick to the cold, hard facts.
- L O C A T I O N is the #1 consideration. Location also trumps distance from property. So if you are the only ‘ocean view’ in your community, an appraiser may go to a neighboring community to pull other ocean view comps instead of other non-view properties in your same neighborhood. Same would go for a ‘corner lot’ or ‘end unit’ location.
- Time is of the essence. Appraisers like 3-6 month old closed comps, not more than 1 mile away. Pull up this data before you price your property so you are in line with the realities of today’s market.
- No, your converted detached garage, pool house, or Mother In-Law suite is not part of the square footage of your property. Ever. Rule of thumb: If you have to walk outside the main structure and have air or water or wind touch you then it’s not part of the square footage😦 Furthermore, to be considered square footage, permitted improvements must be above soil grade & under the main roof. Sorry, but your cool casitas or underground grow and wine rooms can be appraisal line item adjustments, but NOT included in the square footage.
- .75 bath (toilet, sink, shower) is counted as a full bath in appraisals!!!! .5 baths with no tub or shower, on the other hand, are only noted as .1….so if your property is 5 full and 3 1/2 baths… it’s a 5.3 on the appraisal; not 6.5.
- Appraisers only have 48 hours to send their appraisals in, and they get paid less than $500 per report. Banks have high expectations and short timelines, so this is where a good agent comes in to assist your appraiser in understanding your home’s true value, quickstyle. More agent tips coming if you keep on reading….
- The market will *usually* pay back 50-60% of what you spent on upgrades!!! Sellers who try to add the entire price of remodels or upgrades into a purchase price always end up disappointed. Remember this ratio and come to terms with it now.
- If you do have an unpermitted addition, appraisers will ask: Does it have intrinsic value to the property? Is the addition positive or negative to the overall home? How is the condition? Remember, non-permitted additions won’t count toward square footage, ever, but it can be added as a line item to the overall valuation.
Tips for Realtors and homeowners to better work with appraisers:
- Be present at the appraisal appointment with a comp packet. Or email it early. The appraiser is in the field NOW, not in 3 hours when you get back to the office and your email. Don’t expect appraisers to drive back to see your comps. Make sure to support upward and downward trends with comps and a possible market report, too.
- Inform – appraisers need to know what was upgraded and how much was spent. Readily offer full access to everything.
- Don’t approach an appraiser negatively or with an attitude if you don’t agree with their valuation.
- Don’t say: “You should have no problems with the value”. Famous last words.
- During follow up: don’t ask the value, they can NOT tell you the number directly. Instead ask: “Did you find any problems with the home that may be an issue?”
Wanna Ask the Appraiser more specifics?
Mary Vicky Wilson is happy to do ‘range valuations’ for Orange County homeowners who are considering selling. May as well do it now.
949-939-6806
Vicky@yourappraisalpeople.com
Want an Orange County Market Report and professionally pulled comps?
Contact the AskAngie team and we’re happy to help! You can reach Angie direct at 949-338-7408. Or just email Angie@AskAngie.com or tweet @AskAngieTeam so we can help you get the research you need to sell your biggest asset for top dollar!
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Southern California Home Ownership Day 2014 – OC Home Fair
Need help in Real Estate?
Want to buy a home, but don’t know where to start? Or are you trying to sell your home, and everything is going wrong? Have an interest in investing? Then you came to the right place. All your questions can be answered On March 29 2014 at the Southern California Home Ownership Day located at University Drive Orange, CA 92866 !! This event is a do not miss opportunity.
The Southern California Home Ownership Day
California Home Ownership Day is hosting. Some of the seminars include Buying after a Short Sale Foreclosure, Steps to Buy Your First Home, The Escrow Process, What to Expect With Your Home Inspection, and Ways to Reduce Your Electric Bill. Each class is taught by a well educated instructor.
Do you want to be an Automatic Millionaire Homeowner?
The Automatic Millionaire Homeowner seminar is a slow play way to become a millionaire in real estate. I am teaching this class, please click on this link (https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ochomefairclass01). You can also enter to win a free raffle to win the book The Automatic Millionaire Homeowner by David Bach.
The best part of this event is that it’s FREE!! But you need to hurry and register a seat for the classes you would like to attend. Don’t know how? To learn more about this event visit http://www.OCHomeFair.com or Contact me at (949) 338-7408 or Tweet me @AngieWeeks
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Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )What’s in store for Orange County Real Estate in 2014?
What’s in store for 2-0-1-4?
Today we had the pleasure of attending a lunch & learn by The Real Estate Focus Group and Steven Thomas, one of Orange County’s best real estate forecasters. Steven’s reports have been published in Forbes, USA today, NY Times, and especially the OC Register because he’s constantly pulling tons of valuable data about what’s going on with the OC housing market.
2013 Real Estate Review
In 2013, short sale volume dropped by 61%, (holla:) we experienced a hot hot hot market with 18% appreciation and then the unrealistic sellers entered the market after June. We saw many more move up sellers, which is a great sign. There was a significant lack of inventory at the beginning of the year, followed by a spike and overpriced inventory in the fall. We also had a refinance bonanza, so hopefully you took advantage of that! Interest rates are still historically low, but tapering is looming, so 2014 is a year to get your financing while financing is still good.
2014 Real Estate Ramp Up
We currently have 5000 homes on the Orange County market, and we have a 49% increase in inventory since this time last year. Our market is healthy because interest rates are still low (but expected to go up), and we are currently at 90% equity (standard) sales.
Only 5% of the mortgaged homes in Orange County are currently underwater. That means 95% of you are back to even or have (gasp!) equity – FABULOUS NEWS – and this makes the perfect formula for a continued move up market. If you’d like to get the house with the yard or the pool, this year is opportunity time for you.
First time buyers who have been squeezed out of the market the last 12 months will come back, even though their rates are a little higher and FHA guidelines have changed. In addition, more luxury buyers are expected to enter the market this year.
Sellers, our expected time for a properly priced home on the market in Orange County is 93 days. Our median sales price is 610K, and buyers, your monthly payment for a 4.5% loan at this price is approximately $2500. Still affordable. Unless you like paying off your landlord’s mortgage instead.
New home construction is going up: Rancho Mission Viejo, Great Park Irvine, and Baker’s Ranch in Foothill Ranch are all big developments underway. Remember it’s still a good idea to have a Realtor represent you even in a new build situation, so be sure to call us if you would like to check out any of the inventory out there.
Some concerns for 2014….. uncertainty, lack of fair market value homes, interest rates, and the circus in Washington DC.
Some expectations for 2014…… buyers will insist on fair market value vs. paying over appraisal, active inventory will continue to rise, interest rates will continue to rise, and we should have a mild appreciation of 0-5%.
If you are interested in MORE geeky data, we have it at our fingertips! Just email angie@askangie.com, tweet @angieweeks or @weeksteam, or call 877-230-3211 to request a copy of this month’s Orange County housing report.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )California Real Estate Forecast 2012 – 2013
If you are interested in what is to come in Orange County real estate, then listen up as Leslie Appleton Young has provided us with some great insights. We had the chance to attend one of Leslie’s recent luncheons, and she gave us great information we needed to know for the upcoming Real Estate shift.
As mentioned in our recent video summary on YouTube (embedded below), Leslie stated California Realty is a “Bright Spot in the California Economy; and that the bottom has been reached and is on its way up.” We also found demand is starting to grow, big time! 83% of Real Estate investors are buying to hold. 57% of homes in Orange County are recieveing multiple offers of more than asking. There are an average of 4.3 offers per property!!! Homes are flying off the market right now as well – the average days on the MLS is cut in half from a year prior. Southern California Median home prices are up 14.3 %. Things are looking much better for Orange County and California real estate in general…great news!!
Are you ready to get your Orange County home on the market and upgrade? Call The Weeks Team…877-230-3211
CALIFORNIA REAL ESTATE FORECAST 2013
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012f | 2013f | |
| SFH Resales (000s) | 441.8 | 546.9 | 492.3 | 497.9 | 523.3 | 530.0 |
| % Change | 27.3% | 23.8% | -10.0% | 1.1% | 5.1% | 1.3% |
| Median Price ($000s) | $348.5 | $275.0 | $305.0 | $286.0 | $317.0 | $335.0 |
| % Change | -37.8% | -21.1% | 10.9% | -6.2% | 10.9% | 5.7% |
| 30-Yr FRM | 6.0% | 5.1% | 4.7% | 4.5% | 3.8% | 4.0% |
| 1-Yr ARM | 5.2% | 4.7% | 3.5% | 3.0% | 2.8% | 2.8% |
f = forecast
Contact info:
The Weeks Team
949 – 338 – 7408
angie@askangie.com
California Home Buyer Recovery Timeline – do you agree???
Happy Memorial Day!! We hope you have a nice and relaxing long weekend planned :) Here’s an interesting email we received about homebuyer recovery from the folks at FirstTuesday.us and Barry Zanck, one of our preferred lenders. What do you think?
California Home Buyer Recovery
2005-2009 California economic development stagnates.
2007-2009 The Great Recession
2009-2010 The Federal Reserve takes direct control of long-term interest rates – all new mortgages are Fed funded by bonds.
2009-2016 The Lesser Depression, characterized by persistent slow job growth and low demand from home buyers, while dominated by speculators.
2010-2015 Home sales remains on a “bumpy plateau” recovery approximating their 2010 numbers. The state’s homeownership rate drops below 55% (state’s historic point of stability) to near 50%. Collectively, short sales, foreclosures sales and REO resales remain high.
2012-2013 The most likely bottom for home sales volume to users, followed by an extremely gradual sales volume recovery for lack of user demand. Apartment construction begins to rise noticeably in response to tenant demand.
2014-2015 Prior low pricing and low interest rates spark a bounce in home sales volume. This bounce is short-lived, as the Federal Reserve raises rates to control the pace of recovery and prevent momentum buying. Property prices keep pace with the rate of consumer inflation. Speculators holding SFRs acquired two or three years earlier begin to dump them
2014-2016 Home sales stabilize. Shortsales, foreclosures, bankruptcies and REOs remain high. 300,000-400,000 new jobs are created annually for a return to the December 2009 peak level. Generation Y begins to come of age and buy homes.
2016-2017 Full recovery mode for employment, home sales, then pricing. SFR construction rises, though no where near Boom-time heights.
2017-2018 Interest rates rise again.
2018-2020 Excess inventory of vacant homes finally returns to pre-recession levels. Generation Y begins to pick up homebuying activity en masse. Homeownership in California is at 50%.
2020-2025 Negative equity homeowners who refused to strategically default finally work their way out of debt and return to a stable financial status, the poorer for it.
2025+ Home prices return to peak levels of 2006. The lessons of the Great Recession forgotten, and home sales hedonism returns. The mistakes of the past are repeated and the cycle continues.
We agree that we are probably at the bottom right now, as we’re already seeing an uptick in California homebuyer interest, and a decrease in inventory. We disagree that interest rates will stay low until 2017…..although wouldn’t that be nice???! We also agree (unfortunately) that the lessons of the past will be forgotton by 2025, and the market will again cycle. It always does!
What do you think? Please comment below or tweet us @angieweeks or @weeksteam. Should you be interested in buying ‘at the supposed bottom’, please call us at 877-230-3211, and we’re happy to show you homes over this Memorial weekend!
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Orange County Home Staging – need a FAST sale?
Many of you have heard of Home Staging and thought “OK, maybe, but does it really work? Is it really worth the money?”
Last night I got a call from a home-owner I worked with at the end of March to pick up some props. When I staged their house I left some items behind and told them to give me a call when the house sells so that I can pick them up. In today’s market houses usually sit for a few months before an offer is made so you can imagine my surprise when I got the call. What happened? Why did they ask me to come pick up the props? Surely the house could not have sold so fast.
Orange County home sells 4 Days after staging – accepted offer was above asking price!!!
Let’s look at how much this staging saved them. For each month that a house is on the market a seller has to pay mortgage, utilities, insurance, taxes and any other owner related bills. Assuming the average mortgage is around $2,000 that is a lot of money spent each month the house is on the market. Knowing that, how much would you be willing to pay for a service that can help sell your house faster? Would it be worth $1000 to save months of those expenses? My services for this house cost these owners well under $1,000 and we used only what was already there. The owners were still living in the house and had everything we needed on hand.
If you are considering selling your house make the investment in Staging. It will save you so much money in the long run, and get your house sold much faster.
For more information check out our website dedicated to Orange County Staging!
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )10 Ways to Avoid Short Sale Delays
If you’re involved with a short sale for an Orange County home, the last thing you need is a mountain of delays. Fortunately, there are 10 steps you can take to help minimize logjams and power through the sale at a reasonable pace. 
- Make sure buyers, sellers, and agents are all on the same page as far as expectations go. Everyone needs to understand that the process is complex, and things don’t exactly happen overnight.
- Homeowners should complete all necessary financial hardship documentation. It is important to update these docs on a consistent basis.
- Get the sale property up on MLS and market the heck out of it.
- Come to an agreement regarding any external third party fees before submitting HUD (agreement should be valid for 60 days). Possible external fees include short sale negotiation, reconveyence, document preparation, and notary.
- Before submitting short sale documents and/or images, go over them with a fine tooth comb for accuracy.
- Lagers can cause some serious delays. So make sure customers and agents complete all necessary tasks in a timely manner.
- Do your best to get a purchase offer that reflects the best possible fair market value and highest return for investors.
- Submit fully executed purchase offers, making sure all addenda have been signed by buyer and homeowner. Provide any supporting documentation with offers.
- Get busy and obtain a release on outside liens as early in the process as possible.
- Be on the lookout for any of the following situations, as they invite delays:
a) A change in buyer, agent, or terms
b) Customer files for bankruptcy or divorce
c) Changes after approval letter is issued (please note expiration date)
If you’d like to learn more about short sale opportunities in the Orange County Real Estate market, I’ll be delighted to help. You can connect with me at 949.338.7408 or angie@askangie.com, @AngieWeeks or @WeeksTeam.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 1 so far )Orange County Home Staging: Horrible Odors
Keren Shamay of Shamay Staging & Redesign Inc. here. I am currently in AZ at Real Estate Investment school. Today’s topic? Fix and Flip. How to do it the right way. What are the hazards? What problems come up? During one of the discussions we ran across a house that had terrible pet odors. The kind that happen after years of more than 5 dogs living in a house, some of which never went outside. Imagine walking into that kind of house as a buyer.
Most home owners do no have that scale of problem on their hands. Many however do have a less offensive version of it. Most buyers may not say anything, but will definitely cross your house off the list of potentials to buy. So as a seller with a pet odor problem, how do you remedy it? The answer that will help the majority of homeowners is paint. Get enough paint to repaint the inside of your house. Go to a store that sells essential oils and get one vial of Cedar-wood and One vial of Orange. Mix 5 drops each of the oils per gallon of paint and paint your walls.
This should solve many of your problems. If it does not fix the problem, call a Stager who is experienced with this process for the next steps. You are at a point where you may need much more than basic staging advice. They will be able to help you resolve the toughest of issues. As a home Stager I am very familiar with this remedy, and the next steps should they be needed. No matter who you use, a Stager along with your Realtor are your best allies in getting your house sold.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 1 so far )Room Planning
When looking for a new home and you want to keep your furniture but you’re not sure if it fits into your new room? Here’s a website that can help you out!
http://www.bassettfurniture.com/tools/room-planner.asp
Take the measurements of the room and the measures of the furniture and your on your way to having a great fitting room for your new home!🙂
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Is Your Orange County Home Dressed for Success?
Some say looks aren’t everything. But in the competitive world of Real Estate, appearance counts for a lot when your home is up for sale. We’re talking right up there with price and location. A properly staged home can make the difference between a timely sale and forever and ever on the market.
Mary Jayne Barnett, expert stager and owner of Revamp Your Home, has some fantastic advice on staging your home to look its irresistibly best, using only what you already have. Have a look!
If you’d like to learn more about staging your Orange County home to look its best, Mary Jayne will be delighted to help. You can connect with her at —
t 949.922.5357
f 949.459.6118
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Disclosing Advice For Orange County Home Sellers
Disclose Before You Close
When it comes to selling a home, it seems that you just can’t disclose too much. Yes, certain details matter a great deal. In fact, from a legal standpoint, sellers must make these details available to prospective home buyers. And it is the responsibility of every agent to dig deep and make certain these facts come to the surface in a timely matter. 
One of the facts that must be disclosed concerns a death that occurs on the property up for sale. The law states that a death must be revealed if it has taken place within three years prior to a home being offered for sale. This is an important piece of information to bring to the surface, is it potentially carries a lot of emotional weight for a would-be buyer. If you’re not sure about disclosing such an occurrence or any other fact you think might be relevant, it’s best to follow the simple, time-tested guideline of ‘when in doubt, disclose it out’.
I can’t stress the importance of over-disclosing facts such as these enough. I mean, think about how you would feel if you were on the other side of the fence and some important detail like this was left out of the picture. Remember, it’s an agent’s job to sell a property honestly – in all its aspect. So you as a home seller should disclose EVERYTHING to the person representing your property. Complete information will help your agent price your home appropriately for all matters involved.
If you’d like to learn more about California home sale disclosure requirements, I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have. Feel free to contact me at 949.338.7408 or angie@askangie.com. And be sure to follow me @AngieWeeks or @WeeksTeam. Looking forward to hearing from you soon!
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Liven Up Your Living Space With a Special Home Improvement Loan
OK, I’ve told all you Orange County homebuyers, sellers, and agents about this fantastic home improvement loan before. Now you get a sneak peek of what’s possible. But first, a recap – –
Right now you can take advantage of a Home Improvement Loan program that combines the sale price of a home and the cost of home improvement into one convenient loan.
These are the basics:
- Basic Explanation: the Home Sales Price plus all clients’ home improvements get wrapped into one, low fixed rate loan!
- Loan Limits = same as FHA County Limit (1 Units: $729K in Orange & LA County, $500K in Riverside. 2-4 Units higher)
- Low Down Payment – only 3.5% required! (plus normal closing costs carried by seller or buyer)
- Possible Renovations to home include: (Remodeled rooms such as kitchens, bathrooms, etc. Additions, alterations, or structural changes to home. Repair or replace plumbing, heating, air, roof, foundations, etc!)
- Also available for Refinances
- [Gov’t Insured Loan, 1-4 Unit SFR (no condos), 620 Min FICO]
Cori Hillis of Best Rate Financial has helped many individuals secure one of these dream loans. With his assistance, great things like this happen:
BEFORE HOME IMPROVEMENT LOAN AFTER HOME IMPROVEMENT LOAN
You can liven up that special living place, too. Learn more about how this new loan program can make your Orange County dream home happen. Or get started with a quick pre-approval. Just contact Cory Hillis at 888-299-4484 or cory@bestratefinancial.com . He’ll be more than happy to assist you.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Bring Your Orange County Home to Life the Easy Way
So Long Ho-Hum Home
Whether you’re buying, selling, or staying put in your amazing Orange County home, one thing’s for sure – you want it looking its best, inside and out. Alright, before visions of major makeovers start dancing in your heads, know something right from the start – no major action is required. In fact, taking your residence from ho-hum to ooh-wow! is simply a matter of following a few basic steps.
Alisa Moffet, home staging, designing, and color specialist with Domani Designs, offers these insider tips and tricks guaranteed to work wonders for that place you call home sweet home.
- Remove all family photos.
- Add simple, single-panel drapery to warm a space instantly. Hang em’ high to make the room feel larger.
- Remove as many nick-knacks as possible. Less is more!
- Replace bathroom mirrors with framed mirrors. This is the least expensive way to update your bathroom — without remodeling.
- Add plants. These will create an inviting atmosphere.
If you’d like to learn more about making your home the best it can be, Alisa will be happy to help. You can reach her at 949.293.3858 or amoffett@domanidesigns.com .
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Understanding B of A’s Short Sale Process
B of A Short Sales – What every party needs to know!
Today I’m taking a few hours out of the busy day to listen to Allen Seelenbinder, a VP with Bank of America, tell Realtors how to work better with B of A to get our short sales closed quicker. Definitely good use of time, because short sales take waaaaay too long!!! For Realtors looking for Equator tips, check this post.
Allen said the goal of the bank is to help preserve homeownership, they WILL attempt to modify your loan & help you stay in your house if you want to. It’s part of being on the HAFA program, and you can even try multiple times if you get denied on your first loan mod request! Good news if you’re late on the mortgage & want to keep your home, but you have to keep communicating & trying.
BUT…Did you know 60 percent of all loan modifications fail in the first 9 months? Yikes, make sure you are working with a professional modification specialist so you are not a statistic! Most times if you default on your modification, you’re not going to get another one, and its time to short sale.
For those who can’t afford the mortgage, & don’t see light at the end of the tunnel soon, you have options…
1. Deed in lieu – leaving your home and giving the deed back to the bank willingly
2. Foreclosure – defaulting on payments until the bank is forced to take your property back
3. Short sale – selling your property for less than it is worth
Short selling your property will allow you to buy again sooner than if you get a foreclosure, so its a good option. BUT, its complicated, so you need a good Realtor who knows what they are doing to help.
If you’re drained on the process, please keep trying. If you allow foreclosure, your credit will have a huge hit, and you know how important your credit is! Allen warned many times employers are looking at your credit as a gage on your responsibility, fight to keep it in tact as best you can!!
Short sales are the new normal! Buyers, sellers, investors, Realtors, & banks need to work together :) There are over 6 million homeowners late on their mortgage right now, and many more projected in the upcoming months. Short sale will continue to be a household term for the next few years, unfortunately.
Why is the short sale process so long? Well…theres a lot of hoops to jump through:
- the process doesn’t begin until an offer is received, you could have a sign in the yard for months.
- an appraisal & bpo must be done
- the offer must reasonably meet current market value
- the buyer must qualify
- the seller must demonstrate hardship & provide documentation
- arms-length has to be proved (that means sellers aren’t in cahoots w buyers)
- the mortgage investor must approve the offer
- 3rd party approvals (mortgage insurance, helocs, second liens.)
Unfortunately, there is a lot of red tape to untangle. Buyers need to be prepared for at least 60-120 days for close, and agents from both sides need to constantly keep communication lines clear and all parties in the transaction updated.
What is financial hardship? Its better to say what it is not. Financial hardship is NOT that you are under water on the property, that is simply a bad investement. Its also not hardship if you can’t get a renter. If you are widowed, but have assets, death is not financial hardship, its emotional hardship :( there are a lot of people now trying to claim hardship when they do not have truely have one. You need to be able to show your hardship on paper.
One of the biggest challenges right now is getting 2nd loans, liens, and MI to reasonably come in line with the short sale loss. Sellers, be prepared for agents to ask questions about ALL loans & liens on the property, and please offer up front and honest answers. There’s going to be some back & forth necessary between the parties you owe $$ to.
Want to know if you are eligible for HAFA? Check bankofamerica.reo.com/hafa to make sure you qualify! B of A is also working on a program similiar to HAFA, but with better guidelines, called the Cooperative Short Sale.
B of A Cooperative short sale
Yes, its still in the works, but its pretty good!! It will:
- proactively outreach to customers
- offer preapproved short sale pricing
- promise offers reviewed/approved within 2 weeks
- be similiar to hafa, but wider scope
- rollout hopefully August 1st
Banks including B of A are all trying to make the best of our current market, and short sales are a huge percentage of it. Look for more posts (and videos!) soon to help you through the short sale process. If you or someone you know is late on their mortgage, The Weeks Team keeps everything confidential and we will be happy to discuss options! 877-230-3211 or info@successinweeks.com
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