Blog - Orange County Real Estate-Orange County Homes For Sale

New Programs Aim to Streamline Short Sales

February 19, 2010

The National Association of Realtors issued a press release today detailing efforts they are taking to help make the purchase of Short Sales less frustrating and problematic.
HAFA – Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives
HAFA is a Federal program with takes effect in April that is designed to help homeowners complete a Short Sale of their home when [...]

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Where Have All the Orange County Foreclosures Gone?

February 16, 2010

It’s not difficult to find gloomy Real Estate prognostications, most of them focused on the huge supply of foreclosure “shadow inventory” that is expected to hit the market soon. Estimates range from around 2.7 million to as high as 7 million foreclosures that will soon be unleashed on the national housing market.
Waiting for the Big [...]

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In Pictures: The Severity Of The Foreclosure Crisis Depends On Where You Live

February 15, 2010

Foreclosures stories dominate the national housing news. It seems at least one foreclosure-related story makes its way to the front page or the nightly news every week.
But for as much as the foreclosure filing statistics can be astounding — over 300,000 homes were served last month alone — the prevalence of foreclosures depends on where [...]

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Trabuco Canyon and Coto de Caza Real Estate Snapshot

February 11, 2010

Here’s a little snapshot of the Real Estate market in Coto de Caza and Trabuco Canyon. This data actually covers the entire 92679 zip code, which includes not only the approximately 3,000 to 4,000 in Coto de Caza, but also Dove Canyon, Robinson Ranch, Trabuco Canyon, Portola Hills, and Wagon Wheel.

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Low [...]

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Orange County Home Buyer Tax Credit Reminder

February 5, 2010

The updated and extended tax credit for first-time home buyers and current homeowners is slated to expire in less than three months. Here’s a recap of the details:

Feature

Original Program

Extension

Deadline

Must fund by Nov. 30, 2009 (WFHM deadline was Oct. 30)

The measure is written differently so that a sales contract must be in [...]

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Rancho Santa Margarita Home Price Update

February 4, 2010

Rancho Santa Margarita Home Prices

Last January the median price for single-family homes in Rancho Santa Margarita pulled out of a steep decline, and has been relatively stable ever since. Inventory of homes for sale continues to hold at much lower levels than existed during the decline as well.
Originally Posted [...]

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Buying an Mission Viejo Foreclosure? Mold Inspection!

January 19, 2010

Foreclosures and Bank Owned homes are the hot item in Mission Viejo Real Estate, and all over Orange County. That’s where the deals are, right? But there are dangers, too. Check out this video!
Trace, The Mold Sniffing Dog

Pay for an Inspection, Earn a Credit
So, it’s fun to watch Trace do his work, but there is [...]

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Buying a “Fixer” Home in Mission Viejo

January 15, 2010

Buyers often have their “dream home” in mind when shopping homes for sale in Mission Viejo, but sometimes beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
With Low Inventory, Many Homes Have “Issues”

FHA or VA Financing on a Fixer
Many investors love a fixer home, because it provides an opportunity to buy at a discount and make [...]

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Why Some Mission Viejo Homes are Priced Below Market Value

January 8, 2010

Have you seen some Mission Viejo homes for sale that are priced too low to be believed? How about that condo that was listed for $188,100, went into escrow 8 days later, and sold for $220,000?
Low Prices Attract Lots of Buyers
Did seeing such a great price work you into a frenzy, only to learn the [...]

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Proposed California Tax Credit Could Boost Orange County Real Estate

January 6, 2010

Real Estate in Rancho Santa Margarita and other Orange County cities could get another boost from the government. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed a new homebuyer tax credit for California taxpayers.
Not Just For First Time Buyers
Just like the new recently passed Federal program, the proposed credit would apply to the purchase of existing as well [...]

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