Posts tagged as:

Orange County Real Estate

Orange County Housing Report: Interest Rates Trump Tax Credit

September 21, 2010

Here’s the latest Housing Report from Steven Thomas, President of Altera Real Estate.
It is time for buyers to start focusing on historically low interest rates; they won’t last forever.
Interest Rates
Rates are at ridiculously low levels and seem to be taken for granted.
I have always been fascinated how almost nobody focuses on how rates affect purchasing [...]

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Straight Talk for Home Buyers

August 23, 2010

Wouldn’t you like to know what Real Estate Agents fear telling you? Well, now you can! Our new site is dedicated to doing just that for home buyers and sellers in today’s crazy Orange County Real Estate market. Selected articles also appear in the Orange County Register Real Estate section every Sunday.
Advice for Home Buyers
Here [...]

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Escrow Mumbo Jumbo – Real Estate Jargon Translated into English

August 21, 2010

Every industry has its share of custom jargon – terms that insiders use amongst themselves as a kind of code language or short hand to communicate with each other. This jargon comes across as Mumbo Jumbo to you and me. Well, surprise, surprise – the Real Estate biz is no different! [...]

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Mission Viejo REO – Hurry Before it Hits the Market!

August 17, 2010

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

This could be the Mission Viejo home you’ve been searching for. Almost 1500 square feet and detached, all three bedrooms are upstairs. The master has a walk-in closet while the two additional bedrooms have a Jack and Jill bathroom, [...]

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Orange County Housing Report: Best Time of Year to Sell

July 24, 2010

Finally, summer is here and so are home sellers’ wild expectations.
THE Best Time of Year to Sell
Here’s a hint: it is NOT Summer.
Every year the real estate industry deals with the same cyclical phenomena, homeowners who feel that summer is the best time of year to sell. Unfortunately, buyers do not agree. Buyer activity actually [...]

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A Home Loan with NO APPRIASAL? Too Good to Be True?

July 17, 2010

So, you’re browsing through the online listings of homes for sale in Orange County, and you come across a great little house that says, “No Appraisal Financing!”. Woohoo! That sounds easy…
HomePath
You may have heard of a new Federal home loan program called HomePath. HomePath loans feature several tempting benefits, such as low down payments, flexible [...]

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Orange County Housing Report: Hey Sellers, Get Realistic!!

July 12, 2010

Here’s the latest Orange County Housing Report from Steven Thomas, President of Altera Real Estate.
The Orange County Housing Inventory has inflated by 48% since the beginning of the year on the backs of unrealistic sellers.
Unrealistic Sellers
Overpriced homes have flooded the market.
Reports of tremendous competition among buyers have fueled unrealistic seller expectations. Reports of multiple offers [...]

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Orange County Housing Report: Demand is Normal Again

June 28, 2010

Here’s the latest Orange County Housing Report from Steven Thomas, President of Altera Real Estate.
After dropping nearly 22%, Orange County housing demand is now in a normal summer cyclical pattern.
Housing Demand:
Over the last 5 years the average drop in demand was 3.2%, this year it was only 2%.
Whatever the reason, the end of school, graduation, [...]

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Mortgage Rates Flirting with All Time Lows

June 25, 2010

Interest rates touched all time lows this week, then bounced up a little. The Fed announced concerns about the global and US economy at the policy meeting this week and stated their intention to keep rates near zero for the foreseeable future. No V shaped recovery in the U.S. Equities, Bonds, commodities, and rates all [...]

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Orange County Housing Report: Demand Returning to Normal

June 19, 2010

The drop in demand ever since the end of the Federal first time home buyer tax credit on April 30th is slowing and leveling off.
Housing Demand
The 4% drop in demand in the last two weeks is much better than the 12% posted two weeks ago.
At this point, looking in the rear view mirror, the end [...]

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