Buyer’s Don’t Let “As Is” Scare You

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Seeing “as is” on a home listing can make some homebuyers nervous. The first thought often is, “what’s wrong with the home”? In fact, the term “as is” should not scare you away from a home that otherwise looks like a good fit. Understanding the term, its use, and how to approach the situation can lead to a great deal and good investment.

First, “as is” does not necessarily mean “fixer-upper,” even though this is a common belief. Most often, the term “as is” is simply the seller’s way of letting prospective buyers know that they do not want to be bothered making minor repairs.

Writing an offer on an “as is” listing does not mean that you agree to take the home in any condition, nor waive your right to have inspections. It’s important to do thorough inspections and investigations of any home you consider buying. After carefully reviewing the condition of the home, you can still request repairs or credits during your inspection period, even on an “as is” home listing. The sellers may or may not agree to do some repairs for major issues to ensure the conclusion of the sale.

Finally, some homes are in such poor condition that the “as is” description is a true warning. These homes may not qualify for traditional financing and require serious consideration about the cost and effort to repair. Most of the time, if the home appears to suit your needs, you can feel confident moving forward with the process. “As is” does not need to be scary and it does not mean you can’t still make informed decisions after an inspection.

5 Important Things to Consider Before Buying a Fixer-Upper Home

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Purchasing a fixer-upper property can be an exciting and rewarding experience. HGTV is filled with programs of amateurs knocking down walls and tiling bathroom floors. The fact is that this is much harder than it looks and before diving headfirst into this kind of project, it’s critical to consider whether you are prepared for the venture.

5 Important Things to Consider Before Buying a Fixer-Upper Home

1. Financial Planning – The first step in buying a fixer-upper home is to establish a realistic budget. Include the purchase price, repairs costs, and any expected expenses for renovation or restoration. Once you have created a “known” list, then add extra for unexpected issues that will arise.

2. Time and Effort – Renovating a fixer-upper takes time and effort, even if you hire a general contractor to oversee the project. Consider the overall scope of the project and evaluate your skills and level of time commitment.

3. Structural Condition – Before making an offer, thoroughly inspect the property’s structure and foundation. Recognize the impact of any issues uncovered and make sure to budget for the proper corrections.

4. Real Estate Market and Location – Even a beautiful home in a terrible area is a bad investment. Consider such factors as property values, market trends and the potential for future appreciation. Work with a financial planner to make sure the investment fits your long-term goals.

5. Legal Considerations – Before writing the offer, familiarize yourself with local building codes, permit requirements, and zoning regulations. Ensure the changes you anticipate align with local requirements.

Purchasing a fixer-upper home can be a wonderful investment and worthwhile project. By evaluating your budget, time commitment, property condition, and potential appreciation, you can be sure to choose the right situation for your goals and experience

Tips for Touring Listings with Children

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Searching for a new home can be an exciting adventure, but it can also be a stressful experience, especially when you have young children in tow. It can be difficult to keep them entertained and engaged while you're trying to focus on evaluating potential properties. However, with a bit of planning and preparation, it is possible to make touring properties with children a more enjoyable and successful experience.

In this blog post, we'll share some tips and tricks to help you navigate the process and find your dream home while keeping your little ones entertained and happy.

Simple Tips for Touring Listings with Children

· Be Safe – First and foremost, it’s important to keep your children safe. Do not assume that the home is child-proof, in fact, assume the opposite. Kids love to poke around. Be aware that there could be dangerous chemicals and products within their reach. Medicine cabinets could have potent drugs and cleaning supplies may be under the sink.

· Be Respectful – Often family homes have toys and other children’s items within easy reach but it’s important to keep your own kids from playing with these toys. It may be a tempting way to avoid boredom, but be respectful of the home.

· Plan Ahead – Remember that your children may be bored or hungry. Plan ahead; keep food and drink in the car to snack on between showings or consider taking turns with a spouse to allow the children to stay in the car with toys or videos. Finally, if you can, limit the amount of time you are out looking at homes.

Touring properties with children can be a challenge, but with the right approach, it can also be a fun and rewarding experience for the whole family. By keeping your children engaged and entertained, you can focus on evaluating potential properties and finding your dream home. Remember to plan ahead, bring snacks and toys, and involve your children in the process. With these tips and tricks, you'll be well on your way to finding the perfect home for you and your family.

6 DIY Home Projects That Could Kill Your Home Value

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Weekend TV lineups are filled with Do-It-Yourself home improvement programs. One home inspector used to call the results “six-pack projects.” While not all DIY projects end in disaster, some projects can harm home sales because buyers see these “improvements” as changes they will need to make once they buy the house. If you are planning to sell soon, it’s important to realize that potential buyers may not be as impressed with your handiwork as you are.

6 DIY Projects that Can Kill Your Home Value

1. Garage Conversion – Homebuyers love extra square footage, but they don’t want it in the garage. Most buyers will plan to “unconvert” a game room back to space for their cars or storage.

2. New Doors – New doors can add beauty to a room, but if they are not mounted properly, they land on a new buyer’s list of things to fix.

3. Uneven Hardware – If you are trying to update cabinets with new hardware, make sure they are level and line up evenly.

4. Crown Molding – Seems like an easy upgrade but adding elegant crown molding is very difficult and ends up looking sloppy.

5. Painting to Hide Problems – Cracks, gaps, and surface defects only look worse when covered with fresh paint.

6. Kitchen Cabinets – Old, worn cabinets should be replaced if possible. As with the walls, a fresh coat of paint only accentuates the dated look.

Every seller knows they need to freshen their home and add curb appeal to list their home. Before launching into a frenzied weekend of DIY projects, speak to a professional agent or stager and make sure you don’t make things worse in the eyes of your potential buyers

Tips for the First-time Home Seller

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Tips for the First-Time Home Seller There is a lot of attention paid to first-time homebuyers. Most real estate agents and lenders have some kind of guide to help first-time homebuyers navigate their first home purchase, but what about the first-time seller? Selling your home for the first time can be just as confusing as a home purchase, so here are a few things to remember as you navigate your home sale. Before that first showing, it’s important to prepare. This involves not only cleaning, decluttering, and staging the home, but also learning about your local real estate market and finding the best agent for your needs. Interview more than one agent and ask lots of questions. Learn about the services they offer: do they include professional photography, video, or virtual tours? Ask for a comprehensive market analysis (CMA) and ask each agent their suggestion for the listing price and their method for arriving at that number. Use this information to determine the best agent to assist you. Once you have an agent, stay involved. Discuss the plan for showings and open houses. Try and be flexible to allow for as many potential buyers as possible viewing your property. Review the listing online for accuracy and stay in touch with your agent for feedback from showings. Once you start getting offers, respond as quickly as possible. It’s not just about the price; watch for terms, such as length of escrow and contingencies, when evaluating these offers. Be prepared to move so that you can take advantage of a good offer, such as all-cash. The most important aspect of a successful home sale is the relationship you have with your agent. Be transparent about your needs, concerns, and goals; insist that your agent do the same, and working together you will navigate through your first home sale successfully.

Most commonly asked question lately...

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“How is buying or selling real estate during COVID?” is a pretty regular question we get asked. And quite honestly, no one anticipated it to be going so well. We have had a nice spike in Orange County real estate. Buyers having a bit more purchasing power while taking advantage of the extremely low-interest rates means more opportunity. And Sellers acknowledging that inventory is still relatively low makes for a good time to list and make the move. If you or someone you know has been flirting with the idea of moving but has been a bit apprehensive about it during COVID, contact us so we can strategize how we can help you achieve your goals safely.

Welcome to 210 Tuberose!

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Have you been waiting to time the market? WAIT NO MORE! This gorgeous 4 BD 3BA DETACHED home is nestled in the serene, tree-lined community of QUAIL HILL boasting sweeping views of mountains, trails & sunsets. This RARE OPPORTUNITY offers a comfortable living space for everyone. A formal living room featuring a fireplace, high ceilings, plenty of natural light & across is a formal dining room perfect for ENTERTAINING. The kitchen is appointed w/ granite countertops, double ovens, kitchen island and french doors that lead to a courtyard ideal for RELAXING or dining al fresco. Separate living areas provide a layout for EASY FAMILY LIVING and plenty of space. CONVENIENT full bath downstairs & direct 2 car garage access makes this floorplan highly desirable. Upstairs master bedroom boasts a Juliette balcony, huge walk-in closest w/ custom built-ins, dual sinks, and secondary balcony to take in fresh air. In addition to four bedrooms, a full laundry room & sink all conveniently located upstairs. The Solstice neighborhood w/in the prestigious hillside Quail Hill community is HIGHLY DESIRABLE & rarely on the market. RESORT-LIKE amenities walking distance w/ pools, gyms, parks, hiking trails, baseball fields, soccer fields & Quail Hill shopping center & only minutes from Irvine Spectrum, Oak Creek Golf Club, UCI & tons of dining & shopping. Irvine is known as one of the SAFEST cities and is also recognized as an AWARD-WINNING school district. OPPORTUNITY is knocking, don't miss out!

Thankful Thursday

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When I first started my business, I thought the best part would be setting my own hours. But today, it goes much deeper. My favorite thing about being a Real Estate Broker is that I get to help my friends achieve their personal homeownership goals. However, this time was even more special for me because my client is one of my dearest friends and also happens to be my accountability partner. I have so much gratitude for this amazing family, and it brings me so much joy to be apart of their journey. I wish them many years of love & laughter in their beautiful new home! THIS is why I love what I do.

Share the LOVE!

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Calling all HUSTLERS!!

Did you know that you can make passive income just by sharing the LOVE about The OC Nest?

Yep, if you have a friend who might be looking to buy or sell real estate and you refer them to The OC Nest, you will receive a finders fee upon close of escrow just for sharing the LOVE!

The OC Nest gives Buyers & Sellers the comfort of working with an experienced Broker, but the personal touch of a friend whose goal is to help you find your perfect “nest”.

PLUS…The OC Nest donates a portion of their commissions towards your referrals closing costs too.

DM The OC Nest TODAY if you want to Share the LOVE and start earning $ while helping your friends save $

Should buyers wait for another 2008 recession to buy?

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The Orange County Real Estate market has softened and sales volumes are stagnant.  According to the OC Register, CoreLogic homebuying stats show 2019’s first six months were Orange County’s slowest-selling first half in over 8 years, since just after the Great Recession ended.  Quarter 2 reflects a 13% drop in home sales from 2018.  Many expect that Quarter 3 will show an even larger drop.   This indicates that home prices are high and due for a correction, which means opportunity is on the horizon.

A component of this slowdown is the trade war between the United States and China as new tariffs lead businesses to scale back on investing and hiring. See Trump’s China tariffs are already hitting the housing industry. Furthermore, Chinese cash that previously flowed into Southern California’s economy, driving up real estate, could dry up.   

Although the nature of real estate is cyclical and we may incur a standard recession, there is good news for buyers.   Economists have stated that even if there is another recession, the housing marketing will not bring about housing bargains like in 2008.  Specifically, “The 2008 recession didn’t cause the housing market to go into freefall. The housing market going into freefall caused the recession.” 

It would be a fairly standard recession that has nothing to do with mortgages or the housing market, and its severity is not expected to rival the one in 2008. An upcoming recession would also, encounter a housing market that’s almost the inverse of what it was in 2008: tight mortgage credit instead of loose mortgage credit, housing supply shortage instead of a housing surplus.

Also, keep in mind historic precedent: As far as home prices dropping in the wake of a recession, 2008 is the exception to the rule. During two mild recessions in the early 1980s, for example, home prices actually increased, just as they did in the early 2000s after the dot-com bust. Home prices are less responsive to recessions because housing is an absolute need, and because buyers tend to come from better financial situations that aren’t as damaged by a recession.

The 2008 Great Recession hit the housing market due to mortgage lenders issuing bad loans that were projected to fail and did.  Since then, lending guidelines have tightened up, consumers' best interest is standard practice and integrity is the name of the game. Therefore, waiting for prices to drop to 2008 prices is highly unlikely. 

It has been a buyer’s market in 2019, and we will continue to see a buyer’s market moving forward in 2019 through 2020

Thankful Thursday

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Gratitude changes everything! When given the opportunity to work with for someone that puts all of their trust in you, it’s a game changer. I met this sweet Momma some years back as our husbands coached our boys soccer team together. We hit it off and continue to see each other on the fields and about town. I am so grateful to have met this wonderful family. When they contacted me to sell their house I was more than thrilled to get the opportunity to work alongside them in a different aspect other than our established friendship. Together we were able to get their house sold in 7 days and above list price!! Teamwork makes the dream work on and off the field.

Thankful Thursday

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This kind & loving couple had to make room for the new addition to their family… so we worked together to sell their house and find them a new “NEST” for them to call home. With lots of trust and communication we were able to accomplish both! I’m so honored to be their Realtor. They are such amazing people and I know this house is where dreams came true for a loving and deserving family. Congratulations on everything!!

Thankful Thursday

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What happens when you like the people you work with? You become friends!

There is nothing better than getting an opportunity to spend time working with people you enjoy being around. I am very grateful to have been able to help one of my favorite families find their beautiful home and be apart of something so special!

Thankful Thursday

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Having young kids AND having to sell your house can be super stressful, but with good communication and teamwork it doesn’t have to be. The OC Nest is thankful to have such wonderful clients to partner with, so together we can alleviate unnecessary stress and focus on the goal of getting the most money off the table for our Sellers!

When experience matters...

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Sometimes homebuyers need to sell first. In these circumstances it is important that you work with someone that is experienced to handle coordinating concurrent closings. In this case, we sold their home in 4 days $16,000 above list price and found them a new home, and closed concurrently $15,000 under list price.

Sell & Buy SMART with The OC Nest.

Tuesday Trends

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This weekend Fall arrives. How will you greet the season?

Just Listed ...73 Ashdale Irvine

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Premier corner lot location boasting 4 spacious bedrooms (optional den/office), 4 bath, conservatory, tech loft and tons of stylish upgrades throughout offering comfortable living space for everyone making this model-like home highly desirable. Conveniently located nearby shopping, recreation, community amenities and award winning schools within walking distance. This pristine home is a rare opportunity. Bring your luck Buyers! HURRY this won't last!

Tueday Trends

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Cocktail Pools...the name alone is inviting!