Category Archives: South Orange County

Before You Buy in an HOA!

If you are planning to buy a condo, or a house in Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, or other South Orange County area, there is a good chance that you will be buying in to a home owners’ association (HOA).  If that is the case, make sure you read over all the HOA…

Should you Sell or Lease Your Orange County Home?

In Orange County today, as well as many other places, there are home owners who are going through the difficult decision process of whether to sell their current home, or lease it and wait for a better time to sell.  Some of these people have taken a job out of the area and will not…

Which Home Improvements will Buyers Pay For in South Orange County?

After reading Forbes Magazine’s list of “Recession-Proof Home Improvements” I’m not sure I totally agree.  Since I have only seen cork flooring once, and haven’t yet seen any bamboo counters, I wonder what people in South Orange County, California think about these. If you have a minute, please take my simple little survey by answering the…

Lake Forest Market Conditions 3/12/2008

I have some good news & bad news about the Lake Forest real estate market.  Today, there are 74 homes in escrow!  That is more than we have seen for quite a while, so there is hope that the “spring market” is actually coming alive!  Hopefully, with the new loan limits, and the Fed pouring…

Hints for Sellers of South Orange County Homes

For my sellers in Lake Forest, Rancho Santa Margarita, Mission Viejo, and other South Orange County areas, here is a list of important, but not totally obvious hints to follow when your house is on the market. If you have an answering machine – turn the volume to either “off” or “0″.  You don’t want…