About Orange County Short Sales these days

As we are entering the Spring season ( our best real estate one), we’ve seen that many properties get multiple offers on them. Remember how years ago, it was the one buyer offering the highest bid the one that would get the one? What about a couple of years ago, when the expression ‘cash is king’ was the biggest fear for any buyer competing on a home? With the many short sales we see these days, is the cash offer the strongest one? Or is it the highest? Apparently none.

Cash is Not king!

While it is true that an all cash offer is definitely a strong one, this might not be the best one for the seller’s interest to choose in a short sale. Given, short sales these days tend to be more organized and the lenders…

1679 Views, 0 Comments

vista_hermosa_park_courtneys_sandcastle_playgroundAnd so it opened.  The almost $32 million new San Clemente Sports Park, the Vista Hermosa Sports Park is a dream come true. This shouldn't be called a park, as it is more than that. It's an amazing sports complex, with an incredible aquatics center, universal access playground, three baseball fields, two soccer fields, a football field and a multipurpose field within its 45 acres.

Everything has being finished with attention to details.  Hundreds of kids were delighted in the playground, the Courtney's SandCastle's sailing-ship structure, its castle structure or in the aquatic play structure in the fun pool, with water slides.

A couple of features of the park we were impressed by:

Courtney's Sandcastle's: is a very special playground: it is a 30,000…

6181 Views, 0 Comments

san_clemente_sports_park_vista_hermosaThe highly anticipated opening of the new Sports Park in San Clemente, recently named Vista Hermosa Park, has been set to this coming February 25th.

This new $33 million Sports Park had an earlier announced date that had to be reset due to delays completing an aquatics center and slower-than-expected maturing of the grass on baseball fields.

The opening events are set for this Saturday February 25th from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., including a ribbon cutting at 9 a.m.

The park includes three baseball fields, two soccer fields, a multipurpose field, a football field and an aquatics center with a 50-meter competition pool and a 25-meter recreational pool. All the facilities are lighted for evening use.

For our real estate matters, these are great news…

2989 Views, 0 Comments

Once again, and a tradition for over forty years, the Dana Point Festival of Whales and Parade is about to begin!

The much anticipated Parade is going to take place this coming Saturday March 3rd, starting at 10:00 am along Pacific Coast Highway, starting at Selva Road and finishing at Golden Lantern St. The Parade usually has giant floats, bfestival_of_whales_concert_at_baby_beach_dana_pointallons, marching bands, and different schools representations,art exhibits, environmental activities , crafts, kids activities and food!  Of course there's also whale watching excursions, or viewings from the Dana Point Headlands Conservation Center.

That same day, there's going to be a free showing of the movie 'A Dolphin Tale', at 6:30pm, on the grass area in Baby Beach. Free popcorn, hot beverages and snacks…

3783 Views, 0 Comments

As the weekend aproaches,sometimes as parents, we wonder what to do that could be educational and fun.

Well, this coming Saturday the 11th, the annual cleanup event at Doheny Beach is taking place, from 9am to noon. There has been some winter rains and runoff that needs some serious cleanup, and what a better way to show our kids how to take care of our beaches by helping a little.

Bring your gloves and join us to get Doheny back in shape so we can all enjoy it ! Plus, who doesn't want to be at the beach with this beautiful weather? BTW, it's supposed to be in the high sixty's low seventy's, and sunny all day on Saturday!.

All beach cleanups meet at the lifeguard headquarters (adjacent to the mouth of San Juan Creek).

Did I also mentioned that…

1761 Views, 0 Comments

ladera_ranch_foreclosures_homesLadera Ranch. Lake Forest. Rancho Santa Margarita - all of them all of a sudden are selling their home inventory at a way faster pace than the neighboring coastal cities like Laguna Beach, Corona del Mar and Newport Coast.

Ladera Ranch, especially, has seen a huge increase in the selling pace ( more homes going in escrow than any other city) since the beginning of February. Let's not forget, Ladera Ranch homes were considered in November of last's year, the second largest market of foreclosures vrs standard sales in the country! So if we need to come to a conclusion, yes, the inventory in Ladera Ranch is price considerable lower than its peak in 2007 ( some homes are selling for less than half their peak price), then you get all the fresh inventory…

1847 Views, 0 Comments

Yes, in Orange County, but where exactly to the Real Housewives of OC live?

real_housewives_of_oc_house_for_sale_coto_de_cazaThe show, which technically is a reality TV one, was originally set to broadcast the luxurious lifestyles of five housewives living 'behing the gates' in the community of Coto de Caza which is where the show producer lives. But to many, this is almost a comedy about the economic recession and what many American families have gone through when overspending, living beyond their means and using their piece of real estate as an ATM machine, only to find themselves facing serious debt, foreclosures and marriage troubles.

Eventhough the show started as Coto de Caza only housewives ( with the exception of one who lived in the nearby Ladera Ranch and transformed her life when marrying…

87138 Views, 0 Comments

Going back, back in my early days in real estate about a two decades, I clearly remember a September Sunday afternoon as I was speaking with a wise old-timer. It was a beautiful afternoon in South OC and yet very few people were walking into an open house in a great home in Dana Point that I was holding. A ran into the old-timer and he let me in on an old secret: "Football has started.  You won't see anybody out for months now."  Of course, I scoffed at the notion that the NFL could possibly keep people from buying a house - "this old- timer is nuts!"
 
And yet, here we are, on the verge of the Super Bowl, and I can't wait for this thing to be over!  Yes, I'm an avid football fan and I enjoy the season as much as anyone, but the end of the football season…

1841 Views, 0 Comments

lyq1an-lyq195dohenyvillage_886The Doheny Village, a dream coming true? For our clients or potential home buyers looking in the areas of Dana Point, specifically those looking for homes around the Lantern Village, Del Obispo areas and Capistrano Beach, these are specially interesting news.

There's a plan from the city of Dana Point to convert the Capistrano Area that for many it's a neglected one and with tons of commercial potential, that is called Doheny Village, to an upscale shopping area.  The plan is expected to be unveiled in three to four months. Ideas include more bike paths and racks, a bridge at the Doheny Village Hand Car Wash at 34241 Doheny Park Road that would link to a nearby bike path, and beautification of roads and sidewalks. The general design goals include more…

2492 Views, 0 Comments