Can’t Find a Home to Buy? New Construction May Be an Option

If you live in an area where real estate is still super competitive, you may wonder if you’ll even buy a home. Millennials find themselves in this situation often because they can’t compete with older and more experienced buyers.

While it’s true it’s still a seller’s market as inventory remains low, there is an alternative – new construction.

It’s a Seller’s Market and it’s Competitive

The existing real estate market doesn’t have nearly enough homes for sale as the industry needs. It can’t keep up with the demand which leaves thousands of buyers without a home to buy.

Those who can afford the inflated prices, paying the difference between the appraised value and sales price, or who have large down payments are a step ahead of the game. But where does that leave everyone else?

It’s time to think about new construction.

 New Construction isn’t Competitive

New construction is ramping up as material prices come down and more labor becomes available. This means the inventory of new construction in hot areas will be much more accessible than existing real estate.

New construction often has the stigma that it’s hard to afford or impossible to get, but neither is true. In today’s real estate industry, new construction is a smart way to go.

 The Benefits of Buying New Construction

If you’ve never considered buying new construction, here are some great reasons to consider it:

  • Everything is brand new

You don’t have to worry about home inspections or finding out after the fact that you bought a money pit that needs excessive repairs. While no home is perfect, you probably won’t have to put much money into the home.

  • It’s built how you want it

Even if you buy a ‘cookie-cutter home’ you still get a say in what features, upgrades, colors, and designs you want in the home. This means the home meets your expectations before you call it yours.

  • There’s no competition

You can’t get outbid when buying a new construction home. Even if there are hundreds of others looking at the homes, if it’s a big subdivision the builder created, there’s room for everyone. You may have to be one of the first to put a deposit down if there’s a highly sought after lot, but you don’t have to worry about paying inflated prices for a home because of a bidding war.

  • You may save money with energy-efficient features

Older homes are usually the opposite of energy efficient. Building a new home often means you’ll have the latest technology which will save the environment and keep your bills lower from day one.

Final Thoughts

If you can’t find a home today because of the inflated prices and crazy bidding wars, consider new construction. There’s much less stress involved in the process, and you get what you want from the start!

You can work closely with the builder to build a home that’s within your budget and has the features you want without the hassle of trying to outbid anyone else.

 

4 Reasons Why Buying A Home Is Right Decision

The majority of people buy homes to build wealth. In fact, there’s a saying: “Why pay someone else’s mortgage and contribute to their equity when you can spend the same amount of money or less and reap the same rewards?”

Yet still, many buyers are scared by today’s high-priced market, and some feel that renting in Orange County is better than buying. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth in many cases. So, today we’ll discuss 4 reasons why buying a home in Orange County is still affordable.

1. Appreciation

Unlike vehicles that depreciate in value, homes consistently increase even though real estate values tend to move in cycles. There’s a common misconception among first-time buyers where they think that the home’s physical characteristics will increase the value.

But the truth is that the physical structure usually depreciates over time, whereas the land the house sits on increases in value. Either way, most people consider their home investment to be their best defense against inflation. Since 2000, home prices in Orange County have appreciated 173% according to data from Neighborhood Scout.

2. Property Tax Deductions

Another reason buying a home is still affordable is because there are various ways it helps with taxes, with some of these deductions coming in the form of property tax.

Before 2018, homeowners could deduct all state income and local property taxes on federal returns. Before that year, the average state and local tax deductions (SALT) in California was more than $18,400.

Once the federal cap on SALT deductions of $10,000 is removed, ownership becomes even more beneficial. First-time home buyers can find a wealth of tax information in IRS Publication 530.

Just keep in mind that if you want to take advantage of the property tax and interest deductions, you have to itemize the deductions.

3. Mortgage Interest Deductions

As we mentioned, owning a home is an excellent tax shelter because tax rates usually favor homeowners. And if you ask most homeowners, they’ll agree that the most significant advantage of owning a home is the tax deductions.

With that being said, if your mortgage balance is lower than the cost of your home, then you can fully deduct mortgage interest from your tax returns. And this is great because, as most of you know, interest is one of the biggest components of your monthly payment.

4. Preferential Tax Treatment

If you own a home for longer than one year, upon the sale, if you make more in profit than the allowable exclusion, the profit is considered capital gains. In terms of income taxes, capital gains receive preferential treatment, which means that even when sale profit surpasses the exclusion, your taxable portion will be far lower than you think.

The average income tax rate for most taxpayers is about 22%. Considering that capital gains taxes will range from 15% to 20%, the savings can be significant.

Once you’re ready to buy a home, it is worth it.
Purchasing a home is a serious commitment to that location and community lifestyle, yet the financial benefits are well worth it in the long run. Real estate ownership is certainly one of the most rewarding investments available.

Professional Listing Photos Have Great Advantages

Since the mid-1990s to 2010, it was okay for real estate agents in Orange County and surrounding Southern California counties to just take a few photos from a low priced disposable camera and upload them to the MLS listing. Nowadays, this is not acceptable because of the internet.

Approximately 90% of buyers browse online to search for homes which means high-quality listing photos are essential. Listing photos influence the sale of your Orange County home for a few reasons! It can impact how many days on the market for your Orange County, or if your home will sell for your asking price, Yep, even in a hot seller’s market.

In a worst case scenario, your OC home may not sell at all if priced too high and if the listing has a few shoddy photos. That may make the listing expire. Bad photos don’t bring in as many purchase offers.

Contrary to popular belief, there are plenty of agents that are not using high-quality professional photos for your home. It may be better to not work with agents who don’t offer this as part of their marketing plan to get you the highest and best offer.

Quality Listing Photos
Based on research from the National Association of Realtors, 89% of buyers who searched for homes online stated photos as the most helpful feature on the home listing sites they went to. Can a bad or low quality photo be helpful?

Not really, so your listing photos have to be high quality and practical. Smart phone camera pics aren’t going to cut it. Hire and use a professional photographer to take the photos, then you stand the best chance to receive many offers that are near or above your asking price.

Regardless if the home price is $500,000 for a condo or townhome in Mission Viejo or a $2 million home with ocean views in Laguna, sellers who use DLSR listing photos have greater odds to sell their homes within six months than those who didn’t use high-quality photography.

The statistics back it up too. A recent study found that roughly two-thirds of homes priced from $400,000-$500,000 were sold in less than six months with DLSR photos, but less than fifty percent of homes in the same price range using point-and-shoot photos sold within that six-month period.

Furthermore, with advancements in digital photography equipment and the increase of stylish online platforms, virtual tours have turned out to be more significant as a marketing method. In other words, virtual tours enable realtors to serve their clients better. Digital images are ideal for a quick, professional presentation of a home’s highlights and virtual tours are excellent to search for homes when you live far away.

Faster Sales with High Quality Photography
In many instances, professionally photographed homes tend to be sold quicker and at a better price. Because a lot of prospects start their home search on the internet, this has become a vital aspect of the home buying process.

Attractive looking photos get buyers attention to put in an offer or visit the home because they have a very good understanding of what the home provides. This is in contrast to blurry or badly lit smart phone pictures that many real estate agents may still be using, compared with the real estate agents at HomeFinderOC.

It’s pretty clear and evident that listing photos affect the sale of your Orange County home, and professional looking sharp photos have the best impact. The required sharpness is accomplished through the aid of a good camera with a good lens and proper lighting. Sellers must make this request to reap the benefits!

It doesn’t matter if you are taking photos of the kitchen, guest bedroom, garage, or back yard, the sharpest photos get the best results. A recent real estate study backs up the claim that homes with the sharpest photos (in the top 10%) sold at or above the list price 44 times out of 100.

And homes with that had photos with ordinary sharpness sold at or above list price just 13 times out of 100. That’s a big gap! Are you sure you don’t want high-quality photography for your home listing photos?

11 of the Best Restaurants in OC with Ocean Views [2021]

Whether a visitor or an Orange County resident, we can all agree that eating out should be enjoyable. With the natural beauty and scenery in California that should be quite easy at a nice restaurant or cafe.

Let me start by saying this article on the best restaurants in Orange County with an ocean view was very challenging because I can only list 11 restaurants. Narrowing it down to 11 of the best ocean view Orange County restaurants can change any week depending on the reviews from Yelp and Open Table as well as as individual food and drink preferences. If you’re looking for great food and beverage, you can’t go wrong with many others not listed yet still have positive comments on the review sites.

This article will provide people who are visiting Orange County the opportunity to try some of the best cuisines our cities by the ocean have to offer and if you’re a local resident, you are well aware how great the restaurant scene is!

While we are focused on assisting people to find excellent homes for sale in South Orange County we love to write about things that interest people who may want to learn more about.

One of the first things clients who made the move to South OC say is “we can’t believe how great the food in Orange County is!” Several of these people making these statements relocated from Los Angeles or San Diego. It really should come as no surprise with the abundance of nice neighborhoods and wealthy communities.

Without any more waiting, here are the picks for the best restaurants with an ocean view in Orange County (in no particular order).

1.) Splashes Restaurant
Sit, eat and drink a mere 25 feet above the water at this restaurant in Laguna Beach.  The sounds of the ocean waves and cool pacific breeze will relax you no matter if it’s inside near the open windows or outside on the patio.

Guest comments:
“one of the best spots”
“Perfect Special Beach View Dinner”

1555 S Coast Hwy
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
888.281.3502
Map  & Directions

2.) Raya
RAYA features exquisite coastal Latin cuisine and expansive ocean views by the renowned Chef Richard Sandoval. The restaurant allows their guests to enjoy an excellent breakfast, lunch or dinner while observing surfers at Salt Creek Beach.

Guest comments:
“Amazing Lunch with Great Views and Service”
“Awesome view with delicious food”

1 Ritz-Carlton Dr
Dana Point, CA 92629
949.240.2000
Map & Directions

3.) 180 blu at The Ritz-Carlton
The never-ending views of the Pacific Ocean and amazing sunsets at 180blu make our outside cocktail lounge a desirable and favorite spot for OC natives and visitors as well. The lounge boasts 180-degree views of the ocean and is located on a 150-foot bluff looking over Salt Creek Beach.

When you combine their unmatched scenic views with fresh seafood appetizers, made to order cocktails and live music on the weekends, you have the ideal dining experience.

Guest comments:
“food with a view”
“beautiful view with lunch”

1 Ritz-Carlton Dr
Dana Point, CA 92629
949.240.2000
Map & Directions

4.) Beachcomber Cafe
A converted cottage is the home for this beachside eatery serving California favorites & a breakfast favorites.

It’s the only beach front restaurant in Crystal Cove state park with gorgeous views, fabulous food and overall vibe.

It’s not easy to find because guests park across PCH and take a shuttle ($1.50/person each way) to the restaurant. The option to walk to the eatery is an option too if you don’t mind 10 minutes.

Although breakfast is very popular, alcohol is served during breakfast and of course later in the day.

Guest comments:
“Perfect!”
“Never disappoints”

15 Crystal Cove
Newport Coast, CA 92657
Map & Directions

5.)  Pelican Grill
Features a stunning view of the ocean favorite grilled food such as steak, burgers and oven baked pizza, which you are sure to enjoy without a doubt.

Guest comments:
“Amazing”

22800 S Pelican Hill Rd
Newport Coast, CA 92657
844.443.0022
Map & Directions

6.)  The Cliff Restaurant
Outdoor eatery with a view of the ocean serving seafood and American cuisine, wine & cocktails

Guest comments:
“great beach and ocean view”
“Great view, good food.”

577 S Coast Hwy
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949.494.1956
Map & Directions


7.)   Ola Mexican Kitchen
Located in Huntington Beach’s, high-end beachfront mall, better known as Pacific City, Ola Mexican Kitchen features coastal views from nearly every seat. It gets even better with their creative south of the border menu from Mexico.

Guest comments:
“Great Views”
“Good food”

21040 Pacific Coast Hwy, F200
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
714.969.7300
Map & Directions

8.) A+O Restaurant & Bar
A&O Kitchen+Bar, acronym for Anchors and Oceans, is the classic-designed waterfront eatery with a menu that stresses farmers, mom & pop producers, and local spirit distillers. At A&O Kitchen+Bar our guests can drink on craft cocktails, relax near one of three fire pits outdoors while listening to live music on the weekends.

1221 West Coast Highway
Newport Beach, CA 92663
+1 949-630-4285
Website – http://www.balboabayresort.com/
Map & Directions

9.)  SOL Mexican Cocina
Set just off Mariner’s Mile on the Balboa Marina in Newport Beach is Sol Cocina. Influenced by trips to Baja California, the menu is full of fresh seafood, tacos, and simple dishes made from original ingredients.

Guest comments:
“Beautiful views and Great Food.”
“Potent Drinks, Tasty Meal, Good Service”

251 Pacific Coast Hwy
Newport Beach, CA 92660
949.675.9800
Map & Directions

10.) Watertable
Restaurant + gastro bar with a unique coastal cuisine. Top notch wines, crafted cocktails and crafted brews from their mixologist

21500 Pacific Coast Hwy
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Map & Directions

11.) Driftwood Kitchen
Enjoy fresh, ocean-to-table eating at Driftwood Kitchen, a waterfront restaurant with the catchy slogan of “Any closer and you would have to swim.”

Guest comments:
“Seaside Dinner”
“A really nice place with very good food…”

619 Sleepy Hollow Ln
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949.715.7700
Map & Directions

6 Things to Know Before Moving to Costa Mesa, CA

Living in Costa Mesa

If you are moving to Costa Mesa, California be certain that you know these 6 things before you do!

Located in Orange County and with a population of 113,000, Costa Mesa is only a 20-minute drive from Victoria St and Harbor Blvd to the Irvine Spectrum, and under an hour drive to downtown Los Angeles during non-rush hours.

Costa Mesa is a fantastic place to call home. Many families and young professionals are relocating to the area for its convenient location, general safety, things to do, and stable job opportunities.

The History of Costa Mesa
Originally known as Harper in 1906, it was re-named to Costa Mesa in 1920 due to its location. The name means Coastal Table or Coastal Hill.

  1. Costa Mesa has a great education system
    As part of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, the schools in Costa Mesa are always adapting to stay current with the population’s demands. Home to some top-rated public schools in California, the Newport Mesa School District has 32 schools and instructs more than 19,000 students in its area.

Some of the best public schools in Costa Mesa are Maude B. Davis Elementary, Killybrooke Elementary, and Early College High School. Before you decide on a home to buy, confirm which school is designated for so you get your children to attend the right school.

For those searching for higher education courses, Orange Coast Community College is in Costa Mesa. Right off the 405 freeway, Orange Community College is offering its students challenging prerequisite courses to obtain your associates degree or to transfer to a 4-year college like UC Irvine.

Situated on a 164 acre campus numerous programs and areas of study including associate’s degree programs, certification programs, and vocational courses for skilled professions. However, if a four-year institution is more your style, UC Irvine, Chapman University and Concordia University are within driving distance and with in-state tuition. 

  1. Employment
    There are many job opportunities in Costa Mesa and adjacent cities like Huntington Beach, Irvine, Tustin, Santa Ana, Lake Forest and Orange to name a few. The city’s largest employers with headquarters in Costa Mesa are

El Pollo Loco,  Experian,  Coast Community College District Foundation,  Orange Coast College, Automobile Club of Southern California each have more than 1,000 employees.

  1. The cost of living and housing
    With a cost of living 193% higher than the national average and higher than the California average, living in Costa Mesa indicates it is not very affordable. Costa Mesa also has a higher transportation, grocery prices, goods and services, and health care.

The homes for sale in Costa Mesa have a media value of $1,014,000 and mean you need either a  20 percent down payment or you can consult with a mortgage originator about your other options. No matter if you are in the market to buy an existing single-family home, new construction, a condo, a townhome, or multifamily, Costa Mesa has every type of property.

According to RentCafe, the average rent for a 2 bedroom apartment starts at $2,435 for a basic no frills apartment and $7,054 for a luxurious apartment with common amenities. In comparison, owning a home is not wrong in every situation.

  1. Things to do are abundant
    Costa Mesa is most famous for the South Coast Plaza, Segerstrom Center for the Arts,  culture and entertaining things to do. Another popular favorite is the South Coast Repertory Theater and the Noguchi Garden.

The city, which formally embraced the slogan “The City of the Arts” in 1999, is where you can find Pacific Symphony and the South Coast Repertory Theater and the Costa Mesa Historical Society. The Segerstrom Center for the Arts (previously known as Orange County Performing Arts Center) has 3000 seats for patrons.

  1. Enjoy the International Cuisine
    Are you have an appetite for mexican, asian, cuban or american cooking? Then you won’t be disappointed with Costa Mesa.  The city serves up all types of cuisines from various countries. If you like to discover new places to eat, check out some of these local favorite restaurants next time you’re in town.
  • Habana Restaurant: Eat high quality Cuban food at this casual restaurant on Bristol St. Popular lunch menu and dinner, enjoy plantains, rice, black beans, and yellow rice with cuban drinks.
  • Playa Mesa: Many choices, vegan black beans and rice, veggie tacos, potato fried tacos, enchiladas.
  • Hanuman: Outstanding Thai food restaurant with great flavors and experience.
  1. Costa Mesa Events and Festivals
    The annual events and festivals in Costa Mesa are looked forward to each year by Orange County residents and visitors alike. The annual Orange County Fair held in July is one of those events.    If you want to enjoy the fair’s petting zoo, new exhibits, food, performances and carnival rides such as Euroslide, Rave Wave, Skyride, La Grande Wheel XL and Titan.

Concerts at the Camp occurs from June to September
Drive-in concerts held on Thursday nights from 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm for live music and great food all from your car for safety and convenience.

Moving to Costa Mesa – Final Thoughts
Centrally located, travel only an hour south to San Diego or north to Los Angeles from Costa Mesa, and two hours to the mountains. The area provides residents a thriving economy along with parks and recreation while still being surrounded by scenic beaches and mountains. If you’re searching for a home in Costa Mesa, contact our real estate agents today!