Sunday, June 7, 2009

First Time Buyer Information Page

Thinking about taking the plunge and buying your first home? We've created a new web page just for first time buyers. Check it out to learn some of the details of the Federal Tax Credit and the new CAR Mortgage Protection Plan. You can also visit our Home Buyer's Quick Start page.





Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Low End Hopping - High End Slow

Say, the topic of discussion on this OC Register blog sure sounds familiar....

Here's a quote from the Insider Update newsletter we sent out this month:

It's been a wild ride for Real Estate over the last two or three years, but there are some signs that the market is beginning to stabilize. Although the much-reported Median Price continues to drift downward, homes are selling at a faster clip - April was the 13th month in a row of year-over-year sales increases.
One big reason the median price is still dropping is price pressure and less activity on homes over $500,000. Homes priced above the $1,000,000 mark are selling slowly, but for those priced under $500,000 it's an entirely different story. Buyers in that price range are faced with a defacto "seller's market" - reduced inventory, multiple offers, offers above asking price, and intense competition for Bank Owned and "Equity Sellers", as opposed to Short Sales. A few months ago, Bank Owned and Short Sale homes each made up about one-third of the homes for sale, but those REOs are almost gone. Rumours abound of a coming wave of new foreclosures and Bank Owned properties to hit the market, but for now there aren't many to be had.


Want a copy? Just shoot me an email or register at www.leslieeskildsen.com.



Use Your Tax Credit to Lower Closing Costs!

First-time home buyers got another boost from HUD last week, when it was announced that buyers who qualify for a one-time tax credit of up to $8,000 can now apply that credit towards closing costs on an FHA loan, or to increase their down payment from the required 3.5%.

Thinking about taking the plunge? Check out our home buyer's quick start tips!


Monday, June 1, 2009

Real Estate Activity for May 2009

Check out the latest Real Estate activity for the month of May:

Saddleback Valley (Coto, Rancho Santa Margarita, Mission Viejo, Trabuco Canyon, Ladera Ranch, and Lake Forest)

Coto de Caza

Rancho Santa Margarita (including Dove Canyon, Rancho Cielo, Robinson Ranch, Wagon Wheel, Las Flores, and Walden)

Mission Viejo