Monday, February 23, 2015

Great Pool Home in Trabuco Canyon!! Offered at $779,000

Your search is Over! This beautiful pool home, located in Portola Hills, is great for entertaining. The property is situated on a cul-de-sac and features 4 bedrooms (all down stairs), 2 1/2 baths, 2220 square feet and a 3 car garage. Owner states that the lot is 7000 square feet, to be verified by the buyer. The kitchen boasts granite counter tops and upgraded cabinets & appliances. There is a wet bar conveniently located off of the formal dining room that is perfect for social gatherings. The master suite has been recently upgraded and includes a beautifully carved, wood dual sink vanity and bubbling Jacuzzi tub. Current owners are the original buyers and have taken great care and pride in the property. Many other upgrades such as central vac, built ins, ceiling fans, chandeliers, new paint outside and some rooms side. All of this and great schools and community as well!

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Gorgeous Chino Hills Pool Home!! Offered at $639,000

GORGEOUS 5 BEDROOM POOL HOME ON CUL-DE-SAC. EXTENSIVE BRICKLINED HARDSCAPE. COZY PORCH. GIANT LIVING ROOM WITH FIREPLACE. LARGE KITCHEN WITH GRANITE COUNTERTOPS AND ANTIQUED CABINETS. HUGE DINING AREA WITH BUILT-IN HUTCH. FAMILY OR GAME ROOM WITH FIREPLACE. ALSO A ROOM FOR OFFICE OR PIANO. DOWNSTAIRS HAS 3 BEDROOMS, INCLUDING MASTER. CROWN MOULDING AND OVERSIZED BASEBOARDS. UPSTAIRS HAS 2 BEDROOMS , A SMALL LOFT OR SITTING AREA AND A FULL BATH. BEAUTIFUL GATED POOL AND SPA. LATTICE COVERED PATIO AND GARDEN SITTING AREA. ALL BEDROOMS HAVE CEILING FANS.


Monday, February 16, 2015

Newer Home in Beaumont! Offered at $265,000

Your new home is located in the beautiful Sundance Community. As you walk into this large open floor plan you will see just how upgraded this home really is! A large center island in the kitchen with beautiful granite counter tops, espresso cabinetry and GE stainless steel appliances. There is a half bathroom off of the living room and a door leading into the two car garage. Once you reach the top of the stairs you will enter into a short hallway that directs you into a full sized laundry room, two bedrooms and full bathroom with upgraded counter tops and rectangle sinks. Upstairs you will also find the master suite with his/her closets with attached double rectangle sinks atop the upgraded counters. There is a large shower and separate restroom area. The backyard is fully landscaped equipped with a custom wood pergola, deck and low maintenance planters! The garage includes an extra storage closet, designer flooring and custom storage racks. This home has it all, recessed lighting, low e windows, custom wood blinds on all windows, a whole house water softener and reverse osmosis!

Interest Rates and Monthly Payments

National average 30-year fixed rate mortgage interest rates have been under five percent for over five years. They should stay low forever, right?

Economists predict that the soaring economy, improved job outlook and ebullient consumer confidence will cause the Federal Reserve to start raising overnight borrowing rates to banks. Mortgage interest rates will become volatile, and things can change quickly for consumers.


To illustrate changing mortgage interest rates and their impact on your monthly payment, consider what a difference even a small dip and rise in interest rates means to you.

In December 2014, the median-priced home in the U.S. was $209,500, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.

If you purchased this home for $200,000 and with 20 percent down and a benchmark fixed-rate mortgage with the December national average commitment rate of 3.86 percent (Freddie Mac), your payment would be $751.01 a month.

You'll make 360 total payments of $270, 362.59, with $110,362.59 in interest over the term of the loan.

The same home with the same loan on February 5 would be very different. The national average commitment rate is 3.59 percent, your payment is 726.53 and your total payments add up to $261,552.16 and 101,552.16 in interest.

The difference isn't much -- just under $25 a month and $8,810 in round numbers.
But what if interest rates go up as economists predict? The January 2015 outlook by Kiplinger's predicts that interest rates could go as high as 4.9 percent. What would your monthly payments look like then?

Your monthly payment would be $849.16, for a total of $305,698.59, and interest payments of $145,698.59, a difference of $122.63 monthly and $44,146.43 in interest by the end of the loan.



Tuesday, February 3, 2015

What Buyers Should Know about Home Inspections

For many first-time buyers, buying a home can be a scary experience. They know they'll be maintaining or improving a home with little to no maintenance experience, so the solution is to buy a home in perfect condition. So they hire a home inspector to point out all the flaws.

The problem is -- no perfect home exists. Air conditioners break, plumbing pipes leak, and roof tiles blow off in the wind.

If you're buying a home, start with a reasonable expectation of what home inspectors can do. Their job is to inform you about the integrity and condition of what you're buying, good and bad.


A home inspection should take several hours, long enough to cover all built-in appliances, all mechanical, electrical, gas and plumbing systems, the roof, foundation, gutters, exterior skins, windows and doors.

An inspector doesn't test for pests or sample the septic tank. For those, you need industry-specific inspectors.
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Here's what else you need to do.

1. Make sure the inspector you hire is licensed. The responsibilities of home inspectors vary according to state law and their areas of expertise.  Licensing Requirements can also vary from state to state.

2. Ask what the inspection covers. Some inspection companies have extensive divisions that can provide environmental for radon and lead paint. Be prepared to hire and schedule several inspectors according to your lender's requirements and to pay several hundred dollars for each type of inspection.

3. Some inspection reports only cover the main house, not other buildings on the property. For specialty inspections such as termites, make sure the inspection covers all buildings on the property including guest houses, detached garages, storage buildings, etc.

4. Attend the inspection and follow along with the inspectors. Seeing problems for yourself will help you understand what's serious, what needs replacement now or later, and what's not important.

5. Don't expect the seller to repair or replace every negative found on the report. If you're getting a VA or FHA-guaranteed loan, some items aren't negotiable. The seller must address them, but otherwise, pick your battles with the seller carefully.

A home inspection points out problems, they also point out what's working well. It can help you make your final decision about the home - to ask the seller to make repairs or to offer a little less, to buy as is or not to buy at all