The Costa Mesa Real Estate report for July 1, 2008 is as follows: There are 356 active listings in Costa Mesa.  260 of these are single family (SFR) homes.  96 are condos. 98 homes are in escrow. 75 are single family residences. 23 are condos. No homes have closed escrow since yesterday.  Though 35 homes closed escrow/sold in June.  Of these, 27 were single family residences and 8 of them were condos. Since our post yesterday, 5 homes were listed. 7 homes were put into escrow - conditionally sold; 2 were put on hold.  8 were taken off the market. Median Sold Price in June was $545,000. Average Sold Price in June was $548,028. For more information on relocating to Costa Mesa, please visit Costa Mesa Real Estate.     Information deemed accurate and reliable but not guaranteed. Information... 07/01/2008

   TIMING ISN'T EVERYTHING! In light of declining sales and tougher loan requirements, many potential buyers are asking if they should buy now, or wait several months before moving forward with a decision.  The thing is, you can't time the real estate market any more than you can time the stock market.  Simply put, the best time to buy is simply when you need to do so. Start searching now, targeting your preferred location in your community and getting a sense of the trends.  Call me to gauge listing times, list-to-sale ratios, and contract terms.  There's no such thing as a "national" market, and every area is going through its own adjustments, up or down. Now isn't a bad time to begin your loan search as well, to determine how much home you can afford, and to start assembling the req... 07/01/2008

In 1887, banking on the continued demand for housing in Southern California, a group of business men bought over 1700 acres and started a town they named Fairview. This town was part of what was once the Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana.  Fairview's main street is now known as Harbor Boulevard, and the town itself was located near the modern day intersection of Harbor and Adams. By the end of 1887, the city had many homes as well as a school, a hotel, a post office, a general store and a drug store. 1888 brought the railroad to town.  This along with a mineral spring, which was discovered in the town, made it appear that the town would flourish.  However, by the end of 1888, less than a year after the town began, fewer people were buying homes.  The death knell for the little town of Fairvi... 06/30/2008

The Costa Mesa Real Estate report for June 30, 2008 is as follows: There are 362 active listings in Costa Mesa - meaning homes that are currently marketed for sale on the multiple listing service (MLS). 264 of these are single family (SFR) homes.  98 are condos. 89 homes are in escrow. 69 are single family residences. 20 are condos. This month, 35 homes closed escrow/sold.  Of these, 27 were single family residences and 8 of them were condos. Median Sold Price in June is $545,000. Average Sold Price in June is $548,028. For more information, please visit Costa Mesa Real Estate.           Information deemed accurate and reliable but not guaranteed. Information from So Cal MLS. 06/30/2008

            LOOK AT WHAT THE PRICES WAS  in 2005 !!!  $ 585,000 !!! NOW IN TODAY'S MARKET THE PRICE IS  $ 375,000 !!!! BANK OWNED...3 bedroom, 1 bath home on great street. Huge lot with lots of room to expand if you want. Great curb appeal with custom hardscaping and brick work. Oversized driveway that could fit an RV. Custom entry door with leaded glass inlay. Needs work, but what an opportunity!! Close to the beach and Canyon Park. Home is being sold in its present condition with all its faults, known and unknown with no warranties expressed or implied.  Located in Costa Mesa near 19th & Placentia.  For more on the history of Costa Mesa go to this site: http://www.ci.costa-mesa.ca.us/about/history.htm    tags COSTA MESA BANK REPO,OC FORECLOSURE,ORANGE COUNTY REO,REO LIST ,PUBLIC AUCTI... 06/26/2008

As I mentioned in my last post, 25 years ago this September, I met a 15-year-old girl on a school bus. Little did I know then what a difference she would make in my life. We saw each other every day at the bus stop.  We were both new to Newport Harbor High School; she was starting her sophomore year, and I my freshman year.  It seemed we had little in common.  Like many teenagers, we were opinionated and knew we were right.  Somehow through our teenage angst and antagonism, we began to spend time together and see the positives in each other. By the end of my freshman year, we were no longer antagonistic, and when Kendra celebrated her Sweet Sixteen, I spent the day with her. I still remember the two of us giving one of our friends a complete makeover that day.  So many memories over the... 06/25/2008

25 years ago this September, I met a 15 year old girl on a school bus. Little did I know then what a difference she would make in my life.   It's amazing the things we learn accidentally.  I had intended to finish this post later, and have discovered what a wonderful tool it is to leave them wanting more.  If you're curious to hear the rest of the story, you can read it at Making Memories over 25 Years - Part Deux.     06/24/2008

IT TAKES MONEY TO SAVE MONEY! Okay, you've found the home of your dreams.  You've determined how much you can afford because you've already been pre-approved by your lender, and your offer has been accepted.  But wait.  If you're financing the purchase, like almost everyone does, you'll actually be paying more than the final sale price of the home. Many buyers don't stop to think about how much they'll really be paying for their home by the time they've reached the final payment.  It's worth considering, and it makes it evident that you should shop around and get the best loan terms possible. Be sure to discuss your options with a trusted local real estate agent, who can provide mortgage information, illustrate different financing options, and even recommend lenders suited to your need... 06/23/2008

GET SERIOUS! Familiar with the law of supply and demand?  In real estate right now, it may seem like the supply of homes for sale is much greater than the numbers of buyers demanding those homes, forcing prices down and decreasing activity.  But what's really in shortage may be serious, legitimate sellers. A committed seller is willing and able to accept the best offer in the current market, and be motivated to do so.  Receiving a fair offer is inextricably connected to pricing your home fairly.  The best way to arrive at an attractive price is to aggressively challenge the competition.  Using past prices, your investment in the home, or even appraisals may not produce the ideal value factor for your home. If you're serious about selling, let an agent describe to you how an appropriate... 06/20/2008

After only three years as a state, California experienced the beginning of its gold rush. Although the California Gold Rush brought many people racing to Northern California in hopes of making a fortune by striking a gold mine, it had effects on Southern California as well. The cattle that had previously been raised in Southern California mostly for leather hides to create clothing and shoes were suddenly more in demand for their meat by those who came to Northern California in search of their dreams.  As a result, the vaqueros who raised their cattle in Costa Mesa began cattle drives to San Francisco, making the cattle business big business. During this same period of time, many of the ranchos were divided into smaller pieces.  By 1880, the Rancho  Santiago de Santa Ana, which encompas... 06/19/2008

There are so many things to do and see in and around Costa Mesa that this is a tough list for me to compose. I think it depends on what your interests are and the age of the person.  For this list, I will post my list of the top five things to do with young children if you live in Costa Mesa. I have a 4 1/2 year old and a 6 month old and am often looking for small, enjoyable family outings in the local area and have included my favorites below. 5.  Goat Hill Junction Free Miniature Train Rides - Located in Fairview Park, these miniature trains run every third full weekend of the month from 10am to 3:30.  The club members operate more than 40 steam powered miniature trains and take people on approximately 15 minute rides.  Although rides are free, they do accept donations.  There is a gi... 06/16/2008

When Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821, the territory which is now the State of California became a part of Mexico.  During this time, many more settlers came to the Costa Mesa area and established more ranchos with large herds of cattle on the grassy plains that existed back then. After two years of war between the United States and Mexico, Mexico was defeated in 1848, and California became part of the United States. In 1850, California became the 31st state.  In less than thirty years, the spot that would one day become Costa Mesa had belonged to Spain, Mexico and the United States. See Costa Mesa for more information on Costa Mesa, or Costa Mesa real estate values for current property values.     06/15/2008

I came across a question from someone wanting to know the median price of all non-distress sales (i.e. not bank-owned, not in foreclosure, not REO's, not trust sales, not in probate) in Costa Mesa last month.  He wanted to gauge what the values might be after the supply of distressed properties dwindled. The median sales price for all apparently non-distressed sales in May 2008 was $538,250, while the median sales price for all sales, including distressed properties, was $530,000, which is less than a 2.5% difference.  What was interesting was the fact that of the 47 sales, only 22 were non-distress sales.  Looking at these numbers, I decided to take the question a step further.  The median sales price of the distressed properties only is $495,950.  This is a much larger difference, ove... 06/11/2008

I received an e-mail from a seller today.  She isn't ready to sell, but she does want to know what is going on with values. So, I've been keeping her updated on the current market and what's for sale and selling in her neighborhood. She must have been paying attention because today she sent me an e-mail, and all it said was "Somebody needs to get REAL about this price!!!!!" The listing price is more than 16% higher than the last sold in the complex for a similarly sized unit.  That sale was more than six months ago, and we're in a buyer's market here in Costa Mesa. The only other property for sale in the complex is more than 20% less and is larger. This seller understands the current market and the realities that come with it because she has been receiving updates constantly for eight m... 06/11/2008

 In a previous blog, I wrote about the Indians who were the first settlers in Costa Mesa.  Today, I added another post about the Spanish Era of Costa Mesa. The Spaniards first came to Central Orange County in 1769, at least in part, because the King of Spain was offering land grants to those who settled here (Can you imagine getting large amounts of land in Orange County for free?). To read more about the Spanish settlement of Orange County, see the rest of the story here.    06/09/2008

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! You know that real estate agents help you to move.  Did you know that agents can also help you stay where you are?  This has become quite an issue in light of the recent rise in loan defaults.  Real estate agents provide critical information and a link between lenders and buyers.  Subprime loans, in and of themselves, are not bad.  They provide financing for substantial numbers of people who cannot otherwise qualify under standard lending practices.  However, buyers must be informed and realistic about what terms they can actually afford to accept. No one - not banks, not agents, not homeowners - sees foreclosure as an acceptable option.  It hurts everyone, including the communities where vacancies lead to declining prices.  This is where a trusted local real estate ... 06/09/2008

As I wrote in a previous post (Growing Up Local), I've lived in Orange County almost my entire life.  It amazes me the changes that come to a place over the years, and yet I have been around only a few decades, while Costa Mesa was first settled over 2,500 years ago by American Indians who founded the Village of Lukup. I can only imagine what Costa Mesa would have looked like during this period.  Did they concern themselves with the value of Costa Mesa property? Likely not as there were only 400-500 of them living in the village and plenty of space for all.  They were hunter-gatherers, living a simple existence unfathomable by today's modern man until they were disturbed by the first Spanish settlers.  Today there are only remnants of this first settlement in Costa Mesa. Yet, other thin... 06/08/2008

I was lucky enough to grow up in Newport Beach in a time that allows me to understand how Orange County received its name.  I remember driving the 5 southbound into what is now known as "South County" in mid July with the windows rolled down and being innundated with the scent of citrus from the thousands of orange trees and groves along the way.  I have watched those orange trees disappear and become new cities and malls like the Irvine Spectrum. I have received the benefit of summers spent in the Pacific Ocean body surfing and watching those braver than I body surf the wedge.  I have enjoyed gorgeous sunsets and simply listening to the waves crashing on the shore. I can't remember the first time I went to Disneyland, but I have thousand of memories from The Happiest Place on Earth. No... 06/07/2008

FREE REPORT: How To Buy Lovely Homes In Orange County with Almost Zero Down Payment ... Click here Be Sure to visit our sister web sites at TeamWeichman.com, OCRepoBroker.com and OCHomeTracker.com you will be glad you did! We have many homes that are priced under $500,000! Many homes can be purchased with as little as 3% down, on some homes low as 1% down payment may work. Call for details....(714) 241-4532 06/04/2008

As Published in the Daily Pilot: Friday, May 30, 2008  Every community has hidden gems. Whether it's a locals-only restaurant, a small park or community event, they are what make every community special.Usually they are small and out-of-the-way places. In this case, the hidden gem may be out-of-the-way, but at more than 100 acres it is not small. What I am talking about is the Mesa Verde Country Club, which turns 50 this January.Many of the non-golfers in the community confuse it with Costa Mesa Country Club, which is off of Mesa Verde East but just south of Adams Avenue. Mesa Verde Country Club is north of Adams just off Mesa Verde West. You can understand the confusion.The land where the golf course sits was sold in 1956 to investor Adolph Sleceta, who planned to work with the develop... 06/04/2008