You may have recently bought a home and have plans to create a playground in your backyard or outdoor kitchen, too.

Whatever your reason for stepping outside, you’ll probably notice some areas you can improve around your home, before summer comes and you begin a season of entertaining outdoors.  As you look over your backyard or patio, take the time to notice the feelings you have in that space.  

Is the yard of your home relaxing and inviting?

Your week is filled with the hustle-bustle of life, with time constraints, and demands placed upon you by others, shouldn’t your evenings and weekends be a time of enjoyment and reflection?

If you agree that your home and its exterior space should be an oasis of sorts, start small and consider adding a fountain or fire pit to your landscaping to make your yard more retreat-like.  Perhaps a backyard swing or an outdoor kitchen is more to your liking.  Gather your dreams in online ideabooks on websites like Houzz or Zillow digs and plan out the next project for your home.  Just thinking about it will make you smile.

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Even Fannie’s Mae Economic & Strategic Research Group report released on April 17th, indicates a 3.2 percent surge in economic growth over the first quarter, and seems to be setting the stage for an even healthier housing market, as it predicts continued increases and potential economic growth of 2.3 percent throughout the rest of 2013.

Despite other significant issues that could impact consumer spending, Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae Chief Economist, indicates that hope may remain in housing trends, stating, “…the housing recovery continues to broaden and may be more robust than we anticipate, helping to offset fiscal headwinds.”

Considering that potential home buyers may need some assurance and coaching as they enter this changing housing market, Fannie Mae has launched a new online CreditSmart® tutorial to guide individuals as they seek to make wise financial decisions, including many which could lead to the purchase of your home.

A multilingual curriculum, Christina Diaz Malone, Freddie Mac Vice President of Corporate Relations and Housing Outreach believes CreditSmart® will reassure home buyers explaining, “Our new online CreditSmart® tutorial is a stepping stone to homeownership, especially for working families who are unsure how to start household budgets or build the personal savings and strong credit for the future.”

With twelve modules on the importance of credit and money management, goal setting, banking, financial traps, and becoming a homeowner, CreditSmart® provides resources and practical help for those just entering the housing market as well as homeowners that may be struggling in their current situations.  You may find that some of the material can benefit you in your home and financing search, making it worth taking a look.

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In today’s Orange County Real Estate market, it’s no secret that we are in one of the most competitive Real Estate markets in decades and many home buyers are asking the same question “Do I NEED good credit and cash to buy a home?” the answer to this question is yes and no.

Why You Should Have Good Credit and Cash

In the 2013 Real Estate market, lenders are searching for qualified homebuyers who have a great FICO score and cash for down payments because, they want to stay away from the bad lending practices that caused the recent Real Estate crash.

With good credit and cash for a down payment, a homebuyer in Orange County can qualify for a great mortgage interest rate and pay less money on their mortgage loan over time, which will ultimately help them to pay off their home faster.

Why You Don’t Need Good Credit and a Large Down Payment

On the flipside of this Real Estate market, there are plenty of homebuyers who are able to purchase homes even if they have FICO scores that are between 600 to 620, and a down payment as low as 3.5% thanks to FHA loans and HUD.

What’s even better is that Veterans are able to buy homes with no money for a down payment if they use their VA loans. That means it is possible for a homebuyer in today’s Real Estate market to buy a home without having to come up with a sizable down payment, or having  great credit, to qualify for a home loan. That doesn’t mean that just anyone can get a loan however. Coming off the worst housing crisis in 80 years lenders are still prudent in who they give loans to, but you may be able to purchase a home without both of those criteria.

Sound Financial Judgment Will Pay Off

Regardless if you have good credit, okay credit, a large down payment or a small down payment for a home, it’s always important to make sure that you practice sound financial judgment before buying a home. This includes: paying off credit cards or any excessive debt (if possible), pulling your credit reports to look for negative or erroneous items and establishing a budget so you’re not spending more money than you have coming in each month.

To learn more home buying tips or to view the latest Orange County homes for sale, contact Fred Sed & Associates today by calling us at (949) 272-0125.

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May is National Home Remodeling Month and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Remodelers are using increased seasonal awareness to outline risks that a DIY approach can bring in terms of safety, time and hidden costs.

Reports from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Census Bureau show that 37 % of home remodeling projects completed in 2010-2011 were done by homeowners themselves.

“Remodeling can be complex and often times full of surprises, even for experts like our members,” said NAHB Remodelers Chairman Bill Shaw, GMR, GMB, CGP. “DIY projects should be rewarding and fun, but if your DIY can’t be completed in the planned price range or your safety is at risk, leave the work in the hands of professional remodelers.”

NAHB suggested a review of these tips before commencing a remodel project on your home.

Safety - If it requires licensing to complete or compromises the integrity of your structure, walk away and hire a professional. Wear proper protective gear and be especially careful when using new tools as unfamiliarity increases risk.
Cost - Review quality and warranty specifications of your purchases. Incorrect installation can result in a warranty being disputed.
Time - Contractors are required to provide timelines, progress updates, and projected finish dates. If time is important to you, a recommended contractor can get the job done according to your schedule. Would you be able to do the same?

Click here to access the Directory of Professional Remodelers.

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A Smelly Home  

One of the most common mistakes made when selling a home is not taking the extra step to eliminate odors. A homeowner doesn’t have to be a pet owner to have a smelly home. Odors can naturally occur over the years, especially if the home has sustained water damage in one form or another or has not been well ventilated.

The easy way to determine if you have odors in your home or not is by inviting others over who might not spend a lot of time in the home because these people will not be accustomed to the smells of the home and will be able to easily determine if there are smells that might offend potential home buyer.

Too Much Clutter

Besides a smelly home, another mistake that homeowners make in the process of selling their home in Orange County, is having a home that has too much clutter. To avoid a home filled with clutter it’s always best to pack up excess items like: knickknacks, books, movies and other things that they’ve accumulated over the years and put those items into storage. By keeping only the bare minimum in the house, this will help the house to look bigger and more spacious since there will be less clutter than before.

Lack Of A Plan

Last of all, but most important, one huge mistake that many homeowners make in the process of selling their Orange County homes is not being prepared mentally when it does come time to sell your home.

To be prepared mentally, you as a homeowners must be prepared to treat the home like products by: cleaning your home from top to bottom, removing excess clutter and then once the homes are ready for sale, hire a real estate agent who is both experienced and knowledgeable about what it takes to sell a home in their real estate market.

For more great tips on how to avoid common mistakes when selling a home, or to view the latest orange County homes for sale, contact Fred Sed & Associates today by calling us at 949-272-0125.

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To avoid the mistake of overselling the neighborhood or area where they live, an Orange County homeowner should rely on the advice and counsel of their Realtor. The Real Estate agent will be able to do a comparable analysis of homes that have recently sold in the area and come up with the best possible marketing campaign to sell the home to the right audience.

Look At The Home With Fresh Eyes  

Another common mistake that’s very easy to make when selling a home, especially for older homeowners, is when the homeowner doesn’t take the time to evaluate all of the areas of their home that need to be repaired or fixed.

To avoid selling a home that needs repairs, the homeowner should have their home evaluated from top to bottom by an experienced and licensed Real Estate agent, before they have the Realtor list their home on the market because, doing a simple walk-through of the home first will enable the home owner and Realtor to have absolute confidence of what work needs to be done so they can present the best possible product to potential home buyers.

Avoid Overspending

Last of all, but perhaps most important, another common mistake that homeowners make during the process of selling their homes in Orange County, Southern California, or other cities across the United States is by spending way too much money to make their homes presentable. Sure, in some cases a home may require extensive renovations to bring it up to date, but most homeowners can easily find things their homes needs like paint, tools, fixtures, and accessories to revitalize and update their homes. Before you sell your home, go to your local warehouse store like: Walmart, Lowes or Home Depot instead of paying someone hundreds or thousands of dollars to have someone do the work on your home when, they could have done the work yourself.

To learn more about common mistakes that home owners make when selling their homes or to view the latest Orange County homes for sale, contact Fred Sed & Associates today by calling us for free consultation at (949) 272-0125.

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Hire A Professional Realtor

The first step to take when selling a home in Orange County is to hire a professional Real Estate agent who works as a Realtor full time. Not only that, but has been in business for more than one or two years and will also provide you with references from their happy clients.

Finding the right Realtor who has the experience and skills can mean the difference between a smooth, effortless Real Estate sale and a transaction that’s wrought with errors and problems that could have been easily avoided.

Learn More About Fees And Commissions

Besides selling a home, there are other fees and costs involved with selling, including paying the Realtor their commission upon the sale of the home.

Before a homeowner decides to sell they should research or find out what all of the costs are involved with selling their home just to ensure that they don’t get overwhelmed or face “sticker shock” when they realize that there are other costs involved with selling a home after it’s sold.

Don’t Set An Outrageous Price

Many homeowners have unrealistic expectations for the price that they can ask for their homes and they are left disappointed later on when they realize that their homes are worth far less.

Every seller should consult with their Realtor first and have a comparative analysis done of homes that have recently sold in their neighborhood before they decide on a price just so they can have confidence that they are asking for an unrealistic price that no home buyer would ever want to pay.

To learn more about the tips that homeowners should avoid when selling their home, or to view the latest Orange County homes for sale, contact Fred Sed & Associates today by calling us for a free consultation at (949) 272-0125.

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Every real estate agent knows that locataion is a prime factor when purchasing a home.  However, while location is generally a driving force in the purchase of your home purchase, other components come into play as you choose the perfect house. Some of those elements may even have you considering condo ownership over a traditional detached house when you buy your home.

Because of this, it’s helpful to recognize the challenges and rewards that owning a condo can bring.

Condo owners are unique in that they pay Homeowner Association (HOA) fees to share in the maintenance of the property at large. Reviewing this cost and the Homeowners Association bylaws prior to your home purchase is essential as you may find restrictions that are not in keeping with your lifestyle. If after review you feel that the rules are too confining for the condo you are considering, try a different complex as each set of bylaws is unique.If after reviewing several and finding all lacking, however, you may decide that condo life is not the best fit for you.

Before buying a condo as your home, it’s helpful to consider the following:

• Why are you buying a condo?
• Is it conveniently located?
• What extra amenities or savings might you receive due to your condo purchase?
• Are you a loud person? Neighbors may overhear as you will be in relatively close quarters.
• Are you someone who likes to act independently? If so, condo life and rules may be a bit stifling.
• Are you comfortable having someone other than you maintain your home’s exterior?
• When added into your home cost, are your HOA fees reasonable?

No matter whether your home purchase results in a detached home or a condo, asking yourself these questions before making your purchase can results in happier home owning.  If you have questions about the type of home and location that is best for you, please give me a call so we can address your particular needs.

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Warmer weather and cloud-free skies may have you dreaming of leaving your home for a vacation.

No matter where you choose to journey for your break away trip, take the time to make preparations to your home before leaving.

A few smart steps toward protecting your home while you are way, could mean the world to you when you return.

Tips For Securing Your Home

• Appoint a look-out.  Ask a good friend or “watch-worthy” neighbor to keep an eye on your place while you’re away.
• Wait until after you return from vacation to post your photos to Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.  Otherwise you are alerting “friends” and others that may be less than friendly of your absence.
• Think about ways to keep your home from looking empty while you are vacationing.  From house sitters and timers to placing holds on your mail and newspaper delivery, there is plenty you can do to make your home seem less vacant. 
• Secure your garage door and any pet entrances with locks before leaving town as it can provide easier access to your home.
• Timed lights, a well-kept home, and motion detectors can be a deterrent to thieves as well.
• And although pets can be a great deterrent to those who may harm your home, when you leave town, you must make arrangements for their boarding and care.

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The 2013 Orange County Real Estate market is an exciting place right now because, there are more people buying homes, compared to recent years, thanks to low mortgage interest rates and rock bottom home prices as well.

With the excitement that comes with this Real Estate market right many people are “jumping in” head first and buying Real Estate without asking the important question “why am I doing this?”

Renting Vs. Buying

If you’re planning on buying an Orange County home because you’re tired of renting and ready to own a piece of Orange County and the American Dream, you’re making a smart choice. Right now, owning a home actually costs less than renting a home and home ownership also comes with lots of opportunities as well like the ability to earn equity in your home.

Tax Benefits

Another great reason to buy a home is the tax benefits that come from home ownership; a homeowner can enjoy tax benefits right from the very beginning and through all of the years that they own their home.

Real Estate Investment

With a lot of focus on income property lately, it’s easy to see the logic in buying an Orange County home for a Real Estate investment because, this move will enable the homeowner to earn positive cash flow, build equity and enjoy tax benefits during the years that they own their home.

Family Pressure

Some homebuyers may be feeling a little pressure from family to buy a home during this Orange County Real Estate market, especially from family members who would hate for their loved ones to miss a great opportunity to buy their first home or income properties.

If you’re getting pressured by family or friends to buy a home now, make sure that the home you’re planning on buying lines up with your personal and financial goals. If it doesn’t, you don’t want to regret your decision to buy a home later on.

To learn more about the Real Estate market, or to view the latest Orange County homes for sale, contact Fred Sed & Associates today by calling us at (949) 272-0125.

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