El Corazon de Costa Mesa
May 5, 2013 by Christine · Leave a Comment
El Corazon de Costa Mesa
El Corazon de Costa Mesa has recently opened at the revamped and renamed Triangle Square in Costa Mesa at the corner of 19th Street and Newport Blvd. Triangle Square has been renamed The Triangle to go with its new upgrades.
El Corazon will be celebrating its first annual Cinco de Mayo Fiesta on Sunday, May 5th, 2013 from 9am to 2am. With the large patio area on the top floor of the Triangle, this is certain to become a local Cinco de Mayo tradition.
The menu has many favorite Mexican dishes including tortilla soup and ceviche de camaron (shrimp) along with Baja tacos and fajitas. There are also many choices and combinations for margaritas and tequilas to enjoy in the Southern California sun.
El Corazon de Costa Mesa is located 1870 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92627 and can be reached at 949-612-2349
We’re looking forward to our first meal there. Have you had the opportunity to try it yet? Please let us know in the comments below.
Saddle Ranch Chop House Costa Mesa
May 4, 2013 by Christine · Leave a Comment
Saddle Ranch Chop House Costa Mesa
Saddle Ranch Chop House has just opened in the new, revamped Triangle Square in Costa Mesa, located at the corner of 19th St. and Newport Blvd. just south of the end of the 55 Freeway.
It has a large patio area and is decorated with mannequins dressed in western dress with cowboys and saloon girls along with a stagecoach. It looks like fun, and we’re hoping to try it soon. It appears that this restaurant is a small chain with a few locations in California and Arizona.
Saddle Ranch offers its meals in a rock and roll atmosphere along with mechanical bulls and refers to itself as “Rock meets Western”
They even allow customers to make their own s’mores over their firepits, which I’m looking forward to trying with the kids what a great way to finish a meal. Though it may be difficult to pick from all of the choices on the menu which seems to have something for everyone.
For more information, please see Saddle Ranch Chop House.
Don’t Miss Out on the Honeymoon when You Sell Your Costa Mesa Home
April 27, 2013 by Christine · Leave a Comment
Don’t Miss Out on the Honeymoon when You Sell
Your Costa Mesa Home
Do you want to sell your Costa Mesa home for the most money possible? If you’re like most sellers, of course you do! However, this needs to be balanced against the danger of over pricing your home and thus winding up with a lower sales price.
How can this happen?
When a home first comes on the market, all buyers who are looking for that type of home will buzz about it and likely notice it. However, if it is over priced, many of those potential buyes will choose not to look at it. As time goes on and the over priced home is inevitably reduced in price (if it is to sell), the home may actually gain a type of stigma from being on the market too long. Now, new potential buyers or the older buyers will wonder what is wrong with the home, or why it has been on the market for so long.
This is not good for the highest price possible for your home as those buyers may be looking for a reason to pay less.
What can you do to make sure you get the most for your home without leaving money on the table?
Have your Realtor provide you with comparables – homes that are similar to yours and have sold recently and also homes that are currently for sale or in escrow so that you can see your competition and what the buyers will be comparing to your home.
After you have reviewed these homes and discussed them with your Realtor, you can make an informed decision about the value of your home. If you still want to “test” the market, be sure that you listen to the market. If your home is priced higher than your Realtor recommended and you aren’t receiving offers or showings, make sure to adjust the price before you lose the honeymoon period and wind up with a home that sits on the market.
Please contact Christine Donovan at 714-319-9751 for a free valuation of your home or for more tips to get your Costa Mesa home sold for the most amount of money in the shortest period of time.
YES! You Need to Read the HOA Documents when Buying a Costa Mesa Home
April 27, 2013 by Christine · Leave a Comment
YES! You Need to Read the HOA Documents
when Buying a Costa Mesa Home
You’re considering buying a condo or a home in an HOA and you’ve heard things about the rules/CC&Rs/convenant, conditions and restrictions. Should you be worried about these when buying a home? Absolutely! They will tell you if you can paint your house purple, have 5 cats, have a doberman, plant roses in the front yard etc.
It’s important that you know what those rules are so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not you can live with those rules.
Yes, there is a lot of paperwork; it’s dense and a great cure for insomnia, so you may look for a way around it. I’ve had some who have asked me to read the HOAs for them. I’ve explained I won’t necessarily know what is important to them. I may know that you want to paint your home purple but not that your dream is to own 6 different kinds of cats. You need to slog through it and determine if it is acceptable to you.
Grab a big mug of coffee, and just do it! You may be glad that you did.
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YES! You Need to Read the HOA Documents when Buying a Costa Mesa Home
Celebrate Your Mom at SoCo and the OC Mix – May 1, 2013
April 21, 2013 by Christine · Leave a Comment
Celebrate Your Mom at SoCo and the OC Mix – May 1, 2013
If you’re looking for a way to celebrate your mom, why not check out an evening just for her at the OC Mix located at 3313 Hyland Ave. in Costa Mesa. The evening begins at 6pm and runs to 9pm. There will be live jazz music, a champagne toast just for her, as well as light food and fun throughout the evening.
To enter, you can purchase tickets, spend $20 at any OC Mix store or bring gently used clothing or shoes.
For more questions or to rsvp, please contact rsvp@deerlovely.com
Battle of Costa Mesa Civil War Reenactment 2013 – Fairview Park
April 20, 2013 by Christine · Leave a Comment
Battle of Costa Mesa Civil War Reenactment 2013 – Fairview Park
For the past several years, the American Civil War Society (ACWS) has performed the Battle of Costa Mesa at Fairview Park. Each year, approximately 150 Civil War buffs gather together to reenact a Civil War battle.
The Battle of Costa Mesa will take place April 20th and 21st, 2013 in Fairview Park in Costa Mesa.
On Saturday, April 20, 2013 and Sunday, April 21, 2013, there will be two battles each day - one at 12:30 and one at 3:30.
Part of the fun of seeing the Battle of Costa Mesa is walking through both Confederate and Unions’ soldiers camps in Civilian Town. There is also Sutlers’ Row where you can purchase items reminiscent of the Civil War time period.
Admission to the Battle of Costa Mesa is free as is parking. Fairview Park is located at 2525 Placentia Avenue in Costa Mesa.
Please see a small preview of another battle below.
If you have questions about buying or selling a home in Costa Mesa, please contact Christine Donovan at 714-319-9751.
Huntington Beach Ocean View Homes Under $2,000,000
April 13, 2013 by Christine · Leave a Comment
Ocean View Homes in Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach well known as “Surf City USA” with its excellent surfing has 8.5 miles of beaches and over 200,000 residents with 11 million visitors annually coming to see events such as the US Open of Surfing, the Surf City USA Marathon and AVP Pro Beach Volleyball.
It is also known as one of the 10 safest cities. Huntington Beach Real Estate offers a wide variety of housing from moderately priced condos to multi-million dollar estates.
Below you will see a list of homes currently for sale in Huntington Beach between $1,000,000 and $2,000,000 that are ocean view homes. Few homes in Huntington Beach are on the water as most are typically built across Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) from the ocean.
If you would like to see any of these homes or have any questions, please contact Christine Donovan at 714-319-9751.
How Can I Compete in a Costa Mesa Sellers’ Market?
March 30, 2013 by Christine · Leave a Comment
How Can I Compete in a Costa Mesa Sellers’ Market?
The Orange County real estate market has shifted, and we are in a strong sellers’ market with just over a month worth of inventory (meaning if no more homes were put on the market for just over a month and continued to sell at the current pace, all would be sold in just over a month).
This does not mean that you can’t buy a home though it does mean that you will likely have to be more patient and more willing to consider different homes and different ways to write up your offer. It also means that you are unlikely to get the deal of the century at this point in time.
What can you do to make your offer stand out if there are multiple offers?
Things to consider to make your offer as strong as possible:
- Offer your best price – Expect that there will be multiple offers, and if you don’t make a strong offer, you’re likely to not even receive a counter offer
- Limit your inspection contingency – Instead of the usual 17 days, perhaps you might lower it to 7 days. This way the seller will know sooner if you’re not going to proceed with the escrow.
- Remove the appraisal contingency – In many cases, with the market moving as quickly and competitively as it is, buyers are making offers over appraised value.
- If you’re going to do this, you need to understand that the seller will likely expect you to come up with the difference between the appraised value and your purchase price.
- What does this mean? If you’re making an offer of $600,000, and the appraisal comes in at $580,000, you may need to come up with the difference of $20,000 depending on the type of financing you’re getting.
- Remove the loan contingency – I have a very hard time recommending this even if you’re very sure that you’re super well-qualified, and yet I’m starting to see this come up more often.
- This might be a possibility if you could pay cash if you had to or if you’re willing to risk your initial deposit.
Would like to know more about making a winning bid on a Costa Mesa home, please contact Christine Donovan at 714-319-9751.
Orange County Short Sales are Rewarding, Stressful, Time Consuming, Necessary
March 13, 2013 by Christine · Leave a Comment
Short Sales are Rewarding, Stressful, Time Consuming, Necessary
What are Short Sales?
Orange County short sales (selling a home with the lender’s consent for less money than is owed on the mortgage) have been front and center of the real estate melt down for years now.
Some would argue they are better than they were at the beginning of this cycle. Some would say they are worse.
Wherever you fall on the continuum, few would argue that they are a necessary evil in today’s market. Approximately 20% of Orange County homeowners with mortgages are upside down. Though prices may be increasing, this is still a significant number of homeowners who cannot sell their home for what they owe, and so short sales are still playing a big part in the market.
Short sales add a significant complication to the sale of a house. The lenders must agree to accept less than they are owed, and the result is a delay of what is often months as the lender goes through the process of making a decision.
Short Sales – Time Consuming
During this time, the bank does a valuation on the property and collects financials from the borrower and eventually makes a decision. However, frequently items that have been gathered such as paystubs and bank statements “expire” and new ones are required. Often documents that are sent, are never received by the bank resulting in them having to be resent several times. All of this increases the time needed to complete a short sale. This results in frustrations on the seller’s side, the buyers’ side and for the real estate professionals. Unfortunately, it often leads to buyers walking away causing the whole process to be set back.
Despite all of this, short sales are a necessary evil in today’s real estate market and will continue to be so as long as such a significant portion of Orange County homes are upside down.
Orange County short sales allow an upside down homeowner a way to sell their home and potentially avoid any deficiency to the lender and federal tax liability for the forgiven debt.
If you are upside down in your home and would like to know your options, please contact Christine Donovan at 714-319-9751 for a free consultation.
* Nothing in this post should be construed as legal, financial or tax advice. You are advised to consult with professionals in the respective fields for details on your particular situation. No warrantys or guarantees are offered.
Orange County Short Sales are Rewarding, Stressful, Time Consuming, Necessary
OCTA Grants Costa Mesa $2.8 Million to Help Reduce Westside Flooding
March 7, 2013 by Christine · Leave a Comment
OCTA Grants Costa Mesa $2.8 Million to
Help Reduce Westside Flooding
The Orange County Transportation (OCTA) has given Costa Mesa $2.8 million to reduce flooding during the rains.
Costa Mesa will match the funds provided by the OCTA, and the plan is to build a catch basin under Lions Park that will reduce potential flooding.
This project will also help to keep pollution from the streets from entering the ocean via the storm drains with the addition of filters to the storm drainage system.
Construction should begin in late 2014.
