Real Estate - Orange County

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 04:00:00 GMT

STONEGATE

Sat, 20 Oct 2012 04:00:00 GMT

STONEGATE
homebuyers are finding great values in the six Irvine Pacific® neighborhoods at the Village of Stonegate.

VISTA DEL VERDE

Sat, 20 Oct 2012 04:00:00 GMT

VISTA DEL VERDE
LINDA, CA) Finding your dream home can elevate the process of buying a new home well beyond a straightforward business transaction. There is so much more to consider - will the kids be near a good school? Will we have more time and opportunity to enjoy our neighborhood? Are there parks and open space within.

STONEGATE

Sat, 20 Oct 2012 04:00:00 GMT

STONEGATE
New homebuyers are finding great values in the six Irvine Pacific® neighborhoods at the Village of Stonegate.

VISTA DEL VERDE

Sat, 20 Oct 2012 04:00:00 GMT

VISTA DEL VERDE
(YORBA LINDA, CA) Finding your dream home can elevate the process of buying a new home well beyond a straightforward business transaction.

BUILDER

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT

There are all sorts of other foundation repair methods that employ steel plates and rods that straighten bowed foundation walls. Cables, interior vertical steel I-beams, and a host of other time-tested repair methods may also be suggested by the structural engineer.

HANSEN

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT

“As far as popularity, Woods Cove and the Village — by far,” she said. “People don’t want to be in the downtown, hectic area, but they want to be able to walk to coffee, walk to the beach, walk to a restaurant or shopping without having to get in their car.

Defining ourselves like tribes

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT

“Growing up as a surfer here in town, I spent a lot of time at different beaches,” he said. “If you’re one of the Thalia crew and you show up at Agate to go and surf, guys would be like, ‘Thalia’s over there,’ almost as if you were invading their space.

Ask The Builder

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT

The local geology created conditions that kept many a foundation repair company with quite a backlog of work. Unstable clay soils on hillsides and very plastic glacial lake clays wreaked havoc with builders, remodelers and homeowners who had no clue that danger lurked just beneath the grass.

Project ends, another begins

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Project ends, another begins
Those working for or with high-tech companies, manufacturers, financial firms, law firms, medical firms, retailers, wholesalers, restaurant operators, mortgage companies, construction companies, and a range of service industries within Orange County can feel free to email me with story ideas and news tips.

JERGLER

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

their payments on time and playing by the rules were not allowed to refinance. Finally we’re starting to see something good happen to those people who have been making payments.”.

VILLAGE

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

While the one-bedroom Veneto unit featured pale quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances and a simulated hardwood floor, other units feature a mix of quartz or granite, stainless steel or white appliances, and varying patterns and textures of faux wood flooring and carpeting.

HARP 2.0 hits right note for homeowners

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

HARP 2.0 hits right note for homeowners
HARP 2.0, the second version of the federal government’s Home Affordable Refinance Program, is designed to help some 5 million struggling homeowners refinance into a fixed-loan and a lower monthly payment. It targets people who have made their payments on time, but who have lost too much value on their home to refinance.

Village redefines community

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Village redefines community
“There are so few new apartment homes being built and that, combined with the opportunity to live somewhere no one else has lived before, is part of why we’re seeing so much enthusiasm here,” said Erin Freeman, spokeswoman for the Newport Beach-based Irvine Co.

BUILDING

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

BUILDING
Jeff Schulein ran the store for decades before handing the reins over to his son, who now continues the same formula of cultivating helpful employees and meeting customer expectations..

JERGLER

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Helsing, of Tustin, pleaded guilty on Oct. 3, 2011, to 55 felony counts of grand theft, seven felony counts of filing false recorded documents, six felony counts of elder financial exploitation, and sentencing enhancements for white collar crime more than $500,000 and excessive taking more than $1 million and $1.

Real estate scammers caught in D.A.’s web

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Real estate scammers caught in D.A.’s web
It must have also seen like an opportune time, seeing as it was only a few years ago, during the heart of the real estate downturn. Banks were overloaded with foreclosures and toiling to fix their own financial troubles, and defaulting was anything but uncommon.

Building ties to customers

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Building ties to customers
Crown Ace Hardware has made this its specialty. Having grown and expanded in the community for more than 60 years, the small hardware chain has developed a reputation for customer service and carrying those hard-to-find parts and fixtures for older homes.

REMODEL

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Where do these folks go for their money? Case says local and regional banks and credit unions are increasingly important sources. They tend to know the local real estate environment better and “are willing to look at [applications] more holistically.”.

California negotiating with banks over mortgage settlement

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

“For the past 13 months we have been working for a resolution that brings real relief to the hardest-hit homeowners, is transparent about who benefits, and will ensure accountability,” Harris said in a statement Sunday night. “We are closer now than we’ve been before but we’re not there yet.

Many decide remodeling is wiser than moving

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Whether you share them or not, sentiments like these are having profound effects on real estate markets across the country, fueling post-recession interest in remodeling.

Board, D.A. team up to fight fraud

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Board, D.A. team up to fight fraud
The D.A.’s real estate fraud unit, which has two attorneys and three investigators who work full time in the area of real estate fraud, has 37 active cases in which charges have been filed. Since it was launched in 2009, the unit has amassed 49 felony convictions, many of which have received assistance or real estate expertise from the advisory board.

HOMES

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Instead of a guaranteed $40 million in shared neighborhood park infrastructure — a minimum that FivePoint agreed to as part of negotiations with the city before the developer had a clear picture of what the eventual plans would be — that figure is more likely $150 million for Phase One alone, Haddad said.

Homebuying ‘spring fever’ has sprung early

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Homebuying ‘spring fever’ has sprung early
“Absolutely, spring has sprung early and the market is heating up,” said Angie Weeks, with Metro Realty in Newport Beach. “I’ve received an offer on a drive-by-only listing within one week of the listing, and had a buyer who was offer No. 15 in line on an Irvine condo that was on the market only three days.

Developer breaks ground

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Developer breaks ground
IRVINE — Standing on a grassy hilltop overlooking the former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, filled with overgrown fields and abandoned runways, developers on Wednesday pointed to where the first of 5,000 new homes will open by early next year..

BRIEFS

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Irvine Crossings at 17871 Von Karman Ave. and 17836 Gillette Ave. is 100% occupied by tenants Savvis and 3PL Global. Savvis is a cloud computing data center and 3PL is a third-party logistics company providing warehousing and transportation..

MATTERS

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Perhaps your question relates to a mortgage lender’s ability to use funds held in a mortgage and insurance escrow account to pay a shortage in the funds necessary to pay off a loan or to use those funds to pay down the amount owed the lender after a short sale.

Briefly In Real Estate

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

“The market for single-family homes picked up in the second half of 2011, after being stuck near the bottom for nearly three years,” Patrick Newport, an economist with IHS Global Insight, wrote in a note. “This pickup is real, but the road to recovery will be a slow one.

Real Estate Matters

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

However, you should know that not every borrower is entitled to help from their mortgage lender. Some borrowers may make too much money to obtain relief from their lenders in the manner they might like, while others may be disqualified because they are unemployed and make no money.

Deals to be had in upscale areas

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Deals to be had in upscale areas
Is seems there can be a great deal of leeway when one talks about what constitutes a “deal” in today’s real estate market, but there are only a few communities in Southern California where it is considered a deal when you are talking about the $700,000 and less range.

BUILDER

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Be sure to turn off any lights in the attic and look for light leaks through the insulation. These light leaks are almost always air leak locations. Be careful around recessed lighting. Older recessed lights must not come into direct contact with insulation.

MATTERS

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

In the past, federal mortgage relief plans have helped some but not the majority of borrowers. As new rules are being written for the program, you may want to contact your bank again and see if you meet the criteria for refinancing your loan under HARP 2.

Real Estate Matters

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

I am current on the loan, but I’m borrowing on credit cards to pay my bills. I tried the loan modification process, which went from July 2010 through March 2011, only to be denied. I also tried to see about refinancing but I am so upside down with this loan that I would have to come up with about $60,000, which I don’t have.

Ask The Builder

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

doors and windows. These two places can account for a significant amount of air leakage. Be sure the weatherstripping is in good shape and contacting the doors and windows. I have a high-quality exterior french door in my home, but it has a horrible air leak unless the door has the dead bolt lock turned.

Homes under $500K are in demand

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Homes under $500K are in demand
Add to the mix that more sellers have pulled listings from the market in the past two years, and it’s left the less than $500,000 market segment in Orange County low in supply and higher in demand — a reversal from the norm for the rest of the housing market.

Experts: Low mortgage rates likely to continue

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

The likely scenario in the new year, according to many analysts, is more of the same. Although the Federal Reserve has pledged to keep rates low through 2013, the experts say high unemployment and home prices that are still falling in many areas provide little incentive for stressed-out consumers to surge back into the housing market.

Ask The Builder

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

My dad also had the traditional pressed wood-fiber pegboard. In fact, I believe it’s still pretty popular. But I was also disappointed with the hangers and accessories that went with the wood system. Often they would come off the wall as I removed the tool.

Jergler

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Jergler
“What we’re seeing is this rising tide of new foreclosures that are starting up in Orange County, and it also applies nationwide,” he said. “If you look at notices of default in Orange County in the last few months, those are really, consistently going up.

BUILDER

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Door openings commonly have two king studs and two jack studs. A king stud is one that runs continuously from the top plate to the bottom plate. The jack stud is nailed to the king stud, but it’s shorter as it supports the structural header or the flat 2x material that you use for a door in a non-load-bearing wall.

JERGLER

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

2) As for the economy, the key right now is job creation, possibly followed by underwriting standards. Historic low interest rates may not last, especially if the economy begins to add jobs.

Ask The Builder

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

The first thing to understand is that a great deal of load could be concentrated above a door. This happens on bearing walls. In these instances, a structural header acts as a beam over the door to support the load or weight that is bearing down on that portion of the house.

Jergler

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Jergler
he year brings with it many questions about the fate of real estate — and possibly the world. Is the real estate market ready for the onslaught of short sales and foreclosures we’ve been hearing about? Will home prices rise in 2012, and if so, could...

BUILDER

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Use a 6-inch wide flexible drywall taping knife to help you trim the paper at the ceiling and where it touches woodwork. If the knife is new, take a metal file and round off the sharp edges of the tool. Failure to do this will cause the paper to tear if you slide the blade along the paper.

JERGLER

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

2) Prices rising 25%? That’s not going to happen next year. However, I agree that this is the bottom, of the bottom, of the bottom. We’re five and a half years into prices falling — June 2006 was our peak of the last mountain.

Ask The Builder

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

The first thing you need to do is prepare the room for wallpaper. This means the ceiling needs to be painted, all cracks between the woodwork and walls need to be caulked, the walls need to be sealed with a special wallpaper primer, and the woodwork needs to be painted.

Experts share predictions for 2012

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Experts share predictions for 2012
Perhaps sometime between now and Dec. 21, 2012, will be beginning of the end. In fact, some think the end is already here, and they welcome any prophecies for an end to it all now or any time in 2012 — but we’re talking about the prolonged real estate market downturn here.

JERGLER

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

“The ones that didn’t buy have been saving their money,” she said, referring to the majority of the interested buyers she’s starting to see. And many of those buyers are family members who are pooling their resources and taking advantage of the deals out there on the market.

Catering to Spanish-speaking homebuyers

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Catering to Spanish-speaking homebuyers
But the Hispanic population, especially Spanish-speakers, in Orange County may be poised for a return the market, despite the treatment many non-English speakers received at the hands of unscrupulous lenders pushing exotic loan products during the...

‘Hangover House’ finds new owner

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

‘Hangover House’ finds new owner
A Laguna local bought the 2,2000-square-foot house for $2.4 million, about half the original asking price, and an adjacent 8,000-square-foot lot for $800,000, James said. Four other lots that adjoin the ocean-view Ceanothus Street parcel had been sold by the bankruptcy trustee handling the Scott estate.

JERGLER

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

“If you don’t have to sell between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, take your home off of the market,” writes About.com guide Elizabeth Weintraub, who has 30 years of real estate experience. She’s the broker-associate at Lyon Real Estate’s midtown Sacramento office.

DISPLAY

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Jordan set up a trust over the weekend that accepts donations. The money will help Jordan pay for his lawsuit against Wells Fargo; he’s fighting to keep his house, which he uses as a rental property..

Merry Christmas! Now list your ho-ho-house

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Merry Christmas! Now list your ho-ho-house
Ward believes that though there are fewer buyers out there this time of the year, those who are out there are ready to buy. If they weren’t so serious and possibly pressed to make a purchase, they would look at another time, when the climes are a bit warmer, and there is less to do to contend with the holiday madness.

‘Snoopy House’ display finds home

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

‘Snoopy House’ display finds home
Though Jim Jordan’s foreclosed home at 2269 Santa Ana Ave. now belongs to Wells Fargo, the plywood psychiatry booth, character cutouts, Santa Claus stage in the backyard and other “Peanuts” features that entertained the community for decades, still belong to him.

Ask The Builder

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Let’s start with removing the old caulk. Using a razor knife, you should try to cut away as much of the hardened caulk as possible. The flat razor scrapers used by painters to remove paint from glass work pretty well for this job. Just take your time and slide the blade between the caulk and the surfaces it touches.

New Realtor group president named

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

New Realtor group president named
In the U.S., she’s gone from working to eke out a living in real estate as a young woman raising two young boys alone — becoming the first woman Little League coach in Newport Beach and San Juan Capistrano along the way — to becoming president of a powerful Realtor group in Orange County.

JERGLER

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT

It’s a national problem, but one that’s particularly pronounced in Orange County, where there are many associations — condos, planned single-family communities, commercial property associations, according to Wendy Bucknum, president of the Orange County Regional Chapter of the Community Assns.

FHA changes depress condo values

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT

FHA changes depress condo values
That all but eliminated first-time buyers and others who must get FHA-backed loans to qualify to purchase property — in other words, it left that development out of consideration for most buyers in the market for a condo in the community southeast of Irvine.

Foreclosures

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT

If you answered yes to both questions — and thousands of homeowners across the country could do so — new research suggests that you are in a category that lenders need to worry about most: prime jumbo borrowers who once were thought to be among the...

JERGLER

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT

social sphere everyday, the traditional door knocking everyday, asking for referrals from everyone, being the expert online, having savvy online marketing skills, having mad skills in video, being the expert on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn … if you do all these together, you’ll succeed.

Ask The Builder

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT

There are any number of ways to install diagonal bracing for a deck. One way is to put diagonal braces that connect the deck beams to the vertical posts. These braces are typically cut at a 45-degree angle. It’s really important to bolt these rather than relying on nails.

A gnarly new voice in real estate

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT

A gnarly new voice in real estate
If you were to tune out the din of numerous voices talking shop this weekend at the National Assn. of Realtors Conference & Expo at the Anaheim Convention Center, which is expected to draw nearly 18,000 people in the real estate business from all over the nation, you’d hear some new voices.

JERGLER

Sat, 05 Nov 2011 04:00:00 GMT

“The market is not healthier because there are more short sales,” Bartos said. “Instead it’s an indication that lenders would much rather see borrowers pursue that option than foreclosure. It’s still indicative of a distressed market as both are distressed sales.

O.C.’s foreclosure rank impressive — in a good way

Sat, 05 Nov 2011 04:00:00 GMT

O.C.’s foreclosure rank impressive — in a good way
Orange County is one of the few spots in the nation where short sales are outpacing foreclosure sales, according to RealtyTrac. Most agree it’s better for homes to sell at reduced rates and to be occupied until sold than to sell at reduced rates and to sit vacant all that time.

Buyers already moved into Rizzo’s home

Sat, 05 Nov 2011 04:00:00 GMT

Buyers already moved into Rizzo’s home
The four-bedroom, threebathroom home has a cherry wood walk-in closet in the master bedroom, built-in cherry wood bookshelves in the living room, a formal dining room, and travertine, granite and.

JERGLER

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

Nowadays, popular loan products that popped up at the turn of the millennium and enabled more Americans to get into a home, such as the option ARM, are no longer accepted in the mortgage industry due to abuse and the issue of “steering,” the perception of brokers driving homebuyers into what some felt was a risky product.

BUILDER

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

Let’s say you decide to make it the headquarters for baking and desserts. Think about putting your commercial mixer on a spring-loaded tray that folds up out of the island and lowers back down out of sight when not needed. Pullout drawers in the other cabinet can be loaded with all of the other accessories you need for the tasks you do there.

Ask The Builder

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

The clearance around an island is usually what constrains the size. At the very least, you want 36 inches of space between the edges of the island top and any other solid object, such as another countertop, an appliance or a wall. Thirty-nine inches is better and 42 inches would be ideal.

What is causing home loan pipeline to clog?

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

What is causing home loan pipeline to clog?
“The majority of loans currently being made are under the auspices of a GSE, like Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Federal Housing Authority or Veterans Affairs,” said Sally Doherty, a mortgage loan officer for New American Funding in Irvine. “Each one has specific underwriting guidelines that we are obligated to follow.

Laguna building permits up this year

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

“The numbers are positive,” said City Manager John Pietig. “The nice increase indicates the economy is improving, but it is still volatile. The question is whether the improvement is sustainable. Still, we’d rather have good news than bad news.”.

JERGLER

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

“When it came down to satisfying 19 conditions, we couldn’t get them all,” Clements said. “The challenge today is the amount of conditions, and they are conditions that appear to be, at best, arms-length from the transaction. It’s been a trend.”.

RENTS

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

RENTS
“In our industry, it’s all about jobs and money,” Kruse said. “A lot of really key, smart people are trying to figure it out. Next year will be a little better than this year on all fronts.”.

Southland office rents, occupancy rates stay low

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

Business bosses “have gone on a personnel diet,” said Jim Kruse of CBRE Group Inc., the real estate brokerage formerly known as CB Richard Ellis. “They are trying to get through and maintain as much market share as they can without putting a lot of cash into operations.

Scary tales common, but not commonplace

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

Scary tales common, but not commonplace
To be fair, some of that may stem from growing tide of frustration with Wall Street and the financial world increasingly being expressed by the masses. It’s hard to blame entirely either lenders or mortgage-seekers for a global meltdown that may be keeping homes from moving quicker.

JERGLER

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

Curb appeal of course is very important. The exterior has to look good so you can get them inside — fresh paint, stucco, trim and garage door. Landscaping needs to be in good shape. If you have someone in your home who is handy and can do the small jobs, you can save yourself a lot of money if you have the time to take on some of the projects.

A little remodeling can go a long way

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

A little remodeling can go a long way
Sometimes you have to spend money to make money. But with the economy in the dumper, forking over a few thousand dollars to spruce up the home you are trying to sell — and likely sell at a discount — may sound a bit backward, but it can go a long way in helping it sell quicker and for more money, said one Orange County expert on home remodeling.

Home fit for a king

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

Home fit for a king
The home, built in 1955, has been remodeled and features glass walls, vaulted ceilings, a fully furnished basement and hardwood floors. It sits on a private cul-de-sac with no through traffic allowed, according to the listing..

New housing-related websites aimed at buyers

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

Launched in 2010 but only becoming fully operational at the first of this year, the website works much like Groupon, LivingSocial and others that negotiate deep discounts with restaurants, merchants and other businesses and then sell vouchers to people wanting to take advantage of the deals.

WEBSITES

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

loan comparison website MortgageMarvel.com allows borrowers to obtain interest rate quotes based on the loan amount, the property’s value and the ZIP Code, all while remaining anonymous. Pricing is updated as quickly as it changes — usually daily, but sometimes more frequently, says Rick Allen, director of strategic initiatives.

Woman claims Realtor used home as an office

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

The woman reported that documents that required her approval had forged signatures on them. After noticing this, she went to her home to retrieve a key from the lockbox, Kravetz said. It was when she arrived that she noticed that cable and gas were set up for the home, indicating someone was staying there.

Mortgage trend: suffer now, benefit later

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

Mortgage trend: suffer now, benefit later
Perhaps it’s the bleak economy, ongoing political battles, or lingering wars, but people’s attitudes toward their mortgages may be changing. Instead of viewing them as a lengthy, but steady process of building equity toward a lifelong goal of homeownership, some people are looking to pay off their mortgages earlier.

JERGLER

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

And those who can afford the minimum 20% down payment required to buy a home nowadays, and if they have a golden credit report, have very little interest in buying now thanks to low expectations of appreciation in the price of homes for some time to come.

Professor: Housing market back to normal in 2014

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

In fact, it wasn’t all bad news this week on the housing front. A report on Tuesday — the S&P/Case-Shiller home price index of major cities — shows prices in July climbed for the fourth month in a row. Prices rose 0.9% in July compared with June, but they’re still 4.

ARTISTS

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

Outer Laguna Canyon was annexed in the early 1990s. Zoning was approved to preserve existing uses as much as possible, Planning Commissioner Norm Grossman said. Those uses included the sale of sheepskins, home businesses, kennels, a religious compound that was later converted to a school, car repair shops and residential projects.

Professor: Housing market back to normal in 2014

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

Professor: Housing market back to normal in 2014
In fact, it wasn’t all bad news this week on the housing front. A report on Tuesday — the S&P/Case-Shiller home price index of major cities — shows prices in July climbed for the fourth month in a row. Prices rose 0.9% in July compared with June, but they’re still 4.

Planners, artists talk live-work spaces

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

Planners, artists talk live-work spaces
Based on recent input from local artists, the Planning Commission will request a year-long extension of a moratorium on artist live-work projects in Laguna Canyon to conduct more research. A commission subcommittee has scheduled three public workshops to resolve issues that have plagued the ordinance.

Reduction of conforming loan limits may have impact

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMT

Reduction of conforming loan limits may have impact
“If you think about it, you’re going to get rid of a pool of buyers,” said Stuart Thomas, owner of RE/MAX Select One, which has offices in Huntington Harbour, Huntington Beach, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano and soon, Laguna Niguel. “It’s tough enough to buy a home as it is.

JERGLER

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMT

In the early 1970s, rates stayed around the 7% range, while at the end of the decade and throughout the 1980s mortgage interest rates rarely fell below 10%, according to Bankrate.com. Rates throughout the 1990s were between 7% and 9%, according to Bankrate.

PRIME

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMT

One such method is the “room in a box” personalized design plan. For $2,500 to $5,500, Espinoza will create a complete room plan — from chairs to window treatments, fabric and paint swatches, all available in local stores or online — from measurements and taste preferences clients submit via the website.

Is ‘now’ a good time to buy homes yet?

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMT

Is ‘now’ a good time to buy homes yet?
On the side against buying is a languishing economy, but some believe there will be another severe blow to the economy that could be the end to what some see as a golden opportunity for home buyers in the form of historically low mortgage rates. The blow that could make reticent buyers think twice about waiting is inflation.

She’s designing for prime time

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMT

She’s designing for prime time
The 1995 Newport Harbor High School alumna will be featured in a new HGTV series that was scheduled to premiere Monday evening. “Showhouse Showdown” puts interior designers in competition, leaving the judging up to the viewing public..

JERGLER

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMT

Instead, Smith has some ideas of his own. He suggests that the administration should assist borrowers to refinance by repealing much of the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a sweeping financial regulatory reform package signed into law by Obama in 2010, which Smith argued “has handcuffed the lending industry.

Rizzo’s home off the market

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMT

The home, which features custom bookshelves, a coffered formal dining room ceiling and a bath top lined with travertine, granite and marble under chandelier lighting, was listed for $949,000..

H.B. Realtor supports housing plan like it’s his own

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMT

H.B. Realtor supports housing plan like it’s his own
“The genuine solution is not to be focusing on folks who have not been paying their mortgages, but to work with the folks who have been paying their mortgages and carrying their weight — bring their mortgages down to around 4%,” Rodell, an agent with Century 21 Beachside in Huntington Beach, said of the Obama administration.

Plans for 5,000 homes get first OK

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMT

While the terms laid out in an adjacent landowner agreement are intended to alleviate issues caused by the zoning change, such as roads being built through land intended for the Great Park’s planned Upper Canyon feature and potential delay in the development of infrastructure, Agran described it as “half-baked.

JERGLER

Sat, 03 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMT

“I think part of the thing here in California is that there are already a lot of properties on banks’ books, and the fact that we’re seeing short sales increase means they are going to work down the backlog of other properties,” Sharga said. “That’s really what we’re talking about is improvement.

EHRLICH

Sat, 03 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMT

competition for the new parliament building for the United Arab Emirates. We prevailed over Norman Foster and Zaha Hadid, so we’re very thrilled with that. I think our solution was selected in part because it was very rooted in the culture, and our big idea was that we created a dome that’s 100 meters in diameter.

Rise in short sales a sign of slow recovery

Sat, 03 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMT

Albeit a slow, painful recovery. “It’s been a really slow, steadily progressive thing,” said Steven Thomas, an account manager for Irvine-based Advantage Title Inc., who regularly issues housing reports for Orange County based on information from the multiple listing service and other data.

A conversation with Steven Ehrlich

Sat, 03 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMT

A conversation with Steven Ehrlich
It’s a term that we coined here; we even trademarked it. I have no idea why. It’s kind of a broad term that means we live in a very complex world, a very interesting world and that there is no single architectural design solution as you apply it to different locations.

A blog full of activity

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 04:00:00 GMT

A blog full of activity
Some of her most recent posts include the opening of ZPizza’s ZCafe at South Coast Plaza, a girls’ skateboarding camp sponsored in part by Volcom, the opening of Five Guys Burgers & Fries and a list of restaurants participating in Costa Mesa Restaurant Week.

JERGLER

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 04:00:00 GMT

“The perception is that the homes in our markets sell in about the same time frame as homes in other markets, and at a slower pace as the prices increase,” he said. “The reality is that homes that are priced right in any market and price range will sell in a normal time frame, and oftentimes quickly.