Danawoods has been a popular hangout for teens this summer. But not just for residents, and not just at the pool or parks. Residents have complained to law enforcement about spontaneous partying in and around cars all over Danawoods in the evening hours. Sheriff’s deputies were called at least once in recent weeks to disband the revelers on Danawoods Drive. There was also a recent graffiti incident on a wall near Danapine.

It’s time to be more organized and diligent about the safety of our neighborhood, and in pursuit of this goal, I have scheduled with the Sheriff’s office a Neighborhood Watch Meeting on Sept 21st from 7-8:30pm.

A representative from the Sheriffs Dept. as well as the City of Dana Point will be here to meet with us. There will be a short presentation, followed by a question and answer period.

We will need one or two residents/captains from each street. Call me at (949) 240-5892 for details and location of the meeting. Thanks for your RSVP before Friday the 18th.

“Love where you live…live where you love!
It all begins at home!”

Despite some ongoing concern about the US housing market, especially in commercial real estate, I have noticed an uptick in interest here in Orange County, based upon closed sales, and in particular, upon inquiries by first-time and move-up buyers in the lower price ranges. Inventory is dropping.

Prices have stabilized over the summer in most prices. For single family homes in the $300-500,000 range, prices have actually risen off their bottoms! But the lower prices, combined with still low mortgage interest rates, continue to offer buyers improved affordability and much lower monthly payments.

Multiple offers are common when homes are priced right, as measured by condition and comparable properties. Equity sellers are affected, of course, by competing short sales and REO’s, but buyers prefer “traditional” sales when possible, and will pay a premium for the confidence that can be had by buying from a seller not in distress.

Call me right now at (949) 240-5892. It’s a great time to purchase a rental property, your first home, or an extra condo for that child just graduated from college. Move-up buyers also benefit in a market such as this…keep your current home, convert it to a rental, and purchase that next California dream home!

Wanting to update your home but don’t know where to begin? You can do as much or as little as you’d like and go at a pace that’s comfortable for you. You can be assisted through the process or leave it to a professional if you’d rather. All aspects of interior design are available including: color consultations (paint, fabrics, etc.), window treatments, furniture and/or redesign and work with what you have, and accessorizing. Feng Shui consultations and staging also available.

Judy Lonn has been a Danawoods resident for 23 years and an interior decorator for 30 years. “I believe my past and present experiences have attributed to my being a knowledgeable designer and a successful person. My continued education through the years has enabled me to obtain the knowledge not only to make impressive differences in a client’s home design, but also to understand how that design and environment can affect one’s well being.

Amazing Spaces
Judy Lonn, CID
(949) 240-0894
Interior Design • Feng Shui • Redesign • Real Estate Staging

(We’re helping our neighbors promote their businesses in 2009! We hope you’ll do the same for us! Let us know if you would like your business to be featured in our newsletter or on our website.)

Do you have any friends or acquaintances who would love to live in DanaWoods? Have them contact us to view this nice home, and to be the first to submit an application.

“Love where you live…live where you love!
It all begins at home!”

Note that only one of the four closed sales was a short sale…I mention that fact to emphasize that it’s not just foreclosures and short sales that are selling. Affordability is remarkably better, and interest rates are remarkably lower! As a consequence, home buyers are finding good values throughout the existing inventory. Remember, even as distress sales comprise as much as half the market in certain segments, that leaves another half of the sales that are not distressed sellers.

Buyers are once again excited about of purchasing Orange County real estate. In fact, we are working with five families that want to buy a home NOW!

Okay, now turn the page for a reminder of some minor bad news: the post office has raised postal rates again, including the cost for the basic first class rate from 42 cents to 44 cents. Good news wins!

Need a Realtor? Do you of someone that is planning a move? We look forward to the opportunity to serve you. Call us at (949) 240-5892.

“Love where you live…live where you love!
It all begins at home!”

To qualify for this credit, the purchase must be made before November 30, 2009. As the credit is intended for first time homebuyers, those applying for the credit may not have purchased a home in the past three years.

Buyers who accept the credit must also live in the house they purchase for at least three years, or Uncle Sam will require the owner to return the credit.

Qualifications are otherwise simple: single buyers must earn $75,000 or less to qualify; couples may earn up to $150,000. Those fortunate enough to have incomes exceeding thes limits may still be eligible for a partial credit.

Is $8000 a lot of money towards a home? Yes, and no, given the high price of housing in areas like Orange County. But note, that this credit may be enough to cover many buyer’s closing costs.

Some buyers face a dilemma: buy now, while prices are low, and interest rates are historically low, or wait to see if prices will fall further. We’ve just had two of our listings sell at or above full price, each within one week!

Could this be the much awaited bottom in the Orange County real estate market?

We are pleased to report that we now have three of these homes in escrow…all special in their own right, and all scheduled for April closings.

Almost everyone knows personally someone facing financial difficulty. For me, the market which started with stories on the evening news about foreclosures in Florida quickly became phone calls from clients about their friends in O.C. who had defaulted on loans, or were nearing trustee sale.

The situation can become paralyzing …many people who usually have it all together…are not sure what to do.

Let me be very clear. There is no reason for foreclosure to be the best, or only, option!

Please call us. We can help. We will confidentially meet with you, or a friend in distress, and review all the options.

“Love where you live…live where you love!
It all begins at home!”

Restructuring: part one of the plan makes available $75 billion of U.S. Treasury funds to restructure the loans of homeowners who are behind, or likely to fall behind, on their mortgage payments. The intent is for lenders to lower the borrower’s monthly payment to 31% of the borrower’s monthly gross income. This does not imply a principal reduction, but could include a reduction in interest rate.

This plan does not apply to investors, or those of us with jumbo mortgages, and the Treasury will not subsidize any mortgage adjustments that require an interest rate below 2% to get to the aforementioned 31% threshold.

Refinancing: the second part of the plan helps homeowners refinance into cheaper loans even if the homeowner is “upside down” on his mortgage. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the quasi-government housing agencies, will refinance up to 105% of the value of the homes already held or guaranteed by Fannie and Freddie.

Recapitalizing: part three adds $200B to the money allocated to Fannie and Freddie in order to keep all this going.

Conclusion: does any of this directly or indirectly affect Danawoods? The answer is yet to be seen. Danawoods has been relatively immune to foreclosures and short payoffs, as compared with other neighborhoods. Low turnover of Danawoods homes in recent years means fewer of us bought our homes near the top of the market. That’s a good thing! Some of us may be able to take advantage of the new bailout plan, which is supposed to be available beginning March 4th, when additional details are also supposed to be available.

For anyone wishing to get a headstart – give us a call or drop us an email. We can help you plan ahead, assist you with valuation on your home, and if you need one, provide a referral to a trustworthy local lender affiliated with Wells Fargo.

I wake up each morning unemployed.
That’s what running a small business is all about, right? Next, I begin each “work” day by asking people if they want to move, or to buy or sell real estate. What I do may works for me…knocking on hundred of doors, submitting and responding to ads, calling past clients, friends and acquaintances, and maintaining great real estate websites.

Many tell me they would never move because they love where they live! Admittedly, we live in a phenomenal part of the world, and I am one who really cannot imagine moving any time soon.

Unfortunately, others among us are truly facing unemployment. Our economy is leading many, even those who love their homes and neighbors, to consider selling their homes. Please call me for a confidential consultation. I talked two families OUT of moving last week! Sometimes, you just need to hear another opinion or to learn that there may be other options.

On the other hand, if you would love to live somewhere new…please call me! Now is a phenomenal time to find the home that you will love at a price that you will also love!

“Love where you live…live where you love!
It all begins at home!”