OCTeam's Blog: All Categories

The Spanish Style Carl Karcher summer home in the gate-guarded, luxury ocean front community of Cyprus Shore in San Clemente was originally put on the market with an asking price of $8,500,000, but was reduced to under $5,000,000, and as of October 19, 2009, it has been reduced to $3,950,000. The home boasts over 7,500 square feet with 4-bedrooms and 6-baths on two legal lots (over 1/3 acre). It sits on a corner lot overlooking the blue Pacific Ocean.

The exclusive Cyprus Shore community has direct private and gated access to the beach without having to cross the rail road tracks. The close proximity to world famous surfing at Trestles makes this community a country club for surfers.. At one time this entire bluff front area was home to the Cotton family…

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Good news for home buyers and sellers in Orange County, Ca.

Orange County (as well as 13 other Ca Counties) saw their loan limits for FHA, Fannie and Freddie bumped all the way up to the $729,750 cap. With the FHA loan limits offering flexibility in ratios, credit, downpayment and appraisals...this is a great opportunity for buyers to get a loan! A more complete article can be found at New HUD loan limits. 

Plus, according to CNN Money, the difference between what a home should cost and its actual price - are the lowest they've been since 2004. Is this the best time to buy? You can read more about it at Best Time to Buy in Four Years.

If you are starting your search for homes for sale, you can visit Orange County Real Estate. On this easy to use…

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San Clemente, the Spanish Village by the Sea, is featured as the Family Value Adventure in the December 2007 issue of Conde Nast Magazine.  The article, titled Surfin' Turf authored by Henry Shukman, is about a family of four who set out for a boarding adventure, family holiday to the coastal surfing community of San Clemente.  Not only do they find out how addicting the thrill and challenge of surfing can be to the locals, but they find out how wonderous the evening can be. As stated in the article "..the ocean turns to dark, the lights of the pier come on, and after the sun goes red and zips itself away, the sky  becomes an aquamarine vapor." No wonder when they leave San Clemente for home they half-wonder why they don't move to San Clemente.

San…

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The Orange County real estate market has seemingly become more active in the last several weeks . Buyers are once again writing offers as many sellers are getting more realistic with how they price their home for sale.  In fact, many of the short sale and bank owned properties are getting mulitple offers.  In several cities, inventory of available homes for sale is actually down to the level of a year ago and pending sales have increased. Such is the case in San Clemente and Laguna Niguel.

If you are a potential buyer or seller wanting to become familiar with the local market trends as the market offers new opportunities, Orange County community statistics can be found on one easy to use page at Orange County Communities.  You will find how many homes are…

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Laguna Beach is considered one of the most desirable beach front communities on the South Orange County, California coastal "Riviera Gold Coast" area, this is the place many desire to live. Art galleries, trendy up scale restaurants, fabulous art galleries and boutique shops are just a few of the reasons that make this an international destination and second homes to many wealthy investors.  

What's the latest in the Laguna Beach real estate market? Let take a look at why Laguna Beach is considered by many as an exclusive, luxury community with the average sales price of $3,235,216 in January 2008.

New listings in Laguna Beach increased by 33 percent comparing January 2008 to January 2007 and the number of homes that sold decreased by 31 percent.…

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The San Clemente average sales price in January 2008 dropped 13 percent compared to January 2007, bringing the average price to $941,872. The number of new listings decreased 32 percent, while sales decreased 27 percent. Meanwhile, the average market time increased 16 percent, with average market times of 116 days vs. 100 days in 2007.

San Clemente

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DOM  January  2008  131  30  $941,872  116  January  2007  193 … Read Full Post

Happy Valentine's Day to many potential home buyer's in Orange County, Ca. This just could be the sweetest day of the year for our housing market.. or the best gift you can give to your sweetheart!

President Bush signed the economic stimulus package that will allow the Federal Housing Administration, as well as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to offer mortgages above the current conforming loan limit of $417,000 to as much as $729,750 in high-cost areas for loans originated between July 1, 2007 and Dec. 31, 2008. This may now put the dream of home ownership in reach for thousands of home buyers in the Orange County, Ca area where a "starter" home may be over $600,000 in many areas.

Assuming that U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson…

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The 90-residents of the Capistrano Shores Mobile Home park are the new owners of the estimated 7/10 (0.7)  mile of beachfront property in North San Clemente where their modular homes currently sit.  The property, owned by Amherst College, had been leased on a monthly basis to each home owner for thouands of dollars each month.  On January 25, Amherst College sold the property to the 90-home owners for a rumored $100 million (or almost $15,000,000 for each 1/10th mile of sand).

The lots run about 1,000 - 1,500 square feet where some 88 of the modular homes are second homes. While just speculation, some might guess each beach front site might be worth $2.4 million each once the North Beach Development and Marblehead on the Coast project is completed. Quite…

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