Real Estate Chat with Jason Z

Lack of Supply and Increased Demand continue to drive this hot sellers market.  However, we could see an uptick in inventory over the next several months. April, May and June tend to supply over 30% of the annual inventory of homes.  This could be a welcome change for buyers.

Increasingly low supply and extremely high demand continues to drive the hot seller's market in Orange County. Sellers' are getting top dollar in record time and buyers are becoming increasingly frustrated.

Buyers are having to make some difficult decisions in this hot sellers market.  However, Irvine did see an increase in inventory which is a bright spot for buyers.  Interest rates continue to be extremely low driving buyers into the market.

Historically low interest rates continue to be the fuel driving our hot sellers market.  Inventory dropped again this week while demand remains high, resulting in our continued hot sellers' market.

Although we typically see inventory increase as we move closer to Spring, inventory actually decreased this week. Supply remains extremely low across the county leading to a continued hot sellers market.

Inventory increased by 3% this week and demand is down 14%.  However, there is more to these numbers under the surface and Buyers won't be getting the reprieve they are looking for.

The market remains red hot to start 2021.  Inventory is at its lowest point to start a year, since tracking began in 2004.  By comparison, there are 29% less homes on the market to start 2021 when compared to the start of 2020.  How long will this trend continue?  Only time will tell. 

Curious about the Southern California Housing Market?  You are in the right place.  Each week I look at the Southern California Housing Market, specifically the Orange County housing market and Irvine housing market.  Inventory dropped to the lowest point since tracking began in 2004.  Demand is down but there are still a lot of buyers looking to take advantage of the low interest rates.

Curious about the Southern California Housing Market?  You are in the right place.  Each week I look at the Southern California Housing Market, specifically the Orange County housing market and Irvine housing market.  Inventory dropped again this week.  Even with a hot seller's market 34% of all listings in Orange County have been on the market for over 60 days.  If you are selling, you need to make sure you align your home properly.

Curious about the Southern California Housing Market?  You are in the right place.  Each week I look at the Southern California Housing Market, specifically the Orange County housing market and Irvine housing market.  Inventory dropped 6.7% this week in Orange County and 10.7% in Irvine.  This is the highest demand and the lowest inventory, to start a December, since tracking began in 2004.

Curious about the Southern California Housing Market?  You are in the right place.  Each week I look at the Southern California Housing Market, specifically the Orange County housing market and Irvine housing market.  We are officially in the hottest November housing market since 2012.  The inventory in Orange County dropped another 3% this week. As we move into the holiday season we expect demand to drop slightly.  However, experts suggest that we could be in a low inventory market until Spring 2021.

Inventory dropped again this week. Experts are predicting continued appreciation through 2021 and looking at the numbers, it will be unlikely that we will see a wave of foreclosures.  

Curious about the Southern California Housing Market?  You are in the right place.  Each week I look at the Southern California Housing Market, specifically the Orange County housing market and Irvine housing market.  As we officially enter the holiday season we can expect inventory to continue to drop. In the past 5 years, inventory has dropped an average of 27% from now until the end of the year. It is hard to imagine that inventory will drop another 27% when inventory is at the lowest level, to start November, since tracking began in 2004.  

We are here to help with all of your Real Estate needs.  Whether you are moving to or within Orange County, we are here to simplify the process and make it stress free for you.  

Call/text/email us any time: 

Jason Zwolak 

949-345-1183 - zwolak@firstteam.com - www.TheZwolakGroup.com

Home buying in a hot sellers market can be very frustrating. There are several thing you can do when buying a home in a hot market.  Here are 6 tips that can help you compete if you are looking to buy in this hot market.

Curious about the Southern California Housing Market?  You are in the right place.  Each week I look at the Southern California Housing Market, specifically the Orange County housing market and Irvine housing market.  Inventory dropped again this week.  We can expect this trend to continue as we move through the holiday season.  Interest rates dropped again, setting a record low for the 11th time this year.

Proposition 19 is on the ballot next week and we have been asked by clients, friends and family what does it mean. This video breaks down Prop 19 and compares it to what is currently in place. There are some pros and cons to Prop 19 and California will have a tough decision to make come election day.

Curious about the Southern California Housing Market?  You are in the right place.  Each week I look at the Southern California Housing Market, specifically the Orange County housing market and Irvine housing market.  Inventory dropped again.  We are now in the hottest market since 2012.

Curious about the Southern California Housing Market?  You are in the right place.  Each week I look at the Southern California Housing Market, specifically the Orange County housing market and Irvine housing market.  The market is still hot with interest rates as low as 2.37%.  Inventory increased slightly.  However buyers are still dealing with competition and multiple offers.    

Are you thinking of buying a home with a pool? Living in Southern California a lot of people are looking to buy a pool home. If you have decided that a pool is a must have, here are 3 Hot Tips to remember when buying a home with a pool.

Curious about the Southern California Housing Market?  You are in the right place.  Each week I look at the Southern California Housing Market, specifically the Orange County and Irvine Housing markets.  The national housing index was released and home prices increased by 6.5% over the past year.  Here in Orange County, the market is still hot.  With interest rates and inventory low, and demand high, we are seeing sellers have success.  However, those that are overpriced are struggling to sell.

With school back in session we wanted to give some Virtual School Hacks to all of the parents out there.  We were able to speak with Patty C., a second grade teacher here in Orange County.  These Virtual School Hacks can help your children succeed while learning from home.  Not all of these hacks will apply to every student but they can help.

Curious about the Southern California Housing Market?  You are in the right place.  Each week I look at the Southern California Housing Market, specifically the Orange County housing market and Irvine housing market.  The fall market is officially here.  Inventory is still low while demand has decreased slightly.  Even with this hot sellers market, 33% of homes in Orange County have been on the market over 60 days.

What a difference a week makes!  This past week we saw most of the country shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  We truly are in  un-chartered waters.  All open houses in California will be cancelled until further notice.  Undoubtedly this will have an affect on the housing market here in Orange County and Irvine.  With updates daily, adaptation is the key.  We are all in this together and will get out of it together.  With the stock market volatility, we saw an increase in mortgage rates this week.    As for the Housing Market, we did see a decrease in supply (inventory) this week in Orange County and Irvine.  We are now at the highest number of Active homes for 2020.  Homes that are aligned properly are selling very quickly.  Average Market Time is down from 44 to 35 Days in Orange County.  With the current pandemic, we could see inventory continue to decrease as sellers come off, or wait to come on, the market.  If you are looking to sell, you need to find an agent with an interactive strategy to succeed in this new market.   If you are a buyer, remember to speak with your lender to ensure your buying power has not changed.  You will also want to have a solid strategy to win.

Housing supply continues to creep slowly.  Inventory (supply) increased slightly this week to just above 4100 homes in Orange County.  However, inventory did decrease slightly again in Irvine.  Homes that are aligned properly are selling very quickly (Average Market Time of 44 Days in OC).  We expect inventory to increase as we move closer to the summer, even though  it is moving slowly.  If you are looking to sell, the time is NOW.  You may be able to stretch your price, especially if you are aligned properly.  However, DON'T overprice your home or it will sit.  If you are a buyer, a solid Strategy is a MUST.  You need to know how you can compete and win in multiple offer situations.  https://youtu.be/-KaqCDlod_4 via @YouTube 

The market remains extremely hot as supply actually dropped from last week.  Here is your Orange County & Irvine Real Estate Market Watch for the week of January 24 - 30.   Unbelievably, there was a 20% supply drop in the First Time Home Buyer Market.  Although we still expect to see inventory slowly increase as we head into the spring market, it seems to be moving slowly.  If you are looking to sell, the time is NOW.  You may be able to stretch your price.  However, DON'T overprice your home or it will sit.  If you are a buyer, a solid Strategy is a MUST.  You need to know how you can compete and win in multiple offer situations.   

The real estate market is on fire right now, especially here in Orange County.  In this weeks episode I revisit the importance of Aligning your home in today's market.  I go over the five parts to Alignment and explain how by adhering to this will ensure that you leave no money on the table when you sell your home.

Starting January 1, 2020, rent increases will be capped under the California Rent Control Bill AB 1482.  In this weeks episode I take a look at 5 burning questions about this bill and how it affects both landlords and tenants.  

Now that we have entered 2020, what can we expect when it comes to housing here in Orange County.  This week, I take a look the 2020 Housing Forecast and give some tips on how to win as both a seller and a buyer.

This week I continue my discussion about the Request for Repairs.  In Part 2, I discuss the Sellers perspective and what to expect.  .

This week I chat about the Request for Repairs.  In Part 1, I discuss the Buyers perspective and what to expect.  This is another negotiation that is crucial to ensuring you as a buyer are protected and that you are able to close on the home you have fallen in love with.  

Whether you are buying or selling, you want to make sure you understand Capital Gains when it comes to Real Estate.  This week I tackle this subject.  

Ever wonder what home improvements give you the best Return On Investment?  Well, wonder no more.  This week I break down 2019's top 5 home improvements that yield the best ROI.

The #1 complaint about real estate agents is the lack of communication.  This is an issue not only between agents & clients, but between agents as well.  This week I talk about the importance of Communication.

In this week's episode I talk about the importance of a CMA and the different situations where a CMA can really benefit you.  

This week I discuss (maybe rant a little) about dealing with difficult agents.  I also talk about the importance of choosing the right agent whether you are buying or selling a house.  

This week I talk about HOA (Home Owner Associations).  I discuss their purpose, what to expect and things to look out for when buying a home with an HOA.

Last week I talked about the Seller's closing statement (net sheet) so in this episode I discuss the Buyer's Net Sheet.  I explain the items that are on the estimate and what they mean.  

This week we provided our clients with a couple Seller Net Sheets to give them a better idea of what they would Net after we sell their house.  I thought it would be a great time to go over these Net Sheets, or Seller Closing Statements, so you have a better idea of what you are looking at and what to expect, when you receive one from your agent/escrow/lawyer.  

This week I talk about home warranties and the benefit for both buyers & sellers.

We are always asked, "What is Escrow?".  Well in this week's episode I answer this and several other questions regarding escrow.  We just scratch the surface of what a good escrow officer does but this will give you a better understanding.

This week I change gears a bit and discuss the importance of Memorial Day.  It is so important for us to remember those that have laid down their lives so we wouldn't have too.  It is also imperative that we pass on these memories to our youth so those that gave the ultimate sacrifice are never forgotten.

Once you've decided to make an offer on a property, it is up to your agent to submit a great offer package to make you stand out.  This week I talk about what goes into a great offer package.  

Termite Inspections are very important and part of almost every residential real estate transaction here in Southern California.  This week I talk about who typically pays for the inspection and what you can expect to see on the report.