Welcome home and enjoy the incredible panoramic view
everyday with this premium large backyard! The largest floor plan at Sage at
Esencia has an open concept kitchen, dining area and great room on the first
level. The direct attached two car garage has direct access into the kitchen.
The kitchen includes upgrade cabinets, quartz countertops, and stainless steel
appliances. On the second level you will discover the spacious master bedroom
with two walk-in closets, master bathroom with upgrade flooring and dual
vanities. High tech features in this house including an advanced thermostat and
smart garage door. Highly desirable Esencia community offers award winning
amenities including pools, gyms, parks, playgrounds, outdoor dining areas,
arcade, coffee roast house, sports park, walking and hiking trails and a dog
park, conveniently has elementary school K-8, truly and amazing place to call
home.
I discovered BiggerPockets April 3, 2014, and I was totally amazed at how much real estate information was available. I started with the free version, uploaded my information, but quickly realized the value and upgraded to the pro version. It has been a bumpy ride since I’ve been removed from the forum post several times for minor violations of their policy. I have hopefully learned what not to say or ask and this will not happen in the future.
I noticed that there were many young investors, in my local area, that were looking for answers about how to invest in real estate. This was an opportunity for me, a 40+ year veteran, to answer some of those questions. I will be turning 65 next year and retired when I was 48 from my 9 to 5 job all due to my real estate investing.
What started out with a request to meet and have a cup of coffee with an investor blossomed into me meeting over 300 local BiggerPockets members. The majorities meet me at my local Starbucks and pick my brain for about an hour. The topics range from I have never done anything in real estate, to take a look at this flip that I’m doing and give me your thoughts.
I meet with investors from 18 to 65+, from beginners to experts, all of whom are searching for their real estate niche. This all begins with a cup of coffee which is really a test. I have actually had 98% of these investors buy me a cup of coffee. This tells me a lot about their character, their willingness to learn something, and know that life is not free. However, this is all that I require for one hour or more of my time. My focus is to “give back” to my real estate community that has treated me so well for these past 40+ years.
So who are the people that I meet with? I met with an 18-year-old young man about a year ago who was interested in getting started in real estate. We met for the initial hour at Starbucks and talked about what he wanted to accomplish. Like many investors from BiggerPockets I hear the same things over and over again. They are, “I would like to buy a multi-family unit or I would like to house hack.” In reality, living in California, it is very difficult to buy a multi-family and not much better house hacking. California has always been a state that has its booms and busts. It is always best to make your investment purchases when the real estate market busts. Get your hands on as many “buy and holds” as you can and basically hold onto them for the rest of your life. When the cash flow turns negative, in California, and the numbers don’t pencil out it’s time to start flipping properties. Making quick profits going in and out of properties is the best strategy right now in California.
This 18-year-old young man decided to begin his real estate career by educating himself and getting a real estate license. Now licensed at 19 he’s learning how to flip properties. He’s learning how to evaluate properties, establish how to determine the ARV “after repair value,” doing a cost analysis on the rehab, and then determining how much his profit will be at the end of the day.Flipping is just a numbers game and once you have the formula down it’s just a matter of putting your team together.I like to duplicate this process as much as I can down to the same paint and flooring on each of my flips.He is currently the project manager of one of my flips and is doing a great job.Once the confidence is there it’s “off to the races” for him.
I have another young lady who is a very successful full time Realtor that wanted to stop representing buyers and wanted to learn how to flip and make money for herself.She caught on very quickly and soon had her financing in place.She decided to do a joint venture with a money partner who is supplying the money and she is supplying the expertise.She purchased her first flip and closed escrow last month on a small condo in senior community.The purchase price was around $220,000 (Yes we are in California still), rehab is around $70,000 and the ARV will be around $405,000. The profit potential on this deal is around $100,000.This is a fully permitted project and lots of hoops to jump through by the HOA and city.She told me the other day that “its lots of work, but I love every minute of it.”
Have you ever had a seller tell you that their home is the best on the block? I hear comments like this all the time.“I have seen the competition and mine is 10 times better than theirs.”
So I'm at a listing presentation the other day with all the materials and all the proof showing the home’s value. In the industry we call this providing our client a comparable market analysis. So you can imagine after having over 40 years of experience how prepared I am for the listing presentation. I always begin the presentation by showing them the CMA that I prepared for them. I show them in black-and-white proof of the value of their home. This is established by showing them three sold properties that are very comparable to theirs, if not exact model matches. I also show them the properties that are currently listed on the market and have them pay special attention to the days on market. Then, comes the big question to the client. How much do you think your home is worth? I have established the value of the home between $810,000-$830,000. There are currently two properties on the market; one is currently in escrow at $815,000. The other is still active at $845,000, and has been on the market for over 60 days. The seller replies back, “Joe I really would like to sell my home for $845,000.” So here I am 30 minutes into the presentation and the seller is basically telling me that her home has “the heavy-duty nails.”
I continue on with the presentation telling the client that I have over 40 years of experience selling real estate, that I have a proven 87 point marketing plan, and that I am willing to discount my commission to help them save money on the sale of their home. All this is lost in the conversation and the seller is still stuck on selling the home at $845,000.They thank me for providing them with his information and tell me they will call me when they have made their decision…
Thanks for taking the time to visit me on my website. If you are looking to Buy or Sell a Home you will discover my team and I have the resources to help you achieve your goals.
Start your home search in the local beach communities we serve as well as the local inner cities overlooking the pacific ocean in Orange County, CA. Search as a “First Time Homebuyer” or a seasoned pro. We provide a robust home search user experience which include local “Walk Scores”, school rankings, popular venues and more. You will enjoy searching for homes in the price range you are wanting while narrowing down the home features and lifestyle you desire.
Start your home search in the local beach communities we serve as well as the local inner cities overlooking the pacific ocean in Orange County, CA. Search as a “First Time Homebuyer” or a seasoned pro. We provide a robust home search user experience which include local “Walk Scores”, school rankings, popular venues and more. You will enjoy searching for homes in the price range you are wanting while narrowing down the home features and lifestyle you desire.
Stunning Modern Farmhouse home. Newly renovated 4 bedrooms 2
bathroom single story home in a desirable neighborhood. Walk inside and you
feel like your in a model home. White open kitchen with marble mosaic
backsplash, white marble styled quartz and professional stainless steel
appliances. Beautiful laminate floors throughout the home. Stone fireplace and
wood mantel. New windows and doors throughout. Master bedroom features spa-like
bathroom, a distressed wood barn door, and gorgeous marble mosaic wall
backsplash. Remodeled guest bathroom. Large backyard with new landscaping and
sod. New driveway. Breathtaking curb appeal.
Two Story Home With Panoramic View On One Of The Largest
Lots In This Tract Three Bedrooms, Two And One Half Bathroom Single Family Home
That Features Outstanding Ocean Views. Designer Interiors Includes Hard Wood
Floors, Custom Kitchen, Granite Counter Top, Stainless Steel Appliances.
Upgrades Galore! You Also Get, Like New Dishwasher, Like New Heat/AC, Electric
Air Filtration System, Upgraded Faucets, Tinted Windows, Marble Faced
Fireplace, Travertine Flooring, Stairway Lights, Ceiling Fans, Plantation Shutters,
Like New Exterior Paint, Large Back Yard Great for Entertaining... The Home Is
Part Of An Association That Is Gated, Has A Pool Plaza With Spa, And A Tennis
Court. The Location Is Outstanding; You Can Walk To Dana Point High School, The
Harbor, The Headlands, Parks, Shopping, Recreation, And Some Of The Very Best
Beach, Harbor, And Ocean Activities In Orange County. So Come Home To Dana
Point, And Start To Live The Orange County Beach Lifestyle Today.
Emergency Preparedness Tips for California Residents
You
never know when disaster may strike. More often than not, we've experienced
stories in news broadcasts featuring families whose homes have undergone
destruction due to unavoidable natural disasters. Some may argue that the
chances of losing your home to a life-threatening emergency are slim. However,
exercising a proactive approach to prevent the pangs of disasters on your home
and gets you ready for the unknown. Besides, prevention is better than
cure.
Unfortunately,
most Americans are unaware of how susceptible their homes are to being hit by a
disaster. In 2015, wildfire cleared more than 8 million acres of land in the
US. Also, by May 2015, the country had experienced 150 strong tornadoes. More
surprising, RealtyTrac carried out a survey that specified that 43% of
American homes, totaling about 2,318 units, are at risk of
being hit by at least one type of disaster: tornado, wildfire, earthquake, and
hurricane.
Natural Disasters in California
California
is one of the most populated states in the US, with a total of over 39 million
residents. However, the Golden State is one of the regions in the US that are
most prone to natural
disasters. The most common emergencies in Cali include
wildfires, flooding, tsunamis and hurricanes, and winter storms. In 2018, Camp
Fire hit California, causing the most devastating wildfire in the state's
history.
Nonetheless,
California's infamous natural disaster is earthquake. The
state is estimated to have 500 active fault lines and fissures, and 100 of them
are in Los Angeles. According to NASA, the chances of an earthquake occurring
in California is 99.9% in two years.
Preparedness for Earthquakes
The
CRMP Earthquake Brace + Bolt program grants California residents living in
earthquake-prone areas with$3,000 for retrofitting their homes to strengthen
them against rumbles. Even so, you need to prepare
your bedroom, the entire home, and your family for a
likely occurrence.
Preparedness means
the steps you take to ensure you can respond and recover from a ground shaking.
Think of it as making savings in your survivability account for use in times of
emergencies. The best way to prepare for an earthquake is to:
Check potential hazards in the
home and perform repairs
Design an earthquake preparedness
plan
Identify safety areas both indoors
and outdoors
Research more on earthquakes and
steps to take to ensure safety
Accessibility of disaster supplies
such as medicine, flashlight, first aid kit, emergency food, etc.
Create an emergency communication
channel
Have Inventory of Personal Property
The
advantage of taking count of your personal property is that you can purchase
insurance cover that caters for all your valuable belongings. It's one of the
critical after-emergency documents because property inventory hastens your
claim.
Prepare the Home
Prepping
the home is an effective way of ensuring you avoid the most damage to your
valuables. It also makes it easy to salvage items. Therefore, when you notice a
power hitch, disconnect every electrical appliance and system from the power
inlets.
Additionally,
you need to store food properly. For example, in flood-prone areas, pack dry
foods in air-tight containers and place them in high places to avoid water
contamination. Further, categorize foods in the refrigerator to lag their
perishability. Food items such as milk, meats, and poultry can be frozen in
thick ice to prolong their shelf-life.
Revisit the Insurance Details
Having
an in-depth understanding of your home insurance policy acts as a map on which
repairs or replacements to perform. Additionally, you need to understand the
most common
disasters in your region of residence. That way,
you can make the best choice of which insurance to purchase. For instance, on
Florida's coast, you might need flood damage insurance.
Want a brand new home? This is a lovely Celeste plan 3 home
that was just finished December 2018! This home is located in desirable Portola
Springs with access to community parks, pools and walking trails. This open
concept home is bright and sunny home and includes lots of windows for light
and fresh air. Kitchen is spacious with a large island, quartz counter-tops
& stainless steel appliances, automatic shades in the living area. There is
a nicely appointed loft with a brick wall. Panoramic view from the rear of the
home offers a beautiful sunrise and a cool and peaceful sunset. Master Suite
has a fabulous walk in closet and private bath. Home also has two additional
roomy secondary bedrooms with a Jack and Jill bath, and Powder bath on main living
level. LED recessed lighting included is in the Living Room and all bedrooms.
Home includes upgraded tile, laminate and carpet flooring materials, custom
paint on interior walls. Laundry area on bedroom level. Two car side by side
garage with direct access. This is a beautifully appointed home. There is a
good-sized, fully landscaped backyard safe for children and big enough for
entertaining.
