April 2013

Interior Design & Staging | The Boutique Real Estate Group | Orange County Real Estate

April 25th, 2013
By Kathy HoughtonThe Boutique Real Estate Group
Via Real Estate Staging Association

Real Estate Staging is the art of preparing and showcasing residential real estate for sale.

It is a systematic and coordinated method in which knowledge of hyper-local real estate, home renovations and creative design principles are applied to attract the vast majority of buyers to a prospective home.  It is part of our teams marketing strategy and an essential part of our teams philosophy in preparing a home for the market in Orange County.

Preparing a property properly involves cleaning, de-cluttering, updating, and repairing, while showcasing the true potential of the home through furniture placement, accessories, art, color and light to create visual appeal to the vast majority of buyers.  They way people live in a home is very different than the way we “sell” a home.

Staging shows buyers the true potential of the home. Buyers view professionally staged listings as “well maintained” and “model-like.”

Our team believes staged homes not only photograph better but also look better in person and will ultimately sell faster.

Thinking about selling?  Give us a call today and we would be happy to give you a staging consult on your home.

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Mortgage News | Orange County | FHA Loans

Via Rick Underwood, Broker | Owner, TNG Mortgage

Great news!  The housing market is showing clear signs of improvement.  And conventional lenders are hinting that they’re going to start to ease underwriting guidelines.  That being said, a very popular type of loan just became a little more expensive – and is about to become a little more restrictive.

One of the most attractive features of FHA mortgages is the low required down payment.  In fact, the majority of FHA loan programs require only 3.5% down.  The downside is mandatory upfront and monthly mortgage insurance (MI).  On April 1, 2013, the monthly mortgage insurance increased by 5-10% depending upon the loan scenario.  At this time, mortgage insurance on FHA loans remains in place for a finite period of time.  And in most cases, FHA will drop the monthly MI payment after five years, provided the homeowner has at least 22% equity.  However, on most FHA loans originated after June 2nd, the monthly MI will remain for the life of the loan.  So, the only way to eliminate the costly mortgage insurance is to refinance.

Our recommendation: If you have considered refinancing your home, or purchasing a new home, you can ensure this new FHA policy does not increase the lifetime cost of the transaction.  If you know the property you plan to purchase or refinance, we can “lock in” the current FHA pricing – even if you cannot complete your transaction for six months.  Call 714-203-8558 for additional information.

 

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Not Today The Movie | www.NotTodayTheMovie.com | In Theaters Nationwide April 12th

via Friends Church Yorba Linda, April 12th, 2013

Caden Welles has the world at his disposal. With the resources of his wealthy father, he’s living life as large as any 20-year-old could dream. But what happens when that dream becomes a nightmare halfway around the world?

Traveling with his friends to Hyderabad, India on a whim, Caden’s expectations of a never-ending party crash hard. But not as hard as his conscience when he refuses to help a starving man and his little girl. Haunted by the images of Kiran and Annika, Caden attempts to right his wrong—only to discover Kiran has been forced to sell his own daughter.

Caden’s eyes are now opened to a world few Americans know still exists: a thriving human-trafficking trade. Add the dehumanization of Kiran and hundreds of millions of other Dalits due to India’s caste system, and Caden could easily turn his back.

Yet spurred by a true purpose, an unlikely new friendship, and the prayers of his mother and girlfriend back home, Caden chooses to help in Kiran’s unlikely search to find his daughter.

Starring Cody Longo, Walid Amini, Shari Rigby, and John Schneider, NOT TODAY challenges moviegoers with a purpose that goes beyond its gripping story. The movie was produced by Friends Church Yorba Linda, a congregation committed to educating the Dalits and ending human trafficking in India.

NOT TODAY is a powerful reminder that change is possible if we’re willing to open our eyes … today.

 

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