The FAIR Plan’s 29.1% increase took effect October 15. Here’s what it does to an Orange County escrow, your loan approval, and your listing.
Category Archives: Blog
This is where I give practical advice to Orange County and Laguna Beach home buyers and sellers. I’ll keep you updated on both real estate and lifestyle in Laguna Beach and South Orange County.
Blog, For Buyers, For Sellers, OC Market Updates
Why Orange County Housing is Holding Steady Despite a 24% Drop in Closings
20
Oct
Oct
Rates held at 7.40% while OC closings fell 24% in a week. Inventory is back over 5,000 — but discounts narrowed on both ends. What I’d do now.
15
Oct
Oct
Loan, appraisal, investigation — all 17 days in the California RPA. Here’s what removing each one actually commits you to in an OC escrow.
Blog, For Buyers, For Sellers, OC Market Updates
Rates Hit 7.40%, a Three-Year High and Orange County Inventory Just Slipped Below 5,000
13
Oct
Oct
Rates hit 7.40%, a three-year high. OC inventory slipped under 5,000, pendings fell again, and the luxury discount narrowed. What I’d do now.
08
Oct
Oct
Orange County’s 2026 conforming limit is $1,249,125. Here’s what changes at one dollar over it — reserves, down payment, appraisals and lock strategy.
Blog, For Buyers, For Sellers, OC Market Updates
Rates Hit 7.28% and Orange County Demand Fell to Its Lowest Point Since February
06
Oct
Oct
Rates hit 7.28%, OC pending sales fell to the lowest level since February, and 43% of listings have cut price. What I’d do this week.
Blog, For Buyers, For Sellers, Lifestyle, OC Market Updates
Unhead of levels of coastal erosion have hit Laguna Beach
01
Oct
Oct
Now California Has Declared One Too. Here’s What It Means for Our Sand and Homes. I grew up in the Netherlands, where my family’s home sits 18 feet below sea level. When you come from a country where managing the ocean is literally a matter of daily survival, you view coastal threats through a very […]
29
Sep
Sep
I’ve been waiting to see which breaks first this fall: our prices or our buyers. This week we are getting closer to the answer. Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey put the 30-year fixed at 7.03% on September 24, up from 6.95% the week before and 6.30% a year ago. The 15-year fixed moved to […]
23
Sep
Sep
Every few months I meet a buyer who has already designed the house in their head. Second story, bigger deck, glass wall facing the water. Then they learn about the coastal development permit. If you’re buying a coastal home in Orange County -Laguna Beach, Dana Point, Corona del Mar, Newport Beach or San Clemente- with […]
21
Sep
Sep
Last Wednesday the Federal Reserve did something it hasn’t done in quiet some time. It raised rates. The Fed lifted its benchmark by a quarter point on September 16, to a target range of 3.75% to 4.00%, on a 12–0 vote. As Redfin reported, Chair Kevin Warsh put it simply: “We removed a dose of […]