Final Thoughts on OC Real Estate in 2009
Even though it’s the last day of 2009, I’m still amazed at how much real estate activity is going on in Orange County right now!
Take this morning for instance. I took one of my buyers out to see a property in Laguna Hills. Right when we were walking out, another set of buyers came through the door as well. It’s new year’s eve, supposedly a shortened work day or holiday for many, yet people are using this time see homes. Yesterday was no exception for me either, even in the drizzling rain.
Or take this upcoming weekend as another example. The buyer for one of my listings is scheduled to do a home inspection, wasting no time as we barely get into 2010 by then. Another seller is ready to meet to talk over his plans to sell his home and upgrade to a bigger one ASAP.
Even in the days leading up to Christmas, I was fortunate to be able to help one of my buyers close escrow on a home in Huntington Beach on Christmas Eve. And when I say “days” leading up to Christmas Eve, I mean that we were in escrow for just about 14 days from start to finish. Plus my buyers were getting an FHA loan, which required more paperwork and signatures. Big thanks to their lender — he is AWESOME (contact me if you need a reference like that!). We also were involved with some pretty awesome sellers and their agent.
So much for a holiday season slow-down. If anything, buyers and sellers alike are excited to get moving with their real estate goals NOW and early in 2010!
As for 2010, a few of my buyers have been asking me whether more homes will be on the market once we get into the new year. I do believe that there will be more inventory once we get into January, but at the same time, there are probably still more buyers out there who will pounce on them just as quickly as they do now. This will likely be the case in price ranges under $500,000, especially in the $200,000-$400,000 range. So yes, the market will still be competitive for buyers in those price ranges in much of Orange County.
On a separate note, I wanted to take a moment to thank Elysse James, a reporter for the Orange County Register, who took the time to write up an article on me. Check out the article here. Elysse is a wonderful person and fantastic resource for EVERYTHING Tustin! I’m very excited to continue working with her in the coming year.
THANK YOU to all my current clients, past clients, colleagues, family, and friends who have provided such great support this past year and even before that. I truly enjoy my work because of these people, and I look forward to helping you all and even more individuals and families with their real estate needs in 2010!
Happy New Year!!
