Jump to Navigation

Orange County, CA Real Estate Law Blog

Falling mortgage interest rates spike home sales

Many people would like to take hold of the American dream and buy their own home in Orange County. The economic downturn in recent years seems to be causing more people to shy away from the ultimate goal of homeownership. Other issues such as job shortages and corporate layoffs may discourage people from taking on a mortgage, but some people may find that owning a home is more possible than they think.

An influx of cash into central banks is responsible for driving down interest rates on real estate transactions recently, which is making the American dream of homeownership a more affordable possibility for many people. Although those with poor credit or a lack of funds available for a down payment, might want to wait until their situation changes to apply for a loan, those with the financial means and sufficient credit scores may be excellent candidates for a new mortgage. 

Asia Society hosts discussion on California's real estate boom

Despite the incredibly high cost of living in most cities across the state of California, people flock to our state for its wealth of opportunities and scenic views.  But the newest and largest group of people searching for opportunity are Chinese investors.  According to the Asia Society, political and economic uncertainties in their own country is actually driving real estate purchases across the United States, including here in California.

To further discuss what impact foreign investors are having on California real estate transactions, the Asia Society is hosting discussion panel in June how these purchases could affect California in the long run.

What is causing the decline in homeownership?

As we've mentioned before on this blog, home prices continue to rise. In March, readers may recall that we reported that home values in Orange County had risen more than 20 percent in the last year.

Despite the rise in home prices, data shows that homeownership rates have declined. According to the Census Bureau, the home ownership rate dropped 0.04 percent in the first quarter of this year.

Real estate deal puts NYC real estate company in control of downtown L.A.

If all goes as planned, a Manhattan real estate company will soon control much of the office space in downtown Los Angeles. Brookfield Properties Inc. is set to buy four buildings from MPG Office Trust Inc. for around $430 million.

There was a time when MPG was the prominent builder of office buildings in Southern California. However, the company has struggled ever since the housing crisis began. If the deal goes through, Brookfield would own a total of 8.3 million square feet of downtown office space.

Legal complexities of SB 391 for homeowners

There is likely to be a divergence of opinion concerning California Senate Bill 391 (SB 391). The authors of the bill claim to have passed it with the intention of making homes more safe and affordable for California citizens - especially low income households. It was also designed in part to stem the number of home foreclosures in the state that are said to be at an all time high.

The concerns about SB 391 center upon fees that will be imposed upon homeowners during real estate transactions with the provisions that are put into effect. According to the Legislative Counsel's Digest, the bill "would result in a change in state taxes for the purpose of increasing state revenues." Those changes seem to be a point of controversy.

More people looking to buy vacation homes

Many people in Orange County and beyond see the purchase of a home as a sign of an individual's success. It is a big decision and one that many people look forward to making for years.

Once people have purchased their first home, they may be interested in buying additional properties. Now may be a particularly good time to do so since interest rates remain low and home prices have not reached peak values.

Strict regulations making it difficult for some to obtain a mortgage loan

As we've written about in recent weeks, the housing market appears to be on an upswing. Housing prices in Southern California have increased significantly. Despite the positive news, some people are worried about the stringent requirements lenders have in place for people looking to take out a mortgage.

The number of mortgage loan originations among borrowers with lower credit scores has dropped dramatically in recent years. Mortgage loans for new homebuyers with credit scores between 620 and 680 decreased 90 percent between 2007 and 2012.

Are rapidly rising home prices a sign of trouble?

Earlier this month, we wrote about the rising home prices in Southern California. As readers may recall, home prices in Orange County have risen more than 22 percent since last year.

Most people see the rising home prices as a good thing. However, are these large increases a sign of trouble? After all, housing prices tumbled after reaching peak levels in 2005 and 2006. Could we be headed in that direction again?

Investors settle $800 million commercial real estate deal

It can take months to settle the terms of a commercial real estate deal, especially when companies are investing millions of dollars. Negotiations can become even more complex when there are multiple companies involved.

It was recently announced that three investment groups bought dozens of buildings in the Silicon Valley area at the end of last year. The companies reportedly settled an $800 million deal.

Home prices on the rise all over Southern California

According to the Orange County Register, median home prices in Orange County sat at $645,000 before the economic meltdown. Although home values have not yet reached those levels, home prices in the area continue to rise.

According to DataQuick Information Systems, median home prices last month were more than 22 percent higher compared to February of last year. Last month, the median home price in Orange County was $477,000. This is a trend being seen all across Southern California.

Email Us

Bold labels are required.

Contact Information
disclaimer.

The use of the Internet or this form for communication with the firm or any individual member of the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form.

close

Privacy Policy

Subscribe to This Blog's Feed

Office Location

Nialis Law Group, A Professional Law Corporation
500 North State College Blvd., Suite 1200
Orange, CA 92868

Phone: 714-453-4777
Fax: 714-634-3869
Orange Law Office Map

FindLaw Network

Privacy Policy | Business Development Solutions by FindLaw, a Thomson Reuters business.