Back in February, the housing market’s watchdog housingwire.com observed that a good way to judge the strength of the housing industry is to “Look at how often people move.” That makes perfect sense. Logic would seem to dictate that a strong housing market would mean good times for movers.

If industry analysts at IBISWorld’s publicly available “Moving Services” page are to be relied upon, the best estimates expect there to be “strong growth in the housing market.” If you’d expect that to mean a prediction of boom times for movers, though, you’d be wrong. Disruptions due to the pandemic are expected to force consumers to dial down the amount they will be willing to pay professional movers.

For local buyers and sellers seeking reliable Costa Mesa…

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Most people are aware of the record-setting lows Costa Mesa mortgage rates are chalking up right now—the kind of rates that create tempting cashflow projections for even the most conservative would-be investors. But, of course, other factors enter the decision, whether they are planning their real estate investment for their own residence or as a rental. Given the uncertainty in the economy, prospective buyers are asking themselves if now is the right time to be investing in Costa Mesa.

Bankrate.com, the popular investment site, just tackled that question. Its reasoned response: the answer is yes and no (but mostly, yes). “It’s hard to see such low rates and not reach for your checkbook,” was its understandable response. But even so, some…

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There used to be little debate when it came to the kind of houseplants Costa Mesa homeowners preferred. For the finishing touches they provide, the gracious choice was always the live variety. Artificial greenery and florals were easily dismissed as “fakes”—regarded as second-rate solutions in home décor.

A lot has changed since then—principally in the advances made by the artificial foliage makers. This month’s realtor.com commentary (“Real vs. Fake Plants: Which is Better for Your Home?”) provided a timely update. Today’s Costa Mesa homeowners aren’t just wondering whether they can “get away” with fake plants. Because recent years have seen marked improvements in manufacturing techniques, the low-maintenance option has been steadily gaining…

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We are built on a philosophy of Heritage & Hustle. The L3 is a full service real estate agency with a regional office located in the heart of #CostaMesa, offering a wide-array of custom services to meet their clients’ needs with roots in the community since 1976.  It’s L3 mission is to provide trusted, convenient, responsive service to ensure clients enjoy their real estate experience. The L3 was originally formed to offer personal, concierge-level service as an alternative to the large, nationally based real estate companies. From its small beginnings of only two employees, The L3 has grown to a full staff of 25 serving over 300 clients a year. The L3 is not limited to serving just its clients; it is also committed to serving the community.…

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In the days before COVID-19, had you asked most people how a pandemic might affect the homebuying public in Costa Mesa, a fair majority would probably have replied something along the lines of “Well—it probably wouldn’t be good.”

We now know that they would have been wrong (at least, initially).

Nationwide, most areas are experiencing an onrush of newly motivated buyers—many of them seeking to adjust to today’s changing needs. In a recent article in Barron’s, the CEO of a leading national homebuilder, Sheryl Palmer, described motivations of many newly energized homebuyers: “What I have to do working from home has just changed, and I can’t retro my house.’”

Simultaneously, at the same time that this increased buyer demand would normally coax…

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Costa Mesa apartments—specifically, the way new apartment complexes are built—could be in for some major changes if some tech company executives are right. The idea is to bring the manufacturing lessons learned from companies like Apple and Tesla into the real estate realm. If they succeed, erecting Costa Mesa apartment buildings in the future could be considerably more efficient (and less expensive). 

Henry Ford is credited with inventing the assembly line—the manufacturing technique where a product moves from one assembly station to the next, instead of having pieces brought to where the product is being built. Actually, medieval Venice was already building ships that way in the twelfth century. From the hull up, the ships were floated down a…

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By definition, the best Costa Mesa real estate agent for you is the one who sells your Costa Mesa home soonest, for the highest price, and with a minimum of hassle. Because you have to designate the one who will be your exclusive listing agent, you can’t ever prove how all the others would have fared.

So, what’s a homeowner to do when it’s time to sell? Going it alone isn’t a good idea—statistics show that homes represented by a licensed real estate professional sell for more, even considering the agent’s fee. But how can you know which agent has the highest probability of turning out to be “the best” for you?

The solution to this dilemma most commonly recommended by real estate commentators is this:

Interview at least three agents before…

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There was a sort of silly article last summer, “What You Can Do if Your Air Conditioner Breaks Before Selling Your House”—a title designed to ensure that Costa Mesa readers who plan on selling their Costa Mesa house will put everything on hold while they find out “what they can do” if their A/C goes AWOL.

A more recent article—also a must-read for home sellers with broken A/Cs—was titled, “Can You Sell A House with a Broken Air Conditioner?” The answer was ‘yes’—but with a resulting “severe impact” on the sale price. The author pointed out that “it is wiser and safer to get your A/C fixed” before listing it.

Both rate a solid “10” on the duh meter.

But both bring to mind some serious surveys. Costa Mesa homeowners can find dozens of online…

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Yahoo’s “Money” tab is a source Costa Mesa readers can visit for non-technical reportage on the latest U.S. economic developments. Last week it led with a surprisingly upbeat look at residential real estate: “Homebuyers rush back in droves despite coronavirus pandemic.”

There was ample evidence to support the description—a rush from homebuyers attested to by a 44.3% jump in pending home sales. The leap from April to May set an all-time record. And for those still unconvinced, there was further verification via the sustained volume increase in home purchase mortgage applications. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, applications had been on the rise, year-over-year, throughout the previous four weeks.

Given the backdrop of uncertainty…

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If you are thinking about putting up your Costa Mesa home for sale, you can expect that a goodly number of the buyers who will be considering your property will be female. And increasingly, the decision-makers may be Millennials—part of the group reaching adulthood in the early 21st century. Distinguishing how buyer traits and preferences differ is important for understanding what features are likely to appeal to different groups. 

For instance, the propensity for Millennials to use social media is a trait that can impact how they evaluate the Costa Mesa homes for sale that fit their search criteria. A recent research project by Better Homes & Gardens analyzed the differences between generations of women buyers “from Millennials to Boomers.” They…

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