Southern California's Housing Market Facing a Formiddable Challenge

The Southern California housing market was firing on all cylinders since the beginning of 2020, helped by low interest rates and a thriving economy.

Then the Covid-19 virus came to the US and globally. We are in a pandemic with the media reporting case counts and deaths 24/7. As a result of the fears people see all day and forced to shut down non-essential businesses in the economy, deals and escrows are being canceled. Sellers are slashing prices. Specific types of mortgage programs have been suspended until further notice.

A California Assn. of Realtors survey from early March revealed that  25 percent of agents had clients reconsider their plans to buy or sell due to the sudden eruption of the coronavirus.

A second survey was performed a week later: The agents working said the sellers who are delaying their plans had surged to 45 percent; over fifty percent had a buyer who put their plans on hold.

After that what made real estate matters worse, was the stay-at-home order issued by Gov. Gavin Newsome. Many agents said referrals for new purchases became nonexistent. Many identify the change to right around the time of the order.

Without question, the deterioration to the real estate market will be determined by how long the virus remains and how much economic pain it creates both through deaths and preventative measures for future viruses.

The sellers holding off may be a good things as they optimistically see this as a temporary crisis. It will certainly be interesting to see if pricing power drops once the epidemic subsides. 

At the time of the 2003 SARS virus that went on for several months in Hong Kong, Zillow's research shows the city's housing market was basically suspended. Home prices didn't drop very much, while sales volume fell like a brick as people stayed a safe distance from each other in an effort to save lives.  Once the epidemic ran its course, sales volume quickly returned to typical levels.

It's worth noting that the SARS virus was only responsible for the deaths of 774 people globally. The people who've died from COVID-19, has already exceeded 2,000 in the United States alone and 30,000 worldwide as of March 29, 2020.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has said the city could soon experience the levels of cases erupting now in New York. Newsom has announced that more than 1 million Californians have applied for unemployment benefits this month.

Zillow said the number of new listings now coming onto the market each day in Los Angeles and Orange counties is about 30% below what it was a year ago. That compares with a 4% decline at the beginning of the month.

Is Tustin a Safe Place to Buy a Home?

Is Tustin safe, is a legitimate question as Tustin, California is directly adjacent to one of the safest cities in the U.S. in Irvine.  If you are looking to buy real estate in Orange County, your quality of life and neighborhood are important. This is usually an important factor for young families and and single women living in the area.



Tusin Safety Ratings and Crime Map
In Tustin, California residents are very fortunate to have a crime alert map on Tustinca.org from the Tustin police dept. The information is updated and incidents are detailed, searchable within a .5 mile radius.

Has Tustin Crime been Increasing or Decreasing?
In three out of the last four years, crime per 100,000 in Tustin has declined according to date from the FBI's Crime Reporting Program. The statistics show its significantly less than California and the U.S. by 2.5- to 3- times.

The population of Tustin has not declined nor increased dramatically on the last five years. The percentage change is less than one-percent upward.  Thus, the crime data has been pretty consistent in reporting.

The big answer to prospective residents is yes overall crime has decreased but the one category of crime, theft, has risen. The good thing is violent crimes have not increased. They have declined each year. 

Is Tustin Safe when put next to other U.S. cities?
According to Area Vibes and other sources, Tustin has lower than average violent crime rates per population and higher than average non-violent crime rates (or property crimes) per population than the rest of the country. Or in other words, Tustin is fairly common in regards to criminal offenses but with more reported theft and vandalism, and less murders and physical assaults than in other cities.

Is Tustin Safe Overall?
With all the information in this article it should have answered any questions conclusively for you based on the excellent data the city of Tustin provides the public. You can easily notice a significant majority of Tustin neighborhoods have amazingly low crime rates except for property theft.

The city of Tustin is quite safe when held up against any other suitably sized U.S. city but like any other sizable city in America it will have portions that are more prone to crime than others.

In Tustin, violent crimes decreased from 132 in 2017 to 122 in 2018, and property crimes were down from 1949 in 2017 to 1,874 in 2018.

FBI officials warned against using the statistics to draw direct conclusions about whether a specific city is safe or not. They cautioned against simplistic analyses to create misleading perceptions, reporting that doing so could "adversely affect communities and their residents."

Ways to Make Your Home Pet-friendly

Renters and homeowners absolutely love their pets. Based on a recent study by the American Pet Products Association (APPA),  roughly 85 million Americans have a pet.  That is almost one in three people. can call themselves pet owners.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that the pet industry rakes in nearly $75 billion annually from consumers. In addition to pet food and veterinary medical treatments,  a great deal of cleaning products are bought to get rid of those predictable messes and, in some cases, damage to curtains, furniture, rugs, walls, artwork, and so on.

It can be difficult to keep a home attractive to neighbors and guests when you have a pet that pretty much lives a majority of their life inside the house.  Let's review three parts of your home's interior that can make a room appear more modern yet still meet the needs of your best friend with paws.

Walls
While the home has your name as the owner or renter, it's shared with your dog or cat and he (or she) lets everyone know without hesitation here they like to be. They do this by "tagging" it – from lying down in a specific spot, urinating, or rubbing their fur against an object to leaving behind their smell.

Within your home, their territorial behavior becomes evident on the walls. As humans we tend to bathe more frequently than a pet. The result is their skin oil, saliva, fur, and the other grime is smudged on walls and baseboards.

A quality flat paint brand can make the wall easily scrubbed, while still giving you the style and color options you want.  A highly regarded interior paint by home improvement editors is Benjamin Moore Regal Select Interior (a combination of paint and primer). Yes, it is expensive, but worth very penny if you own pets.  A great interior flat latex paint that is scrubbable is Sherwin-Williams Showcase® Stain-Blocking Paint and Primer. Satin paints are also beneficial.

Flooring
As a pet owner, especially dogs, and trying to decide what floor type to use can be a dilemma. No matter which one you decide, it has to be tough enough to prevent scratch marks from dogs, quick to clean up those "messes" and yet still be visually attractive.

Dog owners should stay way from choosing carpeted, laminate, cork and linoleum flooring. Linoleum and cork floors easily susceptible to scratching from paws even if the manufacturers says otherwise. Moreover, warping happens too.  Give some thought to having concrete, stone, tile or vinyl floors as your best options.  If you must use carpet, try the one from Mohawk.

Fabrics
Anyone who is a cat or dog owner understands their pets enjoy scratching and playing with stuff that is not pet-related (or friendly). It could be the sofa, the curtains, the bedspread, or clothes hanging in the closet, cats will claw at whatever is nearby to establish their area and dog will pee in a place.

Interior designers recommend smooth fabrics, along the lines of leather or something with a flat weave, canvas, denim, and man-made microfiber that your cat is unable to sink their claws into.

You can also opt for durable, water-resistant cover, slip cover or duvet. Fabrics such as silk, velvet, velour, or chintz, are not good choices with a furry pet in the home.  Another guidelines is for the color of your pet. Get the same color big furniture items to hide pet furs.

Kitchen

If you want to keep your furry pet limited to one section of your home—like, for example, if you were cooking in the kitchen, and want your dog to stay out—a dog gate may make things easier on you.
If you need more ideas, just search for stylish, pet-friendly rooms.

Windows
If you have a blinds, don't forget to keep them raised before leaving so the little darlings can look out the window and of course don't accidentally make them fall down.

How to Identify a Walkable Orange County Neighborhood

Summary: Before you buy or rent learn if a place is pedestrian-friendly with these helpful internet-based and physical methods.

A community which offers great stores, service businesses, and recreation within walking distance and near your job is a huge plus for most home buyers. Residents label this as being walkable.  Apart from a walkable community's convenience, they are also more green friendly and create a feeling of being tight-knit.


So, for example, in Laguna Beach's Village neighborhood, 84% of residents claim it to be walkable to restaurants, and only 42% say it is bike friendly.

A neighborhood is truly walkable when you can enter and  exit easily without needing a car. Research reveals that the closer you are to public transit systems (bus, train, biking), the more prone you are to walking.

Check out what locals say about a neighborhood on Neighborhoods.com, NeighborhoodScout.com and Trulia.

    It's walkable to cafe's and grocery stores
    Is it walkable to eateries
    There are sidewalks
    People feel safe walking alone at night
    Do the streets have good lighting
    Do they say an automobile is necessary


Check out local restaurants.
To know if you can easily go out for some food, check out Yelp Maps near the area you want to live. That'll provide you with a sense of the number of restaurants within walking distance. And don't forget that the more restaurants that are nearby, the higher chances your neighbors will there too.

Do a virtual walk
Prior to taking a walk in your potential new neighborhood, type in an address on Google Maps and go to "Street View" to take a look at it online.  For any property you are considering buying or renting, usually you'll see a link to a map near the listing.

By doing this it will give you a good idea of what's close by. Keep in mind you don't know what time of day (or year) the images were taken. A quiet-looking street could be that way 2 to 5 years ago on a street at 8 a.m. on a cold Saturday in December.

However, that same block today may have new neighbors, families, on-street parking restrictions, and more.  Therefore, it's smart to do a physical visit during different times of the day.  Visit the neighborhood in the evenings, on weekends, and also during the middle of a weekday.

Check for the following:
    Wide sidewalks. These are important so pedestrians can feel safe walking around.
    Trees near the sidewalks invite local residents to walk versus using their car to get around.
    Benches, picnic tables, and other places to sit and rest are positives.
    Intersections that have crosswalks and pedestrian signals.
    Ample street lighting. This considers safety for pedestrians.

Moving from L.A. to Orange County

Every year a lot of people are planning to buy homes in Southern California: not always in Hollywood, Beverly Hills, West L.A., South Bay, but in South Orange County. The reason for this is that there are noticeable differences in the prices for homes in different parts of California, especially inland and coastal areas. Not surprisingly, the average prices for homes can vary quite a bit from one zip code to another. This is due to multiple factors.

Furthermore, the majority of places in Orange County come with tremendous value in terms of price and are very appealing. In all of these cities, the lower prices are more linked to the local housing laws, school ratings, economy, and the inventory of homes listed for sale.

The median home price in the six county region is $533,000 according to DataQuick news of CoreLogic. (source)

Areavibes ranks American cities based on a livability score that takes into account various factors, which is comprised of the cost of living, the amount of crime, educational facilities, local job market, and amenities. The livability score is based on a scale of 1 to 100.

The following are south Orange County's top picks in the order of their popularity based on data from Data USA and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
• Newport Beach – Median home price is $2,137,900. Livability score is 83.
• Laguna Beach – Median home price is $2,016,000. Livability score is 76.
• Dana Point – Median home price is $953,900. Livability score is 86.
• Irvine – Median home price is $856,000. Livability score is 82.
• Aliso Viejo – Median home price is $633,300. Livability score is 82.

The following are the Great school ratings for these popular cities:
• Newport Beach –  8.3  (has 3  9's and 1 10-rated)
• Laguna Beach –  9 .
• Dana Point –  3.
• Irvine –  7.9  (has 7 10's, 7 9's)
• Aliso Viejo - 8.2

These are all great cities to live in. For those who have the option to relocate and to get a better price when buying a home, these should all be considered as decent choices.

The Advantages & Disadvantages of Buying Before Selling

A lot of homeowners run into an increasingly common situation when considering looking for a new home. They need or want to move but are undecided about if they should buy a new home first or sell their existing home. The answer could be yes or no depending on the borrower's situation.  Let's explore the advantages and disadvantages involving each choice.

Buying first will of course leave you with higher expenses until your home sells later on. However, selling first could potentially leave you “homeless” until you buy your new home.

Advantages of Buying Before Selling

Buying a home prior to selling your old home can result in a few major benefits. The first one is it can make the process of house searching more enjoyable.

Often times, homeowners are pressured to speed up the buying process because they need to be move out before their current home's closing date. 

When you have more time to search for a home, you have less regrets and don't overlook certain processes when you buy a home. There's more time to compare lenders, homes, inspections, etc.

An additional key benefit of buying before selling your home is there is no guarantee that the seller of the home will accept your offer. If the seller rejects your offer, your new home search can proceed while still living comfortably in your current home. 

If you plan on purchasing a home that needs some fixing, it will enable you to stay in your existing home as you fix up your new home. Replacing floors, painting, wall removals, plumbing, counter upgrades, wiring, and similar projects are a lot less difficult to finish in an unfurnished home.

Disadvantages of Buying Before Selling

There are also a few drawbacks to buying a home before selling. The most significant problem of buying a new home first is that you could be paying two mortgage payments longer than you expect. 

Many times home buyers expect their existing home to sell quickly but that is not always the case. The risk is money troubles could arise as you attempt to pay two house payment that includes property taxes, insurance and if applicable HOA dues.

Furthermore, you may have challenges with qualifying for a home loan until you sell your existing home. You may need to use the proceeds of the sale of your home for a down payment on the next home to get a mortgage.

If your offer is accepted on a new home and are lacking the funds to pay for it, a great financial solution is "gap financing" or a bridge loan. A bridge loan assists borrowers with the down payment funds and closing costs until your existing home is sold. There terms can range from a one month up to two years.

Tips for Buying Before Selling

Although gap financing could be the ideal solution for you, make certain to think about all areas of your decision. First, determine if you can truly afford the house payments on two homes at the same time.  In a perfect scenario, your house payment which includes your mortgage, taxes, and insurance should not be more than 32 percent of your gross monthly income. If they are, you may want to reconsider buying a home before listing your home for sell.

Consult with a few local real estate agents in Orange County about listing your home for sale and how long it should take to sell your home. Another option some home buyers do is rent out their current home to help pay for that mortgage and maybe sell it later down the road.

However, being a landlord is not always an easy position. You may want to think about hiring a property manager to relieve you of those tenant calls for maintenance. They typically charge 10% of the rent collected.

WIll A Coming Recession Impact Housing?

An increasing share of U.S. home buyers have recession worries on their minds, around fifty-percent polled said they'll put their home search plans on hold if a recession comes.

A little over 36% of 755 active home buyers surveyed in August said they anticipate the next recession to start in 2020, based on a survey issued on Wednesday, Aug. 28 by Realtor.com. The 36% number is an increase from below 30% in March. Approximately 56% of participants in the most recent poll said they would delay shopping for a home if the economy takes a turn for the worse.

 A senior economist at Realtor.com said in different words that the next recession will likely be influenced by external factors which are not housing related, like a lengthy trade war, less corporate spending or the spreading of the European recession to U.S. shores.   Hardly any economist thinks the coming recession will be anything close to 2008. That recession was due to significantly different factors.

Roughly 44% of those surveyed agreed and said they feel the next recession would be less severe than a decade ago. Millions of Americans lost their homes to foreclosure after getting mortgages with easy qualifying guidelines believing they could afford the home or it would rise in value non-stop.

In August, Zillow forecasted that international trade policy, a geopolitical situation and/or a stock market correction would be the main factor that leads to a recession.

In the first quarter of 2019, over one-third of home buyers said they believed that the next recession would be even more detrimental than in 2008. However, 44% of those shopping for a home said they think this recession won't be as bad as the 2008 recession, indicating an improvement from the 40% the spring of 2019.

At the same time, one-half of prospective home buyers said they felt more optimistic about the housing market, up a healthy 5-percent from 45% early 2019. Just 21% felt more negative about a possible recession.

In the most-recent survey, 17% expect a recession to begin in 2020, 14% anticipate sometime in 2021 and 7 percent felt at some point in 2022.  Can people actually will a recession into existence with negative thinking?