Basics of Buying Foreclosed Homes in Leisure Village, Camarillo

You may have seen the reports — and they are correct — that the number of new foreclosures has dropped almost everywhere throughout the country. Although the Mortgage Bankers Association’s report about the drop in non-seasonally adjusted foreclosure starts might indicate otherwise, this fall, sharp-eyed buyers can still find any number of foreclosed homes in Leisure Village. For those whose goal is to find an appreciably nicer home at a lower-than-average price, a few basics shed light on the process.

Short sales differ from foreclosures. Although the sale price may be a good deal less than what is still owed on a loan, it may be more or less than the actual value of the home. A foreclosed home in Leisure Village is one that is actually owned by the bank holding the underlying loan — with the previous homeowners already having moved on.

Success in the foreclosure realm means saving money by buying Leisure Village foreclosed homes — and it means being aware of the motives of the lender. First, any bank will typically offer foreclosed homes on an as-is basis. To keep losses in check, no repairs will have been made on the property. Some homes may be in fine condition, but others will not. That’s why it’s so essential to be willing to pay for an inspection on the property: it’s the only way to know exactly what you are getting into before you sign on the dotted line.

Unless you have prior success in buying Leisure Village foreclosed homes, it is universally recommended that you enlist a buyers agent to help throughout this process. An agent can advise you whether or not the property value is in line with the market for comparable properties in comparable condition. While you can work with the bank on your own, it is advantageous to have an experience professional to assist at the bargaining table.

If you are interested in buying foreclosed homes in Leisure Village this fall, why not contact me today to discuss your search parameters? The values really are out there to reward the patient — and anyone willing to put in a dollop of elbow grease!

Steps Leisure Village Property Owners Take to Shrink Energy Bills

Energy costs may not be skyrocketing as quickly as some other costs, but Vemtura County property owners continue to watch incoming utility bills with a wary eye. It’s only natural: they remember sudden energy price leaps in the past.
One of the ripple effects of high energy prices is the possible impact on anyone planning a future sale of their own property in Leisure Village. Canny prospects are likely to demand to examine past utility bills — sometimes going back for a year or two. As we encounter cooler weather, that’s why it’s doubly important to keep a lid on gas and electricity bills.
Some of these steps you can take are easy to accomplish…and all too easy to forget!

Most experts recommend setting the water heater thermostat between 120 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, with the exact setting dependent upon your area’s microclimate, Leisure Village property type, and your particular household’s requirements. The goal here is to avoid sustaining temperatures above the 140-degree mark — which would be sure to add digits to this winter’s energy bill.

Now is the time to take an inspection walk around your property on the lookout for leaks, be they toilets, pipes or faucets. It’s easy to do a double-check, too: just keep an eye on your meter over a two-hour period when there is no water use (this idea comes from Mark LeChevallier of American Water). If you spot activity, you may need to do more active detective work.

Clogged air filters are more serious than most would think: they can burden mechanical systems — not only boosting energy costs, but eventually damaging the mechanicals behind them. Failing to replace filters causes dryers, heaters, AC units, etc., to run longer. It’s easy to picture what the impact on the monthly energy tab can be.

Being able to produce low energy bills is just one way to help prospective buyers see the wisdom of buying your Leisure Village property. If you are considering selling your own property in Leisure Village anytime in the future, now is the time to make a few changes. Call me to discuss other prudent long-term marketing positioning.

How Experts Project Your Leisure Village Home Value Growth

If you are a Leisure Village homeowner (or about to become one), you’ll be interested in the progression of your Leisure Village home’s value over time. The market may fluctuate, but what doesn’t is your goal of seeing your property value go up — in other words, calculating its Return on Investment. In economic terms, evaluating the projected ROI tells you how much profit there would be if the home is sold at a later time.

There are two major methods of calculating real estate ROI. Both take cost and appreciation into account — but they come up with quite different answers!

The Cost Method gives a smaller ROI. Consider buying an Leisure Village house for $100,000. Ubiquitous Zillow (the Internet giant) pegs the current annual appreciation rate for real estate in the U.S. at 6%. If our Leisure Village market proves true to that projection, the example Leisure Village home value would register $106,000 after the first year. If $2,000 were spent on repairs, that means a $4,000 profit would result, and the ROI for that one year would be $4,000 divided by $102,000: 3.9%. At that ROI, it would take roughly 26 (100 divided by 3.9) years to equal the cost of the home.

Sometimes called the “Out of Pocket” method, this calculation yields a higher ROI. Here, ROI is calculated based on the size of the down payment (assuming a mortgage is involved). Take the same example: the Leisure Village home valued at $100,000. You won’t actually pay that whole amount — just the down payment (say, $20,000). To evaluate the ROI, the down payment is added to the repair costs ($20,000+$2,000) and that number is subtracted from the appreciated home value ($106,000-$22,000). The “equity” in this case is $84,000, so the ROI in that single year is $84,000/$106,000 = 79.2%. Although this sounds terrific, it isn’t too realistic…after all, the mortgage left is still owed: it may not be “out of pocket” because it hasn’t been actually paid yet, but the remaining liability is real.

If you have Leisure Village home value questions, I’m here to answer those and any other real estate-related needs. Call me anytime to discuss home values, ROI, or other property questions!

A Leisure Village Home Buyer Can Increase Negotiating Leverage

When a Leisure Village home buyer first finds that single-family homes and condominiums have been getting pricier, it shouldn’t be a surprise. Nationally, the median sales price is still well below the record $230,400 reached at the height of the housing boom ¬ but that gap is shrinking.

If you’re a future home buyer in Leisure Village, you can take steps to improve the situation. One way is to increase your negotiating leverage – to turn yourself into a highly desirable buyer from the seller’s point of view.

Show You’re Financially Attractive: Maximize your negotiating power by getting yourself pre-approved for a mortgage loan. This is a step beyond merely becoming pre-qualified. To become pre-approved, a mortgage lender pulls your credit, studies your income, debt and employment history, and determines the size of the mortgage loan you can handle. A seller prefers working with a Leisure Village home buyer whose agent can present a pre-approval letter. It increases the odds that a sale won’t fall through at the last minute.

Know the Leisure Village Market: You’ll have a better chance of convincing a sellers to lower the asking price if you are armed with the sales prices that similar homes in the market are fetching. If a seller is asking $20,000 more than is typical, your agent will be able to present this fact in negotiations.

Prepare to Offer Something: A seller is usually more willing to come down in price when he sees a concession or two from you. A home buyer can, for instance, agree to a later or earlier closing date to accommodate the seller. You might also agree to overlook some needed repairs. Especially on fixes that might take a lot of time, such a concession can have a meaningful impact on the bottom line.

Be Realistic: Don’t ask for too much. Asking sellers to lop off 30% is more likely to scuttle negotiations than lower the price.

A home buyer in Leisure Village will still find some great deals out there. With the short fall selling season upon us, if you’re considering buying, call me today to get the search going!

4 Current Listings for Sale in Leisure Village

35127 Village 35 – A popular Holmby II model at the end of a cul-de-sac in lovely Leisure Village (55+) community. This is a two bedroom, two bath model with a very large master bedroom, walk-in closet, dual sink vanity in master bath, laundry room, direct access to the over-sized one car garage and a covered patio.

30027 Village 30 – A popular Amalfi model in a good greenbelt location in Leisure Village (55+) community. This home is waiting for a new owner to make it their own.

24103 Village 24 – Great golf course location with mountian views, as well. This is the popular El Dorado model with almost 1500 sq. ft. of living space, two bedrooms, two baths plus a den, spacious living room, indoor laundry and enclosed patio room

20212 Village 20 – From the moment you enter this La Jolla (largest) model your eye is drawn through the home to one of the most beautiful golf course views in Leisure Village (55+) community. This home is bright with 6 skylights, dual paned windows,including garden windows and slider, HVAC unit and ducts replaced, showers remodeled, insulated shutters, re-piped with copper, beautiful tile in entry and dining room, toilets replaced with ADA type and plumbed inside for soft water. This home has a 2 car garage with lots additional storage cabinets. there is a large patio, partially covered, which has a propane powered fire pit and is surrounded by a most attractive slumpstone wall and gate to the golf course. Included will be the firepit, washer, dryer, freezer, all dining room furniture except piano, hallway rug. This great home shows true pride in ownership.