If you follow the daily real estate headlines, you might be tempted to wonder if purchasing a home is a wise decision right now. Naturally, those of us at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage will always believe in the dream of home ownership—but apparently an overwhelming number of homeowners still believe in it too. According to a recent survey by Bankrate.com, 90 percent of respondents said they had no regrets about buying their current home.
Why are so many homeowners happy with their investment? One reason might be that they are much more knowledgeable about mortgages than they were a few years ago. The survey found that only 8 percent of homeowners didn’t know whether they have a fixed-rate or adjustable-rate loan, compared to 26 percent two years ago. These savvy homeowners have most likely observed the events of the last two years and, as a result, have become more educated about the loan process. Since 87 percent of buyers still rely on real estate agents today, our sales associates at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage also play a vital role in helping clients understand the homebuying process. We are dedicated to training our sales associates in all areas of real estate and providing them with the resources they need to help clients fully understand the financial responsibilities associated with home ownership. When you have a personal advocate on your side helping you negotiate sales terms or informing you about everything from interest rates to new local market information, wouldn’t you be pleased with the final outcome too?
The Bankrate.com survey findings remind us all that the dream of home ownership is thriving, despite a challenging housing market. Homeowners still place a high value on their houses, both financially and socially. And it’s still up to us, as the nation’s largest real estate company, to help you find, purchase and move into your Southern California dream home.
To contact one of our fine sales associates or to find your next ideal home, visit www.OCViewOnline.com today.
Making the Grade: Schools Have Major Impact on Home Buying Decisions
Saturday, August 28th, 2010Over the past few weeks, our family has been preparing to send my daughter off to college. For our family, it is a significant milestone on the road map of our children’s future, and a goal shared by many other Orange County families. The quality of our children’s education is important—so important that it often plays a major role in where we choose to live. That is why I would like to take this opportunity to talk about schools’ impact on the home buying decision.
Of all the local neighborhood amenities that can influence a buyer’s decision to purchase a home, proximity to good quality schools is one of the most influential. According to the 2009 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 26 percent of home buyers listed school quality and 21 percent listed proximity to schools as deciding factors in their home purchase.
If you are fortunate to live in Orange County, then you probably already know that the region boasts some of the best school districts in California and even the United States. According to the California Department of Education 2010 API rankings, Orange County’s public schools continue to outperform campuses statewide, with more than half placing among the best in California. In a May 13, 2010 Orange County Register article, County Superintendent William Habermehl noted: “These scores show Orange County has some of the best schools in the state. The county has a higher concentration of high-achieving schools than almost anywhere else.”
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage understands how important schools are to home buyers, especially those who live in Orange County. That is why we have developed several online tools to help you with your home search. On californiamoves.com, you can find detailed community relocation guides for Orange County, with academic information on the public school system, private education opportunities, universities, local childcare and more.
In addition, each property listing on OCViewOnline.com includes details about the community and local schools. All of these resources are available to help make your purchase decision easier—proof once again that Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage is moving and learning with you.
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