Category: Uncategorized

4 Ways to Increase Your Home’s Value

Posted on | by Cuselleration

There are personal and professional reasons why you should consider making changes to your home in order to increase the value in the market. You will definitely have your buyers talking when they look at the brand-new bathroom or kitchen. These are some of the key points you need to pay keen attention to if you plan on catching that big break with your potential buyers. For whichever reason you may choose to remodel your home, there is bound to be a notable touch on the market value. Some of the best ways you can adapt to improve your home value include the following below.

1. Undertaking kitchen renovations

Redoing your kitchen will flock buyers to your doorstep. Adopting trends that gather people such as bar stools, improving, replacing old finishes on the tiles, and new appliances are a major attraction key. Considering that it is a place for cooking, you need to pay keen attention to the countertops and how they appear to buyers.

2. Doing updates to your bathroom

Considered to be one of the smallest rooms in the house, increasing the number of bathrooms from one to two can be a significant upgrade for your house’s value. While you attempt to maintain simplicity in the upgrade, especially if the reason is for resale, it is advisable to keep your bathroom as casual and neutral as you possibly can. Detail should be the main area of concern as you work on matters concerning the improvement of the towel hangers, adding cabinets, and also redoing the flooring. Replacing old pedestal sinks with trendy vanity styles and matching mirrors not only stands out and draws the eye to it, but also gives more storage space. Filling chinks between tiles are cheaper and provide the bathroom with a fresher look.

3. Fresh paint

Unclouded looking walls are another key to making your home’s space more attractive. You may prefer to choose to paint the wall shades of white, crisp, navy and even earthly neutrals that create a calming and versatile backdrop. You might also want to paint the places that the buyers will see first while entering the house such as foyer, living room, and the dining room as well. Overall, this gives you the impression that the living area was very well kept by the previous owner, in fact, it makes it seem easier to maintain while living there.

4. Landscape improvements

Landscaping the home’s area is key to increasing the value of your home. A beautiful and well-tended lawn with plenty of colorful blooms gives buyers the impression that you indeed take care of your home. You better pay close attention to the entrance of your home. Make the landscape look more appealing than it was before. You can do this by paying for the replacements for damaged stepping stones, porch plants, and also the concrete paths.The main agenda here is for you to feel some level of excitement whenever you are about to enter your home.

Are you in the market to purchase a home in Rancho Santa Margarita, Coto de Caza, or Mission Viejo? Click here to talk to the Kovacs Connection Team today!

4 Easy Ways to Buy Your Orange County Home Fast

Posted on | by Cuselleration

The real estate market has become extra competitive. You can wait for years before a potential buyer comes your way. However, there are some skilled steps you can follow that will hasten the home buying process.

1. Have a team of real estate experts
Having a team of reliable experts who are well aware of the real estate environment you are house hunting should be the first thing to do. Your team should have experience and be very updated with the current real estate trends in the region.

Your team should consist of: a mortgage banker, real estate attorney, and a real estate broker. It will be best if your team had previously worked together on similar projects. The board of the team is you, the others are just your executives.

Your agent should have enough connections that will be useful to your house hunting process. He will be aware of all the properties that will soon be available for sale in the market before the properties are made public. If you build a very good relationship with your agent, he/she will always keep you updated on the best properties in your area of interest.

2. Make sure you have a home loan ready that is pre approved
We all know that buying a home will involve a lot of paperwork with the longest part being the mortgage approval. Some of the legal documents you will need are: 1099s, debt information statements, gift letters, W-2s, and bank statements. To save time and a last minute headache, start gathering all these papers early enough and have them checked and confirmed for pre approval. Make sure your loan officer gives you a pre approval letter way before you begin hunting for a new house. With your pre approval letter, you can show the seller that you are indeed a serious buyer and able to financially afford buying the house.

3. Make high inventory areas your first house hunting zones
Everyone has a wish list when it comes to moving to a new hometown. Some common factors include easy transportation and access to social amenities like shopping centers and move theaters. The other factor to consider is high-inventory regions.

Research shows that homes located in low-inventory areas tend to slow the whole home buying process. Look at the surrounding region in your preferred area that match the same criteria you are looking for. With an area that is less economically prosperous, you will get a stronger offer with a possible discount. Avoid looking at properties that don’t meet your criteria.

4. Sell your current before you purchase a new house
A contingency sale is one of the most common ways of slowing down a possible purchase. Most buyers who are in fast-moving real estate markets aren’t ready to handle any form of contingency sale.

If you want to have a faster successful house hunting process, it’s good to first unload your current home. Make sure the amount of your equity in the bank is ample enough and the closing date of your house is flexible. This means you will have to look for storage facilities where you can store up your stuff for a few weeks or months. Early packing will prove to be very useful at this point.

Are you in the market to purchase a home in Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita or Coto de Caza? Click here to talk to the Ryan Grant Team today!

3 Secrets to Investing in Real Estate

Posted on | by Cuselleration

Real estate is most likely missing from your investment portfolio. From many investment advisors not wanting to tell you advice for investments they do not earn a commission on, to the horror stories of becoming a landlord and dealing with stopped up toilets and irritated tenants, investing in real estate oftentimes gets pushed to the side. Even though at the same time, all of us know real estate’s cash generating potential and we instinctively want a piece of it.

You must be ardent in your desire to add real estate to your portfolio because no one else will tell you it is a good idea. To capture the unique tax advantages afforded in real estate, you should learn how to evaluate a real estate transaction yourself and must decide which type of real estate investment matches your personality and how you would invest. When you conclude real estate meets your need for reliable cash flow with the opportunity for appreciation, you should invest in it.

1. Defeat your allies

In many cases, your trusted and paid advisors such as your wealth manager, broker or tax accountant may suggest you avoid real estate in your portfolio altogether. They usually give the same tired reasons that it is too management intensive. Those could be valid arguments based on your specific situation, but that’s not the real reason they want you to avoid real estate.

Stockbrokers do not get paid for you to invest in real estate. There is nothing in it for them, unless they want you to buy a high-cost non-traded REIT, but now you will know their true motivation. You need to do your own research to decide if the potential cash flow from real estate is right for you.

2. Grade school arithmetic

Real estate is a numbers game, but you might be surprised to know that you learned all of the skills necessary in grade school. To decide whether or not to go with a potential investment, you will only need a few key formulas and nothing will be more difficult than long division. Once you have mastered these concepts, you will have the numerical tools to effectively underwrite real estate investments.

3. Use a taxable account

Why try to avoid taxes by investing through an 401k or IRA when the government brings tax advantages to real estate? The cash flow that you receive may not be entirely what the IRS considers taxable income especially in the early years of a real estate investment. Non-cash items like depreciation and amortization will serve to dramatically reduce your taxable income but have no impact on your cash flow. Taxable losses can be wasted in an 401k or IRA but have great value in your taxed account.

Real estate needs to be a part of a diversified investment portfolio when it comes to retirement in particular. You will take ownership of your investment future by equipping yourself with the proper tools to evaluate transactions and the self-awareness to seek out real estate investments when others tell you not to.

Do you have questions about investing in real estate? Click here to contact our partners at the Ryan Grant Team today! And if you’re ready to start searching homes let us know!

Can You Pay your Mortgage Using Bitcoins?

Posted on | by Cuselleration

Bitcoins are all the rage right now and are changing the way people think about money. But can you pay your mortgage using this new digital currency? Find out below!

If you are looking to buy a house, there are a number of financial assets that could help you qualify for a mortgage including your current home, cash in savings and checking, retirement accounts and other investments. But what if you have assets that include bitcoins? While the cryptocurrency was recently labelled as an asset by the Internal Revenue Service, most lenders remain wary about how to value and accept this new digital currency.

Bitcoins as Assets

Bitcoin has been around for about eight years. It could be used in the mortgage transaction just like any other form of money. But there are a few problems. What is one Bitcoin worth? Will anybody accept them?

Let’s start with the worth of a Bitcoin. We would treat it like any other foreign currency. It would need to be converted in terms of value if not in terms of actual conversion to United States dollars. The good news is that there are exchanges for them. One Bitcoin was worth $16,490 on December 14, 2017 3:29pm PST.

Until more consistent rules are put into place, here are some ways you may be able to use Bitcoin during the mortgage process.

To pay closing costs and fees: A Manhattan mortgage provider made history in late 2013 when it became the first firm to accept bitcoins for real estate closing costs and fees. While this is an exciting milestone for the cryptocurrency, the trend has yet to catch on with most lenders. And do not expect to be able to make your mortgage payment in bitcoins because most experts think that is a long way off.

Use bitcoins as an asset on your mortgage application: Valuing bitcoin on a mortgage application is new territory for most mortgage lenders, so you might struggle to find one who will take this asset into consideration. But there is anecdotal evidence that a handful of mortgage providers are becoming more bitcoin-friendly. Just like all assets used to qualify for a mortgage, you will need to verify the value of the bitcoins you hold and submit proper and often extensive documentation to your mortgage provider.

Use bitcoins for proper documentation of transactions in a bank account: Even if you don’t plan on using your bitcoins to boost your assets when you apply for a mortgage, your mortgage provider may still request documentation for any large transactions in and out of your bank account. Your mortgage provider would want to confirm how that money entered your bank account if you cashed out a large amount of bitcoins to use for a down payment. This is similar to accounting for large cash gifts. Mortgage providers need to be sure you have not borrowed money from somewhere else to boost your liquid assets. For this reason, you should be prepared with a record of your bitcoin-to-bank-account transaction history.

Are you in the market to purchase a home in Rancho Santa Margarita, Coto de Caza, or Mission Viejo? Click here to talk to the Ryan Grant Team today!

Why Being Thankful is Good for You

Posted on | by Cuselleration

So it’s Monday. And it’s raining. You spilled coffee on your cell phone. In short, this day is looking pretty bleak. So you may want to take your wet cell phone and send a snarky text message to a significant other, but we want you to consider a different approach. Being grateful is good for you.

Did you know gratitude can make you live longer? We know intellectually that we should be grateful, but for some of us, that only happens for a minute or two on Thanksgiving. Everyday life is messy and annoying, and often overshadows our intentions to count our blessings. So let’s think about why we should feel grateful, even if it isn’t on Thanksgiving, looking at our carb-heavy plate.

Shutterstock/Nikolai Sergeev

When you genuinely appreciate the good things and people in your life, it’s good for your health, and the health of those around you. Grateful people are more sensitive and empathetic toward those around them, and don’t have a strong desire to seek revenge. Even if things are feeling dark and lonely, finding the good in life can remind you of brighter days to come. In fact, if you consciously focus on the good in life, the dark spaces seem to fade away.

Okay, you’ve got my attention. Prove it.

Gratitude Reduces Your Stress and Improves Mental Stability

A study of Vietnam War veterans from the National Institutes of Health found those with higher levels of gratitude experience a lower incidence of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.) Being grateful can help you weather life’s storms.

Gratitude Improves Your Relationships

If you want to relight the fire in your relationship, tell your partner why you are grateful they are in your life. People who take the time to express gratitude felt more positively toward them and more comfortable expressing any concerns about the relationship. According to a study by the NIH, both men and women who have grateful partners felt more connected to their relationship, and more satisfied with it. Sounds like a win-win.

Being Grateful Helps Your Heart

Having a grateful heart actually helps your heart. Researchers say appreciation and positive emotions literally protect your heart from disease. Studies on optimism show being grateful can reduce your blood pressure, therefore reducing your risk of hypertension and congestive heart failure.

Being Grateful Helps You Sleep Better

Yep, it’s true. The more gratitude you feel, the better night’s sleep you will enjoy. Writing in a gratitude journal for 15 minutes before going to bed was shown in studies to help students worry less and sleep longer and better. Researchers explain that when falling asleep, grateful people are less likely to think negative or worrisome thoughts that impair your shut eye. So be grateful, and catch those Zzzzzzz’s.

Another Reason to Tell Your Employees ‘Thank You’

Everyone likes to feel appreciated. Whether you are climbing the corporate ladder, a student, a CEO, we all need to feel the love every now and then. One study showed employees who are thanked by their managers are more motivated to work harder. Students earn higher GPA’s and have better social skills when they feel appreciated. A little ‘thanks’ can go a long way.

Shutterstock/Syda Productions

Psychologists say the best way to get out of a funk is to help someone else. That sounds like great advice to us. So we’ve put together a list of volunteers opportunities from OneOC.

  • Yoga instructor for seniors
  • Video Editor
  • Volunteer Reader
  • Grocery Rescue Driver
  • Math or English tutor
  • Habitat for Humanity Volunteer
  • School Pantry Volunteer
  • Spanish-speaking Support Group Volunteer
  • Adult Literacy Tutor

At The Kovacs Connection, we are grateful for your friendship, and grateful for living in this wonderful part of the US. So this year, rather than consolidating all your thankful thoughts into one holiday, consider Thanksgiving an opportunity to start incorporating gratitude into your life… every day.

Home Selling Tips That Will Earn You More

Posted on | by Cuselleration

Some home selling tips are more valuable for the first-time home merchant than others, and without them, you would never get a decent sale price. Although there are tons of guidelines available, we have compiled a few tips that are proven to help separate your home from all of the rest. You will be on the top of every potential buyer’s list!

Good Lighting
Here is a home selling tip that cannot be stressed enough, the lighting in your home should be perfect. This doesn’t mean you need to get an entirely new lighting system. However, putting in higher wattage bulbs for the showing, for example, is highly recommended.

Also, you should take down the drapes, trim any trees or bushes directly obstructing the light coming in your window, and clean the windows themselves. Natural light from outside is incredibly flattering for displaying your home. Not only that, it’s cost-effective seeing as it is entirely free.

If you have lamps with shades, make sure they are clean or even consider replacing them. Lamps of all sorts are great, but often their shades blunt the light from the bulbs with a particular purpose, such as with reading lamps. When you want that effect, they are brilliant.

When you are lighting a house, you should consider removing the shade, upping the wattage, or going the opposite route and removing the lamp altogether. The best option is to let natural light in, use the ceiling lighting (if possible), or get a new lamp that will brighten the entire room.

You will want as much light as possible to flood the space in your home and show off its cleanliness. People want to be able to see the fresh paint, the clean carpet, and that there are no major issues with the home. The easiest way to showcase this is with tons of bright lighting.

Don’t forget these ideas when lighting your new home as well, here’s a video that will help you start your new home off looking stylish and impressive.

Get Rid of Your Furniture
You may love your furnishings, but they work against you in a couple of ways.

First, your furniture will compete with all of that beautiful light we just worked so hard to bring into the house.

Second, your furniture will mentally block many prospective buyers. When they come, they are visualizing the home the way that they want to set it up.

Your furniture will be an obstacle to them seeing your home as their new home. Don’t allow that to happen!

If you already have a new property, we recommend moving everything out to the new house. If you don’t have your new place yet but are comfortable with putting your furniture in storage, we highly recommend going this route.

It might be a bit of a pain, but we assure you, this tip will sell your home much faster than if you keep your furniture inside.

Love Your Kitchen
You may not be much of a cook, heck, the buyer might not even be, but this is one area that every potential buyer pays extra close attention to. If you want a home selling tip that will work wonders, then show your kitchen some love!

You don’t have to redo your entire kitchen, but make it look presentable. You should consider re-grouting the tiling. Even if the tiles aren’t new, the vibrant white of a new grout job will give the appearance of a fresh new kitchen.

Just like any other alterations, you perform to get your home ready for an open house, keep this cheap. Why?

Buyers almost always look at the restrooms and the kitchen for immediate remodeling. Getting a new home seems to be the only excuse people need to get the kitchen and bathroom they’ve always dreamed of.

So, sinking a lot of money into remodeling your kitchen will likely be for not. We advise that you keep any and all repairs simple. We also can’t stress enough the way the kitchen looks to the eye.

Photo by Andy Dean Photography

We want to make sure that we have that gorgeous light flooding the entire room, and then you should add some polish to your appliances, metal fixtures, and all of your countertops. This will give your kitchen a sparkle that will get buyers picturing this as their new kitchen.

If you’re interested in more home selling tips that will get you a sale quickly, please call us at 949-350-0146 or email us at Debrakovacs@cox.net or realestatebyrana@gmail.com and we can help you really get things moving today!

7 Ways to Get The Most out of Fall in Rancho Santa Margarita

Posted on | by Cuselleration

Now don’t be scared. Yes, the wind is howling, the door is creaking and the dog is barking, but we’ve got you covered! Our team worked our way through fall in Rancho Santa Margarita to find some fun ways to spend the scariest time of the year.

Fall in Rancho Santa Margarita Means Orange:

Pumpkin City’s Pumpkin Farm

The color orange is the star attraction at the Pumpkin City’s Pumpkin Farm. It’s for fall, it’s fun, and it’s free! We’re talking about Orange County’s largest premier Harvest Festival. Talk about a perfect outing for the family! Free admission and parking, barnyard animals in the Petting Zoo, pony rides at the Pony Corral, puppet shows, amusement rides, thousands of pumpkins..need we say more?!?

Spooktacular Fall Family Festival

Tuesday, October 31–2pm-5pm

What a great way to spend time with your younger children on Halloween afternoon. Spooktacular gives your kids a chance to trick-or-treat in a fun and safe environment. They can play on multiple inflatables and bounce houses. There is also a costume contest as well as a child and pet costume parade. Just think of the possibilities! Enjoy some refreshments and have your picture taken for your memory book. Or Facebook. Or Twitter. Or Snapchat. Or Instagram..you get the picture!

Cinepolis Luxury Cinemas

Speaking of pictures: talk about a great spot for Girls Night Out, Date Night Out, or Some Other Special Night Out! Cinepolis is a premiere movie theatre and restaurant experience. Wander in and find areas to relax, order dinner and watch a frightening movie in comfort and style. Just have your sweetie nearby so you can grab him when the movie takes a dark and scary turn!

Cismontane Brewing Co.

Regulars to Cismontane love its cozy atmosphere and excellent choice of craft brews. Seating at this smaller craft brewing company is limited: the locals recommend ordering a growler. Cismontane Brewing typically has around 8 beers on tap, and many others bottled. Grab an outside table, order a meal from the Thai restaurant next door and they’ll deliver it right to you. Sounds like a plan!

Dailys Sports Grill

College and Pro Football is king this time of year, and the NBA is just getting started. Dailys Sports Grill can scratch your itch for lots of sports to watch with multiple TVs and good pub food. Excellent weekend spot to unwind and figure out what you’re going to wear to that Halloween party!

Dunbar Brewing

This is not a place for a witch’s brew, but rather a cool spot to hear music and gather with friends around a pint. Regulars say the bar will remind you of “Cheers” where everybody knows your name, but newcomers are welcomed with open arms. There are food trucks on location that can fill up your empty tanks. The beer selection is impressive and varied.

Spa Gregorie’s Day Spa & Salon

If the ghosts and ghouls are getting on your last nerve, Spa Gregorie’s might just be the antidote for your worries. It was voted Best Day Spa by American Spa Magazine, Day Spa Magazine, City Search and SpaFinder. This is a unique retreat for women and men, where guests can escape the rigors of daily stress. So unwind in this special space. Body massages and facials await, and there are couples package deals to die for!

 

So.., even if the dog is barking, the wind is howling, and the door is creaking, you can shut the door and head out to some fall fun in OC!

Why Changing Your Air Filters Pays Off In Rancho Santa Margarita

Posted on | by Cuselleration

It’s a rare find as a homeowner: a problem that is easily fixed for just a few bucks.

But the team at The Kovacs Connection are here with some good news: change your home’s air filters and improve the quality of your life for the cost of a couple of cups of Pumpkin Spiced Latte.

Now we’re all friends here: you can come clean. When was the last time you changed out your home’s air filters? Yep, I thought so. You’re in good company. Here are a couple of reasons why you need to be heading to the home improvement store:

Why Changing Your Air Filters is so Important: Air Quality

Okay, so this isn’t going to be pretty, but the air we breathe on a regular basis is filled with microscopic particles like dust, pollen, skin cells, mold, bacteria and a bunch of other unmentionables. You need to clean your home, but when you dust, sweep, vacuum, cook and just live you let loose all those little particles that can end up in your lungs. If you or someone you live with has asthma, allergies or other lung issues, this is really reduce the quality of your breathing life. In fact, the EPA ranks indoor air pollutants in the top five environmental health risks. Fortunately, there are high-efficiency AC filters that can catch all of these particles before they enter your home. However, an accumulation of dirt and particles will eventually clog up even the best AC filter and it will no longer be able to do perform as well. By replacing your filter regularly, you can ensure the air quality in your home stays as clean as it should.

So change those filters!

It’s More Energy Efficient

If your air filter hasn’t been changed in awhile, it gets clogged, and your AC or heating system has to work a lot harder just to pump air through the blocked filter. So your system is working harder, using more energy, and using up more dollars in your pocket when the utility bill arrives.

Pay Me Now, Pay Me Later

A huge reason to change your air filters is that it’s a cheap way to maintain your expensive heating and air units. It’s subtle and you may not realize it until your A/C unit stops working in the middle of the summer, but the cause may be that there has been too much strain on the system and it can no longer keep up with the demand. Cheap filters…New system…You decide.

Have We Mentioned It’s Cheap and Easy?

No calls to A/C repairmen and pay their weekend rates. No special tools. No lack of air temp where it’s just the way you like it. Just grab those dirty air filters, head to the home improvement store and walk out a new person. You’re breathing easier just thinking about it, aren’t you?

Okay, I’m Sold. How Often Do I Change Them?

It depends on how often you run your heat or air, what kind of filter you are using and what time of year it may be. If you have allergies and you’re sneezing, change them more often, which typically occurs in the spring and fall with pollen floating through the air and into your home. Experts with HVAC say check them once a month and replace them every three months. Best idea is to put in on your computer’s calendar for Jan 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1.

Enjoy Breathing Easy.

Debra Kovacs

Posted on | by Cuselleration

The Kovacs Connection

Debra has been with Century 21 Award, a Premier, locally operated Orange County Real Estate Firm for over 18 years. She has been in the Real Estate Industry for over 30 years and has learned that there are many qualities and skills that go into being an excellent Realtor. In her opinion the most important is the ability to discover and address the diverse needs, wants, expectations and concerns of different home sellers and buyers. This ability can only come through really caring about people together with a whole lot of practical experience and education. My interior design and building industry skills have put me ahead of most real estate agents because she is able to show your home at its best and market your home with the best services known.

Debra takes great pride in her work and is a highly motivated, energetic individual who always gives 110% to the entire transaction. Her services will give you a true sense of security. Because of her knowledge and hard work she has been awarded time and time again the highest awards through the Century 21 system and is in the Top 1% of Realtors Worldwide. She is certified in corporate relocation, a home staging specialist and has extensive experience with short sales and foreclosures.

STUNNER IN TURTLE ROCK, NEWPORT BEACH

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STUNNER IN TURTLE ROCK, NEWPORT BEACH

If single story luxury homes gets your heart racing then brace yourself. This exquisite home offers space, style and class all at an very reasonable price for the coveted Turtle Rock, Newport Beach neighborhood. The airy, open floor plan gives the entire home an expansive feel and the large windows throughout allow bright sunlight to pour in. Having been recently remodeled, the home features extensive hardwood flooring, plumbing and light fixtures, hardware, carpet and paint. If you like to cook, you won’t want to miss a beat in this fantastic kitchen which includes granite countertops, white cabinetry and stainless steel appliances. It also features a center island with a breakfast nook which links into the large family room where you can stay warm next to an amazing 360 degree fireplace. The master suite is massive and includes a walk in closet with craftsman stone work in the bathroom.

The backyard will simply take your breath away. It’s over 9000 sqft, more than enough room for a pool, a spa or any desired additions. The patio area provides ample space for entertaining and the sliding doors make getting in and out easy. Whether you have a large family or just like having company around, this space is perfect for all of your needs.

Address: 19011 Edington Unit TE, Irvine, CA

Priced only at $2,000,999, this stunning home will not last on the market long. To schedule a private viewing, contact us today. We are here to serve any and all of your real estate needs.

Debbie and Lauren Kovacs
www.kovacsconnection.com

Debra Kovacs
Direct 949.350.0146
debrakovacs@cox.net

Lauren Kovacs
Direct 949.600.3672
laurenkovacs@cox.net