All Blog Entries by Sam Smith Team

The Sam Smith Team is a collection of luxury Huntington Beach Real Estate agents that understand the local marketplace and provide the upmost in professional real estate services.

Found 221 blog entries published by Sam Smith Team.

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The Huntington Beach Real Estate market is on the rebound and that includes the million dollar plus range as well.  In Jan 2013, there were a total of 8 homes that sold over the $1 million dollar price point.  The highest sale reported in at $1,825,000 for a french Normandy estate home located in the downtown Huntington Beach area.   The home was on the market for a total number 84 days and closed from the original list price of $1,999,500.  Other sales over the million dollar mark included new construction homes in the new Huntington Beach community of Pacific Shores.

Huntington Beach Luxury Homes  

The two sales came in at $1,193,128 and $1,137,514 for their four and five bedroom homes with square footage's of 3,585 and 3,608 respectively.  We were noting on our last blog that

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Everyone wants to find a good deal when buying a home in Huntington Beach. With the shortage of homes up for sale it has become a seller's market and buyers have less room to negotiate for the best deal. There are still good deals to be found and you just have to know where to look. Here is a quick guide to where you can find them.

Huntington Beach Real Estate | Huntington Beach, CA

1) Huntington Beach Inclusionary Program - We love these homes since they help low income buyers who need financial assistance in buying a home. Since most applicants can qualify for these homes the buying and negotiating buyers is really good. The first step is to see if you qualify for the program. You can visit the official website by just entering into any search engine the phrase "Huntington Beach Inclusionary

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The Seacliff community in Huntington Beach is one of the most well known and desirable places to find condos for sale in Huntington Beach, California.  What makes this place so unique and special?  For starters the community is located behind a 24 hour guard gate which provides the ultimate in privacy and safety for residents.  Once inside the gates you have multiple communities that area located in Seacliff.  Seacliff condos are actually two story townhomes that have living quarters typically on the first level with bedrooms on the 2nd level.  

Huntington Beach Real Estate | Huntington Beach Homes For Sale

Most of these condos come with two car garages which are located in the basement level.  The condos are most commonly called "Seacliff Club Series" condos and feature one of the best associations in the area.

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Living on the water front in Huntington Beach is a great place to live.  If you are looking for a low maintance condo or townhome located on the water then you have many choices in Huntington Beach.  One popular community is called "Weatherly Bay."  The community is located on Warner Ave and just a block to Pacific Coast Hwy and the beach.  It's hard to find a better location where you have great proximity to the beach and wonderful views of the Harbor.  

Weatherly Bay Condos | Huntington Beach Real Estate

The community has an association pool and tennis court and plenty of parking for residents and guests.  Association dues currently run $350 a month which includes the swimming pool, tennis and exterior insurance on the building.  For those who have a boat then you will be happy to learn that select

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Finding a home in today's tight market is frustrating for a lot of buyers.  This is especially true for buyers looking to buy a home for under $650,000 by the beach.  Huntington Beach is one of the best places to find lower and well priced single family homes starting around $400,000 and up.  The homes in the lower range are typically starter homes that are normally not upgraded.  If your budget allows beyond this range then there are several communities that we can recommend.  

One of the communities is the Prestige neighborhood.  Located in the Northwest section of Huntington Beach lies beautiful two story homes with great curb appeal and well priced homes.  For the most part the homes will be listed for sale under $650,000 and located just 10 minutes

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Beachwalk is a popular area in Huntington Beach that is located just south of the Seacliff Country Club in Huntington Beach, California.  The homes are attached homes with 2 to 3 bedrooms and 2 car garages. The homes are classified as a "Planned Unit Development" or better known as "PUD" homes.  Since this classification the homes are not considered condos even though they share attached walls.

Beachwalk Condos | Huntington Beach Real Estate

The condos in 2012 have sold in the mid $400,000 range to the low $600,000 range.  The range of these homes often depends on whether the home was sold as a standard or distressed sale.  Distressed sales are typically short sale and bank owned properties where the bank wants to liquidate at a low price.  The condos location is the key as the beach is only 1/2

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We get a lot of requests from buyers looking for a condo that sits directly on the water in Huntington Beach.  One of the first places we direct them to is the Portofino Cove condos.  Select condos in the Cove has direct water views of the Huntington Harbor and the Marina.  Condos prices in 2012 have ranged from $420,000 to $670,000 with a total of 4 sales in the community.

Portofino Cove Condos For Sale | Huntington Beach Real Estate

 

The lowest price sale was listed and sold as a short sale with the remain three properties sold as a standard sale.  The condos range from 1 to 2 bedroom units that can range anywhere from under 1,000 square feet for a one bedroom to a luxury 2 bedroom unit that is approximately 1,177 square feet.  If you are looking to rent in this community expect to spend $2,000 to $3,000 a

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For those looking for new construction homes you will be excited to learn that Brightwater has announced three new neighborhoods that will offer various new construction homes for sale.  The three neighborhoods consist of Capri, Seaglass and Azurene with the sales office being opened last Saturday to the public according to the company website.

Brightwater Huntington Beach | Huntington Beach Real Estate

The Capri neighborhood is the smallest of the three and offers 4 bedroom homes with up to 4.5 baths with square footage's ranging from 1,992 to 2,685 square feet.  The Seaglass neighborhood is in the mid-range and offers 3-5 bedrooms and up to 5.5 baths with square footage's ranging from 3,192 to 3,732 square feet.  The largest homes will be found in the Azurene neighborhood that will offer 3-6 bedroom homes

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Admiralty Island in Huntington Beach is known for it's stunning waterfront homes with price tags well above the million dollar mark.  For those considering buying or selling in this community it's crucial to understand what has happened in the neighborhood when it comes to sales.  In 2012, we saw 3 properties sell in Admiralty Island ranging from $2 million to $2,900,000. 

Admirality Island Huntington Beach | Huntington Beach Real Estate

The first home was located at 16472 Grimaud Ln and was a four bedroom, four bath home with a reported 3,415 square feet of living space.  The home was located directly on the Huntington Harbour and featured a 56 foot boat dock with an attached 3 car garage.  The home sold for $2,000,000 as a standard sale.

The second home was located at 3342 Bounty Cir and was a three bedroom,

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If you are thinking about renting a home in the Huntington Beach area then you may want to consider renting in the next several months.  The winter months always have the best rates as this time of year is always considered the low rental season.  Landlord that have their rental homes up for lease are typically more willing to negotiate with you in price and terms than in the summer months.

Huntington Beach Real Estate | Huntington Beach, CA

If you are not sure you want to stay in the lease property for over a year then offering to do a 6 month rental is truly a win-win situation for everyone.  The landlord is able to have his home rented during the winter months and will come back on the market in the more marketable summer months.  We see a lot of renters doing exactly this with great success.

Key

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The Bungalow style is one of the most recognizable architectural style of homes throughout the country.  With Southern California being widely known for it's predominant Mediterranean and Spanish Style homes, the bungalow is sometimes hard to find. We love Huntington Beach for it's diverse community and architectural styles and if you love the Bungalow style then there are some great places to find them for under $600,000!  Pictured below is a perfect example of a bungalow style home that is currently listed for $565,000.

407 Alabama Huntington Beach | Huntington Beach Real Estate

The home is located in the downtown Huntington Beach area and features three bedrooms, two baths and just under 1,000 square feet.  For those not use to California living, homes in this price range will typically be under 1,300

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There is a lot of speculation on what the real estate market will do in 2013.  With the upcoming Presidential elections coming up next month many buyers are sitting on the fence and waiting to see the outcome before making any buying decisions.  This is typically during an election year as many home buyers are skeptical in making the wrong move.  There have been many reports that indicate 2013 will be a strong year for real estate and prices will slowly continue to go up. 

Huntington Beach Real Estate | Huntington Beach, CA

We have already started to see this happen here in Huntington Beach as well priced properties are receiving multiple offers.  The banks are also gearing up to flush out any distressed properties that may have in their portfolio and focus on helping these owners short sell their

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South Huntington Beach is a great place to live as the community features many community parks and great schools for kids to attend.  Located near the Newport and Huntington Beach boundary line is a nice community known as Franciscan Fountain homes.  Here you will find several names for the homes located near Seeley Park that were built in the late 1960's. Franciscan Fountain Seaport Lido is one of communities in this area that offer large 2 story home in the $700,000 range.  

The great part of this community is the local park and elementary school located in the immediate area.  Another great feature is the close proximity to Newport Beach and all the wonderful waterfront communities located there.  It's an easy commute to Fashion Island and the many

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Huntington Beach foreclosures are on the decline as more and more sellers are electing to short sale their homes. The are a couple of reasons for this occurrence. First, the banks realize it's cheaper to work with the current owner of the home then let them house go into foreclosure. The foreclosure process can be a very long and drawn out process where the property is not taken care of. It's easier for banks to work with the current owner who is more likely to take care of the home during this process. The banks know that if they treat the short sale client with respect and help that someday this client may eventually buy a home through them again in the future.

Second, the banks are now offering huge incentives to sellers as much as $45,000 to short

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Huntington Bayshore condo community is a great place to live no matter if you are looking to buy or to lease.  The gated community is conveniently located just three blocks to the beach and the Huntington Beach Pier and just a block away from the main street shopping district.   Currently condos range in the high $200,000 range to the low $400,000 range.  If you are looking to rent then condos consistently rent between $3,000 to $3,500 a month in Bayshore. 

Huntington Bayshore Condos | Huntington Beach Real Estate

One of the special properties in the Huntington Bayshore is 310 Lake St unit #106.  This condo is currently being offered for lease for $3,300 a month and is a highly upgraded and furnished two bedroom, two bath condo.  The condo does offer peek views of the ocean with one of the prime locations

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Living by the beach can be expensive, especially If you want to live in Orange County, one of the most expensive places to live by the beach. Even with home prices coming down in the last several years, finding a single family home near the beach for around $500,000 can be tough.

Huntington Beach Real Estate | Huntington Beach, CA

Huntington Beach is one of those special places were things are different and more affordable. Since the city spreads out over several square miles you will an abundance of homes in this price range. Distressed properties control the large majority of this market so make sure you understand how to buy bank owned and short sale properties. Dealing with the banks can be a difficult process but If you to buy a home for $500,000 is the key. Make sure to look in the South and

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If you are familiar with the Huntington Beach area then you know about the Seacliff gated community. Sea Cliff on the greens is one of the premier neighborhoods with wonderful patio homes that offer wonderful golf course and ocean views. Home prices will typically range from $825,000 to $919,000 with prices based on views and locations.

Huntington Beach Seacliff Homes | Huntington Beach Real Estate

These master patio homes have seen a decrease in supply this year with a pint up demand for new listings to come on the market. In 2012, there have been 2 sales in the Seacliff on the Greens Master patio homes. If you are still apprehensive about buying a home right now you may want to consider renting a home in this neighborhood. Rental prices in Seacliff will range around $3,600 a month. For more information on golf

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Within every city and community you will find hard to sell properties. These homes typically have some unique feature which causes it to be difficult to sell. Some of these factors may include located near a freeway, homes with some kind of functional obsolescence and those that require major renovation. When looking for a realtor to handle these kind of properties it's important to understand how these homes get sold. One of they ways to sell a home in today's market is exposure. If the home is not exposed to the right buyer then your property will never sell. Magazine and newspaper advertising only results in a very small percentage of homes sales today. Roughly 45% of all homes are sold by another real estate agent then the agent you hire. What this

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If you have ever strolled down Pacific Coast Highway near the Pier in Huntington Beach you can't help notice the many three story homes that are located in the downtown area.  These tri-level homes are some of the most sought after real estate in Huntington Beach due to their large size and curb appeal.  Many of the waterfront communities in Huntington Beach also have three story homes and condos on the harbour and typically average over 2,500 square feet.  

Huntington Beach Three Story Homes | Huntington Beach, Ca

Of course, it's all about location in Huntington Beach so expect prices to be higher if you are looking for a waterfront or beachfront home.  One of the newer communities like the Villas at Pacific Shores in South Huntington Beach also offer tri-level homes.  These homes have just been completed

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Finding a Huntington Beach condo or home is all about location.  Since the city of Huntington Beach is a very large city and spread out upon many square miles finding a property by the beach at an affordable price can be tricky.  If you have never heard of Bayshore Condos then they are definitely worth a look.  Huntington Bayshore is a private gated community where you can find many condos for sale for under $400,000.

Huntington Beach Real Estate | Huntington Beach, CA

From this location you are just a couple blocks to the beach in the West part of Huntington Beach.  The condos listed for sale are 2 bedrooms and 2 baths with just over 1,000 square feet.  At first glance you may think these may be too small but the floor plans are well thought out and every square inch is utilized very well.  2