Tag: home for sale in laguna beach

What’s My Home Worth? A Comparison of the Best Online Home Value Estimator Tools

 

Whether you’re about to enter into a search for a new home, or just want to make informed decisions about the value of the home you currently live in, you may be wondering how much is my home worth? Fortunately, there are many great home value estimator tools available to help you to determine the approximated worth of your property. Our website boasts our own home value estimator, which is a great starting point in determining your home’s price. It doesn’t hurt to get a second or third opinion, however, by working with an industry professional who knows the market. Although each of the options provided below uses different methods to determine their estimates, when viewed in aggregate you can get a strong estimate of a home value in Orange County.

 

There are also different types of home value estimators to consider, each with their own pros and cons. Many online estimates have the benefit of being available to you free of charge so that you can access many different reports and estimates for the property in question. In-person assessments, on the other hand, carry the cost of paying a professional to carry them out, but they can also provide more accurate and actionable information due to the more thorough nature. To find a home value in Orange County, a combination of both online and in-person estimates is often your best bet, narrowing your options with online tools before relying on a pro before the sale.

 

The Zillow “Zestimate”

 

One of the two major online home value estimate tools, Zillow is considered the more seller friendly option, as it tends to have higher estimated values for the homes listed on it. Zillow uses a secret algorithm which helps to create a “Zestimate” on the value of the home. While it is not officially known what factors are used in the estimate, it is commonly accepted that a large portion of estimates comes based on prior sales data and information on other sales around the home with similar amenities.

 

Redfin Estimates

 

As with Zillow, Redfin uses its own proprietary algorithm in order to determine an estimated home value. Orange County has many great homes listed on Redfin, and the numbers provided by the Redfin estimate are often more friendly to those who are searching for a home, with values on average being lower than those of the “Zestimate” guesses. Redfin also makes use of a “Hot Home” feature which gives increased prominence to listings which are seeing a great deal of traffic. Although page clicks may not directly translate to value, they are a good indicator of interest and likely competition.

 

Creating a Good Online Estimate

 

Although you should never count on just one online estimate for a home valuation in Newport Beach, Laguna Beach or Corona del Mar, by checking out multiple different sites you can get a good idea of the value of the home. The easiest way to do so is add up the values from the different sites then divide by the number of sites to find an average value. By combining multiple sites together you improve the likelihood of getting an accurate result, as you are less likely to be thrown off by an algorithm on one site missing something. If you find a result from one of the online listings which is vastly different, you may want to consider removing it before averaging in order to get a more accurate home value in Orange County.

 

The Importance of a Home Appraisal

 

While online estimates are fine for sating your curiosity, when ownership is trading hands, they’re not enough. Whether you’re buying or selling, house worth must be assessed by a professional in order to get a true home value. Orange County is a booming real estate destination, but you can’t make good decisions without good information. An appraisal is carried out by an unbiased professional who has no stake in a high or low value, so you can trust that the number they come back with is as accurate as possible.

 

If you are applying for financing for your home, it is likely that an in-person appraisal will be required by your lending agent. When you receive a mortgage, the home serves as collateral for the loan, so it’s in the lender’s best interest to make sure that you are not borrowing more than it is worth or else the bank could be out of luck in the event of default. Your appraiser will perform a visual inspection of the entire home, inside and outside, as well as note the home’s amenities. By combining this information with data on similar sales which have occurred, they come up with the most accurate possible estimated home value an Orange County home buyer could ask for.

 

Despite the importance of a professionally determined value, it’s always nice to get a sense of things on your own as you consider your options. If you’re in the market to buy or sell your home, please do not hesitate to contact us here at the Stavros Group — we’d love to help in any way we can!

 

How to Quickly Spruce up Your Orange County Home

Putting your home for sale in Laguna Beach and want to stage your home to sell quickly? Or just looking to spruce up your Corona del Mar home a bit? There are lots of things you can do to a space to liven it up — buy new furniture, add some unique or colorful decor touches, update fixtures — but probably the one that creates the most dramatic change is adding a fresh coat of paint. For far less than the cost of a major renovation, painting your walls a new color will make your home feel modern, current, and refreshingly new. Whether you’re just moving in, looking to refurbish your existing space, or trying to sell your Orange County home quickly, here are a few of the trendiest interior paint colors that are sure to transform any room in your house.

 

 

 

Metropolitan AF-690 from Benjamin Moore

 

Voted Benjamin Moore’s Color of the Year for 2019, their Metropolitan AF-690 is a neutral gray that is stylish yet comforting at the same time and seemingly pairs well with everything. Shades of gray are very in right now, due to their calming nature and their ability to add an air of class and sophistication to any space. According to Benjamin Moore’s Director of Strategic Design Intelligence, Ellen O’Neill, “Metropolitan AF-690 emanates nuance, harmony and extravagant ease. Always adaptable, it softens to matte or shimmers with sheen. It’s neutral. It’s understated. It just is. This is color, off-duty.”

 

 

This color would look great in any room of the house, from the kitchen to the bedroom. To give you even more reason to love it, this Metropolitan AF-690 was also featured on Consumer Report’s list of Hottest Interior Paint Colors of 2019. According to Consumer Report’s Paint Ratings, they recommend using either the Benjamin Moore Aura or the Benjamin Moore Regal Select, both slightly pricier options but are environmentally-friendly, and only one coat is needed to cover your walls.

 

Blue Tequila from Behr

To add a calming, beachy vibe to your home, a color like Behr’s Blue Tequila is the perfect shade of blue-green to compliment a room. A more modern take on seafoam, this paint can add the perfect touch of color as an accent wall in any living area or bedroom, or coat your entire kitchen in it to transform your cooking area. Pair with a classic eggshell white for a quintessential beach feel, or pair with shades of taupes, browns and even orange to give a more rustic feel.  This is another color that is extremely versatile and is bound to look good in whatever capacity you use it!

 

Peppercorn from Sherwin-Williams

 

Often people shy away from darker colors, but Sherwin-Williams Peppercorn is a charcoal gray that packs a punch while retaining that neutral elegance. Darker walls make colors pop, especially if accompanied by lighter crown-molding or furniture to contrast with the bold walls. If you’re hesitant to turn your entire living room or bedroom this dark of hue, then start by playing around in the bathroom. A hall bathroom is a great place to try out bolder colors and decor choices since this isn’t a room you’re constantly using. Then, if you happen to love it, you can expand beyond to more areas of your house!

 

 

Reflecting Pool from HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams

For those looking to add a pop of color to their homes, Reflecting Pool by HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams may be a perfect option. This beautiful shade of teal is bold enough to add spice to a dining room or living room, but also modern enough to give a sophisticated and elegant feel to the home. This was another color that made it onto Consumer Report’s list of Hottest Interior Paint Colors of 2019, which recommends using HGTV Home Infinity by Sherwin-Williams or the HGTV Home Showcase paint for this color, both ranking high in their Paint Ratings. Pair it with navy and a yellow hue if you’re aiming for more of a fun and playful look, or with greys and creams if you want just a pop of color. This hue would be a great option when updating a modern or mid-century modern style space.  


 

Ella Rose from Magnolia Home Paint

 

An unexpected color that you may not have thought of incorporating into your home is pink. Most people associate shades of pink with youthful, “girly” rooms. However, the right shade of pastel pink or dusty rose can add a bit of charm to any shabby chic or traditional home. Ella Rose from Magnolia Home Paint by Joanna Gaines is a beautiful pale neutral pink with accents of peach. It has a softer, sweeter touch to it that will translate to your home. It’s the perfect shade if you want a graceful and timeless color with a fresh twist.

 
 
 

Blueprint S470-5 from Behr

 

Behr’s Blueprint is a deep hue of beautiful slate blue that would compliment a bedroom, living room or kitchen. Voted as Behr’s 2019 Color of the Year, this color would especially compliment a modern or mid-century modern aesthetic home. Shades of blue are always popular, as they are calming and usually very versatile. However, this shade adds a bit more dimension to a room and can make lighter-colored furniture or cabinets really pop. This was another color that made it onto Consumer Report’s list of Hottest Interior Paint Colors of 2019. They recommend using Behr Marquee, Behr Premium Plus Enamel, or Behr Premium Plus Ultra for this color, all ranking high in their Paint Ratings.

 

 

Magnolia Green from Magnolia Home Paint

If you want to recreate the rustic Fixer-Upper look that Joanna Gaines is so famous for creating, then Magnolia Green from Magnolia Home Paint is a perfect place to start. This gorgeous olive green color can be used as an accent or to fill an entire room. It’s extremely versatile and, although you might not initially think it at first glance, it can look amazing in any room of the house. Pair it with creams and grays to complete that enchanting farmhouse look. 

I hope these colors have given you some inspiration to get you started on that renovation or home facelift you’ve been dreaming about. Whatever decor choices you make, what really matters is that you make it feel like you. If you get to the point where your current house no longer feels like home and you’re yearning for a bigger change, I’d love to help you find that perfect Orange County property that truly is the home of your dreams.