Stavrosgroup

10 Major Benefits of Virtual Home Tours in Orange County

About 81% of marketers agree that interactive content is better at grabbing an audience’s attention. Instead of focusing on a hard sell, interactive content combines authenticity and quality content to help you stand out from other homeowners trying to sell.

In fact, offering virtual home tours is one of the best forms of interactive content you can utilize when selling your property.

With COVID-19 quarantines still underway, virtual tours can help you to reach buyers while they remain safe inside.

Meanwhile, virtual house tours can attract more potential buyers and give you an advantage in the marketplace. Still on the fence? Here are 10 benefits you can experience by offering house tours online.

Keep reading to learn more about how offering virtual home tours can get you ahead of the curve.

1. Generate More Interest

Over 50% of home buyers find their new homes through the internet. Many of these online homebuyers look for virtual house tours before voicing their interest. Virtual tours are most important to buyers who fall within the 52 to 71 age range.

By creating virtual home tours, you can reach more potential buyers.

With people staying at home in response to COVID-19, you can’t wait for people to schedule an in-person tour. Instead, you need to attract more people to your property. Adding virtual real estate tours to your listing can help you expand your reach.

As more people stay home, buyers are relying on the internet to research real estate properties. Using virtual tours will help you market your property even while buyers stay at home.

Appeal to Your Target Audience

In fact, providing visuals of the property is a better way to appeal to buyers. Virtual tours offer more details than simple sketches. By providing buyers with online home tours, you can add details that are bound to make an impact.

At the same time, you’re providing home buyers with helpful information that will help them make an informed decision.

Virtual house tours can help you reach your target audience, too. You can integrate customized features based on your audience’s expectations. Using a customized approach will increase your chance of closing a sale.

At the same time, you’re making customers feel special and valued. As a result, they’ll turn toward your property instead of another.

As you attract more visitors to your listing, you’re also increasing your property’s search engine ranking. Once you reach the top of a search page, you can earn more visitors than competing sellers. A higher ranking will also build brand trust, your credibility, and boost awareness!

2. Save Valuable Time

Listing a new property for sale by conventional means can result in hundreds of phone calls from potential buyers. You’ll need to complete in-person tours that may or may not result in a sale. Meeting each of these potential buyers in person can waste your valuable time and energy.

In many cases, some of these buyers are simply curious.

Often enough, curious buyers are only touring different homes. They don’t have the intention of making a reach purchase.

Virtual home tours allow buyers to determine their interest. They can explore a property straight from their phones or laptops. If they’re genuinely interested in the property, they can contact you for more information.

Encouraging prospective buyers to explore your online house tours first will help you determine the true buyers. Then, you can focus your time and attention on closing those sales.

3. Encourage Interactions

In addition to helping you attract more site visitors, virtual home tours can also increase your clickthrough rate. A higher clickthrough rate will increase your listing’s ranking on search engines like Google.

Virtual house tours encourage people to click around and interact with your content.

Visitors will click around to navigate their way through your virtual real estate tours. Meanwhile, they can also leave comments on your posts and ask questions about aspects of each property. For example, a prospective buyer can ask about the flooring and countertop materials.

Then, you or your real estate agent can easily respond in real-time.

These instantaneous interactions will help you discover prospective buyers. At the same time, you’re increasing the listing’s search engine ranking, allowing you to reach even more buyers.

4. Reduce Bounces

A high bounce rate can have a negative impact on your listing’s search engine ranking. The bounce rate indicates how many people leave the listing and how quickly.

Adding virtual tours to your listing can boost engagement and the clickthrough rate, which will decrease the bounce rate.

Search engines like Google will recognize that the listing is keeping visitors engaged and on the page. Google will prioritize your listing over ones with a low clickthrough rate and a high bounce rate.

Most virtual home tours take about a minute. That’s an additional minute you can keep people occupied on your listing. As each visitor’s dwell time increases, your bounce rate will drop.

Remember, the higher you rank on search engines, the more people will visit your listing.

5. Stand Out From Competitors

Many real estate agents aren’t aware of the benefits of virtual tours. Offering these tours before other sellers do will give you an advantage in the marketplace.

As one of the few people offering virtual tours in your target area, you can stand out from the crowd. You’ll attract the attention of prospective buyers before others can.

Your target audience will recognize the convenience you’re offering them. They’ll choose to explore your online home tours instead of touring another property in person. Then, you can get ahead of other sellers in your area by maintaining that advantage.

Failing to offer remote tours, on the other hand, can cause you to fall behind the curve. As your competitors recognize these benefits, they’ll start offering online tours themselves.

Get ahead of the curve and start attracting buyers to your property listing before your competitors can.

6. Increase Shares

Once your real estate agent posts your home online, you’ll want to generate as much traffic to your listing as possible.

Virtual house tours are eye-catching, engaging, and worth sharing. As more people share your online home tours, you’ll receive a backlink to your listing.

At the same time, you’ll improve your listing’s authority, which can further improve your search engine ranking.

The more backlinks you generate, the better for your ranking. Then, you can attract more visitors to your listing and generate more interest!

7. Get Social

You can also generate more interest by sharing your virtual tours on social media. A high-quality virtual tour can even go viral. The more people you impress with your house tour, the more likely they’ll share the tours with their friends.

Search engines like Google also use social media signals when determining search rankings. You can ensure your listing goes viral by creating unique, quality content.

You can also encourage social sharing by using emails. As you share your virtual home tours over email, people will send the email to others. As a result, you’re also extending your reach and marketing your property to other buyers!

8. Offer Ease

Cleaning and staging virtual house tours can take time and energy. You’ll want to make sure the entire house is in pristine condition before scheduling an in-person tour. With virtual home tours, however, you won’t have to waste valuable time.

Instead, you’ll have the convenience of providing buyers with a tour regardless of the property’s actual state.

In fact, virtual tours are one of the best ways to present any property. The listing will look attractive and explorable, even online. You can highlight different spaces, allowing buyers to navigate between one room and the next on their own.

At the same time, you’re creating a permanent open house by providing potential buyers with 24/7 hour access to the property. As a result, people will also see you’re reliable and ready to offer the information they need.

9. Highlight Key Features

The time homebuyers spend looking for the perfect home has decreased by three days year-over-year. That means you have a short window to make a strong first impression.

Decades ago, static newspaper and magazine listings were enough to grab a homebuyer’s attention. Now, agencies need to use photography, videos, and walk-throughs to attract buyers.

Today, you can use virtual real estate tours to provide buyers with all the visual information they could possibly need.

You can also customize these tours to highlight specific features for each listing. For example, if you can show off the latest home improvements you’ve made. Buyers can zoom in, examine details, and explore your properties day or night!

10. Improve Your ROI

Virtual house tours can increase your sales and boost your return on investment (ROI). Instead of wasting time and money with in-person tours, you can use virtual tours to pinpoint prospective buyers. You can focus on increasing the value of your home, too!

These tours can help you reveal key selling points for each property, increasing your chance of a sale!

Take a Tour: 10 Major Benefits of Virtual Home Tours

Want to sell your home as soon as possible? Experience these benefits of virtual home tours for yourself! By creating a virtual tour, you can attract buyers and sell your property in no time.

We’re here to help. Connect with our team today to sell your property using virtual tours!

Mortgage Rates Hit All-Time Low

Last week, mortgage rates hit an all-time low. Maybe you’ve heard, it’s big news. On March 5th, 2020, the national average interest rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage clocked in at 3.29%. That’s the lowest recorded rate in the almost 50 years since Freddie Mac began keeping track in 1971. It’s a momentous occasion—historic, even.

Of course, there’s other, bigger, more somber news these days. The risk of global pandemic is wreaking economic havoc and pushing rates even lower. It goes without saying that these record-low rates aren’t exactly cause for celebration. Like the rate cuts that followed the Great Recession, today’s boon for borrowers follows another worldwide emergency. The novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, dominates the headlines. It’s impossible to avoid, and for good reason: in times like these, it’s best to stay informed.

In that vein, we thought we’d take a look at how the spring real estate market is shaping up. While we can’t predict the future, we are informed by indicators like historically low mortgage rates and the current state of the market.

Record-Low Mortgage Rates

Here’s the good news: When rates are low, both buyers and sellers win. Before reaching the current low, mortgage rates began to fall during the global economic crisis of 2007-2008. Rates started 2007 well above 6% and averaged about 5% in 2008. By November 2012, they reached the previous historic low of 3.31%. After bumping back up to mid-3 and 4% in subsequent years, rates again began to drop in 2019. In a nutshell, buyers shopping for a mortgage have had it good for quite a while now.

Today’s all-time low average mortgage rates mean buyers can spend more on the principal of their loan instead of the interest. They can be approved for a larger loan, enabling them to buy “more house” with the same savings and income. Additionally, some would-be buyers who couldn’t afford to buy an Orange County home may finally get the chance they’ve been waiting for.

$500,000 loan at 4.29%
- Total cost of mortgage: $889,712
- Monthly payments: $2,471

$500,000 loan at 3.29%
- Total cost of mortgage: $787,328
- Monthly payments: $2,187

As you can see, mortgage rates greatly impact both monthly payments and the total cost of a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage.

The benefits of today’s all-time low mortgage rates extend to existing homeowners and sellers as well. When more buyers are shopping with more money to spend, listings receive more interest and competition. That means better outcomes for sellers. Existing homeowners can win by refinancing. Analytics firm Black Knight recommends refinancing on any loan that’s at least 0.75% higher than the current average. There are some associated costs, but you’ll save thousands more if you can refinance to a significantly lower rate.

In a vacuum, reaching the historical low mortgage rate could be considered great for everyone. It benefits buyers, sellers and existing homeowners. But, unfortunately, there are extenuating circumstances to consider.

Enter Coronavirus: Disease and Unease

Unlike low mortgage rates, the effects of a possible global pandemic on Orange County real estate are a bit harder to guess. What we do know is that COVID-19 is very likely to spread further throughout the country. Fears will heighten, schools may shut. The ultimate toll that the virus might take on our country’s populace is unknown, but it is expected to be significant. The economy will also take a hit, and it already has.

Around the world, stock markets are plunging as business has crawled to a halt in some regions and industries. Despite lower rates, buyers whose down payments or reserves are in stock may actually have less buying power. If the virus spreads widely throughout the United States, the Orange County real estate industry may also slow. Open house events at Orange County homes for sale will be less populated during a pandemic. On the other hand, foreign investors are reportedly eyeing US real estate as an even safer investment than before the virus broke out. Call it a silver lining to a particularly grey cloud.

We also know that the Orange County real estate market has been largely unaffected so far. Buyers and sellers who are motivated by external circumstance (ie. a new marriage, new baby, new job, death divorce, etc.) are still participating in business as usual. The most affluent sellers or those who are in no real rush may elect to wait. If the disease fades away, things may stay the same. If the situation gets worse, they may change.

For now, Orange County real estate is still chugging along. Homeowners, buyers and sellers alike can take advantage of historically low mortgage rates. For those with an externally-motivated reason to buy or sell, that motivation hasn’t changed. Those are good things. If you’re interested in buying or selling an Orange County home, or if you need a recommendation for a trusted Orange County lender, let us know. We’re happy to help. Most importantly, follow the CDC’s guidelines for disease prevention, and take good care of yourself.

The Dangers of Overpricing Your Orange County Home

Whether you’re in Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Corona del Mar, or elsewhere, the dangers of overpricing your home are the same: It just won’t sell. Simple enough, no? Well, if you’re still curious, then read on to explore the reasons that pricing your home too high for the coastal Orange County market is perhaps the worst thing you can do when trying to sell.

Say you love the old tile smattered over your split-level floor plan. You feel the pool you installed for six figures was an excellent investment. Your afternoon naps simply wouldn’t be the same without those blaring trains. You love everything about your home, so it must be worth a little extra, right? Not necessarily.

An all-too common mistake by those selling a home in coastal Orange County (and literally everywhere else) is that they overvalue their property. Maybe they want to recoup their investment on costly improvements. Maybe their personal taste doesn’t match with market trends. Maybe they did some misguided research, or maybe they’re just going with their gut. Whatever the reason for an unrealistic sense of their home’s value, they can all be deadly to a listing’s chances.

Inevitably, a portion of sellers will heed poor advice from agents who will say anything to sign a listing. Others may scorn the advice of a good agent. But what really happens when a home is overpriced?

More is Less

Ironically, if your listing is overpriced, it’s more likely to sell for less than if you had priced correctly at the outset. Buyers are often reluctant to offer a “lowball” price to an overpriced listing, for fear of wasting their own time or possibly offending the sellers. Sure, some bold buyers might decide (or be convinced by their agent) to bid low, but many more of them won’t even bother.

When a listing is priced too high, buyers will move on to spend their time and energy on the reasonably priced listings in the area. They don’t want to waste their effort. That leads to decreased competition for the overpriced listing, and in the end a lower sales price. Good agents can spot an overpriced listing from a mile away. When they spot one, they will know that their clients needn’t worry about getting stuck in a bidding war. A seller who has overpriced should expect to see lower bids and fewer of them.

Losing Steam

Your first days and weeks on the market are the most crucial. When your listing goes live on the MLS, it triggers a cascade of events meant to help drum up interest in your property. Notifications are sent to buyers and agents through automated MLS alerts and search websites like Zillow, when a home that meets their criteria hits the market. If your listing is overpriced, those alerts won’t get a second look. In fact, if your pricing is way off, those alerts won’t even go to the “right” subset of buyers at all. Either way, you’ve wasted an opportunity.

As soon as your listing goes live, open houses and broker tours will populate on search sites, and your agent’s marketing plan should be in full swing. Snail mail, email, social media, agent networking—everything is full-speed ahead to supercharge your entry into the market. But, if you’ve priced too high, then you’ve stymied that effort from the get-go. Overpricing is an exercise in self-sabotage.

Going Stale

Once the initial marketing period is over, an overpriced listing will continue to linger on the market. And linger. And linger. And linger… you get the point. “Going stale,” in industry lingo, means being confronted with two options. First, you can simply wait. Perhaps you have the time to wait for conditions to improve. You’re not in a rush, and at the very least inflation will catch up to your unrealistic expectations eventually, right? Some sellers choose to pull their home off the market, but many don’t have that kind of time to spare, or they don’t want to live in listing limbo.

Your second option is a price drop. Sometimes, a price drop is a perfectly reasonable course of action; if it’s spurred because of a shift in market conditions, then you’re at least somewhat insulated by the fact that everyone else is floating in the same ebbing tide. However, if you must drop your price due to your own initial mistake, then you’ll turn into easy prey. Much like the lion that hunts the sickly gazelle, buyers will identify your listing as fundamentally weak. Offers will come in low, and buyers who see multiple price drops will just wait around for the next one.

Hitting the Sweet Spot

The dangers of overpricing highlight the importance of finding an agent who you trust. You deserve a real and honest discussion. At the Stavros Group, we apply our experience in Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Corona del Mar and beyond to fit your needs, and we offer guidance based on the realities of the market—good or bad, up or down. We are your trusted advisor in selling or buying a home in coastal Orange County. If you’re considering making a change, reach out to start the no pressure conversation and we’ll discuss all your options.

No Green Thumb? No Problem: 7 Easy Houseplants to Liven Your Living Space

If you’re buying Newport Beach real estate, staging your Laguna Beach home to sell, or if gloomy fall weather starts getting you down, then you could stand to benefit from some bright and lively houseplants!

Houseplant History

For thousands of years, people have been bringing a little piece of the outdoors into their homes. According to the legend, King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon commissioned the fabled Hanging Gardens for his wife, Queen Amytis, way back in 600 BC. The Greek scribe Berossus noted that the queen was not native to Babylon, so the Hanging Gardens were filled with familiar foliage to help her feel at home in a foreign land.

Historical findings have also documented houseplants in ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and among eastern civilizations. Roses and violets in marble or terracotta pots could be seen bestrewn about the homes of wealthy Roman citizens, eager to display the tallest and brightest flowers. Miniature potted plants such as the Japanese Bonsai and Chinese Penjing first appeared around 200-500 CE.

Throughout the Middle Ages after the fall of Rome, houseplants largely fell out of practice, surviving mainly in monasteries by monks who grew practical plants like herbs and vegetables. When the Renaissance came around, interest in houseplants was revitalized, and wealthy individuals paid handsomely for exotic specimens procured by explorers such as Christopher Columbus. Suffice it to say that humanity has long known the value of the humble houseplant!

Green Living

Aside from simply looking nice, houseplants have some great additional benefits. First and foremost, plants purify the air around us. The hungry buggers gobble up our exhaled carbon dioxide, and they release fresh and clean oxygen for us to breathe in—all at the low cost of a little water and sunshine. Plants also clean volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the air in our homes, although at such a small scale that it doesn’t make much difference.

Additionally, houseplants have shown various health benefits in clinical trials. In one example from the Department of Horticulture, researchers found that hospital patients recovering from surgery in the presence of houseplants had lower blood pressure and less anxiety, pain and fatigue. Patients reported that the plants “brightened up the room environment, reduced stress, and also conveyed positive impressions of hospital employees caring for patients.”

These effects can be realized in the home or workplace by adding plants of your own! If you have a home office or even occasionally work from home, consider adding a plant or two in view. A study by researchers at Washington State University found that workers with a potted plant in their line of sight saw increases in productivity of up to twelve percent.

Houseplants Made Simple

You may be interested in houseplants to liven up your home’s decor or to reap the health and other benefits covered above. If you’re new to taking care of plants, however, you’re likely wary of making a purchase just to see it die in the weeks or months that follow. But fear not, as there are plenty of options for those less floriculturally-inclined.

Here are just a few plants that DON’T require a green thumb to keep alive and well:

Aloe Vera

This hardy succulent only needs to be watered every couple of weeks. Allow soil to dry completely between waterings. As an added benefit, you can cut a piece and apply the latex it secretes to ease sunburns and minor cuts.

Snake Plant

Another plant which doesn’t need frequent watering, this succulent’s thick and waxy leaves store plenty of moisture. No need to stress while you’re away on a two-week vacation!

Spider Plant

This popular houseplant is perfect for newbies. A mainstay of homes around the country, and for good reason, the spider plant can withstand plenty of neglect. Just keep them watered and in indirect sunlight.

Pothos

Although tropical in origin, this viney plant’s heart-shaped leaves thrive even in cooler and drier climates. They don’t mind lower light or humidity levels, making them an easy and beautiful option for any home around the country.

Cactus

A symbol of the dry desert, cacti are the quintessential low-maintenance plant. Allow soil to dry between waterings; roughly a week if your pot has drainage holes, longer if not. As you might have guessed, these do require lots of sunlight, so place them in a brightly-lit space.

Cast Iron Plant

This lush evergreen is as resilient as its namesake. It is known to survive drastic shifts in temperature, and it doesn’t need a whole lot of sunlight or water to thrive.

Tillandsia (Air Plants)

As their name suggests, these beauties don’t even require soil to grow! As “epiphytes,” plants which extract nutrients directly from the air around them, you can hang tillandsia from the wall or ceiling as an attractive decorative piece. Just place them in bright sunlight and mist them occasionally to prevent drying, with frequency depending on the season.

Boost Your Quality of Life

As local real estate experts, we aim to show your listing in the best possible light. Just like a fresh coat of paint, a few well-placed plants can revitalize a room, so we love to use them when staging a home! The truth is that you don’t need a green thumb to enjoy the mood and health benefits of indoor plants. Give some of these houseplants a shot, and let us know how you fare! We’re always happy to hear from you.

Spooktober Special: On Haunted Homes

Hear ye, hear ye, guys and ghouls: Spooktober is upon us, and with it come the costumes, the parties, the candy, and of course the haunted houses. Right up there with graveyards, real estate has long been the setting for scary stories of things that go “bump” in the night.

Haunted House Hunters

To the true believers, living in a haunted house sounds like a recipe for many sleepless nights. Research from YouGov shows that about 45% of Americans do indeed believe in hauntings and ghosts. Those folks will likely shy away from visiting, much less purchasing, a haunted home.

To the skeptical, real estate with a haunted past might sound like a good way to snag a deal on a property. But, in most cases, a home will sell for roughly the price that it’s worth based solely on its location and material value—haunted or not.

However, there are some examples of homes garnering significantly less buyer interest due to their spooky reputation. For instance, this Victorian mansion in Massachusetts, once a Freemason hall and then a brothel, was listed shockingly cheap at just over $300,000.

If the House Has Ghosts, Must You Disclose?

Something you may not know: depending on where you live, some states require real estate agents to disclose in a listing whether there was a death in the home, or even whether the house is considered haunted by some. For a fee, you can find out about deaths in a home from services like DiedInHouse.

In California, an agent must disclose whether there has been a death in the home in the past 3 years, including natural deaths. In Hawaii, however, any occurrence that had no material effect on the physical structure of the house does not need to be disclosed.

Other states, like Georgia, don’t require anything to be disclosed up front, but they do require any questions to be answered truthfully. A majority of states do not require deaths or reports of the paranormal to be disclosed, in order to protect sellers from undue stigmatization.

A Selection of Spookings

In the spirit of the season, we thought we’d share a few of the spookiest homes in America. How would you like to live in one of these?

The Los Feliz Murder House

Source: Realtor.com

Early in the morning of December 6th, 1959, Dr. Harold Perelson murdered his sleeping wife with a hammer and attempted to do the same to his daughter, Judye. The teen girl managed to escape and rouse her neighbors who called the police. Dr. Perelson proceeded to ingest dozens of pills and died before an ambulance arrived.

Rumor has it that this Spanish-style mansion in the upscale LA neighborhood of Los Feliz was briefly rented out to a family in the early 1960s, after which it remained empty for decades. Christmas decorations were visible inside the home, likely left by those renters as the Perelson family was Jewish. Neighbors reported paranormal activity, and the house became an attraction for thrill-seeking tourists. Decades later in 2016, the home was sold.

The Winchester Mystery House

Source: Pixabay

Once the residence of Sarah Winchester, widow of firearm magnate William Wirt Winchester, this Queen Anne Victorian mansion in San Jose, CA, is well known for its puzzling design and its frequent paranormal sightings.

The home has been featured in media such as Ghost Hunters, and it was the set location for the Winchester film starring Helen Mirren as Sarah Winchester.

The Amityville House

Source: Wikimedia Commons

In 1974, six members of the DeFeo family family were found murdered at this house in Amityville, New York, 30 minutes outside of New York City. Roughly one year later, the Lutz family bought the home at a huge discount. They lasted 28 days in the home before leaving due to sightings of paranormal activity.

The Lutz family’s short time in the home was memorialized in 1977 in a novel by Jason Anson, The Amityville Horror, which has since been made into multiple feature films.

The Whaley House

Source: Wikimedia Commons

This haunted house in San Diego’s Old Town district is said to have been the site of hangings before it was built in 1857. The owner’s daughter, Violet, killed herself at the house in 1885. Stories say that a number of spirits roam the house to this day.

Now a California Historical Landmark and a museum, you can take a tour of the Whaley House for yourself during a trip to Old Town… if you dare!

Tis the Season for Spooking

These are just a few of our nation’s many reportedly haunted homes. As a Halloween attraction, the haunted house industry brings in over $300 million each year. Do you plan on visiting a haunted house with your friends or family this year?

Some of the Most Unique Homes in America

Have you ever walked through an open house or a showing and seen a uniquely odd, custom feature to a home that made you scratch your head? Although the homes we list are some of the most beautiful properties we’ve ever seen, we have still seen our fair share of atypical custom additions. With this in mind, we thought it’d be fun to take a departure from the pristine luxury homes we typically present, to venture through some of the most eccentric and sometimes, flat out bizarre, architecturally designed homes across America. These unique homes are truly one of a kind!

Smith Mansion – Cody, Wyoming

Located in the beautiful Wapiti Valley, Smith Mansion is the former home of builder and engineer Lee Smith, who became enthralled with his building project after starting to build a home for his wife and children using locally gathered logs and wood. After completing the base of the home, he got inspired and continued to add on extra floors and balconies. Fed up with how much time and energy he was putting into the construction of the house, Smith’s wife divorced him. This, however, only fueled him to keep adding more layers of staircases and scenic terraces. Tragically, Smith fell to his death while working on one of the upper balconies. The Smith Mansion has since sat empty, collecting myths and legends about ghosts and madmen. However, Smith’s daughter, Sunny Smith Larsen, has begun a preservation campaign for the site in hopes of keeping her father’s creation from being destroyed.

Sculptured House – Golden, Colorado

Sitting on the top of Genessee Mountain, the Sculptured House was built in 1963 by architect Charles Deaton and is often called “the Flying Saucer House” or “the Spaceship House.” The futuristic, modern movement style home has appeared in a number of movies, TV shows, and photoshoots. It was most famously featured in Woody Allen’s science-fiction comedy, Sleeper. Deaton ran out of money while working on the home, so the interior is less interesting than the exterior. It remained unlived in until 1999 when the home was purchased by entrepreneur John Huggins, who worked alongside Deaton’s daughter to finish the interior. Today, the house is not lived in, however, hosts private events on occasion.

House on the Rock – Spring Green, Wisconsin

During the 1940s, a man named Alex Jordan decided to build a house on Deer Shelter Rock, a sandstone formation within the scenic Wyoming Valley, after discovering a 60-foot chimney of rock. Jordan built the house as a weekend retreat, never intending it to be a tourist attraction. Peoples’ curiosity peaked as they caught wind of his construction and began visiting in order to see this architectural innovation. However, people kept coming to see the architectural wonder they had heard about. What started as a 14-room house, has turned into a complex of many buildings, exhibits and garden displays. It is said it can talk multiple hours to walk through the entire property, and there is so much to see, it can’t be done in one day. In December of 1988, Alex sold The House on the Rock to longtime associate Art Donaldson, a collector and a businessman, who continues to build on Alex’s dream of expanding and entertaining visitors from all over the world.

The Mushroom House – Perinton, NY

Located in the town of Perinton, NY, The Mushroom House (also called The Pod House) is a retro-modern designed home, which was fashioned after Queen Anne’s Lace. The notable design has been featured on TV and in books due to its whimsical appearance. The house was constructed for attorney-artist couple Robert and Marguerite Antell between 1969 and 1972 and was designated a town landmark in 1989. The unique structure sits in a wooded ravine adjacent to Powder Mills Park. The unusual design of the house features four 80-ton pods which rest on reinforced concrete stems. The larger pods spread out into smaller pods, which serve as the typical living spaces. With the exterior of the home being made of concrete, it is very soundproof. This one of a kind property is actually available for rent for $6,000/mo if it happens to call to you!

The Pavilion/Mushroom House – La Jolla, California

Located within the cliffs of Black’s Beach, this uniquely shaped home was designed and built in the 1960s by architect Dal Naegle for General Mills heir Sam Bell to serve as the guest home to the main house that is located at the top of the beach’s cliff. A 300-foot tram running down the side of the cliffs links the two properties. Originally called the Pavilion, the structure was built to withstand not only naturally occurring rock slides, earthquakes and waves, but also teenagers! It was purposely built on a remote section of the beach so as to avoid any disruptions. Now, more commonly coined The Mushroom House, the house was last said to be owned by UC San Diego, for use as a place for professors and administrators to take a sabbatical.

Flintstone House – Hillsborough, California

In 1976, the Bay Area architect William Nicholson built this unique 2,700-square-foot home using a building technique known as monolithic dome construction. Throughout the years, the home was updated a bit, with the exterior ultimately painted red, purple and orange. This led to it being dubbed “The Flintstone House” after the famous cartoon. The new owner has gone even further, as after purchasing the house for $2.8 million in 2017, Florence Fang decided to install 15-foot dinosaur statues; a giant metal woolly mammoth and giraffe; a garden of colorful, oversize mushrooms; and a rainbow and peacock sculpture. She has now found herself in a legal battle with the town of Hillsborough, who wants her to remove the animal statues, as they pose as ‘eyesores’. I guess her neighbors think it’s a “Yabba-dabba-DON’T”.

What do you think? Do you find these properties creatively cool or gratuitously obscure? While we assume most of you out there aren’t actively looking for a mushroom house or a property replicating your favorite cartoon, we do know everyone has their individualized needs and desires when it comes to buying a home. We are confident that we can find the perfect marriage of your unique tastes and what the current market offers to place you in your own unique home. If you’re looking to buy or sell, we’ll hope you’ll think of us!

Why a Move-In Ready Home May Be Right for You

When searching for a home, a common question asked by realtors is “Do you prefer a move-in ready home or a fixer-upper?” Some buyers have set in their mind that they want to put the sweat equity into a home themselves to have the satisfaction of knowing they’re getting everything they want, while some don’t want to lift a finger. While there are definitely pros to buying a fixer-upper (lower cost, ability to tailor the home to your liking, etc.), there has been an increase in demand for turnkey homes, and for good reason.

Appeal of Turnkey Properties

Turnkey, or move-in ready, properties offer the convenience to do just that — move right in — which is a massive appeal to buyers these days. Many prefer to walk in the door and start living, rather than having to worry for months about the ongoing projects being done on their house. Turnkey homes also typically come upgraded with the newest design elements and technologies that buyers are after, such as open floor plans, big kitchens, smart technology, speakers and more. While you may not get everything you desire, if you find a move-in ready home that checks off most of your boxes, the convenience of it much more than makes up for missing out on a few design features.

Increase in Demand of Turnkey Homes

Buyers today are more willing and able to pay more for a home that is essentially move-in ready, compared to spending less on a house that requires updating. The idea of putting the time and energy into a fixer-upper has lost its appeal over the past 10-20 years. This is largely due to the fact that buyers simply don’t have the time, energy or expertise to put into a renovation. People are busy these days, working countless hour jobs, raising families, participating in various activities, that not many buyers have the desire anymore to worry about tackling a full-blown restoration in the little free time they do have.

Which is right for you?

Buying a move-in ready home does come with its down sides. These properties are more expensive than ones that need work, for obvious reasons. Unless you luck out on your ideal home that’s already been built for you, you’re most likely not going to get everything you want with a move-in ready home, whether it be a granite countertop or walk-in closet. You have to decide, however, if these sacrifices are worth it to you and your family. If you love a good project, have the spare time, and can envision your dream home in your mind, take the leap and go for the fixer-upper. On the other hand, if your time is precious, you have no interest or experience in home projects, or just don’t have a major preference on the design choices in your home, locating that perfect move-in ready home is probably more your speed.

Whatever you choose, make sure you put your stamp on it so that it feels like home to you. Let us help you locate your dream home in the Orange County area today!

8 Ways to Prepare Your Orange County Home to Sell

During the resale of a home, the diligent negotiation work of the real estate agent is crucial, but it’s only one part of the equation. As a seller of real estate in Orange County, California, where appearances are everything, you should try to go the extra mile to make your home as presentable to potential buyers as possible. These eight tasks can help you unload your property quickly at a price you can feel good about.

1. Landscape

Unkempt landscape may cause potential buyers to believe you haven’t taken care of your home, and this perception can dissuade people from making offers. During the resale process, mow your lawn and trim your hedges regularly to keep greenery tame and polished. Use this opportunity to add new plants, including colorful flowers or bushes. These touches make a fresh first impression that may set the stage for a positive showing.

2. Make Repairs

When you move into a new home, the last thing you want to do is perform repairs. Your house can become much more appealing to buyers if you take on those necessary fixes yourself. It’s possible that some issues may be uncovered during a home inspection, and you might be required to fix them before moving ahead with the contract. You can save yourself this stress and potentially encourage higher offers by doing repairs ahead of time.

3. Deep Clean

No one wants to think about dirt and grime left over from the previous homeowner. A deep clean lets your house seem brand new for the next occupant and may remove offensive odors. Focus on the following key areas:

– Dusty spots

– Plumbing fixtures

– Appliances

– Countertops

– Floors

Though your furniture will likely be coming with you, it’s a good idea to wipe down or vacuum these pieces as well. Cleanliness overall can enhance the home’s presentation.

4. Repaint

You’ve likely personalized the rooms in your home with your favorite paint colors and treatments, but some buyers may not share in your style. Homeowners want a blank slate they can add their own flair to; you can make that job easier by choosing a nice neutral to repaint in.

If your walls are already fairly neutral, a fresh coat of paint still isn’t a bad idea. Over the years, the surface may have been chipped or scuffed, and it might even appear dull. Repainting can make a room feel like new.

5. Remove Personal Items

There are obviously many things you’ll need to continue living in your home as it sells, such as toiletry items or office supplies, but it’s a good idea to tuck them neatly away in cabinets or drawers during showings. Take down personal photographs, bulletin boards or household calendars. Clean up the surface of the refrigerator, removing things like coupons or pictures.

6. Launder Linens

Fabric alone won’t sell your home, but clean, fluffy linens can make the home appear less lived-in. Fresh bathroom linens, including full-sized towels, hand towels and bathmats spruce up the environment and make it more inviting. Take a day and launder textiles throughout your house:

– Towels

– Bedding

– Curtains

– Throw blankets

As you prepare house to sell, consider tasks you might perform if you were welcoming a guest to stay in your home. Fresh linens make visitors want to stay.

7. Prioritize Curb Appeal

The first thing buyers see when they view your home is the exterior. To improve your home’s curb appeal, make sure the yard is clean and empty. You can freshen up siding by repainting it, and stone or brick can undergo a power wash. Small touches, such as planters, welcome mats or benches can give a front porch a more hospitable feel.

8. Organize

Potential buyers want to understand your home’s storage options, so they may peek into closets, cabinets and drawers to see what the house has to offer. An accumulation of junk can quickly turn people off. Additional shelving and storage bins are a good investment to help you organize the mess, and they can give these areas the impression of greater storage capacity.

You’ll be amazed by the transformation your home can undergo when you take these crucial steps. Freshening up the property can help buyers visualize the potential and imagine their future in your space. If you’ve got your home in tip-top shape to hit the market, contact us today to start your listing and to sell your house in Orange County.

3 Reasons You Will Love Searching For Dream Homes In Newport Beach

Searching for luxury homes can be very challenging: 3 reasons you will love searching for dream homes in Newport Beach

Searching for luxury homes can be very challenging if you don’t do it the right way. Finding the right agent can make all the difference. Here are 3 reasons you will love searching for dream homes in Newport Beach.

Perfect Weather Year Round

In some parts of the country, you must deal with bitter winds that might cause frostbite and shoveling yourself out of your driveway during winter. Fortunately, those living in luxury homes in Newport Beach don’t have those same problems. Our temperate climate is “not too warm and not too cold.” Our low averages 56 degrees and our high averages 73 degrees. Homes for sale in Newport Beach are located in the ideal environment for sunbathing, bodysurfing, swimming and water skiing. The best realtor in Newport Beach can match your love of water recreation with spectacular waterfront property.

Private Beach Access

And, with the best coastal homes in Newport Beach, you also have private, gated beach access. Host your important guests in style. Dream homes in Newport Beach can become your little oasis. Everything you need is in close proximity. Buy fresh fish at the Dory Fishing Fleet. Eat a little lunch at a Marine Avenue restaurant. Shop on Fashion Island. Or, take a bike ride on the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve Loop. Buying a home in Newport Beach opens up the doors to the American Dream. The best realtor specializing in Newport Beach California can find homes that match your lifestyle.

#1 Golf Course

You have everything you need to enjoy the good life in Newport Beach. The Mariner’s Mile is where you can outfit your yacht. Conde Nast named the Pelican Hill Golf Course, with its 270-degree Pacific Ocean views, as #1 in the entire world. Throughout town, you will have scenic views of jaw-dropping beauty. At the Stavros Group, we introduce clients to real estate jewels.

Contact us today, so we can show you magnificent coastal homes in Newport Beach. You’ll fall in love with this “Crown of the Sea.”

Top 3 Reasons To Buy A California Coast Luxury Home From A Top Realtor Specializing in East Bluff

Buying a home can be stressful. This is why working with a realtor specializing in Newport Beach California is a great idea. A top real estate agent in Laguna Beach can help with finding homes for sale in Corona Del Mar and homes for sale in Newport Beach.

Working With an Expert

The best agent for East Bluff can offer many services. For example, the best agent for Cameo Shores can help locate dream homes in Newport Beach that may have just come on the market. The best realtor in Newport Beach can also locate coastal homes in Newport Beach that are within the buyer’s budget and offer unrivaled luxury at the same time. An agent like Andy knows all that people need to know about buying a home in Newport Beach.

Local Markets

Top real estate agents like the best agent for Shorecliff understand the real estate markets along the California coast very well. They frequently have connections with other agents in the area. They may work with clients who may be thinking about putting up luxury homes in Newport Beach for sale and the kind of price they have in mind for the property. A realtor specializing in East Bluff may know about planned home construction that is in the works from a local builder. They may know about builders who are seeking permission from the local planning board to begin construction as quickly as possible. A realtor specializing in Corona Del Mar may also know about other plans for the area such as the construction of a new road or a new park that can make living in the area even better.

Years of Experience

A realtor specializing in Laguna Beach and other areas will bring many years of experience about the kinds of towns and home for sale in such communities along with them. For example, they may know when a particular home was constructed as well as many details about the buyers. They may know that many East Bluff homes for sale were purchased when property values were lower and sellers are looking for a certain level of profit before they will entertain any offers. This kind of knowledge means the agent offers superior service for all of their clients.

In short, working with a great agent when is the best choice for anyone in search of their personal coastal California luxury dream home.