Free Pumpkins at our First Team Real Estate Pumpkin Patch!

We will be giving away FREE Pumpkins at our First Team Real Estate office in Anaheim Hills. Saturday October 29. 9:00am to 1:00pm. Everyone is welcome! There will also be food and games and costume contests.

Wall Street Journal & Forbes: It’s Time to Buy A Home

The Wall Street Journal

Last week, in an article entitled It’sTime to Buy That House, the WSJ told their subscribers:

“It’s an excellent time to buy a house, either to live in for the long term or for investment income…Houses aren’t the magic wealth creators they were made out to be during the bubble. But when prices are low, loans are cheap and plump investment
yields are scarce, buyers should jump.”  In an article two weeks ago, MarketWatch.com (the on-line blog for WSJ) told their readers:
“Now could be the best time in history to buy a home.”

Forbes.com

In a report to their subscribers, Capital Economics reported that:
“The previous declines in house prices and the more recent drop in mortgage rates to record lows have created an unusual situation in which the median monthly mortgage payment is more or less the same as the median rental payment.”
Why is this important? Last week, Forbes explained to their readers:
“If rents simply kept up with inflation at a 3.2% annual increase, a $1,500 rent payment would cost that renter nearly $900,000 over the next 30 years. The same $1,500 payment made to their mortgage would be only $540,000 (because the payments
don’t increase with inflation).”
They went on to explain the advantages of homeownership during retirement:
“Even with a dismal 1% growth rate over 30 years, a $300,000 property would appreciate well over $100,000 giving the homeowner an additional nest egg for retirement…
At a time when retirement is becoming much more challenging, an extra $400,000 (or likely more) can make a major difference
not to mention the impact of NOT having to pay a mortgage.  How much less would you have to save for retirement if you didn’t pay the mortgage?” 

First Team Real Estate named Orange County Favorite

It’s official – First Team was named the fan favorite real estate firm by you, our clients and friends, in the Orange County Register’s 2011 Best of OC readers poll!

And what better way to celebrate this honor than to launch our exciting “My Story” campaign? This innovative campaign shows why First Team was chosen number one, with inspiring stories told by our clients of the profound, positive impact in their lives our agents have made.