Richard Wamsat’s Real Estate News & Views

Local market updates, buyer and seller tips, and homeowner resources for Orange County and Irvine.

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Piggy banks

The Benefits of a 20% Down Payment

By Richard Wamsat | May 8, 2019

If you are in the market to buy a home this year, you may be confused about how much money you need to come up with for your down payment. Many people you talk to will tell you that you need to save 20% or you won’t be able to secure a mortgage. The truth […]

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Home Buyers are Optimistic About Homeownership!

By Richard Wamsat | May 7, 2019

When we consider buying an item, we naturally go through a research process prior to making our decision. We ask our friends and family members who have made similar purchases about their experience, we get opinions and insights, and we read reviews online. There’s no difference when considering a home purchase! Most homebuyers start by […]

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Key in keyhole

Why Access Is One of the Most Important Factors in Getting Your House Sold!

By Richard Wamsat | May 6, 2019

So, you’ve decided to sell your house. You’ve hired a real estate professional to help you through the entire process, and they have asked you what level of access you want to provide to your potential buyers. There are four elements to a quality listing. At the top of the list is access, followed by condition, financing, […]

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The cost of renting vs buying

The Cost of Renting vs. Buying This Spring [INFOGRAPHIC]

By Richard Wamsat | May 3, 2019

Some Highlights: Historically, the choice between renting or buying a home has been a tough decision. Looking at the percentage of income needed to rent a median-priced home today (27.7%) vs. the percentage needed to buy a median-priced home (17.5%), the choice becomes obvious. Every market is different. Before you renew your lease again, find […]

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Toy model house made of money

Your Fabulous New Dream Home is Now Available

By Richard Wamsat | May 2, 2019

Over the last several years, many “baby boomers” have undergone a metamorphosis. Their children have finally moved out and they can now dream about their own future. For many, a change in lifestyle might necessitate a change in the type of home they live in. That two-story, four-bedroom colonial with three bathrooms no longer fits […]

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Woman using laptop

2 Trends Helping Keep Housing Affordable

By Richard Wamsat | May 1, 2019

Two positive trends have started to emerge that impact the 2019 Spring Housing Market. Mortgage interest rates for a 30-year fixed rate loan have dropped to new lows, right as reports show that wages have increased at their highest rate in decades! These two factors have helped keep housing affordable despite low supply of houses […]

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Senior couple with their grandchildren

What Would Make You Sell Your House?

By Richard Wamsat | Apr 30, 2019

There are many reasons why a homeowner decides to sell their house and move. The latest Generational Trends Report from the National Association of Realtors asked recent home sellers to share their reason for moving. The younger the respondents, the more likely their top response centered around needing a larger home (ages 29 to 53). […]

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Mom and son with their piggy bank

How Quickly Can You Save Your Down Payment?

By Richard Wamsat | Apr 29, 2019

Saving for a down payment is often the biggest hurdle for a first-time homebuyer. Depending on where you live, median income, median rents, and home prices all vary. So, we set out to find out how long it would take to save for a down payment in each state. Using data from HUD, Census and […]

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Key with house keychain

Existing Home Sales Slow to Start Spring [INFOGRAPHIC]

By Richard Wamsat | Apr 26, 2019

Some Highlights: Existing Home Sales slowed to an annual pace of 5.21 million home sales in March. Low inventory levels are still impacting home sales! The current month’s supply of homes for sale is 3.9-months. Median home prices were up 3.8% over last March at $259,400. This marked the 85th consecutive month with year-over-year price […]

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