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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Want To Sell Your House? Price It Right.

By Richard Wamsat | Jan 23, 2023

Last year, the housing market slowed down in response to higher mortgage rates, and that had an impact on home prices. If you’re thinking of selling your house soon, that means you’ll want to adjust your expectations accordingly. As realtor.com explains: “. . . some of the more prominent pandemic trends have changed, so sellers might wish to adjust accordingly […]

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What’s Really Happening with Home Prices? [INFOGRAPHIC]

By Richard Wamsat | Jan 20, 2023

Some Highlights If you’re thinking about selling your house, recent headlines about home prices falling month-over-month may have you second guessing your decision—but perspective matters. While home prices are down slightly month-over-month in some markets, home values are still up almost 10% nationally on a year-over-year basis. A nearly 10% gain is still dramatic compared to the more normal level of appreciation, which […]

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Pre-Approval in 2023: What You Need To Know

By Richard Wamsat | Jan 19, 2023

One of the first steps in your homebuying journey is getting pre-approved. To understand why it’s such an important step, you need to understand what pre-approval is and what it does for you. Business Insider explains: “In a preapproval [sic], the lender tells you which types of loans you may be eligible to take out, how much you may be approved to […]

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Have Home Values Hit Bottom?

By Richard Wamsat | Jan 18, 2023

Whether you’re already a homeowner or you’re looking to become one, the recent headlines about home prices may leave you with more questions than answers. News stories are talking about home prices falling, and that’s raising concerns about a repeat of what happened to prices in the crash in 2008. One of the questions that’s on many minds, based on […]

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Think Twice Before Waiting for 3% Mortgage Rates

By Richard Wamsat | Jan 17, 2023

Last year, the Federal Reserve took action to try to bring down inflation. In response to those efforts, mortgage rates jumped up rapidly from the record lows we saw in 2021, peaking at just over 7% last October. Hopeful buyers experienced a hit to their purchasing power as a result, and some decided to press pause on their plans. Today, the rate […]

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What Past Recessions Tell Us About the Housing Market

By Richard Wamsat | Jan 16, 2023

It doesn’t matter if you’re someone who closely follows the economy or not, chances are you’ve heard whispers of an upcoming recession. Economic conditions are determined by a broad range of factors, so rather than explaining them each in depth, let’s lean on the experts and what history tells us to see what could lie […]

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Key Terms To Know When Buying a Home [INFOGRAPHIC]

By Richard Wamsat | Jan 13, 2023

Some Highlights Buying a home is a major transaction that can seem even more complex when you don’t understand the terms used throughout the process. If you’re looking to become a homeowner this year, it’s important to know these housing terms and how they relate to the current market so you feel confident throughout the homebuying process. Let’s connect so […]

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Is It Time To Sell Your Second Home?

By Richard Wamsat | Jan 12, 2023

During the pandemic, second homes became popular because of the rise in work-from-home flexibility. That’s because owning a second home, especially in the luxury market, allowed those homeowners to spend more time in their favorite places or with different home features. Keep in mind, a luxury home isn’t only defined by price. In a recent article, Investopedia shares […]

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Today’s Housing Market Is Nothing Like 15 Years Ago

By Richard Wamsat | Jan 11, 2023

There’s no doubt today’s housing market is very different than the frenzied one from the past couple of years. In the second half of 2022, there was a dramatic shift in real estate, and it caused many people to make comparisons to the 2008 housing crisis. While there may be a few similarities, when looking at key […]

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