Costa Mesa, CA real estate market update for the first quarter of 2012. Looking back over the past 90 days there were 146 Costa Mesa Homes sold. The majority of these sales were for Costa Mesa single family homes (104 sales), with Costa Mesa Condos only accounting for 42 sales. According to Dataquick the median price for a Costa Mesa Home was $425,000 for the month of December 2011, the month of the most recent data. That $425,000 median price is a 10.99% decline vs the same reporting time of December of 2011.

As of February 1 there were 186 Costa Mesa Homes for sale in the local MLS, this number equates to 3.8 months of inventory. There is still a strong demand for Costa Mesa Real Estate, mostly due to historical low interest rates. According to Freddimac, the average rate for a 30 year fixed mortgage is currently at 3.98%. While demand is strong the single biggest drag continues to be the effect of short sales has on the market. Short sales accounted for 49 of the 146 closed sales over the past 90 days. However, these short sales account for 59 current listings, when including those listings which are in backup status, meaning they have an offer but are accepting other offers, the number of short sale listings is over 100 or about half of all Costa Mesa Homes for sale. The reason this is a huge drag is that Costa Mesa Short sales are currently taking 5.5 months to close, with some taking in excess of 18 months. While short sales account for almost half the current inventory, REO's (actually owned by the bank) only accounts for 16 of the current Costa Mesa homes for sale.

Costa Mesa Parks - Fairview Park

Fairview Park is located on Placentia Avenue next to Estancia High School and is near the end of the Santa Ana River Trail. Aside from being a great place to just bike, this park offers many incredible amenities. It has room up top for kids to run and fly kites, kick soccer balls, and generally have a great time. In the summer Fairview Park hosts Costa Mesa's Free Concerts.  In addition, there is an area to fly remote controlled airplanes.  There are also hills that frequently have children and adults alike enjoying mountain biking and jumping.  With 208 acres, there is lot of space in Fairview park for everything from walking your dog, to flying your RC plane, to riding model trains, to just getting out and expending some energy and enjoying a beautiful day.  In addition to the activities we enjoy today activites, the park was once home to The Indians of Lukup. Fairview Park has both an upper and lower mesa and can be used to access the Talbert Nature Preserve and the Santa Ana River Trail. Over the last couple of years, there have been improvements made to Fairview Park via Fairview Park Wetlands and Riparian Habitat Project.  These include the restoration of approximately 17 acres of riparian habitat. Once completed, the project will include new trails from which we can enjoy the natural habitats. What's your favorite thing about Fairview Park?  Please let me know in the comments below.

Originally Posted at: Fairview Park Costa Mesa

Nature's Glory - Wordless Wednesday

It's amazing to me the colors that nature can provide some days. I just had to pull over and take a few photos so that I could share them.

This photo was taken at Fairview Park in Costa Mesa. It is completely unretouched and was taken on my phone.

Buying a Costa Mesa Home? - Avoid Buying Obsolescence

So, you've decided it's time to buy a Costa Mesa home, and you're thinking about what you really need.

Perhaps you've been pre-approved or you know about how much you want to pay monthly, and so you've come up with a purchase price.

Now, you're trying to decide what's important to you. I always sit down when people are considering buying a Costa Mesa home to ask several questions.

It's important to consider what's important to you in buying a Costa Mesa home, and it's also important to try not to buy obsolescence.

And, you're probably wondering what "buying obsolescence" means.

For instance, most buyers these days expect want demand at least 1.5 baths in a home, so if you're thinking that you could "live" with just one bathroom, you might consider what that might do to your pool of buyers when you're ready to sell your Costa Mesa home.

When you're buying a Costa Mesa home, make sure to consider how other buyers might look at it later when you're ready to sell it so that you don't have problems selling an obsolete home.

If you want to work with an agent who takes the time to consider things like future value and saleability of your Costa Mesa home, please give me a call at 714-319-9751.

Bella Bleu in Costa Mesa is hosting a fashion show featuring the Newport Harbor Varsity Dance Team coming up on Saturday, January 28, 2012. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Newport Harbor High Dance Team Arreis.

The Fashion Show details are as follows:

Saturday, January 28, 2012
from 2:00 pm to 4:00 p

Enjoy music from well known DJ Mark Crenshaw, as well as appetizers and drinks.

Bella Bleu is located at:

333 East 17th Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
(949) 722.2538

Bella Bleu has beautiful women’s apparel, accessories and there is also home decor.

The Newport Harbor High Varsity Dance Team will be working the run way in Bella Bleu’s newest fashions. Bella Bleu will be featuring winter formal dresses, and for those of you who are looking for a last minute dress, consider coming to this great Fashion Show to pick out your favorite dress or outfit.

Bella Bleu is graciously supporting the Newport Harbor High Dance Team by offering 10% of all sales on January 28, 2012 will benefit the Dance Team. Bella Bleu offers fabulous fashion at affordable prices.

Invite all your friends and come and view these fantastic new fashions and support the Newport Harbor High Dance Team and Bella Bleu. We will look forward to seeing you at the Bella Bleu Fashion Show this Saturday.

Originally posted at NewportHarborHighDanceBoosters.com