Laguna Beach Real Estate Agent

Sam Smith is a top Laguna Beach Real Estate Agent here in Laguna Beach, California.  Sam works in the Laguna Beach community and knows about real estate in Laguna Beach.

Found 294 blog entries about Laguna Beach Real Estate Agent.

Feb 15

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We are seem to get a lot of calls from clients looking for distressed properties, especially bank owned and short sale transactions.  Another type of a distressed sale to keep in mind when looking for a home are homes listed as a Bankruptcy Court Sale.  A perfect examples of this is current listing in Laguna Beach that may be a good deal for the right buyer.  The home is currently in the middle of a renovation as the picture below displays and also features wonderful ocean views as well.  It's located in the Alta Vista neighborhood in Laguna Beach which is a short driving distance down to the beach from many of the homes here.

This type of sale often requires the approval from the Bankruptcy Trustee as well as Court confirmation and overbid procedures.

Jun 24

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We are starting to see a turn in the real estate market as mortgage interest rates continue to go higher which ultimately slow down the number of properties selling.  Another major factor is the number of buyers would need the assistance of getting a loan in order to buy a home are now not participating in the market but the cost of mortgage payments have almost doubled since last year.  This is around the time where we start to see creative financing being offered as the cost of getting a loan is to expensive for most buyers.  One option that is coming around again is seller financing which negates the need to get a traditional mortgage loan from the bank.  Let me explain how this typically works.

First, the owner of the property essentially becomes

Apr 29

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The Real Estate market in Laguna Beach has been really crazy over the last several years which is leaving many to wonder how long this real estate boom will last. It's not uncommon in today's real estate market to have multiple offers on them which typically drives up the asking price.  The question then comes into many homeowners minds is do we really need to use a real estate agent?  We are starting to see more for sale by owners popping up in this hot market and if they can save a little bit of money by doing it themselves then more power to them.  If you are thinking about selling your home by yourself you need to make sure you aware of these simple mistakes than many for sale by owners make.  If you can avoid these then you will be in good shape.

Feb 28

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One of the my favorite neighborhoods for finding really nice ocean views for single family residences in Laguna Beach is the Arch Beach Heights neighborhood.  A perfect example of the type of home you would find here would be the property that is located at 1046 Santa Ana Street which features a total of three bedrooms, two and a half baths with an approximate 1,584 square feet of living space.  The two level home was originally built in 1972 and comes with an attached two car garage which is now available for sale with a current list price of $2,098,000.   This is a really great price point in order to find a nice ocean view property in the upscale beach community of Laguna Beach.  There are a lot of things I love about this home which include the wood

Sep 21

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One of the most unique and historic property landmarks in all of the Laguna Beach is arguably Pyne Castle.  The 17 bedroom estate was originally built in 1931 and is truly one of the most amazing properties located in Southern California.  It would be similar to a Hertz Castle but located much closer to the beach.  It last seen on the market back in 2012 which is pretty amazing to see such an amazing property being listed for sale.  The castle itself is huge with an estimated 18,300 square feet of living space located on multiple levels according to our multiple listing service.  It features a total of 9 attached garages and located on a multi acre lot which is amazing when you think how valuable land is here in California by the beach.

The area where

Jul 29

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The Woods Cove area is a great place to look for a prime location near the beach.  For the most part, these homes are listed as short term rentals due to their close proximity to the beach.  The demand for vacation rental properties, especially during the high season summer months has always been high here in Laguna Beach and the opportunity for owners to make good money during these months has turned many rental properties into short term leases.  It's important to know that homes in this area are typically rented out by the month and go on a month-to-month basis and often come fully furnished.  Summer months like July & August are always the first months to go with other months like June and September becoming popular as well.  We always recommend

Jun 22

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What a difference a year makes when it comes to vacation rentals.  In 2020, we saw a huge demand for those looking for vacation rental properties in Laguna Beach that often found multiple clients bidding against each other and driving up the prices for specific vacation summer months.  At that time it seemed like everyone was tired of staying in their home and with travel limited through the United States many turned to vacation within their own state, often choosing a beach front home where they could stay in a luxury residence during the pandemic.  Fast forward to 2021 where a lot of Americans have been vaccinated and feel more comfortable traveling the demand to find local vacation rental properties has dropped.  It's really a night and day difference

May 25

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There is nothing more exciting then looking at new construction homes that often feature some the latest design ideas and technology that are incorporated into these new homes.  A new listing has come up in the Three Arch Bay 24 hour guard gated community that seems to have it all and was newly built in the year 2021.  The location it truly amazing as it offers a premier ocean front location in Three Arch Bay at the top of a bluff front that has amazing white water ocean views.  If you are familiar with architects here in Laguna Beach then you will know the famous architect Mark Singer who designed this home.  Mark is well known for his cutting edge Contemporary designs that can be found in many homes throughout Laguna Beach and beyond.  His designed

Apr 21

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The Laguna Beach market has really changed in the last 12 months with it being one of the hottest real estate markets as seen in the last 10 years.  There is currently a huge shortage of real estate inventory and a strong buyer demand which typically results in higher real estate prices with multiple buyers bidding on the same property.  The condo market in Laguna Beach is no exception to this with currently only 13 condos listed for sale that range from $664,900 for a two bedroom condo in the Terraces community up to $7,499,000 for a three bedroom condo in the upscale Montage Beach Villas community.  If you are new to Laguna Beach there are a couple things to consider when buying a condo here.

First, the most affordable condos are often found in the

Jan 20

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Laguna Beach has a wide range of properties that offer a variety of selling points which often include being located near the beach, offering an ocean view or offering a certain number of bedrooms and square feet.  The one thing you can't change about a home is it's location and this is especially true for where the lot sits within the community. Homes located on a corner lot are very much desirable since they often offer a premium lot with the lack of an adjoining home on one side of the property.  This often translates to a larger lot size and a huge selling point for buyers looking for a home.

Some of the neighborhoods currently offered for sale include the gated communities of Three Arch Bay, Lagunita and Emerald Bay which command a huge premium in