San Clemente Homes / A Guide for Buyers and Sellers


San Clemente Home Improvement


Homeowners hear a lot about improvements that might add value to houses. But less attention is paid to what to avoid. Steer clear of renovations that will cost you money at resale time.

If an San Clemente home becomes conspicuously larger -- and more expensive -- than those around it will risk becoming hard to sell. Additions tend not to return their entire investment. The 2005 "Cost vs. Value Report" found that homeowners were able to recoup only 83% of the cost of a family-room addition and 82% of a midrange master suite.

San Clemente Home Improvement


Don't change the general architecture of the home, and make sure that renovations match. For example, a modern steel door doesn't belong on a ranch house built in the 1970s. Be aware of the features in San Clemente.

Do it Yourself?
Be extremely confident you're capable of taking on a project before trying to do it yourself. When it comes time to sell your San Clemente home, believe me buyers can and do spot all the signs of amateur work and they discount their offer accordingly.


San Clemente Real Estate Cycles


What makes most sense is the "buy and hold" strategy. Buy a home you expect to remain in for at least seven years or more. San Clemente is no different than most, although the San Clemente market does have it's own special circumstances.

Want to get a clear and up-to-date picture of the San Clemente real estate market? Call me at any time. I am happy to share my knowledge of the real estate market with homeowners and prospective homeowners who want to take advantage of market trends to buy and/or sell wisely.


Guidelines for Buying San Clemente


Whether you are a seasoned veteran of real estate transactions or a first time buyer, my advice is the same: Know the Market, Know Yourself and Rely on Experts to give you the whole picture of what you are buying.

Know the San Clemente Market. Another way of stating this is Research, Research, Research. Of course the Internet is a great way to give an overview of San Clemente homes or homes in any given area but may not be enough, especially if you are looking to buy a home some distance from where you currently live. If you are looking to buy locally you can drive the neighborhoods that you are focusing on to get an idea if there are any problems you need to be aware of. Does part of the development back up to a busy highway? If so and if you want to avoid looking at homes in that area, know what streets are involved so you can recognize listings that may be involved.

Bitten by the San Clemente Home Improvement Bug?


Unless money simply isn’t an issue, the financial implications of remodeling are definitely something to consider. When it comes time to sell your San Clemente home, the new buyer will usually not pay for over-improvements. This means that if you have the smallest home in an area of larger, more expensive homes, home improvements may make very good financial sense. However, if you already have the largest, most expensive home in San Clemente, more improvements may make you more comfortable but may not bring you a good financial return. You may find that it is financially wiser to sell and move to a different home that already has the features you want to add.

Building San Clemente Home Equity


A popular question from prospective San Clemente homebuyers relates to building home equity. Buyers like to estimate how much a home may increase in value based upon past appreciation. One of the many advantages of home ownership is that appreciation is based on the home’s market value rather than on the actual dollar amount invested or the down payment so that a $100,000.00 home that appreciates 5% is now worth $105,000.00, especially in San Clemente.

With a typical 30-year loan, most of your monthly payment goes toward interest payments with only small amounts going to the principle in the early years. Only half the principle is repaid in the first 23 years of the loan. You can build San Clemente home equity faster by choosing a 15-year loan instead of a 30-year loan.