We love quaint and charming Old Town Seal Beach, Main Street with all its shops and restaurants, and of course, the beach, pier, jetty, surf, and everything in the sun! Check out our blog for a collection of the best things to do and see in and around Old Town Seal Beach.
Many travel bloggers write about Old Town Seal Beach because of the quaint charm that it has. We loved how TanamaTales.com described the gem of Seal Beach:
If you are looking for underrated beach towns in California, check out the best things to do in Seal Beach!
California’s beach towns are famous all over the world. A lot of visitors come to our shores in search of the lifestyle and vibe that is presented in TV shows and movies.
On the contrary, residents and connoisseurs of the area miss the authenticity many towns had before the booming age of travel. It has been said that ‘Old California’ does not exist anymore near big population centers.
But, I digress. I have found my slice of ‘Old California’ not that far from Los Angeles.
Enjoy your day in Old Town Seal Beach. We love it and hope that you do too!
THINGS TO DO IN SEAL BEACH
The Community & Visitor’s Guide published by Seal Beach’s Chamber of Commerce includes a Old Town Seal Beach Map and Walking Tour on page 14 for your enjoyment.
Check out the newly finished River’s End Park featuring a paved pedestrian/biking recreational trail that meanders through the park connecting the San Gabriel River Bike Trail to the First Street/Ocean Avenue intersection at the First Street Beach Parking Lot entrance. There’s a nature trail, playground, access to the jetty and water, picnic tables, and it’s a romantic spot for sunset gazing with unobstructed views according to CA Real Estate Group‘s very own Christine Almarines! Her Instagram page is dotted with photos and videos of breathtaking sunset views!
Little outdated, but a fun site by ThingsToDoPost.org to see the well organized reviews and scores of what people are saying in this Seal Beach Food Guide. (Call before heading over!)
WHERE TO PARK IN SEAL BEACH
There is plenty of free parking on the city’s streets. Now, if you choose this parking option, pay attention to time restrictions. Most spots have a 1 or 2-hour limit.
Public lots (next to the pier and at the end of 1st Street) allow you to park for a longer period of time. You pay according to the time spent on site. These lots allow you to pay (and extend your time) from your phone (you need to download the application though).
Enjoy these helpful real estate tips and advice in this month’s edition of Insights in Real Estate:
1️⃣ Buyers Consider ARMs as Interest Rates Rise
2️⃣ Making an Offer on a House That’s Contingent
3️⃣ Which Amenities Are Buyers Seeking?
4️⃣ Tapping Home Equity
5️⃣ Don’t Skimp on Home Inspections
Over the past few weeks, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate from Freddie Mac fell by half a percent. The drop happened over concerns about a potential recession. And since mortgage rates have risen dramatically this year, homebuyers across the country should see this decline as welcome news.
Freddie Macreports that the average 30-year rate was down to 5.30% from 5.81% two weeks prior (see graph below):
But why is this recent dip such good news for homebuyers? As Nadia Evangelou, Senior Economist and Director of Forecasting at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), explains:
“According to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate dropped sharply by 40 basis points to 5.3 percent. . . . As a result, home buying is about 5 percent more affordable than a week ago. This translates to about $100 less every month on a mortgage payment.”
That’s because when rates go up (as they have for the majority of this year), they impact how much you’ll pay in your monthly mortgage payment, which directly affects how much you can comfortably afford. The inverse is also true. A decrease in mortgage rates means an increase in your purchasing power.
The chart below shows how a half-point, or even a quarter-point, change in mortgage rates can impact your monthly payment:
Bottom Line
If your home doesn’t meet your needs, this may be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for. Let’s connect to see how you can benefit from the current drop in mortgage rates.
If there was ever a downside to summer, it would be Mosquito Bites! If you’re not sure how to control the mosquito population in your yard, below are helpful tips to protect your family and home from mosquitoes.
Tip: Get rid of standing water in your outdoor spaces. Standing water may be in your child’s plastic toys, areas underneath downspouts, plant saucers, or dog bowls. Other areas may include traps, gutters, and flat roofs.
Toss: Remove excess grass, leaves, firewood, and grass-clippings from your yard.
Turn: Turn over larger yard items that could hold water, like children’s portable sandboxes, plastic toys, or birdbaths.
Remove Tarps: If tarps stretched over firewood piles, boats, or sports equipment aren’t taut, they may be holding water that you should remove.
Take Care: Take care of home maintenance needs that can lead to standing water. This includes cleaning out gutters, making sure downspouts are adequately attached, keeping your grass cut low, and check irrigation systems for leaks.
Team Up: Despite taking all precautions in your own home, talking to neighbors is a crucial component to mosquito and tick control. Homes with little space between lots can mean that mosquitoes breed at a neighbor’s house and affect your property.
Treat: Utilize a mosquito elimination barrier treatment around your home and yard.
HOW TO CONTROL THE MOSQUITO POPULATION
Implementing the 7 T’s of mosquito control is essential to protect you and your family from bites and diseases. However, there are other things you can do that can help you eliminate mosquitoes from your yard. For example, using a barrier treatment reduces the need for using DEET-based bug repellent on the body. Mosquito Squad’s barrier treatment eliminates up to 90% of the mosquitoes and ticks on a property. Applied by our professional applicator, the Barrier Protection Treatment continues to work for up to 21 days. Our team will remind you in advance of upcoming services and leave you a notice that we’ve visited. Our service is automatic, so you don’t need to be home during the application. The best part is that your children and pets only need to wait 30 minutes before returning to the yard!
Pull your calendars out and plan a picnic, get your lawn chairs ready, and get ready to head to your local park. Plus, guess what? Almost all the Orange County summer concerts are FREE!
Here are two sites that have compiled a list of all the summer concerts by respective Cities. They provide links to the actual event and/or City websites that provide complete info.
Grab a picnic basket and some friends and dance your way to one tonight!!!
This myth can stop potential homebuyers cold. The median listing price in the U.S. is $385,000 [$1.1 million in Orange County]. You would have to have $77,000 [$220,000 in Orange County] readily available if you wanted to make a 20% down payment, an amount that can be daunting for a lot of people.
“It’s one of the biggest myths out there,” says John Mallett, founder of mortgage broker MainStreet Mortgage. “It stops more people from entering the market or even seeing if they can qualify.”
In reality, 20% down is more of a guideline than a hard and fast rule. In fact, the average down payment equals 12%. For first-time buyers it goes down to 7%.
Government-backed options, such as FHA loans and USDA loans, can be secured with as little as 3.5% down. If you are a member of the armed forces or a veteran and you qualify for a VA loan, you can buy a home with 0% down.
Conventional loans also don’t require a 20% down payment, but with less money down you will generally need to pay for private mortgage insurance. PMI costs 0.5% to 1% of your loan amount per year and is paid in monthly installments. So, if you have the money to pay 20% down, however, it can make sense to do it. Having more equity also protects you if home values fall.
You can also apply for a number of different grants and homebuyer assistance programs that can provide money for a down payment. These programs can include grants, forgivable loans and second mortgages that can provide partial or full down payment help. (Brokerage Redfin has put together a list of down payment assistance programs available nationwide and by state.)
CA Real Estate Group can find solutions for you and connect you with our preferred mortgage experts. Call us today!
When it comes to pricing your house, there’s a lot to consider. The only way to ensure you price it right is by partnering with a local real estate professional.
To find the best price, your agent balances current market demand, the values of homes in your neighborhood, where prices are headed, and your home’s condition.
Don’t pick just any price for your house. If you’re ready to sell, let’s connect to find the perfect price for your house.
💡 Find out if we’re the right Realtor Team for you! Check out @carealestategroup
A few simple steps will keep your gas grill in top condition. Follow this grill maintenance checklist all year long for safer, cleaner grilling. For charcoal grill maintenance tips, click here.
When the Season begins
When the Season Ends
Choose from over 20 festive and tasty 4th of July themed drinks to stay cool and refreshed this summer!
This is a fun non alcoholic drink that both kids and adults will enjoy at your 4th of July party.
6. Sparkling Blueberry Mojito Punch
Just 5 easy ingredients in this drink recipe for an easy and festive drink. The blueberries make it look extra special and so fun.
7. Red White and Blue Smoothie
Your kids will love the patriotic stripes in this delicious smoothie. Layers of almond milk, fruit and more come together for a great treat.
8. Red White and Blue Punch
This is another fun layered red white and blue punch that’s perfect for the kids. This one uses Gatorade, Cranberry Juice and Mandarin Orange Sparkling water.
9. Blueberry Mojito
This blueberry mojito is one way to use up all of those yummy blueberries.
This surprisingly simple drink uses white wine, white soda. It gets its patriotic colors from frozen cherries and blueberries.
13. Red White and Blueberry Margaritas
This festive margarita uses frozen strawberries, coconut milk and frozen blueberries. Just layer it in a fun glass.
14. Citrus Splash
This looks like an entertaining drink. How fun is it that they used pop rocks along the rim of the glass?
15. Patriotic Ice Cream Sodas
These ice cream sodas look phenomenal and I bet they taste as good as they look, too! To get the fun colors all you have to do is change up the variety of soda.
16. Fourth of July Milkshakes
This recipe had my attention as soon as I read the word milkshake. Okay, the added whipped cream and sprinkles certainly makes it more appealing as well.
17. Raspberry Lemonade
Just a few simple ingredients and you can make the delicious Raspberry Lemonade.
18. Red White and Blue Pina Colada
This drink has a blend of pineapple, coconut and strawberries. You can’t beat the combo of pineapple with coconut in this 4th of July drink.
19. Red White and Blue Sparkling Juice
This is like a 4th of July snack in a glass. Everyone will love downing the ginger ale and then eating all of the fruit.
20. Fourth of July Sparkler
The lovely drink uses Rosé Champagne, club soda and berries. The different colors and berries make the drink festive.
21. Red White and Blue Daiquiris
The daiquiris use frozen lemonade and lime aid. A bonus is that you can make these ahead of time and freeze.
22. Fourth of July Layered Drink
This layered drink uses white Powerade, Cran-Apple juice and Blue Gatorade. The colors magically stay separated in each drink.
23. Watermelon Lemonade
Watermelon juice is so refreshing. Combine that with Lemonade and you have yourself a winning summery drink.
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