What’s Happening in Orange County January 2015

What’s Happening in Orange County in January 2015

Farmers Markets Ongoing

 

List of Farmers Markets in Orange County

http://www.orangecounty.net

 

Orange County Parks & Outdoors Ongoing

 

Orange County, California has beautiful beaches, scenic vistas, and pristine wilderness areas that are visited year-round by residents and out-of-town guests alike. OC Parks is the caretaker of these beautiful county assets and operates nearly 60,000 acres of regional and wilderness parks, nature preserves, historical sites and famous OC beaches. New! Annual passes are available all year round.

http://www.ocparks.com

 

Knott’s Fire and Police Recognition Days

Thru Jan. 31

 

As a thank you to all the men and women who assist in protecting life and property, Knott’s Berry Farm Theme Park is proud to offer Fire and Police Recognition Days. Starting November 22 through January 31, 2015, Knott’s will once again extend free Park admission to all active fire and police personnel and one guest.

http://www.visitbuenapark.com

 

Commitment Day 5K Jan. 1

 

The Commitment Day 5K will start and finish at Life Time Athletic: 25600 Rancho Niguel Rd, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677

http://www.commitmentday.com

 

BrideWorld Expo Jan. 3

Orange County’s annual wedding planning expo where brides-to-be can shop and compare 150 local wedding professionals including photographers, entertainers, cake bakers, bridal salons, tuxedos, invitations and romantic honeymoon destinations.

http://www.ocfair.com

 

Dana Point’s “IlluminOcean” Thru Jan. 4

 

Dana Point’s “IlluminOcean” featuring the wonders of the deep blue sea, dazzling spectacle of sights, sound and motion that’s electrifying our ocean views like never before will be happening November 26th thru January 4th.

http://www.kwve.com

 

Southern California Half Marathon & 5K Jan. 10

 

Take a run around the course known to locals as “inside the loop” at the Southern California Half Marathon & 5K, which celebrates its 24th annual running in 2015 as the official warm-up road race for other California races like the Los Angeles Marathon, the O.C. Marathon and the Surf City Marathon later in the year.

http://www.active.com

 

Holidays On Ice Mission Viejo Ice Skating Rink

Thru Jan. 10

 

The “Holidays On Ice Mission Viejo Ice Skating Rink” at The Shops at Mission Viejo is open seven days a week thru January 11th 2015.

http://www.kwve.com

 

Monster Jam Jan. 10

 

Angel Stadium. Monster Jam® Trucks: Grave Digger® driven by Carl Van Horn, Dragon driven by Scott Liddycoat, El Diablo℠ driven by JP Ruggiero, Scooby-Doo™ driven by TBA, Grave Digger the Legend® driven by Adam Anderson, El Toro Loco® driven by Dan Rodini, Tropical Thunder driver TBA, Freedom Keeper driven by Matt Clark, Menace driven by Darren Migues, Time Fly’s driven by Kelvin Ramer, Detour driven by Garrette Ladelle, Felon driven by Mark Schroeder, Shocker driven by Pat Gerber, Bounty Hunter® driven by Jimmy Creten, and Scarlet Bandit™ driven by Dawn Creten!

Subject to change without notice.

http://www.monsterjam.com

 

Film Night at the Museum Jan. 15

 

Laguna Art Museum

http://www.visittheoc.com

 

Anatolian Cultures & Food Festival Jan. 16

 

This multi-day festival celebrates the history, food and music of this region of Turkey, showcasing the civilizations that thrived in Anatolia, dating back to the Trojans, Romans and Ottomans. Coordinated by the Pacific Institute, Orange County Branch.

http://www.anatolianfestival.org

 

3rd Annual Baby & Kidz Expo Jan. 17

 

One day expo of vendors, giveaways, entertainment, activities, coupons, information and samples for the whole family.

http://www.ocfair.com

 

New Year’s Hustle 5K: Your Next Step Is the Cure Jan. 24

 

The Orange County Great Park

http://www.renegaderaceseries.com

 

Laguna Hills, CA – Wine Class: Wine 101 – Back to Basics Jan. 29

 

This seminar is ideal for learning the fundamentals of wine tasting. Attendees will learn how to identify the key components of a wine, how to score a wine like the experts and proper serving temperatures. They will also explore how to select favorite wine styles and how to pair wine with appropriate foods. Eight delicious wines will be featured.

http://www.eventbrite.com

 

Snow Day Jan. 31

 

Tons of the frosty stuff is delivered to the dam to enable youngsters to sled, make snow people, and have old-fashioned snowball battles. Children are advised to wear warm clothes and gloves. Space is limited to 900 persons, and early registration is recommended. Advance registration fee for the event is $12 per person for Fullerton residents and $15 per person for non-residents. The day of the event admission will be $15 per person for Fullerton residents and $18 non-residents.

http://www.orangecounty.net

Where to put your cash? A house or a stock

Where to put your cash? A house or a stock

 

A new article came out today trying to indicate whether to put your money in a home or stock.

They try to go back to the late 1890’s to give their advice but looking since the 1980’s it seems to me that that there are conflicting reports. The home values have gone up and taking into account you can live in your investment and receive a tax deduction for your interest paid on your home; and after 2 years you can declare a tax free gain of $250,000 per person ($500,000 per couple) this is a much better investment return than putting your money into stocks.

That being said, you never want to place all your eggs in one basket, less you drop that basket and break your eggs.

If you kept your home investment, even though you received a paper loss, you will end up with a true capital gain. Real estate always goes up, but you cannot say that about all stocks if you hold on to them.

The government is pushing home ownership as an investment. Which is good, interest rates are low, and home owners get a tax deduction which is not received if you are a renter.

 

Also if you live in Orange County, your values have really returned strongly and had you held onto your home, you would have a nice equity growth, much better that the stock market.

 

A house can also offer greater returns if the owner chooses to rent it out and not to live in it; and if you sell it within 3 years of renting it you can still receive your tax free capital gains.

It’s a riskier choice, given the current volatility in home prices, but it may be the best way to build wealth.

Before doing anything you should check with your Professional for advice, your tax accountant for taxes and your Real Estate Agent for Real Estate

MarleneDietrich@Realtor.com

A Quote that may make you buy a home in the next year

“Given the appreciation of the dollar and the deflationary pressure coming out of Europe and Asia, I think it’s going to cause the Fed to wait longer before they start taking action,” he said. “We’ve always believed this was going to be a fourth quarter 2015 event. I think we may be looking at something in 2016, and you can’t rule out the possibility that we could get pushed out even father.”

Noone knows that the future will bring but all looks hopeful and you will never lose if you stay in Real Estate

New Social Security changes for 2015

“Social Security recipients will receive 1.7 percent bigger checks in 2015, the Social Security Administration announced last week. And some groups of workers will begin receiving benefit statements in the mail with a list of taxes paid and an estimate of their future retirement benefit. Here’s a look at the new Social Security benefits, taxes and services workers and retirees will experience in 2015:

Bigger payments. The 1.7 percent cost-of-living adjustment is expected to result in the typical retiree getting about $22 more per month. This change will increase the average monthly benefit for retired workers in January 2015 from $1,306 before the cost-of-living adjustment to $1,328 after. The average benefit for retired couples who are both receiving benefits is projected to increase by $36 to $2,176 per month.

Social Security payments are automatically adjusted each year to keep up with inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. Previous cost-of-living adjustments have ranged from zero in 2010 and 2011 to 14.3 percent in 1980. The 1.7 percent increase retirees will receive in January is similar to the 1.5 percent adjustment for 2014 and 1.7 percent increase in 2013.

Higher tax cap. Most workers pay 6.2 percent of every paycheck into the Social Security system until their earnings exceed the tax cap. The maximum taxable earnings will increase next year from $117,000 in 2014 to $118,500 in 2015. About 10 million of the 168 million workers who pay into Social Security are expected to face higher taxes as a result of this change. People who earn more than the taxable maximum do not pay Social Security taxes on that amount or have those earnings factored into their future Social Security payments.

Larger earnings limits. Social Security beneficiaries who are under age 66 can earn as much as $15,720 in 2015, before $1 in benefits will be withheld for every $2 earned above the limit. Retirees who will turn 66 in 2015 and have signed up for Social Security can earn up to $41,880 before every $3 earned above the limit will result in one benefit dollar being withheld. However, once a retiree turns age 66 there is no limit on earnings and Social Security payments are recalculated to give the retiree credit for the withheld benefits.

Your statement might be in the mail. If you will turn age 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55 or 60 next year and don’t have a Social Security online account, you can expect to receive a paper Social Security statement that lists your earnings history, taxes paid and expected benefit about 3 months before your birthday. And after age 60 workers will receive a statement annually. The SSA expects to send nearly 48 million Social Security statements each year. These mailings, which were sent annually to all workers age 25 and older between 1999 and 2011, were suspended in April 2011 to save money. Statements are also available online at any time via socialsecurity.gov/myaccount, and 14 million people have created personalized accounts using this service.

The maximum benefit increases. The maximum possible Social Security payment for a worker who signs up at full retirement age will be $2,663 per month in 2015, up $21 from $2,642 in 2014”

Know your benefits and plan ahead and if you are in your 20’s and 30’s start an IRA or join 401K, don’t plan on SSA being there

The Scales have tipped to a buyer’s market

The scales have tipped to a buyer’s market

With houses staying on the market in Orange County an average of 10 days longer in July 2014 than in July 2013, more housing inventory to choose from, and an increase in the number of sellers dropping prices, buyers should assume that every house has a motivated seller behind it.
If you’re in the market for a new home, here are some ways to leverage the buyer’s market to your advantage:

Don’t be shy
Ask the seller to pay the first year of HOA fees, ask that the carpet or wood floors be replaced or professionally cleaned, ask for the landscaping to be updated… even ask for the luxurious pieces of furniture you’d like to have. The WORST they can say is no. You might end up getting more than you thought possible. Simply TRY asking for it since many sellers are ready to negotiate in order to get under contract.

Name your price
When you see the sales comps of surrounding homes, don’t be afraid to throw out an offer that’s below the average. Now, don’t have the false hope actually getting the home at this price. Instead, use your low offer as a tool to gauge the seller’s motivation. Again…the worst they can say is no.

Partner with your loan officer
If you’re going to be taken seriously by the seller, you need to have your ducks in a row before even looking at the home. With mortgage rates at one-year lows, it’s a GREAT time to buy. Especially when you can maximize the benefits of a buyer’s market.

Start by working with your loan officer to determine how much home you can afford and what types of loan programs are best for you. Then make sure you have your letter of pre-approval in hand. A seller is much more likely to lend an open mind to negotiations and requests from a well-prepared, serious buyer than one who is not.

Contact us and we will introduce you to a great lender
MarleneDietrich@Realtor.com www/.MarleneDietrichRealEstate.com

Housing Growth in Orange County, CA

Signs are pointing to Housing Growth in Orange County

Interest rates should remain steady & holding close to what has been seen over the past month. And these rates down 32 basis points from 4.46% just a year ago. When Rates are down sales go up. 8.6% Increase in sales for Orange County from April to May. In fact, National Association of Realtors (NAR) chief economist Lawrence Yun views May’s increase as a solid sign for improving home sales in the second half of the year saying that,  with low mortgage rates, more inventory and improved job creation.   We should be entering into a Prime Real Estate Market. More homes (with supply and demand) will mean more sales, prices should be more negotiable but still increasing on a positive note and first time buyers as well as home sellers moving up and downsizing will all benefit from this time of the year. . We are available to assist your every Real Estate Need so contact us at MarleneDietrich@Realtor.com or call 949-400-1021 & visit us at www.MarleneDietrichRealEstate.com

Job creation up, Rates low in Orange County

 

With Job creation growing and stock market growing the The Federal Reserve is planning on ending the bond-buying program this October 2014.Rates are expected to stay low for quite a while.

The economy had a rough winter but has rebounded and economist predict continued limited growth over the next few years. With the ending of the bond-buying many worried that the Feds would again start raising interest rates, however most feel that they will stay committed to artificially keeping the rates low.

Enjoy the best rates you have seen in 30 years and buy your move up home now. Contact us anytime at MarleneDietrich@Realtor.com  visit us at www.MarleneDietrichRealEstate.com

4th of July Activities in Newport Beach

4th of July Events in Newport Coast

Join us for Independence Day on the Back Bay, 4th of July celebration in charming Newport Beach, CA. With a range of entertaining activities and events, including an incredible fireworks display, a two-day festival with live music featuring KC & The Sunshine Band and others, local artisans and merchants and a family fun zone, the Newport Dunes 4th of July celebration has something for the whole family to enjoy! Take part in judging the Food Truck Wars contest as well as taste savory bites from the Back Bay Bistro. Open to locals and visitors and held at the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina.

View event Flyer here (PDF).

BUY TICKETS

Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina
CONCERT AREA: 12 p.m. – 10 p.m. • FIREWORKS EXTRAVAGANZA – 9 p.m.

ENTERTAINMENT & ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE

RED, WHITE & BLUE STAGE
Featuring KC &The Sunshine Band
7:30 -9:15 p.m.

OPENING BANDS
3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Pickle Back Shine
4:30 – 5:30 p.m. Fusion Beat
6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Reflexx

GRAND OLD FLAG STAGE – Family Fun Zone
Additional fee applies. Unlimited visit wristbands and individual tickets will be sold! 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

BACK BAY BISTRO – Wood Fire Grill Buffet
Adults $45 per person, Children 1O years and under $22.50 (Included with VIP Ticket) Advance Reservations Required: (949-729-1144) 3:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

ARTISAN & MERCHANT BOOTHS
More than 20 Artisan and Merchant booths selling beach chic clothing and accessories, beach toys, sporting goods, and more! 12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

FOOD TRUCK WARS – Vote for your favorite!
The winning food truck receives a $1,000 cash prize! 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

TICKET PRICING

CONCERT AREA – VIP PACKAGE: $150 per person
-Complimentary Dunes Valet Parking
-VIP Reserved Seating
-Cocktail Service
-Dining Package – Back Bay Bistro Wood Fire Grill Buffet dinner between 3-9 p.m. (advance reservations required)
-1 Hour Paddle Board Rental (advance reservations required)
-1 Fun Zone Wristband for Unlimited Visits
-Goodie Bag

CONCERT AREA – FAMILY 4 PACK: $200
-Complimentary Dunes Preferred Parking
-Designated Picnic Area. Picnic Tables Available First Come First Serve, Personal Beach Chairs Welcome
-2 Fun Zone Wristbands for Unlimited Visits (additional fee for extra wristbands or individual tickets)

CONCERT AREA – GENERAL ADMISSION (Parking Fee Not Included)
$50 per person
-Designated Picnic Area. Picnic Tables Available First Come First Serve, Personal Beach Chairs Welcome

$25 per person
-General Admission Standing Room Only
-Adults & Kids 12 & under (kids 3 & under FREE)

PARKING PRICING: $50 per car• $5 per bicycle

BUY TICKETS

More 4th of July Events in Newport Beach
4th Annual 4th of July is for Families Events – Newport Peninsula Bike Parade and Community Festival
Mariners 42nd Annual Independence Day Parade
Old Glory Boat Parade
Hornblower Cruises & Events Old Glory Boat Parade Brunch Cruise
Hornblower Cruises & Events July 4h Fireworks Dinner Cruise

Ducks Are Important When Buying A Home in @Orange County

 

 Ducks Are Important When Buying A Home in #Orange County

 

Get all your Ducks in a row.  Be prepared so that you don’t start a purchase process before you are ready.  Many people have said to me, “Oh, I’m good. I have great Credit. I won’t have any trouble getting a loan. But unless you are prepared you may be surprised at how the lending requirements have changed from even 8 years ago.

 

A few years ago, we had Stated Income so if you said you had a certain amount of income, they believed you and could move forward on that. Your DEBT to INCOME Ratio was a lot lower than it is today.

So, how do you know how much loan amount you can afford?

 

The key is your debt-to-income ratio. The debt-to-income ratio is a critical measurement that underwriters use to determine your ability to repay the loan. Given its importance to the Lending decision, it is critical to understand the debt-to-income ratio and what you can do to improve it.

 

So, debt-to-income ratio?

You actually have two debt-to-income ratios that Lenders use to determine if you can afford a new Mortgage. The first is what’s known as the front-end ratio or housing ratio. The housing ratio is your proposed total monthly housing which is your new mortgage payment, property taxes and insurance combined, divided by your gross monthly income. The other important ratio is known as the total debt ratio. In addition to your housing payment, the total debt ratio factors in other monthly Credit Obligations such as car loans, credit cards and student loans.

 

So, How much will Lenders allow?

Most lenders do not have maximum debt-to-income ratios per se, but rather guidelines that offer some flexibility. In general, lenders want to see monthly housing debt of no more than 28% to 33% of your income and total debt of no more than 38% of your income. Lenders will exceed these guidelines when sufficient offsetting factors exist, such as excellent credit, larger than required equity or down payment, or demonstrated ability to maintain a similar payment. Keep in mind, however, that the farther you exceed the guidelines, the stronger your offsetting factors will need to be.

 

So, How Can I improve my Debt to Income Ratio?

The nice thing about the debt-to-income ratio is that, unlike some other aspects of your financial life, it can be improved. You may be able to, for example, improve your debt-to-income ratio by paying off some of that excess debt. But be sure to check with your lender before you start paying that debt down, because lender requirements do vary.

 

So, Now What?

Now you contact a Great Real Estate Agent who will respond to you immediately. Who will lead you thorough the process so that you are not surprised anywhere down the road. An agent who is Honest, Experienced, resourceful and treats you like Family. Why not expect the Possible and receive the Impossible. Choose

 

MarleneDietrich@Realtor.com 949-400-1021

www.MarleneDietrichRealEstate.com

 

 

June 13th Newport Beach…MakeAWish Rolling for Wishes Not too

 

Calendar Of Events

Rolling for Wishes

June 13, 2014

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Time:

6:30pm

• Orange County

• Rolling, wishes, poker, casino, dice, young professionals

Location:

Hyatt Regency Newport Beach
1107 Jamboree Road
Newport Beach, CA 92660

Purchase tickets today!

Please join us for the 7^th annual Rolling For Wishes benefiting Make-A-Wish® Orange County and the Inland Empire.

Enjoy an evening of lively casino action, prizes, silent auctions and more!

• $150 in casino chips included with ticket
• Hosted beer and wine
• Specialty cocktails provided by Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine
• Heavy hors d’oeuvres to be served
• DJ entertainment to be announced
• Dress is cocktail attire

Ticket prices:

$75 for members of Make-A-Wish Young Professionals and Women’s Circle of Wishes through May 15
$85 General Admission until May 15
$95 General Admission May 15 – June 10
$125 tickets at the door if still available

To purchase tickets by phone or for any other questions please contact Sarah Pizzaruso at pizzaruso@wishocie.org or by calling 714-573-WISH (x230).

To purchase tickets online click here. 

Sponsorship opportunities are now available.