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ORANGE COUNTY REAL ESTATE & LIFESTYLE BLOG
Prepare Your Home for Wildfire Season
As in many other communities, if you are an Orange County homeowner, you may live in an area where there is a risk of wildfire - and if you haven't done so already, it's time to take steps to protect your home should a wildfire occur. Fire hardening is key. This proceess can make your home more resistant to wildfires. It includes various building and landscaping measures you can take, including creating defensible space around your home and using fire- resistant building materials and landscaping, that fire authorities recommend to reduce the risk of ignition from embers, radiant heat, and flames. CAL FIRE Home Hardening Recommendations Here are some key strategies from CAL FIRE on how to harden your home against wildfires: 1. Roofing Material: Use Class A fire-rated roofing materials, such as composition shingles, metal, or clay tiles. Maintenance: Clear your home's roofs and keep rain gutters clear of leaves, needles, and other debris. 2. Vents Screening: To preent embers from entering, cover all vents with 1/8-inch metal mesh to prevent embers from entering. Design: Use ember-resistant vents or design vent openings to minimize ember intrusion. 3. Eaves and Soffits Enclosure: Enclose eaves and soffits with fire-resistant materials to prevent embers from lodging. 4. Windows and Doors Glass: Install dual-pane or tempered glass windows to reduce breakage. Frames: Use fire-resistant materials for frames and sills. Seals: Ensure doors and windows close tightly and have proper seals. 5. Walls Materials: Use non-combustible or ignition-resistant materials for exterior walls, such as stucco, fiber cement, or fire-retardant-treated wood. 6. Decks Construction: Build decks with fire-resistant materials and keep the area beneath them clear of flammable materials. Spacing: Ensure there are no gaps between deck boards that can trap embers. 7. Fences Material: Use non-combustible fencing materials, especially within 5 feet of the home. Separation: Create a separation between the fence and the house if using combustible materials. Landscaping and Defensible Space Creating defensible space around your home is critical in Orange County and throughout Southern California. This doesn't mean that you have to rip out all your lanscaping. It's more about making adjustments and preventing/removing overgrowth and dead vegetation. CAL FIRE recommends creating and maintaining the following zones: Zone 0: Immediate Zone (0-5 feet from the home) Clearance: Remove all dead vegetation and flammable materials. Plants: Use fire-resistant plants and keep them well-watered and maintained. Zone 1: Intermediate Zone (5-30 feet from the home) Spacing: Ensure proper spacing between trees and shrubs. Maintenance: Regularly prune trees and shrubs to remove dead or overhanging branches. In addition to CAL FIRE's recommendations, local Orange County agencies also have suggestions and resources to help homeowners and landowners to prepare their properties for wildfire season. Below are some links from local Orange County fire agencies, including some that are city-specific. CAL FIRE’s Ready for Wildfire: Ready for Wildfire Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA): OCFA Home Fire Hardening City of Irvine Fire Safety: Irvine Fire Safety Laguna Beach Fire Safety: Laguna Beach Fire Safety Yorba Linda Fire Safety Council: Yorba Linda Fire Safety Conclusion Preparing your home for fire season and creating defensible space is essential for protecting your property and ensuring safety during wildfire events. By following the comprehensive guidelines provided by CAL FIRE and local Orange County cities, you can significantly reduce the risk of fire damage to your home. Kristine Marquez is a licensed Realtor® and serves the Orange County, CA area and excels at advising homeowners about their biggest investment - their home, providing the information and insight homeowners need to make decisions that support their near and long term goals. She and her husband relocated to OC from LA County more than 20 years ago and they have raised their three daughters here and share their home with them, as well as their dogs and cat. She can be reached at kristine@kristinemarquez.com
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Should You Sell or Renovate Your Orange County Home? Things to Consider
You've owned your current home in Orange County for a while and you've started to think about selling your home. Or you're considering whether staying put and renovating is a better choice. Things have changed since you bought your home - you've moved up in your career, got married, you have 3 kids and a dog. Maybe you're an empty nester. Your prferences and needs aren't what they were when you purchased your home and maybe it's time to consider your options. Deciding whether to renovate your current home or sell and purchase a new one is a decision most homeowners eventually consider. This guide will help you weigh your options and make the best decision for your needs, finances, and future plans. Step 1: Take a Good Look at Your Current Home Space and Layout Currently: Does your home's layout work for you? Enough bedrooms and bathrooms, storage space, bigger living area, home office? If you need more space, does your lot afford enough room to do so while observing local building codes and zoning rules? Future Plans: Are you starting or expanding your family and are you looking for top rated schools (GreatSchools.org is a helpful tool for this)? do you expect to live a multigenerational lifestyle as parents age, or have your kids all moved out and you're finding you have more space than you want or need? Check the Condition and Age of Your Home Maintenance and Condition: How’s the roof, plumbing, and electrical systems holding up? Are those systems reaching the end of their lifespan and nearing time for replacement? Neighborhood and Location Neighborhood Vibes: The local amentiies, lifestyle. Are there clubs, sports teams that kids are involved in? Is there anything that you don't love as much as you used to? Do you want to be near hiking trails, the beach, golf course? Market Trends: Are home values trending up? How much has your home's value increased? Step 2: Consider the Financial Side of Things Understand Costs for Renovation Estimates: Get a few estimates for the renovations you're considering. Include the the cost of permits and leave a cushion for unexpected items. Financing: Will you pay for renovations with savings, home equity loans or a refi? Will you sell that collection of baseball cards? How long will it take to obtain the funds? What About ROI? Return on Investment (ROI): According to the experts at Seapointe Design & Remodel, kitchens and bathroom remodels often give the best returns but there are other renovations that can also provide a strong ROI. Research how much value your renovations will add. Comparative Market Analysis (CMA): Ask a real estate agent to compare your home with the renovations to homes in the area that are similar. Calculate the Costs of Trading Up Selling Your Current Home: What will you net after the sale once the mortgage is closing costs, agent commissions and other expenses are payed off? What will you actually be left with? Buying a New Home: Consider the cost of a new home in the location and with the features you want, including the amount you would need for down payment, closing costs, and moving expenses. Mortgage Rates: Will trading up mean higher monthly mortgage payments? Step 3: Weigh the Emotional and Lifestyle Factors Think About Emotional Attachment Are you attached to your current home because of memories and familiarity? Or are you ready to begin a new chapter in a new home? Renovation Can Be Disruptive Renovation Disruption: Renovations can be noisy and messy. Are you ready for that? Will you have to move out during renovations? Packing and unpacking is often stressful. What about your pets? Will you have them in your temporary home with you or will you need to make alternate arrangements for them? How will your temporary home's location impact your lifestyle? Evaluate Your Lifestyle Goals Long-Term Plans: Do you want to find your "forever home" and stay put for a long time, or do you see yourself moving again soon or in the next few years? Community Ties: How strong are your ties to your current community? Have you or your kids made close friends? Do you just commute to and from work and have little involvement with people or organizations? Do you have ties and friendships elsewhere? Step 4: Make Your Decision Make a Pros and Cons List Write down pros and cons of both renovating and trading up. Do it on paper - sometimes seeing the list in physical form makes it easier to make a decision. Talk to Pros Real Estate Agent: Meet with an agent to find up to the minute information and advice on market trends and potential resale value of your home and to find out what potential value your contemplated renovation might add to your home. Contractor: Talk to a reputable licensed contractor about the scope and cost of the renovation you have in mind. Financial Advisor: Discuss your financial situation with a professional to make sure you're making a wise decision. Conclusion Take your time, consult with professionals, talk to your family - after reviewing and weighing these factors - needs, finances, and future plans - you'll be ready to make your decision. Kristine Marquez is a licensed Realtor® and serves the Orange County, CA area and excels at advising homeowners about their biggest investment - their home, providing the information and insight homeowners need to make decisions that support their near and long term goals. She and her husband relocated to OC from LA County more than 20 years ago and they have raised their three daughters here and share their home with them, as well as their dogs and cat. She can be reached at kristine@kristinemarquez.com
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Your Home After the Rain - These Four Things May Need Your Attention
You may see blue skies after the atmospheric rivers move on, but since historically Orange County, along with the rest of So Cal, but late February into March still falls in the rainy season, once the storms pass it's a good time to see how your home and property are holding up. It's a good idea to check the items below to take advantage of any dry periods to check for damage and make repairs or adjustments. 1. Roof and Gutters Our roofs are subject to extremes in conditions from record breaking heat and dry spells in summer and early fall, which can make roofs more susceptible to being damaged when heavy rain arrrives in winter. It's wise to check roofs post-rain for worn/damaged shingles which could be compromised and leak. If you have raingutters, make sure they are not clogged to ensure water is directed properly. 2. Foundations After a rainstorm, another place to check for damage is your foundation for changes in existing cracks or to see if new ones have appeared. Concrete is a material which can be negatively affected by excess moisture. Basements aren't common in Southern Californnia but if present should be checked as well. 3. Windows and Doors Heavy rain is often accomanied by strong winds, which can push water into homes, so it's prudent to check for leaks or drafts after a storm and seal any gaps to keep the water out. This will help you with utility bills when summer comes also by keeping cool air from the AC in. 4. Landscaping and Drainage One of the great pleasures of living in Orange County is (almost) year round outdoor living. Walk your yard and patio to catch any pooling water or soil erosion which could indicate drainage issues that need attention. You should ensure your yard directs water away from your home. Also, consider incorporating native plants that are drought-tolerant that will help retain soil. And of course check the weather and put sprinklers on rain delay if there is rain in the forecast. The OC Wrap-Up Checking your home and yard after the storms pass helps you stay ahead of possible problems to prevent any that arise from becoming major issues and keeping your home intact and cozy. For more in depth advice you can check with the website for your city in Orange County
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Our Agents
Whether you’re just starting to research buying a home or you’ve made the decision to sell your home, I am excited to help you! My honest, straightforward approach focuses on keeping each client’s interests at heart, while bringing my personal values of hard work, integrity, efficient, and outstanding client service at the highest level into everything I do.
My knowledge of Orange County real estate, neighborhoods, and lifestyle comes from living and working here for more than two decades with my husband and raising my family here.
Yo hablo Espanol y puedo ayudar a clientes que prefieren comunicar en Espanol.
Kristine Marquez DRE# 02151470
Whether you’re just starting to research buying a home or you’ve made the decision to sell your home, I am excited to help you! My honest, straightforward approach focuses on keeping each client’s interests at heart, while bringing my personal values of hard work, integrity, efficient, and outstanding client service at the highest level into everything I do.
My knowledge of Orange County real estate, neighborhoods, and lifestyle comes from living and working here for more than two decades with my husband and raising my family here.
Yo hablo Espanol y puedo ayudar a clientes que prefieren comunicar en Espanol.
Kristine Marquez DRE# 02151470