Seal Beach, CA. – December 15, 2011 – Olson Homes, Southern California’s leading developer of in-town living, has created an innovative online home design studio, making design decisions “simple and fun” for today’s homeowner and homebuyer.
The Olson Style Studio, powered by Studio Chateau, offers the homebuyer immediate and easy access to pick and choose the features and options for structure, design, and other elements that are available for their new home once escrow is closed. The Studio provides an important step in envisioning and planning what the new home will look like; a user can view community information, look through a detailed catalogue of available options, and create a wish list of amenities.
Each of Olson Homes’ community sites is carefully selected for the availability of amenities and proximity to entertainment and culture. Now, Olson homeowners and homebuyers can view all of the restaurants, landmarks, and offerings in their community, complete with comprehensive descriptions.
In addition, each community has an interactive floor plan and offers a tour of the model homes, as well as an “i-postcard” feature that enables a user to send their new home or home they are wishing for directly to a friend, letting them know about the community they have just visited or are moving into. All features are easily accessible through the Olson Homes homepage, as well as the individual community sites, which also offer local news and events to continue to connect Olson homebuyers with their local communities.
“Customer satisfaction is a cornerstone value to Olson Homes, and through these online experiences we endeavor to provide our homebuyers and potential homebuyers with the easiest and most comprehensive way for them to choose the features in their house, helping to ensure it truly is their dream home,” said Steve Olson, Chairman/CEO of The Olson Company.
The Style Studio features include:
Comprehensive community information to welcome a potential homebuyer
A complete selection of home options, with detailed choices for everything within the home, from structural, electrical, plumbing and appliances, to countertops, closets, cabinets and doors.
A “Design it Yourself” feature that lets one create a placement diagram, allowing for simple “drag and drop” placement of design and options onto a floor plan.
A simple order form that offers easy access to pricing and subtotals.
A wish list for placing options to think about and review later.
The Olson Company’s numerous successful urban living developments across Southern California over the last 22 years reflect its commitment to today’s homebuyer. The Olson Company has garnered prestigious Eliant Awards for homeowner satisfaction, including a recent overall win for Mosaic Walk, which was in first place from almost 900 nationwide home communities. The Olson Company believes in “livability,” and implements a thoughtful and detail-oriented approach from concept through execution. As part of their unique approach to creating these communities, The Olson Company understands all that goes into buying a new home and provides ongoing tailored services to support the needs of its homeowners, including financial education and the exclusive Homeowner Champion Program.
There are still homes available in Olson Homes’ newest community in Covina, Citrus Walk. The Citrus Walk sales center is located at 158 Italia Street Covina, CA 91723. To learn more about Citrus Walk, the Olson Company online tools, and how you can own new now, please visit CitrusWalk.com.
About The Olson Company
Established in 1988, The Olson Company and the Olson Homes brand are nationally recognized for creating unique in-town neighborhoods in urban communities throughout California. Headquartered in Seal Beach, California, The Olson Company has successfully partnered with governmental agencies and private landowners to create innovative housing solutions designed to fulfill the lifestyle needs of today’s buyer.
Black Friday is upon us! While merchants are busy gearing up for a record Black Friday filled with sales, Olson Homes wants to spell out 10 reasons why shoppers should buy a new home instead. So here are our 10 reasons why it’s good to buy a home and skip the big box Black Friday sales.
1. Home shoppers have waited long enough. Good deals are available for the asking.
In case home shoppers may have missed this, this is the best buyer’s market we have seen on over 30 years. If home shoppers are waiting for the bottom, they may have already missed it! No one will ever catch the bottom mostly because no one knows where that is. The truth is it doesn’t really matter so much in the long haul.
2. Mortgages are cheap. Very cheap.
Home shoppers can get a 30-year loan for around 4.3%. In some cases home shoppers may find special buy down rates that get down to 3.75% What’s not to like about low interest rates? These are the lowest rates on record. As recently as two years ago they were about 6.3%. That drop slashes your monthly repayment by a fifth. If inflation picks up, home shoppers won’t see these mortgage rates again in their lifetime. And if we get deflation, and rates fall further, homeowners can always refinance.
3 Home shoppers will save on taxes. Tax breaks for itemization.
Here is a plus. Home shoppers can deduct the mortgage interest from their income taxes. Try doing that on your standard holiday purchases. With a new home purchase, home shoppers can deduct their real estate taxes. And they’ll get a tax break on capital gains–if any–when they sell. Sure, home shoppers need to do the math. Homeowners only get the income tax break if they itemize their tax deductions, and many people may be better off taking the standard deduction instead. The breaks are more valuable the more people earn, and the bigger their mortgage. But savvy homeowners will find that these tax breaks mean owning costs them less, often a lot less, than renting.
4. This time it’s personal! That new home is a design showcase.
Get in early enough on a new home and home shoppers can have the kitchen and bathrooms they really want. Homeowners can upgrade to their hearts content. They can get the flooring, window treatments, and upgraded appliances they have dreamed about. New home ownership also allows homeowners to add these items to their monthly mortgage payments at a cost that adds only a bit more to their monthly mortgage payments. Black Friday shoppers should try this instead of maxing out their credit cards at 22% interest rates. Consider that fact when in the check out line that this purchase won’t will be paid back for many years to come. Hmmm, maybe buying a new home instead does make more sense?
5. Home shoppers get a better home. Much Better!
Renting a place gives people a place to rest their heads and a space to park their belongings, but generally speaking, if they want the best home in the best neighborhood, most people are better off buying a new home. Plus new homeowners get that great new home smell!
6. It offers some inflation protection.
Black Fridays come and go but studies by Professor Karl “Chip” Case (of Case-Shiller), and others, suggest that over the long-term housing has tended to beat inflation by a couple of percentage points a year. That’s valuable inflation insurance, especially if raising a young family and thinking about the next 30 or 40 years. The rule of thumb is if anyone that plans on living in a place for 5 years or more, they may be better off buying than renting. If someone is planning on moving every few years they may want to re-think that strategy and lock-in home ownership while it is still affordable and within reach.
7. It’s risk capital. That is comfort now, equity later.
No, a home isn’t the stock market and no one should view it as the way to get rich. Thats what got people into the mess we see on the news. But current indicators suggest that the economy may surprise us all and start booming, sooner or later real estate prices will head up again, too. Long after the Black Friday sale items are forgotten in the back of a closet, your new home will have gained equity. One lesson from the last few years is that stocks are incredibly hard for most normal people to own in large quantities–for practical as well as psychological reasons. Equity in a home is another way of linking part of a portfolio to the long-term growth of the economy–if it happens–and still managing to sleep at night.
8. It’s forced savings. Pay yourself first!
Suppose one can rent an apartment for $2,000 month instead of buying one for $2,400 a month, renting may make sense. But will people save that $400 for their future? A lot of people won’t. People have to do the math, but need to remember that part of a mortgage payment that goes to principal repayment isn’t a cost. Homeowners are just paying themselves by building equity. As a forced monthly saving, it’s a good discipline.
9. There is a lot to choose from. 4 New home communities to be exact!
Olson Homes may be biased, but when it comes to home affordability, home shoppers should consider one of our great new Southern California new home communities. From the mid $300s Olson Homes has the best selling Citrus Walk in Covina visit Citruswalk.com, from the high $200s Olson Homes has 2 new home communities; the final phase of Rio Walk in Montebello visit RioWalkHomes.com, and the very last home at Heritage Walk in Paramount visit HeritageWalkParamount.com, and in Garden Grove from the low $300s there is the nearly sold out Mosaic Walk visit MosaicWalk.com. Any of these communities offer great locations and great value for new home shoppers.
10. Sooner or later, the market will clear. Be there when it does.
Demand and supply will meet. The population is forecast to grow by more than 100 million people over the next 40 years. That means maybe 40 million new households looking for homes. Meanwhile, today’s home shoppers will be so happy they bought a new home now, and be able to brag about how smart they were way back when people without vision let this once in a lifetime home ownership opportunity pass them by.
So there it is! 10 great reasons not to shop on Black Friday and buy a new home instead.
Seal Beach, CA (Vocus/PRWEB) April 13, 2011 – It happens this time every year. Thousands of landlords across the southland send notification to their tenants that an increase of up to 10% will be added to their current monthly payment for rent. While a common reaction will be to just bite the bullet and renew at the higher payment, many smart homebuyers are weighing the option of making a home purchase instead. For those individuals, Olson Homes is offering 6 new home communities with payments comparable to what the landlord wants for rent. Michelle Johnson VP of Sales and Marketing for the Olson Company points out “With landlords raising rents again, many renters are considering home ownership as a way to control costs”
“But looking for a great loan just got a bit harder” said Michelle Johnson remarking on the recent FHA move. “One of the best loan programs out there today is from FHA, which allows buyers to purchase a home with only 3.5% down combined with flexible guidelines. However, with two critical FHA guidelines about to change, securing these loans will become increasingly difficult. Financial institutions are urging homebuyers who plan to take advantage of FHA financing to lock in their purchases now before the changes take effect later this month. This is why Olson Homes is trying to educate buyers on the value of home ownership over renting.” Michelle also points out that Olson Homes understands what today’s young buyer is looking for and builds communities based on today’s lifestyle values.
Adding to the challenge is a second change the FHA will be rolling out this month. “The FHA is severely limiting the number of loans they will allow in a condominium community to only 30%, which means the FHA is anticipating that they will be running out of loans before the summer even begins” says Ruby Johnson, VP of DRE/Escrow for Olson Homes. “With only a finite number of cases available many home shoppers will have to go with higher cost conventional financing. When the money runs out, most buyers will need to put 10%-20% down for conventional financing.” In this economy, that may put potential homeowners out of the market and right back into the rental market. The choices are either pay the rent increase or move again in search of an affordable alternative.
Many worry that with interest rates set to rise, with that in mind, they are moving forward with a home purchase now rather than wait. This way they are locking in an interest rate below 5%, making their monthly payments comparable to what they were paying in rent.
With 6 great new home communities located throughout Southern California, Olson Homes has a new home community perfect for young urban lifestyles designed to help kick the rental habit.
Olson Homes is currently helping new homebuyers fire their landlords with the following communities: Mosaic Walk in Garden Grove, from the low $300,000′s, Rio Walk in Montebello, California priced from the 290,000′s, Willow Walk in Compton, California priced from the mid $200,000′s, Sycamore Walk in Garden Grove, California priced from the mid $400,000’s, Citrus Walk in Covina, California now forming an interest list with new townhomes and flats from the mid $300,000′s, and Heritage Walk in Paramount, California offering new single family detached homes from the high $200,000′s.
To learn more about these Olson Homes communities, visit OlsonHomes.com/smartbuy.
The California Housing Finance Agency understands how much you want to own your first home. At Olson Homes, we also realize how difficult that can be. That is why we work closely with our preferred lenders to match you with the lowest interest rate first-time mortgage programs available. Our preferred lenders will also work hard to find you a variety of down payment assistance programs to eligible first-time homebuyers, which can turn your dreams of homeownership into reality. If you’d like more information on how Olson Homes is working hard to make owning that first home a reality CLICK HERE.
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Black Friday is upon us! While merchants are busy gearing up for a record Black Friday filled with sales, Olson Homes wants to spell out 10 reasons why shoppers should buy a new home instead. So here are our 10 reasons why it’s good to buy a home and skip the big box Black Friday sales.
1. Home shoppers have waited long enough. Good deals are available for the asking.
In case home shoppers may have missed this, this is the best buyer’s market we have seen on over 30 years. If home shoppers are waiting for the bottom, they may have already missed it! No one will ever catch the bottom mostly because no one knows where that is. The truth is it doesn’t really matter so much in the long haul.
2. Mortgages are cheap. Very cheap.
Home shoppers can get a 30-year loan for around 4.3%. In some cases home shoppers may find special buy down rates that get down to 3.75% What’s not to like about low interest rates? These are the lowest rates on record. As recently as two years ago they were about 6.3%. That drop slashes your monthly repayment by a fifth. If inflation picks up, home shoppers won’t see these mortgage rates again in their lifetime. And if we get deflation, and rates fall further, homeowners can always refinance.
3 Home shoppers will save on taxes. Tax breaks for itemization.
Here is a plus. Home shoppers can deduct the mortgage interest from their income taxes. Try doing that on your standard holiday purchases. With a new home purchase, home shoppers can deduct their real estate taxes. And they’ll get a tax break on capital gains–if any–when they sell. Sure, home shoppers need to do the math. Homeowners only get the income tax break if they itemize their tax deductions, and many people may be better off taking the standard deduction instead. The breaks are more valuable the more people earn, and the bigger their mortgage. But savvy homeowners will find that these tax breaks mean owning costs them less, often a lot less, than renting.
4. This time it’s personal! That new home is a design showcase.
Get in early enough on a new home and home shoppers can have the kitchen and bathrooms they really want. Homeowners can upgrade to their hearts content. They can get the flooring, window treatments, and upgraded appliances they have dreamed about. New home ownership also allows homeowners to add these items to their monthly mortgage payments at a cost that adds only a bit more to their monthly mortgage payments. Black Friday shoppers should try this instead of maxing out their credit cards at 22% interest rates. Consider that fact when in the check out line that this purchase won’t will be paid back for many years to come. Hmmm, maybe buying a new home instead does make more sense?
5. Home shoppers get a better home. Much Better!
Renting a place gives people a place to rest their heads and a space to park their belongings, but generally speaking, if they want the best home in the best neighborhood, most people are better off buying a new home. Plus new homeowners get that great new home smell!
6. It offers some inflation protection.
Black Fridays come and go but studies by Professor Karl “Chip” Case (of Case-Shiller), and others, suggest that over the long-term housing has tended to beat inflation by a couple of percentage points a year. That’s valuable inflation insurance, especially if raising a young family and thinking about the next 30 or 40 years. The rule of thumb is if anyone that plans on living in a place for 5 years or more, they may be better off buying than renting. If someone is planning on moving every few years they may want to re-think that strategy and lock-in home ownership while it is still affordable and within reach.
7. It’s risk capital. That is comfort now, equity later.
No, a home isn’t the stock market and no one should view it as the way to get rich. Thats what got people into the mess we see on the news. But current indicators suggest that the economy may surprise us all and start booming, sooner or later real estate prices will head up again, too. Long after the Black Friday sale items are forgotten in the back of a closet, your new home will have gained equity. One lesson from the last few years is that stocks are incredibly hard for most normal people to own in large quantities–for practical as well as psychological reasons. Equity in a home is another way of linking part of a portfolio to the long-term growth of the economy–if it happens–and still managing to sleep at night.
8. It’s forced savings. Pay yourself first!
Suppose one can rent an apartment for $2,000 month instead of buying one for $2,400 a month, renting may make sense. But will people save that $400 for their future? A lot of people won’t. People have to do the math, but need to remember that part of a mortgage payment that goes to principal repayment isn’t a cost. Homeowners are just paying themselves by building equity. As a forced monthly saving, it’s a good discipline.
9. There is a lot to choose from. 4 New home communities to be exact!
Olson Homes may be biased, but when it comes to home affordability, home shoppers should consider one of our great new Southern California new home communities. From the mid $200s Olson Homes has the final phase of Willow Walk in Compton visit WillowWalkHomes.com, from the high $200s Olson Homes has 2 communities; Rio Walk in Montebello visit RioWalkHomes.com, and nearly sold out Heritage Walk in Fullerton visit HeritageWalkHomes.com, and in Garden Grove from the low $300s there is Mosaic Walk visit MosaicWalk.com. Any of these communities offer great locations and great value for new home shoppers.
10. Sooner or later, the market will clear. Be there when it does.
Demand and supply will meet. The population is forecast to grow by more than 100 million people over the next 40 years. That means maybe 40 million new households looking for homes. Meanwhile, today’s home shoppers will be so happy they bought a new home now, and be able to brag about how smart they were way back when people without vision let this once in a lifetime home ownership opportunity pass them by.
So there it is! 10 great reasons not to shop on Black Friday and buy a new home instead.
Enough with the doom and gloom about homeownership. Brett Arends of the Wall Street Journal explains why owning a home is a good thing. We thought we would share it with you. Please feel free to share it too!
The following article is from The Wall Street Journal, by Brett Arends | September 16, 2010
Sure, maybe there’s more pain to come in the housing market. But when Time magazine starts running covers that declare “Owning a home may no longer make economic sense,” it’s time to say: Enough is enough. This is what “capitulation” looks like. Everyone has given up.
After all, at the peak of the bubble five years ago, Time had a different take. “Home Sweet Home,” declared its cover then, as it celebrated the boom and asked: “Will your house make your rich?”
But it’s not enough just to be contrarian. So here are 10 reasons why it’s good to buy a home.
1. You can get a good deal. Especially if you play hardball. This is a buyer’s market. Most of the other buyers have now vanished, as the tax credits on purchases have just expired. We’re four to five years into the biggest housing bust in modern history. And prices have come down a long way– about 30% from their peak, according to Standard & Poor’s Case-Shiller Index, which tracks home prices in 20 big cities. Yes, it’s mixed. New York is only down 20%. Arizona has halved. Will prices fall further? Sure, they could. You’ll never catch the bottom. It doesn’t really matter so much in the long haul.
Where is fair value? Fund manager Jeremy Grantham at GMO, who predicted the bust with remarkable accuracy, said two years ago that home prices needed to fall another 17% to reach fair value in relation to household incomes. Case-Shiller since then: Down 18%.
2. Mortgages are cheap. You can get a 30-year loan for around 4.3%. What’s not to like? These are the lowest rates on record. As recently as two years ago they were about 6.3%. That drop slashes your monthly repayment by a fifth. If inflation picks up, you won’t see these mortgage rates again in your lifetime. And if we get deflation, and rates fall further, you can refi.
3. You’ll save on taxes. You can deduct the mortgage interest from your income taxes. You can deduct your real estate taxes. And you’ll get a tax break on capital gains–if any–when you sell. Sure, you’ll need to do your math. You’ll only get the income tax break if you itemize your deductions, and many people may be better off taking the standard deduction instead. The breaks are more valuable the more you earn, and the bigger your mortgage. But many people will find that these tax breaks mean owning costs them less, often a lot less, than renting.
4. It’ll be yours. You can have the kitchen and bathrooms you want. You can move the walls, build an extension–zoning permitted–or paint everything bright orange. Few landlords are so indulgent; for renters, these types of changes are often impossible. You’ll feel better about your own place if you own it than if you rent. Many years ago, when I was working for a political campaign in England, I toured a working-class northern town. Mrs. Thatcher had just begun selling off public housing to the tenants. “You can tell the ones that have been bought,” said my local guide. “They’ve painted the front door. It’s the first thing people do when they buy.” It was a small sign that said something big.
5. You’ll get a better home. In many parts of the country it can be really hard to find a good rental. All the best places are sold as condos. Money talks. Once again, this is a case by case issue: In Miami right now there are so many vacant luxury condos that owners will rent them out for a fraction of the cost of owning. But few places are so favored. Generally speaking, if you want the best home in the best neighborhood, you’re better off buying.
6. It offers some inflation protection. No, it’s not perfect. But studies by Professor Karl “Chip” Case (of Case-Shiller), and others, suggest that over the long-term housing has tended to beat inflation by a couple of percentage points a year. That’s valuable inflation insurance, especially if you’re young and raising a family and thinking about the next 30 or 40 years. In the recent past, inflation-protected government bonds, or TIPS, offered an easier form of inflation insurance. But yields there have plummeted of late. That also makes homeownership look a little better by contrast.
7. It’s risk capital. No, your home isn’t the stock market and you shouldn’t view it as the way to get rich. But if the economy does surprise us all and start booming, sooner or later real estate prices will head up again, too. One lesson from the last few years is that stocks are incredibly hard for most normal people to own in large quantities–for practical as well as psychological reasons. Equity in a home is another way of linking part of your portfolio to the long-term growth of the economy–if it happens–and still managing to sleep at night.
8. It’s forced savings. If you can rent an apartment for $2,000 month instead of buying one for $2,400 a month, renting may make sense. But will you save that $400 for your future? A lot of people won’t. Most, I dare say. Once again, you have to do your math, but the part of your mortgage payment that goes to principal repayment isn’t a cost. You’re just paying yourself by building equity. As a forced monthly saving, it’s a good discipline.
9. There is a lot to choose from. There is a glut of homes in most of the country. The National Association of Realtors puts the current inventory at around 4 million homes. That’s below last year’s peak, but well above typical levels, and enough for about a year’s worth of sales. More keeping coming onto the market, too, as the banks slowly unload their inventory of unsold properties. That means great choice, as well as great prices.
10. Sooner or later, the market will clear. Demand and supply will meet. The population is forecast to grow by more than 100 million people over the next 40 years. That means maybe 40 million new households looking for homes. Meanwhile, this housing glut will work itself out. Many of the homes will be bought. But many more will simply be destroyed–either deliberately, or by inaction. This is already happening. Even two years ago, when I toured the housing slumping western Florida, I saw bankrupt condo developments that were fast becoming derelict. And, finally, a lot of the “glut” simply won’t matter: It’s concentrated in a few areas, like Florida and Nevada. Unless you live there, the glut won’t have any long-term impact on housing supply in your town.
The $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers and the $6,500 tax credit for repeat home buyers have expired. (However, service members who were on official extended duty outside of the United States for at least 90 days between Jan.1, 2009 and May 1, 2010, may qualify for a one-year extension.)
For home purchases where a binding sales contract was signed by April 30, 2010, otherwise qualified buyers have until June 30, 2010 to complete the purchase.
Although the home buyer tax credits have expired, the National Association of Home Builders will continue to maintain this website as a public service.
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