California's AB 2050 requires underfunded HOAs to build reserves starting in 2032. Here's what Coastal OC condo owners and buyers should check now.

Inventory is tight, yet 45.5% of active Coastal Orange County listings have reduced price. What that means if you're buying or selling right now.

Considering a Three Arch Bay rebuild or remodel? Learn what to verify about zoning, views, lot constraints, coastal review, and development potential first.

Buying a front or rear condo in Corona del Mar? Learn what two-unit condo ownership can include and which documents to review before you make an offer.

Selling in Laguna Beach? Learn when the City's Real Property Disclosure is required, what it shows, how long it lasts, and what sellers should verify.

Buying on Balboa Island? Review property taxes, assessments, flood exposure, insurance, and seawall considerations before calculating your real ownership cost.

Buying oceanfront in Laguna Beach? Learn what to investigate about seawalls, erosion, coastal permits, insurance, and property-specific risk before you commit.

By Missy Wiesen, REALTOR® | Certified Negotiation Expert | Serhant California, Inc. TL;DR Waiving your inspection contingency can make an offer stand out in a competitive Corona del Mar bidding situation. It also means giving up your contractual right to renegotiate or walk away over what an inspection finds. There is usually a middle ground between waiving entirely and keeping a full contingency. The right choice depends on the specific property's age and condition, not just

By Missy Wiesen, REALTOR® | Certified Negotiation Expert | Serhant California, Inc. TL;DR The Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade runs five nights every December along a fourteen-mile route through Newport Harbor. Homes directly on the water along that route get a front-row view every night of the parade, but also holiday-week crowds and traffic. Whether that translates into measurable value is a different question than whether it is a fun place to live. The honest answer dep

By Missy Wiesen, REALTOR® | Certified Negotiation Expert | Serhant California, Inc. TL;DR California law gives condo owners in a common interest development the right to install an EV charging station or solar panels, and an HOA cannot flatly prohibit either one. Your association can still set reasonable rules around safety, aesthetics, and location. A newer law also limits what your HOA can require when it comes to insurance for an EV charger. Knowing the difference between

By Missy Wiesen, REALTOR® | Certified Negotiation Expert | Serhant California, Inc. TL;DR Getting more than one offer on your Laguna Beach home does not automatically mean a bidding war. How you handle multiple offers, and whether you should expect them at all, depends heavily on how your specific home is priced and positioned right now. Laguna Beach's own numbers show conditions have shifted since earlier this year, days on market are up and the average sold-to-list ratio ha

By Missy Wiesen, REALTOR® | Certified Negotiation Expert | Serhant California, Inc. TL;DR Selling before you buy protects you from ever carrying two mortgages at once. It also means you might need somewhere to stay between closings, or write your next offer as a contingent buyer. A bridge loan is one way to buy before you sell, but it comes with real cost and risk. The right sequence depends on your equity, your risk tolerance, and how competitive the market is for what you a

By Missy Wiesen, REALTOR® | Certified Negotiation Expert | Serhant California, Inc. TL;DR The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark rate on September 16, 2026, its first hike since 2023, but mortgage rates had already been sitting near 7.17 percent for a week before that decision. The Fed's overnight rate and your 30-year mortgage rate are priced off two different things. Coastal Orange County's own numbers show cash dominating four of the five core markets while Laguna Niguel

By Missy Wiesen, REALTOR® | Certified Negotiation Expert | Serhant California, Inc. TL;DR California HOAs must now hand buyers a bundled annual disclosure package earlier and more completely than before. It includes the budget summary, the most recent reserve study, an insurance summary, and, for buildings with balconies or walkways, the required elevated-element inspection report. These documents arrive after you open escrow, not before you make an offer. Knowing what should

By Missy Wiesen, REALTOR® | Certified Negotiation Expert | Serhant California, Inc. TL;DR Both Newport Beach and Laguna Beach allow short-term rentals, but both cap how many permits exist at any given time. Newport Beach limits itself to 1,475 active permits citywide, split between residential and mixed-use zones. Laguna Beach caps commercial short-term rental permits at 300 and limits how much of a single building can convert. Owning a home in either city doesn't automatical

By Missy Wiesen, REALTOR® | Certified Negotiation Expert | Serhant California, Inc. TL;DR Most sellers can exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 if married filing jointly, from federal capital gains tax on a primary residence. California taxes whatever gain remains as ordinary income at rates up to 13.3%, with no separate, lower rate for long-term gains. In a market where median home prices run into the millions, that gap between the federal exclusion and California's t

By Missy Wiesen, REALTOR® | Certified Negotiation Expert | Serhant California, Inc. TL;DR Mortgage rates jumped to 7.17% this week, the highest level Coastal Orange County has seen in over a year, and that happened before the Fed's own rate decision even lands. Despite that, homes across Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, and Dana Point went into escrow at a faster pace than two weeks ago. The catch is that those homes are taking noticeably longer to

By Missy Wiesen, REALTOR® | Certified Negotiation Expert | Serhant California, Inc. TL;DR The Federal Reserve's rate decision lands Wednesday, September 16, and this time a hike is genuinely on the table, not just a hold. Waiting for this specific meeting to lower your rate is a bet, not a strategy. Coastal Orange County buyers are still closing deals despite a higher-rate environment. The smarter move is talking to your lender now, not guessing at Wednesday's outcome. Should

By Missy Wiesen, REALTOR® | Certified Negotiation Expert | Serhant California, Inc. TL;DR California's FAIR Plan is raising rates by an average of about 29 percent starting October 15, 2026. Some coastal Orange County sellers won't feel this directly. Others, especially in higher fire-risk areas, may see buyers factor a bigger insurance bill into their offer. The fix isn't panic, it's getting ahead of the number before you list. Will Rising FAIR Plan Insurance Rates Make My H

By Missy Wiesen, REALTOR® | Certified Negotiation Expert | Serhant California, Inc. TL;DR A Torrance HOA just hit owners with a $49,000-per-unit assessment for repairs the building had put off for years. The warning signs are usually visible before the bill arrives. Reserve studies, board meeting minutes, and a look at the building's major systems can tell you most of what you need to know. The mistake is waiting until escrow to ask. How Can I Tell If My Condo Building Has De