Moving can be stressful for you and your family. What many forget is that your dogs, cats, and smaller animals may be overwhelmed by the change too! Our team at I Love OC Homes has put together steps you can take to make sure they are prepared before, during, and after the move. 

Your pet may find a house full of boxes chaotic, as it’s a dramatic change in their safe environment. While packing up before the big move, try your best to pack things from room to room. Keep your pets separate and comfortable in the room that you plan to pack last. 

Consider preparing a bag for your pets. This can be a simple backpack packed with food, litter, or toys that you may want easily accessible and set aside from all your other boxed belongings. Remember to update any microchipping contact information, including addresses for tags on collars and labeled pet belongings as well. 

You should also contact your current veterinarian to obtain the medical records for each of your pets, and ask them if they have any recommendations for vets in your new area. Our team has already done some research for you and found a highly recommended vet in the Los Alamitos area, VCA Rossmoor-El Dorado Animal Hospital. You can even visit their website for a $25 coupon towards your pet’s first exam. 

While moving, make sure your pets are put away in a safe place. There will be a lot of unknown commotion with boxes and furniture moving out of the house, and we certainly don’t want your furry friends to slip out an open door unnoticed. Also, be sure when introducing your pet to the new home and neighborhood that they are leashed or still crated until safely inside. 

If you’re starting a new job and need a pet sitter in the OC area, I suggest finding a local daycare or boarding facility, so your pet feels comfortable in their new home while you are away. Bark City Dog Daycare and Boarding of Huntington Beach is one of Orange County’s highly recommended dog daycares. You can find their pricing, location, and contact information here. 

If you are new to the area and want more details about local dog parks, reputable veterinarians, or pet boarding and daycare, contact me (Tim De Shazer) at (562) 881-8252. 

November is officially here, and we’re moving on from Halloween and on to everyone’s favorite feast- Thanksgiving. This year, our team is leaving the cooking to the professionals, as we’ve rounded up the best local spots to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner at so you can skip the mess and enjoy time with your loved ones. Plus, there is an option for everyone’s preference

Orange Hill 

Make this Thanksgiving bubbly at Orange Hill’s Thanksgiving Day Champagne Buffet. Choose from turkey, prime ribs, crab legs and more, and top it off with bottomless mimosas. Be sure to make your reservation online. Uniquely situated, Orange Hill offers sweeping views of Catalina Island, Downtown Los Angeles, Disneyland's magical firework show, and our beautiful California coastline. Orange Hill offers a fine-dining experience that you will never forget.

Seal Beach Chamber 

The holidays are all about giving back, and the Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce kicks off the season by hosting its annual Thanksgiving meal at St. Anne’s Chruch for those in our community who cannot be with family or friends on the special day. There will be bingo, dinner, and good company to enjoy the day with. The Chamber is also encouraging attendees to bring a canned food item to donate to local charities. Please RSVP by November 23.

Old World

Join Old World Huntington Beach for an "All You Can Eat" Thanksgiving Day Buffet. Enjoy turkey, ham, and all the trimmings. Don’t forget pumpkin pie for dessert! Enjoy all the traditional holiday dinner delights as well as some special German treats the restaurant and bakery have been known for. Space is limited, so make your reservations ASAP.

There’s nothing like being able to walk off Thanksgiving dinner with a beautiful sunset on the beach. For more Orange County holiday festivities, follow I Love OC Homes on Facebook and Instagram, so you never miss a beat. 

We’re not going to lie; buying a home is not always a walk on the beach. However, when you work with a professional agent and team, the processes can easily be managed step by step. This week, our team at I Love OC Homes is breaking down the home-buying process. 

Step One

Start your research early by reading websites, newspapers, and magazines that have current listings. Make notes of homes that interest you and see how long they stay on the market. Then you want to decide how much house you can afford and make this determination based on your financial situation. This is also a great time to look at your future commute to work, the schools in the area, and the community.

Step Two 

Find the right real estate agent to provide you with helpful information on homes and neighborhoods that isn’t easily accessible to the public. Their knowledge of the home buying process, negotiating skills, and familiarity with the area you want to live in can be extremely valuable.  

Step Three

Before you start looking for a home, you will need to know how much you can actually spend. Get prequalified and preapproved for credit through your Mortgage Lender. 

Step Four 

Shop for your home in your price range and desired neighborhoods. Next, work with your real estate agent to negotiate a fair offer. Once you and the seller have reached agreement on a price, the house will go into escrow. 

Step Five

Your real estate agent usually will help you arrange to have a home inspection conducted within a few days of your offer being accepted by the seller. This is solely for the buyer’s protection. Your lender will also order an appraisal to make sure the home comes to market value.

Step Six

There is a lot of paperwork involved in buying a house. Your lender will arrange for an escrow company to handle all this coordination. At closing, you will sign all of the paperwork required, including your loan documents. It typically takes a couple of days for your loan to be funded after the paperwork is returned to the lender. Once the check is delivered to the seller, you are ready to move into your new home!

Give me (Tim De Shazer) a call at 562-881-8252 if you have any questions. We will help you every step of the way.

Each fall, we get together as a community in Los Alamitos for the annual Trunk or Treat. Not only do the kids love it, but it’s a great opportunity for our team to meet other wonderful families in the neighborhood. Did we mention we will be handing out a special treat to make sure your Halloween rocks?

Memorial Care Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach, along with AYSO Region 159, have graciously sponsored the annual fun this year on Saturday, October 26, from 5:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at Little Cottonwood Park (4000 Farquhar Ave). 

This event is free to attend for any locals and visitors to Los Al. Come out to enjoy fun family activities for all ages, including a costume contest with categories for 0-3 years, 4-7 years, 8-12 years, and there’s even a family division. Not to mention, there will be a pie-eating contest, train rides, trunk or treating, prizes, food trucks, inflatables, and a photo booth! Don’t miss out on the scary fun. 

Other contributing organizations include Grateful Hearts, the Los Alamitos Senior Club, and Oriental Trading for providing products for the Trunk or Treat Game Prizes! This event wouldn’t be possible without these local businesses volunteering their time and donations. 

To get inspiration for the costume contest, check out last year’s winners here! 

For more information, please call the City of Los Alamitos Recreation and Community Services Department at (562) 430-1073.

If you or someone you know are interested in buying or selling a home in Los Alamitos or surrounding Orange County cities, stop by the I Love OC Homes booth during the event to speak with me (Tim De Shazer). I look forward to meeting you. 

If you can’t make it by, give me a call at (562) 881-8252 whenever you are ready.

Orange County fully embraces Halloween season with many pumpkin patches offering extra seasonal fun beyond finding "the great pumpkin." Our team at I Love OC Homes has rounded up a few of our favorites that are easily accessible no matter where you live. 

Tanaka Farms

Cultivate memories each weekend from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. this fall at Tanaka Farms in Irvine. Experience wagon rides, a barnyard educational exhibit, corn maze, and a u-pick vegetable patch. They also have games, ATV rides, face painting, arts and crafts, and the pumpkin cannon! Enjoy amazing food from the Tanaka Grill, including shaved ice, burgers, BBQ pork sandwiches, hot dogs, churros, and more. 

Pa's Pumpkin Patch

Though it’s technically located in LA County, Pa's Pumpkin Patch in Long Beach takes over a field on Pacific Coast Highway near Seal Beach-every year and has become a favorite with Coastal North Orange County residents, like those from Huntington Beach. Whether it's the welcoming banjo beats on the event or the prime location, Pa's keeps crowds returning year after year. There are various rides and games to entertain little ones, along with a petting zoo, pony rides, and a snack bar. Hours through October 16 are Monday through Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. From October 17 through October 30, hours are 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily. Halloween hours are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Irvine Park Railroad's Pumpkin Patch: Orange 

Located at the historic Irvine National Park, this pumpkin patch sprouts up behind the train station and wins for scenery and activities. Admission to the patch is free, and pre-picked pumpkins are priced by weight. Entertainment includes a free haunted house and hay maze, train, hay, and pony rides, pumpkin ring toss, John Deere tractor racers, Halloween bounce house, cookie decorating, carnival games, face painting, panning for gold, and of course lots of food. Hours are Monday through Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

If you are new to the area or want more details about the communities we live, work, and play in download our free e-book or contact me (Tim De Shazer) at (562) 881-8252. We hope you enjoy this festive season with family and friends.

Seal Beach is a small beachside community wedged between Long Beach and Huntington Beach. These unique homes all have easy walkability to Main Street, the Library, the beach, and surrounding shops and restaurants. Not to mention, they are located within the award-winning Los Alamitos and Seal Beach school districts.

507 OCEAN AVENUE, SEAL BEACH, CA 90740

This contemporary, coastal home is located steps from the sand with views from a large roof-top deck of Catalina Island & Pacific Ocean. This exquisite home was renovated from top to bottom. You are welcomed to a state-of-the-art family room, with La Cantina doors and tile flooring that flow out to a tranquil, perfectly manicured front patio. The downstairs living area also includes a walk-in wine cellar. A newly added kitchenette opens to a separate family area with a guest bedroom and a remodeled bath. This space is the perfect guest suite. This home is a mix of extraordinary design coupled with a warm, inviting ambiance, the perfect home for entertaining. 

12280 OLD HARBOR COURT, SEAL BEACH, CA 90740

The beautiful community of Old Ranch, with grand two-story homes, is neatly tucked away in Seal Beach. This is one of the best-kept secrets in the neighborhood. Once you leave Seal Beach Boulevard and turn on to Plymouth, you will have a sense of calm and quiet. Pass through the Old Ranch gates to find this entertainer's dream home! The formal dining room, kitchen, and family room all open for you to host friends and family. The master bedroom – just like vacationing at the Ritz. A large sleeping area with a trey ceiling and a sitting area with a second trey ceiling with 6” molding and romantic fireplace. The large bathroom separate shower, soaking tub, separate toilet room, dual sinks, and his and her closets. This home is the epitome of good taste.

400 CENTRAL AVENUE, SEAL BEACH, CA 90740

Four blocks from the sand and situated on a lot and a half, this charming property in Seal Beach is the ideal family home. This house showcases blooming curb appeal in a whimsical beachside house. Inside boasts warm wood floors and an open flow with authentic character blended with traditional design. The updated kitchen and spacious family room open out to the private enclosed pool and spa, creating a perfect indoor/outdoor entertaining space. Take the spiral staircase up to the rooftop deck and savor sunsets and cool ocean breezes from the quaint outdoor space.

If you are interested in viewing any of these, give me (Tim De Shazer) a call at 562-881-8252.

In our business, referrals are the name of the game. I recently had the privilege to reconnect with an old childhood friend from grammar school to help sell her home. After doing so successfully, she referred her parents who were also relocating out of state, to work with our team at I Love OC Homes. 

Meet the Rieglers!

While this may not be a fun topic to discuss, it’s very necessary. Our team at I Love OC Homes would like to share helpful home tips to prepare your house for an Earthquake - especially our Southern California clients, fires, or even floods. 

It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when- so you might as well be ready. 

Earthquakes

If you live in California, the phrase "the big one" should sound familiar. Our state sits on several faults, including the San Andreas Fault. The San Andreas fault is the sliding boundary between the Pacific Plate. 

First and foremost, you will want to consider earthquake insurance.  By law, if an insurance company offers homeowner's insurance in the state of California, it must also offer earthquake insurance.  Double-check your policy!

It's also crucial to make sure that your home has a strong foundation and to fix any cracks in your walls or the roof. Everything from the layout of your furniture in your home can be changed to protect your family when we have an Earthquake. While this may seem obvious, try not to hang paintings, glass lamps, chandeliers, and other decorative pieces directly above beds and sofas. Last but not least, put together an earthquake supply kit complete with water, nonperishable foods, flashlights, extra batteries, portable phone chargers, a blanket, and sturdy shoes. 

Fires

Unless you live in the mountains or our in a rural area, wildfires are not as big of a concern. However, house fires can happen. You should change the batteries in smoke and CO2 detectors twice a year. If a fire does start, the smoke alarm can detect it right away, especially if in the night while you are asleep. Sleeping with the doors shut, and having a fire extinguisher on each floor of your home will be beneficial. It's crucial to call the fire department right away, so if you have young children, make sure they know the home address and how to call 911. You should also create a fire exit plan that includes a place to meet outside of the home in the event of a fire. It's a scary conversation to have, but if they know what to do, it will help immensely. You can make this fun by having the kids draw up the plan to keep on the fridge. 

Floods

These tips help you prepare your home for a flood to limit structural and financial damage in the future. Electrical sockets, switches, and wiring should be elevated at least 12 inches above predicted flood levels. I look for these things when viewing homes with clients. Sockets situated in a safe place reduces the amount of damage a flood can cause to your home, and it prevents your home from becoming a safety hazard during the recovery period. If you live in a flood-prone region, a Flood Watch will be issued when the conditions are right for flooding. Once this occurs, move furniture, valuables, and important documents to a safe place. Copies of critical documents like birth certificates or insurance policies should be stored in a waterproof safety box. Keep in mind that this step should only be taken if you have time to evacuate your family safely. 

If you or someone you know is looking to purchase a home in the area or want more advice on how to prepare your home for natural disasters to give me (Tim De Shazer) a call at (562) 881-8252.

Non Stage Prep

First off, sellers need to focus on getting their home ready to sell, not to live in. The best way is to clear everything out of the house if possible. Since you’re moving, you might as well pack it anyways. Then give the walls a fresh coat of white paint to make your space feel like it’s bigger. Do a full cleaning of the whole house. This goes from wiping down all of the spider webs on the ceiling, all dust on the ceiling fans, cleaning all windows inside and out, especially the seals of the windows to cleaning off every light switch.

Fully Staged

Stagers are up on the trends of what is selling and create scenes that make people walk in and say, “I can live in this home.” People are now accustomed to what they see on HGTV and to be honest, all new home builders put so much into staging their model homes that we work extra to make older homes just as desirable.

With technology taking over the world as we know it, most home buyers look online before ever stepping foot in the front door or even talking to a real estate agent. It is my job to make the photos online present the best light, are in an inviting order, and tell the story of the home that gets buyers to preview it in person.  This means sharing local attractions, school districts,  and other selling points of the neighborhood. We can even take it one step further and create a virtual tour of the house, so it’s bound to stand out from the rest across the internet.

Press play below and take the full tour of our latest masterpiece!

When buyers walk into a home, we want the wow factor that our efforts are even better than the pictures or video they saw online. If you are looking to live in the area, give me (Tim De Shazer) a call at (562) 881-8252. My team is ready for their next project!

When our team shares the market update each week, hands down Huntington Beach has the most bang to offer for your buck. This week, we have pulled three of our favorite listings that range from 850K to just under 2 million dollars. Each one of these homes stood out to us in their own way for families that are looking to move to Surf City USA.

8561 JUDY CIRCLE, HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA 92647

Welcome home! Walking through the Dutch-style front door of this single-story three-bedroom home, you’re immediately drawn to how it has been so thoughtfully and stylishly upgraded under the guidance of a professional interior designer. This magnificent property is completely remodeled, with a special emphasis given to the chef’s kitchen complete with high-end fixtures and stainless steel appliances. Once a four-bedroom home, it's been transformed and now sports an extra-large master suite with a private retreat and highly upgraded bathroom. With two large secondary bedrooms and a large shared bathroom, the home is perfect for the growing family.

9391 GATESHEAD DRIVE, HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA 92646

Live in the most desirable and exclusive South Huntington Beach neighborhood, The Strand! This immaculate five-bedroom, three-bathroom home offers the best of both indoor and outdoor living less than a block from the beach! Enter through the magnificent double doors to find the 3,196 sq ft showplace. As you enter the foyer, you will immediately begin to take in the stunning upgrades, soaring ceilings, gorgeous lighting, natural stone, and Brazilian cherry oak floors.

6672 SHIRE CIRCLE, HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA 92648

Welcome to the definition of luxury living. This contemporary Edwards Hill estate has been elegantly designed with the finest upgrades and has been flawlessly maintained. Offering countless custom features and showcasing stunning architecture and an incredible entertainer’s backyard, this rare property is quite simply one of Huntington Beach’s finest real estate offerings. It has four bedrooms and three baths offering an unbeatable location near award-winning schools, the beach, and equestrian trails.

Huntington Beach is truly the heart of Orange County and the epitome of beach life living to bring everything that is fun, hip, and beautiful together in one central place. If you are interested in viewing any of these, give me (Tim De Shazer) a call at 562-881-8252.