All Blog Entries by Sam Smith

Dana Point condos for sale under $200,000 are best found in the Harbor Walk community in Dana Point, California.  Harbor Walk is a small and quiet condo community located in the Capsitrano Beach area.  The condos are typically one to two bedroom units and offered for sale for under $200,000.  When looking at the location of the complex it's rather surprising that you can find a condo in this price range located so close to the beach.  The units tend to be very light and bright with lots of natural light with upstair units offering vaulted ceilings and large patios. 

The only down side is the actual square footage of the units as they tend to be less than 1,000 square feet of living space.  Currently there is one condo for sale in the Harbor Walk

The Monarch Bay community in Dana Point is one of the best places to find ocean view homes in Dana Point, California. Monarch Bay is an ocean front community located just south of the Three Arch Bay community in Laguna Beach. The homes are mainly single level to maximize the ocean views for all homes in the community.

The one key thing to remember when buying in Monarch Bay is the land lease situation. The homes are are located on lease land and have been since the 1960's. Recent developments in the Monarch Bay community have been made for the owners to buy the land in 2020 for 65% of the appraised value at that time. The one thing to remember is that Monarch Bay is a prime oceanfront community with real estate prices much lower than neighboring ocean

In addition to having great ocean view homes, Dana Point is home to some of the most spectacular golf course view communities.  The Monarch Beach Golf Links is a public course that is considered one of the best and runs next to the luxury St Regis Hotel.  The best deals for to play on this course is by getting the "annual membership" which allows you to play year around at a low rate.  For those looking to have these views year around then there are several communities that overlook this golf course.  The Tennis Villas in Monarch Beach are smaller luxury condos located directly behind the St Regis Hotel.  The condos that sit on the far north side of the complex overlook the golf course and have wonderful views looking down towards the ocean.  The condos

Lantern Bay Villas or commonly known as Lantern Bay condos are located in the harbor area of Dana Point.  The condos are two story town homes that can have spectacular views of the ocean and the harbor.  Built in the Cape Cod style the condo building blend perfectly with the nautical theme as the harbor is less than 1/2 block away.  Currently condo prices start at $659,000 for a 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo that has over 2,000 square feet of living space.  Most of the condos will have a small or peek view of the ocean but if you are looking for a sensational view then plan on spending over $1,000,000.  The community has a nice association pool, spa, fitness and tennis courts with association dues of $788 a month.  Now, these dues are definitely on the high

The St Regis Hotel in Dana Point is one of the most picturesque hotels in Southern California with the Monarch Beach Golf links and the Pacific Ocean and it's back drop.  One of the best kept secrets in the St Regis area are the condos that over look the hotel and have nice ocean views.  The condos are known as the Tennis Villas.  The Tennis Villas condos are actually very affordable when you consider the close proximity to the beach and the views that some of these condos have.  The properties sit directly across the street from the St Regis hotel with prices starting at $580,000.  I personally sold a condo in the Tennis Villas this year that looked directly at the waterfall at the entrance of the hotel.  The soothing trickling sound of the water was an

Capistrano Beach is located on the south ocean side of Dana Point and has close proximity to the beach.  These custom homes have always been sought after for their unique style and custom architecture.  If you are in the market to buy a home in the Capistrano Beach area and looking for the best price then you should consider a short sale.  Many buyers getting a little uneasy after hearing the word "short sale" since they have heard many bad reports on buying short sales.  The fact is that if you the time and patience to wait out a good deal then a short sale may be for you.  

Currently, there are nine short sale listings for sale in Capistrano Beach ranging from $449,000 to $950,000.  We recommend you do a saved search for "short sales" to keep

With the recent downturn on the real estate economy in the last 5 years buyers have been looking for the best deals on the market.  Often times this includes as many upgrades as possible in a home to maximize the dollar.  In 2012, the real estate market in Dana Point has changed to a seller's market with record low housing inventory and a pint up demand of buyers looking for homes.  This has caused prices to slowly go back up as well as causing buyers to consider properties in not so ideal condition.  

Fixer upper homes are traditionally not discounted to a large degree, especially in a low inventory market.  What they do provide is the opportunity to buy a home at a slightly reduced price and fix up over time to improve the home and it's value.  If

If you have been thinking about moving into a home on the sand in Dana Point there is no better place to go then "Beach Road."  If you are not familiar with Dana Point then a little background information is needed.  The only two places to find beachfront homes in Dana Point is "Beach Road" and "The Strands at Headlands."  The Strand prices currently start at around $19 million for a beachfront home while Beach Road starts In the mid $2 million dollar range.  Of course, the homes are much larger and newer at the Strand but for a fraction of the price you could be living on the sand on Beach Road.

Some of the benefits of owning on Beach Road include ownership of the beach in front of your home, guard gated entrance, and strong re-sale value of these

The South Strand is the oceanfront community in Dana Point located at the Strand at Headlands.  The Strand at Headlands currently has two communities known as the South Strand and the North Strand.  Lots in the South Strand were sold out several years ago within the first 48 hours of being offered for sale.  Since then we have seen many homes in the community been built and sold as re-sale spec homes.  Homes located directly on the oceanfront are currently listed for just under $20 million and offer direct water views in one of the most sought after communities in the Monarch Beach area of Dana Point.  

What makes this community so attractive is the large square footage of homes you will find here.  Two of the oceanfront properties offered for sale are