Kim Wells

04/28/2025

04/26/2025

Great new addition in South Coast Plaza (Crystal Court - Home to RH, Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, Macys Home Store...is VOX Kitchen & Bar by Kei Concepts. They have a location in Fountain Valley near Mile Square Park and they just had their Grand Opening today.
I was invited to lunch and had a great time. Good food, crowd was excited. Serving up Asian Fusion-Peruvian - no photo of the finale: iced earl grey latte which was delicious. Mmmm but the Lychee Lemonade was even more delicious!

When leaving had a chance to notice the center piece and some of the displays, floral arrangements much like the Rose Parade floats. Beautiful!

04/25/2025

Mark your Calendars.....

Taste of Orange in 9 days, May 4th 3pm - 7pm!

04/25/2025

How to Increase Your Home’s Value

Improvement Return on Investment (ROI)

New Garage Door 194%
New Front Door 188%
Stone Veneer 153%
Landscaping 100%
Kitchen Remodel 96%
New Siding 84%
Attic Insulation 77%
Deck & Addition 72%
Window Replacement 70%
Bathroom Remodel 64%

04/25/2025

Did you know that Kentucky Derby is just 8 days away?

04/25/2025

If you have a two story home and have not utilized the space under your stairs, here are 8 options that are quite nicely done.
Which would you choose?

04/24/2025

Real Estate is another place where there are constant scams.

The saying: "If its looks too good to be true, it probably is".

As an agent with listings, I have been (my owners homes) have been a topic of the scam. Whether I was selling or leasing, there are scammers trying to lease the home. Some have gone as far as placing ads in magazines!

Yesterday I was given a referral and apparently she wasn't interested in anything available on MLS so she went to Zillow. Of course the one she found is a scam.

I told the referral when he sent me the following text:
Kim, is it normal for a person advertising a place to rent to say you can't see the place because someone is living there right now but fill out the application and then you can see the unit.

I told him it sounded like a scam. I spent a moment pulling title, looking at mls and matching up photographs and checked out the phone number which was out of area.

The property just closed, perfect for a scam. They responded to my text but hung up on my phone call. I got a reply "its available" and they of course loved my description of who "we" were and our qualifications. I then asked, "when can we tour".

I reached out the Buyers agent as its his clients property now included in the scam. They are all on top of it and trying to kill the posts and the culprit.

Property just sold and closed for $447,000 and its a 1bd1ba in a condo community in Santa Ana on the fringe of Tustin. The rent posted $1600 which is a little low for a beautiful brand new (essentially) condo. Nothing I sent my referral looked this good.

IF it looks too good to be true, it was. Scam Alert!

04/23/2025

I received an email from a home inspection vendor today. It reminded me as I look around my home that I have un-started projects with regards to that.

We get complacent, well some of us. I'd like to protect and preserve my furniture and all the things. Home Depot (L-Brackets and Museum putty or Quake Hold) for those things you don't want flying off the bookcase or out of a cabinet!

We were reminded last Monday that California is a hotbed for earthquake activity ... Are you prepared in the event we are struck with an earthquake large enough to cause major damage? I had a friends Mom living in Northridge in 1994 and survived the big one there, but, I learned some BIG lessons from seeing her home and her description of the event. She lived in the 3 story condo where the 2nd floor was the 1st and 3rd was 2nd! Scariest thing to go through I can imagine! Where I lived we didn't have that devastating aftermath.

These are quick and easy things you can do to keep you and your family safe in the event the BIG ONE hits.

💧 Make sure all water heaters are properly strapped. If they fall, it could cause unnecessary gas leaks.

🛏 Secure all heavy and large pieces of furniture to the wall. Fallen furniture can inhibit emergency exit/walkways and potentially cause bodily harm. (L-Brackets and putty or quake hold)

🛠 Know where your gas and water shut off valves are and keep a wrench nearby. Natural gas leaks can cause fires, explosions and poison. It his highly flammable. (maybe zip tie a tool to the gas meter or near and if you don't know how to turn off water, ask a neighbor or call the city or plumber, they will be happy to walk you through that!)

✅ Consider installing an emergency shut off valve on your gas meter. Not only could it save in seismic activity - but, it can also save you money with your homeowners insurance! (the cost to do an emergency shut off valve including installation will vary but could be as low as $250 to $750)

Stay safe and enjoy your Spring!

04/21/2025

Capital Gains tax started in 1913.
The Tax Payer Relief Act of 1997 came into effect, married couples filing a joint return may exclude a gain of up to $500,000 from taxation for the sale of a primary residence.
The average sales price of a home in 1997 was $174,875. In 2024, the average sales price of a home is $510,300.

Would you agree that the Capital Gains Tax needs to be increased to accommodate the higher sales prices we are experiencing in 2024 moving forward?

Point of Reference:
In 1997 a cheeseburger at McDonalds was .79 cents and In 2024 a cheeseburger is $2.23 while today is $3.29 ** prices can vary based on where you are in the US.

04/21/2025