SoCal By the Sea

10/13/2026

Getting ready to buy your first home or another one in Orange County?

Average 30-year fixed rate is ~7.40% right now and sellers are still wanting top dollar.

My advice? Don’t buy at the top of your budget in this market. Don’t take the max loan. Buy below your means. Have money not only for your mortgage, but also for home insurance, property tax, HOA fees if applicable, and maintenance.

Having income left over for savings, investments, rainy day/emergencies, and *fun* matters for financial security and quality of life. Being house-rich but living poor is not something I’d advise my clients.

Equally important, hire an agent who sees big picture and cares for you as a human being with a life and expenses beyond buying a property.

Thu-Trang Tran
Cal DRE 02301570
Surterre Properties
(714) 869-4499

10/03/2026

Did you know Orange County’s oldest neighborhood is in SJC?

09/28/2026

Do you wear shoes inside your home? Read this.

A University of Arizona study found that the average shoe sole carries around 421,000 units of bacteria, including E. coli and other pathogens picked up from public restrooms, sidewalks, and parking lots. 96% of shoe bottoms tested positive for coliform bacteria, and those organisms transfer directly onto home floors with nearly every step.

Carpets can hold those contaminants for weeks. In Japan, South Korea, and most of Scandinavia, removing shoes at the door is simply standard practice. In the US, it is still treated as optional.

09/07/2026

Love this idea of Repair Cafe! Fixing and treasuring things instead of tossing and replacing them.

The public can bring broken items to fix on the spot with the help of voluntary fixers during the Repair Cafe OC event on Saturday, September 12 from 8:30 am to 1 pm in the Sycamore A Room at the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center.

This initiative promotes repair as an alternative to tossing things out. Bring your broken lamps, bikes with a wobble or jeans with a hole—our coaches will help you fix them.

Volunteers are needed from 8 am to 1 pm. To sign up as a volunteer, fill out the form at https://ow.ly/METZ50ZHqzy.

Neighbors with items in need of repair don’t need to pre-register. All items are repaired on a walk-in basis.

For more information, contact [email protected] or visit Repair Cafe OC.

08/25/2026

For anyone affected by the GKN chemical leak in Garden Grove earlier this year…

Garden Grove residents could soon see some money coming their way! Orange County prosecutors have declined to file
any criminal charges against the operators of GKN Aerospace, where a chemical leak forced mass evacuations earlier this year, but the company has agreed to establish a $100 million damages claim program for impacted residents and businesses, the District Attorney's Office announced on Monday.

Read more: https://abc7.la/49leB3

08/10/2026

Dear universe, please keep these love letters coming. You know how much I want to help people with their real estate and housing needs. 🙏🏼👆🏼

Thu-Trang Tran
CA DRE 02301570
Surterre Properties

08/04/2026

Right Home. Right Time. Just Leased in Costa Mesa.

📍 2034 Charle Street # A | Leased at $3,850/month

This fully renovated bungalow had everything—private yards, two-car garage, brand new kitchen, new appliances, new everything—and we made it happen fast.

My clients moving from Canada couldn’t be happier. 🇨🇦

If you are looking to lease, buy, or sell in Orange County, I’m here, let’s talk.

Thu-Trang Tran
CA DRE 02301570
Surterre Properties
(714) 869-4499

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08/04/2026

A good rule of thumb for all renters + buyers touring properties: Walk through first, discuss later. Don’t give the seller/landlord/their agent anything they can use against you during negotiations. Best way to navigate this is with a trusted real estate agent by your side and on your side.

At least 56% of sellers surveyed admit to having recording devices active during walkthroughs. As one real estate agent warns, 'Homebuyers today should just assume everything they say or do is being recorded when they are looking at homes.'

08/03/2026

On the one hand, we have a housing shortage in OC (namely, the affordable kind). On the other hand, this land is already the home habitat for so many other animal species. Where do YOU stand on this?

04/24/2026

Take me back to this charming updated condo just past these trees! 🤩

I recently had the pleasure of holding it open for a colleague, got to meet the cool neighbor across, and bought some lemonade at a stand just down the street from some very hardworking kids. If you want a peaceful home where the community shows out in touching ways, this is it! 🍋💞

📍 23292 Caminito Andreta, Laguna Hills
3 bedrooms • 2 full baths • ~1,320sq.ft
Amenities: pool, fitness center, sports courts, clubhouse

Offered for $789,000
by listing agent

Are you a buyer? Contact me for a private tour at your convenience!

Thu-Trang Tran
DRE 02301570
[email protected]