There are a few misconceptions about how to set the sales price for your Santa Cruz real estate.  Here are five common pricing myths and the reality behind them.

Myth #1:  It’s OK to test a high price on your Santa Cruz real estate just to see if anyone will buy it at that price. 

If you’re serious about selling your home, don’t play games.  In this buyer’s market you have a very small window of opportunity to pull in serious buyers when your home first enters the market.  If you play games, like over pricing your home just to test the market, buyers will stay away in droves. 

Myth #2:  You should price your Santa Cruz real estate higher than the market value to allow for room to negotiate.

Truth:  No matter what your reasoning or rationale,…

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Despite all the stories you hear on the news, buying Santa Cruz foreclosures doesn't have to be a negative experience.  Here are 3 tips to make the process smoother and more profitable for you:

Tip #1:  Allow plenty of time for the whole process. 

Santa Cruz foreclosures take longer to get to closing than traditional homes.  What takes so long?  As you probably know, there are a lot of foreclosures happening now.  That means there is a large backlog of foreclosures lenders have to process before they get to yours.

Another common problem that extends the buying time for foreclosures is title issues. Before closing, the new mortgage lender needs to prove that you have a clean title so they feel safe lending the money.  Each step of a foreclosure…

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Here are a few tips to help your Santa Cruz home for sale show better and sell faster.

1. Get rid of the excess:  Eliminate as much as possible, and then do it again.  Remember when staging your Santa Cruz home for sale, less is best.  Swap out personal photos for framed art.  The main idea is to remove as much as possible and replace personal items with neutral objects so that people can imagine their things in the home.

2. Repair and paint:  Before painting, fix all those minor dings that don't really bother you.  Buyers notice everything.  A missing piece of baseboard, an outlet that doesn't work, or a closet door that won’t stay on track all seem minor, but they can have a huge affect on how a buyer views your home.  The next step is to apply a…

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With so many Santa Cruz homes for sale, it’s hard to determine how much money and time you need to invest in order to get your home ready for the real estate market. To sell your house quickly, one helpful strategy all real estate professionals agree on is staging.

In general, the goal of staging Santa Cruz homes for sale is to make it easier for potential buyers to see themselves living in that space.  From getting rid of the excess stuff we all seem to accumulate to filling a home you’ve already moved out of with furniture, you’ll increase your chances of a fast sale by staging your home.

3 strategies of staging

1. Minimize clutter – Buyers could completely skip over the positive qualities of your home if they’re too focused on all of the toys,…

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