The first sign of mold you notice may be a musty smell in your Santa Cruz home. After looking around, you spot what looks like mold — don’t panic! You can remove unhealthy mold from your house without paying an arm and a leg.

Check to be Sure it's Really Mold

Mold can look many different ways, which depends on the type. Some are grayish-white or black and can look like a dirty smudge. If you're in doubt that a spot is mold, you can do a test with chlorine bleach. Simply put a drop on the spot. If the color immediately fades away, you have mold.

Mold needs moisture to grow. If you find mold, you know that you also have a water problem in your Santa Cruz home. So first, you’ll need to find the source of the leak and repair it. After that, you can…

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Moving to a new Santa Cruz home is a big deal, especially for a young child. It is common for children to feel apprehensive, overwhelmed or stressed during a move. Who can blame them? They might not understand what is happening and they are being relocated from a familiar and comforting environment to somewhere different and strange.

However, there are ways that you can help your children adjust and make the transition of moving to a new house easier. Below are tips to help you beat the moving blues.

• Talk to your children before the move and explain what is happening — why you are moving and where you will be going. Be straightforward and answer all their questions.

• From sadness to excitement, your children will have emotions associated with…

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Whether you are moving to a new house with children or you are buying your first Santa Cruz home with the intention of raising future little ones there, many factors will come into play when making your decision.

You will want to find a house with the right size and layout, that has a suitable number of bathrooms, is in an excellent neighborhood and has all of the local amenities your family will need. It might take a while to find the right house, but when you do, it will be worth it. You will have a wonderful place to fill with love and memories, where your children can grow up in peace and happiness.

Location

Take a look at the area where the property is located. Is it close to a school that your kids can attend when they are old enough? Is…

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How long have we been hearing that the Santa Cruz real estate market is either stagnant or in decline? Well, many economic experts are predicting that things might be looking up this year and we may see an increase in both home prices and sales.

These changes will affect both buyers and sellers in the months to come. It is essential that both parties are aware of how they may be affected. We’ve outlined some of the ramifications below.

Buyers:

• Interest rates could remain low. Interest rates are lower now than they have been in years, which can make purchasing a home more affordable.
• More buyers will be competing for homes. More buyers looking for property could mean bidding wars on homes with more than one interested party. Be sure to take…

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If you lost your Santa Cruz real estate because of foreclosure, you probably haven't given up on the dream of owning a new home. You may be scared to attempt new financing — afraid you’ll be turned down and embarrassed in the process.

There are a few guidelines that lenders follow to determine when you’ll qualify for financing after foreclosure. Arming yourself with this information will help you overcome your fears and qualify again for a mortgage.

Foreclosure With Extenuating Circumstances
Generally, lenders will take into consideration any extenuating circumstances surrounding the foreclosure on your Santa Cruz real estate.

Was there a death or illness that prevented you from earning money to pay your mortgage? Did you have a job transfer that…

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