Sometimes, just sometimes, it seems that people don’t really want to sell their home.  They put the “Santa Cruz Home for Sale” sign up in the yard and then steadily push potential buyers away.  If you don’t want to sell your home, here are a few ways to get rid of the nosy buyers:

1. Open houses – Especially if you’re using a real estate agent, your home will be open to the public (i.e. buyers).  The best way to discourage these buyers is by making sure you’re there to point out all the flaws and issues you’ve had while living there.  They’ll eat it up and walk away.

2. Curb appeal – Weeds can cover up a beautiful lawn like nobody’s business.  Putting away the lawnmower, garden sheers and weed eater is an excellent way to ditch potential buyers.

3. 

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You don’t have to!  Many sellers are turning away buyers for their Santa Cruz real estate because the buyer can’t get the necessary financing.  Understandable, but remember, the downturn in real estate has definitely made it a buyer’s market.  Simply put, you may have trouble finding another one. 

So what’s the “holy grail” of options?  What can you do to sell your home when nobody can afford to buy it straight out?  It’s called “owner financing”, or “Owner Will Carry” in real estate terms.  In other words, you finance the sale.  It’s not the end-all, be-all answer, but it’s worked for many as a win/win situation, and here’s why:

• MaintenanceOwner financing isn’t the same as “rent to own”.  Once the contract is signed, you no longer have to worry…

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It’s October, which means Halloween is just around the corner. Are you still struggling to come up with great decorating ideas for your Santa Cruz home? Have no fear; your real estate agent is here to help. Here are a few ideas that will take away those holiday Halloween jitters:

1. Nothing says “Halloween” like twitching fingers, growling werewolves and hovering demon skeletons. Thanks to today’s technology, you can turn your decorations into a hellish wonderland with animated Halloween props. Build a graveyard and have a rocking tombstone or a creeping skeleton to snatch up visitors.

2. Everybody has the standard jack-o-lantern on the front porch. As Halloween nears, they crop up everywhere. This year, try something a little different. There are…

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There’s at least one good thing about the drop in the dollar and it’s boosting the real estate market.  Many high-end Europeans are now looking toward the U.S. for a vacation home or permanent resident, and that could mean big hope for your Santa Cruz home for sale.  However, this also means a different way of selling. 

Stage a Benefit

No open house for high-end buyers.  Host an event instead – maybe even a benefit dinner for a worthy charity.  Let people come and view the property, but give them an avenue to mix and mingle as well.  In addition, they get to see how the house handles a bunch of guests.

Showcase a Chef

If you have a gourmet kitchen (or two), check with chefs that would like to showcase their cooking abilities.  This creates an entire…

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Selling a home isn’t easy, especially now.  Yet some homeowners believe they can stick a “for sale” sign in the ground and have the house off the market within a few days. 

While FSBO (For Sale by Owner) sales do occur, four out of five homeowners still use a Santa Cruz real estate agent.  Why?  Because selling your home on your own is hard work, and even more importantly, statistics prove that real estate agents get homes sold faster and for more money than FSBOs. 

If you’re not sure what you should do, here are a few things to think about:

FSBO

Sometimes, for sale by owner purchases are a good deal for the homeowner.  That doesn’t mean you should just jump in, however.  FSBO might be a good thing for you if:

1. It’s a seller’s market
2. You don’t…

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Being eco-friendly is an important issue to most people today. Making your home as energy efficient as possible makes sense on many levels, but do you know it makes sense when it comes to federal tax credits too? They're not small incentives either. These tax credits are another major reason to be serious about going green in your Santa Cruz home.

Tax Credits for Existing Homes

Making your home energy efficient will benefit you whether you are planning to stay in your home for years to come or you are considering selling in the near future. Prospective buyers will react favorably to eco-friendly installations.  It will also help move your Santa Cruz home faster and get a better price.

In 2009 and 2010, you could get major tax incentives for going…

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Want to go green but afraid it won’t work for condos in Santa Cruz?  Get rid of your worries, because it’s definitely possible.  It just takes a little thought!

1.  Go Energy Star – Anytime you get a chance, use Energy Star appliances, lighting, heating and cooling equipment.  When it’s time to replace something, look for the Energy Star option.

2.  Use a power strip – Many people have a slew of chargers and electronics.  Instead of plugging them directly into an outlet, use a power strip and then turn the power strip off when the electronics aren’t in use.

3.  Get an energy audit – If you get an energy audit you can find out how your insulation and heating and cooling equipment is working compared to the condos in Santa Cruz.  If it’s not up to par,…

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If you’re buying Santa Cruz real estate, you might start worrying about your credit score.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths about that score, and many individuals actually end up making things worse by following them. 

Read this list of common credit score myths and be in the know before talking to a lender:

1.  Close out your credit cards.  This is a big no-no, especially when you want to buy Santa Cruz real estate.  Closing out your older credit cards, especially, can actually make your credit score drop.

2.  Lower your credit limits.  Lowering your credit limits can hurt your credit score.  Part of your credit score is based on how much credit you have available.

3.  Get good credit by paying all your cards in full.  If you’re buying a…

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There’s a lot of competition in the current market for Santa Cruz homes for sale.  If you’re thinking about adding your home to the list, this checklist is for you.

#1.  Set your goals.  What do you expect from your sale?  Do you just want to get rid of the home, or do you want the highest price possible?  Will you be ready if a buyer wants to close quickly?  The answers to these questions factor into how much time it takes for a house to come off the market.

#2.  Decide whether to use an agent or not.  Although many Santa Cruz homes for sale go faster and at better prices with a real estate agent, it’s still possible to get a decent price doing it yourself.  If you decide to use an agent, interview them and talk to their past clients to make sure you…

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Driving down the streets of the city, you’ll see a lot of Santa Cruz homes for sale.  What you’ll also see, however, are homes for rent.  What’s the difference?  Why did these people decide to rent out their home?  Why did that homeowner become a landlord?

There are a lot of reasons for renting out your home, rather than adding it to the list of Santa Cruz homes for sale:

1.  The competitive factor – The current housing market is great for homebuyers, but not so great for home sellers.  With so many homes to choose from, your property has to stand out from the rest to get sold.  Sometimes, it could take months, or even years, to sell your house.  During that time, renting can be a good way to make the house profitable.

2.  Belief that the area will…

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