When dealing with a purchase contract for your Santa Cruz home for sale, you need to look in the actual print for a few things before you sign on the dotted line. Your real estate agent and/or lawyer will be able to point out glaring deficiencies, inconsistencies or other things not in your best interest. However, the more you know about the purchase contract yourself, the better chances you have of getting a good deal on your Santa Cruz home for sale.

Here are four points to ponder in your purchase contract:

Closing Date
Sometimes a buyer may want to wait a month or two before taking over the title. You want to check the closing date against your own schedule and make sure it’s acceptable. Don’t be inflexible.  In this highly competitive real estate…

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You know you’re going to pay a mortgage for however many years once you sign the paper on a Santa Cruz home. You know your agent is going to get paid for the absolutely wonderful, fantabulous job he or she did to help you find the home of your dreams. What you may not be expecting, however, are the closing costs.

The saying goes “nothing’s guaranteed except death and taxes,” but you can add “closing costs” in there. Now, I’m sure the mortgage was expected, and you don’t mind your agent earning a bit, but what the heck is this “closing cost” business? While the government forms explain them, they might as well have been written in chicken scratches; government lingo has never been exactly easy to understand.

Be Prepared to Pay
“Closing costs” is a catch…

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It’s a war out there. If you’re still sitting in your robe and slippers, sipping a cup o’ joe while you casually read the Sunday comics – with the absolute knowledge that your house is going to sell – you haven’t been paying attention. The percentage of Santa Cruz homes for sale versus qualified potential buyers has made this an extreme buyer’s market.

It’s time for some tough love, sellers – some straight talk.

If you’re not ready to do more than spruce up your lawn a little, you won’t win the battle. You won’t even win a skirmish. In short, if you’re not doing everything you can (or pushing your agent about him doing everything he can) to get your home taken off the list of Santa Cruz homes for sale, you’re not a motivated seller.

Motivated sellers…

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When people think about buying one of the homes for sale in Santa Cruz, many first research mortgage rates, mortgage loans, how they work and what it might cost them. However, with the many loan types available and all the technical jargon used to describe them, how do you know which one is best for you?

Fixed-rate mortgages are one of the most popular and classic form of loans for those buying homes for sale in Santa Cruz. Why?

Pros and Cons of Fixed-Rate Mortgages

Like anything else, fixed-rate mortgages have pros and cons.  Understanding the benefits and issues can help you decide whether the fixed-rate mortgage is the right loan for you.

Pros
• Fixed-rate mortgages protect you from rising interest rates, which is especially helpful if you plan to…

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There was a time when Santa Cruz real estate was ruled by the phrase “buyer beware.” This meant the seller did not have to share any information about defects in the home. Today, however, more than two-thirds of all states in the U.S. require some form of seller disclosure. This means that sellers are required to share certain information with potential buyers. What do you have to share when selling your Santa Cruz real estate?

• Lead-based paint. For all homes built before 1978, a disclosure is required. This gives the buyer 10 days to have the home inspected for lead-based paint. Some real estate brokers require this disclosure for all homes because lead-based paint is still sold in some places.

• Material facts. Material facts are items which may…

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One of the more frustrating aspects of buying Santa Cruz real estate is qualifying for a mortgage that will allow you to buy the home of your dreams. Lenders use terms to describe your loan status that may be confusing.

For example, what is the difference between being pre-qualified, pre-approved or approved for a mortgage on your Santa Cruz real estate?

• Pre-Qualified – This just means that the lender may approve you for a loan if everything checks out. Pre-qualification is based solely on information you give the lender about your income and debts. This is no guarantee that you will get a loan. People do lie about their finances, so the lender won’t even be able to give you a possible loan amount at this point.

• Pre-Approved – Once your lender…

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If you’ve thought about buying a Santa Cruz home for sale, you have to be wondering, “Is it ever going to be a good idea?” I understand; there’s an endless stream of media pouring out bad housing news. It’s discouraging to say the least if you’re a homebuyer or a home seller.

Yet, the problem with the news from the home buying standpoint is that it focuses on profit. The media says, “You can’t make a profit from buying a home.” They talk about prices dropping and more homes hitting the market, among other things. What they miss, however, are the real reasons most people buy a Santa Cruz home for sale.

It’s your home. Period.
You can do what you want with it. You don’t have to worry about whether painting a mural on the wall will get you an increase in…

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Fifty-five million Americans live in developments overseen by Homeowners’ Associations.  HOAs can sometimes strike fear in the hearts of Santa Cruz homeowners, especially owners who have violated the rules and regulations established by the HOAs.

Although you may not purposely violate an HOA policy, at some point, you may find yourself in that situation. Here are some tips on how to resolve a conflict with your Santa Cruz Homeowners’ Association.

• Start right away.  Conflict rarely gets better with time.  Resolution is most easily achieved early on.  As soon as you’re aware there’s a problem, contact your HOA.

• Be polite. A little politeness goes a long way. Refrain from using foul language or insulting the HOA members. State your case clearly and…

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As Halloween draws closer, celebrators everywhere are beginning to decorate their Santa Cruz homes with pumpkins.  Unfortunately, by the time the actual holiday is here, many of the jack-o-lanterns will be rotting away - poor remnants of the original carving. 

If you'd like to keep your carved pumpkin up to par, here are 11 tips:

1. Put your pumpkin in cold water; it will soak up the water and get firm.  You can do this after it's carved as well; just place it face down and let it fill up with water.

2. Let your pumpkin soak overnight for detailed work.  This allows for carving that is more intricate.

3. Dry your pumpkin immediately once you take it out of the water to display it in your Santa Cruz home.  Otherwise, mold will take hold and grow.

…

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The temperature is starting to drop, leaves are beginning to fall and autumn is getting closer. For those with Santa Cruz homes for sale, this is a good time to make sure all your t’s are crossed and i’s are dotted. Why?

Fall brings nostalgia for most people across the United States. Between Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve, the last part of the year brings the most family-oriented, warm thoughts. It brings memories of days gone by when families met over turkey or ham around a table, young cousins played together in the yard and, in general, everyone had a wonderful time. In other words, it brings thoughts of home.

Often, these thoughts cause a yearning in potential buyers to own one of the Santa Cruz homes for…

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