Surprising numbers of potential homebuyers are holding off on buying Santa Cruz homes. They see the housing prices drop and are waiting for them to go lower. They see the mortgage rates and are waiting for them to drop further. If this is you, you might want to rethink your strategy and take a real look at potential Santa Cruz homes.  

Here are two crucial reasons why you might not want to wait any longer:

1. Interest Rates on the Rise - Thanks to the Federal Reserve buying $1.23 trillion worth of mortgages, interest rates have been kept somewhere between 4.93% and 5.09% for a 30-year fixed-rate loan.  That’s about 0.4 % lower than it might be without the Fed’s help. However, by the end of 2009, the Federal Reserve had already started implementing a…

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Good credit is more important than ever, if you want to get a Santa Cruz real estate loan.   Knowing what’s on your credit report and how lenders view various aspects of your report is crucial.

First Things First
Get a copy of your credit report from all three of the credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You are entitled to one free report every year from each of the three credit reporting companies.  Whether you’re considering getting a loan or not, you should always take advantage of that opportunity to make sure your credit reports are accurate.

Range
FICO® scores range from 365 to 840. While the standards for what lenders consider a “good” FICO® score changes constantly and varies by lender, here’s a general breakdown of…

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When people meet you for the first time, their first impression is usually a lasting one. You also never get a second chance to make that first impression when you’re selling your Santa Cruz real estate. You need to present your home at its very best all the time.

Here are 3 things you can do to make a great first impression:

1. Clean up the yard: A messy yard is a distraction.  It can be time consuming to keep up with general yard work, but it’s worth the effort.  Overgrown shrubs, limp lawns, and general disarray can turn off a potential buyer. If you have to hire someone to come in and give your yard a quick pick me up, it’s worth the money.

2. Get Rid of Items You Don't Need: Be very strict about this and get rid of all but the bare necessities.…

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Government support in the national and Santa Cruz real estate sectors is slowly being pulled back. For instance, the federal homebuyer’s tax credit expires this month and the Fed stopped purchasing mortgage-backed securities in March. These two changes in financial backing for the housing market are causing worry because people fear the expiring tax credit will cause a dramatic drop in sales.

An important question right now is how much did the government support really help the national and Santa Cruz real estate markets and the economy?

The Economy
Dean Maki, chief U.S. economist for Barclays Capital (New York) and one of the most accurate economic forecasters for the past 20 years, says the U.S. economy is on the rise. Many economists share Maki’s…

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“Going green” can mean something as simple as using recyclable paper bags from the grocery store to something as complex as buying green Santa Cruz real estate.  A greener world is a dream for many people. Even without promotions pushing consumers towards healthier choices and better living, a shift in consumer minds has begun.

What does this have to do with Santa Cruz real estate? Simply this:  If you’re a buyer trying to find a green or energy-efficient home, you may be surprised to learn that you could run into some difficulty.  And, if you’re selling your green home, you may not get the results you expect.

The Problem with Green
Energy-efficient and green homes are still a fairly new market. In fact, it’s still considered a niche market. This not…

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April has a lot of important and semi-important dates in it. The tax deadline, Good Friday and Easter are just a few. What is April 5th, though, and what does it have to do with Santa Cruz homes for sale? Well, the biggest news is that the government has stepped into real estate and short sales.

Home sales are down nation-wide, despite the Obama administration’s efforts with the first-time buyer’s tax credit. Many homebuyers are waiting for a better interest rate or to see if home prices will drop more. Meanwhile, owners with Santa Cruz homes for sale are preparing for the spring selling season, without any idea whether they’ll actually be able to sell or not.

Part of the reason for this situation is because of the depreciated housing values. For…

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As a buyer in this buyers’ market, there are plenty of opportunities to get great Santa Cruz real estate at rock bottom prices. Because of the large amount of housing inventory throughout the nation, home sellers (those who recognize the level of competition, anyway) are much more willing to negotiate.

If you’re looking for the perfect piece of Santa Cruz real estate, here are a few tips to help you get a great price:

Stay Updated
Looking online is a great place to start. However, be aware that you have a large possibility of getting outdated information. You can find a beautiful dream home and contact the agent only to find that the listing has expired or the house has sold. Stay updated. Ask your Santa Cruz real estate agent to register your email…

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The real estate market is shifting toward some definite trends that may affect your home for sale in Santa Cruz.  Since 2006, the median cost of a home has dropped almost 30%. The good news, according Moody’s Economy.com, is that most of the nation’s metropolitan areas are expected to see less than a 5% drop in prices a year from now. Even better news, 10% are expected to see modest increases. 

If you have a home for sale in Santa Cruz, keeping an eye on the trends can greatly increase your chances of selling, no matter what the area. Here are two of the biggest trends:

Trend #1:  Home Prices Staying Down
Home inventories are slowly creeping back up, and another 3 million distressed homes are expected to be foreclosed on this year. As well, one-fourth…

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Buying a Santa Cruz home can be a challenging process. Along the way you will experience a wide range of emotions.

No matter how strongly you feel that you are alone, rest assured that most buyers feel the same way. Here’s a peek at what you can expect when…

• Looking for a Santa Cruz home. Creating a wish list for a house that fits within your budget can cause the initial signs of stress. Once that list is created, a new panic may settle in as you wonder if you will find the right home for you within that budget. Expect this panic to increase as you look at more homes.

• Presenting an offer. No one wants to be rejected, even if it’s about property. Remind yourself that it is perfectly normal to worry about getting an accepted offer and that the…

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Many potential homeowners are starting to look towards Santa Cruz foreclosures as a way to get the home of their dreams without spending their life savings. What they may not realize is that the sheer amount of foreclosed properties can be daunting. Some are so completely overwhelmed by the choices that they give up and walk away.

Santa Cruz foreclosures can be great deals, but you’ll have a few decisions to make before you even go looking. Because there are so many options, here and throughout the nation, it’s important to figure out what type of foreclosed home is best for you.

Government Foreclosures
Homes with federally sponsored loans, such as HUD homes, are repossessed by government housing agencies. Because these homes offer a lot of…

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