If you’re looking to get a good deal by buying one of the Santa Cruz foreclosures, keep in mind that many of the homeowners not only didn’t have money for the mortgage, they probably didn’t have money for the upkeep of the house either.  If you’ve found a home you’re interested in, here’s a short checklist to follow even before you decide to contact a home inspector.

Structure

For some Santa Cruz foreclosures, structure is a definite issue.  Pay close attention to the following, as they may indicate more severe problems:

• Are the interior walls in good condition?  Any cracks and stains?
• Are the floors in good condition?  What are they made of?  Some floors are made of substandard materials, unsafe for more than casual use.
• Is the roof in good repair…

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The thought of losing your home due to foreclosure can be a devastating experience. If you've been late on payments or missed them altogether, foreclosure could be in your future. However, it doesn't have to be. There are varieties of steps you can take to prevent Santa Cruz foreclosures.

1. Contact your lender

In order to sort out the situation, you need to involve your lender as soon as possible so you can figure out the next plan of action and keep your home.

2. Set up a repayment plan

Usually, repaying your missed payments is the start of fixing the problem; that's why contacting the lender is so important. Depending on what you work out, your repayment costs may only be a little bit more than the cost of your current mortgage.

3. Try to get…

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These days, homes are going into foreclosure like never before. Many factors have contributed to this trend, and as a result, banks have numerous Santa Cruz foreclosures that need to be sold as quickly as possible. Explore a few reasons why buying foreclosures now could be a great opportunity.

1. Price – Since there's an over abundance of foreclosed homes that need to be sold, many are priced way below market value, which creates a good opportunity for real estate investors to buy.

2. Quick sales – Sellers want to get Santa Cruz foreclosures off their hands as soon as possible and they tend to be extremely motivated sellers. Therefore, you could be the owner of a new home in record time.  Also, most bank owned deals, which were taking anywhere from 3 to…

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Santa Cruz real estate in foreclosure is sometimes found stripped of all appliances and fixtures after the trustee’s sale.  Some property owners believe they have the right to remove everything but the walls of the house when they leave.  The law states that anything that is not personal property, that is in fact an asset of the property, may not be removed. 

Homeowners in foreclosure may be prosecuted for removing the following items:

• Most appliances that are on the property.  This includes the stove, dishwasher and garbage disposal.

• The air conditioning unit and the furnace must stay on the property.

• Ceiling fans, light fixtures, and any electrical wiring.

• The plumbing and all the fixtures must stay in place.  The sink, shower, toilets,…

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In today's real estate market, it's fairly easy to find Santa Cruz foreclosures, but what about finding good foreclosures in a steady market?  Whether the market is strong or soft, here are a few tips on finding foreclosed houses:

Real Estate Signs

First and foremost, drive through your neighborhood and surrounding areas.  Signs that say "Foreclosure," "Bank-Owned" or "Bank Repo" let you know they're Santa Cruz foreclosures.  But your best bet, if you want to get a jump on other buyers and get the best price and terms, is to work with a professional real estate agent.

Government Agencies

Depending on the agency, you may have to have the services of a real estate agent to make a purchase offer.  The requirements are posted at each site, along with more…

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The housing plan included in President Obama's stimulus package has many good qualities that will help those seeking Santa Cruz real estate.

There are two main points to the housing plan:

1. To help people once again obtain reasonable mortgages to afford the home of their dreams.

2. To keep people in the homes they already have. If it works the way it is planned, it is reason for a collective sigh of relief for millions of homeowners feeling threatened by foreclosures.

That's really it in a nutshell. There are many incentives wrapped up in each of those two areas to help both homeowners and prospective home buyers, but the very impetus behind the stimulus housing package is simple.

For Current Homeowners

If you have a current mortgage that you…

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Buying REOs is a very popular method of buying Santa Cruz real estate for investment.  If you're just getting started accumulating investment property, this is one way you can get very good deals and amass a great deal of property quickly.

REO stands for Real Estate Owned and is the acronym banks place on properties they have taken back from mortgage defaults. REOs are considered non-performing assets meaning they have value but are not bringing in any money—bad for the bank, good for you.

Buy REOs at Foreclosure Auctions

Foreclosure auctions are a great way to get fantastic deals that you might not be able to convince a bank to go with prior to the event. Some savvy investors try to catch properties while they are in pre-foreclosure which avoids a…

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If you're looking at hard times, and have fallen behind on your Santa Cruz condo mortgage payments, you may already think it’s too late to save your home from foreclosure.  But rest assured, you can take steps to keep your home and stop the process. 

• One of the most important things to do is keep the lines of communication open with your lender.  Most lenders would much rather avoid foreclosing on your Santa Cruz condo.  If you call your lender as soon as you miss a payment, you may be able to qualify for a forbearance, which could cancel the payment that you are unable to make.  You are unlikely to receive forbearance more than once, so make sure that you will be able to start making payments at the time the forbearance runs out.

• Of course, the…

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No doubt you’ve heard about the soaring number of Santa Cruz foreclosures.  If you're thinking that now would be a good time to jump on the Santa Cruz real estate bandwagon by purchasing a foreclosure, here are a few tips to help you find (and buy) your dream home.

Arrange for Financing
Know how much home you can afford so you can determine your price range.  You don’t want to waste any time looking at property that won’t fit your financial needs.  If you do, you might even miss the deal you’re looking for.  Many lenders will pre-qualify you.  The process doesn’t take long and you’ll be able to look at Santa Cruz foreclosures with confidence.

Get a List of Santa Cruz Foreclosures.
Most banks and other lenders have a list of their properties that are in…

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Whether you’re looking for your next family home or an investment property, a foreclosure can be a great way to find a bargain. However, not all foreclosures are the same. Before you jump into a foreclosure, make yourself a smart buyer who knows a thing or two about Santa Cruz foreclosures.

1. Smart buyers know that that foreclosed properties are not automatically bargains. Banks want to make as much money as possible on their foreclosures. While you can sometimes find great deals, you are more likely to purchase a foreclosure for at or near market value. Look for Santa Cruz homes that are reasonably priced, not just those that are sold as cheaply as possible.

2. Smart buyers know that not all foreclosures are the same. Foreclosures fall into one of…

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