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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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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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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Leaves are starting to change color, nights are getting cooler and pumpkins are appearing on porches of Santa Cruz homes.  All signs that fall is here.

That means it’s time to do fall preventative maintenance on all Santa Cruz homes.  To help you get started, here’s a quick checklist: 
• Have a professional heating contractor inspect your Santa Cruz home’s heating system.  An annual furnace inspection ensures that your heating system is operating at peak efficiency and most importantly that it is running safely.

• Replace your furnace filter.  Furnace filters need to be replaced frequently to allow your heating system to operate properly.

• Hire a certified chimney sweep clean.  Have him inspect your wood burning stove or fireplace and clean the…

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De-cluttering your Santa Cruz home is an important part of preparing it for sale. Buyers want to be able to imagine themselves and their belongings inside your home. However, this idea isn’t limited to the inside of your home. It also applies to your garage.

Cluttered, over-crowded garages turn buyers away. Fortunately, sprucing up your garage is easier than you think. Here are some tips to get you started.

1. Start with a list. If you’re like most people, you probably don’t even know what’s inside your garage. Take a pencil and paper and walk through your garage, writing down everything you see. You don’t need a detailed list. For example, screws, bolts, and nails can be listed together as hardware.

2. Reduce the list. Cleaning your garage means…

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With the many auctions here and throughout the U.S., you may be wondering if it’s worth buying Santa Cruz real estate this way. Auctions let you bid at a public sale.  Some property is being sold by the owner, but most properties are foreclosures being sold by banks.

Like any endeavor, there are pros and cons in buying Santa Cruz real estate at an auction. For instance, a pro for auctions might be the price; you can often get great discounts on nice homes through an auction. However, you may get caught up in the fervor of the bidding process and pay more for a home than you ever intended.

The Condition of the Home may be Questionable 
When you work with a real estate agent to buy a home in the traditional manner, you go through the home inspection…

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One of the side effects of living in your Santa Cruz home is the traffic your driveway sees.  Your cars and the cars of your friends and family may be leaving behind evidence they were there in the form of oil stains.  Not only are oil stains an eyesore, they are notoriously difficult to remove. 

Here are a few suggestions that will have the driveway of your Santa Cruz home sparkling again:

• Soak up any oil left standing on the driveway.  Most people use a fine gravel cat litter or sawdust.  You can use baking soda, flour or any other absorbent material that you have on hand.  Whichever material you choose, needs to be left on the stains for a couple of hours to absorb the excess.

• Wash the stain.  Use dishwashing soap on the area first.  If the…

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Are you buying Santa Cruz real estate chiefly as an investment or as your primary residence? Does it need a little updating or a big overhaul? When you consider that buying Santa Cruz real estate is a major purchase, no matter what the reason, it’s always a good idea to look at the potential pros and cons.

Pros of Buying a Fixer Upper

Location – The fixer upper you’re considering could be in a great neighborhood. It might even be on the best street. But, because it needs work, you could get a home in a location you might otherwise not be able to afford.

Cost – It’s almost always cheaper to buy something broken than to buy something that works. Well, the same can be true for any kind of real estate investment. Buying a fixer upper may be a good…

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Has your Santa Cruz home for sale been victimized by DIY remodeling projects? Did they not quite turn out like you thought they would? You aren’t alone; I’ve walked into houses with cabinets hanging at a slant and the owner proudly telling me they did it themselves.

Leave it to a pro.
Not everybody can be a remodeler. Not everybody is handy at everything. For instance, I can change the oil on my car, but I leave engine overhauls to the professionals.  Why? Because that’s what they do, and they do it well.

Now, many people choose to do remodeling themselves because they think it’s cheaper – and it often is when done right. However, knowledge is power. It’d be cheaper for me to do my own engine overhaul, too, but I’ve never done it before and don’t know…

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It's true.  There are a lot of parallels between buying a piece of Santa Cruz real estate and running a marathon.

The Starting Line

At first, there is excitement. The idea of buying a new home pulses in your veins and you can't wait to get started.  You're like a runner in the blocks just itching to begin. Your muscles twitch in anticipation with every piece of Santa Cruz real estate you see. That's when the real adrenaline rush kicks in.

Start Out Slowly

Keep to a steady, consistent pace and you’ll make it to the finish line.  There's so much to do before you can get your Santa Cruz real estate. Home appraisals, inspections and financing to apply for…
You start to think about all the 'what ifs,' like what if you don't get the financing, what if…

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