As the weather gets warmer, the desire to get outside and enjoy the fresh air begins to take hold. Having a place to entertain or just unwind can add a new dimension to your Santa Cruz home.

First, you have to decide what type of space you want to create. Whether you want to have an outdoor living room, a vacation-like spot or a place to meditate and enjoy nature, how you extend your living space is limited only by your imagination — and possibly your budget. Start with your vision and make a list of the things you want to have there. Then go for it!

Choose a Theme
• Vacation spot - Decorate with bright colors for a festive, tropical look.
• Zen garden - Add a water feature, such as a fountain, for a calming effect.
• Nature hideaway - Surround a…

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When it comes to selling your Santa Cruz home, you’ve probably thought of the most common staging tricks, such as clearing out the clutter to make your rooms look bigger and bringing in more light to brighten things up. However, have you considered that the colors in your house might have an effect on whether buyers are interested?

Color has a psychological effect on people, whether they are aware of it or not. First impressions are everything when you are selling a house, so think about how the colors you choose will influence your potential buyers. A new paint job could be a simple and effective way to make your house more appealing.

Choose Mellow, Neutral Shades

When a potential buyer is looking at your house, they want to be able to imagine…

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If you’ve been considering taking your Santa Cruz home in a green direction, April is the perfect month to make an environmentally friendly update. Celebrate Earth Day by installing a solar energy system. Solar panels turn sunlight into energy that can save you money!

The federal government and many states are now providing tax incentives and rebates for installing solar panels in 2013. So don’t waste the opportunity to go green this spring. However, there are many installers that might not have the necessary experience, so be sure to ask the questions below when searching for your solar energy system.

How many solar panel systems have they installed?

You want to make sure to find a reputable company that has significant solar experience and has…

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Without a doubt, spring is the best time of year to get your Santa Cruz home on the market and sold fast. The reason behind this trend is understandable. Most people don’t want to look at new houses, pack everything up and move in the cold of winter. Also, families want to wait until the kids get out of school for the summer, so they’ll start shopping in the spring. Thus, when the warm weather returns, so do the buyers in the real estate market.

Before your real estate agent lists your Santa Cruz home, it’s essential for it to look its best. Examine your living space and see it as a buyer would — then double check this list of staging tips to make sure you haven’t overlooked any important details.

• Clear out the clutter. Tidy up counter tops,…

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Have you ever walked into Santa Cruz homes and looked down to see stained carpet or flooring? It definitely makes you want to keep your shoes on. Imagine if you were a buyer looking at the same floor.

The right type of flooring and whether it is well taken care of can make a big difference to buyers. If your floor is questionably clean, here are a few fixes to help remedy the issue to make sure your home sells.

Does your home have hardwood floors?

You’re in luck. Buyers love hardwood floors and some will actually pay extra to get them. In fact, they could be that final selling point. If your hardwood floors are covered by carpet, painted over or showing anything but the natural wood grain, it’s time for an overhaul. Pull up those carpets and get…

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If the thought of cleaning your Santa Cruz home this spring doesn’t bring a smile to your face, you’re not alone. To help you get going now, here is a short list of the 6 essential spring-cleaning chores.

1. Store winter clothes.

It’s time to pack away your winter clothes. Coats, sweaters, and bulkier clothing need to be inspected, cleaned and packed away. Store your clothes somewhere clean, cool, dark and dry.

2. Wash window treatments.

You’ll be surprised at the huge amount of dirt and grime that a thorough window cleaning removes. Wash blinds, launder curtains that are machine washable and send drapes to the dry cleaners. While you’re at it, dust the window casing, wash windowsills and clean any window hardware.

3. Clean carpets and…

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Going green is not just a new trend; it is a way of life that benefits not only the environment, but also your health — and your pocketbook. Green living cuts down on carbon emissions and creates a healthier environment both inside and outside of a Santa Cruz home. While green structures sometimes cost more initially, the money (and environment) saved in the long run is well worth the investment.

Health Benefits

Owning a green Santa Cruz home has significant health benefits. Many conventional buildings are not properly ventilated and indoor air quality is often more polluted than the air outside. Poor air quality is bad for your health and can aggravate asthma and allergies. Certified green properties tend to have excellent airflow and ventilation.…

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If you have a Santa Cruz home for sale, it is important to appreciate the significance of first impressions. When potential buyers drive up to your property and take their first look at your front door, they will instantly be drawing conclusions about your house.

When you are trying to entice a buyer to fall in love with your house, you must consider the curb appeal of your Santa Cruz home for sale. This term describes the way your house looks from the outside or while standing on the curb.

What they see inside could either support or alter that original conclusion, but there is no way to erase a first impression. In fact, some surveys show that curb appeal can affect a buyer’s decision even more than price or square footage. Below are seven simple…

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The first sign of mold you notice may be a musty smell in your Santa Cruz home. After looking around, you spot what looks like mold — don’t panic! You can remove unhealthy mold from your house without paying an arm and a leg.

Check to be Sure it's Really Mold

Mold can look many different ways, which depends on the type. Some are grayish-white or black and can look like a dirty smudge. If you're in doubt that a spot is mold, you can do a test with chlorine bleach. Simply put a drop on the spot. If the color immediately fades away, you have mold.

Mold needs moisture to grow. If you find mold, you know that you also have a water problem in your Santa Cruz home. So first, you’ll need to find the source of the leak and repair it. After that, you can…

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With tax season in full swing, it’s time to start thinking about how you can save money on what you owe Uncle Sam this year. If you own a Santa Cruz home, there are a few things that may help you lower your tax debt in 2012. You can qualify for energy tax credits if you’ve made certain improvements in the last year.

Here are a few federal tax credits offered for installing energy efficient products in your house. If you did not make any changes in 2012, you may want to take a look at what you could do to lower your taxes next year! These credits expire December 31, 2016, so you have time to implement changes that could help both your tax return and your everyday energy usage.

To receive a tax credit of 30% of cost, with no upper limit, on your…

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