Santa Cruz Lenders 
There are currently 9 blog entries related to this category.
National and Santa Cruz Homes for Sale – Economists Predict Housing Shortage
Friday, March 19th, 2010 at 1:01am. 0 Views, 0 Comments.
As a real estate agent for Santa Cruz homes for sale, part of my job is keeping up with current real estate news. Most of the time, I’m largely unsurprised by the news that comes across my desk, but this little tidbit blew me away.
For two years now, we’ve seen mass foreclosures, people walking away from their underwater mortgages and warnings that there’s more to come. Foreclosure numbers reached all time highs, housing prices have reached all time lows and half the country is unemployed. It’s enough to make a homeowner with one of the Santa Cruz homes for sale have a mental breakdown.
However, in February, the news went out, flooring most in the real estate industry: severe shortage of property predicted by the middle of 2011. This may sound unbelievable. …
Does Your Santa Cruz Real Estate Team Know What They’re Doing?
Wednesday, March 17th, 2010 at 1:01am. 1 Views, 0 Comments.
If you’re thinking of buying Santa Cruz real estate, now is the time to take advantage of this buyer's market.
Back in the “good old days,” (a few years ago) it was easier to qualify for a loan, with one-page loan applications, stated incomes and “no doc” (no documentation, meaning nothing had to be proven) loans. There were amazing loan programs, like 125% loan on the purchase price with no down payment.
Now, buying Santa Cruz real estate is more burdensome. No more “no doc” loans; lenders want every piece of documentation you can come up with. So then, why is it the best time to buy? And what does this have to do with your real estate team?
Although the current loan situation isn't ideal, it’s worth the effort to find a home you can afford. Here are two…
Want an $8000 Tax Credit? Buy a Santa Cruz Home for Sale Now
Thursday, February 25th, 2010 at 1:01am. 7 Views, 0 Comments.
Last November, when Congress approved an extension on the first-time homebuyer tax credit, potential homebuyers who missed the original deadline were excited. It was another chance to buy a Santa Cruz home for sale and receive an often badly needed $8,000 on their tax return.
Real estate agents were excited as well, because the tax credit extension expanded to include “upgrade” buyers – those who wanted to replace their current home with a bigger one. The possibility of selling a home was higher than it’d been in a while. However, expansion to include upgrade buyers wasn’t the only change.
If you’re hoping to buy a Santa Cruz home for sale and take advantage of the tax credit before the new 2010 deadlines, here are a few things to keep in mind:
• Two dates…
FHA Changes the Rules for Buying a Santa Cruz Home for Sale
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 at 1:01am. 13 Views, 0 Comments.
The FHA, or Federal Housing Administration, has helped many a homeowner buy a Santa Cruz home for sale by providing mortgage insurance through FHA-approved lenders. However, a change in policy, announced in January, may make it harder for those with poor credit.
Before we talk about FHA's change in policy, let's cover a few of the basics about the FHA and how it might help you buy a home for sale.
What is the FHA?
The FHA is a government agency that provides mortgage insurance to approved lending institutions. It assists homebuyers by providing mortgage insurance to lenders to cover most losses that may occur when a borrower defaults. This encourages lenders to make loans to borrowers who might otherwise not be able to get a loan.
What is an FHA Loan?
An FHA…
Was Your Santa Cruz Real Estate Financing Declined?
Thursday, January 21st, 2010 at 3:13pm. 24 Views, 0 Comments.
If you’ve recently applied for credit to finance a Santa Cruz real estate purchase, and were declined, you might be wondering why a lender would deny you credit. Most lenders have a checklist of qualifications necessary to get approval for a home loan, and some don’t have anything to do with what your credit score is.
Here are the basic reasons a lender may deny a mortgage loan:
• Little or no credit. You may be under the mistaken impression that no credit is better than bad credit, but you’d be wrong. A blank credit history is not something a mortgage lender wants to see. A lender needs some idea of how you make payments. You can build your credit history by getting a department store credit card, and only using thirty percent of your available…
How Much Mortgage Can You Really Afford for a Santa Cruz Home?
Saturday, December 12th, 2009 at 11:01am. 31 Views, 0 Comments.
Owning a Santa Cruz home can be a sign of independence and success. It allows you to build up equity and the mortgage interest and property taxes are tax-deductible. Can you afford it, though?
Reputable lenders look at a list of criteria to decide how much they’ll loan you. This list includes:
• Credit score
• Existing assets including cash
• Car leases or loans
• Credit card balances
• Debt consolidation loans
• Home equity loans
• Installment loans
• Student loans
• Other monthly debts
• Size/source of your down payment
If you’d like to get an idea of what you can afford before talking to a lender, here are a few tools you can use to decide whether a Santa Cruz home is within your budget:
• As a rule of thumb, your house hunting budget shouldn’t be more than 2.5…
Prepare Before Buying Santa Cruz Real Estate to Get the Best Deals
Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 at 10:13am. 44 Views, 0 Comments.
You’ve finally decided you want to buy a piece of Santa Cruz real estate. What do you do now? Here are a few tips for getting the best deal for your money:
Check Out Your Credit
The first thing you’ll want to do is order a copy of your credit report from the three major credit bureaus: Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. Look for inaccuracies in:
• Name
• Address
• Creditors
• Late payments
• Delinquencies
After you’ve reviewed your credit report and know your credit score, you’re ready to make improvements to your report, if your credit score is too low. Send a written “Notice of Correction” to the credit bureaus. It can be up to 200 words. If needed, you can explain why you fell behind on a particular debt, and every time a lender accesses the report,…
How to Cinch a Santa Cruz Real Estate Deal
Saturday, July 11th, 2009 at 9:23am. 53 Views, 0 Comments.
Making an offer on a piece of property is nerve wracking; especially if your offer is a little (or a lot) lower than the asking price. You can make your offer more appealing with a few simple additions that are good ways to cinch a Santa Cruz real estate deal.
Get Approved
It's easy to add a contingency to a bid that the offer is only valid when you get financing. But that means you're keeping the seller waiting on pins and needles to find out if you qualify for financing. If your offer is low, the seller may be unwilling to accept the double whammy of a financial contingency and a low offer. Getting pre-approved for a loan is a much better incentive for a seller to accept a lower offer.
Increase Your Earnest Money
A larger amount of earnest money makes you…
Why Is Now a Good Time to Buy Santa Cruz Real Estate?
Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 at 2:23pm. 51 Views, 0 Comments.
In spite of problems in the housing market, experts agree this is a great time to buy Santa Cruz real estate. First-time home buyers can take advantage of the many tax breaks allowed by the stimulus plan, and everyone can benefit from the fact that the stimulus package includes help for banks so that they can provide mortgages. There are other reasons the current market is good for new home buyers, too.
Mortgage Rates
Because so few mortgages were being issued, the rates are very low. This gives home buyers, especially those with good credit, a big advantage. Just a two point difference in mortgage rates can mean saving several hundred dollars a month on payments.
Low Prices
If you're considering buying Santa Cruz real estate, act now so you can take advantage…
