Santa Cruz Real Estate Agent

4 Reasons to List Your FSBO with a Santa Cruz Real Estate Agent

Friday, August 6th, 2010 at 1:01am. 12 Views, 0 Comments.

Going it alone and listing your home as for sale by owner can be exciting at first, but there is a turning point where the prospect of losing money makes it necessary to bring in help. Here are four reasons to change your plan and list your home with a Santa Cruz real estate agent in order to facilitate a sale.

1. Speed: If your property has been languishing on the market for more than three months, it is no longer fresh. People will avoid it simply because it hasn't sold. A Santa Cruz real estate agent can give your home wider exposure and get traffic moving through it again.

2. Knowledge: Fresh eyes on a project are helpful in any business endeavor. You can be too close to your home. You love it and see it in a positive light that can often overlook…

5 Reasons Santa Cruz Home Sellers Reject Offers

Monday, August 2nd, 2010 at 1:01am. 17 Views, 0 Comments.

Rejection is a hard thing to face in life, whether it’s from a potential client, a potential boss or a potential home seller. As a Santa Cruz home buyer, your stress level might be reduced if you’re aware of some of the reasons a seller may reject your offer.

Before I give you the list of reasons, I’d like to mention that even if you and your buyer’s agent do everything right, the seller may still reject your offer. It frequently has nothing to do with you.

With that said, here are 5 common reasons sellers reject offers on their homes:

1. The offer wasn’t enough for them to pay off their mortgage. For most sellers, the bottom line is paying off their mortgage. If your offer won’t cover the mortgage, they cannot accept it.

2. They may have just been testing…

I’ll Sell My Own Santa Cruz Real Estate, Thanks

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010 at 1:01am. 15 Views, 0 Comments.

As I’m sure you know, the real estate industry is in a down market, and the last thing you want to do is pay commission to a Santa Cruz real estate agent. Not to mention that you’re almost positive you can sell your home just fine on your own. Before sticking a “For Sale by Owner” sign up, however, make sure you’re ready for the work and headaches.

Time. Yes, can sell your Santa Cruz real estate on your own without the help of an agent, but it takes a lot of preparation and time. How much is your time worth and how much time do you have? Before you step out on your own, make sure you can afford the time and energy investment.
Extra services for better value. You’ll lose out on a wide variety of services offered by real estate agents. For example, many…

Santa Cruz Condos vs. Houses: Which Should You Choose?

Thursday, July 15th, 2010 at 1:01am. 14 Views, 0 Comments.

Santa Cruz condos or houses: that is the question!

You may be thinking of getting a home but wondering how much space you really need. If you opt to look at houses, your choices are vast. Houses, both large and small, are abundant in today’s real estate market.

Even though Santa Cruz condos are typically smaller than most houses, there are large condos available (even condos larger than houses). And, just like traditional houses, there are a lot of condos available in this buyer’s market.

So, how do you choose? Your selection should be based on your current and near-future needs.

Let’s demystify the differences and clarify your selection:

Space: Is your family large? Are you planning to add many more? Do you work from home? Consider your plans for the…

Buying a Home with a Santa Cruz Real Estate Agent

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010 at 1:01am. 19 Views, 0 Comments.

If you have never purchased a home before, you may not yet recognize how crucial it is to acquire the services of a professional Santa Cruz real estate agent.

Buying a home will probably be the most expensive purchase you ever make. Therefore, you undoubtedly should consider enlisting the help of a REALTOR® who has experience, extensive knowledge of the area and integrity.

Benefits of using a professional Santa Cruz real estate agent

Having your own buyer’s agent to walk you through the entire home buying process saves you a lot of time and stress, as well as money.

You decide:

     • Size of home desired
     • Style preferred
     • Location
     • Price range

That’s easy! With this basic information, your agent begins the hard part: searching for the…

Top 3 Facts About Using Agents When Selling or Buying Santa Cruz Homes

Thursday, July 1st, 2010 at 1:01am. 22 Views, 0 Comments.

As you may be aware, there are two primary ways to sell and buy Santa Cruz homes. One, FSBO (For Sale By Owner), means just what it says – the owner sells the home. The second, of course, is selling the home through a real estate agent. What you may not be aware of is the main reasons why so many choose to hire an agent, whether selling or buying Santa Cruz homes.

Should you hire an agent? Of course, I’m going to say yes. However, what I really want you to do is make up your own mind after reading. Only you can answer this question because only you know your situation, but you need to know the facts:

Fact #1, for buyers – Real estate is one of the biggest areas of fraud in the U.S., and a fraud in which the scammer is less likely to be caught. Instances…

Open Season on Homes for Sale in Santa Cruz – Hunting License Not Needed

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010 at 1:01am. 22 Views, 0 Comments.

It’s open season on homes for sale in Santa Cruz, and no hunting license is needed. You might want to wear bright orange jackets if you’re a seller, though. It’s a buyer’s market and, in this case, you want the house hunters to see you.

Now, you can only take the hunting analogy so far; I don’t think you’d appreciate being hung on a wall as a trophy. You will appreciate hunters setting their sights on homes for sale in Santa Cruz, however. Here are a few tips to ensure that your home is the one they target:

Stand out in the open
To put it simply, buyers are using more and more technology nowadays. Obviously, you, as the seller, want to be where the buyers are, right? Embrace the Internet. Twitter, Facebook, blogging and other forms of social media are some of…

Buyer’s Market? Santa Cruz Real Estate Agents to the Rescue

Friday, June 25th, 2010 at 1:01am. 24 Views, 0 Comments.

“Buyer’s market” means that the buyers have the upper hand; there’s more supply than demand. When it comes to selling your home, it’s safe to say that you’re competing in one of recent history’s toughest real estate markets. This is a true buyer’s market, where supply far outweighs demand. So how do you go about selling your home in these conditions?

Interview Santa Cruz Real Estate Agents
Don’t pick an agent based on looks. An agent who drives an expensive car may very well just be someone who lives beyond his or her means. Instead, create a list of the top Santa Cruz real estate agents in the area and interview them. Ask:

• About their experiences in selling homes in your area this year and last year – not in years gone by
• What they’d recommend to make…

How to Identify Your Perfect Santa Cruz Real Estate Agent

Monday, May 10th, 2010 at 1:01am. 41 Views, 0 Comments.

When you begin your search for the perfect house it usually starts with a search for the perfect Santa Cruz real estate agent. A good agent can help you with every aspect of buying a home.

They know the proper price ranges, what properties are available that match your needs and all of those pesky legal details required for closing. Your Santa Cruz real estate agent will keep things moving and make sure deadlines are met and everything goes smoothly.

Here are four tips to help you choose a real estate agent:

Meet Them Face to Face

Perfect harmony should be as instantaneous as love at first sight. You simply know you hit it off with someone, or you don't. Don't fight the feelings if you have doubts. Even the best Santa Cruz real estate agent isn't going to…

Buying or Selling Green Santa Cruz Real Estate

Monday, April 12th, 2010 at 1:01am. 53 Views, 0 Comments.

“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 only…