Santa Cruz real estate agents get a chance to see more of the city and surrounding areas than most of the people who live here. It’s a beautiful place to live, and I’m glad to be a part of it. As Thanksgiving nears, and the leaves change color and fall, I get to see a whole other side of this place – which has given me the inspiration for another blog:

Spruce Up Your Home for Fall!

Most, and probably all, Santa Cruz real estate agents will tell you that good curb appeal can make a sale. What they may not realize is that using the seasons can help just as much. Truth be told, it didn’t click with me until I realized Thanksgiving is just around the corner and started thinking about the past.

This time of year always brings a nostalgic touch to the air…

1572 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

If you have vacation Santa Cruz real estate, you may consider renting it out occasionally to cover some of the expenses. However, if you get something wrong, you can set off alarms with the IRS – something you definitely don’t want to do. So, if you’re thinking about renting out your Santa Cruz real estate, here are a few things you need to know:

1. If you don’t feel like claiming rental income on your taxes, you can’t rent the vacation home out for more than fourteen days in a year. Instead, you treat it as a personal residence and just deduct your mortgage interest and property taxes.

2. If you want to be able to deduct your rental expenses, you can rent the home for more than fourteen days. However, if you do, you then step into the world of being a…

1594 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Selling a home is complicated and full of legal issues that anyone considering selling "by owner" needs to be aware of.  However, two of the most important things you need to know in order to be successful as a FSBO (for sale by owner) home seller have nothing to do with legal issues.

Maximize Exposure

It takes more than just sticking a "for sale" sign in the front yard to get the right people to see your home. It is very unlikely that you will sell your Santa Cruz home to a neighbor, or anyone in the neighborhood just driving by. It can happen, but that group is very limited. For sale signs help, but they don't usually sell the home on their own.

It’s important to advertise in as many places and as many ways as possible including on the internet, in…

1477 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

The last vestiges of summer have faded away, the leaves are turning into a brilliant array of color and the temperatures are dropping. All this glorious change means the holidays are coming, but it also means it’s time, once again, to look over your Santa Cruz home.

With temperatures dropping and leaves falling, there are plenty of things to add to your “to do” list. Just in case your list is empty, here are a few “to do's” to get you started on your fall Santa Cruz home care:

• Sealing Your Driveway – If you have a blacktop driveway, you probably already know it isn’t going to be smooth forever. The asphalt cracks, the color fades and the asphalt sags to create potholes. As winter rolls around it will further break down your driveway. Sealing it now,…

1704 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Buying or selling a home has a major impact on many people's lives. So it's important not to leave the task to just anyone.

Take advantage of all the benefits that come with working with a full-time Santa Cruz real estate agent. Since selling or buying a home can be a full-time job, it just makes sense to work with an agent that has a full-time commitment.

A full-time real estate agent can offer:

 Lots of experience – If your agent lives and breathes real estate around the clock, then he or she is better equipped to handle the many surprises that come with buying or selling a home.

 Peace of mind – You could be a first-time home buyer or seller. A full-time Santa Cruz real estate agent has the knowledge to lead you through every step, saving you…

1864 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Yesterday, I was driving through the city, wondering if a potential buyer was going to show up to look at some Santa Cruz condos I’m showing. I’d had a bad day; the car didn’t want to start, what I’d planned to wear was dirty, I’d run out of milk and so on, and so on. Needless to say, I wasn’t in the best of moods.

As I stopped at a light, grouching because the light would make me late, I happened to look over and see a woman with her daughter. The little girl had holes in her coat, a ragged hat, torn up shoes and a teddy bear missing an eye that she clutched as she smiled up at her worried mother – who had a “Please help” sign in her hands. As I drove on to show the Santa Cruz condos, and further throughout the day, that little girl’s smile stuck with…

1312 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

2009 might not have brought on the hottest market for sellers, but it’s an excellent market for buyers.  If you’re taking advantage and buying one of the Santa Cruz homes for sale, it means you’ll be moving soon.  It also means that you’ll probably forget something you really need in the new house – after it’s too late.

Don’t Forget Your…
There are at least five items commonly forgotten when moving:

1. Personal Phonebook – Make sure you pack up any personal numbers, phonebooks or notepads you might have written needed numbers on.  If you have time, transfer them to your computer.  Even if you call the numbers a lot, there is still a chance you’ll forget them.

2. Neat and Tidy – Too often, people will be giving their old home a final once-over and find a…

7423 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

It doesn't matter if you're buying or selling a home, consulting an experienced Santa Cruz real estate agent is a smart move. Here are five steps to finding your perfect agent:

1. Ask about experience

Although many new Santa Cruz real estate agents are good at what they do, ideally, you want to work with an experienced expert. Someone with extensive experience can efficiently get through the process and streamline the fine details.

2. Confirm costs

Before getting in too far, find out if you are both on the same page when it comes to costs. Make sure to outline everything in writing ahead of time. This way you eliminate surprises in fees later.

3. Discuss turnaround time

Find out whether or not your Santa Cruz real estate agent can find or sell a…

1509 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Some potential homeowners just don’t want a pre-lived in Santa Cruz home. They’d rather have their house built to their own specifications. They want a home that fits their needs exactly. If this is you, I understand and would like to help by giving you a glimpse into the future of home design.

The Future of Design

Thinking of the future might bring ideas of fantastic scientific miracles like smart houses that vacuum themselves. While building your Santa Cruz home and having it wired as a smart home may be a good idea, think, also, about sustainable design. Here are just a few reasons why sustainable design is a great idea:

1. Government mandates and incentives – Under the current administration, sustainable design is a big thing. In fact, many cities…

1509 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Not everybody is dealing with the worry of buying or selling Santa Cruz real estate. Some are quite happy where they are, have no intention of moving, and selling is the last thing on their minds.

However, there are a lot of incentives out there to do something in Santa Cruz real estate, and many are itching to dip into those incentives. So, if you’re not selling or buying, what can you do? Here are a few ideas:

Upgrades

Upgrades are something you can do to your home at any time. However, with the many government incentives out there, you can upgrade your home to be more energy efficient for less. For example, thanks to federal tax credits, you can install solar panels or a geothermal heat pump and get 30% back once you file your federal taxes.

…

1424 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post