Found 84 blog entries tagged as Buying Santa Cruz Real Estate.

Once you’ve found a house you are interested in buying, it’s difficult to know when to make an offer. If you like the Santa Cruz home, there are likely other buyers who like it too. You’re not the only one who can spot a good buy. If you take too long to make a bid, someone else could beat you to the prize.

If the property you are looking at is in good condition, priced right and is in a good location, it will likely be snapped up quickly. This means that you should place your offer as soon as possible — as long as you have cancellation rights.

Advantages of immediately making an offer

Of course, the main advantage of placing a bid quickly is to prevent anyone else from buying the [city} home that you love. The seller may accept your offer and…

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open house questions

An open house gives you a great opportunity to get a first-hand look at the property you might be interested in buying. It also affords you the chance to chat with the selling agent so you can bring up any questions or hesitations you have with the home. Knowing exactly what to ask in the moment can be a challenge, so here are examples of questions at the next open house you attend: 

Why has the seller decided to sell now?

If you ask the REALTOR® why the seller is moving, you could learn valuable information to help determine your bid. Knowing whether the owners are about to go into foreclosure or they’ve retired south and completely paid off the home can help you decide how urgently they need to sell their property. 

Have you had any other…

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Whether you’re purchasing or selling a home, you’ll want to make sure you have a Santa Cruz real estate agent with years of experience and plenty of expertise. Below are a few guidelines to follow when looking to hire the perfect property professional.

Find out if they are full-time or part-time REALTORS.

You want a full-time REALTOR working for you. If he or she is part time and you have to wait until his or her day job is over before placing your bid, then you could miss out on your dream home within a matter of hours. You want your professional’s focus to be in the property game, so that he or she knows what’s on the market, what’s a smart investment and what’s in your best interest.

Make sure he or she is working for you.

You will be the…

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It’s a great time to buy because there are still quite a few Santa Cruz homes for sale now and interest rates have continued to stay low. Whether it’s your first time purchasing real estate or you’re a seasoned professional, here are a few tips to make shopping for a new house more pleasurable.

1. Get Help

Searching through all of the available real estate can be mind-boggling. Find a professional real estate agent to wade through the Santa Cruz homes for sale and find one that meet your family and financial needs.

2. Start Looking Now

Finding the perfect house can take months, especially if you’re looking in a competitive market. If you’re looking at getting a good deal on a foreclosure or short sale, then these transactions can take even…

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There are many reasons why a mortgage loan for your Santa Cruz real estate could be declined. It doesn’t have to be the end of your real estate dreams. Here are a few things to consider if you’ve been turned down for a mortgage:

Loan-to-Value Ratio
The loan-to-value ratio (LTV) is the percentage of the appraised value of the Santa Cruz real estate that you are trying to finance. For example, if you are trying to finance a home that costs $100,000, and want to borrow $75,000, your LTV is 75%.

Lenders don’t like a high LTV. The higher the ratio, the harder it is to qualify for a mortgage. To reduce the percentage, you can save up a bigger down payment. Some lenders may approve the loan if you buy mortgage insurance, which protects the lender in the…

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Moving to a new Santa Cruz home is a big deal, especially for a young child. It is common for children to feel apprehensive, overwhelmed or stressed during a move. Who can blame them? They might not understand what is happening and they are being relocated from a familiar and comforting environment to somewhere different and strange.

However, there are ways that you can help your children adjust and make the transition of moving to a new house easier. Below are tips to help you beat the moving blues.

• Talk to your children before the move and explain what is happening — why you are moving and where you will be going. Be straightforward and answer all their questions.

• From sadness to excitement, your children will have emotions associated with…

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Whether you are moving to a new house with children or you are buying your first Santa Cruz home with the intention of raising future little ones there, many factors will come into play when making your decision.

You will want to find a house with the right size and layout, that has a suitable number of bathrooms, is in an excellent neighborhood and has all of the local amenities your family will need. It might take a while to find the right house, but when you do, it will be worth it. You will have a wonderful place to fill with love and memories, where your children can grow up in peace and happiness.

Location

Take a look at the area where the property is located. Is it close to a school that your kids can attend when they are old enough? Is…

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How long have we been hearing that the Santa Cruz real estate market is either stagnant or in decline? Well, many economic experts are predicting that things might be looking up this year and we may see an increase in both home prices and sales.

These changes will affect both buyers and sellers in the months to come. It is essential that both parties are aware of how they may be affected. We’ve outlined some of the ramifications below.

Buyers:

• Interest rates could remain low. Interest rates are lower now than they have been in years, which can make purchasing a home more affordable.
• More buyers will be competing for homes. More buyers looking for property could mean bidding wars on homes with more than one interested party. Be sure to take…

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If you lost your Santa Cruz real estate because of foreclosure, you probably haven't given up on the dream of owning a new home. You may be scared to attempt new financing — afraid you’ll be turned down and embarrassed in the process.

There are a few guidelines that lenders follow to determine when you’ll qualify for financing after foreclosure. Arming yourself with this information will help you overcome your fears and qualify again for a mortgage.

Foreclosure With Extenuating Circumstances
Generally, lenders will take into consideration any extenuating circumstances surrounding the foreclosure on your Santa Cruz real estate.

Was there a death or illness that prevented you from earning money to pay your mortgage? Did you have a job transfer that…

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Part of the process of buying a Santa Cruz home includes visiting several open houses so that you can view your options. The idea of an open house is to get a chance to look inside a property you are considering and to get a better idea of whether you want to buy it.

Whenever you are attending an open house, it is important to observe proper etiquette. In order to avoid offending or annoying the homeowners, here are seven tips to keep in mind:

1. If there is a sign out front for an open house, you can feel free to simply enter. However, try to introduce yourself to the real estate agent the first chance you get.

2. Always wipe your feet on the doormat so you don’t track dirt into the house. The owners have probably spent hours cleaning and…

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