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

Buying your first home can be exciting. You’ve saved up a down payment, interest rates are at an all time low and you’ll finally be building equity and putting down some roots. While these are all positive aspects of purchasing Santa Cruz real estate, you also need to do your research and ask the right questions to avoid buyers’ remorse. Below are a few important and uncommon questions all first-time buyers should ask.

• How much did the sellers pay for it? If you’re paying considerably lower than what the current owners paid, then the home value is likely to go up. This is beneficial information if you plan to upgrade homes within the next five to ten years.

• What major repairs have been made? While a disclosure form is supposed to provide…

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You’re ready to purchase a new home and want to hire a Santa Cruz real estate agent, but aren’t sure where to start. You may be receiving many recommendations from friends and family, but you’ll want to be sure to do your homework when it comes to hiring a professional to help you make such a large investment.

• Find full-time Realtor. Many professionals are only part time. However, the effort of selling a home is a full-time job, so make sure your expert is available every day of the week.

• Look for a specialist. Depending on what type of home you’re searching for, such as an urban property, a foreclosure, a green home, a short sale or a luxury home, be sure you find an expert with certification designations after their name. Or, check their…

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A final walk-through is an inspection performed anywhere from a few hours to five days before closing, and its primary purpose is to make certain that the Santa Cruz home is in the condition you agreed to buy, that agreed-upon repairs, if any, were made and nothing has gone wrong with the home since you last looked at it.

It is never a good idea to forgo the final walk-through.

Here is a list of items to check on a final walk-through:

• Turn on and off every light fixture
• Run water & look under sinks for leaks
• Check garage door openers
• Open and close all doors
• Flush toilets
• Do a visual spot check of ceilings, wall and floors
• Run garbage disposal and exhaust fans
• Open and close windows
• Make sure all debris is removed from the home
• Did the…

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You’ve found the perfect home on ideal property and your bid has already been accepted! Everything’s going great until you get into the fine details of the contract and start seeing the term Easement, which sounds like your Santa Cruz real estate might come with some serious baggage.

Don’t start getting anxious; easements are a common occurrence and usually don’t affect your property tax or day-to-day activity. They just give a person authority to use land that they don’t own. However, if you notice this term, bring it to your Realtor’s attention because it could affect your future property value. Below we’ve listed a few common easements to help you understand what you’re signing into.

• Right of Way – This is an extremely common easement that…

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Most people will end up buying relatively few houses during their lifetime, which means it’s hard to accumulate a lot real estate experience. However, buying a Santa Cruz home can be simplified if you focus on treating your purchase like any other investment. Instead of relying on how a house makes you feel, evaluate it like you would a stock purchase.

5 key things to consider before purchasing property:

1. Accurately evaluate your needs. Make sure you have a good understanding of both your current and your anticipated future needs. For instance, if your kids are all heading off to college in the next three years, you may not really need the large five-bedroom house you’ve been looking at. The key is to be honest and realistic.

2. Don’t fall in…

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Buying Santa Cruz real estate can be exciting.  It also can be somewhat daunting, even if you’ve done it before.  You will deal with mortgage options, credit reports, loan applications, contracts, points, appraisals, change orders, inspections, warranties, walk-throughs, settlement sheets, escrow accounts, recording fees, insurance, taxes...the list goes on.  No doubt, you will hear and see words and terms you’ve never heard before.  Just what do they all mean?  Here are the ABC’s of some typical real estate terms and their definitions:

Adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM)

A mortgage in which the interest changes periodically, according to corresponding fluctuations in an index.  All ARMs are tied to indexes.

Amortization schedule

A table which…

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Buying a new home isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. When you find the Santa Cruz real estate of your dreams and place an offer that is accepted, don’t assume the marathon is over -- there are many more miles you must travel before closing.

Here are four steps to take after the contract is signed:

1. Be prepared for your earnest money or escrow deposit to be cashed. This money can be anywhere from $1,000 to three percent of the price of the home.

2. Go over disclosures with a fine-tooth comb. Your agent will help you identify any red flags. Then you want to familiarize yourself with the home’s history, zoning district and past building permits. Ask questions about anything you don’t understand.

3. Negotiate with your bank. It’s time to lock in…

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Good Santa Cruz real estate agents can be valuable partners when buying or selling a home. Their marketing efforts, hard work, knowledge and negotiation skills are huge assets when house hunting or selling your home.

Below are four tips to help you hire a Santa Cruz real estate agent who will provide the best service for you:

1. Make sure your expectations are clearly spelled out. Buying or selling a home involves a great deal of money and that has the potential to cause a lot of stress — especially if you feel your agent isn’t living up to your expectations. To avoid this problem, share your expectations with agents during the interview process. Be as specific as possible. Do you expect them to email you once a week with updates? Perhaps you want…

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From open houses to negotiating deals, selling your home is a complicated process. That is why becoming a real estate agent requires licensing in most states.  If you are considering selling your home, here are some tips on what to look for in a Santa Cruz real estate agent:

• Knowledge of the market in your neighborhood – An agent familiar with your neighborhood will be best able to speak to its assets and find the right buyer for your home. 

• Experience with advertising and open houses – Advertising is an art, and any art improves with experience. Find a Santa Cruz real estate agent who knows how to get the word out on the hot new property for sale. Part of that advertising includes having professional pictures taken of your home and circulated…

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If you’re a first-time Santa Cruz home buyer, you may be looking at the process, scratching your head and wondering exactly how this works. Here’s a quick checklist of the major steps involved in your new purchase:

1. Hire a real estate agent – A professional real estate agent will guide you through the entire process from finding a home to closing on the home.

2. Find a Santa Cruz home – Your agent can help with this. Talk with him or her about the price range, neighborhood and amenities you’re interested in.

3. Consider disclosures – By law, the home seller must disclose flaws in the property and other details about the area (e.g., if it’s in a flood zone). Carefully review the disclosures and consult with your agent to determine if anything…

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