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

When it comes to buying Santa Cruz real estate, people focus on the basic questions: Are there enough bedrooms? Is it in a good neighborhood? How is the school system? While these are important points, you also need to focus on the quality of the house itself.

The quality and maintenance of a house can be overlooked when buyers get excited about investing in a home. Fortunately, there are a few areas you can check to get a quick idea of how the Santa Cruz real estate was built and how well it’s been maintained.

1. Look at the foundation. A few small cracks may not be a big deal, but multiple cracked areas could spell trouble. Also, try to see the home on a rainy day, so that you can look for water pools that could turn into basement leaks.

2. …

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In today’s economy, many people are relocating to start a new career. While you may be excited about your new job, moving can be an expensive proposition. You’ll need to sell your current home, buy a home in Santa Cruz and move all of your possessions.

All of those things can potentially be expensive headaches. Fortunately, many employers will help defray the cost of your move if you ask. Even if they don’t lend financial support, you may be able to negotiate a smooth transition in other ways. Here are five tips to help you when considering relocating for your career:

1. Negotiate a relocation allowance. Ask about a relocation allowance during the interview. Some companies will already have a set relocation package. Those that don’t are often…

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They say that language reflects culture, and certainly, the difficulties in the real estate market are showing up in the list of new words for this year. If you’re buying or selling Santa Cruz real estate, you may already have taken note of some of these new words. Here are three for your consideration:

Water: Not Just For Swimming Anymore
According to the keepers of the language flame at Merriam Webster, “underwater” has a new definition. “Underwater” now officially also means "having, relating to, or being a mortgage loan for which more is owed than the property securing the loan is worth."

Many people in underwater mortgages are choosing to delay selling until their home value comes back up. The good news is that values are indeed rising again, so…

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A “short sale” is a sale of real estate in which the lender accepts less than is owed on the mortgage so that a new owner can buy it and the current owner can avoid going in to foreclosure. If you’re struggling to make your mortgage payments, if you owe more on your home than its current market value or if you’re nearing foreclosure, you may want to consider selling your home as a short sale in Santa Cruz.

Not every homeowner qualifies for a short sale. Whether you qualify depends on how your financial situation has changed since you took out your mortgage. Your mortgage provider determines if you qualify for a short sale in Santa Cruz, but here are some basic requirements to give you an idea if you might qualify:

1. Your home’s market value has…

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Your children will be going back to school this month, and you should follow suit if you’re going to pick the right Santa Cruz real estate agent to sell your family home. Brush up on your area’s comparables and do your homework when it comes to hiring a professional — a good one can make the process smoother and less stressful.

While your children are studying for quizzes, educate yourself by interviewing multiple Santa Cruz real estate agents. Below are questions to ask, so that you can ensure you choose the one with the highest marks!

• Grade Level – Ask how many years they’ve been in the business and if they’re a full time agent.
• Check Their Scores – How many homes have they represented in the last twelve months? How many have sold? What were…

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You drive by a Santa Cruz home for sale and want to see it. You call the listing agent’s number on the for sale sign.  What is wrong with calling the listing agent (also known as the seller’s agent)?

In states where agents are allowed to practice dual agency, the listing agents may assume that if they show you a home they have listed they will get the buying commission in addition to the listing commission. To make sure you’re both on the same page, immediately let the listing agent know your intentions. You can do that by telling him or her your current situation and future plans:
• I’m already working with a buyer’s agent
• I’m going to hire a buyer’s agent
• I’d like for you to represent me, even though you’re the seller’s agent.

You might think…

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You just bought a new Santa Cruz home and are preparing to make the move. Your house is packed, you’ve picked out the perfect paint colors and you’ve arranged for the family’s travel — but you forgot about Fido and Mr. Fuzzyworth.

While animals can’t voice their excitement or anxiety about moving like your children can, pets go through similar emotions when they’re removed from their familiar environment and introduced to a new one. You can make their move as painless as possible, with just a little bit of planning and consideration.

• Make sure your pets have ID. Whether there’s a mix-up at the airport or they give you the slip at a gas station pit stop, a current collar ID tag will hopefully have your furry friend back in your arms in no time. For…

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If you’re in the market to buy a Santa Cruz home, you may not be able or willing to spend $12 to $14 million to purchase a celebrity’s home, but that doesn’t mean you can’t look at them –  virtually, that is.

In today’s celebrity showings, we’re not going to look at Santa Cruz homes. We’re going to take a virtual trip to Emeril Lagasse’s New York City townhouse and Mark Wahlberg’s resort-sized estate in Beverly Hills.

Emeril Lagasse’s New York City Townhouse
As you might expect, this home has an enormous gourmet kitchen. It also boasts a full-floor master bedroom suite with a charming terrace. Don’t worry about running up and down the stairs of this 5-story (plus rooftop solarium) townhouse because it has an elevator. This home has been marked down…

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If you’ve recently gone through a foreclosure, you may already be wondering how soon you’ll be able to buy another Santa Cruz home. You enjoy the pride of homeownership, and you want to buy as soon as possible so that you can take advantage of today’s lower prices.

Here are answers to two commonly asked questions about buying a home after foreclosure:

How soon can we buy a home after a foreclosure?

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac impose the following waiting periods on conventional home loans, depending on the type of foreclosure you went through:

• Buying after a foreclosure: The waiting period is 5 to 7 years.
• Buying after a foreclosure with extenuating circumstances: The waiting period is 3 to 7 years.
• Buying after a deed-in-lieu of…

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Whether you want to cut down on square footage, are sick of yard maintenance or are simply ready for a change of scenery, now might be the time to buy Santa Cruz real estate for your retirement years. You could soon be enjoying an active over-50 community, a downtown loft or peaceful bungalow on the ocean. You’ve worked hard and you deserve it!

If you’re thinking about retirement, then you should definitely be considering what to do with your current home. You don’t have to sell it immediately, especially if you still need to build up equity.

There are many options for a smooth transition to an over-50 community or to a new area in which you want to retire.  You can rent out your home, sell it or pass it down to your children. Below are a few…

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