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

The latest statistics indicate that the U.S. real estate market is at or very close to the bottom right now.

On January 18, Bloomberg News reported, "Confidence Among U.S. Homebuilders Climbs to Highest Since 2007." Bloomberg said, "The confidence measure, which increased for a fourth straight month, improved in all four regions of the U.S. This is ‘yet another indication of the gradual but steady improvement that is beginning to take hold in an increasing number of housing markets nationwide,’ Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders and a builder from Reno, Nevada, said in a statement.”

The official data on home prices might not show the recovery yet, because they are always months behind, but most other data indicates…

1193 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Inspections can turn up repair issues during the Santa Cruz home buying process that can increase your cash outlay as a buyer.  Problems with appliances, plumbing, and HVAC are just a few issues that can crop up.  If you find yourself experiencing repair sticker shock, keep these thoughts in mind: 

• The choice lies with you:  As the buyer, you get to decide whether you want to proceed with the purchase of the Santa Cruz home or not. You are not at the mercy of the seller's demands.  If you can't reach an agreement, then you can opt out of the situation, as long as you’ve included a home inspection contingency in your contract.

• The first estimate you get on the potential repair cost may not be the lowest or most accurate: Before you decide to…

1448 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

A brand new Santa Cruz home is better than a used home, isn't it? For most people, that's a matter of preference. If you’re unsure which you prefer, consider these five reasons to buy a newly constructed home:

1. You want to pick out everything: Do you want granite or cement countertops? Perhaps you'd like a skylight in your family room or a fireplace in your master bedroom. You get to choose all the fixtures, flooring and faucets. Plan to spend a lot of time making these choices and probably some additional money for upgrades.

2. You want a Santa Cruz home that comes with high-tech and energy-efficient features: You’ll save energy and money with low-flow toilets and shower heads, energy-efficient appliances and higher-efficiency HVAC, doors and…

1602 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

You’ve decided you want to buy a Santa Cruz home, but you’re not sure if you should buy a previously-owned home or a newly built home.

Here are five reasons why buying a pre-owned Santa Cruz home might be right for you:

1. You want big trees – The cost of landscaping a newly built home can be exorbitant, especially if you want big trees immediately. When you buy a resale home, you get the benefit of bigger trees that have taken years (even decades or centuries) to sink deep roots and grow broad, shade-providing canopies.

2. You want an established neighborhood: Who wants to deal with the noise and dust until all the construction is completed? No one! What if all the homes don’t sell? You could end up living in a partially finished neighborhood…

1315 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Now is a fabulous time to take advantage of today's real estate market and boost your investment portfolio with Santa Cruz short sales. Here are the top ten reasons why investing in short sales might be beneficial for you:

1. Short sales benefit buyers, sellers and investors. You get to help a lender and homeowner out of a tough financial situation.
2. You can make a nice profit because Santa Cruz short sales are priced at or below market.
3. Banks are closing them faster than ever before and, from start to finish, it’s not as painful as it used to be.
4. There is a huge inventory of short sales from which to choose.
5. The competition is low because there aren’t enough investors to gobble them all up.
6. It doesn’t take a ton of time. You’ll spend even…

1604 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

At this time of year, as thoughts turn to gobbling down turkey dinners and watching football, it's easy to get caught up in the details and lose the spirit.  So today, I want to take a minute to say something important:

Thank you!
Because of you, I have a job I love: being a Santa Cruz real estate agent. 

Thanksgiving is a holiday of gratitude, and yet too few of us remember that when we're stuck in traffic going over the river and through the woods to grandma's house for her famous pumpkin pie. 

So today, I'd like to say again, thank you.  

Thank you for contributing to this community, online and in the real world, by asking questions, adding your insights, and trusting me with your housing dreams.   

If we've worked together in the past,…

1635 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Whether you’re looking to buy or sell Santa Cruz real estate, you’re going to need help from a certified professional. So which do you choose — a REALTOR®, real estate agent or broker? Most people don’t even know there’s a difference between the three and use the titles interchangeably.

While these three titles are similar, they are not identical. Depending on your knowledge of the real estate industry and the complexity of your transaction, you’ll want a professional with complementary education, expertise and experience. Below are title descriptions to help you get your terms straight and pick the right professional when it comes to buying or selling Santa Cruz real estate.

Real Estate Agent
A real estate agent is someone who is licensed to sell…

1168 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

If you're sitting in your apartment right now thinking: I wish I could paint it, but my lease doesn't allow it, maybe it's time to talk to a Santa Cruz real estate agent about purchasing a new home.  Before you rush off to the store to look at paint samples or, more importantly, sign on the dotted line of any mortgages, consider the pros and cons of buying.

Pros

1. Financial Investment: Given the gloomy news on foreclosure rates across the country, it is easy to forget that buying Santa Cruz real estate is also a means of saving and investing.  The money you pay in rent to your landlord goes to your landlord; the money you put toward a mortgage goes toward building equity in your home.

2. Pride of Ownership: By buying a home, you will be able to…

1990 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Today’s economy has been rough on most everyone’s pocketbooks, and when it comes to prioritizing payments, mortgage payments can take a hit. If you find yourself in a bind, owing more than your Santa Cruz real estate is worth and you can’t afford your current mortgage, then you might want to consider talking to your real estate agent and bank about the possibility of a short sale.

To help you prepare for those conversations, here are the basics about short sales:

• What is a short sale? A short sale is an agreement that your Santa Cruz real estate agent negotiates between you and your bank to sell your home for less than you still owe. The bank absorbs the loss so that the seller doesn’t have to repay the balance of the mortgage.

• Why would you…

1609 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Buying a Santa Cruz home is both easier and harder these days. Yes, it’s a buyer’s market, which implies that prices are lower, but it also means there are tons of homes for sale that you have to wade through to find your jewel.  Purchasing a home is a lot easier when you know how to be a savvy home buyer.

Follow these five tips to get the Santa Cruz home of your dreams with less hassle and at a great price:

1. List your home before looking for another home. Contracts contingent on selling your existing home complicate the buying process and reduce your chance of getting a great bargain. Sellers are often unwilling to give any concessions if they have to wait for you to sell your home.

2. Get pre-approved for a loan.  Sellers prefer to negotiate…

5879 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post