When you're talking about renovating, there's a fine line between historic Santa Cruz homes and money pits.  It's easy to get so attached to a house that you can't get past "what has been" to see "what is."  If you're thinking about renovating a historic home, you might want to read these tips first:

Renovating Tips

• Have a home inspector come out and look at the house you're interested in.  The inspector should be versed in older homes.

• Have a contractor come out and give you an estimate on repairs, based on their experience and the issues pointed out by the home inspector.

• Be aware that older homes may have issues with lead paint, asbestos and mold.  Have these issues checked out and add them to your cost.

• Set extra money aside for…

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If you're putting your home up for sale without a Santa Cruz real estate agent, you'll soon realize that you have to do the advertising.  If you want to try the FSBO (For Sale by Owner) route, here are a few tips on spreading the word:

Signs
A "For Sale by Owner" sign from the nearest hardware store is always a good place to start.  In today's tough real estate market, you'll need more marketing than that. 

In addition to FSBO signs, directional "home for sale" signs at intersections can also be useful.

Classified Ads
While they're not outrageously expensive, classified ads, which need to repeated several times to be most effective, can begin to empty out your pocketbook.  Talk with your local newspaper about the most economical plan they offer to get…

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No doubt you’ve heard about the soaring number of Santa Cruz foreclosures.  If you're thinking that now would be a good time to jump on the Santa Cruz real estate bandwagon by purchasing a foreclosure, here are a few tips to help you find (and buy) your dream home.

Arrange for Financing
Know how much home you can afford so you can determine your price range.  You don’t want to waste any time looking at property that won’t fit your financial needs.  If you do, you might even miss the deal you’re looking for.  Many lenders will pre-qualify you.  The process doesn’t take long and you’ll be able to look at Santa Cruz foreclosures with confidence.

Get a List of Santa Cruz Foreclosures.
Most banks and other lenders have a list of their properties that are in…

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