April has a lot of important and semi-important dates in it. The tax deadline, Good Friday and Easter are just a few. What is April 5th, though, and what does it have to do with Santa Cruz homes for sale? Well, the biggest news is that the government has stepped into real estate and short sales.

Home sales are down nation-wide, despite the Obama administration’s efforts with the first-time buyer’s tax credit. Many homebuyers are waiting for a better interest rate or to see if home prices will drop more. Meanwhile, owners with Santa Cruz homes for sale are preparing for the spring selling season, without any idea whether they’ll actually be able to sell or not.

Part of the reason for this situation is because of the depreciated housing values. For…

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As a buyer in this buyers’ market, there are plenty of opportunities to get great Santa Cruz real estate at rock bottom prices. Because of the large amount of housing inventory throughout the nation, home sellers (those who recognize the level of competition, anyway) are much more willing to negotiate.

If you’re looking for the perfect piece of Santa Cruz real estate, here are a few tips to help you get a great price:

Stay Updated
Looking online is a great place to start. However, be aware that you have a large possibility of getting outdated information. You can find a beautiful dream home and contact the agent only to find that the listing has expired or the house has sold. Stay updated. Ask your Santa Cruz real estate agent to register your email…

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The real estate market is shifting toward some definite trends that may affect your home for sale in Santa Cruz.  Since 2006, the median cost of a home has dropped almost 30%. The good news, according Moody’s Economy.com, is that most of the nation’s metropolitan areas are expected to see less than a 5% drop in prices a year from now. Even better news, 10% are expected to see modest increases. 

If you have a home for sale in Santa Cruz, keeping an eye on the trends can greatly increase your chances of selling, no matter what the area. Here are two of the biggest trends:

Trend #1:  Home Prices Staying Down
Home inventories are slowly creeping back up, and another 3 million distressed homes are expected to be foreclosed on this year. As well, one-fourth…

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Buying a Santa Cruz home can be a challenging process. Along the way you will experience a wide range of emotions.

No matter how strongly you feel that you are alone, rest assured that most buyers feel the same way. Here’s a peek at what you can expect when…

• Looking for a Santa Cruz home. Creating a wish list for a house that fits within your budget can cause the initial signs of stress. Once that list is created, a new panic may settle in as you wonder if you will find the right home for you within that budget. Expect this panic to increase as you look at more homes.

• Presenting an offer. No one wants to be rejected, even if it’s about property. Remind yourself that it is perfectly normal to worry about getting an accepted offer and that the…

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Many potential homeowners are starting to look towards Santa Cruz foreclosures as a way to get the home of their dreams without spending their life savings. What they may not realize is that the sheer amount of foreclosed properties can be daunting. Some are so completely overwhelmed by the choices that they give up and walk away.

Santa Cruz foreclosures can be great deals, but you’ll have a few decisions to make before you even go looking. Because there are so many options, here and throughout the nation, it’s important to figure out what type of foreclosed home is best for you.

Government Foreclosures
Homes with federally sponsored loans, such as HUD homes, are repossessed by government housing agencies. Because these homes offer a lot of…

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