When you begin your search for the perfect house it usually starts with a search for the perfect Santa Cruz real estate agent. A good agent can help you with every aspect of buying a home.

They know the proper price ranges, what properties are available that match your needs and all of those pesky legal details required for closing. Your Santa Cruz real estate agent will keep things moving and make sure deadlines are met and everything goes smoothly.

Here are four tips to help you choose a real estate agent:

Meet Them Face to Face

Perfect harmony should be as instantaneous as love at first sight. You simply know you hit it off with someone, or you don't. Don't fight the feelings if you have doubts. Even the best Santa Cruz real estate agent isn't…

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We’ve all had to deal with problem neighbors near our Santa Cruz homes.  The trouble might be a loud late night party or a dog that is always barking at odd hours.  It can be hard to fix the problem without causing a lasting rift in the neighborhood.  Here are a few tips for getting a peaceful resolution:

Bring it Up Gently

It may be that your neighbor doesn’t realize there is a problem.  Try to wait a day or two after the problem occurs and tactfully bring up the trouble you are having.  Be sure to speak in a calm and reasonable manner. 

If your partying neighbor is not receptive to making a complete change, suggest that they let you know ahead of time when a party is scheduled.  Sometimes being able to plan for a disruption can make it easier to…

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During a slow market, buyers have the biggest advantages of all. That’s why now is a great time to buy Santa Cruz homes. You can haggle without feeling guilty because you have the upper hand. Then, as the market bounces back, you get the extra bonus of rising prices making your home worth more than it was when you bought it.
Even in this buyers’ market, you need to be a strong buyer. Otherwise, you could crumble when faced with negotiating prices or needed repairs.

Three ways to be a strong buyer of Santa Cruz homes:

• Walk in to any home for sale with a set idea of the value of property in the area. This means taking a little time to do your homework.  When you know the prices of the area, you can't be run over by a forceful seller who is determined to…

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If you're anything like me, you've driven through neighborhoods, admiring the Santa Cruz homes and immaculate lawns.  You've pictured your dry, brown yard, wondering how these homeowners managed to get their lawns looking so great. 

Here are a few tips and tricks that can help achieve that plush, green grass that everyone hopes for:

1.  Choose a type of grass seed that's right for your climate zone. 

There are three climate zones:  Warm, transitional and cool.  Warm season grass is better for lawns in the South, cool season for the North, and transitional for Central.  The best bet for the transitional zone is either a mixture of warm and cool season grass or using the same seeds as the warm zone. 

2.  Plant at the right time.

Throw grass seed on…

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Technology has improved our lives over the last ten years, but it’s also caused some problems along the way for Santa Cruz real estate buyers.

As a buyer, you naturally want to take advantage of every tool and service available to make it easier to find the home of your dreams. However, the Internet, which is one of the most common places for people to shop for Santa Cruz real estate nowadays, has also become a place where the unscrupulous hang out.  You can’t believe everything you read online, even when it comes to shopping for homes online.

If you’re trying to find a home, here are two things you need to be aware of:

Home Valuation Sites
Many potential buyers find an interesting home and then research the home value. This is commendable and just…

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