Happy New Year! Now that the champagne corks have been popped and Auld Lang Syne sung, the clean slate of a fresh year may have you busily writing up resolution lists of 2013 goals.

Top of the list for my goals is to continue providing exceptional customer service to my clients!

Whether you’re a long-standing client I've seen through several purchases or a first-time home buyer considering taking the plunge, I want to make sure you're as happy as you can be with your Santa Cruz home.  I always welcome suggestions on how I may be of more help, so please connect with me and share your thoughts.

If you're like many Americans, your resolutions probably involve ways to become healthier and happier. Buying your first Santa Cruz home or moving to a home…

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In a booming market, a house, which does not sell in a month, is considered to have a problem.  However, in a slow market, selling a Santa Cruz home may take as much as 6 months to one year.  Slowing that we have witnessed in recent times has shaped a lot of uncertainty in the real estate market.  The rates of properties are dropping drastically and a majority of individuals is looking for a quick sale for their property.  If you are also one of them, then here are a few tips that can help you in selling your property quickly even in a slow market:

• Make a video of your Santa Cruz home, both inside and outside, and watch it as if you are a potential buyer.  Make sure that your lawn is not bare or weedy, and your house is spotlessly scrubbed and…

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With all of the last-minute holiday craziness — hosting parties, baking cookies, fixing a great family dinner — it is easy to run up the energy bill.  After purchasing presents and giving gifts, the last thing you want to deal with is outrageous electricity fees come January.  So, avoid a high bill this holiday season with these simple tips for conserving energy in your Santa Cruz home.

• Go LED.  This year you should invest in LED lights for the outside of your Santa Cruz home.  They are shatterproof, present no fire hazard, and are safe to touch.  Also, purchase an automatic timer, so that you do not accidently leave lights on all night, which definitely adds up if it happens repeatedly.

• Lower the thermostat.  Your house will stay very warm when…

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In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, there are already rumors that many owners do not have enough insurance to cover the damages to their properties. Unfortunately, the fact is that most homeowners don't even know they aren't fully covered until it's too late.  Many people just don’t think about checking up on their policies until disaster strikes.

Purchasing the appropriate insurance is not a difficult task.  Just consult with your real estate agent about what disasters you should prepare for and then call a reputable insurance agent.  If you have one, it might be time to revisit your policy, which can sometimes look confusing, so below are a few key words to look for in order to get you on track to having all your bases covered.

• Dwelling or…

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Whether you are buying a new home or you are selling your previous home, you should use the services of a Santa Cruz real estate agent.  The agent will help you in a number of ways.  If you have made up your mind to hire the services of a real estate agent, there are some tips that you should apply.  Below are some of the tips that will enable you to get a good, reliable, and experienced Santa Cruz real estate agent.

Is the agent a full-time or part time real estate agent?

It is advisable that you work with an agent that is into the business full-time rather than working with a person that works part-time.  A full-time agent will have time to deal with the transaction judiciously.  Home buying or selling involves a lot of transactions and…

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Every homebuyer or seller will want to get a good bargain in the housing market.  Negotiating for a Santa Cruz home is not easy at all because all the parties involved, whether it is the buyer, seller, agent, the attorney, property inspector, and others will want to be favoured by the transaction.  In order to make some gain from the transaction, you need to have a strong bargaining position.  Here are some negotiating tips that you should apply.

Consider the market

Sometimes, the market may favor the buyer, and other times it may favor the seller.  Though there are some trends that are general in the real estate market, certain situations may give one party an advantage over the other.  For example, if your property is located in a good location…

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It is the desire of every real estate investor to make a profit from his or her property.  If you have a home in Santa Cruz that you want to sell, the tips given below will enable you to get a better deal from the sale.

Are you selling at the right time?

Normally, the market value of a home in Santa Cruz is normally high during the spring season because there are a number of potential homeowners searching for homes to buy.  Following the economic principles of supply and demand, the cost of things is normally high when the demand is high and the supply is low.  At this time, the demand is high and the supply is low. Therefore, you are sure of selling at a good price.

Get your home ready to sell

Before listing your home for sale, it is…

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If you are not able to meet up with your mortgage obligation, rather than foreclosing your home, you can opt for a short sale.  This means selling the home at an amount lower than what you owe.  However, it is good to mention that not all homes or sellers qualify for Santa Cruz short sales.  Even if a home qualifies for short sales, some lenders may not accept it, especially if they will make more gain should you foreclose the property.  Here are some of the tips that you should consider if you are opting for a short sale.

Seek legal advice from a real estate lawyer

Santa Cruz short sales are not always the best. So, it is important that you seek the advice of a real estate lawyer. A lender may still ask you to pay for the difference between the…

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When looking to purchase Santa Cruz real estate, it’s easy to get caught up in the glitz and amenities of new developments. However, you need to be extremely careful when looking to settle in these neighborhoods because developers get excited about what they’re creating and tend to interject promises they can’t keep into their sales pitch.

Do your research and don’t get enchanted by possibilities of what you could get; just focus on what you’re actually getting. Below are four common misleading promises that developers make when highlighting the features of their homes for sale.

• There are actual site photographs. If you’re thinking about purchasing Santa Cruz real estate, then visit it in person. Developers usually post photographs of construction…

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Owning a Santa Cruz real estate is a true investment of time and money.  However, it can be very stressful and daunting to buy a property.  This is because many things are involved in the process.  You need expert advice if you want to invest in real estate.  Here are some tips that you can apply in order to get a good property.

Find a good location. When you are hunting for a Santa Cruz real estate, it is important that you consider the location of the property.  If you buy a property in good location, you will make enough gain when you resell your property.  In the real estate market, prices are determined by the location of a property.  There are factors that make a location good for real estate investment, namely,

• Accessibility
• Availability…

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