Buying a foreclosure home in Santa Cruz

When buying a home in Santa Cruz, it’s hard not to be attracted to a foreclosure.

Not only are these homes priced below market value, they are often located in some of the most desirable neighborhoods around Santa Cruz.

But sometimes, these homes are too good to be true.

They often come with a number of stipulations that you should know about before jumping at the opportunity.

To help you with your real estate journey, here are a few things you should know before you commit to buying a foreclosure property.

  • Types of Foreclosure Properties
  • Things To Watch Out For If You're Considering A Foreclosure
  • Tips for Buying a Foreclosed Home in Santa Cruz

Types Of Foreclosure Properties

There are four stages of a foreclosure…

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If you lost your Santa Cruz real estate because of foreclosure, you probably haven't given up on the dream of owning a new home. You may be scared to attempt new financing — afraid you’ll be turned down and embarrassed in the process.

There are a few guidelines that lenders follow to determine when you’ll qualify for financing after foreclosure. Arming yourself with this information will help you overcome your fears and qualify again for a mortgage.

Foreclosure With Extenuating Circumstances
Generally, lenders will take into consideration any extenuating circumstances surrounding the foreclosure on your Santa Cruz real estate.

Was there a death or illness that prevented you from earning money to pay your mortgage? Did you have a job transfer that…

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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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If you’ve recently gone through a foreclosure, you may already be wondering how soon you’ll be able to buy another Santa Cruz home. You enjoy the pride of homeownership, and you want to buy as soon as possible so that you can take advantage of today’s lower prices.

Here are answers to two commonly asked questions about buying a home after foreclosure:

How soon can we buy a home after a foreclosure?

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac impose the following waiting periods on conventional home loans, depending on the type of foreclosure you went through:

• Buying after a foreclosure: The waiting period is 5 to 7 years.
• Buying after a foreclosure with extenuating circumstances: The waiting period is 3 to 7 years.
• Buying after a deed-in-lieu of…

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When driving through local neighborhoods, you might notice many “For Sale” signs that have foreclosure banners attached to the top. While this distressed financial situation is unfortunate for the owner, a Santa Cruz home in foreclosure could be a great investment for you.

Purchasing a foreclosed property might seem extremely complex. If you’re interested in a great real estate deal, but feel a little overwhelmed, it’s important to cut the confusion and contract with professionals who are experts in distressed properties. They can walk you through the process, eliminate foreclosure frustration and get you the best deal.

Here are a few tips to help you successfully buy a Santa Cruz home in foreclosure:

• Find a good real estate agent. When…

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Consider buying foreclosed properties if you are looking for real estate bargains. Foreclosure is a legal process in which the insurer or lender repossesses the property from the borrower who defaulted on their loan.  Santa Cruz foreclosures are easy to find with just a little work.

Here are nine tips to help you find the best Santa Cruz foreclosures:

1. Find a real estate agent: The first step is to get a reliable and trusted real estate agent.  Never try to purchase a foreclosed property by yourself.

2. Get pre-approved for a loan: If you’re not paying cash, pre-approval is a must. It means you have met with a loan officer and he or she has “pre-approved” you for a certain amount you can afford.

3. Locate foreclosed properties: You can…

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If you are financially distressed, it might be time to cut your losses and minimize the damage to your financial future. If you’re feeling the economic pressure of an impending foreclosure, then consider putting your Santa Cruz real estate up for a short sale.

While it might seem like short sales should be a speedy process, they’ve been known to play havoc with many unsuspecting sellers. In honor of April Fool’s Day, we’ve created a list of the many short sale pitfalls sellers encounter.

• Settle your accounts – Strive to pay off all your other debt. Your bank might not approve your short sale application if you have judgments from other creditors pending.

• Pay your HOAs – Even if you’re defaulting on your mortgage, it’s important to meet your…

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There’s good news for buyers and sellers of Santa Cruz real estate: The U.S. Economic and Housing Market Outlook that came out the end of February is encouraging. According to this research done by Freddie Mac, both the economy and the housing market are showing cautious signs of recovery.

Here are some of the changes stimulating these improvements in both nationwide and Santa Cruz real estate markets:

• Loans that were seriously delinquent or going into foreclosure declined to the lowest quarterly share since the start of 2009, according to the latest Mortgage Bankers Association Mortgage Delinquency Survey.

• In January, existing home sales were at their highest since May 2010, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.

• Job gains…

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In today’s precarious job market, many luxury homeowners are finding they can’t afford their massive, custom-designed properties any longer. As the once rich are having to quickly sell or abandon their Santa Cruz real estate, you might be able to snag a good deal on a distressed luxury home.

There are many horror stories associated with short sales and foreclosures, but if you do your research, are patient and can act quickly, you might be able to purchase the home of your dreams. If you want to take advantage of this sour market, then consider the following guidelines — and happy house hunting!

• Find an agent who has experience with distressed real estate. Interview Santa Cruz real estate agents to find out their history of dealing with…

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When a buyer makes a short sale offer on your Santa Cruz home, it’s impossible to know for sure if the offer will be accepted by the lender.  Even when you’ve negotiated the offer with the buyer and come to an agreement that meets both of your needs, there’s still no guarantee that the lender will say yes to the short sale.

Here are three tips to help get short sale offers on your Santa Cruz home accepted by the lender:

1. Convince the lender that you have a legitimate hardship. Submit a hardship letter, pay stubs, bank statements, monthly budget and profit and loss statement to demonstrate that you cannot make your monthly payments and have no disposable income. Here are examples of hardships to mention in your letter:

a. lost your job
b. reduced…

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