the do's & don'ts of buying investment property in santa cruz, ca

With beautiful beaches, a charming small-town atmosphere, and plenty of real estate options, it's little wonder why Santa Cruz is one of the most popular coastal communities in California. When you invest in Santa Cruz real estate at the right time, at the right price, it is proven to be a solid investment— whether it's you're looking for something to rent out to long-term tenants or a part-time residence for yourself and short-term renters.  

Before you commit, here's what you need to know about the dos and don't of buying an investment property: 

Considerations Before Buying Your First Investment Home

Before jumping in head-first with your first investment property, there are a few things you should be aware of.

Owning investment…

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will eco-friendly renovations improve the value of my home?

Let’s cut right to the chase, shall we?

Will eco-friendly renovations improve the value of my home? The short answer is yes!

While few things in this world are quite that simple - generally speaking spending a lot of money to renovate your home won’t lead to a direct increase in your home’s value. The truth is that you’ll rarely recoup the full cost of renovations when it comes time to sell.

The exception to this rule is certain eco-friendly home improvements.

Savvy home buyers aren’t just thinking about the initial upfront costs of purchasing a home, but also the regular costs - the ones that come from home maintenance and monthly utility bills. In addition to being highly attractive to buyers, eco-friendly home features have the added…

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make the most of your santa cruz home during quarantine

There are signs out there that shelter in place restrictions are starting to ease.

But, the advice is still to stay home as much as possible to avoid the public and flatten the curve. But all that you know.

With all this free time at home, you have to come up with something to fill the hours. There are only so many 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles, true crime podcasts and Netflix series to binge watch. Eventually, you’ll find yourself in a productive mood.

With that in mind, here are a few ways you can make the most of your Santa Cruz home during quarantine.

Re-arrange Your Home

Shelter in place restrictions are in place, so even if you were to go out, you can accurately expect long, socially-distanced line ups to get into your favorite…

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Home renovations that don't pay off

Renovating your home is a great way to boost its value before you sell it.

And there are certain renovations that are notorious for giving homeowners great returns on their investments. Some of these include kitchen makeovers and bathroom upgrades.

But not all renovations are going to boost the value of your home as much as you want them to.

So that you can get the most value out of your Santa Cruz home, avoid these home renovations that don’t pay off when selling your home:

Bathroom Additions

Unlike regular bathroom renovations, bathroom additions do not give you a great rate of return.

After adding walls, plumbing, and fixtures, a bathroom addition can cost you anywhere between $50,000 and $60,000, but will likely only get you 50%…

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5 new years resolutions for your santa cruz home you'll actually keep

Now that the holiday season is behind us, most will be looking forward to the year ahead. And to express our best hopes and plans, a few New Year's Resolutions are in order.

This year, why make some resolutions for around your home?

After all, a house is not just a place where you spend a lot of your time—it's also a shelter, an investment, and a home.

With that in mind, here are some New Year's Resolutions you can do to keep your home comfortable, efficient, and looking good. And these aren't big, daunting, or expensive renovations either—just a few ounces of prevention, a bit of organization, and a good habit or two.

Snoop Around

The key to long term maintenance is catching problems before they arise, which brings us to the first…

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Regardless if you’re getting ready to sell or are just wanting to change things up around the house, a little can go a long way when it comes to home improvement.

There’s a new year coming, so instead of the ‘new year, new you’ line of thinking, why not ‘new year, new house’?

Now is a great time to make an awesome New Year’s resolution to change up your space.

Take Advantage Of Boxing Day Sales

Every savvy shopper knows which two days of the year are the best time to head out to the stores: Black Friday and Boxing Day.

And it’s not just clothing retailers and electronics stores that are getting in on the action anymore; home renovations stores, from large chains to locally-owned businesses, are also joining in on the shopping bonanza.

…

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Fall Home Maintenance Checklist for your Santa Cruz home

The time has come!

Fall is the best part of the year to take care of the little things around your property that will make a big difference for you and your home. The change of season in Santa Cruz isn’t as drastic in comparison to other parts of the country but it’s still important to perform some routine home maintenance to your Santa Cruz home.

Here are some reminders on how to prep your home for the cooler months. You’ll save money, time, and maybe even the safety of your home and livelihood.

Get Your Lawn Ready for Spring

Autumn is the best time of year to get your California lawn back to beautiful shape. Here’s a list of ways you can prep your grass for spring:

  • Patch dead or damages spots: Remove the old turf, dig up 3 to 6…

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Interior design trends 2019

Like fashion and food, interior design goes through trends with furniture going in and out of style at the change of every season. As this industry continuously evolves, it seems impossible to keep up with contemporary decor.

But, you don’t have to spend a lot of time and money keeping your interior design in tune with current trends.

By simply adding and replacing small items from your existing furniture collection, you can modernize your designs and transform your living spaces.

Here are the emerging interior design trends for 2019 that you can try in your own home to revamp your space:

Brass Fixtures and Hardware

As design trends are moving away from stainless-steel and polished nickel fixtures, brass is taking over.

Brass…

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There are many great reasons to sell your home in the spring. The biggest of these is the weather - not only are more people out and looking for homes, but homes look a lot better too.

So, spring tends to be the time when we see a lot more homes on the market, and a lot more people buying them. What's the downside?

Competition. You're going to have to work a bit harder to make your home stand out from the rest. To help you along, here's a list of 4 areas where you can focus to ensure that your home sells in a timely manner, and at a price that's good for you.

Let's get started.

1) Right Time, Right Price

When people are ready to buy something, usually the final decision comes down to that "something" appearing at the right time and…

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Remove pet odors from your home

Your home wouldn’t be the same without Fido or Fluffy. They’re part of the family. Living with animals provides years of joy, happiness, entertainment, and love, but it also takes a toll on your furniture and home.

Before listing your home, we recommend taking some time to address any pet odors that may be present.

Start with the Carpets

If your home is carpeted, it’s important to get rid of any smells or stains that will be a turn-off to most homebuyers. Many people believe that steam cleaning the carpets is the best idea, however, the heat from steam cleaning will only set pet urine stains. The best way to remove pet odors from carpet is with a HEPA vacuum. These special devices are designed to trap micron-sized particles. The filters in a…

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