Real Estate Blog

A brand new Santa Cruz home is better than a used home, isn't it? For most people, that's a matter of preference. If you’re unsure which you prefer, consider these five reasons to buy a newly constructed home:

1. You want to pick out everything: Do you want granite or cement countertops? Perhaps you'd like a skylight in your family room or a fireplace in your master bedroom. You get to choose all the fixtures, flooring and faucets. Plan to spend a lot of time making these choices and probably some additional money for upgrades.

2. You want a Santa Cruz home that comes with high-tech and energy-efficient features: You’ll save energy and money with low-flow toilets and shower heads, energy-efficient appliances and higher-efficiency HVAC, doors…

You’ve decided you want to buy a Santa Cruz home, but you’re not sure if you should buy a previously-owned home or a newly built home.

Here are five reasons why buying a pre-owned Santa Cruz home might be right for you:

1. You want big trees – The cost of landscaping a newly built home can be exorbitant, especially if you want big trees immediately. When you buy a resale home, you get the benefit of bigger trees that have taken years (even decades or centuries) to sink deep roots and grow broad, shade-providing canopies.

2. You want an established neighborhood: Who wants to deal with the noise and dust until all the construction is completed? No one! What if all the homes don’t sell? You could end up living in a partially finished…

If you have easy access to your attic, a quick inspection will either put your mind at ease or alert you to situations that need to be remedied before they cause problems. Why is now a good time to check your attic? If you’ve ever been in an attic in the summer, you know why you should do it now.

Here are just some of the things you should check out in the attic of your Santa Cruz home:

• Insulation. Is it adequate? Has it shifted around into peaks and valleys? Is it properly installed? Are there gaps that need to be filled?
• Ducts. Are there open joints in the ductwork? Are the ducts insulated?
• Ventilation. Are vent openings blocked? If you see frost on roofing nails, or rust stains or mildew around roofing nails, it means the attic…

If you've ever dreamed of purchasing investment property, owning a vacation home or buying a home in Santa Cruz for a family member, this could be the year to check that off your bucket list.  With record low interest rates and decreased prices, it is a buyer’s market, particularly in the second-home market. 

Before you sign on the dotted line of another mortgage, be it for a beach condo in Florida or a home in Santa Cruz that you plan to rent, be sure to:

• Check your credit. The same rules apply for a getting a mortgage on a second home as on a first.  Good credit means better loan terms.

• Save for a down payment. The more money you can put down, the lower your mortgage.  If you put 20% down, you can save money by avoiding Private…

Whether you’re looking to buy or sell a home, finding the perfect Santa Cruz real estate agent can be tough. The process is often overwhelming and you want to ensure that you have the right person by your side — someone who’s trustworthy, hard-working and knows what they’re doing!

That is why it’s extremely important to do your research thoroughly when it comes to Santa Cruz real estate agents. You need to interview several agents, follow through on referrals and ensure they have the proper credentials.

All the acronyms after agents’ names can be confusing, so here are a few that describe specializations you might need:

• SRES – This stands for Senior Real Estate Specialist. The SRES designation is for agents who work with buyers…

The mortgage application process can be confusing -- so you only want to have to go through it once when buying Santa Cruz real estate.  Keep these tips in mind as you complete the application process to make sure you get the answer you want: Approved!

• Make Sure Your Credit is Clear: If there are any lingering issues on your credit report, get them resolved prior to application and get your credit in high standing for the best loan rates. 

• Lower Your Debt: If you meet the income requirements, but have substantial debts elsewhere – car payments, student loans, credit card debt – your application may be denied.  Budget, save up and pay off as much as you can. 

• Have the Required Income: With the tightening of regulations, any…

Love it or hate it, winter is here. If you’re having a hard time appreciating that fact, there are some things you can do to make your Santa Cruz home more comfortable this winter, without running up your heat bill. Here are some to try:

• Check and lock windows. Even if you think your windows are shut, go around and check each one to make sure it’s snug - and lock it.

• Use ceiling fans. Consider adding ceiling fans to every room; they truly make a difference. Set them spinning in the correct direction to pull air up this winter so they displace warm air at the ceiling and send it down the walls. Set on the lowest speed, a ceiling fan evens out indoor temperature without creating drafts.

• Invest in insulated window treatments. Stop…

Is there anything cozier than enjoying a warm fire inside during the winter months? There is something primal about watching the flames of a contained fire that reaches back into our ancient human past.

If you’re lucky enough to have a fireplace or woodstove in your Santa Cruz home, please follow these precautions:

• Call in a chimney sweep. Every year, you should have your chimney cleaned to remove creosote buildup. This keeps air flow unobstructed and prevents a chimney fire, which would be devastating to your Santa Cruz home. A professional chimney sweep should also check for cracks in the flue liner and proper functioning of the damper.

• Inspect your chimney cap. The chimney cap keeps the rain and snow out of your flue. It also…

As the new year starts, pursuing your dream of buying a Santa Cruz home may be on your list of resolutions. Prices and interest rates are extremely low, which means 2012 could be the perfect year to buy a home. As exciting as that is, I bet it can also feel a little overwhelming.

One of the best ways to attack a big goal is to break it down into smaller goals. So here are four smaller goals you can tackle to accomplish your larger goal of buying a home:

1) Prepare for battle: Before you begin looking for a house, look at your financial situation. Do what you can to clean up any credit blemishes, pay off debt and save toward a down payment.

2) Check your qualifications: There's no sense looking at million dollar mansions if that's not in your…

There are hundreds of real estate blogs and property-selling advice articles that tell you to stage and clear clutter before putting your Santa Cruz home on the market. However, you can’t just throw everything into the closet like you might be tempted to do, because buyers will open those doors.

If you’re about to put your house on the market, take advantage of this opportunity to not only clean up the clutter — but get it out of your house for good! Then you’ll have less mess to move to your new house. You might even make a little money on the side.

• Give sentimental items to family and friends.  Set aside valuable goods, still-useful furniture or family heirlooms to give to dear friends, family members and children. These are the…