Santa Cruz Real Estate
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When you buy a home, you want one that will meet your lifestyle needs. You may have a business that requires a lot of space or large pets that need room to run. If this is the case, a home located in a close-knit planned community may not be right for you. Sometimes buying and building on Santa Cruz vacant land makes more sense than purchasing an existing home.  Here are 3 reasons you should consider buying Santa Cruz Vacant Land:

1. You have a certain home you want to build. Perhaps the greatest benefit of Santa Cruz vacant land is the freedom you have to build whatever home you want. You won’t have to work within the guidelines of a homeowners’ association or use a particular builder. Vacant land gives you an ideal place to build the home of your dreams.

2. You want more space. Building a home in a planned community comes with certain restrictions. One of those is a smaller lot size. Many homes are now being built on 1/3 acre lots and smaller. Not everyone is comfortable living in a home where the bathroom window looks directly into the neighbor’s bedroom. Purchasing and building on vacant land puts as much space between you and your neighbors as you want.

3. You want to lock in current rates. Even if you aren’t ready to build right now, it still makes sense to purchase vacant land. Land typically goes up in value over time. You can buy your land at today’s rate and then build your home whenever you are ready. The land will be waiting for you. This can save you thousands of dollars on your dream home.

If you think Santa Cruz vacant land is right for you, let me help you find the right property. Call me today at 831.662.6522 or email me at lauren@laurenspencer.com

LINKS:

1. Homeowners’ association

2. Home plans

3. Find a home builder

California’s housing market can see a very faint glimmer at the end of the tunnel. Slow sales and rising inventories made home prices more affordable. More bargain-hunters have been attracted to the market, according to Ryan Ratcliff, an Anderson Forecast economist.
In the San Francisco Bay Area sales were down year-over-year more than 23 percent, as home sales in May dipped to their slowest pace at least since 1988, when DataQuick began monitoring sales. One in four homes sold in May in the 9-county area were foreclosure properties..

The median price paid for a Bay Area home was $517,000, down a record 21.7 percent from $660,000 in May last year and down 22.3 percent from the peak $665,000 median in June and July 2007.

The last time the Bay Area median was lower than $517,000 was back in September 2004, when it was $510,000.

When the Santa Cruz real estate market slows, you may find yourself owing more on your home than it’s actually worth. If you plan to live in your home for a while, this isn’t a problem because the market will correct itself and you will get back your equity.

However, if you have to put your home on the market, you may find yourself paying at the closing table or negotiating for a short sale. A short sale means your lender agrees to accept an amount less than what you owe so you can sell your home. This solution is not perfect, and you need to carefully consider if selling your home for less than you owe is right for you.

1. Save your credit score. Your credit score is the most important item banks look at when deciding to give you a loan. The higher your score, the better chance you have of being approved for a loan and getting a decent interest rate. You need to do everything in your power to protect your credit score. A short sale will lower your credit score by close to 100 points, but a foreclosure will drop your score by 250-280 points.

2. You can’t make the payments. If you cannot make your payments because of a job loss or medical reasons, you may need to sell your home for whatever you can get. Your bank may approve a short sale if you can prove a hardship. Even if you have to pay for the difference between the sale price and what you owe, you won’t ruin your credit score by not paying your mortgage on time or risk foreclosure.

3. You’re moving. If you’re moving out of the area and don’t want to rent your home, you may want to cut your losses and sell your Santa Cruz real estate for less than you owe. The cost of maintaining two homes, in both money and time, is just too much for most people to handle. Unless your home seriously depreciated, you probably aren’t losing enough to make it worth paying another year’s worth of monthly payments.

Let me help you sell your Santa Cruz real estate fast and for top dollar. Call me today at 831.662.6522 or email me at lauren@laurenspencer.com

Links:

1.  Credit Score

2.  Short Sale

3.  Moving Tips

When you signed a listing sales agreement with your Santa Cruz real estate agent, you both no doubt expected your home to sell within the listing time. Usually, that is exactly what happens. Sometimes, though, the listing sales agreement expires before you sell your home. If this happens, you need to figure out why your home didn’t sell and make some changes.

1. Change the price. If your listing agreement expired, it means no one was willing to pay what you asked for your home at that time. Maybe your home was overpriced for the market. Perhaps other homes in your neighborhood with more features suddenly appeared on the market. Ask your real estate agent to find updated comparable homes in your area so you can make sure you are asking a reasonable price.

2. Consider your agent. During a seller’s market, homes practically sell themselves. When the market is down, though, you need to make sure you have an experienced, professional REALTOR®. Does your agent really know how to market your property? Is your Santa Cruz real estate agent doing everything possible to show your home to the right buyers? This is the time to find a new real estate agent if you are not happy with quality of service you are getting.

3. Check your curb appeal. Did you really do everything you could to make your home look as good as possible? Ask someone you trust to walk through and around your home pointing out what might turn off a potential buyer. Seriously listen to the advice and do whatever you can to correct it. It may be something as simple as cleaning the ceiling fan blades or something as complicated as replacing some bad windows.

Ready to get your home sold?  Let me show you how my proven marketing plan gets the job done fast.  Call me today at 831.662.6522 or email me at lauren@laurenspencer.com

Links:

1. Find home values

2. What a REALTOR® can do for you

3. Curb appeal

To get the best deal on a mortgage for Santa Cruz real estate, you want the highest possible credit score.  If you don’t know your credit score, you may want to request a credit report or talk with a financial advisor or mortgage lender. 

If your credit score needs improvement before you buy Santa Cruz real estate, here are some tips to help:

• Payment History. This is the greatest factor in determining your credit score. The longer you have a history of making your payments on time and not missing payments, the higher your credit score. Paying your bills shows that you are responsible with your debt.

• Amount Owed. One-third of your credit score is based on the amount of debt you owe in relation to the amount of credit available to you. Paying down the amount you owe on your credit cards lowers your credit risk and raises your score.

• Length of Credit History. The longer you’ve had your credit accounts open, the better your score. A lengthy history of credit shows whether or not you’ve been able to manage your credit.

• New Credit. Although this accounts for just 10 percent of your credit score, opening several new accounts within a short time can lower your credit score. If you’ve had credit problems in the past new credit accounts can help raise your score.

• Credit in Use. Banks do look at the mix of credit in your report. Generally, a mixture of accounts like installment (car payments), revolving (credit cards), and mortgages looks better than having only one type of credit.

If you’re thinking of buying Santa Cruz real estate, give me a call.  I’ll help you determine if now is the right time for you to buy and recommend a lender who will help you get financing.  Call me today at 831.662.6522 or email me at lauren@laurenspencer.com

Links:

1. Get your credit score

2.  Find a lender

3. Plan to pay down debt

Real estate investing is an exciting opportunity for many people. It’s hands-on and can be a lucrative experience. When you’re ready to begin investing in Santa Cruz real estate, you have to start by finding the right property. There are so many different types of properties available that you may feel overwhelmed at first.  But there are just as many ways to find Santa Cruz real estate investment property.

1. Know what you want. If you don’t know what kind of rental property you’re looking for, how will you know when you find it? Before you begin looking, decide if you will rent or flip the property because this may change your criteria.

2. Get online. There are many ways for people to advertise properties online at little or no cost. Craigslist is filled with properties for sale. You can also go to a search engine and type in a city name along with the phrase “real estate for sale” and see what appears.  On my website, you can use my free tool to search for all Santa Cruz real estate for sale.

3. Drive around. You can always hop in your car and drive around town looking for abandoned homes or properties with for sale by owner signs on the lawn. This is time and fuel consuming, but you should find available properties.  If you find something you want to look at, even if it’s for sale by owner, I can still help you negotiate the best terms and price.  Just give me a call to let me know what you’ve found.

4. Use a REALTOR®. A professional REALTOR® can help you find exactly what you’re looking for in an investment property. They know the areas where they work and know where to look to find the right property for you.

As a professional Santa Cruz REALTOR®, I can help you find the Santa Cruz real estate investment property that is perfect for you. Call me today at 831.662.6522 or email me at lauren@laurenspencer.com

Feng Shui (pronounced “fung shway”) is a Chinese practice based on the idea of balance in your environment. The idea is that colors and furniture arrangements create or disrupt a peaceful sanctuary in your home. You don’t have to completely remodel your entire home, by following a few Feng Shui principles, you can make your Santa Cruz home appeal to buyers.

1. Choose colors carefully. In Feng Shui, colors have a positive and negative energy associated with them. Bright colors can be either irritating or uplifting. Dark colors can be either depressing or relaxing. Green is a fresh color that brings peace and harmony. Blue is rejuvenating and healing. Yellow, red, and purple bring good luck.

2. Bring in some nature. In Feng Shui theory, nature is the ultimate in balance. When you bring natural elements inside your home, you bring with them their perfect balance. The easiest way to incorporate nature into your décor is with plants. Use real or silk plants with healthy, broad leaves and stay clear of dried plants and flowers. Place them at different levels throughout your home.

3. Arrange your furniture thoughtfully. Feng Shui followers believe furniture should always be placed so that the person sitting there can see the doors and windows in the room. You also want to minimize sharp corners, and you can do this by placing plants or furniture diagonally in front of corners.

4. De-Clutter. Take a serious look around your home and make a list of anything you don’t need or don’t use. Throw away broken items and give away anything that’s useful for someone who will use it. Clutter in your home conveys a sense of chaos and destroys peace.

With just a few adjustments to your current decorating plan, you can use Feng Shui principles to create a Santa Cruz home that will appeal to buyers. Let me help you prepare your home for sale. Call me today at 831.662.6522 or email me at lauren@laurenspencer.com

Links:

1.  Choose the right paint colors for your home

2.  Silk plants for your home

3.  Donate unused items

Real estate agents use the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) to market Santa Cruz real estate for sale and to locate real estate for buyers. If you’re buying a home, MLS listings help you narrow your choices to homes that fit your criteria. When you’re selling a home, a good MLS listing ensures that you show your home to interested buyers.

Not all real estate agents take the time to include all the important details in the MLS.  Here’s what you should find in a well-written Santa Cruz real estate MLS listing.

1. Photographs. Buyers want to see your home before they step inside. Since most buyers start their search for a new home online, a single outside shot of your home is not going to cut it. An effective listing will include several pictures of each room from different vantage points.  The more photos the better.

2. Room dimensions. Accurate room dimensions help buyers decide if the rooms are big enough for their furniture and belongings. A good description will give the size and shape of each room in your home.

3. School information. If buyers have children, they will want to know the school zoning for the neighborhood. Let the buyers know the elementary, middle, and high schools for which your home is zoned and give them a list of nearby private schools. Not everyone will send their children to the local public schools, and buyers will appreciate the added information.

4. Neighborhood information. Not all buyers will know what’s near your home. Even buyers from your same area may not know just how close you are to the nearest grocery store or the easy access you have to local gyms. Neighborhood amenities like the distance to major roads, shopping centers, and entertainment facilities should be included in your listing.

A well-written MLS listing can help sell your Santa Cruz real estate.  When you work with me, your home’s MLS listing will include all the above and more.  I also have a comprehensive marketing plan that will help to get your home sold faster and for more money.  If you’re ready to get your home sold, call me today at 831.662.6522 or email me at lauren@laurenspencer.com

Links:

1. MLS

2. School information

3. Google maps

Investing in Santa Cruz real estate is popular because it is a hands-on investment that can be lucrative when you know what you’re doing. When you get started, it may seem overwhelming to you, but when you know what to look for in investment property, you will be on your way.

1. Affordability. You have to be able to afford any property you purchase. You will have to get financing and be able to make payments on the property if the market or your personal situation changes. Make sure your property fits in your budget.

2. Neighborhood. The neighborhood is probably the most important consideration for investment property. If you want to rent the property, you may want something close to shopping and public transportation. Yet, if you want to flip the Santa Cruz real estate, you want to find something in a growing neighborhood where buyers want to live.

3. A match for your strengths. If you are a detail-oriented person with good managerial skills, you may want to consider using those strengths as a landlord. On the other hand, if you prefer to construct and create, you might be better suited to renovate and resell properties.

4. Something you have time to work with. If you don’t have the time to be a landlord or the time to renovate a home, you may need to reconsider your investment. Real estate investing takes time to find, time to repair, and to maintain.

5. Community rules. Some neighborhoods may not allow renters to live in a property, or they may have rules about what colors you can use on the home’s exterior. Make sure you know the rules before you buy so you can incorporate them into your plans.

6. Something that will have a good rate of return. It only makes sense that you want to make money on your investment. Think through what you will have to invest in both time and money. You may find a better return on a higher priced home that needs fewer repairs than on a “handyman’s special” that will require extensive work.

7. Repairs and maintenance. As a homeowner, you will be responsible for keeping up with the home. Choose a home you can maintain with your experience and money.

I can help you find the right Santa Cruz real estate investment property for you. Call me today at 831.662.6522 or email me at lauren@laurenspencer.com for more information about real estate investing.

Links:

1. Find a lender

2. Homeowner’s association

3. Basic home maintenance

When you choose to build a new Santa Cruz home, you will experience a wide range of emotions while your home is being built. Seeing your home take shape is exciting. Yet, the pressures of shopping for items and the invariable delays create stress in your life.
Have no fear, though, you can survive building your new Santa Cruz home.  Here are some tips to help:

1. Look for small signs of progress. Rest assured that even when you don’t see the progress, each day brings you closer to your moving day.

2. Buy in stock items. Don’t add to the pressure of finding just the right sink by special ordering everything. Purchase in-stock items whenever possible. This will help you keep the construction going.

3. Be kind to your crew. A little kindness goes a long way toward speeding up your construction. Bring them food or cold drinks. Speak politely to them. People want to do good work for those who treat them with respect.

4. Plan for more time than you think it will take. There are going to be delays: supplies won’t arrive, work won’t be approved by the governing authorities, and weather will delay progress. If you expect delays, you won’t be as frustrated when they happen.

5. Protect your budget. Know exactly how much money you have to spend, and make sure you don’t go over your budget. There’s no reason to create more stress in your life by spending more money than you have.

6. Have a comfortable place to live. Part of the frustration you feel during your home’s construction is the sense of not having a home. To counter this, make sure you and your family will have an intermediate home that is comfortable for everyone. You need your own sanctuary during this stressful time.

Let me help you through the process of building a new Santa Cruz home. Before you even start your search for new construction, give me a call.  That way I can help you negotiate a good contract, saving you time and money.  Call me today at 831.662.6522 or email me at lauren@laurenspencer.com

Links:

1. Kitchen fixtures

2. Create a budget

3. Reduce stress