http://blog.mysantacruzrealestate.com Market advice and tips on buying and selling real estate in Santa Cruz County Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:05:05 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en If you’ve considered selling your home in a slow real estate market you may wonder if you can get a fair price for your home. Fortunately, you don’t have to be afraid of the rising foreclosure rate. Smart sellers know how to compete with foreclosures when selling their Santa Cruz ... http://blog.mysantacruzrealestate.com/how-smart-sellers-compete-with-foreclosures-when-selling-their-santa-cruz-home/ Buying a new home is a big decision. Your home is your greatest financial asset. It is also your refuge from the world and a place where you can relax. You will ideally spend a considerable amount of time in your home, so you want to buy the right one ... http://blog.mysantacruzrealestate.com/4-common-mistakes-to-avoid-when-buying-santa-cruz-real-estate/ A koi pond is a popular way to add beauty and serenity to your yard. Listening to the soothing sounds of running water and watching fish glide beneath the water surface is a great way to unwind after a long day at work. Building a koi pond at your Santa ... http://blog.mysantacruzrealestate.com/how-to-build-a-koi-pond-at-your-santa-cruz-home/ Making your home look its best is an important step toward selling it in any kind of market. Staging your Santa Cruz home is an excellent way to make it look the best it can.  A staged home is neat, clean, and devoid of personal items like photographs. This makes ... http://blog.mysantacruzrealestate.com/5-staging-mistakes-to-avoid-when-selling-your-santa-cruz-home/ Have you considered going green at home but are afraid it will be too much work? You don’t need to wait any longer! Get everyone at home involved in the effort to go green. Here are some fun ways to teach your kids how to save energy in your Santa ... http://blog.mysantacruzrealestate.com/going-green-teach-your-kids-how-to-save-energy-in-your-santa-cruz-home/ Falling behind on your mortgage payments puts you in a frustrating situation. No one wants to face the possibility of losing their home to foreclosure and damaging their credit. Yet, you may think you have no other alternatives. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to save your Santa ... http://blog.mysantacruzrealestate.com/how-to-save-your-santa-cruz-home-from-foreclosure/ It seems like everyone is going green and doing their part to conserve resources. One simple way you can help out is to cut back on your water use at home, especially in the bathroom. Consider how much water is used there. In fact, a family of four can easily ... http://blog.mysantacruzrealestate.com/going-green-how-to-save-water-in-the-bathroom-of-your-santa-cruz-home/ Whether you are seriously looking for a new home or just curious about what's for sale, an open house can be a fun way to spend a weekend afternoon. Before you head out for an afternoon of home looking, know the dos and don’ts of an open house for Santa ... http://blog.mysantacruzrealestate.com/dos-and-don%e2%80%99ts-of-an-open-house-for-santa-cruz-real-estate/   Have you thought about re-decorating your home? Are you afraid you don’t have the money to complete the look you want? Don’t wait any longer. Dust off your paint brushes and sewing machine. Here are some tips for decorating your Santa Cruz home on a shoestring budget. • Choose a look. Watch ... http://blog.mysantacruzrealestate.com/how-to-decorate-your-santa-cruz-home-on-a-shoestring-budget/ Whether you are facing retirement or have already said good-bye to your working years, you may be wondering if you should sell your home and move. Although this is not an easy decision, there are some important points that can help you make up your mind. Before you buy a ... http://blog.mysantacruzrealestate.com/4-questions-to-ask-before-you-buy-a-santa-cruz-home-for-retirement/