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Real Estate is a fickle friend. I can remember back to the good old days when every email or phone call was someone wanting to buy a Santa Cruz Home I had listed or someone who wanted me to list their Santa Cruz Home. Sometimes it was overwhelming, looking back I loved it and should have paid closer attention to the joy I felt.
Today, is different, very different. The call comes from a Santa Cruz Home Seller, wanting to meet, to consider the possibility that they might, think about, maybe, someday listing their home for sale...someday. The preparation for these meetings is exciting, you spend time reviewing sales, driving by the house, taking pictures and creating a report so you can explain that their wonderful, glorious home is worth about what they owe on it and nothing more. You are hopeful that they need to move so badly that they are okay with that.
Sometimes, your Santa Cruz Home Seller owes that house free and clear (whew) now you can help them understand how their home will be viewed bu the numerous buyers who will stop by during the open houses, you talk terms and pricing and if I have done my job correctly they will choose to list this wonderful for sale.
After what seems like a million years, the offer comes to purchase the Santa Cruz house. Wait a minute, the offer seems to be for another house, why would a buyer make an offer $65,000.00 under the list price? The very same buyer wants all the furniture and the car in the driveway?? Slight exaggeration, but you get the point.
I wonder sometimes what the Santa Cruz Home Buyer agents are telling their clients, just pick a random number and we will see what the seller is willing to take, why not ask for the moon and the stars while your at it.
Don't get me wrong, Santa Cruz Home Buyers should structure their purchase offers so they can afford the Santa Cruz Hone of their Dreams, but reality must always play at part at the end of the day.
As we like to say, and a motto we run our businesses by, it has to be a win-win or it is no deal.
Are you interested in Santa Cruz Real Estate,Buying or Selling Homes in Santa Cruz? Feel free to email me at Contact Me and I will be happy to provide you with information,listings and a FREE market analysis.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
What's it going to take?
I have discovered walls in real estate. Yes, there are real walls, rock walls, brick walls, but the walls I refer to are the walls that surround decisions in real estate.
There are always obstacles in Buying and Selling real estate, but in the last few years the very nature of the business has created hurdles, fences and real honest to goodness walls.
Recently, I read an article about a Realtor who had qualified a buyer with a lender and then spent over 6 months showing properties, previewing and searching out the perfect home for this ready willing and .... buyer. Guess what, the buyer was a fraud. The buyer was working on a project for her advance degree in Social Science and decided to study the Real Estate Industry from the buyers point of view. I would imagine that someone else was doing the same project from the seller's point of view.
Ouch! time, money, energy and who knows what else was wasted on this "project".
Oh, I know how much fun there is in helping Santa Cruz Home Buyers and Santa Cruz Home Sellers fulfill their goals and dreams. Looking forward to helping the next person succeed is the entire reason that Realtor's do what we do every day.
Our plan for the next few years, pulling up the boot straps, putting a smile on our faces, filling the gas tanks..and going for it!
Are you interested in Santa Cruz Real Estate,Buying or Selling Homes in Santa Cruz? Feel free to email me at Contact Me and I will be happy to provide you with information,listings and a FREE market analysis.
There are always obstacles in Buying and Selling real estate, but in the last few years the very nature of the business has created hurdles, fences and real honest to goodness walls.
Recently, I read an article about a Realtor who had qualified a buyer with a lender and then spent over 6 months showing properties, previewing and searching out the perfect home for this ready willing and .... buyer. Guess what, the buyer was a fraud. The buyer was working on a project for her advance degree in Social Science and decided to study the Real Estate Industry from the buyers point of view. I would imagine that someone else was doing the same project from the seller's point of view.
Ouch! time, money, energy and who knows what else was wasted on this "project".
Oh, I know how much fun there is in helping Santa Cruz Home Buyers and Santa Cruz Home Sellers fulfill their goals and dreams. Looking forward to helping the next person succeed is the entire reason that Realtor's do what we do every day.
Our plan for the next few years, pulling up the boot straps, putting a smile on our faces, filling the gas tanks..and going for it!
Are you interested in Santa Cruz Real Estate,Buying or Selling Homes in Santa Cruz? Feel free to email me at Contact Me and I will be happy to provide you with information,listings and a FREE market analysis.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
It is Mother's Day
Today is Mother's Day.I am going to share a little about my mom today-not Santa Cruz Real Estate.
On Friday I was driving home and had the opportunity to hear a radio broadcaster share a tribute to her Mother who is no longer alive, it was very touching and made me realize how fortunate I am to still have my Mother in my life.
My mom was born 78 years ago in Mountain View California,she is the middle child and only girl. Her life was not easy-her father was in and out of their lives, money was tight and she fought for everything she ever had or wanted.
They moved to Santa Cruz at some point in time, probably for a job one of her parents. She did not graduate from high school, but is defiantly one of the smartest people I know. She left school to work in order to help support my Grandmother and her youngest brother.
When my parents married my mom was 24 and my father was 27, very old for the times. My mother the was the disciplinarian-nothing ever got by her, still to this day she can give me "that look" and stop me dead in my tracks. I am never sure what I may have done I just know I should not have done it.
There was a time several years ago, seems like another life time, that we did not have contact with one another any contact we did have was not pleasant. I am glad those times are past, but also think that there was some good that came from those years. I learned that I needed to make my own way, and that way, was going to be different from hers, that I did not need to share every detail of my life or choices with her, and that when she did not like or approve of what I was doing, life still moved forward and that she still loved me even if she was mad or disappointed.
When people ask me how my mom is, or if she is still alive I tell them that she is too mean or spunky to die. I know that one day that will happen, and when it does life will still move forward-I won't like it but my job will be to pick up and keep on.
Are you interested in Santa Cruz Real Estate,Buying or Selling Homes in Santa Cruz? Feel free to email me at Contact Me and I will be happy to provide you with information,listings and a FREE market analysis.
On Friday I was driving home and had the opportunity to hear a radio broadcaster share a tribute to her Mother who is no longer alive, it was very touching and made me realize how fortunate I am to still have my Mother in my life.
My mom was born 78 years ago in Mountain View California,she is the middle child and only girl. Her life was not easy-her father was in and out of their lives, money was tight and she fought for everything she ever had or wanted.
They moved to Santa Cruz at some point in time, probably for a job one of her parents. She did not graduate from high school, but is defiantly one of the smartest people I know. She left school to work in order to help support my Grandmother and her youngest brother.
When my parents married my mom was 24 and my father was 27, very old for the times. My mother the was the disciplinarian-nothing ever got by her, still to this day she can give me "that look" and stop me dead in my tracks. I am never sure what I may have done I just know I should not have done it.
There was a time several years ago, seems like another life time, that we did not have contact with one another any contact we did have was not pleasant. I am glad those times are past, but also think that there was some good that came from those years. I learned that I needed to make my own way, and that way, was going to be different from hers, that I did not need to share every detail of my life or choices with her, and that when she did not like or approve of what I was doing, life still moved forward and that she still loved me even if she was mad or disappointed.
When people ask me how my mom is, or if she is still alive I tell them that she is too mean or spunky to die. I know that one day that will happen, and when it does life will still move forward-I won't like it but my job will be to pick up and keep on.
Are you interested in Santa Cruz Real Estate,Buying or Selling Homes in Santa Cruz? Feel free to email me at Contact Me and I will be happy to provide you with information,listings and a FREE market analysis.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Santa Cruz Home Buying
Recently I received a phone call from a past client who is ready to purchase a home in Santa Cruz. This in itself was thrilling for me, since we real estate agents are never sure that when the time comes, our phones will ring.
So off we went to look at this picture perfect little Santa Cruz Home on an amazing large parcel. The opportunities for this Santa Cruz property are endless. Happily, it is zoned for multiple units, imagine a lovely income producing 4 unit rental dwelling, set among other multi-unit income producing units.
I am sure however that this buyer is not going to even consider tearing down this house to build those income producing units, he is already planning where the hot tub and chicken coop will be.
It actually is a perfect little grandma house, complete with what appears to be a working Wedgewood stove.My client is having flash backs. He grew up just down the road, and has wonderful memories of days spend at a near by beach, the outside shower he helped build in order to save the inside plumbing from the "sand" baths after a day in the surf. He is a practical man, so I am not too concerned about his trip down memory lane, but homes like these has pitfalls that buyers can easily fall into.
We talk about the possibility of termites, wall heaters and huge bills to restore this Santa Cruz beach cottage to it's former glory. No doubt there will be bills for a new roof, new windows and a front door that will keep the cold out and the heat in.
There is a chance that a major remodel will need to take place since the bedrooms are not large enough for a queen size mattress, and where would you hang your clothes since not much will fit in those tiny little closets.
Tomorrow, we will see if this is the perfect first home for him or not. We are taking a side trip to see another, larger home on a much smaller lot, bye bye chickens. I keep reminding him the hard part is already done, he has taken the first step to owning his first home. The first step, the hard part was deciding to start shopping, now the fun part begins.
Santa Cruz Real Estate is RED hot right now, do not miss this opportunity. Contact Me and I will be happy let you know what the value of your home is, and what else is out there for the ready buyer.
So off we went to look at this picture perfect little Santa Cruz Home on an amazing large parcel. The opportunities for this Santa Cruz property are endless. Happily, it is zoned for multiple units, imagine a lovely income producing 4 unit rental dwelling, set among other multi-unit income producing units.
I am sure however that this buyer is not going to even consider tearing down this house to build those income producing units, he is already planning where the hot tub and chicken coop will be.
It actually is a perfect little grandma house, complete with what appears to be a working Wedgewood stove.My client is having flash backs. He grew up just down the road, and has wonderful memories of days spend at a near by beach, the outside shower he helped build in order to save the inside plumbing from the "sand" baths after a day in the surf. He is a practical man, so I am not too concerned about his trip down memory lane, but homes like these has pitfalls that buyers can easily fall into.
We talk about the possibility of termites, wall heaters and huge bills to restore this Santa Cruz beach cottage to it's former glory. No doubt there will be bills for a new roof, new windows and a front door that will keep the cold out and the heat in.
There is a chance that a major remodel will need to take place since the bedrooms are not large enough for a queen size mattress, and where would you hang your clothes since not much will fit in those tiny little closets.
Tomorrow, we will see if this is the perfect first home for him or not. We are taking a side trip to see another, larger home on a much smaller lot, bye bye chickens. I keep reminding him the hard part is already done, he has taken the first step to owning his first home. The first step, the hard part was deciding to start shopping, now the fun part begins.
Santa Cruz Real Estate is RED hot right now, do not miss this opportunity. Contact Me and I will be happy let you know what the value of your home is, and what else is out there for the ready buyer.
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