Elaine The Realtor

Had to Share...

2011-12-09T12:50:00.000-08:00

I thought this was too much fun, not to share. Go ahead take the quiz and see how you do. I am not sharing my results. After your done, consider buying a home in Santa Cruz County to share your knowledge and intelligence.

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.

If you think you're smarter than your parents, go ahead, take this quiz. If you score nine or better, consider yourself smarter than the typical 60-year-old. If you don't know the answers to at least eight of the questions, perhaps you can still learn a few things from your elders.

1. A dirigible is:

a) a lighter than air aircraft

b) Australian kangaroo

c) name for the first atom bomb

d) archaic name for a golf club

2. Who ran against Harry Truman for president in 1948?

a) Nelson Rockefeller

b) Dwight Eisenhower

c) George Romney

d) Thomas Dewey

3. George C. Scott played what famous World War II general?

a) George Patton

b) Erwin Rommel

c) Dwight Eisenhower

d) Omar Bradley

4. When did America abandon the gold standard of $35 to the ounce?

a) 1933

b) 1957

c) 1971

d) 1987

5. Who was the first James Bond in film?

a) Roger Moore

b) Pierce Brosnan

c) Sean Connery

d) Richard Burton

6. The first U. S. man-in-space program was called:

a) Apollo

b) Mercury

c) Hal

d) Gemini

7. Chet Huntley and ______ Brinkley.

a) Bill

b) David

c) Christie

d) Alan

8. When did Saigon fall?

a) 1968

b) 1972

c) 1975

d) 1977

9. What is a slide rule?

a) a mechanical tool to solve mathematical problems

b) the 11th commandment from the apocryphal Bible

c) a code of playground ethics from the 1950s

d) a short-cut for carrying over numbers in long division

10. Which of the following is not spam?

a) an unsolicited bulk email message

b) the subject of a famous Monty Python skit

c) a canned precooked pork product

d) the former name of Thailand

Answers: a, d, a, c, c, b, b, c, a, d

Tom Sightings is a former publishing executive who was eased into early retirement in his mid-50s. He lives in the New York area and blogs at Sightings at 60, where he covers health, finance, retirement, and other concerns of baby boomers who realize that somehow they have grown up.

Erase a Short Sale or Foreclosure from your Credit Report

2011-12-03T12:42:00.000-08:00

If you are one of the unfortunate who have experienced a short sale or a foreclosure you MAY (and I stress MAY) be able to have it removed from your credit report.

With a short sale, or a foreclosure looming large on your credit report, you can just about forget about getting a mortgage to purchase a new home for a very, very long time. In today's real estate climate, you no doubt would love the opportunity to buy a new home, enjoying a much lower interest rate than what you had before loosing your home.

I have just learned of an opportunity (notice I did not say loop hole) that may allow you to start shopping for that new home very soon.

Julie Macc, a certified credit specialist with Century Law Group says that where there is a will there is a way to make purchasing a Santa Cruz home possible. She has been spending her work hours reviewing credit reports from clients to have been through the Short Sale and Foreclosure experience.

What Julie has found is that in most cases there are some major errors on those credit reports. These include errors in dates, names, address, late charges and much more. In several instances there has been reports of late mortgage payments on a property that had already been taken back, or sold though a short sale.

Once Julie has reviewed your credit reports, and located errors such as these, she has been able to have the entire item removed from the credit report.

This is not to say that your lender is not going to ask you if you have ever been though a short sale or a foreclosure (red flag) but having something of this nature taken off your credit report will go a long way to repairing your credit rating.

If you are reviewing your own credit report be sure to pull reports from all three agencies Tansunion, Experian and Equifax. What you locate on one may not show on the other two. One way to access your credit report

Now the disclaimer, While I have heard Julie speak, I have never referred a client to her or to Century Law Group. On the chance that this might actually work it should be worth the half of your time for Julie to review your reports.

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.

Reverse Mortgage

2011-11-13T14:07:00.000-08:00

What an interesting way to continue the Santa Cruz lifestyle to which one has become accustom, in these tough economic times.

A reverse mortgage on your Santa Cruz home can do so much for so many, at a cost. If you are a member of the "older peoples" club and are sitting on equity in your home this may be a way for you to enjoy the fruits of your labor, or if you are short on cash or in need of medical or long term in home care the equity in your Santa Cruz home can help.

The simple explanation is that you borrow against the equity in your home, either receiving structured payments or a single sum. When your heirs sell your Santa Cruz home the reverse mortgage is paid, or in some cases the reverse mortgage company sells your home to re-coup their money.

A reverse mortgage carries a heavy upfront fee, in many cases that is not a concern as there is no out of pocket costs. An example would be if your home is valued at $600,000.00 and is full paid off. You can receive a portion of the equity in cash to use to carry you for the balance of your life. In the case where you many have a small mortgage, that can be paid off and you can still receive a portion of the equity in cash.

If you are planning to will your Santa Cruz home to your heirs, this may not be for you. In several cases at the time of your death, when your home is sold there is nothing left for your heirs after the reverse mortgage is paid.

I know two people who recently have taken out reverse mortgages, and both are thrilled that they have cash available for day to day expenses, and some fun mindless joys as well.

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.

Honey, let's Buy the BIG House

2011-10-31T13:34:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading though the 9,0000 Real Estate related informational emails I get weekly.

In the times of downsizing and localizing, there was an article on Buying the Big House. This surprised me, even my husband talks of going smaller. He says our Santa Cruz home is too big. We have 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, just for the two of us. I think the size of our house is in direct correlation with the health of our marriage. I like room to spread out, I like have an option of which bathroom to use, I like being able to sit in the living room reading a book while he watches TV in the family room.

I admit that our one bedroom only gets used when my best friend visits, the other when my husband lifts weights. I do use all the bathrooms, because I can.

In the article they rank the square footage of homes by state. In Utah the average house is 2305 sq. ft.(no comment) in Washington D.C. 1000 sq. ft. My Aptos house is just over 1900 sq. ft. By contrast my Mothers house within Santa Cruz City limits is just over 1600 sq. ft. with a 3/2 configuration.

As a Santa Cruz Realtor I think it all comes down to price/value per square foot. I would venture that the 1000 square foot high raise in Washington D.C. is valued at a higher price point than the sprawling 2305 sq.ft. McMansion in Utah.

Ultimately it is about what fits and suits your needs and lifestyle. I never thought that 22 years ago we would still be living in our Aptos tree house, but we are because it still fits. It is my retreat, sure sometimes I wish it was sunnier, sometimes I wish the property was vast and sprawling. At the end of the day it is home and that is what really matters.

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.

The BAD Blogger

2011-10-26T20:16:00.000-07:00

It is an interesting fact, at least for me, that I am a bad blogger. I did not start out this way, it seems to have just happened along the way.

When I started out, I wrote about what was on my mind. Next I started looking for information to share, stories and Santa Cruz Real Estate market insight. Then I moved on to sharing real life situations that I came across dealing with Santa Cruz home buyers and Santa Cruz home sellers.

Lately, I have been stumped, I have not had any mind blowing thoughts or ideas to share. Sure, I could talk about how the Santa Cruz Real Estate market has some terrific deals, and some real dogs. I could share about the house that just sold where they buyer only had to put down $5,000.00 and the sellers financed his purchase, he is a pretty damn happy buyer.

It just seems there is so much going on, that I have a hard time wrapping my head around just one thought. Honestly, I talk all day long-sometimes I am just flat out of words.I did make a commitment to blog. I have been failing at living up to what I promised, I will try to do better.

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.

Why Do We Always Screw Up New Technology?

2011-09-24T15:06:00.000-07:00

Why Do We Always Screw Up New Technology?

Staying Current

2011-09-24T14:52:00.000-07:00

Having just spent an entire week at Keller Williams Agent/Leadership Mega Camp in Austin Texas, I can share a few insights.

There is absolutely no way a Realtor in today's fast paced world can stay on the top of their game, ahead of the pack without treating their business like a real business. Treat this business like a hobby, and you are out of date and out of luck.

You need to take the time to learn and grow, mix and meet and share best practices.
There is always someone who has a keener sense of how to maximize exposure to their listings and themselves. In order for you to stay current, you must spend time learning.

This last week was filled with so many ideas, best practices and concepts that I doubt there was any single agent who regrets spending the time, money or energy in Austin.

With close to 11,000 in attendance, I promise you there will be a renewed sense of purpose and goals surfacing.

I have shared a link of just one presenter,Chris did a great job on sharing information in a fun and insightful manner. Why Do We Always Screw Up New Technology?">

Now I am off to facebook..Interested in sharing your insights.

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.

Bright Spots/Tara-Nicholle Nelson

2011-09-14T12:01:00.001-07:00

5 bright spots in real estate recession
Mood of the Market

By Tara-Nicholle Nelson
Inman News™
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The real estate market meltdown was much more severe and has lasted much longer than even the most bearish housing market observer would ever have predicted. Rather than values taking a dip, they've taken a double dip in many places; and the housing sector drama has infected the job market and the entire world's economy.

Yet, there are some very shiny silver linings to this whole mess -- a handful of ways in which our mindsets, habits, behaviors and approaches to money, mortgage and even life decision-making -- have been changed by this real estate market debacle. As I see it, here are the five best things about this otherwise terrible housing recession:

People now buy for the long term. Even Jeff Lewis, that reality TV house flipper extraordinaire, has declared that he's tapped out of the flipping business for the foreseeable future, trading in his real estate wheeling and dealing for the design business.

Recently, he mentioned having lost six homes in the real estate market crash. While Lewis flipped homes as his business, just five years ago, many Americans -- homeowners and investors alike -- took a short-term view on their homes, buying them with the idea that they could count on refinancing, pulling cash out or even reselling them anytime they wanted, at a profit.

Reality check -- those days are gone. Now, buyers know they'd better be prepared to stay put for somewhere between seven and 10 years (shorter in strong local markets, longer in foreclosure hot spots) before they buy if they want to break even. And this is causing them to take mortgages they can afford over time, and make smarter, longer-term choices about the homes they buy.

Dysfunctional properties are being weeded out and creatively reused. Municipalities like Detroit and Cleveland are demolishing blighted and decrepit properties in dead neighborhoods en masse, intentionally shrinking their cities to match their shrinking populations. These efforts are also eliminating breeding grounds for crime, and focusing resources on the neighborhoods that have a better chance of surviving and thriving in the long term.

In the so-called "slumburbias" of central California, Nevada and Arizona, McMansions are being repurposed into affordable housing for groups of seniors, artist communities and group homes.

American housing stock is getting an energy-efficient upgrade. The news would have you believe that every American has lost his or her home, walked away from it, or is now renting by choice. In fact, the vast majority of homeowners have simply decided to stay put.

Instead of selling and moving on up, homeowners are improving the homes they now plan to stay in for a long(er) haul. And this generation of remodeling is focused less on granite and stainless steel, and more on lowering the costs of "operating" the home and taking advantage of tax credits for installing energy-efficient doors, windows, water heaters and more. And while the first-time homebuyer tax credit is a thing of the past, the homeowner tax credits for energy-optimizing upgrades are in effect until the end of this year.

People are making more responsible mortgage decisions, and building financial good habits in the process. Buyers are buying far below the maximum purchase prices for which they are approved. They are reading their loan disclosures and documents before they sign them. And, thanks to the stingy mortgage market, they are spending months, even years, in the planning and preparation phases before they buy: paying down their debt; saving up for a down payment (and a cash cushion, so that a job loss wouldn't be disastrous); being responsible and sparing in their use of credit to optimize their FICO scores; and creating strong financial habits in one fell swoop.

Our feelings about debt and equity have been reformed. Americans no longer use their homes like ATM machines, to pull out cash, pay off their credit cards and then start the whole overspending cycle over again. Many can't, because their homes are upside down and cannot be refinanced in any event -- much less to pull cash out.

Others have been reality-checked by the recession, and are dealing with their non-mortgage debt the old fashioned way: by ceasing the pattern of spending more than they make, and applying the self-discipline it takes to pay their bills off.

Home equity, in general, is no longer viewed as an inexhaustible source of cash. Rather, we see it as a fluctuating asset to be protected and increased -- not so much through the vagaries of the market, but through the hard work of paying the principal balance down. Many of those refinancing into today's lower rates aren't doing it to pull cash out, as was the norm at the top of the market; instead, they are refinancing into 15-year loans to pay their homes off sooner than planned, or reducing their required payment so their extra savings can be applied to principal.

Of course, it remains to be seen how lasting these changes will be if and when home prices go up and mortgage guidelines loosen up. But since neither of these things look likely to happen in the short term, hopefully there's a chance that these behavior shifts will become part of a permanent mindset reset for American housing consumers.

Tara-Nicholle Nelson is author of "The Savvy Woman's Homebuying Handbook" and "Trillion Dollar Women: Use Your Power to Make Buying and Remodeling Decisions." Tara is also the Consumer Ambassador and Educator for real estate listings search site Trulia.com. Ask her a real estate question online or visit her website, www.rethinkrealestate.com.

What's It Take

2011-08-03T17:10:00.000-07:00

I have made what I think is an interesting observation about this business called Real Estate. It is the behind the scenes pieces that make or break a Realtor.

Anyone who has their Real Estate license starts off full of hope and ambition. Thoughts of finding great real estate, working with buyers with tons of available funds to purchase the houses they have listed with delighted happy sellers. Ha Ha

Then reality sets in, making millions of phone calls, and getting hang up after hang up, spending hard earned cash on flashy web sites, flyers and advertising only to find none of it is attracting any clients. What is an aspiring Realtor to do??

The answer is simple, the basics..know your market, share what you know with who ever you meet, ask for business, take care of the business you get, and then ask for more. Provide your buyers with knowledge and support and direction to make smart choices. Help your sellers understand what is critical to them, explain what you are doing and how your doing it to get their houses sold. ANSWER your phone calls quickly. Be kind and caring with the other agents in your world, they could be on the other side of your next deal. Be respectful and communicate with your support team, your office staff, transaction coordinators,lenders and those wonderful title and escrow agents.

Finally, treat your real estate business, like a business.

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.

Price it Per Square Foot...

2011-07-07T16:20:00.000-07:00

We all work as hard as we can to get a property sold.I do not know a single agent that wants a listing that they can not sell. We spend upwards of $1,000.00 on marketing efforts have generated many showings but no offers. What’s next?

Recently one of my Santa Cruz Real Estate Agents poised this question to me. She felt had done everything within her power to get the house sold. The seller could not lower the price any further. If they dropped the price any further, they would have to bring money that they didn't have to the closing table.

The sellers needed to sell their Santa Cruz home, the home had not sold, the sellers were angry and blaming the agent.
One of the things we discussed in this situation is to do an update on Santa Cruz market statistics. For example, if there are currently 60 properties listed in their neighborhood and price range and 10 of them sell each month, this means that in order to sell their property, the sellers must be in the top 17 percent of the properties on the market each month in terms of the price, condition and the location. With this many showings and no offers, they're continuing to fall in the bottom 83 percent that are still listed each month rather than in the 17 percent that sell.
The next we talked about ways to explain the seller’s choices, about ways to explain the current market conditions, detailing why certain Santa Cruz homes have sold, and others had not.
The final step is to outline the seller’s options:
1- They can adjust your price.
2- They can update the paint and the fixtures to make the house more appealing.
3- Or if they absolutely must get this price, you can take the property off the market and wait for the market to improve.

"It's your house and it is your decision. What would you like to do?"
Furthermore, it's often useful to either take the sellers out to look at the competition or to pull together a slide show of the interiors of the properties that went under contract or that are currently on the market. Sometimes the reason a property is not selling is that buyers can afford to be choosy. Everything else, unless it's way below market value, is languishing on the market.

Another idea is to do a price-per-square-foot comparison. Remember to choose comparable sales where the lot size and the improvement size are within 10 percent of the seller's property. Failure to do this will yield inaccurate results.
Some Sellers need to see a “picture” of their choices. If that is the case the next step is to make three pricing lines: one for sold listings, one for current listings, and one for expired listings. In most cases, the sellers' current price falls in the price range where most of the listings are expiring. Take the time to explain to your Santa Cruz home sellers that homes in the range between $170.00 and $200.00 per square foot have gone into contract in 60 days. Properties priced between $210.00 and $280.00 that failed to sell and are expired listings currently. Your property is priced at $265.00 per square foot.

Telling the sellers that they can leave their home on the market at $265.00 per square foot, and that it will probably stay on the market, or they can reduce their per square foot price which will increase the odds of selling. The choice is the sellers, the agents job is to give the sellers the information so they can make a choice based on facts, not emotions.

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.

You've Got a Friend

2011-06-17T12:06:00.000-07:00

We can all agree that real estate is all about relationships.

We attempt to persuade our personal circles of family, friends and acquaintances to locate our next deal. We spend time and money working those relationships. And for most of us, I'd say it's a natural talent; We are, by and large, a group of "People-Persons." In Santa Cruz, Realtors can be found everywhere working their sphere.

Yep, take an informal poll. I'd bet big money that 80 percent of the agents are extroverts,outgoing,very public, fun and flashy -- it doesn't matter which personality profile test you use, the results are always the same.

We've never met a stranger and we love a good party. Someone once described us and the group who start dancing when it is dark and the light from the refrigerator comes on. I may make fun of the bright lipstick, big jewelry and flashy cars, but that's only because I can see the humor in my own choices.

What I was going to talk about was the fine line we have to walk when it comes to working with close family and friends. Some people seem quite able to walk the tightrope without the fear of a fall. Their fear of a friendship ruined or a family member using another Realtor is buried in the depths of their subconscious.

Take the agent who meets friends on Thursday to show property, and then is spending the next week with the same friends at a lakeside resort.

I'm pretty sure I could do one or the other of those things really well, but not both. I'll be honest. Given the same scenario, I'd have a hard time deciding when work time was over (is it ever?) and when fun time started. Would it be okay to skip the Saturday afternoon showing only to meet the same folks later at a BBQ?

Would they want to discuss the homes we while eating chips and salsa? Would we drink beer and eat popcorn out of the same bucket? Can we both turn off "work mode" at the same time? What if one of us wants to dance to that refrigerator light and the other just wanted a mid night snack, while we are at the house by the lake?

Under normal work requirements I am "on" all the time. But when the line between work and and real life is fuzzy, I can't turn off "work mode" until everything we do during a transaction is complete. When you are my client and we are together it is for one reason and one reason only.

I admit it, when I first started my career selling real estate in Santa Cruz I went through times of great stress when I found out someone I knew and loved had decided not to work with me when selling or buying their Santa Cruz home. There were hurt feelings and phone hang ups. After all I felt, if they referred me business-why would they then not use me for my professional services themselves? If I referred then business wouldn't they want to use me when the time came. Evidently not.

Now that I am a seasoned Santa Cruz Realtor, I get it, it makes sense and I understand the line between friends and business. I am okay with it, actually I am very okay with it. Call me I can refer you a great agent that will not be hanging out with you in our free time, eating chips or dancing with us to the light of the frig.

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.

Faster better smoother..

2011-06-03T16:51:00.000-07:00

There's one BIG change that would make the Santa Cruz Real Estate recovery faster, smoother and more vigorous. All short sales should be at pre-approved prices. They shouldn't be allowed to go into the multiple listing service until the banks have agreed to the price, terms and conditions -- including and especially how deficiencies and seller contributions will be handled.

Why? Because we have too many willing and able buyers who get their hopes up and then are trapped in a short-sale contract, with slim chances of successfully owning the house. Unless the Santa Cruz buyer is in contract on multiple houses, they're out of the market waiting for something that probably won't happen.

Having multiple contracts hurts the sellers, as these buyers are going to drop out as soon as one of their "deals" comes together. Massive time and energy is being spent by Santa Cruz real estate agents, with little chance of success.

The strategic default problem would be reduced if the Santa Cruz sellers knew that they'd be foreclosed on quickly. They're taking advantage of the prospect of making out better by doing a short sale. They're the most likely to have the banks requesting funds from the seller, or refusal to waive deficiency judgment -- terms that the seller will probably turn down, anyway.

If we knew in advance that the seller was truly qualified for a short sale, that the bank didn't have some other agenda, and was motivated to not get the property back in foreclosure, then I'd be happy to bring my strongest Santa Cruz buyers to the short-sale deal. Meanwhile, the real buyers are fighting over the REOs (bank-owned properties), flips and equity transactions, of which there are actually too few.

Prices keep falling because the short-sale agents are listing at 5 to 10 percent below comps in order to try to get an offer, and often are accepting offers at even less. The banks come back at a higher price, and then the buyer walks. The downward momentum has been coming from the short sales, not from the REO listings.

It would be nice if the banks would just do as suggested, or the government forces them to do it. The reality is that the real estate community is going to have to tell the banks that we're not going to facilitate their craziness any longer.

We'll take the listings, we'll process the short sale to approval or denial, but we won't put it on the MLS or tie up a buyer, or spend money to advertize and promote it until we know there's actually a huge chance that a closing could take place.

That was the premise, and the promise of the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives program (HAFA), but HAFA has been just as big of a joke as the way we do it now.

Let's only sell houses that can actually, really, truly be bought. If the banks can dictate to us that they won't even consider a short sale till there's an offer, then we ought to be able to dictate to them that we won't look for an offer without a pre-approval of the sale.

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.

Making the Offer

2011-05-27T13:34:00.000-07:00

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.

What's it going to take?

2011-05-15T14:40:00.000-07:00

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.

It is Mother's Day

2011-05-08T14:36:00.000-07:00

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.

Santa Cruz Home Buying

2011-05-01T15:23:00.000-07:00

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.

Blogging...

2011-04-22T10:36:00.000-07:00

Anyone that knows me would think this Blogging business is right up my alley.I get to have a one sided conversation where I can share random thoughts, express ideas or concepts about the world, business or the weather. Sounds like just my cup of tea. The difficult part comes when I have to think of something somewhat meaningful and then attempt to express that thought in a way that I hope will attract some attention.

There is one person I know who regularly shares his "blogging" via You Tube. I think this is a fun, easy quick idea where you do not have to concern yourself with correct(sorta) grammar or punctuation. The thought of a "live" video feed freaks me out. I would be concerned with my hair, what shirt to wear and earrings. I would end up spending so much time getting ready that when it came time to share my ideas there would not be much left.

Then we have Facebook, this may be the place for people like me. You get to pick a photo to be your "face" to the world, and share ideas in short quick little bursts, and with any luck you actually get a response from your "friends" who usually like you and offer a level of support and "atta boys"

Forget Tweeting, that concept just confuses me. I am pretty sure no one care that I am wearing a purple T shirt with my orange hoodie.

Now I must stop rambling and get on with the topic of Real Estate in Santa Cruz, Home buying, Home Selling, all the wonderful areas within out Santa Cruz County communities, Aptos, Soquel, Capitola, Scotts Valley, Ben Lomond, Felton, Watsonville and more. We can talk about Real Estate Market conditions, market analysis. There is always the topic of home values, what your home is worth. I can tell you there is a large amount of cash hitting our area with all cash offers on some higher priced Santa Cruz Homes.

Bottom line, we are very luck to live in such a wonderful place such as Santa Cruz. Yes, I wish we had more sunny days, and maybe a white sand beach. But a thought occurs if we had those things where would I go on vacation?

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.

Looks Like Everyone in Santa Cruz is Selling

2011-04-02T13:21:00.001-07:00

Have you noticed recently that there seems to be an increase in the amount of real estate for sales signs in your Santa Cruz County neighborhood? I thought I would share the reason for this.

Normally, there is a slight bump in the for sale inventory as soon as we feel that winter has passed. Given the horrid weather in Santa Cruz last weekend particularly in Capitola, along with the glorious days we have had recently I would expect to see a few more signs pop up.

The overall increase though has more to due with the economy. As more signs pop up fewer signs are coming down. The average days a property is for sale in Santa Cruz has doubled in the last two years.

This increase in days on the market, along with a one third increase in overall listings creates a glut on the market. There are a few different ways to analyze these local Santa Cruz real estate statics.

The first is to understand and acknowledge that a traditional real estate sale will take between 30 and 45 days to close escrow once the buyers and sellers have agreed to price and terms of the transaction. However, a short sale could take upwards of 9 months or more from start to finish. The very nature of this type of transaction adds months to the bottom line.

Currently the average days a property is on the market for sale is 138 days in Santa Cruz county. Some for a few as 7 days, others upwards of 2+ years. What does all this mean if you are considering the possibility of selling your home in Santa Cruz?

Take the time to meet and speak with at least three Santa Cruz Realtors. You should ask your friends and neighbors who they know and have worked with that they would recommend. Visit a few open houses that seem to be like yours in size, condition and location. Ask the Santa Cruz Realtor at the open house how long the property has been for sale, see if you can find out what the average number of days the Realtors your are interviewing take to sell a home.

The good news is that if you are buying a home in Santa Cruz, there are many options and opportunities for you. If you are selling, take a deep breath and relax. You need to trust that your Realtor is working diligently to market and expose your home to buyers looking to own a home in Santa Cruz you will know that is true based on your agents communication.

In short do your homework, there are a number of ways to prepare your Santa Cruz home for sale, but that is another blog.

Do you need help in deciding if now is the time to sell, feel free to email me at Contact Me and I will be happy to run the numbers for your home and area.

FACEBOOK/KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY

2011-03-26T15:54:00.000-07:00

I had, what I think is an interesting thought today.I actually think all my thoughts are interesting, but that is another blog post.

When reading the paper this morning, there was a rather lengthy article about how Facebook grows its locations. This article referred specifically to a tactical team that moves to the desired location-in this case Austin Texas and beings the process of recruiting and hiring teams to staff the new location.

A large part of their goal is to duplicate success, safeguard the culture of Facebook and to instill a sense of sameness to each location even down to the manner their office is set up.

While there may be a coincidence that the article mentioned Austin Texas, home base of Gary Keller and Keller Williams International headquarters, I found the similarities rather interesting.

First and foremost was the culture of the company. I realize that every business has its own culture, the difference is how that culture is embraced, explained and defined in day to day activities. The key to the KW success in this arena is education, sharing,growing. The KW business model touts "faith, family and then business". Call it whatever you want but to me it means doing the right thing, period end of story.

The next item is what Facebook calls Hackathon. Hackathon is a regular event in which for that day there is one rule, you can not do your "normal" job that day. It is the day that you are to explore and expand. I am pretty sure KW, does not have a hackathon day..but I can imagine the possibilities. When I figure out a way to make that day happen, you can count on it taking place.

We have had a rough few weeks here in Santa Cruz, the weather has created havoc, but there is still real estate to sell, places to buy and the sun is just around the corner I am pretty sure.

For a FREE no obligation Market Analysis email me at Contact Me

Equity Tap or Reverse Mortgage??

2011-03-19T14:28:00.000-07:00

What makes the most sense, a reverse mortgage or a line of equity? In the last few months I have tackled this question twice. There are a number of different things to consider when evaluating the two choices.

In the first instance, the choice was pretty cut and dry. The home, a cute little two bedroom that sits just above downtown Santa Cruz, was owned outright. No mortgage and very well maintained. The widower wanted some "mad" money in order to do and buy what had been denied him during his marriage. The upside of the reverse mortgage was that there would be no monthly payments, the checks would arrive monthly and upon his death the reverse mortgage would be paid off by his heirs and any proceeds would become part of the trust. While the reverse mortgage is costly, there are no other considerations.

The second situation is quite a bit more complicated, a recent widow living in a home that is burdened with two mortgages, in need of TLC and has no cash flow outside of social security. There is no choice but a reverse mortgage, one of which is going to require costly roof repairs before the reverse mortgage is even in the bank. It is a less than ideal situation no matter how you look at it.

Needless to say, I have my fingers crossed that I never find myself stuck, with no alternative way to make ends meet. It is nice to know that there are ways to use what is yours to keep it together, or to buy that big screen flat T.V. you have wanted for years.

For a FREE no obligation Market Analysis email me at Contact Me

Craving The Human Touch

2011-02-27T14:08:00.000-08:00

How many times have you called your bank, credit card company, phone company and ached to talk to an actual human being..someone who would be there to help resolve whatever issue you have, or just to answer a darn question.

There is help, there is a trick for getting through. It is a website called
Get Human that provides the access to the human touch. Gives you the tricks, codes and what not's to reach the person who is going to actually help you.

With over 2,200 access codes listed you will no doubt find the company you are looking for. These numbers and inputs have been checked an verified, however if the company changes their phone number all beats are off.

For instance if you want to reach someone at Mastercard, you just press 0 three times quickly.

For any of your Real Estate needs please feel free to
Contact Me

Auntie Lena

2011-02-13T13:42:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had the honor of spending a hour or so at my great aunts 97th birthday. Most of you must admit that alone is an amazing feat. Auntie Lena is still sharp as a tack, while having slowed physically,which is not a big surprise.

Several years ago she managed through and rallied after heart surgery and recently she had a brief stay hospital fighting pneumonia, but I must say she is always delighted to see friends and family. If asked she can recall what happened many many years ago, as well as what took place yesterday. She is a pretty terrific lady. I think I can safely say that she was my fathers favorite, he always called her "Auntie". As I child I was never sure what her name was, she was just "Auntie"

She comes from a family of sisters with a very long life line, six in all they have each managed to live well into their 80's. My grandmother(Auntie Lena's sister)lived to 100. Lena is the "baby" of the family was there and signing Happy Birthday to herself.

She, along with two of her sisters can be seen on occasion on community TV sharing the story of their childhood, growing up in Davenport. My favorite is how in the summer their whole family rode a covered wagon, from their home to the coast to spend time "camping" for months. The funny part of the story to me was that it took them almost as long to get to the coast, as they spent camping.

I realized yesterday that Lena and I have several things in common, besides being related she also married later in life, has no children and tends to be light of heart at all times. I have often wondered that when I am older, who might be there to help me celebrate such milestones in my life.

I think if I live my life correctly I might be lucky enough to have, like my Auntie Lena, 20 or more friends and family there to mark special times of my life as well.

Our Changing Times

2011-01-15T17:09:00.000-08:00

Yesterday another Realtor in our office was feeling very discouraged, and shared the reason with me.

She has been working with a lovely couple who are working towards becoming first time buyers.

They both have solid long term employment, and have been saving every dollar they can in hopes of finding the perfect home in which to start their family. They have spend many miles traveling in the car with their agent looking at every home within their price range. When they have found something they like enough to make an offer on, it is being snatched up by investors with cash, or the price has become so inflated due to multiple offers they end up priced out of the property.

A few weeks ago they made an offer on a lovely 1942 bungalow, and then began to imagine what their lives would be like when they moved in. Amazed that their offer was accepted, they began the inspection period.

A home inspector alerted them to the possibility of MOLD within the classic plaster walls. Additionally the inspector told them the only way to be sure that the property was not MOLD infested was to have a costly MOLD inspection, a cost they were not prepared to pay for.

Their kind, responsible agent knew they loved this house, felt it perfect, but the possibility of MOLD could ruin their dreams. So..the agent called the MOLD inspector and she paid for the inspection out of her pocket.

Afraid that they may not be able to complete the purchase due to a MOLD issue, they began to look at other homes, and found one just across the street. They called their agent and wanted to make an offer on house #2. The agent was reluctant to make a second offer, then the first was still in process-so she explained they would need to cancel escrow #1, and she would be happy to write an offer for house #2.

Their agent contacted the listing agent on house #2, explained that her clients has seen the home at an open house, loved it and could the listing agent send her over the reports, so that she could present him with an offer from them on house #2.

During this time, the agent on house #2, who had interacted with the couple at an open house contacted the buyers explained that he already had several offers, and the ONLY way they would stand a chance of getting the house was for him to write the offer for them, then he would guarantee they would get the house.

The inexperienced buyers went ahead and had the listing agent write an offer for them on his listing (DUAL AGENCY). Of course he could promise them the house, he had access to all the other offers, and he has the seller's ear and trust.

The buyers first agent was having a meeting with them last night, so we will have to see how this all plays out...more to follow.

For a FREE no obligation Market Analysis email me at Contact Me

Crazy Ideas to Sell Your Home...Maybe?

2010-12-20T13:45:00.000-08:00

We have all seen the signs driving familiar roads the For Sale Sign that has been in the same location week, after week, after week...or the house is for sale, but every few month you notice a new brokerage sign.

Everyone has tried to sell that house..but have they really stepped it up and stepped out of the box? Here are some fun, and crazy ideas that could at the very least attract some attention:

Have a party, yep a fun festive party. Invite the neighbors, your doctors, veterinarian, the gal at the grocery store, mail carrier, other Realtor everyone and anyone you can think of who knows some one else who might want to buy your house. Make it a "Help Us Sell Our House Party" You could even turn it into a fund raiser. Consider show casing an artist's works. Ask everyone to bring a dish to share and the beverage of their choice, in order to keep costs down.

Think maybe your houses has some bad JuJu? Have a "cleansing". I have some clients, who decided they really like a certain property we looked at, but "felt" it had a bad aura. The day escrow closed, before they moved a single item into the house, they decided to have the place "saged" Little bundles of the herb were tied together and burnt throughout the house to provide a clean slate for their new life. Having a problem selling your house, consider "burning".

How about digging a hole in the front yard and placing a St. Joesph statue in the ground. Now this must be done with great care, as the little man needs to be placed in a certain direction, at a specific depth. I have actually done this, not with any great success, but I would do it again.

Little salt in the doorway, might work, might not..worth a try..you bet!

House near a health club, in a gated community? Why not purchase a membership for your buyers? It is an inexpensive way to interest a buyer into joining the neighborhood and helping them transition into a new life in their new home.

A risky idea is to have an auction, offering the house to the highest bidder over the reserve price. Risky, it might not sell, it might sell for less than you wanted but on the up side-You will attract attention..and that is what this is all about.
For a FREE no obligation Market Analysis email me at Contact Me

Year End is Near

2010-12-05T11:11:00.000-08:00

It is that time of year when we start thinking about about what did or did not accomplish in the last 12 months. I could bore you with what I did or did not manage in 2010, but I think the fact that we each have made it though the last few years is enough evidence of accomplishments.

That said 2011 will tell the tale of years to come. It is my gut that how this next year rolls out and wraps up will be what we measure the following 5-10 years against.

I heard Friday that if things do not change rapidly we are faced with the next 18 years of recovery economically. That was a wake up call for me, 18 years from now I will be the same age my mother is right now.

Taking this into account means looking at what we are each doing now with eyes toward tomorrow.

Ask yourself some questions have you set up a 401K, Roth, IRA or SEP ? I know just enough to be scary when it come to this accounts, but smart enough to trust my husband and CPA.

As a Santa Cruz Real Estate Agent, I can assure you that these plans make sleeping at night much easier. Don't forget your share of tax deductions.

For clear insight into the the Santa Cruz Real Estate Market, and the economy please join us at Keller Williams Santa Cruz Market Center on Dec. 14th at 11 a.m. to listen to Carol Ridoni a consultant owner of Bamboo Consultants, and well know Real Estate Guru!

or information on Santa Cruz Real Estate, Buying Homes, or Selling Homes please contact(831-247-9977) me. I would be happy to include you in my E Newsletter mailing.

For a FREE no obligation Market Analysis email me at Contact Me

Thanks Giving

2010-11-24T10:22:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and I think it is important to say Thank You for all we have.

I wonder if my parents felt the same level of the "unknown" that I do. I am sure on some level they must have. I am sure they wondered about their health and that of their families. Worried about jobs, money and bills. Wondered at times, about the stability of their marriage, and the marriages of their friends and families.
I never, ever saw them worry or wonder over these things, they seemed all knowing, all powerful and in control in my eyes.

So in being thankful today, first it is to my parents who raised me with a feeling of security and strength, who provided me with more that I needed, and everything I ever wanted. For always loving me, even though during those rough times, it did not feel like it. I miss my father everyday, but I am thankful that my Mom is doing and being who is she with all my heart.

To my best friend who has always been there no matter what. I if I live to be 100, she must live to be 100+, since I can not imagine my life without her.

To my numerous friends, though we may not see or talk with each other often enough. I know we all take time out of our lives and think of each other kindly and with great warmth.

And finally to my husband, who puts up with my craziness, my love of soap operas, my disorganization at home, my lack of concern for certain things, my trying but not always doing, my loving Sophia-which goes beyond the scope a healthy person should have for a dog. My huge desire for warm weather vacations where I really just want to sit on a beach. Along with everything else I do that drives hims nuts. He is often tolerant, sometimes not. Sometimes he says things he probably wishes he hadn't but life is not easy and sometimes I make things harder than they need to be, I think we all do.

Today I say thank you to everyone who has had a hand in where I am today, but mostly to where I am headed in the tomorrows to come.

Foggy Title

2010-11-20T17:58:00.000-08:00

When was the last time you read a Title Report? If you own a home it was most likely during the purchase. If you do not own a home, my guess is you have never even seen a Title Report.

As part of the purchase process, your Title and Escrow Company will order a title report to ensure that there are no "clouds" on the title. "Clouds" can mean that others besides the sellers, mortgage holders and "known" entities have a claim to the property in some way, shape or form. These unknown parties could stop the purchase process if their claim is not cleared prior to the sale or they could appear after the fact "claiming" rights to the property.

One of the roles of a title company is to insure that all lien have been cleared at the time of purchase.

If you are unsure of any items on a title report, the title officer, county recorders office and your Realtor can help answer any questions and provide guidance to help clear the title on the property.

For information on Santa Cruz Real Estate, Buying Homes, or Selling Homes please contact(831-247-9977) me. I would be happy to include you in my E Newsletter mailing.

For a FREE no obligation Market Analysis email me at Contact Me

CRASH..

2010-10-23T11:23:00.000-07:00

I was minding my own business driving south on Highway 1 on my way home to Aptos yesterday, after a day of being a hard working real estate agent in Santa Cruz. Suddenly there was a loud, thumping crash. Unfortunately, it turned out be a Toyota Hylander that had run smack dab into the rear of my lovely very British coupe.

The good news no one was hurt not me, not the driver of the other car and no one else decided to smash into either of us.

The bad news Miss Kitty, my very sleek Titanium colored, earlier mentioned coupe, did not fair so well. Her boot (British for a trunk) would not open after being buckled, the rear light covers are crushed,the rear bumper is likened to a ride at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, and all the lovely chrome, and any solid body panel no longer looks as though they belong.

Having an auto accident is no fun for anyone, but it is especially problematic when you freak out. I had an undetectable melt down. The result of which is I forgot everything you are suppose to do when you are in an accident.

I failed to get proof of insurance, or the registration. I did manage to get the drivers license information, name and phone numbers. There should be a white board attached to all car sun visors that has a list and a place to write everything down, since all my paper, pen etc. was in my now locked, forever trunk.

Lucky for me, the other drive has contacted my insurance and provided the necessary information. I filed a report with the Highway Patrol very early this morning. So I imagine she will be very alarmed when the nice man with a big gun shows up at her door today to get the missing items from her.

Now the fun starts, I have to wait for her insurance to contact me about repairs, rental car etc. I thought about asking her if she knew anyone interested in buying or selling their homes, but the timing just seemed wrong.

Life in Santa Cruz is pretty darn good, lets just hope this all gets taken care of quickly, so I can go back to enjoying it!

Tip for the Times

2010-09-20T14:18:00.000-07:00

Has the value of your Santa Cruz home decreased since you purchased it? Do you want to keep your home in Santa Cruz and ride out the current wave? How about paying less each your in property taxes?

Consider having your Santa Cruz property taxes reassessed. It is a simple and painless way to save a few dollars annually. You actually do not need to hire an outside source to have this done it as a service provided by the Santa Cruz County Tax Assessors Office. There may be a nominal filing fee or an administration fee.

In Santa Cruz you can visit Santa Cruz County Assessors Site look for the assessors appeals form, or decline in value reassessment form. When you are completing the form you will need to explain the estimate of value, this is something I am happy to provide for you by way of a free Santa Cruz Home Market Analysis. From that point a current value can be determined and presented to the assessors office.

It is also a good idea to include a cover letter, in this you will want to explain how the value was determined and any additional information you have regarding recent sales in your neighborhood, special conditions etc.

If you purchased your home at the height of the Real Estate Market the savings on your property taxes can be significant.

For information on Santa Cruz Real Estate, Buying Homes, or Selling Homes please contact(831-247-9977) me. I would be happy to include you in my E Newsletter mailing.

For a FREEE no obligation Market Analysis email me at Contact Me

Unsend an email...Maybe

2010-09-03T14:43:00.000-07:00

Have you ever hit the send button on an email..and wished you had not?

I know I have,and I know another Realtor in Santa Cruz-who should probably never send an email written in the heat of the moment. Although it is often great entertainment to read emails that should never have seen the light of day, as a form of professional communication it is important to "do no harm".

As a Santa Cruz Realtor, email has become a primary form of communication with our Home Buyers, Home Sellers, along with Lenders, Inspectors, and one another. But there are always times that it might have been best to unsend an email.

Having second thoughts, best hope your are using an email provider that allows you to unsend.

Gmail launched an unsend function last spring.You have a 30 second window to locate the unsend feature in Google Labs. Open your Gmail page,find the green lab beaker icon i the upper right hand corner, and click to access Labs. Scroll until you locate the Undo Send and click the radio button to enable it and save your change.

Now ever time you send an email along with the line that reads your message has been sent, you will have an Undo button. Click it within the 30 seconds and Ta DA, your email with stay safe within your control.

In Outlook you will need to access the Tools menu and select the Rules and Alerts. Click on New Rule and choose the check messages after sending located in the "Start from a blank rule" section. Click "next" twice or until you reach the Select Actions page. Check the box "defer delivery" by a select number of minutes, this will activate the edit box where you will select the amount of time you desire your message deferred before delivery. You may select between one minute up to 120 minutes.

Windows live and Hotmail, are free mail services that also include msn.com, live.com Your only choice using this providers is to save your emails as drafts, then send them at a later time manually.

AOL, offered a limited deferred delivery option until earlier this year, but that service is no longer available.

If you are a Yahoo user, there is no chance of stopping anything once you have hit the send button. It is much like building projects, measure it twice, cut it once rule.

For information on Santa Cruz Real Estate, Buying Homes, or Selling Homes please contact(831-247-9977) me. I would be happy to include you in my E Newsletter mailing.

For a FREEE no obligation Market Analysis email me at Contact Me

Smart Money

2010-08-24T13:46:00.000-07:00

This blog will re-cap a recent article on handling your money in a manner that is smart, as opposed to handling it like a "drunk debutante".

Ten Sure Fire Smart Starts:

1-Max out the 401(k)
This saves on your overall taxable income, and many companies will match to a cap what you contribute.
2-Loose the Vacation House
Unless that vacation home was dirt cheap, or you go there every weekend year round the costs do not stack up.
3-Put $5,000.00 into your individual retirement plan or Roth IRA
It is suggested that if you are over 50, stick in $6,000.00 annually. Again it is tax sheltered money and it grows. This year starts the new program allowing anyone to contribute to a Roth via the traditional IRA then converting it into a Roth. Check you your tax accountant or CPA for the taxable consequences.
4-Pay off the credit card debt
If you still carry a balance each month this is a huge win. The interest on the balances is most likely way above 15%.
5-Fire your Banker
Yipee, this should be a fun one. Check out the local credit unions, or community banks. They usually charge far less than the big guys and do a better job to boot.
6-Get your tax refund early
How? By not over paying in the first place. I know folks who get really excited that they are getting back thousands every year on their taxes. All that means is that dear ol' Uncle Sam had your money all year long, and you did not. You can then use the additional money you bring home each week to pay off your credit card debt.
7-Inflation protected bond
Treasury inflation-protected securities (TIPS) are issued by the U.S. Goverment and are guaranteed against default. They are protected against inflation because the coupons and principal will adjust to reflect it. Be sure to hold them in a tax sheltered account.
8-Buy a bread machine
You can make your own bread and save $7.00 a week or $350.00 a year. Bread makers are easy to use cost about $50.00 so the return on your investment, about 600% in the first year.
9-Shop the competition
Call the competitors for your house, auto, life insurance and get new quotes. You will be amazed and the different rates and coverage available. Check into raising your deductibles too, that can save you hundreds if you just double your deductible.
10-Bank Freebies
Skip Starbucks and stop by your branch for your coffee, sign up for a free credit card in exchange for the airline voucher- then cancel the card.

As always Contact Me for more additional tips, and a free Santa Cruz Real Estate Update.

Social Networking

2010-08-11T11:11:00.000-07:00

I have been making an effort to spend at least a few hours every week on social networking site. It has been great fun re-connecting with friends from my past on Facebook, checking in with past business associates on LinkedIn, then there is also ActiveRain, Blogger.com, Blogster, Plaxo, Twitter, Yelp and many other sites. Along with updating my website , actually my husband does that.

Does that sound overwhelming to you? It is very overwhelming to me, but it is an important piece of my Santa Cruz Real Estate Business. Recently,I had the opportunity to represent an old school mate in the purchase of a home in Santa Cruz allowing them to move back to Santa Cruz County, and he located me via Facebook.

Managing all the sites, photos, links etc. is more than I can deal with at times. Recently in the Santa Cruz County Sentinel there was an article about a new start up called MyWeboo that appears to be the answer to my problems, not all of my problems, just my social networking problems.

The upshot is that MyWeboo acts as a location where it creates "bins" to organize your family pictures, school reunion files, work documents, food recipes, Facebook pictures, YouTube videos, and the rest of your digital world from one single location. Allowing you to access your contents located on different storage services and social networks on the cloud, anywhere, and anytime.

Sounds like the space of my dreams, now I just need to figure out how to manage it and I should be good to go...

For information on Santa Cruz Real Estate, Buying Homes, or Selling Homes please contact(831-247-9977) me. I would be happy to include you in my E Newsletter mailing.

For a FREEE no obligation Market Analysis email me at Contact Me

Beware For Sale By Owner

2010-07-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

Let's pretend that you are thinking of buying a house. You have been looking quite a while and have decided to target a specific area of Santa Cruz County. Somewhere close to the beach, naturally- but not too close since you can not afford "walk to the beach" prices.

There before you sits the perfect little cottage, with a white picket fence, a lush green lawn and a hand made FOR SALE BY OWNER SIGN. You call the number and get a chance to meet the wonderful couple who are moving to be closer to their grandchildren, and also refuse to hire a professional to sell their home.

Why have they decided not to hire a REALTOR, you might ask. For one thing, no one knows this house, neighborhood, etc., better than they do. They have lived here for 30 years, they raised all 4 of their children in this house, and heck, Bob the owner even built the back yard BBQ himself, back when Bob Jr. was in junior high.

The real reason is probably because they do not want to pay a REALTOR commissions. That is fair enough, but as a home buyer are your protected from Mr. and Mrs. FSBO (For Sale By Owner) if you buy this little charmer from them directly? Probably not.

The other important question is are Mr. and Mrs. FSBO protected from you, the home buyer looking for a killer deal, and willing to forgo all the "details" of selling or buying a home to save a few bucks?

As a Licensed Realtor in the state of California we are held to a standard and required to following a specific set of standards and rules when representing a home buyer or home seller, interestingly enough your FSBO is required to provide the buyers with the exact set of Seller Disclosures that we use. But, do you or Mr. and Mrs. FBSO know what those are? Do they know how to fill them out correctly? What to look out for? Probably not.

Another important concern should be liability. All Realtors' carry insurance called Errors and Omissions Insurance. It is very expensive and allows both home buyers and sellers the knowledge that if there is a problem down the line with the transaction there is recourse they can take.

If in your travels you decide to be either a Santa Cruz Home Seller who decides to sell your home yourself, or you decided as a buyer to consider purchasing a For Sale By Owner Home in Santa Cruz, please Contact Me. I have a list of important information I would be happy to provide to you.

OPPS, don't forget those HOA fees

2010-07-23T15:24:00.000-07:00

Many foreclosed homes or condo's are managed by homeowners associations (HOAs) and are months’ or years’ worth delinquent on their HOA dues at the time of foreclosures.

Given that foreclosure takes six months or longer in most areas, the vast majority of home owners facing foreclosure are very aware that it’s coming. The vast majority of these people stop paying their property taxes and HOA dues when they realize that they’re going to lose their homes.

The type and extent of HOA collection efforts, which are legal, depends on the terms of any agreements that were signed when the property was purchased, the laws in the area.

Virtually everywhere, HOAs are authorized under state law and the terms of the complex or subdivision’s covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs) to place a lien on the property once your dues fall delinquent by a certain amount (usually a certain time period, like 90 days behind).

However, this lien is placed against the home itself, not your personal property, salary or bank account. I have experienced delinquent HOA fees being paid by the lien holder in a short sale, but just as often I have seen a short sale stop dead in it's tracks due to delinquent HOA's because the lien holders refused to pay them, and the home seller does not have the money to do so.

The HOA may require the lien to be removed before the title to the property can be transferred to a new home buyer, which would mean either the bank or the next buyer would have to pay the lien off to close the deal (many banks do in fact pay these types of liens off when they resell a property after foreclosure).

However, you should be aware that it’s totally in the bank’s own discretion whether or when it tries to sell your former home. In some instances, the bank does not even attempt to resell the property for months or even years following a foreclosure.

And it may do nothing to pay off the delinquent dues until it absolutely has to — which is when escrow closes on its resale of the home.

Under the terms of many HOA agreements and CC&Rs, the HOA may pursue a variety of traditional collection efforts — including collection agencies or taking you to court — until the back dues are paid. The HOA doesn’t care who pays them — you, the bank or even the eventual buyer — but it does have the right to take legal means to collect the money until someone pays.

The next step would be be to closely read the lien you received — it is probably a lien against the home, not a levy against your personal property or bank accounts. Paying the lien off against the home, to clear the property is no longer your responsibility — the bank will deal with that.

However, do be aware that the HOA can and may pursue you for the delinquency personally, if it chooses to do so before someone else pays it.

Remember you need a professional to help you through the process of selling your home, or purchasing your new home once it has become an REO or Foreclosure property.
Contact Me for up to the minute information on Santa Cruz Foreclosures that are for sale.

So Your Short Sale offer was REJECTED?

2010-07-19T12:40:00.000-07:00

Lets pretend you have made an offer over list price on a Santa Cruz County Short Sale property. You are pretty excited, since you "know" that going over the list price will assure your offer gets accepted by the lien holders..Don't be so sure, there does not appear to be a reason why some offers are rejected and some are accepted. As a Santa Cruz Home Buyer, you are about to be disappointed.

Here are a few reason your offer may have been rejected:

Another home buyer might have simply gotten into contract first. Once a home seller is in contract with a buyer, they can’t simply cancel the contract with that buyer because they get a higher offer. Some banks require that all offers are submitted by the listing agent so they can select the highest and best offer, no matter when it comes in. Others want only the actual "contract" the seller has signed.

With Short Sales, there is the additional issue, that once the bank is considering one contract, many experienced short-sale listing agents will not submit any additional offers to the bank unless and until they receive an acceptance from the bank — regardless of whether the bank has requested to see additional offers or not. Some agents believe that more than one offer confuses the process of acceptance, and sometime I think it does. There is a great deal riding on the experience of the Asset Manager of the banks concerning how the files and offers are handled.

Many fear that submitting a new offer essentially presses the restart button on an already interminable short-sale application process. And this is especially so in situations where the new, incoming offers are higher than the one being considered — here’s why.

Short sales take a long, long time. And they are very unpredictable — most of the time, there’s no telling how long it will take before the bank will issue an acceptance, or whether the bank will ever accept the short-sale application at all!

For this reason, buyer’s brokers and listing agents alike understand the reality that most buyers who make offers on short sales continue to look around for other properties, even if their offer was the one accepted by the seller. As a result, oftentimes short-sale buyers make an offer but fail to hang in the transaction for the duration. If you are considering submitting an offer on a short sale, take it one step further and be willing to submit your initial deposit (it can be a small amount) to the Title Company upon acceptance of your offer, this demonstrates to the lien holder that you are willing to hang in through the process, and wait for your approval to purchase.

So, here’s what happens in a short-sale listing agent’s head. They get an offer for $560,000 that is submitted to the bank for consideration. Then, they receive an offer from you, for $5,000 more. Some listing agents — as backwards as it sounds — would prefer to get the bank to approve the lower sale price, because the approval of your higher offer price ties their hands from ever accepting other offers at a lower sale price than yours in the (quite likely) event that you walk away before the deal can be done.

If you walk away, and the bank has already seen or approved your high price, the listing agent may never again be able to find another buyer to pay that much. And the bank may never accept less than your offer price, once they’ve seen and/or approved it.

Other things could also be at play here that would make your offer less desirable than the prevailing offer. You offered $5,000 more, and were offering cash, but the other offer might also have been all cash — especially at that price point and in that area. Did your offer include a proof of funds — a bank or other account statement documenting that you actually have the cash in hand to do the deal? If it didn’t, and the other offer did, that could cause a seller to select the other offer over yours.

Did your offer contain any contingencies, like appraisal or inspection? If it did, and the other offer didn’t, that could also push the other offer into priority over yours.

Did the listing broker or agent also represent the other buyer? Often, the total sales commissions paid out on the seller’s side go down — and the total commission earned by the listing broker goes up — when the listing agent represents both buyer and seller.

This arrangement — where a seller agrees to pay a 5 percent commission split 50/50 between two agents or 4 percent commission if the listing agent also represents the buyer (the specific numbers are hypothetical) — is called a dual/variable commission structure, and can also result in preferential treatment to a lower offer because the costs are lower to the seller on the transaction that included dual representation.

There’s no way to know for certain — other than asking the listing agent, who may or may not elaborate — exactly why the lower offer was preferred over your higher, cash offer. But I would encourage you not to shoot the messenger!

I don’t know if you’ve heard or read, but short sales are notoriously difficult to buy.Google it, and don’t fire your agent over something that’s totally out of their control. Unless, that is, you have an ongoing trust crisis — even if it’s unwarranted, that’s a good enough reason to get referrals and do whatever it takes to find an agent you do trust.

The homebuying process is difficult enough — for both you and your agent — without you constantly questioning whether your agent’s on the up and up and threatening to ditch her when things don’t go your way.

If you’re trying to buy a short sale or REO, the one thing I can guarantee you is that something — or many things — will not go your way.

If you are considering selling your home or buying a home that is going to be a Santa Cruz Short Sale Listing be sure to Contact Me, so I can help you navigate your way through the maze.

Rough Week

2010-07-08T14:20:00.000-07:00

This has been an very difficult and rough week so far, which seems odd since it started with a holiday..

I am not going to explain what has made this week so wacky, as most of it really makes no sense in regards to the "mood" I am in.

But there is one bright spot, my husband sent me this super fun cool link, and when I played with it just now, my partner told me I looked to be having fun- so I am sharing- in case anyone is in a funk.

Make Music

Contact Me with your fun web sites.

Rental or Short Sale??

2010-07-06T14:44:00.000-07:00

Recently I received this question via email, I thought it the perfect Blogger topic:

Q: My wife and I want to sell the four-bedroom home she owns in Santa Cruz County, near Pleasure Point. She refinanced it in 2006 for $910,000, but it's only worth $480,000 now. We want to sell it to get rid of the financial burden, so my wife can quit her job and we can start a family. But we can't do it without a short sale. We have a good tenant renting the place right now who may want to purchase it. What should we do?

A: A short sale is the quickest way out of your dilemma, but it will wreck your wife's credit for years to come. Given that she will be out of the work force, limiting her ability to rebuild her credit, I'd consider this only as a last resort.

In the meantime, look into these other options:

* Consider a loan modification. Because this home is now an investment property, and not your primary home, it won't qualify for any refinancing programs sponsored by the federal government. Still, your lender might be willing to restructure your loan. An attorney can advise you on the best way to broach the issue. The attorney can review your loan's documentation to see if it fully complies with the Real Estate Settlement and Procedures Act–a federal law designed to prevent kickbacks and promote ethical lending practices. If the loan isn't in compliance, your attorney will be able to argue that the loan is void, and will be in a good position to negotiate a reduction of your principal and/or interest (you may also be due a refund of your original closing costs).

* Wait for the real estate market to recover. According to Zillow.com, home prices in Santa Cruz County have indeed taken a hit since their mid-2000 highs, and dropped almost 8% in January 2010 from a year earlier. At some point, perhaps soon, prices will recover. In fact, the most recent statistics are encouraging, research shows prices for Santa Cruz homes that are not in foreclosure actually rose 6.1% in March 2010 from the month before.Recently I had a listing receive a full price offer after only a few short weeks on the market, needless to say- the home sellers are packing.

* Talk to your tenant. Usually, I'm a big fan of rent-to-own deals, but since your property is only worth 52% of what you owe, I doubt you could negotiate a sales price and terms that would recoup all or most of your debt. But you never know. If your tenant has blemished credit, loves your house and wants to rent for four or five years before buying (when prices are sure to be higher), you might be able to come to an understanding. Such a deal would ensure that your property is kept in good condition, Make sure that if this is the route you choose,that a licensed Real Estate Agent is involved to avoid any mis-communication, while insuring that all contract documentation is correct and LEGAL.

If you have any questions that I can answer for you, please Contact Me.

Had to Share this One

2010-06-07T14:48:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows that I have been working with Home Buyers and Home Sellers in Santa Cruz County on Short Sales for the last 4 years.

Am I an expert? No.

Do I know more that some others who claim to be experts? YES.

Do I know something about making Short Sales work and close that others do not? No.

Have I closed over 95% of every Short Sale I have been involved with? YES.

Do we learn something new about new about Short Sales every single day? YES.

I had to share this article, as it covers, and answers many of the questions that arise during a Short Sale Transaction.

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) Question: A bank in Ft. Lauderdale has the final say on the sale of a house my daughter wants to purchase. The Realtor sold my daughter on making an offer on this townhouse, which is owned by someone who owes more than the place is worth. The day on which she was promised an answer has come and gone, but she has heard nothing from the bank. When she questioned it, she was told she is at the bank's mercy and she would receive an answer whenever the bank got around to it. The sale is scheduled to close soon, but still no word.
On several occasions, the listing agent has advised my daughter's agent that my daughter should hear something on such and such date, but that date rolls around with nothing. Not even a call from the Realtor. She is told that is the way it is and to get used to it. I have told my kid to move on and quit messing around with these jerks. They have zero empathy and show zero care. They have not changed spots even though we taxpayers bailed them out.
My daughter wants the townhouse, qualifies for the loan and has the 20% down the cash she needs to close. She has a high credit score with never a glitch or financial misstep in her 37 years. She has a good and secure middle-level management job. No financial reason exists for her not to be accepted. Does she have any rights? I find this beyond unbelievable both from a business and moral standpoint.

Answer: Unfortunately, your daughter has no rights, at least not in this case. Whether or not the bank accepts the short-sale price is between the bank and the owner.
I can't tell you exactly why the bank is dragging its feet, but I do know that lenders want to make absolutely certain that their borrowers aren't trying to get out of mortgages they still can afford. Many people are hiding assets and otherwise lying to their lenders to get out from under loans on which they can still make the payments but choose not to.
Lenders also want to be sure the house in question is not worth more on the open market than what your daughter is offering. In the long run, it may be less expensive for the lender to foreclose, take back the property and sell it than it is to allow the proposed short sale to go through. And unfortunately, it is still all about making money for some lenders.
Only after the lender is satisfied with the answers to these two questions will it turn its attention to your daughter and whether or not she is a qualified borrower. Meanwhile, she can call off the deal anytime she likes and find another place. It may not be the house she wanted initially, but these things have a way of working out for the best. Nine times out of ten, the houses people eventually buy turn out to the best choices after all.

Are you interested in purchasing a Short Sale property, or are you considering the possibility of Short Selling your Home. Please Contact Me for up to the minute information that could make all the difference in your success.

Time to BUY

2010-06-01T11:01:00.000-07:00

For many home buyers, the term foreclosure brings up images of run-down homes with no heat and rotting wood. While this is still the case for some homes, it’s no longer the standard. In fact, first time buyers are snatching up distressed deals in decent condition for great prices.

According to a November 2009 Keller Williams Research Buying Distressed Properties Survey, 40 percent of all buyers for bank-owned foreclosures (REOs) were first-time home buyers in 2009. 50 percent of all short sale buyers were first-time buyers.

By definition, a distressed property is one that was purchased with a loan and the homeowner is no longer able to make their mortgage payment resulting in foreclosure – or if they’re lucky a short sale – meaning they owe more on the home than it’s currently worth. With a 20 percent increase in foreclosures from 2009, distressed properties still remain a large portion of home sales and are going to continue well into 2010 as homeowners continue to feel the effects of an economy on the mend.

If you’re in the market for a home and are prepared for a unique transaction, a distressed property can be a great option. Here’s why:

Prices are low – Buying a foreclosed property is an excellent way to get a home in Santa Cruz County for less. Research shows you can save 10-40 percent over the price of similar properties in a traditional sale.

Mortgage costs are low – With rates hovering near historic lows, financing costs to are favorable. Keep in mind, rates are always changing. It’s important to begin the pre-approval process so that you know how much you can realistically afford.

You have options – The number of homes in some stage of the foreclosure process still remains high. RealtyTrac, a site dedicated to tracking foreclosures across the country, estimates that there are approximately 2.1 million homes in some stage of foreclosure in the United States.

Sellers and lenders are motivated – According to data from RealtyTrac, in April, one in every 387 households in the country has received a foreclosure filing. The bottom line is that many home sellers are still feeling the pain of a down economy and are anxious to out get from under a home that is putting stress on their current financial frustrations. While it is still an emotional transaction, these sellers are willing to come down on price or even consider concessions such as helping out on closing costs. Banks holding on to large portfolios of Real Estate Owned (REO) properties want to unload quickly – and price these home to sell.

Your best ally when purchasing a distressed property is an expert.I have been involved in the sale and purchase of REO, Short Sales and Foreclosed properties in Santa Cruz County for over 4 years, representing both home buyers and home sellers. Always have a professional REALTOR® by your side to help you make informative decisions. If you’re interested in learning more about purchasing a distressed property please Contact Me and I will be happy to provide you with information.

The Truth, Nothing but the Truth

2010-05-21T15:08:00.000-07:00

It is important when selling your home to speak nothing but the truth, and to disclose every possible issue up front to your agent, the buyers and buyers agent, but that does not always happen.

Home Sellers disclosures vary from state to state, but generally require documentation of material problems with the home, such as leaks in the roof, past or present flooding issues, pest problems, presence of lead paint, mold problems, structural issues, electrical problems and water or sewer issues. A licensed Realtor will provide the documents for a home seller to complete, and trust me there are a multitude of documents. As a Santa Cruz Real Estate Agent, I have opted to hire a Licensed Real Estate Transaction Coordinator to work with my Home Sellers, she makes sure that all the documents needed in a Home Sale are in order and correct.

But as a Home Buyer, don't take sellers at their word. Because if they're holding something back, it could cost you. Sure, if sellers do fib, and it can be proven that they knowingly weren't upfront about something, a wronged buyer could sue for damages. As important as it for a seller to speak the truth, it is just as important for a buyer to investigate every aspect of the property before buying the home. I provide all my Home Buyers and Sellers a Golden Circle List of Recommended Vendors that are professional licensed inspectors, contractors and property investigators.

I have heard of situations where the buyer was told the sewer was in and hooked up, only to find out later that the home was still being serviced by an "illegal" septic tank. This omission resulted in the buyer having to pay to hook up the sewer, and then trying to get the seller to reimburse them, all after the sale had closed.

Remember, that when you're buying an existing home it's important to have realistic expectations. Know what you're getting into, but understand that sellers might not know about a particular problem in the home. And there's nothing to say that things won't pop up right after you close.

If you have unreasonable expectations, you will always find something to be disappointed with. There's always going to be a surprise with a used home. I always insure that a Home Warranty Plan is included in the sale or purchase of any home sale I am involved with.

If you have more questions about Seller Disclosures, or need the recommendation of an inspector or contractor, feel free to contact me at 831-247-9977

Lock Your Rates NOW

2010-05-07T13:39:00.000-07:00

I am sure you have all heard about the recent dip in mortgage loan rates. This morning I made it a point to call all the Santa Cruz Home Buyers I have been helping, in order to encourage them to LOCK THEIR RATES.

It is a very simple process for a Home Buyer to call their lender and ask to have the rate on the mortgage loan locked in. Even if they are just thinking about writing an offer on that super cute condo, now is the time as we are in the midst of the lowest rates we have seen in the last 3 months.

Today, my Santa Cruz Mortgage Lender of choice, has told me that a 15 year Purchase money home loan that is with no bells or buy downs is at 4.375% and your common good old 30 year fixed is at 4.99%. The rates will make a significant change in the overall cost to a Santa Cruz home buyer.

If you are considering the buying a house in Santa Cruz, now is a great time since there a great deal of homes for sale, mortgage rates are low, and the weather in Santa Cruz is great for going to open houses.

You can catch me tomorrow at 2241 Paul Minnie, a wonderful turn key home looking for new owners!

Short Sales-vs-Bank Foreclosure

2010-04-29T16:04:00.000-07:00

As a Santa Cruz Real Estate Agent, I have had the opportunity to represent home buyers and home sellers in both Short Sales and Foreclosures (REO's). There always seems to be the question which is better for the home owner of the distressed property, and which is better the home buyer of that property.

There are upsides for a home buyer in both situations, however in my mind, at this point in time it is ALWAYS easier, faster and more cut and dry for a home buyer to purchase a bank foreclosure than a short sale. Generally you know exactly what you are buying, when the escrow is going to close and who will pay for what right out of the gate with a foreclosure. In a short sale, nothing is set in stone until the offer is accepted by the lien holder, and that often can take up to 4 months of waiting. Once the lien holder agrees to a short sale it is very possible that the terms and conditions of the offer could change based on what the lien holder is willing to accept and approve.

From the home sellers point of view, always pick a short sale (after talking with a CPA). The sellers credit recovery is much quicker than with a foreclosure. The seller is able to stay in the property during the process, which allows them a sense of control. Foreclosures work for some. Home sellers often like the feeling of walking away and letting the lien holder "deal with it". A short sale is also better for the community as a whole, home sale prices are often higher in a short sale, helping to retain property values, homes are often in better condition, and continue to be maintained during the transaction.

The bottom line is neither is an ideal situation for home buyers or home sellers, but real estate professionals are better trained and educated to deal with both transactions. Please feel free to contact me if you are in the need of a astute CPA, interested in IRS information on Foreclosures or Short Sales, or just need more detailed information.

Save some Dough

2010-04-21T12:56:00.000-07:00

This weekend the San Jose Mercury News ran a great article in the Business section regarding cutting the cost of cell phone bills. I am pretty sure that across the board we would all like to cut back on those cell charges. With all the bells and whistles on smart phones today it is hard to resist the allure of having all the applications and programs available in one place on your hip pocket.
For my money, I can not imagine not having my email in my hand 24/7, and then being able to use the Internet to do on the spot Santa Cruz Property MLS searches while showing houses for sale. This system makes my business much smoother, additionally much of my client communication when they are buying or selling their homes is now done via texting.

The article provides useful web sites that provide cell bill analysis, although it warns that you will have to provide your cell number, and wireless account number.

1-BillShrink a free service that is easy to use will compare your cell bill plan against those offered by the big four carriers.
2-Validas For a small fee ($5.00 in most cases) will get you a detailed comparison of your charges ranked against six other wireless companies. This site was launched by two former Verizon Executives, nice to know where all the money I have paid them over the years went. In the example they recommend a plan that would save $480.00 annually.

There is also the do it yourself comparison shopping. I have found that calling my always friendly Verizon customer service representative, and going through my bill with them every 3 months or so usually results in a small savings or a switch to a plan that is more compatible to my usage.

Buyer Be AWARE

2010-04-16T12:53:00.000-07:00

Recently there has been much made of the new home buyer tax credit. In order to qualify for this $8,000.00 tax credit you must be a first time home buyer (meaning you have not owned a home in the last 3 years), and must meet specific guidelines concerning the timing of the offer and close of escrow. (IRS Tax Credit Info) The program was so popular and jump started our sagging housing market, that it has been extended and expanded.

Sound too good to be true?

Maybe...

Several that claimed this tax credit on their income tax are being audited. The National Association of Realtors estimates that 2 million first time buyers have qualified for the credit,along with 1.5 million repeat buyers.

Close to 650,000 correspondence exams from the IRS have arrived in our mail boxes. A correspondence exam is a request for additional information,and is the first step in an audit.Of those receiving this request 140,000 had filed for the home buyer credit.

Through the end of February more than 1.8 million taxpayers applied for the home buyer credit. Of those who have applied for the credit as many as 260,000 or 14% are now facing an IRS audit.

Too good to be true..naw, this tax credit has help numerous folks buy new homes, just be for warned, be prepared, dot those "i's" cross those "t's" and enjoy your new homes!