Santa Cruz County Home & Community Information

Your Santa Cruz Realtor - Jessica Wallace (831) 419-9345

I'm Jessica Wallace - Your Santa Cruz Realtor - You can reach me anytime at (831) 419-9345 or via email at cjess4homes@yahoo.com

I look foward to hearing from you!

If you are Buying, Selling or Relocating to the Santa Cruz County area and need help from a professional REALTOR®, I would be happy to help you! Feel free to visit my website for Santa Cruz County property seaches and other information. Read my Client Reviews for more information about how I will work for you.

DRE 01455690 - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate

Ben Lomond Home Values - 95005

Jessica Wallace Santa Cruz Realtor (831) 419-9345 (Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz) — Wed, 02 May 2012 15:31:29 -0700

BEN LOMOND HOME VALUES - MARKET REPORT 2012

Ben Lomond, CA (95005) is a small town located in San Lorenzo Valley along Highway 9 - which is part of Santa Cruz County. Ben Lomond is home to some beautiful properties. I recently sold on 3 acre parcel that was like an oasis, with heritage oak trees, colorful wisteria, serene pool and lots of sun. You can get a lot more land and home for your money in Ben Lomond when you compare to other parts of Santa Cruz like Soquel and Aptos.

Ben Lomond home values have declined over the past few years, like all areas. It looks like the decline has slowed and we may be seeing and uptick in Ben Lomond home values now. It is not uncommon for there to be multiple offers on homes in Ben Lomond, sometimes as much as 12 offers!

GRAPH OF BEN LOMOND HOME VALUES - MEDIAN HOME PRICE 2009-2012

So far in 2012, the median home price in Ben Lomond has been about $350,000. The average days on market so far in 2012 is 47, which is a pretty quick turnaround to sell a home. Currently, there are 16 active listings in Ben Lomond, and only 2 of them are short sales and only 2 that area Ben Lomond foreclosure or REO. This is a good sign for Ben Lomond home values that there are less distressed sales than there have been in the past few years.

Home values in Ben Lomond are looking like they are stabalizing or going up. It is a highly desirable area with beautiful properties and really great values.

If you own a home in Ben Lomond and would like to know its value, contact me at 831.419.9345 or fill out this Free Home Valuation form.

Looking to buy a home in Ben Lomond? Contact me for the latest listings or see them here: BEN LOMOND HOMES FOR SALE

Ben Lomond home values may be on the rise!

Your Santa Cruz Realtor - Jessica Wallace (831) 419-9345

I'm Jessica Wallace - Your Santa Cruz Realtor - You can reach me anytime at (831) 419-9345 or via email at cjess4homes@yahoo.com

I look foward to hearing from you!

DRE 01455690 - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate

Capitola Home Values - Market Report

Jessica Wallace Santa Cruz Realtor (831) 419-9345 (Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:08:00 -0700

CAPITOLA HOME VALUES - MARKET REPORT

What is going on with Capitola home values this year? Across Santa Cruz county the real estate market is changing. Multiple offers are common on all well-priced homes, even fixers. Buyers are out in force because they want to take advantage of historic low interest rates and the dip in real estate prices.

Capitola home values are starting to trend upwards. The Capitola median home sale price since the beginning of 2012 has gone up each month. In March, the Capitola median home sale price was $677,500, with an average price per square foot of $460.

The number of Capitola homes for sale was way up in March when there were 10 homes that closed escrow. That is a huge number for Capitola, as it is such a small community.

Graph of # of Homes sold in Capitola 2009-2012

More Capitola homes are selling, and more quickly. The average days on market was 45 in March 2012. That is a pretty quick turn time and indicates that we are entering a better market for sellers. Another indication that we are in a better market for sellers is that inventory (number of homes for sale) is also down. We have 25% less Capitola homes for sale on the market now then we did last time this year.

Graph of Number of Homes for Sale in Capitola - 2009-2012

You can see from the graph about the seasonality of the number of Capitola homes for sale. You can also see that this year, 2012, there are less home on the market than previous years.

Things are looking up for Capitola home values and sellers. If you would like an detailed estimate of your home's value, visit here: Free Home Valuation or call me at (831) 419-9345.

Your Santa Cruz Realtor - Jessica Wallace (831) 419-9345

I'm Jessica Wallace - Your Santa Cruz Realtor - You can reach me anytime at (831) 419-9345 or via email at cjess4homes@yahoo.com

I look foward to hearing from you!

DRE 01455690 - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate

Westside Santa Cruz Home Sales Report - Where has all the inventory gone?

Jessica Wallace Santa Cruz Realtor (831) 419-9345 (Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 14:43:15 -0700

WESTSIDE SANTA CRUZ HOME SALES REPORT - WHERE HAS ALL THE INVENTORY GONE?

If you are looking to buy a home on the Westside of Santa Cruz this year you have probably noticed that there are not many homes on the market right now, and that the well priced homes are receiving multiple offers (sometimes as many as 17) and selling very quickly. So where has all the inventory gone?

Well priced homes for sale on the Westside of Santa Cruz are selling quickly, so we are absorbing the good inventory fast. The overpriced homes are still sitting on the market of course and we have been seeing them for months or longer. But anything aggressively priced is going fast, you really have to be on your toes as a buyer in this market so you don't miss out. As crazy as this may sound after years of going through this Great Recession- we are transitioning to seller's market on the Westside of Santa Cruz. Yes I said it, a Seller's Market.

How do I know this is a seller's market on the Westside of Santa Cruz? The months supply of inventory for March 2012 was 2.1 MONTHS! That is crazy low, that means it would only take 2.1 months to sell all the inventory that is currently on the market. See the graph below, the MSI has not been this low in many years! Historically, if you look at months supply of inventory, if you have under 6 month supply of homes on the market, you are in a Seller's market. If you have over an 8 month supply, you are in a Buyer's market.

So if you are looking to buy a home on the Westside of Santa Cruz - my advice is to be ready! Make sure you have a solid pre-approval and your finances in order. If you see the home of your dreams come on the market, be prepared to make an offer that day. You need to be working with a full-time, pro-active Realtor that is checking the market several times a day for you and calling you when good homes come on the market.

If you are a seller, make sure home is priced right and it will sell quickly and with less hassle for you. If you are thinking about selling your Santa Cruz home, contact a Santa Cruz Realtor that is really in touch with the tempo of the Westside Santa Cruz market and can give you good advice about how to price your home. Visit here for a Free Santa Cruz Home Valuation

For more information about buying or selling homes in Santa Cruz feel free to contact me anytime at (831) 419-9345.

Good luck out there!

Your Santa Cruz Realtor - Jessica Wallace (831) 419-9345

I'm Jessica Wallace - Your Santa Cruz Realtor - You can reach me anytime at (831) 419-9345 or via email at cjess4homes@yahoo.com

I look foward to hearing from you!

DRE 01455690 - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate

Piedmont Court - Santa Cruz 55+ Condos

Jessica Wallace Santa Cruz Realtor (831) 419-9345 (Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 16:44:01 -0700

PIEDMONT COURT - SANTA CRUZ 55+ CONDOS

Piedmont Court is an elegant 55+ Santa Cruz condominium building located on High Street on the Westside of Santa Cruz. Piedmont Court condos were built in 1912 by William Bray. There are about 26 units in Piedmont Court, mostly 1 bedroom condos. Some of the Piedmont Court condos face in the the interior courtyard while other face outwards and have views of Santa Cruz Downtown, city lights and even some ocean peaks.

Piedmont Court is a historic building built in the Mission Revival style design. The interior courtyard with fountain, reminds my of my time in Spain. That type of design with rooms around an interior courtyard is common in Spain and is originally a Moorish design.

The elegant interior of the Piedmont Court 55+ condos is at once grand and inviting. There are high ceilings in the lobby with antique furniture set under large windows. Ornate trim, rich carpets and chandeliers decorate the room. I can imagine that this would be a great place to spend time reading and socialize with neighbors. There is a dining room with a large table for parties and dinners.

The residents of Piedmont Court have set up an extensive recycling system. Downstairs there is a bike garage, crafts room, laundry, storage and car garage. There are many nooks and crannies to explore in Piedmont Court and lots of common space for the residents to use.

Piedmont Court 55+ Santa Cruz condos are in an excellent location. You can walk to Downtown Santa Cruz for shopping and entertainment, ride a bike to the beach and it is close to bus lines.

Piedmont Court 55+ condos do come up for sale sometimes, if you are interested in living in Piedmont Court or other 55+ adult communities in Santa Cruz, contact me for more information at (831) 419-9345

Your Santa Cruz Realtor - Jessica Wallace (831) 419-9345

I'm Jessica Wallace - Your Santa Cruz Realtor - You can reach me anytime at (831) 419-9345 or via email at cjess4homes@yahoo.com

I look foward to hearing from you!

Santa Cruz Home Valuation

DRE 01455690 - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate

SANTA CRUZ HOUSING MARKET HEATING UP - IT MAY BE TIME TO SELL YOUR HOME

Jessica Wallace Santa Cruz Realtor (831) 419-9345 (Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 16:55:56 -0700

SANTA CRUZ HOUSING MARKET HEATING UP - IT MAY BE TIME TO SELL YOUR HOME!

The Santa Cruz County housing market is really heating up and multiple offers are very common on well priced properties. If you have been sitting on the fence about selling your home, it may be time to take a serious look at selling. There are a lot of motivated, well-qualified buyers out there.

Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz - Real Estate Reality Check explains more:

As the Bay Area’s housing market continues to bounce back from the recession, more and more buyers have decided they can’t wait any longer – now is the time to get back into the market to find their next home.

While the real estate market still has its challenges, things are very different today than they were in 2009, 2010 and even early last year. Buyers are generally more optimistic about the future, ready to purchase, much better qualified for a loan and, in many cases, are paying big down payments or even all cash for their next home.

Indeed, the scales of supply and demand are once again moving back in the direction of home sellers after being out of balance for several years. While countless buyers are out there pounding the pavement for a home, the problem now is that there just aren’t enough sellers to meet the demand in many communities.

As the economy continues to improve and with a shortage of attractive properties in good neighborhoods, buyers are once again paying good prices for properties rather than simply looking for distressed homes at bargain basement prices. And in some cases, properties are even getting multiple offers, driving up the sale price above the asking price, as a recent San Jose Mercury News story discussed.

So if you’ve been thinking about selling your home, now may be an ideal time to do so while buyers are eager, interest rates are still low and there isn’t as much competition from other sellers as there usually is this time of year. Here are several suggestions on how to get started and the best way to get top dollar for your home in today’s market.

Pick the best agent for the job. Selling a home is never easy, but in today’s complex real estate market it’s particularly challenging. So it’s more important than ever to find an experienced professional Realtor to help you get the job done. This is no time for amateurs. Start by interviewing several agents to see who has a proven track record of successfully marketing properties in your area. Ask them about their marketing plan, including print media, social media and online marketing via major real estate websites. Find out how well networked they and their brokerage are to other agents with potential buyers. Do they have offices beyond your city limits and even outside the state? Today’s buyers are just as likely to be relocating from across the country as they are from across town.
Go online and be visual. Remember the days of sticking a sign in the front lawn and taking out an ad in the local paper? Those days are long gone. Nearly 90 percent of buyers start their search for a home online, according to the National Association of Realtors. So you must be there in a big way to compete for the attention of buyers. Work with your agent to put up lots of high-resolution photos and as much information as possible. Make sure to show photos of all the major areas of your home and yard to give buyers as much of a sense of being there as possible. If not, buyers may wonder what you’re hiding. And strongly consider using video and virtual tours. Such marketing tools are no longer just for luxury homes.
Price your home competitively for today’s market. Just because a house comparable to yours sold for a certain price before the recession doesn’t mean you will be able to get the same price today. A lot has changed since then. And while prices are firming up, it’s still important to realize the new realities of today’s market. Talk with your Realtor to determine the appropriate, competitive listing price for your home based on current market conditions. You may even choose to have an appraisal done in advance of setting the price. Remember that in this market, homes that are priced aggressively attract the most buyers and – in some cases – multiple offers that push your final sale price even higher.
De-clutter and de-personalize. De-personalizing and de-cluttering a home before putting it on the market can help make it easier for buyers to imagine themselves living there – a crucial step in the selling process. Take down family portraits, personal collections and knickknacks. Homebuyers are looking for a home they can picture their family living in, not yours. Removing these items will also eliminate clutter and ensure that people are looking at the house itself, not at the photos from your last family vacation.
Update, freshen up. Keeping in mind that some buyers take move-in condition to be important, put your home in its best light. Possibilities include replacing outdated kitchen and bathroom fixtures, applying a fresh coat of paint and/or refinishing the kitchen cabinets. Replace worn carpet or fix broken tiles. Many cosmetic touches are surprisingly affordable but may yield much higher sale prices. The less work buyers have to do when they move in, the faster they may be willing to make an offer.
Conduct a full home inspection. If a professional home inspector determines that there are negative issues with the home, consider repairing the problems before buyers show up at your door. Potential buyers will cast an extremely critical eye over your home if it needs too many repairs – especially if they are trying to decide between your home and another one without problems. Be sure to have the home inspection report available for prospective buyers along with an itemizing all of the repairs that have been made and the associated cost for each to demonstrate the investment you’ve made in your home.
Make your home and yard picture perfect. As the old saying goes, you only get one chance to make a good first impression. When a buyer sees your house for the first time, a positive impression can make or break the sale. You can maximize curb appeal by trimming trees, planting flowers and even rolling out a new lawn if needed. A fresh exterior coat of paint might also prove valuable. And consider having a professional “stage” your home to make it even more attractive for buyers by rearranging what you have and/or bringing in other furnishings and accessories.
Be patient and flexible. You’ve done all the right things to put your home in the best position to sell. But there will undoubtedly be bumps along the way. A buyer may have difficultly securing financing. The appraisal may come in lower than expected. The escrow period could drag on longer than you thought before the deal closes. It’s not unusual to have occasional issues pop up. After all, buying a home is the single biggest financial transaction most of us will ever make in our lives. Through it all, remember that your Realtor is there by your side. He or she will be there with you every step along the way, managing the tough issues so you don’t have to and helping you achieve all of your home selling goals in today’s market.

If you are considering selling your Santa Cruz county home, call me at (831)419-9345 for a personalized valuation for your home or visit here:

Your Santa Cruz Realtor - Jessica Wallace (831) 419-9345

I'm Jessica Wallace - Your Santa Cruz Realtor - You can reach me anytime at (831) 419-9345 or via email at cjess4homes@yahoo.com

I look foward to hearing from you!

DRE 01455690 - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate

FIRST TIME HOME BUYER PROGRAMS IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

Jessica Wallace Santa Cruz Realtor (831) 419-9345 (Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:47:17 -0800

FIRST TIME HOME BUYER PROGRAMS IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

There are many first time home buyer programs available to potential buyers in Santa Cruz County.

These programs can really help you buy your first home. I have had several clients use them and the process is not difficult. Contact me at (831) 419-9345 to see if you can qualify for First Time Home Buyer Programs in Santa Cruz County.

Here is a brief run down of some of the different First Time home Buyer programs in Santa Cruz County:

Measure J - These are below market homes located in the County of Santa Cruz. With this program a buyer can only buy a Measure J classified home. Contact me for a list of Measure J homes currently for sale in Santa Cruz.

Measure O - These are below market homes in the City of Santa Cruz and can be condos or homes. Contact me for a list of Measure O homes for salein Santa Cruz.

The cities of Santa Cruz, Watsonville and Scotts Valley have downpayment assistance programs for home buyers. Each of these cities have different terms for the amount they loan, contact me for details.

My personal favorite is the County of Santa Cruz Downpayment Assistance Program. For properties located in the County of Santa Cruz and outside the cities of Capitola, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Watsonville, a home buyer can receive up to $150,000 to help them buy a home. The interest is 3% simple interest and you can defer payment on it for the life of the loan. There are no restrictions when you go to sell the property so you can realize equity when you sell. See my post Success in using Santa Cruz first time buyer programs for an example of how this worked for my clients.

Santa Cruz Housing Foundation: This foundation provides grants for closing costs and HOA dues for first time home buyers in Santa Cruz.

These first time home buyer programs in Santa Cruz are great and have helped many become homeowners. With today's low interest rates, discounted property prices and programs like these, home-ownership in Santa Cruz County is becoming attainable for manymore people! Contact me at 831 419 9345 to see if you qualify for these programs.

Your Santa Cruz Realtor - Jessica Wallace (831) 419-9345

I'm Jessica Wallace - Your Santa Cruz Realtor - You can reach me anytime at (831) 419-9345 or via email at cjess4homes@yahoo.com

I look foward to hearing from you!

DRE 01455690 - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate

Santa Cruz Down Payment Assistance Programs

Jessica Wallace Santa Cruz Realtor (831) 419-9345 (Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:38:17 -0700

SANTA CRUZ DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

For first time home buyers in Santa Cruz County, there are many programs that can help you. One of my favorites is the Santa Cruz down payment assistance program. This first time buyer program only works in the unincorporated parts of Santa Cruz County, so it will not work in the cities of Capitola, Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz.

This Santa Cruz down payment program will lend up to $150,000 to help you purchase a home. The interest rate is only 3% simple interest. You can chose to pay the interest as you go or you can defer it until you sell the property. This is for owner-occupants and first time home buyers only.

What I think is so great about this Santa Cruz down payment assistance program is that the property will NOT be a deed restricted low income unit when you go to sell it down the line. This means that you can realize market rate equity when you sell your home. Other Santa Cruz first time home buyer programs like Measure O and Measure J will require you to sell your home as a low income unit and restrict the price that you can sell it for in the future. With this downpayment assistance program, you can realize equity, which is one of the major bonuses of purchasing a home.

You can read here about a Success story in using Santa Cruz down payment assistance program

First Time Home Buyers in Santa Cruz have a great opportunity right now to get into the housing market at record low interest rates and at a time when home prices are down. Really, this can't last forever no matter what you hear on the news. The housing market in Santa Cruz is starting to pick up, and there are many that have realized that paying the high rents in Santa Cruz just does not make sense with these current real estate market conditions.

I always council my first time home buyer clients that you owe it to yourself to at least investigate your options to buy a home. If the numbers don't work for you, at least you know where you stand and if buying a home will make sense for you. Most of the time it will. You can take control of your life and future by buying a home and being able to control your destiny.

I specialize in helping first time buyers purchase homes, and I can help you. Call me at (831) 419-9345 for more information ore email me here: Contact Jessica Wallace, Realtor

Your Santa Cruz Realtor - Jessica Wallace (831) 419-9345

I'm Jessica Wallace - Your Santa Cruz Realtor - You can reach me anytime at (831) 419-9345 or via email at cjess4homes@yahoo.com

I look foward to hearing from you!

DRE 01455690 - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate

Scotts Valley Vineyards - Homes for Sale

Jessica Wallace Santa Cruz Realtor (831) 419-9345 (Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz) — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 11:16:02 -0700

SCOTTS VALLEY VINEYARDS - HOMES FOR SALE

The Scotts Valley neighborhood of the The Vineyards is located off of the Granite Creek exit off highway 17. It is a great commute location for those that work 'over the hill' in the San Jose, Silicon Valley areas. The Scotts Valley Vineyard homes are larger homes, many have 4 bedrooms.

So how much are the Scotts Valley Vineyard homes selling for? Last year, in 2011 there were only 2 home sales in the Vineyards neighborhood. One Scotts Valley Vineyard home sale was a 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom home on Bordeaux Lane that sold for $685,000. It was in built in 1991.

The other home sale in the Scotts Valley Vineyard neighborhood in 2011 was a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home on Zinfandel Circle that sold for $675,000. Both of these Scotts Valley Vineyard home sales were 'regular sales' not foreclosures or short sales.

The average sale price of 3+ bedroom homes in Scotts Valley in 2011 was about $624,000 so you can see that the Scotts Valley Vineyard homes sell for a bit more on average. The Vineyards in Scotts Valley is a fantastic neighborhood with spacious homes on nice lots.

If you are thinking about selling or buying a home in the Scottts Valley Vineyards, contact me at (831) 419-9345 for an updated market report and more information about the area.

Visit here to see a current list of Scotts Valley Homes for Sale

Your Santa Cruz Realtor - Jessica Wallace (831) 419-9345

I'm Jessica Wallace - Your Santa Cruz Realtor - You can reach me anytime at (831) 419-9345 or via email at cjess4homes@yahoo.com

I look foward to hearing from you!

DRE 01455690 - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate

Santa Cruz Short Sales - What is a HAFA Short Sale?

Jessica Wallace Santa Cruz Realtor (831) 419-9345 (Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:01:14 -0700

Santa Cruz Short Sales - What is a HAFA Short Sale?

HAFA stands for Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives. This program seeks to help homeowners in trouble do a short sale or a deed in lieu. One of the main differences with a HAFA short sale is that you apply for the short sale before you list your home so you will know before listing if you are approved. This means that your Santa Cruz short sale agent can market your home as an ‘approved short sale’ with hopefully less wait time for a buyer, which is attractive for them.

If your HAFA short sale is approved, the benefits are that:

You the home owner are not responsible for the short sale deficiency for your first mortgage. If there is a second, HAFA does not guarantee that the deficiency will be waived

HAFA can provide you with up to $3000 in relocation costs.

A HAFA short sale can affect your credit less than a regular short sale or a foreclosure

If you apply for a HAFA short sale no foreclosure action will be taken during the short sale process.

You can apply for a HAFA short sale in California before you list your home so you will know if you are approved for the short sale ahead of time.

The Cons of a HAFA short sale are:

HAFA short sales have a lot of red tape and eligibility requirements. HAFA short sales are taking longer than promised to receive an approval.

HAFA short sales are only for primary residences, not investors

You must keep the property in good condition and be current on any HOA dues

For a California single family home the unpaid balance must be less that $729,750

If you have a second loan on your home, HAFA will only approve up to $6000 pay off to the second lien holder. If your second lender does not agree to that amount you cannot do a HAFA short sale.

For more about Santa Cruz HAFA short sales, contact your Santa Cruz short sale agent here

Your Santa Cruz Realtor - Jessica Wallace (831) 419-9345

I'm Jessica Wallace - Your Santa Cruz Realtor - You can reach me anytime at (831) 419-9345 or via email at cjess4homes@yahoo.com

I look foward to hearing from you!

DRE 01455690 - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate

Santa Cruz First Time Home Buyers Compete With All Cash Offers

Jessica Wallace Santa Cruz Realtor (831) 419-9345 (Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 17:30:20 -0800

SANTA CRUZ FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS COMPETE WITH ALL CASH OFFERS

The fact that Santa Cruz First Time Home Buyers are competing with all cash offers is not news to me. There was a recent article in the Santa Cruz Sentinel about an individual that is trying to buy their first home in Watsonville but is not having much luck due to the all cash investors that are beating them out on the properties.

I have dealt with this same scenario myself with helping first time home buyers in Santa Cruz. When you are a Santa Cruz first time home buyer, and buying in a home under $500k, chances are high that you will be competing with all cash investors. About 29% of all Santa Cruz county home sales last year were all cash transactions.

You may have to write several offers before you get one accepted - don't get discouraged! Buying a home is a process and with an experienced Realtor at your side, you will have success! As a Santa Cruz first time home buyer you will likely be dealing with short sales and foreclosures, read my article here about Tips for Buying a bank owned home in Santa Cruz

As a First time home buyer in Santa Cruz, you should also know that there are different programs in the County and City of Santa Cruz, City of Watsonville and City of Scotts Valley that can help you. Visit here to read my article about Santa Cruz County First Time Buyer Programs

Besides conventional loans there are also FHA loans and USDA Loans. With an FHA loan you can buy a home or Santa Cruz FHA approved condo with only 3.5% down. With a Santa Cruz USDA Loan - 100% financing you can buy a home with almost nothing down. There are restrictions about what areas of Santa Cruz County you can use a USDA loan in, contact me for details.

If you are looking to buy a home in Santa Cruz, and want to know your options, contact me at (831) 419-9345, I am happy to help!

Your Santa Cruz Realtor - Jessica Wallace (831) 419-9345

I'm Jessica Wallace - Your Santa Cruz Realtor - You can reach me anytime at (831) 419-9345 or via email at cjess4homes@yahoo.com

I look foward to hearing from you!

DRE 01455690 - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate

What is a Santa Cruz Short Sale?

Jessica Wallace Santa Cruz Realtor (831) 419-9345 (Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:49:42 -0800

What is a Santa Cruz Short Sale?

A short sale is when a seller of a property owes more in loans on their home than they can now sell their home for on the current real estate market. Locally, about 18% of all homes sold last year in 2011 were Santa Cruz county short sales.

For example, let’s say you bought your Santa Cruz home in 2007 for $650,000 and got 100% financing. In today’s market you can only sell it for $500,000. You still owe $650,000 on your mortgage so there is a deficiency amount of $150,000 plus closing costs (commissions, county transfer tax, title/escrow fees) What a Santa Cruz short sale agent has to do at that point is help you negotiate with your lender for them to accept a loss and forgive you the deficiency amount, this will enable you to sell the property a fair market price in today’s market.

When you do a Santa Cruz short sale what you are asking your lender to do is accept a loss on the loan they have given you to buy the home in the first place. That is why it is called a short sale - it is short on money but not on time. As a Santa Cruz short sale agent we work with you and your lender to come to agreement and have them accept this loss and ideally forgive you for the deficiency.

As a seller of a Santa Cruz short sale, a Santa Cruz short sale agent can help you list your home and help you navigate through the short sale negotiation process with your lender. Our team has a dedicated short sale negotiator that spends all day on the phone with banks, and that is what is takes to get a short sale done = Persistence, don’t give up!

Contact me for a confidential conversation and to see if a Santa Cruz short sale is an option for you.

Your Santa Cruz Realtor - Jessica Wallace (831) 419-9345

I'm Jessica Wallace - Your Santa Cruz Realtor - You can reach me anytime at (831) 419-9345 or via email at cjess4homes@yahoo.com

I look foward to hearing from you!

DRE 01455690 - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate

Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz - Real Estate Agent - (831) 419-9345

Jessica Wallace Santa Cruz Realtor (831) 419-9345 (Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:02:06 -0800

COLDWELL BANKER - SANTA CRUZ - REAL ESTATE AGENT - (831) 419-9345

I am happy to announce that I have recently joined forces with Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz. Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz is one of the most respected companies in the area with a plethora of experience combined with innovative marketing techniques - Coldwell Banker a real powerhouse in the Santa Cruz County Real Estate Market.

COLDWELL BANKER - SANTA CRUZ - REAL ESTATE AGENT (831) 419-9345

Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz is located at 824 B Mission St, Santa Cruz , CA - (831) 419-9345 - on the Westside near UCSC and West Cliff Dr. Coldwell Banker has 2 other office locations in Santa Cruz County for added convenience for our clients. There is a Coldwell Banker - Aptos office on Soquel Dr and a Coldwell Banker - Capitola office on 41st Avenue.

For home sellers, Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz will market and expose your home to the greatest amount of people possible thought our Coldwell Banker International network, online website networking partners (we feature your home on over 350 leading real estate websites!) and local advertising in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, Homes Magazine and Coastal Homes Magazine. As a Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz real estate agent, I use the power of the Coldwell Banker network combined with local Santa Cruz advertising and knowledge to create a powerful and dynamic marketing strategy for your property.

Curious about the value of your Santa Cruz home? Fill out this Santa Cruz Property Valuation form, and a Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz real estate agent will contact you with an estimate of your home's value.

For luxury home sellers, Coldwell Banker Previews - Santa Cruz offers a special marketing program for high-end homes and estates in Santa Cruz county. Your luxury home will be marketed locally and internationally, generating the most possible exposure for your property. The Coldwell Banker Previews magazine will showcase the best features of your home thousands of luxury home buyers.

For Home Buyers - Coldwell Banker Santa Cruz - will make the home buying process a pleasant and stress-free experience. If you are a first time buyer or you haven't bought a home in many years, a Coldwell Banker Realtor will take the time to really explain the process to you and take the mystery out of buying a home. Real Estate is constantly changing and in a market with short sales and foreclosures you need to know about new trends in Santa Cruz real estate. Your Santa Cruz Coldwell Banker real estate agent will make sure you know about new homes for sale as soon as they are listed and provide your with email updates so that you know about these homes as soon as we do.

Fill out this Santa Cruz Home Search form and a Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz real estate agent will get to work right away to find you a home and email you homes for sale, including foreclosures and short sales if you are interested in those properties.

Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz is committed to providing the highest level of service to home sellers and buyers with an emphasis on integrity. Call (831) 419-9345 to get started on selling or buying your next home.

Your Santa Cruz Realtor - Jessica Wallace (831) 419-9345

I'm Jessica Wallace - Your Santa Cruz Realtor - You can reach me anytime at (831) 419-9345 or via email at cjess4homes@yahoo.com

I look foward to hearing from you!

DRE 01455690 - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate

Horse Property for sale in Santa Cruz County

Jessica Wallace Santa Cruz Realtor (831) 419-9345 (Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:32:22 -0800

HORSE PROPERTY FOR SALE IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

How much is a horse property in Santa Cruz county? Over the past year, there have been quite a range of horse property sold in Santa Cruz county, from a high of $1.4 million to a low of $300,000, with several foreclosure and short sales. Go here to see a current list of HORSE PROPERTY FOR SALE IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

If you are looking for horse property for sale in Santa Cruz county, there are several diverse areas where you will find horse property.

The Aptos Hills is a geographically beautiful area and there are some horse properties here and Nisene Marks state park does have some horse trails

Larkin Valley is a great area with lots of horse properties in Santa Cruz county. There are horse trails in Larkin Valley and an equestrian center

Corralitos, located between Aptos and Watsonville usually has a few horse properties for sale.

Bonny Doon, Davenport, Empire Grade areas have great horse properties and horse trail access. The Fall Creek state park has horse trails and you are close to Wilder Ranch which has beautiful horse trails.

The Los Gatos mountains and San Lorenzo Valley areas also have horse properties for sale.

Depending on your budget and needs, you can find a wonderful horse property for sale in Santa Cruz county. Contact me for more details about what is for sale and information about each area, I am happy to help.

Your Santa Cruz Realtor - Jessica Wallace (831) 419-9345

I'm Jessica Wallace - Your Santa Cruz Realtor - You can reach me anytime at (831) 419-9345 or via email at cjess4homes@yahoo.com

I look foward to hearing from you!

DRE 01455690 - Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate

Santa Cruz Probate Realtors

Jessica Wallace Santa Cruz Realtor (831) 419-9345 (Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:29:09 -0800

SANTA CRUZ PROBATE REALTORS - (831) 419-9345

What is a Santa Cruz probate Realtor? When someone passes away without a will or trust, their assets, including real estate can be subject to 'probate'. Probate is the legal process in which a deceased person's assets and debts are distributed and resolved. When the sale of a home is subject to probate, it usually means that there will be a court that oversees the sale of the property.

A Santa Cruz probate real estate agent can help ease the burden of arranging the sale of the deceased real estate holdings. As a Santa Cruz probate Realtor, I work with the executor or attorneys handling the probate sale to expedite the preparation for sale and marketing and sale of a home.

Some of the services provided for a Santa Cruz probate property sale are:

Help facilitate the clean up of the property

Facilitate repairs and work with contractors to get competitive bids for repairs

Re-key the locks and monitor the property to make sure it is secure

Staging the property to make it look its best when it is ready to go on the market

Providing a Market Analysis of the property's value based on recent sales and market trends

Listing the property on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) with quality photos and virtual tour

Marketing the property extensively on the Internet (over 350+ websites)

Negotiate the best possible price for the property

Handle the escrow process and make sure all mandatory disclosures are complete

There are many things that a Santa Cruz probate Realtor will do to make sure the process of selling the property is stress and hassle free for the heirs and executor of the estate.

You need a professional Santa Cruz Realtor to handle the probate sale, when the time comes you can call me at (831) 419-9345 for an assessment of the property value and more details about Santa Cruz probate sales.

SANTA CRUZ PROBATE REALTOR - (831) 419-9345

Your Santa Cruz Realtor - Jessica Wallace (831) 419-9345

I'm Jessica Wallace - Your Santa Cruz Realtor - You can reach me anytime at (831) 419-9345 or via email at cjess4homes@yahoo.com

I look foward to hearing from you!