Downtown Santa Cruz - Holiday Carriage Rides December Carriage Rides$5 Tickets available at Hat Company (1346 Pacific Ave.)Schedule:Friday Dec. 10th & 175h 5-8:30pmSaturday Dec. 11th & 18th 3-7pmSunday Dec. 5th, 12th, & 19th 1-5pmPlus Dec. 21st, 22nd, & 23rd from 4-7pm Downtown Santa Cruz Holiday Parade Pacific Ave.Downtown Santa CruzVIEW MAPPhone: 831.429.8433downtownsantacruz.comJoin us Downtown this Saturday, December 4th from 10am-12pm along Pacific Avenue for our Annual Holiday Parade! See antique cars, dancers, Santa and more!!!After the parade, stay downtown for additional winter holiday events and activities!!! FREEDate: December 04, 2010Time: 10am - noon
Snow Night - December 9, … (1 comments)
david lyng real estate: The Next Kick-Start for the Economy
- 10/16/10 02:04 PM
Oct. 1, 2010 -- After near stasis for the past six weeks, mortgage rates again managed a bit of a decline amid mixed economic messages. Increasing speculation that the Fed will initiate substantial purchases of Treasury bonds (so-called "quantitative easing") to kick-start the economy from its bare expansion helped to drive interest rates a bit lower. HSH's overall mortgage monitor -- our weekly Fixed-Rate Mortgage Indicator (FRMI) -- saw the average rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages shed five basis points to begin October at 4.70%. Important to first time homebuyers and low-equity refinancers alike, 30-year FHA-backed mortgages sported an average of … (1 comments)
david lyng real estate: Celebrating the Richness of Local Agriculture
- 10/16/10 10:57 AM
Local Farmers Markets A farmer's market is one in which farmers, growers, or producers from a defined local area sell their own produce directly to the public. They are usually held out-of-doors, in public spaces, and all products sold have been grown, reared, caught, brewed, pickled, baked, smoked or processed by the farmers. In addition, farmers' markets often feature produce that is grown naturally or organically, meats that are raised humanely on pasture, handmade farmstead cheeses, eggs and poultry from free-range fowl, as well as heirloom produce and heritage breeds of meat and fowl. Farmers markets have continued to rise in popularity, mostly due … (1 comments)
david lyng real estate: Statistics: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
- 10/16/10 09:02 AM
Statistics: Two Principles to Follow Knowing how the market is trending is important in making astute decisions whether one is a buyer or a seller. For instance, if prices are trending upward, a buyer may decide to accelerate the purchase, while a potential seller may decide to delay. With the proliferation of real estate statistics on the Internet, the "noise" level is increasing making it more difficult to know which statistics are important and which are irrelevant. In this month's report, we are going to start a primer on real estate statistics to help you separate the wheat from the chaff. The first … (0 comments)
Condominiums and townhouses offer an affordable option to single-family homes in many markets, and they're ideal for those who appreciate a maintenance-free lifestyle. But before you buy, make sure you do your legwork. These are some of the important elements to consider:
Storage. Some condos have storage lockers, but usually there are no attics or basements to hold extra belongings. Outdoor space. Yards and outdoor areas are usually smaller in condos, so if you like to garden or entertain outdoors, this may not be a good fit. However, if you dread … (1 comments)
Title insurance protects the holder from any losses sustained from defects in the title. It's required by most mortgage lenders. Here are five other things you should know about title insurance.
1. It protects your ownership right to your home, both from fraudulent claims against your ownership and from mistakes made in earlier sales, such as mistake in the spelling of a person's name or an inaccurate description of the property.
2. It's a one-time cost usually based on the price of the property.
3. It's usually paid for by … (3 comments)
david lyng real estate: Steps to Buying a Home
- 08/25/10 07:33 AM
First Time Buyers Approaching the task of buying a home can be overwhelming. It is a complex event during which there is so much to learn and to consider. How much can I afford? Where will the down payment come from? How much will I need and where can I find the best loan? How do I begin the look for a home, what should I expect from my real estate agent and what type of home is right for me? These questions are just the beginning. Buying a home is one of the largest financial transactions in one's lifetime, yet … (1 comments)
david lyng real estate: First Time Homebuyer Programs
- 08/24/10 12:56 PM
City of Santa Cruz - First Time Home Buyer Options The First Time Homebuyer (FTH) Program provides low- and moderate income first time homebuyers with a "silent" second mortgage. Silent second mortgages require no monthly payments until one of several events occur at a point in the future. Designed to fill the gap between what a first time homebuyer can borrow from a mortgage lender and the purchase price of the home, the FTH Program may be utilized to satisfy down payment requirements of the first mortgage lender as well as pay the borrower's closing costs and other fees associated … (0 comments)
david lyng real estate: Renting vs. Owning
- 08/24/10 12:07 PM
There's nothing quite like a home that you can truly call your own. A place where you can have the gleaming hardwood floors you've always dreamed of, a space to cultivate your own vine-lined patio, a way to provide a good neighborhood for your kids to grow up in, and a freedom from the whims of your landlord. These are the images that immediately come to mind, for many of us. Yet some of the biggest advantages of owning a home are less romantic and more practical - in fact, there are financial advantages to owning a home: Tax Deductibility You … (0 comments)
david lyng real estate: A Way to Taste the Area, Farmers Markets
- 08/24/10 08:01 AM
Our Markets: TUESDAY The Felton Market is located at 120 Russell Ave. on Highway 9...in the parking lot of the St. John's Catholic Church and is open every Tuesday from 2:30pm to 6:30pm until the last Tuesday of October. The market has a new layout. WEDNESDAY The Downtown Santa Cruz Farmers' Market is open rain or shine every Wednesday afternoon from 2:30pm to 6:30pm. SATURDAY The Aptos Farmers Market at Cabrillo College, 6500 Soquel Dr., Aptos, is open Saturdays, year round, rain or shine. Do your weekly shopping while enjoying live Bluegrass by the Farmers Market String Band or lively accordion … (3 comments)
david lyng real estate: Over 55? Here is a California Tax Relief Measure that maybe right for you
- 08/24/10 07:16 AM
Protecting your Tax Base with Proposition 60 Are you over 55 and thinking about selling your home and moving into something smaller, but worried about the tax implications when you relocate? If so, you aren't alone. As the baby boomers find themselves approaching retirement age and becoming empty nesters, their housing needs are changing along with their lifestyles - but inflation and taxes just seem to keep going up, up, up. Fortunately some relief, in the form of Prop 60, is available. What is Prop 60? Proposition 60 is a constitutional amendment, approved by California voters, that provides property tax relief under … (0 comments)
To attract buyers, sellers must up the ante to convince them that their property offers what many want most - top value for dollar expended. Here are eight fast fixes:
1. Buff up curb appeal. You've heard it before, but it's critical to get buyers to want to look on the inside. Be objective. View listings from the street. Check the condition of the landscaping, paint, roof, shutters, front door, knocker, windows, house number, and even how window treatments look from the outside. Add something special - such as big flower pots or an antique bench … (0 comments)
david lyng real estate: Considering Buying a Condo? Here are Questions to Ask the Condo Board
- 08/18/10 12:42 PM
10 Questions to Ask the Condo BoardBefore you buy, contact the condo board with the following questions. In the process, you'll learn how responsive - and organized - its members are. You'll also be alerted to potential problems with the property.1. What percentage of units is owner-occupied? What percentage is tenant-occupied? Generally, the higher the percentage of owner-occupied units, the more marketable the units will be at resale. 2. What covenants, bylaws, and restrictions govern the property? What grandfather clauses are in place? You may find, for instance, that those who buy a property after a certain date can't rent out … (0 comments)
The best that can be said about last year is its over! Condo sales were up 12.8% from 2008.The median price dropped 16% from 2008. The good news in all this is that prices bottomed out in the first quarter and started strengthening the last nine months of the year. The year ended with inventory at its lowest level since March 2005, a sign that prices should keep firming.Another positive indicator, as we start the New Year, is Days of Inventory, which is how long it would take to sell all the … (1 comments)
david lyng real estate: The Los Gatos Mountains - Market Overview
- 08/18/10 09:23 AM
Home Sales Up 22% Last Year The best that can be said about last year is its over! Home sales were up 22% from 2008, which was an abysmal year for sales. The 1,750 re-sale homes sold last year were still a far cry far cry from the 2,300 plus homes sold annually in 2003, 2004 and 2005.The median price dropped 13.9% from 2008. The good news in all this is that prices bottomed out in the first quarter and started strengthening the last nine months of the year. The year ended with inventory at its lowest level since March … (0 comments)
The chart to the left shows the National monthly average for 30-year fixed rate mortgages as compiled by HSH.com.
Jul. 2, 2010 -- If you're concerned about the direction of the economy and the prospects for a robust recovery, not only are you not alone. The already-slow economic recovery seems likely to slow further. Weak growth and investors hungry for protection against roiling stock markets are pushing interest rates down, with investor appetites for mortgage-backed securities joining that for Treasury obligations. Mortgages aren't quite as safe as government-sponsored debt, but they sport far better yields at the moment. … (0 comments)
The Fed Tax Credit ended with a whimper in Santa Cruz County. Home sales were off 18% year-over-year. Sales activity seems to be concentrated in the low-end of the market, especially condos, where investors with all cash offers rule. Investors are buying hoping flip the properties quickly. That has been somewhat problematic as, when they go to flip, their original purchase price is probably part of the appraisal, which lowers the market value of the property. It is better for investors to buy and rent it out for a year rather than … (1 comments)
All Mortgages: 4.38% in Foreclosure 9.94% in Default (30+ days late) 14.32% Total Prime Mortgages: 3.20% in Foreclosure 6.94% in Default (30+ days late) 10.14% Total Subprime Mortgages: 15.35% in Foreclosure 26.66% in Default (30+ days late) 42.01% Total FHA Mortgages: 3.32% in Foreclosure 15.04% in Default (30+ days late) 18.36% in Default VA Mortgages: 2.29% in Foreclosure 8.47% in Default (30+ days late) 10.76% Total in Default Mortgage Bankers Association National Deliquency Survey , http://www.mbaa.org/NewsandMedia/PressCenter/71112.htm Based on 44,000,000 mortgages - Non -Seasonally Adjusted
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