A major shift in Limited 203k re: Septic SystemsA few years ago, I received a call from a HUD employee who knew I was a national trainer. He informed me that several lenders in the Santa Cruz Mountains area of CA were replacing entire septic systems using the Limited 203k. He told me that septic system replacement was regarded as a "structural" repair as if I could stop a lender from misusing the program. It appears that this repair is now included with the Limited 203k.Under the latest 4000.1 guideline, I found what follows.This is from the HUD 4000.1 re Limited 203k'sLimited 203(k) Eligible Improvements The Limited 203(k) may only be used for minor remodeling and nonstructural repairs. The total rehabilitation costs may not exceed $35,000. For the first 15,000 Mortgages secured by Pro... 08/08/2024

LOVELY HOME AT THE END OF HIHN ROAD IN BEN LOMOND RIVERA! GREAT FLOOR PLAN UPDATED THROUGHOUT. BEAUTIFUL SETTING, PATIO PICNIC AREA, GREAT VIEWS- AWESOME SOLAR SYSTEM WITH KALO INVERTER, TIGO OPTIMIZERS & CONTROLLER. DETACHED GUEST HOUSE, SUNNY GARDEN, AND OUTDOOR BATHTUB!   SOLD! 7171 Hihn Rd, Ben Lomond, CA 95005 Overview Maps Photos Market Stats IDX Search $693,000 Single Family Home Main Features 4 Bedrooms 3 Full Bathrooms Interior: 2,343 sqft Lot: 1.07 acre(s) Year Built: 1947 Location 7171 Hihn Rd Ben Lomond, CA 95005 USA Sandy Wallace - REALTOR®eXp Realty (831) 818-7099 [email protected] http://seesandy4homes.com        Listed by: Sandy Wallace Our recent listings310 Warren Dr Santa Cruz CA 95060 | Santa Cruz Estate for Sale | $799,000 | SANTA CRUZ, CA  Subscribe to our listing... 02/01/2018

What does your schedule look like today?I need a 203k consultant inspection on a property, what does your schedule look like? is a question I get nearly every day. I have to laugh as it changes hour by hour. The key is we are typically out on the site within a day or two. I had that question put to me about a week and a half ago for a 203k loan in Santa Cruz, they didn't have an accepted offer but any day they would. I've been down there twice on other projects since that call. They still aren't ready.I received an email moments ago informing me that the client is purchasing a bank owned property and they are not giving much time to get their inspections completed and they are playing hardball. LOL, I have always found that to be the case with bank owned properties, the agents that wor... 11/16/2016

SUNNY BEN LOMOND HOME FOR SALE UNDER $400,000  233 LONGFELLOW AVENUE, BEN LOMOND 95005 Opportunity to own a home in Santa Cruz county under $400,000!  This home is located in a fantastic Ben Lomond neighborhood close to town.  The lot is flat and sunny and you can enjoy sunsets and views of the mountains from your large deck.     This Ben Lomond home has an attached one car garage plus a detached carport and workshop.  This bonus area could be a perfect arts and crafts room or a home office.     Lots of room to play, garden, BBQ, enjoy the sun in your expansive backyard.  There is also a storage shed for your toys.   The home features a fireplace plus it has central heat and hardwood floors in the living room.     The antique stove in the kitchen is charming and there are granite counte... 02/24/2015

3 Bed, 2 Bath Home on Oversized Lot- Team Sell Santa Cruz consistently brings competitively-priced MLS Santa Cruz County and surrounding area homes, condos & land for sale including 227 Arden Avenue in Ben Lomond. Arden Ave is 1,779 sq. ft. with 3 bedrooms & 2 baths. It has a spacious living room, open kitchen, cherry wood cabinets, quartz counters, recessed lighting, hardwood floors, new carpet, paint & more. Private & sunny; Great for entertaining.  Check out the virtual tour below!   Email john@sellsantacruz.com or call (831) 334-0890 for more information on this listing. 09/09/2014

I met a most interesting borrower yesterday as we did a 203k consulting project on his home. It turned out we had allot in common. We both have a sheet metal history. I grew up as the son of a sheet metal contractor and sometimes think my blood has zinc in it... just kidding of course, and the client is a sheet metal contractor. This was a smaller home in Watsonville that was being enlarged and the progress sometimes can wain when you do it all out of pocket or "as you find time'. Life is too short not to enjoy the journey as you go. I've very happy that he found the 203k loan from a local realtor Enrique Macias who had taken a course recently on the program from one of the largest FHA 203k LOs in CA. If you are doing your first 203k you need a seasoned team behind you. Ed Rogers is a g... 07/18/2014

I get such a kick out of agents who just don't get it and then sit on a listing for a year or two. A major lender had a property in Oakland that had some major problems. No one knew what it would take to fix all the issues. In over eighteen months no offers came in, not even all cash offers with a low-ball price. Nothing. We were called out to do a feasibility analysis report for them. They took our report, placed it in the house and sold the home in three days. Then you get, how do I say this nicely, those who just don't get it who put this kind of dribble in their listing. I thought that was a lot tamer than I was really thinking. FULLY REMODELED 2 BEDROOM AND 1 BATH HOME. PER COUNTY, WATER TREATMENT SEPTIC, BUYER TO VERIFY SEPTIC CODE. ALL CASH OR HARD MONEY LOAN. ONLY NO EXEPTIONS I... 03/08/2014

Click here to see more pictures and detailed information.     Schedule a Showing Santa Cruz Homes For Sale Ben Lomond Homes For Sale Search All Homes For Sale What is Your Home Worth? Jessica Wallace Coldwell Banker 831-419-9345 Questions?Schedule a Showing! MLS#: 81338608 Licensed In:Ca License #:01455690     L2L Virtual Tours AR     11/26/2013

SANTA CRUZ HORSE PROPERTY POTENTIAL - HOME FOR SALE WITH LAND 758 Ridge Road, Ben Lomond, CA 95005 This Santa Cruz home for sale with land is situated on 4.25+ Sunny acres.   Much of the acreage is useable and very open and sunny.  There are oak, madronne, redwood trees and fruit trees that dot the property.  This is truly a Santa Cruz mountain oasis with a beautiful home and piece of land. While this property is not currently being used for horses, it does have horse property potential.  There is a tennis court on the property that could be a great place for the horses and a lot of open and sunny space.  There are other homes on this street that have been great for horses and horse trails nearby. With a little work this could be beautiful horse property in Santa Cruz.  The property is ... 10/31/2013

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 HO... 05/02/2012

Ben Lomond Home Sales, Prices and 2011 Market Update   2011 –year in review Home sales rose by 50% in Ben Lomond during 2011 - 62 homes sold!   The average home sales price was $378,905, taking an average of 2 months on the market prior to going into escrow.    The discount between the list price and eventual sale price was 3.7% overall.    The average home price fell about 10% compared to 2010.    The highest priced home sold for $821,000 – this was a 4 bedroom, 3 bath home on 25 acres – a traditional sale between people. The lowest priced home sold for $77,000 – it was a shack deemed uninhabitable by the county, on just under an acre along the San Lorenzo River, sold by JP Morgan Chase. Here is an example of a short sale I helped my clients sell,  after the family breadwinner got a be... 02/07/2012

How many bids should I get on my FHA 203k project? The HUD guideline suggests we get three bids on every project. Does that mean I need to get three bids? No, not necessarily. In an ideal world it would be great but even as slow as contractors say it is they don’t want to bid against 2 other contractors on the same job. They want to have a reasonable expectation that after so many bids they will get their percentage of the jobs. That 3rd contractor bidding pushes the odds up to high to waste their time. Sad but true. Many times when the contractors are aware you are taking it to three they won’t even provide you with a bid. That is exactly what happened recently on a Streamlined k a lender friend was working on. They had three contractors bid and never did get one of those bids in befor... 09/05/2011

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 music by one of Santa Cruz's favorite performing artists, The Great Morgani. You'll be delighted by the large variety of produce and specialty foods offered by 80 vendors. The market is located... 08/24/2010

10 Tips for Moving With Pets   Moving to a new home can be stressful on your pets, but there are many things you can do to make the process as painless as possible. Experts at The Pet Realty Network (www.petrealtynetwork.com) in Naples, Fla., offer these helpful tips for easing the transition and keeping pets safe during the move.       1. Update your pet's tag. Make sure your pet is wearing a sturdy collar with an identification tag that is labeled with your current contact information. The tag should include your destination location, telephone number, and cell phone number so that you can be reached immediately during the move.   2. Ask for veterinary records. If you're moving far enough away that you'll need a new vet, you should ask for a current copy of your pet's vaccinations. Yo... 08/18/2010

OCEAN VIEW HOME FOR SALE IN APTOS WITH GUEST UNIT!   BAYVIEW DR, APTOS * Aptos, Ca incorporates Rio del Mar, Seascape and Seacliff is a great Beach Community located in the South of Santa Cruz County.  There are many great ocean view homes for sale in Aptos and it is a great place to own a second home or vacation home.  People love to come to Aptos in the summertime to beat the heat in the interior places of California.  The coastal fog in Aptos acts as a natural air conditioner and keeps the climate very mild.     This ocean view home for sale in Aptos is located in a great beach neighborhood in Rio del Mar.  There are ocean views from the second story where the main living areas are located. Aptos home for sale is right across the street from an unbuildable lot so your ocean views are... 07/06/2010

Available NowNice duplex off Granit Creek in lovely Scotts Valley. This is a 2 bedroom and 1 bath with tub and shower.There is new carpeting and paint throughout. It is very quiet, private and the only thing that is shared is thenew Washer and Dryer. You will have a lovely deck to enjoy your morning coffee on and there is coveredparking.Available soon @ 1,600. A Month*************************************************************************************Just Rented****************Here is a lovely home located off of Glen Arbor Road in lovely Ben Lomond. This homehas so many amenities, it is located on a lovely large lot with lots of parking and privacy.Large 3 bedroom/2 full bath with oak hardwood floors, lots of large windows, decks, hottub, 2 koi ponds and sunshine throughout. In fact, t... 10/30/2007

An illegal alien, working as a gardener, is confronted by immigration officials and arrested for deportation - not exactly front page news in San Lorenzo Valley real estate, now or in 1933. But this particular man had once been known as Pierre Dupres, the "Phantom Bandit" of Paris. More surprising to the unsuspecting Ben Lomond Home residents whose gardens he had pruned and weeded, he had once been the subject of international headlines. Decades before, Dupres had been one of the few men ever to successfully escape the notorious French penal colony of Devil's Island. Known locally as Amato Desederio, he had arrived in the Valley in 1922. For the next decade he lived quietly, almost invisibly, never attracting notice or running afoul of the law. But in 1932 he moved briefly to Sausalito ... 08/19/2007