February 2009 - Page 2 of 2 - Santa Maria CA Real Estate Blog & Information, REALTOR® Selling Santa Maria CA Homes

Santa Maria CA Foreclosure Buyer Alert – $8000 First Time Home Buyer Credit Approved

02/13/2009
Santa Maria

If you are sitting on the fence about buying, Congress just gave you another reason to jump into the market for foreclosures in Santa Maria, CA. The recently passed stimulus bill modestly increases the first time home buyer credit from $7500 to $8000. But more importantly, buyers now do not have to pay the credit back as long as they stay in the home a minimum of 3 years.

River Oaks Market Update & Santa Maria CA MLS Home Listing Search

02/11/2009
Santa Maria

Sold listings were on the market an average of 77 days, were about 1900 sq.ft., and sold for about $155 per square foot. 12 of the 17 sold homes were REOs, 3 were closed short sales, and only two were regular sales. 88% of the sold activity in this neghborhood was forelcosure related; so, like many other developments that were built during the housing boom River Oaks is now overloaded with foreclosures during the housing bust.

Mission Creek Village Condos vs. Oak Creek Villas (Santa Maria CA & Orcutt CA Condos)

02/09/2009
Santa Maria

The Mission Creek Condos and Oak Creek Villas were built by local builder, Inland Pacific, who is also currently finishing up Pacific Crest in Westgate Ranch. Oak Creek and Mission Creek offer the same basic floor plans and amenities; however,…

Arroyo Grande CA 2008 Market Update & Free MLS Listing Search

02/08/2009
Central Coast Real Estate

In 2008, a total of 276 homes and condos sold in Arroyo Grande, CA. 243 were single family homes, and 33 were condos or in planned unit developments. Average home price was approximately $648,000, $331 per sq ft., and sold after 130 days on market. The lowest resale home price was a 2 bedroom 2 bath bank owned twin home in an age restricted community that was 1064 sq. ft. and sold for $190,000. $650,000 would have purchased a 3 bedroom, 4 bath, 2330 sq. ft. lakeside home with granite countertops and a golf cart bay in the gated golf course community of Cypress Ridge.

Lompoc CA & Vandenberg Village CA 2008 Market Update & MLS Listing Search

02/04/2009
Lompoc / Vandenberg Village

There were a total of 400 homes sold in the Lompoc and Vandenberg Village areas in 2008. 346 were detached dwellings, and 54 were attached residences. Of the 400 sold, 226 were REOs (bank owned) and 31 were short sales. So, a total of 257 out of 400, or 64% were foreclosure related sales. Thus, the Lompoc market is thoroughly dominated by foreclosure activity; it is the primary force moving the market.

Buying Bank Owned Homes (REOs) in the Santa Maria CA & Orcutt CA Market – Should I Use FHA/VA or Conventional Financing?

02/01/2009
Foreclosure / Bank Owned (REO) Info, Santa Maria

When the bidding gets competitive, buyers are often left to wonder how asset managers make their decisions about which offer to choose. If you have 15 offers how do you select one over the other? The obvious selection would be based on the net to the lender, but there are other factors. In particular, time and time again, I see FHA buyers assed over in this market for buyers using conventional financing. That is not to say that FHA financing is not being used -- it is.