Monthly Archives: February 2010

Orcutt Burgers – One of the Hidden Treasures of the Central Coast

Posted on February 12, 2010 by Tni LeBlanc, JD, MA, CDPE, REALTOR®

An open secret to locals, Orcutt Burgers has some of the best food in Santa Maria and Orcutt. They regularly place as one of the favorite fast food restaurants in town. But don’t let the name fool you — it’s not just burgers. The breakfast menu is outstanding with plenty to offer. Visit any weekend morning and you will see the place packed with locals enjoying flapjacks, super sized omelettes and the homemade salsa. Continue reading →

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Santa Maria SuperBowl Parties

Posted on February 7, 2010 by Tni LeBlanc, JD, MA, CDPE, REALTOR®

Superbowl plans fall through? There are a couple of spots in Santa Maria where you can go catch the game with strangers who will soon become friends depending on who your team is. Since both sides of my family are originally from Louisiana, (although my mom was born and raised in Texas, her family is from Minden, Louisiana), and my Dad was born in New Orleans — it should be obvious who I’m pulling for although I think there is just too much pressure on the Saints! I’m hoping for the best. Quite frankly, just getting there is such a victory for New Orleans. I visited New Orleans just this past December, and you could have heard a pin drop in the French Quarter while the Saints were playing, every place we went people were watching the game or listening to it on the radio. The city of New Orleans is so united behind this team. Continue reading →

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2009 Los Alamos CA Real Estate and Foreclosure Market Update

Posted on February 6, 2010 by Tni LeBlanc, JD, MA, CDPE, REALTOR®

There were 16 sales in Los Alamos, CA in 2009. Compared to last year, sales are down from the 20 homes that were sold in 2008. Overall average prices are also down from 2008, when the average sale price was $417,000. In 2009, the average sales price was $353,000 with 117 days on market at $208 per square foot. Days on market are also up as the 2008 average days on market was 95. Continue reading →

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What is the City of Santa Maria California Best Known For?

Posted on February 5, 2010 by Tni LeBlanc, JD, MA, CDPE, REALTOR®

Let’s see, if I had to say three things that Santa Maria was known for it would be strawberries, tri-tip barbeque, and now its wine country. Strawberries are honored at the yearly Strawberry Festival. And although the number of strawberry stands has decreased over the years, you can still get some of the best strawberries in the country from Santa Maria fields. Continue reading →

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How Many Houses Are for Sale in Santa Maria CA Right Now?

Posted on February 4, 2010 by Tni LeBlanc, JD, MA, CDPE, REALTOR®

How many houses are for sale in Santa Maria right now? I get this question all the time. To many buyers, it feels as if there are no houses for sale. When I surveyed the MLS this morning, there were 163 houses listed for sale in the Santa Maria and Orcutt CA area. Of those 163 homes, 29 were foreclosures (REOs) and 45 were short sales. Continue reading →

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Can I Buy A Santa Maria CA Short Sale and Still Qualify for the $8000 Tax Credit?

Posted on February 3, 2010 by Tni LeBlanc, JD, MA, CDPE, REALTOR®

So many of the first time home buyers in the Santa Maria market today are concerned about whether they will qualify for the $8000 tax credit. Short sale purchases can qualify for the credit , so long as the buyer qualifies for the credit in general. (You should check withb your tax professional on this issue). However, because the timelines on short sales are somewhat undetermined, they can fail to close by the deadline for the tax credit. Right now, it is my understanding that in order to qualify a buyer must have a confirmed contract by April 30th. In the case of a short sale purchase, this means the buyer must have a signed contract and bank approval of the short sale in hand in order to qualify for the tax credit. And, the transaction must close by June 30th. Continue reading →

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Failed Loan Modification? A Short Sale May Help You To Avoid Foreclosure

Posted on February 2, 2010 by Tni LeBlanc, JD, MA, CDPE, REALTOR®

Every week I speak to local homeowners who are frustrated with the process of obtaining a loan modification. I know there are a lot of people out there that claim they can guarantee results, etc. However, I am doubtful of those claims. And in my experience, whether you will get a loan modification depends mainly on who your lender is (servicer) and who the investors are behind the loan. Since you already have the loan and are in a bind, you can’t do anything about who your lender is, what you have is what you have. I have spoken to homeowners who have spent 15 months working through the system only to be rejected for the second or third time. Continue reading →

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FHA Loan Changes Impact First Time Home Buyers

Posted on February 1, 2010 by Tni LeBlanc, JD, MA, CDPE, REALTOR®

First time buyers using FHA financing should be aware that the FHA recent announced policy changes that will increase the cost of FHA financing. Soon, the Mortgage Insurance Premium that is required on low down payment FHA loans will increase from 1.75% to 2.25%. This will result in an increase in over all loan cost and also a slight increase in the monthly payment FHA borrowers will see. Continue reading →

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