Santa Maria real estate Archives - Page 6 of 7 - Santa Maria CA Real Estate Blog & Information, REALTOR® Selling Santa Maria CA Homes

Hidden Pines Santa Maria, CA Gated Community

03/10/2009
Santa Maria

Hidden Pines is a lovely little gated community located in northwest Santa Maria. It boasts a private park and streets, and borders the Santa Maria Riverbed walking trail. The homes were built approximately 15 years ago and feature tile roofs and 2 car garages. The development is surrounded by other popular developments, Cherry Blossom Ranch, Essex at Willow Creek, and the gated community of Regency Estates.

Can I find 100% Financing in the Central Coast market?

03/09/2009
Central Coast Real Estate

I get this question all the time forom buyers looking to jump into the market. For the most part, the answer to that is no. There is a program through the USDA that provides 100% financing for rural properties. I'm told by a local lender that this applies to some areas of Guadalupe, and also some areas of Nipomo, but I haven't been able to verify it. There is also the Veterans Affairs (VA) Loan Program which offers 100% financing to qualifying veterans. But unless you have some military service under your belt, you are not eligible. Other than that, right now I don't know of any 100% financing program available to buyers.

Bank Owned Bidding Wars in the Santa Maria – Orcutt CA Foreclosure Market

02/17/2009
Buyer Info, Foreclosure / Bank Owned (REO) Info, Santa Maria

Is it a great time to buy? Yes. Interest rates are at historic lows, Congress just passed an $8000 tax credit for first time buyers, and prices just keep getting better and better. There are plenty of folks who are taking advantage of this opportunity. As such, jumping into the current market for foreclosure properties in Santa Maria - Orcutt CA can be a rude awakening for potential buyers. Currently, there is a lot of competition for foreclosed properties. REOs comprise the majority of sold properties in the Santa Maria and Orcutt housing market.

Santa Maria CA & Orcutt CA Short Sale Buyer Information

02/16/2009
Santa Maria, Short Sale Info

With the majority of single family homes and condos being listed as "short sales" in the Santa Maria CA and Orcutt CA market, buyers are considering this type of listing more often. A "short sale" is a property listing where the owner owes more than the homes' current value, but still desires/needs to sell. Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon position for sellers in Santa Maria CA.

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,…

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.

Should I Sell My Santa Maria CA Home in this Market?

01/04/2009
Santa Maria

Many Santa Maria - Orcutt CA home owners who have the equity to sell without a short sale are trying to wait this market out. Sellers who have to sell due to job relocation, loss of income, or divorce don't…

Selling Your Home as a Short Sale in the Santa Maria CA & Orcutt CA Market

07/06/2008
Santa Maria, Short Sale Info

Short sales dominate the Santa Maria and Orcutt CA market. Simply put, short sales are sales where the owner owes more than the house is currently worth. Currently, 50% of the active listings in Santa Maria and Orcutt are short sales. However, 60% of the homes sold in the past 30 days are bank owned homes (REOs), and only 10% of sold homes in the last month were short sales.