It's the beginning of a new year, so many people are waiting anxiously to hear how many homes and condos were sold in Santa Maria last year, what the average sale price was, and how it compared to 2009.
River Oaks is a community of newer homes for sale in northeast Santa Maria. The neighborhood offers a secluded feeling and borders the Santa Maria Riverbed ad walking trails. At the center of the neighborhood is Ida Redmond Taylor Elementary, and directly behind is a community park which includes a lake, playground, and picnic area. These homes were constructed between about 1999 – 2003.
The Traditions at Bradley Square is community of newer homes for sale in southeast Santa Maria; it is near much of the new shopping in south Santa Maria (Best Buy, Home Depot, TJ Maxx) and it is also adjacent to the award winning Rotary Centennial Park.
La Ventana is a community of single family homes and luxury townhomes in northeast Santa Maria; its location is ideal for those who need to be near Marian Medical Center and the surrounding medical office complexes. Local builder, Inland Pacific, began selling homes in the La Ventana development around 2005 and because these Santa Maria homes were sold new during the height of the housing boom, many if not most of the recent re-sales in the development are foreclosures or distress sales.
Inland Pacific, a local builder, built Pacific Crest Estates beginning in about 2005. Because the homes were sold new during the height of the housing boom, many if not most of the current and recent sales in the development are foreclosures or distress sales.
I’m afraid the days of 100% financing for everyone are gone. Unless you are a veteran with a VA home loan benefit, or buying in a rural area through the USDA loan program, there are not many 100% financing options. (Santa Maria does not qualify as a rural area, but in the past, Guadalupe and parts of Nipomo have qualified).
1) For an “as-is” purchase – Banks don’t like to make repairs, and you will find that the Santa Maria real estate is littered with bank sellers who intend to make no repairs to their properties. This may even include situations where the property has been cited by the City of Santa Maria for violations of the municipal code.
The first half of 2010 has been pretty dramatic with the $8000 federal tax credit extension and the introuction of the $10,000 California new home and first time home buyer credit. Buyers were on a roller coaster with the first two months having moderate activity, then a blaze of acvtivity in March and April followed by low activity in May and June. Overall sales for the 6 month period were high with 553 properties being sold in the Santa Maria Orcutt area.
The average price for a home in Santa Maria and Orcutt edged up only slightly from $250,000 in December 2008 to $252,000 in December 2009, reflecting the fact that the market appears to be stabilizing. Also, the average price for condos has gone up from $120,000 to $168,500.