Santa Maria real estate Archives | Page 4 of 5

Orcutt View Park Townhomes, Old Orcutt CA Condo Update

December 30, 2009
Vandenberg AFB Homes
Santa Maria

Nestled between May Grisham Elementary and Highway 135 is a strip of cute little townhomes known as the Orcutt View Park Condos. These homes offer 3 bedrooms, two baths, a one car garage, and a birds eye view of community sporting events held in the sporting fields next to the school. They are about are about 1400 sq. ft. in size and the association dues are about $180 per month. Most of the townhomes offer a small patio and backyard. For those who wish to commute to Vandenberg AFB, the location is ideal; the commute time is about 15 minutes to the main gate.

River Oaks Development, Santa Maria Homes Market Update 2009

December 26, 2009
Vandenberg AFB Homes
Santa Maria

Home to Jim May Park (an 11 acre park which includes a lake and walking trails) and Ida Redmond Taylor Elementary, the River Oaks development offers an idyllic setting which parallels the Santa Maria riverbed in northeast Santa Maria. Built from 1999 -2003, these homes range from 1400 sq.ft. up to almost 3000 sq.ft. in size. Current asking prices for active and pending homes in the River Oaks development range from $260,000 to $299,900. In the past 6 months, home sales prices in River Oaks ranged from $235,000 - $310,000.

Pacific Crest Development, Santa Maria Homes Update

December 25, 2009
Vandenberg AFB Homes
Santa Maria

Built by a local developer, Inland Pacific Builders, Pacific Crest is conveniently located on the south end of Santa Maria and a short 20 minute commute to the main gate of Vandenberg AFB. The Pacific Crest homes were constructed beginning about 2005, and the last few homes are still being sold by the developer. The floorplans are some of my favorites built in Santa Maria, with circular interior entries, spacious kitchens, and luxurious master suite options.

Where Have all the Houses Gone in Santa Maria – Orcutt?

When I searched the MLS for active properties this morning, I came up with 158 single family homes or condos for sale. 29 of those listings are short sales, and 35 are active REO listings. There are 234 contingent listings, and 222 of them are short sales. In the last 30 days, 131 homes have sold, with an average price of about $250,000, average price per square foot of $150, and averaging about 75 days on market. 28 of those sold homes were closed short sales, and 61 were REO (bank owned property) sales. Average days on market for short sales were about 120 days (this reflects the time period to obtain bank approval), and average days on market for REO listings was about 53 (this includes the time it takes to get the contract finalized by the bank).

The Santa Maria Real Estate Market is Hot!

I know the media is saying that the real estate market is in the dumps. And I guess if you were hoping to get housing boom level prices for your home, it is. But if you are a Santa Maria or Ocutt home owner who needs to sell your home, you should know that the Santa Maria real estate market is hot! Why do I say that? Because homes that are priced in line with today's market that are not short sales, sell in less than a week. I feel as if this is a hidden secret of today's market place. Everyone believes that it is hard to sell your home right now, but even short sales that are well priced are receiving multile offers right now.

What not to do when selling your Santa Maria CA home

Home sellers often ask what they can do to make their home sell quickly for the price they want. I believe that this is a great market for realistic sellers. Realistic meaning sellers who do not expect to get housing boom era pricing for their homes. There is actually a shortage of easy to buy homes on the market in the Santa Maria, Orcutt, and Lompoc markets. The market is clogged with short sales that stay stagnant. Homes and condos that are priced right are receiving multiple offers. That being said, time and time again I see sellers make critical mistakes when trying to sell their home.

Can I Buy A Home for $25,000 in Santa Maria, CA?

You would be surprised how many times I am asked this question with amounts varying from as little as $5000 to $50,000. And my answer to that is an easy no. I even had someone ask me about an $81,000 home in Foxenwood Estates! When I ask these potential buyers where they are getting this type of information, they point to the various foreclosure related websites. After sampling a few, for properties that are in pre-foreclosure (i.e. a Notice of Default has been filed) the amount of the payments that are in arrears, or the amount of the second loan owing on the property shows up as the list price, when in fact the home may not even be listed with a broker.

Hidden Pines Santa Maria, CA Gated Community

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?

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

February 17, 2009
Vandenberg AFB Homes
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.