Information About Rancho Santa Fe Homes

Qualifying the Buyer for your Rancho Santa Fe Property

Either you or your agent will want to weed out potential buyers who cannot afford to purchase your Rancho Santa Fe home. Items to investigate include the buyer’s debt and credit history, current income and employment, the availability of cash for a down payment, the time the buyer needs before closing on the home and the buyer’s level of interest in your home as compared to other properties.

Rancho Santa Fe Fixed or Adjustable?

The fixed rate mortgages offer Rancho Santa Fe real estate buyers peace of mind with predictable monthly payments. Taxes may go up but the principle and interest will remain fixed throughout the life of the loan. When interest rates were rising rapidly in the late 1970s, lenders came up with ARMs or Adjustable Rate Mortgages. With an ARM, the borrower assumes the risk of rising interest rates. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate Cycles

One problem with attempting to time your purchase to the business cycle is that even experts have problems accurately predicting the future economy. Even when they can, the Rancho Santa Fe market does not necessarily move in tandem with the stock market or the economy as a whole. Rancho Santa Fe is a unique situation.

When the economy is doing well, interest rates are generally higher. The result is that fewer people can afford houses, and Rancho Santa Fe is no exception. When the economy slows down, interest rates fall, the "affordability index" moves up and more people can afford houses. The Rancho Santa Fe market will take the lead.

Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate Cycles

What makes most sense is the "buy and hold" strategy. Buy a home you expect to remain in for at least seven years or more. Rancho Santa Fe is no different than most, although the Rancho Santa Fe market does have it's own special circumstances.

Want to get a clear and up-to-date picture of the Rancho Santa Fe real estate market? Call me at any time. I am happy to share my knowledge of the real estate market with homeowners and prospective homeowners who want to take advantage of market trends to buy and/or sell wisely.

Buying Rancho Santa Fe Below Market

On most real estate Websites you can enter the parameters you want for your Rancho Santa Fe. Include the price, size, features and location and the technology will notify you automatically the moment a property that meets your needs comes on the market. Now if what you are looking for is a particular type of property for a price that is significantly under market, you’d better be prepared to act quickly because you aren’t the only one who’s looking for a bargain.

Often times, when a home comes on the market priced under the market there are extenuating circumstances. Maybe the house needs maintenance. Maybe the yard needs work. If you are prepared with a certain amount of knowledge about the costs of roofing, painting, landscaping and other types of deferred maintenance, you will be in a position to evaluate whether or not the Rancho Santa Fe is priced well enough that it truly is a bargain and not a fixer-upper nightmare.

When Rancho Santa Fe Does Not Sell

The number one, main reason why a home remains on the market is PRICE. There can be other problems as well such as the home’s condition or location and even overall market conditions but the major reason for the NO SALE sign is the Rancho Santa Fe is over priced. In fact, proper pricing will often overcome most all obstacles.

Some people prefer to buy Rancho Santa Fe that needs some work if the price is right. Investors look at the property, evaluate the cost of brining it up to speed and make an offer if they feel they can make a quick profit. These kinds of investors are looking to fix and flip. Others with limited budgets may see the fixer-upper as a way to get started with Rancho Santa Fe ownership. They may spend years working on improving the home, making improvements as they can afford it. So, a home’s poor condition will not prevent a sale if the price reflects the situation.