It's been quite a year for the Real Estate market... |
Real Estate Matters
Looking Forward |
It's a new year and a new decade. That's exciting. It feels like a fresh start, and after the last couple of years, a fresh start is "just what the doctor ordered."
It's also that time of year when all of us "real estate types" like to pound our chest and boast that we are #1 --- #1 in sales, #1 in listings, #1 in dollar volume of closed transactions...etc., etc. You've seen it, and I'm sure you get the idea. Not to be outdone, Laura and I would also like to boast a little. We are #1 in taking care of our Client's interests first, #1 in Client satisfaction, and #1 in negotiating the best possible deal for our Buyers and our Sellers.
Because we are a small real estate firm, we offer outstanding personalized service. Because we are a construction firm also, we offer a unique and credible perspective to each of our Clients. Our construction experience and reputation has proven to be very valuable when we are engaged in the always touchy negotiation stages of a transaction.
It's also the time of year for New Year's resolutions and inspiration. I came across 4 little, but powerful, thoughts that I hope will guide me in the coming year. It's kind of a personal mission statement. I thought I would share them with you --
Live Simply
Love Generously
Care Deeply
Speak Kindly
Happy New Year to you and yours!
~John |
A Year In Review  by Laura
Many of you know me from working with John as a Construction Project Coordinator, and others may know me as John's Real Estate Office Manager. With the slow down in the construction economy over the last year, I have been working the Real Estate side of the business full time and I have really enjoyed being able to focus all of my attention on our Real Estate Clients. I am glad that I still get to work with John, and since we work as a team, our clients get the benefit of John's 25+ years of experience in Construction and Real Estate.
Below are some examples of transactions that we were involved in last year:
- Above Appraised Value -- We were particularly proud that through persistence and determination, we were able to sell a listing in Boulder Creek for $90,000 above the appraised value.
- REO -- One of our first transactions in '09 was helping a couple and their two sons find a vacation home in Felton. This was a bank owned property (REO) and had its fair share of lending challenges.
- Probate -- After more than a year of steadily showing different properties to one of our Buyers, we were finally able to help her find a retirement home "in town." This property turned out to be a probate sale which always has a few wrinkles (pardon the pun). The combination of the courts, attorneys, and squabbling siblings certainly can add to the drama. We are happy to say that this one went pretty smooth, especially since instead of negotiating the terms of a sale with one or two sellers, there were four siblings that had to agree to the terms.
- A Gem in the Market -- In our last transaction of '09, we were very pleased to find "a diamond in the rough" in Rio Del Mar for a first time Home Buyer. The construction side of the business has been enjoying polishing this diamond over the last month!
In all of our transactions this year, our ability to give 100% of our attention to our Clients, coupled with our construction expertise, made these deals possible. I believe that it is this combination that sets us apart from other agents and brokerages in town. So, please think of John Fuchs Properties and myself when you are considering buying or selling in Santa Cruz County.
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Home Buyers Tax Credit 
Extended & Expanded
Hurry, hurry, hurry!
Now is a great time to buy a house, especially for you first time home buyers.
Don't forget that the Tax Credit has been extended and expanded
to help those of you who would like to take advantage of the many real
estate deals that are currently on the market. There is still the
$8,000 first time home buyer tax credit available. One of the following
two qualifications must be met to be considered a first time home buyer -- either you have never purchased a home, OR you have not owned a home in the last 3 years.
Additionally, there is a new tax credit of $6,500 available for all qualified buyers. Originally, to claim the full credit you had to have an income of no more than $75,000 for a single taxpayer, but now they have raised that to $125,000 for a single taxpayer and $225,000 for a married couple.
For more information about this valuable Tax Credit, you can call me or click on this link to the National Association of Realtors website.
Don't delay! You only have a few more months to be able to take advantage of this Tax Credit. It expires April 30th, 2010 and it's as good as money in your pocket!
--Laura
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Client Testimonials:
Jim & Mary --
Jim and I were very
happy and satisfied with your efforts to help us find a place. You really
helped us manage the whole process given our distance. You were always so
patient, and never pushed too much. Your help during the escrow process was
particularly great. Your background in project management was so helpful when
it came to obtaining quotes and coordinating inspections. I think your
experience really ended up saving us money and ultimately helped get the deal
approved by our lender.
Dan--
Laura Cohelan did a
great job selling our house in Ben Lomond last
year. I highly recommend her!
Laurel --
Laura worked
tirelessly to prove herself to me, professional at all times and always going
the extra mile. Because of her enthusiastic efforts, she had my house sold to a
solid buyer in only 28 DAYS in a VERY slow market and in the month of November
no less! I'd highly recommend her to my
friends and family, and would happily use her services
again. |
Shout Out
Clark Codiga -- Redwood Capital We have had the pleasure of working with many fine Lenders and Mortgage Brokers over the years and would like to take this opportunity to send out a special thanks to Clark Codiga of Redwood Capital here in Santa Cruz.
In this challenging market, the lender is more critical than ever. Because Redwood Capital is a local business, they have a pool of appraisers that are familiar with properties here in Santa Cruz. That can be very valuable when trying to get lending on any property, especially an unusual property.
Clark's website:
www.redwoodcapital.net/
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We always appreciate your referrals. Thank You!
Sincerely,
John Fuchs
John Fuchs Properties: Construction and Real Estate
758 Rio Del Mar Blvd.
Aptos, CA 95003
Lic # 00977045
(831) 688-8008
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