I grew up smack dab in the middle of this slice of heaven in a Pismo Beach home that was as beautiful as the thousands of incredible ocean sunsets I watched from it’s lofty redwood veranda. To this day, I feel so blessed for all my experiences here! Along this coast there are literally miles of uncrowded sand dunes, cliffs, coves, and long wide sandy beaches silent but the sound of waves! Acres of plush green rolling hills, populated with more wild oak trees than people, overlooking the blue Pacific. The area also boasts a burgeoning wine industry of international notoriety. Part semi-rural ranch land, part small funky beach town – the California Central Coast is the perfect getaway from the big city crowds and attitudes of L.A. and Frisco.

There are so many incredible Central Coast California Real Estate locations to choose from you’ll need to set aside some quality time to do a little homework. That’s where this website is going to come in handy. My favorite places in the area to look for California homes for sale are Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles, Santa Barbara, Pismo Beach, Morro Bay, Carmel, Santa Cruz, and Cambria. There are many more options! It all depends on what you want. If you’re interested in buying, selling (or even renting) any kind of real estate on the Central Coast of California whether the property is vacant land, beachfront property, beach homes, beach condos, or anything to do with real estate – including California home loans – please look around the site here and I’ll help point you in the right direction.

The internet is where 80% of all home searches begin! Online are hundreds of home listings, neighborhood aerial views, latest selling prices, video tours, and photos of homes from every angle – inside and out. Real estate brokers, agents, and even some FSBO (homes for sale by owner) maintain informative user-friendly websites that make the internet not only a great tool for finding Central Coast of California real estate, but also for finding qualified California real estate agents (if you don’t already have a referral from family or friends). By following the suggestions listed here, when you do contact an agent your home ownership will be only a few steps away!

When scheduling a day of home walk-throughs be well rested and lay off the junk food so your memory and judgment will be at its best. Take digital photos, starting each series with a view of the house number for cataloging. Write down notes of special features that are important to you, including the home’s surroundings and location. Immediately rate each home from 1 to 10. After a few days of this, sleep on it, and then choose a couple of your top rated picks to go back and look at anew. At this point, you’ll be surprised how well the right home for you is going to stand out!

Documenting your budget and using free online mortgage qualifier tools is a good way to get you to start thinking about how much loan, and which kind, may be best for you. Before you start the process of applying for a home loan, you need to gather up all your important financial records. You need to show all your income sources and liquid assets. Know your credit rating – you can get a free credit report from one of the 3 credit reporting agencies (Experian, Trans Union, or Equifax). Make sure you don’t make any major purchases, move around any substantial amounts of money, or make any drastic employment changes before you apply for a home loan, as these are all things that will be looked into by mortgage lenders.

You need to educate yourself about the many different types of mortgages and interest rates that are available, and which fit you best. Before the subprime mortgage crisis, many first time buyers used Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae to help secure their home loans, but now there is a growing trend among first time home buyers in seeking the benefits of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Loans. Refinancing and second mortgages are popular with those who already own homes. Anyone looking into a California home loan to purchase Central Coast California real estate for sale needs to know the differences between fixed-rate mortgages and all the other types.

Search Santa Barbara for some of the most amazing estate homes, ranch homes, and beachfront property on the Central California Coast, and in the entire nation! You will find some of the best Santa Barbara real estate in Montecito, Isla Vista, The Mesa, Hope Ranch, Mission Canyon, San Roque, Upper East, Samarkand, The Riviera, Carpinteria, Summerland, and the Santa Ynez Valley. Most of the homes are quintessential “California Mediterranean” in style with their distinctive red-tile roofs and whitewashed walls. There are also many 1920’s era Victorian homes along with the traditional California bungalows, and Spanish style rancho homes – many designed by famous California architects.

Santa Barbara has its own airport, several colleges – including UC Santa Barbara, parks, hiking trails and beaches. For such a relatively small population area (approximately 200,000), it also boasts an impressive cultural scene and a highly educated demographic. There is an impressive art community, about 200 wineries and over 670 restaurants – many of them top rated. If you do your due diligence researching the area – both online and in-person – and seek out the professional services of one of several Santa Barbara area California real estate agents with trusted local experience and knowledge, you will see why there is so much demand for this Central Coast California real estate location.

For starters, don’t think of your home as a financial investment, but rather a lifestyle investment. Think about what you want to accomplish most in life and how your home will fit in that picture for, at least, the next five or ten years. Being sure of what you value most in life will guide you in picking your perfect home. If the laid-back country and beach lifestyle of the Central Coast speaks to your heart, as it does to mine, you’re going to love the real estate in Central Coast California!

Of course, you’ll need to be sure you’re financially ready to own a home and figure out how much mortgage you can afford. You need to know your credit rating and make a working budget of all your income and obligations. For most loans, your total monthly debt should not exceed about 37% of your gross monthly income, and your monthly housing costs (including taxes and insurance) should not exceed about 28%. You’ll be at a great advantage if you can get pre-approved for a home loan. Consider using budgeting software, doing plenty of online research, and talking to a financial planner or housing counselor, as well as experienced family and friends.