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Santa Cruz, CA Real Estate News

By Pete Cullen ~ Broker Associate, GRI,CRS, Serving The Entire Monterey Bay Area
(Bailey Properties, Inc.)
  Father's Day is this weekend, so make sure to do something great for him this weekend. While you might think about buying him another tie, why not take advantage of some of the great events that are taking place here in the Central Coast. Here are a few ideas of some of the fun events you can take Dad out to this weekend.      If dad is a wine lover make sure to take him out the Alfaro winery. This Sunday is the start of their new summer hours for their tasting rooms which will run Saturdays and Sundays from 12 to 5 pm through September 1st. The Alfaro Vineyard was started by Richard Alfaro and his wife Mary Kay in 1997 and have recently had 8 acres of their vineyard certified California Organic.    If you and Dad are more inclined towards beer, there is the Monterey Beer Festival th...
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By Jessica Wallace, Santa Cruz Realtor (831) 419-9345
(Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz)
PASATIEMPO - LUXURY HOME GATED COMMUNITY IN SANTA CRUZ Pasatiempo is a luxury gated home community in Santa Cruz located right on a world class golf course.  The Pasatiempo gated community is located just off Highway 17 between Scotts Valley and  Santa Cruz.  If you are looking for a luxury home in a gorgeous setting - Pasatiempo Santa Cruz gated community homes may be the place for you.  You don't have to be an avid golfer to appreciate living in Pasatiempo.  Many Pasatiempo homes for sale have ocean views and views of the Santa Cruz mountains.     Driving through the Pasatiempo gated home community you will see that there are various homes styles - everything from expansive Mediterranean homes, modern style homes to classic 1960's ranch homes.  There are beautiful oak trees, eucalyptu...
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By Pete Cullen ~ Broker Associate, GRI,CRS, Serving The Entire Monterey Bay Area
(Bailey Properties, Inc.)
Santa Cruz Longboard Union Memorial Day Invitational The weather is looking sunny this Memorial weekend, which will be perfect for the Santa Cruz Longboard Union Memorial Day Invitational! Spend the day at Steamer Lane and watch the longest-running longboard contest in existence. From May 25-26th, over 100 contestants will compete and the proceeds from the event benefit Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services and Ride-a-Wave Foundation, Inc. There will also be a Mega-Surfboard Raffle! A $2 raffle ticket might win you one of 8 handcrafted surfboards by local shapers. A $1 raffle ticket could win a new Go-Pro or many other prizes. The surfers won’t be the only winners at this event! In past years, the raffle raised over $3,000 for Jacob’s Heart and Ride-a-Wave.   The Santa Cruz L...
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By Jessica Wallace, Santa Cruz Realtor (831) 419-9345
(Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz)
HOMES FOR SALE IN SEABRIGHT SANTA CRUZ - MARKET UPDATE Seabright is a neighborhood in Santa Cruz located between Downtown Santa Cruz and the Yacht Harbor.  Seabright is filled with great homes - Craftsman style, Victorians and ocean view homes.  Many people want to live in Seabright because of the proximity to the beach, restaurants, Highway 1 and the great community.   Let's take a look at what has been going on with homes for sale in Seabright so far this year. The highest home sale in Seabright so far in 2013 was on Ocean View Avenue - it sold for $1,600,000 The lowest priced home for sale in Seabright was a fixer on Pine Street that sold for $400,000 in February 2013. The median home sale price in Seabright from January to May 2013 was about $853,000 We are seeing many Seabright hom...
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By Pete Cullen ~ Broker Associate, GRI,CRS, Serving The Entire Monterey Bay Area
(Bailey Properties, Inc.)
Getting Involved In the Community: Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries Spring Book Sale Whether you have just moved into Santa Cruz or are a long time resident, getting involved in the community will build your personal network and contribute to the growth of local organizations. A non-profit that I truly admire is the Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries. The Friends believe that our libraries are now more important that ever and are dedicated to supporting the Santa Cruz Public Libraries. They work to advocate for our libraries and support our libraries’ children’s literacy programs, book and media purchases, concerts, author talks, community reading programs, technical and facilities upgrades and more.    Being a non-profit, you can’t deny the importance of the volunteer...
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By Jessica Wallace, Santa Cruz Realtor (831) 419-9345
(Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz)
HOMES FOR SALE ON THE WESTSIDE OF SANTA CRUZ - ARE PRICES GOING UP? Are prices going up for homes for sale on the Westside of Santa Cruz?  Yes, home prices are trending up on the Westside.  With the low number of homes for sale in Santa Cruz and many people wanting to buy in our beautiful Santa Cruz area, prices are starting to climb. GRAPH OF WESTSIDE SANTA CRUZ MEDIAN HOME SALE PRICES JUNE 2012- MAY 2013   Looking at the graph above you can see that home prices of Westside Santa Cruz homes started to trend upwards beginning in 2013 but we were already seeing many homes with multiple offers last year.  The Westside of Santa Cruz is a highly desirable area due to the geographically stunning location, proximity to shopping, restaurants, beaches and UCSC.  We have many 2nd home buyers, ca...
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By John Flaniken, Realtor Santa Cruz Homes For Sale; Santa Cruz CA
(American Dream Realty- Broker Associate)
The SANTA CRUZ FIRECRACKER 10K, 5K and Kids Run   As a newer member of the Sunrise Rotary Club, I am proud to share and be a part of this event. It's going to be a great day full of fun. Check out the information below and view the video highlights from last years run. For extended details and past photos visit the website HERE. We also have created a Facebook Fan page and ticket outlet through Eventbrite. It's that time of year again! Registration is open for this year's race (Thursday, July 4, 2013). But don’t wait, the price goes up on June 4th, 2013, and we anticipate a sell-out this year. Yes, that’s right, we may not have any spots left on Race Day, so SIGN UP EARLY! Mail entries must be received by June 4th, to get the early bird pricing, so SIGN UP EARLY! As you know this race i...
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By Mike Young, FHA 203k Consultant 916-758-1809
(203kOnLine.com, covering the USA)
Spent many a weekend in Santa Cruz in my teen years. Lots of fun memories there including going there the day after graduation from high school.  Got an FHA 203k project near the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz. The client picked up a duplex that needed considerable work and now we're well underway. The contractor is Elite Construction and though this is the first project we have going together he's already on another project with me in San Jose and I believe he is bidding on another one for one of my crew. When we find a good contractor sometimes we show our appreciation by giving them too much work. I'm sure Eric doesn't think we're giving them too much work at the moment, but Eric, sit back and watch us grow together. I've only seen a small amount of his work so far but what I've seen is ver...
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By Sandy Wallace - REALTOR®, Santa Cruz CA Homes for sale
(eXp Realty)
 Walk Score on West Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz   What is walk score? It a number from zero to infiniti I presume because after all we have walked on the moon. The higher the score the better your walk ability is. I have lived in Santa Cruz California since 1976. Of course one of the reason I live here is for the beach and ocean. I enjoy a walk on any beach, by a river, and in the mountains so how do you rate it. Walk Score, started in July of 2007, helps people determine the “walkability” of an individual home with an algorithm that awards points based on the distance to the closest amenities.  What does this mean for you? For the buyers, it means that you can now get a general feel for how walker friendly a particular home is in a neighborhood. For home owners it adds value to your home...
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Santa Cruz Home Prices: Fell Last 2 Months, Overall Trends are Up,  Here is Why   Find homes for sale in Santa Cruz    Property prices fell, month-over-month, in February for the second month in a row. Interestingly, the median price was down year-over-year last month for the first time since last June.   Yes, that means for seven months in a row, the median price for single-family, re-sale homes has been higher than the year before.   It seems that more lower priced homes were sold thereby bringing the median price down.   The median price for single-family, re-sale homes is up 25% from the bottom of the market, which was reached in April 2009. Market Stats by Santa Cruz Neighborhoods  My Santa Cruz Real Estate Report provides an automatic, easy to use, property analysis feature, a mi...
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By Jessica Wallace, Santa Cruz Realtor (831) 419-9345
(Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz)
WESTSIDE SANTA CRUZ HOMES FOR SALE - MARKET UPDATE 3-13 Anyone who has been trying to buy a home on the Westside of Santa Cruz this year knows that the name of the game is:  Low inventory and multiple offers.  Oftentimes homes for sale of the Westside of Santa Cruz are selling for over list price so far in 2013.  This has been frustrating to many buyers, especially first time buyers and very encouraging time for Santa Cruz home sellers.     This month of March 2013 we have had a slight increase in inventory of Westside Santa Cruz homes for sale - we have about 56 active/pending homes for sale on the Westside of Santa Cruz, up from just 20 in January.  The median list price of a home for sale on the Westside of Santa Cruz in February 2013 was right around $650,000 while the median sale p...
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By Pete Cullen ~ Broker Associate, GRI,CRS, Serving The Entire Monterey Bay Area
(Bailey Properties, Inc.)
The Penny Ice Creamery Expands to Pleasure Point, CA If Pleasure Point did not seem attractive enough, it is now home to the second location of The Penny Ice Creamery! 41st Street is hopping with surf shops, delicious food, and ice cream made from scratch in house. Penny Ice takes pride in their participation in the third wave of ice cream; in which they mean, “the combination of traditional culinary methods with modern and whimsical flavors to devise truly unique ice cream creations.” This ice cream would not be possible without Kendra and Zach. Kendra was the Executive Pastry Chef at two Micheline star Manresa Restaurant and Zach was directing operations and product development at a San Francisco startup. Their combined efforts have created a business that has the characteristics of S...
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By John Flaniken, Realtor Santa Cruz Homes For Sale; Santa Cruz CA
(American Dream Realty- Broker Associate)
5 Things to do for Valentine's Day | Santa Cruz County Valentine's Day is here! Here are some great ideas of things you can do around the area for the holiday or any other time you are searching for something to do. Share with a loved one or go with a group of friends. These opportunities should be taken advantage of and shared!   1. Take a Wine Tour of the Santa Cruz Mountains Whether you're a seasoned wine connoisseur or new to the experience of sniffing and swishing, you are likely to enjoy and learn from the tasting rooms at area wineries. Look for a guided tour or go the cheaper route and explore on your own. Try Bonny Doon Vineyards open Wednesday's through Sunday's 12pm-5pm.   2. Kiss on the Tram at Shadowbrook Restaurant                                       Visit one of Capitol...
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By Pete Cullen ~ Broker Associate, GRI,CRS, Serving The Entire Monterey Bay Area
(Bailey Properties, Inc.)
Local Businesses in Pleasure Point, California Pleasure Point is famously known for its premier waves that surfers can ride all year, but I also believe that the Pleasure Point Business Association strengthens this community. Pleasure Point has many businesses that are managed by the local community, and these businesses compliment each other instead of trying to drive a neighboring business out of the area. The Pleasure Point Business Association has strived to represent, network, and advertise local businesses for over 10 years. Local businesses in this association commit to cleaning up the neighborhood and take part in major projects in the county. A festive tradition, which started in 1995, is that business owners decorate their shops with holiday lights in December. This not only e...
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By Jessica Wallace, Santa Cruz Realtor (831) 419-9345
(Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz)
HOMES FOR SALE IN SEABRIGHT - SANTA CRUZ - YEAR IN REVIEW 2012 Seabright in Santa Cruz, CA is a wonderful beach neighborhood that falls between Downtown Santa Cruz and the Boardwalk to the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor.  The Seabright neighborhood is a highly desirable area due to the prime beach location, you can walk to restaurants, coffee, shopping and Seabright has beautiful homes including craftsmans and Victorians.  Let's take a look at the statistics for homes for sale in Seabight - Santa Cruz for 2012 The median home sale price was about $545,000 for homes for sale in Seabright in 2012, which is pretty similar to the previous year.  Home prices in Seabright seem to have stabilized and may be on the slight up tick.  There were much more homes sold in Seabright in 2012 - 131 homes sold ...
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By Jessica Wallace, Santa Cruz Realtor (831) 419-9345
(Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz)
WESTSIDE SANTA CRUZ HOMES FOR SALE - YEAR IN REVIEW 2012 For those Realtors that specialize in selling homes on the Westside of Santa Cruz, 2012 was quite a crazy year!  We had about 20% more Westside Santa Cruz homes sell in 2012 vs 2011.  Buyer demand has been up and homes on the Westside of Santa Cruz are selling quickly! You can see in the graph below that many more Westside Santa Cruz homes sold in 2012 than previous years. GRAPH OF NUMBER OF HOMES SOLD ON THE WESTSIDE OF SANTA CRUZ 2010-2012     Low Inventory was the name of the game in 2012 for homes for sale on Westside of Santa Cruz, with the number of homes for sale almost half of what it was in the previous year.  With less homes on the market, low interest rates and pent up buyer demand, we had quite a busy year!  Multiple o...
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By John Flaniken, Realtor Santa Cruz Homes For Sale; Santa Cruz CA
(American Dream Realty- Broker Associate)
Are You A First Time Home Buyer? | Santa Cruz Real Estate The new year quickly approaches and I am sure you have made some resolutions. If purchasing your first home is one of them, consider these tips on preparing for the process. Deciding to purchase a home is a monumental lifetime decision. Doing your research, saving money and letting someone guide and assist you during the process is critical to your end result in homeownership.Start by following these simple steps and be sure to call me at 831-334-0890 if you are ready to start looking for the perfect home.   Check Your Credit ScoreLenders tie the interest rate you must pay to your credit score, so that borrowers with a score of 720 and sometimes 740 and above are the only ones who will pay the lowest mortgage rates. Borrowers wit...
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By Christine Cumming SeaRealEstate.com, California Real Estate and Business 831.588.7767
(Real Estate Portfolio Acquisition)
Santa Cruz California Property for sale.  This wonderful Town of Davenport is just about an hour drive south of San Francisco, and about 10 minutes drive north of Santa Cruz.  The Davenport Mill has been around for 30 + years and is ready for semi-retirement.  The building and the land is all for sale.  Sitting on almost an acre, at the end of a cul de sac, near a beautiful creek, is privacy and scerentiy.  The wood shop has about 9000+ ft of work space. There are too many fixtures to list, but for the right person, this could be fully occupied, or they can lease out sections to cabinet makers ... etc. The seller is willing to carry a portion of the note, is willing to negotiate price, terms, etc. Listed for $1,490,000                     
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By John Flaniken, Realtor Santa Cruz Homes For Sale; Santa Cruz CA
(American Dream Realty- Broker Associate)
Holiday Events Around Santa Cruz County - Santa Cruz, CA People choose to buy Santa Cruz real estate and live in Santa Cruz County for many reasons. Who would disagree that the diversity of Santa Cruz and the variety of things to do in the area makes is a great place to live? Take a look at these upcoming holiday events to entertain and bring a little more magic and cheer to you and your family. From the trains at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk to New Years at Cocoanut Grove, wreath making at Wilder Ranch State Park and the original Nutcracker Ballet at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, there is something for everyone in Santa Cruz County. Santa Cruz Holiday Lights TrainDecember 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 21-23    Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalkhttp://www.beachboardwalk.com/holidaytrains/Vintage excurs...
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By Jessica Wallace, Santa Cruz Realtor (831) 419-9345
(Coldwell Banker - Santa Cruz)
OCEAN VIEW HOMES FOR SALE IN PLEASURE POINT - SANTA CRUZ If you are looking to buy ocean view and ocean front homes for sale in Santa Cruz County, one of the best places to look is Pleasure Point.  Ocean view homes for sale in Pleasure Point can run into the multi-million dollar range and there are some around 1 million dollars.     You will find the best ocean view homes for sale in Pleasure Point on streets like Rockview Dr, Pleasure Point Dr, East Cliff Dr and the Avenues.  Some will be ocean front homes, where you can walk down the stairs from your backyard and be on the beach.  Other Pleasure Point ocean view homes for sale may be a block or so back, with great views but not direct beach access.     Pleasure Point is a quintissental Northern California beach community.  World class...
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