Santa Cruz Real Estate News & Information

Listing Spotlight: 16 Mesa Way, La Selva Beach

Classy, Cozy Craftsmanship

A white picket fence, curved walkway, graceful landscaping, and stained glass windows adorn the entrance to this two-story, one-bedroom, two-bath home just steps from Sunset beach. Inside, traditional touches - wainscoting, board-and-batten panels, crown molding, and beadboard ceilings - offer a combination of elegance and coziness.

On the first floor, steps lead to a living room with a gas fireplace with a tile hearth, flanked by built-in shelves and cabinets. The wood floors, white cabinets, and beadboard ceiling give the room an airy, open feel, enhanced by sliding doors to a deck alongside the room. A kitchen with the same custom woodwork, spacious enough for a dining nook, overlooks the living area through a white…

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Great Local Gifts To Give Your Valentine This Year

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, now’s a great time to be thinking about how you’ll celebrate with your significant other. Will you opt for the more traditional gifts or flowers and chocolates, or maybe mix things up with a spontaneous trip or day at the spa? Here are some great local gifts and trips to surprise your sweetie with this year in Santa Cruz County.

Celebrate With A Brew for Two

When you think Valentine’s Day, one of the first things that often comes to mind is often chocolate. However, with so many craft breweries popping up these days, a handcrafted ale might be a close second. On Saturday, February 14, Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing will be hosting Twisted Tasting at the Monterey Bay Exploration Center. 

A Picnic In…

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Listing Spotlight 235 Lous Ct., Corralitos

You can't help but notice how this beautifully well-appointed home shines, perched on the sunnier side of the Santa Cruz foothills, overlooking the sparkling waters of Monterrey Bay. Upon arrival of this 2- level single-family house, you're greeted with a setting that's picture-perfect not only for its immense views, but also the abundant gardens and manicured landscaping. Hedges and bushes frame the front of the home, dotted with vibrant flower beds. The drive way has been professionally stamped with plenty of space, enough to fit up to 3 vehicles, with an attached garage on the left wing of the house. Simply-put, the home captures the essence of the Corralitos lifestyle embodies, especially with a lot that's over an acre size.

About 253 Lous…

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Listing Spotlight 4456 Merlin Way, Soquel - SOLD

One of the only homes in the neighborhood that backs on to an open space, this beautiful Soquel home is unique in more than just one way. Upon arrival of this 3 bedroom and 2 bathroom single-level home, you're greeted with a beautifully landscaped front yard of rose bushes and palms, and a red brick pathway that leads to privacy gates. Beyond the gates is an enclosed courtyard takes you to the entrance of the house with an artisan slate fountain next to the front door. The courtyard is a delightful suncatcher encircled with manicured trees and plants, with a little seating area with stepping stones. A perfect place to enjoy your morning tea while birdwatching.

View 4456 Merlin Way

Take A Walkthrough Now

Through the entrance, you…

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Listing Spotlight: 3550 Vienna Drive, Aptos - SOLD

Don't Miss This Beautiful Courtyard Home For Sale in Aptos

Tucked away in the cozy Vienna Woods neighborhood, this one-level single-family home with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms is one of the more spacious courtyard homes you'll come across in Aptos real estate. If you're in search of a home that provides both casual and formal living, 3550 Vienna is for you.

View 3550 Vienna Drive

This classic Vienna Woods home has a beautifully lattice fenced front yard which serves as a charming courtyard nestled in with a well-maintained garden of shrubs, and trees. I winding drive leads to an inviting entrance with a spacious attached-garage on the right wing of the home. The bright foyer points you to a generous living room that features a two-way…

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Community Spotlight: Davenport, CA

Clinging tight to the shoreline about 20 minutes north of Santa Cruz along old highway 1 is the sleepy little village of Davenport. Don't let it's size deceive you, — Davenport is a highly sought-after community with limited housing stock, which only adds to its allure. Those in search of a purely quiet beach town will not need to look any further. With most homes being just steps from Davenport Beac, not to mention a recreation center, elementary school, and grocery store, everything you need is in this charming seaside town.  

A Brief History of Davenport

The town is named for a Captain John Pope Davenport, who first set up shop here in 1867 by constructing a 450-foot wharf to aid in transporting lumber from the interior of the mainland, back…

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Your Rights As A Santa Cruz Home Buyer

When you buying any type of real estate in Santa Cruz, it's imperative that you're aware of your rights. Not everything is as cut and dry as some may want you to think, and while any good Realtor will do everything they can to protect you, knowing what you are and aren't entitled to will help alleviate any awkward conversations and potential disappointment. The following is a list of many of those rights:

Nondiscrimination

In this case, discrimination means being denied the purchase of a home unfairly. If you can afford a home, you have every right to buy it no matter who you are or what neighborhood it's in. The Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to discriminate because of race, handicap, religion, familial status, national origin, whether you…

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When Is It A Good Idea To Use A Home Equity Loan?

What Is A Home Equity Loan?

A home equity loan is a type of loan that allows you to use the equity of your Santa Cruz home as collateral. It is an option that homeowners have available to them and that some people use to pay for major expenses such as home renovations, college education or medical bills.

These types of loans became popular in 1996 because they provided a way for consumers to circumvent their tax charges for that year, which eliminated the deductions on the interest for most consumer purchases.

Are Home Equity Loans A Good Idea?

It is a good idea to leverage your shelter for cash? What is a legitimate reason for taking out a home equity loan? It can be tempting to use the equity you have in your property to pay for…

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H.E.L.P. – A New Program to Help First-Time Home Buyers in Silicon Valley

With housing prices continuing to climb in the region, many first-time buyers have had a hard time breaking into the Santa Cruz real estate market. To help alleviate some of the financial pressures these buyers are facing in the Silicon Valley , Housing Trust Silicon Valley is helping home buyers with a new Homebuyer Empowerment Loan Program (H.E.L.P.), which will become available to help households with incomes that are up to 140% of the area's median income to buy a market-rate home.

Here’s everything you need to know about the latest loan program for first-time home buyers in Silicon Valley.

Funding Assistance For Your First Home in Silicon Valley

The Homebuyer Empowerment Loan Program will assist middle-income earners looking to buy…

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Listing Spotlight: 1955 Seascape Boulevard

Don't miss your opportunity to view this beautiful midcentury-modern home in Aptos' beloved Seascape neighborhood! 

Seascape Courtyard Home

A wooden gate leads to an inner courtyard and double doors that invite you into this unique 3-bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2 story home in the neighborhood surrounding the Seascape Resort. Inside, a tiled foyer and wide carpeted steps lead to an open living room with an angled ceiling and exposed beams, a wall of windows, a fireplace, and sliding doors to a deck that spans the front of the house, looking out towards the ocean.

The kitchen occupies the lower floor of a circular tower, with a tile counter and backsplash, white cabinets, and stainless steel appliances, including a sleek induction range…

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