Spring is usually a busy time of the year in Santa Cruz. As the weather gets warmer, locals and visitors alike take to the parks and beaches to enjoy everything this wonderful city has to offer.

But this year looks a little different.

With COVID-19 affecting our community, popular amenities like beaches and shopping centers have been closed down to keep everyone safe and healthy.

Each and every person has also been asked to self-isolate in order to prevent the spread of the virus.

This means that many of us are cooped up in our homes until everything gets back under control.

Even though staying at home is the best thing to do in a situation like this, it can make you feel stir crazy.

If you’re starting to get a little bored, here’s

The homebuying process can be difficult.

When looking for a home, there are so many things to consider, such as location, homestyle, and budget. And another important aspect to consider is whether you want to buy resale or new construction.

Santa Cruz real estate has a generous mix of both resale and new construction homes, giving homebuyers plenty of choice.

But what’s the difference between one and the other? Which is better?

Believe it or not, there are crucial differences between the two home styles—all of which could make you rethink what’s best for you.

Here are the differences between buying a resale vs. new construction home in Santa Cruz, CA:

Energy Efficiency and Green Building

Energy efficiency is becoming a high

Spring is the best time of year to sell your home in Santa Cruz.

The school year is wrapping up and homebuyers are starting their home searches for the summer.

This means that there’s no better time to list your home and to host an open house!

Open houses are the best way to get potential homebuyers into your home so that they can see it for all its worth.

And since it’s important to make a good impression, you’ll want to prepare your home for this event.

Follow these tips on how to get your Santa Cruz home open house ready so you can make the most out of your event:

Clean Anything and Everything

Tidying up your home before an open house may seem obvious. But it requires a little more effort than just vacuuming and doing the

Spring is upon us, which means everyone in Santa Cruz can once again enjoy all the wonderful activities that make this city one of the best places to live in California.

One of the most popular activities to do in Santa Cruz is camping. And there’s no wonder why.

Santa Cruz has countless state parks and campgrounds that are home to dense redwood forests and miles of tree-lined trails.

The natural beauty alone is enough to attract people from all over the place to camp in these state forests.

So, if you’re planning on joining in on the fun, here’s the ultimate guide to camping in Santa Cruz:

• Where to Camp
• When to Camp
• Tips for Camping in Santa Cruz

Where to Camp in Santa Cruz

There are tons of spots in and around

In Santa Cruz’s competitive real estate market, you need all the tools you can get to sell your home quickly and for the best price possible.

One of the most useful tools is a firm marketing strategy. And the best way to market a home is to make it attractive to all types of homebuyers.

This is where staging comes in.

Staging is one of the biggest advantages you can give your home in the Santa Cruz market because it puts your space above and beyond the average.

But does staging actually work? Is it worth all the money spent?

Learn the facts behind the myths about professionally staging your Santa Cruz home:

MYTH #1: Professional Home Stagers are Too Expensive

Fact: Professional home staging is more affordable than you think. The

Take a drive north of Santa Cruz along Highway 9 and you'll encounter a string of charming small towns, majestic parks, and rustic mountain homes.

The San Lorenzo Valley between Santa Cruz and the Bay Area is a treasure trove of galleries, museums, quaint stores, hiking trails, and spacious properties shaded by tall Sequoia trees. It's along these winding rounds that you'll find the perfect sanctuary from urban life.

Here you'll find a chain of closely-connected communities: Ben Lomond, Boulder Creek, Brookdale, and Felton, each with its own unique character.

Buying a Home in San Lorenzo Valley

From a real estate perspective, the San Lorenzo Valley is one of the most diverse places in Santa Cruz County.

You can find anything from

Santa Cruz is a spectacular place.

Not only does the city have gorgeous redwood forests and world-class beaches, but it has an arts and culture scene unlike any other mid-sized city in America.

But what made Santa Cruz the city it is today?

Here’s a brief history of Santa Cruz so you can see how the city got its start:

The First Settlers

Although anthropologists have found evidence that people lived in the Santa Cruz area over 12,000 years ago, the city’s history began in 1769 when the first settlers made it to the shores of the city.

The first settlers were Spanish explorers on the Portola Expedition. They were the first non-native people to explore the coast of the Santa Cruz region.

Explorer Don Gaspar de Portola set foot on

Renovating your home is a great way to boost its value before you sell it.

And there are certain renovations that are notorious for giving homeowners great returns on their investments. Some of these include kitchen makeovers and bathroom upgrades.

But not all renovations are going to boost the value of your home as much as you want them to.

So that you can get the most value out of your Santa Cruz home, avoid these home renovations that don’t pay off when selling your home:

Bathroom Additions

Unlike regular bathroom renovations, bathroom additions do not give you a great rate of return.

After adding walls, plumbing, and fixtures, a bathroom addition can cost you anywhere between $50,000 and $60,000, but will likely only get you 50%

With it’s coastal redwood forests and it’s white sand beaches, Santa Cruz has it all.

And what better way to experience this natural beauty than from viewpoints around the city?

No matter if you love hiking, wine-tasting, dining-out, or all of the above, there are plenty of spots where you can enjoy views of the Pacific Ocean and redwood forests.

Here are the five best viewpoints in Santa Cruz:

Lookout Trail in Pogonip

If you’re wanting to catch a good view of the city from up high, Lookout Trail in Pogonip is the best spot for this.

This trail gives you unobstructed views of Santa Cruz’s redwood forests and the glistening ocean below.

You can arrive at this viewpoint by driving along Coolidge Dr. There’s a dirt parking lot

Santa Cruz is known for a lot of things. And somewhere on that list you’ll find coffee.

Slowly but surely Santa Cruz’s coffee culture is becoming known across the country, and even across the globe, as local coffee shops expand their businesses to new markets.

There’s no wonder why this city is known for its Joe: it’s good.

In fact, it’s better than good.

Countless cafes in this city serve handcrafted, organic coffee that you won’t be able to get enough of.

If you’re having trouble deciding where to go (because there are so many amazing places), here are the 5 best coffee shops in Santa Cruz:

Santa Cruz Roasting Company

Santa Cruz Roasting Company is one of the most loved cafes in all of Santa Cruz for its fantastic atmosphere and