One of the reasons why so many people choose to move to Santa Cruz is so they can be close to its world-class surfing waves and white-sand beaches. When you live in Live Oak, you can’t get any closer to the action!

Located between Capitola and Pleasure Point, Live Oak is known for its incredible beaches.In fact, the neighborhood has such phenomenal waves, they’re often used for professional surfing competitions throughout the year.

People from across the nation flock to the area to lay on the sand at Twin Lakes or hit the waves at Pleasure Point.

Among all the fun and excitement around the community are lovely condos, townhomes, and single-family homes, perfect for all kinds of homebuyers.

Discover everything this beach-side community has

Retirement is possibly one of the most exciting times of your life. With your career coming to a close, you have more time to visit with friends, explore the country, and simply relax.

So what better place to retire than in Santa Cruz?

Santa Cruz attracts tons of retirees from across the nation who want to be close to its white-sand beaches and top-rated golf courses. The city also has a ton of serene neighborhoods that welcome families from all stages of life.

Without further ado, here are the 5 best Santa Cruz communities for retirees in 2019:

Rio Del Mar

Rio Del Mar is one of the most popular Santa Cruz communities for retirees for its proximity to quiet beaches and top-rated golf courses. In addition to all of the amazing amenities

The kitchen is the heart of the home⁠—it’s where families spend most of their time cooking, socializing, and entertaining.

Since so much time is spent in the kitchen, potential homebuyers often search for homes with impressive kitchens. It’s for this reason that making upgrades to your kitchen will increase the selling price of your home.

On average, American homeowners spend between $12,565 and $34,976 remodelling their kitchens. But, when you’re selling your home, you probably don’t want to dump that much money into renovations.

With a few hours and a little bit of elbow grease, you can bring life back to your kitchen for a relatively low cost! Try these three DIY kitchen upgrades that will boost your home selling price:

Refurbish Your

Along with its world-class surfing waves and white-sand beaches, Santa Cruz is now becoming known for its phenomenal craft brewery scene.

Tons of small breweries have been popping up in-and-around town, offering creative and flavorful beers made from local ingredients.

Craft breweries in Santa Cruz specialize in a wide range of beers, from unique sours to familiar ales, so no matter where you go, you’re bound to find a drink you love.

If you’re new to the city or just new to the micro-brewery scene, here are 6 Santa Cruz craft breweries to check out this summer:

Discretion Brewing

Discretion Brewing is a fantastic brewery to visit if you’re looking to try a wide range of beers. With a dozen beers on tap, you’re bound to find something

When you first bought your home, you may have fallen in love with its quirky details and design features that matched the current trend. 

But, with time, our homes age and our preferences change.

The shag carpets you used to find charming may now seem outdated. The large bedrooms that used to be practical may now be too big. 

Whether you’re wanting to love your home again or put in on the market, renovating it is a good idea. 

Oftentimes, renovating your Santa Cruz home can increase its value because of upgrades and modernization. If you put your home on the market with newly renovated rooms, you might be able to list it for a higher price.

Sometimes, though, your renovations won’t yield the returns you initially expected. If you’re not

Lauren has been honored as one of America’s Best Real Estate Professionals which recognized America’s finest real estate agents from all across the country by Real Trends! Nearly 14,500 U.S. real estate sales associates from every state are featured in America’s Best. Those ranked are among the top 1/2 of 1% of 1.4 million licensed real estate professionals in the United States!

“With today’s release of the 2019 America’s Best Real Estate Professionals list, an elite group of real estate agents across the country are receiving well-deserved recognition. These sales associates are far above average and have built enormously successful small businesses in an extremely competitive field,” says Steve Murray, president of REAL Trends.

"Those individual

Short-term vacation rentals are a great source of income for homeowners in Santa Cruz. However, the city council is starting to crack down on many properties that don’t necessarily follow all the rules and regulations for short-term vacation rentals. Although the industry for vacation rentals is not largely regulated, changes could be on the way that could make a big difference to your vacation rental property.

Here are some tips for setting up a legal vacation rental in your home:

Do the Proper Research

Before renting your vacation property, it’s important to do the proper research and determine if you are allowed to rent it out. Check with the city and county codes for any notices on short-term vacation rentals. A good way to do this is by

When buying your first home, it's easy to get caught up in the various new terminology for things. Some things like insurance, interest rate, conditions, home inspections are fairly straightforward, but escrow may be a whole new term to you. To ease any confusion, here's a quick summary of what an escrow account it and how it differs from the escrow process when buying your first home. 

What Is An Escrow Account?

Escrow accounts are sometimes called "impound" accounts. These accounts are set up to help manage payments of property taxes and homeowner's insurance. Depending on the individual requirements of the lender, you may be asked to pay as much as one-quarter of these upfront and they will be put into the account for the purposes of making

Santa Cruz is irresistible during the summertime with its dreamy beaches and world-renowned surfing waves.

People from across the nation relocate to Santa Cruz during this time, hoping to make the city’s vacation lifestyle their reality.

The influx of buyers during the summer makes this the perfect time to sell your home!

But it also makes the summer the most competitive time to sell a home. You’ll want to make sure your home stands out of the crowd so you can get the best offer possible and fast.

Here are five home selling tips to prepare your Santa Cruz home for the market this summer season:

1. Use the Weather to Your Advantage

Santa Cruz is beautiful all year round, but especially during the summer when the greenery is lush and

Nestled in the Santa Cruz mountains, Scotts Valley is the gateway to the coastal redwood forests and some of California’s most incredible state parks. Scotts Valley is the place to be for those who love nature. With massive forested areas and streaming creeks found around the city, there are seemingly endless opportunities to get outdoors.

Scotts Valley's Diverse Real Estate

Homes for sale in Scotts Valley range in size and price, making this community welcoming to all types of buyers. You can find anything from new construction homes to mature properties to luxury estates.

You can find California beach houses and mid-century modern builds. These homes are found on massive lots that are shaded by mature trees. Scotts Valley homes for sale