In Corralitos, it’s all about fruit orchards, wineries and wide-open spaces

The stunning small community is beautifully positioned in the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountains. Many of the homes here are nestled in an incredibly appealing mountain landscape that features stunning views of Monterey Bay in the distance and the Santa Cruz mountain atmosphere in all directions.

The mild climate makes the area ideal for the cultivation of a pretty broad range of produce, from avocados and apples to citrus fruits. Amid the sparsely spaced residences, visitors will undoubtedly notice countless fruit trees and snaking grape vines.

Corralitos is a popular commuter community. Located just minutes outside of Watsonville and Aptos, residents can easily

Santa Cruz County is one of the best places to live in California. The soaring redwoods, perfect beaches, and beautiful towns combine to make this a truly special place to be in.

And it's not just Santa Cruz itself that's hogging all the glory - scattered across the area are some exceptional small communities...

Not sure where to start? Well here is a list of some of the best towns around Santa Cruz to live in or visit.

Aptos

Less than 20 minutes east of Santa Cruz, the beach town of Aptos overlooks a long stretch of beach around Soquel Cove.

The charming central village of Aptos hosts many one-of-a-kind stores, as well as some entertaining events throughout the year.

The area boasts a wide variety of properties, from beachside

So, you’ve found a home you love, at a good price and you’ve even managed to cobble together a down payment.

That’s it, right? Just look after the monthly mortgage payments and enjoy life as a Santa Cruz home owner.

Not quite.

Although the monthly mortgage payment will likely be your largest monthly expenditure, it won’t be the only one. Each step of home buying and home ownership comes with a number of hidden costs that may come as a surprise to the uninitiated.

Have no fear. In the spirit of preparing you, take a look at our run through of the hidden costs of home ownership. Arm yourself with the right information and you won’t surprised when extra costs crop up.

Before You Close

Don’t be surprised when costs arise even before

Let’s cut right to the chase, shall we?

Will eco-friendly renovations improve the value of my home? The short answer is yes!

While few things in this world are quite that simple - generally speaking spending a lot of money to renovate your home won’t lead to a direct increase in your home’s value. The truth is that you’ll rarely recoup the full cost of renovations when it comes time to sell.

The exception to this rule is certain eco-friendly home improvements.

Savvy home buyers aren’t just thinking about the initial upfront costs of purchasing a home, but also the regular costs - the ones that come from home maintenance and monthly utility bills. In addition to being highly attractive to buyers, eco-friendly home features have the added

Boulder Creek is the classic small, mountain community in a lot of ways.

As Highway 9 winds its way down its main strip, Central Avenue, you can’t help but be in awe of the towering trees that shade the roadway. The businesses that line this main street have managed to retain a great deal of the original charm of the community’s early 20th century founding.

As the “gateway to Big Basin Redwoods State Park”, Boulder Creek is the home base to many adventures into the backcountry. Big Basin Redwoods State Park isn’t just one of Northern California’s largest state parks, it’s also its oldest.

The well established park has provided a welcome escape for residents of many of the larger nearby cities, such as Santa Cruz, San Jose and even San

A true beach house, 230 Center Avenue in Aptos, California presents the perfect opportunity to experience an unmatched central coast lifestyle.

The stunning Seacliff home is positioned mere blocks from the Seacliff Pier and Seacliff State Beach for easy access and the home was built for entertaining. The reverse layout creates a wide-open, upper floor living area that flows from the open, newly-renovated kitchen through the living room and onto the large deck, accessed through a set of huge, over-sized sliding glass doors. The classic beach house living spaces boast stunning hardwood floors throughout as well as a gas fireplace.

In addition to one bedroom on the upper level, the lower level features two additional bedrooms, as well as an office

There are signs out there that shelter in place restrictions are starting to ease.

But, the advice is still to stay home as much as possible to avoid the public and flatten the curve. But all that you know.

With all this free time at home, you have to come up with something to fill the hours. There are only so many 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles, true crime podcasts and Netflix series to binge watch. Eventually, you’ll find yourself in a productive mood.

With that in mind, here are a few ways you can make the most of your Santa Cruz home during quarantine.

Re-arrange Your Home

Shelter in place restrictions are in place, so even if you were to go out, you can accurately expect long, socially-distanced line ups to get into your favorite

For gardening enthusiasts in Santa Cruz, spring and summer are an exciting time of year.

It’s when you can really let your green thumb guide you and create a beautiful garden in your home. Whether you prefer perennials or produce, there’s no doubt that a Santa Cruz home garden is a great addition to your property.

Gardening not only offers stress relief, it’s also environmentally friendly and helps add gorgeous lush greenery to your property.

Plus, many of us are finding ourselves with a little more free time at home lately. Are you considering hopping on the urban agriculture train?

Here are some of the best fruits and vegetables to plant in Santa Cruz:

Popular Vegetables

One of the best things about living in California is the

This classic single-level home in beautiful, sunny West Santa Cruz is all about wide-open spaces and bringing the outside in. From the entryway, you are greeted by a simple elegance that is highlighted by high ceilings, recessed lighting and huge skylights. The brilliant California sunshine fills every corner!

The natural aesthetic is also reflected in the stunning maple wood floors throughout 63 Ortalon Avenue. In the kitchen, the granite counter tops are a perfect contrast to the beautiful maple cabinets and the state-of-the-art, chef-grade appliances.

As is often the case, the literal and figurative center of the home is the living room, and this one doesn't disappoint. The wide-open space features a stucco-framed fireplace and a wonderful

It’s become somewhat cliche, but these are certainly unpredictable, and unprecedented, times.

Springtime is traditionally the start of the hot selling season in real estate markets across the United States, but of course, Spring 2020 is anything but ordinary.

Communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic have gone to varying degrees of shut down, with many businesses closing completely, while others have had to significantly change the way they operate.

With all this going on and many jobs being lost, it’s not surprising that many may be a little hesitant to jump into the real estate market.

It’s Actually a Great Time to Buy

Despite what you might think, it’s actually a uniquely great time to buy.

A number of market conditions have