Santa Cruz Real Estate News & Information

With the increase of so many ways to safely and efficiently rent a property, more homeowners are considering buying a vacation home.

Owning your own vacation spot is an obvious advantage to investing in an additional property, as well as the possible opportunities that come from renting it out to others. Whether you are able to do that or not, there’s still ways to make and save money with a vacation home.

Renting a vacation home has been a popular choice for people, especially in a beautiful coastal community like Santa Cruz. What’s been steadily rising in popularity is the end of renting a vacation home with the intent to buy, and there are many reasons why.

Especially with the help of the professional, dedicated, and award winning Lauren Spencer, there has been no better time than right now to buy a vacation home.

Here are five benefits to investing in a Santa Cruz, CA vacation property.

Possibility of Earning More Income

Having a consistent place to vacation is an obvious perk to buying a vacation home, but the most practical reason is for the extra income.

There are so many options to choose from when renting out your vacation home to others, like Airbnb, VRBO, or setting up your own system. You’ll also have the flexibility to decide when you want to rent the home. Save the best months for yourself? Charge renters as much as possible during the most desirable times? Either way is totally up to you.

Santa Cruz, California is located on the beautiful Monterey Bay and that means tourists will always consistently hope to go here, and be willing to pay top dollar.

One important thing to remember about Santa Cruz is that a Vacation Rental Permit is required.

There are limitations and restrictions on renting out a vacation home here. This can apply to who can rent, in which communities, and how often the home is rented out. These were put in place to keep the communities the wonderful places they are, ensuring there would not be a burden on neighbours. It's just another reason Santa Cruz is such a fantastic place to live.

The good thing is, Lauren Spencer can help you determine what you'll need to do if renting out the home is something you intend to do, and if that's a possibility for you. If all you hope to do with the vacation home is enjoy it for personal use, she'll help you with that too. 

Writing Off Personal Expenses

In California, there are many ways you can write off expenses to the home. In most cases, homeowners are only required to rent the space for at least 14 days.

Hosting fees and cleaning costs, such as supplies, general house maintenance, lawn care, and so much more is deemed a business expense when you're using the property as a rental space. Even mortgage interest can be written off, saving you a large sum of money over time.

You’ll be saving money when you’re not enjoying the space yourself.

Again, this is dependant on a few factors, the most important of which is obtaining that Vacation Renters Permit. 

Owning Your Own Getaway, Nest Egg, and/or Future Retirement Home

Owning a vacation home means having a place to vacation in one of the best areas in California. Whether you live in Capitola, Soquel, or Live Oak, a vacation home here means having an ideal getaway to surf, relax, and enjoy the seaside lifestyle.

Whether you live here for most of the year, a few weeks here and there, rent it out to others or let it sit waiting for you, buying a vacation home is an investment in your equity and serves as a nest egg for you and your loved ones.

Even without the added income from renters, a vacation home can be a great financial investment. Sell it one day, keep it in the family, or save it as a retirement home -- it’s totally up to you!

Santa Cruz is Always a Perfect Getaway

It’s one thing to invest in a vacation home, and it’s another thing entirely to buy a vacation home in the beautiful Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz is made up of entirely unique communities to suit every kind of lifestyle. You’ll never get tired of spending time here, and you’ll never have trouble renting it out to other tourists.

Monterey Bay is one of the most beautiful coastlines in California and the country. Beaches, boardwalks, state parks, vibrant city centers, and more await you in Santa Cruz.

You Have Lauren Spencer to Help You

This is a short list of a few of the benefits of investing in a Santa Cruz vacation home, but it’s still an intimidating decision. Can you afford it? Are you ready for that commitment? Are there any risks to buying a vacation home?

Lauren Spencer is an award-winning broker with more than 35 years of experience in Santa Cruz. Other communities that might be a great choice for a vacation home definitely have the disadvantage of not having the unrivaled local real estate knowledge that Lauren Spencer has.

Expect questions from Lauren and answers to all of the ones you have. She will get to know your wants, needs, and lifestyle to leverage the information to find the perfect vacation home for you.

For more information on buying a vacation property in Santa Cruz, talk to one of our expert agents today!