- Dax Nollenberger

For the First Time in Years, Sellers Outnumber Buyers — What That Means for Santa Cruz Real Estate

June 30, 2025What Redfin’s Data Tells Us A recent Redfin report revealed a major turning point in the national housing market: there are now over 500,000 more homes for sale than there are active buyers. It’s the first time since at least 2013 (when Redfin began tracking this data) that sellers have outpaced buyers. According to Redfin: - Sellers now outnumber buyers by 34% - The imbalance is the largest in at least a decade - 31 of the top 50 U.S. metros are now considered buyer’s...

- Tom Brezsny

A Sharp Increase In The Number Of Listings

June 27, 2025Continuing the Conversation… We’re watching the market shift before our eyes, driven most notably by a sharp increase in the number listings. This surge is shaking up the status quo, stretching out average days on market and swelling the months of active inventory. While the few listings still selling quickly are helping to prop up prices for now, the mounting backlog of unsold properties is telling. As negotiations tighten, price reductions grow more frequent, and as even more inventory piles up, downward pressure on prices...

- Natasha Mingay

A Writer’s Sanctuary Above the Bay

June 23, 2025Tucked in the hills above Corralitos is a secluded writer's haven with sweeping views of Monterey Bay and a rare kind of quiet that invites creativity. This is where acclaimed author George Saunders completed his Booker Prize–winning novel Lincoln in the Bardo and also wrote both Liberation Day and A Swim in a Pond in the Rain. And now, it’s ready for its next chapter. George Saunders, an acclaimed American writer. He won the prestigious Man Booker Prize in 2017 for his novel Lincoln in...

- Tom Brezsny

Why Haven’t Prices Come Down Yet?

June 20, 2025Continuing the conversation about mounting signs of a significant market shift: more active listings, longer days on market, fewer offers, more price reductions, tougher negotiations, longer escrows, more contingencies, and more properties falling out of escrow. Of course, that doesn’t apply to every listing. Select properties—well-priced, well-presented, in prime locations—are still selling quickly, sometimes with multiple offers and over asking. But increasingly, there are also listings that aren’t selling. Few experienced agents would deny that a substantial change is underway. One challenge is that many...

- Tom Brezsny

Is the Seller’s Market Finally Over?

June 13, 2025Continuing the conversation… things are shifting fast and not in subtle ways, is the seller’s market finally over? Here’s the big picture: inventory is climbing at a pace we haven’t seen in over a decade. Just last year, active listings jumped 30%—the first real surge since 2019. That increase definitely slowed things down, but it still felt like sellers were largely in control. Now? In just the past three months, inventory has jumped another 50% above last year’s levels. That’s enough of a shift to...

- Dax Nollenberger

Inheriting a Fixer in Santa Cruz? Here’s a Practical Guide to Selling Smart

June 2, 2025Inheriting a home, especially one that needs work, can bring up more questions than answers. Do you fix it up or sell it as-is? How much should you spend, and where do you even start? If you’re in that position, you’re not alone. I’ve helped many Santa Cruz sellers navigate the same uncertainty. The first thing you’ll likely experience is a flood of cold calls from investors promising a quick, zero-commission sale. While that may sound appealing, the true cost of that convenience can be...