- Tom Brezsny

Emptying the Rice Bowl

Emptying the rice bowl. Re-thinking our relationship with the “stuff ” we buy and cram into our houses until the bitter end. As a precursor to designing more graceful strategies for growing older and moving into the future. Mindfully engaging in real life experiences rather than living a life defined by “things”. It’s a perplexing time for aging members of the culture. They’re feeling the onset of their own mortality and even as they venture down the road towards the last third of their lives,...
- Dax Nollenberger

Discovering Felton: Redwoods, Commute Access, and Affordability

Tucked into the Santa Cruz Mountains just north of the city, Felton offers a distinctive blend of redwood forest living and everyday convenience. It is a place where towering trees, winding roads, and a slower pace define the setting, while Santa Cruz remains only a short drive away. For buyers who want mountain character without feeling disconnected, Felton strikes a balance that is increasingly hard to find in Santa Cruz County. The Setting Felton is defined by its redwood groves, creeks, and forested hillsides. Homes...
- Dax Nollenberger

In 30 Years, Santa Cruz Affordability Has Been Cut in Half

National housing data often understates what happens in high demand coastal markets like Santa Cruz. I recently analyzed affordability at a national level and found that buyers today face tougher conditions than at any point in the modern data set, including the high-interest rate period of the 1980s. This analysis asks a simple question: does that same conclusion hold locally, and if so, how much worse is it? As with all Dax’s Data deep dives, I’ll push bias aside and let the numbers lead. How...
- Dax Nollenberger

When Seller Financing Makes Sense in Today’s Market

In today’s real estate market, creativity can make the difference between getting a deal done and missing out on an opportunity. One of the most flexible options available is seller financing. While it is not commonly used, it can be a practical way for both buyers and sellers to move forward when traditional financing does not align with timing or lending requirements. What is Seller Financing? Seller financing, sometimes called owner financing, is when the seller acts as the lender. Instead of going through a...
- Dax Nollenberger

What Fannie Mae’s Removal of Minimum FICO Requirements Could Mean for Buyers and the Market

Fannie Mae is removing its minimum 620 FICO score requirement. It is a meaningful policy change that could reshape who can access conventional financing and how lenders evaluate risk. While the national implications are broad, there are also takeaways for buyers and sellers in markets like Santa Cruz. A Quick Summary of the Change Historically, borrowers needed a minimum credit score, commonly around 620, to qualify for most conventional mortgages. Fannie Mae has now removed that hard floor for loans submitted through its automated underwriting...
- Dax Nollenberger

Dax’s Data: Why Today’s Buyers Have It Tougher, Period

Sit at the dinner table during a family gathering, and the discussion of housing affordability is probably going to come up. Younger generations will likely complain about how much harder it is to buy a home, and a boomer is likely to respond with “when I bought my home, interest rates were (some double-digit number)”. Both parties with the intention of proving who had it harder. So, who is right? I intend to tell you… and put this argument to bed once and for all....
- Tom Brezsny

My Generation

A “generation” is made up of sort of the same folks, sort of around the same age, sort of experiencing the same things, sort of all playing a role in the same big sitcom. -P.J. O’Rourke Continuing the conversation…invoking the mantra I’ve repeated many times over the last decade: “Today, 10,000 people in the US will turn 65.”   Even after all this time, it’s still true!  Another ten thousand people will turn 65 today, tomorrow and the next day and every day until 2030! That’s...
- Tom Brezsny

Searching for the Map!

It’s been more than a decade since my younger self first wandered through the looking glass, into the subject of “downsizing” in these columns. I had just crossed the threshold of my 60th year and had no idea that “downsizing” was about to morph into a catch-all term, synonymous with an entire generation of people wrestling with questions about aging. And little did I know that “downsizing” would become a topic du jour that I returned to many times as the scope of the great...
- Dax Nollenberger

Why Now Is the Perfect Time to Prepare for a Spring Home SalePost Date: Today

Why Early Prep Matters Many homeowners wait too long to start preparing. The homes that perform best in Santa Cruz begin planning months ahead. If selling is even a possibility for 2026, the ideal time to start is now. This is when we walk the property with you, outline priorities, and give you a customized prep plan. Why March Is a Prime Month to Sell March consistently brings motivated buyers. Families plan moves before summer, relocations settle early in the year, and coastal buyers return...
Contact Us

Contact Us

I am interested in:

Skip to content