Real Estate of Mind

- Terry Brezsny Ballantyne

In My Head I am 40

February 4, 2023Among the most prevalent myths about aging is the one that one day you wake up and accept you are “old”. Or that “old people” know they are finished, cruising the margins of life, bored and disinterested in anything beyond metamucil or Biotin! Not so fast. It still comes as a shock to me. I am the same age as “old people!” How is that possible? I am full of optimism and hope even in these complex times, my sense of humor is intact, I...

- Marika Strauss

Surfing is Medicine

September 8, 2022From the moment my toes hit the sand and the refreshing Pacific waters brush over my feet, a sense of waking up to the moment takes over. The day's happenings are left on the Pleasure Point stairs as I descend into the magic of the salty air and crashing waves. Paddling out past the kelp, ducking underneath the transparent blue waters or past the sea otters munching on crab, the anticipation starts building for the first wave of the day. Gazing out to the horizon,...

- Scarlett Wolford

Setting up for success: The six steps to buying a home in Santa Cruz

September 6, 2022Thinking about buying a house? It’s easy right? Well, it’s like hiking a new trail or touring a museum in a foreign country. Even if you have the best maps and equipment, having the right guide is essential because there are bound to be some twists and turns along the way. Here’s my take on the process and some tips that will help you set yourself up for success!   Step 1: Get pre-approved with a local lender   This is one of the most...

- Tom Brezsny

Lifestyle Upgrade: High Demand for Homes in San Francisco Bay Area

May 26, 2022Click here to read article on Christie's Luxury Defined Blog: How small-town living in and around San Francisco Bay, and a beach lifestyle became a real prospect for buyers when the pandemic changed all the rules   While the pandemic changed everything for metropolitan real estate markets as city centers emptied, the San Francisco Bay Area experienced only a blip, and is now reporting demand that vastly outstrips supply as people make lifestyle changes post-COVID-19. Credit the phenomenon of Silicon Valley for turning a short-lived...

- Dax Nollenberger

Dax’s Data: SC Still a Bargain in the Silicon Valley Orbit

May 11, 2022Historically, Santa Cruz County trails both San Mateo and Santa Clara County in nearly every major real estate metric. Silicon Valley drives local real estate. San Mateo and Santa Clara County have been in a league of their own when it comes to appreciation and sale price. The “over the hill” market, driven by high-paying jobs, trickled into our quiet little beach community but didn’t make such an impact that more “affordable housing” became the resounding dinner topic when breaking bread with friends and family....

- Dax Nollenberger

Dax’s Data: How Areas in Santa Cruz City Compare

March 9, 2022Last month we dove into how each township in Santa Cruz County compares. This month I wanted to zoom in and get hyper-focused on one area in particular, the city of Santa Cruz. Our deep dive into the county showed us just how strong of a market Santa Cruz is, ranking in the top half of every major real estate category since 2010. What neighborhoods are driving the strong numbers and what neighborhoods benefit from their excelling neighbors? If you didn’t get an opportunity to...

- Dax Nollenberger

Dax’s Data: How Areas in Santa Cruz County Compare

February 7, 2022What we know from previous analysis is that the Santa Cruz County real estate market has been on a tear since 2012 when the recovery from the ’08 housing crash solidified itself. What I intend to show is that not all areas in Santa Cruz have experienced the same level of appreciation and growth. Some areas have pulled averages upward while others dragged averages down. I focused specifically on townships within Santa Cruz County with enough of a yearly sample size in homes sold to...

- Dax Nollenberger

Dax’s Data: 2021 Year in Review

January 11, 20222021 was the year of firsts. Not only did the real estate market survive a global pandemic, it thrived. To be fair, it thrived despite unprecedented times not because. Santa Cruz County Real Estate has seen a consistent and steady appreciation since the last housing crash and great recession.  To truly put into perspective just how crazy the 2021 Santa Cruz County real estate market really was, I dove into the last 11 years of real estate data. So, what records were broken in 2021?...

- Tom Brezsny

No End In Sight

December 27, 2021Continuing the conversation…. Is there any end in sight for this crazy market? (To catch up go to our blog here) This has been the longest running, highest flying, craziest-making “up” market any of us have ever seen.  For nine years, a historic low level of supply has held sway over the market and leveraged a remarkable rise in intensity, competition and of course, prices.  Along the way, records have been broken and most standards of normal have fallen by the wayside. In fact, the entire...