Santa Cruz, CA

SEABRIGHT HOME VALUES - MARKET REPORT 2011

Seabright is a great neighborhood in Santa Cruz, CA filled with charming craftsman, victorian, and beach bungalow homes. People love to live in Seabright and be able to walk to Seabright Beach, Betty's burgers, the Seabright Brewery, Java Junction, La Posta . . . Seabright is a classic California beach neighborhood. Home values in Seabright have remained fairly strong compared to many other areas over the past few years.

Let's take a look at Seabright, CA home values in 2011:

There were about 38 homes sold in Seabright in 2011 with an average sale price of $753,000. The highest priced home home sold in Seabright in 2011 was a 4500 SF oceanview, craftsman style home that sold for $2,660,000, all cash.

The lowest priced home sale in Seabright in 2011 was small, 2 bedroom foreclosure that sold for $360,000 on Frederick St.

Last year about 45% of all home sales in Santa Cruz county were short sales or foreclosures. In Seabright this rate is much lower. There were 3 Seabright foreclosure sales and 2 short sales in Seabright in 2011, which means that the percent of distressed home sales in Seabright is only 10%. That is pretty great compared to the rest of the county and the state.

Seabright is a highly desireable area. There are full-time residents, commuters, and vacation home owners. It is a great place to live and vacation and there is a large buyer pool for this area.

Contact me for more information about home values in Seabright, market trends, homes for sale in Seabright and community information.

WESTSIDE SANTA CRUZ CONDOS – Market Report 2011

The Westside of Santa Cruz is a great place to live, you are close to beaches, walks on Westcliff Dr, Santa Cruz Downtown, the Boardwalk, shopping and entertainment. Westside Santa Cruz condos are great for first time home buyers and families of UCSC students.

Here is the Sales Activity Report for Westside Santa Cruz Condos 2011:

Westside Santa Cruz condo sale prices are down slightly in 2011 to an average of $312,000. In 2010, the average price of a Westside Santa Cruz condo was $360,000.

The number of Westside Santa Cruz condo sales is up just a bit, there were 44 closed escrows in 2011, compared to 42 Westside condo sales in 2010.

The highest priced Westside Santa Cruz condo sale in 2011 was a 3 bedroom, ocean view condo on Beach Hill that sold for $690,000.

The lowest priced Westside Santa Cruz condo sale in 2011 was a small 435 SF, bank owned condo that sold for $170,000.

In 2011, 9 Westside Santa Cruz condo sales were short sales and 11 were REO or foreclosure condo sales. This means that almost half of all Westside Santa Cruz condo sales were distressed sales. This has attributed to lower sale prices for Westside Santa Cruz condos.

Buying a condo on the Westside of Santa Cruz can be a great option for first time home buyers, UCSC students and families. Contact me for more information about condos and homes for sale in Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz loan program for low income first time buyers.

Good News for some… The City of Santa Cruz has a first time homebuyer funding called (“HOME” funds) It’s a program designed to help low income first time buyers. And its available in the form of a “Silent Second” mortgage. Silent second mortgage requires no monthly payment of principal until one of several events occur at a point in the future.

This Silent Second is designed to fill the gap that the buyer will qualify for from a lender and the amount of the purchase. It acts as a down payment. It’s based on the property, the price, location, buyers income and it even pays the closing costs. Application and information can be obtained from The City of Santa Cruz Housing Programs Corrdinator.

Many cities offer similar programs. Look into it, well worth the effort.

Programs, funds, availabilty, restrictions, and conditions change. Up to date information is best obtained by the Housing Progam.

Santa Cruz Real Estate.

Call me at: 831-588-7767

http://SeaRealEstate.com

Santa Cruz Real Estate, Pleasure Point Real Estate,

Live Oak Real Estate, Capitola Real Estate

Soquel, Scotts Valley, Aptos, Rio del Mar, Watsonville.

http://SeaRealEstate.com

A Movie filmed in Santa Cruz CA is tentatively being called Of Men and Mavericks, and has been filming through Oct, Nov and presently December 2011.
The movie is about a Maverik Surfer named Jay Moriarity who died in a diving accident just before turning 23. Jay Moriarity was well known throughout Santa Cruz, Half Moon Bay and Pacifica CA for his world-famous surfing the Mavericks, near Half Moon Bay.

Gerard Butler is playing Jay Moriarity's mento, Rick "Frosty" Hesson, and Jonny Weston is playing Jay Moriarity.

A lot of filming was done at Pleasure Point, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, and Santa Cruz West Cliff. As well as Half Moon Bay, Pacifica and other beaches near and around the San Francisco Peninsula

I had the opportunity to meet with Gerard Buttler. Here we are at the Crows Nest in Santa Cruz, CA. What a super nice guy.

The film Of Men and Mavericks is expected to be released in mid 2012.

For more interesting facts about Santa Cruz, and Santa Cruz Real Estate.

Call me at: 831-588-7767

http://SeaRealEstate.com

Santa Cruz Real Estate, Pleasure Point Real Estate,

Live Oak Real Estate, Capitola Real Estate

Soquel, Scotts Valley, Aptos, Rio del Mar, Watsonville.

http://SeaRealEstate.com

Surfing Santa Cruz and Jack O'Neill

Jack O’Neill is a legend in his own time. This was well earned in the world of surfing and for his love of the living ocean.

A bit of Santa Cruz and Surfing history...

Jack O'Neill opened his first “Surf Shop” in San Francisco in 1952 to support his family and his love of surfing. In 1959 Jack O'Neill moved the shop to Santa Cruz (Just a block from my office on 41st Ave and just up the street from Pleasure Point - which by the way is the picture of the moon over the surf in my blog.)

Pleasrure Point Moon

Jack O'Neill chose this location because the climate was warmer and the waves supreme. In the early 60s Jack O'Neill just wanted to surf longer and stay warmer himself in the ocean. He dabbled with materials which led to his invention of the wetsuit design for surfers. By the 80s the O’Neill brand was known world wide. And the rest, as they say, is history…

For more interesting facts about Santa Cruz, and Santa Cruz Real Estate.

Call me at: 831-588-7767

http://SeaRealEstate.com

Santa Cruz Real Estate, Pleasure Point Real Estate,

Live Oak Real Estate, Capitola Real Estate

Soquel, Scotts Valley, Aptos, Rio del Mar, Watsonville.

http://SeaRealEstate.com

P.S. Check out Jack O'Neill’s favorite projects: The Sea Odyssey program

www.oneillseaodyssey.org/about/