Aptos has it all Town Counrty and Ocean

Aptos (Aptos is pronounced "app-toss" by residents. The name is often mispronounced "app-tose" by tourists.)

In 1980 I built a home in Aptos 1/2 mile up Porter Gulch Rd which is right next to Cabrillo College. I built a 4000 SF ocean view home on 3 acres in Aptos in 1980 and believe me that was exciting like having my 3rd kid and after 12 months, I was way over do. I have 2 kids and I sent them both to The Santa Cruz Montessori School on Soquel Dr. for their early years 2 -5 before they went to public grade school at Soquel Elementary.

Aptos is on the mountain and country side of Highway 1 the homes range from neighborhood homes on 3000 - 5000 SF lot to 1 - 10 acres estates. You can get some great ocean views from the hills and mountains in Aptos and some of the homes are on the border of The Forest of The Nisene Marks Park. The park is 40 miles of hiking trails and fire roads on over 10,000 acres, it is a pretty easy ride your bike to the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake epicenter. Yes my family was at the house we built in Aptos during the EQ and the house did ok just a lot of broken glass.

Picture of Sandy on her bike at Nisene Marks park at the Epicenter

What is the difference in between Aptos, Seascape, Seacliff, and Rio Del Mar?

Well I will tell you Aptos is un incorporated and the zip code 95003 includes all these other areas. Seascape, Seacliff & Rio Del Mar are all beach towns. It is divided by Highway 1 and Soquel Dr. that run parallel together. So if you find yourself stuff in a traffic jam on Highway 1 take the next exit and continue travelling in the same direction to your destination.

Rio Del Mar, I Call it “Vacation Land”

Rio Del Mar borders Seacliff BEACH that has miles of SANDY BEACHES, with picnic tables, RV parking, surfing, swimming, fishing, volley ball, restaurants, resorts, walking sand walks, bike paths, you name it is just fun, fun, fun! Vacation Land has many vacation rental homes that owners either use a property management company like agreatplacetostay.net or they list it on VRBO.com. If you want to buy a home to use as your 2^nd home and have some income this is the perfect way to go. Just a little word to the wise vacation rentals have a 10% TOT tax that the renter pays and the owner sends in to the county. The owner must have home the home registered as a vacation rental. I would always protect my clients when buying a home for this use and make sure it would all work out.

Seacliff State Beach and the Cement Ship

Where the homes are on tiny lots and overlook the ocean from the cliff. The Seacliff State Beach is public and you can drive down to the picnic table or RV parking right on the sand. Looking like a wharf and used to be a fishing pier, you will see the Cement Ship called the SS Palo Alto.

Seascape Resort and the VIA’s

Seascape has a golf course, tennis club and beach resort. There is a neighborhood in Seascape that I call the VIA’S because the streets are named Via Lantana, Via Trinita, Via Novella and they all have GREEN BELTS. When I was building the house in Aptos we lived in a house on Via Novella and made many great friends that were raising their kids there too. My daughter was only 6 and my son was 2 they made friends too. The mothers would watch the kids go play on the green belt behind our house and I would called Nina and tell her I just sent to kids to your house for a while and she would watch them and feed them lunch sometimes.

I consider ATPOS to be a upscale neighborhood were the home hold their value and actually appreciate. Buying or selling a home is complicated and you need to be protected and know what you are doing. My job is not just to show you a home it is to protect you and make sure you get what you want weather you are buying or selling in Santa Cruz.

Imagine owning a Beach Home in Santa Cruz, CA

Welcome to the BEACH! Are the kind of person that has always dreamed of having a BEACH HOME in Santa Cruz CA? Can you just imagine the waves crashing on the shore and you listening to the sound of the ocean?

 
 Are you interested in buying or selling a BEACH HOME in Santa Cruz? I will show you only the best homes with ocean views and beach access! Not many of these homes are foreclosures or short sales and I just happen to know of one that is not on the market yet that is a screaming deal ocean views and beach access. It would be perfect for a contractor that can remodel the home and make it worth more. It is already a income property that is such a memorable place to vacation that people just keep coming back. Here is just a few of the best beach homes for sale in Santa Cruz.

Some of my clients used the local Vacation Rental Companies to make their BEACH HOME a vacation rental. BEACH HOMES are in greater demand with summer coming and the economy improving for people with high paying businesses and jobs.

What kind of BEACH HOME can you imagine?

Ocean Front Beach Homes are homes that are right on the sand and you can walk out your front dorr and have your toes in the sand.

These are hard to find homes that actually sit on the sand. To find them today we go to POT BELLY BEACH on Seacliff Beach. These homes really are in the sand and they are built to have the ocean waves go underneath the home when the surf gets really big. That is just part of the territory when you imagine owning a Beach Home right on the sand.

Ocean View Beach Homes with beach access with steps to the sand.

Here is one great example of one of the best ocean view homes that is actually for sale right now!

According to The National Association of Realtors (NAR) vacation home sales are increasing steadily through out the nation.  NAR: Investment and Vacation Home Sales Surge in 2011  by rismedia.com

This is a great market report because they actually asked Realtors and used real market data. I espically like this one go down to the middle of the article.

What’s the Problem? The Banks, Stupid!

Will You Have Buyer’s Remorse When You Buy a Home?

By Sandy Wallace, Realtor,  Keller Williams Realty – Santa Cruz CA

First of all this is not buyer’s remorse discrimination sellers have it too. So let’s agree to call it “real estate remorse.” This is a life changing event you are about to move to or from your home. This is what happens as soon as you sign a contract. You lie awake thinking how can I get out of this, what have I done, I don’t want to move. The buyer thinks I paid too much the seller think they could have squeezed more out of the buyer. Then the opposite happens you get excited thinking about oh I have finally found my dream home and I am so ready to move in and make changes. And again you go back to oh what have I done I can’t do all that work on the house and what if I don’t get the loan or I can’t make the payment. This is real estate remorse at its finest.

With a purchase or sale of hundreds of thousands of dollars you are going to have emotional swings, it’s a roller coaster ride! You should always want, need and desire something in life? Let’s not let the focus be on money alone. Think of money as the means to have something you need, want and desire.

So let’s talk about it and not fall victim to it so that it stops you from making a move.

You have a vision for your life and you want to live it after you close the deal.

When someone says to me, “I want to buy or sell a home!”  I purposely listen to and encourage you to make a list of all your dreams. What is your current lifestyle and what do you like about it, what would you change? Then just do the math how much will it cost you to go there. I have a saying, “It’s good to want!” You have want before you can have. You have created a vision that you want to be your life so let’s live it. This is not my saying, and it is true this life is not a destination it’s a journey. Oh I have to throw this saying in that my mother has hanging on my wall. “This life is not a dress rehearsal!”

I will ask you to write down 5 things that you must have and 5 things that would be deal breakers. If you are married do this separately and bring it to our first meeting. Nobody gets everything that they want and it’s good to leave something for later in the vision of your life.

You will be going through a lot of inspections, reports, and the contract has dates and deadlines that can have you second guessing your decision. To stay focused on your vision and the decision you made, take out this list compare it to the home that you are in contract on. Unless there is a true reason for concern, your state of mind might be just be “real estate remorse.”

Telling your friend and family that you are moving might bring on real estate remorse.

It is not uncommon that they will question your choice of what you paid for the home or the price you are selling it for.

When we first meet we talk about everything you wanted in buying or selling your home and that includes the price. I showed you many homes to buy and you choose this one based on the market value of what it will appraise for. If you are selling and you get questioned about the price remember we talked about the homes that have already sold that compare to yours.

Your friends and family mean well they want to compare it to their life. Ask yourself do they know the market? Have they been in the market or are they even in the same state? They might even be in an area where a home costs a fraction of what you can expect to pay in beautiful Santa Cruz CA. Oh and if it’s your first time buying or selling a home and it’s your parents just face it parent’s never think that it’s good enough for their children.

How does this decision make you feel?

This is a life choice and it is based on facts and logic and it is also about your gut feeling. Your gut is sometimes smarter than your brain. When you wake up at night thinking about this are you listening to the news about how good or bad the real estate market is? Can you feel the deference that this move will make is it a feeling of your well-being, peacefulness and feeling secure. So before you let real estate remorse set in, weigh your alternatives and see how they make you feel. How do you expect this move to change the way you feel? If you are doing a short sale how does it feel to be out of debt and free of this under water home verse feeling anxious about having to get another job to make the mortgage or spending all your savings to live in the house? What if you are buying a fixer upper and you feel like you can’t afford to fix it the way you want to? Does that feel bad like you will always be living in a less than desirable home or can you manage to do the work and fell that you have created a master piece.

You can manage own mind.

You may have started this whole idea of buying or selling your home because you were sick of paying rent to a landlord. You may have had it with the way the neighbors made noise all night and had a ton of people living at the house next to you. Now that you are dealing with the lenders asking you to prove that you were really born and that you have a mother you are thinking you had a good landlord or the neighbors’ music is good and loud. You have just managed your mind set and have fallen into the trap of constant discontent. You have the all common syndromes of the grass is always greener on the other side.

So I have a saying for that, “STOP IT! If you truly want to have the life you have envisioned, you have to manage your mind set. Make up your own mind instead of listening to others that are unhappy and make a list of what you are happy and grateful about. Try making a list of 10 things a day for a month without repeating anything. When you practice being grateful with this much focus you will not be able to dwell on regret and discontent.

Create a win-win situation

You may wake up at night feeling like you are not getting a good deal that something has come up in the home inspection that you don’t like. Instead of worrying about it talk to your realtor and brainstorm on the best way to handle it. The realtor can negotiate on your behalf and that is what works to make it a win-win for both buyer and seller. This transaction is between the buyer and seller not the real estate agents.

By now you know I have a saying for that, “If it’s not one thing then it’s the same thing.” I am giving you advance notice that your transaction will have hiccups and unexpected things that come up. Stay focused on the whole deal and the close so you do not miss something that is important. When you have an issue it is best to address it right away and create a win-win situation. This is an example of a situation that I would prepare you for.

Let’s say that you are buying the home as is and as disclosed, that means you do your due diligence and have any and all inspections and reports done and complete before you release your contingencies in writing. In this example the seller is also selling the property as is and as disclosed so let’s say it is the bank that is selling and you discover mold in the bathroom. You have a home inspection and it is written in the report. You get 2-3 estimates on the cost of removing all the mold from the home. Your Realtor will present this to the seller as a request for repairs. You will hear back from the seller that they will either lower the price or remove the mold before close of escrow. Great so you have a win-win situation you still get to buy this house and it will be repaired before you move in. If the bank did not work with you on this situation they would have to disclose it to the next buyers or fix it and sell it again.

Do the math.

I will always sit you down with you at the very beginning and go over what it will take to get you everything you need, want and desire. I did loans for many years before I sold homes so I can give you the numbers of the cost of sale. Then you need to add in who-what- when- where and WHY. When you do this for yourself it will make it a reality and not just a dream.

Make sure you go into this process clear on what is a sustainable range on monthly housing costs for you and your family based on the total picture of your income and expenses rather than expecting someone else to figure this out for you.

This way when it come to the loan process that is going to scrutinizing your past, future and want your first born child you will be able to stand up to them and say I have already done the numbers this is what I can afford. Some loans allow you to spend between 45 -50% of your income on all your debts. Ask yourself if you can feed, clothe, educate and entertain yourself and others on what is left?

These are some of the normal signs of real estate remorse.

Here are the first things that you think about after you have signed the contract to buy your home.

1.       How can I get out of the contract and get my initial deposit back?

2.       What if someone else gets this home because I offered to little?

3.       What if my friends say they could have gotten a better deal?

4.      Am I paying too much?

5.       Will the appraisal come out?

6.       Can I get a loan?

7.       Can I make the mortgage payments, taxes and insurance?

8.       What if another home comes on the market that is better?

9.       Is there going to be something wrong that I don’t know about until after I have bought the home?

Here are the same signs of real estate remorse that the seller goes through when they sign the listing and when they sign and accept a buyer’s offer.

1.       If my Realtor doesn’t bring me a full price offer with no contingencies then I will not have to sell?

2.       I should have priced it higher they will probably try to low ball me.

3.       I should have asked for more money from the buyers so I could retire sooner.

4.       What have I done I do not want to sell this home I have suddenly fallen in love with it all over again. They call me up and say Sandy I have some bad news we don’t want to sell our home my wife loves it, we have taken the sign out of the ground.

5.       We don’t have a place to move?

6.       Will we be able to afford to buy another home?

7.       How are we going to tell our friends and family we are moving?

8.       What if the buyers back out after we have done all this work on the house?

9.       What if the buyers find something wrong with the house and we have to lower the price?

10.    What if we have an earthquake and I don’t have earthquake insurance?

I can’t resist here is another saying, none thing is for sure but death and taxes. Sorry.

I want to help you have a pleasant experience when buying or selling a home.

Call Sandy Wallace, Realtor Keller Williams Realty – Santa Cruz CA

Santacruzcaproperties.com

831-818-7099

Seesandy4homes@gmail.com

Great Prices NOW for Ocean Front Homes in La Selva Beach and Pajaro Dunes Santa Cruz CA

My clients get my first hand videos and pcitures of any home that they are interested in. I recently had some customers call me that wanted an ocean front home in Santa Cruz CA. They wanted a quiet peaceful setting away from the busy town and people. I immediately thought of La Selva Beach and Pajaro Dunes.

They only wanted to pay under one million dollars so I knew this was going to be quite a challenge. Then I noticed a home listed  for $649,000.  This is an amazing price there must be something wrong with the home. I set out to go investigate for my clients. I always take first hand pictures and videos to show my clients exactly what it feels like at the house and ocean. There was another ocean front home that was twice as bid listed for $1,595,000 and after talking to the realtor I realized that it was reduced to $1,300,000.  I also take pictures and videos of the homes around it that are also for sale so that my clients have all the facts and can compare. Here is the series of videos I took.

Pajaro Dunes Ocean Front Home Priced to Sell for $1,300,000.  This is from the deck of Pajaro Dunes Ocean Front Home, Watsonville CA priced at $1,300,000. Recently updated for $130,000 has 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. Furnish and ready for a vacation and for a vacation rental.

Club house at Pajaro Dunes by Sandy Wallace

Pajaro Dunes Ocean Front Home Priced to Sell at $649,000 from the deck

Pajaro Dunes Ocean Front Home Priced to Sell at $649,000 in ground floor 2 bedrooms 2 bathroom and laundry

Pajaro Dunes Ocean Front Home Priced to Sell at $649,000 second floor master bedroom and ocean view deck

This is Pajaro Dunes at gated Community where your view is the whole Monterey Bay and you at just steps to the sand. These homes are usually priced over $1,200,000 to $2,000,000. This one is a special price for those that only need a small get away. This is 3 bedrooms 2 bathroom with the kitchen, living room and decks upstairs! Please call Sandy Wallace to find out more about this home or other ocean front homes in Santa Cruz. Sandy 831-818-7099 or email seesandy4homes@gmail.com

<img src="http://ad35528.hdcyug.com/2771/28763/043/?n2yf=0c8987a6-39df-4323-ac47-0c013fa40b51.jpeg"/>

The lowest home and condo prices ever in Capitola CA

I have never seen the prices so low in this town. Capitola by the Sea is a very popular little beach town were they have people coming from all over the world to visit. Prices have fallen 33% in the last year. 57 listings are prices under $500,000. That is 1/3 of the 150 listings available right now.

Search for Foreclosures

Search for a home in Capitola

Average price per square foot for Capitola CA was $363, a decrease of 33% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Capitola CA for May 11 to Jul 11 was $378,750 based on 32 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price increased 8.9%, or $31,000, and the number of home sales decreased 15.8%. There are currently 97 resale and new homes in Capitola on Trulia, including 8 open houses, as well as 32 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Capitola CA was $546,794 for the week ending Aug 03, which represents an increase of 2.1%, or $11,459, compared to the prior week.

 More Capitola Market Trends 

  Open House Sat and Sun in Santa Cruz CA Pleasure Point Beach  House  

You are invited to Nationwide Open House weekend June 3 & 4 2011   Santa Cruz CA

The purpose of Nationwide Open House is to start a conversation between REALTORS® and the public regarding homeownership, their local community, and what options (buying vs. selling, downsizing, etc.) are right for potential buyers and sellers.

Investors looking for the best advise on the local market will have the opportunity to have one on one conversations all about the best buys in Santa Cruz.

First-time buyers are especially encouraged to take advantage of this event and speak to a REALTOR® as a first step toward homeownership

Find out what is really selling and what to buy now in the Santa Cruz Real Estate Market!

See the video and market update after the listings on this message.    

NEW LISTING Open House will be Sat & Sun 1-4PM Pleasure Point Beach Home Plus Cottage

339 Anchorage Ave. Santa Cruz, CA 95062  MLS # 81119320 (4 Info send text message CRUZ1 to Open House Sat and Sun in Santa Cruz CA Pleasure Point Beach House  

Main house has 3BR-2BA, 1400 SF, tile kitchen, living room with wood burning stove, dining room & big private back yard & hot tub, plus 1BR 440 SF cottage with a side entrance & private yard. This is a rare one story home with one bedroom cottage on landscaped yard with deck, front and back lawn & hot tub. Just the home you have been looking for with all the amenities set up for your beach home in Pleasure Point. This home has been rented month to month for a total of $4000/m.

Enjoy Resort Living, Pool and Spa, Close to Ocean in Santa Cruz, CA - Affordable Price for Two Bedroom Condo! 2905 Leotar Ci. Santa Cruz, CA 95062 SantaCruzCA-homesforsale.com                Sale Price: $257,000 MLS# 81044107 Upgraded 1 level condo 2 bedroom 1 bath 848 SF 1 reserved parking space and 2 parking passes. HOA $232/m   Super clean upgraded measure J condo in Live Oak. Suitable for a single person, couple or small family in the complex with a pool & spa.  

Now for the local real estate market update. Watch this video for the latest news from Your Real Estate News Channel.

There are 14 new listings today with the price range of $159,000- $6,700,000. The lowest price of $159,000 is a house in the San Loenzo Valley Boulder Creek.The house for $6,700,000 is above Cabrillo College in Aptos. Is it a Con? Call me and I will disclose who and what is going on with this famous estate.

Listings price decreased 14. These are mostly properties under $500,000 that is what is selling now. I expect the 1 million to 5 million properties to be decreasing their price by half a million at a time.  And they tell me that the Chinese are the ones buying the big mega mansions for their business and family compounds.Listings back on the market 6 and one of them is a condo  OPAL CLIFF DRIVE, Capitola 95010 priced at $895,000

Changed to SOLD 12. Today those sold prices are $302,500 - $1,575,000 that is only one sold over $790,000. The median home price is in the graph below.

 The median home price was the lowest in January 2011 at $430,000 and now it is still well below $500,000. This graph show that the housing market is NOT coming back as so many like to predict. Let look at the interest rates.

           Historically the interest rates are the lowest now over the last 30 years.

It may be raining all weekend and I would like to see you when you come to the open house.

I will be there both Sat & Sun 1-4 pm.

Happy Mother's Day to everyone! 

Please come to these 2 Open Houses

To find out what is really going on in the Santa Cruz Real Estate Market please see the Santa Cruz Real Estate Market Update post

NEW LISTING Open House will be Sat & Sun 1-4PM Pleasure Point Beach Home Plus Cottage

(4 Info send  text message CRUZ1 to 88000)

339 Anchorage Ave. Santa Cruz, CA 95062  MLS # 81119320

Main house has 3BR-2BA, 1400 SF, tile kitchen, living room with wood burning stove, dining room & big private back yard & hot tub, plus 1BR 440 SF cottage with a side entrance & private yard. This is a rare one story home with one bedroom cottage on landscaped yard with deck, front and back lawn & hot tub. Just the home you have been looking for with all the amenities set up for your beach home in Pleasure Point. This home has been rented month to month for a total of $4000/m.

Second Open House will be Sat 2-5 PM  Hosted by the Lovely Michele Bell with Keller Williams Realty 831-332-8404

480 Alta Loma Ln Santa Cruz, CA 95062

Penthouse with a view to the yacht harbor and ocean! Sale Price $599,000 4 Info send text message CRUZ2 to 88000

Penthouse with a view to the yacht harbor and ocean! 3rd floor has 2 BR with decks & 1BA. There is another BR & BA on the main level with the kitchen, living room and another deck. Living area is above the 2 car garage. Come with your own taste to remake this castle above the rest of the homes on the street.

One more great listing in Santa Cruz

Enjoy Resort Living, Pool and Spa, Close to Ocean in Santa Cruz, CA - Affordable Price for Two Bedroom Condo!

2905 Leotar Ci. Santa Cruz, CA 95062 Sale Price: $257,000 MLS# 81044107

Upgraded 1 level condo 2 bedroom 1 bath 848 SF 1 reserved parking space and 2 parking passes. HOA $232/m   Super clean upgraded measure J condo in Live Oak. Suitable for a single person, couple or small family in the complex with a pool & spa.