Santa Cruz County’s housing market had a slow summer, though home buyers still showed plenty of interest in more affordable South County and mountain communities. But with interest rates expected to dip by next year, some real estate agents say pandemic-era buyers might be starting to sell — and competition could heat up.
Housing & Development
Posted inHousing & Development
What’s our vibe? Can Santa Cruz learn from Miami Beach?
Urban muraling, colorful and unique lifeguard towers and more. Santa Cruz finds itself in the throes of some big changes brought about by the ambitious plans for development, ones that could make the city look and feel radically different in just a few years. So it’s time to ask: What can or should the city or its residents do to assert its personality in the public sphere? We want your ideas — drawn from your travels and experiences.
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Tenants group crashed Berkeley party for end of eviction moratorium. Then things got ugly
A group of landlords who gathered to celebrate the end of a pandemic eviction moratorium were confronted by an angry tenants group. Fists, chairs and food were thrown.
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Even the least expensive areas of California are becoming unaffordable, and more desirable
See which California cities are the most costly to live in. Several studies agree: The premium to live in California might be 40% to 50% over the national average.
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Shiny facades herald emergence of new-look downtown Santa Cruz, with housing coming in 2024
Now built out and putting on their public faces, the Anton Pacific Apartments and Center/Cedar developments are approaching their final shapes. New housing units will be available next year as other projects — including the new downtown library — aim for 2025.
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Stained glass ‘Dancing Waters’ now adorns downtown Santa Cruz’s River and Front entryway
The “Dancing Waters” installation on the San Lorenzo River-facing side of the downtown River Front Garage is 32 panels of stained glass, documenting Santa Cruz’s long, enduring relationship with water. It’s ambitious public art, and maybe just the beginning of a new wave of it as redevelopment gallops along.
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Santa Cruz County home sales drop in July as real estate agents hope for a fall resurgence
Area home sales fell in July after a mild June surge, but the market could heat up again sooner rather than later. A late-summer lull before a fall surge is not uncommon, Santa Cruz County Association of Realtors president Jennifer Watson says, and people looking to buy should take advantage of the slower market.
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Housing market shifts to communities like Watsonville, Boulder Creek as Santa Cruz County home sales heat up
What has been a fairly cool housing market for the better part of 2023 might be heating up again soon as mortgage interest rates are expected to fall by the end of the year. Santa Cruz County realtors are advising prospective buyers to act sooner rather than later.
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Santa Cruz County homes for sale hit lowest level in more than 20 years
The drop in home sales and new listings in Santa Cruz County can partly be attributed to the “mortgage lock-in effect,” or the reluctance for a homeowner to sell their home when they have a low interest rate locked in. Buyers took advantage of low rates during the pandemic, and are now choosing to stay put as a result. And the building of single-family homes hasn’t kept pace with demand.
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‘Factually accurate, and untrue’: Was Santa Cruz really the second-fastest-growing city in the U.S. last year?
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of the city of Santa Cruz grew by nearly 7,000 in a single year, or a growth rate of 12.5% between July 2021 and July 2022. But one researcher says all of the growth very likely came from a rebound in Santa Cruz’s student population when college and university campuses reopened after pandemic closures.