As 100 million of us adapt to a new way of life seemingly overnight, REALTORS must quickly find new ways of doing business in California, New York, Illinois, Ohio and other states rapidly following suit with "stay at home" orders.    It's time to think outside the box and employ new ways to help our sellers and buyers, while preventing accidental spread of the novel coronavirus.     Listing courtesy of Ronnie Trubek, Century 21 Showcase REALTORS This fabulous home on 1/2+ acre, built in 1990 [which is practically new around here] was listed on 3/17/20.    Later that day, the Santa Cruz County wide "shelter in place" order was announced.    The next day, our MLS eliminated broker tours and public open houses.   For weeks, I'd been planning to host Saturday and Sunday Open Houses at this ... 03/23/2020

Here is my 2020 real estate forecast for Santa Cruz Countyincluding San Lorenzo Valley and Scotts ValleyThe Washington Post published an article this week that surveyed over half a dozen real estate and financial economists: the National Association of Realtors, REALTOR.com, Redfin, Zillow, the National Association of Home Builders, the Mortgage Bankers’ Association, and BankRate.com.30 year fixed mortgage rates are expected by most experts to stay below 4% this year.   In a rare move, the Federal Reserve actually came out and said they did not intend to move interest rates this year.   For perspective, early last year interest rates were projected to be increasing.    Currently the 30 year fixed mortgage rate is averaging 3.7% - it was 4.5% this time last year.    Looking back at 2000,... 01/11/2020

AFFORDABLE HOMES NEAR THE SILICON VALLEY: With average single family home prices of $1 to $1.5 million across the Bay Area, affordability concerns continue to push people who work in the Silicon Valley to seek affordable housing anywhere within about an hour’s commute.   The San Lorenzo Valley sparkles with some of the most attractive prices anywhere in the greater bay area, within just about a 45 minute to 1 hour commute to most major employers (Apple, Alphabet (Google), Facebook, Netflix…).   For those who prefer a small city, Scotts Valley offers a quick commute, followed by Santa Cruz with its great beaches, shopping, night life and many amenities.SUMMARY:The 2nd quarter trend picked up momentum in the number of sales as well as price appreciation across all areas.     On average in... 07/09/2019

Occasionally I hear about someone wanting to "save" the cost of the real estate commission.    Everyone wants to save money, right?     The real question is, can a for sale by owner really save money by not hiring a REALTOR®?     Can a buyer save money by not hiring their own representation?    Let's start with marketing.     By hiring a REALTOR®, you can get all this professional marketing done for you, at no cost to you unless and until the agents are successful.    A professional brokerage can do all of this amazingly quickly based on their back office staff and agent expertise.   For a homeowner there's a 100% learning curve for each step! recommend best steps to prepare home: Cleaning, Paint Colors, Staging, Decluttering/Storage, Landscaping, Cost Effective Repairs, Upgrades if any... 03/15/2019

photo credit: Nappy c/o Pexels.com A good, warm handshake can be a nice way to initially connect two people in business, but I know I've done a great job when my client looks at me, shrugs a little bit, and then throws their arms wide open for a big hug.    These are the moments that make all the work worthwhile.Last week, my buyer and I had just finished meeting the septic contractor which was the last piece of the puzzle.    The contractors answers meant his whole transaction was really going to work.     As it sunk in on us, I saw my buyer's eyes getting misty, and he gave me the biggest hug you can imagine.      Although I've gotten some great hugs so far this year, this was by far the biggest.    He was really, really moved.    His dream of becoming a homeowner was coming true.Here... 10/02/2018

Santa Cruz County’s Safe Structures Program - formerly called the Limited Immunity Amnesty Program In an effort to provide safer, affordable housing, Santa Cruz County Building and Planning Department just released a new program called the Safe Structures Program.   This program lets property owners who have unpermitted housing structures work with County officials to add health, habitability, and safety features.   In exchange, the County will consider certified structures as a low priority for future code enforcement actions: “limited immunity amnesty,” even if the structures are unable to meet current building code requirements.     Here are some of the advantages of the program:        Lower costso   Reduced county fees for: permits for modifications, reduced impact fees, and waived... 08/22/2018

M.C. Dwyer shows homes to Vegas Bob in Boulder Creek CA This afternoon Vegas Bob drove over to Boulder Creek from San Jose and met up with Mary Catherine Dwyer today, and it was quite a thrill.  Mary & I go way back at the ActiveRain network and she has been emailing me listings from Boulder Creek, Felton and Santa Cruz for many years now.I have been to Santa Cruz many times, Felton a few but have never been to Boulder Creek California. After my visit to Boulder Creek all I can say is "wow what a beautiful place".Here are some fun photos that I took in the town of Boulder Creek which is actually very small, 4-5 thousand residents give or take from what Mary said.For anyone that has ever met me I usually start out with many questions about a certain, city or town just to get a better fee... 04/16/2018

 Top 10 Buyer TipsDid you know that, nationwide, about 1/3 of home purchasers are first time home buyers?         Since I’ve seen even experienced buyers make costly mistakes, I thought a top 10 list would be valuable for you.   As you read these, some tips may seem obvious, yet, these lessons are from the real world of hard knocks. 1. Myth: you need 20% for a down payment🏡 With mortgage interest rates still near historical lows, waiting to save a 20% down payment might not make good financial sense.   Rents in some areas are so high, it may cost more to rent than to own.  Plus, while rent payments vanish, a mortgage payment may help you build equity for your future.🏡 There are several zero to low down payment loans (just 3-3.5% down).🏡 Find out if a Home Ready, USDA, FHA or VA loan mig... 03/07/2018

Modern lodge-style home on 11 acres of redwoods & creek. The driveway is paved 2 car garage + parking. Sun & room for a garden in front of the road & creek. The kitchen & large open living room & dining have cathedral ceilings & skylights. The kitchen is a chef delight wolf stove, ref, dishwasher.2nd BR has hallway BA. 3rd BR ground floor 600SF and 1/2 BA New carpet in now.  SOLD! 340 Logan Creek Rd, Boulder Creek, CA 95006 Overview Maps Photos Market Stats IDX Search $480,000 Single Family Home Main Features 3 Bedrooms 3 Full Bathrooms Interior: 1,800 sqft Lot: 11.16 acre(s) Year Built: 1984 Location 340 Logan Creek Rd Boulder Creek, CA 95006 USA Sandy Wallace - REALTOR®eXp Realty (831) 818-7099 [email protected] http://seesandy4homes.com        Listed by: Sandy Wallace Our recent lis... 02/13/2018

Here's an example of three of the more affordable homes that just sold in Boulder Creek.   Each of these home sales involved many people: starting with the sellers and the changes in their circumstances leading them to sell their property.  Next are the buyers: five new homeowners moving in to our neighborhoods who need a real estate agent's assistance achieving all of their hopes and dreams.   Not just during the transaction, but after care too!  Unfortunately there were also disappointed would-be buyers who left the negotiating tables empty handed...    There were a dozen or more inspectors who reported the properties' conditions, and many repair people still involved: including septic companies, roofers, plumbers, electricians, tree services and general contractors.      Realtors lik... 01/31/2018

Real estate prices in Santa Cruz: through the 3rd Quarter of 2017, home prices rose in most neighborhoods, then softened slightly in October.   This real estate market report summarizes prices for San Lorenzo Valley real estate, and 2017 real estate trends in the cities of Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz.PRICES   Like the soft rains and yellow maple leaves dancing in the light breezes of fall, average single family home prices in the San Lorenzo Valley feel like they may be cooling off after years of hot double digit appreciation.      In the chart above you'll see many areas had single digit appreciation during the 3rd quarter of 2017.   (Tiny micromarkets like Lompico and Brookdale have so few home sales that percentage changes aren't statistically signifiant.)   The market for affordabl... 11/03/2017

Blind dog Sage found after 8 days lost in Boulder Creek, in the Santa Cruz Mountains.      This is a heartwarming story about Boulder Creek Neighbors…and a miracle in the Santa Cruz Mountains.Around February 24th, stories started being posted and shared among local community Facebook pages about a lost dog.   What made this dog’s loss particularly poignant is that she’s completely blind.   And, 14 years old.   And, the Santa Cruz Mountains have gotten so much rain this year, there’s not a dry spot left anywhere for a lost pet to stay warm.   What’s worse, there’ve been frequent mountain lion sightings…Day after day, the story spread.   People commented with wishes, hopes and prayers on each Facebook posting.   Everyone had their eyes open for a yellow Labrador!   But, after nearly a wee... 03/07/2017

SOLD! 416 Owl Ridge Rd Boulder Creek, CA 95006 | Boulder Creek CA Homes For Sale Easy commute to apple in cupertino (app. 40 min) for this incredible craftsman estate property. Huge 5 acre lot tucked back at the end of the street surrounded by beautiful mature tree's sunny and bright location with an expansive backyard with hot tub, zip line and a tree house. This amazing property built with top of the line finishes with a gourmet style kitchen spacious open floor plan with vaulted ceilings capturing the views from most windows. Call Sandy Wallace today at 831-818-7099 today! Overview Maps Photos Market Stats IDX Search $1,250,000 Single Family Home Main Features 4 Bedrooms 3 Full Bathrooms Interior: 3,246 sqft Location 416 Owl Ridge Rd Boulder Creek, CA 95006 USA Sandy WallaceKeller W... 10/30/2016

Real estate in the San Lorenzo Valley - a group of small towns in the Santa Cruz Mountains near the Silicon Valley - has appreciated consistently for several years now.The average price for a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home in the San Lorenzo Valley (SLV) during 2015 was about $625,000, up from about $537,000 during 2014, $492,000 in 2013, and $389,000 in 2012.   Back in 2006, the average was $662,500, compared to $616,000 for 2007.   It’s safe to say the region is close to full recovery from the historic “Great Recession.”In 2015, the most expensive single family residential (SFR) home sale in the SLV was in Lompico Zayante, the second million dollar plus sale ever in that zone of the multiple listing service (MLS).   The house itself was a little bit rough around the edges, but at 3,000 square... 01/13/2016

250 Fern Rock Way Boulder Creek CA 95006 Search current inventory of Homes for Sale in Boulder Creek CAListing DetailsHomes For Sale in Boulder Creek CA250 Fern Rock Way Boulder Creek CA 95006Price: $520,000MLS number: ML81463259 Bedrooms: 3Bathrooms: 2Square Footage: 1769Lot Size: 0.35 AcresYear Built: 1977 Call David Calvello at 408-761-2858 to see if this property is still available and arrange a showing or for information about how to sell a home in Boulder Creek CA You Will Love this Beautiful HomeGreat Boulder Creek retreat, beautiful views of the forest, very privet with no neighbors on the left hand side of the house or below the house. Must come by and check it out. This home is in need some fixing up, a very solid home, current owners have lived here for over 25 years. Short d... 05/26/2015

Boulder Creek real estate is the most affordable in the Santa Cruz Mountains region, about a 45 minute commute from the Silicon Valley and 30 minutes to Santa Cruz.  During 2014, Boulder Creek real estate prices averaged $437,000, up about 14% from 2013.   In 2013, Boulder Creek's home prices rose to $398,000 (up 28% on average over 2012).   Luxury homes in Boulder Creek typically sell for between $650,000 and $900,000.     In 2014, the 3rd highest priced home in the San Lorenzo Valley sold in Boulder Creek: a spectacular lodge style home on 4 acres sold for $1 million.   While there are many homes available on acreage, more affordable Boulder Creek real estate is typically homes on smaller lots (1/10 to 1/4 acre).    The least expensive home sold in Boulder Creek was a red-tagged cabin... 01/06/2015

My letter to the Editor of the Press Banner was published in last week's paper.    No updates from our supervisor yet.   I'm looking forward to seeing more improvements by Cal Trans, because the safety updates aren't yet complete in my opinion.     What do you think? As a Boulder Creek resident who works downtown, I’ve been closely following the pedestrian safety issue ever since the tragic accident last February where a man was killed crossing the street in the crosswalk.   The Press Banner ran a story on December 5th as if the issue is resolved – it is not.   Case in point: the photo accompanying the story depicts the stop sign and crosswalk at Hwy 9 & 236.    The photo below clearly documents 3 problems:   1) a tree obscures the stop sign   2) a car is parked in the “no parking” spac... 01/05/2015

  Be sure to visit my website  for more real estate resources...including mortgage calculators, community descriptions, and of course free access to all the (public) information on the MLS about current listings for sale. Looking for your dream home?     I'll help you find financing, negotiate terms that work for you, attend inspections, understand your choices and honor your decisions along the way.    In the end - I'll hand you the keys to your new home! Thinking of selling?   I'll help you value your property, suggest how to best prepare it for sale, and market it intensively, using my proprietary system.   Offering step by step assistance with disclosures, negotiations, and managing all the details that lead towards your successful sale. 12/31/2014

Here are some stories -literally from the real estate trenches-that will leave you scratching your head, asking "What were they thinking?!?" In my experience, one of the more challenging hurdles is the septic inspection.    Buyers often must discover the hard way that some homeowners simply weren't thinking.   There was the home owner who regraded the slope in their yard - but in the process, covered their fiberglass septic tank with six+ feet of soil.    The weight of the soil collapsed the tank, but no one knew until the buyer had to pay a lot more than usual to dig away a small mountain of dirt to uncover the tank for inspection.    Then the seller had to pay to replace the tank, and the escrow took longer than normal.   Today at a septic inspection we discovered someone had built co... 02/13/2014

Here's a list of things you the seller can control, to help your Santa Cruz property sell faster and for more money.  A little extra investment of time and energy will make your property more interesting to more buyers...and more interested buyers often gets you a higher sales price! Clean!   Nothing sells a well-priced home like sparkling cleanliness.  The return on this effort is the highest of nearly anything you can control.  When a house or yard is dirty/unkempt, it implies a lack of caring & maintenance.   This, consciously or unconsciously, reduces its' value in buyers' minds. Curb Appeal: Listen to your agent's advice & take the time to spruce up your home before listing it.   A home with a broken front fence or weeds in the yard implies deferred maintenance.  Some buyers won't ... 01/15/2014