The Holiday Fun Continues in Santa Cruz, CA I hope that everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving and the extended weekend that followed. Now, get ready for more fun events happening the next couple weeks! This Saturday, December 1st is the annual Downtown Santa Cruz Holiday Parade. From 10am to noon there will be floats, marching bands, fire trucks, horses, classic cars, and this season’s biggest celebrity, Santa Clause. Watch them and other organizations make their way down Pacific Ave and indulge in what Downtown has to offer. There are plenty of coffee shops to keep you going through the morning! As the President of the Board of Directors representing the Friends of Santa Cruz Public Libraries, I am excited that the FSCPL will be marching in the parade. Their dedication to supporting the... 11/29/2012

SEABRIGHT HOMES FOR SALE - A SANTA CRUZ BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD Seabright in Santa Cruz is a classic Northern California beach neighborhood where you will find some beautiful Seabright homes for sale.  The Seabright neighborhood falls between the Santa Cruz Boardwalk & Downtown to the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor.  Seabright is in a great location for walking to the beach, restaurants - La Posta, The Crepe Place, Lillians, Charlie Hong Kong's . . .  a plethora of great grocery stores: Staff of Life, Whole Foods, Shopper's Corner.   Life is good in this sunny Santa Cruz beach neighborhood.  Homes for sale in Seabright in Santa Cruz, CA range from the grand Victorians on Ocean View Avenue to small beach cottages, Craftsman style homes, and luxury ocean view homes.  People who are looking for homes ... 11/29/2012

O'Neill Coldwater Classic 2012 - Santa Cruz The O'Neill Coldwater Classic in Santa Cruz wrapped up today and was quite a success by all accounts.  We have had AMAZING weather this week.  With 80 degree temperatures in November with no fog or wind, we have definitely been spoiled.  We were also fortunate to have decent waves for the last few days of the Coldwater Classic. This was the first time in 22 years that the O'Neill Coldwater Classic has been on the ASP Surfing World Tour and we had some all time great surfers entertaining us the past week like Kelly Slater, Joel Parkinson, Gabriel Medina, the list goes on.  It was quite a thrill to watch these pros tear up our local spot, Steamer's Lane.   Joel Parkinson doing the 'run around' during his heat at Steamer's Lane - Coldwater Classi... 11/06/2012

Went to the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor for lunch today and enjoyed the view.  The fog was in and the boats looked like ghost ships coming in through the fog. Really pretty to watch. I can highly recommend lunch at the Crow's Nest, beautiful ocean views and delicious food. My lunch guest commented on the lovely real estate surrounding the yacht harbor. Below is a  listing by the harbor for your enjoyment and review.  The great thing about this area is you can walk, ride or wheel to the beach and restaurants. Santa Cruz Real Estate Virtual Tour by Cheri Duc Trebbien Please call me if you would like to view any of the available real estate listings by the Yacht Harbor or in any Santa Cruz beach neighborhood. I can be reached at (831) 477-5792 or email me at cdtrebbien@sbcglobal.net. 10/30/2012

The warm summer days in Santa Cruz may have passed, but for surfers around the world the crisp fall air signals the time to shred the waves at Steamer Lane. From November 2nd through the 12th, the world’s top 34 competitive surfers will assemble in Santa Cruz for the O’Neill Coldwater Classic. Santa Cruz is the 10th of 11 stops of the world tour and will likely be the location where the world title is decided. The competition coincides with the 60th anniversary of the brand O’Neill. It was founded by Jack O’Neill who lived in Santa Cruz and is a pioneer of the wetsuit and other surf inventions. The O’Neill history is one of many aspects that contribute to the Santa Cruz surf community and lifestyle. Around the 1930’s surfers from Southern California made their way up north and spread th... 10/25/2012

CONDOS FOR SALE NEAR UCSC - SANTA CRUZ CA If you are a University of California at Santa Cruz - UCSC student or parent of a student, you have probably experienced the difficulty of finding a decent rental home or condo near UCSC on the Westside of Santa Cruz.  The competition is high and the rental prices are insane.  Due to this situation, many parents of UCSC students explore the option of buying a condos for sale near UCSC.  Some of the closest condos for sale by UCSC are located the complexes off of Nobel St like the Baytree and Roundtree condo complexes on Peach Terrace, Palo Verde, and Castillion Terrace.  In these ideal UCSC condos you will find both 2 bedroom and 3 bedroom condos.  You will have no problem finding quality renters either.     Another place to look for affordable ... 10/23/2012

HOMES FOR SALE NEAR UCSC - SANTA CRUZ CA The University of Santa Cruz - UCSC is located on the Upper Westside of Santa Cruz in a geographically stunning setting, surrounded by redwoods and with ocean views.  I can't think of a more beautiful University campus than UCSC.  The demand for homes for sale near UCSC is high due to both faculty and students desiring to live close to the UCSC campus. The single family homes for sale near UCSC are located is great neighborhoods, many of the homes have larger lots and more spacious homes.  You can easily walk or ride a bike to UCSC from the Upper Westside Santa Cruz neighborhoods.  For faculty with family, these Santa Cruz Upper Westside neighborhoods are a great place to live.     Students at UCSC also love to live close to campus and I have wor... 10/22/2012

Do you have a long list of restaurants in Santa Cruz that you have been meaning to try out? Or are you new in town and are eager to delve in the foodie scene? If so, then do not hesitate to attend the 8th annual A Taste of Santa Cruz community fundraising event hosted by the Santa Cruz Association of REALTORS Housing Foundation (SCAORHF). This is the opportunity to sample dishes from over 30 local restaurants, participate in silence auctions (great for one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts), all while supporting a good cause! 100 percent of the proceeds go towards the Closing Cost Assistance Grant Program that provides grants to help cover closing costs of low-income or first time buyers. Over the past seven years, there have been 150 families helped from the $300,000 collectively raised. There... 10/20/2012

    Fall is here and it is time to bundle up and get lost in the magic of documentary films. The annual Santa Cruz Pacific Rim Film Festival’s theme for this year’s films is “When Strangers Meet” which is implementing cross-cultural understandings into our Santa Cruz community. The films are set in various cities and small towns located around the edge of the Pacific Ocean, and there are three filmmakers of Santa Cruz roots who have chosen to document extraordinary situations in Indonesia, Japan, and Peru. An article about the film festival in Santa Cruz Weekly invites the community to explore the lives of others that initially seem hard to envision. They are sulfur mine workers at the Kawah Ijen volcano or fireworks makers in the Peruvian Andes, but the writer confidently states that t... 10/11/2012

Santa Cruz Real Estate New Listings (25) Santa Cruz Real Estate Foreclosure Listings (8) Santa Cruz Real Estate Short Sale Listings (13) Santa Cruz Real Estate Single Family Homes for Sale (177) Santa Cruz Real Estate Condos & Townhomes for Sale (65)  Jo Ann Hill, Keller Williams Realty Silicon Valley DRE#01474793 - 831-706-2212 Free Real Estate Career Webinar! Find out why NOW is a great time to start a real estate career. CLICK HERE to Register! 08/11/2012

Santa Cruz Real Estate | Westside Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Real Estate - Westside Santa Cruz neighborhoods are bustling with new restaurants, businesses and Santa Cruz real estate opportunity. If you haven’t visited the Westside since you graduated from UCSC five, ten or twenty years ago, it is time to view the growth for yourself. In the 10 years since widening Mission Street, new businesses have staked their claim along the Mission St. corridor and the far west end of Santa Cruz. Westside Santa Cruz real estate really began to blow up when New Leaf opened a larger more full service grocery store on Ingalls Street in 2009. Ristorante Avanti just placed an “Opening Soon” sign on their new larger location with patio dining. Other long standing Santa Cruz businesses have made their move to t... 07/05/2012

You could probably build a pretty good case against funnel cakes from this photograph. Yesterday was warm, sunny and in the low 70s, which was perfect weather to visit Santa Cruz from Sacramento. Where else do you go in Santa Cruz for a little excitement and beachy stuff but the Boardwalk? This is the view from the wharf. It is similar to the Fun Zone in Newport Beach, in southern California. Except for the fact the Fun Zone has only one ride and not an entire amusement park. Oh, and the Fun Zone does not have a beach, nor is it located on the ocean side; it's on the bay. So, except for those points, it's not really much like the Fun Zone as I did not see a frozen banana anywhere. As I was standing on the wharf and listening to this sea lion sing, my phone rang. It was a short sale neg... 06/30/2012

The market has really improved in Santa Cruz County.  Not only are prices up by 10% month over month, they have also risen almost 20% year over Year.  That is good news for homeowners in Santa Cruz, Aptos, Capitola, Rio Del Mar, Scotts Valley, and Watsonville! Sales Statisticsfor SANTA CRUZ County CA Realist's most recent sale date for this county is 06/17/2012  Single Family Residence  Time Period Number of Sales Median Sale Price   May 2012 267 $485,000   May 2011 157 $407,000   Apr 2012 184 $445,000   Apr 2011 150 $404,455   2012 YTD 925 $450,000   2011 1,852 $425,250   Condominium  Time Period Number of Sales Median Sale Price   May 2012 37 $262,500   May 2011 17 $279,500   Apr 2012 31 $325,000   Apr 2011 24 $321,800   2012 YTD 132 $285,750   2011 225 $290,000  06/28/2012

Santa Cruz Real Estate | New Prices Create Deals in Premium Locations - The Santa Cruz real estate market offers first time homeowners an opportunity to purchase in premium locations for a great price. Investors are also scooping up rental properties in prime Santa Cruz neighborhoods thanks to the adjusted market prices on conventional listings plus bank-owned and short sale properties. I recently listed and sold two premium Capitola properties at very reasonable prices. Both City of Capitola listings were in ideal locations for primary homeowners and 2nd homes. Each home was quietly tucked away from the street avoiding the 41st Avenue commercial corridor while being a quick walk to shopping, businesses, Capitola Village and the beach. The soon-to-be owners of 4350 Clares St. #3 got a ... 06/19/2012

SANTA CRUZ GARDENS HOMES FOR SALE - MARKET REPORT 2011 Santa Cruz Gardens neighborhood is located in Santa Cruz County, zip code 95065.  The Santa Cruz Gardens homes are a great place to find affordable, well-sized homes with room for the whole family.  Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary School is located in this neighborhood, making it an easy walk to school location and it is also close to Highway 1 for those that commute to work.  Let's take a look at Santa Cruz Gardens homes for sale and home values in 2011:   There were 18 homes for sale in the Santa Cruz Gardens in 2011.  The average Santa Cruz Gardens home sale price was $530,000. Homes for sale in the Santa Cruz Gardens sold fairly quickly on average in 2011, the average days on market (DOM) was only 31 days.  Homes in the Santa Cruz... 06/13/2012

SANTA CRUZ GARDENS HOMES & NEIGHBORHOOD Santa Cruz Gardens is a great neighborhood located in Santa Cruz, right up Thurber Lane off of Soquel Drive.  Santa Cruz Gardens neighborhood is on top of a hill which affords it more privacy and some views of the mountains and a few homes have ocean views.  Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary School is located there, hence the name.     The Santa Cruz Gardens neighborhood is a great place to raise a family, I don't know if I have been to a neighborhood that has more basketball hoops in the streets than Santa Cruz Gardens!  Kids can walk to school and the location is good for parents too, close to Highway 1 and shopping.     Santa Cruz Gardens neighborhood is located in the 95065 zip code and is part of unincorporated Santa Cruz County.  Most homes in S... 06/06/2012

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 ... 04/24/2012

WESTSIDE SANTA CRUZ HOME SALES REPORT - WHERE HAS ALL THE INVENTORY GONE? If you are looking to buy a home on the Westside of Santa Cruz this year you have probably noticed that there are not many homes on the market right now, and that the well priced homes are receiving multiple offers (sometimes as many as 17) and selling very quickly.  So where has all the inventory gone? Well priced homes for sale on the Westside of Santa Cruz are selling quickly, so we are absorbing the good inventory fast.  The overpriced homes are still sitting on the market of course and we have been seeing them for months or longer.  But anything aggressively priced is going fast, you really have to be on your toes as a buyer in this market so you don't miss out.  As crazy as this may sound after years of goin... 04/13/2012

PIEDMONT COURT - SANTA CRUZ 55+ CONDOS Piedmont Court is an elegant 55+ Santa Cruz condominium building located on High Street on the Westside of Santa Cruz.  Piedmont Court condos were built in 1912 by William Bray.  There are about 26 units in Piedmont Court, mostly 1 bedroom condos.  Some of the Piedmont Court condos face in the the interior courtyard while other face outwards and have views of Santa Cruz Downtown, city lights and even some ocean peaks.   Piedmont Court is a historic building built in the Mission Revival style design.  The interior courtyard with fountain, reminds my of my time in Spain.  That type of design with rooms around an interior courtyard is common in Spain and is originally a Moorish design. The elegant interior of the Piedmont Court 55+ condos is at once g... 03/31/2012

Fun stuff to do: San Lorenzo Valley, Scotts Valley, and Santa Cruz   February 25th – Saturday – the 31st annual Clam Chowder Cook Off Tastings start at 1 pm at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, featuring 70+ cooking teams; winners announced at 4 pm    Attendance is free, but a Ballot and Tasting Kit cost $9    www.beachboardwalk.com/clamchowder   Feb 26th – Sunday   Blue Chevrolet at Henflings in Ben Lomond – starts at 9 pm  http://www.henflings.net/   March 2nd – Friday 6:30  - 8 PM Scotts Valley Satellite features          Local Underwater Photographer and Author Marc Shargel   http://www.thesatelliteinc.com/about/events/   March 3rd Crab Feed - Boulder Creek Volunteer Fire Department Annual Fundraiser Saturday 6pm at the BC Firehouse on HWY 9       Make your reservation: there will only be 2... 03/26/2012