Tax Benefits of Buying a Home and First Time Buyer Programs Owning your own home is a goal that most people have in life and something to strive for.  Many people look at the home prices in Santa Cruz and think it can never happen for them.  But it can.  I have helped so many people that never thought they would be able to buy a home.  It is one of the joys of my profession that I can help someone achieve such a large goal in their life.  Sometimes people are afraid to even think about the prospect of buying a home and what it will really cost them, it is such a big move and decision in your life.  I always say it is best to be educated about what it takes to buy a home so you can know if you are ready or what it will take to get there.  Many times potential home buyers are surprised th... 04/07/2016

SANTA CRUZ HOME SOLD IN LESS THAN 1 WEEK!Homes are selling at a record pace in Santa Cruz - this home at 212 Walk Circle went into escrow in less than 1 week and with multple offers: Homes in Santa Cruz are selling with multlple offers and over the asking price more times than not in this market.  There is no competition out there for those that are choosing to put their home on the market right now.  This will be another strong year for Santa Cruz county homes sales.    03/19/2016

CONDOS FOR SALE BY UCSC IN SANTA CRUZWith the sky high rents that we have seen in recent years in Santa Cruz and the Westside of Santa Cruz specifically, many people have found it more cost effective to buy a condo or home by UCSC instead of renting.  Price ranges for condos for sale near UCSC in Santa Cruz range from about $350,000 to $800,000 depending on size, location, view.   Monthly HOA dues for condos for sale by UCSC in Santa Cruz generally range from about $300 to $450 depending on if the complex has a pool and how many utilities are included in the monthly HOA.What are the condos for sale by UCSC in Santa Cruz like?  There are simple 2 bedroom condos that are very near the entrance of UCSC where you can easily ride your bike or even walk or use the bus.  Some of these complexe... 03/09/2016

WESTSIDE SANTA CRUZ HOME FOR SALE - WALK TO BEACH! 212 Walk Circle, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Elegant, turn key home located in a fantastic neighborhood on the lower Westside of Santa Cruz where you can walk to the beach and West Cliff Drive.  This is a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home that has been recently remodeled with quality finishes and attention to detail.  You will not find many homes of this quality in Santa Cruz.    Vaulted ceilings and skylights in the living room and master bedroom suite give the home a spacious feeling.  Large windows let in lots of light and the raised foundation gives you a view of the neighborhood.  Charming front porch invites you to sip your morning coffee and meet your neighbors.   The kitchen features granite slab countertops, breakfast bar, gas stove, double ... 02/16/2016

EXTREME LACK OF INVENTORY DRIVES HOMES PRICES UP IN SANTA CRUZWhile the dead of winter is not typically a time we see a lot of homes for sale in Santa Cruz, this year there is a particularly acute 'drought' of homes for sale in Santa Cruz, especially on the Westside of Santa Cruz.  Maybe it is the El Nino storms that are keeping some homeowners from putting their homes on the market.  Last January in 2015 we did not receive a single drop of rain in Santa Cruz while this year it is raining almost every day and we are grateful for that!  The weather is not keeping homebuyers from making offers and viewing homes.  There was a home listed for sale on the lower Westside of Santa Cruz just after the New Year that received 40 showings in 3 days - 10 offers ended up coming in with 5 of them bei... 01/30/2016

The Santa Cruz Economic Development Board is celebrating the recent rennovation of their website and with these new changes comes a deeper look at the businesses and owners who make up our local community. In this article by Rebecca Unit writing for the Santa Cruz Economic Development Board, an in depth look in given to the Stripe Design Group and the process that goes into the creation of the clothing at both Stripe and Stripe for Men. Check out the full article on the Santa Cruz Economic Development Boards new website.An In Depth Look at Stripe Design GroupOnce you have read the article, make sure to check out the revamped site. Credit to Rebecca Unit and the Santa Cruz Economic Development BoardIf you are interested in more information about Santa Cruz, such as local events please fe... 10/16/2015

 Sunset over the hills of Santa Cruz by Robert Swetz 10-10-2015 For the most part Alaska Bob & Vegas Bob try to focus on the NOW from day to day! But every once and a while the mind starts to wonder into the past, 1 year, 2 years, etc. Robert Swetz aka Alaska Bob/Vegas Bob has traveled around the world & America all his life ever since he was a teenager, and still travels to this day.I have lived in many states & cities across the United States and made many friends along the way. Well I miss my family in Minnesota, Las Vegas, Alaska, and my friends around the world. And it saddens me to be alone in California as I get older and older everyday ;o( Sure I can call them everyday, but it would be great to take a stroll down the beach with my family or friends.It would be great to see a bal... 10/10/2015

This Sunday, October 4th from 10am to 3pm the University of California will be hosting their UC Master Gardeners series in Monterey. The Master Gardener series is a great chance to bring the whole family out for a day of plant sales and gardening demonstrations. Some of the demonstrations include composting, vermiculture and rose pruning. These events are perfect for the whole family and are completely free. In addition to the variious demonstrations and events, there will be food on site, such as BBQ and tamales. Some childrens acitivies include, a seed-bomb event, a chance to see both police and fire vehicles, and much more. Events like the UC Master Gardeners are part of the unique atmosphere that Santa Cruz has to offer . There's always a reason to get outside and enjoy the beauty o... 10/03/2015

The 58th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival will take place at the Monterey County Fairgrounds, located at 2000 Fairground Road in Monterey, California, starting today through September 20th.More than 500 artists will be performing nonstop on 8 stages for 3 nights and 2 days of the world's best jazz.Voted “World's Best Jazz Festival” by the readers of JazzTimes Magazine in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2013, the Monterey Jazz Festival offers 20 acres of magnificent oak-studded grounds for fans to enjoy, featuring films, conversations with the Festival's stars, exhibitions, food and beverages, an international shopping bazaar, as well as the 8 Jazz stages placed around the fair grounds. There are several ticket packages available to meet all of your festival, the Full Weekend Arena packages run from ... 09/18/2015

Celebrating the combination for art, wine, music and food, the Capitola Art & Wine Festival fills Capitola Village with thousands people indulging in some of life’s simple pleasures with family and friends.This year on September 12 & 13, over 160 artists and 23 Santa Cruz Mountain wineries will display and share their gifts with locals and visitors alike. The best part? The event is free to attend, no admissions charges, no fees, just a great weekend to come out and enjoy some of the best that Santa Cruz has to offer.  Among the superb wineries to look forward to are the classic Bargetto Winery, Hallcrest Vineyards & the Organic Wine Works, and Naumann Vineyards. For a full list of the all the wineries that will be in attendance at this years festival check out this page. Wine tasting r... 09/12/2015

Every year for Labor Day weekend the Begonia Festival is held in Capitola. The Begonia Festival began in 1952 and is now celebrating its 63rd year in existence, a long history is at the center of the festival. The festival features an array of fun family friendly activities. Some of the events held this weekend include a sand sculpture contest, fishing derby and the pinnacle event, the float parade. The float parade will feature dozens of floats decked out in their finest begonia attire. Watch as teams race to put the finishing touches on their floats to make it in time for the parade. The Begonia Festival is put on by 100% percent volunteer effort, displaying the strong and supportive community that Santa Cruz county has.These floats are beautiful displays of craftsmanship showing the ... 09/04/2015

The California Association of Realtors has released some new data about the attitudes those in the LGBT community have in regards to home ownership and what they are looking for when purchasing now on;y a home but the agent that they would like to work with. This data was gathered by the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Real Estate Professionals, to learn what the survey found out check the infographic below. 08/28/2015

Summer not only brings warming temperatures but also more home sales. While more sales are always welcome, many buyers find the process daunting and confusing as many do not have all the information needed to make the process as smooth as possible.Of those buyers who knew what their credit score was 70% reported that they were more confident heading into the home buying process according to a recent California Association of Realtors survey. This same survey also found that 54% of prospective buyers do not know their own credit scores, making the process that much more monolithic. For some of the ways that potential buyers are taking to increase their credit scores check out the infographic below. If you are interested in more information about Santa Cruz, such as local events please fe... 08/14/2015

This Friday August 2nd marked the first day of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemportary Music celebrating its rich 50 year history which will run until the 16th of August. During these two weeks audiences will be joined by famed  conductor Marin Alsop as she leads an orchestra of talented musicians. Joining Alsop will be other artists, from preeminent composers to new emerging artists. The Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music will have many ways for attendees to find pusposeful engagement with music. There will be 'Meet the Composers' events, workshops for new composers and conductors, educational programming for anyone of any age as well as a street festival to celebrate Santa Cruz artists and performers. There is something for everyone to enjoy at the Cabrillo Music Festival. The mai... 08/07/2015

Everybody Wang Chung Tonight Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Free Concertby Michelle Carr Crowe, Silicon Valley real estate agent"Everybody Wang Chung Tonight" July 31, 2015New wave band Wang Chung plays tonight at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk "Free Friday Night Bands on the Beach Concerts". Over their 30-year career they have released 5 albums and 2 Greatest Hits compilations. They have had 6 US Top 40 hits including a number 1 hit. Their huge smash "Everybody Have Fun Tonight," with its now famous line "Everybody Wang Chung Tonight" saw the invention of a new verb, 'to Wang Chung'. Iconic television characters including Homer Simpson and Frasier Crane name-dropped the band on TV and Wang Chung achieved punch-line status in the Austin Powers movie, "The Spy Who Shagged Me".When looking fo... 07/31/2015

VINTAGE SANTA CRUZ BEACH HOME FOR SALE115 CEDAR ST, SANTA CRUZ, CA 95060 Adorable vintage home located in the heart of Santa Cruz.  This home was originally built in 1908 and is located just steps to Downtown Santa Cruz, beaches, restaurants, shopping, bus lines and close to UCSC.  This is a small vintage bungalow home of 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom on a large, sunny lot.  This home would be a perfect vacation rental, second home or first time buyer opportunity.  The entire home has hardwood floors that were just recently refinished and give the home a warm and bright aura.  The living room and kitchen are open to each other making a comfortable living space.   There is a nice dining area in the window nook as well as a dining bar in the kitchen.  The bathroom has been updated with a newe... 07/23/2015

The median home price in Santa Cruz has stayed above $700,000 dollars for three months in a row according to new data from May home sales. This is great news for homeowners who are seeing the value of their properties continually rise, fueled by a surge of buyers from the Bay Area and expanding tech scene here in Santa Cruz. The median home price in April was $755,000 with May's numbers being down at $700,000 which is still up about $25,000 from this time last year, showing a steady increase. 22% of the home sales for May were for homes above one million dollars, a steady trend from months previous averaging around 20% of home sales.  If you are interested in more information about Santa Cruz, such as local events please feel free to contact me at pete@petecullen.com. With such great gr... 07/19/2015

The California Association of Realtors has released some new data on which generation recent first time home buyers. Not surprising Gen Y also know as the Millenial Generation leads the pack, making up 68% of first time buyers for 2015. Check out the infogrpahic below for all the information that CAR found.If you are interested in more information about Santa Cruz, such as local events please feel free to contact me at pete@petecullen.com. With such great growth coming to Santa Cruz, now is the time to make this amazing place your new home. Feel free to email me to find your new home here in Santa Cruz and make sure to check out my website!   07/16/2015

Happy Fourth everyone! As you sit back and enjoy the much deserved long weekend, here are some local activities right here in Santa Cruz to help you celebrate our nations Indepedence. If you are looking for some explosions in the sky you are in luck. Right over in Scotts Valleyon the 17, fireworks will be in full view later in the evening at Skypark Park starting at 9:15pm. Before the start of the show, attendees can play games and enjoy music in food at the park, which will start at 4pm. The cost of entrace to park is 8 dollars. Make sure to arrive early to enjoy the pre-firework activities and get some of the best spots to view the main attraction. Remember that this is the only place in Santa Cruz that will be having a fireworks show! Want to take advantage of the beautiful ocean vie... 07/03/2015

WESTSIDE SANTA CRUZ 3 BEDROOM HOME FOR SALE606 Laurent St, Santa Cruz 95060* Here is the home you have been waiting for!  Such a charming home originally built in the 1930's in a prime Westside Santa Cruz neighbhorhood where you can walk or bike to beaches, UCSC, shopping, restaurants, and Downtown Santa Cruz.  You are also located in the Westlake Elementary School District. This home for sale on the Westside of Santa Cruz has 3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms in the main part of the home.  There is also a detached 1 car garage plus a bonus room with a full bathroom for extra space for your guests or a nice home office.     You feel the period charm with the hardwood floors, plaster walls and stucco exterior. The interior of the home feels warm and inviting with lots of light coming throu... 07/02/2015