Santa Cruz & Silicon Valley Real Estate News & Market Trends

Are you ready for one of most tranquil locations in the Santa Cruz Mountains? This property enjoys 12 acres with miles of private hiking trails as well as access to Castle Rock State Park's trail system via the highly popular Skyline-to-the-Sea trail that runs through the property. Whether your vision to to create a destination retreat center, one-of-a-kind AirBNB, or a personal home for your family and friends to enjoy, this will be a memorable experience from the second you turn into its scenic private driveway.

Your expansive views are endless without one other home in sight from all vantage points of the home. As you venture inside, you'll find an amazingly remodeled home from top to bottom with no expense spared. With off-the-grid style living comprised of solar panels, batteries, generator backup and more, you'll be able to live sustainably every second of living in this home. 

This ultimate location gives you a beautifully scenic mountain drive of 16 miles to Silicon Valley and when you arrive home after a day out, the endless views to the coast's Pescadero area will melt away any form of stress from your day.

For a private tour of this one-of-a-kind property, please contact Erick Fernandez at Erick@EFHomes.com or text/call at (831) 247-0477.

THE ART OF THE DOWNSIZE

What Every Buyer + Seller Needs to Know

August 2023 MARKET WATCH

Downsizing. There truly is an art to it as the title for this month’s Market Watch states, and for most it’s a BIG decision with a lot of moving parts. Strategically approaching it is key and that’s where we come in as Prop 19 experts on being able to transfer your property tax basis, for one. Fortunately, we can also take the prepping and selling of your home COMPLETELY off your hands, it’s a matter of handing us the keys. Our highly popular Ready to Sell program is all about making it super easy and less stressful, eliminating contractors and Home Depot runs. And if you’re headed out of state, we have you covered as we have vetted colleagues across the nation that can be integrated into our comprehensive downsize process for you.

In this month’s episode, we cover the current real estate landscape you’ll be navigating and while national headlines may be touting lots of negatively-angled click bait, here in Santa Cruz, we’re just simply different. 

And for you buyers, we haven’t forgotten about you as those who are downsizing, whether they’ve worked with us or not to get their home in tip top shape, may have the perfect headquarters for the coastal and/or mountain lifestyle you’re in search of. There are so many dynamics in play so going off of news headlines and websites like Zillow can paint a very different picture than what’s going on in the trenches that we live and breathe each day.

It doesn’t matter which side of the deal you’re on, we’re here to guide you through this market and we recognize everyone’s situation is different, so we recommend getting in touch with us sooner than later so we can strategically prepare you for your jump into real estate. Whether you’re a first time buyer or a veteran seller, let’s chat and make sure you’re using all the resources you have available to you.

We hope you enjoyed this edition of Market Watch. Have you checked out our library of resources, including our READY TO Sell program allowing 0% financing for 12 months to fix up bathrooms, your roof, landscaping and so much more so you can sell your home at top value. Plus, our Mortgage & Home Value Calculators will help you crunch your numbers.

Don’t forget to sign up for our e-newsletter so you don’t miss out on all our news, trends and market information to keep you in the know too as it’s released each week. Enjoy all the resources we’ve mentioned, they're waiting for you.

Thank you for letting us be your real estate resource!

-Erick Fernandez

In this final episode of our Ready to Sell three-part series, we dive into a case study of our most recent property transformation. This homeowner, literally walked to our office next to Gayle’s Bakery, walked us through their property’s lifespan and without us even mentioning it, let us know our Ready to Sell program is perfect for them. We love hearing that, and they were spot on and wanted to hand us the keys right then and there. 

Throughout this home’s transformation, we had an extensive checklist, ranging from dry rot repair and hauling junk away, to replacing windows & fixtures and painting the interior and exterior…they didn’t have to do a thing, we took care of it all!

Here’s a peek at the final assets when we went to market: www.829montereyave.com

Everyone has a custom experience, but the common thread is that you won’t need to handle contractors and Home Depot runs, that’s what we do for you, in record time. This program is exclusive to EF Homes and Keller Williams. We do all the heavy lifting to make this a super seamless process that maximizes your ROI (Return On Investment), so it’s the items that can double or triple the investment that are our focus.

The beauty of this is that all enhancements are factored into the closing costs so you never have to pay out of pocket.

You'll be able to transform your property, including:

Exterior/Interior Paint

Roof Repair

Bathroom / Kitchen Enhancements

Repair / Replace Flooring

Cosmetic Renovations

Overhaul Landscaping

We're here to help and can't wait to explain the details, we're extremely excited and look forward to making this a game changer for your home.

We’ve made this an easy, turnkey process so be sure to reach out to find out what your situation might look like so we can get the most for your home.

Thank you for letting us be your Santa Cruz County Real Estate resource,

-Erick Fernandez

Are you searching for a home to buy in Capitola, but not necessarily the tourist tract near the Village? The Village is just a quick stroll or e-bike ride away from Cliffwood Heights, where you're seriously, just a few minutes from amazing beaches, Capitola Village, great schools, Gayle's Bakery (next to our office) and a Top 10 world-ranked brewery tucked into this quaint neighborhood. Listings VERY RARELY come up here, but check out our latest listing that just hit the market in this video.

For all the specifics, visit our official website for this amazing home: www.829montereyave.com

THE WINDOW TO PREP YOUR HOME FOR 

PRIME SELLING SEASON IS CLOSING

July 2023 MARKET WATCH

We’re watching that window of opportunity gradually close, and with three or so months left in this prime selling season, prep work has to be fast tracked. We filmed this episode at our latest Westside listing where we had just two weeks to expedite floor refinishing, landscaping refreshes and all those touches needed to make this home “pop” for would-be buyers. Our Ready To Sell program sure comes in handy as it’s a turnkey, give us the keys and we do everything level of program so we can make sure you get top dollar here in 2023. 

And for buyers, inventory is a bit low, so competition is still, well, competitive, but for those homeowners that can’t squeeze in their property updates, this could be the opportunity of a lifetime to snatch up that prime property you’ve dreamed of.

So for those of you looking to sell, we have your back and you’ll want to hear about our Ready to Sell program that essentially let’s you hand us the keys to get your home updated to maximize profit and check off some more boxes super easily, all with no out of pocket expenses, it’s covered in escrow via your home’s equity.

It doesn’t matter which side of the deal you’re on, we’re here to guide you through this market and we recognize everyone’s situation is different, so we recommend getting in touch with us sooner than later so we can strategically prepare you for your jump into real estate. Whether you’re a first time buyer or a veteran seller, let’s chat and make sure you’re using all the resources you have available to you.

We hope you enjoyed this edition of Market Watch. Have you checked out our library of resources, including our READY TO Sell program allowing 0% financing for 12 months to fix up bathrooms, your roof, landscaping and so much more so you can sell your home at top value. Plus, our Mortgage & Home Value Calculators will help you crunch your numbers.

Don’t forget to sign up for our e-newsletter so you don’t miss out on all our news, trends and market information to keep you in the know too as it’s released each week. \

Thank you for letting us be your real estate resource!

-Erick Fernandez

We know it can be a bit scary putting your home on the market when competing homes are all looking sparkly and new with the latest styling. We have your back, enter our Ready To Sell program that lets you update your home to maximize your profitability, without the hassle of contractors and countless trips to Home Depot…simply hand us the keys and we’ll take care of everything so you can focus on your next adventure.

From hauling trash from a major decluttering to resurfacing the home's floors or maybe even a kitchen refresh. This program is exclusive to EF Homes and Keller Williams. We do all the heavy lifting to make this a super seamless process that maximizes your ROI (Return On Investment), so it’s the items that can double or triple the investment that are our focus.

The beauty of this is that all enhancements are factored into the closing costs so you never have to pay out of pocket.

You'll be able to transform your property, including:

Exterior/Interior Paint

Roof Repair

Bathroom / Kitchen Enhancements

Repair / Replace Flooring

Cosmetic Renovations

Overhaul Landscaping

We're here to help and can't wait to explain the details, we're extremely excited and look forward to making this a game changer for your home.

We’ve made this an easy, turnkey process so be sure to reach out to find out what your situation might look like so we can get the most for your home.

Thank you for letting us be your Santa Cruz County Real Estate resource,

-Erick Fernandez

WHAT’S HAPPENING TO HOMES 

CHECKING ONLY 4-5 BOXES FOR BUYERS?

June 2023 MARKET WATCH

Today’s buyer is looking for homes that check 7-8 out of 10 boxes, so what’s happening to those that are in the 4-5 range? The trend towards getting immediate results and instantaneous gratification has now impacted the housing market. And that’s why move-in-ready homes have a short shelf life until they get scooped up…people are busy, don’t feel like dealing with contractors and spending weekends going back and forth to Home Depot so they’re desperately wanting to enjoy their investment and get something that they can enjoy right away. That’s leaving many slightly outdated to majorly outdated homes on the market for multiple months vs. 1-3 weeks in the move-in ready arena.

So for those of you looking to sell, it’s vital that you know what’s going on here, and if you’re starting to feel uneasy, we have your back and you’ll want to hear about our Ready to Sell program that essentially let’s you hand us the keys to get your home updated to maximize profit and check off some more boxes super easily, all with no out of pocket expenses, it’s covered in escrow via your home’s equity.

And for you buyers, there are still quite a few people selling their homes that need some sweat equity to update their good bones. This is your opportunity to bypass the competition that’s set on move-ready status for their purchase and grab a great deal. 

Either way, we’re here to guide you through this market and we recognize everyone’s situation is different, so we recommend getting in touch with us sooner than later so we can strategically prepare you for your jump into real estate. Whether you’re a first time buyer or a veteran, let’s chat and make sure you’re using all the resources you have available to you.

We hope you enjoyed this edition of Market Watch. Have you checked out our library of resources, including our READY TO Sell program allowing 0% financing for 12 months to fix up bathrooms, your roof, landscaping and so much more so you can sell your home at top value. Plus, our Mortgage & Home Value Calculators will help you crunch your numbers.

Don’t forget to sign up for our e-newsletter so you don’t miss out on all our news, trends and market information to keep you in the know too as it’s released each week.

Thank you for letting us be your real estate resource!

-Erick Fernandez

Does your home need a Spring Cleaning?

After a long, harsh winter this year we're finally into Spring! And if you're like most of our clients, your home could use a deep cleaning, but you'd rather be at the beach or in the mountains...

If this sounds like you, you should enter our Spring Cleaning Giveaway!

We're giving away the same cleaning package that our sellers get when they list their homes with us and our Ready to Sell program, and it's incredibly simple to enter. We'll bring in our crew to clean your house top to bottom, while you go enjoy this late spring/early summer weather.

All you have to do is leave EF Homes a review on Google (which also helps us out tremendously!), and you'll be automatically entered. Once you leave a review we'll reach out to make sure we have your up-to-date information, and then on June 16th we'll randomly select a winner, and will be in touch about scheduling a day to have our cleaning crew come by.

Leave your review here: https://goo.gl/maps/sM28QAzzxxpxmGFHA

We'd love to help you get that house sparkling clean, so leave a review above and we'll do our drawing on June 16th!

A Closer Look at Home Price Trends

If you’re following the news today, you may feel a bit unsure about what’s happening with home prices and fear whether or not the worst is yet to come. That’s because today’s headlines are painting an unnecessarily negative picture. Contrary to those headlines, home prices aren’t in a freefall. The latest data tells a very different and much more positive story. Local home price trends still vary by market, but here’s what the national data tells us.

Encouraging Signs: Stabilization and Rebound in the Market

If we take a year-over-year view, home prices stayed positive – they just appreciated more slowly than they did at the peak of the pandemic. To get a more detailed picture of some of the trends in the market, we need to look at monthly data.

The story this more detailed monthly view tells us is that the last year has been a tale of two halves in the housing market. In the first half of 2022, home prices were climbing, and they peaked in June. Then, in July, home prices started to decline (shown in red in the graphs above). And by roughly August or September, the trend began to stabilize. As we look at the most recent data for the early part of 2023, these graphs also show a recent rebound in momentum with prices ticking back up. Monthly changes in home prices are gaining steam as we move into the busier spring season.

While one to two months doesn’t make a trend, the fact that all three reports show prices have stabilized is an encouraging sign for the housing market. The month-over-month data conveys a clear, but early, consensus that a national shift is taking place today. In essence, home prices are starting to tick back up.

Andy Walden, Vice President of Enterprise Research at Black Knight, says this about home price trends:

“Just five months ago, prices were declining on a seasonally adjusted month-over-month basis in 92% of all major U.S. markets. Fast forward to March, and the situation has done a literal 180, with prices now rising in 92% of markets from February.”

Selma Hepp, Chief Economist at CoreLogic, explains the limited supply of homes available for sale is contributing to this positive turn:

“ . . . prices in many large metros appeared to have turned the corner, with the U.S. recording a second month of consecutive monthly gains. . . . The monthly rebound in home prices underscores the lack of inventory in this housing cycle.”

What This Means for Sellers and Buyers

Here’s What This Means for You

Sellers: If you’ve been holding off on selling because you’re worried about what was happening with home prices and how it would impact the value of your home, it may be time to jump back in and partner with an agent to list your house. You don’t have to put your needs on hold any longer because the latest data shows a turn in your favor.

Buyers: If you’ve been waiting to buy because you didn’t want to purchase something that would decrease in value, you now have the peace of mind things are looking up. Buying now lets you make your move before home prices climb more and gives you the chance to own an asset that typically grows in value over time.

Bottom Line

If you put off your plans to move because you were worried about home prices falling, data shows the worst is already behind us and prices are actually rising nationally. Let’s connect so you have an expert on the local market to explain what we’re seeing with home prices in our area.

BIG NEWS, ACTUALLY MASSIVE NEWS!

May 2023 MARKET WATCH

We’re ecstatic to announce that longtime Aptos native, Jason Flynn, is joining the EF Homes team as Director of Sales / Realtor. His extensive experience in the areas of both real estate sales and real estate management, he’ll be a great addition to the team as we create more services, in more areas, to help more clients.

And as we turn to the Market Watch part of the show, Jason has jumped into the stats between him and Erick, a lot is shared in this edition. Specifically, that 6-month wait for what happens over the hill in Silicon Valley to hit our Santa Cruz County market has now started. Specifically, we’re seeing more competition for the relatively few homes that are on the market. Not as competitive as we saw in early 2022, but there are still far more buyers in the market than homes available to buy. 

With that said, sellers, you’ll want to pay attention as our Ready to Sell program that we’ve talked a lot about lately, is your way to achieve that move in-ready status. Essentially, hand us the keys, we take care of contractors that might do a new roof, new landscaping or even kitchen & bath updates…all the billing is taken care of through escrow, no checks to be written. 

We hope you enjoyed this edition of Market Watch. Have you checked out our library of resources, including our READY TO Sell program allowing 0% financing for 12 months to fix up bathrooms, your roof, landscaping and so much more so you can sell your home at top value. Plus, our Mortgage & Home Value Calculators will help you crunch your numbers.

Don’t forget to sign up for our e-newsletter so you don’t miss out on all our news, trends and market information to keep you in the know too as it’s released each week.

Thank you for letting us be your real estate resource!

-Erick Fernandez