Los Gatos Mountains Real Estate – San Lorenzo Valley Homes

San Lorenzo Valley, Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz Real Estate Market: Year End 2019

SUMMARY:

Santa Cruz County average single family home prices eased about 3% during the 4^th quarter, versus the 3^rd quarter, but, prices were just 1% lower than this time a year ago. The number of homes sold was about equal to the number sold during the same time period last year. To quote my year end 2018 blog, “After consecutive years of double digit price appreciation, I consider this softening healthy for the overall housing market, although … disconcerting to home sellers. Real estate is cyclical; the last trough in prices was …in 2009. No one wants a repeat of the “great recession;’ a soft landing is preferable.” On average across Santa Cruz County, it takes about 8 weeks for a home to go into escrow with a buyer now, (“Days on Market”), a trend that’s been lengthening every quarter. Days on market was just three weeks back in early 2018.

Santa Clara County was remarkably solid, with 4^th quarter average home prices easing just 1% compared to the 3^rd quarter – but up 1% year over year and holding steadily at $1.5 million. The number of home sales has slowed though, while the time it takes for a home to go into escrow – has increased to about a month, compared to just two weeks back in early 2018.

San Lorenzo Valley 4th quarter average home sales prices continued the softening trend that started in the middle of 2018 after average prices at $705,000. We’re looking at about a 7% decline, spread out evenly over the last year and a half. 86 single family homes sold across the SLV, down from a recent peak of 142 in the 3^rd quarter of 2017. Although multiple offers still happen, often just a few buyers are competing. On average, SLV homes sold for 98% of list price. It took about 44 days on average for homes to go into escrow last quarter – nearly two weeks longer than last summer.

Note: As you look at the price chart, keep in mind some of these micro markets (like Brookdale) have so few home sales, that percentage changes aren’t statistically significant and average prices can be dramatically skewed even when viewed over a quarter. It’s more useful to look at the San Lorenzo Valley as a whole.

Scotts Valley 4^th quarter average home prices fell about 10% from the 3^rd quarter because only two homes sold for over $2 million. That drop was compared to five home sales over $2 million in the 3^rd quarter and seven in the 2^nd quarter. About 10 fewer homes sold versus the previous two quarters.

Los Gatos mountains region 4^th quarter average home prices bounced back from the 3^rd quarter as I expected. The 3^rd quarter had an anomaly: fewer home sales in the $1 million plus bracket plus more fixer uppers. During the 4^th quarter, the region had 16 home sale prices over $1 million and 2 over $2 million.

The City of Santa Cruz saw average 4^th quarter home price declines of about 6% during the 4^th quarter, taking prices back to where they were in 2017. The number of homes sold declined also…city politics plays a role, but that’s beyond the scope of this review.

California’s November statewide results according to the California Association of REALTORS: median home prices fell 1.5% during the month to $589,770. Still, median prices were up a healthy 6.4% for the year: the November 2018 CA median house price was $554,240

AFFORDABLE HOMES NEAR THE SILICON VALLEY:

Since average single family home prices continue to range between $1 to $1.5 million across Santa Cruz County, Santa Clara County and the greater San Francisco Bay Area, people working in the Silicon Valley are delighted to discover affordable housing in the San Lorenzo Valley – within 45 minutes to an hour’s commute to high tech employers like Apple, Alphabet (Google), Facebook, etc.. Towns in the San Lorenzo Valley offer a more relaxed, rural lifestyle at about half the price of neighboring Scotts Valley, whose residents do enjoy more conveniences and the services of a small city. Santa Cruz home prices have been stable at just over $1 million, where residents enjoy a variety of parks, beaches, great restaurants, night life, and shopping in this city of about 60,000 residents.

INVENTORY:

These charts illustrate housing inventory over the past three years. Around six months of housing inventory is considered a market that is balanced between buyers and sellers. These graphs show that both regions continue to experience an inventory shortage of just one ½ to two months of inventory; about a month less than this time last year. That means, at the current rate of sales, we’d run out of homes for sale in just two months.

Scotts Valley has just 9 single family homes for sale (vs. 39 in the 3^rd quarter & 51 2nd quarter), compared to 24 homes for sale at this time last year. San Lorenzo Valley has just 36 single family homes for sale right now, compared to 40 at this time last year. During the summer of 2019 there were around 80 homes for sale in the SLV. Santa Cruz, despite having four times the population of Scotts Valley, has 24 homes for sale (vs. 63 in the 3^rd quarter & 72 in the 2nd quarter), compared to 38 at this time last year.

While some sellers take their homes off the market over the holidays and relist them in spring, creating seasonal lows every January, these graphs show that we’re is experiencing an inventory shortage beyond just that seasonal pattern. So, listing a home for sale early this year might mean beating the competition when the normal rush of sellers list their homes when the weather improves later this spring.

ECONOMY & MORTGAGES:

CoreLogic reported September’s overall mortgage delinquencies remain at their lowest rate in 20 years nationally, and foreclosures also remain at their lowest rate for 20 years. Many experts believe stricter mortgage guidelines and higher down payments over the past decade will prevent a real estate crisis when the next economic downturn occurs.

Talk of recession has become more common lately, and, some fear global forces including trade wars, political upheavals, stock markets at new highs and the fact the US economy is in its longest expansion ever. On the other hand, CoreLogic notes the number of homeowners that were underwater on their mortgage fell 10% last year. Just 3.7% of all homes have negative equity now; the average US homeowner gained over $5,000 in equity during the last year.

National economic figures: growth as measured by GDP (Gross Domestic Product) was 2.1% during the 2^nd and 3^rd quarters of 2019, (down from 3.1% during the 1^st quarter of 2019, and level with 2.2% in the 4^th quarter of 2018). Consumer price increases (a measure of inflation – something the Federal Reserve monitors closely) measured 2.1% in November (1.7% in August, 1.8% in May, 1.5% in January and considerably lower than the 2.9% in July 2018). The unemployment rate remains steady at about 3.7% (3.7% nationwide in January 2019). Wage growth was stable at a 4% rate (but down from 4.5% during third quarter 2018).

Mortgage interest rates – today the 30 year mortgage rate averaged 3.7%, providing ongoing support to the housing market. Last year at this time the 30 year average rate was 4.6%. These rates are historically incredibly low and very appealing to home buyers. Many homeowners can benefit from refinancing – consult your loan professional, or reach out to me if you need references to excellent local lenders.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY’S APPEAL:

People from the Silicon Valley are enchanted to discover Santa Cruz County’s appeal. We have dozens of parks for hiking, mountain biking, climbing, horse-back riding, swimming, skateboarding and surfing. We enjoy so many beaches, from popular to serene, walk-in to hike-in, as well as dog-friendly Lighthouse Field State Beach. The Santa Cruz lifestyle is informal: we cherish our slower pace. With 1/3 the population density of Santa Clara County, there’s more room to spread out in Santa Cruz County, and consequently lower stress and crime rates. (Just 440 people/square mile live here, compared to 1400 people/square mile living in Santa Clara County.) Most homes here have high speed internet, and more companies allow employees to work from home at least part of the time. Many people say they enjoy driving through the mountains to work, versus sitting in traffic and spending a lot more money to live in Santa Clara County.

CURIOUS WHAT YOUR HOME IS WORTH? Visit www.HomeValues24-7.com for a quick and easy estimate! If you’re thinking of selling, I’ll help you by suggesting cost effective ways to make your home appeal to more buyers. My customized marketing plan is exceptional: contact me to discover why I have so many repeat clients like these.

LOOKING FOR YOUR DREAM HOME? Click here! I’ll help you secure financing, negotiate with the seller, attend inspections with you, review disclosures and potential red flags, and…hand you the keys!

REAL ESTATE MARKETS ARE LOCAL:

The advice of a knowledgeable local REALTOR®, who can intelligently discuss neighborhoods and price trends, and can recommend solid local home service providers is invaluable. Hire a REALTOR® you can trust, who has enough time to dedicate to you! I will help you untangle the maze of decisions, preparations, negotiations, inspections, title and disclosures as you buy or sell your home. Relocating? I can also connect you to a trust-worthy REALTOR® wherever you’re going. My goal is to make the entire process easier to understand, less stressful, and as cost effective as possible for you.

Whenever you have real estate questions, just text or call MC at (831) 419-9759, or, e-mail me at mcd@mcdwyer.com

I’d love to help you buy or sell your home. Your home is your castle; I’ll treat you like royalty!

Click here to look at homes for sale or sign up for your own custom home alert.

Sources: MLSListings.com, Reuters, California Association of REALTORs, REALTOR.org, ActiveRain.com, Mercury News, CoreLogic, FreddieMac, MortgageNewsDaily.com, Google. Month to month home sales prices fluctuate widely in small communities and cities, especially when property sales range between million dollar estates and fixer upper properties. Because of this, percentage and average price changes often aren’t statistically meaningful for short time intervals. *All stats as of January 6^th 2020: MLSListings.com single family residences.

Santa Cruz County real estate review October 2019

October 8, 2019October 8, 2019Posted in Ben Lomond Real Estate, Boulder Creek real estate, Brookdale Real Estate, Felton Real Estate, Los Gatos Mountains Real Estate, San Lorenzo Valley Home Prices, San Lorenzo Valley Real Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains Real Estate, Santa Cruz Real Estate, Scotts Valley Real EstateTagged Ben Lomond Real Estate, Boulder Creek real estate, Brookdale Real Estate, Felton Real Estate, Los Gatos Mountains Real Estate, San Lorenzo Valley Real Estate, Santa Cruz Real Estate, Scotts Valley Real EstateLeave a comment

Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Los Gatos Mountains & San Lorenzo Valley home prices

AFFORDABLE HOMES NEAR THE SILICON VALLEY:

Average single family home prices continue to range between $1 to $1.5 million across Santa Cruz County and the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Many people who work in the Silicon Valley are delighted to discover affordable housing in the San Lorenzo Valley – within 45 minutes to an hour’s commute to major employers like Apple, Alphabet (Google), Facebook, etc… The San Lorenzo Valley offers a more relaxed, rural lifestyle at about half the price of neighboring Scotts Valley, which combines the conveniences of a small city with a sense of community. Santa Cruz home prices have been stable at about $1.1 million, where residents can enjoy legendary parks and beaches, plus a variety of shopping and restaurants, night life and amenities available in a city of about 60,000 residents.

SUMMARY:

San Lorenzo Valley sales prices softened a bit in the 3^rd quarter, as the number of homes listed for sale increased. The number of home sales rose as well, while buyers who’d faced stiff competition in the past found it easier to win the bidding process without necessarily having to offer much over asking price. On average, homes sold for 100% of list price.

Scotts Valley home prices fell slightly from the 2^nd quarter, but remained up over 9% compared to the same period last year, while the number of sales held steady.

Los Gatos mountains region had a measurably lower average price in the 3^rd quarter, but it was due to an anomaly: just 11 homes sold for over $1 million and the highest price was $1.7 million. 3 homes sold for less than $500,000 (one with a code violation, one a contractor special, and one quite remote and off the grid). During the 2^nd quarter, this region experienced a more typical 26 homes selling in excess of $1 million; 2 were over $2 million.

Santa Cruz – the city – saw home price appreciation of 2.4% during the 3^rd quarter compared to the 2^nd quarter, as the number of homes sold declined by over 10%. Prices were just 1.7% lower than this time last year.

Santa Cruz County as a whole saw single family home prices easing about 5% compared to the 2^nd quarter, but prices were flat compared to a year ago. The number of home sold rose about 6% over the 2^nd quarter but was level with the number sold last year.

Santa Clara County experienced a combination of price easing and slower sales overall, after many years of rapid appreciation. Average prices rolled back to the average reached in the 2^nd quarter of 2018.

Days on market – on average across Santa Cruz County, it takes 4 to 5½ weeks for a home to go into escrow with a buyer now, continuing a trend that’s been increasing several days each quarter.

California’s August statewide results according to the California Association of REALTORS: median home price rose 1.5% to $617,410 when compared to July’s median of $607,990. This was up 3.6% compared to the August 2018 median of $595,920.

CoreLogic reported July’s overall mortgage delinquencies remain at their lowest rate in 20 years nationally. Many experts believe stricter mortgage guidelines and higher down payments over the past decade will prevent a real estate crisis when the next economic downturn occurs. Just four states experienced increased delinquencies: Vermont, New Hampshire, Iowa and Minnesota.

Mortgage interest rates – after a brief increase in interest rates earlier this year, recently the 30 year mortgage rate dipped to 3.63%, even lower than last quarter’s 3.99%. These rates are historically incredibly low and appealing to home buyers. Many homeowners can benefit from refinancing now – consult your loan professional, or reach out to me if you need references to excellent local lenders.

As you look at the price chart, remember some of these micro markets (like Brookdale) have so few home sales, that percentage changes aren’t statistically significant and average prices can be dramatically skewed when one of the few sales exceed a million dollars. It’s more useful to look at the San Lorenzo Valley as a whole.

INVENTORY:

These charts illustrate housing inventory over the past three years. Around six months of housing inventory is considered a market that is balanced between buyers and sellers. These graphs show that both regions continue to experience an inventory shortage of just two to three months of inventory. That means, at the current rate of sales, we’d run out of homes for sale in just two to three months.

At the time of this writing, San Lorenzo Valley has 86 single family homes for sale (vs 84 last quarter), compared to 80 at this time last year. Scotts Valley has 39 (vs 51 last quarter), compared to 32 homes for sale at this time last year. Santa Cruz, despite having four times the population of Scotts Valley, has 63 homes for sale (vs 72 last quarter), compared to 68 at this time last year.

ECONOMY

Economic growth as measured by GDP (Gross Domestic Product) was 2.1% during the 2^nd quarter, (3.1% during the 1^st quarter of 2019, and 2.2% in the 4^th quarter of 2018). Consumer price increases (a measure of inflation – something the Federal Reserve monitors closely) was 1.7% in August (1.8% in May 1.5% in January and considerably lower than 2.9% in July 2018). The unemployment rate remains steady at 3.6% (3.7% nationwide in January). Wages grew at a 4% rate during June (versus 3% in May and 4.5% during this period last year).

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY’S APPEAL:

Photo Credit: John Urwin

People from the Silicon Valley are enchanted to discover Santa Cruz County’s appeal. We have dozens of parks for hiking, mountain biking, climbing, horse-back riding, swimming, skateboarding and surfing. There are dozens of beaches, from popular to serene, walk-in to hike-in, as well as dog-friendly Lighthouse Field State Beach. The Santa Cruz lifestyle is informal: we cherish our slower pace. With 1/3 the population density of Santa Clara County, there’s more room to spread out in Santa Cruz County, and consequently lower stress and crime rates. (Just 440 people/square mile live here, compared to 1400 people/square mile living in Santa Clara County.) Most homes have high speed internet, and increasingly, companies are allowing employees to work from home at least part of the time. Many people say they enjoy driving through the mountains to work, versus sitting in traffic and spending a lot more money to live in Santa Clara County.

REAL ESTATE MARKETS ARE LOCAL:

The advice of a knowledgeable local REALTOR®, who can intelligently discuss neighborhoods and price trends, is invaluable. Hire a REALTOR® you can trust, who has enough time to dedicate to you! I will help you untangle the maze of decisions, preparations, negotiations, inspections, title and disclosures as you buy or sell your home. Relocating? – I can also connect you to a trust-worthy REALTOR® wherever you’re going. My goal is to make the entire process easier to understand, less stressful, and as cost effective as possible for you.

Whenever you have real estate questions, just text or call MC at (831) 419-9759, or, e-mail me at mcd@mcdwyer.com

I’d love to help you buy or sell your home. Your home is your castle; I’ll treat you like royalty!

Click here to look at homes for sale or sign up for your own custom home alert.

Sources: MLSListings.com, Reuters, California Association of REALTORs, REALTOR.org, ActiveRain.com, Mercury News, CoreLogic, FreddieMac, MortgageNewsDaily.com, Google. Month to month home sales prices fluctuate widely in small communities and cities, especially when property sales range between million dollar estates and fixer upper properties. Because of this, percentage and average price changes often aren’t statistically meaningful for short time intervals. *All stats as of October 8, 2019: MLSListings.com single family residences.

Santa Cruz area Real Estate Market Report July 2019

July 9, 2019July 9, 2019Posted in Ben Lomond Real Estate, Boulder Creek Home Prices, Boulder Creek real estate, Brookdale Real Estate, Felton Real Estate, Lompico Real Estate, Los Gatos Mountains Real Estate, San Lorenzo Valley Home Prices, San Lorenzo Valley Real Estate, Santa Cruz home prices, Santa Cruz Mountains Real Estate, Santa Cruz Real Estate, Scotts Valley Home Prices, Scotts Valley Real EstateTagged affordable homes near Silicon Valley, Ben Lomond Real Estate, best boulder creek realtor, best san lorenzo valley real estate agent, Boulder Creek real estate, Felton Real Estate, San Lorenzo Valley Real Estate, Santa Cruz Real Estate, Scotts Valley Real EstateLeave a comment

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 our region, it takes three to four weeks for a home to go into escrow with a buyer now; slightly longer than last year. Looking at statewide numbers, California Association of REALTORS just reported May’s statewide median home price was $611,190, up 1.4 percent from April and up 1.7 percent from May 2018. The National Association of REALTORS reported that the national median existing-home sales price (all housing types) was $277,700 in April, up 4.8% from a year ago, the 87th consecutive month of year-over-year gains. CoreLogic reports serious mortgage delinquencies are at their lowest rate in 20 years nationally.

After a slow start to 2019, many more homes were listed and sold during the second quarter. After a brief increase in interest rates earlier this year, recently the 30 year mortgage rate has fallen back down to 3.99%, historically very low and appealing to buyers who’d paused, waiting for better conditions. Consumer confidence is rising, and the number of IPOs (Initial public stock offerings) in the SF Bay Area has brought new wealth to the region….some of which is funneling into real estate.

As you look at the price chart, remember some of these micro markets (like Brookdale & Lompico) have so few home sales, that percentage changes aren’t statistically significant and average prices can be dramatically skewed when one of the few sales exceed a million dollars. It’s more useful to look at the San Lorenzo Valley as a whole, where prices rose about 5% over the 1^st quarter of 2019, and were a tad lower than the same time last year.

Scotts Valley had the largest shift with 35 million dollar plus sales during the 2^nd quarter of 2019, up from just 12 home sales in that price segment during the 1^st quarter of 2019. The most expensive home, a 5500 square foot Pasatiempo estate with Monterey Bay views, sold for $4.5 million, while the least expensive home sold for $650,000.

Santa Cruz County as a whole rose a solid 9% over the first quarter, and 13% over the same time last year, closely following the trends in Santa Clara County.

INVENTORY:

These charts illustrate housing inventory over the past three years. Around six months of housing inventory is considered a market that is balanced between buyers and sellers. These graphs show that both regions continue to experience an inventory shortage of just two to three months of inventory. That means, at the current rate of sales, we’d run out of homes for sale in just two to three months.

At the time of this writing, San Lorenzo Valley has 84 single family homes for sale (up from 40 in January and similar to this time last year. Scotts Valley has 51 (up from January’s 24 homes and more than last year). Santa Cruz, despite having four times the population of Scotts Valley, has 76 single family homes for sale, (up from just 38 in January and more than last year).

ECONOMY

The bond market has already priced in the expectation that the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates soon. As a result, interest rates on the 30 year fixed mortgage have fallen to around 4.00%, (down from 4.6% in January.) Click here to see today’s 30 year fixed rate mortgages rates People who purchased at recent levels of 5% or higher may want to discuss the prospect of refinancing with their lenders.

Economic growth as measured by GDP (Gross Domestic Product) rose to 3.1% during the 1^st quarter of 2019, (2.2% in the 4^th quarter). Consumer price increases (a measure of inflation – something the Federal Reserve monitors closely) was 1.8% in May (up from 1.5% in January but down from 2.9% in July 2018). The unemployment rate is holding steady at 3.6% (3.7% nationwide in January). Wages grew 3% (over May 2018), about 1.3% growth after inflation.

DAYS ON THE MARKET:

In contrast to Santa Clara County homes, which went into escrow within about three weeks of being listed, San Lorenzo Valley homes take on average three weeks to a month to go into escrow. Some properties still sell within the first week or two, while others take a couple of months to find a buyer. Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz city homes typically take 4-5 weeks to go into escrow, while Santa Clara County is back down to about 3 weeks.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY’S APPEAL:

People from the Silicon Valley are enchanted to discover Santa Cruz County with all of our parks for hiking, mountain biking, climbing, horse-back riding, and skateboarding. There are dozens of beaches, from popular to serene, walk-in to hike-in, some dog-friendly. The Santa Cruz lifestyle is informal: we cherish our slower pace. With 1/3 the population density of Santa Clara County, there’s more room to spread out in Santa Cruz County, and consequently lower stress and crime rates. (Just 440 people/square mile live here, compared to 1400 people/square mile living in Santa Clara County.) Many people say they enjoy driving through the mountains to work, versus sitting in traffic and spending a lot more money to live in Santa Clara County.

CURIOUS WHAT YOUR HOME IS WORTH? Visit www.HomeValues24-7.com for a quick and easy estimate! If you’re thinking of selling, I’ll help you evaluate cost effective ways to make your home appeal to buyers. My customized marketing plan is exceptional: contact me to discover why I have so many repeat clients like these.

REAL ESTATE MARKETS ARE LOCAL:

Whenever you have real estate questions, just text or call MC at (831) 419-9759, or, e-mail me at mcd@mcdwyer.com

I’d love to help you buy or sell your home. Your home is your castle; I’ll treat you like royalty!

Click here to look at homes for sale or sign up for your own custom home alert.

Sources: MLSListings.com, Reuters, REALTOR.org, ActiveRain.com, Mercury News, CoreLogic, FreddieMac, BankRate.com, Google. Month to month home sales prices fluctuate widely in small communities and cities, especially when property sales range between million dollar estates and fixer upper properties. Because of this, percentage and average price changes often aren’t statistically meaningful for short time intervals. *All stats as of July 9, 2019: MLSListings.com single family residences.

Santa Cruz & mountains Real Estate Market Report April 2019

April 9, 2019April 9, 2019Posted in Los Gatos Mountains Real Estate, San Lorenzo Valley Real Estate, Santa Cruz County Home Prices, Santa Cruz Mountains Real Estate, Scotts Valley Real EstateTagged San Lorenzo Valley Real Estate Market 2019, Santa Cruz County Real Estate Market Report 2019, Santa Cruz Mountains Real Estate 2019, Scotts Valley Real Estate 2019Leave a comment

SUMMARY:

The 1st quarter trend reflected continued price softening across all regions. To answer the question, “Is this a bubble popping,” I think not: CoreLogic reports serious mortgage delinquencies are at the lowest rate in 18 years. After several years of rapid price appreciation, I believe this softening is healthy for the overall housing market. Real estate is cyclical; the last trough in prices was nearly ten years ago in 2009. This kind of soft landing is preferable to a repeat of the “great recession.”

I expect the number of home sales will pick up once the rains dissipate. The rate of sales slowed down in the 1^st quarter due to seasonal factors plus rising interest rates. Recently, the Federal Reserve made a rare announcement that they intended to keep interest rates flat due to slowing global economic conditions: in response, the rates on mortgages have dropped to their best levels in quite a while, appealing to buyers who’ve been waiting for favorable conditions. Consumer confidence is increasing, and the schedule of IPOs (Initial public stock offerings) in the SF Bay Area promises to bring new wealth to the area. Some of that wealth will inevitably funnel into real estate.

As you look at the price chart, remember some of these micro markets (like Brookdale & Lompico) have so few home sales, that percentage changes aren’t statistically significant and average prices can be dramatically skewed when one of the few sales exceed a million dollars. It’s more useful to look at the San Lorenzo Valley as a whole, where prices were flat compared to the 1^st quarter of last year, and dropped about 5% from the 4^th quarter of 2018.

Scotts Valley had the largest shift: from 27 home sales over $1 million in the 4^th quarter of 2018, to just 12 home sales in the million dollar plus segment during the 1^st quarter of 2019.

Santa Cruz County as a whole rose 3% over this time last year, while falling 4.5% since the 4^th quarter, following lock-step with Santa Clara County. Nationally, home prices appreciated just over 4%, compared to February 2018.

INVENTORY:

These charts illustrate housing inventory over the past three years. Around six months of housing inventory is considered balanced between buyers and sellers. Some sellers take their homes off the market over the holidays and relist them later in spring, creating seasonal lows. But these graphs show that each region is experiencing a continuing inventory shortage of just two months of inventory. That means, at the current rate of sales, we’d run out of homes for sale in just two months. So, listing a home for sale early this year might mean beating the competition when the normal rush of sellers list their homes in late spring.

At the time of this writing, San Lorenzo Valley has 46 single family homes for sale (up slightly from 40 in January but down from 80 in the 3rd quarter. Scotts Valley has 33 homes for sale (up from January’s 24 homes and equal to the 3rd quarter). Santa Cruz, despite having four times the population of Scotts Valley, has 55 single family homes for sale, (up from just 38 in January but down from 68 in the fall quarter).

ECONOMY:

Surprisingly, amid concerns of slow global economic growth, the Federal Reserve announced its intentions to hold interest rates stable, so as a result, interest rates on the 30 year fixed mortgage have fallen to around 4.25%, (down from 4.6% in January.) Click here to see today’s 30 year fixed rate mortgages rates Anyone who purchased at recent levels of 5%+ may want to discuss the prospect of refinancing with their lenders.

Economic growth as measured by GDP (Gross Domestic Product) fell to 2.2% in the 4^th quarter as international issues weighed. That was down from 3.4% in the 3rd quarter (4.2% in the 2nd quarter of 2018). Consumer price increases (a measure of inflation – something the Federal Reserve monitors closely) fell to about 1.5% annually in January (from as high as 2.9% in July 2018). The unemployment rate is up to around 4% (from 3.7% nationwide in January). Wages still haven’t increased as much as workers would hope, but are hovering between 3% and 4% growth.

AFFORDABLE OPTIONS FOR SILICON VALLEY HOME BUYERS:

PRICES:

The average Santa Cruz home cost of $1 million could buy for example a 1960s 3 bedroom 2 bath 1500 square foot West Side cottage within walking distance to the beach, or, a Seabright 2 bedroom 1 bath 1100 square foot home built in the 1930’s.

The Scotts Valley average home price of $1 million could buy a 3 bedroom, 2 bath 2000 square foot home built in 1990 in a great neighborhood, or for a more rural experience, a similar sized 1970’s home on an acre just a few miles from town.

The San Lorenzo Valley average home price of $650,000 could buy for example a 3 bed/3 bath 1600 square foot home built in 1970s on about an acre about 2 miles outside of Ben Lomond, or a 2 bed/2 bath 1500 square foot 1980s home on about 2/10 acre in Felton.

DAYS ON THE MARKET:

In contrast to Santa Clara County homes, which consistently sold on average within the first month of being listed, San Lorenzo Valley homes take on average 30-60 days to sell: some will sell within the first week or two, while others will take longer than a couple of months to find a buyer.

Lengthening to 50 days on the market, Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz city homes typically took 2-3 weeks longer than previously to sell. Across the board, homes took about almost two weeks to a month longer to sell in the 1^st quarter of 2018 than they did in the 4^th quarter of 2018.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY’S APPEAL:

People from the Silicon Valley are enchanted to discover Santa Cruz County with all of our parks for hiking, climbing, horse-back riding, mountain biking, and skateboarding. There are dozens of beaches, from popular to serene, walk-in to hike-in, some dog-friendly. The Santa Cruz lifestyle is informal: we cherish our slower pace. With 1/3 the population density of Santa Clara County, there’s more room to spread out in Santa Cruz County, and consequently lower stress and crime rates. (Just 440 people/square mile live here, compared to 1400 people/square mile living in Santa Clara County.) Many people say they enjoy driving through the mountains to work, versus sitting in traffic and spending a lot more money to live in Santa Clara County.

Bridge in Boulder Creek, CA — Big Basin Hwy 236 Bridge at Brackenbrae, Boulder Creek, CA

REAL ESTATE MARKETS ARE LOCAL:

Whenever you have real estate questions, just text or call MC at (831) 419-9759, or, e-mail me at mcd@mcdwyer.com

I’d love to help you buy or sell your home. Your home is your castle; I’ll treat you like royalty!

Click here to look at homes for sale or sign up for your own custom home alert.

Sources: MLSListings.com, Reuters, REALTOR.org, ActiveRain.com, Mercury News, CoreLogic, FreddieMac, BankRate.com. Month to month home sales prices fluctuate widely in small communities and cities, especially when property sales range between million dollar estates and fixer upper properties. Because of this, percentage and average price changes often aren’t statistically meaningful for short time intervals. *All stats as of April 4, 2019: MLSListings.com single family residences.

Santa Cruz County home prices and trends: Market Update 1st Quarter 2018

April 19, 2018April 24, 2018Posted in Ben Lomond Home Prices, Ben Lomond Real Estate, Boulder Creek Home Prices, Boulder Creek real estate, Brookdale Home Prices, Brookdale Real Estate, Felton Home Prices, Felton Real Estate, Lompico Real Estate, Los Gatos Mountains Home Prices, Los Gatos Mountains Real Estate, San Lorenzo Valley Home Prices, San Lorenzo Valley Real Estate, Santa Cruz Country Properties, Santa Cruz County Home Prices, Santa Cruz home prices, Santa Cruz Mountains Real Estate, Santa Cruz Real Estate, Scotts Valley Home Prices, Scotts Valley Real EstateTagged affordable homes near Silicon Valley, Ben Lomond Real Estate, best boulder creek realtor, best san lorenzo valley real estate agent, Boulder Creek real estate, Felton Real Estate, Los Gatos Mountains Real Estate, San Lorenzo Valley Home Prices, Santa Cruz Home Prices, Santa Cruz Mountains Real Estate, Scotts Valley Home PricesLeave a comment

Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley and San Lorenzo Valley real estate market update

1^st Quarter 2018

Silicon Valley Homes continue to appreciate – just look at that bottom line up over 20% since last year at this time. Consequently, many buyers have to cast a wider net to find affordable homes near the Silicon Valley. Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz and San Lorenzo Valley areas offer relatively more affordable homes still within about an hour’s commute of the Silicon Valley. One of my specialties is helping people relocate here!

With an average home prices around $650,000, the small towns that make up San Lorenzo Valley are a little known secret, offering a variety of relatively affordable homes for Silicon Valley’s employees. We are less than an hour’s commute from Apple or Alphabet/Google. Los Gatos mountains offer an even faster commute, Scotts Valley has dedicated express and company buses, The city of Santa Cruz is just 15 minutes further, with beaches, nightlife and shopping.

PRICES If you’re shopping in the $800,000 to $1 million range, you can buy a lovely home on property anywhere in the San Lorenzo Valley: from Boulder Creek to Ben Lomond and Felton. In our lovely small city of Scotts Valley home prices are holding steady at an average of $1.1 million. In the more populous city of Santa Cruz home prices rose again…while Los Gatos Mountains home prices dipped slightly: a short term anomaly as the mix between higher end and average properties changed briefly. As you look at the chart, remember some of these micro markets (Lompico and Brookdale) have so few home sales, that percentage changes aren’t statistically significant. And Felton home prices simply reflect a rare quarter where there was only one Felton home sale priced over $1 million.

DAYS ON THE MARKET The Silicon Valley housing market is fast paced with an average of less than two weeks on the market before going into escrow with a buyer. Santa Cruz County homes are on the market between a month and 45 days on average. Some of the million dollar plus properties may to take a bit longer to sell. Most Santa Cruz County home sellers who intelligently price their properties will see faster results. Many Santa Cruz County homes receive multiple offers within the first 2-3 weeks, especially the more affordable homes priced below or near the average.

castle rock state park 010118 — Castle Rock State Park – photo M.C. Dwyer

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY’S APPEAL Many people from the Silicon Valley are enchanted when they discover Santa Cruz, with all our parks for hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking! There are dozens of beaches, from crowded to serene. The Santa Cruz lifestyle is informal and we cherish the slower pace. There’s more room to spread out, and consequently lower stress, crime rates and smog. So many people tell me they enjoy driving through the mountains to work, rather than sitting in traffic and spending a lot more money to live in Santa Clara County.

Inventory Blues dissipated a bit as spring rains give way to sunny skies. Across the board, more homes have been listed in each area. Still, these charts show between a few weeks to a couple of months of inventory. A real estate market that’s balanced between buyers and sellers usually has around six months of inventory. A month of housing inventory means that, if no new homes were listed, all the homes on the market would theoretically get sold within a month. This keeps upward pressure on prices.

CURIOUS WHAT YOUR HOME IS WORTH? Visit www.HomeValues24-7.com for a quick and easy estimate! If you’re thinking of selling, I’ll help you evaluate cost effective ways to make your home appeal to the most buyers. My customized marketing plan is exceptional: contact me to discover why I have so many repeat clients like these.

montage — Recent Boulder Creek home – sold for a wonderful repeat client

REAL ESTATE MARKETS ARE LOCAL The advice of a knowledgeable local REALTOR®, who can intelligently discuss neighborhoods and price trends, is invaluable. Select someone you can trust, who has enough time to dedicate to you!

INTEREST RATES & ECONOMY The San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley job market continues its brisk expansion, with two to three dozen new residents per day according to the Mercury News, while new housing construction falls farther behind The unemployment rate of about 2% locally (4% nationwide) has finally translated to higher wages for some. Housing affordability isn’t getting any better though, since earnings growth is slower than the increase in home prices across most of the region.

The economy grew at a rate of about 3% during both the 3rd and 4^th quarters of 2017. Inflation is still low (2 to 2.5%), but the Federal Reserve’s concerns led them to increase the base interest rate for the sixth time in March. 30 year fixed rate mortgages rates rose to from 4% to 4.5% over the past few months, still historically low. While that ½% increase, plus rising home prices, pressures entry level buyers, the mid and luxury markets are still strong here.

Tax reform changes are working their way through the system…the new limits on mortgage interest, sales tax and property tax deductions will affect whether some California homeowners decide to sell their homes to upgrade or downsize. Look for a proposition on the November ballot where California homeowners can move their property tax basis across counties within the state. This could make it easier for people to sell and move! While many of us were concerned the SALT cap on tax deductions might inhibit luxury home sales, there’s been little sign of any slowdown.

Whenever you have real estate questions,

just text or call MC at (831) 419-9759, or, e-mail me at mcdwyer@century21.com

I’d love to help you buy or sell your home. Your home is your castle; I’ll treat you like royalty!

Click here to look at homes for sale or sign up for your own custom home alert.

Sources: MLSListings.com (Single Family Residences), Reuters, Inman News, REALTOR.org, ActiveRain.com, Mercury News. Month to month home sales prices fluctuate widely in small communities and cities, especially when property sales range between million dollar estates and fixer upper properties. Because of this, percentage and average price changes often aren’t statistically meaningful for short time intervals. *All stats as of April 18^th 2018: MLSListings.com single family residences only.

Santa Cruz and San Lorenzo Valley real estate report

January 16, 2018January 16, 2018Posted in Ben Lomond Real Estate, Boulder Creek real estate, Brookdale Real Estate, Felton Real Estate, Lompico Real Estate, Los Gatos Mountains Real Estate, San Lorenzo Valley Real Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains Real Estate, Santa Cruz Real Estate, Scotts Valley Real EstateTagged Ben Lomond Real Estate, Boulder Creek real estate, Felton Real Estate, San Lorenzo Valley Real Estate, Santa Cruz Real Estate, Scotts Valley Real EstateLeave a comment

Santa Cruz and San Lorenzo Valley real estate prices & trends 2017-2018

This might offend a few people, but, honestly, most of the 27 affordable Santa Cruz County homes for sale (priced under $600,000) right now aren’t suitable for you, your sister, your aunt or your uncle…although a couple might work for grandparents (retirement community). You’re going to need an experienced, boots-on-the-ground REALTOR® like me helping you save time sifting through this chaff. That said, there are a hand full of good affordable homes…

Anything decent, priced appropriately, is quickly circled by a teeth gnashing pack of hungry buyers, only one of which will win the bone – I mean home. Okay, teeth gnashing is an exaggeration, and I really do like working with buyers. Still, it’s really competitive right now, so if you’re thinking of buying, call or text me: I can help you prepare a successful purchase strategy.

2 BUYER TIPS: Get pre-approved for a loan before you shop for homes – this way you can clean up any issues on your credit report that may cost you a higher interest rate. Plus then you can focus on the house purchase, having finished all the lender paperwork. Don’t wait until the weekend to shop…many homes sell on weekdays!

And if you’re reading this because you’re thinking of selling – call me now! Don’t wait until spring (or worse).

2 SELLER TIPs: I’ll help you prioritize how to get the property ready at the least cost. It nearly always takes sellers longer to get their property ready than they think it will.

THE INVENTORY BLUES This housing shortage is the worst I’ve seen in years. It’s not just seasonal – here are graphs going back for years.

For a frame of reference, a market evenly balanced between buyers and sellers has about 4-6 months’ worth of inventory for sale. Buyers are frustrated because there simply are not enough homes for sale, especially in the under $1 million price range. Why buy now? Besides the inherent benefits to owning your own home (stability, control, wealth building, etc.), consider that prices and interest rates are both forecast to continue to rise, and rents are just plain exorbitant.

San Lorenzo Valley has only 31 homes for sale right now – that’s about half of the inventory level when I last reported in October. 9 of the 31 are priced at over $1 million. Buyers in that price range may be able to negotiate, since some of those homes have been on the market a month or longer…

Scotts Valley has only 11 homes for sale (normally 30+), while Santa Cruz – a far larger city – has only 22. It’s crazy. Right now, Santa Cruz County has only 175 single family homes for sale (down about 50% compared to late summer). If you’re considering selling your house – market conditions are incredible. Call me soon so I can help you strategize your next move.

Here are three affordable Santa Cruz Mountains homes I just helped sell:

Oh, the stories I could tell about just these three transactions: The Buyers! The Sellers! The agents! The inspectors! The lenders! But, I never share confidential information. Two of these houses need new decks, one needs a new septic leach field, and one needs a new roof. Still, three would-be buyers left the negotiating tables empty handed. The point is, sellers need help disclosing and buyers need assistance understanding the condition of these kinds of affordable, Santa Cruz mountains properties.

BAY AREA’S HOUSING PROBLEM It’s not news that there are very few homes for sale in the region, and that’s driving prices up. Rental rates are high because vacancies are low. For 2018, buying an affordable home in the Santa Cruz Mountains is likely to get even harder. The reasons are complex:
• New jobs & people moving in to the region exceed people moving into larger homes, downsizing or leaving –home owners feel like there’s nowhere to go.
• Not enough new homes are being built (especially in Santa Cruz County).
• People are staying in their homes longer
o Retirees were already worried about keeping their tax basis
o Potential move-up buyers now worry about tax deductions
o This keeps the supply of homes for first time buyers low.
• A lot of entry level homes were foreclosed and then purchased for “all cash” over the past 6 years
o Those investors are getting a great return on their investment by renting the houses out … they’ve no reason to sell.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY REAL ESTATE

SUMMARY The number of homes sold across most of Santa Cruz County was steady in the 4th quarter, but prices diverged: Scotts Valley and Los Gatos mountains home prices rose under continued pressure from Silicon Valley home prices. Santa Cruz County homes were on the market for about 40 days –twice as long as Santa Clara County at just 19 days on average. Home prices were flat in the San Lorenzo Valley at the end of 2017, although the micro markets of each town moved up and down.

PRICES Home prices in Scotts Valley along with Santa Cruz took a bit of a breather in the 4th quarter of 2017 compared to the 3rd quarter, but were still higher than last year. In Boulder Creek, two “homes” sold in the 4th quarter with separate MLS numbers for a total of $23,000 (neighboring shacks on slides), skewing prices temporarily. But Los Gatos Mountains continued it’s ascent as the closest community to the Silicon Valley, where average prices are now over $1.5 million. After years of double digit appreciation, average single family home price increases across the San Lorenzo Valley quieted during the last quarter of 2017. Lompico/ Zayante isn’t really in decline, there were just fewer higher end sales there. In fact, with the water supply situation stabilized, one of my main concerns is gone. Some of these micro markets (Lompico and Brookdale) have so few home sales that percentage changes aren’t statistically significant.

Affordable homes near Santa Cruz (priced $600,000 or less) are nearly non-existent right now. There are only 10 homes in this price range all across the San Lorenzo Valley, and many of them have “issues” and have been on the market for a couple of months. Let’s just say I wouldn’t recommend them for anyone you care about, unless you care about someone who is a contractor. Usually, the San Lorenzo Valley has some of the most affordable homes in Santa Cruz County: SLV real estate prices run about two thirds of the Santa Cruz County average. Last quarter, many of my sales were in this price range. Whether you’re buying or selling, you’ll need someone with my kind of experience to navigate the possible pitfalls in rural properties at this price.

CURIOUS WHAT YOUR HOME IS WORTH? Visit www.HomeValues24-7.com for a quick and easy estimate! If you’re thinking of selling, I’ll help you evaluate cost effective ways to make your home appeal to the most buyers. My customized marketing plan is exceptional: contact me to discover why I have so many repeat clients like these.

LOOKING FOR YOUR DREAM HOME? Click here! I’ll help you secure financing, negotiate with the seller, review disclosures and potential red flags, attend inspections with you, and…hand you the keys! Plus, I’m readily available after you move in to offer local referrals and general assistance.

SILICON VALLEY The housing shortage in the Silicon Valley continues to drive the region’s prices higher. In Santa Clara County, the average price of a single family home in October reached $1.5 million. With an average home price of $630,000, the San Lorenzo Valley and Boulder Creek are a little known secret offering relaxing small town hide-a-ways for high tech workers. Boulder Creek’s affordable housing is less than an hour’s commute from Apple or Alphabet (Google). One of my specialties is helping people relocate here!

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY’S APPEAL People from the Silicon Valley are understandably enchanted by Santa Cruz: we have so many state parks for hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking! There are dozens of beaches – from crowded to serene. We have small cities and towns. The Santa Cruz lifestyle is less formal and we adore the slower overall pace. There’s more room to spread out, and consequently lower stress, crime rates and smog. So many people tell me they enjoy driving through the mountains to work, rather than sitting in traffic and spending a lot more money to live in Santa Clara County.

REAL ESTATE MARKETS ARE LOCAL The advice of a knowledgeable local REALTOR®, who can show you the trends in your neighborhood and your specific kind of property and price range, is invaluable. Select someone you can trust, who knows your area well. Understanding pricing, analyzing location, property appeal and condition, requires local market intelligence. When choosing your REALTOR®, also consider if the agent has enough time to dedicate to you!

DAYS ON THE MARKET Santa Cruz County homes are on the market about 40 days on average before going into escrow with a buyer. Intelligently priced and especially affordable homes are selling quickly, usually receiving multiple offers within the first 2-3 weeks, others even faster.

INTEREST RATES & ECONOMY The big news is tax reform…new limitations on mortgage interest, sales tax and property tax deductions will affect many California homeowners. 30 year fixed rate mortgages rates averaged just over 4% for the past few months, still historically quite low. But, the Federal Reserve intends to increase their benchmark interest rate for lending to banks several times this year. The economy was estimated to grow about 3% over the 3rd quarter, and there’s minimal inflation (under 2%). Jobs and employment are quite strong, with unemployment rate at just 4% nationwide. Housing affordability isn’t getting any better though, since earnings growth is slower than the increase in home prices across most of the nation. Silicon Valley incomes are growing at the 4th fastest rate in the nation., with radical innovations in the way we live continuing to pour out of the brilliant minds working in the Silicon Valley.

Sources: MLSListings.com (Single Family Residences), Reuters, Inman News, REALTOR.org, ActiveRain.com, Mercury News. Month to month home sales prices fluctuate widely in small communities and cities, especially when property sales range between multi million dollar estates and fixer upper / tear down properties. Because of this, percentage and average price changes often aren’t statistically meaningful for short time intervals. *All stats as of 1/09-12/2018: MLSListings.com single family residences only.

San Lorenzo Valley real estate prices August 2017

September 22, 2017September 22, 2017Posted in Ben Lomond Home Prices, Ben Lomond Real Estate, Boulder Creek Home Prices, Boulder Creek real estate, Brookdale Home Prices, Brookdale Real Estate, Felton Home Prices, Felton Real Estate, First Time Home Buyer, Los Gatos Mountains Home Prices, Los Gatos Mountains Real Estate, San Lorenzo Valley Home Prices, San Lorenzo Valley Homes, San Lorenzo Valley Real Estate, Santa Cruz Country Properties, Santa Cruz County Home Prices, Santa Cruz home prices, Santa Cruz Mountains Real Estate, Santa Cruz Real Estate, Scotts Valley Home Prices, Scotts Valley Real EstateTagged San Lorenzo Valley Home Prices, Santa Cruz Home Prices, Scotts Valley Home PricesLeave a comment

San Lorenzo Valley home prices, Scotts Valley home prices and Santa Cruz home price changes through August 2017:

PRICES Feeling like the cooler weather and yellow leaves dancing in the light breezes of fall, average single family home prices across Santa Cruz County seem like they might level off a bit this fall. The county’s affordable price range, $600,000 and under, is still sizzling like a summer bar-b-que, with multiple buyers pursuing just a handful of homes. The San Lorenzo Valley has some of the most affordable homes in Santa Cruz County: home prices run about 67% of the county average.

Here’s an example of an affordable San Lorenzo Valley home I sold. This two bedroom home received three offers, selling for $429,000. Within the next week I expect to have a larger two bedroom home listed – please call for details.

CURIOUS WHAT YOUR HOME IS WORTH? Visit www.HomeValues24-7.com for a quick and easy estimate! If you’re thinking of selling, I’ll help you evaluate cost effective ways to make your home appeal to the most buyers. My customized marketing plan is exceptional: contact me to discover why I have so many repeat clients.

SILICON VALLEY The housing shortage in the Silicon Valley is a systemic problem. In Santa Clara County, the average price of a single family home in August was $1.4 million, holding steadily over the past year. Santa Cruz County is a great option when high tech workers look for reasonable housing prices within commute range. One of my specialties is helping people relocate here!

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY’S APPEAL People from the Silicon Valley are understandably enchanted by Santa Cruz, with our beaches, many parks, smaller cities and towns. The Santa Cruz lifestyle is less formal with a slower overall pace. There’s more room to spread out, and consequently lower stress, crime rates and smog. People tell me they enjoy driving through the mountains to work, rather than sitting in traffic and spending more money to live “over the hill.”

INVENTORY If you’re considering selling your home – early fall conditions are still ripe! The market still doesn’t have enough homes for sale in the under $1 million price range. San Lorenzo Valley has about 70 homes for sale – about 20 more single family homes than at this time last year – but this year, 10 are priced over $1 million, twice as many as last year.

Scotts Valley has about 40 homes for sale, stable, nearly ¾ of which are priced over $1 Million. Santa Cruz – a far larger city – has just 40 homes for sale, again, ¾ of which are over $1Million.

DAYS ON THE MARKET Overall, Santa Cruz County homes are on the market about 45-50 days on average before going into escrow with a buyer. This is about 2 weeks longer than last year. I think this is because recently, some sellers have been tempted to price their homes too high, but then have to adjust downward after waiting but getting no offers. Competitively priced and affordable homes are still selling quickly with multiple offers. Right now, Santa Cruz County has 378 homes for sale (versus 396 around this time last year).

REAL ESTATE MARKETS ARE LOCAL! The advice of a knowledgeable local REALTOR® who can show you the trends in your neighborhood and your specific kind of property and price range is invaluable. Different communities and different price ranges don’t move in synch. The price a buyer should offer, or the price a seller should list their property for, takes not only in-depth research but also field knowledge. Buyers or sellers should choose their REALTOR® carefully: consider if an agent will have enough time to dedicate to you, in addition to someone who knows the area well and perhaps even lives nearby.

INTEREST RATES The Federal Reserve met this week; their meeting minutes say the economy is on track for modest growth with minimal inflation (under 2%). ¾ of voting officials appeared to be in favor of raising interest rates in December. 30 year home mortgage rates rose ever so slightly to about 4%, depending on personal factors.

Sources: MLSListings.com (Single Family Residences), Reuters, Inman News, REALTOR.org, ActiveRain.com, Mercury News. Month to month home sales prices fluctuate widely in small communities and cities, especially where property values can range between multi million dollar properties and fixer upper sales. Because of this, percentage and average price changes aren’t statistically meaningful for a static 30 day period. *All stats as of 9/15/17, MLSListings.com single family residences only.

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Santa Cruz Home Prices, Scotts Valley and SLV Home Prices, 2nd Quarter 2016

July 26, 2016September 2, 2016Posted in Ben Lomond Home Prices, Ben Lomond Real Estate, Boulder Creek Home Prices, Boulder Creek real estate, Brookdale Home Prices, Brookdale Real Estate, Felton Home Prices, Felton Real Estate, Lompico Real Estate, Los Gatos Mountains Real Estate, San Lorenzo Valley Home Prices, San Lorenzo Valley Real Estate, Santa Cruz County Home Prices, Santa Cruz Real Estate, Scotts Valley Home Prices, Scotts Valley Real EstateTagged San Lorenzo Valley Real Estate, Santa Cruz County Home Prices, Santa Cruz Real Estate Prices, Scotts Valley Real EstateLeave a comment

Here is a summary of San Lorenzo Valley, Los Gatos Mountains, Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz home prices.

PRICES Average single family home prices in Santa Cruz County rose about 1% during the second quarter of 2016, following an increase of about 10% during the first quarter. Some communities and price brackets remain “hot” with multiple buyers pursuing a limited number of homes. The San Lorenzo Valley continues to be one of the most affordable regions in Santa Cruz County, with home prices at about 66% of the county average.

INVENTORY The main issue facing the market is still too few homes for sale. San Lorenzo Valley only has 49 single family homes for sale (versus 48 at the end of the 1^st quarter). Scotts Valley: 46 (41). Los Gatos Mountains, 26 (29). In contrast, the City of Santa Cruz has nearly twice the number of listings right now at 43 (26).

DAYS ON THE MARKET Santa Cruz County homes are on the market for about 25 to 32 days on average now before going into escrow with a buyer. Well priced and particularly the most affordable homes are still selling quickly with multiple offers, but some upper middle to higher end listings are lingering on the market. I believe part of this is because home prices are less affordable now for many entry level buyers. It’s the entry level buyer that in many cases triggers current home owners’ ability to buy a larger or better home, so it’s an inevitable chain reaction in my opinion. Santa Cruz County now has 396 homes for sale in (compared to only 288 homes in the first quarter).

SILICON VALLEY Santa Cruz County is influenced by real estate conditions in the Silicon Valley. In Santa Clara County, single family homes started 2015 at a median sales price of about $850,000…rising to about $945,000 by December 2015. By March 2016, the average sales price was $1.38 million, holding relatively steadily through the end of July.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY’S APPEAL Besides the obvious appeal of our relatively lower home prices, many people from the Silicon Valley are enchanted by our beaches, numerous state parks, smaller cities and towns … The Santa Cruz lifestyle also conveys benefits like lower stress, crime rates and smog. I often hear people say they would rather commute through the mountains than sit in traffic and spend more money to live “over the hill.” Right now I’m working with a first time home buyer who works “over there”, an investor who’d rather not pay rent for their UCSC-bound post-grad student, and some retirees who simply love it here. The sellers I’m currently working with are retiring to mountains and lakes elsewhere.

TECHNICAL ANALYSIS – IS SANTA CRUZ COUNTY APPROACHING A REAL ESTATE BUBBLE?

Real estate typically moves in about 7-10 year cycles. Here, we started to see appreciation around 2011, after the low in 2009. Analysts are looking carefully at metro areas across the country to see if there are any bubble conditions yet. Some of the factors that lead to bubbles include price appreciation that’s faster than wages and rents: San Jose and San Francisco arguably fall in this category. On the other hand, mortgages have been difficult to obtain during this cycle, and renting is very expensive, so my feeling is the likelihood of default is pretty low. Finally, population and jobs are growing faster than the rate of new construction throughout the Bay Area. My hope is that this cycle functions more normally, moving toward price stability. That’s how I interpret Santa Clara and Santa Cruz County home price comparisons between the first and second quarters this year.

The two sets of charts below illustrate this bit of a pause in the market right now: A normal market, balanced between buyers and sellers, has about 6 months’ worth of housing inventory. Santa Cruz County had about 2 ½ months of inventory at the beginning of the year. Right now, there is about 3 ¾ months of inventory county wide, still in favor of sellers. You can also see this is one of the factors that drove prices upward. Now that there are more homes to choose from, prices are a bit subdued. If this trend continues, it may increasingly favor home buyers.

Next, you can see a correlation between months of inventory (a measure of supply and demand), and prices:

Next: Santa Cruz County real estate price trends so far this year:

REAL ESTATE MARKETS ARE HYPER LOCAL! Nothing can replace the advice of a local and knowledgeable REALTOR® who can show you the specific trends in your neighborhood market and your specific price range. Different communities and different price brackets definitely do not move in tandem. The question of how much a buyer should offer, or what price a seller should list at, takes in-depth research and knowledge! Buyers or sellers should choose a REALTOR®who knows the inventory well and can knowledgeably compare a home’s asking price to other recent home sales. I believe the best way to serve both my buyers and sellers is by consistently touring properties, talking to other agents, and tracking the final sales prices.

INTEREST RATES Given the weakness in the global economy, compounded by the uncertainty of “Brexit,” many think the Federal Reserve will pause and let the market absorb their first increase in interest rates in a decade last December. Right now the market is expecting at most one more increase this year. Most buyers are still able to get mortgage rates in the high 3% to low 4% range, depending on personal factors.

Curious what your home is worth? Visit www.HomeValues24-7.com for a quick and easy estimate! If you are considering selling, I’ll help you evaluate cost effective ways to make your home appeal to the most buyers. My customized marketing plan is exceptional: contact me to discover why I have so many repeat clients.

Looking for your dream home? I’ll help you secure financing, negotiate with the seller, review disclosures and potential red flags, attend inspections with you, and…hand you the keys!

*Statistically, these communities had too few home sales for the percentage changes to be meaningful.

Sources: MLSListings.com (Single Family Residences), Reuters, Inman News, REALTOR.org, ActiveRain.com, Mercury News