Prop 19 in California is a tax benefit for certain homeowners. The Act has recently been expanded to be more beneficial to those who qualify for the benefits. 

What is Prop 19?

Prop 19 is the Home Protection for Seniors, Severely Disabled, Families, and Victims of Wildfire or Natural Disasters Act. This is quite the mouthful so most people refer to the Act as Prop 19. 

This is a property tax benefit that allows a homeowner of a primary residence in the state of California who is over the age of 55, severely disabled, or the victim of wildfire or natural disaster to transfer the primary residence (first home, lived in a majority of the year) taxable value to a new primary residence as long as that home is within the state of California. 

This act allows for transfer regardless of the location or value of the new primary residence home. It can be a home that is newly constructed or purchased as their new principal residence within 2 years of the sale of the first primary residence. 

Recent Prop 19 Expansions that Began in April !, 2021

The tax measure has expanded to be more beneficial for California homeowners needing to utilize the benefit. Prop 19 now allows replacement home purchases anywhere within the state of California. This means that a homeowner can retain a lower property tax bill that they paid on their first home when moving anywhere else in California to find a new or replacement home. 

The benefits also allow a homeowner to purchase a more expensive property. Eligible homeowners could make use of the new expansion rules to purchase a more expensive property. This does not mean...

An adjustable-rate mortgage most often known as an ARM has been an alternative mortgage product for some time. Often a majority of buyers will choose a more traditional loan type such as a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. But since mortgage rates have been significantly climbing just in the past year more and more homebuyers are beginning to look into the possibility of taking out an ARM mortgage.

Home buyers are looking into ways to bring down their housing costs especially when it comes to purchasing a home and their monthly mortgage payment. The reason adjustable-rate mortgages are coming back into play for many potential homebuyers is that they offer a lower interest rate which turns into a lower monthly mortgage payment.

How does an adjustable rate mortgage work?

An adjustable-rate mortgage offers a fixed interest rate for a set period of time at the beginning of the mortgage. This period of a fixed and guaranteed rate can be anything from one year to 10 years. The most common type of adjustable-rate mortgage is a five-year fixed rate at the beginning of the loan life. After this initial guaranteed fixed rate period ends the rate becomes adjustable and will change to the current average mortgage rate at the time.

Depending upon your mortgage contract terms an adjustable rate mortgage can adjust your interest rate once per year or every six months. The fixed-rate portion of an ARM mortgage is almost always lower than the current average fixed-rate mortgage interest rate. The current average fixed rate for adjustable-rate mortgages is 4.6% as compared to...

Deciding on when the right time to sell your home is can be very complicated. There are several different important things to consider and sort through before officially putting your home up for sale. Then there is also the current state of the real estate market to consider as well.

Some homeowners are wondering with the recent cool-off in buyer demand if now is still a good time to sell their home. But there are other questions that are important to ask yourself as a homeowner when you are ready to move out of your current home. A recent survey conducted by Fannie Mae titled September 2022 Home Purchase Sentiment Index shows that around 59% of Americans still believe it is a lucrative time to sell a home.

Here are some things to consider when deciding when to sell your home

Should I sell my house during this time?

There are headlines of a cooling market and rising mortgage interest rates causing buyers to back out of home ownership plans but the real estate market is still favorable for sellers. There's still a demand from buyers as well as a short supply of homes for sale. These numbers may be smaller than they were a year ago they are still more favorable than pre-pandemic numbers. Homes are still selling at the top of their fair market values.

Real estate market conditions determine a good time to sell

Historically peak selling season for real estate is in spring and summer and as such many homeowners put their homes up for sale at this time. But there are many more factors in the real estate market that homeowners should consider when it comes to making the decision to list their home for sale.

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As if you couldn't love Santa Cruz any more with its unique atmosphere and culture there are plenty of fun community Halloween events to enjoy with your whole family. Here's what's happening in Santa Cruz for Halloween in 2022.

Halloween at the Boardwalk

The iconic Santa Cruz boardwalk amusement park is full of spooky fun for Halloween weekend. Come out on October 30 from noon to 7 PM and purchase a trick-or-treat package. You can either purchase your tickets the day of or in advance. Each ticket holder will receive a bag for trick-or-treating throughout the boardwalk area and a $10 my boardwalk card to enjoy the park. The boardwalk card can be used any day you wish.

There is also a costume contest open for participants of all ages and prizes are awarded for various different categories. Those looking for something extra spooky can enjoy the fright walk

Annual Fall Festival at Chaminade Resort and Spa

This event takes place on October 22 starting at 4 PM. It is a favorite fall tradition among Santa Cruz locals. Families come and enjoy the bounce house and face painting along with live music and food and of course plenty of trick-or-treating opportunities. For those looking for a spooky adventure you can check out the haunted forest event at 6:30. Children aged for years and under are free and tickets are $20 per person for all other guests.

Capitola Village Halloween...

Public parks are an asset to any city town county etc. But they are especially awesome if they have a playground where kids can get outside and have some fun. There's nothing better than a beautiful local park that both you and your child can enjoy and maybe meet up a friend or two.

Here are some great Santa Cruz parks that have fun playgrounds for your kids

Ocean View Park

Ocean view park can be found at 102 Ocean View Ave. in Santa Cruz. The park features a half basketball court, playground, picnic tables, an Offleash dog area, open grassy space, paved walkways, and public restrooms.

The play structure at ocean view park features many slides including long open slides and enclosed tubular slides. It is a fun play area with plenty of climbing structures and swings as well. If your child loves to slide this is definitely the place to take them. It is also welcoming for the entire family even the furry members with an off-leash dog area.

Anna Jean Cummings Park

Anna Jean Cummings Park is located at 461 old San Jose Road just outside of the official boundaries of Santa Cruz in Soquel. The park has a very large place structure and is widely popular with families as the park to go to you. In addition to a huge play structure, is a picnic area, walking trails, public art installations, baseball fields, and soccer fields. This just might become your child's favorite park as the structure is so large it is...

Santa Cruz Harbor is one of the most beautiful and popular spots to enjoy the beauty and shoreline of the city of Santa Cruz California. The harbor has over 1000 slips on Monterey Bay and is hugely popular for sailing.

You can either take out your own personal sailing vessel or you can hop aboard a public or private cruise in the harbor. There are many different companies ready to take you out on the water to enjoy one of the favorite and most popular water activities in the city of Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz Sailing Charters for Hire

Chardonnay Sailing Charters

The Chardonnay Sailing Charters Company offers daily cruises in both Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay. They offer both public and private charters. Some of their most popular featured tours include the Sunset Sail in Santa Cruz and the pizza cruise.

Chardonnay Sailing Charters takes guests out on the Santa Cruz 70-foot sailing yacht. It is a popular sailboat among racing enthusiasts. The hull and the sail of this ship are designed for speed but it also offers many inboard amenities that other racing yachts do not. These boats have plenty of comfortable top-side seating for guests to enjoy their cruise while taking in the sights and wildlife. Taking a cruise with Chardonnay Sailing Charters is fun for members of all ages of the family and for locals and tourists alike.

O'Neill Yacht Charters

Climb aboard a 65-foot Team O'Neill catamaran and experience a fun day of sailing the waters of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. You can book either a public charter or a private charter. Check out the calendar...

Is your bathroom décor out of date? Do you want to make a change but lack the means to do so? Not to worry, you don’t need to try and tackle a hefty remodel to get a new, modernized look. Below are a few ideas to change up the design and give your restroom a budget-friendly refresh.

Updating a bathroom can not only make it feel more like your own but, according to a popular magazine, it may help upsell the home as well. Along with an updated kitchen, modern baths are highly desired in the housing market and often have an almost 100% ROI. If you’re renting, it’s still possible to give it a personalized touch with wall décor, linens and more to make the room more relaxing and refreshed.

For additional ideas on aesthetically restoring your restroom, please see the accompanying resource.

Graphic created by Modern Bathroom.

Santa Cruz Homes For Sale

Monterey Homes For Sale

Communities...

Easier moving can start with thorough preparation. Not only are expecting moms required to handle the chores of prepping the new place on top of packing the old, but they must always be thinking of what’s OK for the baby. One of the first things to do to help is to consult the doctor. Recommendations on avoiding heavy lifting may already be at the forefront of your mind, but medical experts could offer further advice. This also presents an opportunity to gather necessary medical information and documents to have for a new doctor once the move is complete. While stress can’t be completely removed, these suggestions and more like them can help the move be less stressful. For further tips and a handy timeline on moving while pregnant, please see the accompanying resource.

Graphic created by New City Moving.

For more information on living in Santa Cruz, including Santa Cruz real estate please contact us any time. 

More Great Things About Santa Cruz

12 of the Best Beaches in Santa Cruz

Places To Eat In Santa Cruz

Museum of Natural History in Santa Cruz

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One of the most popular places to hang out in Santa Cruz is the Santa Cruz wharf. The Santa Cruz wharf stretches over half a mile and is known as the longest timber pier in the United States. This is a popular area to take a leisurely stroll while enjoying the sights of the water and other beachgoers. If you stay long enough you may even catch a whale or a dolphin out in the water. It is also prime territory to watch surfers in Santa Cruz.

In addition to hanging out near the water, you can also grab a bite to eat at one of the nine restaurants along the Santa Cruz wharf. Read further to get more information on each of the Santa Cruz wharf restaurants.

Santa Cruz Wharf Restaurants

 The Dolphin

The Dolphin offers a classic diner atmosphere at the end of the Santa Cruz wharf. This restaurant serves breakfast lunch and dinner just a half mile offshore in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The Dolphin has long been a favorite of Santa Cruz locals and as such has become popular with visitors as well. They have indoor seating as well as outdoor seating on what some call the best patio on the wharf. There's even a walk-up window to easily order without leaving the beach. The Dolphin is open seven days a week 8 AM until they decide to close.

Gilda's Family Restaurant

Gilda's has been in Santa Cruz for more than 50 years. They are located centrally in the wharf area just across from the famous boardwalk. Some of the favorite foods include classic fresh fish entrées, plates of pasta, and comfort food favorites that they refer to as Prairie...

Homeowners Insurance is vitally important for every homeowner and as such, it is important for every person who owns a home or plans to own one to know the basics about home insurance. When many of us think about homeowners insurance we think of it as protection to cover damage and loss in our homes with unforeseen acts of nature or emergent accidents.

This being said many of us have a preset list of ideas that we assume would be covered under homeowners insurance. Many homeowners are surprised to find out that there are some things homeowner insurance will not cover. It is wise for every homeowner to make sure they know their policy and exactly what their insurance covers them for.

Five Surprising Things Homeowners Insurance Does Not Cover

Flooding

Since this is most often caused by an accidental pipe burst in a home or through a crazy act of nature many people assume that flooding is automatically covered in their basic homeowner's insurance coverage. When it comes to a burst pipe this type of flooding is covered under homeowners insurance but when it comes to acts of nature most often homeowners insurance is not going to help to restore your home.

Earthquakes

Again another natural disaster that many would assume is automatically covered with homeowners insurance. However, it is best to check your policy as many basic insurance plans do not cover earthquake damage. Homes within areas prone to earthquakes may be able to purchase additional coverage from their homeowner insurance company at a discounted rate and it is well worth adding on to your basic policy.

Santa Cruz is home to many of the best things in California, including some great coffee shops. Most Santa Cruz coffee shops can be found along the San Lorenzo River and the Westside. Some say that strolling along the river will bring you to Downtown Santa Cruz's bursting coffee scene that gives a sort of European sidewalk cafe atmosphere. On the Westside you may find more of a modern coffee house with a minimalistic design aesthetic. 

Here is a List of Some of the Most Popular Coffee Spots in Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting

This has been a Santa Cruz fixture since 1978, even before fancy lattes were a thing. You can find Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting along the river downtown. They are loved for their fair trade coffee responsibly sourced and their brew bar of hand-poured coffees made in small batches. 

Verve Coffee Roasters

There is more than one Verve Coffee in Santa Cruz, there are four to be exact. You can find them at Pleasure Point, Pacific Avenue, and the Westside. Verve is known for its seasonal coffee flavors serving up just what you are in the mood for at the perfect time. Everything is locally roasted and purchased directly from the farm. Some of Verve's regulars suggest trying the cappuccino. 

11th Hour Coffee

11th Hour Coffee brings a unique experience to Santa Cruz. Come in for some coffee, hang out for a bit and enjoy a waffle, and before you leave purchase a new plant to take home. This local shop prides itself on being grassroots but able to...

A favorite fall activity of many people is to settle in at home as the skies turn dark at an earlier hour and the weather turns a bit colder and watch a spooky movie. A great movie to watch on your fall fun movie nights with a cup of warm apple cider and some popcorn is The Lost Boys. Much of the movie was filmed in Santa Cruz.

About the Film The Lost Boys

The Lost Boys was released in 1987. The name is inspired by Peter Pan and his group of friends who call themselves the lost boys. It is meant to show that Vampires never age. The story is about two boys moving to a fictional town in California with their mom. They move in with their eccentric grandpa after their mother's divorce.

The boys decide to hang out at the town's boardwalk (the iconic Santa Cruz boardwalk) which they find is wallpapered with posters of missing persons. As Micheal becomes intrigued by a girl he sees on the boardwalk dating a leader of a local gang, Sam the younger brother, meets two vampire hunters in the local comic book store. 

Micheal the older brother ends up hanging out with the members of the gang and gets involved in vampire activity without realizing it. Sam soon discovers Michael's plight as he begins the transition after trying to attack his little brother. Sam then begins to look for ways to help his brother reverse the transition into a vampire. 

When You are Done Watching the Movie Take a Lost Boys Tour in Santa Cruz

It is fun to discover all of the places the movie was actually filmed and walk through them and recognize them from the movie....

If you are looking for something unique to the Santa Cruz area to experience, checking out Roaring Camp Railroads train rides through the redwood forest is a great option.

Riding a train through the redwood forest in the Santa Cruz mountains gives you a whole different perspective on this beautiful outdoor area. The train tracks were built in the 19th century and the 19th-century logging steam train was originally used to haul giant redwood logs down from the mountains. This is a fun experience that anyone at any age will enjoy from the youngest toddler to the wisest and most experienced of us all.

Daily Train Rides

The historic steam train will take you on a tour up Bear Mountain while the conductor tells the story of the roaring camp railroads' history. They will share how Graham settled in the area in the 1830s and his settlement became known as Roaring Camp. They will share the tale of establishing a sawmill, the first one west of the Mississippi. Come hear the interesting and rich history in greater detail and learn about the amazing historic trains that traveled along the gorgeous tracks up to Bear Mountain.

Upcoming Events

Labor Day Weekend Fun

September 3-5 spend Labor Day weekend in the town of Roaring Camp for family-friendly activities and live music. You can take a train ride into the town either from the redwood forest steam train or the Santa Cruz beach train. Activities include tug-of-war, a three-legged race, corn hole, kids club activities, and a balloon toss.

Moonlight Dinner Parties

Enjoy four hours of fun with...

There's so much to love about the city of Santa Cruz and one of the favorites is the five different farmers' markets around Santa Cruz County. These markets have the best produce from all around the region as well as several other amazing locally made goods. In addition to being able to purchase the best items in the area, some markets offer live entertainment and freshly made entrees to come grab a meal. 

Here's some more information about each of Santa Cruz's farmer's markets

Downtown

The downtown Santa Cruz farmers market may be the most recognized farmers market in Santa Cruz. It takes place year-round on Wednesdays from 1 to 6 in May through October and from 1 to 5 PM in November through April. It is Santa Cruz's largest and longest-running market located in the heart of downtown Santa Cruz just one block off of Pacific Avenue.

This farmers market has been in business for a very long time and showcases many of the farms in the area that are staples for organic and ecological farming in the area. It is an excellent source of fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables as well as pastured meats and local fresh flowers.

The downtown market is also said to be one of the best places to enjoy a diverse selection of ethnic foods. You can find authentic dishes from Naan and Curry to traditional Italian cookies and El Salvadorian pupusas.

Felton

The Felton farmers market runs through a portion of the year from May to October from 1 to 6 PM on Tuesdays at 120 Russell Ave. This is a highly anticipated weekly event during the spring, summer, and early fall that has been running for over 30 years. Some of the local residents of Santa Cruz make sure that they come out to the market every week and...

You may be ready to buy a home and already narrowed down your options but without enough money for a down payment, you'll have to wait a little bit longer. However, you shouldn't lose hope just yet. There are several options for first-time homebuyers to get help in raising a down payment. Being aware of these options means you can pick the one that suits your needs the best. Here are some of the options you can go for:

Low-down payment mortgages

Lenders have been asking for a 20% down payment in most cases. However, there are several low-down payment options especially if you are buying your first home. They include:

• VA loans. These loans are backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. You can also go for USDA loans that are backed by the Department of Agriculture. If you qualify for these loans, you will enjoy a 0% down payment option.
• FHA loans. These are backed by the Federal Housing Administration, and they can allow you to pay a 3.5% down payment.
• Conventional loans. There aren't backed by the government but in this option, your down payment can be as low as 3% as long as your credit score is stellar

If you don't have to raise a big down payment it means you can move into your new house faster and start building equity.

State and local down payment assistance

In every state, there are down payment assistance programs usually implemented by employers, foundations, government agencies, and even nonprofits. The assistance will be in the form of forgivable loans, grants or even...

When you hear of the possibility of rate hikes by the Federal Reserve, you can take several proactive measures to minimize the effect on your financial situation.

Rising Interest Rates

When the Fed starts pushing up interest rates, you'll see the effects flow through to your credit card debt, mortgage rates, and rates on car loans. If you're struggling to pay your credit card bills each month or you pay your bills but can only swing the minimum payment, even a small rise in interest rates could create a problem. As the rates gradually rise, more of your monthly payment will go toward interest and less toward paying off the principal portion of your balances.

Credit Card Payments

If you're only making minimum payments on your credit cards, start paying more. If you can't come up with the money to increase your payments, start budgeting or tighten your existing budget, cut spending, and pay down credit card debt with the money you save. If you have money sitting in low-interest savings accounts, using that money to reduce your credit card debt and avoid higher interest gives you, in a way, an immediate return on your money.

Home Equity Loan Over a Line of Credit

If you have a home equity line of credit, consider taking out a home equity loan to repay it if interest rates are expected to rise. Since interest rates on home equity lines of credit are tied to the prime rate, if rates rise, so will the interest on your line of credit. Depending on how much you borrowed, this payment could quickly become one you can't afford, and your house is at risk. By replacing the home equity line of credit with a home equity loan, you lock...

There are so many amazing and fun things to do in Santa Cruz and one of the best ways to spend a summer afternoon is to take a trip down to the Penny Ice Creamery. You will find ice cream like no other in this unique locally owned ice cream shop. It is one of the favorite places to grab a cold treat on a hot summer day in Santa Cruz.

About the Penny Ice Creamery in Santa Cruz

Everything served at Penny Ice in Santa Cruz is made from scratch. All of the ingredients are local seasonal and organic. Penny Ice uses fresh local ingredients combined in small batches to create some of the most unique Artisanal ice cream flavors you have never tried before. Penny Ice is one of the smallest dairy manufacturing plants in the state using all organic dairy and sustainably grown ingredients. You can watch them make the ice cream right inside the shop.

Penny Ice was founded by Chef Kendra L Baker with her business partner Zachary E Davis. They enjoy being open with the entire process of their clean ingredients and artisan ice creams. They take pride in showing the public and each customer exactly what is going into their ice cream. They take a lot of care in sourcing every single ingredient in their products so that they can say that everything is 100% from scratch.

This is the only ice cream shop in Santa Cruz that is a licensed pasteurizer therefore they do not have to purchase premixed ice cream for their base but can make it right on site for the most amazing flavorful ice cream.

Their Products

The Penny Ice offers seasonal flavors that rotate throughout the year dependent upon what local ingredients are readily available to combine the most unique and...

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Over the last three years many Americans have been relocating to completely brand new areas for several different reasons. One of the best places to relocate is the city of Carmel in California.

The process of relocating can be uncertain, a lot more work as compared to a shorter distance to move, stressful at times, and maybe a little bit scary. Even moving to one of the most beautiful cities in America like Carmel. If you are considering a move to Carmel here is some helpful information about the area as well as a few tips about moving long distances.

Some information about Carmel California

The weather is great

The state of California is very large in terms of both population and landmass. Because of its size in terms of taking up geographical space, there are many different climates and microclimates all across the state. Not every location in California is going to be the cliché warm and perfectly sunny 24/seven climate.

The nice thing about Carmel is that its temperatures do not hit the extreme highs that many of the locations in southern California are known for. It is a much milder climate here in Carmel. The average high summer temperatures hit somewhere around the mid-70s. And an average low winter temperature is somewhere around the mid-40s. For the majority of the year, the temperature is between the high 50s and the mid-60s. This means that the weather stays fairly consistent in the middle and comfortable range in Carmel.

The atmosphere

Carmel is home to the most beautiful and stunning nature views in the state of California. It is located right on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. One of the biggest draws to relocating to this beachy California town is that it is not a prominent tourist...