Coastal Dream Realty

06/04/2026

If you are searching for a great group of mortgage lenders, check with Santa Cruz Lending Group first. We recommend them highly.

Andrea Schenk, Mortgage Consultant Andrea has been in the mortgage industry since 1986. She has worked in every aspect of the industry. As an Underwriter for many years, she understands guideline requirements and knows what it takes to package a clean file and what is needed to allow for a…

06/01/2026

Housing affordability in California reaches a four-year high in first-quarter 2026

Twenty-two percent of California households could afford to buy an $843,390 median-priced home in the first quarter of 2026, up from 21 percent in fourth-quarter 2025 and up from 19 percent in first-quarter 2025.

A minimum annual income of $204,800 was needed to make monthly payments of $5,120, including principal, interest, and taxes on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage at a 6.24 percent interest rate.

Nearly one-third (32 percent) of home buyers were able to afford a condo or townhome at a median price of $648,000, requiring a monthly payment of $3,930 and a minimum annual income of $157,200.

05/29/2026

The prevalence of all-cash home purchases peaked at nearly 35% in 2023 because mortgage rates hit a two-decade high of almost 8% during that time. Buyers who could afford to were inclined to pay in cash to avoid sky-high monthly mortgage payments.

With hundreds of thousands more home sellers than buyers in the market, fewer house hunters feel inclined to make cash offers to stand out in bidding wars.

05/28/2026

If you haven’t worked with Chris yet, we highly recommend connecting with him—he’s a true local expert and a great partner to have on your team.

Santa Cruz County natural hazard disclosure inspections by a local expert. Accurate NHD reports with in-depth knowledge of geology and compliance requirements.

05/26/2026

All the AVMs use their own formulas and may pull data from different databases. As you might imagine, the estimates' reliability and accuracy depend primarily on the quality and integrity of the data they’re pulling information from. There are a lot of underlying assumptions made with an automated model.

If you’ve ever gone online to check out the value of your home or to make comparisons, you aren’t alone. Online home value estimators can be a handy tool i...

05/25/2026

Rates to hike on Fair Plan in California....

05/21/2026

No one wants to make a price reduction, but the reality is that you may even have to do it more than once. The more your days on the market go up your potential need for price adjustments increases.

If you’re a seller with a home on the market, how do you know it’s time to lower the price? Price Is Usually the Reason Your Home Is Still On the Market If...

05/17/2026

In the first quarter of 2026, 22% percent of the state's homebuyers could afford to purchase a median-priced, existing single-family home in California. That's up from 19% the same period a year ago, and it's up one percent from the previous quarter.

New figures show that an increasing number of people have been able to afford a home in California, thanks to factors including declining interest rates and falling home prices.

05/11/2026

It's a problem that's more common than you'd think with home sales: a buyer has made an offer, the seller accepts, and it seems like the deal is done...but then something comes along to ruin the sale and it's back to square one.

You're ready to sell your home, you've got a buyer lined up, you're about to make an offer on that great home down the street, and then... everything falls...

05/09/2026

Travelers Insurance is looking to increase its rates by 6.9% for homeowners, and decrease rates by 17% for renters, 22.8% for condo owners, and 19.6% for condo landlords, according to the SF Chronicle.

Two major insurers in California plan on raising rates by double digits for single-family homes that could cause premiums to skyrocket.