Real Estate Blog
Real Estate Blog
Market reads, buying and selling notes, and neighborhood guides from Walter Stauss. Local since 1978.
Santa Cruz County real estate does not follow the national script. These articles cover what is happening here: prices, inventory, neighborhood reads, and strategy for buyers and sellers. I have been local since 1978 and licensed since 1991.
A June 2026 look at the Scotts Valley real estate market: schools, Highway 17 commuting, home prices, and why this town keeps selling faster than the rest of Santa Cruz County.
Designtex has made contract-grade textiles and wall coverings since 1962. Here’s what homeowners should know about products, materials, and ordering.
Santa Cruz fire-zone buyer guide covering Cal Fire designations, insurance, defensible space, access, and what changed after the CZU fire.
Santa Cruz coastal remodel guide covering Coastal Development Permits, local planning review, bluff setbacks, ADUs, and buyer checks.
What closing costs look like in Santa Cruz County, including what sellers and buyers each pay and how to read your net sheet before you sign.
Santa Cruz County school district guide for buyers, covering Aptos, Soquel, Scotts Valley, SLV, Watsonville, and exact-address checks.
Santa Cruz County gopher control: why Juicy Fruit, car exhaust, and ultrasonic stakes fail, what actually works, and what to check before hiring help.
Single women now account for 1 in 4 first-time homebuyers nationwide. Here’s what that trend looks like in Santa Cruz County and what to know before you buy.
Thinking about downsizing in Santa Cruz County? Here’s what local homeowners actually gain financially, practically, and in daily quality of life.
Santa Cruz County eucalyptus tree guide covering fire risk, brittle wood, limb drop, removal questions, and what buyers should review before closing.
Five deer-resistant self-seeding flowers for Santa Cruz gardens, including foxglove, larkspur, lupine, bladderpod, and poppies.
Santa Cruz real estate in 2026, including local pricing, inventory, neighborhoods, buyer strategy, and seller preparation.
Step-up in basis can affect inherited real estate, capital gains, estate planning, and 1031 strategy. This is general context, not tax advice.
What it is like to live in Santa Cruz County, including commute, schools, beach access, weather, fire risk, insurance, housing, and daily life by area.
Spring 2026 Santa Cruz County real estate update covering inventory, pricing, interest rates, buyer demand, and what buyers and sellers should watch.