News

Aptos Real Estate Market Update for February 2015

February 17, 2015 by Seb Frey

Welcome to February, Aptos! It’s the middle of the month, so that means it’s time again for the Aptos Real Estate Market Update for February 2015. While the overall health of the Santa Cruz county real estate market appears to be quite robust, things are looking a little less sunny in Aptos these days, at least when it comes to real estate prices.

The median price for single family homes in Aptos in January 2015 was $740,000 – down 9.5% from a year ago when the median price was a lofty $817,250. Although the median price did drop year over year, it does remain comfortably higher than the county average of $677,500 for the same time period.

There were 18 sales of single family homes, a drop of 18.2% from a year ago, as 22 homes sold in January 2014. The homes which sold did so in an average of 72 days (vs. 81 days this time a year ago). Sellers received an average 99.4% of full asking price – considerably better than a year ago at this time, when sellers received only 94.4% of list price.

There are presently 93 single family homes for sale in Aptos, and of those, 42 are under contract to be sold. That works out to be a 1.8 month supply of inventory – which is a very low level of inventory. Given the short supply and brisk demand, it is unlikely that home prices in Aptos will continue to fall (much) over the spring and summer selling season.

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The condo and townhouse market also experienced a price drop in January. A total of 5 condos and townhouses sold in January, with a median price of $399,000 – a drop of 13.3%. The condos which sold did so in an average of 72 Days on Market (versus 77 days a year ago), and sellers received 98.4% of full asking price for their units (versus 99.3% one year ago)

Today, there are presently 21 condos or townhouses for sale in Aptos, but of those, 12 are presently under contract. That works out to just a 34 day supply of condos and townhouses in Aptos. Owners, if you’re thinking it’s a good time to get your Aptos condo or townhouse on the market – you’re right about that!

What’s YOUR Aptos House Value?

Interested to know what your Aptos house is worth in today’s real estate market? Then head over to SellForSure.com for an instant, on-line evaluation of your Aptos home’s value.

What Your Money Buys You – Houses

While the median price for homes in Aptos in January 2015 was $740,000, the least expensive home went for $497,000 and the most expensive went for $1.4 million. Here’s what that kind of money buys you in Aptos today:

860 Encino Drive, 3/2, 1100sf, sold for $497K after 81 DOM

241 Siesta Drive, 4 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, 1527sf sold for $670K after 43 DOM

347 Coates Drive, 4 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom, sold for $1.4M after 98 DOM

What Your Money Buys You – Condos

While the median price for condos in Aptos in January 2015 was $399K, the least expensive unit sold for $303K and the most expensive went for $521,500. Here’s what that kind of money buys you for an Aptos condo/townhouse today:

7245 Lotus Way, 2/1, 1240sf, sold for $303K after 130 DOM

6302 Imperial Court, 2/2, 1024sf, sold for $399K after 30 DOM

408 Racquet Landing, 2/2, 1286sf, sold for $521,500 after 8 DOM

What about the rest of Santa Cruz county?

Want to know what’s going on in all of Santa Cruz county? For a complete report on Santa Cruz county as a whole, check out the Santa Cruz County Real Estate Report for February 2015

Aptos Post Office Jumps is Seeking a New Location

January 24, 2015 by Seb Frey

Although there has been little word from the developer, it seems that the Aptos Village Redevelopment project will be moving forward in 2015. Because of this, the world-famous Aptos Post Office Jumps is seeking a new location, as the jumps are slated to be officially closed on February 17.

The search for a new location is being led by the Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz, who have created a new web site, postofficejumps.org, to help coordinate the search.

The ideal site will comprise of 1-2 acres of gently sloping land, with easy access and some space for vehicle parking. If the site were large enough, beginner and intermediate jump lines could be included, and perhaps a pump track for very young children.

Finding a replacement site that meets this criteria will be very challenging in land-starved Santa Cruz county, and will likely require the cooperation of neighbors, property owners, and several county and/or city government agencies. If you can help in any way, please send an email to sendit@postofficejumps.org.

Aptos Real Estate Market Update for January 2015

January 12, 2015 by Seb Frey

Happy New Year Aptos! Another year has come and gone, and it’s time to start fresh with the Aptos Real Estate Market Update for January 2015. We start the year off not with a bang but a whimper – the market is in some ways still piping hot, with very little inventory available for sale and homes selling quickly. Demand remains strong, especially as compared to inventory…but single-family home prices in December remained flat compared to a year ago.

The median price for single family homes in Aptos in December 2014 was $757,000 – down 1.1% from a year ago when the median price was $765,000. The Aptos median price was 7.7% above the median for Santa Cruz County ($702K) in December (which is a gain of 13.9% for the county as a whole, year over year).

There were 18 sales of single family homes, which is actually a 22% decrease from a year ago, as 23 homes sold in December 2013. The homes which sold did so in an average of 58 days (vs. 55 days this time a year ago). Sellers received an average 98.5% of full asking price – up a tad from a year ago when sellers received 98.33% on average.

There are presently 73 single family homes for sale in Aptos, and of those, 25 are under contract to be sold. That works out to be a 2.9 month supply of inventory – which makes Aptos once again a very solid seller’s market – and then some.

2014 Wrap-Up – Single Family Homes

Looking at 2014 as a whole, we see that there was a total of 295 sales reported on the MLS (down 4.2% compared to 2013). The least expensive home sold for $130K, the highest sale was $4.5 million, and the median price for all homes sold in 2014 was $750,000. That is up 7.7% for the year as a whole, as the median price for all of 2013 was $695,750. In 2014, single-family homes sold in an average of 62 days on market, and sellers received 97.3% of asking price.

Want the Best Price for your Aptos Home?

The market for townhouses and condos is another matter…there were three times more condo and townhouse sales in December as compared to November. The median price for condos and townhouses was $596,500 – a sharp jump of 17.4% compared to a year ago. Condos sold in an average of 55 days on market, and sellers received 98.12% of full asking price.

At this time, there are only 18 condos and townhouses for sale in all of Aptos! Of those 18, six are under contract – which works out to just a 3 month supply of condos and townhouses…also a very, very strong seller’s market. Six of those units are located in the Seascape Resort – so excluding Seascape, there’s just 12 condos and townhouses on the market, and of those, 5 are actually under contract…leaving just 7 condos and townhouses available in Aptos proper (outside of the Seascape Resort).

2014 Wrap-Up – Condos/Townhouses

Looking at 2014 as a whole, we see that there was a total of 97 sales reported on the MLS (down 16.4% compared to 2013). The least expensive condo sold for $310K, the highest sale was $925K, and the median price for all condos/townhouses sold in 2014 was $498,000. That is up 22.7% for the year as a whole, as the median price for all of 2013 was $432,500. In 2014, condos and townhosues sold in an average of 67 days on market, and sellers received 98.12% of asking price.

What’s YOUR Aptos House Value?

Interested to know what your Aptos house is worth in today’s real estate market? Then head over to AptosHomeValues.com for an instant, on-line evaluation of your Aptos home’s value.

What Your Money Buys You – Houses

While the median price for homes in Aptos in December 2014 was $757,000, the least expensive home went for $555,000 and the most expensive went for $1.29 million. Here’s what that kind of money buys you in Aptos today:

2260 Redwood Drive, 3/2, 1449sf, sold for $555K after 5 DOM

2250 Wallace Avenue, 4/3, 2248sf, $764K — 2250 Wallace Avenue, 4/3, 2248sf, sold for $764K after 46 DOM

411 Saint Andrews Drive, 5 3/2 half baths, 3909sf, $1,299,000 — 411 Saint Andrews Drive, 5 3 full baths, 2 half baths, 3909sf, sold for $1,299,000 after 100 DOM

What Your Money Buys You – Condos

While the median price for condos in Aptos in December 2014 was $596,500, the least expensive unit sold for $353,281 and the most expensive went for $760K. Here’s what that kind of money buys you for an Aptos condo/townhouse today:

3058 Arlington Drive, 2/2 1224sf, sold at $353,281 after 7 DOM (Measure J Unit)

159 Hyannis Court, 2/1.5, 1440sf sold for $596,500 after 4 DOM

1307 Via Tornasol, 3/2.5, 1842sf, sold for $760K after 120 DOM

What about the rest of Santa Cruz county?

Want to know what’s going on in all of Santa Cruz county? For a complete report on Santa Cruz county as a whole, check out the Santa Cruz County Real Estate Report for January 2015

Carrie’s Dream Dance Showcase on February 8

January 9, 2015 by Seb Frey

Tickets are now on sale for the Carrie’s Dream Dance Showcase on February 8, to be held at Aptos High School’s Performing Arts Center. There will be two shows, at 1 PM and 5 PM. The dancers are from the Santa Cruz Pacific Arts Complex. Funds raised from the showcase will go to provide scholarships for young dancers of the Pacific Arts Complex, with 10% of the funds going to the Aptos High School Dance Team.

Carrie’s Dream Scholarship Fund Project is a project of the Santa Cruz Pacific Arts Complex. It was founded in 2014 as a tribute to Carrie Dianda McCoid, a local Realtor as well as the owner of the Steps Dance Studio in Watsonville prior to her untimely death. Carrie had a dream that all the students in our community who wanted to dance would be given that opportunity, regardless of their financial circumstances.

Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased at the Carrie’s Dream web site.

Starting 2015 On the Right Foot in Aptos

December 31, 2014 by Seb Frey

Happy New Year 2015 — Planning to make 2015 a very Happy New Year

I’ve been working on Aptos Community News for over a year now, in part because I want to help make Aptos an even better place tomorrow than it is today. And in that spirit, I plan on starting 2015 on the right foot in Aptos. I’m going to improve our community starting with me, which is the only thing I am 100% in control of.

The good news is, I won’t be alone in this. Thousands of folks in the community are looking back on 2014, and looking forward to 2015 and thinking about what they can do better in the new year. I have a very long list of ways that I can personally improve, but as I get older, one thing that becomes increasingly important is maintaining my health.

And that’s why my eyes opened wider when I saw that the good folks at Fleet Feet Sports in Aptos are organizing Tons of Fun 2015, which is a community-based health and weight loss challenge. When striving towards any goal, it’s often more effective not to go it alone, and to at least have some kind of accountability partner…and maybe meet some like-minded, health-conscious Aptosians to boot.

I spoke with Tina Coillot who is one of the owners of Fleet Feet Sports, and put up a recording of our conversation on the Real Santa Cruz Podcasat. You can listen to the interview here:

Interview with Tina Coillot of Fleet Feet Sports

Download audio file…

It’s refreshing to talk to someone who truly has a passion for what they do – and I think you can really get a sense of that from my interview with Tina. I get the feeling that she really enjoys being part of our community and making the folks who live here healthier – and happier.

The interview is around 40 minutes long, so you might want to just subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or Stitcher and listen to it in your car, on your morning walk, at the gym, or whatever.

In the interview, we also talked about their “Couch to 5K” program – which I hadn’t heard about before we started talking. It sounds like just the ticket for me – someone who has never, ever ran (since high school anyway, and then only barely). I would love to be able to run a whole five thousand meters – so this is something I’m going to sign up for as well. In for a penny, in for a pound!

Happy New Year, Aptos! I love you. See you in 2015!

Aptos Real Estate Market Update for December 2014

December 9, 2014 by Seb Frey

Hello Aptos and welcome to December! It’s hard to believe – really hard to believe! – that in a scant three weeks we’ll be closing the books on 2014 and moving on to 2015, but I’m told that it’s true and there’s no way to stop it. But before we move on to the future, I have one more Aptos real estate market update for December 2014.

The median price for single family homes in Aptos in November 2014 was $791,000 – and that is a 5.6% increase from a year ago. The Aptos market outperformed Santa Cruz county as a whole by a considerable margin, as home prices were up a scant 1.5% county-wide in November 2014.

There were 17 sales of single family homes, which is actually a 54.5% increase from a year ago, as only 11 homes sold in November 2013. The homes which sold did so in an average of 31 days (40% faster than a year ago). Sellers received an average 95.36% of full asking price – which is actually pretty low, as year ago, sellers received 98.1% of asking price on their homes.

There are presently 92 single family homes for sale in Aptos, and of those, 29 are under contract to be sold. That works out to be a 4.7 month supply of inventory – which makes this still a seller’s market.

A few months ago I wrote up a post about 7429 Mesa Drive in Aptos, a custom Mediterranean style home with a pool, guest house, and ocean views. This was a bank-owned REO foreclosure on the market for $1.35 million – it sold, and closed in November, for $1.254 million. A fabulous house which someone will I am sure be very happy to call home (or vacation home, anyway) – but it did need some work.

Want the Best Price for your Aptos Home?

Why gamble on getting the best price and terms possible when selling your house? Want something more like a sure bet? Then you need to check out the SellForSure Home Sale System. A guaranteed, proven system for selling your home for the highest price, in the shortest time possible, with the least amount of hassle, uncertainty, and risk.

The market for townhouses and condos was pretty quiet in November, with just 3 having sold, and the median price was $485,000. These three condos sold in an average of 91 days, and sellers received 99.9% of full asking price. We can’t really compare this to sales a year ago, because there weren’t sales a year ago – there was just one single sale a year ago, which sold for $495K after 17 days on market, for 100% of asking price.

There are presently 30 condos and townhouses for sale on the Aptos market, and of those, 11 are under contract, pending sale. That works out to be a be a four month supply of condos and townhouses – also still very much a seller’s market. It should be noted that of those 30 listings, 8 of them are in the Seascape Resort.

What’s YOUR Aptos House Value?

Interested to know what your Aptos house is worth in today’s real estate market? Then head over to AptosHomeValues.com for an instant, on-line evaluation of your Aptos home’s value.

What Your Money Buys You – Houses

While the median price for homes in Aptos in November 2014 was $791,000, the least expensive home went for $390,000 and the most expensive went for $1.75 million. Here’s what that kind of money buys you in Aptos today:

2454 Redwood Drive, 1/1 701sf sold in 22 DOM @ $390,000

801 Bear Valley Road, 3/2 1939sf sold in 9 DOM @ $791,000

192 Seacliff Drive, 3/2.5 1968sf sold in 27 DOM @ $1,750,000

What Your Money Buys You – Condos

While the median price for condos in Aptos in November 2014 was $485,000, the least expensive unit sold for $419K and the most expensive went for $588K. Here’s what that kind of money buys you for an Aptos condo/townhouse today:

1614 Dolphin Drive, 2/2 945sf sold in 71 DOM @ $419K

1496 Dolphin Drive, 3/2.5 1440sf sold in 166 DOM @ $485K

134 Atherton Loop, 3/2.5 1558sf sold in 37 DOM @ $588K

What about the rest of Santa Cruz county?

Want to know what’s going on in all of Santa Cruz county? For a complete report on Santa Cruz county as a whole, check out the Santa Cruz County Real Estate Report for December 2014

Friends of the Aptos Library Seek Community Support

December 6, 2014 by Seb Frey

There’s a new Aptos chapter of the Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries. The new group, Friends of the Aptos Library, advocates for the Aptos library and supports children’s literacy programs, book and media purchases, concerts, author talks, community reading programs, technical and facilities upgrades, and more. The new chapter joins four existing chapters in Boulder Creek, Felton, La Selva Beach and Scotts Valley.

The Friends of Aptos Library chapter first met in October and has met twice more since then, with over 30 people expressing interest in working with the group. The chapter formed in response to the need to provide additional support for the Aptos branch, which is one of the most-used libraries in Santa Cruz county.

Annette D’Adamo, the first board president for Friends of the Aptos Library and a 20-year Seacliff resident, is quoted as saying:

We’re interested in learning more about the needs of our community, which will influence what the vision is for Friends of Aptos Library.

Annette sat down at the Aptos Library for a brief interview, to talk about the new group, and how the community can get involved. A recording of the interview is available here:

Interview with Annette D’Adamo

Download audio file…

In the interview, a number of topics were addressed, including the bond measure on the ballot for 2015 to update, enhance, and modernize a number of libraries in the Santa Cruz system, including especially the Aptos branch.

If you are interested in joining the Friends of the Aptos Library (they’re looking for board members), volunteering, advocating for the bond measure, or in making a donation, please contact them via email at friendsoftheaptoslibrary@gmail.com. The group normally meets the first Thursday of every month at 7:00 PM in the community room at the Aptos Public Library. The next meeting of the group though is the 2nd Thursday of January, because the 1st is New Year’s Day. If you’re interested, please come to the meeting on January 8th 2015 at the Aptos Library.

See also:

Free Family Movie Matinee at the Aptos Public Library

December 5, 2014 by Seb Frey

Aptos Library Movie Maintee — First Friday Movie Matinee at the Aptos Public Library

Did you know that there is a free family movie matinee at the Aptos Public Library? Yep, it’s true: the free matinee is held the first Friday of every month in the community meeting room, just to the right as you come in the front door. This month the movie is held today, December 5 at 3:00 PM, and they are showing Chicken Little.

This month, they are also having a special showing of the Muppet Christmas Carol. This will be in two weeks, on Friday, December 19. Don’t worry about not finding space – the meeting room holds nearly 70 people, and a good turnout at the movie would be about 20 folks in attendance. Here’s a great chance to get out of your house and watch a movie with your kids and friends from the Aptos community.

Aptos Holiday Craft Fair and Tree Lighting on Saturday

December 4, 2014 by Seb Frey

Help light up Aptos this holiday season!

The Aptos Chamber of Commerce is once again sponsoring the Aptos Holiday Craft Fair and Tree Lighting on Saturday, December 6 from 2:00 to 5:00 PM. The tree lighting and craft fair will be at the entrance to Aptos Village Park, near Kauboi Restaurant.

There will be a number of local vendors selling arts and crafts, and there’ll be singing of carols. There’ll also be hot cocoa and coffee, and a special visit from Santa Claus! It’s sure to be a good time to come out and meet your friends and neighbors and spread some holiday cheer.

Participating businesses include:

Allie Wilson Jewelry & Art
Belles N’ Balls
Bluestone Imports
Coastal Kettle Corn
EACO USA
Handmade Jewelry by Paul
Jan’s Jams
Knit Wits
Manuel’s Mexican Restaurant
McCollum Family Chiropractic
Sunshine Designs

Best Santa Cruz Christmas Tree Lot is in Aptos

November 30, 2014 by Seb Frey

It turns out that the best Santa Cruz Christmas tree lot is in Aptos! This may be somewhat of a subjective statement, but what other Christmas tree lot in the county gives you free popcorn, hot cocoa, coffee, and hot apple cider? What other Christmas tree lot in town has a special crafts area for your kids to make holiday decorations while you shop for a Christmas tree?

They offer a full range of top notch Christmas trees, and they are all fresh and grown in the U.S.A. And the prices are reasonable, too – very competitive with Costco and other lots around town. If you’re shopping for a fresh live Christmas tree this year, go and check out the Christmas tree lot in Aptos Village – you’ll be glad you did! They accept cash, checks, and Visa/Mastercard.

The Aptos Christmas Tree Lot is located where Lucy’s Hot Dog stand is, which is next to Testorff Construction, which in turn is located right next to the Bayview Hotel.