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You are here: Home / Archives for seacliff

seacliff

Seb Frey Circa 1974

November 20, 2014 by Seb Frey

Ahh, the 1970’s. So much was happening:  the Vietnam war, Richard Nixon’s impeachment, the Arab oil embargo, Jimmy Carter.  The Grateful Dead were arguably at the top of their game (Cornell ’77 anyone?). Loud clothing was all the rage.

I was oblivious to most of this at the time, except the loud clothing. Thanks to my parents, I totally rocked that.

Here’s a picture of me, Seb Frey circa 1974, age three. Amazingly enough, this is NOT an instagram picture – this is a genuine 1974 photograph (or an unretouched scan of it, anyway)! It was taken at my family’s home on Coates Drive in Seacliff:

Seb Frey, Circa 1974
Picture of me at the family home on Coates Drive in Seacliff, February 1974

You can’t actually see the home, as I’m standing in front of what amounts to a fenced-in patio at the “rear” of the property (the front was considered to be the bluff-side, with the “million dollar” Seacliff Beach and Monterey Bay view). The house was built by my grandfather between 1948 and 1951, as a kind of weekend project. I ended up living in it for many years – college years, and after – but we won’t be seeing too many photos of those times. 🙂

My brother, sister and I bought it from our family and held onto it for I think about 10 years or so, but eventually sold it back in 2008. Sigh. I still spend a lot of time in Seacliff, as today, we live only about a mile away as the crow flies.  Some things change, some things don’t, but one thing is for sure:  my kids are considerably better dressed than I was back in the day.

Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: 1970s, 1974, aptos, coates drive, jimmy carter, richard nixon, seacliff, seb frey, vietnam

Aptos in October

October 12, 2014 by Seb Frey

The finest month of the year in Aptos is in October. The tourists are gone, and the fog is gone. It’s just glorious, warm sunny days and crisp evenings…getting crisper as we head towards the end of the month, of course. This year we had some very hot days at the beginning of the month, which was a nice change, as truly hot days are in short supply here in Aptos.

Here’s a picture I took with my iPhone the other day, as we took one of our evening walks on Seacliff Beach:

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Do you need any more proof that October is THE month in Aptos? #aptos #sunset #iphone #instagram

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Nice, huh?

Yesterday was a pretty awesome day…Cabrillo College hosted a Science Expo so we went to check that out. Despite the publicity on it being pretty poor (we only heard about it the day before, and it seems everyone we talked to also got late notice), it was very well attended. It seems Cabrillo is wanting to connect with kids at a younger age to start getting them interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) studies early. They put on a pretty fabulous exposition…it was only two hours long, seems like it should have been longer. I recorded some video:

We could only stay for about forty minutes, because we had to run off to the polo grounds for soccer. My son plays on the Red Sharks, a U-6 (under 6) team…and actually his team is definitely Under 6, as there are only five players on it (most teams have 8 or more players).

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Soccer super stars (and their mascot) #aptos #soccer

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After soccer, we went home and the boys took a bit of a nap, and then we headed on up to the Rodoni Farms Pumpkin Patch, which is something we do pretty much every year. I am pretty sure that with the cost of gas and everything we spend a lot more on pumpkins than if we just went to Trader Joe’s, but it’s a beautiful spot on the coast with room for the kids to run around, play on hay bales, and just let their freak flag fly.

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The annual trip to Rodoni Farms #october #pumpkins #halloween

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After we got our pumpkins, we headed down to Woodstock Pizza in downtown Santa Cruz, which I had actually never been to before. It was great! I give it two thumbs up, for sure. After dinner, we headed on over to Capitola for the Monte Foundation Fireworks. For years, the fireworks had been in Aptos, but this year they moved them to Capitola…grrrr. But it was a beautiful display:

It was a pretty busy day, but it’s kind of par for the course in Aptos in October. In a small town kind of way, of course.

Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: cabrillo college, fireworks, instagram, october, pizza, pumpkins, rodoni farms, science, seacliff, soccer

Vacation Rental Restrictions coming to Aptos?

October 5, 2014 by Seb Frey

There is a move afoot to limit the number of vacation rentals in the “coastal” areas of Aptos, specifically Seacliff, Seascape, and Rio del Mar. The limits would be identical to what is now presently permissible in the <a href="http://www.sccoplanning about his.com/Portals/2/County/Planning/policy/052-11LiveOakWeb.pdf” target=”_blank”>Live Oak Designated Area (LODA), which is the coastal area that encompasses Pleasure Point and the area near the Santa Cruz harbor.

If the restrictions are approved by the Santa Cruz county board of Supervisors, the designated areas in Aptos (SADA, or “Seacliff Aptos Designated Area”) would not allow vacation rental permits in excess of 20% of the homes on any one block. There is apparently a concern that the increasing number of homes used as vacation rentals would diminish the availability of homes used for long-term rentals, and increase the cost of renting in Aptos.

There are presently two streets in Aptos which have vacation rentals that exceed 20% of the homes on the street: Beach Drive, and Rio del Mar Boulevard between Beach Drive and the Kingsbury/Cliff Drive intersection. Under the ordinance, no new vacation rental permits would be approved on these streets.

The board of supervisors is to take up the issue at a public hearing on Tuesday, October 28 at 9:00 AM at the Board Chambers, County Administrative Building, 701 Ocean Street in Santa Cruz. People who are concerned with the issue, in favor or against, are encouraged to contact Supervisor Zach Friend or attend the hearing on October 28th.

We have posted some notes from the Santa Cruz County Planning Commission meeting on September 16, for those who are interested in learning more.

Seacliff Aptos Designated Area

Seacliff Aptos Designated Area

Filed Under: News, Real Estate Tagged With: aptos, county, rio de mar, seacliff, seascape, vacation rentals, zach friend

Walk Through Seacliff’s Amazing Past

July 28, 2014 by Seb Frey

The folks down at the Seacliff Visitor Center are putting on an event dubbed Walk Through Seacliff’s Amazing Past. It’s a 50 minute walk held on Sunday August 10th and 24th, and it starts at 11:30 AM down at the visitor’s center. Participants will learn about the history of the SS Palo Alto, and how efforts by big business to create Seacliff Park “a paradise of land and sea” were crushed in the 1920s and 30s.

You’ll learn about the beginnings of Seacliff State Beach, and how the local Native Americans, the Castro Family, and the Spreckel’s sugar cane empire all helped shape modern day Aptos. They’ll also talk about the notorious past of former Aptos resident, “The Madam of Seacliff.”

Who knew Seacliff ever had a madam? Sounds like a great way to get out and learn more about how Seacliff and Aptos came to be.

Teens on "China Beach"
Teens on “China Beach”

Filed Under: Events, News Tagged With: castro, madam of seacliff, seacliff, spreckels, ss palo alto

Memorial Day at Seacliff Beach

May 26, 2014 by Seb Frey

Aptos has a reputation for being a foggy place. Blame it on the Monterey Bay, which has the second deepest ocean canyon in the world, with lots of super cold water that generates when it’s hot inland. I personally think it’s somewhat blown out of proportion – yes, we have a lot of foggy mornings, and the fog can roll back in around 3 or 4 o’clock if you’re right down there by the beach. But it’s not usually foggy all day, and of course, the further from the beach you go, the less fog you’ll find.

And then there are days like Memorial Day 2014, when there’s not a wisp of fog to be seen, even at 9:00 AM, when my wife and I took a walk down Seacliff Beach. I’ve been trying to get in my 10,000 steps a day – it’s all the rage these days – and it seemed like the perfect morning for a walk along the sand. We started out at the parking lot at Rio del Mar beach – which was already full – and ended down at the Seacliff Memorial Wall, an Aptos Gem.

Seacliff Memory Wall
Seacliff Memory Wall
Seacliff Memory Wall
Seacliff Memory Wall
Seacliff State Beach
Seacliff State Beach Visitor's Center
Seacliff State Beach Visitor’s Center
Santa Cruz Lifeguards Weather and Ocean Report
Seacliff State Beach
Pier Fishing at Seacliff State Beach
Birds rest on the SS Palo Alto
The Beach Shack snack shop at Seacliff State Beach
BBQ and Picnic at Seacliff State Beach

It was a gorgeous, sun-drenched day. The picnic tables which line the beach were already full, and the BBQ grills were already going. The RV campground was full, too, and lots of folks were sitting out in front of their RVs, chatting with one another and watching the sunbeams play on the waves. The lifeguard tower on the pier declared the climate that day as being “sunny/nice” with air temperature between 60 and 75 degrees. The pier was loaded with fisherman, dozens of them angling to catch something, but probably not caring too much if they ended up empty-handed. The SS Palo Alto was loaded with seagulls and other birds, who have painted the deck white with their guano.

It seemed like everyone and everything was out at Seacliff Beach for Memorial Day. We’re so lucky that all of this is just a five minute drive from our doorstep. I love Aptos!

Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: bbq, fishing, memorial day, picnic, seacliff, seacliff beach, seacliff state beach, ss palo alto

Aptos Real Estate Report – May 2014

May 12, 2014 by Seb Frey

The Aptos real estate market is alive and well in May 2014! In April 2014, the median home price in Aptos was $715,671 – up 11% compared to a year ago, when the median price was $645,000. 34 homes closed escrow in April, which is almost the same as a year ago, when 33 homes closed sale in April 2013. These homes sold in an average of 56 days, which is about higher than March of last year, when homes sold on average in 50 days. Not only did these homes sell quickly, they also sold, on average, for 100.06% of full asking price. Sweet!

As of today there are 114 homes presently listed, and of those, 72 are available, 42 under contract. Given the ratio of active listings to pending sales, and assuming an average escrow length of 45 days, the amount of available inventory is about 77 days.

When it comes to condominiums and townhouses, there were a total of 15 sold in Aptos in April, with a median price of $620,000 – a rise of 7.8% over last year. These condos had an average of 71 days on market, with a sales-to-list-price ratio of 98.84%. This compares to 7 sales in March 2013, a year ago, when the median price was $575,000, the sales-to-list-price ratio was 96.4%, and the average days on market was 57.

As of today, there are 40 condos/townhouses listed, 31 are active, and 9 are under contract. Given the ratio of active listings to pending sales, and assuming an average escrow length of 45 days, the amount of available inventory is about 155 days. 40% of the available units (16 of the 40), however, are in the Seascape Resort, which is almost a market in itself.

What’s YOUR Aptos House Value?

Interested to know what your Aptos house is worth in todays’ 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 April 2014 was $715,671, the least expensive home went for $120K and the most expensive went for $4.5 million. Here’s what that kind of money buys you in Aptos today:

220 Hayward Road
$120K: 220 Hayward Road – a foreclosed “REO” home with serious soil issues
801 Bear Valley
$668K: 801 Bear Valley – 2 bed, 2 bath, 1939sf
629 Beach Drive
$4.5M: 629 Beach Drive – 9 bed, 8 bath, 6900sf

What Your Money Buys You – Condos

While the median price for condos in Aptos in April 2014 was $620,000, the least expensive home went for $355K and the most expensive went for $765,000. Here’s what that kind of money buys you in Aptos today:

7555 Sunset Way #7
$355K: 7555 Sunset Way #7 – 2 bed, 2 bath, 1020sf
122 Tiburon Ct
$620K: 122 Tiburon Ct – 2 bed, 2.5 bath, 2000sf
38 Seascape Resort Drive
$765K: 38 Seascape Resort Drive – 2 bed, 2.5 bath, 1220sf

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 May 2014

Filed Under: News, Real Estate Tagged With: home prices, home sales, home values, real estate, rio del mar, seacliff, seascape

Aptos Real Estate Report – April 2014

April 13, 2014 by Seb Frey

The Aptos real estate market is alive and well in April 2014! In March 2014, the median home price in Aptos was $693,000 – up 6.5% compared to a year ago, when the median price was $652,250. 19 homes closed escrow in March, but that’s 20.8% fewer than a year ago, when 24 homes closed sale in March 2013. These homes sold in an average of 81 days, which is about the same as last March, when homes sold in 85 days on average.

As of today there are 110 homes presently listed, and of those, 67 are available, 43 under contract. Given the ratio of active listings to pending sales, and assuming an average escrow length of 45 days, the amount of available inventory is about 70 days.

When it comes to condominiums and townhouses, there were a total of 5 sold in Aptos in March, with a median price of $440,000 – a rise of 1.15% over last year. These condos had an average of 71 days on market, with a sales-to-list-price ratio of 98.84%. This compares to 9 sales in March 2013, a year ago, when the median price was $435,000, the sales-to-list-price ratio was 98.95%, and the average days on market was 66.

As of today, there are 40 condos/townhouses listed, 23 are active, and 27 are under contract. Given the ratio of active listings to pending sales, and assuming an average escrow length of 45 days, the amount of available inventory is about 38 days. Most of the available units, however, are in the Seascape Resort, which is almost a market in itself.

What’s YOUR Aptos House Value?

Interested to know what your Aptos house is worth in todays’ 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 March 2014 was $693,000, the least expensive home went for $407K and the most expensive went for $1.185 million. Here’s what that kind of money buys you in Aptos today:

230 Via Novella
230 Via Novella sold for $1,185,000 after 66 days on market
7049 Mesa Drive
7049 Mesa Drive sold for $693,000 after 53 Days on Market
506 Encino Drive
506 Encino Drive sold for $407,000 after 120 Days on Market

What Your Money Buys You – Condos

While the median price for condos in Aptos in March 2014 was $440,000, the least expensive home went for $415K and the most expensive went for $659,500. Here’s what that kind of money buys you in Aptos today:

119 Fife Lane
119 Fife Lane Sold for $659,500 after 92 Days on Market
2621 Willowbrooke Lane ,#106
2621 Willowbrooke Lane ,#106 sold for $440K after 7 Days on Market
312 Seascape Resort Drive
312 Seascape Resort Drive sold for $415K after 235 Days on Market

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 April 2014

Filed Under: News, Real Estate Tagged With: home prices, home sales, home values, real estate, rio del mar, seacliff, seascape

Aptos Real Estate Report – March 2014

March 7, 2014 by Seb Frey

Is Aptos ever more beautiful than in the springtime? Well, yes – it’s more beautiful in autumn usually, but it’s pretty nice in the springtime, especially just after a little RAIN! But we’re not here to talk about the exquisite Aptos weather so much as about the Aptos real estate market. To get things rolling, here is a quick YouTube video with the market highlights and some insight:

March 2014 Aptos Real Estate Market Summary

In February 2014, 20 single-family homes closed escrow in Aptos with a median price of $685,000. This is a decrease of 4.5% compared to February 2013 when the median price was $717,000. On average, the homes which sold did so in 70 days, and the average sales price was $710,875.

As of today, March 7 2014, there are presently 62 single-family homes ‘active’ on the Aptos MLS; over the past six months, an average of 19.3 homes has sold every month, meaning there is a 3.2 month supply of homes available in Aptos. Of these ‘active’ homes, they have an average of 119 days on market. There are presently 38 homes under contract in Aptos, and these homes have an average of 87 days on market.

Looking at the numbers, the Aptos market appears to be in good shape. Interestingly enough, Zillow classifies Aptos as a buyer’s market, as it does not simply count the available inventory, but rather takes into account the sales-to-list-price ratio, prevalence of price cuts, and time on market. Even so, Zillow expects the Aptos market to appreciate 2.4% through January 2015, and classifies the Aptos real estate market as very healthy which is an accurate characterization at this time.

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 March 2014

Also, click here for detailed Aptos Market Statistics.

What Your Money Buys You

While the median price for homes in Aptos in February 2014 was $685,000, the least expensive home went for $450K and the most expensive went for $1.1 million. Here’s what that kind of money buys you in Aptos today:

225 Larsen Road
525 Larsen Road sold for $450K
164 Riviera Drive
164 Riviera Drive sold for $675K
202 Claudius Drive
202 Claudius Drive sold for $1,100,000
 

What’s YOUR Aptos House Value?

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

Filed Under: News, Real Estate Tagged With: home prices, home sales, home values, real estate, rio del mar, seacliff, seascape

Aptos Parks and Recreation Overview

November 16, 2013 by Seb Frey

[yelp-widget-pro term=”parks” location=”Aptos, CA”   limit=”8″]
Welcome to the Aptos Parks and Recreation Overview page at AptosCommunityNews! Aptos is home to a large number of well-known and popular state and county parks. Among the most prominent are:

  1. New Brighton State Beach
  2. Seacliff Beach Park
  3. Rio del Mar Beach
  4. Beer Can Beach
  5. Seacliff Village Park
  6. Pot Belly Beach
  7. Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
  8. Aptos Village Park
  9. Polo Grounds Park
  10. Seascape Park
  11. Hidden Beach Park
  12. Willowbrook Park
  13. Aptos Jump Park and Pump Track

For those interested in Golf, checkout the Seascape Golf Course

Filed Under: Beaches, Parks, Parks and Recreation Tagged With: beer can beach, golf, hidden beach, new brighton, polo grounds, rio del mar, seacliff, seascape park, willowbrook park

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This site is developed, maintained, and edited by Sebastian "Seb" Frey, Aptos Realtor® and author of Get It Sold!. If you'd like to have your business, event, or issue featured here, please contact me at (831) 704-6873.

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