Gregg's Santa Cruz Real Estate Blog

Santa Cruz is pretty with lots of great real estate, but we have drug problems too

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:16:50 -0600

This was a pretty compelling article I read of the local drug scene. The location is one I enjoyed as a young man, but not for drugs. It is really pretty up there. The Santa Cruz real estate scene takes you into a lot of different places and across people with different things going on. This could happen anywhere and does throughout the US on a daily basis. Illegals, and cheap drugs, are a bad scene.

To me this is a cautionary tale to tell your kids, as these drugs can take a hold of a person. Santa Cruz has been a haven for free thinkers, and people here to experience the joys of the beauty of the environment. The natural beauty of the area attracts people of all sorts, good and bad, for the environment, and society. Read this article to your childen. Maybe they will be saddened and disgusted at lives lost.Hopfuly one soul can be averted from the path.

While I am saddened about this, I am hopeful that within the next 20 year with genetic engineering and stem cell research, that we can find the reasons people have these brain short circuits and get an end to this endless hopeless loop that negatively impacts all of our live here, in Santa Cruz. Real estate that has been affected by meth users requires a specific disclosure, as the chemicals are so toxic, the vapors inhabit the walls and sheetrock, and can be a really bad problem that requires tearing things down to the studs.

While a whole life recontruction is bad, renovating Santa Cruz real estate that has gone bad through drug problems is not cheap either, but can be completed with less cost, emotionally and financially. Read this article on Santa Cruz drugs to your children as a warning of what to stay away from.

In general most Santa Cruz real estate us unaffected by this type of activity, but all cities in the US unfortunately, face grave dangers of cheap drugs and weak minds.. Be proactive and talk to your children. DARE didn't work, but you as a parent must, otherwise these could be your kids. This is a time to step up and be proactive with your kids.

YOU REALLY SHOULD READ THIS ARTICLE AS IT IS A PRETTY GOOD PIECE OF JOURNALISM

Now if I can help you find some Santa Cruz real estate in a different sort of environment, drop me a line at www,caocastalhome.com or give me a call at 831-818-7524. Gregg

Does Santa have any Santa Cruz real estate under your tree for Christmas ?

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 01:15:05 -0600

Now on the surface, thinking Santa would have anything to do with Santa Cruz real estate seems, well preposterous. You know, on the surface it does. Some would say that even believing in Santa is well, preposterous. But let's suspend disbelief on both accounts for a moment.

Thing about it, the power of belief! It can be a really strong thing. Think of people you hear of, athletes, dreaming of making the winning shot, being on the world series winning team, and remember being a kid. Owning Santa Cruz real estate does not require you to be in the income level of a professional athlete, but you could get your pick of any present under the tree if you were.Think about the power of belief to hold back cancer, to have a child !

I would imagine if I were that athlete, or someone who believed in Santa Claus, that I would probably want a Santa Cruz beach house. Now I think we have all seen the Christmas cards where Santa and the reindeer land on the beach? Well maybe that is just here in Santa Cruz you find those cards? You see, we have surfing Santa's and quite a few who make it to the beach.Santa Cruz is a great place to get away from the North Pole. Can you imagine if you were Santa Cruz, why, wouldn't he want a Santa Cruz beach house or some other Santa Cruz real estate?

So with the idea that there are great reasons to buy Santa Cruz real estate besides Santa, and besides the first time buyer tax credit, you could hardly do worse than living by the beach. When you do buy your first home in Santa Cruz, you will find more friends look you up. So the power of suggestion may be to mom and dad for a gift of a closing cost or down payment. Now that would be a real gift Santa would be pleased to deliver? I would be glad to help you get that Santa Cruz real estate you so desired, as we can get a teriffic value right now. Don't forget your dreams and the power or suggestions. We were all kids once and that fantasy was great..... and then we became parents and it was once again. Dream again.... yes you can.! You can get you piece of Santa Cruz real estate, yes you can! Have a great holiday season. Be good to yourself.

What is a Veteran, and why do we value them?

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:01:54 -0600

What is a Veteran?

Today is a day of remembrance for many. For many school kids it is just another day off. A day to play and have fun. No worries, no getting up early, nothing that relates to the meaning of the day. On the surface many of us are used to the word veteran. There is veteran news man, veteran football player, or even veteran Realtor. We like veterans, as that says to most of us, experienced. We paid our dues, we want experience. Most of us know from first hand knowledge the value of youth, but also know the cost and value of experience. As we get older we realize youth has it's value, as rookies, we realize they make more mistakes that a veteran won't make. That can be from working on our car and mis-diagnosing something, to cutting the wrong way on a pass play on a football field. We realize that with experience a veteran, may cost more, but are more valuable. As a veteran Realtor, many value me because I generally don't make the mistakes the rookies make. I think the term service and dedication are other terms we associate with term. These are all good honorable qualities.

Here is the dictionary definition of what a veteran is:
-noun

1.vet⋅er⋅an a person who has had long service or experience in an occupation, office, or the like: a veteran of the police force; a veteran of many sports competitions.

2.	a person who has served in a military force, esp. one who has fought in a war: a Vietnam veteran.

–adjective

3.	(of soldiers) having had service or experience in warfare: veteran troops.

4.	experienced through long service or practice; having served for a long period: a veteran member of Congress.

5.	of, pertaining to, or characteristic of veterans.

So today is really a dedication to the rookies mostly, some of whom we know that survived, and others who have fallen in service to our country. Those veterans have had at times, inglorious and harrowing experiences. Sometimes the country despised them, and at other times revered them. A Veteran's Day in Santa Cruz is one I am sure that has deep and divisive meanings to both sides. There is youth and idealism that is kin to UCSC and then there are those that served in our armed forces in war times and others in times of peace. The brave soldiers, men and women do so that people may have the ability to voice their dissent on ideas. Just don't question the bravery and sacrifice that our veterans have provided so one can have a dissenting opinion of war or other things. They did not start the war, but were and are there to defend your and my right to free speech.

So do we celebrate or separate our patriotism for those who's life was on the line from those who served in times of peace? The World War II Veterans that likely saved the world from some maniacal dictators were, and are, held in high esteem, and have always been so. Theirs was a noble and selfless cause of service. Regular Joes and movie stars alike served in this effort. While Vietnam Veterans who were also drafted were generally despised for their service. I think this was really our despise, of our government's policies on war, that we despised the poor young soldiers, rookies,who were made the butt of that. Unfortunately, they were doing a bidding of their president in an unpopular and pointless war. Much the same as our fine young men and women went to war for our president in Iraq and further in Afghanistan and other regions in the world. Hopefully those will have some meaning in the larger context of world history from the enslavement of religion and stateless sponsors of terror.

We solicit our youth to our volunteer military with incentives such as money for education, and other benefits. Many other country's require military service, we don't.Our youth that enlist do so willingly. Sometimes due to economic times,it seems like the best of the worst choices. We know that the young are the most likely to join as they have no experience in the general work force and are often good candidates for the military. So those that join and serve in either active duty or support get my respect. They have at times, given the ultimate sacrifice, and at others been savaged by the horrific weaponry or disease from war. Nowadays not as many are dying, but in even greater numbers they are suffering from traumatic brain injuries and loss of limbs in heretofore unseen numbers.

So for all those before and those now serving my hat is off to you and I greatly admire your courage to face things not faced by us civilians. Thank you.

Sea Breeze Tavern - Octoberfest- Rio Del Mar Beach-Corralitos Brewery

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:48:43 -0500

Sea Breeze Tavern and Corralitos Brewery team up in Rio Del Mar for Octoberfest

Well the Sea Breeze Tavern Octoberfest at Rio Del Mar was not what I expected, because I did not know exactly what to expect. What I found was a delight had by all in such a great setting. The good folks at the Tavern had the foresight to choose the fledgling Corralitos Brewery for their Octoberfest beer provider. They could not have picked or had a better choice. I sampled all 10 of their beers. Yes I walked home as driving is never smart, but then, I walked down from my Rio Del Mar home to enjoy the event.

Cafe Rio and the Sea Breeze Tavern both put forth their own versions of this German event and it went off well. As I walked down the hill I began to hear music. I stopped tl ask a lady walking up the hillif she had been there, and she said at first she thought someone had their boom box up loud, but then realized it was live music. As I proceeded down the hill the first sight I saw was a band playing on the roof of the Cafe Rio. It was pretty cool. If I can figure how to download the photos from my camera, I'll display them later.

Being a local, I figured I'd go for the gusto, and since Cafe Rio was offering 3 beers for 20 and Sea Breeze was offering 10 beers for 15, the math made an easy choice. Besides that I love fresh beer and was keen to try the new Corralitos Brewery Beer. They are not public, I hear they will open on Freedom Blvd near 5 mile house, but no date I recall being given. They make the beer in a private location, "up in them thar hills", and do a mighty fine job.

There were 10 different types, but I forgot to take a flyer that explained the choices so am going from memory. I was impressed, and tell you to be on the lookout for when they do come on the local scene. Here is what I recall.

IPA

Double IPA

Oat Burbon Vanilla stout- one of my favorites- sort of a desert been. Incredible nose, very smooth and rich. Unlike any beer I have had

Kolsh- a sweet honey light beer- also very tasty

Hefeweisen

Well so much for the memory on the rest, but there were other light beers, another stout I think, a Hefeweisen I think was quite nice too. These were all nicely served by the brewery staff. I think the father of the brewmaster, Tim, I think, was pleased with his son's output, and anyone would be.The crowd really liked the selection.

We were treated to live music out site, comfortable chairs and a beautiful day at Rio Del Mar beach. As the cool evening air filled in, we sat around a bonfire as the day turned to dusk. Every one was friendly and having a good time. I could not think of a better way to top off a nice fall evening. Great beer, nice friendly people, a toasty bonfire near the beach, live music, and a short walk to go home when I was done.

This is certainly one event you don't want to miss next year. While the tavern and also Cafe Rio have live music at times, and are fine local places to enjoy, this was one fun event not soon to be forgotten. I am hopeful that some liked it enough to consider buying an Aptos beach rental or Rio Del Mar vacation home. That way they can walk safely home like me.:)

Santa Cruz not going up in smoke- Smoking ban in effect

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:40:11 -0500

Santa Cruz has like many cities always had a healthy ideal, but getting everyone on the same page is difficult. Many know they should quit or not do things, but do so anyway.

So in SANTA CRUZ, Calif., starting Monday, a new smoking ban goes into effect that is fairly tough.

Smokers won't be allowed to light up within 25 feet of doors and windows of public buildings. - No smoking on the following streets: Pacific ( this is the Pacific Garden Mall), Beach street( by the boardwalk), and West Cliff as well as the wharf, parks, and outside dining. This will mean the Santa Cruz wharf will be free of butts which can, and do end up in the water, will be no more. Kids who loiter and smoke down by the boardwalk will have to go elsewhere or change their behavior.Yeah, I know good luck! Frankly I think the high taxes are the best disincentive and should be applied to alcohol too.

The law increases the required percentage of non-smoking hotel rooms in Santa Cruz from 75 percent to 90 percent, which is probably a good thing for hotel owners. If you're caught breaking the law, you'll face fines, which are pretty petty in cost. There will be a brief warning period, then it will cost you $25 if you're caught lighting up.

I think it is a good thing.There is clear evidence to second hand smoke leading to increased heart attacks. In the Santa Cruz Ca homes that I sell, the ones that had a smoker in them, sell for less and take longer to sell. So the cost is not only to the health of the occupant of the home, but to their financial health as well.

Smoking should be banned ourtright or have harsher penalties, but then there are plenty of other things that should be done differently from alcohol and marijuana in this country to medical drugs. That is enough to leave for another day.

So if you are thinking of buying a Santa Cruz condominium, downtown, you won't likely be put off from the purchase by the smell of smoke wafting up from the streets.

Santa Cruz home sales activity is up !

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 18:33:42 -0500

The Santa Cruz real estate market has been showing signs of life all over with more showings and activity. We have been seeing health in the Santa Cruz market, in most all areas, exept the high end. The south county area has been red hot for Santa Cruz county home buyers and investors. I have been getting more calls for Rio Del Mar homes, with many wanting to be close to the beach. Is that a surprise, with such fabulous weather that we been having!

TABLE OF SOLD PROPERTIES BY CITY IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
County / City /Area	# Sold	June 2009	June 2008	% Change Yr.to Yr.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY	189	$425,000	$537,500	-20.93%
APTOS	32	$615,000	$689,000	-10.74%
BEN LOMOND	2	$376,750	$335,750	12.21%
BOULDER CREEK	10	$322,500	$470,000	-31.38%
CAPITOLA	11	$431,000	$587,500	-26.64%
FELTON	5	$360,000	$445,000	-19.10%
FREEDOM	9	$214,000	$350,000	-38.86%
SANTA CRUZ	60	$565,000	$648,750	-12.91%
SCOTTS VALLEY	3	$370,000	$650,000	-43.08%
SOQUEL	4	$642,500	$705,000	-8.87%
WATSONVILLE	52	$250,000	$360,000	-30.56%

The year to year prices have come down as expected. Many buyers have been getting off the side lines and the inventory level have been going down as a result of the sales activity. We are finding it common to see multiple offers now, particularly with homes under $600,000 in many areas of Santa Cruz- Aptos. There are still good values, but many things are under contract now. Don't wait. Search for homes here at www. cacoastalhome.com or at www.propertyinsantacruz.com

Santa Cruz affordability low, but great deals and other areas rise alot in California

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 11:09:35 -0600

Well it is interesting but not surprising, that with falling prices, that homes are more affordable throughout California. This is a trend happening all over the state. While many people hoped that Santa Cruz real estate prices would fall further, the reality is that the Santa Cruz homes I have been seeing, are more affordable to many. We are seeing more activity, and while lending guidelines are more vexing, the interest rates are still quite good at 5%.

Santa Cruz home buyers from out of the area have been disappointed that the prices have not fallen like the other inland areas. To which I reply, yes that is true, while they have come down, in face of our financial mess, that should tell you that Santa Cruz real estate is a good long term investment. This is not a TV show flip this house type of market nor should it ever be. A house is a home and a long term investment. With that tenet in mind, this is an excellent time to move forward and buy a new or vacation home. For a bit of history on how the California First Time Buyer Housing Affordability Index is computed, read about it in the following link.

To see the rates for different areas click this link According to CAR "At 76 percent, the High Desert region was the most affordable area in the state. The San Luis Obispo County region was the least affordable in the state at 44 percent, followed by the Los Angeles County region at 46 percent. The First-Time Buyer Housing Affordability Index also rose 6 percentage points in the fourth quarter of this year compared with the third quarter of 2008, due to a 14.1 percent decrease in the entry-level median home price." I would say Santa Cruz because of it's relatively high price is , according to the stat I saw listed at 43%, still a hight priced area and always will be, because of the obvious desirability of ocean homes.

So the good news is that young families have an opportunity to buy as long as they have 10% down as a minimum, and good credit. I have seem more good deals recently and believe this is a great opportunity for many to become homeowners. To see what Santa Cruz homes may be in your future, follow the link and see which homes appeal. Before you go out and start looking, but sure to get loan approved with a good local lender such as Woodwardoconnor.com mortgage. In this market, experience is critically important. As local Capitola mortgage brokers, they know the area and programs that apply to you. Give them a call at 831-479-3303.

Santa Cruz to find new cell phone law in 2009 affecting them

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 14:27:38 -0600

Santa Cruz, California is a pretty little beach town. We are busy in our lives and many still drive around with their phones to their ears. Evidently they didn't get the law change last time and there is a new change coming January 1.2009. To read more of this Cell Phone Law of 2009 follow the liink. In the meantime, use your blue tooth hands free phone to talk and drive safely. Speaking of safety, call me from a land line, but better to see what is available in Santa Cruz homes for sale follow the link.

Santa Cruz lighted Boat Parade....... is a fun local event to bring the kids to

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 15:26:01 -0600

The Santa Cruz Yacht Club is hosting it's annual lighted boat parade in the Santa Cruz, Ca harbor. This event is fun for all and it a free event. As it is done at night, be sure to dress warmly,mittens and scarves. I find that unless you bike there, to bring quarters to feed the meters. I would also advise you to bring a thermos of coffee or hot chocolate and maybe even an umbrella in case it rains. This fun event has boats all lit up in the spirit and colors of Christmas. Santa even comes down sometimes to view these beautiful lighted boats as they parade along Santa Cruz yacht harbor. Be sure to bring your camera for some great shots.

This fun local event is held at the Santa Cruz yacht harbor Saturday December 6th at 5:30. Come and have fun at the FREE local event.

If you want to come to an earlier event, the Tall Ships tour, Hawaiian Chieftan will be on display December 2nd -4th. This beautiful tall ship is pretty to just look at during the day. Check it out. If you decide the yacht harbor is where you want to be and want to look at Santa Cruz yacht harbor homes, it is a great place to live with it's own different flavor. If you want to watch with a comfortable location, Johnnys Harborside restaurant has great food or the Crowsnest where you can watch from the coctail bar upstairs.

Solar Power will drive us to a new future- Go GM and Tesla

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:46:53 -0500

Solar power is one of those intriguing things.We have been using the sun for warmth for millions of years. Without it we don't exist, too much of it and we are toast. With the new administration, which ever one it is, an energy policy will finally be a focus. This past year has been a pivotal year for many things to come. Regardless of the outcome the saying that comes to mind " to the victor goes the spoils." Unfortunately President Cheney has left us a pile of do do all over the world and a heap of debt. Solar energy can help us gain traction against our tremendous cash outpouring to Arab countries and other oil producing countries. This will help us keep our cash in our country and pay down this humongous debt.

So what does that have to do with solar energy. In part, one could make the point of all the oil that wasn't being pumped due to our failed heavy handed political policies and wars that is the reason oil prices shot up so high. While there was supply restrictions and accelerating economic growth in the Asian and Indian economies that affected the price, I say it was a good thing. Think of it, the Japanese auto industry got it's foothold in the first oil crisis in the 70's. What we got in part, were much better quality cars, more energy efficient too. The American worker was so good the Japanese started doing most of their manufacturing over here. Tesla Motors is a Silicon Valley start up is seeing opportunity and has a beautiful all electric sports car. Opportunity and innovation are embraced and many electric and solar based businesses are starting and thriving in Silicon Valley.

The American auto companies were slow to learn the lesson of efficient quality cars. This "oil crisis" brought home once again the idea "oh, we should make more energy efficient cars" with a painful reminder of the past. So a lot of the problem lies at the person looking back at you in the mirror. Many drive big gas guzzling SUV's. I see many of them here in Santa Cruz, California. I seem them all over. So the point is we are our problem. We change most often when the economics of the situation make us think, do I want to be spending 4 bucks a gallon for gas when it was only 2 a few years ago. The answer was a resounding "hell no." The line for Toyota Prius winds around the corner, hello Detroit and big auto makers.

The upshot was a monumental shift at GM. They are focusing on making fuel efficient cars now, but are highly focusing on electric cars.Yes the company that had the EV (for electric vehicle) and then wouldn't sell them,despite owners loving them seems to have gotten the message. The are into electric cars with both feet. In late 2009 and 2010 we should start seeing some of them. The titanic shift should be boon to the company if they can survive the latest stock meltdown. The admission from GM that global warming is in fact happening and petro-fuels are no longer the best economic and ecological alternative is a great first step. For so long auto companies were in denial and always fighting the fuel economy standards. The industry's denial reminds me of the tobacco industry's famous industry titans all lying to congress that cigarettes don't cause cancer. Great team of liars, despite all facts. I applaud GM with it's push towards electric, as I believe the day will shortly be upon us, where we can plug in our cars at home and drive to work, powered by our home solar systems. Hopefully they woke up soon enough.

Santa Cruz real estate values are down, but the green enery features of solar panels and well insulated and energy regulated homes are in demand. Like all things there is a price trade off and as more energy efficient homes become the norm, prices will fall and older homes will be retrofitted with the most current solar technology. More on that later. Power your car up at home from the energy collected all day while you are at work will be a common practice within 5 years is my guess. Homes with larger solar systems will start being more in demand as their excess will be needed for transportation or to add to the electricity grid.

With congress considering a change to the way road fees (gas sales taxes)are collected, mileage driven will be a better usage charge than a gas tax. With lighter cars, hopefully our infrastructure will last longer. We all know our highway infrastructure is overdue for repairs. Gas won't go away, but should and can be significantly reduced. I know the American spirit and ingenuity can and will drive us to a better economy and life.

Santa Cruz real estate prices are interesting for August 2008

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:51:33 -0500

Santa Cruz Real Estate Home Values

Santa Cruz housing medians for August 2008 show interesting information versus a year ago. As we face new lending issues, it is more critical to have experienced agents and mortgage people guiding you through your purchases. Visit Woodward O'Connor mortgage for great service in this difficult lending environment.

The buyers seem extremely active in the Watsonville market, which is a good thing. Our ratio of affordability is pretty good there and many buyers who were frozen out of the previous market can now afford the prices, but find the lending environment is difficult. With the meltdown of Wall street having a temporary setback, I think investor confidence going to be restored. To see some of these great deals on short sales and foreclosures go to www. propertyinsantacruz.com

County/City/Area	# Sold	August 2008	August 2007	% Change Yr-to-Yr
Santa Cruz County	179	$490,000	$669,500	-26.81%
Aptos	24	$757,500	$832,000	-8.95%
Ben Lomond	7	$435,000	$595,000	-26.95%
Boulder Creek	6	$352,500	$408,500	-13.71%
Capitola	5	$680,000	$465,000	46.24%
Felton	5	$375,000	$509,750	-4.56%
Freedom	3	$375,000	0	0
Santa Cruz	56	$627,000	$655,000	-4.27%
Scotts Valley	16	$827,500	$792,500	4.42%
Soquel	4	$507,250	$759,000	-33.17%
Watsonville	50	$333.500	$640,000	-47.89%

Seniors with drug problems in Santa Cruz......

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:27:49 -0500

Many of us have been in the situation where we get doctors medications and recover and have drugs left over. What do we do with them? Often there are ethical and legal issues on what to do with old drugs.While they may not be old in the sense they are past their use date, they may really be just "unused."

Sometimes it is our parents or grand parents we are taking care of and find medications they no longer need or use. What should you do with those? Sometimes friends or relatives can use common things like allergy medications, but you should check with your doctor if you consider that.

The dangers can run from simple mistakes that the senior takes the wrong medication to kids taking the pills because they are pretty. I remember an incident from my childhood of someone doing that. Get rid of unused medications, needles( sharps) and syringes. It is illegal to dispose your syringes and sharps in the garbage as of September 1, 2008.

Often when I am helping families who have a senior that is moving to a care facility such as Sunshine Villa or Aegis of Aptos, Dominican Oaks, these medications are found when cleaning out the house. Preparing to move, selling their home, and having a big change in life is stressful. Confusion often results, so simplification of things is often best. Get rid of the clutter that is so often present, in all aspects.

Sort out what you need, what are the current medications that are being used, and call the doctor when unsure what they are for. Dispose of the other medication properly. Do not flush them down the toilet as that is why we find all sorts of drugs in our drinking water. The water treatment plants kill pathogens, but don't and can't filter out all these drugs that are mistakenly being flushed down the toilet. The well intentioned action has far reaching consequences that affect all of us as well as marine life.

Local pharmacy's such as Lauden's in Capitola, Horsnyders in the Seabright Santa Cruz area,Watsonville Pharmacy, and the Westside pharmacy on the west side of Santa Cruz are all participating in a drug disposal program with Sharp Solutions . This drug take back program has some limitations, so check it out and take them to these pharmacy's on October 4th, 2008 from 9AM-4PM

About the Author

Gregg Camp is a Seniors Real Estate Specialist( SRES) is Santa Cruz. Real estate is something he has been done for 20 years and helping seniors is a specialty. He is active in the Santa Cruz real estate community and in the senior community. You can find more senior topics and resources at his site www.propertyinsantacruz.com or by calling him at 831-818-7524

Monterey Bay birding Festival- Watsonville

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:34:25 -0500

The 4^th Annual Monterey Bay Birding Festival is set for September ^26th-28th this year. The festival will be held at the Watsonville Civic Plaza at 275 Main Street.

This event has guided tours of many of the lovely birding spots in Santa Cruz County. The Santa Cruz landscape is quite varied and there are diverse bird habitats from Davenport to Elkhorn Slough, Pajaro Dunes to Mountain habitats of Bonny Doon and Boulder Creek and Zayante.

The real estate market in Santa Cruz is not for the birds though. Time for more buyers to start families, and come to roost. Plenty of nesting habitats from Santa Cruz to the mountains of the San Lorenzo Valley to Rio Del Mar, to the farmlands of Corralitos and Watsonville. While the early birds get the worm usually, now the bold buyer gets to best selection in homes. Call Gregg at 831-818-7524 or visit his site at www.propertyinsantacruz.com.

This festival takes you through much of the fine Santa Cruz real estate that makes up our county. See the birds, and enjoy the landscape. The beauty is in the eye of the beholder of the binoculars. Visit their site for more information at www.montereybaybirding.org

Capitola Art and Wine Festival a sure hit at the beach in Capitola California

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:46:35 -0500

The annual 2008 Capitola Art & Wine Festival is to be held September 6 and 7th. It runs daily from 10 AM until 6PM. This day at the beach in Capitola is a great way to spend the day.

This fun filled event has of course lots of good local wines and a nice display of the many talented artist that call Santa Cruz county home.

The esplanade is the seaside location of this event. Bring your walking shoes, sun screen, sweat shirts, and a great appetite for good food, wine and art. The entrance is free, but if you plan on drinking, these "tastes" will give you a sample of a wide variety of the wines of the central coast. The cost for a bracelet and a glass with 5 tickets is usually about $20. Most wines will be 3 tickets, so bring along money as it can be a fun and enjoyable to taste and walk around. Many will want to buy some of this great art,so they do take credit cards to this invitational event.

This event has live music all day long in a variety of styles. There is plenty of food and things to drink.

No dogs are allowed unless they are legal working dogs. So leave the pooch at home and come with a great attitude to experience this fun annual event. To see where the parking is located follow this link. If you decide you want to buy a beach home in Capitola, you can find me at www.propertyinsantacruz.com

Capitola's New Brighton Beach.... celebration of life and birds and the beach with bonfire

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:40:25 -0500

Capitola's New Brighton Beach State Park is celebrating it' 75th anniversary. This great beach south of Capitola is a great place to go. It has camping on the bluffs overlooking the beach and is a great place to go that feels far and away, but is close to town. It is a great day trip with the kids to the beach.

Read more about the celbration and find links to local places, beaches, and end the day with a bonfire on the beach. If you think a beach house is something you want, you can explore that at my Santa Cruz beach house page. Have a free day of fun with the family at the beach, leaning about the marine life at the bay. Capitola is a great place to live.

Banking meltdown not as bad as it seems.

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 19:46:41 -0500

Like many things in life, there is perception and there is fact. Often times they get confused in the media, which likes to tout negativity not positivity.

On a recent interview by Paul Kangas of Nightly Business Report with Richard Bove, a banking analyst, I feel he gives a more balanced perspective on where the banking sector is at present. I have commented and have excerpts of his interview.

On the bail out- support by the federal government of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac "I think the fact that the federal government has moved in, however, does tell you that these companies will not fail. The bigger question, though, is, do we really need these two companies? And I think that a year from now, you will see that there will be legislation that will probably break them up and make them into much smaller entities. "

I suspect that the government will try to limit in some sort the damage that any one company can inflict on the economy. Much the way it broke up ATT initially, which spawned a number of telephone companies, a consumer has choices from many different carriers. Right now the two major makers of liquidity in the secondary market are Freddie and Fannie. Without them the banking system would be unhealthy as few loans would be made. Many people are concerned that the banking malaise is widespread. Yes there are troubles across the board, but not as much as people think.

"I think that the regional banks are actually in relatively good condition. And I think there are a number of ways to measure that. One way is to take a look at their loan losses or their nonperforming assets as a percentage of their loans. If you do that, you see that today the banking industry in this country is at a 3 percent ratio whereas in 1990 it was over 6 percent. "

Currently the banks with the highest percentage of non-performing loan are as follows: Downey Financial (13.9%),Corus Bankshares ( 13.2%),Doral Financial( 12.8%),Indymac( just failed) ( 10.5%) FirstFed Financial ( 6.7%)Oriental Financial Group( 6.12%),Bank United Financial (5.4%). IndyMac was the largest and Washington Mutual (WaMu) one of the 10 largest is only at 3.9%

When you look at some of the other aspects of the banking system they are not as bleak as it might seem from just looking at loan losses.

"What we are trying to say is, look, number one, there is more equity in the banking system today than there has been in a number of years. Number two, that there is higher reserves in the banking system than there has been for the last couple of years. Number three, deposits are rising in the banking system, which is a very positive metric. Number four, the loans are increasing in the banking system. And number five, their margins are flat. So while the whole world seems to be concentrating on the bad loans, if they look beyond bad loans to the fundamental functioning of the business, they would see that the banks are not in terrible trouble. "

I think as a consumer there are a few things to do. Reality is often distorted and the best values are often when the news is darkest. With Santa Cruz real estate for example, there are lots of media stories of how bad the market is. In reality there are some great deals on homes in Santa Cruz. TheLive Oak area had a lot of building in the 2004-6 time period and many of those rising market loans were done with either stated income or sub-prime loans. You can buy a 3 bedroom home in that are for under $600,000 in a number of locations and recently some of the new homes for around $700,000. That is a great deal for a home that is less than 10 years old. Search the Santa Cruz MLS on my www.propertyinsantacruz and see for yourself.

In Watsonville, California, another area that saw a lot of new building, you can buy a newer home for as low as $450,000. These homes were selling 2-3 years ago for $650,000 +. So while people are frightened by the bad news, the investors who are taking risks will be handsomely rewarded in less than 5 years, in my opinion. Santa Cruz real estate has some great values and these in Watsonville represent some of the best at the low end.

The risk to the buyers for holding off ,is that with increasing efforts of the Federal Reserve Board ,the interest rates will rise I predict in the 4^th quarter 2008 and go up from there by at least half a point by this time next year. While congress will have to put in lots of regulatory work to curb this rampant greed that afflicted Wall Street and the major banks, we should come out of this better. So the risk for buyers for sitting on the sidelines waiting for the media to actually say something positive ( except PBS imho), is higher interest rates and more restrictive policies.

Banks like to sell loans, that is how they make their money. Foreclosing homes in Santa Cruz County is not what they like to do. So the first step one needs to do is to decide I want to buy a home, then get to a lender and get your loan approved. With all the banks that are going bust, many of the loans that consumers used to be able to get are no longer available. It is more critical now than ever to get your financing in place because of changing bank lending guidelines and appraising issues. It is crucial more than ever before to use an experienced lender. This market is not for the freshly minted loan officers. A great one I recommend is Woodward-O'Connor Mortgage in Capitola. You can reach Stephanie at 831-479-3303.

The loans have changed in 20 years, but they are back to where they started

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 10:56:37 -0500

There was a time early in my career where whatever you bought here in Santa Cruz County needed a 20% down payment unless you were a veteran. That morphed with the high interest rates of the day to some creative terms and loan structures with names like AITD, Wraps and the like. Seller carry back financing was needed to make peoples lives go, on as lenders were caught in rising costs. We then started seeing 80-10-10 deals, which was 80% bank financing, 10% seller second loan and 10% down payments. As time went on the values went up, and virtually no veteran loans were done in this county as the home values were more than the VA would lend.

Then we started seeing 5% down loans, but these required mortgage insurance ( MI) or(PMI).This private mortgage insurance paid off the lender for risks that they took with a very lightly secured loan. This insurance was paid for by the borrower. For many years this cost was not deductible and people did not like to use this, but it enabled them to buy a home. This was before adjustable rate loans were invented. Most people now can’t do seller carry back loans much as they need their equity to go to their next home

So flash forward to 2005-7, when our lending debacle occurred when lenders too stupidly took unsecured risks with 100% loans. Not that 100% loans are bad inherently, but when you couple that with no reasonable income and crappy credit, it is a recipe for disaster. And so we have it now, where you need some of your own funds to buy a home, unless you get a restrictive and costly FHA loan.

So in a knee jerk reaction, and certainly in some areas reasonable, we have gone back to the 20% down loan. Yes there are some loans with 10%, but you have better terms with 20% down. Lenders make money selling money, not foreclosing on homes. Short sales are just one step before the foreclosure process, but it is the same path. Lenders because of their stupidity, have gone bust and someone has a site that monitors that, called the Mortgage Lending Implode-O-Meter.

If you think your bank maybe heading towards insolvency, you might want to check it out. There are many mortgage brokers that have gone out of business as well. Even the good ones are having a tough time because volume has dropped dramatically. There are great opportunities to buy Santa Cruz real estate at a discount, but there are some great values in Live Oak, Aptos and Watsonville as well. If you want to check out some of the Santa Cruz California real estate values, you might find a nice retirement home by the beach. Call me at 831-818-7524 for help in finding a great investment or home.

Santa Cruz,Ca looking to test trash to gas

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:28:55 -0500

Santa Cruz, Ca is looking into a new technology to help them become greener. While Santa Cruz County does a good amount of recycling there is always some amount that is currently not recyclable. This new approach of technology by Adaptive Arc of Carlsbad, California uses a process to vaporize the waste into a gas. There is reportedly virtually no waste. What there is is supposedly suitable for use in cement and asphalt mixes.

The company states that an electrical arc of high current and voltage is passed through the rubbish that is not recyclable, which creates a gas. Arc- gasification results through a gasifier which separates into gas and an inert ash as the remainder. The process is intended to be a net generator of electricity depending on the waste component quality. Not all rubbish has the same energy value and composition. This process occurs at about 5500 degrees and is supposedly scalable for the size of the city or county’s needs.

While Santa Cruz has limitations on its expansion of new land fills due to high real estate costs, and citizen abhorrence on new sites, this may be a solution. The NIMBY process of trying to locate a new site failed to garner support after a few years of hard work. Hopefully this process will be a proving ground and can assist other communities in the future. People decry unproven things, but without risk, little gets accomplished. Think of all the drugs that have alleviated lots of mankind’s’ woes. Without human testing, we could not know what will work or not. Risk and willingness to change one’s thinking is paramount to success. Thinking out of the box is what makes Silicon Valley so successful and we all have the benefit of the devices the risk takers created. Not all things work, but one has to give it a try.

With 600 tons of daily rubbish, about a third of which is not recyclable, the need is great. I commend Santa Cruz County on it’s willingness to try new approaches. So what if we are trying something relatively novel. Early adopters and investors of all sorts of things often reap extraordinary benefits. With a purported up to 95% reduction in waste, there is little to lose in my mind. To those narrow minded folks, I say their thinking is a bunch of rubbish.

With the cost of Santa Cruz California real estate so high, the alternatives of finding suitable land, doing the EIR, the acquisition, and preparation of the site has to be in my guess a 5-10 year process. I think the cost will prohibitive.

Maybe should this technology become feasible some enterprising chap will tackle the Pacific Gyre and turn rubbish into profits? Maybe a mid pacific fueling station for ships can be created or off load the gas to ships plying the waters.

For more information on this topic on Santa Cruz landfill efforts follow the link or go to the Buena Vista landfill website. To learn more of the Santa Cruz, California area, go to my site and read my Santa Cruz Real Estate blog at www.properytinsantacruz.com

Celebrate National Nursing Home Week is May 11-18, 2008

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Wed, 14 May 2008 17:11:33 -0500

This week is a reflection on the need to focus on nursing homes. Many nursing home residents are the people who lived and worked locally and made our community what it is. People from all walks of life come to nursing homes; they are not just for end of life medically challenged people, but people of all ages that need to rehabilitate from surgery and or accidents. Many of us have had parents and others in our lives that have needed care, such as provided at a place like Pacific Coast Manor, in Capitola.

As one of the leading local rehabilitation facilities in Capitola , in the Santa Cruz ,California area, they know what having good people means. Celebrating those that work there and those who are on the mend is the goal this week. This is one of those jobs, that many of us are glad they handle with care and compassion. This year’s National Nursing Home Week ® theme is “Love is Ageless.” Pacific Coast Manor will be will be holding a "Going Bananas" banana split event on Thursday for staff and patients. This celebratory event will feature residents as well as staff .

Come and be part the celebration of the people behind Pacific Coast Manor's quality long term care. Located in Capitola, California,they are a well established facility in the county. Rochelle Nations is heading up a team to "Go Bananas" and create a 100 foot long banana split. There will be plenty of whipped cream and ice cream, and every one is sure to have fun, and everyone is a top banana. Nations is the Marketing Director for Pacific Coast Manor and does a great job promoting the fine job her staff does.

If you have other Capitola senior needs, you can contact me and I'll help direct you to the other community resources. As a Seniors Real Estate Specialist ( SRES) I have resources and contacts to help you out, whether it is getting in-home help or moving to a single story home if you have mobility issues. There are senior communities and houses for just seniors if that housing situation needs to change. Sometimes it is just finding a place that mom or dad can move in with you on the property, but have their own independence. Call me for special needs at 831-818-7524.

The goal as we age, is to have a good quality of life, so don't let poor health care and estate planning choices limit your fun in life as you age. Have that talk with your kids and physician of what your financial or health care issues are, and be prepared in advance. Skilled care facilities such as Pacific Coast Manor are a great resource, but they are not a long term solution. Their goal is to get you well, and send you home. If you have a parent of person you care for, contact them if you need skilled nursing or rehabilitative assistance at 831-476-0770. In the meantime, have fun, each day is a gift.

Santa Cruz County Septic Loan Program

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Mon, 12 May 2008 10:10:52 -0500

Santa Cruz county home owners have some government help locally. As with many rural areas in Santa Cruz County,there is no sewer, and the toilet and greywater waste are disposed of in a septic system. These systems which are basically a 1000-2000 gallon holding tanks for solids, and trenches to leach the water back into the ground, have been around for many decades. For those city dwellers, this method has been used for hundreds of years, and even longer in more primitive fashion throughout civilization.

In the San Lorezo Valley you need to own at least 1 acre to be able to build a new home due to septic requirements. For those who own land with less than 1 acre without a home on it, this requirement makes their real estate much less valuable. The San Lorenzo Valley area of Santa Cruz County probably has the highest concentration of septic systems in the county. This is due in part because this area was settled fairly densely relatively speaking, early in the countys' history as a vacation spot.The San Lorenzo Valley is an idyllic spot to live and has many beautiful areas and communities. Call me at 831-818-7524 for more information on this area.

The San Lorenzo Valley is also home to Santa Cruz County's largest watershed for drinking water.Keeping septics systems from leaching into the San Lorenzo River is paramount for public health and safety. While the water systems treat the bad water, it is healthier and safer to stop the contamination at its' source, the privately owned septic system.While many homeowners may not realize their system is leaching in the rivers and streams and entering the groundwater, the county monitors the San Lorenzo River for contamination.This river is the major water source for the City of Santa Cruz, and when contaminated, leads to beach closures due to high bacterial count of fecal coliform and other bacteria.

Santa Cruz County has a new program to upgrade or replace failing septic systems in the San Lorenzo Valley.

This program requires an application fee, and when approved, finances the repair or upgrade for up to 20 years at a reduced rate. The advantage to both parties is resolution of a problem, and to a seller looking to sell their home, this is often a problem area, and good news.

Real estate values are often influenced by the site's ability to function for human habitation. Installing newer or larger leach field systems often solve many problems and can also be a function of a homes' abilty to have an addition to it. To learn more of the beautiful San Lorenzo Valley real estate that is available and find out more of this area, follow the link.

Just gumming the idea of buying a home in Santa Cruz, California or are you ready?

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Fri, 02 May 2008 08:53:52 -0500

Are you gums bad? There are a number of things you can do to improve your health. In a Japanese study of almost a thousand people between the ages of 40 and 79 they found that those who ate fermented milk products such as yogurt and kefir had significantly improved dental health. Small quantities as little as 2 ounces produced an improvement.

As one ages there is often a decrease in the calcium in ones diet, so this is an easy way to improve. Green leafy vegetables are also a good source of calcium as well as milk and ice cream. It is a good excuse to eat ice cream and the grand kids love it too. Exercise is also helpful in the general retention and strengthening of bones due to low level of calcium. Follow this link to learn more about this study and learn how to keep your gums healthier.

In another study they found that not caring for your teeth for an extended time can have an adverse affect on your heart. Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading killers in the nation, even more so than cancer. There appears to be linkage to bad dental health and bad heart health, though they are not certain just why. So the point of all this is to take care of your self. We are here for a finite time. Enjoy your life in good health and have a good long healthy life here in Santa Cruz,California.

Living at the beach, taking walks, are all part of the healthy lifestyle that that Santa Cruz can offer. If you want to buy yourself a beach house as a treat or an inducement to get in shape, give me a call at 831-818-7524. There are many fine values and while you may want an ocean view, there are homes of all sorts and prices, by our number of beaches. Santa Cruz County can give you that healthy lifestyle you deserve. And yes I can refer you to a dentist if you need and a place to buy good organic green leafy vegetables. Santa Cruz is in part a healthy state of mind.Having variety in your diet is good for your personal and financial health, add some Santa Cruz real estate to your diet and sink your teeth into the good life.

Cut Bait or Fish… this is a home buyer story

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 12:16:05 -0500

Cut Bait or Fish… this is a home buyer story

Well that’s an old saying, but has some truth to it. For those who don’t know it means, it means do something or don’t talk about it. I’m thinking that is what you the buyers should be doing.

You know you have been thinking “I should buy a house, the prices are down.” Depending on where you want to buy in Santa Cruz county , they are down 10-30%. Without the benefit of a crystal ball, I’d guess there might be another 5-10%, of downtrend depending on the area, with most of that being in the north and south regions of the county. That does not mean that you can’t go and get that right discount right now. Banks and sellers are willing to sell, so it is time to “go fish.” It is not often we see price declines in this ocean side paradise of Santa Cruz.

Speaking on that topic, one of my favorite fish, salmon is not likely to be fished this year. It is an unfortunate situation that is not well understood as to why there is such a very limited number of salmon in the runs this year. The DFG is likely to cancel the whole salmon fishing season .So from an economic stand point, Santa Cruz fishermen are likely to have the year off. Not something they wanted. Slip rent still is costly as is the rising cost of fuel. It is a very difficult time to be a fisherman no doubt, also because the rock fish have been over fished. Maybe it is global warming that is affecting the sea life as the arctic ice shelf is melting at an unprecedented rate? Recently even Orca killer whales have made it into Monterey Bay because the salmon are scarce in the waters they normally inhabit, in the Washington area.

No doubt fisherman love what they do, but some will fall by the wayside, and take other jobs. Others who enjoy what they do, like me, will find a way to keep on fishing, even though things are tough. I have been helping people "fish" the right house in a sea of choices for 20 years. These are times that I see rare opportunity, when others see peril.

Now back to “fishing” for that great deal in real estate. Here are the things that you need to start thinking about as you decide to move from “cutting bait” to “fishing.” Both things are necessary, so if you don’t have enough “bait- down payment”, lets talk and devise a plan and a timeframe. So here is what you need to do:

Make sure you have enough bait- save up for a down payment of at least 10%.
Check to boat to make sure it is seaworthy- talk with a lender, some one experienced like Woodward-O’Connor Mortgage so there is smooth sailing in the rough seas of lenders.
Check you gear- do you have time to go out and troll for the right home now?
Is your skipper and crew ready-Gregg Camp- to help you fish? Yes!
Is your navigation and fish finder top notch and in sound order- search easily for the home you want. Yes!
Is the weather right for fishing for that great deal on a home or investment vacation rental? Yes
Then it is time to "go fish" for a great deal on a home or condominium or investment vacation house.

Well then call for an appointment and lets get started before the other fisherman catch your fish and the one you wanted gets away. Call Gregg at 831-818-7524.

Online Prescription Writing can save money and lives

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 18:51:57 -0500

Online Prescription Writing can save money and lives

I was reading an article recently that spoke of the digital divide in a different way. It is sort of the older versus younger, but in a medical vein. While many see different sides to age and wisdom over youth and exuberance, there can be other factors in your health care. That being said, what is the value of the written prescription? Is it some bed side activity that makes us psychologically feel better when we leave the doctors with our “prescription for healing” in our hands and find value there? I don't personally think so, but often times, a kind word and attention goes a long way in healing.

It seems that the old guard physicians are not so keen on abandoning the written prescriptions. As we all know poor handwriting is a problem that causes many problems. We have all seen them, and tried to decipher them, when the pharmacist asks what “what does this say.” And we both try to read hieroglyphics, and see if our addled memory can strain to remember the name of the medication we were told to get.

Doctors have been seeing rising costs as they have been asked to start doing their prescription writing on line. With health care costs rising, and hopefully coming to the attention of the new president and congress, maybe will finally do something about it. It seems pretty simple to me that an online based program would be relatively simple and cheap,cheap as compared to the cost of healthcare.

It will be nice when we can one day take all our medical records on a chip, the size of a matchbook, that has all of our charts and x-rays, and lab work, in one place. I would foresee this coming in the next 20 years, hopefully sooner. There will be privacy and ethics issues as I am sure some other constraints, but that should be maintained on a national government internet based records system. Problem is, the government does not do computers well, so maybe some quasi- public private entity would be a likely solution.

The younger doctors embrace technology readily, as do most younger people. The majority of the large pharmacies accept electronic prescriptions, but only 6% of the physicians own the software, SureScripts, which is too low for corporate America. The companies that provide health insurance are looking to cut costs and figure this is one way to do so, and cut down on liability and problems, while increasing the speed of the prescriptions. The doctors here in Santa Cruz will prescribe to wherever you tell them to, but most will hand you the prescription or fax it.

One of the largest medicine providers, known for low costs, Walmart, is leading the charge followed by other huge firms such as Ford, and Verizon.It is estimated that electronic prescription will save $29 billion dollars over the next 10 years. One of the big costs that doctors face in addition to medical school is front office personnel to administer all the health care industry and government forms. Next time you are at a doctors office, see how many front office workers there are, that doctor must support in order to handle all the paper work. I would guess for most offices, that there is a minimum of 2 or 3, and these people aren’t minimum wage workers.

When doctors can go online, they can quickly and easily choose from a range of choices, and prices, and that will lead to better pricing as the doctor will have all the information at his or her fingertips. While is not uncommon for doctors to go online to review incidence rates and improved treatment procedures, we can arm ourselves with medical resources such as Healthfinder or WebMD.

The more information you have going in, the better questions you can ask your doctor. Speaking of health, the Santa Cruz Real Estate market is sick, but not dead. If you want a check up for your home or an investment, contact me at 831-818-7524.

Want to read some of my other blog articles of Santa Cruz?

About the author. Gregg Camp is a seniors real estate specialist( SRES) and has lived in the Santa Cruz area for 30 years. He has worked in the real estate field for 20 years and has interests in the healthcare field, in part, due to the impact it has on his older clients.

Santa Cruz Surf City Lawsuit to end

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:22:49 -0600

Santa Cruz trademark “Surf City” lawsuit to end.

A Santa Cruz businessman has been fighting to use the name “Surf City, USA” for the past several years. The moniker has been used for Santa Cruz for approximately a century. In keeping with laid back Santa Cruz’s demeanor, no one thought to trademark it. I am guessing the feeling was it was like “windy city” or “motor city” or other monikers that are used for quite awhile and have no particular “ownership” claimed by anyone. While I can’t speak for the aforementioned names being trademarked or not, the point is made.

The feud was started because a southern California city, Huntington Beach, filed for that trademark in 2005, and since Santa Cruz was unaware of the claim didn’t challenge it. They then informed a local businessman who sells T shirts to tourists on Santa Cruz wharf to cease and desist from selling the “Surf City USA” T-shirts. Noland, the gift shop businessman fired back, essentially, buzz off. Santa Cruz has been called “Surf City” long before Huntington Beach and long before the name was memorialized in the Beach Boys song of the same name. They did not have Santa Cruz in mind when they penned the song. Nevertheless, that was only in the 60’s. To read more of the interesting history of Santa Cruz, and Huntington Beach, California, follow the links.

UC Santa Cruz,Ca professor to talk on improving computer chip efficiency

Gregg Camp (David Lyng Real Estate) — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:42:21 -0600

UCSC, Santa Cruz, California professor Jose Renau is to give a talk at the College of Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on February 11th.

The talk is on methods to reduce heat build up and efficiency of computer chips. By employing cameras and thermal imaging this work is proposed to better enable detection of hot spots and power leakage in chips. He seeks to increase the efficiencies by reducing extraneous functionality. By determining where the problems lie, the designers and programmer are better able to make the computer chips more efficient. Jose Renau is an assistant professor of computer engineering at UC Santa Cruz.

The University of Santa Cruz is located in Santa Cruz, California. The university has a wide range of academic and engineering programs available. UC’s campus is spread out over the hills above Santa Cruz and is a great environment to learn in. With a wide range of complementary programs, the school has everything from the skies to the ocean with great marine and earth sciences as well. With the proximity to Silicon Valley and the local tech companies, the university has a strong local following and world class curricula.

Santa Cruz benefits by having a diverse range of students and faculty to enrich the community. This not without some angst as the university and the local government are at loggerheads over continuing growth plans. Overall the benefits of a two college town allow for more business development and contribute positively to the economic base. While the university is behind in adding enough housing, the local real estate market seems to absorb the increased demand for housing. Though there will never be enough homes to satisfy demand, and prices will generally increase, there are some infill and high density developments in progress. To see some of the homes available near the university in west side Santa Cruz, follow the link.