Often times people will ask me what it is like to live up the Los Gatos/Santa Cruz Mountains. Beyond "wonderful!" there is much to explain. Located between the bustling and prosperous Silicon Valley and the lovely beaches of Santa Cruz, these mountains have become popular and sought-after, but all should beware! It isn't a lifestyle for everyone.
Living in the Santa Cruz Mountains requires a person to be a good planner! Depending on the location of your home, it can be between 5 and 30 minutes "to town" (Los Gatos). So, most folks will want to pack up for the day: kids, lunches, bills, dry-cleaning, work-related materials, gym bag, and don't forget to grab the cell phone! Just stopping back by the house is usually not a great or convenient option.
Living in town can make us take for granted the basic services our cities provide. Residing in the country makes you newly responsible for these basics, namely, dealing with waste and water. The vast majority of the homes in the hills are on septic tanks and the homeowner is responsible for maintaining it. These tanks should be inspected every 3 years and pumped generally every 3-5 years. A system not maintained can lead to groundwater contamination.
A large number of homes are on well systems for their water supply. Folks looking to buy property on a well should have an evaluation of the productivity of the well and the quality of the well water. It's important to know the depth of a well. Generally, the deeper the well, the more it costs to maintain. Productivity and quality can change over time. It's important to know these issues before moving up to the mountains.
Most of us love our roses and summertime vegetables. Well, so do many animals up here too, with deer being the most notorious of all! Neighbors love to share their war stories with these creatures and home-spun remedies to deal with them. But it all comes with the territory of sharing the woods with the animals who inhabit them, and really is part of the charm (once you get a proper fence around your precious plants!)
Residents who have lived a long enough time in the hills can attest to the realities of mudslides, earthquakes, occasional snow flurries, road closures, and less commonly, fires. It is the sort of experience that usually brings neighbors together to overcome the challenges and makes for great stories at neighborhood BBQ's!
So, you might wonder what is "wonderful" about living in these Santa Cruz Mountains? Other than the excellent schools and incredbile sense of community, it is the ability to leave behind the noise and congestion of the city. In a short distance, a person is transported to the serenity of a redwood grove or the inspiring views of canyons and sometimes glimpes of the Monterey Bay. It is the smell of the forest floor or the damp coolness of the morning fog that creeps in overnight. The sound of crickets chirping in the dark. The stroll down an old logging trail or tree farm with your dog off-leash. The quiet evenings with friends enjoying the sunset over the oaks. These are the qualities that make you forget about the realities of city life until you have to reenter it. Most people have to wait an entire year to take a vacation to experience this stuff; we get to live in it everyday! So, truly, it is a wonderful life in the Santa Cruz Mountains!
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