You are here

Category: Real Estate

Creekside Real Estate San Lorenzo Valley Real Estate 

What Makes a Mountain Property Truly Valuable?

MaryBeth McLaughlin
From Logging Flumes to Creekfront Retreats By MaryBeth McLaughlin Long before the Santa Cruz Mountains became home to commuters, artists, retirees, and weekend dreamers, the creeks determined where people settled. Water meant survival. It powered lumber mills, supplied homes, and carved the canyon routes that would later become many of our mountain roads. In the logging era, wooden flumes carried… Read More
Brookdale Home Columns History Real Estate 

The Brookdale Nature Writer Who Helped Save Big Basin

slvpost.com
The historic home of an early conservationist — now offered for sale in Brookdale. By MaryBeth McLaughlin, The Mountain Ear Real Estate Columnist  More than a hundred years ago, a writer named Virginia Garland Ballen lived in Brookdale among the redwoods. From her mountain home she wrote newspaper columns about wildflowers, birds, forest ponds, and the quiet life of the… Read More
Cabin Woods Real Estate 

25 Years of San Lorenzo Valley Real Estate Cycles

MaryBeth McLaughlin
Boom, Bust, Fire & Recalibration By MaryBeth McLaughlin, The MountainEar If you’ve lived in the San Lorenzo Valley long enough, you know something important: Nothing here moves in straight lines. Not the roads. Not the creeks. And certainly not the real estate market. For years, conversations have swung between optimism and concern — interest rates, insurance shifts, fire recovery, policy… Read More
Real Estate San Lorenzo Valley November 2025 Columns Real Estate 

Fall’s Chill Puts a Damper on Home Sales from Boulder Creek to Scotts Valley

M.C. Dwyer
By M.C. Dwyer Lower mortgage rates may help — but affordability and insurance still weigh heavily in buyers’ minds. Mortgage Rates & The Economic Backdrop After weeks hovering around 6.38%, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate dropped below  6.25% at press time. That’s near the lowest point in the past 12 months, but hasn’t yet sparked as much buyer commitment… Read More
Housing market Santa Cruz Mountains Column: MC Dwyer Columns Real Estate 

Housing Market and Economic Update

M.C. Dwyer
Fresh Momentum, but Lingering Questions By M.C. Dwyer The market is waking up. Here in the Santa Cruz mountains, the shift feels tangible. Buyers are re-emerging from their winter hibernation. Homes with character, cared-for land, or irresistible “mountain charm” are drawing interest. Recently, a home in Boulder Creek sold for about $200,000 over asking – but that’s not typical. Make… Read More
Column: MC Dwyer Columns Real Estate 

Economic Roller Coaster Impact on Spring’s Housing Market

M.C. Dwyer
By M.C. Dwyer As economic policy changes continue to be announced, the resulting gyrations in financial markets suggest that the latest strategies from the Administration have introduced economic risks and uncertainty.  “There’s so much uncertainty; things can quickly change,” said Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of REALTORS®. “Once conditions improve for mortgage rates and inventory, pent-up demand… Read More