What’s Your Santa Cruz?

To much of the world, Santa Cruz is primarily known as a beach town, but the lifestyles of those who visit, live, work and play here are more varied than the title of Surf City might suggest. Indeed, many of those who populate our beaches never go into the ocean, preferring instead to enjoy our attractions like the boardwalk and the trains, hang out and play on the sand, explore the tidepools, or walk along the scenic bluffs, with friends of the two- and four-legged variety.

And even among those with a passion for the water there are a broad range of sub-cultures, with Surfers divided among Longboarders and Shortboarders, Eastsiders and Westsiders, Body Boarders and Skim Boarders. There’s the SUP crew, the Wind Surfers and the Kite Surfers, and there are the Kayakers and Outriggers who experience a whole different world beyond the waves. Still others focus on life under the waves, through fishing or diving, and there is an entire community at our harbor who often have more in common with fellow boaters here or in other harbors along the coast than they do with their nearby neighbors on land.

Speaking of land, there are many communities here who have very little to do with the ocean. Recreationally there are those enjoy the trails of our local and state parks, hiking, running and mountain biking. There are multiple strong sports communities in Voleyball, Soccer, Tennis and Pickleball, as well as fitness and martial arts disciplines ranging from Crossfit to Capoeira to Jiujitsu. There are our running and cycling communities which have produced multiple world-class athletes. And there are our music, arts, dance and theater communities, which have launched the careers of multiple nationally known artists and performers.

Educationally, we have two of the top schools in the State’s higher education system which attract and develop scholars in multiple fields, and of course being located close to the heartbeat of Silicon Valley has helped spawn generations of innovators, entrepreneurs, and startups, many of whose brands and products have become household names across the globe. And while it may not be in the daily headlines, Santa Cruz County is at its heart one of the richest wine and agricultural communities in the country.

It is an honor and a pleasure to have built a career getting to know and interact with members across all these communities to help match their hopes and dreams with the right combination of places and opportunities through their real estate needs. The sheer variety of all these groups means that the job of a real estate broker in this county will never be boring.

And while many of those who visit or live here may only enjoy the ocean from a distance, the never-ending presence of the water and the breezes it brings does ultimately remind everyone that in the end, yes, this is a beach town.