With remote work seemingly sticking around in our corporate culture, many people find they can live anywhere they want – even before retirement. You’re not beholden to those expensive, crowded cities where it’s impossible to find a place to live that doesn’t cost an entire paycheck.
Maybe you’ve considered moving to Santa Cruz, California.
If you’ve been thinking about it, now is the time to make the move. Here’s why you should settle into a new home in our quirky, welcoming community.
Location, Location, Location
Everyone knows that location is what you’re looking for when choosing a place to live. Santa Cruz offers a location that’s hard to beat. The city is located on the coast of Central California, about 70 miles south of San Francisco. If you find yourself missing the big city and all its charms, you simply have to drive north for an hour and a half.
Let’s talk about the coastal location as well. Santa Cruz is ideally situated on Monterey Bay, providing miles of surf and sand. The Pacific Ocean promises dazzling sunsets, plenty of swimming and surfing, boating, fishing, and all the outdoor seaside recreation you can imagine.
In Santa Cruz, residents enjoy a mix of suburban and urban vibes, depending on their neighborhood and what they do for fun. You’ll find vintage stores, café and art galleries downtown on Pacific Avenue as well as a beach boardwalk that includes old-time carnival rides including a carousel from 1911 and a roller coaster called The Giant Dipper.
This is a desirable location. It’s an easy starting point for road trips around California and into the Pacific Northwest or east to Las Vegas. Airports are easy to reach, with San Jose International Airport only 30 miles away.
There’s also the Weather
Weather in California is a dream most of the time. Santa Cruz enjoys sunshine and mild temperatures year-round. The coldest month is December, and even then, the average low is 45 degrees and the average high is 59 degrees. You won’t have to worry about shoveling snow or driving through ice.
What can you do with all that sunshine? You can eat dinner outdoors. You can golf and hike and visit parks and go to the beach.
The subtropical climate delivers about 33 inches of rain every year, and the summers are short and pleasant. You won’t find yourself fighting off the humidity sweats or seeking shade because it’s just too hot. We have an average of 262 sunny days a year, which is above the national average.
Move to Santa Cruz for Surf Culture
So, a lot of California cities have desirable locations along the Pacific Ocean and beautiful weather all year long. What’s so special about Santa Cruz? Why should you move here instead of some other coastal California town?
If you like surfing, this is really the only place to be.
Grab your wetsuit and your board. Surfing has been huge here since 1885, and you can learn how surf culture grew in Santa Cruz at The Santa Cruz Surfing Museum. If you’re not a surfer yourself, maybe you like to watch. In that case, pick a spot on Cliff Drive and watch in awe as professionals and amateurs try to take control of the high waves and unpredictable surf.
Prepare to Get Outside
Surfing isn’t the only option for outdoor enthusiasts and adrenaline junkies.
The great weather and natural beauty found in Santa Cruz allows for a lot of outdoor recreation. There are half a dozen golf courses in the city limits. Wilder Ranch State Park offers hiking, biking, equestrian trails, and picnic areas. There are dozens of parks and trails throughout the city.
Fishing and boating is popular as well. Whether you’re looking for an opportunity to do some primitive camping or you simply like a walk around the neighborhood, Santa Cruz will have something for you to do and somewhere for you to go.
Housing in Santa Cruz
According to Niche, more than half of the residents in Santa Cruz are renters instead of homeowners. About 54 percent of the population rents, and the median rent is just over $2,000. It’s not a cheap place to live, but when you compare the rents here to the median rents in other California cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, it’s comparatively more affordable.
Working with a Santa Cruz property management company can help you get an understanding of what’s available on the rental market. Homes here are in high demand. Santa Cruz has great schools, plenty of economic opportunity, and a lot of diversity. There are about 65,000 people currently living in the area, and all of the current and incoming tenants are looking for the same thing: affordable, well-maintained properties. A good property manager can let you know what you’re likely to find in your budget.
An added element to the Santa Cruz rental market is the student population. The University of California Santa Cruz attracts around 20,000 students every year.
Santa Cruz is routinely listed as one of the best places to live – in California, and in the United States. If you’ve ever visited, you understand the draw. And if you’re thinking of moving here, we want you to. You’ll find friendly, laid back people who are tolerant, welcoming, and diverse. You’ll enjoy gorgeous weather, beautiful views, and a lot of history and culture right here in town and throughout the surrounding areas. You get nature. You get a great arts scene. You get great food and a thriving nightlife.
There’s the beach and the surfing.
When you’re ready to finally make the move, reach out to us at Portola Property Management. You’ll need to find a great place to live before you can get really excited about living here, and we can show you what’s available and what we believe might be available soon. We’ll talk about your budget and your lifestyle needs, and we’ll discuss what kind of property you want and which neighborhoods are most ideal.
Contact us today to talk more about Santa Cruz and why you should move here.
