Halloween 2021: Ways to Celebrate: Activities in and around Santa Cruz

Ruth Bates

831.359.2212

ruthbates1@gmail.com

CalBRE#01799929

SALES – YIKES! The Median Sales Price jumped from $1,170,000 (8/7-9/7) to $1,570,000 (9/5-10/5). That’s a huge jump! 26 homes sold in the past 30 days. High sale was 1114 Via Malibu which listed for $6,450,000 and sold for $5,800,000 after 715 days on market. Low sale was 1136 Trout Gulch, a 1-bed, 1 bath, 556 Sq. Ft. home that listed for $512,000 and sold for $546,000 with multiple off ers. Original Seascape homes broke $2.0M for the fi rst time that I can recall: 1831 Calypso (37 years old) listed for $1,899,000 and sold for $2,000,000, and 150 Via Lantana (29 years old) sold for $2,000,000 as well. 138 Seascape Ridge listed for $829,000 and sold for $915,000, a new high for that condo complex. Condo Avg List-$683K, Avg Sale-$735K, Townhomes Avg List-$871K, Avg Sale-$891K. ACTIVE LISTINGS – There are only 189 homes for sale in all of Santa Cruz County; 25 of those are in Aptos. The Median List Price in Aptos is $1,595,000, which matches last month’s actual Median Sales Price. The High List is 638 Beach at $8,999,900, the Low List is 418 Bonita - 3 bed, 2 bath, 1194 Sq. Ft. at $698,800. 6/25 listings are <$1 million, 11/25 are $1-2 million, and 8/25 are > $2 million. Some are hopeful that more Inventory will be coming on soon. The Covid-moratorium on landlord tenant eviction ended on October 1, 2021. There may be new Sellers as tenants move on. This remains to be seen. I am told that Phase II of the Aptos Village is slated to kick off early next year. There will be 29 new condos over commercial space in this phase, with 15% allocated for Aff ordable Housing. INTEREST RATES – Bankrate.com quotes Average 30-year loan rates at 3.11%, and they are showing rates as low as 2.652% – with some additional charges. PROP 19 (new law April 2021) is a very viable option for anyone thinking of downsizing. Prop 19 allows homeowners over 55 to keep their property tax basis when they sell their primary residence and buy another (of equal or lesser value). This applies to moving anywhere in the state of California. You can even buy a higher value home and only pay additional taxes on the incremental amount. Consult your tax account for more detailed information.

My favorite 4-letter word is “SOLD”! Call, email, text anytime and Get Results with Ruth!

HALLOWEEN EVENTS Halloween 2021: Ways to Celebrate

Activities in and around Santa Cruz County

No Tricks or Treats At The Mall

Due to continuing COVID issues, the Capitola Mall will not be hosting trick or treating this year.

The mall is hosting a virtual costume contest with $50 gift cards as prizes. Visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook. com/ShopCapitolaMall/ for details. •••

Business Decorating Contest

The Aptos Chamber of Commerce is getting in the spirit with a Halloween decorating contest for local businesses.

Entry fee is a $25 minimum donation. The prize is 6 months of chamber advertising worth $500. To sign up, call 831-688-1467 or go to www.aptoschamber.com. Community voting is online through Oct. 31 ••• October 19-31

Halloween Fun at the Wharf

The Santa Cruz Wharf will host 13 days of frightful fun. Great Pumpkin BINGO Hunt, snap a photo at scenic photo booth, and enjoy Wharf specials. Trick-o-Treating on the Wharf on Oct. 31 is from 3-6 p.m. ••• October 19

Halloween Snack Demo

4-5 p.m., Zoom class

Chef Brandon Miller will demonstrate — on behalf of Everyone’s Harvest Farmers’ Markets — how to make healthy Halloween snacks.

These include veggie skeletons made of broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cucumber, celery, bell pepper, black olives, sugar snap peas, and cherry tomatoes, mandarin pumpkins, ghost eggs and guacamole with avocado skull.

He will provid the fat, carb, fiber and protein counts for each snack.

Join Chef Brandon Miller at https:// us02web.zoom.us/j/89555496532?pwd=ST JPam5abGVXbUZDN1lVZWluMEhnZz09

Meeting ID: 895 5549 6532.

Passcode: 300230

It’s free and open to everyone! ••• October 21

Evergreen At Dusk: Cemetery History Tours

4 – 7 p.m., Evergreen Cemetery, 261 Evergreen St., Santa Cruz.

Evergreen Cemetery is one of the oldest public cemeteries in California. The 45-minute tour uncovers the stories and tombstones of the people who made Santa Cruz what it is today.

Upon arrival, find the MAH table near the iconic Evergreen Arch. We will give you the printed map and guide with a brief introduction to Evergreen. Following the welcome, you are then free to follow the scavenger hunt like map and travel back in time uncovering the stories buried across the grounds. Go at your own pace and begin your adventure.

Self-guided group tour $5, private group tour $40. MAH museum members get a discount and tickets at EventBrite. com sell out fast.

The private guided tour is led by a MAH staffer at 6 p.m. Thursdays and available to two households per night. ••• October 22-23 / 26-30

19th Annual Scotts Valley High Haunted House

This walk-though haunted experience is presented by students at Scotts Valley High School to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It’s recommended for children 10 and up plus adults. The 2021 theme is: Camp Schmetterling. Tickets are $10 and are sold at the gate of the school, 555 Glenwood Drive, Scotts Valley — they are not sold in advance. Get inline early!

There could be wait of more than an hour to buy tickets. Questions can be emailed in advance to https://svhaunt. org/public/contact.html to be answered. ••• October 23

Creepy Carnival at Laurel Park

Mask-making and a child-friendly Big Top Performance in Laurel Park in Santa Cruz. Free entry, 12-4 p.m. Big Top Performance at 2 p.m. FREE

Scarier version of Big Top show, not recommended for kids under 12, from 6-8 p.m., admission $5

••• October 23-24 Glass Pumpkin Patch Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Ave., Santa Cruz

The 2021 Live Oak Glass Pumpkin Patch is on! It takes place one weekend only, outdoors in the heirloom orchard of the Live Oak Grange, with plenty of fresh air and room for social distancing.

Come see the creative ideas that Chris Johnson and the team have come up with this year.

To preview his work, visit www. chrisjohnsonglass.com. Or join the conversation at https://www.facebook.com/ ClayandGlass.

••• October 28 Family Costume Roller Party

The Downtown Association will host a Costume Roller Party on the parking lot roof deck located at the corner of Walnut Ave., Cedar and Church Streets in Santa Cruz.

Bring your own skates, blades, boards and scooters, plus beach chairs for comfort. No admission thanks to local sponsors. ••• October 29

Halloween Horrors Film Competition

Check out films from local Santa Cruz filmmakers in the London Nelson Community Center’s Halloween Horrors Film Competition.

View films in the categories of Original Horror Short and Horror Film Scene Remake at nelsoncenter.com and click on the Halloween Experience link to view entries and vote for your favorites. ••• October 29

Haunted Halloween at Cabrillo College

12:30 p.m., Samper Recital Hall

Be prepared for a spooky time in the Samper Recital Hall as all areas of the music department join forces to present our annual Haunted Halloween show.

Costumes recommended! Visit www. cabrillo.edu/vapa/2021-10-29-hauntedhalloween/ for more information. ••• October 29

Spookacular at the YMCA

5:30-8 p.m., Watsonville YMCA 27 Sudden St, Watsonville

All locations of the Central Coast YMCA will offer chills and thrills during the Halloween season with its Spooktacular 2021 this October, including the Watsonville YMCA the Friday before Halloween.