Redwoods, creek canyons and cabins above the fog line — the most affordable ground we cover, and the most conditional.
- 226for sale now
- $675,000median asking price
- $3,500 – $6.5mfull range
- 101land or no bedrooms listed
Live from the MLS feed, excluding rentals. See every Santa Cruz Mountains listing.
What it is
The Santa Cruz Mountains rise between the bay and Silicon Valley, and the San Lorenzo Valley runs up through the middle of them. Felton, Ben Lomond, Brookdale and Boulder Creek follow the river north in order, each smaller than the last. Scotts Valley, over on the Highway 17 side, is the exception — suburban, sunnier, and priced accordingly.
These are redwood forests, not scrub hills. Roads wind, phone signal comes and goes, and neighbours are a matter of yards or of miles depending on where you land. There is a serious wine region up here too, the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation, scattered across ridge-top vineyards.
The housing stock
Cabins, A-frames, self-built houses, the occasional substantial property on acreage, and a great deal of raw land — close to half of what is listed at any time has no house on it. The median here is a fraction of the coastal areas, and that is the whole attraction.
What to know before you buy — read this part
This is the area where the diligence genuinely matters, and we would rather tell you now than after an offer.
- Fire insurance is the first call, not the last. Much of this area is in a high fire-hazard severity zone. Some carriers will not write at all, and the California FAIR Plan is the fallback. A house you can afford may come with a premium you cannot — find out before you are in contract.
- Water is usually a well, and wells vary from excellent to seasonal. Test yield and quality.
- Septic systems are the norm. A failed system is a five-figure problem.
- Access roads are frequently private and shared, with maintenance agreements of varying enforceability. Read them.
- Unpermitted work is common. Decks, additions and converted outbuildings frequently lack permits in this area. It is not necessarily a deal-breaker, but it must be known.
- Winter storms take out power and roads. Generators and a full larder are normal equipment, not eccentricity.