Guest Columnist

As I begin each new year as your County Supervisor, I like to report back in this column on some of the things we’ve accomplished because of your partnership and communication of priorities.

The first owners of Aptos were the King and Queen of Spain. The Catholic Church and the Army administered their holdings.

The average refund received was just shy of $3,000 for the 2015 tax year. While it may be tempting to go out and splurge with that money, think about some alternative ways to put your refund dollars to work.

So this “ask a broker” thing has gotten off to a good start, thank you! The winner was able to see the Warriors beat the Spurs and watched in horror as our superstar and savior Steph Curry got hurt, we need Durant to step up!

Growing concerns over the loss of housing and the commercialization of neighborhoods led the Board of Supervisors to request staff propose a set of new restrictions for vacation rentals. The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a set of guidelines for new restrictions that County...

The oldest baby boomers (those born in the year 1946) began turning age 70.5 in summer of 2016 and have begun taking required minimum distributions (“RMDs”) under IRS guidelines for at least one if not two tax years now (2016 and 2017). The rules surrounding RMDs can be confusing and mistakes can be costly. Below are a few tips to keep in mind when managing your RMDs.

2018 sales volume is flat compared to 2017. 1,668 homes sold in Santa Cruz County at an Average Price of $833,869. In Aptos, 263 homes sold at an Average Price of $1,199,047 and Median Price of $1,003,000; much higher than the county but same as 2017.

There’s a Chinese proverb, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” It makes me think of the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program motto, “Small changes, big differences.” Together, both quotes provide a helpful reminder that in this lifelong journey called “parenting,” the greatest growth and change often comes from taking one small step at a time.

Both Seacliff and the Rio Del Mar developments were severely impacted by the depression which started in 1929, the same year the Rio Del Mar Hotel opened.

My parents are ready to buy a home, but my mother wants to buy the land and build their home. Are there programs that can help buy her land to build her home? Is there a possibility for a first time home buyer to buy land to build or is it easier just to buy a home that is already built?