Rent to own Homes in Santa Cruz, CA
Waterfront property aplenty. Santa Cruz is on the Monterey Bay and provides beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean. You can have a home with this fantastic view if you choose property in the southern neighborhoods, such as Southern Live Oak or West-Cliff.
Santa Cruz, CA is a great place for affordable rent-to-own homes! With a median household income of over $86,618 and a median rent of $2,038, the Santa Cruz, CA rent-to-own market is more affordable than the traditional housing market which has shown tremendous growth across the U.S. and with it, aggressive competition for home purchases. With the current housing shortage trend it can make it harder to become a homeowner, including in Santa Cruz, CA. This means higher than average down payments for homes and higher qualification standards for conventional home loans. With a rent-to-own property, tenants are also buyers. You can live in the house for a set amount of time before you purchase it, meaning that you get to know the house, your neighbors, and your community before making the final purchase. This enables you and your family to make the right choice based on both information and experience. Rent-to-own is also a great alternative way to get into a home if you have bad credit or don't have enough saved for a down payment.
More Santa Cruz, CA Property Resources
Rent to own Homes in Cities Near Santa Cruz, CA
- Alum Rock
- Amesti
- Ben Lomond
- Boulder Creek
- Brookdale
- Cambrian Park
- Campbell
- Capitola
- Corralitos
- Cupertino
- Day Valley
- East Foothills
- Felton
- Freedom
- Fremont
- Gilroy
- Interlaken
- La Selva Beach
- Lexington Hills
- Lompico
- Los Altos
- Los Altos Hills
- Los Gatos
- Loyola
- Milpitas
- Monte Sereno
- Morgan Hill
- Mountain View
- Mount Hamilton
- Mount Hermon
- Newark
- Pajaro
- Palo Alto
- Paradise Park
- Pasatiempo
- Pleasure Point
- Rio del Mar
- San Jose
- San Martin
- Santa Clara
- Santa Cruz
- Saratoga
- Scotts Valley
- Seacliff
- Soquel
- Sunnyvale
- Sunol
- Twin Lakes
- Watsonville
- Zayante
Neighborhoods in Santa Cruz, CA
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk rent to own homes Beach HIll rent to own homes Downtown Santa Cruz rent to own homesPopular Zip Codes in Santa Cruz, CA
95063 rent to own homes 95061 rent to own homes 95064 rent to own homesBuying a Home in Santa Cruz, CA
Santa Cruz, CA is seeing rapid growth and Santa Cruz, CA's' housing market remains not optimal with an average home price that is 312% above the 2024 national average. Santa Cruz, CA is part of Santa Cruz county and taxes are an important factor to consider when purchasing a home whether through rent to own or a traditional purchase. The average tax rate as of 2024 for county Santa Cruz is 0.56% which is below the national average, which is 0.99%.
Median Home Price in Santa Cruz, CA
Median Rent in Santa Cruz, CA
14 Reasons to Live in Santa Cruz, CA
You'll have plenty of local attractions to visit. Just a few attractions that you will be sure to put on your to-do list are West Cliff Drive, Natural Bridges State Park, Santa Cruz Harbor, Santa Cruz Adobe Mission, Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History, Branciforte Adobe, Lighthouse Field State Park and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
There is always a good time to be had. Santa Cruz has dozens of local events that will keep you busy when you're not visiting the local attractions. Taste some of the city's best at the Clam Chowder Festival, check out local artists at First Fridays Art Tours, chow down on fungi at the Mushroom Festival or feel literary with Shakespeare Santa Cruz.
Competitions for the athletic types. If you consider yourself an athlete (or just like to watch sports), then Santa Cruz has got you covered. There is the annual O'Neil Cold Water Classic Surf Contest and Wharf to Wharf 10K Race to keep you entertained.
A bustling downtown area. The downtown area of Santa Cruz isn't dead. In fact, it is busier than ever. It's the home of charming shops, the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, community centers, hotels, bed and breakfasts, the Santa Cruz Warriors basketball arena and the wharf.
You'll have a better home value. The home values in Santa Cruz are much higher than state average. Almost double, in fact. The average home value in Santa Cruz is $603,247, while the average home value in California as a whole is only $355,600. Look for homes for sale or rent-to-own houses in Arana Gulch or Beach Flats.
Affordable rent. If you choose to rent to own a home you will be pleased to hear that the average rent amount is around $1,369 per month. Take a look at The Circles and Walnut neighborhoods for great deals.
Beautiful architecture. Looking for a home that stands out from the norm? Homes in the Santa Cruz area feature Greek and Italianate-style architecture. Many of them were built in the mid- to late-19th century, so they have a rich, historic feel. You're likely to find such homes in the Downtown area and in the nearby River Street neighborhood.
Surf's up! If you are all about big waves and waxed boards, then the Pleasure Point neighborhoods in the West Side district are for you. These neighborhoods are home to some of the world's best areas to surf.
Get away from it all, right at home. If you prefer seclusion, then homes along Glen Canyon Road and Brancifore Drive will be a great place to settle. These homes rest in the foothills among trees and winding roads. You can find everything from spacious rent-to-own homes to cozy cabins here.
A home for artists. Santa Cruz has more artists and creative types than 90% of towns in the United States. Because of this, Santa Cruz's culture is steeped in creativity. There are dozens of museums and galleries in the area, including the Felix Kulpa Gallery and the Krate.
A taste for everyone. There are more than 50 restaurants in the Santa Cruz area and they cover every culinary style you can think of. For example, there is Lillian's Italian Kitchen for Italian, Cafe Brazil for Brazilian fare and Hula's Island Grill for Asian, Hawaiian and seafood.
Mild summers. Hate the heat? Santa Cruz rarely gets warmer than 85 degrees in the summer. Even with mild summers, it still stays relatively warm in the winter, too, with temperatures that stay around 40 degrees.
Sunny days. Santa Cruz has many more sunny days than the rest of the nation. In the summer months, for instance, it usually rains less than an inch, if at all. This means more days to enjoy at the Seabright State Beach or the Santa Cruz Wharf.