July 2019

Terry Ballantyne

- Terry Ballantyne

The Great Liberation at 60 !

July 27, 2019I never thought I would embrace my 60s. I had a thumping libido, I was a competitor in yoga classes, I never shrunk from a challenge: physical or mental. I started a catering business at almost 40 and worked, after my day job, in a dark kitchen standing on concrete floors from 3:30PM to 3:30AM. It was wonderful. I shared the commercial kitchen with some sweet guys who made empanadas on the same shift and the rich, savory smell of roast pork and crusty dough...

About the shift in the market both in Santa Cruz and on the Silicon Valley side of the hill

July 25, 2019Returning to our conversation...about the shift in the market both in Santa Cruz and on the Silicon Valley side of the hill. And why what’s happening over “there” is usually a good indicator of how the market “here” will trend in the future. For better or worse, the two areas are intimate- ly connected when it comes to the three things people say are their biggest concerns: housing, jobs, traffic. The order of importance may vary, depending on who you talk to, but the rela-...

The changing market and how real estate agents and sellers are scrambling to adjust on the fly

July 20, 2019Continuing the conversation...talking about the changing market and how real estate agents and sellers are scrambling to adjust on the fly. As the evidence mounts (more listings, more price reductions, fewer overall sales) it’s starting to feel like less of a seasonal lull and more like a larger shift in the balance between buyers and sellers. If that’s true, it’s a shift that’s at least a year overdue. This has been the longest uninterrupted seller’s market anyone can remember. A wild ride. But no cycle,...