In response to growing complaints from local residents, Santa Cruz County Planning Department are getting together next week to devise a new set of regulations for owners of vacation rentals located between Santa Cruz Harbor and Pleasure Point.

Santa Cruz residents love a good party, and every year the whole county celebrates with a busy calendar of festivals and gatherings. Bookmark this event list so you won't miss any of the fun.

Other factors contributing to this trend include average household size which, according to the Census Bureau has dropped from 3.5 children in 1960 to 2.1 in 2006. An aging overall population is also a factor as retiring baby boomers are seeking homes that are easy to maintain and have no stairs. The migration of households from suburban to urban areas, where lots are smaller, is also responsible for the downsizing mindset.

Nationally, newly built single-family homes saw sales numbers spike 14.8% in April and 29.8% in March; resulting in an increase of 47.8% over 2009 figures. With total units sold reaching 504,000, almost 80,000 more than analysts had predicted, many are left speculating the cause of this sudden burst in activity.

One cannot overstate the undeniable misery that comes with losing a home to foreclosure. The sacrifices and the stressful decisions one must make, will weigh heavily on those who find themselves in the unenviable position of having to say goodbye to their dream home.

Whether lower-priced green housing is sold on the basis of cost-savings through energy efficiency, or higher-end greener properties favored due to political ethics, the importance of green homes in the market place should not be understated. In fact, a recent article on the Property Wire website revealed that greener homes in some US markets were outselling conventional real estate.

Having already been forced to drop a previous online property site launched in 2007, due to legislation that governs British real estate, Tesco is now expecting a softening of the legislation by the Office of Fair Trading, that will allow it go ahead. And, if rumors are to be believed, Google UK will shortly be following suit with a property search service, too.

During the quake, and the subsequent aftershocks, everyone must go to a safe zone. Safe zones in the home can be found next to interior walls, under sturdy furniture, and in doorways. Practice drills need to be conducted with the entire family so everyone is familiar with the locations of the safe zones. A meeting place should also be determined in case the family becomes separated.

There is also the social stigma of living in a home that was once used for illegal activities. Neighbors might have a bad association with the property and criminal activity may surround the home if people still believe it is a 'drug house'. Also consider the psychological impact; similar to living in a 'haunted house'.

While the technology to construct earthquake-resistant buildings has existed for many years, tsunami-proof housing is very much in its infancy. Evacuation to higher, safer, ground is pretty much the best option, but if your home is hit by a significant wave, the amount of damage that it could cause could be astronomical.