How to Buy a California Beach

UPDATE: June, 2019 – This property was sold to a private buyer for a reported sum of $23.8 million according to the Santa Cruz courthouse who directed a mediation on the sale. Land Trust of Santa Cruz County had been trying to purchase the property to keep public access to the beach, but their efforts unfortunately failed. Land Trust will however, continue to try and find a way to build a trail and a staircase to the beach which is public below the mean high tide level.

One of the most attractive sandy beaches on the shores of California just went up for sale. It’s hard to believe that a beach as beautiful as the one pictured above can be “owned” but that is the case. It’s been closed off to the public for about ten years now.

This is not your typical waterfront property so it’s not listed on the standard listing service (MLS). Instead the owners have chosen to list it through Sotheby’s International Realty. They are asking $35,000,000 for it. The 50 acre beachfront property also includes a separate 125 hilly acres inland from Highway 1 making this a sizable ranch all together (176 acres in total).

This large property is about five miles west of Santa Cruz and includes the beach known as Red White and Blue Beach. Years ago this beach was open to the public and visitors simply paid a small fee for access (similar to Martins Beach in Half Moon Bay). Since 2008 the gate has been closed and clearly signed “Keep Out.”

If you have millions burning a whole in your pocket, or if you are just curious like we are, here is a link to a website dedicated to the sale of this property – Coastside Ranch.

beach photos from CoastsideRanch.com