Where should a first time homebuyer land, Gilroy, Morgan Hill or Hollister?
Husband and wife real estate agents Augie and Calla Bertao answered the question themselves 30 years ago and say their answer still applies for new homebuyers today.
Although they were living in a too-small house in Gilroy, they chose to buy in Hollister because it was more affordable. They planned to return to Gilroy, but never did.
“It comes down to affordability,” says Augie, 53, who married his high school sweetheart and has been in business with her since 1994. “At that time Hollister was probably $30,000 or $40,000 cheaper. Today, it’s probably $80,000 to $120,000. If you can only afford $450,000 to $500,000, you won’t find anything in Gilroy or Morgan Hill, but you can in Hollister. It’s a stepping stone to get your foot in the door. Once you are in, the possibilities open up to either move up to a bigger house or move back where you came from.”
The Bertaos didn’t move back to Gilroy because they fell in love with the community, the schools and the small-town feel of Hollister. They miss the shopping in Gilroy or Morgan Hill, but they are close enough to get to them, or to Monterey. The biggest negative to Hollister, they say, is the traffic, which seems to be getting worse, as housing increases but infrastructure isn’t keeping up.
“A lot of people who live here commute to the Bay Area. They compromise the commute and family time but they are willing to do that to have a place to live and come home to,” says Augie.
