This charming coastal retreat offers sweeping Monterey Bay views from the kitchen, living room, and all 4 bedrooms. Located securely behind the gate in the Rio Surf & Sands community, the setting is unmatched. The great room showcases open-beam ceilings and a wall of glass that opens to the deck for effortless indoor/outdoor living. Kitchen, living, and dining flow together for easy entertaining and everyday comfort, and the floor plan provides excellent separation of space across three levels.
Approximately 2,000 sq ft of living space plus a rare 3-car garage means plenty of parking and room for boards, bikes and beach gear. Positioned along the hillside across from the sand, the property, per seller, sustained no notable damage during the storm surges of the last two winters.
From here you are minutes to Seacliff State Beach, Seascape Golf Course, and world-class hiking and mountain biking in The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park. Close to surf breaks, coffee, shopping, and dining - this isnt just a beach house - it is a launchpad for your Aptos lifestyle. Enjoyed by this family for over 30 years and surrounded by exquisite custom homes, the value and upside potential at this Beach Drive address are exceptional.
For more than 25 years, I’ve had the privilege of helping Santa Cruz County families navigate some of life’s biggest transitions — estate sales, long-held homes, downsizing decisions, and complex transactions that require steady leadership and thoughtful strategy.
Being a Realtor means wearing many hats. I serve as consultant, strategist, project manager, negotiator, and steady guide. From preparing properties for maximum return, to coordinating contractors and staging, to managing disclosures and negotiations, I do what needs to be done to protect my clients and simplify the process.
I am especially known for helping trustees and families manage estate and trust sales, guiding homeowners who have lived in their properties for a generation or more, and supporting clients through major life transitions with clarity and care. My approach is structured, financially focused, hands-on, and always grounded in compassion.
Clients often tell me they feel secure knowing I’m at the helm. Many return to me again and again, and I’m honored to be the “family Realtor” serving multiple generations over the years.
I strive to serve with integrity, diligence, objectivity, compassion, and a sense of humor. For me, real estate has never been just about property. It’s about protecting what matters most and guiding people wisely through important decisions.
~ Top Producing Agent with David Lyng Real Estate for over 25 years ~
For more than 25 years, I’ve had the privilege of helping Santa Cruz County families navigate some of life’s biggest transitions — estate sales, long-held homes, downsizing decisions, and complex transactions that require steady leadership and thoughtful strategy.
Being a Realtor means wearing many hats. I serve as consultant, strategist, project manager, negotiator, and steady guide. From preparing properties for maximum return, to coordinating contractors and staging, to managing disclosures and negotiations, I do what needs to be done to protect my clients and simplify the process.
I am especially known for helping trustees and families manage estate and trust sales, guiding homeowners who have lived in their properties for a generation or more, and supporting clients through major life transitions with clarity and care. My approach is structured, financially focused, hands-on, and always grounded in compassion.
Clients often tell me they feel secure knowing I’m at the helm. Many return to me again and again, and I’m honored to be the “family Realtor” serving multiple generations over the years.
I strive to serve with integrity, diligence, objectivity, compassion, and a sense of humor. For me, real estate has never been just about property. It’s about protecting what matters most and guiding people wisely through important decisions.
~ Top Producing Agent with David Lyng Real Estate for over 25 years ~
Samantha Olden
Realtor, Seniors Real Estate Specialist, Certified Probate and Trust Specialist,
David Lyng Real Estate
Best.Real.Estate.Agent.Ever. When it was time for us to sell the house we had lived in for 25 years, Samantha did an absolutely superb job of guiding us through the process, every step of the way. Right from the first and throughout, Sam was a great listener, hearing us out on our perspectives, hopes, and concerns, and together we worked out a plan for taking our house to market, with the right preparation and the right price. She helped us decide what work needed to be done, what would be essential to help the house sell, and what would not be worth the time and expense. Her vast experience in this market was extremely useful. She has invaluable contacts with all the trades -- reliable and timely people who do great work at a great price. She project managed them all: scheduling and overseeing the painting, carpeting, refinishing floors, landscaping, hauling, and staging. Not a minute or penny wasted, it all happened like clockwork. She even suggested we arrange for an inspection report ourselves, just to give prospective buyers a head start towards confidence in bidding for the house. Within 10 days of our house being listed, we had offers over asking in hand. The whole process was a breeze from beginning to close, thanks to Sam. And she is a delight to work with to boot. What more could you ask for in a realtor? Sam’s the best.
-Grant G., Santa Cruz, CA
Samantha has helped me with 5 real estate transactions. Each time Samantha was very knowledgable, professional and I had complete faith in her abilities. I would highly recommend her to anyone who is looking to buy or sell a home, especially if you are using a VA home loan. Samantha has a large network of professional contacts (agents, photographers, contractors, inspectors, mortgage lenders, and escrow agents) that made all of our home purchases or sales go smoothly. Even during the pre listing or post purchase times if anything came up Samantha was very attentive and helpful.
-Chris V., Scotts Valley, CA
Once you experience Ms. Olden you will never use another realtor again. I have been buying and selling property in Santa Cruz for 30+ years and had no idea it could be like this. This was the most comfortable and enjoyable real estate transaction I have ever experienced which is remarkable during these unprecedented times not to mention my own stressful issues with the sale of this property. It was a very old home that I thought would be a difficult sell but Ms. Olden sold it inside of 10 days and I was as relaxed as can be. She treated me and my tenants with respect and great care and even won over an adverse neighbor. Her expertise and knowledge are admirable. I learned many new things and felt comfortable asking her anything I didn't understand. She is exceptionally responsive, really cares about her clients, keeps you updated each step of the way and does exactly as she says she will do. She is hands-down top shelf quality and I feel lucky to have met her and plan to use her solely for future transactions. Thank you Sam for being so good to me, turning my old home into a showplace and getting top dollar! You are truly an exceptional human being and I have so much respect for your work ethic and diligence.
-Antoinette M., Santa Cruz, CA
For my house sale in San Jose, we faced a combination of challenges: the pandemic, tenants renting the home who did a significant level of damage, and an unpredictable market. Sam was instrumental in helping us motivate the tenants to move out quickly and ensuring the house was not just ready for viewings, but beautifully staged. We had a foundation issue which could have been a deal-breaker, but Sam strategized with us to provide a high level of disclosure to prospective buyers. The result? An amazing offer within a week of listing: well over the sale price, all cash, and no contingencies. Sam also helped us find our new home in Scotts Valley and we were able to move just in time for the holidays. Sam has been a bright light of positivity in a tough year.
-Laurie T., Scotts Valley, CA
Samantha was extraordinary in selling my home. From utilizing her network to bring offers to the table in an extreme difficult park to sell in being limited to cash buyers primarily. She was tremendous in staging the home and went above and beyond in managing the unit throughout the selling process, including the effort she personally put in to prep the home to show. She was the perfect fit and successfully moved my unit in an environment where not many were moving. She carried herself professionally, represented the utmost integrity and character as my agent. I wouldn't hesitate recommending her to any potential seller or buyer. She was a complete joy to work with.
-John B., Soquel, CA
She is great, very helpful, and knows her stuff. I have sold and purchased 2 homes already with Samantha and she will be working on my 3rd. When I have questions about selling or buying any home, even though she is currently not working with me she picks up the phone and answers all my questions and concerns with no problem. She worked with me on her anniversary weekend to stage my house for an upcoming open house. I couldn't thank her enough - she went above and beyond the call of duty. Also when she arrived at my house to help stage, she had already went to Home Depot and purchased flowers and plants for staging indoors and outdoors. She began to work right along with me staging the house for resale with the new plants and flowers she had just purchased. I had mail delivered to my old address and she picked it up and delivered it to me with me without hesitation or even asking for me to go get it. Good people are hard to come by but she fits the mold for sure. Great person, great energy and an even better real estate professional.
-Will B., Santa Cruz, CA
I recently had a family member pass away. I was left as trustee of property that had been in the family for 50+ years. I didn’t know where to begin. Upon meeting Samantha. I was impressed with her professionalism and knowledge about Real Estate and her devotion to her clients. Samantha’s honesty and integrity are unmatched. She explained everything in a way that was easy to understand. From listing to closing, Sam was always available to answer any questions and gave great advice when preparing the house for sale to maximize profit. She has a great network of professionals to call on if needed. She brought in 9 offers and we sold for close to $100K over list price!
-Judy M., Watsonville, CA
I cannot word a stronger recommendation for Sam. I have worked with her both when buying a home and now selling one.
I would wholeheartedly, and without reservation, send my closest friends to her to help with any real estate need. She s honest, easy to work with, has a wealth of contacts, and does right by everyone involved in the transaction.
-Wolf N., Felton, CA
Samantha was amazing. After losing my mother it was excrutiating to sell her home and move her things. Samantha made this so easy and went above and beyond to help me to donate to those in need. She was a blessing in a dark time, she also got me top dollar for my mother's home. She's wonderful!
-Deanna J., Scotts Valley CA
My husband and I purchased our first house with Samantha Olden's help in 2016. The home-buying process is inherently frustrating and overwhelming at times, but Sam supported and guided us through the whole way making it much more manageable and enjoyable. To this day Sam is a resource that I feel I can call upon at any time. She was spot on with pricing and always saved us money and time whenever possible. She truly listened to us which is a rare quality and went to bat for us whenever we needed! I have recommended her to friends, family and clients and will continue to do so without hesitation.
-Laura M., Prunedale, CA
Finding an affordable home in Santa Cruz County is extremely difficult, if not impossible. On top of that, we were picky and sensitive, having not been treated well by the housing market after it tanked on us soon after we purchased our first starter home.
Samantha listened to us, and she empathized. Then she jumped through one fiery hoop after the next (too many to count!) to find us our "dream home in the redwood forest." Coming from out of the area, we didn't even appreciate at the time many of the amenities that made our house ideal. Samantha did, and she really took care of us.
Samantha made our move to Santa Cruz possible, and in so doing, she improved the quality of life for family in innumerable ways, both big and small.
There is no other agent who was willing or able to go "above and beyond" in all the ways that were necessary for us to relocate to Santa Cruz. For Samantha, it isn't just about selling houses and making commissions. She truly cares about her clients.
-Jenni G., Felton CA
Sam did a wonderful job with the sale of our home! She gave us good advice about what to fix up and how to create inviting spaces for potential sellers to experience. She handled all of the crazy scheduling involved with the current pandemic rules and regulations. She also gave us good advice on what price to list at and we got the price we wanted. Sam has been a valuable resource for us and for our family for many years. We wouldn't go anywhere else for our real estate needs!
-Dan M., Prunedale, CA
Samantha is without a doubt the best of the best in her field. She held my hand through the rollercoaster ride of finding our home. We had so many factors to navigate through, from loan approvals lagging, to our budget restrictions, all on the deadline of moving in before school started. She was always available to answer questions or speak to our loan company when time was of the essence. She took the time to explain everything which was extremely helpful as this was all very new and terrifying for me. She also took the time to check in and make sure I felt good and wasn't too overwhelmed or stressed out which meant the world to me. She was able to show us every home we wanted to see within a few hours of us asking her. She also was very honest and helped us to find the home that was the right fit for our family, not the home that would have made her the most money, which is something that stood out for me as a sign of her good character and trustworthiness. My husband and I are so grateful we found Samantha.
-Kindred S., Santa Cruz, CA
I can't even begin to praise Sam enough. We have worked with her for more than two years, and put in a couple offers before we found our new home. Her level of professionalism and knowledge of the market never wavered. Even when we decided to "stop looking", she'd respond immediately to emails, texts and questions that would come up. Once we put in our last offer, she worked tirelessly to seal the deal. We had quite an unfortunate experience with the underwriters on the loan, and she went the extra mile (and more) to ensure our loan was closed on time, and that we were able to move in when we needed to. If it was not for Sam, we would have been postponed moving by an entire week - costing us thousands of dollars and being exceptionally inconvenienced. I recommend Sam to anyone looking for a home, especially in the Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay area. She is a smart, respectful, honest, and kind person to know and work with!
-Jo P., Aptos, CA
Samantha is an excellent agent. Extremely organized, knowledgeable in all the Covid restrictions relative to a real estate transaction. Arranged everything necessary to get the property on the market as quickly as possible. Terrific in communicating about showings and assuring no conflicts arose. Assisted the buyers in navigating approval to purchase the property when their agent either lacked the skills or interest in facilitating the sale.
-Karen J., Soquel, CA
Wow! I have bought and sold several homes over the years. Samantha by far has been the best agent I have ever worked with. Integrity and trust. She knows what she is doing! Timely communications, no surprises! Responded immediately to address any concerns we had. Would not hesitate to recommend her.
-Patricia S., Santa Cruz, CA
Samantha is a remarkable realtor. She has a vast amount of knowledge both in real property and manufactured homes. She has great negotiation skills and is a class act. Samantha is very efficient, prompt, and kept everything organized during our busy transaction, including inspection dates, contracts, estimated statements, lender requirements and juggling multiple deadlines. I like that she remembers the little things too, like bringing snacks, water, and even an icepack when I was having knee problems. I will definitely being using Samantha again. She is hands down, the best!
-Kym L., Santa Cruz, CA
Samantha goes way above and beyond. She was patient with my repeat questions, gives clear advice, and knows how to negotiate without burning bridges. She is just a fantastic agent who has an exceptional ability to assess a client's needs, even if they are not articulating well what they are. I cannot recommend her highly enough.
-Chris C., Felton CA
I have had the pleasure of working with Samantha Olden for numerous real estate purchases andsales, and I cannot recommend her highly enough. Samantha’s strategic marketing approach and keeneye for detail resulted in smooth transactions and excellent outcomes. She is highly organized, proactive, and responsive - qualities that are essential when dealing with estate sales, which often involve multiple stakeholders and emotional circumstances. Her compassionate demeanor combined with her sharp negotiation skills make her an exceptional advocate for her clients. Samantha consistently demonstrated integrity, transparency, and a genuine commitment to achieving the best possible results. If you are looking for a seasoned real estate professional who truly understands estate properties and brings both expertise and heart to her work, Samantha Olden is the agent you want by your side.
-Laurel S., Aptos CA
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617 Beach Drive
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