Did You Know May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii? by Michelle Carr Crowe, Silicon Valley real estate agent While May Day  (the first of May) is celebrated with flowers, fresh air and dancing around the maypole in Germany and other countries, in Hawaii, May Day is Lei Day. Lei Day celebrates native Hawaiian and Pacific Island culture, particularly with colorful flower leis.   The idea for a Lei Day was reportedly Invented by poet and local newspaper columnist Eric Kosciuszko in the 1920s. The first official Lei Day was proposed in 1927 in Honolulu by poet and artist Don Blanding. Since the first Lei Day, the May first celebration has grown in popularity throughout the islands of Hawaii. Of course, there is a traditional holiday song for Lei Day. Leonard "Red" and Ruth Hawk composed "May Day Is ... 05/01/2014

Monta Vista High School in Cupertino #13 in CA-US News & World Report by Diamond-Certified Cupertino REALTOR® Michelle Carr Crowe  Monta Vista High School in Cupertino, Calif. ranks #13 in the state according to the newest U.S. News & World Report of Top High Schools. Nationwide, the Silicon Valley school ranked #97, putting it in the Top #100. Residents of Cupertino, Saratoga and Los Altos attend the nationally-recognized high school. Monta Vista High School is a much-desired educational commodity for parents seeking an exceptional public school curriculum that prepares students well for many of the top colleges in the U.S., including Stanford, Harvard and MIT. Not surprisingly, the high demand for Monta Vista High School has greatly contributed to the increasing home values in Los Alt... 04/27/2014

Cupertino Homes for Sale | March 2014 Cupertino CA Market ReportCupertino ranked the 11th richest city among cities with a population over 50,000; ranked one of the most educated small towns by Forbes with top rated schools; and ranked #27 in Money’s 2012 Best Places to Live. Cupertino is home to De Anza College and Memorial Park. In addition to being a great place to live, you will find plenty of restaurants and shopping.     Cupertino Homes market snapshot for the month of March 2014  Active Listings: 18 = 18.2% decrease from February which had 22 listings Active Bank-Owned Homes: Zero and zero in February Active Short Sales: 0 = 100.0% decrease from February with 2 short sales Median Price: $1,555,000 = 9.1% increase from February ($1,425,000) Average Price: $1,595,120 = 9.4% increas... 04/27/2014

  Current Inventory stats for week 17, Cupertino, CA…once again, it's our interpretation of what the market is really doing and where it's heading.       More Real Estate and Less Hype;       0 Single family homes currently listed as bank owned.   0 Single family homes currently listed as short sales.   2 Single family homes are currently overpriced.   87 Is the average days on market of overpriced homes.   55 Single family homes sold in the past 90 days.   26 Single family homes in escrow (0 short sales).   39 Single family homes listed for sale.   17 Total homes in foreclosure.   $1,650,000 Median sale price for single family homes in past 90 days.  04/27/2014

Monta Vista High in Cupertino #97 in U.S. Per U.S. News & World Report by Diamond-Certified Cupertino REALTOR® Michelle Carr Crowe  Monta Vista High School in Cupertino, Calif. Ranks #97 nationwide according to the newest U.S. News & World Report of Top High Schools. Statewide, Cupertino-based Monta Vista High ranked #13 in California.  Residents of Cupertino, Saratoga and Los Altos, Calif. attend the nationally-recognized high school. MontaVistaHigh School is considered an “education destination” for parents seeking a challenging public school curriculum that prepares students well for many of the top colleges in the U.S., including Stanford, MIT and Harvard. Other Silicon Valley and CupertinoSchools also ranked high on the influential U.S. News & World Report of Top High Schools.  In ... 04/27/2014

12 World-Changing Events That Happened in History on April 22 By Cupertino Homes REALTOR® Michelle Carr Crowe What do “In God We Trust, Earth Day and Tsinghua University have in common? All 3 share an important anniversary today, April 22, 2013. If you’ve read my blog, you know I enjoy learning new facts and interesting pieces of history. These 12 events for today’s blog post are primarily from History Orb and Wikipedia.   While these interesting items are intriguing, they have nothing to do with the real estate business, helping families buy and sell Silicon Valley homes in Santa Clara, Cupertinol and San Jose, Calif. They just add fun and fascination to life.  I hope you find them interesting, too. Anniversaries of Historical Events on April 22nd   1.    1864 – The U.S. Congress passe... 04/22/2014

What Did You Do to Celebrate Earth Day April 22, 2014 Silicon Valley? by Cupertino real estate agent Michelle Carr-Crowe I sometimes have big intentions on how to celebrate Earth Day-but find it hard to fulfill them as work life gets in the way. Things like "plant a garden" takes a back seat to negotiating offers on my home for sale at 1211 Johnson Av in San Jose with Cupertino Schools. However, my lovely daughter Monique DID plant some sage and flowers, so at least someone in the family planted a garden in Cupertino for Earth Day. Thanks for reading about "What Did You Do to Celebrate Earth Day April 22, 2014 Silicon Valley?" 04/22/2014

Current Inventory stats for week 16, Cupertino, CA…once again, it's our interpretation of what the market is really doing and where it's heading.   More Real Estate and Less Hype;   0 Single family homes currently listed as bank owned. 0 Single family homes currently listed as short sales. 1 Single family homes are currently overpriced. 100 Is the average days on market of overpriced homes. 50 Single family homes sold in the past 90 days. 27 Single family homes in escrow (0 short sales). 41 Single family homes listed for sale. 17 Total homes in foreclosure. $1,621,500 Median sale price for single family homes in past 90 days.  04/17/2014

FREE PRDS Supplemental Disclosure Class  Monday, 4/14, 1:30 pm-3:30 pm by Guy Berry by Michelle Carr Crowe, Cupertino real estate agent     Do you know how to correctly complete and read the PRDS Supplemental Disclosure used by many Silicon Valley real estate agents? One of the key forms produced through the efforts of the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS(R), properly completing the PRDS Supplemental Disclosure is important for buyers, sellers and real estate agents. On Monday, April 14, 2014, real estate trainer and contract law expert Guy Berry teaches agents how to correctly complete and read the PRDS Supplemental Disclosure at Keller Williams Cupertino. KW Cupertino is located at 19400 Stevens Creek, Suite #200 (upstairs), Cupertino, Calif. The class is free to all licensed r... 04/13/2014

  Current Inventory stats for week 15, Cupertino, CA…once again, it's our interpretation of what the market is really doing and where it's heading.    More Real Estate and Less Hype;     0 Single family homes currently listed as bank owned. 0 Single family homes currently listed as short sales. 1 Single family homes are currently overpriced. 96 Is the average days on market of overpriced homes. 45 Single family homes sold in the past 90 days. 33 Single family homes in escrow (0 short sales). 45 Single family homes listed for sale. 18 Total homes in foreclosure. $1,618,000 Median sale price for single family homes in past 90 days.    04/13/2014

67 Total Townhomes, Condos, Homes for Sale in Cupertino, CA 04.06.14 by Michelle Carr Crowe Total homes for sale in the Cupertino Schools neighborhood including SFH, TH, Condos & multi-family units is now 67 Cupertino Schools Homes for Sale, up from last week’s 55 Cupertino homes for sale.   Total San Jose Lynbrook High Homes for Sale is at a high of 6 homes! 3 are single-family, 2 are townhomes and 1 is a condo.         04/06/2014

 "How Can I Find Out If A Silicon Valley Home's Lot Size      is Correct?"      by Cupertino REALTOR® Michelle Carr-Crowe   Buying a home in Santa Clara County is a big decision, especially in the dynamic micro-markets with the most desirable school districts, such as Monta Vista and Lynbrook in Cupertino and Gunn and Palo Alto High in Palo Alto, Calif. When the lot size on paper "just doesn't look right" in person, it can complicate the decision. So how can a buyer "find out if a Silicon Valley home's lot size is correct" before making an offer?   First, ask the listing agent what the lot size is if it isn't already noted on the multiple listing service or in the home's marketing flyer. Second, ask the listing agent where he or she obtained the information.  Sources could include the ... 04/06/2014

Current Inventory stats for week 14, Cupertino, CA…once again, it's our interpretation of what the market is really doing and where it's heading.   More Real Estate and Less Hype;   0 Single family homes currently listed as bank owned. 0 Single family homes currently listed as short sales. 1 Single family homes are currently overpriced. 89 Is the average days on market of overpriced homes. 45 Single family homes sold in the past 90 days. 27 Single family homes in escrow (0 short sales). 45 Single family homes listed for sale. 16 Total homes in foreclosure. $1,618,000 Median sale price for single family homes in past 90 days.     04/06/2014

Cupertino Homes for Sale | February 2014 Cupertino CA Market ReportCupertino ranked the 11th richest city among cities with a population over 50,000; ranked one of the most educated small towns by Forbes with top rated schools; and ranked #27 in Money’s 2012 Best Places to Live. Cupertino is home to De Anza College and Memorial Park. In addition to being a great place to live, you will find plenty of restaurants and shopping.     Cupertino Homes market snapshot for the month of February 2014  Active Listings: 18 = 38.5% increase from January which had 13 listings Active Bank-Owned Homes: Zero and zero in January Active Short Sales: 0 = 100.0% decrease from January with 1 short sale Median Price: $1,425,000 = 25.6% increase from January ($1,135,000) Average Price: $1,458,450 = 12.9% incr... 04/01/2014

Only 1 Short Sale Home for Sale in Cupertino Schools March 30, 2014 by Cupertino real estate agent Michelle Carr-Crowe The total number of short sale, foreclosure and distressed sales in the Cupertino Schools area dropped by 50 percent, down from 2 to only 1 short sale home for sale. The "Cupertino Schools" area includes parts of San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Los Altos, Saratoga and all of Cupertino, Calif. The one short sale home for sale is at 835 San Pier in Sunnyvale, Calif.   835 SAN PIER COURT $825,000 341 5 2|1 2,348 6,600 Sunnyvale 58 03/30/2014

55 Cupertino Schools Homes for Sale in San Jose, Silicon Valley by Michelle Carr-Crowe, Cupertino real estate agent Home sales within the "Cupertino Schools" area remain strong. Last week's 81 homes for sale dropped to a total of 55 Cupertino Schools homes for sale this week. The "Cupertino Schools" area in Silicon Valley, Calif. include parts of West San Jose, Saratoga, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara and Los Altos, as well as the entire city of Cupertino. Thanks for reading about "55 Cupertino Schools Homes for Sale in San Jose, Silicon Valley". 03/30/2014

Current Inventory stats for week 13, Cupertino, CA…once again, it's our interpretation of what the market is really doing and where it's heading.   More Real Estate and Less Hype;     0 Single family homes currently listed as bank owned. 0 Single family homes currently listed as short sales. 1 Single family homes are currently overpriced. 82 Is the average days on market of overpriced homes. 38 Single family homes sold in the past 90 days. 29 Single family homes in escrow (0 short sales). 46 Single family homes listed for sale. 15 Total homes in foreclosure. $1,551,250 Median sale price for single family homes in past 90 days.  03/30/2014

VA Mortgage Loans in Cupertino California and 100% VA Loans - the best loan program in the country! VA Mortgage Loans are one of the best mortgage loan programs available today for both honorably discharged Vets and active duty military personnel. Here are some of the great features of this fantastic program: - Up to 100% financing, with no down required. - No monthly mortgage insurance added to your payment. - More lenient credit qualifying standards than other types of mortgage loans. - Low rates compared to other loan programs.   So how do you qualify for a VA Mortgage Loan in Cupertino California? The first step is to verify your eligibility. Eligibility is verified by ordering your Certificate of Eligibility or COE. You can work with an approved Cupertino California VA mortgage loa... 03/28/2014

10 Condos, Townhomes, Single-Family Cupertino Schools Homes for Sale by Michelle Carr-Crowe, Cupertino real estate agent There are ten new Condos, Townhomes and Single-Family for sale within the Cupertino Schools area, including Los Altos, Saratoga, Sunnyvale, West San Jose, Saratoga and Cupertino, as of March 26, 2014. For more details or a personal showing of these or any Silicon Valley homes for sale with Top Cupertino Schools, Just Call 408-252-8900.   MLS # Address Price DOM BR BA SqFt Lot Size City Age  81409654  1036 FIG AVENUE $1,149,000   0  3 1|0 1,066 11,220 Sunnyvale 60 81409656  380 AUBURN WAY,#1 $380,000  0 2 1|0 924 924 San Jose 44 81409672  795 NORTH FAIR OAKS,#5 $460,000  0 2 1|0 926 960 Sunnyvale 42 81409683 46 WOODS LANE $1,099,000  0 3 2|0 1,518 1,742 Los Altos 41 81... 03/26/2014

How To Search for Cupertino, Calif. Homes for Sale Long Distance By Cupertino REALTOR® Michelle Carr-Crowe “How can I search for Cupertino, Calif. homes for sale long distance?” a relocating home buyer recently asked. This homebuyer is looking to research homes long-distance, then plans to visit here to preview and purchase a home within the Cupertino Schools area.   After performing a telephone consultation and researching the market segment this home buyer is interested in and can afford, an automatic search was set up to alert the home buyer whenever any home in their criteria came on the market, went under contract or came back to the market. It's an easy way to start researching the market, especially as Cupertino homes frequently are under contract within less than 10 days. Search... 03/23/2014