The Palo Alto April 2014 home sales report indicates how quickly Palo Alto homes are selling as we move into the primary selling months of summer.  Of the 58 homes that closed escrow in April, 38 sold within 30 days. Palo Alto homes are selling quickly.  28 of the 40 homes for sale have been on the market less than 30 days.  16 homes have been on the market less than a week.  There is only one short sale on the market and no foreclosed homes. May 1st Palo Alto Market Snapshot: Homes active on the market: 40 (click to view > Palo Alto homes for sale) Distressed properties for sale:  Short Sale – 1  Foreclosed – 0 Price range of active listings:  $538,000 to $11,988,000 Number of homes now in escrow:  45   Palo Alto April 2014 Home Sales Report – Closed Sales   Contact Us for more informa... 05/05/2014

As a Palo Alto Real Estate Agent I am always being asked, "How's the market in Palo Alto?" The answer is simple: Not enough inventory, plenty of buyers. Only the problem, like the drought is getting worse.   There are currently 38 single family Palo Alto homes for sale, the same as last week . There are currently 4 Palo Alto town homes/condos for sale, the same as last week.   There are currently 38 pending sales of Palo Alto single family homes down from 39 last week.   There are currently 6 pending sales of Palo Alto Town homes/Condos the same as last week.   Last week there were 15 new Palo Alto single family home listings and 1 new Palo Alto condo listings. This is a 25% drop from the week before in SFR lisitngs.     In April of 2014 there were 45 single family Palo Alto homes sold... 05/04/2014

One Million Thermostats Recalled-Is Yours? Free Replacements Available by Michelle Carr Crowe, Cupertino real estate agent Silicon Valley homeowners in San Jose, Cupertino and Palo Alto should check their thermostats to see if their units are among the models recently recalled, and request a free repair or replacement. White-Rodgers Recalls Home Heating and Cooling Thermostats Due to Fire Hazard More than one million thermostats sold in the United States and Canada since 2006 are being recalled because the alkaline batteries inside can leak and cause a fire.Product: The thermostats are made by White-Rodgers, but some have different brand names printed on the front, including ComfortSentry, DICO, Emerson, Frigidaire, Maytag, Nutone, Partners Choice, Rheem, Ruud, Unico, Water Furnace, Wes... 05/01/2014

As a Palo Alto Real Estate Agent I am always being asked, "How's the market in Palo Alto?" The answer is simple: Not enough inventory, plenty of buyers. Only the problem, like the drought is getting worse.   There are currently 38 single family Palo Alto homes for sale, up from 26 last week . There are currently 4 Palo Alto town homes/condos for sale, down from 5 last week.   There are currently 39 pending sales of Palo Alto single family homes the same as last week.   There are currently 6 pending sales of Palo Alto Town homes/Condos up from 5 last week.   Last week there were 20 new Palo Alto single family home listings and 2 new Palo Alto condo listings. This is the highest number of new singe family home listings all year.     In March. of 2014 there were 23 single family Palo Alto... 04/27/2014

U.S. News & World Report-Gunn High School in Palo Alto #17 in State by Diamond-Certified Cupertino REALTOR® Michelle Carr Crowe  Gunn High School in Palo Alto, Calif. ranks #17 statewide according to the newest U.S. News & World Report of Top High Schools. Nationwide, the Silicon Valley school ranked #104. Residents of Palo Alto attend the nationally-recognized high school. Gunn High School is a much-desired education destination for parents seeking a stellar public school curriculum that prepares students well for many of the top colleges in the U.S., including Stanford, Harvard and Yale. The high demand for Gunn High School has greatly contributed to the increasing home values in Palo Alto, Calif. Other Silicon Valley and Cupertino Schools also ranked high on the influential U.S. News... 04/27/2014

Welcome back to another installment of Real Estate Jargon, aka, simple explanations of sometimes confusing real estate terms.  Investors in most types of income property can benefit from an accounting strategy called cost segregation.  If the property was purchased, built or underwent a major remodel after 1987, cost segregation could help to improve the owner’s bottom line.  Let’s look at how cost segregation works. The ultimate goal of cost segregation is to identify improvements to a property that can be classified as “personal property,” which the IRS allows to be depreciated over fewer years than “real property” improvements such as an entire house or building.  Let’s say we’re buying or constructing a property that has a final sales price or total cost of $2M.  Half the value of t... 04/26/2014

As a Palo Alto Real Estate Agent I am always being asked, "How's the market in Palo Alto?" The answer is simple: Not enough inventory, plenty of buyers. Only the problem, like the drought is getting worse.   There are currently 26 single family Palo Alto homes for sale, down from 41 last week . There are currently 5 Palo Alto town homes/condos for sale, up from 3 last week.   There are currently 39 pending sales of Palo Alto single family homes the same as last week.   There are currently 5 pending sales of Palo Alto Town homes/Condos down from 9 last week.   Last week there were 4 new Palo Alto single family home listings and 2 new Palo Alto condo listings. This drop is expected as it is Easter Week-end.     In March. of 2014 there were 23 single family Palo Alto homes sold.  The pric... 04/20/2014

As a Palo Alto Real Estate Agent I am always being asked, "How's the market in Palo Alto?" The answer is simple: Not enough inventory, plenty of buyers. Only the problem, like the drought is getting worse.   There are currently 41 single family Palo Alto homes for sale, up from 28 last week . There are currently 3 Palo Alto town homes/condos for sale, down from 4 last week.   There are currently 39 pending sales of Palo Alto single family homes up from 28 last week.   There are currently 9 pending sales of Palo Alto Town homes/Condos down from 11 last week.   Last week there were 19 new Palo Alto single family home listings and 2 new Palo Alto condo listings. This is the largest number of new listings for single family homes all year.     In March. of 2014 there were 23 single family P... 04/13/2014

The Palo Alto March 2014 home sales report for homes that closed escrow in March reflects the availability of few homes under $1M, both for single family homes and condos.  Only four of the 29 homes on the market today are priced under $1M (all condos). On average Palo Alto homes are selling quickly.  Single family homes that closed escrow in March were on the market on average just under seven days, while condos were on the market about 15 days.  The median home selling price was $2,500,000 while the median condo price was $990,300. April 1st Palo Alto Market Snapshot: Homes active on the market: 29 (click to view > Palo Alto homes for sale) Short sale homes for sale:  1 (has been on the market over 3 years) Foreclosed homes for sale:  0 Price range of active listings: $800,000 - $14,7... 04/01/2014

VA Mortgage Loans in Palo Alto California and 100% Santa Clara County VA Loans - the best loan program in California! Designed for both active duty military and honorable discharged Veterans, VA Mortgage Loans are one of the best mortgage loan programs available today. Here are some of the highlights of this incredible program: - Up to 100% financing, with no down required. - No monthly mortgage insurance. - Easier credit qualifying compared to other types of mortgage loans. - VA Mortgage Rates are low compared to other types of home loans.   So how do you qualify for a VA Mortgage Loan in Palo Alto California? The first step is to verify your eligibility. You can verify eligibility by ordering your Certificate of Eligibility or COE. An approved Palo Alto California VA loan lender can o... 04/01/2014

Another great sipping wine I'm stocking up on to enjoy this summer is Elizabeth Spencer 2012 Napa Valley Chardonnay.  For those who prefer a crisp, balanced Chardonnay that is light and refreshing - this is it.  Elizabeth Spencer Wines produced two 2012 Chardonnays:  Rutherford Napa Valley and Sonoma Coast (both $45).  On a recent visit I tasted both and preferred the Rutherford, though both are worthy of a spot in your cellar. If there's any left when you visit, also try the 2011 E x S Russian River Valley Chardonnay ($60).  Only 12 barrels produced and another one of my favorites from winemaker Spencer Graham. Elizabeth Spencer Wines: 1165 Rutherford Road, Rutherford, California 94573 Tasting room open 10am to 6pm every day except Christmas.  Located across the street from the Rutherf... 03/31/2014

As a Palo Alto Real Estate Agent I am always being asked, "How's the market in Palo Alto?" The answer is simple: Not enough inventory, plenty of buyers. Only the problem, like the drought is getting worse.   There are currently 25 single family Palo Alto homes for sale, the same as last week . There are currently 6 Palo Alto town homes/condos for sale, up from 3 last week.   There are currently 31 pending sales of Palo Alto single family homes up from 20 last week.   There are currently 8 pending sales of Palo Alto Town homes/Condos down from 10 last week.   Last week there were 12 new Palo Alto single family home listings and 3 new Palo Alto condo listings. That is a jump over the last 3 weeks and hopefully a trend.   In Feb. of 2014 there were 17 single family Palo Alto homes sold.  ... 03/29/2014

Welcome back to Real Estate Jargon, aka, simple explanations of real estate terms.  Today we’re looking at the term “all values being equal” as it applies to real estate sales in general and real estate investment in particular.  This term, similar to the popular “all things being equal,” has a slightly different meaning when used in real estate jargon.  Let’s see how “all values being equal” applies to real estate. Real estate analysts often state that when macro economic and financial conditions cause values to rise in a particular market, the value of all properties in that market rise together.  If values fall, they fall together.  For example, if we sell our home for a relatively high price when the market goes up, in theory we are also going to pay a high market price if we buy a ... 03/26/2014

Rental property is a dynamic investment, subject to changing market trends and the current condition of the properties in your portfolio.  One of the simplest ways to stay on top of your real estate investments is by conducting an annual property management checkup.  Whether you’re an active investor involved in the day-to-day of rental operations, or a passive investor with a property manager in place, understanding how your assets are being managed is critical to making informed investment decisions. Each property management checkup should be customized to the unique features of the investment, such as property type, target tenant, location, management practices and investment strategy.  Here are a few of the general areas that should be included in any property management checkup: Ma... 03/25/2014

As a Palo Alto Real Estate Agent I am always being asked, "How's the market in Palo Alto?" The answer is simple: Not enough inventory, plenty of buyers. Only the problem, like the drought is getting worse.   There are currently 32 single family Palo Alto homes for sale, up from 25 last week . There are currently 5 Palo Alto town homes/condos for sale, up from 3 last week.   There are currently 19 pending sales of Palo Alto single family homes down from 20 last week.   There are currently 10 pending sales of Palo Alto Town homes/Condos the same as last week.   Last week there were 14 new Palo Alto single family home listings and 4 new Palo Alto condo listings. That is a big jump over the last 3 weeks and hopefully a tred.   In Feb. of 2014 there were 17 single family Palo Alto homes sol... 03/22/2014

  Anyone trying to buy a home in Palo Alto right now knows that it is tough out there. There are many more buyers than sellers and many Palo Alto homes sell with multiple offers way over list price. Some homes go as much as 30% over asking, but some do not. How does a buyer make the decision about how much to offer to have the winning bid in a Palo Alto multiple offer situation and not overpay? The answer is not simple, and sometimes it is not a question of price, but terms, like contingencies, length of escrow, length of rent back, etc.   But for right now, let's just discuss price. Here are some things to keep in mind when you make an offer on a Palo Alto home in a multiple offer situation, 1. In my opinion the most important thing is, how much is this home worth to you? In other wor... 03/20/2014

As a Palo Alto Real Estate Agent I am always being asked, "How's the market in Palo Alto?" The answer is simple: Not enough inventory, plenty of buyers. Only the problem, like the drought is getting worse.   There are currently 25 single family Palo Alto homes for sale, up from 21 last week . There are currently 3 Palo Alto town homes/condos for sale, down from 6 last week.   There are currently 20 pending sales of Palo Alto single family homes down from 21 last week.   There are currently 10 pending sales of Palo Alto Town homes/Condos up from 9 last week.   Last week there were 11 new Palo Alto single family home listings and 1 new Palo Alto condo listings. That is a jump over the last 2 weeks and hopefully a tred.   In Feb. of 2014 there were 17 single family Palo Alto homes sold.  ... 03/16/2014

As a Palo Alto Real Estate Agent I am always being asked, "How's the market in Palo Alto?" The answer is simple: Not enough inventory, plenty of buyers. Only the problem, like the drought is getting worse.   There are currently 21 single family Palo Alto homes for sale, up from 18 last week . There are currently 6 Palo Alto town homes/condos for sale, down from 8 last week.   There are currently 21 pending sales of Palo Alto single family homes up from 17 last week.   There are currently 9 pending sales of Palo Alto Town homes/Condos down from 10 last week.   Last week there were 10 new Palo Alto single family home listings and 1 new Palo Alto condo listings. That is a jump from the last few weeks and hopefully a tred.   In Feb. of 2014 there were 17 single family Palo Alto homes sold.... 03/09/2014

Anyone trying to buy a condo in Moutain View right now knows that it is tough out there. There are many more buyers than sellers and many Mountain View condos sell with multiple offers way over list price. Some homes go as much as 30% over asking, but some do not. How does a buyer make the decision about how much to offer to have the winning bid in a Mountain View condo multiple offer situation and not overpay? The answer is not simple, and sometimes it is not a question of price, but terms, like contingencies, length of escrow, length of rent back, etc. But for right now, let's just discuss price. Here are some things to keep in mind when you make an offer on a Mountain View condo in a multiple offer situation. 1. In my opinion the most important thing is, how much is this condo worth... 03/03/2014

There were 14 new listings of Palo Alto homes for sale this past week, increasing the number of  active homes for sale to 32 this morning, up from 26 last week.  As is expected through the spring, the asking price for almost all of these homes is above $1M (only condos were priced less).  Another interesting indicator of the strong demand for Palo Alto homes is that of the 50 homes that have gone into escrow or completed sale so far in 2014, 47 were on the market less than 30 days.   Below are listings of Palo Alto homes for sale listed in the past week.  Click on a property’s Address to view photos and detailed information.  Use the appropriate tabs to request more information or to schedule a visit.   Palo Alto Homes For Sale This Week   812 LINCOLN AV, PALO ALTO, CA 94301 $5,598,000 ... 03/02/2014