The Palo Alto Children's Theater started in 1932 and has grown to be a mainstay of the Palo Alto community by being one of the first and only children's theaters in the nation that has a fully-equipped theater exclusively for young people. It is located at 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, 94301. The Palo Alto Children's Theater has so much opportunity for youth in Palo Alto.   The Palo Alto Children's Theater hosts Hot Dog Suppertime shows for their summer shows. It is when you can bring a picnic for your family or the Friends of the Children's Theater; a volunteer organization; will have food to purchase which includes hot dogs, hamburgers, veggie burgers, chips and soft drinks at the show. The shows are performed at the Roy Ginsburg Magic Castle Stage at Children's Theater and the... 07/30/2013

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. There are currently 29 single family Palo Alto homes for sale, down from 35 last week. There are currently 6 Palo Alto town homes/condos for sale, down from 9 last week. There are currently 45 pending sales of Palo Alto single family homes, up from 42 last week. There are currently 7 pending sales of Palo Alto Town homes/Condos, the same as last week. In June of 2013 there were 29 single family Palo Alto homes sold, a big drop from April and May sales. The prices ranged from $1,141,400 to $5,750,000. No homes under a million is significant. This is getting to be a common occurance in Palo Alto. In June of 2013 there were 15 Palo Alto To... 07/27/2013

Here are my top picks of Silicon Valley homes and land for sale going into the final weekend of July 2013.  Each property has something unique to offer.  But these are just a few of the Silicon Valley homes and land for sale this week – to see all the active home, land and investment property listings by community, check out the links after the final listing. Click on a property’s Address to view photos, map and detailed information.   Silicon Valley Homes and Land For Sale 236 PARK LN, ATHERTON, CA 94027 Most expensive home in Silicon Valley this week   $29,880,000 Bedrooms: 6Bathrooms: 4 full | 4 partialSq. Ft.: 12,508     11 BRENT CT, MENLO PARK, CA 94025 Most expensive condo for sale in Northern Silicon Valley this week   $2,395,000 Bedrooms: 3Bathrooms: 3 full | 1 partialSq. Ft.: 3... 07/26/2013

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 40% 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 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 import thing is, how much is this home worth to you? In other words, what p... 07/25/2013

Most rental property owners eventually face this question – what to do when a tenant stops paying rent?  Rent problems often start with several months of late payments or partial payments, and if left unresolved may escalate to no payments at all.  Even tenants who are behind on their rent have rights, so it’s important for landlords to take action as soon as possible and as prescribed by law to protect their investment. Here are a few tips for dealing with the unfortunate situation of when a tenant stops paying rent. 1.    Contact a local attorney.  Landlord/tenant laws and regulations often vary from town-to-town.  Have an attorney who practices in the town where the property is located explain local rules for late rent collection and eviction and help you develop a plan of action. 2.... 07/23/2013

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. There are currently 35 single family Palo Alto homes for sale, down from 40 last week. There are currently 9 Palo Alto town homes/condos for sale, up from 7 last week. There are currently 42 pending sales of Palo Alto single family homes, up from 32 last week. There are currently 7 pending sales of Palo Alto Town homes/Condos, down from 7 last week. In June of 2013 there were 29 single family Palo Alto homes sold, a big drop from April and May sales. The prices ranged from $1,141,400 to $5,750,000. No homes under a million is significant. This is getting to be a common occurance in Palo Alto. In June of 2013 there were 15 Palo Alto Town... 07/20/2013

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. There are currently 40 single family Palo Alto homes for sale down from 42 before the 4th of July holiday. There are currently 7 Palo Alto town homes/condos for sale, the same as before the 4th of July holiday. There are currently 32 pending sales of Palo Alto single family homes, up from 29 before the 4th of July holiday. There are currently 7 pending sales of Palo Alto Town homes/Condos, up from 6 before the 4th of July holiday In June of 2013 there were 29 single family Palo Alto homes sold, a big drop from April and May sales. The prices ranged from $1,141,400 to $5,750,000. No homes under a million is significant. This is getting t... 07/15/2013

    The Palo Alto's Children's Library is fitted for children at birth to 5th grade and is located at 1276 Harriet Street. The Palo Alto Children's Library was originally built in 1940 which makes it the oldest free-standing children's library in the country. The Palo Alto Children's Library was renovated and expanded in 2005 and opened in 2007 by private donations, which certainly shows the support of the community. The library space almost doubled with this expansion. They added a north single story with ADA- accessible restrooms and a program room. This room provides a space for storytimes and leads to the Secret Garden for outdoor programs. A Tree Top room was added on the Secret Garden to read quietly by the fountain. A plush bonus to the library is that they installed a ground sou... 07/11/2013

The Palo Alto home sales report for June 2013 reflects the improving market throughout Silicon Valley and consistently strong demand for Palo Alto housing, both single family homes and condos.  Homes priced below $5M are moving briskly and price escalations are expected throughout the remainder of the summer. Although the list at the end of this report includes the listing price and final sale price of the homes that sold in June, statistics regarding homes selling above or below their listing price or the difference between listing and sale prices have become meaningless.  Listing brokers have historically urged their sellers to ask for slightly higher than the estimated market value in hope of finding a buyer with the desire and ability to pay a little bit more.  But now there is a tr... 07/04/2013

Today is the last day to get the June Discount for Santa Clara Kenpo Academy’s self-defense workshop tailored specifically for real estate agents to be held on Tuesday, July 16th in Santa Clara, CA.   Beginning July 1st, ticket prices at online registration increase from $35 to $40 ($50 at the door). This hands-on workshop addresses the unique safety threats that agents are exposed to in the workplace.  Instruction will focus on action agents can take once careful planning and other precautions have failed.  “The workshop will provide agents with the tools to respond to attacks in situations typical to their profession,” explains Sandra Agonoy, Owner and Head Instructor at Santa Clara Kenpo Academy.  The workshop expands upon recent women’s self-defense courses taught by Mrs. Agonoy, th... 06/30/2013

Like real estate agents, residential investors and landlords face significant safety risks when in the field.  Whether they are previewing vacant properties, investigating tenant problems, or merely collecting rents or laundry revenue on-site, residential landlords need to accept that dangers exist and stay alert while focusing on the task at hand.  These safety tips for residential landlords are just a few pointers for operating safely in the field.   Assess The Risks Regardless of whether the property you’re visiting is a possible acquisition or one you already own, assess the potential risks involved at that particular site prior to arriving.  There are two types of risks: 1) general risks to anyone in the area or 2) personal risks specific to you as a potential target due to your in... 06/29/2013

If a man stands alone in the woods and speaks...  - on land he purchased fee simple prior to marriage  - that is designated as his sole and separate property  - that is allocated to him per a pre-nuptial agreement  - and is paid current on all taxes and assessments  - and there is no woman there to hear him... is he still always wrong? 06/26/2013

Palo Alto homes for sale a week or less will soon be gone!  Typically, open houses for this coming weekend are published by no later than Thursday, buyers scramble to see them on Thursday or Friday, and by Saturday sellers with prime properties have offers on the table before the first person arrives at the open house.  Several open houses are already announced for listings shown below.  If you’re looking at Palo Alto homes for sale, don’t miss out! Below are the eleven listings of Palo Alto homes for sale a week or less as of this morning.  Click on a property’s Address to view photos and detailed information.  Then let's go look at them!   Palo Alto Homes For Sale A Week Or Less  130 IRIS WY, PALO ALTO, CA 94303   $2,780,000 Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 3 Sq. Ft.: 2,500                     ... 06/25/2013

Well, it's that time of year, the countdown begins.  It's at this point every year that I tell myself Christmas shopping will be done by November 1st.  So, only four shopping months... 06/24/2013

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. There are currently 42 single family Palo Alto homes for sale up from 38 last week. There are currently 7 Palo Alto town homes/condos for sale, the same as last week. There are currently 29 pending sales of Palo Alto single family homes, up from 26 last week. There are currently 6 pending sales of Palo Alto Town homes/Condos, down from 11 last week. In April of 2013 there were 46 single family Palo Alto homes sold, about 50% more than in March. The prices ranged from $1,050,000 to $10,000,000. No homes under a million is significant. In April of 2013 there were 9 Palo Alto Town Homes/Condos sold, down 3 from March. The prices ranged fro... 06/23/2013

Most real estate agents have an open house kit stocked with business cards, flyer holders, sign-in sheets and a dozen other things that help them hold a productive open house.  As attacks against agents in the office and in the field have increased over the past decade, brokers are placing additional emphasis on agent safety and are urging their agents to increase their awareness of danger when conducting an open house.  Here are a few suggestions for safety items for every agent’s open house kit. Safety Checklist Just about every real estate office now has a safety manual or written safety procedure that addresses how to stay safe at showings and open houses.  A copy of the safety checklist from that document should be included in the open house kit and reviewed prior to each open hous... 06/23/2013

Summer is not only when a lot of homes are bought and sold, it’s also when many renters relocate or renew leases.  Rental owners and property managers can use this opportunity to review their rental operations and improve their bottom line.  Here are three simple ways to increase rental profits this summer.   1.  Conduct A Market Rent Analysis A Market Rent Analysis (MRA) is a simple look at comparable rental properties in your market and the prevailing rents they charge.  Knowing how your property compares in terms of location, features, condition and price will help you determine if rents can be increased in the coming year without affecting your vacancy rate.   2.   Do “Internal Flips” As tenants vacate this season, use the opportunity to remodel and improve vacated units and make ap... 06/20/2013

Palo Alto is home is so many activities for children is an embarrassment of riches. One of my favorite spots for children has always been the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo. I spent many happy hours there when my children were young talking to the goose and learning about raccoon in Palo Alto. The Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo is located off Middlefield Road next to Walter Hays Elementary. It is in the Palo Alto Community Center complex which also includes Rinconada Park, Palo Alto Children's Library, and the Lucy Stern Community Center. The Museum and Zoo is home to 50 species of local wild life including owls, snakes, fruit bats raccoons, geese, ducks, bobcats, and various other small animals that can be on display. There are rotating exhibits that explain science to children in wa... 06/19/2013

When a home is in a great location, in good shape and priced correctly for the market, but still doesn’t sell for weeks or months, it’s a sure bet that the owner is committing one of the Seven Deadly Sins Of Home Selling.  Any one of these Sins is powerful enough to throw a monkey wrench into any deal. There are lots of sins that a seller could commit to make a home sale difficult, but I’ve selected these seven as sins that have a solution (penance…).  Here they are. 1.  Don’t De-Clutter Buyers can’t see the great features of a home if those features are buried under mountains of clutter, hidden behind art that covers entire walls, or covered by area rugs that conceal beautiful hardwood flooring.  Penance: Less is more.  If you have to, rent a storage unit. 2.  Don’t Have The Property I... 06/19/2013

The spring home selling season is off and running, so to help make the selling process easier I’m offering some helpful tips for home sellers.  In most areas buyers will find it’s a “seller’s market” – there are few homes for sale and prices are beginning to escalate.  These tips aren’t intended to explain the selling process or develop a marketing strategy for your property, but they should help you get organized and ready to react when the right offer comes along.  There are five tips, so let’s get started.   1. Create An Information Management System Be prepared for the massive amount of information that will arrive once you start the selling process.  In addition to the listing agreement and all of its mandatory addendums and disclosures, your broker will be sending you market data,... 06/19/2013