Celebrate Saratoga! Sunday September 16th Saratoga, CA where I live and work is a quiet town at the Eastern base of the Santa Cruz mountains in the San Francisco South Bay Region.  Major Silicon Valley company headquarters (including Apple, Google, Intel, Sisco Systems, Adobe, Symantec, E-Bay, NetFlix, and 100s more), plus Redwood forests and downtown San Jose are within 12 miles.  Generally, Saratoga CA is quiet.    But this Sunday we'll party hearty from noon to 7:00 PM on Big Basin Way, in our quaint village. Activities include: Live music on three stages; Wine pouring sponsored by eight local wineries; A gourment food court sponsored by the restaurants that line Big Basic Way; Classic car show; Action Day Kids zone with children's games including a treasure hunt, arts and crafts, ca... 09/13/2012

How to Avoid Being a Victim of an Online Hoax or Internet Scam by Michelle Carr Crowe, Silicon Valley guide and Cupertino real estate agent selling homes in San Jose. Caiif. Most people are good hearted and want to believe the best about people - giving others the benefit of the doubt, and when hearing a scary but potentially true "friend of a friend" story, tend to err on the "Pass it on - better to be safe than sorry." Other times, it's an ad for rental housing with "too good to be true" low rent. How to tell if something read or passed along online is an urban legend or scam? 1) Google the key words with the words fake, scam, complaint or urban legend. For example, say a friend relayed that using Febreeze harms household pets. Search Google with the words "Febreeze pets" or "Febreeze... 09/12/2012

FORECLOSURE INFORMATION FOR SARATOGA, CALIFORNIA Saratoga,CA - Foreclosure Filings Foreclosure Filings—Notice of Default filings are the first step in the foreclosure process. Notice of Trustee Sale filings set the date and time of an auction, and serve as the homeowner's final notice before sale. Saratoga,CA - Foreclosure Outcomes Foreclosure Outcomes—After the filing of a Notice of Trustee Sale, there are only three possible outcomes. First, the sale can be Cancelled for reasons that include a successful loan modification or short sale, a filing error, or a legal requirement to re-file the notice after extended postponements. Alternatively, if the property is taken to sale, the bank will place the opening bid. If a 3rd party, typically an investor, bids more than the bank's opening bi... 09/09/2012

In A Reverse Mortgage Can Really Be Compared To Your Smart Phone, the author makes some valid points, especially that most consumers are unable to explain a regular mortgage, let alone a reverse mortgage. However the most important point is to find out which type of mortgage is in a client's best interest.   Obviously only seniors can even obtain a reverse mortgage, but that doesn't make it an automatic fit. In many high end Silicon Valley towns such as Saratoga, Monte Sereno, and Los Gatos, Calif., as well as Santa Clara, Campbell and San Jose, a reverse mortgage often provides the only way for senior homeowners the financial ability to age in place in their own home. This is a Re-Blog with permission from the author as outlined below.    A Reverse Mortgage Can Really Be Compared To Y... 08/08/2012

Three Random August Celebrations You Don't Know About  By Michelle Carr Crowe, San Jose real estate agent & Silicon Valley guide If you've read amy of my prior blogs, such as Three Food-Related August Celebrations You May Not Know About, you know by now I have an affinity for fun facts and unusual celebrations For my own personal amusement I like to know these things, plus I like to keep a few "handy” as conversation starters when meeting someone new, such as at Keller Williams Family Reunion in Austin, Texas, the recent Tony Robbins “Unleash the Power Within” workshop and firewalk in San Jose, Calif., or even at an open house in Saratoga, Calif. Here are three random August celebrations you may not know about. National Golf Month National Water Quality Month National  Eye Exam Month (v... 08/05/2012

Five New Fun July Facts You May Not Know By Michelle Carr Crowe, San Jose real estate agent & Silicon Valley guide If you read my previous "Fun Facts in July" post, you know I enjoy learning, and I especially delight in discovering fun, unique facts. It’s fun for my own amusement. I like to keep a few “handy” as icebreakers when meeting someone new, such as at a the recent Tony Robbins “Unleash the Power Within” workshop in San Jose, Keller Williams Family Reunion in Austin, Texas, or even at a Cupertino, Calif. open house. Here are five fun facts you may not know that happened in U.S.history during the month of July.   July 3 The first cultivated strawberry is displayed by Michael Kent (1806) July 5 Baseball great Joe DiMAggio hits his first grand slam. (1937) July 5  The bikini debuts... 07/27/2012

Should I Buy a Silicon Valley House for Sale That I Know Has Termites? by Michelle Carr-Crowe, Silicon Valley home selling expert Recently a read on Trulia asked the following question about termites that inspired me to share my experience selling Silicon Valley homes in San Jose, Saratoga and Cupertino, Calif.. I am thinking of buying a 50-year-old house in Saratoga, Calif., but was told it does have termites. Should I still buy it or give up? Silicon Valley home buyers need to realize that termites have been living here in California long before humans were. Technically, we are invading their territory. When people do termite treatment, one important thing to remember is it's not a one-time deal. Yes, kill the live active termites, remove and replace any damaged wood members and insta... 07/15/2012

Zero Saratoga, Calif. Distressed Homes for Sale, Father’s Day, June 17, 2012 by Michelle Carr Crowe, Top 5% Cupertino homes selling expert As of Father’s Day, June 17, 2012, there are zero (0) distressed homes of any class or type currently for sale in Saratoga, Calif. In contrast, last week there were two distressed homes available for sale. Both of those Saratoga, Calif. properties for sale were short sales that went under contract this week. So is it too late to get a great deal on a bank-owned, distressed or short sale home in Saratoga? Not if you’re working with Michelle Carr-Crowe and the Get RE$ult$ Team. As an Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) and Certified Distressed Property Expert, I and my team can negotiate the best terms for you...a contract that actually results in yo... 06/17/2012

3 Good Reasons to Consider Selling Your Saratoga Calif. Home in 2012 by Michelle Carr Crowe, San Jose Lynbrook & Cupertino Schools home selling expert Did you know there are at least three good reasons to consider selling your Saratoga' Calif. home in 2012? Low inventory, low interest rates and the soon to change capital gains tax exclusion are compelling reasons to consider selling your Cupertino home now before the next market change. 1)       Low Inventory: Historically, there are fewer homes in all categories for sale in Cupertino this year. In past years, we’ve had as much as twice the inventory at this point in time.   2)       Low Interest Rates: Recently interest rates hit the lowest point since they’ve been tracking rates over the past 50 years. The low interest rate is also re... 06/14/2012

Only 2 Saratoga, Calif. Distressed Home For Sale as of June 10, 2012 by Michelle Carr Crowe, Top 5% Cupertino homes expert As of Sunday, June 10, 2012, there are a total of 2 (two) Saratoga, Calif. distressed homes for sale on the market without contracts, including Saratoga foreclosures, bank-owned homes and pre-foreclosure properties. A total of 8 short sale properties in Saratoga are currently pending or under contract awaiting lender approval. 13696 RONNIE WAY $2,295,500  34 5 4|1 3,940 28,600 Sqft Saratoga  1  17 18803 DEVON AVENUE $849,000   8 2 1|0 1,444 10,000 Sqft        Saratoga  1   61 With only 2 Saratoga, Calif. homes for Sale being Distressed, Bank-Owned or Foreclosures, this continues the low inventory of distressed properties in Saratoga in 2012. As an Accredited Buyer R... 06/10/2012

21 Saratoga, Calif. Open Houses Sunday, June 10, 2012 Twenty-one (21) homes for sale in Saratoga, Calif. will host open houses on Sunday, June 10, 2012.  Prices range from $849,000 to $3,599,000 for 4829-sf on about one-acre near West Valley College in Saratoga, Calif. Saratoga, Calif. homes for sale fall within three different high school districts: Los Gatos-Saratoga, Campbell and Fremont Union (aka “Cupertino Schools”). The five possible high schools for Saratoga include: Saratoga High, Prospect High, Westmont High, Monta Vista High and Lynbrook High School.   Curious to know how much your Saratoga home is worth in today’s market? Go here & receive a FREE & confidential online evaluation! If none of these Saratoga, Calif. homes for sale are quite the Silicon Valley home you want to b... 06/09/2012

Just 1 Saratoga, Calif. Distressed Home For Sale as of May 27, 2012 by Michelle Carr Crowe, Top 5% Cupertino homes expert As of Sunday, May 27, 2012, there is now just 1 (one) Saratoga, Calif. distressed homes for sale on the market without contracts, including Saratoga foreclosures, bank-owned homes and pre-foreclosure properties. Last week there were two; however the one at 18944 Sara Park Circle in Saratoga is now under contract, reducing the actively for sale distressed property inventory by half. A total of 8 short sale properties in Saratoga are currently pending or under contract awaiting lender approval. Status Add'l Info Address Price DOM Beds Baths (F|P) Sf Lot Size City Age Pending w/ release Short Sale 19051 AUSTIN WAY $4,700,000 93 6 5|0 7,684 58,370 Sf Saratoga 9 Active Sh... 05/27/2012

Home sales in Silicon Valley broke records in April 2012.  Saratoga, CA was no exception.  Only one April in recent history experienced more sales ('05), and compared to the April 10-year average, sales in 2012 were up 33%.   The number of Listings (i.e., homes put on the MLS Market For Sale) were down 24% compared to the April average; only April '08 had fewer Saratoga homes put on the market For Sale. What's the result of record high sales and record low number of Listings?  The Median Sale Price reached $1,748,000, up 20% compared to April '11, as shown in the middle graph. One-half of the Saratoga homes sold in 15 days, or less, as shown in the bottom graph.  And, there is a there is a 2.5 month supply of Saratoga homes For Sale; the lowest inventory in recent history.  That means ... 05/25/2012

Saratoga, Calif. 95070 Distressed Homes for Sale & Pending as of May 20, 2012 by Michelle Carr Crowe, Top 5% Santa Clara County real estate agent Are you looking for a bargain? Do you have ready all cash money and are just waiting for the right opportunity? Are you willing to wait a while for the bank or lender to accept your offer? Right now there are only 2 (two) Saratoga, Calif. 95070 Distressed Properties for Sale on the market, one is a condo and one is a large single-family home. Some are Saratoga foreclosures, some are bank-owned homes in Saratoga, Calif. and others are short sales (or potential short sales) in Saratoga, 95070. As an Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) and Certified Distressed Property Expert, I and my team can negotiate the best terms for you...a contract that... 05/20/2012

Only 2 Saratoga, Calif. Distressed Home For Sale as of May 20, 2012 by Michelle Carr Crowe, Top 5% Cupertino homes expert Right now, as of May 20, 2012, there are just 2 (two) Saratoga, Calif. distressed homes for sale on the market without contracts, including Saratoga foreclosures, bank-owned homes and pre-foreclosure properties. Active Short Sale 81217026 13696 RONNIE WAY $2,295,500 13 5 4|1 3,940 28,600 Sqft Saratoga 17   Active Short Sale 81211005 18944 SARA PARK CIRCLE $410,000 57 2 2|0 1,100 1,364 Sqft Saratoga 32                                                               With only 2 Saratoga, Calif. homes for Sale being Distressed, Bank-Owned or Foreclosures, this continues the low inventory of distressed properties in Saratoga in 2012. As an Accredited Buyer Representative (... 05/20/2012

Saratoga, Calif. Lynbrook High Homes For Sale, Pending, Sold 5/20/12 by Michelle Carr-Crowe, Lynbrook High Homes Selling Expert, Just Call 408-252-8900 For the week ending May 20, 2012, here are all of the new Saratoga, Calif. Lynbrook High Homes for sale, pending and sold. All of these homes are located within the "Cupertino Schools" boundaries, technically the Lynbrook High School area of the Fremont Union High School District. To verify any home address for the "Cupertino Schools" boundaries, aka Fremont Union High School District, go to: http://www.fuhsd.org and select address check. NEW Saratoga, Calif. Lynbrook High Homes For Sale: 2 Average price: $1,423,000 PENDING Saratoga, Calif. Lynbrook High Homes: 6 SOLD and CLOSED Saratoga, Calif. Lynbrook High Homes: 1 Average price $1,19... 05/20/2012

A home on the Saratoga, CA broker tour yesterday had an unusual feature; a full-sized Bocce Ball court. I told the listing agent that I had never seen a full-sized Bocce Ball court in a private back yard and that I enjoyed playing Bocce Ball.  Several parks in San Francisco have them, and very recently two courts (pictured) were built in Kevin Moran Park in Saratoga, CA.  But, I'd never seen one in a private backyard.    The listing agent said it's an interesting story.  The father-in-law of the current owner was a World Champion Bocce Ball player in Italy.  He flew a well-known Bocce Ball court contractor from Italy to build an authentic court in this Saratoga backyard when the seller first purchased it years ago. The base of the court, where the ball rolls,  is composed of broken sea ... 05/17/2012

49 Saratoga, Calif. Open Houses Sunday, May 6, 2012 Forty-nine (49) homes for sale in Saratoga, Calif. will host open houses on Cinco de Mayo Weekend on Sunday, May 6, 2012.  Prices range from $538,999 for a 2 Bedroom condo to $3,999,950 for a 5 Bedroom, 4439-sf luxury home on nearly one-acre near West Valley College in Saratoga, Calif. Saratoga, Calif. homes for sale fall within three different high school districts: Los Gatos-Saratoga, Campbell and Fremont Union (aka “Cupertino Schools”). The five possible high schools for Saratoga include: Saratoga High, Prospect High, Westmont High, Monta Vista High and Lynbrook High School.   Curious to know how much your Saratoga home is worth in today’s market? Go here & receive a FREE & confidential online evaluation! If none of these Saratoga, ... 05/06/2012

Saratoga, Calif. Open Houses Cinco de Mayo Weekend May 5 & May 6, 2012 Literally dozens of homes for sale in Saratoga, Calif. will host open houses on Cinco de Mayo Weekend May 5 & May 6, 2012.  Prices range from $538,999 for a 2 Bedroom condo to $3,999,950 for a 5 Bedroom, 4439-sf luxury home on nearly one-acre near West Valley College in Saratoga, Calif. Saratoga, Calif. homes for sale fall within three different high school districts: Los Gatos-Saratoga, Campbell and Fremont Union (aka “Cupertino Schools”). The five possible high schools for Saratoga include: Saratoga High, Prospect High, Westmont High, Monta Vista High and Lynbrook High School.   Curious to know how much your Saratoga home is worth in today’s market?   Go here & receive a FREE & confidential online evaluation!   05/05/2012

International Justice Mission Celebrates 15 Years of Anti-Slavery Success Slavery seems like such an antiquated subject in America, yet human trafficking and slavery is a huge problem worldwide, one that the International Justice Mission has been fighting for 15 years. This week is IJM’s 15th anniversary. As IJM president Gary A. Haugen notes, “When we first began this mission, the task of stopping traffickers, slave-owners and other criminals from violently abusing the poor looked impossible. But, over the past 15 years, we have witnessed thousands of miracles of hope and restoration simply because God’s provision and people like you have made this work of rescue possible. Thank you.” If you are curious about International Justice Mission, watch the short video of celebration.   04/15/2012