The market is roaring in Palo Alto and most homes are getting multiple offers. If you are a Personal Representative for a Palo Alto Probate Sale, or a Successor Trustee for a Trust Sale how do you know which is the best offer? How do you choose from the embarrassment of riches, especially if you are not from the area and are not familiar with area? If you follow these steps you should be fine. 1. If you have an all cash offer with no contingencies that is the highest of all offers. Pick that one. 2. If you have an all cash offer for less than a financed offer it may still be the best, but it may not be. 3. If the financed offer has no appraisal contingency and it is higher than the cash offer you can make an argument that that is a better offer because it is higher. If the buyer is pre-... 10/04/2012

Palo Alto residential lots are scarce as general inventory of homes in the area are leading Silicon Valley’s housing market recovery.  If you’re looking for a home site to build on in Palo Alto, we can help. Here are Palo Alto residential lots and land for sale as of October 4, 2012.  Click on the property’s Listing Price to view its MLS listing, request additional information, or to schedule a site visit.   Location Price Acres Notes 5061 Skyline Blvd $588,000 11.04     Note: If link is no longer active, property has been sold or taken off the market.  Please click Contact Us to request updated information. Lot sizes are approximate and use of the land is subject to local government regulation and approval. Are you an active real estate investoralways looking for great opportunities?  ... 10/04/2012

Silicon Valley small unit residential properties of 4 units or less often provide a great starting point for new investors or the opportunity to cost-effectively build an existing property portfolio.  There are no new properties on the market this week and four properties on last week’s list have gone into escrow.   Here are northern Silicon Valley small multi-family investment properties for sale as of October 4, 2012.  This area includes Atherton, Menlo Park, Portola Valley, Woodside, Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, and Sunnyvale.   Click on a property’s Location to view photos and the property’s its MLS listing information.   City Location Price Units Notes Palo Alto 251 El Carmelo Ave $1,985,000 4   Palo Alto 174 Tasso Street $1,498,000 2   Mountain View 939 Ri... 10/04/2012

Silicon Valley luxury homes and estates express the finest neighborhoods on the Peninsula, though ultra-luxury homes priced above $10M continue to sell slowly (no homes from this list sold in the past week, none were added). Here are Silicon Valley’s Top 10 luxury homes and estates for sale as of October 3, 2012.  View photos and details by clicking on the Listing Price for each property.  Please contact me if you have any questions or if I may assist with your search of Silicon Valley luxury homes and estates.  john@jsrealproperty.com   Top 10 Silicon Valley Luxury Homes and Estates City Listing Price Bed/Bath Sq. Feet Lot Acres Woodside $39,500,000 4/6 14,000 3.00 Atherton $21,800,000 6/10 14,000 1.25 Atherton $21,500,000 6.7(3) 11,800 1.06 Los Gatos $19,995,000 6/7.5(2) 11,257 50.00 ... 10/02/2012

Everyone likes to talk about real estate.  From the experienced broker holding court on a Saturday morning at the local coffee shop to the guy at the gas station who changes the oil on your Bentley, everyone has a story to tell or an opinion to share.  Some are wise, knowledgeable insights based on personal experience while others are merely “…a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” (William Shakespeare, “Macbeth”) So let’s countdown real estate’s Top 5 most often heard statements and opinions that range from the simply confusing to the out-right not-right.  Herrrrrrrrreeeee we go… 5.  A home mortgage interest deduction is always the best way to reduce your income taxes.  That’s like saying that every tall person is a star basketball player or that every c... 10/01/2012

Fall is officially here. You can tell, not because the calendar says September 21 has come and gone, not because there are a few maple trees with leaves starting to turn, not because football season is in full bloom, but because getting to Half Moon Bay is a bear, especially on the one hot day of the year since June. I just wanted to take my labradoodle Demi to the harbor in Half Moon Bay for a good swim and some quality ball catching time. Here she is in her beach robe after a hard swim. The way you know it is really Fall is that everyone in the bay area is trying to get to Half Moon Bay to pick pumpkins for Halloween and it is not even the week-end of the Pumpkin festival. But back to business. One of the most common questions I am asked: is it a good idea to put MY PALO ALTO home on ... 10/01/2012

Palo Alto residential lots are scarce as general inventory of homes in the area are leading Silicon Valley’s housing market recovery.  If you’re looking for a home site to build on in Palo Alto, we can help. Here are Palo Alto residential lots and land for sale as of September 27, 2012.  Click on the property’s Listing Price to view its MLS listing, request additional information, or to schedule a site visit.   Location Price Acres Notes 5061 Skyline Blvd $588,000 11.04     Note: If link is no longer active, property has been sold or taken off the market.  Please click Contact Us to request updated information. Lot sizes are approximate and use of the land is subject to local government regulation and approval. Are you an active real estate investoralways looking for great opportunities... 09/27/2012

Silicon Valley luxury homes and estates express the finest neighborhoods on the Peninsula, though ultra-luxury homes priced above $10M continue to sell slowly (no homes from this list sold in the past week, none were added). Here are Silicon Valley’s Top 10 luxury homes and estates for sale as of September 26, 2012.  View photos and details by clicking on the Listing Price for each property.  Please contact me if you have any questions or if I may assist with your search of Silicon Valley luxury homes and estates.  john@jsrealproperty.com   Top 10 Silicon Valley Luxury Homes and Estates City Listing Price Bed/Bath Sq. Feet Lot Acres Woodside $39,500,000 4/6 14,000 3.00 Portola Valley $25,000,000 4/6.5(2) 8,285 11.6 Atherton $21,800,000 6/10 14,000 1.25 Atherton $21,500,000 6.7(3) 11,800... 09/26/2012

Silicon Valley small unit residential properties of 4 units or less often provide a great starting point for new investors or the opportunity to cost-effectively build an existing property portfolio.  There are no new properties on the market this week and four properties on last week’s list have gone into escrow.   Here are northern Silicon Valley small multi-family investment properties for sale as of September 26, 2012.  This area includes Atherton, Menlo Park, Portola Valley, Woodside, Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, and Sunnyvale.   Click on a property’s Location to view photos and the property’s its MLS listing information.   City Location Price Units Notes Palo Alto 251 El Carmelo Ave $1,985,000 4   Palo Alto 2288 Williams Street $1,549,000 4   Palo Alto 174... 09/26/2012

Did You Miss Constitution Week September 17-23? by Michelle Carr-Crowe, Silicon Valley guide and San Jose real estate agent selling homes Since 1956, the U.S. Congress by joint resolution requested that the President proclaim the week beginning September 17 and ending September 23 of each year as "Constitution Week." Why did they choose September 17-23 to be Constitution Week? Well, since 1952, the U.S. Congress designated September 17 as "Citizenship Day." Why is September 17 Citizenship Day (also known as Constitution Day)? Way back in 1787, the U.S. Constitution was completed, signed and approved on September 17. In 1952, President Harry Truman signed a bill designating September 17 as Citizenship Day. The intent of Citizenship Day/Constitution Day is to recognize people who become A... 09/23/2012

Palo Alto homes and condos are leading Silicon Valley in demand due to increased employment in the area and lack of homes for sale in surrounding communities.  Of 50 homes now on the market (not including those in escrow), only 14 are priced under $1M. Here are Palo Alto homes and condos for sale under $1M as of September 22, 2012.  To view photos and the MLS listing for a property, click on the property’s Price.   Price Location Bed/Bath Sq. Feet $999,888 4277 Park Boulevard 4/2 1,496 $995,000 555 Byron St #305 2/2 1,548 $950,000 4022 Villa Vera 3/2 1,451 $895,000 727 Loma Verde Ave #G 2/2.5 1,596 $890,000 931 Curlew Lane 2/2 1,197 $889,000 253 Addison Ave 2/1 1,164 $889,000 240 Whitclem Dr 4/1.5 1,413 $699,000 1215 Alma St 2/1 672 $620,000 4161 El Camino Way #C 2/2.5 1,224 $589,000 54... 09/23/2012

This weekend were in Palo Alto California at the CREIA, California Real Estate Inspection Association conference. we been meeting with old friends and making new friends. This is Brad Carter manning our Booth at the conference with me of course. Brad has been doing 203k inspections for about six months now is turning out to be an excellent 203K consultant and a great addition to our staff.  Brad Carter has been a home inspector for a number of years and typically performs home inspections when we get request for them at the Mike Young Team.  Will Johnson stoped by our booth to say "hi". Will is a new 203K consultant in the San Diego area.  Tirso Ubago of Castle Rock Inspections joined us in sharing some interesting stories and experiences. Our 203k course has 15 hours of continuing educ... 09/22/2012

Eventually all landlords have them – problem tenants.  The problem could be merely late or unpaid rent, but equally as common are complaints from neighbors about noise, smells, trash, illegal parking, or just plain “suspicious activity.”  Here are some tips that owners and property managers should consider as they investigate problem tenants and work to resolve the problem. 1.    Start a file immediately.  From the first moment you become aware of a problem, start a file.  Note every contact with the source of the complaint, the tenant, and any potential witnesses. 2.    Seek out the facts before assigning blame.  In my experience, whacky neighbors are just as common as problem tenants.  You are likely to receive complaints that have no factual support, so don’t make accusations until a... 09/22/2012

Palo Alto residential lots are scarce as general inventory of homes in the area are leading Silicon Valley’s housing market recovery.  If you’re looking for a home site to build on in Palo Alto, we can help. Here are Palo Alto residential lots and land for sale as of September 20, 2012.  Click on the property’s Listing Price to view its MLS listing, request additional information, or to schedule a site visit.   Location Price Acres Notes 5061 Skyline Blvd $588,000 11.04     Note: If link is no longer active, property has been sold or taken off the market.  Please click Contact Us to request updated information. Lot sizes are approximate and use of the land is subject to local government regulation and approval. Are you an active real estate investoralways looking for great opportunities... 09/20/2012

Silicon Valley small unit residential properties of 4 units or less often provide a great starting point for new investors or the opportunity to cost-effectively build an existing property portfolio.  There are no new properties on the market this week and four properties on last week’s list have gone into escrow.   Here are northern Silicon Valley small multi-family investment properties for sale as of September 20, 2012.  This area includes Atherton, Menlo Park, Portola Valley, Woodside, Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, and Sunnyvale.   Click on a property’s Location to view photos and the property’s its MLS listing information.   City Location Price Units Notes Palo Alto 251 El Carmelo Ave $1,985,000 4   Palo Alto 2288 Williams Street $1,549,000 4 + Palo Alto 174... 09/20/2012

Silicon Valley luxury homes and estates express the finest neighborhoods on the Peninsula, though ultra-luxury homes priced above $10M continue to sell slowly (no home from this list sold in the past week, one home added – Palo Alto $18.5M). Here are Silicon Valley’s Top 10 luxury homes and estates for sale as of September 19, 2012.  View photos and details by clicking on the Listing Price for each property.  Please contact me if you have any questions or if I may assist with your search of Silicon Valley luxury homes and estates.  john@jsrealproperty.com   Top 10 Silicon Valley Luxury Homes and Estates City Listing Price Bed/Bath Sq. Feet Lot Acres Woodside $39,500,000 4/6 14,000 3.00 Portola Valley $25,000,000 4/6.5(2) 8,285 11.6 Atherton $21,800,000 6/10 14,000 1.25 Atherton $21,500,... 09/19/2012

I have been selling real estate Palo Alto and the the Silicon Valley for almost 18 years. I have seen a lot, but this last week was a new experience. I have a client buying a home in Palo Alto. They had a pre-approval letter, and 2 weeks ago got an approval from the bank for their loan. They were specifically told to remove their loan contingency and were given written confirmation of the terms of their loan. We were then told that loan docs would be ready last Fri. for a Tues close. Last Fri their were no loan docs, and we were told that the underwriter said no and the mortgage broker was trying to get an exception. So of course out question was, why did you send us an approval and tell us to remove loan contingencies if we were not approved? By Monday still no docs or approval.  On Tu... 09/14/2012

Palo Alto homes and condos are leading Silicon Valley in demand due to increased employment in the area and lack of homes for sale in surrounding communities.  Of 50 homes now on the market (not including those in escrow), only 15 are priced under $1M. Market note:  The number of homes for sale in Palo Alto has jumped from 50 to 75 in the past two weeks, and the number of homes priced under $1M jumped from 10 to 15. Here are Palo Alto homes and condos for sale under $1M as of September 14, 2012.  To view photos and the MLS listing for a property, click on the property’s Price.   Price Location Bed/Bath Sq. Feet $995,000 555 Byron St #305 2/2 1,548 $988,888 664 Hamilton Avenue #G 2/2.5 1,484 $945,000 685 HIGH STREET,#5E 2/2.5 1,476 $925,000 365 CHARLESTON ROAD 2/1.5 1,045 $898,000 3660 R... 09/14/2012

This week, there are six Northern Silicon Valley REO foreclosure homes for sale – up from only one or two on the market at any time over the past few months.  The northern Silicon Valley area includes the communities of Atherton, Menlo Park, Portola Valley, Woodside, Palo Alto, Los Altos/Los Altos Hills, Mountain View and Sunnyvale. Here are Northern Silicon Valley REO foreclosure homes for sale as of September 14, 2012.  To see photos and the MLS listing, click on the property’s Price.   Atherton REO Foreclosure Homes For Sale Type Price Bed/Bath Sq. Feet Notes Single family $1,600,000 3/4 3,690     Menlo Park REO Foreclosure Homes For Sale Type Price Bed/Bath Sq. Feet Notes Single family $549,900 2/1 660   Single family $459,900 2/1 970     Portola Valley REO Foreclosure Homes For Sa... 09/14/2012

Silicon Valley small unit residential properties of 4 units or less often provide a great starting point for new investors or the opportunity to cost-effectively build an existing property portfolio.  There are no new properties on the market this week and four properties on last week’s list have gone into escrow.   Here are northern Silicon Valley small multi-family investment properties for sale as of September 13, 2012.  This area includes Atherton, Menlo Park, Portola Valley, Woodside, Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, and Sunnyvale.   Click on a property’s Location to view photos and the property’s its MLS listing information.   City Location Price Units Notes Palo Alto 251 El Carmelo Ave $1,985,000 4 + Menlo Park 328 Waverley Street $1,750,000 3   Palo Alto 174... 09/13/2012