Reading California School Ranking (API) Scores - 03/31/07 03:53 AM
The California Department of Education (CDE) has released the updated 2006 Academic Performance Index (API) scores for California schools, including data for San Mateo County and Santa Clara County.  The API is a statewide benchmark based on standardized achievement tests which is primarily used to rank schools relative to one another and relative to schools with similar demographics.  Here's an example of what the statistics look like.

We'll take a look at how school rankings and Silicon Valley real estate prices are related, but first let's look at how to read the information. 
Number of Students.  In the first … (0 comments)

A Sunset at Muir Beach - 03/30/07 07:35 PM
There was nothing I could do at that point.  The rain was coming in over the horizon and the only choice I had left was to be hypnotized by the sight. 
And as the impending sheet of water draped itself over the sky, the reflection from the setting sun faded through the last details of the ocean below, to the point where only the glow of a golden shadow remained.  Welcome to Northern California.

A Trip in Reverse to Muir Beach
I never did get a chance to chase the pot of gold.  It was unusual that there wasn't even the … (2 comments)

Hidden Factors That Affect "Identical" Properties - 03/28/07 01:44 PM
The personalities of the two properties here were completely different.  This property was bright and sunny with the daylight shining through the enclosed patio of the condominium and reflecting off the entryway mirror: the polar opposite of the one we had just visited.
It wasn't a long drive and, actually, I felt a little guilty about driving the less-than-two blocks inside the same complex to get to this other townhome, but it had been a pretty long day --- this being our fifth out of eight properties today --- and I wanted my client to take a load off his feet, even … (0 comments)

Heavy Metal at the Consumer Carnival of Real Estate - 03/27/07 03:27 PM
The festivities --- nay, the grand spectacle --- of the last two Carnivals of Consumer-Oriented Real Estate were hosted at Larry Cragun's Olympic medal ceremony on MortgagesUndressed and Jonathan Greene's ever-opinionated RealOpinionated.  Okay, most folks don't come here for hype so here's the skinny.
This week, 1SiliconValley.com has the honor of hosting the Carnival.  Past winners have ranged from the humorous A Dumpster Is Cheaper Than Selling the House to the practical Influencing Real Estate Appraisal and the informative What Can a Stager Do for Me.
If you're an author who has an article that helps regular folks with real estate, please … (0 comments)

You Can Learn a Great Deal From a Rant - 03/26/07 09:18 PM
I sat in the office of another client, across from him and his dustless mahogany desk.  I briefly peered out towards the Silicon Valley hills through the shades of the window behind him before he lifted his brow from thought.  He muttered cautiously, "That's a good question…" and placed his chin on his hand in the universal position for "I don't have an answer for that yet." He wanted to tell me something but the way his eyes focused into the distance, you could see a little fear, as if to say, "People will think less of me for saying what … (4 comments)

One Lazy Saturday at Shoreline Park - Mountain View - 03/25/07 04:25 PM

I'd completely forgotten and now I was regretting it.  I pulled in past the gate to Shoreline Park, which hasn't been manned in years --- or at least I hadn't seen anyone there --- and into the parking lot where they fly all those beautiful kites on Saturday afternoons.  
You can see the giggling children and the families gathered around a wound-up piece of string as it's whipped through the air by the acrobatics of its airborne companion. 
At least the people who could find parking could.  Me?  I'd forgotten that there's only one way in or out of this … (1 comments)

Mortgage Rates Are Low Without Exclamation Points - 03/24/07 12:27 AM
There are three key facts to note about current interest rates.  These facts are based on the data the Federal Reserve has published on the internet for the period from April 1971 to February 2007.  The statistics are for 30-year fixed mortgages.
1/  The average interest rate over that period was 9.26%.  The median was 8.75%.
2/  During that period of 431 months, interest rates were higher than they were in February 2007 for 386 of them (89.5% of the time).
3/  The only period in the last 26 years when mortgage rates were lower than February 2007 was between … (0 comments)

Villagio Cupertino - Civic Park Lane - 03/20/07 06:34 PM
Centrally located in Cupertino on Civic Park Lane, the Silverstone Communities Villagio is less than one mile from Symantec world headquarters and less than two miles from Apple's world headquarters and Hewlett-Packard's massive Cupertino complex.

The eight-building complex targets high-tech workers with standard connectivity pre-wired.  Cable TV outlets and four telephone lines are wired into every room.  Each unit also comes standard with gigabit-capable CAT-5e ethernet vs. the slower CAT-5.  It's a nod to us techies out there that they knew the difference.
Available configurations include the 1,433 square foot Magnolia town home with 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a private … (0 comments)

Walking Tour of Santana Row - 03/20/07 03:27 AM
Who says startup companies are the only reason Silicon Valley is glamorous?  Who says you need to head up to San Francisco for the urban scene?
Santana Row is a uniquely Northern Californian fusion of design, culture and accessibility, recreating the atmosphere of Paris' Champs Elysees using a distinctly Silicon Valley neo-Mediterranean architecture.
A bustling farmers market lines the streets on Sunday mornings in quaint contrast to the exotic car meets on Saturdays.
But for all the testosterone from the horsepower and club life of the weekends, Santana Row is an amazingly eccelctic place where strollers share the spotlight with Ferraris and people of … (3 comments)

Silicon Valley Farmers Markets - 03/18/07 12:24 AM
One great way to spend weekend mornings is to check out the freshest produce, delivered right into your town by the local Northern California farmers.  Not only do you get to pick from the best fruits and vegetables the area has to offer, but you also help your dollars go back into the local community.
The Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association publishes a detailed calendar to where you can find the local farmers markets (and what vendors will be there) in your area and the SFGate publishes a more comprehensive list of cities, but no vendor information. 
Here's a sampling of the … (2 comments)

Being Upside-Down: Not Just for Mortgages - 03/18/07 12:21 AM
The beauty of real estate is that you can apply a lot of its concepts to other areas.  In this case, Money Crashers writes about being upside-down on a car loan and bootstrapping your way out of a situation where you owe more on the loan than your car is worth.
Traditionally it's been easier to go upside-down with cars because of the massive upfront depreciation once you drive it off the lot (and personal finance gurus will say that you should let someone else take the hit on the first two years of depreciation and buy used).
But being upside-down … (0 comments)

Bay Area Hiking Trail Updates - 03/12/07 02:54 AM
Howdy, I've folks updated my article on Walking Tours and Hiking Trails Galore to include another great Bay Area hiking site that has detailed pictures of the flora, fauna, creepy crawlies, and other skeptical natives you might encounter on your next outdoor adventure.  Oh, and it's got my two favorite trails too! … (0 comments)

AP Reports Gas Tops $3 in California, Locals Thank Sherlock Holmes for Update - 03/08/07 05:37 AM
The reality of Silicon Valley is that you need a car to get most places you'd actually need (or want) to get to on a regular basis.  This is unfortunate because other urban-suburban regions have shown that it's both possible and practical.  Boston, for example, has the amazingly interconnected T which seamlessly integrates its rail, subway, bus and boat system through everywhere from its Charles River neighbor Cambridge all the way out to You Name It, Massachusetts!
In contrast, the Silicon Valley equivalent is a myriad of public transportation silos which includes the VTA, SamTrans, BART, MUNI, and ACE, among others.  … (0 comments)

Heaven for Bay Area Mall Rats - 03/05/07 10:51 PM

Ever wondered how your favorite shopping mall rates or whether there might be a much nicer one within a few minutes of where you're going now?  Scott Parsons of the BIGMallRat Guide to Shopping Malls has a solution.
His site focuses on Northern California and Reno, Nevada and rates some of the biggest shopping malls in and around the San Jose area.  He brings us this beautiful picture of the Stanford Shopping Center courtyard in Palo Alto to the right.
There's no surprise Santana Row (it's more urban experience than pure shopping mall) and Valley Fair get 10 out of 10 … (0 comments)

Bedford Square Mountain View - 03/05/07 02:15 AM
While folks are moving into the Bedford Square master-planned community in July, they've already sold out the first of their six phases.  Its location in Mountain View right along the border of neighboring Sunnyvale is close to many major employers in the Silicon Valley.
Even in the rain that day, it was a noticeably short walk to Verisign headquarters, Symantec (formerly Veritas headquarters), Vernier Networks, and KPMG.  Though driving there from Bedford Square would make even the least green people in California feel guilty, Bedford Square is tucked away so that it doesn't feel like an extension of the office.
The local VTA … (0 comments)

511.org: New Carpoolers Get Free Gas and Safeway Gift Cards - 03/04/07 10:46 PM
Whoever said "virtue is its own reward" didn't know that the 511 Rideshare Rewards Program is giving away up to $100 in gasoline and Safeway gift cards to new carpoolers in the Bay Area. 
To encourage Silicon Valley commuters to make the switch from "California carpools" (you know, where everyone going to the same place uses their own car) to real ones, they're giving away $10 in swag every five days you carpool --- and one person who carpools over 40 days will win $1,000 in cash!  The program ends Halloween 2007 or when the money runs out.  
For carpool … (0 comments)

Quick Fixes to Sell Your House Faster - 03/04/07 02:32 PM
Sometimes good real estate stories don't come from real estate.  This was a lesson in paying attention to detail which I experienced (carelessly, mea culpa) some years back.  I've told clients and prospects this story and they've reacted well to it so I figured I'd share it here.
I wanted to trade in my sports coupe for something a little more practical.  I knew I took care of the car, doing regular maintenance, going easy on the clutch, and putting well under the 12,000 mile per year average on it even though it had 5 or 6 years on it.  So … (0 comments)

Scents That Keep Your House From Selling Faster - 03/01/07 02:02 AM
Like most real estate agents, I go out to see a lot of properties in any given week.  I like to pay special attention to ones that have been vacant or on the market for a long time. 
A few times there will be a subtlety in the title or a major defect that keeps the house from selling.  Other times, the house is just economically obsolete and will have trouble selling at an unrealistic asking price.  Still other times, the marketing might not have been aggressive enough.
But looking very closely at the reaction of clients or even people just … (3 comments)

 

Steve Leung

Cupertino, CA

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Silicon Valley Real Estate

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