homes: CNNMoney: Best Places to Live 2011 - Los Altos and Los Altos Hills top the list - 08/23/11 06:21 PM
According to the latest CNNMoney, Los Altos Hills ranks as the #2 town in the country in which to live.  The article listed the top 25 towns in the United States and covers the entire country.  The article will appear in the September issue of Money Magazine. Having lived in neighboring Los Altos most of my life, it's no surprise to see this list.  With lots of at least 1 acre, plenty of mature trees, and typically large, luxury homes, it's no wonder people want to live there.  While the median selling price shows $2,273,000 (just $4000 below #1 Hillsborough), based … (3 comments)

homes: Los Altos Hills real estate market report for July 2011 - 08/03/11 05:42 PM
Most of my readers know by now that the local real estate market has made huge strides in recovering this year.  Los Altos Hills is continuing the trend last month with 11 closed sales with an average selling price of $3,107,273.  This compares favorably to the July 2010 when there were 9 sales at about the same average selling price.  These numbers are a sugnificant jump from last month when only 9 homes sold at an average of $2,557,500.  The average selling price (ASP) often fluctuates wildly and isn't an indication that prices will continue to rise in such dramatic fashion.
… (1 comments)

homes: Los Altos real estate market report for July 2011 - 08/02/11 05:26 PM
The real estate market in Los Altos held up well in July, considering that we have substantially fewer homes to sell than last month or even this time last year.  The average and median homes prices were about the same as last year (the median was actually up substantially) at $1,651,342 and $1,635,000.  The most important factor is that the sales price was 101.4% of the listing price, that confirms that overbidding was a strong part of the July market.  As has been the case with buyers all year, multiple offers are normal and overbidding is expect in many cases.  This … (4 comments)

homes: Los Altos Neighborhood Guide - Old Los Altos - 07/29/11 02:25 PM

A guide to the Los Altos neighborhood - Old Los Altos
The Old Los Altos neighborhood is so named because it sat right across the street from where the old train station used to be.  Before Foothill Expressway was even a dream, a train line running up and down the San Francisco Peninsula used to have at the corner of Foothill Expressway and Main Street.  In fact, that location is now occupied by Maria's Antiques which retains some of the feel of the old train station with an old train car outside.  Across from that station on University Avenue running … (5 comments)

homes: Los Altos Neighborhood Guide - Rancho - 07/25/11 05:58 PM
A Guide to the Los Altos Neighborhood - Rancho
The Rancho neighborhood in Los Altos is a prime example of the rural-style that this town is known for.  With Hale Creek winding behind the homes on Parma to set the standard, the streets have a gentle, flowing curve that add character to the mix of traditional ranch-style homes and luxurious mansions.  The residents are a mix of new and old owners, many with a long history in the area.  One of the past residents is responsible for building many of the luxury homes in the neighborhood.  I myself actually spent many … (0 comments)

homes: Los Altos real estate market report for mid-July 2011 - 07/14/11 12:25 PM
The Los Altos real estate market is continuing to climb up with 14 homes sold so far this month.  That's pretty good considering we had a short week the first week of July and there was very little listing or selling activity in the days immediately preceeding or after July 4th.  Of course, these are homes that actually sold in June but are now closing.  With Los Altos home inventory down to a 1 month supply, sales volume is likely to drop in July with fewer homes to choose from.  18 homes have gone "pending sale" so far in July and … (0 comments)

homes: Home sales price trends in Los Altos Hills for 2011 - 07/10/11 06:18 PM
I've had several buyers in recent months ask about price trends in Los Altos Hills.  This segment of the buyer pool is usually looking in the $2.5 million to $3.0 million price range, are moving up, and looking for a deal.  Most of these buyers are looking at trend information from Zillow, Trulia and/or Redfin and trying to see if the average selling price is going down so they can drive a hard deal on a current listing.  I try to explain that the market has changed but they often times don't listen to what's going on.  The bottom line is … (1 comments)

homes: Real estate market trends in Los Altos - first half of 2011 - 07/08/11 01:02 PM
Buying a home in Los Altos has been a challenge for many in 2011.  The market has gotten much more competitive, prices have risen, and the supply is leaving many home buyers struggling to find anything suitable before the end of the school year. This market trend report shows how the Los Altos real estate market has changed in the first 6 months of 2010 to the first 6 months of 2011.  I'll start with the average selling price comparison.
As you can see in the chart below, the average selling price in Los Altos has risen since January and remained … (0 comments)

homes: Los Altos real estate market report for June 2011 - 07/07/11 10:08 AM
Los Altos real estate had a very strong month in June 2011 with the median and average homes sales prices both higher than June 2010.  The average and median prices were $1,764,000 and $1,660,600 respectively which is up about 5.3% over the same period last year (for the average). This reflects the continuing trend in Los Altos home sales to see properties that are priced in line with the market sell fast, with multiple offers, at or above the asking price.  If anyone doubts that market prices are increasing, the fact that we're up so much for the year is a … (0 comments)

homes: What home buyers need to know about private roads in Los Altos Hills - 06/29/11 06:35 PM
The are a large number of private roads in Los Altos Hills that have been created over the years as large lots were subdivided and new homes built.  What many buyers don't know when buying a home in Los Altos Hills is that the street they're buying on may, in fact, be a private road.  Depending on the road, there may or may not be an agreement with the neighbors on long-term maintenance and care of the road.  As a buyer, you need to be informed about which roads in Los Altos Hills are private and what maintenance is involved with … (2 comments)

homes: Why is Los Altos so popular with home buyers? - 06/26/11 10:12 PM
I get this question a lot from buyers who wonder why Los Altos is more popular than other nearby communities.  It is often asked by people who also wonder the same thing about Palo Alto.  In the case of Los Altos, there are several reasons.  Some of the many reasons Los Altos is a popular destination include:Schools:  The schools in Los Altos are among the best in the state.  With scores exceeding those of Palo Alto elementary schools, the schools here get rave reviews from parents, teachers, and kids.  The level of parent participation is incredible and the schools rely on … (1 comments)

homes: Homes that have sold in Los Altos this week - 06/24/11 05:19 PM
This has been an active week for home sales in Los Altos with 8 homes closed in the last 3 days and more pending.  We're close to the end of the month so I won't update all the stats but the interesting thing is that 3 of the homes that sold and closed this week were under $1.2 million.  I hope the run of low cost homes doesn't pull down the average and median selling prices for Los Altos too much.  The bright side is that we're seeing more homes sold and many with multiple offers. 
There have been three price … (2 comments)

homes: Mid-June 2011 Market Report for Los Altos Real Etate - 06/17/11 11:43 AM
The Los Altos market has remained hot so far in June with 21 homes sold and many new listings getting multiple offers.  Over 25% of those homes have sold for well of $2 million which is helping drive the average and median prices up.  The average selling price is about $1,780,000 which is in line with recent full month figures for April and May. As anyone who knows the Los Altos real estate market will tell you, the Spring market (Q2) is especially active with prices typically spiking before settling down in Q3.  However, we may continue to see a trend … (6 comments)

homes: Los Altos foreclosures - reality and myth - 05/11/11 03:48 PM
Are you looking for Los Altos foreclosures?  Well, it could be a long wait as there are very few homes that actually go to foreclosure.  When they do, they often, but not always, sell for the going market rate.  As a buyer, you're looking for a deal or bargain and I understand and appreciate that.  However, as a buyer you need to know that you're looking in one of the hottest markets in the country.  While I understand wanting to find a deal, you need to understand that the foreclosures that actually make it to the market typically have all sorts … (0 comments)

homes: Los Altos Hills Real Estate Off Market Sales Report for 2010 - 05/10/11 01:07 PM
There has been renewed discussion about off market home sales in Los Altos Hills ever since the record setting $100 million transaction completed a couple of months ago. In looking at that transaction, many buyers will be curious to know how many other homes have sold off market in Los Altos Hills in 2011 and 2010.  Remember, off market sales are those homes that sell without being on the MLS.In 2010, there were a total of 12 off market sales transactions.  There were several other transfers to trusts and other property exchange events but they weren't true sales transactions.  Of those, … (0 comments)

homes: Are prices really rising in Los Altos Hills? - 04/26/11 04:14 PM
The real estate market in Los Altos Hills started to come back around in Q4 of 2010 with smaller homes, under 3000 sq. ft. selling close to their asking prices.  That was the beginning of a trend in which prices are definitely coming back up from the slump we've experienced in the last 3 years.
Los Altos Hills saw a huge surge in sales and prices in March 2011 with several high-end homes selling which resulted in the median and average selling prices eclipsing anything in recent memory.  As I said in that market update, Los Altos Hills was experiencing a … (3 comments)

homes: Los Altos Real Estate Market Update - November 2010 - 12/03/10 02:02 PM
November was a slow month for sales in Los Altos.  There were 22 sales with an average listing price of $1,593,485 and an average selling price of $1,547,586 which is 97% listing/sold ratio.  This is down from 28 sales in November 2009 when the average listing price was $1,678,518.  No matter how you slice it, the market is down from October 2010 or November 2009.  Does this mean we're heading down in general?  No.  In my opinion based on watching this market for years, this is just a one time slowdown.  The trend in Los Altos has been up for the … (0 comments)

homes: Foreclosures and default notices see a huge drop in October - 11/17/10 12:01 PM
In Santa Clara County, foreclosures were down 29% from September 2010 and 36% from October 2009.  That's a drop in new foreclosures and can't be entirely attributed to the foreclosure stops from BofA, etc.  Default notices were down 11.1% from September.  These numbers show a massive shift from the down market we've seen in the past toward a growth in prices and lower inventory we see now.
 
Another interesting statistic tied to these changes is that is it taking 45% longer to process a foreclosure than it did a year ago.  Again, this is GREAT NEWS!  Why is this great … (3 comments)

homes: Hot New Properties in Los Altos 10/7 - 10/07/10 04:12 PM
2204 VINEYARD COURT, Los Altos 94024 MLS# 81049095 Listing Agent: David Troyer, Intero Real Estate List Price: $1,828,000 Days On Market: 1 Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 3 Living space: 2,743 SqFt Lot size: 16,592 SqFt Age: 51 Bryan's Opinion: Sitting on more than 1/3 acre of land at the end of a court, this home is located in a highly desirable section of the Highlands Neighborhood of Los Altos. Having sold a property in the same neighborhood this summer at $1,637,000 I can say that the pricing on this home is in line with the area.  It is rare to get a … (0 comments)

homes: Hot New Properties in Los Altos Hills - 09/03/10 05:38 PM
27040 Old Trace Lane, Los Altos Hills, CA  94022MLS# 81042917Listing Agent: Mary and Brent Gullixson, Alain Pinel RealtorsList Price: $24,950,000Days On Market: 4Bedrooms: 6Bathrooms: 6 1/2Living space: 14,855Lot size: 3.394 acresAge: 20

Bryan's Opinion:  This is one of the most beautiful estates in Los Altos Hills and among the more expensive ones as well.
 
13914 Mir Mirou Drive, Los Altos Hills, CA  94022MLS# 81043038Listing Agent: Gary Campi, Campi PropertiesList Price: $6,450,000Days On Market: 4Bedrooms: 5Bathrooms: 4 1/2Living space: 5,524Lot size: 2.37 acresAge: 28


Bryan's Opinion:  Close to the Palo Alto Hills Country Club and very private.  It's … (0 comments)

 
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Bryan Robertson, Real estate broker Los Altos & Silicon Valley Luxury Homes

Los Altos, CA

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Address: c/o Los Altos Real Estate Agent, Los Altos, CA, 94022

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