A Valentine Gift for Obama?
 Today the House passed a $800+ billion stimulus/recovery bill with no Republican votes! The President may be gaining some points among the populace in his conciliatory gestures, but tired party line differences simplistically focus on the proportion of spending increases vs. tax cuts. The Senate appears likely to add…
Alain Pinel Realtors Expands Into Marin and North Bay
Larry Knapp, President of Alain Pinel Realtor announced that “expansion into the Marin and North Bay markets is moving along extremely well. More then 70 agents have joined APR in Marin County and we expect more in the coming weeks. This past Friday Alain Pinel announced that we will be…
Mortgage Rate Up Slightly
Private Mortgage Advisors (an affiliate of Wells Fargo Mortgage) is Alain Pinel Realtor’s in-house lender. They report that conforming fixed rates increased to the low 5% range, which is still the most compelling rate in the market. Conforming rates are up due to continuing woes in the bank sector specifically at…
Early 2009 Real Estate Activity in Saratoga, CA
The first three weeks of 2009 have brought five new pending sales (starting 1/10/09 after a quiet first 10 days) of single family homes in Saratoga: 13493 Pierce Rd., listed at $1,399,000, which was on the market 285 days. 13973 Quito Oaks Way, listed at $1,165,00, which was on the…
2-4 Months of “Honeymoon Optimism” in West Valley Market?
Appraiser Roger Miller was at our Alain Pinel Realtors sales meeting this morning to review the past year’s real estate market and prospects for the future. Here are some highlights: Median SFD home price in the 4th quarter of 2008 for Saratoga ($1.6 million) is identical to the second quarter 2000 (pre…
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Did you know that: In 1964, at age 35, Martin Luther King, Jr., became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for having “contributed the most to the furtherance of peace among men.” Martin Luther King, Jr. was arrested thirty times for his participation in civil rights activities…
Less than 5% Distressed Properties in Saratoga
There has been much written in the local press about distressed properties for sale in Santa Clara County, so the reader may not understand that since real estate is so very localized, some areas are severly impacted, while others are not! Some market areas like Alum Rock and South San Jose…
The Stock Market and Local Luxury Housing
As we all know, the stock market tanked in 2008 with the Dow dropping 34% and the NASDAQ dropping 40%. So far this year the Dow has performed well with only 6 bad days, but it remains to be seen if the recovery can be sustained in light of the…
Financing Know-How
There is currently a “mini refi boom”, so 15 day contingencies are the rule in purchase contracts now, even though lenders can still close escrow in 3-4 weeks. For lower priced home FHA loans (conforming under $625,000) can now be secured with as little as 3.5% down. Â FICO scores as…
National Day of Service January 19th
Rick and Lynne Bonetti are going to participate this Saturday, January 17th at 9:30 AM in sorting food at Second Harvest food bank on Curtner in San Jose as part of the National Day of Service. There are already 70 people signed up. Sign up on-line at www.USAService.org or call…
Everything It Takes
Encouraging news at our Alain Pinel Realtors sales meeting this morning. Several Realtors reported good open house activity this past weekend with new eager buyers in the market and pent-up demand (compared with the last quarter of 2008, where buyers were sitting on the sidelines). Larry Knapp, Alain Pinel President…
Peninsula Upturns Lead Saratoga
This weekend at open house I was asked how the market for homes in Saratoga compares with that of surrounding communities and those up peninsula. Firstly, I mentioned that historically there has been a market distinction between 650 and 408 telephone area codes, but that recently I have been seeing…
Saratoga’s Hayfield House
 In 1919, architect Julia Morgan designed a country house on 17 acres of hayfields off La Paloma Avenue in Saratoga, CA for Mr. and Mrs. Chauncey Goodrich.  Hayfield house, now accessed off Douglas Lane is a California interpretation of an English country house with front and rear porches, giving easy access to…
Saratoga E-Waste Recycling January 10th
Have obsolete E-waste and live in Saratoga, CA 95070? You can drop off electronic equipment such as TV’s Computers, Printers, cellphones, etc. from 9AM to 4PM on Saturday, January 10, 2009 at Saratoga’s North Campus at 19848 Prospect Road. You can also call West Valley Collection & Recycling, LLC at…
Saratoga Barn Receives Sustainable Building Award
 The Saratoga Barn aka Sam Cloud Hay and Feed Warehouse will be open for docent-led tours sponsored by the Saratoga Historical Foundation from 3 to 4 PM this Friday, January 9, 2009. At 4PM there will be a “Green Seminar” followed by presentation of the 2008 Sustainable Building of…
