States Commemorate Cesar Chavez Day March 31st
Today, Wednesday, March 31, 2010 is a state holiday in California and 8 other states, in commemoration of Cesar Chavez, co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers (UFW).  Supporters say his work led to numerous improvements in the working and living conditions of farm laborers. Many…
Silicon Valley Village Is A New Idea Whose Time Has Come
New Villages are blossoming like flowers throughout the United States. No, I’m not referring to new towns. Villages are new consumer driven, self-governing, non-profit organizations run by volunteers and staff that coordinate programs and affordable services for members who wish to stay in their home and community as they age. …
Saratoga Artists Interpret Charm of The Village and Community
Sunday, March 28, 2010 at 1PM the Saratoga Historical Foundation is having a free public reception for an opening artist’s exhibit entitled “Saratoga Landmarks – Through An Artist’s Eyes”. The museum is located at 20450 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road in Saratoga. The exhibit of watercolor paintings will be on display through…
Will Mortgage Interest Rates Rise in 2010?
The Federal Reserve has been purchasing mortgage-backed securities guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac since early 2009. The purchase program has helped maintain low interest rates for borrowers in Silicon Valley. As planned, the Fed last week announced it will stop purchasing these securities at the end of this…
Savor Saratoga – Wine & Wisteria
On Sunday, April 11, 2010 the Saratoga Village Development Council (SVDC) will host a fundraiser dinner: “Savor Saratoga: Wine & Wisteria” at Hakone, the National Trust historic Japanese Garden just up Big Basin Way from the Village. The time is from 5 to 7:30 PM and only 150 tickets will…
Low Saratoga Home For Sale Inventory Spurs Sales
 Because of seasonally low inventory, home sales in Saratoga, CA are brisk in the under $2 million range if they are well priced. One year ago inventory of single family homes was 167 – today it is only 106 homes available. Pending sales increased from 17 last year to…
Multiple Offers In Saratoga and Cupertino Homes For Sale
The real estate market in Silicon Valley from Saratoga north to Cupertino and Sunnyvale is hot in moderate price range with multiple offers.  Here’s an update detail in Cupertino this past week: 5073 Shady               Listed at $899,000      Sold for $970,000      13 offers 10607 Glenview         Listed at $1,099,888   Sold for ~$1,150,000 17…
We Need A Village To Age In Place At Home In Saratoga
Some homeowners aged 50+ or better want a more maintenance/worry-free lifestyle and proactively sense when the time is right to sell their home and move to a townhome or retirement home. Perhaps the first step for people in their 60′s and 70′s is to buy a single level townhouse (rare…
What’s With Those Red Saratoga Serves Signs?
Driving the streets of Saratoga, CA you can’t help but notice a bunch of red signs at various places of worship – Christian, Jewish and Muslim. Check out the 18 photos on the Saratoga, CA Facebook page, and become a fan while you are at it. Saratoga Serves is an…
Finding Saratoga Real Estate Hot Spots with Realtors Property Resouce
REALTORS® are the center of real estate transactions and I predict will remain so, because of four factors: Access to a new propietary program called REALTORS® Property Resource (RPR), REALTORS® extensive market knowledge, Marketing expertise and Negotiating skills. Not all licensed real estate agents are REALTORS® (members of the National…
Saratoga’s Unity In Community
Do you know what our kids are doing? This entire week, the students of Saratoga’s Redwood Middle School are celebrating Unity in Community. Tomorrow March 11, 2010, there will be a Heal The World Outdoor Assembly featuring the RMS Honor Chorus and the students’s Unity In Community chain. All Redwood…
What Are The 12 Factors That Define Neighborhoods?
The map above shows various neighborhoods in Saratoga, CA. As a Realtor it seems to me that the logical process in home buying is to first choose the community you like and can afford, then narrow the search to select the most desirable neighborhoods (constrained by affordability) and then find…
Facebook Fan Page Posts Saratoga Real Estate Market Updates
There are 12 new listings in Saratoga this week. There are 116 residential MLS listings available with an average price of $2,241,933.…
How Can I Save Green When Buying A Green Home?
Image by U.S. Army Environmental Command via Flickr Green building is here to stay! Â So if you’re thinking of buying a home in Saratoga, Los Gatos or Monte Sereno or you are thinking of remodeling your existing residence, you need to know what elements of a “green home”* are most…
Can Home Sellers Keep Home Buyer’s Non-Refundable Deposits?
Simply put, there are no non-refundable deposits in standard real estate purchase contracts – you either have a contract or an option. If it is a valid purchase contract, specific provisions of the agreement determine whether deposits are refundable or not. Adding a provision to a standard real estate purchase…
