Saratoga Voice » Los Gatos

Hubs of Services for Aging-in-Place

Rick Bonetti — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 19:33:36 +0000

On April 6, 2011 from 5:30-7:00 PM, the Institute for Age-Friendly Housing is presenting Collaborating on Healthcare: Hubs of Services for Aging-in-Place, as part of their 2011 Forum Series held at Avenidas, 450 Bryant Street, Palo Alto, CA. Speakers for this event include:

Robert Trevorrow, San Francisco Senior Centers
Lisa Hendrickson, Avenidas & Avenidas Village
Martin Entwistle, Center for Healthcare Systems Innovation, Palo Alto Medical Foundation

Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door.

On May 4, 2011 the topic will be Spirituality & Aging: Purpose, Meaning and Mutual Support.

If you know a senior who wants to age in place in their home, but needs supportive services or who needs to sell their home and relocate to a more supportive living environment, please give me a call. I can refer you to people who can help.

Rick Bonetti | APR Referral Network | 408-857-8800 | DRE #01237009

Santa Clara County 2010 Tax Roll Declined by 2.43%

Rick Bonetti — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 00:23:19 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

According to the Santa Clara Assessors Office 2010-2011 Annual Report , assessed value tax rolls in the County declined in 2010 by 2.43% – the first time since 1978, when proposition 13 was passed in California. This means city and county governments are tightening their belts to compensate for shrinking revenues.

As of January 1, 2010, approximately 24 percent of all single family homes in the County and nearly half, 46 percent, of all condominiums are assessed below their purchase price.

However, the amount of the average reduction for residential properties actually declined 5 percent over the prior year. According to the Assessor, “this change may suggest that the residential market, especially for entry homes, may have leveled in 2009.”

Decrease in the tax rolls was uneven throughout the County, with the biggest drops in the south County communities of Gilroy and Morgan Hill. Palo Alto was the sole community that scored an increase in 2010.

With the exception of Milpitas, those communities with lower per capita valuations declined the most.

The County Assessors office proactively a instituted an online technology to allow for reductions in assessed valuations. As a result, assessed values of 118,690 properties were reduced by the Assessor’s Office as of the lien date, January 1, 2010, to reflect changes in market conditions.

Related articles

California Property Tax Rolls Shrink 1.8% in ‘Historic’ Slump (businessweek.com)
Santa Clara County Home Sales Increase for Fifth Consecutive Month in 2010 (prnewswire.com)
County fair set to lose funding next year (faircarnivals.com)

South Bay Garden Tour May 2, 2010

Rick Bonetti — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 15:43:51 +0000

Do you love private gardens? On Sunday, May 2, 2010 from 10Â AM â€“ 4 PM you can visit four private gardens in Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Saratoga organized by the Garden Conservancy and Â promoted byÂ Heritage Tree Society of Saratoga. Â You can see the privateÂ Holton Kownacki Garden, Ohlund Garden, Twin Creeks Japanese Garden and Glen Una Garden. Admission is $5 per garden. Children 12 and under are free. Open Days are self-guided and are rain or shine.Â No reservations are required.

Also at 1 p.m. the Montalvo Arts Center Italiante Garden will host aÂ free informalÂ talk “The Italianate Garden Arrives in California”Â by Betsy G. Fryberger.Â Elegant box lunches available to order in advance at 408-961-5858.

Mortgage Rates Attractive to Home Buyers

Rick Bonetti — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:21:29 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

Mortgage rates are continuing to stay flat due to unemployment concerns.Â

This week the US Treasury will auction off $81 Billion worth of debt and investors are concerned that demand especially foreign demand will wane due to all the debt that has come into the market over the past few months.Â The Chinese Premier in a meeting with Obama this week warned him that national debt and urged Obama to get it under control.”Â Whether that means anything or not is anyones guess but it is interesting to see.Â

With the holidays coming, rates traditionally rise during this time.Â Again, ifÂ homebuyers in Saratoga, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno and surrounding Silicon Valley communities areÂ waiting for lower rates, it is our opinion that rates are “as good as they are going to see now and for the foreseeable future.”Â

Current rates for Non-conforming, jumbo (>$729,750),Â 30 year fixed are an attractiveÂ 5.75%; Jumbo conforming ($417 K – $729,750) are at 5.25%; and Conforming loans (<$417 K) are at 5.125%.

Rick Bonetti | Alain Pinel Realtors | 408-857-8800

Saratoga and Los Gatos High School API Scores UP

Rick Bonetti — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:01:31 +0000

Students in Los Gatos Saratoga Union High School District continue to excel! The September 15, 2009 release of the 2009 API indicates that students across the District made gains, resulting in improved API scores:

* LGHS grew from an API of 846 to 874 (+28)
* SHS grew from an API of 928 to 933 (+5)
* The District API grew from 876 to 897 (+21)

Saratoga, Los Gatos and Monte Sereno have two of the best high schools in California! Thank you to our students, staff and administrators for your hard work – you have built a culture of excellence. And thank you to our community for your continued support!

For more information about District and state API scores, go to http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/ap/

Need Saratoga and Los Gatos Recycle Resources When Moving?

Rick Bonetti — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:05:36 +0000

Are you moving and have good stuff left over after your garage or estate sale? If you have unwanted items that you don’t want to move, donâ€™t throw them away- donate them! Reusing, reselling, recycling and donation saves these items from becoming waste in our landfills.

There are many agencies and facilities that will take your donations, some of which are listed below.Â Please contact the locations in the Saratoga, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, San Jose area for details on accepted donation items.

American Cancer Society Discovery Shop
39 E. Main Street, Los Gatos
408-354-5917

Happy Dragon Thrift Shop
245 W. Main Street, Los Gatos
408-354-4072

Jewish Family Service of Silicon Valley
15466 Los Gatos Blvd., Los Gatos
408-556-0600

Resources Area for Teachers (RAFT)
1355 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose
408-451-1420
www.raft.net

City Team Family Outreach
1297 North 13th Street, San Jose
408-293-4657
www.cityteam.org

Echo Shop of St. Andrews Church
14477 Big Basin Way, Saratoga
408-867-3995

Sacred Heart Community Service
1381 S. First Street, San Jose
408-278-2160

Teen Challenge Thrift Store
2127 S. Winchester Blvd., Campbell
408-374-4648

HOPE Rehabilitation
3100 Alfred Street, Santa Clara
408-748-2874
www.hopeservices.org

Career Closet
43 E. Gish Road #100, San Jose
408-451-1200
www.careercloset.org

Goodwill of Silicon Valley
60 S. San Tomas Aquino Rd,
Campbell
408-374-0682
www.goodwillsv.org
For Home Pick-up
1-888-4-goodwill

Salvation Army Thrift Store
1522 Winchester Blvd., San Jose
408-374-2350
www.salvationarmyusa.org

ASL Recycling
524 Brennan Street, San Jose
408-468-0230
www.aslrecycling.com

E-Waste Services
292 Brokaw Road, Santa Clara
408-464-9999
www.ewasteservices.org

For more information on these and other reuse, resale and recycling resources, visit www.recyclestuff.org or www.reducewaste.org.

Rick Bonetti | Alain Pinel Realtors | 408-857-8800 |DRE# 01237009

Grand Los Gatos Estate Rich with Character

Rick Bonetti — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:27:35 +0000

The highlight of MLS tour this morning was the distinctive English Cotswold-style Manor House on Wild Way in Los Gatos. The home was constructed in 1928 and was previously owned by the noted San Jose attorney John Boccardo before it was purchased a couple of years ago and completely renovated. The main residence is 14,250+/-sf on 4.63+/- acres overlooking Lake Vasona. Reportedly $1 million was spent on the spectacular pool area alone.

The property is currently listed by Alain Pinel Realtors for $25,000,000. John Howmiller and Rick Ardizzone are the listing agents. Click>here for a virtual tour.