Often I have clients who are interested in purchasing a 4 bedroom, 2 bath home in a good school district in Silicon Valley, particularly in the South Bay and West Valley areas. Tonight I did a study on the MLS of homes that have sold and closed escrow in the last 4 months with these characteristics:

• single family home (house)
• 4 bedrooms
• 2 bathrooms
• 1800 to 2200 square feet of living space
• 6000 to 10,000 sf lot

Disclaimers aside, here are the numbers for select West Valley Communities in the West/South Bay area with good schools. The first number is the average sales price per square foot, the second number is the average sales price:

And a look at the chart from all back in 2015…

And all the way back in 2011. What’s changed? A lot! The order has shifted some, showing where demand has increased or decreased. Most noticeably, the prices are significantly lower in 2011 than they are now. The 2015 chart shows prices somewhere in-between the 2011 and 2017 levels. Palo Alto and Los Altos remain consistently in the top two positions.

The home prices tend to run with the school district API scores.  You can check the 2013, three year average, API scores in Santa Clara County for both the districts and the individual schools online here.        

As you can see, there’s quite a range of pricing for our model 4 bed, 2 bath home of about 2,000 square feet – it could run as low as about $933,900 on average (Blossom Valley area, San Jose) to a high of about $2,803,933 in Palo Alto.

Please remember that these homes do not represent just the best homes in the most ideal locations, nor the worst – it’s all types of houses, all types of sales, so average numbers. So if you are a buyer who needs a “turnkey” home with everything remodeled or new in the best location, you might want to mentally add at least another 10% to 25% to this cost.

Here are a few areas in Santa Clara County which are well known for good schools:

Palo Alto Unified = 932 (includes elementary, middle and high schools)

Los Altos Elementary = 961 (includes elementary and middle schools only)
Mountain View – Los Altos Union (high schools) = 871

Saratoga Union Elementary = 959
Los Gatos Union = 929
Los Gatos – Saratoga Joint Union (high school district) = 906

Cupertino Union = 962
Fremont Union High School District (high schools serving Cupertino and nearby) = 890 (but 2 high schools are in the 9s)

Union School District (Cambrian & east Los Gatos) = 927
Cambrian School District = 880
Campbell Union High School District = 784 (highest scoring school is Leigh at 833)

San Jose Unified is enormous… In Almaden, Leland has very very high scores, as does Bret Harte Middle School, so those area are preferre (all of the elementary schools in Almaden are quite good).

But wait, there’s more!

These aren’t the only areas with great schools in Silicon Valley, of course. West San Jose and Santa Clara have areas that share Cupertino Schools, for instance. Monte Sereno is 99.5% in the Los Gatos School area (but there were no homes matching our outline in the last few months). The Los Gatos Mountain communities such as Redwood Estates, Holy City, Aldercroft Heights and Chemeketa Park enjoy fabulous schools (Lakeside and Loma Prieta districts). There are wonderful schools in the Silver Creek area of Evergreen, the Warm Springs and Mission Districts of Fremont, and the city of Pleasanton, to name a few.

The post What Does It Cost to Buy a 4 Bedroom, 2 Bath Home in Silicon Valley with Good Schools? appeared first on Valley of Heart's Delight blog.

The Alta Vista neighborhood, which sits along the border of Los Gatos and the Cambrian Park district of San Jose, is very highly sought after and valued for many, many reasons. Real estate prices vary depending upon the precise location within the neighborhood as well as the size and condition of the home.

Why is this area so popular?  Most of the streets close to Alta Vista School are beautifully tree-lined, and from virtually everywhere in the neighborhood, you are close to Blossom Hill (that’s the name of the hill, not just the name of the road!). Homes are well kept, streets are wide enough, and except when there’s a school function, there really aren’t too many cars on the street. It is very scenic, pleasant and uncrowded feeling. Although you’re in the city or town, you feel close to the country there.

Additionally, many homebuyers select this area because the school scores are high and because it’s easy to get to the elementary and middle schools without crossing any major streets: that is a big plus! It is also a quick drive to highway 85, just a couple of miles to the Los Gatos shopping areas (at Los Gatos Blvd and Blossom Hill Road) or to Vasona Lake County Park. For many, it’s a way to be close to Los Gatos while paying less expensive San Jose prices.

Prior to being developed for housing, this spot at the base of Blossom Hill was once blanketed in orchards and was scenic enough that it was part of the “blossom tours” that used to take place at the height of the flowering.  Hence, one large section of this neighborhood has street names that begin with “blossom”.

Where is the Alta Vista neighborhood? What are the landmarks?

The neighborhood considered to be “Alta Vista” has three strong borders and one vague one. The three well defined edges are Blossom Hill Road, Union Avenue, and Los Gatos Almaden Road. The fourth boundary is approximately the edge of Ross Creek, which runs behind Westchester Drive, but perhaps some would argue that it goes a little further.

View Alta Vista Area of Cambrian & Los Gatos in a larger map

There are several landmarks in the neighborhood:

• Alta Vista School
• Union Middle School
• The Downing Shopping Center (at the corner of Union & LG ALmaden)
• Blossom Hill and the coastal foothills
• The high voltage power lines (runs behind Blossom Valley Drive)
• Ross Creek (behind Westchester)
• Three major roads: Blossom Hill Road, Union Avenue, and Los Gatos Almaden Road

The terrain of the neighborhood runs from hilly (only a few homes close to Blossom Hill Road have much of a slope or a view) to flat, with most of the properties being fairly or completely level.

San Jose and Los Gatos have a very strange boundary line in this area, and it is very confusing to folks who visit for the first time. If you were to drive along Blossom Valley Drive, for instance, at the intersection with Westchester you’d be in Los Gatos, then heading south east you’d be in San Jose, and by the time you get to Pinehurst you’re back in Los Gatos again. The house numbers jump and you move in and out of Cambrian Park: a home with 3 digits is in Los Gatos but one with a 4 digit address is San Jose. When it goes back and forth, it’s very confusing. The neighborhood has something like a peninsula of San Jose poking into a sea of Los Gatos – perhaps because the builder could put more homes on San Jose lots, which could be smaller? That would be my guess.

What kind of homes are found in the Alta Vista Neighborhood? What does it cost to live there?

There are a few larger homes on much bigger parcels along Nimrick Lane but most of the homes are ranch style, ranging from about 1100 square feet on the small side to perhaps 2500 on the large side, with most houses under 2000 SF. There are a few multi-family units along Pinehurst, but by and large the area has single family homes. Parcels run, generally, between 6000 SF and 8000 SF – with exceptions. There are a few larger lots closer to Blossom Hill Road and toward Los Gatos along and near Lu Ray Drive, Camino del Cerro etc.

The “blossom” streets (Blossom Dale, Blossom Tree, Blossom Vista, Blossom Crest etc.) were Garcia-built tract homes (Garcia homes are found in many parts of San Jose, including along the “King” streets near Good Samaritan Hospital). Most of those properties are in San Jose, 95124. Part of the same tract, though, is in Los Gatos 95032: homes along the southern part of Pinehurst, Danville, Blossom Villa and parts of Blossom Valley. They’re solidly built homes.

The other side of the power lines was built by a several builders. There are some tract homes with shared floorplans, but many of the homes there (Baron, Kunkel, Keene, etc.) are semi-custom homes.

Behind the school and closer to downtown Los Gatos, homes and lots are larger, the addresses are Los Gatos and there were a few builders involved. These are, of course, more expensive than much smaller homes on  smaller lots with a San Jose address.

Home prices can range from the $900’s to well past $1.8 million, “depending.” Estimating what a home might be worth can be tricky because there are a number of variables, from which city the property is located in (can make a 3-5% difference, sometimes more or less), whether or not there’s a view, the home & lot size, the proximity of the power lines, whether or not the property is on the Shannon Fault, how close it is to the schools, and the improvements made or deferred.

Would you like to see Alta Vista homes for sale? Click on the link below for an interactive map of homes for sale in the Alta Vista neighborhood. Note, there aren’t many! This is a “low turnover” neighborhood!

What are the “issues,” if any, in the Alta Vista area?

There aren’t many, but here are the biggest areas of concern:

1. The Shannon Earthquake Fault cuts through part of this area, so a few homes may be sitting directly on this fault (which I believe is considered “minor”, but check it out with a geologist)
2. The high voltage power lines cut through the middle of the neighborhood. Homes that are immediately adjacent to them, especially to the power towers, will have a harder time selling and will sell for less than a similar home further away. Those who own the homes, though, are often happy at the extra open space. Many have had P, G & E test the area and found that the EMFs emitted are stronger in front of their microwave than in their front or back yards…but do check out this issue thoroughly yourself if you decide to buy in that location.
3. The proximity of the beautiful hill means that water is going to be more of an issue with the clay soils that we have here.  Too many homeowners, in this neighborhood and throughout Silicon Valley, do not divert water away from their homes (even neglecting downspout extenders, which are very cheap and extremely important). This translates into potential drainage and foundation issues, and the closer you are to the hill, the more crucial an issue this can become. Ignore the water and the foundation will probably crack, your home will get out of level to an unacceptable amount, and the repairs will be costly.

How is the Alta Vista real estate market? It is part Cambrian Park real estate market, part Los Gatos so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on both markets in the Union School District area.

I have had the pleasure of selling a number of homes in the Alta Vista area over the years (since 1993), both in this immediate area as well as on streets that “belong” to Alta Vista such as Heather Drive, Rosswood Drive, Bel Estos, Kensington, and many more. Whether you are buying or selling a home in or near Alta Vista, please give me a call. I would welcome the chance to talk with you about working together to meet your real estate goals in this beautiful neighborhood.

Please also check out posts on Cambrian Gardens neighborhood (half goes to Alta Vista, half to Carlton) and the King Street neighborhood of Cambrian Park.

The post The Alta Vista Neighborhood, Where San Jose’s Cambrian Park and Los Gatos Weave Together Along The Base of the Hills appeared first on Valley of Heart's Delight blog.

It can be really challenging for people moving to Silicon Valley to get a sense of real estate prices, and perhaps more, to compare housing costs from one town or district to another.

One question I get a lot is this: what does it cost to buy a 4 bedroom, 2 bath house of about 2000 square feet?

So to answer this question, let’s see what houses like this are selling for (4 bed, 2 bath, appx 2000 SF or 185 square meters) and see how the cost looks in one Santa Clara Count y / Silicon Valley area versus another.

Today I compared several areas and cities using this criteria: single family homes of 1800 – 2200 SF, 3-5 bedrooms, 2-3 bathrooms, on lot sizes of 6000 SF to 10,000 SF. Normally I would chart this over the last 2 months, or 60 days, but because of the low inventory causing the sellers market I have expanded the search to the last 3 months, or 90 days, for a better range. As of this writing, Saratoga only had one sale over the last 90 days, so data for that segment may or may not be a good average.

Here’s how it shakes out in the “west valley areas” along the Highway 85 corridor, most of which are known to have good to great public schools. What areas are most affordable? One way of analyzing this is the “price per square foot” figure. Whenever I update the chart, I re-arrange the order of the cities from high to low based on the price per square foot, although there’s usually minimal movement.

To compare, here are the numbers from the this past January 26, 2017. There were fewer sales, so the search range was bumped up to 120 days instead of 90 days (and Los Altos was so low, it was individually searched at 180 days). You might notice price per square foot appears lower across the board in January compared to July. This is most likely because the market has heated up over spring and summer, which you can also see in the DOM.

Below are my results from the same search back in September 18, 2015. By comparison, you can tell that Santa Clara’s average Price has increased, pushing it above Almaden and Campbell.

How competitive is the market? Have a look at the DOM or “Days on Market” figure. All of these days on market are short, but they range from low to heart-skippingly fast.

In most cases, the priciest and most desirable places have either the best schools or shortest commute location or both (Palo Alto and Cupertino have both). Had I ranked these for school scores, you’d find that Cambrian is fairly high up and a good “bang for the buck” location – though not a super short commute for folks who work in Mountain View (though not so bad for people working in Cupertino).  Almaden, too, offers a good value for the quality of the schools, homes, and neighborhoods, though the commute is longer. None of these is especially close to North San Jose (where a major employer is Cisco).

It should also be noted that in some of the smaller communities with less on the market these numbers may not be as stable as others with more data – for instance, Los Altos only had four homes sold, the second lowest, matching this criteria within the 90 days of collected data, and therefore may not be as accurate as others, such as the Blossom Valley area of San Jose with the most data at 38 homes sold. For these smaller communities with less data, it is beneficial to look at them more closely – Saratoga, for instance, has 3 different high school districts which have an impact the real estate prices. This chart is really just a snapshot to give a general sense of the relative affordability of these markets to one another.

Palo Alto is a gorgeous, exciting area with all kinds of wonderful features – beautiful neighborhoods, lower crime, great schools, short commute. But if you haven’t founded a successful startup company or inherit a couple of million bucks, it can be hard to buy a single family home there. Many people would like to live in the shadow of Stanford University, but their budget just won’t allow it. What, then? Even townhomes and condos are exorbitant in Palo Alto, but there are more affordable homes not too far away if you’re willing to commute.

Please use the list above as a way to get your bearings on nearby areas in the South Bay (southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area). This is not an exhaustive list – it’s just most of the areas closest to Highway 85 or the West Valley Freeway. (Other good value areas for schools and home prices include Milpitas and parts of Fremont as well as the southern end of the Evergreen district in San Jose.)

Finally, it should be noted that one of the main drivers of home values is school districts. In the San Jose / Silicon Valley area, the school district boundaries do NOT follow the city or town boundaries. Los Gatos, for example, has 3 different elementary school districts, with varying scores which impact home values. So too with Saratoga and many other areas, San Jose especially! All this to say that the figures above are only ROUGH GUIDES. When you break it down to micro-markets, the picture changes more. But as a starter guide, I think you’ll find the above info helpful to give you a general idea of how far your money can go in home buying for areas in Santa Clara County from Palo Alto to Blossom Valley.

Please contact me if you’d like to discuss working together in home buying or selling anywhere in the “west valley” areas.

This article was originally published on Move2SiliconValley, my relocation blog.

1. $1,099,000 : 2433 Golf Links CIR, SANTA CLARA
   3 beds, 3 baths

   Home size: 2,088 sq ft

   Lot size: 2,317 sqft
2. $950,000 : 788 Pescadero DR, SAN JOSE
   4 beds, 2 baths

   Home size: 1,739 sq ft

   Lot size: 6,115 sqft
3. $1,199,000 : 633 Mary Evelyn DR, SAN JOSE
   4 beds, 3 baths

   Home size: 2,176 sq ft

   Lot size: 6,682 sqft
4. $1,188,888 : 4844 Birmingham DR, SAN JOSE
   4 beds, 3 baths

   Home size: 2,124 sq ft

   Lot size: 13,281 sqft
5. $1,150,000 : 2873 Glen Ascot WAY, SAN JOSE
   4 beds, 3 baths

   Home size: 2,946 sq ft

   Lot size: 7,200 sqft
6. $1,395,000 : 699 S Genevieve LN, SAN JOSE
   4 beds, 3 baths

   Home size: 2,050 sq ft

   Lot size: 7,840 sqft
7. $1,178,000 : 697 Kirk Glen DR, SAN JOSE
   4 beds, 2 baths

   Home size: 2,084 sq ft

   Lot size: 7,710 sqft
8. $978,000 : 526 Bella Calais WAY, SAN JOSE
   3 beds, 3 baths

   Home size: 1,792 sq ft

   Lot size: 4,029 sqft
9. $1,398,000 : 1435 Parsons CT, CAMPBELL
   3 beds, 3 baths

   Home size: 2,385 sq ft

   Lot size: 8,786 sqft
10. $2,899,000 : 1178 Crandano CT, SUNNYVALE
    5 beds, 3 baths

    Home size: 2,436 sq ft

    Lot size: 9,361 sqft

See all Real estate matching your search.
(all data current as of 12/11/2017)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

The post Comparing cost of housing in West Valley communities from Palo Alto to Los Gatos to Blossom Valley: what will a 4 bedroom home cost? appeared first on Valley of Heart's Delight blog.

Luxury home sales are going like crazy in the west valley areas of Santa Clara County. Right now in Almaden Valley, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno and Saratoga, there are 105 houses for sale listed at or more than two million dollars (just checked MLSListings.com), and in the last 30 days 56 have sold and closed escrow in those same areas and price ranges. For the Almaden – Saratoga region generally, then, there are 1.88 months of inventory in the over two million dollar price range (105/56). That makes it a strong seller’s market. Things have certainly livened up a lot since October. (In the same region, there are 25 pending sales.)

Next we’ll look at these four Silicon Valley communities separately to see how the luxury market in each one is faring overall.

Almaden Valley (San Jose, 95120)

Currently in Almaden there are 9 houses for sale which are listed at or over $2,000,000.  In the last 30 days, 8 sold in that price range (with two sales pending). That makes for just over 1.13 “months of inventory.” That would mean this luxury market has rapid turnover and is in a strong seller’s market. It’s a deep seller’s market in Almaden Valley among the most expensive real estate offerings for sale. Five to six months is balanced and over six is a buyer’s market.

Los Gatos (Town of Los Gatos, 95030, 95032)

Right now there are 49 homes listed in the luxury price point of $2 million or more, and 21 have sold & closed in the last month, so there is a 2.33 month supply of inventory in Los Gatos. That means it’s a balanced market in the Los Gatos luxury homes. What about pending sales? There are 7 homes in this price range “under contract”.

Monte Sereno (City of Monte Sereno, 95030 & 95032)

In Monte Sereno, a very high end but very small community of only about 4,000 residents, currently there are 7 properties for sale in this upper pricing tier. Five have sold in the last month, so there are 1.4 months of inventory. There are only 3 houses under contract or “sale pending” in Monte Sereno right now as well. This leaves Monte Sereno in a clear seller’s market. (All but a tiny handful of properties are within the attendance boundaries of the Los Gatos Union School District.)  Please note that this constitutes all of properties for sale and pending in Monte Sereno; only one sold property was not in the $2M+ range. All but two of the current Monte Sereno market is luxury properties.

Saratoga (City of Saratoga, 95070)

Saratoga enjoys a good number of estate properties and very high-end real estate. As of today, there are 40 such homes on the market and 22 sold and closed escrow in the last month. In Saratoga, the months of inventory is 1.82, not too far from neighboring Monte Sereno. This is also a strong seller’s market. This and Los Gatos are the closest to a balanced market of the areas we’re studying today.  Additionally, there are 13 pending sales in this upper price range.

Please note: In all of these areas, “the market” will be influenced further by the exact pricing tier ($2.1 million is a very different market than $15 or $20 million!), each property’s school district and whether or not it’s got a view, any issues (busy road, power lines, too-close proximity to anything negative) plus of course condition. A nicely remodeled home from top to bottom will get far more attention, in every price range, than one which is 20+ years old on the inside. Additionally, homes will be helped if they are placed in areas where neighboring properties are equally valuable or more so, and they will be hurt if they are over-improved for the neighborhood.

What about schools?

Isn’t it all about the schools?  Some people seem to think so – but we should see for ourselves.  Let’s just consider the impact of schools on a property’s micro-market. If you were getting ready to buy or sell, you would make this one of your factors to consider, but not the only one.  For this brief example, we’ll use the high school district.

Saratoga and high school districts, months of inventory:

Saratoga, with the Los Gatos Saratoga Unified High School District (LGSUHS 476) – houses offered at/over $2 million today = 33
Saratoga, with the Los Gatos Saratoga Unified High School District (LGSUHS 476) – houses sold in the last 30 days over $2 million = 16
Months of inventory for this part of Saratoga = 2.06

Saratoga, with the Fremont Union High School District (Cupertino Schools 475) – homes for sale $2 mil and up = 5
Saratoga, with the Fremont Union High School District (Cupertino Schools 475) – homes sold/30 days $2 mil and up = 4
Months of inventory for this section of Saratoga = 1.25

These homes are selling the fastest by far!

Saratoga, with the Campbell Union High School District (CUHSD 473) – houses listed at or over $2 million today = 2
Saratoga, with the Campbell Union High School District (CUHSD 473) – houses sold/30 at or over $2 million = 2
Months of inventory for this section of Saratoga = 1

Campbell schools don’t have much inventory, but there is demand for it when it comes. Los Gatos Saratoga Unified has the most inventory and the slowest movement, but it’s still a sizzling hot seller’s market at just over 2 MOI in the luxury market.

The “conventional wisdom” is that the best schools will always have the best market.

But we can see from this brief study that it’s not the case for Saratoga if we’re comparing the over $2 million property by school district. How can this be? A number of factors could be at play. Many home owners are not opposed to the use of private schools. Other prefer having their kids at schools which are less academically stringent (and perhaps a more “normal” environment – that’s a comment I hear a lot). And some folks don’t have kids living at home, and would much rather have more house for their money and not pay for schools they don’t need. Lots of reasons could be impacting this situation. No matter the cause, it’s a good wake-up call to not assume the drivers of the market.

How long will it take to sell a luxury property in Silicon Valley’s west valley area?

For these 4 zip codes generally, the 25 homes now under contract had an average days to sell of 32. Of the 25, 2 sold in one week and 19 in a month or less, but some sold in a couple of months. Four took over 60 days, and one took over 200 days – over half a year! It is not uncommon for a high end home to take 90 days to sell or more.

How can this information help you if you’re are a buyer or seller?

If you are a home owner thinking of selling an estate property, it is a tremendous help to know whether or not there is much demand for the type of home you wish to sell.  If nothing is “moving”, either the whole lot of listings is overpriced (which can happen) or buyers are voting with their feet and choosing another community in which to buy. Sometimes this happens because of schools, other times simply because the lower price ranges make a home purchase in a more exclusive area possible now when it wasn’t as possible before. In any case, if you need to sell in an area where little or nothing is selling, you will have to price your home so attractively that it’s probably painful. Remember, the one thing we do not control is the market.

On the other hand, if homes are selling, you’ll want to study what is and isn’t selling. Sometimes it’s “issues.” Sometimes it’s the presence of or lack of something, such as a pool, remodeling, conforming neighborhood (where all homes are tidy and appealing).

If you are a home buyer interested in purchasing luxury real estate, you will also benefit from knowing how much competition there is for the type of home you wish to buy. Right now, you may have an easier time negotiating in Los Gatos rather than in Monte Sereno. Of course it depends entirely on the house you like and whether or not it’s priced right.

Interested in understanding the market a little more? Please contact me for a confidential, no-obligation meeting.

1. $5,683,999 : 20625 Brookwood LN, SARATOGA
   3 beds, 1 bath

   Home size: 888 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.63 ac
2. $3,698,000 : 19931 BELLA VISTA AVE, SARATOGA
   4 beds, 3 baths

   Home size: 2,737 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.18 ac
3. $3,598,000 : 14341 Lutheria WAY, SARATOGA
   3 beds, 3 baths

   Home size: 3,235 sq ft

   Lot size: 12,344 sqft
4. $2,888,888 : 13393 Sousa LN, SARATOGA
   4 beds, 4 baths

   Home size: 3,217 sq ft

   Lot size: 29,498 sqft
5. $10,988,000 : 15168 Piedmont RD, SARATOGA
   5 beds, 6 baths

   Home size: 7,546 sq ft

   Lot size: 4.10 ac
6. $2,895,000 : 15520 ON ORBIT DR, SARATOGA
   6 beds, 5 baths

   Home size: 4,496 sq ft

   Lot size: 2.40 ac
7. $8,600,000 : 19400 SARATOGA LOS GATOS RD, SARATOGA
   7 beds, 7 baths

   Home size: 6,651 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.95 ac
8. $3,200,000 : 22217 Mount Eden RD, SARATOGA
   4 beds, 5 baths

   Home size: 4,655 sq ft

   Lot size: 43,560 sqft
9. $6,288,000 : 22461 MOUNT EDEN RD, SARATOGA
   6 beds, 10 baths

   Home size: 8,410 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.89 ac
10. $4,700,000 : 20115 Orchard Meadow DR, SARATOGA
    5 beds, 5 baths

    Home size: 6,585 sq ft

    Lot size: 5.04 ac

See all Real estate in the city of Saratoga.
(all data current as of 12/11/2017)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

The post The Luxury Real Estate Market in Almaden, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Saratoga appeared first on Valley of Heart's Delight blog.

What does it cost to buy a home with really good schools in Silicon Valley? Los Gatos, Saratoga, Cupertino and Palo Alto are all areas with highly regarding public schools. These aren’t the only areas with good schools but they are popular “west valley” areas that people may consider if working for Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook or any number of high tech employers.

Los Gatos and Saratoga both have multiple school districts, running from good to very good or excellent. The cost of housing tends to follow the popularity of the district, so for those areas I’m showing the breakdown not just for the whole town of Los Gatos but also by the high school district (Los Gatos-Saratoga or Campbell Union High School District). Same with Saratoga. (The Monte Sereno real estate market is very similar to Los Gatos, but slightly more expensive. Most of Monte Sereno has Los Gatos schools, but a small number of homes are in the Campbell area.)

Here are the average numbers for single family homes sold in the last 60 days ranging from 1500 – 2500 square feet, on a lot between 5000 and 10,000 SF, with 3-5 bedrooms and 2-3 bathrooms to give a sense of what it would cost to purchase a typical house in these areas. Please note that right now it’s a strong seller’s market, so many (if not most or all) homes are selling for more than the list price.  DOM stands for days on the market.

If you are new to Santa Clara County, you may be wondering if this is correct. The cost to buy a home in these areas is what?

• Los Gatos: approximately $1,500,000 to $2,150,000 depending on the school district
• Saratoga: approximately $1,700,000 to about $2,500,000 depending on the schools
• Cupertino: approx $2,000,000 (some high schools will bring in higher prices and others lower)
• Palo Alto: approx $2,700,000 – $3,000,000

Remember, these prices do not mean that the houses being sold are perfect. Because it is a strong seller’s market, many properties are being sold which need new roofing, extensive pest work, remodeling, perhaps updating of electrical or plumbing systems or more. Many home buyers will need to spend 1-2% on things like termite fumigation, dry rot or roof repairs, carpets, paint, windows and more, and usually this will be done before they move in. So whatever the budget is, buffer it a little bit for both money and time to make it turnkey.

To compare, here’s the same chart, following the same criteria, taken in April 2014. See what’s changed:

For people relocating to Silicon Valley from out of the San Jose or Peninsula area, this real estate market can be daunting. There are other areas with good schools which are a bit further from most employment areas which can be an alternative, too. They include the Cambrian 95124 and Almaden 95120 (especially the southern area with Bret Harte Middle School and Leland High School) areas within San Jose.

Finally, in some cases, it may be more affordable to make use of private schools, which are plentiful in the San Francisco Bay area. In some situations it can be financially more affordable to buy outside of the highly competitive areas with the best schools and utilize the private school system. Some of the private schools are religious, some secular, and some with a language focus (bilingual in French, German, Chinese, etc.).

Interested in purchasing a home in one of these fantastic communities?  Please call or email me!  408 204-7673  or mary (at) popehandy.com

1. $1,398,000 : 15040 Montebello RD, CUPERTINO
   5 beds, 2 baths

   Home size: 2,574 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.69 ac
2. $2,500,000 : 10162 Alpine DR, CUPERTINO
   0 beds, 0 bath

   Home size: 3,621 sq ft

   Lot size: 10,254 sqft
3. $1,888,000 : 10736 Linda Vista DR, CUPERTINO
   3 beds, 2 baths

   Home size: 1,678 sq ft

   Lot size: 7,413 sqft
4. $2,250,000 : 10226 Alpine DR, CUPERTINO
   0 beds, 0 bath

   Home size: 4,080 sq ft

   Lot size: 10,018 sqft
5. $1,898,000 : 7624 Elderwood CT, CUPERTINO
   4 beds, 3 baths

   Home size: 2,079 sq ft

   Lot size: 5,998 sqft
6. $2,198,000 : 21912 Lindy LN, CUPERTINO
   5 beds, 3 baths

   Home size: 2,390 sq ft

   Lot size: 11,081 sqft
7. $1,195,000 : 22330 Homestead RD 118, CUPERTINO
   2 beds, 2 baths

   Home size: 1,249 sq ft

   Lot size: 1,232 sqft
8. $2,398,888 : 10105 N Foothill BLVD, CUPERTINO
   3 beds, 4 baths

   Home size: 2,647 sq ft

   Lot size: 3,175 sqft
9. $2,999,000 : 10109 S Tantau AVE, CUPERTINO
   5 beds, 4 baths

   Home size: 4,531 sq ft

   Lot size: 9,374 sqft
10. $500,000 : 17580 Stevens Canyon RD, CUPERTINO
    1 bed, 1 bath

    Home size: 640 sq ft

    Lot size: 1.14 ac

See all Real estate in the city of Cupertino.
(all data current as of 12/11/2017)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

The post How do prices compare between Los Gatos, Saratoga, Cupertino and Palo Alto? appeared first on Valley of Heart's Delight blog.

What makes an expensive house in the San Jose area more than just a pricey bit of real estate, but instead a Silicon Valley luxury home? How is high end real estate different from the rest of the market? When is a property not just a home with land, but an estate?

In other parts of the U.S., spending $1,200,000 may fetch a 4000 square foot home, new construction, in an upscale gated community with country club amenities such as a golf course, tennis courts, and more. Here, that same $1,200,000 will procure an entry to mid-level single family home in many parts of Santa Clara County. It won’t necessarily be a Silicon Valley luxury home.

Luxury connotes a combination of qualities, features, and amenities. And it includes pricing (relative to the nearby market), condition, land, design.

Pricing Luxury Homes in Silicon Valley: What Do They Cost?

Expensive Silicon Valley homes are not necessarily luxury homes. Depending on the city or town, the price tag could be higher or lower. For instance, a fabulous house on a large lot in Gilroy’s Eagle Ridge might sell for 1/3 as much as the identical type of home, land and neighborhood found in Saratoga, Monte Sereno, or Los Gatos, or Los Altos, if a similar home happened to be available. Generally, though, luxury homes could cost as little as $1,000,000 or so in some parts of Silicon Valley or in neighboring counties, but in most parts of Silicon Valley, a true estate type property will be valued at $2,000,000 or $3,000,000 or more.  In some areas, such as Palo Alto, that $2 million doesn’t go too far and the home you can purchase at that price tag may need major updating – or it could be “land value”.  For our purposes today, we’ll use $2 million as the bottom number for estate properties, but it may or may not be the case in some areas.

Land Value is a Significant Part of What Makes an Expensive House an “Estate”  or a Silicon Valley luxury home

In Santa Clara County, which constitutes the lions share of Silicon Valley, the land is the thing that holds value, not the structure (in most cases, unless the home being discussed was designed by a world-famous architect, which is the situation in a few instances – Julia Morgan designed a home in Los Gatos at Fairview Plaza, for example).

How much land is enough land? It depends on the location, but in many cases, an acre parcel is the minimum needed for a property to be considered as luxury real estate. It may be possible, though, for smaller parcels to qualify. For instance, some homes in Saratoga’s pricey and highly prized Montalvo area (the platinum triangle) may be on lots smaller than an acre, but by virtue of their superior location may be luxury homes even so.

Location Within Silicon Valley Matters Tremendously

As mentioned above, Montalvo is one of Saratoga’s finest areas, and homes there are often viewed as luxury homes or estates simply because of their prime location. Conversely, a home in the same city of Saratoga that backs up directly to Highway 85 is highly unlikely to ever be considered a luxury home, no matter how big the house is, no matter how new, no matter how beautifully updated or remodeled. The immediate area, and not just the zip code, will have the greatest impact on how the home or land is perceived by buyers.

What do buyers want in luxury locations?

• quiet, uncrowded areas
• views are appreciated (of the hills, the valley etc.)
• golf course views or neighborhoods
• good to great school districts usually weigh heavily (for resale)
• conforming areas where all the homes and parcels are large and valuable
• gated communities may be seen as a plus
• no issues: no high voltage power lines, no train tracks nearby, no freeway walls, and preferably, no busy streets (in some places along The Peninsula, though, grand old estates on large parcels do front busy roads)
• some high end buyers will factor in feng shui considerations too, so will not want to drive past a graveyard or have a view of a church when buying a multi million dollar property.
• some buyers may have specific wants or needs, such as equestrian properties with several acres and a stable to house several horses, access to trails, etc.

Where are Silicon Valley’s luxury home neighborhoods?

San Jose has several luxury markets, including the lovely old Alum Rock area (near the golf course), the Rosegarden, young Silver Creek and Almaden Valley (all of these are in San Jose). Many of the other high-end areas sit along the foothills on the west side: Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Saratoga, Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, and Palo Alto. Additionally, there are estates to be found in South County too – Morgan Hill and Gilroy (and Coyote Valley) offer some stunning properties for the discerning buyer too. Further north on the Peninsula there are beautiful estates to be found in Woodside, Portola Valley and Hillsborough.  In southern Alameda County, parts of Fremont’s Mission District have stunning high end properties too.

When High End Homes are Custom Built, It Adds to Value

Most of the San Jose area is tract housing. Thats not a plus. Saratoga and Monte Sereno are filled with very high end tract housing built by George Day, Gfreenbriar and J. Lohr, and being tract doesnt necessarily mean they aren’t also worthy of the title ˜estate or ˜luxury homes. Almaden has a large number of Shapell homes – very high-end tract houses too. But buyers do care about pedigree, and when they find the custom-built home, or the one-of-a-kind house, they value it. Unique and classy is good.

What if you own one of the many, many tract homes in high end areas? For instance, George Day built a huge number of homes off Fruitvale Avenue in Saratoga in the 1970s. Those houses are, for the most part, larger than 3000 square feet and sitting on beautiful one-acre lots close to West Valley College and the old Odd Fellows Home (now Saratoga Retirement Community). The houses were well built. They enjoy being in the Saratoga School District. But they are definitely tract homes.

Want them to be luxury homes? Customize them. Those houses were built with U-shaped kitchens, shag carpeting, rock fireplaces, white tile countertops with black or brown grouting, single pane windows and (most of the time) wood beamed ceilings. Most of these kitchens were large and could accomodate an island. When you remodel, go to the studs and add an island. Put in crown molding and baseboard. Install hardwood floors. (Bamboo floors were the rage for awhile, but they are a soft wood, not hard, and are easily damaged.) Add some beautiful Anderson or other high-grade windows and French doors. The neighborhoods are multi-million dollar areas, so spending a couple of hundred thousand to customize the home is money that’s usually well-spent.

Don’t Over Improve Your Silicon Valley Estate Property

Luxury home buyers may appreciate upscale things like a home theater, a huge, generously appointed kitchen, a butler’s pantry with its own diswasher, and areas that support their hobbies like wine tasting rooms and cellers, sports courts, and the like, but you can go too far and make the property hard to sell later, or at least not recoup what you spent while over-improving. Remember, not everyone can afford, or even wants, a $50 million property.

Not sure how much is too much? Here are some examples:

Good: spacious rooms, even in powder rooms.
Too much: putting diamonds into the bathroom fixtures (which I’ve seen in one home which screamed “conspicuous consumption” in Monte Sereno).

Good: pools, jacuzzis, saunas, sports courts.
Too much: indoor shooting range

Good: large garage, room for 4+ cars plus storage space.
Too much: 8+ car garages, or garages with expensive flooring. Even the wealthy have oil leaks!

Good: one or two in-law or au-pair units.
Too much: more than 2 extra units and it looks like a compound. Don’t do it.

Good: tasteful landscaping & hardscaping. Please consult professionals for design ideas and balance..
Too much: skip an abundance of statuary in the front yard. Whether it”s garden elves, fake deer, or Greek nudes, resist the temptation to have more than a couple of these ornamental elements in your yard.

Things To Make Sure You Have in a Silicon Valley Luxury Home

What do buyers want or need if they are spending lots and lots of money on a home? Here are a few items that are pretty much must-haves:

• a good sized pool and jacuzzi or hot tub
• a beautiful backyard for entertaining, preferably with a “summer kitchen”
• the kitchen should have at least 2 regular ovens, plus microwave, regular sink plus vegetable sink (both with disposals), and 2 dishwashers (either both in the kitchen or one in the kitchen and one at either a wet bar or butler pantry location) – high end appliances a must
• a living room with high ceilings, lots of windows and an impressive fireplace
• a large, formal dining room
• a good-sized formal entry hall
• family room, preferably open to or at least near the kitchen, with surround sound and large screen t.v.
• minimum 3 bathrooms, preferably more
• three or more car garage
• home updated within the last 5 years (kitchen, baths) is appreciated; more than 10 or 15 years is considered in need of remodeling
• nice crown molding and baseboard is often important, though it depends on the style of architecture (it would not fit in so well with mid-century modern, for instance)
• air conditioning, heating by zones
• good insulation and “green construction” is a plus

There are many other things that luxury home buyers want or appreciate, from wine cellars and tasting rooms and vineyards to views, tennis courts, acreage, guest cottage, and more. There’s no absolute formula but quality in every detail is normally highly valued.

Please note: In this Silicon Valley Real Estate blog, the Valley of Hearts Delight blog, I have more than a dozen articles or posts related to the Silicon Valley luxury homes real estate market. I invite you to have a look!

View a Sampling Silicon Valley Luxury & Estate Homes Online Now!

1. $3,900,000 : 4520 Roop RD, GILROY
   3 beds, 1 bath

   Home size: 1,100 sq ft

   Lot size: 83.00 ac
2. $2,599,999 : 12260 Heritage WAY, GILROY
   5 beds, 5 baths

   Home size: 4,760 sq ft

   Lot size: 2.20 ac
3. $2,599,000 : 2560 Butch DR, GILROY
   4 beds, 6 baths

   Home size: 7,600 sq ft

   Lot size: 10.04 ac
4. $2,150,000 : 8685 Larkspur LN, GILROY
   5 beds, 4 baths

   Home size: 4,672 sq ft

   Lot size: 41,817 sqft

See all Real estate in the 95020 zip code.
(all data current as of 12/11/2017)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Browse luxury homes for sale in Los Gatos

1. $16,988,999 : 16450 Aztec Ridge DR, LOS GATOS
   8 beds, 10 baths

   Home size: 11,000 sq ft

   Lot size: 51.34 ac
2. $12,495,000 : 15814 Glen Una DR, LOS GATOS
   7 beds, 7 baths

   Home size: 12,500 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.20 ac
3. $10,298,000 : 15690 GLEN UNA DR, LOS GATOS
   7 beds, 8 baths

   Home size: 12,400 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.12 ac
4. $8,995,000 : 16040 Overlook DR, LOS GATOS
   5 beds, 7 baths

   Home size: 11,507 sq ft

   Lot size: 3.02 ac
5. $8,900,000 : 130 Wood RD, LOS GATOS
   4 beds, 5 baths

   Home size: 5,512 sq ft

   Lot size: 24.02 ac

See all Real estate in the city of Los Gatos.
(all data current as of 12/11/2017)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Browse luxury homes for sale in Monte Sereno

1. $6,988,000 : 18335 Lexington DR, MONTE SERENO
   6 beds, 6 baths

   Home size: 7,031 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.00 ac
2. $3,499,000 : 18792 Withey RD, MONTE SERENO
   3 beds, 3 baths

   Home size: 1,778 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.17 ac

See all Real estate in the city of Monte Sereno.
(all data current as of 12/11/2017)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Browse luxury homes for sale in Saratoga, CA

1. $10,988,000 : 15168 Piedmont RD, SARATOGA
   5 beds, 6 baths

   Home size: 7,546 sq ft

   Lot size: 4.10 ac
2. $10,498,000 : 13740 Pierce RD, SARATOGA
   8 beds, 11 baths

   Home size: 10,500 sq ft

   Lot size: 8.30 ac
3. $8,600,000 : 19400 SARATOGA LOS GATOS RD, SARATOGA
   7 beds, 7 baths

   Home size: 6,651 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.95 ac
4. $7,995,000 : 19908 Bella Vista AVE, SARATOGA
   5 beds, 4 baths

   Home size: 5,831 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.01 ac
5. $7,288,000 : 19770 Glen Una DR, SARATOGA
   6 beds, 6 baths

   Home size: 8,151 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.41 ac

See all Real estate in the city of Saratoga.
(all data current as of 12/11/2017)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Browse luxury homes for sale in the Los Gatos Mountains

Sorry, but we couldn't find any results in the MLS that match the specified search criteria.

Browse luxury homes for sale in Cupertino

1. $3,288,888 : 21724 Regnart CT, CUPERTINO
   6 beds, 5 baths

   Home size: 3,377 sq ft

   Lot size: 17,654 sqft
2. $2,999,000 : 10109 S Tantau AVE, CUPERTINO
   5 beds, 4 baths

   Home size: 4,531 sq ft

   Lot size: 9,374 sqft
3. $2,500,000 : 10162 Alpine DR, CUPERTINO
   0 beds, 0 bath

   Home size: 3,621 sq ft

   Lot size: 10,254 sqft
4. $2,398,888 : 10105 N Foothill BLVD, CUPERTINO
   3 beds, 4 baths

   Home size: 2,647 sq ft

   Lot size: 3,175 sqft
5. $2,250,000 : 10226 Alpine DR, CUPERTINO
   0 beds, 0 bath

   Home size: 4,080 sq ft

   Lot size: 10,018 sqft

See all Real estate in the city of Cupertino.
(all data current as of 12/11/2017)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Browse luxury homes for sale in Los Altos

1. $6,988,000 : 1166 Fremont AVE, LOS ALTOS
   6 beds, 7 baths

   Home size: 6,096 sq ft

   Lot size: 22,002 sqft
2. $5,649,000 : 24580 Ruth Lee CT, LOS ALTOS
   5 beds, 5 baths

   Home size: 5,089 sq ft

   Lot size: 35,209 sqft
3. $5,275,000 : 795 Nash RD, LOS ALTOS
   4 beds, 5 baths

   Home size: 5,255 sq ft

   Lot size: 14,078 sqft
4. $4,988,000 : 980 Golden WAY, LOS ALTOS
   4 beds, 5 baths

   Home size: 3,580 sq ft

   Lot size: 12,501 sqft
5. $3,688,000 : 90 Sioux LN, LOS ALTOS
   5 beds, 4 baths

   Home size: 3,340 sq ft

   Lot size: 12,501 sqft

See all Real estate in the city of Los Altos.
(all data current as of 12/11/2017)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Browse luxury homes for sale in Los Altos Hills

1. $68,000,000 : MLS # ML81648757 in LOS ALTOS HILLS
   5 beds, 12 baths

   Home size: 22,006 sq ft

   Lot size: 8.03 ac
2. $18,000,000 : 10718 Mora DR, LOS ALTOS HILLS
   7 beds, 11 baths

   Home size: 10,800 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.26 ac
3. $12,988,000 : 24925 Oneonta DR, LOS ALTOS HILLS
   6 beds, 8 baths

   Home size: 7,650 sq ft

   Lot size: 43,242 sqft
4. $11,500,000 : 25055 La Loma DR, LOS ALTOS HILLS
   4 beds, 7 baths

   Home size: 7,614 sq ft

   Lot size: 42,993 sqft
5. $10,877,000 : 24020 Oak Knoll CIR, LOS ALTOS HILLS
   4 beds, 8 baths

   Home size: 8,300 sq ft

   Lot size: 3.51 ac

See all Real estate in the city of Los Altos Hills.
(all data current as of 12/11/2017)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

The post The Silicon Valley Luxury Home Market appeared first on Valley of Heart's Delight blog.

211 Westhill Drive, Los Gatos  is an updated, remodeled, and sunny home with gorgeous valley views!

Will be on the MLS as of Thursday, September 7th.  First showings to be Saturday Sept 9th at the open house.

Offered at $2,280,000, this is an incredible opportunity to purchase a Los Gatos view home at an incredibly good price and value. There are fabulous vistas from all of the main living areas of this single story Los Gatos home as well as the large deck leading to the front door!

Quick facts for 211 Westhill Drive, Los Gatos:

offered at $2,288,000

4 bedrooms
3 bathrooms
3112 SF of living space: 2856 Square Ft (appx.) + office (appx 256 SF)
2 car garage, currently used as gym (appx 512 SF)
13,939 Lot Sq. Ft. (appx.)
Year Built: 1977

OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULE for 211 Westhill Drive, Los Gatos:
Saturday, Sept 9th  2 – 4
Sunday, Sept 10th  2-4
Wednesday, Sept 13th  9:30am – 12:30pm
Saturday, Sept  16 2-4
Sunday, Sept   17 2-4

Beautiful house, view, and setting

Come home to beauty inside and out at 211 Westhill Drive, Los Gatos! Enjoy gorgeous views from the living room, dining room, kitchen, family room, and spacious front deck.  Scenic location next to Belgatos Park & open space.

The interior and exterior have been extensively updated and remodeled.  You will immediately appreciate the striking Brazilian Cherry hardwood floors which grace the bedrooms, hallway, and living areas.  The home is filled with nice extras: plantation shutters, dual pane windows, recessed and fan lights, skylights, fantastic access to the back yard, built ins, air conditioning, solar power by SunRun, high and vaulted ceilings.  Iron girders in front provide extra hillside support.

Located just steps from Belgatos Park, this home’s location offers easy access to great outdoor opportunities. The park includes a playground, picnic areas, restrooms, grassy meadows, and trails for people on foot, on horseback, or mountain bikes. The trails connect with those of the nearby Heintz Open Space Preserve and other nearby trails. Optional membership in the Belwood Cabana & Pool.

Details on 211 Westhill Drive, Los Gatos

The unique, step down formal living room is shaped as an octogon and provides a wood burning fireplace, plantation shutters, and tall ceilings.

Formal dining is adjacent to the entry hall and kitchen, and features built ins and plantation shutters.

The spacious kitchen will delight you with a vaulted ceiling, recessed and pendant lights, slab granite counters, maple cabinets, gas cooking, a large pantry and breakfast area – all open to the family room & overlooking both the valley on one side and the back yard and pool area on the other.

Relax in the family room, the heart of the home with enlarged windows looking out over both the valley and the back yard and pool.  This comfortable space enjoys a gas burning fireplace, cathedral ceiling, fan light, a wet bar with a wine cooler, and a full bath that services the back yard, also.

The bedroom wing includes all 4 bedrooms, a beautifully remodeled hall bath, laundry room & back yard access, and a large skylight in the hallway.

The luxurious master suite is a true retreat! It boasts an inviting gas fireplace, French doors to the pool and patio, a second door to the side patio, transom window, a fan light and tons of natural sunlight.  The private bath includes a double vanity, large jetted tub, spacious stall shower, private closet for the toilet, a good sized skylight and 2 walk in closets.  A linen closet and one more clothes closet can be found at the beginning of the suite.

Garage / Gym / Home Office:

The 2 car garage area is approximately 512 SF and has been upgraded with all the amenities of living space: heat, air conditioning, lighting, drywall, etc., and is currently being used as a gym. This room features a large carriage style garage door and electronic opener, so usable today as a garage if so desired.

Previously there had been a 3^rd car garage area. That part has been changed into a comfortable and useful home office with appx 256 SF.

Backyard

The backyard is a stunning, private oasis with a large pool, spa, and loads of area for dining and lounging just off the family room. On the right side of the house there’s another patio area and planting beds, which offers room for other hobbies as desired.

Schools:

Noddin Elementary
Union Middle
Leigh High

Virtual Tour Link: http://www.tourfactory.com/1838948

211 Westhill DR, LOS GATOS, CA 95032 (MLS # ML81676779)

(all data current as of 12/11/2017)

Price	$2,315,000
Beds	4
Baths	3 baths
Home size	2,856 sq ft
Lot Size	13,939 sqft

Listing provided by Mary Pope-Handy, Sereno Group

Updated, remodeled & sunny home with valley views and close in location next to Belgatos Park! Gorgeous views from the living room, dining room, kitchen, family room, and spacious front deck. Stunning interior with Brazilian cherry hardwood flooring in all living areas, hallway, and bedrooms. Kitchen remodeled with vaulted ceiling, recessed & pendant lights, granite counters, gas cooking, & stainless appliances plus breakfast nook & pantry. All baths remodeled. Luxurious master suite with fireplace, French doors to pool & patio, large bath featuring jetted tub, stall shower, double vanity, 2 walk in closets and skylight. Many extras: solar power, plantation shutters, dual pane windows, recessed and fan lights, skylights, built ins, air conditioning, high and vaulted ceilings, 3 fireplaces, elegant carriage style garage door, wine bar & enlarged windows in fam rm. The backyard is a stunning, private oasis with a large heated pool and spa, and loads of area for dining and lounging.

Property Type(s): Single Family

Last Updated	10/24/2017	Tract
Year Built	1977	Community	Los Gatos/Monte Sereno
Garage Spaces	2.0	County	Santa Clara
Total Parking	n/a

Schools

School District	Campbell Union High
Elementary School	Noddin Elementary
Jr. High School	Union Middle
High School	Leigh High

Additional Details

Lot	0.32 acre(s)	Area	Los Gatos/Monte Sereno
Pool Description	Pool - Heated,Pool - In Ground,Pool - Sw	Sewer	Sewer: Sewer - Public
Stories	1	Utilities	Water: Public; Sewer: Sewer - Public;
Water	Water: Public

Features

Air	Ceiling Fan, Central AC
Air Conditioning	Yes
Basement	Concrete Perimeter and, Foundation: Concrete Block
Exterior	Back Yard, Balcony / Patio, Deck, Fenced, Sprinklers - Auto, Storage Shed / Structure
Fireplace	Yes
Garage	Attached Garage, Yes
Heat	Central Forced Air - Gas
Interior	Bay Window, Hardwood, High Ceiling , Marble, Open Beam Ceiling, Skylight, Tile, Vaulted Ceiling , Walk-in Closet , Wet Bar; Floors: Carpet
LotDescription	Grade - Hillside, Views
Pool	Yes
Style	Ranch

Location

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

(view all details for MLS #ML81676779)

Related reading:

Los Gatos Real Estate Market Trends and Statistics

The Luxury Real Estate Market in Almaden, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Saratoga

How do prices compare between Los Gatos, Saratoga, Cupertino and Palo Alto?

The post 211 Westhill Drive, Los Gatos CA 95032 appeared first on Valley of Heart's Delight blog.

The St. Mary’s Country Fair is about to begin and will continue through Sunday afternoon – don’t miss it! There’s no admission charge and plenty to do, such as:

• shopping
• carnival rides
• arts & crafts for kids
• games
• giant slide
• talent shows
• petting zoo
• cake walk
• raffles and bingo
• food of all kinds and beverages (including wine, beer & margaritas in the evenings)
• a variety of live shows
• live music & dancing Friday through Sunday (Friday is the Hella Good Party Band and Saturday it’s the The Peelers Band, and Sunday noontime is Ryan Scripps)

New this year is the Alumni Happy Hour, where former students check in and qualify for half off drinks.

This is the one big fundraiser put on by the school and church each year. All are welcome! The event is held on the campus of St. Mary’s parish church and school, located on Bean Avenue off N. Santa Cruz in downtown Los Gatos.

The fair is open Friday, October 6th from 5pm – 10pm, Saturday, October 7th  from 10am – 10pm, and Sunday October 8^th 10am – 5pm. More detailed schedule information can be found on the event squarespace, such as the entertainment page.

Need more information? Check out the country fair website, or like the facebook page. Please see a post I did on it over at my Live in Los Gatos blog, Mark Your Calendar: St. Mary’s Country Fair Oct 6th – 8th, 2017.

1. $1,848,000 : 48 Chestnut AVE, LOS GATOS
   3 beds, 3 baths

   Home size: 1,500 sq ft

   Lot size: 8,028 sqft
2. $1,150,000 : 17574 Bruce AVE, LOS GATOS
   3 beds, 3 baths

   Home size: 1,668 sq ft

   Lot size: 818 sqft
3. $2,350,000 : 237 Vista De Sierra, LOS GATOS
   4 beds, 3 baths

   Home size: 2,516 sq ft

   Lot size: 18,325 sqft
4. $1,950,000 : 244 Loma Alta AVE, LOS GATOS
   3 beds, 2 baths

   Home size: 2,113 sq ft

   Lot size: 11,020 sqft
5. $2,398,000 : 19115 Overlook RD, LOS GATOS
   4 beds, 3 baths

   Home size: 2,695 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.66 ac
6. $2,950,000 : 16860 Quarry RD, LOS GATOS
   4 beds, 5 baths

   Home size: 3,758 sq ft

   Lot size: 22,215 sqft
7. $6,988,000 : 18335 Lexington DR, MONTE SERENO
   6 beds, 6 baths

   Home size: 7,031 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.00 ac
8. $4,295,000 : 33 Bayview AVE, LOS GATOS
   4 beds, 4 baths

   Home size: 4,900 sq ft

   Lot size: 14,152 sqft
9. $2,790,000 : 16230 Maya WAY, LOS GATOS
   3 beds, 2 baths

   Home size: 3,000 sq ft

   Lot size: 43,560 sqft
10. $4,398,000 : 125 Sisters CT, LOS GATOS
    5 beds, 5 baths

    Home size: 4,187 sq ft

    Lot size: 20,508 sqft

See all Real estate in the 95030 zip code.
(all data current as of 12/11/2017)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

The post St. Mary’s Country Fair in Downtown Los Gatos – A Fun Carnival for All Ages appeared first on Valley of Heart's Delight blog.

Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away, and there are interfaith services going on and welcome all.

Only a few have announced dates yet, so this post may be updated when I am alerted to more.

On Thursday, November 23, after starting the turkey and before the guests arrive, head over to the Saratoga Federated Church at 20390 Park Pl for the 52nd Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service from 10am-noon. This celebration is hosted by a different religious community each year in the Los Gatos, Saratoga, Monte Sereno area and is the perfect chance to share community time and spread thanksgiving with your neighbors. Congregation Beth David is the only website with information on this event at the present (please use the link to learn more).

Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving! Hope to see you at one of these events!

1. $5,683,999 : 20625 Brookwood LN, SARATOGA
   3 beds, 1 bath

   Home size: 888 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.63 ac
2. $599,000 : 19117 Vineyard LN, SARATOGA
   1 bed, 1 bath

   Home size: 768 sq ft

   Lot size: 1,280 sqft
3. $3,698,000 : 19931 BELLA VISTA AVE, SARATOGA
   4 beds, 3 baths

   Home size: 2,737 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.18 ac
4. $3,598,000 : 14341 Lutheria WAY, SARATOGA
   3 beds, 3 baths

   Home size: 3,235 sq ft

   Lot size: 12,344 sqft
5. $2,888,888 : 13393 Sousa LN, SARATOGA
   4 beds, 4 baths

   Home size: 3,217 sq ft

   Lot size: 29,498 sqft

See all Real estate in the city of Saratoga.
(all data current as of 12/11/2017)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

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The Los Gatos real estate market is varied from one price point or school district to the next, but over all, this is a fairly stable period with some slight warming over the last couple of months. Here are the current numbers, per my Los Gatos real estate report (click on the link for full information).

The Los Gatos Mountains are a distinctly different market and as such are covered in a separate market update, updated less frequently than here, but with live Altos charts for that area.

Los Gatos / Monte Sereno housing values and pricing trends (aka “area 16” for our MLS, zip codes 95030 and 95032)

Do you love Los Gatos, live there now or want to live there? Please also visit the Live in Los Gatos Blog!

Learn about Los Gatos neighborhoods, see photos, videos, pricing information, age of homes and much more! Get frequent Los Gatos real estate market updates, find out about local events, business, see images of the parks, historic buildings, and get to know Los Gatos even better. “Live in Los Gatos” is an award winning blog, also written by local Los Gatos Realtor and resident Mary Pope-Handy – check it out today!

 Monte Sereno

The post Los Gatos Real Estate Market Trends and Statistics appeared first on Valley of Heart's Delight blog.