Blog Archives: January 2017 — December 2017

Just because it’s a sellers' market… does not mean that any of us can (or should!) get comfortable on the job! Selling a home and selling it right are TWO totally different things, and only one may get you the result you need without the stress you don’t. This week we wanted to share three seller strategies that can actually hurt your sale more than help it. #1: Pricing REALLY low in hopes of offers that are REALLY high. It’s the oldest trick in the book but not necessarily the wisest. Everyone wants an attractive price to get offers in ...

While we love following the local development, trends and policies that shape our community (anyone else excited about Google San Jose?!)… we also happen to believe that a little global perspective goes a LONG way. This week, the National Association of Realtors released a report revealing a 49% increase in US residential property purchases from international buyers, with California among the top 3 states for such sales! In the 12 month period ending in March 2017, over $153 billion of residential property was secured by recent immigrants and ...

Is there anything better than being surrounded by greatness?! We think not! In that spirit, we are pleased to wish the Sereno Group a very Happy Anniversary of 11 years this week! While we greatly appreciate the truly collaborative nature, community-oriented initiative and affirmation of quality that we see in the agents continuously recruited & retained, we aren’t the only ones who think that Sereno Group is worthy of some acclaim. They’ve been named a ‘Top Bay Area Workplace’ for 8 years in a row (#3 in midsize companies for 2017!), ...

It’s that time of year… those bags are packed, the family car has a full tank of gas and that beach house has your name on it! But since we know that even compared to the BEST summer vacation there is no place like home, we wanted to share 5 quick tips to help you protect it. We all know the drill about having someone pick up your mail and putting the lights on timers, but we also recommend these tricks to maximize your fun and minimize your worry: #1: Triple Check Automatic Deliveries. Let’s face it, Amazon Subscribe n’ Save is the best ...

When it comes to presenting your home for sale, setting the stage to attract your ideal buyer isn’t always as simple as it seems. Tastes can vary greatly even within your desired target audience… not to mention some rooms sell themselves far easier than others! That huge kitchen with counter space to spare and an island that makes the Bahamas jealous may be a slam dunk. But how do you showcase a space as personal and distinctive as a bedroom? Often seen as one’s sanctuary, your bedroom may evoke the tranquility of a beach – but what if your ...

  While the real estate market moves at the speed of light…the looming obstacle that can stop success dead in its tracks is: home financing. While money isn’t always a ‘fun’ subject to talk about, it’s an integral component of a smooth transaction. After all, you can’t buy the right home without the right financing in place. While every personal financing scenario is different, here are some top tips from our experience working with lenders, as well as from a recent article debuted on Realtor.com titled “How Long Does It Take to Get ...

It is just us or does it seem like the market is moving at the speed of light?! With inventory levels lingering low, increasing competition may be here to stay (Jason swears that every buyer in San Jose showed up at our open house last weekend!).  If you’ve been hesitant to buy, sell/move-up or invest because of the market madness, it may be time to think again. Several recent studies confirm that homeownership and property investments create greater personal wealth and lead to a more comfortable retirement. Check it out… | Real estate is ...

If you have a great sense of humor when it comes to real estate, you can look beyond House Hunters for property depictions that are purely entertaining. With the latest Zillow lawsuit calling continued attention to the years-long debate sparked by their online Zestimates, the truth is that much like House Hunters, the popular housing resource documents both fact and fiction – but doesn’t tell the viewer which is which. If you are one of the $110 million homeowners whose information appears on the hotly-marketed consumer website, you might ...

You likely hear the terms ‘housing starts’, ‘new home construction’ and ‘new permits issued’ and hope that these WILL be the answers to the inventory shortage. While we certainly aren’t believers in scare tactics, we are realists and today we wanted to share some fast facts and figures about efforts to supplement the housing supply. When you look around at the state of the market and the continued trend of increasingly low inventory, you might wonder why more new homes aren’t being built – and why we aren’t on the fast track to solving what ...

You may know us best as real estate agents, housing enthusiasts and proud parents (we mention our kids every chance we get!), but in this week’s blog we wanted to reaffirm our commitment as concerned members of the local community. In the busy Silicon Valley lifestyle, it’s extremely easy to lose sight of the passions, values and connections that make us not just friends and colleagues, but each other’s best advocates. You may know that Jason is a proud Board Member for Momentum For Mental Health (6 years and counting!), and in conjunction ...

If there was ever a part of real estate we could write a book about – we think the subject of open houses would make a best seller! You probably know that we have conversed extensively on both sides of the open house dialogue, whether as the presenting agent for our seller(s), or as the championing advocate for  our buyer(s). The unique part about open houses today is that they are no longer the main data-gathering event for the home (90% of home research starts online these days!). Needless to say, an open house is still a prime opportunity ...

What does ‘going the extra mile’ mean to you in a real estate transaction? Does it mean your agent answers the phone day and night (or sends texts if you prefer)? Does it mean having access to off-market opportunities and keeping you apprised of them? Does it mean killer negotiating tactics, detailed pricing analysis or comprehensive marketing? Here at Homes of Silicon Valley, we agree that every one of those qualities is desirable and important – but not really anything ‘extra’ – just a traditional part of our job. The above-listed items are ...

It's always when things are their busiest, craziest and downright hairiest when we realize how truly lucky we are! Without the honor of so many clients who trust in our services - those insanely and ultimately rewarding times would never happen to begin with! As we continue into the madness that IS the modern market, we wanted to express a little (or actually a lot!) of an 'attitude of gratitude'! We would like to truly thank the buyers, sellers, investors and all-in-all friends who have chosen us to represent them over the years. As we ...

Okay…it’s time to confess: we look at those popular real estate listing sites as often as you do. While we pretty much live off the MLS Listing Service, we frequent Realtor.com, Trulia, Zillow and RedFin because hey – we know that is where our clients often start their search, sometimes even before they pick up the phone. While our professional commitment is to ensure that our clients have the absolute best representation possible as a buyer or seller, our personal commitment is exactly the same. Whether you are reading this as a friend, ...

Whether you played the Game of Life and chose the doctor path (come on – who didn’t?!) or put your career pick in a time capsule and buried it in your grandmother’s backyard – chances are your professional aspirations started before you even turned double digits. Astronauts, pro sports players, doctors and teachers are usually the top contenders for what we all envisioned in the innocence of our youth. But have you ever heard anyone say “I want to be a landlord when I grow up!”. Not really! Maybe it’s because it’s not glamorous, maybe it’s ...

As we transition home maintenance routines from winter to spring and watch the kids savor the serenity of the great outdoors - we have noticed we have a lot of work to do! Are you feeling it too?! Front and backyards have taken a beating from years of drought now replaced by well-weathered scenes from the heavy rains. Years of home improvement projects have left residual remembrances of old paint cans, extraneous project materials and the ever-growing e-waste that comes with constant Silicon Valley electronic upgrades. Since spring cleaning ...

If you think we’ve been a little quiet lately, that’s because our hardest and most rewarding work has been going on behind the scenes! With spring upon us, we have been seriously strategizing with our sellers to prepare for the dynamic market that isn’t merely upon us – but already here! While selling your home in a seller’s market might seem like the ‘easy’ part…there are still some pretty major milestones at hand: Where will you GO when you sell? What ROI can you reasonably (and excitedly!) expect? Will a little work now create a bigger win ...

It's only March & what a year! After some major storms, the state drought is behind us with much damage repair and flood prevention awareness planning in front of us. The new Presidential administration is underway and that is a topic for a whole other blog & industry... The economy is doing remarkably well, inflation is firming up and the first non-December rate rise in years hit last week. Many expected this to be the year that prices moderated and inventory loosened up...but that has yet to be the case. In this week's blog we wanted to ...

By now you have heard the news (and if not - Jason is going to spill it below!). But what does the latest Fed move mean for you, how can it be 'good' news...and did rates actually drop in response?!

Whether you are a new or experienced homeowner, the change of seasons probably means two words: spring cleaning! Even in California, and especially after this stormy season, there is much to do right around the time that the clocks change. While your first instinct might be to grab your flip flops and head to the beach…getting those home projects done now means WAY more fun later, right? We scoured a few of our favorite sources for helpful reminders and top tips for getting your home back in shape for sunny days and spring/summer nights. We ...