Cambrian Park, or more broadly, Cambrian, is a west San Jose neighborhood or district and is one of the more affordable, high-value areas in Silicon Valley. The schools are good, the crime is low, and the commute is not too bad. For people relocating to Santa Clara County, this is a place to know about since quality education and affordability are often high priorities!

What’s the compromise for the more reasonable prices of homes for sale? Well, Cambrian doesn’t have an interesting, upscale downtown area like Campbell, Los Gatos, Saratoga, or Willow Glen.

But it does have tons of shopping & restaurants and even a Farmer’s Market. It also enjoys a top notch hospital (Good Samaritan) and plenty of parks as well as a fantastic rec center with a large park adjacent to it, the Camden Community Center, which has tons of programs (including an after school program for youth), classes, and a fabulous pool.  (My family and I lived in Cambrian in the “Cambrian Gardens” neighborhood for 10 years and loved it – our kids made great use of the community center too.)

Altogether, there are about 75,000 to 80,000 residents in Cambrian, spread throughout the three zip codes of 95124, 95118 and a little tiny bit of 95008.

If there is a “central Cambrian Park”, it would have to be near the original Cambrian Park Shopping Center, which was the first actual mall in San Jose! That area is sometimes known as Cambrian Village.  People sometimes use the three names interchangeably: Cambrian, Cambrian Park, Cambrian Village.:

Where is Cambrian Park? Map of approximate Cambrian Boundaries:

View Cambrian Area of San Jose in a larger map

Cambrian Park is a west side suburban area, part of the city of San Jose for the most part (there are a few county pockets, a bit now covered by Campbell, though), which is located adjacent to Campbell, Los Gatos, Almaden Valley, Blossom Valley and Willow Glen.

The Cambrian Park boundaries are, approximately, Foxworthy Avenue, Bascom Avenue, Carlton Avenue, Blossom Hill Road (except for a jut up in the Vista Loop area), Camden Avenue, the Guadalupe Creek (between Coleman Ave and Blossom Hill Rd.) and Almaden Expressway. There are many many zigs and zags, especially with the Los Gatos border, but I sketched out the approximate boundaries so that readers could get a rough idea of the area we call Cambrian Park – see the map above.

What are the schools in Cambrian?

Cambrian is served by 3 elementary school districts: The Union School District (in the area closest to Los Gatos), the Cambrian School District (the part to the north, closer to Campbell) and San Jose Unified School District (covering most of the 95118 section).   High Schools are served by Campbell Union High School District if the homes are in the Union or Cambrian schools area, or San Jose Unified in the rest of Cambrian. (Some school districts are elementary and middle only, with a separate high school district.  Others are “unified”, covering K – 12.)

The newest API scores for Santa Clara County’s public schools have been released as of Nov 29, 2011.  If you are unfamiliar with how API scores work, it’s on a scale of 1 to 1000.  The target number for the county is 800, so anything higher is considered good.  Getting close to or over 900 is rare and is the mark of an exceptionally excellent school.

Cambrian came out even stronger than in years past, particularly in the Union School District, where 5 out of 6 elementary schools were in the 900s and the other 1 school was at 878.

The middle schools in the Union area of Cambrian Park also scored high in 2010, with Dartmouth at 900 and Union Middle at 881. For some reason there are NO scores for 2011.

In the Cambrian School District there are 4 grammar schools, 3 of which slipped from the previous year and 1 of which went up.  Bagby was at 905 this time and the rest were in the 8s. Price Charter Middle School held steady at 864.

The high schools in this region (the Campbell Union HSD) all went up from the previous year, but only one of them, Leigh, is over 800 (Leigh has a strong 822 API).

Maps for the school district boundaries and school of attendance in Cambrian:

Map of the Union School District (loads slowly, please allow more time than seems reasonable):
http://www3.unionsd.org/unionsd/lib/unionsd/union_boundarymap.pdf

Map of the Cambrian School District of its boundaries (zoom in for better view), showing school of attendance maps also (they include the Farnaham charter School):
http://www.cambrian.k12.ca.us/oldSite/district_site/images/Cambrian_School_District_Map.jpg

The Cambrian elementary schools covered by the San Jose Unified School District are:
Almaden Elementary (782 API), Hacienda Science/Environmental Magnet Elementary (872) , and Reed Elementary (844).  The middle schools in Cambrian or covering Cambrian for the SJUSD are Castillero (795, slipped a little from the previous year – this school is in Almaden Valley) and John Muir (782).  The map of this district is not very helpful – cannot seem to zoom in:
http://www.sjusd.org/school/district/map_district/

The History of Cambrian, via the Cambrian Community Council

A friend & past client of mine (who purchased a home with me in Cambrian) very kindly told me about a wonderful article on the history of the Cambrian area which can be found on the Cambrian Community Council website.

Cambrian Area: It was always about the schools!

As with many parts of California, interestingly, the name itself goes back to the naming of a school (Cambria being another name for Wales).  This happened in the mid to late 1800s. The details of the founding of the Union School District and the Cambrian School District are shared there, too. It’s funny to think that more than a century later, the high quality schools in this San Jose neighborhood are still of prime importance and a main driver in home values.

Where was Cambrian originally?

The article further explains that the Cambrian area was an enormous stretch of land, and that Cambrian Park is within that general area (as is “Cambrian Village”, found at the crossroads of Union and Camden Avenues in San Jose).  The boundaries got defined differently at various points in time, and at times has included part of Los Gatos. (I read elsewhere that Cambrian was said to extend as far as Dry Creek Road at one point.) Some areas that were originally Cambrian are now part of Willow Glen or part of Campbell. Our local Realtor MLS defines the area as going roughly from about Foxworthy to the north to Blossom Hill in the south, Almaden Expressway to the east and Bascom Avenue to the west. (It touches Los Gatos, Almaden Valley, Willow Glen, and Campbell.)

If you live in this wonderful part of Silicon Valley, I encourage you to visit the CCC website and enjoy their colorful article, History of the Cambrian Area.

Cambrian Park Neighborhoods

Because I sell a fair amount in Cambrian and lived there, I am very partial to this area and have begun doing posts which are Cambrian neighborhood spotlight pieces.  I hope you will enjoy them.  More posts are to come but here are a few to get you started:

The Alta Vista Neighborhood, Where San Jose’s Cambrian Park and Los Gatos Weave Together Along The Base of the Hills

The “King Street” Neighborhood of Cambrian Park on the Los Gatos Border

Cambrian Park Neighborhoods: How to Choose Where to Live?

How’s the Cambrian Park Real Estate Market?

You can read about the Cambrian real estate market (as well as other Silicon Valley real estate markets in Santa Clara County) on my REReport, which is updated in the first week or so of each month.

The current RE Report for Cambrian Park Houses
The current RE Report for Cambrian Condominiums & Townhouses

What is my Cambrian home worth?

If you live in Cambrian now and are wondering about the market value of your home today, there are two approaches you can take.  You can request from me an online valuation (which will be approximate only as it’s “sight unseen”) at either of two places:

Price Your Home request on popehandy.com or at SiliconValleyHomeValue.com

Both of these come to me and I run the numbers personally for home owners who request them (sorry, this offer is not for home buyers).  I can usually turn the info around within a day, but sometimes it takes a couple of days if I happen to be travelling or otherwise overly busy.  If you make a request and for some reason don’t hear back from me within a couple of hours to acknowledge your request, please email or phone me!  Once in awhile, technology doesn’t come through and I don’t get an email alert when I should.

Alternatively, if you do not wish to share your contact info with me at this time, you can also simply browse the sold real estate listings in Cambrian on my Property Analysis page of the RE Report.  Just input an address (it’s not saved, I won’t see it) anywhere in Santa Clara County, and you’ll be able to view nearby sold, pending and available homes for sale close to your property.

What do houses cost in Cambrian?

If you’d like to buy a Cambrian home, you can browse the MLS listings of Cambrian Homes for Sale on this blogsite.  I have them listed by zip code on separate posts for houses, and below this section are the currently available condo and townhome properties which are on our MLS.

Houses for Sale in Cambrian Park, San Jose, 95118

Cambrian Park Houses for Sale in 95124

What do townhouses and condos cost in Cambrian?

Below, please browse MLS listings of Cambrian condos for sale and Cambrian townhouses for sale in 95124 and 95118:

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 12. See more 95124 zip code real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $223,500 : 3164 Kimber Ct #70, San Jose
   
   2 beds, 1 full bath

   Home size: 886 sq ft

   Lot size: 1,148 sq ft
   
2. $245,000 : 2332 Saidel Dr #4, San Jose
   
   2 beds, 1 full bath

   Home size: 798 sq ft

   Lot size: 2,580 sq ft
   
3. $270,000 : 2785 S Bascom Av #22, Campbell
   
   3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 1,262 sq ft

   Lot size: 740 sq ft
   
4. $614,995 : 2881 Meridian Av #103, San Jose
   
   2 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,550 sq ft
   
5. $485,995 : 2881 Meridian Av #108, San Jose
   
   2 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,320 sq ft
   

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

Showing properties 1 - 2 of 2. See more 95118 zip code real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $365,000 : 1118 Dinkel Ct, San Jose
   
   3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 1,573 sq ft

   Lot size: 1,742 sq ft
   
2. $304,900 : 5685 Hollyleaf Ln, San Jose
   
   2 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 974 sq ft

   Lot size: 2,025 sq ft
   

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

Median List price for San Jose 95129

Average Days on Market for 95129

Inventory of houses for sale in San Jose 95129

How’s the Cupertino real estate market right now? Let’s start with the most basic window into conditions: supply and demand. (This graph and more info comes from my Cupertino Real Estate Report. Please click on the link for much more data and information – with statistics and trends dating back many years. Also you will find reports which are monthly, quarterly and annually generated. Finally, there’s a “property analysis” tab which enables you to check sales – and see images – around any Cupertino address. Please allow the analysis tab to do its slow load – it’s worth it – enjoy!)

Cupertino Real Estate Supply and Demand

Cupertino Real Estate Market Barometer of Supply and Demand

The realty market barometer is going through the roof!  This implies that it’s very easy for Cupertino home sellers to get their properties into contract and to the closing table, that it is a hot seller’s market in Cupertino.  Please note the darkest line reflects housing inventory – and it’s been plummeting for months.  (Look at each year for October through December and you will note that the pattern is seasonal – but the actual number of homes available does vary considerably.)  Now please note the pale gray line, which indicates the number of homes selling and closing escrow.  The bigger the gap between these lines, the more choices buyers have, and the narrower the gap, the fewer.  Right now, for the first time covered by the chart above, these lines have met, meaning that homes are selling at the same rate that they are coming on the market.  When supply matches or outpaces demand, prices nearly always rise.

But what about home prices in Cupertino?

Here’s a look at the numbers, in brief, as reported with closed sales in December 2011.  Surprisingly, although the market appears to be very hot, prices don’t seem to reflect that – perhaps “yet”.  The median sales price of houses in Cupertino are off significantly from both the month prior and the year prior, and the average sales price is down a little. The number of sales is off a little and the list price to sales price is off some too (both year over year and month over month). Meanwhile, the days on market are growing pretty steadily.

What’s happening? Why this contradiction between the market barometer and pricing?   First, the days on market reflect the inventory which recently sold, not the inventory which is available today.  This tells us that many homes that have been on the market awhile are now being purchased. (Probably others went off the market for the holidays, which is typical for the season.)

With interest rates for conforming loans dipping below 4% (I believe this is an all time historic low), many buyers are deciding it’s time to get off the fence and purchase a house at last.  But there really isn’t much inventory – it’s about 34% lower than the month before and almost 38% lower than the year before!

I think that we will see prices beginning to move upwards with January’s closings.  The market this month in the west valley areas is much, much more active than a year ago.  This is anecdotal but I have been speaking with a lot of Realtors about how busy they are and everyone seems to be on overload with new buyers trying to get a home before prices or interest rates go up.  I expect to see the prices of houses being sold in Los Gatos, Saratoga, Cupertino – at least in the more affordable price points of these areas – to tick upwards this month.  We’ll know in early February if I’m correct!

Now let’s turn to another tool to see how the Cupertino market is faring for listed properties.  For this I will use graphs from Altos Research, to which I also have a subscription. These are LIVE CHARTS and will automatically update themselves weekly – so even if the article is older, this info is now!

Cupertino Median List Prices Compared to Neighboring Saratoga, Sunnyvale and Los Altos

We know that the median sales price in Cupertino has slipped. But what of the list price, and how does it compare to other areas nearby?

Los Altos is faring the best of these 4 areas. Saratoga was dippping but now rising again. Sunnyvale has been somewhat flat recently. But Cupertino’s prices are continuing to fall. Perhaps these low prices are the drivers for the crazy hot market activity.

Cupertino median list price of houses by price quartile

Focusing just on Cupertino, let’s see how the information looks if we break it down into the pricing tier. Often the entry level houses are a very different “market” than the luxury homes segment.

The last few months have had noticeable declines for the lowest three segments, but there’s been an uptick (until recently) for the most expensive properties in this city.

What if we look back more than a year? Combining the quartiles, the trends look pretty stark:

Here’s the same data just for the top quartile, the most expensive properties in Cupertino:

For the 2nd top tier (upper middle):

3rd level or lower middle:

And most affordable Cupertino houses or lowest quartile:

Cupertino Days on Market by Price Quartile: What’s Selling Fastest

Not surprisingly, the luxury market has had a harder time selling than entry level houses in Cupertino. This is true for most of the West Valley areas of Santa Clara County. Here’s a look at the days on market (DOM) for Cupertino by price point over the last year.

Remember, all real estate is local. For information on your exact area or price point, please contact me. I work with my clients to pinpoint the pricing.

What drives the Cupertino real estate market?

The residential real estate market in Cupertino, California, is driven in large part by the extremely high quality of its local public schools.  Many in Silicon Valley would state that for San Jose area home buyers, Cupertino offers the best “bang for the buck” when one lines up the cost of purchasing a home to the schools’ API scores. (Conversely, some residents are concerned that the very top schools – including but not limited to Cupertino – are so focused on academics that there may be too much pressure on kids and may lack balance for them.)

Other drivers are, of course, the local economy (such as the initial public offerings happening with some of the Silicon Valley tech giants), the availability of more affordable financing, and how the realty market in general is performing for any particular price point or particular school area. (Even within Cupertino, some schools are much more in demand than others.)  Comments in this article refer generally to this city of about 50,000 residents – real estate is local, though, so for precise information in any given area or tier of the market, please contact me!

Houses for sale in Cupertino California

Please browse houses for sale in Cupertino, listed from the lowest prices up to the highest.

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 17. See more city of Cupertino real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $649,900 : 10160 Calvert Dr, Cupertino
   
   3 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,562 sq ft

   Lot size: 5,643 sq ft
   
2. $748,800 : 18920 Tilson Av, Cupertino
   
   3 beds, 1 full bath

   Home size: 1,039 sq ft

   Lot size: 5,400 sq ft
   
3. $749,000 : 10335 Moretti Dr, Cupertino
   
   4 beds, 3 full baths

   Home size: 1,267 sq ft

   Lot size: 4,947 sq ft
   
4. $839,000 : 10240 Yoshino Pl, Cupertino
   
   3 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,688 sq ft

   Lot size: 3,168 sq ft
   
5. $879,000 : 10285 Moretti Dr, Cupertino
   
   4 beds, 3 full baths

   Home size: 1,787 sq ft

   Lot size: 6,000 sq ft
   

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

The annual market report is out at popehandy.REReport.com and we can now learn how 2011 compared to 2010.  The median sales price for houses in Santa Clara County was off 5.3% overall.  But from one part of the valley to the next it varied wildly with 6 cities or areas finding themselves in positive territory while others were off by double digits.

In the image to the left, I’ve put into bold the cities where the median sales price of houses which sold and closed escrow in 2011 were ahead of 2010′s pricing.

What is it that makes Gilroy, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Mountain View and Palo Alto “in the black”?

Most of these cities/towns are upscale, west valley communities.  But so are Saratoga, Cupertino, and Monte Sereno.

Gilroy was especially hard-hit with the housing downturn so perhaps in that case, it’s just coming back into more of a balance. (Then again, so was Morgan Hill and it’s still off by 12%.)

The LinkedIn IPO and others in the Palo Alto area drove prices up for some parts of the housing market nearby and it’s likely that this explains the positive growth for Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Los Altos Hills.  That said, it would seem that Los Altos, and perhaps even Sunnyvale would have seen stronger numbers on the same account.  Perhaps school scores are the key driver here.

Los Gatos, Saratoga and Monte Sereno often behave somewhat similarly as they are adjacent to one another and often attract similar home buyers who want good schools, a nice downtown area nearby and scenic beauty with the hills.  The annual numbers show Monte Sereno down 6.7%, Saratoga down 2% but Los Gatos up 6.4%.  With Monte Sereno, there are very few sales each month and each year (only about 4,000 residents), so there can be a wider swing without it necessarily being accurate. Saratoga and Los Gatos each have about 30,000 people who call these areas home, though, so the data is much more helpful.  Saratoga and Los Gatos both have multiple school districts, views, homes with better proximity to “downtown” and more variables – I think we’d have to dig a lot deeper to learn why these two neighboring markets are so diverse.  We might also have to look at multiple years of data to see if Saratoga spiked while LG slumped to explain the difference.

Coming in at last place: the Santa Cruz Mountains or Los Gatos Mountains area (zip code 95033), where the median list price of houses sold slipped 17% from the year before.  This beautifully scenic region covers a lot of territory and several quite different neighborhoods, some more convenient and others more remote.  It often takes much longer to sell a home in the mountains than on the valley floor but it can be a great “bang for your buck” for great schools, clean area, less crowding, etc.  The remoteness of some homes, the increased rain and other challenges generally make this part of the valley a more challenging real estate market most of the time, and in a down market that’s even more true.

Palo Alto, Mountain View and Los Altos each have regions which can be tracked in addition to the cities as a whole. If you’d like to see these numbers, please visit http://popehandy.rereport.com and then click on Yearly, then select the city, then the neighborhood and you can see how Baron Park or other areas are faring in particular (also for their monthly or quartly reports).

Areas within San Jose, like PA, MV and LA, can be tracked. Since I am very active in several of them (Almaden Valley, Cambrian Park, Willow Glen, Blossom Valley and others on the west side), I want to share those next.

The median sales price of houses which sold & closed in 2011 in the City of San Jose was down 5.9%, lower than the county as a whole.  Most of San Jose was worse off than the prior year – all except Alviso!

Alviso, which was a separate town until not so long ago, sold with a double digit increase in the median sales price – a whopping 10.6% higher than in 2010.  Affordability and investor activity are most likely the cause – more demand and less inventory than the year before. (I suspect either fewer distressed properties or that they were gobbled up quickly. Knowing would require more research.)

Downtown or central San Jose took a beating with the median sales price down 9.6%.  Why did it fall from grace?  Not everything in this area is affordable – consider that it includes Naglee Park, The Rosegarden, and a few other tony areas. I suspect it’s the number of foreclosures (REOs) and short sales but I don’t have that information at hand.  It would require a much closer look that our brief survey here to uncover what’s happening.  (We know that there are many unsold, new condos in downtown San Jose but those should not be impacting the sales of single family homes.)

In future articles or posts I hope to look at a few of these areas more carefully to see what is causing the great diversity between the areas showing improvement over 2010 such as Alviso, Palo Alto, Gilroy, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos and Mountain View versus those which are really hurting: downtown San Jose, the Los Gatos Mountains, Evergreen, Morgan Hill, Milpitas.  Very likely it’s a combination of the distressed market activity in some areas, school scores, the pricing tier (i.e., homes between 1 and 2 million near Palo Alto) and more factors.  With real estate, it’s always local – and that’s just the starting point.

How’s the Saratoga California real estate market?

Annual Saratoga CA Real Estate Update:

Saratoga’s prices slipped a bit in 2011 over 2010.  Here are the basic numbers with the stats for the annual review, including median sales price and average sales price of houses sold (see the Saratoga Real Estate Report for even more data):

Median Sale Price 2011 = $1,480,000   2010 = $1,510,000 (-2.0%)

Average Sale Price 2011 = $1,636,300   2010 = $1,657,140 (-1.3%)

For condominiums and townhouses it was stronger (finally, they’ve taken a beating!):

Median Sale Price 2011 =  $660,000     2010 =  $612,500 (+7.8%)

Average Sale Price  2011 = $684,500    2010 =  $640,895 (+6.8%)

To see much more information please visit the full annual Real Estate Report for Saratoga condos and townhomes

Monthly Real Estate Update for Saratoga:

Sales of single family homes were up but prices were down month over month – but way, way up over December 2010! It’s taking much longer to sell houses compared to a year ago too – but look at the prices from a year ago – the low price went with a very brisk sale time (average 17 days on the market).  That was nuts both for low pricing and for speed!

What about Saratoga condos for sale and sold? There are very, very few of these which sell in any given month, so the numbers can very easily jump around like crazy – and therefore aren’t terribly helpful. 

Days on market are double a year ago and triple even a month ago (this IS helpful), prices are down from last month (but again, that can mean very little since a Saratoga Oaks townhouse with a view will sell for much more than a small condo with a less desirable location).

To really understand the condo and townhouse market it’s better to see actual sales and compare them quarter by quarter, using similar units.  If you are interested in buying or selling a condo or townhouse in Saratoga, don’t go it alone or rely on online stats – give me a call and we will crunch the numbers specifically for your home and pinpoint the pricing.

Median List Prices of Saratoga Homes for Sale

First, a graph displaying the overview of the median list prices for condominiums and single family homes in Saratoga – all price quartiles combined:

In general, the seller’s market is showing itself for houses in the fact that list prices are rising.  Not so with condo and townhouse pricing. That’s a much cooler market.

Next, the median list prices for single family homes with a breakdown by price quartile. (Please note that the info would be even more precise if broken down by school district, but this particular program doesn’t yet filter by schools.)

In most price points, the list prices are now rising slightly, but most of all in entry level homes. In the last few months we’ve seen the high end home sales start to pick up in Saratoga, with a good run up in late 2010 before sliding earlier.  Starting to improve now, though.

And now, list price of condos by price quartiles.

Interestingly, the condo market is not enjoying at all the decent seller’s market seen among houses in this city.  Every price point appears to be suffering, but the high end most of all.

Inventory of both houses & condos in Saratoga

It’s seasonally typical to have more inventory in summer than other times of the year. Going back a few more years (see below), please note where the peaks are found – always sometime in summer. (Single family homes only.)

It’s less clear, but still visible, with condominiums and townhouses in Saratoga:

Average Days on Market for Saratoga Homes for Sale

Houses by quartile is not much different – DOM was rising across all price points and has been since August until spring, when the bottom and two quartiles (blue and green) reversed the trend. These are the “hotter”or improving segments of the market right now.

It is strangely disjointed in the Saratoga Condo market, though. I can’t explain why this had been so “all over the board” based on just this data. But since August, all four groups appear to be following the same general trend.

My suspicion is that the homes with the better schools are faring the best, but that’s just a hunch based on how well homes usually sell – it’s not provable with this info at hand.

If you’re interested in buying or selling a Saratoga home, please contact me. I’ll be happy to meet with you for a no obligation initial consultation.

Saratoga Real Estate Listings – Saratoga Homes for Sale – Condos, Townhouses & Houses for Sale in Saratoga

If you’d like to browse Saratoga homes for sale, I invite you to have a look here! Below please find all properties currently listed as available on our local MLS.  Please be advised that there are a number of different property types and school districts listed here.  For more precise information on houses, condos or town houses on the market, please contact me via email or complete a form at SiliconValleyHomeHunt.com or on my popehandy.com website.  Either way it will come to me and I will personally set up your search for a Saratoga property. (If you are moving to the South Bay area from far away, please also see my Silicon Valley relocation website for helpful tips.)

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 66. See more city of Saratoga real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $3,285,000 : 14982 Sobey Rd, Saratoga
   
   6 beds, 5 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 4,895 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.04 ac
   
2. $915,000 : 18775 Mcfarland Av, Saratoga
   
   4 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,894 sq ft

   Lot size: 10,000 sq ft
   
3. $890,000 : 14451 Oak Pl, Saratoga
   
   2 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 913 sq ft

   Lot size: 8,925 sq ft
   
4. $625,000 : 14660 Big Basin Wy #C, Saratoga
   
   3 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,408 sq ft

   Lot size: 1,496 sq ft
   
5. $585,000 : 14654 Big Basin Wy #A, Saratoga
   
   2 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,276 sq ft

   Lot size: 1,276 sq ft
   

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

How’s the Almaden Valley real estate market?   Prices appear to  have been rising, but slipped some this last month. There’s not much inventory in this part of the valley so it remains a seller’s market, incredibly. A  fairly nice 4 bed, 2 bath house in most parts of the San Jose 95120 zip code will still cost about a million dollars (more if it’s in the best areas with best schools and best condition).  A smaller 3-4 bedroom townhouse with good schools will be about half that much unless it’s really young and highly upgraded.

Average Days on Market  & Sale to List Price Ratio for Almaden Valley (San Jose, CA 95120) houses in 2011:

Number of Homes For Sale vs Sold for Almaden Houses on the Market

Date is between Jan 2011 and Dec 2011

Property Sub Class is ‘Single Family Residential’

Area AreaIdName is ’13 Almaden Valley’

Results calculated from approximately 570 listings

Listings by Price Range

Date is between Feb 2011 and Jan 2012

Property Sub Class is ‘Single Family Residential’

Area AreaIdName is ’13 Almaden Valley’

Results calculated from approximately 470 listings

Sales by price range

Date is between Jan 2011 and Dec 2011

Property Sub Class is ‘Single Family Residential’

Area AreaIdName is ’13 Almaden Valley’

Results calculated from approximately 320 listings

For more info please see my Almaden Valley real estate report.

Houses, sales, pendings, prices in San Jose 95120 for November 2011 – note that they are down month over month and year over year BUT if you go back to October, they were way, way up (double digit). It’s helpful to have the “big picture” and not focus on just a small amount of data. Reviewing several months in a row we see some ups, some down – mostly down (in single or double digits) but when up, it was way up (20-40%). No easy answers here.

Trends At a Glance	Nov 2011	Previous Month	Year-over Year
Median Price	$935,000	$1,075,000 (-13.0%)	$950,000 (-1.6%)
Average Price	$1,007,750	$1,144,880 (-12.0%)	$1,123,800 (-10.3%)
No. of Sales	19	27 (-29.6%)	21 (-9.5%)
Pending Properties	31	35 (-11.4%)	45 (-31.1%)
Active	55	68 (-19.1%)	93 (-40.9%)
Sale vs. List Price	98.8%	97.0% (+1.9%)	97.5% (+1.3%)
Days on Market	47	52 (-8.7%)	40 (+18.2%)

Numbers for October – notice the big jump from September in pricing!

Trends At a Glance	Oct 2011	Previous Month	Year-over Year
Median Price	$1,075,000	$822,000 (+30.8%)	$885,000 (+21.5%)
Average Price	$1,144,880	$815,646 (+40.4%)	$910,012 (+25.8%)
No. of Sales	27	24 (+12.5%)	22 (+22.7%)
Pending Properties	35	42 (-16.7%)	41 (-14.6%)
Active	68	67 (+1.5%)	111 (-38.7%)
Sale vs. List Price	97.0%	95.6% (+1.4%)	97.4% (-0.5%)
Days on Market	52	46 (+13.6%)	36 (+42.2%)

The list price to sales price ratio moved up but days on market and number of pendings were off from the month prior – though not year over year. Compared to a year ago, prices are up and all is rosier except the days on market. Buyers may be having trouble adjusting to the rising prices in Almaden.

Trends At a Glance	Sep 2011	Previous Month	Year-over Year
Median Price	$822,000	$835,000 (-1.6%)	$931,000 (-11.7%)
Average Price	$815,646	$868,909 (-6.1%)	$967,599 (-15.7%)
No. of Sales	24	39 (-38.5%)	27 (-11.1%)
Pending Properties	42	37 (+13.5%)	34 (+23.5%)
Active	67	83 (-19.3%)	124 (-46.0%)
Sale vs. List Price	95.6%	97.1% (-1.6%)	98.3% (-2.8%)
Days on Market	46	62 (-26.4%)	37 (+24.1%)

And August:

Trends At a Glance	Aug 2011	Previous Month	Year-over Year
Median Price	$835,000	$926,000 (-9.8%)	$932,500 (-10.5%)
Average Price	$868,909	$1,038,120 (-16.3%)	$997,688 (-12.9%)
No. of Sales	39	20 (+95.0%)	32 (+21.9%)
Pending Properties	37	53 (-30.2%)	46 (-19.6%)
Active	83	93 (-10.8%)	121 (-31.4%)
Sale vs. List Price	97.1%	97.0% (+0.2%)	99.0% (-1.9%)
Days on Market	62	65 (-5.7%)	36 (+70.9%)

CONDOS

Next the Almaden Valley condo market.  It’s improved over last month!  Some quick stats:
Sales fell 0.0% from the month before, and were up 200.0% year-over-year.  Prices improved in Sep 2011 with the median price climbing 11.6% from the previous month, down 23% compared to last year. The average price rose 22.9%, a yearly loss of 15.7%.  Inventory fell 0.0% from last month, and was down 23.8% year-over-year.

Trends At a Glance	Nov 2011	Previous Month	Year-over Year
Median Price	$577,000	$495,000 (+16.6%)	$620,000 (-6.9%)
Average Price	$577,000	$498,333 (+15.8%)	$620,000 (-6.9%)
No. of Sales	2	3 (-33.3%)	2 (0.0%)
Pending Properties	3	3 (0.0%)	3 (0.0%)
Active	11	11 (0.0%)	16 (-31.3%)
Sale vs. List Price	97.5%	98.4% (-1.0%)	95.6% (+1.9%)
Days on Market	118	93 (+25.9%)	34 (+250.8%)

October:

Trends At a Glance	Oct 2011	Previous Month	Year-over Year
Median Price	$495,000	$512,000 (-3.3%)	$683,000 (-27.5%)
Average Price	$498,333	$560,667 (-11.1%)	$715,250 (-30.3%)
No. of Sales	3	3 (0.0%)	4 (-25.0%)
Pending Properties	3	4 (-25.0%)	2 (+50.0%)
Active	11	12 (-8.3%)	15 (-26.7%)
Sale vs. List Price	98.4%	98.0% (+0.4%)	95.4% (+3.2%)
Days on Market	93	67 (+40.0%)	40 (+134.8%)

September:

Trends At a Glance	Sep 2011	Previous Month	Year-over Year
Median Price	$512,000	$458,900 (+11.6%)	$665,000 (-23.0%)
Average Price	$560,667	$456,300 (+22.9%)	$665,000 (-15.7%)
No. of Sales	3	3 (0.0%)	1 (+200.0%)
Pending Properties	4	5 (-20.0%)	7 (-42.9%)
Active	12	11 (+9.1%)	14 (-14.3%)
Sale vs. List Price	98.0%	97.3% (+0.7%)	95.3% (+2.8%)
Days on Market	67	91 (-27.0%)	25 (+166.7%)

And for August:

Trends At a Glance	Aug 2011	Previous Month	Year-over Year
Median Price	$458,900	$565,000 (-18.8%)	$635,000 (-27.7%)
Average Price	$456,300	$555,200 (-17.8%)	$635,000 (-28.1%)
No. of Sales	3	5 (-40.0%)	2 (+50.0%)
Pending Properties	5	5 (0.0%)	3 (+66.7%)
Active	11	13 (-15.4%)	16 (-31.3%)
Sale vs. List Price	97.3%	98.1% (-0.9%)	98.4% (-1.1%)
Days on Market	91	103 (-11.7%)	7 (+1,121.0%)

Next let’s have a multi year look at the Almaden Valley real estate market.  Below please notice the supply & demand graph going back to late 2007. Although it’s been a “wild ride”, you can see a very clear pattern emerge that around December or January of eacy year, inventory falls (the dark gray line) and relative to the months just before or after, these tend to be “better” for sellers. What’s happening?  The available supply of homes tends to diminish over the holidays.  Prices are perhaps softer than at other times of the year.  Buyers who need to buy, do buy.  The odds of selling are actually higher, in many cases, during this time of year than others!

Here are a few quick stats from Altos Research (which will be automatically updated weekly and to which I have a subscription) – these are based on the list price of townhouses, condominiums and houses for sale in San Jose’s Almaden Valley 95120 area:

90-day stats for Single Family properties in SAN JOSE, CA95120 as of October 7, 2011
Median List Price:	$927,953	Average List Price:	$1,056,795
Total Inventory:	129	Price per Square Foot:	$405
Average Home Size:	2,414	Median Lot Size:	8,580
Average # Beds:	4.04	Average # Baths:	2.72
Homes Absorbed:	11	Newly Listed:	8
Days on Market:	113	Average Age:	36

90-day stats for Condo properties in SAN JOSE, CA95120 as of October 7, 2011
Median List Price:	$606,104	Average List Price:	$637,011
Total Inventory:	17	Price per Square Foot:	$365
Average Home Size:	1,674	Median Lot Size:	n/a
Average # Beds:	2.79	Average # Baths:	2.34
Homes Absorbed:	1	Newly Listed:	1
Days on Market:	178	Average Age:	26

The residential real estate market in San Jose’s Almaden Valley area was a “hot seller’s market” early this year due to more demand than supply but it is cooling slightly now, which will be a great relief to frustrated home buyers, but it has not been giving them the big influx of inventory they’d like to see.

Cinnabar winery sign (Big Basin Way, Saratoga)

In many communities such as Saratoga, Los Gatos, Los Altos, Willow Glen, Campbell and Palo Alto, there is a high premium placed on homes which are close to the downtown area.  Many real estate agents advertise these as “walk to town” but the idea is simple: it’s nearby, you can stroll, skate, ride or bike, wheel yourself and forget the car.

Downtown Saratoga, also called Saratoga Village, welcomes residents and visitors to a charming, scenic area with fabulous shops, spas, wine tasting venues, restaurants and more.  This part of the city boasts top scoring schools as well as lovely older and historic buildings and a gorgeous park alongside Saratoga Creek. Whether you spend an afternoon or a lifetime in Saratoga, this part of town will call you back again and again!

What do you need to know about buying a house, townhouse or condo in downtown Saratoga?

There are a few points which you are well served to know when purchasing residential real estate in this upscale community. We’ll touch on a few of them here: historic homes, traffic & noise, natural hazards, parking, and special issues with condos, townhouses and PUDs (planned unit developments).

First, this downtown Saratoga Village zone is historic; while not every property is deemed historic, many are and that means that there will be restrictions on remodeling and expansion of single family homes or houses. For instance, original glass in windows may need to remain if you’ve got a Victorian house dating from the 1890s, and expansions may need to be off the back of the home so that the facade keeps its initial look and feel (just examples).  This can be frustrating if you buy a luxury home that “needs work” and you are surprised later. If the house was built before 1950 or so, double check the rules!

Second, traffic and noise can be an issue and vary from day to day as well as from one time of day to another; there are a variety of traffic related concerns.  Big Basin Way is an alternate route to Highway 17 for access to Skyline Boulevard and the coast.  Cars and motorcycles may be thick on Saratoga Avenue, Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road and Saratoga-Los Gatos Road when the weather is good.  Motorcycles can be especially loud when large groups go on a road trip together!  Of course there will be extra cars when a concert is featured at The Mountain Winery (off Big Basin Way) or Montalvo (off Saratoga-Los Gatos Road).  If you have a serene view property it might surprise you how much motorcycle noise can carry – so be sure to visit the property on a warm weekend afternoon or two to check it out.

Additionally, because Big Basin is an alternate route to Highway 17, it can also get a lot of traffic if there’s a problem on 17 in winter due to weather such as with downed trees, mudslides, car accidents with severe backups, etc. So when weather is good and when weather is bad, Big Basin and nearby roads can get very congested and move slowly.

Commuters who live in the mountains as well as others choke Saratoga Avenue at rush hour.  This is slowed further by having to pass two schools (Sacred Heart and St. Andrews) before getting to Highway 85.  Saratoga Avenue has just one lane in each direction through the historic zone, but after the freeway it’s much better.  (Saratoga-Sunnyvale isn’t bad as there are 2 lanes but remember to slow down at Saratoga High – the road is wide so the temptation is to go too fast.)

Natural hazards:  Depending on the location of the home in relation to the village, you could be in a wildland fire zone, in an unstable soils zone, a seismic zone or other “natural hazard” areas.  Also, if you are closer in to the hills or near a creek (and there are 2 in downtown Saratoga), there will of course be an increased contact with wild life, such as deer – but potentially also mountain lions, bobcats, racoons, possum, skunks, etc.  Most people love seeing the deer but others find it upsetting that their beloved garden is viewed as a buffet!

Finally, as with many downtown areas, parking can be a little tricky at times.  Valet parking can be a big help but no matter what, do pay attention to how long you’re in a spot and what the limit is – it can be expensive if you forget!

Are there special issues with Condos, Townhomes or PUDs in downtown Saratoga, CA?

In some cases, yes, PUDs, condominiums and townhouse communities may have special issues due to any of the items listed above.  In 2010 I had a great listing at Saratoga Oaks, a lovely and luxurious townhouse resort community.  Because of their proximity to the hills, the home owner’s association had earthquake insurance and that was quite costly.  The HOA dues covered not just the multiple pools, tennis courts, pool house, roads etc. but also fairly expensive blanket and earthquake  insurance as well. (That listing of mine on Placida Court is sold and closed but you can check the photos out here to get an idea of the area.)

A problem throughout Silicon Valley is condo, PUD and townhouse home owners defaulting on their monthly dues (and any special assessments).  Whenever you purchase one of these types of homes it is very important to know how financially sound the community is.  If there are many defaults, it is possible that the reserve account will run too low, resulting in either deferred maintenance, raised dues or special assessments  for those who are paying.  (With a short sale, some of the owed monies may be forgiven, and with a foreclosure there may be no recouping of debts owed at all.)

There are very few distressed sales in Saratoga, relative to the rest of Silicon Valley, so this risk should be lower in downtown Saratoga or anywhere in that city, but do check the situation out so that yo aren’t later handed a big bill to pay!  Here are a couple of related articles that you might find helpful:

Why are those Silicon Valley HOA dues so high?

Does your HOA have enough in reserves?

Want to learn more about living in this piece of paradise?  Browse listings below – no need to register, just have a look!  And if you want to buy or sell real estate in Saratoga, please contact me.  I grew up there (graduate of Saratoga HS), I sell there, and I’m happy to assist you in making it your home!

Find a home for sale in Saratoga, CA (all of Saratoga, not just downtown):

Saratoga California condominiums or condos for sale

Showing properties 1 - 3 of 3. See more city of Saratoga real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $625,000 : 14660 Big Basin Wy #C, Saratoga
   
   3 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,408 sq ft

   Lot size: 1,496 sq ft
   
2. $585,000 : 14654 Big Basin Wy #A, Saratoga
   
   2 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,276 sq ft

   Lot size: 1,276 sq ft
   
3. $439,999 : 20800 4th St #10, Saratoga
   
   2 beds, 1 full bath

   Home size: 876 sq ft

   Lot size: 871 sq ft
   

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

Saratoga California townhouses or townhomes for sale

Showing properties 1 - 4 of 4. See more city of Saratoga real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $574,950 : 19714 Vineyard Ln, Saratoga
   
   2 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 1,511 sq ft

   Lot size: 2,000 sq ft
   
2. $525,000 : 19415 Vineyard Ln, Saratoga
   
   3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 1,612 sq ft

   Lot size: 968 sq ft
   
3. $775,000 : 12630 Biarritz Ln, Saratoga
   
   3 beds, 3 full baths

   Home size: 1,991 sq ft

   Lot size: 3,192 sq ft
   
4. $948,000 : 14679 Springer Av, Saratoga
   
   2 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 2,163 sq ft

   Lot size: 1,377 sq ft
   

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

Saratoga CA houses for sale – single family homes for sale in Saratoga California

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 59. See more city of Saratoga real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $798,000 : 14403 Oka Ln, Saratoga
   
   3 beds, 1 full bath

   Home size: 1,273 sq ft

   Lot size: 11,000 sq ft
   
2. $825,000 : 18253 Swarthmore Dr, Saratoga
   
   3 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,400 sq ft

   Lot size: 8,260 sq ft
   
3. $850,000 : 14656 6th St, Saratoga
   
   1 bed, 1 full bath

   Home size: 592 sq ft

   Lot size: 4,500 sq ft
   
4. $869,950 : 19061 Dagmar Dr, Saratoga
   
   3 beds, 1 full bath

   Home size: 918 sq ft

   Lot size: 8,424 sq ft
   
5. $890,000 : 14451 Oak Pl, Saratoga
   
   2 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 913 sq ft

   Lot size: 8,925 sq ft
   

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

Every couple of weeks I update this post to bring fresh news and data on the Cambrian Park real estate market. On Dec 9th  I went onto the MLS and ran the “months of inventory” or absorption rate of houses and duet homes (what our MLS calls “class 1″)  in “area 14″ or Cambrian area of San Jose. This time I broke it down into price points as well as the type of sale (regular, short sale, bank owned)  so you can pinpoint the pricing for the various segments of the Cambrian market. (Reminder: months of inventory reflects how long it will take to sell a property if sales continue at the current rate. Six months or so is considered “balanced”. More is a buyer’s market and less is a seller’s.)

**please note – typo below – numbers were crunched December 9th, 2011, not December 10th.

Cambrian Park (San Jose) Months of Inventory by sale type & price point Dec 9, 2011

What’s selling? “Regular sales” – non distressed. Not faring so well? Short sales.  In many price points, although many are under contract or pending, FEW – sometimes none – are making it to the closing table.  We are hearing a lot about the streamlined processes for short sales, but these numbers hint at a different reality, namely that Silicon Valley and Cambrian short sales sell but often don’t close escrow.

What is the typical kind of home and price for these neighborhoods?  Of the homes which transferred ownership in the last 30 days, a typical house cost about $600,000, has about 1600 square feet and sits on a lot of around 6700 square feet (and is “partially updated”, not fully remodeled).  The price per square foot averaged $376 but ran from $205 (distressed and on a hugely busy road) to $513 (close to the hills near Almaden and Los Gatos).  If the home you want to buy or sell needs remodeling or is “all original” it’s probably going to sell for less. If it’s in a great area, is a regular sale and absolutely turnkey and fully remodeled, it’ll sell for more.  A beautifully remodeled Cambrian house with 3 bed, 2 bath and 1200 square feet can easily run $600,000 or more if it’s a regular sale and in a good area with no “issues” (high voltage lines, backing to busy road or school etc.).

What about the pending sales?

As of this morning, there are 95 houses & duet homes which are sale pending.  Of those, 39 are regular sales (a mere 41%!), 48 are short sales and 8 are bank owned properties (REOs).  How do the pendings compare to the homes sold?  Here’s a quick breakdown for all price ranges in “area 14″ of San Jose:

ALL types Pending – 95   Sold in last 30 days – 37
Regular sales – 39   Sold in last 30 days – 32
Short sales -  48   Sold in last 30 days – 1
Bank owned sales – 8   Sold in last 30 days – 2

This underlines the fact that the short sales are getting into contract…but just not getting to the closing table! Bank owned homes are better, but the ratio of pendings to closings is much, much better with regular sales.  This explains why the regular sales are the hottest ticket in Cambrian Park right now: buyers don’t want to just buy, they want to close!

Some sellers are borderline on being able to sell without either having to bring cash to the closing table or having to attempt a short sale.  What do these numbers suggest?  That if you really want to sell and can do it – you may be best off doing a regular sale, even if you need to bring money to the title company to make it work.   (This is general advice only, your own situation may be different – please consult with your Realtor, lawyer and tax advisor before deciding to do, or not to do, a short sale.)

Here’s a snapshot view what was happening in the 95124 and 95118 areas of San Jose as of December 2nd, 2011. (My last update for this part of San Jose -  a mini update.)

Cambrian Park (San Jose) quick real estate stats for houses Dec 2, 2011

Interestingly, the hottest segment of this market is not the distressed sales, but regular ones, which are being absorbed three times as fast as the short sales or bank owned homes on the market. And it’s understandable: REOs don’t provide any disclosures and may contain surprises after close of escrow, and short sales may never close.  Just look at the huge number of pendings as opposed to the short sales which actually become a finalized transaction!  We hear that the odds are improving on short sales closing, but this graph doesn’t validate that impression at all.

Cambrian San Jose Real Estate Trends & Statistics for Sold Homes

It’s been a “hot sellers market” in the Cambrian district of San Jose for many months now with most homes that sell going fairly close to list price (1-2% off on average).  That doesn’t mean that the best idea is to always offer less than list price, though, as many homes are selling at or above list price.

If we took a close look at what’s selling and closed recently, we would find that some Cambrian houses are selling for more than list price, some right at list price and others below or well under the offered price.  Some Cambrian real estate is listed strategically low in order to get multiple offers and drive the price up.  Some are overpriced and others are priced “right on the money”.

Data on real estate solds in Cambrian area of San Jose, for November, October, September and August 2011 among houses from my Real Estate Report:

Next, October:

September:

Next, August (note that prices were higher, pending prices were higher in August as opposed to September).

Inventory is down about 32% from a year ago.  Prices are down, too, both year over year and month over month. Even so, the Cambrian real estate market is fairly hot, a good strong seller’s market as long as homes are priced well, staged well, and marketed well.  That doesn’t mean that every home is selling, but those which are nicely staged and marketed and correctly priced are selling at a good pace – and many of them get multiple offers, as the overbids attest.

Just now I checked what has closed in the Cambrian area in the last 30 days. There were 36 houses that closed. Of them 9 sold over list price, a few sold right at list price but most sold under list (and a very few sold grossly lower).

Now let’s work with Altos Research’s graphs and get a feel for the Cambrian realty market in “real time”.  These use list prices, whereas my REReport uses sold data.

First, the statistics by quartile for houses in San Jose 95118:

Next, the stats and trends by price quartile for houses in San Jose 95124:

Median list price of homes for sale in 95124 and 95118:

Very interesting that the 95124 pricing appears to be swinging upward while the 95118 pricing continues to go down.  I believe that this is mainly because the schools in 95124 have been trending upward strongly with the API scores.  Prices are also at a higher level, and those are less impacted by short sales and REOs countywide.  So it may be the result of multiple factors.  (95124 is about 2/3 of the Cambrian real estate market.)

Inventory in Cambrian area of San Jose 95124, 95118:

Surprising, isn’t it, to see how differently these two San Jose zip codes are behaving from each other?

Average days on Market in San Jose’s Cambrian area

And again, really different trends on these neighboring zips, both in Cambrian!

Another anecdotal story to share: Recently I closed the sale on my listing at 5114 Nerissa Way in Cambrian with Union Schools and Alta Vista in particular. We were listed at $579,000 and received 4 offers and sold at $585,000. Interestingly, we received 2 nearly identical “best” offers, both at $585,000. One was completely As Is and the other was almost As Is (they wanted a fumigation and pest clearance provided).  That is usually a pretty good affirmation of market value, and the property did appraise at the sales price.  The other two offers we got were below list price.  One was all cash and it was extremely low.  Buyers who are purchasing without financing sometimes misunderstand the type of discount that their all-cash status will get for them, so sometimes the worst offers are all cash and that was the case this time.

Want more info on your neighborhood, your house, or your target home to buy? Please call me!

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 61. See more 95124 zip code real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $685,000 : 1671 Zinnia Ln, San Jose
   
   3 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,410 sq ft

   Lot size: 6,240 sq ft
   
2. $549,900 : 2423 Loment Pl, San Jose
   
   3 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,539 sq ft

   Lot size: 4,232 sq ft
   
3. $639,000 : 1695 Merrill Dr, San Jose
   
   4 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,396 sq ft

   Lot size: 7,200 sq ft
   
4. $748,000 : 1830 Curtner Av, San Jose
   
   5 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 2,191 sq ft

   Lot size: 6,000 sq ft
   
5. $574,980 : 5003 Phileo Ct, San Jose
   
   3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 1,644 sq ft

   Lot size: 2,854 sq ft
   

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

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 29. See more 95118 zip code real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $829,000 : 5530 Le Franc Dr,
   
   4 beds, 3 full baths

   Home size: 2,020 sq ft

   Lot size: 3,356 sq ft
   
2. $575,000 : 3213 Gardendale Dr, San Jose
   
   4 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 1,800 sq ft

   Lot size: 6,313 sq ft
   
3. $489,900 : 1349 Lyonsville Ln, San Jose
   
   4 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,692 sq ft

   Lot size: 9,583 sq ft
   
4. $499,000 : 3119 Santa Margarita Av, San Jose
   
   3 beds, 1 full bath

   Home size: 1,071 sq ft

   Lot size: 7,840 sq ft
   
5. $430,000 : 1560 Hillsdale Av, San Jose
   
   4 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 1,654 sq ft

   Lot size: 6,890 sq ft
   

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

Browse lists of Cambrian & Cambrian Park homes for sale:
Houses for sale in the 95118 part of Cambrian
Cambrian Park Houses for Sale in 95124

Mary Pope-Handy, Realtor, CRS, ABR, e-PRO, SRES, ASP, CNHS, ACRE
Helping Nice Folks to Buy & Sell Homes Since 1993
Co-Author: “Get The Best Deal When Selling Your Home In Silicon Valley”
408 204-7673 (Cell)
emailto: Mary (at) PopeHandy.com
Blog: www.LiveInLosGatos.com & www.ValleyOfHeartsDelight.com

Los Gatos real estate can be viewed from many angles: zip code, school district, sale type, view or no view, acreage, luxury home or basic home type…. This post will serve as a brief overview only. For information on YOUR Los Gatos subdivision or neighborhood, please contact me!

Here’s a quick glance at the basic numbers for SOLD real estate in Los Gatos (houses and duet homes) for November 2011. Please click on the link for full report on my other site.

And next, same information but for condos and townhouses in Los Gatos:

Next we’ll have a quick look at the town by zip code and will use Altos Research charts and graphs (using list prices, not sold ones) to get a pulse on the market.  Disclaimers aside, here’s the broad overview by zip code – hope you find this helpful!  I will be using “live charts” here so they will always be current!

95030 stats:

90-day stats for Single Family properties in LOS GATOS, CA95030 as of October 7, 2011
Median List Price:	$2,179,835	Average List Price:	$3,070,045
Total Inventory:	66	Price per Square Foot:	$680
Average Home Size:	3,330	Median Lot Size:	18,438
Average # Beds:	4.07	Average # Baths:	3.54
Homes Absorbed:	3	Newly Listed:	3
Days on Market:	152	Average Age:	44

Continue via link for more information on Los Gatos real estate trends and statistics.

95032real estate statistics:

90-day stats for Single Family properties in LOS GATOS, CA95032 as of October 7, 2011
Median List Price:	$1,284,038	Average List Price:	$1,722,479
Total Inventory:	97	Price per Square Foot:	$553
Average Home Size:	2,251	Median Lot Size:	10,028
Average # Beds:	3.86	Average # Baths:	2.96
Homes Absorbed:	8	Newly Listed:	5
Days on Market:	127	Average Age:	39

And a look at Los Gatos “in town” as a whole:

90-day stats for Single Family properties in LOS GATOS, CA as of October 7, 2011
Median List Price:	$1,411,308	Average List Price:	$1,958,686
Total Inventory:	231	Price per Square Foot:	$546
Average Home Size:	2,544	Median Lot Size:	16,292
Average # Beds:	3.82	Average # Baths:	3.05
Homes Absorbed:	14	Newly Listed:	11
Days on Market:	146	Average Age:	40

95033 (Los Gatos Mountains) real estate info:

90-day stats for Single Family properties in LOS GATOS, CA95033 as of October 7, 2011
Median List Price:	$852,031	Average List Price:	$1,221,100
Total Inventory:	68	Price per Square Foot:	$372
Average Home Size:	2,408	Median Lot Size:	72,987
Average # Beds:	3.51	Average # Baths:	2.69
Homes Absorbed:	3	Newly Listed:	3
Days on Market:	169	Average Age:	36

Monte Sereno shares many services with LG so I will share these stats also:

90-day stats for Single Family properties in MONTE SERENO, CA95030 as of October 7, 2011
Median List Price:	$2,537,727	Average List Price:	$2,943,280
Total Inventory:	23	Price per Square Foot:	$650
Average Home Size:	3,827	Median Lot Size:	45,067
Average # Beds:	4.31	Average # Baths:	3.79
Homes Absorbed:	1	Newly Listed:	1
Days on Market:	256	Average Age:	44

Los Gatos is a very complex real estate market because there are so many variables, including:

• proximity to downtown (“walk to town” always a huge plus)
• school district (“Los Gatos Schools” usually strongly preferred)
• historic nature of homes & neighborhoods
• slope and usability of the land
• views
• neighborhood amenities (cabana, nearby park, walkability)
• access to popular venues and locations (parks, shopping, schools)
• negative features such as busy roads, high voltage lines, being too close to freeways/trains, natural hazards such as earthquake faults etc.
• type of sale (distressed or regular sale)

Often homes in Los Gatos will have some positive and some negative features, and the same goes for the location.

In the middle of the last century, the Santa Clara Valley was bursting with vineyards, fruit and nut orchards, and groves of citrus trees. The mild climate and all of these beautiful blossoms mile after mile warranted the nickname, “The Valley of Hearts Delight“. Most of it was, of course, unpaved.  Following the end of World War II, the agricultural land began giving way to housing and industry, later more housing and high tech in particular, and Silicon Valley was born. And, to quote a song, “they paved paradise”.

Water can be somewhat scarce here at times – the sub tropical climate means mild temps and just enough rain, about 20″ per year for most of the San Jose area, but more as you get closer to the Monterey Bay and Pacific Ocean.  When we do get rain, where does it go? In the days of big agriculture, most of it found its way back into the drinking water: it was absorbed by the soil, and then it filtered down into the underground streams.  Wells tapped into this water source and the water was used for drinking, cooking, bathing, watering the crops and more.  Now, though, much of the valley is paved.  Water runs to gutters, and they lead directly to the bay, skipping the aquifers and also skipping the filtering process that the soil provides.  As you might imagine, this can screw things up a bit.

One solution is to create more places for the runoff water to get back into the soil and meander back to the aquifer.  The City of Cupertino has vegetated swales for just that purpose behind the library and city buildings, and a large sign explains why the landscaping looks the way it does (a dirt strip with a sunken section in the middle, but landscaped).  This is not uncommon in many parts of the US – I have seen it all over the east coast and the southern states – but a little less common here.  A great idea, I hope it catches and becomes more typical. Kudos to Cupertino for working to improve the local ecosystem and water quality! We need to do more for water reclamation. If it gets all the way to the bay, it cannot be drunk any more, but from the aquifer it can. So many reasons why we should be diverting water away from pavement and gutters and onto soil!

After taking note of this a week or two ago, I did some searching online and found a 2006 article by the Cupertino Courier (now owned by the San Jose Mercury News) about this same effort. It’s a well written piece and if you want to learn more, read on over at the archive:
http://mytown.mercurynews.com/archives/cupertinocourier/20060201/cu-news1.shtml

Recently Jim & I had an appointment at a high rise in downtown San Jose near the Hotel De Anza. It was a clear day and the view was lovely, so I took a few photos and stitched them together to share.  Hope you enjoy it!  For those not from the Santa Clara Valley, this is looking east.  The hills you see are green during the rainy season and yellow-brown in the dry summer months.

The Los Altos United Methodist Church (LAUMC) ad Harpeggio present “20 Harps for the Holidays” with holiday harp music, solos, ensembles and featured guest artist Natalie Cox on Saturday December 3, 2011 at 4pm at the church: 655 Magdalena Avenue, Los Altos.  The program includes a festive selection of traditional carols, classical music, and a variety of holiday and Christmas music.

According to the Harpeggio website: “Tickets are $15 for general admission, $12 for children (4-12) and $12 for seniors (60+). For more information and to buy tickets, please contact Stephanie at (408) 366-8810 or email events@harpeggio.com”

The LAUMC website lists more events online too.

The Little Italy San Jose Foundation is in the process of rebuilding the original Italian settlement neighborhood in San Jose, which dated back to about the 1870s, with a cultural center, authentic Italian shops and restaurants, and restored buildings.  The cultural center offers Italian language classes for adults and children both. Eventually there will be an Italian-American Historical Museum too.

Where is Little Italy San Jose?

I had mistakenly thought that Little Italy San Jose would be in Willow Glen, but that’s not the case. This little neighborhood is close to the San Jose arena in downtown and includes Henry’s Hi-Life, which was the former Torino Hotel.  You can see a map of the exact area on the LittleItalySJ site. (In the video mentioned below, we learn that originally there were 3 Italian settlements, but this one was the first. The others are Willow Glen and Goosetown.)

It’s a massive grassroots project, backed by 15 different Italian American groups or clubs, which will feature 3 archways into the neighborhood, a brick piazza, a mural underpass, a history walkway, street banners, and bocce ball courts. A few businesses are operating now, with more to come.

Volunteers have been raising both money and awareness for several years and they are making great headway. (You may recall that the old Italian cultural center, the Italian Gardens, was torn down some years ago and now is the site of apartment buildings.)  There are several projects which need donations, including the archways, bocce courts, and mural.  Or you can donate $100 or more and have an engraved brick for stage 3 of the piazza (square).

There’s a great video that can explain more about what the Little Italy San Jose Foundation is doing. Or read more on the website: LittleItalySJ.com.

Where to donate to help the Little Italy San Jose project

The Little Italy website has a number of projects that can be supported via donations:

The Archway

The Bocce Courts

The Brick Piazza

The Mural Underpass (going under Highway 87, connecting the neighborhood to downtown SJ)

Share your family’s Little Italy story

If you’d like to share some local history for this effort, your images, biographical information and more is very welcome. There’s a page for that too: http://www.littleitalysj.com/history_walk.html

On a personal note, I’m very happy to see this project moving ahead. I don’t come from Italian heritage per se but I studied Italian in college, spent a junior year abroad in Firenze (Gonzaga-in-Florence), and feel as though the Italian culture is part of my family, too.  I love the food, emphasis on family, art, music and friendliness of Italy and welcome seeing more of it here in Silicon Valley.

AreaVibes.com ranks cities all over the United States and recently came out with the top 100 for California.  Many of our Silicon Valley cities and towns made the grade!

• Los Altos Hills # 3
• Monte Sereno #  6
• Los Altos # 8
• Saratoga #  9
• Palo Alto #  10
• Foster City # 11
• Cupertino # 26
• Mountain View # 27
• Belmont # 29
• San Carlos # 35
• Menlo Park # 38
• Woodside # 46
• Portola Valley # 50
• Atherton # 64
• Los Gatos # 67
• Sunnyvale # 82
• Scotts Valley # 89
• Daly City # 96

They called the Loyola area of Los Altos a city and it was on this list too (# 39 ) but it is only a district, not a city or town. Surprising, then, that they didn’t include Almaden Valley (part of San Jose) or other nice districts as well.

To see the entire list, please visit their website:
http://www.areavibes.com/best-places/california/

The other day I had a medical appointment in Mountain View near El Camino Hospital, and at the time I wasn’t initially so happy that the parking garage was filled up on the lower levels.  To my surprise and delight, though, from the top of the structure was a lovely view of the coastal mountains with St. Francis High School in the foreground.

Mountain View, California (St. Francis High School)

When I think of the City of Mountain View, what comes to mind is often not mountains at all, but Moffett Field, Castro Street with its incredibly diverse restaurants and shops, lovely (and pricey) homes and of course some of the high tech giants that Silicon Valley is known for, such as Microsoft. Too often, though, I don’t really appreciate the proximity of the beautiful hills.  On that day, though, they were unmistakably visible and beautiful.

More info:

City of Mountain View