If you arrived into Silicon Valley via Highway 101, driving south from San Francisco, you might believe that the Santa Clara Valley, the San Jose area and Silicon Valley as a whole has got to seem to be the ugliest place on earth. Although heavily traveled, that is not the “scenic route”.

So, too, if you are looking for a place to live and are groping to find a place that is reasonably priced, fairly safe and not a terrible commute distance. You might not even have “is nice looking” on your wish list. You might not think it’s possible if all you ever see are the ugly concrete tilt-up buildings in north San Jose, Santa Clara, Alviso, or anywhere along the 237 corridor.  That area is an architectural wasteland.

Let me assure you: there are a lot of beautiful places in Silicon Valley where you can rent or buy a home. But how do you find them? It helps a lot to have a local give you a few pointers.  I’ll give you some tips today on finding a scenic place to live.

Hills – An easy way to find a scenic location to make your home is to settle near the hills, especially those in the west valley (the Santa Cruz Mountains or the Coastal Range) as they are green year-round. Communities at the base of the west valley foothills include, in Santa Clara County, Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Cupertino, Saratoga, Monte Sereno, Los Gatos, and the Almaden Valley area of San Jose. All of these areas are adjacent to the hills or mountains and offer far better than average schools (many of them qualify as great – compare costs between these areas).

Of course, if you go into the hills instead of just being near the base of them, there will be valley views as well.  If you go to the summit area of the Santa Cruz Mountains, you could really luck out and get a 360 degree view of the Monterey Bay on one side and the valley and San Francisco Bay on the other.  (But that would not likely be a short commute to most of Silicon Valley.)

In San Mateo County, there’s Menlo Park, Redwood City, Belmont, Hillsborough…most of these communities are more scenic as you go closer into the hills. Some even offer a view of the San Francisco Bay.

In the east foothills of San Jose, there are many lovely areas too. Among my favorite are the old section of Alum Rock (with beautiful Spanish style houses up near the country club), some of the rural areas of the Berryessa district in San Jose and the southern part of Evergreen (near Silver Creek and the Villages).

Other hills and knolls - the coastal range and east foothills aren’t the only areas with a higher elevation and views.  Think of the Santa Teresa Foothills Blossom Valley, Santa Teresa areas), Communication Hill (Blossom Valley, Willow Glen), or the occasional small little hill such as Lone Hill in the Cambrian district of San Jose.  You don’t have to get very high up to have a great view.  Look at the terrain maps for small elevations and check those areas out!

Waterways - In addition to the mountains, there are many scenic spots in Silicon Valley alongside rivers, creeks and streams.  When I was a newlywed (back in 1985), my husband and I lived alongside Stevens Creek – that is, the waterway, not the major road – in Sunnyvale.  The apartment complex had a number of units overlooking the creek and there were tons of trees providing a great, green view.  You can check out that apartment complex online – it’s called Brookside Oaks.

Back to the bayfront housing:  you can get waterfront homes in Redwood Shores and Foster City, which are on the north end of “Silicon Valley” on the Peninsula.  Many of those areas are on landfill, and although well compacted, that fill is sitting on old bay mud.  Some structures in those areas have had problem with an undue amount of movement.  Others have had salt water get to their foundations, which can cause the re-bar inside to rust (making the foundation far less strong).  Both communities are super clean and attractive (I have sold homes in both).

Not quite Silicon Valley, Santa Cruz does offer many really lovely places in which to live too – great views from many spots.  Adjacent to Neary’s Lagoon there are apartments, townhouses (some of which are for rent) and low income housing too.  It’s a very scenic part of Santa Cruz and just about a mile from the beach on foot.  A few high rise buildings, such as the condo complex on Broadway, feature views of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and the Monterey Bay.

Flatlands – not to worry if you strike out with the hills and waterways.  There are still many lovely areas in Silicon Valley that are not included in those areas.  One is the beautiful San Jose neighborhood known as The Rosegarden. It is centrally located, with a great wide open space at the park, and loads of lovely older homes with tons of character.

If you enjoy classic architecture, you might check out a few areas closer to downtown San Jose: Naglee Park, Vendome area and Japantown.

Outside of San Jose, there are scenic urban living or downtown areas in the Willow Glen part of San Jose, downtown Campbell, downtown Saratoga, downtown Los Gatos, downtown Mountain View, downtown Menlo Park, downtown San Mateo, downtown Los Altos and of course the great magnet of them all, downtown Palo Alto.

In some of these places, the downtown area is also right up against the hills – and that is truly beautiful!  (Think Los Gatos, Saratoga, Los Altos, Menlo Park.)  One nice townhome community in Saratoga has both green views within the complex, is right next to the coastal foothills and is just steps away from downtown Saratoga.  The area has top rated schools too.  If interested, check out Saratoga Oaks.) And don’t miss either Japantown or Santana Row for urban living!

Silicon Valley has a number of neighborhoods with great ambiance despite the absence of either hills or a quaint downtown.  Santa Clara’s “old quad” neighborhood (located near Santa Clara University) is just such a spot.

And, of course, there are spots in Santa Clara County with stunning golf courses, parks or heavily wooded or open areas that may not belong to the public but which create lovely vistas nonetheless.  A few orchards still dot Sunnyvale, San Jose, Saratoga and other parts of the valley. (New townhouses on Bersano Lane in Los Gatos are on a hill overlooking Lake Vasona. Beautiful views!)

For scenic senior housing, a retirement home or residential care facility for the elderly (which can mean independent living, assisted living, nursing or other), quite a few spots enjoy scenic views also:  Belmont Village in San Jose looks out over Santana Row on one side and the Winchester House on another; the Atrium in San Jose’s Blossom Valley has views of Mt. Umunhum; Saratoga Retirement Community enjoys a lovely campus but also is in among gently rolling hills and has a view of the Santa Cruz Mountains; the Villages in San Jose’s eastside community of Evergreen sits among lovely rolling hills and a golf course in the middle.

Many people relocating to the San Francisco Peninsula or the South Bay come from areas where homes cost half as much and seem to be twice as big, where there may not be so much congestion and where there is more open space.  We do have places like that, but it’s important to let whoever’s helping you know that this is important.    Whether you’re here to rent an apartment or purchase a townhouse or condo, it can be in a scenic place.  You just need to find them!

According to the San Jose Mercury News, the San Jose area has now had more than a “normal” amount of rainfall.

Is that it? After 14 solid days of the wet stuff and most every day in March bringing those fabled showers, it seems like we should be well over the normal amount of rainfall year to date.

Santa Cruz is 110% of normal for rain year to date, according to the National Weather Service.  Mount Hamilton is 129%. The San Francisco Airport is 121% of normal.

The Santa Cruz Mountains and nearby western foothill areas of Silicon Valley ike Almaden Valley (San Jose), Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Saratoga, Cupertino, Los Altos Hills and on up the Peninsula all got walloped over these last 2 weeks especially.  It’s hard to believe that we are at “just normal”.

But the good news is that this week is supposed to be dry and by late this week temps are supposed to hit the high 70s.  Bring it on!

With our 300 sunny days per year in Silicon Valley (at least most years!), golf is a sport enjoyed year round here in the San Jose area.  Living near a golf course, or having a golf course view, is highly desirable as it provides scenic open space as well as convenience for avid golfers.

Silicon Valley Golf Homes, Silicon Valley Golf Properties

There are beautiful courses throughout the South Bay Area and it’s possible to find small condos with views of them at fairly affordable prices (Sunnyvale’s Sunken Gardens area is one of them).  Today, though, I want to provide a list of homes for sale near golf courses in the foothill areas of Silicon Valley.  Many of these will also be luxury homes. So the MLS list of these houses on the market which you can browse includes these areas:

San Jose areas including Evergreen & Silver Creek, Santa Teresa, Blossom Valley and Almaden; Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Saratoga, Cupertino, and Los Altos.

There are golf courses to be found in other parts of Santa Clara County too (Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara and more) – let me know if you are interested in these parts and I can send you a link for searching them for similar residential real estate.

On Tuesday of this week I was showing some nice folks around the San Jose area. As part of our tour, we stopped in at Valley Christian High School (south San Jose – Santa Teresa area). The sky was clear and the views spectacular!  (Disclaimer – in this photo, the sky ended up looking white, so I did tinker with the color.)

From here we were looking at the Santa Teresa Foothills ((lowest, closest hills).  In front of them are the Santa Teresa & Blossom Valley areas of San Jose.  Behind them is Almaden Valley.

Along the coastal range in back, the peak on the far right (with a flat area) is Mt. Umunhum.  To the far left, the higher peaks are where you’ll find Loma Prieta.

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 3 – 6 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 as I shook them out for select West Valley Communities in the San Jose area with good schools (the first number is the average sales price per square foot, the second number is the average sales price):

The home prices tend to run with the school district API scores.  You can check the 2010 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 $560,000 on average (Cambrian with San Jose Unified Schools) to a high of about $1,455,500 in Palo Alto.

Please remember that these homes do not represent just the most fixed up homes in the most ideal locations, short sales, regular sales, bank owned homes etc. – 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. (For example, in my experience, a really nicely remodeled home along these lines in Almaden with the best schools will run between $1 mil and $1,200,000 depending; in Los Gatos it’s about 15% – 20% more for a similar home.)

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

Palo Alto Unified = 925 (includes elementary, middle and high schools)

Los Altos Elementary = 965 (includes elementary and middle schools only)
Mountain View – Los Altos Union (high schools) = 852

Saratoga Union Elementary = 965
Los Gatos Union = 921
Los Gatos – Saratoga Joint Union (high school district) = 898

Cupertino Union = 951
Fremont Union High School District (high schools serving Cupertino and nearby) = 875 (but 2 high schools are in the 9s)

Union School District (Cambrian & east Los Gatos) = 905
Cambrian School District = 878
Campbell Union High School District = 761 (highest scoring school is Leigh at 817)

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 Williamson Act, also known as the California Land Conservation Act, was passed by our California Legislature in 1965 in order to encourage rural & agricultural lands to remain undeveloped longer. When land owners enter into a contract under the act, they benefit from lower property taxes, which are based on the property’s current use, rather than paying market value based tax rates.  In exchange, the property is to remain undeveloped and continue to function the same way for the duration of that contract.  The contracts run for 10 years and are automatically renewed unless the farmer or rancher cancels it.

Why does the Williamson Act matter?

According to the Committee for Green Foothills, there are 362,000 acres of land in Santa Clara County under the Williamson Act (that article appears to have been written in 2003, so the numbers may have changed a little since then).  Much of it is in the east foothills of east San Jose and the south county areas near Morgan Hill and Gilroy, but there are patches of it in Los Gatos, Saratoga, Cupertino, Almaden Valley, Blossom Valley and throughout Silicon Valley. The tax breaks make it possible for many farmers and ranchers to stay in business and not feel forced to sell their land for development.  If they were paying “market rate” taxes, it would not be long before most or all of our rural and agricultural uses gave way to housing and other development.

Since urban sprawl created way too many neighborhoods without parks and too much automobile dependence in the last century, we have come to realize how tremendously important it is to preserve our open space and to plan wisely for the future.  While it’s unlikely that 100 years from now we will have as much acreage devoted to horses, cows, sheep and goats – let alone fruit trees, vineyard and other agriculture – we’d like to not see these local industries snuffed out due to economic hardship.  Can you imagine Gilroy without garlic farms?  Without a little help, the rural parts of California will disappear just as the beautiful orchards which gave this valley the nickname of “the valley of heart’s delight” have evaporated from view.

So for quality of life, for preservation of history, and for many other reasons, it behooves all of us to help protect our open spaces.

Challenges with The Williamson Act

here have been some challenges and problems in recent years for the Williamson Act.

In some cases, landowners went ahead and developed property that was supposed to remain ranch land, orchards, farmland etc. (At one time, property owners could pay a fee – or a fine – and get their property out of the contract. Not today, at least not so easily. In some very rare cases, land owners can cancel the contract and pay a fee – you can read about cancellations here.)

Another big issue is paying for it.  Naturally, anything which saves property owners money is costing the government in the process.  While many Californians deeply appreciate the effort to conserve our rural and agricultural land, apparently the fiscal problems at every government level in the state is putting the Williamson Act at risk as the state hasn’t always been able to reimburse the counties or cities (that financial support or reimbursement is called “subvention payments”)  for the money lost due to the land being in the Williamson Act (or perhaps just not in a timely manner?).  Some counties may want to drop out of the program, according to the Western Farm Press.

A “realignment plan” was proposed by the state in which the contracts would be reduced from 10 years to 9 and the tax rate benefits would be cut by 10%.  The participating counties got to vote on this.  In Santa Clara County, our supervisors voted NO in December.  The contracts will continue to run as before, even without as much state help. (Santa Clara County is not as dependent upon this money as some more rural counties are.)

The latest: Governor Jerry Brown recently proposed eliminating funding for the Williamson Act.

What will happen if the state stops funding this program altogether?  Ranchers and farmers would see a rise in taxes that might make their businesses in Santa Clara County untenable, for starters. There would be lost jobs and the economy of the south county, especially, would be further damaged. Some rural Santa Clara County property owners likely will feel forced to sell their land for development.

Some other alternatives to development

Some lands may be transferred out of the Williamson Act and into something a little similar, an Open Space Easement (see Open Space Easement Act of 1974).   This essentially gives the local government the right to ensure that the land is mostly undeveloped, and again there are tax breaks for the owners of the land, again for ten years at a stretch.

The Peninsula Open Space Trust sometimes buys up large swatches of land too, with the intention of making the land “open” not just for a ten year contract, but forever. This is a great cause and my disclaimer here is that it’s one my husband and I support.

I believe that when POST takes over land, it wants to eliminate buildings on the site – sometimes, these structures are historic in nature, though, so I cannot say that this is a 100% good solution since preserving historic homes and other buildings is also extremely worthwhile.

For more information on the Williamson Act and Open Space Easements:

You can read about the Williamson Act on the state’s website – tremendous detail!

Santa Clara County government info on the Williamson Act here.

Brochure regarding Open Space Easements from the Santa Clara County Planning Office

What makes a Silicon Valley house a 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 $700,000 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 $700,000 will procure an entry to mid-level single family home in many parts of Santa Clara County. 

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” 

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. Add 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.) Put in 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!  

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 6. See more 95020 zip code real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $6,495,000 : 8448 Leavesley Rd, Gilroy
   
   5 beds, 4 full baths

   Home size: 5,500 sq ft

   Lot size: 200.87 ac
   
2. $5,450,000 : 0 Hecker Pass Rd, Gilroy
   
   4 beds, 3 full baths

   Home size: 4,800 sq ft

   Lot size: 82.53 ac
   
3. $3,199,000 : 2544 Butch Dr, Gilroy
   
   6 beds, 9 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 10,300 sq ft

   Lot size: 10.21 ac
   
4. $2,999,950 : 8990 Marcella Av, Gilroy
   
   4 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 4,500 sq ft

   Lot size: 15 sq ft
   
5. $2,995,000 : 8448 Leavesley Rd #A, Gilroy
   
   5 beds, 4 full baths

   Home size: 4,800 sq ft

   Lot size: 36.68 ac
   

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

Browse luxury homes for sale in Los Gatos 

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 32. See more city of Los Gatos real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $19,995,000 : 16450 Aztec Ridge Dr, Los Gatos
   
   6 beds, 7 full, 2 part baths

   Home size: 11,257 sq ft

   Lot size: 50 sq ft
   
2. $8,995,000 : 18550 Black Rd, Los Gatos
   
   5 beds, 8 full baths

   Home size: 18,000 sq ft

   Lot size: 11.09 ac
   
3. $8,495,000 : Shannon Rd, Los Gatos
   
   6 beds, 7 full, 2 part baths

   Home size: 6,138 sq ft

   Lot size: 31.53 ac
   
4. $7,750,000 : 15215 Shannon Rd, Los Gatos
   
   5 beds, 5 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 5,419 sq ft

   Lot size: 12 sq ft
   
5. $6,950,000 : 19730 Glen Una Dr, Los Gatos
   
   5 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 5,461 sq ft

   Lot size: 2.80 ac
   

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

Browse luxury homes for sale in Monte Sereno 

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

1. $5,050,000 : 16036 Greenwood Rd, Monte Sereno
   
   7 beds, 7 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 7,336 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.17 ac
   
2. $4,575,000 : 18325 Lexington Dr, Monte Sereno
   
   5 beds, 5 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 4,640 sq ft

   Lot size: 43,560 sq ft
   
3. $3,899,999 : 15981 Grandview Av, Monte Sereno
   
   6 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 5,300 sq ft

   Lot size: 43,560 sq ft
   
4. $3,298,000 : 18641 Withey Rd, Monte Sereno
   
   5 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 5,744 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.71 ac
   
5. $2,595,000 : 16131 Viewfield Rd, Monte Sereno
   
   4 beds, 3 full, 2 part baths

   Home size: 4,890 sq ft

   Lot size: 18,837 sq ft
   

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

Browse luxury homes for sale in Saratoga, CA 

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 32. See more city of Saratoga real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $17,500,000 : 22030 Mount Eden Rd, Saratoga
   
   6 beds, 6 full, 2 part baths

   Home size: 13,459 sq ft

   Lot size: 14.00 ac
   
2. $9,988,000 : 13388 Surrey Ln, Saratoga
   
   4 beds, 5 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 8,500 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.05 ac
   
3. $6,900,000 : 19370 Saratoga Los Gatos Rd, Saratoga
   
   6 beds, 5 full, 3 part baths

   Home size: 6,570 sq ft

   Lot size: 4.47 ac
   
4. $6,000,000 : 15480 Peach Hill Rd, Saratoga
   
   3 beds, 3 full baths

   Home size: 2,789 sq ft

   Lot size: 7 sq ft
   
5. $5,500,000 : 19501 Rue De Glen Una, Saratoga
   
   5 beds, 6 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 5,325 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.06 ac
   

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

Browse luxury homes for sale in the Los Gatos Mountains 

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

1. $3,499,000 : 18807 Bear Creek Rd, Los Gatos Mtns
   
   2 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,440 sq ft

   Lot size: 2.65 ac
   
2. $3,499,000 : 18805 Bear Creek Rd, Los Gatos Mtns
   
   4 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,440 sq ft

   Lot size: 2.65 ac
   

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

Browse luxury homes for sale in Cupertino 

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 20. See more city of Cupertino real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $2,495,000 : 15601 Montebello Rd, Cupertino
   
   5 beds, 4 full, 2 part baths

   Home size: 3,920 sq ft

   Lot size: 14.38 ac
   
2. $2,248,000 : 11691 Regnart Canyon Dr, Cupertino
   
   4 beds, 4 full baths

   Home size: 3,947 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.71 ac
   
3. $1,699,000 : 10170 Santa Clara Av, Cupertino
   
   5 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 3,178 sq ft

   Lot size: 8,500 sq ft
   
4. $1,549,000 : 10570 S Foothill Bl, Cupertino
   
   4 beds, 3 full baths

   Home size: 2,953 sq ft

   Lot size: 10,018 sq ft
   
5. $1,518,000 : 10362 Scenic Ci, Cupertino
   
   4 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 2,622 sq ft

   Lot size: 8,236 sq ft
   

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

Browse luxury homes for sale in Los Altos 

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 38. See more city of Los Altos real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $12,995,000 : 25810 Vinedo Ln, Los Altos
   
   6 beds, 9 full, 2 part baths

   Home size: 12,143 sq ft

   Lot size: 4.04 ac
   
2. $12,750,000 : 25893 W Fremont Rd, Los Altos
   
   5 beds, 5 full, 3 part baths

   Home size: 11,425 sq ft

   Lot size: 43,560 sq ft
   
3. $10,900,000 : 24680 Prospect Av, Los Altos
   
   5 beds, 5 full, 2 part baths

   Home size: 10,369 sq ft

   Lot size: 3.75 ac
   
4. $9,888,888 : 12661 Robleda Rd, Los Altos
   
   6 beds, 6 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 8,610 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.53 ac
   
5. $7,988,000 : 13241 Burke Rd, Los Altos
   
   6 beds, 5 full, 2 part baths

   Home size: 7,625 sq ft

   Lot size: 43,560 sq ft
   

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

Browse luxury homes for sale in Los Altos Hills 

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 6. See more city of Los Altos Hills real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $7,188,000 : 26462 Purissima Rd, Los Altos Hills
   
   6 beds, 7 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 11,000 sq ft

   Lot size: 2.03 ac
   
2. $5,395,000 : 12445 Hilltop Dr, Los Altos Hills
   
   4 beds, 5 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 5,521 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.13 ac
   
3. $3,600,000 : 13826 Moon Ln, Los Altos Hills
   
   6 beds, 5 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 5,300 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.51 ac
   
4. $2,700,000 : 28333 Christopher Ln, Los Altos Hills
   
   4 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 5,229 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.18 ac
   
5. $2,645,000 : 27901 Altamont Ci, Los Altos Hills
   
   5 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 4,512 sq ft

   Lot size: 28,600 sq ft
   

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

Since early July, fire danger signs have been out at Belgatos Park in Los Gatos (and I suspect at other parks throughout Santa Clara County too). To the right is the sign at the park’s main entrance.  It admonishes the visitors:

“High Fire Danger  No Smoking No BBQs”

To anyone who’s lived in Silicon Valley long, this is understood – the fire danger is quite high here in summer.  Unlike most of the east coast, it does not rain here in summer (at least not often and not much), and our green grasses and plants of spring turn to kindling very quickly.  One stray match, hot cigarette butt or one illegal firework can smolder into a flame which grows fast with the smallest amount of wind to destroy property, animal life and potentially human life, make breathing bad for days and leave a scar on the land.

This sign at the entrance may not feel very compelling to some as the lush green grass in the background would seem to contraindicate restraint.  But venture to the park’s side entrance on Bacigalupi Drive (or hike up the trails) and you’ll understand immediately why this is nothing to take lightly.

Except for one little tuft of partially green grass, “cardboard hill” is entirely dry. So is the rest of this beautiful open space.

If you live close to or have open space in San Jose’s Alum Rock, Almaden, or other east foothill areas or the west valley places like Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Sartoga, Cupertino or anywhere the foothills, your property is likely considered to be in a high risk fire hazard zone. If so, each year you are mailed information from Cal Fire reminding you of your obligation to provide clearance around your home and to cut down the dead brush.

Just outside of the main entrance to the park there’s a large and open lot which has a few trees, some prickly pear, and a lot of grasses and weeds in winter and spring.  (It also had a rattlesnake it in by the prickly pear when my daughter walked past with our dog one day a month or two ago.) Below is a pan of two pics I took with my Blackberry and later stitched together – the park entrance is out of sight but is a little to the left of this photo.

These owners have done as needed and disked the field to help prevent fires or the spread of fires.

There are things you can do to “harden” your own home is you live near open space – that is, to make it more resistant to fire. Check out the whole list on the Cal Fire site, “Ready For Wildfire“.

The other day I was previewing for clients all over east and south San Jose: Berryessa, Alum Rock, Evergreen, Santa Teresa and Blossom Valley. It was one of the hundred degree days and I was glad my car has a strong air conditioner. I stumbled upon Canyon Park near Silver Creek as I was obeying my car’s navigation system, and stopped long enough to take a few photos since the views were just perfect. Hope you enjoy seeing them.

Canyon Park is located across from the intersection of Larkspur Canyon Drive and Stoney Creek Place (off San Felipe) in San Jose’s 95109 zip code (near Silver Creek).

Like what you see? Read more about Canyon Park on Yelp & see reviewer’s comments.

Photos, by the way, are not retouched. They were taken with my new Blackberry Tour (as you can see, I have not yet figured out how to focus the pictures!) – these were my first attempt at using the camera function.

Last weekend, my husband and I had guests, Tisza and Mel, visiting to help me celebrate my 50th birthday.  They hail from Claremont in southern California and enjoying seeing new and unique places, so Saturday afternoon I suggested that they visit the historic Hacienda Cemetery and Memorial Park in New Almaden, off Almaden Road near Casa Grande. (Tisza is a Realtor and blogger too. You can find her online at Route66Living.com.)

What follows are photos of their trip to the scenic old graveyard, which they kindly permit me to post here.

This area of Santa Clara County was filled with mercury (quicksilver) mines, and that product was vitally important in extracting gold from rock during the gold rush years.  The New Almaden Mine (named after a large mine in Spain called Almaden) was at one point the largest producing mercury mine in the world.

The final resting place for the miners and early San Jose pioneers is an oak-studded glen, close to a creek and in the shadow of foothills.  The graves are each surrounded by picket fences of various styles and shapes.

Here’s a grave with an unpainted fence (most are white).  There are a few markers made of wood – some maintained and others crumbling with age.

Flowering trees add to the beauty of the spot.

One of the most peculiar aspects of this memorial park, and the reason I suggested that Tisza and Mel visit it, is the grave for the arm of Bertram Barrett.

Richard Bertram “Bert” Barrett

His Arm

Lies Here

1898

May It Rest

In Peace

You just don’t see this type of thing everyday.

The Folklore Regarding the Arm of Bert:

Growing up in Santa Clara, I’d always heard the tale of “Bert’s Arm”. It was the stuff of campfire stories, grist for frightening younger kids.   As the story went, Bert’s arm was severed in an accident in 1898 and was buried at the graveyard in the country….. The rest of him went to God in 1959, but by then there was no room left at the little graveyard where his arm was buried. So his body was placed at Oak Hill Cemetery several miles away. (So far, this is all true.)  The fable went on to say that every night, the arm of Bert rises from the ground, searching desperately for the rest of the body…..  At this point, storytellers may move their arms around wildly, gripping ahold of an entranced and scared child to acheive the full impact  (most effective around a campfire, ideally in Almaden Valley somewhere).

I’d heard the story but was suprised to see this marker for Bert’s arm when a field trip for girl scouts from St. Mary’s Elementary School in Los Gatos brought us to this very spot a decade or so ago.

Want to see it? This is not a hard place to find but it’s not exactly on the beaten path.  From downtown San Jose, get onto Almaden Expressway and follow it south until you reach Almaden Road.  Continue on beyond the city’s borders and into the countryside, where you’ll view horses grazing.  After a couple of miles you will be in the historic “New Almaden” area. Normally Casa Grande is open and you can see the museum for the mine, but in 2009 it is closed for renovation.  Bertram Road loops from one part of Almaden Road to another in this neighborhood.  Oddly, the road cuts straight through the graveyard and undoubtedly covers unmarked graves. (I cannot imagine that it isn’t haunted!)

Mel and Tisza enjoyed visiting the Hacienda Cemetery and Memorial Park, and found the story amusing too.  Many thanks to them for sharing their photos of the day with me and with my blog readers!  (And thanks to Tisza too for making the most incredible birthday cake I’ve ever enjoyed!)

If you are thinking of buying a home in Silicon Valley, there are things you want to know upfront so that you make an informed decision. Because the most important factor is “location, location, location”, and because once you buy a home you can’t change it, you’ll need to know some location-specific things, including:

• where are the earthquake fault lines?
• where are the geologic hazard zones, such as liquifaction areas?
• where are the flood plains?
• where are man-made things that will negatively or positively impact a home’s value? Things such as
  • train lines
  • freeways
  • high voltage power lines
  • school district boundaries
  • zip code boundaries
  • proximity to entertainment venues

When looking at maps, sometimes these items show up and sometimes they don’t. Realtors and other real estate professionals in the San Jose area often use a Barclay’s Locaide to locate the natural hazard areas. Google maps can help uncover some other areas, but sometimes it raises more questions than it answers. (Last year a Realtor who doesn’t know the Belwood of Los Gatos area too well phoned me to ask what the object showing up in the hills of Belgatos Park was – it is just a covered resevoir, but it was not identified on the map and concerned some buyers. Local knowledge is still very helpful.)

Tonight I spent some time zooming in on Google Maps, using the satellite view, and idenified many of the paths of the high voltage power lines running through Los Gatos and nearby areas, such as Saratoga, Cupertino, Almaden Valley, Santa Teresa, and South San Jose.

Below, please find the fruit of that labor. I do not claim to have tracked all of the high voltage power lines in the west valley area of Santa Clara County, but I think I got many – maybe even most – of them. I hope you find the information helpful!

View Larger Map

Saratoga is a highly desireable place in which to live, a great retreat from the hustle and bustle of Silicon Valley. Nestled into the Santa Cruz Mountains, it is just a few miles to the north of Los Gatos. Its an upscale town noted for great schools, low crime, scenic beauty, fabulous shops and restaurants, and stunning estates. Like most of the valley, this area was largely orchards and also some vineyards & wineries 50 or 70 years ago. In fact, the largest prune orchard in the world was once Hume Ranch, which had 680 acres of prune trees!

Exceptional entertainment is abundant in Saratoga. Take in concerts at The Mountain Winery (formerly called Paul Masson Mountain Winery) and at Villa Montalvo, two lovely outdoor venues for music, or go wine tasting or horseback riding at Cooper-Garrod off Pierce Road. The new Saratoga Library is a wonderful place to spend a rainy winter day too.

The city is comprised of many great neighborhoods, from ˜the village (downtown) to residential areas such as Prides Crossing, Brookview, Saratoga Woods, Blue Hills, The Golden Triangle, The Plantinum Triangle, Montalvo, Glen Una, the new Chateaux de Notres Dames subdivision and so many more. Much of Saratoga is tract housing, built in large part by three brothers: George Day, Jim Day and Marion Day. Homes built in the 70s off Fruitvale Avenue came up quickly under George Days watchful eye (for instance, on El Puente, Versailles, and part of Farwell). They are tract homes, but well built and highly regarded as many of those sit on flat one-acre parcels ˜close to town.

Like most of the cities and towns nearby, the school district lines do not follow the city boundaries (the school boundaries were set first, when most of the area was unincorporated), so there are several districts within the city of Saratoga, and this can be confusing when people relocate here!

Below please find links to some of the best that the City of Saratoga has to offer.

Have you always dreamed of buying a home close to, or in, the western foothills in Santa Clara County, such as Almaden, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno and Saratoga? Some of the prettiest parts of Silicon Valley are snuggled into the base of the Santa Cruz Mountains. With views of downtown San Jose and the southern San Francisco Bay Area on one side, and rolling, grassy and redwood & oak filled hills on the other, its certainly scenic. Additionally, these areas all tend to have very low crime and good schools.

As a saavy foothill-area buyer, you will want to understand some of the unique issues that this geography may present. The most important of these may well be the issue of water control and drainage.

The Santa Clara Valley, and most of the neighboring Silicon Valley areas, is composed of mostly clay soil. This is an extremely strong substance – so much so that settlers used it, mixed only with a little straw and water, to form adobe bricks for building.

The caveat with clay soil is that when it becomes wet, it expands, and when dry, it contracts. In fact, we call this condition ˜expansive. The amazing thing is that the clay is more powerful than concrete. And that is the problem for houses and other buildings if the ground is expanding, contracting, or alternating between the two.

What can a homeowner do? Its imperative to try to control the amount of water near (or under) the home as much as possible.

For homes all over Silicon Valley, its important, my home inspector tells me, to use downspout extenders so that the water from rain collecting on the roof dont all dump out right next to the house. Ideally the water would run to a gutter in the street or to some other drainage system. Additionally, it is important that soil (or walkways) be graded such that any water would run away from the house rather than toward it. Frequently, though, we see homes with ˜reverse grading and any rainwater, pool splashing etc. may run toward the house rather than away from it. Thats a problem that needs correcting.

For homes near or in the foothills, things are further complicated because runoff from the hills may be aimed straight a neighborhood or home. Your home may be in the path of the runoff, for that matter.

Geotech engineers (they are the specialists for this issue) will assist the homeowner (or buyer) in determining how to limit the amount of water moving toward the house. Sometimes that will be a combination of work with the downspouts, grading, and drainage systems. Other times its much more involved and costly. There are some areas in Los Gatos and Almaden Valley, for instance, where the water table is very high. During an El Nino year, with lots of rain, the water table may get pushed beyond the brink and a spring may pop up near or under your house. Capping the spring is not going to be a cheap fix. But be aware, if youre home buying in some of these areas, that you may run into this issue. If so, plan to call an expert, a Geotechnical Engineer, to assess the situation and provide suggestions to remedy it.

What are some of the symptoms, or red flags, to watch for if youre buying a home near the hills, that there may be a drainage problem? Heres a list of possible clues – they could also signal other issues too, so this is not a diagnosis, just a clue that something needs to be investigated:

• floors out of level
• interior doors that dont close or stick
• cracks in walls
• cupped hardwood floors
• musty smell in the house
• cracked or lifted concrete outside, in the garage, or anywhere visible

Many homes in the foothill areas are sold with pre-sale inspections already done. Before writing an offer, review these carefully. The property or home inspection may also flag drainage issues that could be causing (or cause in the future) significant structural damage. Here are a few to look for:

• cracks in the foundation
• stains on the foundation or effusion (mineral desposits), indicating water in the crawl space
• cracked, buckled, or lifted cement (which you may or may not have noticed)
• mildew or mold in the attic (indicating a high amount of evaporation in or through the home)
• reverse grading conditions

By carefully viewing hillside homes and reading the pre-sale inspection thoroughly, you should have a sense of whether or not there are any potential issues with water and drainage. You may also be surprised that the homeowner or seller has addressed these dilligently. When the issue of drainage has been well handled, you may see these features at the property:

• the concrete around the home and in the driveway is in good condition (and is not brand new – sometimes home sellers will replace the driveway or walkways but not address the cause, so sometimes a brand new bunch of paving is a red flag)
• the grading appears correct
• the downspouts are tied to an underground system that moves the water away from the house
• there are drains at points around the home to carry water away
• you see no cracks in the garage floor (if you cannot see the floor due to rugs or storage, make sure you do see it!)
• doors and windows all open easily
• the crawl space is dry and appears to have a history of being dry

Finding a property in which the owner has aggressively addressed the issue of water around the house, particularly before there are any structural problems to fix, is a real boon to a homebuyer. We live in a region where many sellers simply slap granite onto the kitchen counter and call the home improved or well maintained. The structural stuff isnt very sexy, and most buyers dont appreciate if drainage work is there or not, but ultimately it is one of the most important aspects of homebuying to be evaluated. The right improvements and care will make the property more functional and in need of fewer repairs in the long haul, and will give saavy buyers peace of mine when they purchase it.

For further reading:

What about the living in the Los Gatos Mountains (Santa Cruz Mountains)? post on Move2Silicon Valley relocation blog

Cracked Foundations, Adobe Clay Soils and Water in Silicon Valley (this blog)