Median List price for San Jose 95129

Average Days on Market for 95129

Inventory of houses for sale in San Jose 95129

Malibu Grill in San Jose - menu

Malibu Grill is a Silicon Valley sports bar and hamburger place (and more, of course – baby back ribs, chicken, pizza, pasta) with the dual themes of surfing and all things athletic.  Jim and I occasionally pop over there for lunch or dinner as it’s just a few blocks from our neighborhood, Belwood of Los Gatos and we like the food, service, ambiance and prices.  Today we did again and happened to be there for Monday Madness Hamburgers, which save patrons a couple of bucks. That’s always nice!

A casual but friendly and comfortable restaurant, the Malibu Grill features a broad array of tasty burgers, sandwiches, and other items from the grill. It’s not all fried or carby food, though.  Today I ordered the Malibu Burger (basically a cheeseburger) with a side green salad rather than the fries (for $1 more or I could have had cole slaw, potato salad or fries at no extra cost).

Malibu Grill dining area includes views of sports on TV

Prices are reasonable.  You order at the cash register and pay, and the food is brought to your table. If you are following a game on one of the many televisions, you’ll be happy to not have to get up to retrieve your order.

This eatery has a huge collection of surfing and sports memorabilia and a lot of televisions.  Kids would find plenty to look at here, and with the classic menu items, it shouldn’t be too hard to feed the young set either. It would be a great place to dine after a kids’ or school sporting event as well as ideal to catch the NFL or other game you can’t view at home or online.

Malibu Grill beverage area

Adults will be pleased to know that Malibu Grill offers a very nice selection wine and beer on tap, including at least a couple of “light beers” too.

No matter where you sit, there will be at least one flat screen television in view.  At our booth, I was facing one but Jim could see three adjacent screens over the bar, all with different sports programs showing. (Since the Patriots were being shown on one of those, I quickly joined him in facing the multiple TVs.)

Malibu Grill in San Jose has plenty of flat screen televisions!

Located along Camden Avenue in San Jose, Malibu Grill is technically in the Cambrian area but on the edge of both Almaden and Los Gatos.  It’s easy to get there – just a few blocks off of Blossom Hill Road, not far from Hwy 85 too.

If you’re looking for a fun, unpretentious restaurant with good food and very fair prices, Malibu Grill is your match.  Read more about them on their website, or just drop by and give it a spin.

Malibu Grill
http://www.malibugrill.com/
5735 Camden Avenue, San Jose, CA

Situated on a small knoll in the prestigious Los Altos Country Club neighborhood, the home at 1557 Plateau Drive features many of the most highly regarded elements which make a house a luxury property and a joy to see.

The Los Altos Country Club Neighborhood

Younger, Elegant Mediterranean View Home

The property at 1557 Plateau Avenue is younger, just 18 years old, constructed by a builder who was making it for himself and his family.  As you might imagine, the owner-builder utilized the land to make best use of the view opportunity.  He also created it with many extra features & finishing touches which distinguish a quality, custom home from tract housing.

The floorplan is flexible. There is a 2 car garage at street level, but a third which is accessed from the rear of the property – ideal for RVs, boats, and extra cars or vehicles. The 3rd garage can be used as built, or as a rec room, extra storage, or a number of other options.

An old apricot orchard used to line Blossom Hill Road between Union and Leigh Avenues until the 1990s.  The former owners, Ralph and Sophie Heintz, lived there in their farmhouse until their deaths, at which time the property was willed to the University of California at  Berkeley for eye research.

Sophie and Ralph were interesting people. He ran a small train on their property and was an inventor. She was a ham radio operator.

In 1998, the Heintz land (and house etc.) was sold to Summerhill Homes and a portion developed as housing. That Los Gatos neighborhood is now called Heritage Grove A strip of trees was planted along Blossom Hill Road, reminiscent of the history of the area.  A large section of land was made a permanent open space, now known as the Heintz Open Space Preserve.  This open space connects directly with Belgatos Park, which also connects with the Santa Rosa Open Space Preserve. So the network of trails is quite extensive. (Link to Town of Los Gatos page with pdf files of these three trail maps. Link to Google Maps map of Blossom Hill Trails, drawn by Jim Handy.)

The Heintz’s big, old farmhouse has been renovated and is being lived in.  Ralph Heintz’s old workshop, the Ramohs Laboratory, is preserved with signs explaining the history of the place nearby.

Summerhill Homes did a nice job of developing the land to keep some of the historic character.  Please enjoy the slideshow below to get a feel for the area…. This scenic spot is well worth a visit: enjoy!

There are only five streets that make up Heritage Grove:  Regent Drive, Regent Court, Ayala Court, Ramohs Way, and Heintz Court. Regent Drive is a long loop road while the rest of the streets are quite short, so the vast majority of Heritage Grove homes are on Regent Drive.

How big are Heritage Grove homes and lots?

The size of houses and lots within Heritage Grove varies a bit, as you might expect in any subdivision, but additionally there’s the historic Heintz farmhouse.

The farmhouse is appx 4100 square feet and sits on 3/4 of an acre (31,000 sf lot).

The rest of the neighborhood consists of newer homes on smaller lots. The houses range from about 2850 square feet to about 3750 square feet.  Parcels of land may be as small as 10,000 SF (appx 1/4 acre) to as large as 25,000 SF (a little more than a half acre).

What does it cost to buy a home in Heritage Grove?

There are a lot of variables here!

Potential ingredients to make a home more affordable would be smaller home, smaller lot, proximity to Blossom Hill Road, a backyard or home with another higher up (and “looking in” – a lack of privacy).

Raising the value of the home would be things like a view, having open space or a large lot adjacent (less crowded feeling), being further into the development, having a larger home, larger lot, three car garage.

Historically, prices have gone from over $1,000,000 to under $2,500,000.  The most recent solds in Heritage Grove have been for about $1.7 million for homes on the smaller side that sold in 2007 or 2008.

Other items of note:

Regent Drive rises as it gets away from Blossom Hill Road; many of the homes nearest to the Heintz Open Space Preserve enjoy nice views of Santa Clara County and downtown San Jose in the distance.

Heritage Grove is a great commute location as it’s close to Union Avenue, which provides fast access to highway 85.

It’s also close to shopping – the Downing Oaks Center, which includes a Safeway, a local (non chain) coffee house, a restaurant, and other services, is less than a mile away.

Heritage Grove is served by the Union School District and the Campbell Union High School District.  Schools are Alta Vista or Noddin Elementary,  Union Middle School, and Leigh High School.

The Oaktree Park neighborhood in San Jose is a scenic residential community with wide appeal to home buyers due to good Almaden schools, close proximity to large parks and is one of only a few areas in Almaden Valley which includes a cabaña and swim team.  Additionally, this area is very convenient as it’s  close to schools, shops and commute routes to downtown San Jose and much of Silicon Valley. It is a fairly intimate neighborhood with 156 homes.

Where is the Oaktree Park neighborhood?

The Oaktree Park subdivision is within the boundaries of Meridian Avenue, Redmond Avenue and Mcabbe Road on three sides and the Jeffrey Fontana Park on the north side.

The census bureau (and perhaps also the city of San Jose) has attributed names to some parts of Almaden and this neighborhood falls into the Crossgates section.  I do not believe that most residents refer to this area that way, though.  Perhaps more likely they’d call it part of the greater Fontana Park neighborhood.

Oaktree Park Neighborhood in San Jose (Almaden Valley area of SJ) - click on image above to go to live Google Map

What schools serve the Oaktree Park neighborhood in San Jose?

The public schools for Oaktree Park are within the San Jose Unified School District:

Los Alamitos Elementary School (API 916 in 2010)
Castillero Middle School (API 806 in 2010)
Pioneer High School (API 823 in 2010)

Los Alamitos Elementary and Holy Spirit Elementary (Catholic) are both just a couple of blocks from Oaktree Park.  Additonally there are 2 preschools really close too:  Precious Preschool and Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Preschool.

For more information and links for schools, school districts, API scores and maps of boundaries lines for schools in the Almaden area of San Jose, please also read:

Schools, API Scores & Maps of School Boundaries in San Jose’s Almaden Valley

What are homes like in Oaktree Park?

Homes in Oaktree Park are single family dwellings – all detached houses (no townhouses or condominiums).  These are primarily ranch style or two story ranch style houses, built in the early 1970s  on lots of about 8000 to 9000 square feet, though a few are more than that.  Interior size runs between about 1600 square feet to about 3000 square feet (if added on). Prices may be in the mid 600s for a smaller home, needing work and a less desirable location (such as on a busy road or immediately adjacent to the high voltage power lines that run through the park) to perhaps a little over a million dollars for a beautifully updated or rebuilt larger home in an ideal location within the neighborhood.

Oaktree Park Neighborhood fun: the cabaña, clubhouse, swim team and parks

The cabaña and community grounds are located on Crestoak Court (where a large oak tree did once stand).  The swim team, the Sharks, serve children up to age 18.

The HOA has a “welcome new neighbors” page with some great information on nearby amenities.

There’s a huge amount of open space and parkland adjacent to Oaktree Park, with both trails for walking, biking or rollerblading as well as expanses of lawn and natural open spaces which invite deer and other indigenous wildlife.  Nearby parks include the Jeffrey Fontana Park, the Guadalupe Oak Grove Park  just beyond that and the TJ Martin Park a little to the west of these two.  These three parks are connected and provide a fabulous network of trails.

Turnover is pretty low in this neighborhood as residents appreciate the access to the community pool, the parks, schools, shops and commute venues.  In many ways, this tidy little neighborhood offers the very best of Almaden: community, multiple reasons to be outdoors and a pretty location with lovely views.

Almaden Valley, which primarily consists of the 95120 zip code area of San Jose, is well known for its scenic beauty, great schools and low crime.

For people working in downtown San Jose, it is also fairly convenient – it’s almost a straight shot up either Almaden Expressway or Highway 87 to get into the downtown area, often just a 20 to 30 minute commute.

Within Silicon Valley, Almaden is regarded as a high-end neighborhood and very desirable. In this post we’ll discuss the geography of the valley, the advantages and disadvantages of being in Almaden, the public schools in 95120, the market conditions for the luxury homes there and finally you’ll be able to browse a list of luxury & estate homes for sale in the Amaden area of Silicon Valley.

The geography of the valley:

There are no shortage of hillside homes in this enclave of southwest San Jose. To the west lies the Santa Cruz Mountains, with the nearby peak of Mt. Umunhum looking over the valley. To the east sits the much lower and grassier Santa Teresa Foothills.  The oldest part of Almaden, ironically called New Almaden, is at the bottom of the v-shaped valley.  Continue further through the Cinnabar Hills and drive long enough and you’ll find yourself in Morgan Hill!

Advantages and Disadvantages:

One of the big advantages of purchasing a luxury home in San Jose’s Almaden Valley is that ordinarily you can get a little more “house for the money” then if you were purchasing similar real estate in Los Gatos, Monte Sereno or Saratoga (let alone Palo Alto or Los Altos).   Often, too, the homes are a little younger (though not always). In the southernmost tip, there’s quite a bit of equestrian property, too.  San Jose is a wonderful city for children, and one of the main drivers for people and families moving there is the quality of life for kids.  That makes San Jose real estate prized everywhere, but especially in this southwestern enclave.

One of the potential disadvantages is that like any small valley, it can heat up in summer and traffic can sometimes be a little more tangled. Luckily, though, luxury homes are virtually always air conditioned and there are many alternate routes, so these are not insurmountable issues.

Schools in Almaden

The public school situation needs a little bit of explaining as it tends to confuse most newcomers.  (Please find the 2010 API scores for Santa Clara County here.)

In the 95120 zip code, there are three different school districts at play, and the schools run from good to great:

• most of Almaden belongs to the San Jose Unified School District (which includes both elementary, middle and high schools)
• some of Almaden, though, belongs to the Union School District (elementary and middle schools) and the Campbell Union High School District (Montevideo, Oak Canyon & nearby neighborhoods)
• and a tiny sliver, including just a few streets close to Hicks Road, actually belong to the Los Gatos School District and the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District

Within San Jose Unified, all the local elementary and middle schools are very good.  At the high school level, though, there’s a big difference between the API scores at Pioneer (823 in 2010) versus those at Leland High School (890).  So often, home buyers of high end housing will prefer a more southern location in Almaden to secure places at Leland.

How’s the market for high end homes in San Jose’s Almaden Valley 95120? San Jose Real Estate & The Almaden Market

(Read the state of San Jose real estate in Almaden in ALL price ranges via  my REReport  Almaden stats and market trends.)

Dynamic reports – next we’ll use Altos Research charts to look at the top 50% of homes for sale (the more expensive half) next.  These charts are dynamic so will always be current.

Prices of homes for sale among the top 50% in San Jose 95120 (Almaden Valley):

First, just over the last year…

Next, going back several years….

Average Days on Market of homes for sale (most expensive half):

Inventory

Average price per square foot

Want to learn more? Please also see:
The Silicon Valley Luxury Home Market
The Luxury Real Estate Market in Almaden, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Saratoga
Hacienda Cemetery and Memorial Park in New Almaden
Graystone and Pfeiffer Ranch Areas of Almaden Valley

View Almaden Valley Estates & Luxury Homes for Sale

Prices from $1,500,000 and up.

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 11. See more 95120 zip code real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $2,950,000 : 20315 Mckean Rd, San Jose
   
   6 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 5,000 sq ft

   Lot size: 2.50 ac
   
2. $2,650,000 : 18680 Vista De Almaden Ct, San Jose
   
   5 beds, 5 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 6,000 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.59 ac
   
3. $2,549,000 : 7184 Glenview Dr, San Jose
   
   5 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 6,251 sq ft

   Lot size: 20,473 sq ft
   
4. $2,188,000 : 18590 Almaden Rd, San Jose
   
   4 beds, 3 full baths

   Home size: 3,471 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.32 ac
   
5. $2,100,000 : 6082 Almaden Rd, San Jose
   
   3 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,800 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.92 ac
   

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

Not everyone is familiar with the term “patio home” or “zero lot line” house when searching for Silicon Valley real estate.  Recently a listing agent of such a property called me for feedback and when I told her that my clients did not want a zero lot line home, she didn’t know what I was talking about. She had no idea that this term applied to her listing!

So I thought maybe this topic deserved a little more attention.

What does zero lot line mean?

With most houses, the structure is set into the lot or land such that the property boundaries are at least a few feet away on all sides – often 5 or 8 feet.  One common exception is garages in older parts of Willow Glen, Los Gatos, downtown San Jose, etc., where often these buildings were set directly against the property line on one or two sides.

When a house is right up against the property line, directly on the line, that’s referred to as a zero lot line and is usually referred to as a patio home.  To view that wall, you’d literally have to go onto your neighbor’s lot to have a look.  Although this is not terribly uncommon in dense, urban areas, it’s fairly infrequent in Silicon Valley.

Why are homes designed on zero lot line properties?  The main reason is to increase the density while providing more yard to the home owner.  Rather than having two 8′ side yards, perhaps you’ll have one much larger 16′ yard.

Interestingly, these houses do not seem to sell for less with the zero lot line – at least not that I have been able to discern. (That’s counter-intuitive….)

How can you tell if it’s a zero lot line house?

It should be disclosed in the MLS as such, but often isn’t (sometimes the listing agent doesn’t even know), so you’ll have to look carefully at the neighborhood and the property to see.  Here are some clues:

• you’re most likely to find patio homes where the houses sit on very small lots
• most of the time, there are no windows on the side built against the property boundary (though in Silver Creek there are a number of these with glass block windows put into bathrooms – so there is some light, but no opening into the neighbor’s yard)
• try to walk all the way around the property without going into a neighbor’s yard – if you can’t, that’s your red flag
• most of the time, patio homes are part of a home owner’s association and are located on private roads

Where are these patio homes located?

They are really all over Santa Clara County as a good alternative between having super small lots vs a townhouse.  We are seeing more and more of these in younger construction especially.

• in Almaden Valley, the Glencrest development (by Shapell, a great builder, with top rated schools there: Williams, Bret Harte and Leland) – very popular!
• in Silver Creek, there are condos and single family homes, but some of the houses further down into the valley are patio homes
• in Cambrian, along the Almaden border, there are patio homes in 2 of the 3 subdivisions of the Almaden Winery neighborhood (Tresor and Vineland) the Vintage subdivision is not zero lot line) (See one such home I sold on Le Fevre Drive in 2010 by clicking on the link)
• and many other places throughout the San Jose area!

One caution: sometimes there are townhome communities where a unit is sold as if it is a “duet home” or “patio home”.  Be sure to read the preliminary title report carefully to note the type of ownership in the common areas as well as the unit itself. You might be surprised!

The scenic Strathmore neighborhood of Los Gatos lies close to the foothills, including both Blossom Hill and the coastal range rising behind it.  Homes here enjoy that very beautiful backdrop and access to the park and trails, but many other benefits too.

It’s a pedestrian friendly area with sidewalks and tree lined streets, so it is not uncommon to see people out enjoying a stroll, a jog, a bike ride or otherwise taking in the peaceful region.

Additionally, Strathmore residents share a community pool (or cabana) with a neighborhood swim team.   One of the biggest draws of all is that on top of these features, kids in Stratmore get to attend fabulous public schools too. The profile on this neighborhood is overwhelmingly positive!

Where is the Strathmore neighborhood?

Located in east Los Gatos, Strathmore is just off of both Blossom Hill Road and Union Avenue.  The main road through the neighborhood is Anne Way.

It’s a quick trip, less than a mile, to the on ramps at Highway 85 (and less than that to the nearest grocery store, Safeway on Union Avenue).  It’s about 2.5 miles to Vasona Lake County Park and just a little further to downtown Los Gatos.  So this is a wonderfully convenient location.

In those nearby hills, Belgatos Park and the Hines Open Space Preserve offer trails just a few blocks away.

Highly Regarded Public Schools

The Union School District has the Strathmore area children assigned to the following public schools (link to the school’s map for this area) – please verify with the Union School District in case the boundaries have changed or the schools are impacted):

• Alta Vista Elementary School (API 938)
• Union Middle School (API 892)
• Leigh High School (API 817)

API Scores are as reported in the 2010 Santa Clara County List of Schools. Please see online report for details on student test scores for all public schools in this area.

What are the homes or houses like in the Strathmore area?

Houses here are primarily single story ranch style homes but there are some two story homes as well. Most of them were built in the 60s or 70s, are on 8000 square foot lots (some a little bigger) and the living area runs between 1500 and 2500 square feet in most cases.

Many of the single story homes have a step down living room in front and the kitchen and family areas facing the back yard.  All were built with a master suite – that is, the master bedroom has a private bath.  Virtually all which were built in the 60s or 70s are what some would call a 3/4 bath, meaning there’s a shower but not a tub in the master bathroom.

Most, if not all, have (at least) a two car, attached garage.

While not young homes, most of these properties include hardwood floors and good layouts or floor plans.

Some of the two level houses enjoy really lovely views from upstairs, also.

I should mention that this is a very tidy area where home owners keep up their houses and yards.  (In the trade we call it “pride of ownership” and it’s fabulous when you can find it throughout a neighborhood!)

Are there any special concerns, issues or problems in the Strathmore neighborhood?

High Voltage Lines

Running behind Anne Way are high voltage power lines and, of course, the occasional tower.  The proximity can and does impact resale value, particularly to the homes closest to the lines (and even more so if they’re close to the towers).

I have met clients who don’t really care and others who don’t want to be anywhere they can even see high voltage lines and everything in between.  Most home buyers want to be far enough such that if the towers fell, the lines would not touch their land.  As I understand it, this amount of distance is required by FHA backed financing also (and probably for the same reason).

Damage to homes from hillside water runoff

The other concern in the area is damage which can be caused, especially to foundations and other concrete, from water running off the nearby hills and not being diverted away from the structure.  This is not a Strathmore issue but one for all the communities close to the foothills in Almaden, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Saratoga, Los Altos etc. – if you are on a hill or near to one, water is very likely an issue that you need to address to keep your home from harm.

Here are a couple of related articles on this blog that you will find helpful if interested in any of these beautiful hillside zones:

What To Consider When Buying a Hillside Home in Silicon Valley

Cracked Foundations, Adobe Clay Soils and Water in Silicon Valley

What does it cost to buy a home in the Strathmore area?

As of this writing, there are no available homes for sale in the Strathmore subdivision. So we will consider past sales here.

Depending on whether the house is new, completely remodeled and large (on a large lot) or a modest 3 bed, 2 bath home with 1500 square feet in original condition and needing a lot of work (or possibly the same but in a less desirable location), current pricing could run anywhere from over $550,000 or $600,000  (“land value”) to well past a million dollars, possibly as high as 1.2 million or more.  Most typically at this time, prices run from around $750,000 to $950,000 for most houses, but list prices could be considerably more or less depending on many factors.

Over the last 12 months, there were 6 houses which sold in this little enclave.  The closed sales price ranged from a low of $775,000 to a high of $1,040,000 (but the spread can be bigger!).  The average was a little more than $875,000 with an average square footage of 1842.  Most lots were between 8000 and 9000 SF but one was over 15,000 (that was the most expensive property).

If we eliminate the one really large home on a large lot, the averages for the area are these:
house size: 1744 SF,   lot size: 8328 SF,   sales price:  $846,000.

And here’s one more statistic you need to know: home here don’t turn over much and it’s a popular area, so the average “Days on Market” is a lightening fast 14.  If you find a cute home in Strathmore that you like, seems well priced for its location and condition, don’t wait too long because it will sell fairly fast!

Side note: in 2003 I had a darling listing which I sold in Strathmore. It was larger than typical as it had been expanded.  You can see the photos of my former Strathmore listing if interested, here.

Want more Strathmore info?

A few years back I did a blog post on the Strathmore neighborhood for my Live in Los Gatos blog.  If you’d like to see it, there’s a short video of the neighborhood. I was new to videotaping so it’s not a great production but you can see more images of the area there.

Finally, I have listed a lovely home in Strathmore that will be coming up in late summer 2011, so please keep reading this blog to stay current and ready if you want an opportunity in that great neighborhood!

Yesterday we looked at the types of home sales around Silicon Valley by price point.  Not terribly surprising, most of the short sales and bank owned homes were in the lowest price ranges.  Today we’ll look at this type of information not by pricing tier but instead by geography – in other words, by either town, city or district of San Jose (area).  This post will not cover every area but will be a sampling a few communities, mostly on the west side of the valley (since that’s primarily where I work).

By way of reminder, the small image to the left reflects Santa Clara County’s houses for sale as a whole – all areas and all price points. (You can see the full sized image by clicking on it.) The green area represents “regular home sales” and the brick red and light orange signify distressed  properties listed on the MLS for sale (red is short sales and orange is bank owned or REOs). Next let’s see a few regions within the county to see how things are faring geographically.

1. Almaden Valley area of San Jose – homes listed for sale by type – very few distressed properties on the market!

Almaden is a lovely southwest San Jose suburban community (zip code 95120) that grew up initially with the cinnabar or mercury mining activity.  Today it’s an upscale area of more expensive homes than most of the county, it enjoys really good schools and scenic views of the coastal range as well as the Santa Teresa Foothills.  Housing here is costly but residents love the quality of life. Since the cost of homes for sale here is high, it’s not super surprising, after seeing yesterday’s post, that there are very few distressed homes on the market here. Next we’ll check the other extreme….

2. Alum Rock area of San Jose – this is a less wealthy part of Santa Clara County and generally has been harder hit by the mortgage and housing crisis.

In this east San Jose neighborhood of Alum Rock (near beautiful Alum Rock Park), almost half the homes listed for sale are either short sales or bank owned properties.  That said, Alum Rock has some areas which are much more upscale (and elevated), some with many many acres of land and those pricier properties are not quite so badly hit with the distressed property deluge.

3. Cambrian area of San Jose – a west valley community that often closely reflects Santa Clara County as a whole

The Cambrian or Cambrian Park district of San Jose often has prices, days on market and other trends which are very similar to Santa Clara County so it’s often a good “gauge” of how the area is doing generally.  If you compare this graph to the one at the top of this post, you’ll find them very similar – about 2/3 of listed houses and duet homes for sale are “regular” or non-distressed sales.

5.  Campbell -a little more expensive, great downtown, popular area

Campbell is exceedingly popular as it’s got a charming downtown, enjoys light rail access and is part of the Los Gatos Creek Trail. It’s close to Los Gatos, but more affordable. Here about 70% of the homes listed for sale on our multiple listing service or MLS are regular sales, so a little healthier than most of Silicon Valley.

6. Los Gatos – a more expensive community, fewer distressed houses for sale

In Los Gatos, there are right now just 3 short sales on the market (for houses and duet homes) and NO bank owned homes. As you can see, it’s overwhelmingly “normal sales” and this helps a lot with home values.

A year or so ago, we had a cluster of short sales in one particular east Los Gatos neighborhood and it was really damaging the property values of the “regular sellers’” homes. It’s encouraging to see this correct a bit.

7. Monte Sereno – more expensive still – no distressed houses for sale right now!

Monte Sereno is a tiny city with 4,000 residents. It’s more expensive then neighboring Los Gatos, with whom it shares police, schools, library and more.

With no businesses or commercial buildings, Monte Sereno enjoys a quieter lifestyle.  Most of the activity is either around Daves Avenue School, the post office/city building or the horse trails!

8. Palo Alto -home to Stanford and classy luxury homes

Stately and vibrant Palo Alto is home to Stanford University (and the Lucille Packard Hospital, which is a world class facility).  Schools in this city are top-rated in Silicon Valley.  The city is beautiful and there’s lots to do.  For many reasons, then, Palo Alto is probably the most sought after address in the region, and home prices reflect its desireability. Not surprisingly, then, it’s not likely that home buyers will find many low-cost distressed properties on the market.  When they do appear, they tend to go fast.  As of this writing, there’s just one short sale and no bank owned homes available there.

9. Saratoga – great schools, scenic vista, highly regarded Silicon Valley community

Saratoga is not as costly as Palo Alto, but within Santa Clara County it’s right up there near the top for least affordable.

What I find most interesting here is not the small number of distressed properties on the MLS in Saratoga, but rather that there’s an equal number of short sales as there are REOs (bank owned).  Usually the ratio is more 2 – to – 1.  Maybe it’s a fluke? We’ll have to check and see down the road!

What we see when looking at Silicon Valley houses listed for sale by sale type is that the geographical differences largely mimic the pricing tiers.  The more expensive the area – or the home within it – the less likely you are to find that bargain priced property.

For more info on Silicon Valley Communities, please also see my website’s community information page.

Close to the Los Gatos border sits one of the more affordable Cambrian neighborhoods in San Jose and the west valley generally.  It enjoys lovely views of the hills, great public schools with high API scores, a neighborhood private school to boot, and convenient access to freeways and stores.  There’s no sign, marker or gateway to the area, so many of its residents are probably unaware that the official name to it is Cambrian Gardens.

This neighborhood provides an incredible “bang for the buck” for home buyers wanting excellent schools and not wanting to pay luxury home pricing.  In many ways, it’s a “sleeper” – meaning that many people don’t know it’s there, but it’s a good deal!

Where is the Cambrian Gardens area of Cambrian?

The rough borders are Union Avenue, Los Gatos-Almaden Road, Leigh Avenue, and the West Valley Freeway (85).

Not everything within that area is part of the tracts which make up Cambrian Gardens, though. It was developed just south of and directly adjacent to the Cambrian Park area which is so well known, but now separated from it by the freeway. (Click image or here to see live map in Google.)

Cambrian Garden Landmarks

Homes built in this part of Silicon Valley were clustered around the later-built neighborhood public school (bordered by Clarinda, Laurinda, Emeline and Sandy), James De Voss, which is now leased out as a private one, the Global School, as well as Little Oak Preschool. The other major landmark to the neighborhood is Ross Creek, which slides through the middle. With it come frogs, egrets, ducks and other wildlife which are generally welcome.

What are houses like in the Cambrian Gardens neighborhood?

The property was subdivided, developed and built beginning in the late 1950s.  Most sections were completed by the early 60s but one part (Mise and Stuckey) came much later and houses there a bit larger.

Typically, the original construction consisted of smaller ranch style houses on about 6000 square foot lots with 3-4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and anywhere from 1100 to 1600 square feet. (Most common: 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and 1200- 1300 SF.) Most lots have a frontage of about 60 feet with lots going back about 100 feet.

Since there were several builders, there are likewise several designs. At the same time, though, most were built within a few years of one another so basic features tend to be similar.Fireplaces, front porches, sliding glass doors to back patios, the use of tile, hardwood and abundant windows are all hallmarks of these homes.

Kitchens: a real estate trend of that era was “galley” style kitchens with a breakfast nook area or eat-in kitchen so that’s predominantly what you’ll find here. Some houses have both a formal dining area (dining “L” or combined living-dining room) as well as a breakfast room. Cabinets were often built under soffits, so if remodeling, it’s easy to get more storage by simply bringing the cabinets down directly from the ceiling.

Bathrooms: As with other construction of that vintage, bathrooms were built with efficiency in mind and are compact. The hall bath usually has a shower over the tub and the master bath includes a stall shower in most cases. (The latter often has a built in cabinet next to the shower which could be “blown out” to make a bigger stall shower.)

Houses are set fairly far back on the lot, which was typical for the time in which these properties were built.  For buyers with an eye to expansion, this means there’s room to add on in front (some build up, some build out when adding on).

Garage & laundry: Laundry is usually in the garage.  Most properties have an attached 2 car garage, but one builder provided an option that enabled purchasers to elect a 1 car garage + family or bonus room (and also to have an inside laundry room). A lot of houses have an extra wide side yard just off the garage, which appears to have been intended to function as an area for a drying line.

The majority, if not all of these houses, were built with hardwood floors (all but kitchen and bathrooms in most cases) and forced air heat (but again, one builder used wall heaters – though most of those have since been upgraded by later owners to forced air heating). They are almost exclusively on raised foundations, not slab (exception that I’m aware of being the “bonus” option on the 1 or 2 car garage design, where the family or bonus room is on slab – the rest of the house on a perimeter or raised foundation).

A challenge with some designs in the area is a shortage of closet space (for what we are used to today).  To reclaim some interior space for closets, some homeowners move the furnace from an interior space to either the garage or attic, thus adding another closet.  Others add on to the house, build “organizers” in the existing closets and have other ways of minimizing their need for more.

In looking through the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions, or CCRs, I was surprised to see the name McKeon twice listed out of three names for those who subdivided this area.  The McKeons are best known in this area for the many, many fourplexes that dot Santa Clara County.  (There were several builders, though.)

What about the schools?

This area is not all served by the same public elementary schools.  One section, north of Ross Creek, has attendance at Carlton Elementary and the other, south of Ross Creek, at Alta Vista. Both are extremely well regarded.  (Please see the boundary map for the Union School District online.) All attend Union Middle School and Leigh High School.  Here are the numbers for the API Report numbers for 2010:

• Carlton: 930 API
• Alta Vista 938 API
• Union Middle 892 API
• Leigh High 817 API

What do homes cost in Cambrian Gardens?

Naturally there is a range of size, condition, and sale type (regular sale vs short sale or bank owned) and those all influence resale value or market value.  Additionally, there are more and less desirable areas: Leigh and Los Gatos-Almaden Road are much busier than more interior streets such as Kenlar, Tilden, or Nerissa (which has no through traffic at all).  And, of course, homes that are very close to the freeway will be louder and that also impacts a buyer’s probable value for the home.

Disclaimers aside, at this time prices are running mostly in the 500s and 600s with exceptions for the extremes one way or the other (big additions or homes needing a lot of work in a less desirable area). You can check on the current Cambrian real estate market conditions here.

Overall, it’s an inexpensive area for the quality of the schools and is a great choice for people who want to live either in the Alta Vista neighborhood or perhaps closer to Carlton Elementary (such as in the King Streets or El Gato Terrace areas) but don’t want to spend that much.

See photo slide show of San Jose’s Cambrian Gardens area

Just listed: Beautiful, updated & remodeled Cambrian Gardens home on oversized lot!
Beautiful Cambrian Home, Large Lot, Alta Vista School, Affordable Price!

This Thanksgiving, I want to list 25 top things we have to be grateful for here in beautiful Silicon Valley.

1. Silicon Valley Weather: we enjoy a subtropical climate and usually have 300 sunny days a year and just 20″ of rain on the valley floor annually.
2. Scenic beauty in the Santa Clara Valley: our valley includes coastal foothills with lush vegetation on the west and dry chaparral hills on the east.  Get up close!  Enjoy the redwoods!  Walk the trails at Alum Rock Park!
3. Low crime in Silicon Valley: we are in one of the safest areas in the US (San Jose is often ranked #1 for safest large city, Sunnyvale often #1 for safest mid-sized city and the Almaden Valley Country Club neighborhood of San Jose was just named as one of the safest 29 communities in the nation)
4. Fabulous parks in the San Jose area: both the Santa Clara County Parks and the local city or town parks provide wonderful opportunities to enjoy all that good weather.
5. Local wineries: you don’t need to go to Sonoma or Napa Counties to enjoy world class wine tasting!  Santa Clara County has more than 2 dozen wineries right here, mostly in “south county”, downtown Los Gatos, Saratoga or in the Santa Cruz Mountains but not exclusively there. J Lohr is in central San Jose, probably just 2 miles from the airport! You can find a partial list of local wineries on the Santa Clara Valley Wines site (but I noticed several missing, such as Ridge in Cupertin0).
6. The San Jose Sharks: there’s no shortage of support for our beloved hockey team, the Sharks.  If you live in or near San Jose, you’ll find that once in awhile, shark fins turn up in odd places, such as a police car….
7. Higher eduction: we have some great community colleges but also enjoy having three fantastic universities right here in Santa Clara County:  San Jose State, Santa Clara University, and Stanford University.
8. Silicon Valley is very Kid-Friendly: Money Magazine listed San Jose as #2 on its short list of America’s 10 Best Places to Grow Up. Great activities, low crime, lots of kids and good weather all contributed to the high ranking.
9. Diversity: Silicon Valley attracts people from all over the world to live and work here.  It’s a wonderful melting pot.
10. Theatre:  we have so many great companies, big and small, in Silicon Valley! (We miss AMTSJ, the popular musical theatre venue which closed down two years ago.)
    1. San Jose Reperetory Theatre (aka “the rep”)
    2. The Children’s Musical Theater San Jose
    3. City Lights Theater Company
    4. And many more places outside of downtown San Jose!
11. Architecture: San Jose and Silicon Valley have some beautiful buildings, both commercial and residential.  In downtown San Jose (thinking of theater venues), check out the California Theatre – it is stunning! Go to Stanford’s campus and take in a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hannah House.  Or drive through the beautiful Rose Garden area of San Jose or the Glenridge neighborhood of Los Gatos. In addition to all those tract homes that dot the south bay, you can also find splendid Spanish Style homes (esp in Willow Glen and Japantown) and beautiful Victorians and Craftsman homes (Shasta-Hanchett and downtown San Jose).
12. Food: whether you’re looking for classic American food, something foreign, a salad or a world class restaurant, it’s here.  Want it all in one place? Visit downtown Mountain View!
13. Shopping in Silicon Valley: if it’s raining, there are plenty of typical American shopping malls to choose from.  If not, I prefer outdoor shopping in either downtown Los Gatos, Saratoga, Campbell, Willow Glen or maybe a visit to Stanford Mall or to Santana Row. There are unique shops dotting the valley, too, not always in a dense shopping area.  If you want it, Silicon Valley probably has it.
14. Museums:  we are so lucky to have all kinds of museums here: history museums, art museums, the Tech Museum of Innovation, the San Jose Children’s Discovery Museum, the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum and many, many more.
15. More pro sports:  in addition to the Sharks, we have Bay Area sports teams to cheer on in baseball, basketball, and football too.
16. Excellent Produce: south county and a few other places right in Santa Clara County still provide fresh produce. There are fruit stands outside of Morgan Hill and Gilroy, though.  Sunnyvale still has Olson’s Cherry Stand (you can also order their goodies online). In Los Gatos there’s one on Winchester near Hwy 85 and I am certain there are others.  You don’t have to visit a produce stand to get great fruits and vegetables, though.  Cosentino’s Market is perhaps the best known place to get exceptional produce, and you’ll find that they are very knowledgeable too so a great resource.
17. Great Schools: our schools are not uniformly excellent but there are many outstanding schools in the San Jose – Silicon Valley area, and many neighborhoods are “trending up”, such as in the Cambrian area of San Jose (where school scores are moving from good to great, making this area extremely popular as it’s affordable given the scores).   Best known for exceptional schools: Palo Alto, Cupertino, Saratoga, Los Gatos, Almaden Valley (southernmost part esp.).
18. Spirit of innovation: entrepreneurship is highly valued here and Silicon Valley is the home to many amazing products and services.  Startups are not at all uncommon.  Sit in a coffee shop in many of the upscale communities and you may well overhear the birth of a new company.
19. Educated population: this goes with the spirit of innovation and the diversity mentioned above, but is worthwhile to record on its own too.  San Jose – Santa Clara – Sunnyvale area made #3 in the nation for most educated population in a recent Brookings study and #4 was San Francisco – Oakland – Fremont.  This has a lot to do with the strength of our schools.
20. Proximity to so many good things: San Francisco – 1 hour.  Santa Cruz – about a half hour.  Monterey & Carmel – about 90 minutes.  Yosemite – about 3 to 4 hours.  Lake Tahoe – about 4 hours.  (And if there aren’t enough wineries here: Napa or Sonoma – about 2 hours.)
21. Opportunities to worship: there is an abundance of churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, meditation centers and other places where you can gather with like-minded people and deepen your spirituality, worship, and get involved in community service within your own religious tradition.  Most religions  have some sort of presence in Silicon Valley (and if not, it should be found somewhere in the greater Bay Area).
22. Exercise: Silicon Valley offers many opportunities for taking care of your health, including hiking trails (the Los Gatos Creek Trail is extremely popular in the west valley), private clubs, the Y, summer camps, parks & rec classes and many more. Some parks (Campbell) include par courses too.   The south bay area is one of the “fittest” in the country.  Our weather doesn’t hurt that effort!
23. Nice people: ok, this one’s hard to measure, but generally speaking, Silicon Valley is a pretty friendly place.
24. Health care: we have world class health care available in Santa Clara County and the San Francisco Bay Area generally, some but not all of which are associated with Stanford University. (If you’re with Kaiser, they have a beautiful, brand new hospital and campus in Santa Clara.)  Different hospitals have different areas of expertise (Good Samaritan – heart, San Jose Medical – trauma).
25. Being part of the greater San Francisco Bay Area: we are able to enjoy benefits of the larger bay area but being less crowded and having milder weather than you’ll find in The City (SF) or Berkeley/Oakland.

These are what come to my mind on Thanksgiving but I’m sure I have missed some really important aspects of living in Silicon Valley for which we should be grateful.  What’s on your list?

Many newcomers to the San Jose & Silicon Valley areas want to buy new homes (or newer ones).  Santa Clara County, though, had a big “building boom” after World War II ranging from the 1940s through the 70s.  At the end of the building frenzy, most of the land was taken.  More importantly, most of the really good land was built up.

How old is the “average” San Jose home for sale?  Probably about 45 – 50 years old, on average.  Depending on where you’re looking, precisely, the homes could be younger or older on average. 

There are some nice communities of new and younger homes in Silicon Valley, but there aren’t a lot of them.  Most of the new home communities have houses on small lots.  Some are near high voltage power lines (homes on Taft in San Jose’s Cambrian Park area) or next to freeways (Summerhill development off Samaritan Drive in San Jose). 

It’s easier to find newer homes in Morgan Hill, Evergreen, Milpitas, and areas that held onto agriculture longer. Pockets of newer homes exist throughout the valley, and some of them are on good land (such as the Willows neighborhood of Willow Glen or the Almaden Winery area in Cambrian/Almaden). There’s a beautiful subdivision of luxury homes in Saratoga where the homes enjoy gracious, large lots.  That land used to belong to an order of Catholic sisters (Notre Dame de Namur).  Good land!  Much of the other good land was either horse property, orchards, or vineyards until somewhat recently. Small pockets of that remain, including the “North 40″ in Los Gatos – which I understand has been sold and is soon to be developed.

Several parts of our South Bay community have roots that go back into the 1800s or earlier: downtown San Jose, old Santa Clara, Willow Glen, Mountain View, Los Gatos, Campbell, Saratoga, Alum Rock Park… many of these neighborhoods have Victorian era houses.  Japantown, in San Jose’s downtown area, has some beautiful Spanish style homes dating from the 1920s. (There are only a few of original adobe houses left that date to the late 1700s.) 

Don’t rely too much on the age listed in the mls!

One thing to be aware of is that some homes that are said to be 60 or 80 years old may have been virtually rebuilt and “like new”.  Sometimes the MLS will show the older number but only reveal the drastic remodel in the comments. So if you’re looking for a younger home, don’t just search by the age listed in the MLS – it may not be a true representation of the home’s condition!

In some parts of Silicon Valley, by crossing a particular road or driving a few feet, the whole look, feel and pricing of an area can change.

Bel Estos Drive near Rosswood Drive in San Jose

This is true for Rosswood Drive at Union Avenue in Cambrian Park.  On both sides of the intersection, there are many homes of 1200 to 1400 square feet (some larger too) all built around the same time.  Both are San Jose 95124 addresses.  Both are good areas – but the 2000 and 2100 blocks are  nicer than the 1800 & 1900 blocks of Rosswood and those homes sell for more. Why? What makes one area sell for more than another?

In the case of Rosswood Drive, part of it has to do with the beautiful canopy of trees that line the two thousand block of Rosswood and the adjoining streets (Bel Escou, Bel Canto, Bel Estos, Esther, etc.). Part of it is just that the homes are a little better maintained.  Historically, Union used to divide the schools too, and that used to be part of the higher prices – but that’s not really the case now.  (A similar jump happens along Los Gatos-Almaden Road by Harwood too – same builder, Leep, but prices nudge up just a little for homes closer to Blossom Hill Road.)

How can you tell, from looking at a neighborhood, how it compares with nearby streets in the same part of town generally?  Sometimes you cannot know from looking alone (for example a flood plain, earthquake fault or school boundary won’t show), but I’ll give you some cues as to what makes areas more or less desireabile visually.

These are some things I teach my San Jose area buyers to watch out for (lower values) in terms of appearance and sounds:

• too many cars on the street (the more, the worse) – sense of crowding
• junky cars, boats, RVs
• neglected landscaping
• homes in need of paint
• “bars on the windows” and “security doors” in more than one home on the street
• loud music
• trash and trash cans out when it isn’t garbage pick up day
• graffitti
• Lots of RVs (motor homes, trailers, boats)  especially if there are many of them, will pull a neighborhood’s value down
• wire or cyclone fencing in the front yard

Conversely, indicators that a street or area may be better include these:

• people out walking dogs
• people pushing strollers or exercising in the neighborhood
• tidy homes and yards
• if there’s front yard fencing, it’s picket style or similar (not wire or cyclone fencing)
• cars that are well maintained or newer
• most cars either in garages or in driveways – street mostly clear of cars
• tree-lined streets
• quiet areas (you don’t hear TVs, stereos blaring)
• “pride of ownership” evident – evidence of completed home improvement projects, for instance

Also please note:  when looking at values online, you may not realize that a house value might jump or decline 3-5% in some areas simply by crossing the road. Local agents who are active in the marketplace do know, though, so it’s good to get professional help when trying to understand home values.

Willow Glen is one of the most charming areas of San Jose, consisting of many older homes which feature lovely, classic architecture.  Most Silicon Valley home buyers treasure the Willow Glen charm and ambiance, but many are seeking newer homes.  A fabulous option is “The Willows“.

KB Homes built “The Willows” in 1999 to 2000.  It is tucked away at the southernmost tip of Willow Glen, off of Foxworthy Avenue & close to Almaden Expressway, but only about 2.5 to 3 miles from all the action on Lincoln Avenue.

The tree-lined streets are built in something of a loop shape with Rubino Circle being the main access or loop road.  Situated on the inner part of the loop are homes with smaller lots that are a little more affordable.  The outer part of the circle is built with slightly larger homes on larger lots (but none of the lots are “big”). Sidewalks with soft curbs at the corners accompany the streets and make for a pedestrian-friendly, bike, wheelchair or stroller friendly area. Visit in the early evenings and you will see children and adults walking, strolling, taking dogs for a walk etc. – always a good sign! Because the neighborhood is a bit like an oversized cul-de-sac (no through traffic), it is very quiet in terms of traffic.  The area has large street lights, too, making for a safe feeling community.

Something not often found in other neighborhoods that’s a real plus here: the front yard landscaping is taken care of by the home owner’s association.  Living at the Willows is “easy care” since only the house itself and the back yard require maintenance!

Rubino Park is a frequent destination for residents at The Willows. It offers a playground, picnic areas, basketball hoops and a huge expanse of lawn.  Additionally, Canoas Garden Elementary School has access on Rubino Circle too, and it also has a large lawn area that the neighbors enjoy.

What are homes like in The Willows?

Houses here are all 2 story and all have attached 2 car garages. Homes range in size from about 1800 SF to about 2600 SF, generally, and are anywhere from 3 to 5 bedrooms.  One floorplan is either offered as a 4 bedroom or a 3 bedroom plus “loft”, which can be an office, den, TV area, exercize room or anything else (and can easily become a fourth bedroom).

Many of the homeowners at The Willows have enhanced and upgraded their homes and yards. When first built, most of these houses had white tile countertops, but a good many owners have added either Corian or granite countertops.  Kitchen appliances only last 10-15 years in most cases, so many have already been replaced, sometimes very nicely improved with large gas burner stoves, for instance.

What does it cost to live in The Willows?

Most of the homes for sale in the Willows are priced somewhere in the 600s to 700s depending upon a number of things, such as

• home size
• lot size
• upgrades, enhancements, improvements and remodeling
• exact location (regular street vs private court + other location issues)
• type of sale (short sale or bank owned will sell for less)

The homes in the inner part of the loop tend to be on lots of about 2,000 SF rather than between 3,000 and 4,000 SF.  Because they are on smaller, private drives, there’s not the same kind of parking as you get on a regular San Jose street.  For those reasons, the homes tend to sell for a little less.

Map of The Willows

View The Willows of Willow Glen (San Jose) in a larger map

I have just listed a wonderful home in The Willows at 870 Brevins Loop. To learn all about it, see a virtual tour, lots of photos and to check on the open house schedule, please visit the following page.

http://www.popehandy.com/870-brevins-loop-willow-glen-san-jose.html

Hope to see you there at the open house!

Convenient to Good Samaritan Hospital, Carlton Elementary School and freeway access to highways 17 and 85, the beautiful “King Street” neighborhood in San Jose’s Cambrian Park district seems to be close to everything.  But a drive through the tree-lined streets with tidy homes seems like a relaxing step into the welcoming neighborhoods of yesteryear rather than the hustle and bustle of today’s Silicon Valley. 

As with the nearby Alta Vista neighborhood, homes here show a pride of ownership not found everywhere.  Holidays include beautiful displays of lights that invite neighbors out to tour after dark. Many home owners wrap the trunk of the trees between the sidewalk and street with blankets of white lights, making for a stunning look down the road.

The “King Streets” enjoy an uncommon appeal that makes homes here perennially desireable to home buyers. The popularity of the area is due partly to the convenience factor (easy to get to a great elementary school with high API scores, easy to get to the freeways, Los Gatos and Good Sam) and the beauty or neighborhood charm factor. It is a winning combination for this west valley community! Many who wish to live in Los Gatos choose this part of San Jose because it’s on the border, so it is not uncommon for the King Streets to be a first home and the move up one is in Los Gatos.

View “The King Streets” in a larger map

What are these houses like? Built in about 1959 or 1960, homes in the King Streets (Kingbrook, Kingdale, Kingridge, Kinghurst, Kingwood, Kingfield plus Lost Oaks and part of Elester) began as small 3 bed, 2 bath ranch style homes of about 1100 to 1600 square feet on lots that are usually about 6100 square feet (but it ranges from 5100 SF to about 7000 SF lots). They were built with hardwood floors in most of the home, an attached two car garage and in most cases, a kitchen which faces the front yard or street.

Some of the homes are still very original…

Many are updated though, and may even look “new”.

Frequently, the small ranch homes have been enlarged too.

Common changes & improvements to these Garcia-built homes:

The “bones” are great in these homes but they’re not hard to alter if you need to do some reconfiguring or adding on. The most frequent change I’ve seen is taking a little space from one of the large secondary (or “kid”) bedrooms and converting it to space in or a closet for the Master Bedroom since in many of these floorplans, the secondary bedroom is later than the owner’s room. Another often seen improvement is adding a family room off the living room and behind the garage. Finally, in recent years the trend is toward more “open space” or “great room” feel, so many new home buyers in this neighborhood open up the kitchen to the living and dining areas to create that openness which is popular now. The King Street homes are often livable as is or even nicer if expanded.

What does it cost to buy a home in the King Street area of Cambrian?

Compared to the rest of Cambrian Park or the 95124 zip code, this subdivision is a little more expensive than the average Cambrian home because of its close proximity to Los Gatos (it is very close to the Los Gatos border) and the beauty of the area with so many gorgeous trees.

One of the 3 bed, 2 bath homes with the original square footage will probably run around $700,000 to $750,000 in today’s market if it is somewhat updated, which is the condition we typically see. The larger homes will sell for anywhere from the high seven hundred to the low eight hundreds (possibly a little more) depending on condition, size, lot size, etc. And of course if you happen to find a short sale or bank owned home in there, or a home with a lot of deferred maintenance, it will be less, somewhere in the 600s.

Call me to learn more about this great neighborhood today!