by Clair Handy, Mary Pope-Handy | Nov 10, 2023 | Almaden Valley (SJ), Alum Rock, Alviso (SJ), Berryessa (SJ), Blossom Valley (SJ), Buena Vista, Cambrian Park (SJ), Central San Jose, Downtown San Jose, East San Jose (SJ), Evergreen (SJ), Market Info, Market Reports, Most Popular Articles, Naglee Park, Neighborhoods in Almaden, Neighborhoods in Cambrian, Neighborhoods in Willow Glen, Rose Garden area, San Jose (all areas), West San Jose, Willow Glen (SJ)
The San Jose real estate market remains in a red hot seller’s market, keeping active into early autumn with some mild seasonal cooling. Demand may have shrunk between rising rates and inflation, but inventory has plunged to extreme lows so it’s still far from balanced!
First, some quick data from my RE Report and hand-pulled from the MLS today. There appears to be a small amount of under- or over-counting between the RE Report and MLS Listings, so numbers vary slightly between the two, but the data is still good for trend tracking.
- The October 2023 sale price to list price ratio for San Jose single family homes slipped to 105.3% of asking, that’s -1.2% from last month per the RE Report and +5.6% from this time last year, after the market’s sharp decline. For the MLS stats we pulled today, however, it shows 105.2% average, down from 106.1% (-0.9%) the month prior. Either way, the average home is selling consistently over list price in San Jose with consistent overbidding, though the market is cooling off a little into early autumn.
- Home prices are up from last year by approximately 9%-10% after being behind for the first half of this year (RE Report), and month-over-month closed sales values haven’t shifted all that much.
- The time on market sped up month-over-month to a 16 day average (RE Report). It’s quick turnover averaging well below a month, indicating a clear seller’s market.
Market Data: What Numbers Make a Difference
While prices and overbids have fallen significantly since the peak, in some ways this year has been even more challenging for buyers. For most buyers, their ability to purchase has been severely impacted by higher rates on home loans. But the biggest hurdle for many buyers is the extreme lack of available homes.
Since March 2023 San Jose has had record breaking low inventory, continually marking new lows with the fewest available listings by month in over a decade, according to the MLS data pulled today in the chart below. And it doesn’t look like inventory will be picking up any time soon, either.
Why such low inventory?
While in a more typical market we might have a number of sellers looking to “move up” or downsize, most homeowners today couldn’t afford to move or don’t want to take on a higher-rate mortgage. Now it seems like a higher percentage of the listings we are seeing comes from investors, people leaving the area, and sales by family after a death – cases where there is no pressure to repurchase or where selling is the only option. That limits significantly what is available to buyers!
Although inventory remains at record-breaking lows with higher demand than availability, sale prices and overbids are not breaking records like last year’s spring peak. Many buyers are experiencing significantly more pressure from higher interest rates, fluctuating stocks, and other factors limiting purchase power and lowering confidence. That said, not every home will face the same challenges – there are loads of micro markets that influence how well any given home does, so take this city-wide data with a grain of salt.
Inventory remains severely low – the lowest October inventory in over a decade! If you’re an active home buyer, it is slim pickings!
The data below in the “trends” chart is from our Real Estate Report for the City of San Jose.
San Jose Real Estate Market Trends at a Glance (RE Report)
| Trends At a Glance |
Oct 2023 |
Previous Month |
Year-over-Year |
| Median Price |
$1,600,170 (+0.6%) |
$1,590,000 |
$1,450,000 (+10.4%) |
| Average Price |
$1,728,180 (-3.3%) |
$1,787,000 |
$1,583,700 (+9.1%) |
| No. of Sales |
281 (+39.8%) |
201 |
327 (-14.1%) |
| Pending |
230 (-16.1%) |
274 |
225 (+2.2%) |
| Active |
234 (-1.3%) |
237 |
418 (-44.0%) |
| Sale vs. List Price |
105.3% (-1.2%) |
106.7% |
99.7% (+5.6%) |
| Days on Market |
16 (-15.2%) |
19 |
27 (-40.9%) |
| Days of Inventory |
25 (-26.9%) |
34 |
38 (-34.9%) |
Available inventory is just half of what it was at this time last year, while pending sales are up, and closed sales are only marginally less (when considering the inventory available). Please keep reading below for more data and market analysis.
by Mary Pope-Handy | Sep 5, 2023 | Almaden Valley (SJ), Neighborhoods in Almaden, San Jose (all areas)
Located close to the Guadalupe Creek and the foothills of the coastal mountain range, the Montevideo neighborhood enjoys tree lined streets and scenic green views of the hills. Houses and yards are nicely kept. It is fairly convenient for commuting as it’s not too deeply into the San Jose area of Almaden Valley. About 500 residents call this beautiful neighborhood home.
In addition to the pleasant vistas, the Montevideo home owners and residents enjoy the cabaña, which includes a community pool, clubhouse, recreation grounds (shuffleboard, volleyball court and more), a fun swim team for kids. There are very few cabañas in the west valley, so this is a big draw.
Adjacent to it is the very highly regarded Guadalupe Elementary School.
Where is the Montevideo neighborhood located?
The Montevideo neighborhood is situated close to the intersection of Camden Avenue and Coleman Road (not quite to Redmond Avenue) in southwest San Jose (Almaden area, zip code 95120). The development was built in two phases – the map below shows in a darker green the “Montevideo 2” area. The lighter area was the original Montevideo tract.
Map of the Montevideo neighborhood in San Jose’s Almaden Valley – click on the image to go to the live map on Google
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by Mary Pope-Handy | Apr 26, 2023 | Almaden Valley (SJ), Neighborhoods, Neighborhoods in Almaden
The Almaden Hills Estates neighborhood in San Jose is tucked away by itself, nestled into the northern tip of the Santa Teresa foothills. If it weren’t for the sign at the intersection of Almaden Expressway and Winfield Boulevard, most of us might not know that this beautiful community existed at all.
A bit about the homes and area
There are 144 single family homes, detached, beyond this welcoming sign, primarily in 2 tracts (see map below), but 8 houses are found in the smallest and newest one along Rocco Court.
As with most of the Almaden Valley, this area is well maintained by the homeowners and the setting is picturesque due to the close proximity of the hills. The oldest house in the neighborhood was built in 1979 and the youngest in 2018.
In the older sections, a typical home would provide 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and about 2950 SF on a 9,700 SF lot and include a 3 car garage. In the newer section, the homes are closer to 2300 SF and the lots average around 3500 SF. More details will be included further down in this article.
Something especially nice is that there’s direct access to the Los Alamitos Creek Trail in the neighborhood.
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by Mary Pope-Handy | Apr 16, 2023 | Almaden Valley (SJ), Neighborhood descriptions, Neighborhoods, Neighborhoods in Almaden, Parks
Jeffrey Fontana Park is an Almaden gem, set into a residential area but also adjacent to loads of other parkland. In the not too far distance is a view of the coastal hills with Mount Umunhum on top. Jim, Clair, and I spent some time there last weekend and I thought some of our readers may enjoy seeing some photos and learning about this park (and perhaps be inspired to visit it, too).
Where is Jeffrey Fontana Park?
The 10 acre park begins at Meridian Avenue in San Jose at Oakglen Way. The other side of Meridian is TJ Martin Park. and just north of it is the humongous Guadalupe Oak Grove Park (previously shared about this park). In the map below, this is the park with the green park icon in the middle. You could spend many hours checking out these three connected parks !
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by Mary Pope-Handy | Dec 31, 2022 | Neighborhoods in Almaden
The scenic Woodside of Almaden neighborhood in San Jose offers tree-lined streets with sidewalks, proximity to the Los Alamitos Creek Trail, views of the Santa Teresa Foothills and the coastal range, and top notch public schools to boot. Many Silicon Valley home buyers appreciate the quiet, the community involvement, and activities that take place in this area of Almaden, and choose to make it home.
With Google expanding into central San Jose in the upcoming years, it is sure to make this area even more desirable as Almaden Expressway is a very direct route to central and downtown San Jose.
Woodside of Almaden at Sunset
Woodside of Almaden neighborhood description
There are 386 single family homes in the Woodside of Almaden neighborhood. They were built beginning in 1977, but some as late as 2016 (likely rebuilds) and the average age of construction is 1980.
Most houses are around 2,000 to 2,500 square feet, with the average being 2252 SF, but the range is expansive, from 1649 to 4066 SF. Many of these houses feature good sized formal entryways, vaulted ceilings in the living room, and comfortable layouts with well sized rooms. As a rule, houses in this community do not feel cramped – they were well designed.
Lot sizes span 7,680 to 15,705 SF with an average lot size being a generous 8942 square feet.
Homes are built forward enough on the lot that most back yards are a good size. (more…)
by Mary Pope-Handy | Jun 20, 2022 | Almaden Valley (SJ), Neighborhoods in Almaden, Parks
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. Just the other side of Meridian is the vastly larger Almaden Meadows 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 935 in 2013, a, 8 on Great Schools in 2023 )
Castillero Middle School (API 846 in 2013, a 7 on Great Schools in 2023)
Pioneer High School (API 822 in 2013, a 7 on Great Schools in 2023)
Los Alamitos Elementary and Holy Spirit Elementary (Catholic) are both just a couple of blocks from Oaktree Park. Additionally, 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). P
Prices will be impacted by home size, condition, and exact location (such as on a busy road or immediately adjacent to the high voltage power lines that run through the park) at one end of the spectrrum to beautifully updated or rebuilt larger homes in an ideal location within the neighborhood.
Check the listings below to see the current prices and keep reading for more information on the Oaktree Park neighborhood below!
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by Mary Pope-Handy | May 4, 2022 | Almaden Valley (SJ), Home Types, Neighborhoods in Almaden
Almaden Valley in San Jose is comprised of many neighborhoods and subdivisions. One of them, close to the border with Los Gatos and Cambrian Park, is particularly popular: the Oak Canyon neighborhood.
There are many reasons for its draw among Silicon Valley home buyers: the houses were well built by Shea Homes in about 1980, so they are relatively newer by Silicon Valley standards. They’re larger homes on comfortable lots, often 8000 sf or so but some as small as 6500 sf and others larger than a quarter acre in the Oak Canyon corner of Almaden.
Most of the homes boast a 3 car garage, which is a big help with storage of stuff, if not storage of cars. The roads gently turn, which makes a more pleasing look. It’s a very “conforming” neighborhood where everyone keeps up the homes and yards. Much of Almaden is viewed by consumers as somewhat remote, but this section, near the mouth of Almaden, is not too deep into the valley and is a better commute location for most. One of the largest pulls for the area, though, is the nearby elementary school, Guadalupe School, which has an excellent reputation for quality education and ranks exceedingly well on testing.
Where is the Oak Canyon neighborhood in Almaden Valley, San Jose?
Oak Canyon is found near the intersection of Camden Avenue and Coleman Road in San Jose but is bordered by Coleman on one side and the Guadalue Creek on the other sides. (The far side of the Guadalupe Creek at this point is Cambrian Park.) Just the other side of Coleman Road is the Montevideo neighborhood, and next to that is the Almaden Meadows neighborhood.
And to provide some bearings, here’s a map of the Almaden Valley district of San Jose generally:
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by Mary Pope-Handy | Apr 15, 2022 | Almaden Valley (SJ), Neighborhoods in Almaden, Patio Homes or Zero Lot Line Houses, Williams School area
The popular Glencrest neighborhood in Almaden includes both the Glencrest patio homes as well as larger houses on regular lots and streets.
This corner of Almaden is located at the end of Serenity Way near Glenview Park and Cathedral Park in the Williams area. The Glencrest patio homes area is shaped like a pentagram (a five sided object) so is easy to spot on the map.
The community enjoys a shared pool. The outside ring of homes are single family houses on large, normal lots of about 10,000 to 13,000 square feet (on Valley Quail Circle, Hollow Lake).
The more modest patio or zero lot line properties are found on the inside streets and have about 6,000 SF lots – the streets are Quail Creek Circle, Mountain Quail Circle, and Quail Cove Way.
The Glencrest homes were built by Shapell, a company which is known for a very high quality. Most were built in 1987 or 1988.
The big draws for these homes are as follows:
- Top Almaden schools are close by: Williams Elementary, Bret Harte Middle, and Leland High School
- Shapell is a highly regarded builder, perhaps the most valued in Santa Clara County
- The Glencrest area homes, whether on normal lots or zero lot line / patio homes, are fairly young by local standards
Glencrest Patio Homes
As you enter the interior part of the neighborhood, a small sign has some important information for anyone in a vehicle:
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by Mary Pope-Handy | Mar 25, 2022 | Almaden Valley (SJ), Neighborhoods in Almaden
Campagna at Almaden is a younger community, built in 1997 and 1998, by New Cities. Nestled into the coastal foothills along the border of Los Gatos with San Jose’s Almaden and Cambrian areas, it’s both scenic and convenient.
The main entrance to Campagna at Almaden features a pretty greenbelt area, fountain, and sign.
What are homes like at Campagna at Almaden?
For San Jose and Silicon Valley generally, these 188 two story houses are relatively young! Most of the homes were built in 1997, but 21 houses were completed in 1998. They have loads of windows, high ceilings, open floor plans, and attached garages. With the younger age also come larger bathrooms, bigger closets, and better sized kitchens than most of the older homes we typically find. They are built on slab foundations.
The houses range from 1820 – 3360 square feet, and the average home size is comfortable 2370 SF. Most homes have 2 car garages, but there are a few homes with 3 car garages. (more…)
by Mary Pope-Handy | Feb 2, 2022 | Almaden Valley (SJ), Neighborhood descriptions, Neighborhoods, Neighborhoods in Almaden
Creekside Almaden is one of the most affordable neighborhoods of single family homes offering the very most sought after Almaden Schools. For those wanting to purchase a home in a scenic area of San Jose 95120, have a decent sized back patio or yard, but not wanting to buy a condo or townhome, this pocket offers great options!
What are the homes like in Creekside Almaden?
There are 75 single family homes, built in 1985 by KB Homes (Kaufman and Broad). Many of them are detached houses on zero lot lines (also known as “patio homes”). The rest are duet homes, or single family attached, so one adjoined neighbor. (Duet homes are not the same thing as duplexes. You can read about the difference between duet and duplex homes here.)
The zero lot line homes have one wall with no windows (since the house is directly on the property line). Depending on the orientation of the structure, it may feel darker inside than usual. Similarly, since the attached homes have one wall in common, they may also be a little dark feeling, depending on which side faces south or west. If the wall with no windows is north facing, you may not feel this way at all.
The Creekside Almaden neighborhood properties all have 2 full bathrooms, some also enjoy a half bathroom, and either 2 or 3 bedrooms. Home sizes range from 956 SF to 1538 SF (the U.S. government refers to houses up to 1500 SF as “starter homes”). Some have lofts, many or most enjoy vaulted ceilings and fireplaces. Closets are a decent size due to the relatively younger age of the homes.
Most lots are between 3000 and 4000 SF, with the smallest lot being 2881 and the largest being 4980. The average lot size is 3571. With small lots, there are small frontages, so not a lot of room in front of any given house for cars. Some of the areas feel a little congested with automobile parking for that reason.
A big plus is that all of these houses have 2 car garages and full sized driveways. All are on public streets, with sidewalks, so there’s no HOA and no HOA dues. For many, those are HUGE plusses.
The Creekside Almaden neighborhood area is scenic, with hills visible east and west.
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The San Jose real estate market remains in a red hot seller’s market, keeping active into early autumn with some mild seasonal cooling. Demand may have shrunk between rising rates and inflation, but inventory has plunged to extreme lows so it’s still far from balanced!
