by Mary Pope-Handy, Clair Handy | Sep 26, 2023 | Almaden Valley (SJ), Market Reports
The Almaden Valley real estate market is experiencing some up and down, but remains clearly in a seller’s market. Inventory remains perpetually low, so the best homes in great locations are selling like hotcakes while buyers are passing over others that may need more work.
Almaden Valley Real Estate Market Conditions: Trends at a Glance
Next, a look at the residential real estate market statistics for Almaden, or San Jose 95120 from the Real Estate Report (a subscription that uses closed / sold data). They’re having a bit of a technical issue with their data collection, so not every number is exactly correct, however it still offers useful market analysis.
Prices are sometimes ticking up or down slightly, but overall, homes are increasing in price over time, selling fast, and well over list price. It’s a good seller’s market.
| Trends At a Glance |
Aug 2023 |
Previous Month |
Year-over-Year |
| Median Price |
$2,180,000 (+0.5%) |
$2,169,000 |
$1,917,500 (+13.7%) |
| Average Price |
$2,232,720 (-3.8%) |
$2,319,840 |
$1,969,150 (+13.4%) |
| No. of Sales |
29 (+31.8%) |
22 |
20 (+45.0%) |
| Pending |
15 (-28.6%) |
21 |
27 (-44.4%) |
| Active |
15 (-21.1%) |
19 |
39 (-61.5%) |
| Sale vs. List Price |
101.8% (-1.2%) |
103.1% |
97.8% (+4.1%) |
| Days on Market |
15 (+12.5%) |
13 |
21 (-30.4%) |
| Days of Inventory |
16 (-40.1%) |
26 |
59 (-73.5%) |
And the month before:
| Trends At a Glance |
Jul 2023 |
Previous Month |
Year-over-Year |
| Median Price |
$2,169,000 (+3.0%) |
$2,105,000 |
$2,275,000 (-4.7%) |
| Average Price |
$2,319,840 (+0.9%) |
$2,298,780 |
$2,566,140 (-9.6%) |
| No. of Sales |
22 (-33.3%) |
33 |
14 (+57.1%) |
| Pending |
22 (-35.3%) |
34 |
28 (-21.4%) |
| Active |
18 (-5.3%) |
19 |
44 (-59.1%) |
| Sale vs. List Price |
103.1% (+1.0%) |
102.0% |
103.6% (-0.5%) |
| Days on Market |
13 (-30.9%) |
19 |
21 (-37.7%) |
| Days of Inventory |
25 (+47.0%) |
17 |
94 (-74.0%) |
Altos Research charts for Almaden Valley real estate market, single family homes segment (more…)
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 | May 12, 2023 | Almaden Valley (SJ), Cambrian Park (SJ), Campbell, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Market Reports, Monte Sereno, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose (all areas), Santa Clara, Saratoga, Silicon Valley, Sunnyvale, Willow Glen (SJ)
Is it a good time to sell a home in Silicon Valley? One of the best ways to get a pulse on the real estate market with an eye to selling or buying is with the months of inventory (MOI), also known as the absorption rate. This is the months of supply of housing for sale.
The months of inventory tells us how fast the current inventory of properties will be sold off if sales were to continue at the same rate with no new inventory were to come on the market.
The easiest analogy is with a bathtub full of water. If we added no more water to the tub, and the drain were opened, how much time would it take for the water to be depleted if it continued to empty at the same rate? That’s the question being answered with the absorption rate of inventory.
Or, simpler still, if you have an hourglass that you turn over, how long does it take for the sand to empty from the top (since you cannot add more sand to that end)?
How to calculate the months of inventory or MOI
The way to calculate the months of inventory is simple: find the current available inventory of homes for sale (not under contract or sale pending), then find the number of homes with that exact criteria which have closed escrow in the last 30 days. Divide the first by the second and you get the months of inventory. Or, I can just use the stats program on the MLS to generate that number, as I did today.
Earlier I pulled this data from MLSListings.com, our local MLS association (of which I am a member) and I ran the numbers for single family homes (houses and duet homes) in Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose (all areas combined), Santa Clara, Saratoga, Sunnyvale. Separately, I also ran this same query for the City of San Jose by district.
The months of inventory by city or town in Santa Clara County
A balanced market for our area is 2-3 months of inventory (for most of the US it’s 4-6 months). Two months or less is a seller’s market, and one month or less is a very hot seller’s market.
Here’s a look at the months of inventory by city or town in SCC in April 2023 for single family homes. As you can see, the vast majority of the county is a strong seller’s market, with the only exception being Los Altos Hills.
Which are the hottest markets? They’re the ones with the smallest months of inventory -Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Cupertino, Milpitas and many more are well under the 2 month market. A few are a tad higher and in the “balanced market” area, and only one is in a deep buyer’s market.
The months of inventory by area within the City of San Jose
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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, Clair Handy | Nov 3, 2022 | Almaden Valley (SJ), Cambrian Park (SJ), Campbell, Cupertino, Foothill Areas, Los Altos, Los Gatos, Market Info, Market Reports, Monte Sereno, Palo Alto, Saratoga
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. But what does it cost to buy that “average home”? Tonight I did a study on the MLS of homes that have sold and closed escrow in the last 4 months with these characteristics:
- single family home (house)
- 4 bedrooms
- 2 full bathrooms
- 1800 to 2200 square feet of living space
- 6000 to 10,000 sf lot
Disclaimers aside, here are the numbers for select West Valley Communities in the West/South Bay area with good schools.
Cost to Buy 4 Bed 2 Bath Home in Popular Silicon Valley Communities
The first number is the number of sales during that time (more sales = more reliable averages). This one is not in the older charts, but with inventory as low as it has been lately this makes a huge difference. The second number is the average sales price per square foot, the third number is the average sales price, and the last number is the average days on market:
And now a look back to late winter, early spring of 2017…
What’s changed? A lot! The order has shifted some, showing where demand has increased or decreased. Most noticeably, the prices are mostly up significantly, which is most noticeable in the price per square foot. Cambrian has traveled a good deal up the ladder. Palo Alto and Los Altos were displaced by the sole Saratoga sale, and Blossom Valley of San Jose remains in it’s regular position at the bottom.
The home prices tend to run with school rankings. Previously this was by district API scores. You can check the 2013, three year average, API scores in Santa Clara County for both the districts and the individual schools online here, however that system is no longer used. So how to people judge? Most buyers use sites like GreatSchools.org when looking for a home with good schools which ranks schools on a scale of 1-10 in a few categories. (more…)
by Mary Pope-Handy, Clair Handy | Sep 11, 2022 | Almaden Valley (SJ), homes for sale
Browse Almaden homes for sale here! This scenic part of San Jose, which mostly follows the 95120 zip code, sits nestled between the coastal mountain range and the Santa Teresa foothills.
If you are just getting to know this South San Jose area, you might want to begin by reading this article first:
What are the advantages of buying a home in Almaden Valley?
Many Silicon Valley home buyers are looking for new construction, but the best land in Santa Clara County was built up decades ago, so there are not many new homes in Almaden Valley, San Jose.
Pricing comments for the Almaden homes for sale
The Almaden homes for sale with Leland High School tend to sell for more than those with other schools as it is so high scoring, however, all of the public schools in Almaden Valley are good! One of the most affordable neighborhoods for that part of 95120 is Creekside Almaden. At the end of that article you can see any Creekside Almaden homes for sale.
Other factors that will impact the sale price are views, as some homes enjoy some elevation or have particularly stunning vistas, as well as the home’s size, condition, lot size, landscaping, and other typical elements.
Each month we update the Almaden Valley real estate market conditions, so you may want to bookmark it and visit often.
Listings now available in 95120: Almaden homes for sale
These will include everything showable in the 95120 zip code, including the prized New Almaden homes for sale. The most recently added Almaden homes for sale will appear first. Please also read “an important word about the total number of listings” below, as feeds such as this one may only show a large percentage, but not all, available houses, townhouses, or condominiums to buy.
- List View
- Map View
- Grid View
-
$2,378,999
-
Lot Size
10,612 sqft
-
Home Size
2,364 sqft
-
Beds
4 Beds
-
Baths
3 Baths
-
Year Built
1965
-
-
$1,949,000
-
Lot Size
6,234 sqft
-
Home Size
1,859 sqft
-
Beds
4 Beds
-
Baths
2 Baths
-
Year Built
1965
-
-
$1,099,000
-
Lot Size
3,742 sqft
-
Home Size
1,222 sqft
-
Beds
3 Beds
-
Baths
2 Baths
-
Year Built
1985
-
-
$1,349,000
-
Lot Size
2,335 sqft
-
Home Size
1,470 sqft
-
Beds
3 Beds
-
Baths
3 Baths
-
Year Built
1985
-
-
$2,448,000
-
Lot Size
9,867 sqft
-
Home Size
3,260 sqft
-
Beds
4 Beds
-
Baths
3 Baths
-
Year Built
1979
-
-
$2,800,000
-
Lot Size
8,416 sqft
-
Home Size
2,364 sqft
-
Beds
4 Beds
-
Baths
4 Baths
-
Year Built
1965
-
-
$2,498,800
-
Lot Size
16,070 sqft
-
Home Size
2,544 sqft
-
Beds
4 Beds
-
Baths
3 Baths
-
Year Built
1970
-
-
$2,195,000
-
Lot Size
39,540 sqft
-
Home Size
2,526 sqft
-
Beds
4 Beds
-
Baths
3 Baths
-
Year Built
1977
-
-
$2,200,000
-
Lot Size
9,122 sqft
-
Home Size
2,171 sqft
-
Beds
4 Beds
-
Baths
2 Baths
-
Year Built
1973
-
-
$1,299,000
-
Lot Size
3,071 sqft
-
Home Size
1,502 sqft
-
Beds
3 Beds
-
Baths
3 Baths
-
Year Built
1986
-
See all Almaden area of San Jose, California Real Estate.
(all data current as of
9/28/2023)
Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.
An important word about the total number of listings and what is displayed here
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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 26, 2022 | Almaden Valley (SJ), Parks
Recently my family and I visited the Guadalupe Oak Grove Park in Almaden Valley. As the bird flies, it’s less than 2 miles from our home, but somehow we hadn’t been there before. We loved it and I thought our readers might enjoy seeing some images and learning more about this cool pocket of nature in suburbia.
There are some informative signs in the park. One stated that there are 15 types of oak trees in California – something I had not previously known. In this park there are several types of oaks, including, I believe live oak, valley oak, black oak, blue oak, and the California buckeye, which is related. (There are some empty or blank sign stands along the trail. For neophyte explorers like myself, it would be great if they would indicate which type of oak is which.)
Guadalupe Oak Grove Park boasts 62.7 acres with paths or trails. Some of these trails are fairly level and not on challenging terrain, while others are more steep. The trails wind through varying types of vegetation. Some parts are dotted with oak tress, others are shrubs or grasses.
It’s located at 5982 Thorntree Drive San Jose, CA 95120 and is open from 8 a.m. to sunset daily. More location info is at the bottom of this post.
This is immediately adjacent to Jeffrey Fontana Park, which has a playground, lawns, and the more typical neighborhood park features, so it’s very convenient to visit both in one day. Guadalupe Oak Grove Park does not have a tot lot, youth playground area, et cetera, per the city of San Jose’s page for this park.
Close to the parking lot there is a shady stretch where you’ll find log benches to the side. It’s a pleasant spot to just relax and watch the birds and other animals.
Other sections are grassland. Right now, they are dried out (so it’s no surprise that barbecues are not allowed here!). It was mild the day we stopped by, but this area might be uncomfortably toasty on a summer day.
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