The Cambrian Park real estate market for houses and duet homes (not a duplex) remains a warm to hot seller’s market, depending on the location, condition, etc. It peaked quite early in 2026, and we’ve been seeing fairly consistent month over month cooling ever since. The condo market
The condo market is softer than the single family home market, which is often the case.
Uncertainty with tech layoffs, visa challenges, inflation, the threat of even higher interest rates, and the war in Iran are all part of the reason for the cooling that we are seeing here and elsewhere.
For those new to the area, Cambrian is most of the 95124 zip code (south of Foxworthy) and most of 95118 (west of Almaden Expressway). It borders Los Gatos, Campbell, Willow Glen, and Blossom Valley. Part of 95124 has Union School District schools, part has Cambrian School District Schools with the Campbell Unified High School District . Part of 95118 has Union schools (and CUHSD), but most is under San Jose Unified School District.
Currently, we have 2 fantastic Cambrian listings and they’ll be open this Saturday, Sept 12, 2026. Please scroll to the bottom of this article for the details and links to more info.
MLS Charts for 95124 and 95118 to provide a quick overview on market conditions
Normally we just provide the RE Report and Altos Research data, but today I wanted to supplement it with multi-month info to provide a better understanding of trends. I tried to pull these for both single family homes and also condos and townhouses, but there are so few condo-TH sales that the MLS deemed it not enough to be useful. (Error message: “Found just 85 listings, possibly too few to chart meaningfully.”) Here are a couple for single family homes.
Average Days on Market or DOM (for homes that sold, not for listed houses) and the Sale Price to List Price Ratio for 95124 and 95118 (a little of 95118 is in Blossom Valley). The DOM has pretty consistently grown in 2026 since a low in February. The Sale to List Price Ratio jiggles a little, but is generally the inverse, with an upward blup in June and July.
Multiple offer situations have returned to many segments of the Silicon Valley real estate market, particularly for houses. We are hearing about them all over due to the incredibly low inventory. (Check out the San Jose real estate market analysis for the latest, custom stats.)
What Silicon Valley home sellers need to know and do to attract multiple offer situations
If you’re a Silicon Valley home seller, what do you need to know to try to get multiple bids on your home? What should you beware of? In short, here’s what needs to happen if you want to attract throngs of home buyers on your home for sale:
The home must be turnkey, either fully remodeled or close to it – it must look like there’s nothing or very little for a buyer to do. In addition to being turnkey, it must be squeaky clean and well staged! It needs to be comfortable – not too hot, not too cold. You want buyers and their agent to linger longer.
The price must be at or even under market value. That is, you must be willing to price it aggressively. Think it’s worth $1,050,000? You might list it at $999,999 to get in under a major price threshold and to be the very best, most attractive property for the money. Yes, it might be under priced. Over priced listings get either one offer at best or, more likely, none at all.
The property must be highly accessible. If it is hard to see, you probably won’t get multiple offers (and may get none at all). (Please see articles on accessibility and on open houses.)
Finally, the property must be well marketed. This includes a wide range of factors ranging from photographs, text, fliers, signs, and even the commission rate offered to the buyer’s side.
What Silicon Valley home buyers need to know and do to compete in multiple offer situations
If you’re a Silicon Valley home buyer, how do you win out in multiples without giving away all of your rights or overpaying for your house/home? (more…)
Not everyone is familiar with the term “patio home” or “zero lot line” house when searching for Silicon Valley real estate. Awhile back, 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 always 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: (more…)
The Cambrian Gardens neighborhood is situated close to the Los Gatos border and is one of the more affordable Cambrian neighborhoods, particularly if home buyers are looking with schools in mind first and foremost.
It enjoys lovely views of the hills, great public schools with strong test scores (and other metrics), 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 area in Cambrian Park 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 relatively good deal!
Where is the Cambrian Gardens neighborhood of Cambrian?
Map data: Google, boundaries and overlay by Mary Pope-Handy
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. (more…)
Cambrian Park, or more broadly, Cambrian, is a west San Jose neighborhood or district and is one of the high-value areas in Silicon Valley. The schools are good, the crime is low, and the commute is not too bad.
For people relocating to Santa Clara County, this is a place to know about since quality education and affordability are often high priorities! Most Silicon Valley home buyers would say that Cambrian Park real estate offers a very good value.
What’s the compromise for the more reasonable prices of homes for sale? Well, Cambrian doesn’t have an interesting, upscale downtown area like Campbell, Los Gatos, Saratoga, or Willow Glen. (It may, when the Cambrian Park Plaza redevelopment takes place.)
But it does have tons of shopping & restaurants and even a Farmer’s Market. It also enjoys a top notch hospital (Good Samaritan) and plenty of parks as well as a fantastic rec center with a large park adjacent to it, the Camden Community Center, which has loads of programs (including an after school program for youth), classes, and a fabulous pool.
Altogether, there are about 75,000 to 80,000 residents in Cambrian, spread throughout part of two zip codes, part of 95124 and some of 95118.
If there is a “central Cambrian Park”, it would have to be near the original Cambrian Park Shopping Center, which was the first actual mall in San Jose! That area is sometimes known as Cambrian Village. People sometimes use the three names interchangeably: Cambrian, Cambrian Park, Cambrian Village.
Where is Cambrian Park? Map of approximate Cambrian Boundaries:
Cambrian Park neighborhoods are very popular within San Jose. With close proximity to Los Gatos, Campbell, Willow Glen and Blossom Valley, there’s lots to do within Cambrian itself or very nearby. Cambrian also enjoys good schools, low crime, two newer libraries, two Farmer’s Markets, and a fabulous rec center, the Camden Community Center.
Cambrian Park neighborhoods
Where is Cambrian Park and how big is it? The 2010 census reported Cambrian Park as having less than 4,000 people, but it didn’t include all Cambrian Park neighborhoods! In contemporary usage, though, Cambrian consists of much more than the area known as “Cambrian Village” (which has this small population), and now includes about 75,000 residents in all.
The area includes most of the 95124 zip code plus the 95118 zip code. Historically, though, Cambrian was really a very vast area including much of Campbell and many areas now falling under different district names. The area is alternately known as Cambrian, Cambrian Park, and Cambrian Village – the latter referring to the area near Union & Camden Avenues.
How do you decide where in Cambrian to live? Many aspects of home buying will likely come into play, from schools desired and budget available to the ambiance and practical things you desire such as RV parking, an extra large garage, family room, guest suite, commute issues (proximity to freeways), etc.
School Districts serving the Cambrian Park neighborhoods
Your decision might be influenced by the school district you want; the Cambrian Park neighborhoods have three elementary school districts. Most are good to great – Cambrian Park almost no low scoring schools – but some are exceptionally high. Some districts may have more offerings for special needs kids or gifted kids – if you have children and are looking at placing them in the local public schools, do your research before you house hunt!
The north and northwest side of Cambrian Park (going into Campbell and Willow Glen) has schools belonging to the Cambrian School District (see map).
The east side of Cambrian Park (going toward Blossom Valley) is part of the territory of the San Jose Unified School District. Schools for all of San Jose are beautifully mapped out by the district – you have to zoom in to see the boundaries around Cambrian but it includes all three local districts so is worth the extra steps!
The southwest side of Cambrian (and east Los Gatos) is within the boundaries of the Union School District, which also has a helpful map of the borders. The map is a pdf and it is very detailed. (more…)
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 cancheck 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…)
Alta Vista Elementary School 200 Blossom Valley Dr, Los Gatos, CA 95032
The Alta Vista neighborhood, which sits along the border of Los Gatos and the Cambrian Park district of San Jose, is very highly sought after and valued for many reasons. Real estate prices vary depending upon the precise location within the neighborhood as well as the size and condition of the home.
Major draws include these:
good schools that are in the immediate neighborhood
shopping nearby
scenic area with many tree lined streets and close proximity of the hills
excellent commute access (Highway 85, Blossom Hill Road)
quick trip to downtown Los Gatos
Scenic, convenient Alta Vista neighborhood
Prior to being developed for housing, this spot at the base of Blossom Hill was once blanketed in orchards and was scenic enough that it was part of the “blossom tours” that used to take place at the height of the flowering. Hence, one large section of this neighborhood has street names that begin with “blossom”.
Most of the streets close to Alta Vista School are beautifully tree-lined, and from virtually everywhere in the neighborhood, you are close to Blossom Hill (that’s the name of the hill, not just the name of the road!). Homes are well kept, streets are wide enough, and except when there’s a school function, there really aren’t too many cars on the street. It is very scenic, pleasant and uncrowded feeling. Although you’re in the city or town, you feel close to the country there.
There are a few homes along Nimrick or Blossom Hill on large parcels, many of which enjoy beautiful valley views.
Additionally, many homebuyers select this area because the school scores are high and because it’s easy to get to the elementary and middle schools without crossing any major streets: that is a big plus! It is also a quick drive to highway 85, just a couple of miles to the Los Gatos shopping areas (at Los Gatos Blvd and Blossom Hill Road) or to Vasona Lake County Park. For many, it’s a way to be close to downtown Los Gatos.
Where is this neighborhood? What are the landmarks?
The neighborhood considered to be “Alta Vista” has three strong borders and one vague one. The three well defined edges are Blossom Hill Road, Union Avenue, and Los Gatos Almaden Road. The fourth boundary is approximately the edge of Ross Creek, which runs behind Westchester Drive, but perhaps some would argue that it goes a little further. The Westchester Manor area is highlighted on this website if you’d like to check it out.
SALE PENDING WITH 6 OFFERS! Closing Monday, May 10th.
f you are house hunting in Cambrian Park, there’s a gem of an opportunity at 2156 Ebbesen Avenue in the Villa Cambrian subdivision (Parker area) near Union Avenue and 85. This charming home is located on a quiet street and has been beautifully updated throughout. It’s updated throughout and enjoys highly prized Union Schools. Fantastic commute location, too!
Quick facts on 2156 Ebbesen Avenue
Offered at $1,423,000
4 bedrooms (1 used as an office with French door & built in bookshelves)
2 updated bathrooms – the hall bathroom enjoys a deep, jetted bath
1457 SF (per county records) of living space
Lot size 5911 SF (per county records, plat map shows lot as 60’x100′)
Built in 1965
single story home – just one step into the family room
attached 2 car garage with storage space & pull down ladder
This updated home has many upgrades!
updated kitchen with maple cabinets & Corian counter with breakfast bar
large, sunny living room
family room with gas log fireplace & built in bookshelves
screened in porch for indoor / outdoor living off the family room
beautiful engineered Brazilian cherry floors in living areas & hallway
fresh carpet in all 4 bedrooms
dual pane windows
central air conditioning
2 sun tunnels
loads of storage, including a large storage shed in backyard
Schools for 2156 Ebbesen Avenue
Carlton Elementary – Union School District Union Middle School – Union School District Leigh High School – Campbell Union High School District
Silicon Valley home buyers, sellers, and their real estate agents rely heavily on the professional advice, insights and opinions of home inspectors, whether it’s for the property generally (house, townhouse or condominium inspection) or for some other component, such as the roof, foundation, chimney, pool, heater, etc. One of the most frustrating – and sometimes maddening – experiences for everyone involved happens when inspectors disagree and their inspection reports provide conflicting advice.
Either extreme is bad, either “calling” something when it’s fine or missing something if it’s not. Often resolution is accomplished by having yet another inspector come out OR by having the two who disagree meet at the property to sort it out.
Here are some real examples I’ve experienced first hand over the years while selling residential real estate in Santa Clara County:
Over-called: General property inspector called for “further inspection” of heater, roof, or chimney because he said something’s wrong. Further inspection ordered by buyer or seller, and paid for by consumer – but the professional for that aspect of the home says it was just fine. Is it fine or not? The home buyer or seller is out some money and one of the two reports says there’s a problem with it but the other says it’s OK. (This happened a few times where the general inspector “called” things that experts said were in good working order. For that reason, I had to stop recommending him to my clients and began working with another inspector who wasn’t so over-eager that he called things which were not bad. When inspectors disagree with one particular inspector often, it’s time to find someone else.)
Crawl space nightmare: many homes have crawl spaces and if yours does, it’s important to either go down there yourself or have someone else do it for you periodically to check conditions there. My buyers were purchasing a home near Carlton Elementary in Cambrian (Los Gatos border) and the pre-sale pest or termite inspection (the only one available) was from a company with the absolute worst reputationin the valley, and that report said that there was not one thing wrong in a 50 year old house (highly unlikely!). We ordered new inspections, both home & pest. Both my inspectors found a lot of damage in the crawl space, amounting to about $10,000 in damage not reported by first inspector. The seller’s inspector had claimed to go into the crawl but it was evident that either he didn’t go or he didn’t do it thoroughly. The seller wanted his inspector’s company to do the repairs but we negotiated for a more reputable provider and got it.
My pre-sale chimney inspection, from a reputable inspector, said my listing’s fireplace and chimney were fine (Los Gatos border area, Alta Vista neighborhood). We got the home sold and the buyers ordered a new chimney inspection, and that mason said it was broken. My first inspector apologized for his error (after coming back out and looking at it again, verifying that it was, in fact, in need of fixing) and said he would do the repair at a reduced rate, but he couldn’t get to it prior to close of escrow. We could not use him because this had to be done prior to close of escrow. Since I had referred this man, I felt partly responsible for his error and offered to split the cost of the expensive chimney rebuilding with my clients. My sellers felt that was fair. I never, ever hired that chimney guy again.
Another house, another chimney: my pre-sale general inspection cleared the chimney in this lovely Cambrian Park home. Buyers ordered a chimney inspection to be sure and a young kid (maybe 18 years old?) came out and said the chimney was broken and needed repairing. My sellers paid for another chimney inspection, and a seasoned mason looked at it and said it was fine. The other agent and I arranged to have our seasoned mason and the boss of the young kid come out and both inspect it with everyone present. They did and said it was, in fact, fine. The young kid was there and I asked him why he “called” it. He responded, “I wasn’t sure so thought it was safer to have it rebuilt”. (At a cost of about $2000 as I recall!) My sellers were out about $100 for their inspection but did not have to rebuild the chimney. Sometimes, when inspectors disagree, it’s because one of them may be inexperienced.
Helping nice folks to buy and sell homes in Silicon Valley
Mary Pope-Handy, Realtor ABR, CIPS, CRS, SRES
Christie's International Real Estate Sereno, Los Gatos, CA 95030 408 204-7673 Mary@PopeHandy.com License# 01153805
Clair Handy, Realtor
GREEN
Christie's International Real Estate Sereno 214 Los Gatos-Saratoga Rd Los Gatos, CA 95030 ClairHandy@sereno.com License# 02153633
Mary & Clair sell homes throughout Silicon Valley: Santa Clara County, San Mateo County, and Santa Cruz County. with a special focus on: San Jose, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Campbell, Almaden Valley, Cambrian Park.
The real estate search
Use this link to browse properties which are for sale, under contract (pending) or sold. Want to view only homes which are available now?
Mary Pope-Handy, Realtor ABR, AHWD, CIPS, CRS, SRES Christie's International Real Estate Sereno DRE License #01153805 408-204-7673 mary@popehandy.com “Helping nice folks to buy and sell homes in Silicon Valley since 1993”
Clair Handy, Realtor, GREEN Christie's International Real Estate Sereno DRE License #02153633 408-721-6160 clairhandy@sereno.com “Helping nice folks to buy and sell homes in Silicon Valley”
This is the Valley of Heart's Delight blog , covering Silicon Valley real estate - Santa Clara County, San Jose, Los Gatos, Cupertino, and nearby communities in the South Bay Area and lower Peninsula. Find info on neighborhoods, disclosure issues, buyer and seller tips, and housing market conditions in the west valley and most of the county.Please also see my other websites and real estate market statistics site, which are listed in the sidebar, above.
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Mary Pope-Handy, Realtor ABR, CIPS, CRS, SRES Sereno DRE License #01153805 408-204-7673 mary@popehandy.com
“Helping nice folks to buy and sell homes in Silicon Valley since 1993”
The Cambrian Park real estate market for houses and duet homes (not a duplex) remains a warm to hot seller’s market, depending on the location, condition, etc. It peaked quite early in 2026, and we’ve been seeing fairly consistent month over month cooling ever since. The condo market
For people relocating to Santa Clara County, this is a place to know about since quality education and affordability are often high priorities! Most Silicon Valley home buyers would say that Cambrian Park real estate offers a very good value.
Where is Cambrian Park and how big is it? The 2010 census reported Cambrian Park as having less than 4,000 people, but it didn’t include all Cambrian Park neighborhoods! In contemporary usage, though, Cambrian consists of much more than the area known as “Cambrian Village” (which has this small population), and now includes about 75,000 residents in all.
