How is the Monte Sereno real estate market? Because the city is small, with just about 3,500 residents, there are usually few homes listed for sale or selling, and with small numbers we can get seemingly volatile statistics. This article is updated monthly with new data and analysis, so scroll down to read the latest and check back regularly. Here are a few details from the latest market update:
With so few sales and listings, Monte Sereno real estate data can appear to swing quite wildly, so take it with a grain of salt.
This city appears to be in a seller’s market with severely low inventory – just 2 available homes at the end of July. Slim pickings, down significantly from a few months ago mid-spring, just half of what there was last month, and a drop in the bucket compared to this time last year!
Closed sales have doubled since last month and last year, but with just 6 closed sales it’s still a small pool for data analysis. Pending sales plummetted to 1, falling sharply from the month before, but stable with this time last year.
Because there have been so few recent sales, buyers and sellers may need to also look to the nearby Los Gatos market to get an idea about market trends.
There are ALMOST no condominiums or townhomes in Monte Sereno. As of May 2026, the MLS showed just 6 sales in these two categories in total – and that’s going back to 1998! And one of those, at least, may actually be in Los Gatos. One of the major challenges for this city is to ensure that at least some housing units are deemed “affordable.” You can find the city’s housing plan here (an online pdf): http://www.montesereno.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/674
Because this is such a small city and there’s a tiny pool of data, please also have a look at the Los Gatos real estate market post on this site. Monte Sereno generally follows Los Gatos trends, so this neighbor city can give you an idea of the bigger picture.
Below is a quick market profile for the Monte Sereno real estate market. This is updated automatically weekly, so please check back often.
The Saratoga CA real estate market in July was similar to June with some mild softening. This may just be seasonally normal, but it seems to be a little more than typical.
Monthly trends at a glance for the Saratoga CA Real Estate Market
DATA REMINDER:Please note that the RE Report data is often a LITTLE different from the numbers when I pull them directly from the MLS. This is because the RE Report has a feed only of listings that were input by the listing agents directly into MLS Listings. That feed does not include anything from Bay East, CRMLS, or other MLS companies.
The average and median salele price rose annually, but fell monthly. Last July there were only 12 sales, though, so it’s not a large pool and may be skewed. The larger the pool of data, the more helpful it is.
Silver Leaf Park in the Santa Teresa area of San Jose
A scenic, more affordable part of San Jose with excellent freeway access is the Santa Teresa region, which is perhaps the southernmost part of the populated city. (The Anderson Lake area is partly in San Jose, and Coyote Valley is mostly in San Jose, but it’s not too populated.)
The east foothills and the Santa Teresa foothills create pleasant views and some areas are still rural. Price ranges have a wide gap between lowest and highest, with some luxury properties in some of the hilly eastern side. Most of the homes for sale, though, are less than the median or average for San Jose as a whole.
Where is the Santa Teresa area?
Per the MLS, the Santa Teresa district of San Jose spans a few zip codes 95119, 95138, 95139 and a little bit of 95123 north of 85 and the 95119 zip code. (The city of San Jose has a different map that includes far more of 95123.)
An easier description might be the area close to where Highway 101 and Highway 85 intersect in South San Jose, or the area through which Santa Teresa Boulevard runs. It is mostly north of the Coyote Valley, it borders on Blossom Valley and the southern part of Evergreen, and is just over the hills from the Almaden Valley. It truly is South San Jose, and part of it even has Morgan Hill Schools, though most of the area is served by the Oak Grove School District.
The most confusion seems to stem from where Blossom Valley ends and Santa Teresa begins. The answer is Cottle Road.
The Santa Teresa foothills include gorgeous, large open space, the Santa Teresa County Park. It’s a wonderful place to walk or hike, and for suburban dwellers, easy access to rural or natural space, even within the city.
Some of the better known neighborhoods in Santa Teresa are these:
Avenida Espana (95119 zip, has Morgan Hill Schools – Bernal Road is the cutoff)
Chantilly (95119 zip, has Morgan Hill Schools)
Edenvale (kind of a sub-district)
Sunspring
Silver Leaf (near Silver Leaf Park, between Monterey Highway & Hwy 101 – 95138 zip code)
Basking Ridge (newer homes on a small hill just over 101 – one of the last subdivisions you see before hitting the open countryside, north of Metcalf Road – 95138 zip code)
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…)
Just starting to house hunt? Today we’ll go over what to expect when viewing Silicon Valley homes for sale.
First, though, if you aren’t aware, there were real estate changes a year ago in the way the home buyers and their buyer agents work together. There now must be a written agreement between them that covers compensation. The link above will bring you to an article of ours that clarifies it.
Viewing Silicon Valley homes – some basics
There will be some nuances between private showings and viewing Silicon Valley homes during an open house, but here are some basics:
Many home sellers in the San Jose area will ask that you remove your shoes. So wearing slip ons of some kind will be a lot easier than footwear with laces, buckles, zippers etc.
Most of the time, sellers will not be home. They wisely will clear out, when possible, to give you the space to look without feeling like you’re imposing on them. Sometimes, though, for any number of reasons, this may not happen, particularly if you’re viewing homes for sale via a private appointment.
If sellers are home, they will usually answer the door or, worst case, respond when the agent and buyers enter and announce themselves. Once in awhile, though, there’s a surprise seller somewhere in the house. (Maybe one time in a hundred? I have run into people who were in bed, in a shower, on a couch and simply not responding.) So be alert when viewing homes, be cautious, or it could be like that scene in “E.T.” where ET and the little girl see each other and scream their lungs out.
Pets are usually not present and loose, but again, sometimes there’s a misfire, so be on guard for dogs and cats (more likely the latter). If dogs are present and loose I usually will not show the home. I love dogs and have owned many, but they’re not all equally friendly.
Personalization: usually sellers will have decluttered and depersonalized their homes so that you and other home buyers can “see themselves” in that space. For some sellers, particularly seniors, it can be very difficult to remove those items until the moving van is in the driveway. So be prepared to see at least some homes with an inordinate amount of stuff, whether it’s family photos, collections, religious imagery or worship space, rooms not being used for their intended purpose, and so on. In these places, you’ll need to be able to see past what’s currently there as the personal items can be confusing. For instance, I have seen family rooms used as dining rooms, dining rooms used as hobby rooms, bedrooms used as prayer or exercise rooms, garages divided into several smaller rooms (with easily removable walls), etc.
Normally, homes are clean and pleasant to see. Sometimes with distressed properties, tenant occupied (unmotivated residents), homes with invalid residents, or other physical or emotional situations the home may be a wreck. Know that you will probably see a wide spectrum of care for the house and yard.
Our fall weather here in Silicon Valley has settled into a seasonally wet pattern. Should selling your home in rainy weather be any different from other times of the year? Absolutely!
If you want to make the best impression on potential home buyers, your house, townhouse or condo needs to be inviting no matter what the weather may be doing. In the heat of summer, sellers are tempted to close up all the curtains to keep out the sun and heat – that’s a mistake because buyers typically don’t respond well to dark, cave like homes.
The cold, wet weather brings different challenges that also must be handled appropriately if you are to snag that best buyer!
Selling your home in rainy weather: quick tips
Here are a few tips to make your listing one that appeals to Silicon Valley home buyers who come out to see it despite unpleasant weather conditions.
Outdoor tips for wet weather showings
#1) Make sure that your downspouts are directing rain water away from your house or any structures (often 6′ or more is suggested); it is imperative that there be no “pooling” of water, especially near the home – this will cause buyers to worry about water in the crawl space and what it may be doing (foundation cracks, mold, etc.)
#2) Trim bushes and vegetation back from walkways and sidewalks. When it’s wet outside, these lovely bunches of greenery collect water and as visitors go past them, they can spill water onto the passers by. “Wet and cold” is not the experience you want buyers to have! Look at your sidewalks, driveway, and walkway and make sure that wet bushes and branches won’t be hitting anyone coming up to your front door.
#3) If the gutters leak, they’ll be noticed and will indicate that your property hasn’t been properly maintained, so repair or replace them. Often they just need cleaning out.
#4) Keep sidewalks, walkways, and patios clear of leaves as much as possible, as they can make a dangerously slippery surface if people walk on them.
#5) Visitors parking on the street may need to navigate past water in the gutters. If it’s easier for them to get onto the sidewalk strip, the better. Sometimes the sidewalk strip is full of tall bushes, such as juniper, and that can be challenging for auto passengers who don’t want to walk through a full gutter. Consider paths every few feet if doable. If the area isn’t planted, consider applying mulch to prevent mud.
#6) If you have a front porch, provide an absorbent doormat and a bench or seat so that visitors can wipe or remove their shoes (if that’s your desire) safely before going inside. Some kind of mat at every exterior door will help keep the whole home tidy.
#7) On dark, stormy days it’s nice to have welcoming front porch lights turned on. There are programmable switches set to timers that can do the job nicely, or light fixtures with sensers that switch the light on when it’s not bright out. Either one would create a more inviting impression.
Indoor tips for selling your home in rainy weather
Where do you look for the best MLS information when you’re house hunting online? Consumers have many choices, but they aren’t all equally comprehensive or updated.
Today we’ll touch on these relevant options:
Real estate agent and brokerage IDX feeds (and what is an IDX feed or syndication)?
Large portal MLS information (Realtor.com, Zillow, Redfin, and many others)
The MLS information from MLS Listings
Quick answer, for those who don’t want to read this whole article: the very best, most accurate and most often updated site for consumers wanting MLS information is via an automatic email, set up by your agent, from the public branch of our agent-supported Multiple Listing Service or MLS, which is MLSListings.com. For the full data, you must get your agent to share it with you – it won’t all be there if you just go to that website. I’ll explain below.
Syndication, Members Only listings, IDX, VOW, data sharing between MLS organizations
Syndication refers to the listings’ info being sent out to third parties for display on other sites. With syndication, as the listing agent updates the status to pending, sold, canceled, etc., the feed is supposed to automatically update. Sometimes there’s a lag or a glitch, though, so the info may not be as reliable (or up to date) for that reason.
Members Only listings in MLS Listings are not syndicated. They might be “Members Only: Do Not Show” (think of it like a Coming Soon) or they could be “Members Only: Show” (for whatever reason, the seller wants limited exposure – could be temporary, as the Days On Market do not accrue) (more…)
Multiple offers are common right now in the Silicon Valley real estate market. With them typically come overbids and sky high sales prices. Clair and I have shown several homes that our buyers did not bid on but which got many offer contracts and which sold for 15 – 20% over list price just over the last 30 days or so.
The hottest part of the market seems to be properties under $2 or $3 million, depending on the area.
When there are tons of buyers lining up to purchase a home, the sellers have usually put a substantial amount of time, energy, and money into making their property look fantastic, and they also take a risk in pricing it low to attract a large number of home buyers.
Multiple offers are common when property sells fast – but it doesn’t always!
When there aren’t multiple offers, it could be location issues, condition of the property (or neighborhood), overpricing (the most common culprit), difficulty in viewing the home, or other missteps on the selling side. Buyers today want a turnkey home in a superior location that’s in great shape – not remodeled 20 years ago or more – and they will pay a premium price for it.
When homes have been on the market for 3 weeks or more, this may be a great opportunity for buyers to be the lone bidder on it. Does it have the right things wrong? Can what is off be fixed? Is it only overpriced? I would suggest buyers focusing on all of the inventory and not just the hot new inventory.
Why is it that multiple offers are common now?
There are a couple of reasons why homes that are in great shape, priced low, and given good exposure to the market are selling so strongly now.
First, there is a dire shortage of inventory, or lack of supply. This is a chronic problem, but it’s acutely so now due to the higher interest rates and home owners not wanting to sell. It’s unlikely for this to change anytime soon, unfortunately.
Second, because Silicon Valley residential real estate has a long track record with good appreciation, those who can buy want to do so. Many are empowered by the rising stock market. If they are here for the long haul, buying makes more sense than renting.
Many are purchasing with more than 20% down, and they will watch for an opportunity to refinance.
Others are buying all cash. Those buyers may be anywhere from 15% to 35 % of the successful home buyers.
The inventory crisis will likely improve a little as the year goes on because inventory normally rises with the peak being somewhere in the summer most years. No guarantee – sometimes it doesn’t behave “as usual”.
How can you tell if a home is going to get multiple offers or what the selling price will be?
These are really two different, but related, questions. (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:
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”
How is the Monte Sereno real estate market? Because the city is small, with just about 3,500 residents, there are usually few homes listed for sale or selling, and with small numbers we can get seemingly volatile statistics. This article is updated monthly with new data and analysis, so scroll down to read the latest and check back regularly. Here are a few details from the latest market update:
Where do you look for the best MLS information when you’re 
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.
