What is the agent visual inspection, or AVID, and why is it required with home sales in California?
The short answer on the purpose of the AVID
When real estate sales people represent buyers and sellers on residential real estate transactions in CA, they must do a visual inspection of the property as part of their disclosure obligations. In other words, they are required to walk through the property, inside and out, and look carefully at what they sell and advise the parties to the contract of any red flags noticed.
This is required by the state. It is not optional.
If an attentive Realtor walks through and notes something that would make a buyer unhappy to discover after close of escrow, that agent needs to note it on the required form so that any such concerns are disclosed to the home buyer(s).
Video discussing the AVID, or Agent Visual Inspection Disclosure
Where do the agents write up their visual inspection disclosure comments?
Agent Visual Inspection Disclosure, top of page 1
Sometimes the real estate licensees will simply make a few comments on page 3 of the Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS). More and more, though, they are completing the separate 3 page AVID (Agent Visual Inspection Disclosure) form instead. It is larger and allows for more thorough list of items noted. Both approaches are permitted by law to fulfill that obligation, though.
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
The Parker Ranch neighborhood is found in the low western foothills of Saratoga along the Cupertino border, making it a fantastic commute location for many high tech workers. With larger homes and lots, it’s easy to stretch out! The rolling hills make a pleasant vista, or, if you’re in a higher elevation provide beautiful valley views. The Parker Ranch subdivision boasts highly acclaimed Cupertino schools. There are many reasons why this is a much beloved area of Saratoga.
There are just shy of 80 houses and luxury homes in Parker Ranch, so it’s not a hugely populous area, but it is fairly large. Here are a few quick facts on this scenic subdivision:
Range of home size: 2,797-7,500 SF
Average SF: 4,517 SF
Range of lot size: 22,000-146,361 SF
Average Lot: 70,786 SF
Years Built: 1900-2013, lots of development in the 1980s
Side note for history buffs: this land was once owned by “Painless Parker“, the famous – or infamous – dentist. Click on the link to learn more!
What do homes cost in the Parker Ranch area?
Because there’s an incredible variety in home and lot size, as well as age and condition, it’s not easy to pinpoint the likely price of the neighborhood. However, as a very broad rule, most homes will currently sell north of $3.5 million.
What are the subdivision’s boundaries?
Map Boundaries: Streets include Vista Arroyo Ct, Star Ridge Ct, Prospect Rd (pasture only), Picea Ct, Pheasant Ridge Rd, Parker Ranch Rd (major road), Parker Ranch Ct, Farr Ranch Rd (2nd major road), Farr Ranch Ct, Diamond Oaks Ct, Continental Cir, Comer Dr, and Chiquita Ct. To the W and N, the border is Prospect rd. A SW portion borders the Saratoga Country Club. To the S is Mt Eden.
Any special issues with Parker Ranch homes?
As with all homes in or near the coastal foothills, there are special challenges that go with the scenic views and abundant open spaces. Water and drainage will be very important to manage here, controlling the flow of the water away from the home and away from crawl spaces takes more work when there are slopes.
There are high voltage power lines running through part of the community, with some homes built very close to both the lines and the towers.
Part of Parker Ranch may hear train sounds. Some of the area may be in unstable soils zone (landslide areas, common west of Saratoga Sunnyvale Road). Most or perhaps all of it is in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, which is a higher risk area for fire, but also means the insurance premiums will be much more expensive.
The San Jose CA 95129 real estate market area, which is sometimes referred to as the “Cupertino Border” area and is generally part of West San Jose, is highly desirable for many reasons, including a short commute to tech employers such as Apple. Below we’ll review home values by school districts, both for starter homes and for homes with more than 1500 square feet.
The school district situation is a little confusing in San Jose CA 95129, but as schools are a major driver of real estate values, it’s imperative to consider their impact on housing prices.
About 60% of this zip code is in the Fremont Union High School District (Lynbrook High) and in the Cupertino Union School District (several different schools)
The rest is in the Campbell Union High School District (Prospect High), with most of that area in the Moreland School District, but a little bit in the Campbell Union School District (several schools)
On Great Schools, the scores for these schools range from 4 or 5 on the low end to 10 on the high side.
Here’s a map that I’ve marked up. The initial map came from the MLS, which shows the approximate zip code boundaries (bright blue) and the high school district boundary (purple or berry colored). These are never 100% precise, always check with the school district to be sure about the assigned school or district.
In the upper right corner you can see a tiny little polygon, almost a square, for the part of 95129 with Campbell Union School District. Moreland schools are mainly on the southeast side of the zip code. Cupertino schools are on the far west and northern section, except for that postage stamp area with Campbell schools.
The homes with Moreland and Campbell schools sell at lower prices than those with Cupertino schools, making them more affordable and also very desirable as a close in commute location.
The homes in San Jose with Cupertino schools sell for less than those houses in the City of Cupertino with the exact same schools, making this pocket a relative bargain, too.
No matter which district you’re considering, most of this area is a good ‘bang for the buck’ part of the valley.
San Jose CA 95129 real estate stats for starter homes
Today we’ll consider the real estate market activity for houses in this area today and in relation to recent history as of today, July 18, 2023, and looking at sales data for the last 60 days.
In the last 60 days, there were 29 single family homes sold in this zip code. Of them, 15 were “starter homes”, meaning that they have 1500 SF or less. Here is the data for the starter homes in all school districts of this zip code area:
Days on market – 13
Average square footage – 1392 SF
Average lot size – 6227 SF
Average list price – $2,035,056
Average sale price – $2,294,453
Average age of the home – 62 years
Average sale to list price ratio – 113% (range of 94% to 138%)
Average price per SF – $1,652.29
For the 10 homes with Fremont Union High School District:
The Cameo Park West neighborhood is located close to where Los Gatos, Campbell, and Saratoga meet. It’s actually in the City of Campbell but has a Los Gatos mailing address. This is a tidy community bordered by Pollard Road, San Tomas Aquino Creek, the Highway 85 freeway, and Rolling Hills Middle School.
The 122 or so homes here were built in 1966 and 1967 by one of the better tract builders in the area, Leep Homes. Houses range from 1380 square feet to 2620 SF, and lot sizes run between 6000 SF and about 12,600 SF. A typical home might have around 1800 SF and be situated on an 8000 SF lot. The houses have thoughtful floor plans and the bedrooms and living areas are usually a good size.
Leep homes tend to have a fairly consistent layout – here are the 1 story home traits
most are single story homes
front porch with two bedrooms facing the front (sometimes one goes further into the front yard than the other)
formal entryway, often with double doors
step down living room straight ahead from the foyer (the rest of the house is all the same level)
fireplace located on side of living room closest to kitchen – it’s often a two way fireplace
kitchen (and sometimes also a family room) just behind the garage
laundry in the attached 2 car garage but close to the kitchen, usually immediately next to the door from the garage to the kitchen
bedrooms are all down a hall in the opposite direction from the kitchen. Just before the master bedroom suite there will be the hall bath (then inside the master suite, the owner’s bathroom and then bedroom)
the master bedroom faces the back yard, often leading to a patio shared between the kitchen (family room) and living room
central, forced air heat
hardwood floors
copper plumbing
no formal dining room (but plenty of space in the kitchen for eating)
sliding glass doors from the master bedroom, the living room and kitchen / family room
Below is a pan of one of the streets in Cameo Park West, taken in 2011.
Strengths and weaknesses of the Cameo Park West neighborhood
It’s very easy to list the strengths of this neighborhood: it’s very clean, well kept, had a good builder, convenient location (close to two schools and only a block or two or three to Safeway and nearby shops). Major shopping is within easy reach at Westgate, El Paseo and nearby (appx 7 minute drive). For those wishing to take Lawrence Expressway, it’s a breeze – just hop onto Quito and it becomes Lawrence, making a lot of commutes simpler, easier and faster. For Los Gatos, this location is closer to places like Apple, Google, and other high tech centers (as compared to downtown Los Gatos or east LG).
The elementary school is Marshall Lane, the middle is Rolling Hills and the high is Westmont. Both the elementary and middle enjoy high scores on the major school assessment websites.
The negatives do not impact everyone, but that said, they do exist. At one end of the neighborhood, there’s super close proximity to Highway 85, to the train tracks and to the high voltage power lines and towers. Those are never a plus.
Many homes along Elwood back up to Rolling Hills Middle School. Is that a negative or a positive? That really depends on your point of view, and some would prefer to back to a school yard than to another house. But most buyers would prefer another location for their home.
What do homes cost in the Cameo Park West area?
Like most of the 95032 zip code, it’s unlikely to find a house for under $1.5 million there today (if you do, it is likely in “fixer” condition). To be able to purchase one of these homes, be prepared to pay between $1.7 million and $1.8 million in most cases. Of course, it could always be less or more depending on exact location, size and condition of home, plus the marketing situation (is it easy to see, is it clean and without bad odors, has it been fairly updated etc.).
If you love older residential areas with classic architecture and a canopy of street trees, you’ll want to know about the Buena Vista neighborhood in San Jose.
Situated between downtown San Jose and the Valley Fair & Santana Row areas, there’s a lot going on that’s not far away.
Buena Vista neighborhood location
Where is Buena Vista? Roughly, it includes areas north of Hwy 280, south of San Carlos, east of Leigh and west of Meridian. It is considered part of Central San Jose by the local MLS.
The eastern half of the area is in the 95126 zip code, and the western section is in the 95128 zip code.
Nearby neighborhoods include Burbank, Shasta – Hanchett Park, Sunol – Midtown, and Rose Garden on the north side of 280. South of 280 lies Willow Glen and the Sherman Oaks neighborhood.
What are homes like in the Buena Vista neighborhood?
The architecturally diverse and entirely charming Rose Garden neighborhood in San Jose is perennially attractive to home buyers. Silicon Valley residents appreciate the easy access to downtown San Jose and travel routes, but perhaps even more are drawn by the beautiful park the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden. They also appreciate that this is not just another area filled with tract style homes. Many of the properties in this part of the 95126 zip code are custom or semi-custom built and enjoy a wide variety of styles. Here are a few images of houses in the Rose Garden neighborhood of San Jose:
Charming English Tudor style house
Lovely Spanish style house in the Rose Garden area of Central San Jose
Enchanting Mediterranean style house in the Rose Garden area
A two story home with a detached garage, which is typical in the Rose garden.
Where is the Rose Garden neighborhood?
Boundaries for the community are not well defined, but generally this neighborhood is considered to be South of 880, East of Bascom, West of the Alameda from 880 to Naglee Ave, and then West of Dana Ave to Lincoln High or Forest Ave. This area has over 1,000 homes. Some might say the area included is much larger, or much closer in to the park, but these lines generally represent the safe bet for what is considered Rose Garden neighborhood.
The Kooser neighborhood is conveniently located, features sought after schools, and offers a good value in San Jose’s Cambrian district. Many of the street are tree lined and most homes are well kept. This part of the valley has some nice perks, such as being close to the J & P Cosentino Family Farm as well as the Princeton Plaza Mall. Freeway access is a breeze!
I’ve sold a few houses in this area and my clients have all been very happy living there.
The street pictured above is Joseph Lane. It’s one of the many roads in this part of San Jose which enjoys mature trees lining the sidewalks and streets.
Where is the Kooser neighborhood?
The Kooser neighborhood is located within the Cambrian area of San Jose, 95118.
The boundaries for the Kooser neighborhood are Camden Avenue to the west, Kooser Road to the south, Meridian Avenue to the east, and Highway 85 to the north.
From here it’s very easy to access Highway 85 via Camden Avenue (there’s a Park & Ride at that intersection, too) or to make use of Blossom Hill Road to move east-west.
There’s a weekly farmer’s market at the Princeton Plaza Mall, some great shops and places to dine, too. The new OSH, or now Outdoor Supply Hardware, is a wonderful store as well.
Today we’ll share with you the Saratoga California neighborhood map! Saratoga is home to some stunning neighborhoods and subdivisions and is one of the most sought after areas in Silicon Valley.
Within this pretty city, have you ever wondered what neighborhood is where? Perhaps you’ve heard of Saratoga Oaks, The Golden Triangle, Parker Ranch, Prides Crossing or The Platinum Triangle and had no idea where they were. While there is some disagreement on select boundaries, the general areas can be identified fairly easily. The tricky thing is that some of the boundaries are “messy” and at times, that there’s more than a little overlap!
I have created and been updating Google map where I hand drew in most of the residential areas’ approximate borders in Saratoga. I hope that you find it helpful! Click on the map image to the right or use this link to see the live map on Google (you will be able to click on an area and see the neighborhood name, and in some cases, a little local information on it too).
Saratoga neighborhoods and subdivisions mapped and described include The Golden Triangle, Blue Hills, Prides Crossing, Fruitvale, Platinum Triangle, Bellgrove, The Vineyards, Saratoga Oaks, Austin Corners, Montewood, Parker Ranch, Les Chateaux de Notre Dame, Squirrel Hollow, Saratoga Village, Brookview, and several more.
Interested in the Saratoga real estate market statistics? See the most current data here:
The Ranch on Silver Creek is a newer subdivision in the Evergreen area of San Jose with the 95138 zip code (that zip code is shared with part of South San Jose on the valley floor). It enjoys a lovely knoll top location – and recently I flew over it and grabbed a nice image to share with my readers here:
Aerial view of The Ranch on Silver Creek (taken by MPH in January 2019)
What is the neighborhood like on The Ranch on Silver Creek?
Mediterranean or contemporary style homes were built there between 2003 and 2006 – which makes them practically “brand new” by Silicon Valley real estate standards! The community is set around a golf course & clubhouse and is nestled in the hills such that there are many different views available from one area to the next without leaving the neighborhood. Many San Jose area home buyers strongly prefer newer homes in newer communities, rather than a remodeled home in an older neighborhood, and this area will certainly fill that requirement. It’s a tidy area with sidewalks which invite a comfortable stroll to discover the sights.
In Evergreen: The Ranch on Silver Creek’s view of Downtown San Jose
What are homes like at The Ranch?
There are a few hundred homes, so there’s quite a bit of variety there. Entry level townhomes are nice, but fairly modest, and at the other end of the spectrum there are estate quality properties on large view lots.
Houses range from about 2,000 square feet to more than 4,000 square feet. The tiniest parcels or lots are less than 4,000 SF and are townhomes or town houses, and the largest homes, generally, sit on land sized between 1/3 and 1/2 acre (though most are not so big).
Many houses are 2 stories, but there’s a fair number of single story homes, too. Most properties include an attached 2 car garage.
High ceilings, open floor plans, plenty of windows with lots of natural light are all typical here at the Ranch.
As with most newer construction, these houses are built on slab foundations.
Evergreen the Ranch subdivision 1
What does it cost to buy a house at The Ranch? How’s the real estate market?
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.
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If you love older residential areas with classic architecture and a canopy of street trees, you’ll want to know about the Buena Vista neighborhood in San Jose.
