Silicon Valley Real Estate Info

There has been a lot of discussion recently in Los Altos about it’s sign ordinance, part of which covers the placement of real estate open house signs.  An article  in the Los Altos Town Crier highlights some of the issues as does this editorial.  There is even an editorial alleging that the biggest abuser of Los Altos’ sign [...]

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The costs associated with preparing your home for sale will likely go up due to a new EPA rule that goes into effect on Thursday.  The Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) rule  requires those who are paid to renovate residential structures that contain children must use lead safe building practices.  According to the EPA’s website: The Renovation, Repair, [...]

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The National Flood Insurance Program has expired and it was not extended prior to Congress taking its spring break.  The absence of this Program may make it difficult if not impossible to secure flood insurance  on property located in flood hazard areas.  Most institutional lenders will not fund a loan secured by real property in a [...]

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Our local housing market is based on the strength of our local economy.  The Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation recently released its 76 page Index of Silicon Valley report (note: report takes awhile to download): The 76-page 2010 Index reports the latest data and trends in economic development, workforce, [...]

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Are you a first time home buyer who isn’t quite sure whether now is the time to buy?  The State of California is trying to motivate you by offering an incentive to those first time home buyers who make the move in 2010.  Under a newly enacted California law, a home buyer may receive up to $10,000 [...]

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I new listing came on the market recently in South Los Altos that has a bit of a history.  Several years back (and several owners back), a fairly graphic suicide occurred in the home.  Is a seller and/or his/her agent required to disclose that a death by suicide occurred in a house when the suicide occurred over [...]

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There were 27 properties on today’s Cupertino/Sunnyvale broker’s tour.  5 properties were being re-tour and 22 were new listings.  Although I was unable to visit every property, I did have a favorite.  Drum roll please….. I liked 1537 Ashcroft Way in Sunnyvale.  Listed by the Levy Team of the Sereno Group, this 3 bedroom, 2 bath [...]

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There has recently been a lot written about the relatively new appraisal regulation called the Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC).   The gist of the HVCC is to ensure that the loan broker/Realtor doesn’t unduly influence the valuation of a property by pressing the appraiser for an artificially inflated value.  It does so by preventing those who are most likely to benefit [...]

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I recently met with a potential seller who had a great question regarding title policies.  When they bought their house, they bought a title policy.  If they sell their house, they’ll be buying another title policy.  They wanted to know why they had to pay for a title policy when they bought their home and [...]

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RSVP, the Realtor Service Volunteer Program, is an annual community volunteer program supported and sponsored by the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors.  The nuts and bolts of the program is to provide household assistance like cleaning up neglected landscaping, gutters, washing windows, replacing smoke detector batteries, flipping mattresses and moving furniture for seniors or the home-bound [...]

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