Menlo Park is a beautiful, vibrant community in northern Silicon Valley.  It’s known for tree-lined streets, fine dining, and close proximity to Stanford University and many of the world famous companies that are Silicon Valley’s major employers. Here are REO homes for sale in Menlo Park as of December 23, 2011.  Of 54 homes for sale in Menlo Park today, this is the only REO home.  Drop me a line for more information and to schedule a viewing of these or other properties in Silicon Valley. john@jsrealproperty.com   Type Price Bed/Bath Sq. Feet Notes Condo $304,111 1/1 760 Reduced from $336,966; 107 days on market   Start The New Year Receiving Automated Alerts With REO and Traditional Sales Homes That Are New On The Market!   It’s easy to sign up for automated emails that tell you when ... 12/23/2011

Menlo Park is a beautiful, vibrant community in northern Silicon Valley.  It’s known for tree-lined streets, fine dining, and close proximity to Stanford University and many of the world famous companies that are Silicon Valley’s major employers. Here are REO homes for sale in Menlo Park as of December 16, 2011.  Of 62 homes for sale in Menlo Park today (down from 68 last week), these are the only REO homes.  Drop me a line for more information and to schedule a viewing of these or other properties in Silicon Valley. john@jsrealproperty.com   Type Price Bed/Bath Sq. Feet Notes Condo $304,111 1/1 760 Reduced from $336,966; 101 days on market Single family $284,900 3/1 1,010 10 days on market   Search the MLS- visit www.jsrealproperty.com and click on Silicon Valley MLS Search to find hom... 12/17/2011

There are many obstacles and challenges to closing a Mountain View Short Sale, but there are 2 that I find the most challenging to get around. 1. A private 2nd or 3rd lender: These are often more difficult to negotiate than a bank. There are homes where the seller may have taken back a note for a second or third, or where a relative may have invested with a loan thinking that he/he was going to make money or at least not be left holding the bag for a relative, 2. A person on the loan who makes no contribution but refuses to sign off on the short sale. Both of these circumstances are really hard to deal with, and unless they are handled up front it is probably not worth initiating a short sale. The private lender will not get anything if a home is foreclosed, so that fact needs to be dri... 12/14/2011

Friends and I had lunch at Cafe Primavera at Allied Arts on Thursday.  Before meeting up with my friends, I took a walk around the place to reacquaint myself with it.  I needed to shop and the Guild seemed a perfect place to do it. The Allied Arts Guild has been a meeting place and more since 1929.  It is located at 75 Arbor Rd. in Menlo Park, CA.  The easiest way to find the Allied Arts Guild is to turn on Cambridge Ave. off El Camino Real.  It doesn't matter which way you are driving on El Camino there is only one way to turn on Cambridge.  Drive all the way until Cambridge T's into Arbor and you are there. Allied Arts is owned and operated by the Allied Arts Guild Auxiliary.  They are one of six auxiliaries that raise funds for the care of children at the Lucile Packard Childrens' Ho... 12/10/2011

Menlo Park is a beautiful, vibrant community in northern Silicon Valley.  It’s known for tree-lined streets, fine dining, and close proximity to Stanford University and many of the world famous companies that are Silicon Valley’s major employers. Here are REO homes for sale in Menlo Park as of December 9, 2011.  Of 62 homes for sale in Menlo Park today (down from 68 last week), these are the only REO homes.  Drop me a line for more information and to schedule a viewing of these or other properties in Silicon Valley. john@jsrealproperty.com   Type Price Bed/Bath Sq. Feet Notes Condo $304,111 1/1 760 Reduced from $336,966 Single family $284,900 3/1 1,010 New on market   Search the MLS- visit www.jsrealproperty.com and click on Silicon Valley MLS Search to find homes offered for sale throu... 12/09/2011

Menlo Park is a beautiful, vibrant community in northern Silicon Valley.  It’s known for tree-lined streets, fine dining, and close proximity to Stanford University and many of the world famous companies that are Silicon Valley’s major employers. Here are REO homes for sale in Menlo Park as of November 25, 2011.  Of 68 homes for sale in Menlo Park today (down from 88 last week), this is the only REO home.  Drop me a line for more information and to schedule a viewing of this or other properties in Silicon Valley. john@jsrealproperty.com   Type Price Bed/Bath Sq. Feet Notes Condo $320,117 1/1 760 Reduced from $336,966   Search the MLS - visit www.jsrealproperty.com and click on Silicon Valley MLS Search to find homes offered for sale throughout the Valley. For local, regional and nationa... 11/25/2011

Driving around Menlo Park, CA yesterday, picking up the last minute items for today's dinner, I took some streets that are usually not in my usual route.  I drove down Laurel St. from Ravenswood to Willow Rd.  What a treat!  Being a Midwestern transplant, I love the fall colors.  Laurel St. is in full color right now.  Yesterday, the street was covered in gorgeous yellow  --  the leaves still on the trees and the leaves that had fallen.   Just seeing them took me back to a time when we raked the leaves up, jumped onto the pile and when we were finished playing, Dad burned the pile.  The ashes would be covered by the snow in time and act as a fertilizer for that part of the lawn in the Spring. Life was so much simpler then.   I'm thankful for my family and the small beauties around me.  ... 11/24/2011

Menlo Park is a beautiful, vibrant community in northern Silicon Valley.  It’s known for tree-lined streets, fine dining, and close proximity to Stanford University and many of the world famous companies that are Silicon Valley’s major employers. Here are foreclosed, REO homes for sale in Menlo Park as of November 20, 2011.  Of 88 homes for sale in Menlo Park today, these 2 are the only REO homes.  Drop me a line for more information and to schedule a viewing of these or other properties in Silicon Valley. john@jsrealproperty.com   Type Price Bed/Bath Sq. Feet Notes Condo $598,500 2/2 1,275   Condo $320,117 1/1 760 Reduced from $336,966   Search the MLS - visit www.jsrealproperty.com and click on Silicon Valley MLS Search to find homes offered for sale throughout the Valley. For local, ... 11/20/2011

Yesterday I wrote about a happy clause inthe CAR contract, today is a sad clause for my buyer. She wrote an offer and got a counter. The counter gave her 3 days to respond, so naturally she thought she was protected and that no one else could have an offer accepted during that time period on this Menlo Park home. WRONG! Paragraph 2 of the California Purchase Contract sayd that the seller has the right to market the property and accept any other offer during the time period that the counter offer is valid.   So, while my client is hemming and hawing, and thinking very carefully about a five thousand dollar difference, someone else could make a higher offer and get the property. Every buyer must decide carefully about what they are willing and able to pay for a home, just as every seller ... 11/13/2011

Menlo Park is a beautiful, vibrant community in northern Silicon Valley.  It’s known for tree-lined streets, fine dining, and close proximity to Stanford University and many of the world famous companies that are Silicon Valley’s major employers. Here are foreclosed, bank-owned (REO) Menlo Park homes for sale as of November 11, 2011.  Of 88 homes for sale in Menlo Park today, these 2 are the only REO homes.  Drop me a line for more information and to schedule a viewing of these or other properties in Silicon Valley. john@jsrealproperty.com   Type Price Bed/Bath Sq. Feet Notes Condo $598,500 2/2 1,275   Condo $320,117 1/1 760 Reduced from $336,966   Search the MLS - visit www.jsrealproperty.com and click on Silicon Valley MLS Search to find homes offered for sale throughout the Valley. F... 11/11/2011

It was my birthday again on Sunday so it was my choice for the restaurant.  I chose the Bona Restaurant, a Polish  restauant in Menlo Park.  We had dinner there last year for my birthday and hadn't been back since then.  In the mean time it was in an article about ethnic restaurants around the Bay area in Sunset Magazine. A year ago we had the good luck to get a reservation at the last minute.  This year I made a reservation several days ahead.  That was a good thing because there were no empty tables!  It looked to me that many of the diners have been to Bona before.  There was a lovely smattering of Polish being spoken. There were four of us this year. our son and his girl friend, my husband and me.  Our son is interested in his Polish heritage which, of course, pleases me very much s... 11/09/2011

Menlo Park is a beautiful, vibrant community in northern Silicon Valley.  It’s known for tree-lined streets, fine dining, and close proximity to Stanford University and many of the world famous companies that are Silicon Valley’s major employers. Here are foreclosed, bank-owned (REO) Menlo Park homes for sale as of November 4, 2011.  Of 67 homes for sale in Menlo Park today, these 3 are the only REO homes.  Drop me a line for more information and to schedule a viewing of these or other properties in Silicon Valley. john@jsrealproperty.com   Type Price Bed/Bath Sq. Feet Notes Condo $598,500 2/2 1,275   Condo $336,966 1/1 760 Reduced from $336,966 Single family $269,900 2/1 810     Search the MLS - visit www.jsrealproperty.com and click on Silicon Valley MLS Search to find homes offered f... 11/04/2011

Menlo Oaks is an unicorporated area of San Mateo County in California and shares borders with Menlo Park and Atherton.  It became built up over the years around the Coleman Mansion.  The mansion is now the site of a private school, Peninsula School.  Fittingly enough there are many who claim the mansion/school is haunted. The lot size in Menlo Oaks is generally about a half acre with some lots that are larger and some smaller.  Since it is a community that grew over time, the homes are a mix of size and style.  The neighborhood started out being one of small homes on large lots.  Increasingly, larger homes are coming to replace the smaller ones.   The area has a neighborhood association, the Menlo Oaks District Association (MODA), that organizes an annual picnic in June on the grounds o... 10/31/2011

Even as Silicon Valley is seeing a surge in home values, RealtyTrac® recently updated its list of the top 10 California cities with the biggest decreases in average home sales prices for the last two quarters ending in September 2011. Here’s the list… But sellers don’t need to worry.  Menlo Park home values continue to hold strong in most neighborhoods, so the explanation for this drop is simple:  more low priced homes are selling than high priced homes, thus lowering the average sales price.  This often occurs during periods of job growth – so it’s actually good news. Search the Silicon Valley MLS - visit www.jsrealproperty.com and click on Silicon Valley MLS Search to search for homes offered for sale throughout the Valley. For local, regional and national market information, check ou... 10/25/2011

Menlo Park is a beautiful, vibrant community in northern Silicon Valley.  It’s known for tree-lined streets, fine dining, and close proximity to Stanford University and many of the world famous companies that are Silicon Valley’s major employers. Here are foreclosed, bank-owned (REO) homes for sale in Menlo Park as of October 22, 2011.  Of 100 homes for sale in Menlo Park today, these 4 are the only REO homes.  Drop me a line for more information and to schedule a viewing of these or other properties in Silicon Valley. john@jsrealproperty.com   Type Price Bed/Bath Sq. Feet Notes Single family $858,000 3/2 1,180   Condo $598,000 2/2 1,275   Condo $336,966 1/1 760   Single family $329,900 2/1 1,030     Search the MLS - visit www.jsrealproperty.com and click on Silicon Valley MLS Search to... 10/22/2011

Union Bank has a new product the is great for low down payment buyers. In certain areas, like East Menlo Park or Belle Haven you can get a loan with 5% down and no mortgage insurance. It is also possible to get 10% down with no mortgage insurance in other parts of San Mateo or Santa Clara county. So if you have a good income but not a large down payment this may be a good option for you.   ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY MORTGAGE You’re closer than you may think to an affordable mortgage. An Economic Opportunity Mortgage (EOM) from Union Bank can help make purchasing or refinancing your home, condominium, or 1– 4 unit property more affordable. It’s designed for individuals with low to moderate income households, or who are purchasing or refinancing a property in a qualifying census area.1 Pay less... 10/17/2011

This is so inherently unethical I can not believe I am actually writing a blog about this, but a buyer asked me this question today and apparently it is happening.  I have a short sale listing in Menlo Park and offers are due by the end of the day on Tues.  At thus point I have 2. It is in Belle Haven,  a popular area for investors and is close to the the new Facebook Headquarters so the appreciation prospects are good. Today I got a call from an investor who asked if I would represent him. I told him I do not double end deals as a general rule, and never do it in a multiple offer situation. I gave him the name of an associate who could help him.  He then asked if this person would be representing multiple buyers. I was shocked. If being a dual agent does not seem right to me, represent... 10/17/2011

Improvements in the local economy have once again created strong demand for single family homes in Menlo Park, CA.  Looking at Menlo Park single family home sales that closed in August, we can skip the fancy analysis and get a good feel for the market by simply looking at the raw data in the table below.   Menlo Park Single Family Home Sales Completed In August 2011 List Price Sale Price List-to-Sale % Days On Market $4,280,000 $4,100,000 -4% 40 $2,295,000 $2,050,000 -11% 71 $1,849,000 $1,800,000 -3% 0 (sold off market) $1,639,000 $1,619,000 -1% 31 $1,450,000 $1,425,000 -2% 7 $1,395,000 $1,627,000 +17%            12 $1,395,000 $1,370,000 -2% 24 $1,395,000 $1,426,000 +2% 11 $1,295,000 $1,450,000 +12% 10 $980,000 $925,000 -6% 25 $998,000 $860,000 -14% 23 $894,000 $1,027,500 +15% 14 $875,0... 09/13/2011

Thank goodness it's still Sunday in California so I can post this picture.  On our way to our morning Aqua Fit class today we were pleased and gratified to see this display in front of the Headquarters of the Menlo Park Fire District.  Many of the firemen went to New York shortly after the distruction of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center to aid in recovery efforts. 09/11/2011

Today was a good day in real estate, The Buyer's Walk through inspection.  the last 6 weeks have been rough. For some reason every lender that my clients used (and there were 4 different one) decided that despite promising a 14 day approval and 30 day close, it just did not happen. It was as some one just turned of the money spicot. Anyway, I managed to get the  clients through the escrows and today was walk through for a condo in Menlo Park.   At the walk through the buyer checks to make sure that everything is in the same general condition as when the offer was made.  If any repairs were agreed upon they have been completed.  We check the plumbing, make sure no windows were broken, use the appliances, and turn lights on.  Sometimes the seller will be at the walk through to show the ne... 09/10/2011