Silicon Valley and Beyond

Los Altos 2012: A New Real Estate Market

The Dawn Thomas Team — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:00:15 +0000

Rain or shine, the Los Altos Real Estate Market paints a sunny picture! This for some may be starting to sound like a broken record, but inventory is so low in Los Altos, that nearly every home that comes on the market seems to sell very quickly and with multiple offers! Well, that is true for some price points, and overall if you are a seller in Los Altos, you are in a fortunate position. Here is an in depth look to break down the reality of the market and shed some light for both buyers and sellers.

Here is an example of a great home that is currently listed and is within the largest majority price point of homes sold in Los Altos: 1085 Saint Joseph Avenue, Los Altos

As always, do not heostate to contact us if you have questions, thought or comments on a specific property or real estate question!

This blog is courtesy of The Dawn Thomas Team who is an award-winning Real Estate Agent team at Intero Real Estate Services in Los Altos 650-947-4661. We help nice people with selling and buying homes from Palo Alto to West San Jose!

2012 Real Estate: A fresh look into the Los Altos Hills Market

The Dawn Thomas Team — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:00:22 +0000

Unless you haven’t been paying much attention to Real Estate, you have probably heard the market is changing. SVAB takes an in depth look at five different areas of our Silicon Valley market place in a new “mini-series” to help understand exactly what is going on and give some insight as to where things may be heading. We start with Los Altos Hills, which even through the eyes of a seasoned expert can be a fickle micro market. With topography, proximity to 280, lot size, square footage, style of house, types of amenities and condition all playing a huge factor in pricing…(just to name a few) understanding the Los Altos Hills market home values can be challenging! The below graphs should provide a clear sense of the latest data and trends.

Here is an example of a beautiful luxury estate that is currently listed and is within the largest majority price point of homes sold in Los Altos Hills: 26462 Purissima Road

As the market changes, we will continue to update you on the latest trends in our markets. Tune in all week for a look at the top Silicon Valley market places.

Shoreline’s Chocolate Amore Fest — Celebrating Valentine’s by the Water’s Edge, Italian-Style!

The Dawn Thomas Team — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:00:44 +0000

The weather has been fabulous, and us Californian’s love to get out in nature and enjoy this wonderful place in which we live! From Feb. 11-14, Shoreline’s Lakeside Cafe in Mountain View, will hold its first annual Chocolate Amore Fest — an Italian-style celebration of the yearly Valentine’s ode to romance, in a unique indoor/outdoor setting.

Peninsula and Silicon Valley locals and visitors now have a delicious option for Valentine’s that’s good for both romance and enjoying a lovely lakeside view. To highlight Valentine’s Italian origins, Christina Ferrari who is the owner of the Cafe, and Leah Jacobs (in-house pastry chef) have added new items with a Romanesque twist to the lineup of Shoreline’s popular prepared picnic baskets and wonderful French and American pastries.
The special menu items include a Chocolate Amore picnic basket (roasted red pepper soup, wine country panini, chocolate dipped strawberries, etc.), as well as other special offerings, such as a multi-course, prix fixe lunch on Valentine’s Day proper, and chocolate confections and other goodies (Torta Di Cioccolato with Raspberry Sauce and Cioccolata Calda, for example) that will only be served during this time.

For more information about this event, check out Shoreline’s latest newsletter!

Moveable Feast Launches Fridays in Willow Glen

The Dawn Thomas Team — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:00:34 +0000

Moveable Feasts: Quality Street Foods in Your Hood! Makes its way to Willow Glen starting this Friday and will be a Friday fixture from 5pm-9 pm.

There is a great line up already of trucks, some coming all the way from San Francisco. If you aren’t familiar with Moveable Feasts, its a bit underground and all the rage. Follow them on Facebook or twitter to find out about the latest trucks, new locations and reviews of what everyone is talking about.

The Location is the corner of Curtner and Canoas Garden Ave. and they expect 10-12 trucks. Basically, come on over and sample some of the best street street food and fantastic company. Here is a list of expected vendors:

SAVORY
Chairman - Baos
Curry Up Now – Indian
Grill Stars - BBQ
Hiyaaa – Korean
KoJa Kitchen – Korean/Japanese
Louisiana Territory – Cajun
MoGo BBQ - Korean/Mexican
O Mi Ninja – Vietnamese
Sanguchon – Peruvian
Wow - Silogs

SWEET
Project Cupcake – Cupcakes
Scoops - Ice Cream

Ok, you should have enough info to plan out what you are going to eat, but really- just head over there with some friends and start ordering!

Check Out the Teen Idol Semifinals this week in Los Gatos!

The Dawn Thomas Team — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:00:27 +0000

Here’s a fun event happening this Thursday night, Feb 9th, from 7-10 PM, in Los Gatos!

It’s the South Bay Teen Idol Semifinals! What’s that? Well, it is an American-Idol-style show with 20 teenagers from 17 local schools. These talented teen vocalists will be competing for 10 coveted spots in the finals, and ultimately a chance to win a $2500 scholarship for themselves and $500 for their school. This is a chance to hear some of the best young voices in Silicon Valley. They’ll be performing 4 songs as a group, in addition to their individual performances for the competition. It’s happening at the Addison-Penzak JCC Auditorium, 14855 Oka Road, Los Gatos. Admission is free if you bring a can of food for 2nd Harvest Food Bank. For more information, see www.SiliconValleyJCC.org/idol, or call us at 408.357.7402.

If you have a kid who might be the next South Bay Teen Idol, get them signed up! The scholarship and money for the school seems to be enough to overcome any stage-fright!

Plan a Valentine’s Surprise with your Sweetheart at The Mountain Winery

The Dawn Thomas Team — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:00:10 +0000

If you are looking for a fun local getaway for Valentine’s Day weekend, the Wine & Chocolate event at the Mountain Winery is a love affair like no other!

We often think of Mountain Winery for fun concerts in the Summer and early fall, but they have some great events right now. Valentine’s Day is upon us, and they invite you to join them for a day of pure guilty pleasures. The event incluedes five perfectly paired decadent chocolate and divine wine pairings. Enjoy lively music and a spectacular view too. It will be the perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Weekend with friends or that special someone. Be sure and book ahead for savings but also to ensure this event doesn’t sell out. Not quite convinced? Here is this year’s menu:

·         Empanadas with Spicy Chocolate Dipping Sauce ~ Paired with The Mountain Winery Zinfandel
·         Chocolate dipped Cured Peppered Bacon ~ Paired with the Mountain Winery Merlot
·         Chocolate Pizza Nutella, Dried Fruits and Nuts ~ Paired with the Mountain Winery Syrah
·         Chef Sidoti’s famous brownie – Paired with the Mountain Winery Cabernet Sauvignon
·         Chocolate Granita and Chocolate dipped Apricot – Paired with Sparkling Wine

You had me at empanada!

To intensify your Wine & Chocolate Experience, they also offer a mini workshop so you can learn all about how to pair wine and chocolate. Ilyse Pender, the renown Wine Educator and Sommelier, will present the principles of wine and chocolate pairing. You will next be able to apply what you’ve learned and discover your ideal pairings of the samples provided. Come hungry and thirsty and ready to sip and sample. This one is limited to 10 people so sign up early!

Price: $40 Click on “mini workshop” above to register.

Gravity Bistro and Wine Bar in Palo Alto

The Dawn Thomas Team — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:02:15 +0000

A few weeks ago couple friends and I went to Gravity Bistro and Wine Bar in Palo Alto to test it out for an upcoming private party. Our friend is turning forty, and he is somewhat of a food an wine buff. We wanted to find something that was had interesting wines, an urban sophistication and ambiance as well as great food.

We were not disappointed. There is a casual dining area downstairs with an inviting bar. Upstairs is a cozy dining room with a very cool over sized community table. The wine list has a ton of unusual wines, but with a quick description of what we were after, the server was able to offer some outstanding options. All perfectly paired with our artisan cheese and charcuterie selections.

Reading through the menu, we had much discussion on what to order- everything looked so good! The prices were so reasonable we thought that the portion size might be small, but they were generous. I ended up with an amazing Bucatini, a couple delicious bites of my friends duck confit, and a Brussels sprout salad that was out of this world!

Needless t say, the 40th Birthday party is getting booked there!

I bought a house- who moves my stuff???

The Dawn Thomas Team — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:00:41 +0000

We all focus on the offer and escrow process, but often the stress begins for the buyer when we are in contract. Inspections are done, the loan is being processed and contingencies soon to be removed, and now I need to pack my life and move it!!!???!!! Yikes, it can all happen so fast, and no doubt it usually happens when you have a huge work deadline, one of your kids has the flu and the other a major science project due. That is what we call Murphy’s Law, and that is where we can help!

Figuring out what to move and what to eliminate/sell/donate ahead of time is crucial. People move for all different reasons. If you are an established couple getting married, combining households, blending families, or downsizing it may be a good time to take stock of and thin things out. If you need help with that kind of thing, Kuzak’s Closet may help with a consultation.

Finding a good mover and getting a quote will put you at ease. Towards the end of the month movers can book up so plan ahead. They can come to your house and take a look at your belongings to give you a quote. Getting this done early in the escrow process can give you some peace of mind. Check places like the Better Business Bureau or Angie’s List. Graebel Movers is always on our list as we work very closely with them. We’ve referred several clients to Graebel and all report back to us with rave endorsements! Make sure whoever you use is licensed by the PUC (Public Utilities Commission).

If you are just starting out, you may consider some good friends, and a U-Haul. The cost for this is generally just pizza and beer, but we only recommend payment on completion! We also caution you that even though going the “friends” route is at a cost savings on the surface–that is if nothing goes wrong. Remember if your “free” movers break something–like my client’s Big Green Egg that shattered all over the street when his friend dropped it–the cost to you could be far greater than it would to be sure your belongings are safe and insured should something happen in the transition.

Give us a call if you have any questions or need a copy of the handy utilities information sheet we have ready to send to you!

A Snapshot of the Los Altos Real Estate Market Trends

The Dawn Thomas Team — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:00:31 +0000

The Los Altos Real Estate Market isn’t considered entry level for most. Even here in the land (once again) of IPO’s like LinkedIn, Facebook, and thousands of overnight millionaires. So let’s focus on the move up buyer who finds their way to Los Altos. Assuming this isn’t the “forever” house but a great place to raise kids and enjoy life for a while. Let’s say 10 years…..what does that look like?

Is it a good investment over time? Most people would agree that turnover in a condo is more liekly a 3-5 year plan….maybe a 7 year plan more recently with the economic downturn. But a house, in an area like Los Altos with top rated schools can easily be a comfortable 10 year plan. Based on the past 10 years, the graph says it all!

Maybe it’s hard to imagine another housing boom right now, but as we all know history tends to repeat itself. Even if it doesn’t, the odds are if you are buying a home soon you will be looking at a graph 10 years from now with a knowing smile on your face!

Hungry? Come to Palo Alto’s Gourmet Food Truck Meet-Up at the 3rd Door!

The Dawn Thomas Team — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:00:42 +0000

If you have never heard of the 3rd Door in Palo Alto, or have yet to check it out, this Friday, January 20th would be a great time! The Gourmet Food Trucks will be there (some great one’s like: Nom-Nom, Shackmobile, Sanguchon and House of Siam) and with food in hand you can grab wine or beer carefully sourced from artisan breweries. All of the profits are donated to WANDA (Women’s Achievement Network and Development Alliance) a non-profit that helps to increase the economic self-sufficiency of low-income, single moms in the San Francisco Bay area.

WANDA provides education and mentoring but more importantly, (and what I think really sets them apart) a structured 2/1 savings match program that is used by qualified fully employed single moms toward an asset-based goal such as a home or an education. This savings approach helps provide a way out of poverty because earnings are not simply consumed; they provide an alternative and opportunity to create wealth and end the cycle of poverty.

While you are there, be sure and check out the 3rd Door. It is a very cool and unique concept, a combo of great food, wine, fitness and social events. They have a modest membership fee which is offset by a food and beverage credit, and of course all proceeds go to WANDA.

They also make a mean cappuccino!

The fun starts at 5:30PM.