Tom McEvoy's Blog

Happy New Year! OK, Happy Lunar New Year! In the Chinese calendar, the longest chronological record in history dating back to 2600 B.C., this year marks the lunar year 4,707 -- Year of the Ox. The first day of the new lunar year is January 26, 2009.Famous people born in the Year of the Ox: Jack N...

Have you ever wondered why you gravitate back to certain restaurants? Well, that's just what happened last weekend when my wife and I were hungry for La Paloma in Santa Clara. Patrons for more than 25 years, we enjoy the good value, authenticity as well as the great taste.We usually start off wit...

As a kind of executive summary of my observations of the recent market action in Santa Clara County, I've assembled a list of tidbits for you. I encourage you to make comments, ask questions or even update us on what you are witnessing in your neighborhood. The market activity is turning around. ...

As much as they would have you believe that home prices act like stock prices, don't buy it!When a stock trades at a certain price (let's say, Google at $300 per share), all shares are valued at the current price. Hence, the "fair market value" of each of Google's approximately 315,000,000 shares...

This information summary and analysis uses MLS Listings Inc. (MLS) transactional data for December 2008. For single family homes in Santa Clara County, December saw an increase in closings of 38% from December 2007; closings of condos/townhouses saw an increase of 10% in the same period. For sing...

This information summary and analysis uses MLS Listings Inc. (MLS) transactional data for November 2008. For single family homes in Santa Clara County, November saw an increase in closings of 7% from November 2007; closings of condos/townhouses saw a decrease of 16% in the same period. For single...

Here is an update to some of the events and on-going programs you might want to put on your calendar for December. Most of these are selections from Sunnyvale and Cupertino but other communities in Silicon Valley may be included (e.g., Mountain View, Santa Clara, Palo Alto).•December 1-6: Califor...

Remodeling Magazine, published by Hanley-Wood, LLC, Washington, D.C., has been publishing the "Cost vs. Value Report" annually for more than twenty years. The 2008 version compiles information for 79 markets, (up from 64 in past years) on 29 upscale and midrange home improvement projects estimate...

This information summary and analysis uses MLS Listings Inc. (MLS) transactional data for October 2008. For single family homes in Santa Clara County, October saw an increase in closings of 41% from October 2007; closings of condos/townhouses saw an increase of 20% in the same period. There were ...

This information summary and analysis uses MLS Listings Inc. (MLS) transactional data for September 2008. For single family homes in Santa Clara County, September saw an increase in closings of 73% from September 2007. There were 899 closings in the month with 1286 initiated sales (accepted offer...