The holidays are right around the corner, which means entertaining is a must. Sometimes a little interior design help may be necessary when hosting your loved ones. Don’t prep for your holiday gatherings without reading this first. These are what the experts are saying! One.  Arrange Your Food In A Tasteful Way.  Carry your holiday theme on to the culinary display. Try using color-coordinated serving dishes, decorative figures or dimensional platters. This will be sure to catch the eye of your guests! Two.  Use Noticeable Yet, Elegant, Dining Settings.An assortment of table decoratives, in different sizes, creates a sense of elegance without interrupting the communication of your guests. By placing smaller table items in between seat settings you allow comfortable-conversation to occur ... 10/31/2019

Even From linoleum floors to wallpaper, homeowner trends change with the times!  Discover what has Millenials excited about a home and what they could do without!Numbers Don't Lie!Even with all the stigma surrounding millennials, they are quickly becoming the largest group of homebuyers today. If they aren't already homeowners, 80% of Millennials recently surveyed expressed a desire in becoming future homeowners! 66% of who are expected to do so in the next 5 years. With such a huge influx of new homebuyers entering the market, it makes sense to question what can current homeowners do to attract the eye of these consumers who are most likely to buy THEIR house! Here are our top five...Read more here. 10/31/2019

Being known as the “new kid on the block” in a new area you just moved to can be a pretty scary thought. Meeting and connecting with your new neighbors can help ease your stress and make you feel more comfortable in your new neighborhood. Here are 5 foolproof ways to be a friendly and familiar face to your new neighbors. Read more here. 10/31/2019

Our Strategies. Your Home. There are a lot of different tactics to selling a home, but we've cracked the code on how to sell your home for more and fast. Your home is your largest financial asset and we take that very seriously. What do we do differently?  There are 3 key components to selling your home that we use to perfection.   Read more here.   10/31/2019

Despite what real estate reality shows might have led you to believe, the decision to sell your home isn’t simple — and it definitely isn’t a decision that you can reach in 30 minutes. This is true even if you never really loved your property in the first place, or it’s become a daily cause of stress. Maybe the commute is awful, your neighbors live to find new ways to annoy you, or the “fixer upper” kitchen is still an avocado-colored nightmare.That’s because parting with a home falls into the “major life change” category. Cue the second-guessing, polling all friends and family for opinions, obsessive list-making and mentally running through all scenarios as soon as your head hits the pillow. If you feel like this describes how you feel about parting with your home, it’s time to take a ... 10/31/2019

Ask any real estate agent how the market is and you’re almost sure to get the same answer: “Great!”Even if the market is great, it still may not be a great time for you to sell. Many real estate agents will tell you that NOW is the right time to sell your home when in reality, they can’t know that without knowing the specifics of your situation. Before going down a long and stressful journey, let’s first decide if selling your home right now is a mistake.What’s true about relationships is also true about selling your home: When it’s time to make a big decision, go with your gut feeling. But like anyone who has ever put off a breakup, it’s amazing how easy it is to talk yourself out of what you really want to do. You’ll say you’ll get around to addressing the ‘80s curb appeal, that you c... 10/31/2019

Getting your home sold in just one day with multiple offers might sound too good to be true, but these days there are many start-ups and tech-backed companies promising to do just that. They guarantee a sale in a certain time period, buy the house directly from you, or offer a platform where you accept and review online bids from buyers.It sounds like a dream come true, right? Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out and has some serious hidden costs.You can read more here. 10/31/2019

2450 Ross Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94303 Amazing opportunity in a gorgeous and desired neighborhood in Palo Alto! Come and see this charming 4 bedroom 2.5 bathroom family home. Situated in the heart of Midtown, and one of the top school districts in the California, this home is perfect for families looking for an extra room or those buying their first house This wonderful home features a great layout and room concept, over-sized bedrooms, vaulted ceilings, and a covered side yard patio. With a large living/dining area this home is perfect for entertaining as well as hosting family gatherings. You'll also enjoy countless summer evenings BBQing in the large back patio area. This amazing home is also within walking distance of many stores, coffee shops, restaurants, local parks, and an ice skatin... 10/29/2019

Do Any Mortgage Lenders Work on the Weekend? The fact of the matter is that a lot of real estate business gets done on Saturdays and Sundays.  Prospective buyers go to open houses and buyers' real estate agents often need to structure offers for their clients.  Unfortunately, not all banks are open on the weekend even those that may take deposits and cash checks often do not have a home loan professional available to pre-approve a buyer or answer a complicated home loan question in an instant. I'm different.  Even though I'm generally not in the office on the weekend, I can always be reached and I have the full capacity to work through your scenario and give you an edge over your competition --- those other bankers, brokers or lenders that may wait until Monday morning to get underway. ... 08/22/2019

"What To Know Before Buying or Selling a Home in Palo Alto"by Michelle Carr Crowe, Cupertino REALTORIn Silicon Valley, California now is the time when Buyers begin actively searching for Santa Clara County homes to buy.From Palo Alto to Campbell, Sunnyvale to San Jose, to Santa Clara to Los Altos and Mountain View to Cupertino, Buyers are seriously seeking Santa Clara County single-family homes, condos and townhomes homes to buy now.Although many savvy Sellers already sold their Palo Alto  homes when the market was hot, taking advantage of low inventory (and low competition) to net multiple offers and record-setting prices, many home sellers are waiting for the traditional "spring and summer rush" of multiple house choices.  Why? Because many Palo Alto home sellers are also looking to b... 04/09/2019

Make a Sick Child Smile-Send Free Valentines to Children in Hospitals! by Silicon Valley REALTOR Michelle Carr Crowe Happy Valentine's Day! Who doesn't love giving and receiving Valentines? As you can imagine, sick children in hospitals are definitely missing out on the usual cheer, treats and Valentine greetings they would normally receive when well and in schoolWould you love to put a smile on a sick child's face? Here is your big chance!Hospitals across the country have set up websites for anyone who cares enough to send a Free Valentine's Day card to  children in their care.You can choose to send a card to a hospital in your state, such as nearby Lucille Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford, or all of them! It takes about a minute and it will surely make a child fighting a hard i... 02/13/2018

 Many young, well paid Professionals and Tech workers come to the Silicon Valley for good jobs, its wonderful weather, and incredible cultural and family friendly amenities. But they get here and find that the cost of Silicon Valley housing is prohibitive, or impossible to buy buy to the competition in their price range.Another issue that comes up all the time is that a young buyer can afford to buy a home, but does not want to live where or in what he or she can afford in the Silicon Valley.Added to this is the new tax bill which severely limits the amount of mortgage interest which is deductible and the substantial decrease in property tax and state income tax detectability. These changes make housing even less affordable for the average Silicon Valley resident. When faced with this d... 01/06/2018

 Wednesday, August 2, 2017 Facebook might be Robert Vegas Bob Swetz's next commercial job     Facebook might be Robert Vegas Bob Swetz's next commercial job   Robert Swetz is finishing up Santa Clara Square in Silicon Valley around the Bay Area in Northern California. I have been working on this project since June 3 of 2016 and it's been a great commercial project to work on.   I may take a short vacation to Alaska for around 2-3 weeks once I am laid off and then possibly work on the new Facebook project located around Silicon Valley. I will know in the next couple weeks and keep everyone posted.     Homer Alaska by Robert Swetz 2016   Posted by Robert "Vegas Bob" Swetz at 9:29 PM   Labels: Alaska, commercial job, Facebook, Northern California, Robert Vegas Bob Swetz, Santa Clara Square... 08/02/2017

✨  Check out our local guide to 4th of July celebrations around Silicon Valley! 🇺🇸💥🇺🇸🎉🇺🇸 So much to choose from, whether you live in San Mateo or San Jose, there are tons of events to attend on this 4th of July!Personally, I am torn as there are so many personal options for my family.  From a Chili Cookoff to a prominent parade to an invitation to a block party where I helped a neighbor recently sell a home.   I am partial to the Chili Cookoff, lol Where will you be celebrating the 4th of July? 07/01/2017

 While it may seem as if it is hard to determine what is happening in the downtown San Jose condo real estate market, there are some majors metrics that are quantifiable that can help you see where the market is going. These markers include:       Sales to list price ratio      Days on Market      Months of inventory      Number of active listings vs number of pending listings.  We can learn something from each of these metrics.       Sales to list price ratio: When the San Jose condo market is appreciating, the sales price will be higher than the list price. In Jan of 2017 the sales price of Downtown San Jose condos is 101% of the list price. This is obviously very healthy, but in Feb 2015 the sales price on average was 105% of the list price which was a much hotter market.      Days o... 02/03/2017

Selling a House In Palo Alto With A Lot Of Equity And Deferring Taxes Many owners of homes in higher priced areas like Palo Alto are living in homes that are larger than they need or just have so much equity in them that if they sell there would be a huge tax bite. At this moment in time, if the Palo Alto home is kept until the owners pass then the heirs can inherit the Palo Alto house tax free in many cases. Many retired couples are faced with this dilemma and are at a loss as to what is the best thing to do, keep or sell their Palo Alto home. Right now there are 5 main choices.       Sell your Palo Alto home outright and pay the tax about 47.1% in federal and state taxes for 2106.      Wait to sell your Palo Alto home see what tax changes the next administration brings to long term ca... 01/19/2017

This is a question I get asked all the time. When an owner has passed and has rental property should the heirs sell the Palo Alto probate or trust home with the tenants in place, or wait until the lease is up? While most years I would say wait until the tenants are gone but with the uncertainty of how interest rates will affect prices and what will happen to a Palo Alto market that has already shown signs of slowing, even with very tight inventory, the answer is not clear cut. Sell Palo Alto Probate or Trust Home With Tenant: Pros:       Palo Alto school Priority 1 Registration goes from Jan 12 thru Feb 15th. That is the best chance of getting your child in the school closest to you. There is always a space in a Palo Alto school for a resident, but getting the one closest to you is best... 01/05/2017

                                               Sam Shueh                                                                               Realty One Group                                                                      Silicon Valley, CA   It encompasses west part of Santa Clara County with Palo Alto schools. The postal zip codes are 94301, 94302, 94303 than 67,000 residents. These single family homes were mostly built after 1940s. The gross living area is bracketed from 1,200 to 1,999 sf with a minimum 2 bedrooms and at least 1 full baths or so. This size range is necessarily to compare similar homes prices in different neighborhoods. There are also in recent years new modern homes constructed by demolishing old homes and they can ask as high as $17.5M for a 5300 sf mansion.   Hoover... 11/11/2016

Four Nights of Silent Films, Live Music Stanford Theatre Sept. 22-25by Silicon Valley REALTOR Michelle Carr CroweDo you love the mystery of silent films? Feel nostalgic for experiencing a bygone era?Then hurry to buy your tickets for four nights of classic silent films and live music on the Wurlitzer pipe organ at the Stanford Theatre in beautiful Palo Alto, Calif. this September 22-25, 2016.The Four Featured Films include The Marriage Circle, Pandora's Box, Queen Kelly and The Merry Widow. One plays each night from Sept. 22 through 25 at 7:30 pm.Each film includes the live musical talent of Dennis James at the Mighty Wurlitzer organ.Thanks for reading "Four Nights of Silent Films, Live Music Stanford Theatre Sept. 22-25". 09/18/2016

Market News:  Palo Alto Homes under $1,500,000National news has already been speaking about the shifting market.  The reasons for the shift seem to vary from the upcoming presidential elections in the United States to the Chinese economy, then to Brexit, and of course, the Olympics and possible Zika virus.  Many, many reasons, indeed. Why the shift?  Perhaps it might be due to the natural cycles of real estate?  The Bay Area, more specifically, Palo Alto has been enjoying a extended seller's market over the last seven years.  Many believed the tide was not going to turn for a while.  Well, it appears that 'a while' has arrived.As of today, there are three single-family homes on the market in Palo Alto, all under $1,500,000 and all have been on the market for over one week.  The market s... 08/01/2016