When evaluating potential property purchases in Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View and surrounding communities, most buyers rely heavily on automated valuation models like Zillow’s Zestimate. However, I’ve observed these tools often miss the mark by hundreds of thousands of dollars in our local market.

Los Altos’ real estate market reveals a fascinating rhythm when we examine how long homes stay on the market throughout the year. The data tells a compelling story: Homes selling in just five days in February 2025 compared to 36 days in January – a dramatic 86% decrease in selling time in a single month. 

The Los Altos housing market demonstrated remarkable strength in the first quarter of 2025, with substantial price appreciation in three of the four major areas. North Los Altos (211) led the charge with an impressive 34.4% increase in average sales price, jumping from $4.53 million to $6.08 million year-over-year. This dramatic increase solidifies North Los Altos’ position as one of the most sought-after neighborhoods. 

The real estate market is a responsive system that reacts to external factors much like the stock market. Recently, I've observed what I'd call a "jittery moment" in the Los Altos and surrounding markets…

Bridge loans are short-term financing options that “bridge” the gap between buying a new home and selling your current one. Typically lasting 6-12 months, these loans allow homeowners to use their existing home equity to fund a down payment on a new property. Although bridge loans carry higher interest rates than traditional mortgages (often 1-2% higher) and may include origination fees, they provide valuable flexibility in competitive markets.

“What’s the difference between selling cars and selling real estate?” It’s a question that reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of what real estate agents actually do. While both professions involve facilitating a purchase transaction, the similarities end there…

The recent fires in Los Angeles were a stark reminder that we can – and should – take steps to make our homes more resilient. While no home is fully fireproof, a few key improvements and a fire-conscious mindset can mean the difference between sustaining damage and losing everything.

While many lovebirds may have welcomed Valentine’s Day cards and love letters last week, real estate “love letters” are facing a more complicated relationship. Recently, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) has started to raise concerns about this practice, warning that these letters could lead to unintended Fair Housing violations. With new rules in place and shifting industry sentiment, should buyers still be sending love letters to sellers? Or is it time for a breakup?

Today, I had the privilege of meeting with a group of dedicated Silicon Valley real estate agents from Los Altos, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and surrounding markets, organized by mortgage advisor Nikki James. Our discussion centered on an exciting initiative: the formation of a new trade group, the American Real Estate Association (AREA)—an organization that aims to elevate the industry and address the serious flaws in the current system.

The recent Los Angeles fires have left us heartbroken as stories of loss pour in from friends, family and colleagues. But one story in particular caught my attention – not just for the tragedy, but for the warning it holds for homeowners everywhere…