September 1, 2010 by David Bergman
The statistics show that closed sales are strong in October and November – most properties closed in those months were listed in September and October. Even December can be a strong month for closed sales (meaning house was marketed in September October November). January is typically a slower month – as people are focused on other things in December. These statistics are based on Los Altos and Los Altos Hills market activity.
The graph shows the level of competition (buyers comparing homes to eachother) in the real estate market and highlights the critical importance of hiring the right agent and pricing the property based on its location and condition. More at www.BergmanReport.com
Posted in Los Altos Estate, Los Altos Luxury Estate | Tagged Bay Area Luxury Estates, David Bergman, Home, house, Intero, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Altos homes for sale | Leave a Comment »
August 31, 2010 by David Bergman
As noted in yesterday’s blog http://bergmanreport.com/ closed sales numbers from July 2010 are very strong – median price is about equal to July 2009 but down from July 2008 by 28%. This is evident to me in my real estate practice. The largest correction in terms of closed sales shows March 2009 as “the bottom”. There are many factors in the successful sale of a home in the current market – the most important being the agent hired to market the home. The information depicted is based on Los Altos and Los Altos Hills closed sales. More at www.DavidBergman.com
Posted in Los Altos Estate, Los Altos Luxury Estate | Tagged Bay Area Luxury Estates, David Bergman, Intero, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills Luxury Estates, Los Altos homes for sale | Leave a Comment »
August 30, 2010 by David Bergman
How is the Local real estate market doing? The news is filled with contrary news to what the actual sales chart below shows. July 2008 vs July 2010 closed sales are up 81%. July sales were the highest number of sales Los Altos and Los Altos Hills experienced in the last 2 years at 49 homes closed in July 2010. Ingredients to a successful sale include hiring the right agent, pricing the property correctly based on its condition and location and other factors.
Posted in Los Altos Estate, Los Altos Luxury Estate, Luxury Estate, Palo Alto Real Estate | Tagged David Bergman, Intero, Intero Real estate, Los Altos homes for sale | Leave a Comment »
July 26, 2010 by David Bergman
Are you wondering what construction the city of Los Altos is planning in downtown Los Altos? A webpage is available: http://www.ci.los-altos.ca.us/downtown/index.html It shows the downtown triangle and planned projects. Click on the colored dots on the legend to see details about that particular project.
Posted in Los Altos Estate, Los Altos Luxury Estate, Real Estate | Tagged Los Altos, David Bergman, Intero, Los Altos homes for sale, Intero Real estate, Los Altos Downtown, DownTown Los Altos, New building, Projects in Los Altos | Leave a Comment »
June 14, 2010 by David Bergman
Posted in Los Altos Estate | Tagged David Bergman, Intero, Home, house, Intero Real estate, Intero Real Estate Services, Luxury, Bay area Estates, Bay Area Luxury Homes, Silicon Valley Home, Silicon Valley Luxury Real estate, Bay Area Luxury Estates, New building, Home Construction, Home Innovation | Leave a Comment »
May 31, 2010 by David Bergman
Intero Real Estate’s FREE e-Waste Recycling Day!
2.5 million tons of e-Waste is created each year – 82% of it ends up in landfills unrecycled
Help us change this! Tell your Family, Friends and Co-workers to Bring their e-Waste to Intero on…
Saturday, June 19, 2010 9:00 — 3:00 pm
Intero Real Estate Services, 496 First St., Los Altos
We take all computer & electronic equipment including:
*Desktops, laptops & PDAs *Mice and keyboards
*Monitors & televisions *Stereos, radios & players
*Printers, copy & fax machines *VCRs, DVD players, etc.
*Computer systems (we erase HDs) *Telephones & cell phones
We do not accept freezers, ACs, batteries or anything with motor oil.
Visit: www.EarthCareRecycling.com for a complete list of acceptable items.
Any proceeds will benefit the Intero Foundation, funding grants to children’s charities in our communities
Posted in Los Altos Estate, Real Estate | Tagged David Bergman, Disposal, DownTown Los Altos, E waste, environmental, free disposal, green, greentown, Home, house, Intero, Intero Real estate, Intero Real Estate Services, Los Altos, Los Altos Downtown, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Real Estate | Leave a Comment »
May 30, 2010 by David Bergman
Interested in knowing some of the projects and when they are scheduled for downtown Los Altos. The city has created a basic webpage showing the areas of public works construction with approximate construction schedules.
City of Los Altos Downtown Projects
It shows public works projects. If you are looking for private works projects email me at David@DavidBergman.com
Posted in Los Altos Estate, Real Estate | Tagged David Bergman, DownTown Los Altos, Home, house, Intero, Intero Real estate, Intero Real Estate Services, Los Altos, Los Altos Downtown, Los Altos homes for sale, Projects in Los Altos, Real Estate, realtor, santa clara county real estate, Silicon Valley Home, Silicon Valley Luxury Real estate | Leave a Comment »
April 13, 2010 by David Bergman
Distressed homeowners no longer have to pay California state income tax on debt forgiven in a short sale, foreclosure, or loan modification. Enacted into law yesterday, Senate Bill 401 generally aligns California’s tax treatment of mortgage debt relief income with federal law. For debt forgiven on a loan secured by a “qualified principal residence,” borrowers will now be exempt from both federal and state income tax consequences. The existing federal exemption is for indebtedness up to $2 million, whereas the new California exemption is for indebtedness up to $800,000 and forgiven debt up to $500,000.
“Qualified principal residence” indebtedness is defined as debt incurred in acquiring, constructing, or substantially improving a principal residence. It includes both first and second trust deeds. It also includes a refinance loan to the extent the funds were used to payoff a previous loan that would have qualified.
The tax breaks apply to debts discharged from 2009 through 2012. Californians who have already filed their 2009 tax returns may claim the exemption by filing a Form 540X amendment.
Taxpayers who do not qualify for the above exemptions (e.g., second home or rental property) may nevertheless be exempt under other provisions. Most notably, taxpayers who are bankrupt are exempt from debt relief income tax. Also, taxpayers who are insolvent are exempt from debt relief income tax to the extent their current liabilities exceed current assets.
For more information about mortgage forgiveness tax consequences, go to California Franchise Tax Board’s Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Extended webpage and the Internal Revenue Service’s Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act and Debt Cancellation webpage. The full text of Senate Bill 401 is available at www.leginfo.ca.gov.
C.A.R. provides REALTORS® with many legal articles covering a wide range of topics of interest. Some of the new or newly revised legal articles available at http://qa.car.org/ are as follows:
This article from CAR.org (California Association of Realtors)
Posted in Real Estate | Tagged Real Estate, David Bergman, Intero, santa clara county real estate, Home, house, Intero Real estate, realtor, $8000 tax credit, Intero Real Estate Services, foreclosure, short sale | Leave a Comment »
April 13, 2010 by David Bergman
Posted in Los Altos Estate, Los Altos Luxury Estate, Luxury Estate, Palo Alto Real Estate, Real Estate | Tagged Bay area Estates, Bay Area Luxury Estates, Bay Area Luxury Homes, David Bergman, DownTown Los Altos, Estate, fine estates, First time homebuyer, Home, house, Intero, Intero Real estate, Intero Real Estate Services, Los Altos, Los Altos Downtown, Los Altos Hills Luxury Estates, Los Altos homes for sale, Luxury, Luxury Estates, luxury homes, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Real Estate, Real estate Statistics, realtor, santa clara county real estate, Silicon Valley Home, Silicon Valley Luxury Real estate | Leave a Comment »
April 12, 2010 by David Bergman
A new office building is being proposed to be built by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation at 343 Second Street, Los Altos. A public hearing will be held by the Los Altos Planning Commission at 1 N San Antonio Road, Los Altos at 7:30 pm April 15, 2010 to consider the design review and development agreement applications.
This is a substantial change to the area. The new building will be two story 45,553 square foot building. Buildings to be removed include from Jerry’s Liquors and all those buildings to Whitney Street. The new design that I have reviewed includes a public accessible park like area at the soon to be former location of Jerry’s Liquors, and I think if built as proposed – will be a substantial improvement to the downtown area. The building being proposed will be LEED compliant and will be a Net Zero Energy building (per the Packard Foundation).
Demolition has already begun – but city approval has not been granted for the new building. The proposed construction will begin later this year or early next year – and the Packard Foundation plans to occupy the space in 2013 or sooner. If you are interested join in on the meeting as noted above. I urge you to support this substantial improvement to the downtown area. All buildings need to go thru the approval process with the city – and parking and other requirements need to be met (or negotiated). This is part of the upcoming hearings and meetings.
Photo rendering above from the Packard Foundation http://www.packard.org/categoryDetails.aspx?RootCatID=2&CategoryID=265
Posted in Los Altos Estate, Real Estate | Tagged Real Estate, Los Altos, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, David Bergman, Intero, Intero Real estate, Intero Real Estate Services, Mountain View, Los Altos Downtown, DownTown Los Altos, Packard Foundation, New building | Leave a Comment »
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