Thinking of Moving? Disclosure

Spring Real Estate2015 6 THINKING OF MOVING? 30 MARKETING AT THE HIGH END DISCLOSURE PACKETS: ARE ‘GHOST HOMES’ 20 ASSURANCE OR RED FLAG? 48 BECOMING A PROBLEM? CREATING A UNIFIED LOOK NORTH LOS ALTOS: 24 THROUGH STAGING 52 A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH CHARM A PUBLICATION OF THE ALMANAC AND PALO ALTO WEEKLY Can You Say These Things About Your Realtor? • Licensed real estate broker for 20 years, licensed attorney for 36 years • Trained and experienced negotiator and mediator; Court appointed Special Master to sell homes • Teacher of law and real estate • Bay Area native with extensive community involvement including Las Lomitas School Board Trustee • Extensive construction, remodeling and renovation experience • Team of professionals to assist buyers and sellers • Top 1% of Coldwell Banker agents worldwide Elaine’s Clients Say… n buying our new dream home, Elaine was creative & persistent. She continues to be there “Ifor our family as a trusted advisor, friend, & resource. We have & will continue to recommend Elaine to anyone looking to sell or purchase a home. Her knowledge, negotiating skills, great service, professionalism & outstanding performance truly set her apart.” —Chet & Roxanne, Atherton buyers laine helped us sell an inherited property - we were out of state and dealing with lots of “Ecomplicated factors, and Elaine made the entire process easy and created a strategy that maximized the sale value of the property.” —Suzie, Woodside seller laine’s experience was invaluable as we looked at a variety of properties. She was patient “Ewhen we got cold feet and supportive when we were ready to take the plunge. She has remained in contact and has been helpful after we closed on our home. We cannot recommend her enough.” —Mike & Erin, Belmont buyers Elaine Berlin White Top 1% Coldwell Banker Agents Worldwide #179 Team of Wall Street Journal’s Top Realtors of 2013 Broker Associate, Attorney at Law 1377 El Camino Real, Menlo Park 94025 [email protected] | 650.566.5323 CalBRE#01182467 WWW.ELAINEWHITE.COM Facebook.com/EBWRealEstate SEAN FOLEY YOUR ADVOCATE IN EVERY TRANSACTION! Successfully Representing Sellers & Buyers for 32 years Woodside Menlo Park Portola Valley Atherton Palo Alto Los Altos Hills Redwood City Los Altos Homes, Estates & Investment Properties Direct: 650-529-2486 | Cell: 650-207-6005 [email protected] 2969 Woodside Road, Woodside Cal BRE 00870112 2015 SPRING REAL ESTATE SPRING REAL ESTATE 2015 A Palo Alto Weekly and Almanac publication Inside PaloAltoOnline.com • AlmanacNews.com 6 Thinking of moving? 44 What’s new? Local Realtor urges seniors not to wait to sell their homes Very few new homes are on the market today 12 There’s simply not much on the market 48 Are ‘ghost homes’ 12 Learning how to let go becoming a problem? Longtime Realtor steps back, takes a deep breath and Neighbors are concerned about 24 turns it over to the pros empty houses on their block 16 Real Estate Matters 52 North Los Altos If you bought low, you can sell high — now A convenient neighborhood with a lot of charm 20 Disclosure packets: assurance or red flag? When a fixable flaw can be a deal breaker 56 Real Estate Matters 24 Creating a unified look How a 1031 exchange 30 can save on taxes Stagers can match architectural style of homes on the market Editor: Carol Blitzer Designer: Linda Atilano Marketing at the high end Rent Watch 30 60 On the cover: This home at 383 Hedge Road, Menlo Zillion-dollar properties require special effort by Realtors Dissecting a rental scam: Park, in the Suburban Park neighborhood, was rebuilt red flags in 2005 and includes a great room and master suite Apples vs. oranges with vaulted ceilings. It was offered at $2,495,000 in 38 late March. Photo by Michelle Le. Even at similar prices, properties differ widely Premier California Ranch & Recreational Properties Historic Sierra Ranch Private Sierra Valley Ranch Bayview Ranch - Sonoma County • Rare 1,000 acre historic ranch NW of Lake Tahoe • Surrounded by mountains, Clover Valley Ranch has 2,655 acres • Wine country ranch with approximately 272 acres • Magnificent 9,000 square foot log home • Exciting opportunities for recreation and ranching • Oak-studded hills with stunning views of SF Bay Area • Three creeks, a lake, six ponds, guest home, toy barn, more • Two trout creeks, expansive meadows, abundant wildlife • Acreage for vineyards plus lakes, springs, creek and wells • Fish, hike, swim, hunt, horseback ride and mountain bike • Multiple home sites with remarkable views of the valley • Two ranch compounds, barns, farmhouse, cottage, and more • Pre-1914 water rights, income from cattle, corporate retreat. • Opportunity for income and conservation easement. • Hike, bird watch, mountain bike, horseback ride and enjoy. Offered at $8.95 Million Offered at $2.9 Million Offered at $7.9 Million Visit All Our Listings at www.ChickeringCo.com or Call (530) 265-5774 Page 4 | The Almanac | Palo Alto Weekly SOLD SOLD atherton menlo park SUCCESSFULLY GETTING FOR OVER 20 YEARS $JHQW0HQOR3DUN²(O&DPLQR2IILFH, 2014 5DQNHG1DWLRQDOO\by The Wall Street Journal, 2014 2YHU%LOOLRQLQ6DOHV SOLD SOLD PORTOLA VALLEY woodside Providing A 650.566.5353 Network of Reputable [email protected] HUGHCORNISH.COM Home-Improvement Professionals CalBRE# 00912143 The Almanac | Palo Alto Weekly | Page 5 2015 SPRING REAL ESTATE Veronica Weber Chris Iverson, a sales associate with Dreyfus/Sotheby’s International in Menlo Park, often works with clients who are downsizing, tryng to take the stress out of the move by connecting them with moving experts. He worked with Roger and Margaret Smith, who sold their longtime Woodside home in 2013 for $1.2 million, which helped them finance moving to a retirement community in Napa. oger and Margaret Smith dustries, and he finds many older had always thought of people are stymied about down- R themselves as in the sizing from the family home. “we’re going to die in the house” In the past, he said, people scenario. would downsize in steps, first Then Margaret hurt her knee moving to a place where they — and suddenly gardening in could get help with cooking and Thinking the Woodside home where they’d cleaning while they “did the fun lived for 42 years wasn’t quite so stuff. Now people are pushing attractive. back, skipping independent and Oddly, the very day she fell, going straight to assisted,” such as of moving the Smiths had arranged to have Sunrise of Palo Alto, an assisted- a conversation with Kaye Shar- living community. Local Realtor urges seniors not brough of Senior Seasons, a home “I deal with people who wait referrals and resources company. too long,” he said, describing a to wait to sell their homes They figured they could stay in situation where the homeowner by Carol Blitzer their home for another five years, had caregivers 24/7. While the ? Margaret said. caregiver stayed in the master ? “Then I fell, and I realized it was bedroom, the homeowner had a ? a fantasy,” she said. “Even though smaller bedroom, sat and watched Single-family home sales — by median prices we had prepared the house with all TV all day and subsisted on Spa- the things older people need — we ghetti-Os. Median Price Median Price Median Price % change in City % change were in our 80s — life changes.” His preference is to work with 2014 2013 2012 two years Soon they were checking out people long before the kids need Atherton $4,250,000 $3,575,000 18.9% $3,200,000 32.8% The Meadows of Napa Valley, to intervene. a retirement community not far That’s what he found with the East Palo Alto $500,500 $417,000 20.0% $285,000 75.6% from their son and his family. Smiths. Los Altos $2,350,000 $2,100,000 11.9% $1,825,000 28.8% And they realized they’d need to “We looked around at 40 years sell their Woodside home quickly. of stuff. That’s where it all kind of Los Altos Hills $3,199,000 $2,796,500 14.4% $2,600,000 23.0% Sharbrough introduced them to gets stuck,” Iverson said. Chris Iverson, a sales associate “That was the only thing they Menlo Park $1,880,000 $1,510,000 24.5% $1,325,000 41.9% with Dreyfus/Sotheby’s Interna- were worried about — not what Mountain View $1,467,500 $1,275,000 15.1% $1,100,000 33.4% tional Realty in Menlo Park, who the house would sell for, expenses offers a free report on downsizing like Realtor commissions, just Palo Alto $2,420,000 $2,100,000 $1,727,500 40.1% 15.2% at StressFreeMove.info. how do we actually accomplish Portola Valley $2,467,500 $2,268,750 8.8% $2,200,000 12.2% Iverson likes to call himself this? ... How do we get from sitting “a matchmaker” or “the quarter- here with a houseful of stuff to a Redwood City $1,097,000 $949,000 15.6% $787,500 39.3% back” or “the catcher.” two-bedroom condo in Napa?” $2,245,000 $2,052,500 $1,605,000 39.9% He’s been in the real estate Iverson connected the Smiths Woodside 9.4% business for about 10 years after with Managing Moves and More, *Information provided by the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® from MLSListings Inc. working for IBM, consulting in the biotech and pharmaceutical in- (continued on page 8) Page 6 | The Almanac | Palo Alto Weekly Lan Liu Bowling presents 920 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto JUST SOLD Magnificent New Construction, Classic Craftsman Design 6 BEDROOMS | 6.5 BATHS | 4,000+ SQ. FT. HOME | 11,250 SQ. FT. LOT | ASKING PRICE: $8,500,000 Located in sought-after Crescent Park, this just-completed new home combines the charm of a classic Craftsman with grand ambiance and modern features.

Load more