Chic vs. Geek: Holiday Listings

With Thanksgiving this week and Hanukkah starting Sunday night, we’ve got a few tips for listing your home during the holidays!

CHIC (PEARL)

The first thing holiday sellers should know is that winter buyers aren’t messing around. They are ready to buy and will make offers based on need rather than want. For example, someone moving due to a job transfer or other professional opportunity will be more motivated to secure a new home right away.

GEEK (KEVIN)

Don’t forget about end-of-year tax breaks! Buyers can deduct the mortgage interest, property taxes, and interest costs of their home loan if the sale closes on or before December 31. Bottom line: If you have someone interested in your home during the holidays, it's a good idea to take them seriously.

Geek's Number Talk: Market Snapshots - October 2021

Inventory is tight. That means homes are spending shorter times on the market — and selling at higher prices. If you’re thinking of buying, you’d better be ready to pay well over the list value to get the home you really want. Contact us if you want to learn more.

Number Talk: Cycling up over the years

When thinking about a real estate market as diverse as the Bay Area, where home prices, neighborhood characteristics, and appreciation percentages vary widely, it’s helpful to look at trends from a higher level.

This chart provides a simplified look at the market for higher-tier homes since 1984, and it’s clear that prices continue to rise over time despite a regular cycle of bubbles and busts.

Number Talk: Confluence of Economic Indicators

The three charts below show how real estate market cycles generally move in sync with other economic indicators such as financial markets, employment, and consumer confidence.

It’s important to note that these data points end in 2019 and don’t reflect the crazed volatility created by the global pandemic. As we’ve all seen, the housing market has experienced a complete rebound, but some economic sectors are still struggling to recover.

Geek's Number Talk: What you get for $3M

They say the grass is always greener across the street, but what if the green was all the same? From a cozy cottage in Mountain View to a 2,400 square foot, 5-bedroom home in Monte Sereno, here’s a glimpse at what $3 million looks like in neighborhoods across Santa Clara County.