Thinking of selling?

With our world turned upside down, many potential sellers are still trying to figure out if now is the right time to make a move. If you fall into this category, we’d like to share some insights we’ve heard from our agent network and tips we’ve picked up from recent experiences...

1. Selling in a down market means you can buy in a down market. If you list now, you might sell a bit lower, but the money will go a lot further for you. Think of the dream home — and home office — you could get at a discount!

2. Active buyers are more serious than ever before. A lot of people have spent the past five months stuck at home in an undesirable situation and watching mortgage interest rates fall to record lows. That means they’re motivated to make a deal!

3. Price so the market chases you up, not down. If you price your home too high, you may scare off some interested buyers. Price too low, and you’ll miss out on a good return. Find the sweet spot, and start a bidding war for your property!

4. We don’t know what the future holds. Don’t take this moment for granted. This unprecedented year is far from over, and the market could freeze up at any time. If your home needs a little TLC to shine, you should take advantage while contractors are still allowed to work inside!

As always, if you'd like a closer look at how the market is playing out in your neighborhood, just let us know! - Pearl (The Chic) & Kevin (The Geek)

Small Business Gratitude

As social distancing continues to keep us at home, millions of small businesses are feeling the effects of empty storefronts, tables, and offices, and they’re rightly worried about the future. But there’s still hope. Many businesses are getting creative and taking their offerings online, and we can step up to help! By celebrating small businesses, ordering out, and buying local instead of from Amazon, we can make it through these challenging times together. If you want to help Silicon Valley small businesses, please visit siliconvalleystrong.org.

Introducing: Foster City

Foster City literally rose out of the marshes of the San Francisco Bay, on the eastern edge of San Mateo. The city was named after T. Jack Foster, a real estate tycoon who owned much of the land that was forged into the eventual city, and who played a key role in its design. His family firm, Foster Enterprises, is still active in Bay Area real estate today.

Despite being built on engineered landfill, Foster City maintains an extensive 218-acre lagoon that functions as a drainage system and keeps the city from flooding, even during the infamous El Niño rainstorms in the late 1990s. Meanwhile, surrounding cities experienced major drainage problems. (Keep reading for more on Foster City’s innovative flood protections.)

In 2009, Forbes ranked Foster City 10th on their list of America's Top 25 Towns to Live Well. Money magazine has also recognized Foster City as one of the Best Places to Live. Like most of Silicon Valley, it boasts a mild Mediterranean climate, with warm, dry summers, and cool, wet winters.

Learn more in the Neighborhoods section of our website.