Palo Alto Market Update, June 27th: Single Family Homes

As of today this is the snapshot of the Palo Alto single family home market:

118 Active listings

57 Pending sales

What does this mean? The inventory of active listings decreased by 7 and pending sales are decreased by 1. We are now getting even closer to a 1 to 2 ratio which is pretty good. During 2006 we were at 1 to 1. Again, the over 2 million market is holding on with 38 active listings and 14 pending sales which is almost unchanged from June 7th. . Under 2 million there are 80 active listings and 43 pending sales, putting the ratio at little better than to 1 to 2 which is definitely improving. Overall, things are a little better than they were a few months ago, and even better than a few weeks ago with more realistic sellers and more qualified buyers. June is traditionally not the busiest selling time so it will be interesting to see if the improvement holds even further into the summer months which tend to be a little slower in this area. The inventory is less this week, so it will e interesting to see if this continues.

Solds will be in the next post.

If you are interested in finding the final selling price of any home, anywhere, you can do it on my web site. Go to www.marcymoyer.com and click on Cyberhome Home Valuation. You can then type in any address next to the search icon and get the county records.

If you need anything else please feel free to contact me. I am here to help you.

Marcy Moyer Intero Real Estate

marcy@marcymoyer.com

650-619-9285

www.marcymoyer.com

East Palo Alto Ikea

The gargantuan IKEA store in East Palo Alto should be a go-to place for anyone seeking inexpensive stylish furniture for their home or rental. Even if you're just after a replacement sofa or a new bedside table, IKEA's got a huge selection, and the prices are low enough to make it worth the hassle of dealing with the store's admittedly stressful checkout experience.

The East Palo Alto IKEA is designed with shoppers in mind. There's a restaurant (open from 9:30-8PM) featuring Swedish meatballs with lingonberry sauce for five dollars (a must-have for any true IKEA adventure), pasta dishes, cinnamon buns, and 99 cent mix-and-match kids menu (organic applesauce and mac&cheese are among the offerings). In the mornings there's often a long line for the 99 cent breakfasts of eggs, Swedish potatoes, and bacon.

IKEA gets another huge plus for kid friendliness--there's a colorful play area staffed with babysitters where the kids can hang out until you're done shopping. If anything goes wrong, the staff will page you, so you can go ahead and relax while browsing.

The showrooms are a good jumping-off point for anyone starting from scratch. They are organized by room-purpose (living room, bedroom, dining room, etc.), and an endless variety of styles. Seeing the showrooms already put together can help you get a feel for what goes with what, and how certain pieces of furniture might look in your own space.

Some shoppers are put-off by IKEA's mass produced products, and it's true there's a certain automaton quality about the product room with of all its numbered boxes. But still, the prices are unbeatable, and most of the furniture is hardy and reliable. Supplementing heirlooms or antiques with IKEA furniture isn't a bad way to go, and even if your study looks like an IKEA showroom, little touches of personality are all it takes to make a space unique and personal.

Temporary renters should especially consider a trip to IKEA--almost everything in the store is lightweight, easy to dismantle, and comes in do-it-yourself pieces that can fit through any door or tight hallway. If putting together a wall-sized bookshelf is too daunting for you, IKEA offers a builder service for a fee.

In case you've missed it or you're new to the area, IKEA is located at 1700 E. Bayshore Road, directly across the freeway from the Four Seasons Hotel. It's open daily from 10AM-9PM, and the phone number is 650-323-4532.

Happy shopping!

Menlo Park, CA: Condo For Rent, $2500 a Month

Wonderful Condo For Rent in Sharon Heights

2371 Sharon Rd., Menlo Park, Ca

CLICK HERE FOR VIRTUAL TOUR!

2 bedrooms

2 baths

Inside washer/dryer

Wood floors

Central heat and air

Patio

Pets permitted

Huge extra storage

1 car garage plus additional parking

Las Lomitas Schools

Complex with pool and lush landscaping

Close to shops and schools

Marcy Moyer
Intero Real Estate
650-619-9285
marcy@marcymoyer.com
www.marcymoyer.com

Mountain View, CA: Brand New Townhome for Rent Near Google

Gorgeous Brand New Townhome For Rent

Near Google,New Price!

$2750 a month

CLICK HERE FOR VISUAL TOUR!

2 Large Bedrooms

2 1/2 Baths

Gorgeous huge kitchen with slab granite counters and stainless steel appliances

Inside washer/dryer

Wood floors

2 car tandem garage

CentralHeat and Air-conditioning

Great new complex in a very convenient location

1 year lease required

No smoking or pets please

Marcy Moyer

Intero Real Estate

650-619-9285

marcy@marcymoyer.com

www.marcymoyer.com

Palo Alto, CA: Wonderful Townhome for Sale

Wonderful Townhome For Sale

Open Sat/Sun 1:30-4:30

733 Loma Verde Ave. #C Palo Alto

Offered for $725,000

CLICK HERE FOR VIRTUAL TOUR!

Affordable 3 Bedroom Townhome in Midtown Palo Alto

This is a great opportunity to own a 3 bedroom/2.5 bath townhome in Midtown at an affordable price, and it looks pretty too! The location is ideal, with shops, schools, library, parks, and commute routes right outside the doorstep. Come by and see how much fun it is to live in this friendly community.

This lovely home features:

3 bedrooms including a master suite

Master bedroom with walk in closet

One bedroom with built in shelving

Third bedroom also with ample closet space

2 ½ baths including a master bathroom, hall bath upstairs, and ½ bath downstairs

Remodeled kitchen with gorgeous sea foam green corian counters, stainless steel appliances, and abundant counter space

Gorgeous maple pergo floors through out the house

Step down living room with cozy fireplace and sliding doors to the back patio

Separate dining room

Washer and dryer on second floor where the bedrooms are

Large lovely patio with flower beds, decking, and tall privacy walls

Two underground parking spaces in a secured parking lot with elevator

Additional storage room

Complex with pool

HOA fees of $525 a month which cover roof, painting, landscaping, garbage, sewer

Assessment for repairs to the garage and walkways to be paid by seller

Excellent Palo Alto Schools including Palo Verde, JLS, and Palo Alto High (buyer to verify availability of individual schools)

1,426 square feet of living space (per county records)

1,742 square foot lot per county records

Palo Alto Market Update, June 7th; Single Family Homes

As of today this is the snapshot of the Palo Alto single family home market:

125 Active listings

58  Pending sales

What does this mean? The inventory of active listings decreased by 9 and pending sales have decreased by 2. Now we're getting even closer to a 1 to 2 ratio which is pretty good news. During 2006 we were at 1 to 1. Again, the over 2 million market is a little better with 42 active listings and 13 pending sales which is almost unchanged from last week. Under 2 million there are 83 active listings and 45 pending sales, putting the ration at slightly better than to 1 to 2 which is definitely an improvement. Overall, things are a little better than they were a few months ago, and even better than a few weeks ago with more realistic sellers and more qualified buyers. This is traditionally the busiest selling time so it will be interesting to see if the improvement holds into the summer months which tend to be a little slower in this area. The inventory is less this week, so again, it will be interesting to see if this continues.

Solds will be separate again.

If you are interested in finding the final selling price of any home, anywhere, you can do it on my web site. Go to www.marcymoyer.com

and click on Cyberhome Home Valuation. You can then type in any address next to the search icon and get the county records.

If you need anything else please feel free to contact me. I am here to help you.

Marcy Moyer Intero Real Estate

marcy@marcymoyer.com

650-619-9285

www.marcymoyer.com

Palo Alto Citywide Yard Sale: Tomorrow!!

Help the environment, your wallet, and the community by participating in Palo Alto's citywide yard sale tomorrow. It's from 8:00AM to 1:00PM, and you can plan your route by visiting the adorable maps here--sale addresses are marked with stars, and little ice cream cones, coffee cups, and froyo swirls represent places to refuel. 

There's even a nifty activity for the kids--Captain Greenbeard's Treasure Hunt Adventure--which uses those fun maps as guides for a treasure hunt doubling as a lesson in waste prevention (and a way to keep the kids out of your hair while you're shopping). Make sure you download the tip sheet. It includes coupons for free froyo, coffee, and ice cream. 

This year a record 307 residents are taking place in the event. According to an article in Palo Alto Online, sale items include an antique bed, a zither, persian rugs, and cigarette-lighter collection. 

The sale is part of the city's Zero Waste Program. Here's how they describe themselves (from the website): 

Inspired by the environment’s natural cycles, the mission of the City of Palo Alto Zero Waste Program is to work in partnership with our community to conserve resources and minimize material consumption to reduce our waste to zero (or darn close) by 2021.

Gotta love this town.

Mantra Restaurant: The Best Deal in Town

Last August I wrote a post describing the deliciousness that is Mantra Restaurant (check that out here). For those of you who haven't yet tried it, you no longer have any excuse. Everyday in the Daru Lounge (a comfortable seating area adjacent to the main dining room) Mantra offers two ridiculously inexpensive happy hour specials.

The first is from 4:30 to 6:30PM, and it's 50% off the entire menu--that means half-priced wines, cocktails, and food. The second happy hour starts at 9:30, and it offers a 25% discount, again on everything. 

If you're having trouble believing this, click here for the restaurant's website. Don't miss the drool-worthy menus. 

According to rumors circulating through yelp reviews, Mantra's shocking happy hour discounts are the owner's attempt to create good karma for the restaurant and the community. I'd say he's doing a pretty good job.