Saturday, June 27, 2009

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

Monday, June 15, 2009

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!


Sunday, June 14, 2009

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



Wonderful Condo For Rent in Sharon Heights

2371 Sharon Rd., Menlo Park, Ca


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

Saturday, June 13, 2009

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









Gorgeous Brand New Townhome For Rent
Near Google,New Price!
$2750 a month



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

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

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


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


Monday, June 8, 2009

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 monthwhich 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
650-619-9285
www.marcymoyer.com

Friday, June 5, 2009

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. 


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.