City Market Conditions
Average Sale Price
$8,000,000
$7,000,000
$6,000,000
$5,000,000
$4,000,000
$3,000,000
$2,000,000
$1,000,000
$0
Atherton
Los Altos
Los Altos Hills
Menlo Park
Mountain View
Palo Alto
Portola Valley
Redwood City
Sunnyvale
Woodside
01/2017 - 11/2017
Average sale price for single-family homes from 01/2018 to 11/2018,
01/2018 - 11/2018
compared to the period from 01/2017 to 11/2017.
Price/Square Foot Ratio $2,000 $1,800 $1,600 $1,400 $1,200 $1,000 $800 $600 $400 $200 $0
Atherton
Los Altos
Los Altos Hills
Menlo Park
Mountain View
Palo Alto
Portola Valley
Price per square foot ratio for single-family homes from 01/2018 to 11/2018, compared to the period from 01/2017 to 11/2017.
Redwood City
Sunnyvale
Woodside
01/2017 - 11/2017
01/2018 - 11/2018
Data gathered from the Multiple Listing Service on 12/03/2018
2 | D E LEO N RE A LT Y.CO M
Table of Contents 04.
Dishonesty in Real Estate
05.
The DeLeon Team Presents at the 2018 AREAA National Convention in Las Vegas
06. 09.
Housing Affordability for Local Teachers, Police Officers & Firefighters
12.
OU R OFFICES ARE LO CAT ED AT : 1717 Embarcadero Road - Palo Alto, CA 94303 650. 900.7000 www.DE L EO N REALT Y.co m
14.
Founder — Ken DeLeon CEO & General Counsel — Michael Repka Copywriters — David Burckhard and Michelle Lee Chief Photographer — Anthony Halawa Chinese Marketing Specialist — Melanie Yu Online Marketing Specialist — Mike Ran Senior Graphic Designer — Nora Xu Graphic Designer — Monica Casorla Corporate Counsel — Colette Thomason
To learn about our Platinum packages and incredible listing services for sellers, contact Michael Repka at 650.900.7000
By Michael Repka, Esq.
What is an H-1B Visa and How Does it Affect Silicon Valley Real Estate? By Audrey Sun
The Importance of Pricing Your Home Correctly – By the Numbers By Darrell Martin
19.
So Your Home Didn’t Appraise, Now What?
The Unfortunate Downside of Automated Searches
2018: Year in Review
20.
Contact Ken DeLeon for exceptional buying opportunities at 650.543.8501
By Michael Repka, Esq.
16.
CONTRIBUTORS: Michael Repka, Audrey Sun, Darrell Martin, and David Burkhard
Time to Revisit Your Trust
By Michael Repka, Esq.
10.
DELEON INSIGHT
By Michael Repka, Esq.
THE
By Michael Repka, Esq.
22.
By Michael Repka, Esq.
By Michael Repka, Esq.
Palo Alto Preserves Historic Homes; Homeowners Benefit Too By David Burkhard
Ellen Fletcher -- Silicon Valley’s Bicycling Hero By David Burkhard
D ELEO NR EA LT Y.COM
| 3
R E A L E S T A T E L AW
DISHONESTY IN REAL ESTATE By Michael Repka, Esq.
Dishonesty in Real Estate -- Fraudulent Marketing Techniques There are an awful lot of real estate agents out there and
agents in their office, yet some unscrupulous agents imply that the stats are reflective of their own market share or experience.
they all seem to be scrambling for the same potential clients. Given the low barriers of entry in the real estate
To safeguard against this, sellers should ask for a detailed
industry, and the tremendously high commissions, some
list of all of the sales that the agent has personally handled.
agents give in to the temptation of fraudulent marketing.
This should be provided in writing with a clear statement saying that the agent was the one responsible for the listing.
Expired Listings Whenever a listing expires, or is canceled, there seems to
Overstating Services Provided
be an inevitable “feeding frenzy” of agents trying to take
Many agents are particularly good at giving the impression
over the listing. Unfortunately, one of the most common
that they are going to provide marketing or services that
dishonest techniques is for an agent to pretend that they
they don’t actually provide. Perhaps the most common
have a buyer that is interested.
example of this is agents that emphasize a “secret network” of buyers that they know.
These dishonest agents will contact the sellers claiming that they have a buyer ready to put in an offer, and in some
Another common example is that some agents imply that
circumstances, they will even bring someone pretending to
they are going to market the home on Zillow, Trulia, and
be a buyer over to the house, only to have that “buyer“
other websites, when in fact all homes on the MLS are
change their mind at the last moment. The agent then has
automatically syndicated to all of those websites unless the
their foot in the door to argue for the listing.
agent or the seller proactively opts out.
Rest assured, an agent that really had a buyer would reach
Sellers should also watch out for agents that imply that
out to the former listing agent because experienced real
their office will provide a real estate attorney if something
estate agents know that doing so is the best way for the
goes wrong. To my knowledge, DeLeon Realty is the only
seller to take the offer seriously.
real estate office that provides free access to an attorney to handle a contractual dispute or to help answer specific
Overstating Experience or Sales Volume Another area of concern are agents that exaggerate their experience or sales volume. Some agents will try to lump in the sales experience of other agents in their office or sales experience from when they were merely an assistant to an
questions related to the preparation of disclosures. The purpose of this article is not to say that all real estate agents are dishonest. However, there are a significant number of dishonest real estate agents out there that are
experienced agent.
very good at misdirection and misrepresentation. Therefore,
Some agents even go so far as to present newspaper ads
writing.
from their brokerages to potential sellers. These ads lump together all of the sales of all of the independent contractor
4 | DE LEO N RE ALT Y.CO M
a prudent seller should ask agents to put everything in Also, all listing agreements should include an
addendum that specifically outlines what marketing, home preparation, professional services, and staging the agent will provide for their listings.
R E A L E S T A T E L AW
The DeLeon Team Presents at the 2018 AREAA National Convention in Las Vegas By Michael Repka, Esq.
As the world continues to shrink due to efficient transportation
Melanie Yu and Audrey Sun head the DeLeon Team’s
and ever-evolving telecommunications, global reach has
international marketing efforts. Through their fantastic work,
become critically important. This is as true for real estate as it
we have become AREAA’s number one real estate team in the
is for most industries.
entire United States. This really is quite an honor.
The real estate community is served by countless
I was also asked to speak at the AREAA National Convention,
professional organizations that go to extraordinary lengths
which was held at the Aria Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada from
to enhance the lives of its members and to improve the
October 18-20, 2018.
service provided to consumers. The materials that I covered included how to build an effective The Realtor® Association is managed by a Board of Directors
team that can cater to the needs of buyers coming from
that devotes a significant amount of time at the local, state, and
around the world. I also addressed the benefits of working on a
national levels. As a former board member of the California
collaborative team versus trying to do everything individually.
Association of Realtors, I can attest to this significant amount of time that agents contribute to improving our industry.
Naturally, a lot of the attendees had questions about international and domestic legal and tax issues that could
In addition to the Realtor® Association, there are a number
impact their business. I always enjoy these topics.
of other groups that enhance the industry. These include the various Multiple Listing Services around the country that
While there, we had the opportunity to attend a number of
facilitate a seamless flow of information about properties
presentations by other top real estate agents from around
available on the market. There are also a number of more
the country. These presentations covered topics as diverse
narrowly focused trade associations.
as interior design trends, effective marketing techniques, and dealing with language barriers.
In my experience, one of the best run and most effective specialized associations is the Asian Real Estate Association of
Overall, I learned a lot from the other presenters, as well as
America (“AREAA”).
the other attendees, and I hope they walked away with some useful information from my presentation too. As I write this article, Melanie, Audrey and I are working on our next presentation, which we will deliver at the Luxury Properties Showcase (“LPS”) in Shanghai, China, which runs from December 7-9, 2018. The LPS show provides us with a great opportunity to present our listings to affluent buyers in Asia and the Middle East, and to catch up with old friends.
D ELEONR EA LT Y.COM
| 5
THE DELEON INSIGHT
TIME TO REVISIT YOUR TRUST By Michael Repka, Esq.
Historically, there have always been three important reasons
When someone dies without a trust, their assets have to
why affluent California residents should establish a family
go through the probate system, which involves the court,
trust. First, probate costs in California are extremely high and,
lawyers, and a lot of frustration. This is true irrespective of
if properly executed, a trust can eliminate the need to go
whether the decedent died intestate or with a will.
through the time-consuming and expensive probate process. In California, probate costs are calculated based on the Second, trusts provide a way to distribute assets to younger
gross value of the assets with no deduction whatsoever for
generations without an immediate and unconditioned
any debt. In other words, if someone owns a house that
distribution.
is worth $4 million, but that house is encumbered by a $3 million mortgage, then that asset would be valued at the full
Third, estate taxes can be extremely costly and the old estate
$4 million for California probate purposes. Thus, it is easy to
tax rules resulted in the loss of a significant deduction upon
understand how probate costs can take a large bite out of a
the death of the first spouse.
decedent’s estate. The good news is that assets owned by a person’s trust are generally not included when calculating
However, the estate tax system was changed significantly in 2010 and the estate tax now hits a far smaller portion of the population.
Probate Costs
probate costs.
Inter-Family Considerations As a former estate planning attorney, I used to have couples come to my office with a pretty firm idea of how they wanted
There are a number of reasons why dying is disadvantageous.
their assets distributed in the event of their death. For many
The California probate system is quite costly and time-
young couples, their approach was fairly straight forward:
consuming, which is yet another reason why dying is
When the first person passed away, all of the assets would
unattractive.
go to the surviving spouse until their death, at which time, all of the assets would go to their children.
6 | DE LEO N RE ALT Y.CO M
R E A L E S TAT E TA X
The problem with that structure is that it does not consider
As a result, estate plans were typically drafted such that at
the possibility of the surviving spouse remarrying.
least $650,000 would go to other heirs, even if those assets remained in a trust that the surviving spouse could use, with
By way of example, Jim and Sally are married and they have
some restrictions, for the rest of their life. This very common
a son, Johnny. Jim and Sally have a combined net worth of
structure would result in the functional doubling of the
$4 million, which is comprised of $2 million each. Under the
$650,000 exemption.
traditional plan, Jim would die and leave his $2 million to Sally. Many years later, when Sally dies, she is supposed to
However, in 2010, Congress enacted significant changes to
leave the $4 million to Johnny.
the estate tax laws. These included a provision, commonly known as “portability,” which gave the surviving spouse
Unfortunately, five years after Jim dies, Sally meets Alejandro
the exemption amount from the decedent spouse.
and they get married. Alejandro has two children from his
Additionally, over the years, the amount that someone
prior marriage.
can leave to their heirs’ estate has skyrocketed to over $11 million for each spouse.
It is easy to imagine how this situation can become very complicated very quickly, however, a family trust can be
Time to Review your Trust
drafted to ensure that the decedent’s desires are followed.
Given that many people drafted their trusts prior to
Estate Tax Concerns When I started practicing law back in 1999, each taxpayer
2011, they should consider whether the trust is overly restrictive now that the estate tax laws have been made much more favorable.
could leave $650,000 to their heirs without any estate tax. Additionally, there was an unlimited exemption between
As part of our service, I am happy to review my clients’
husband and wife.
trusts to see whether they should have them revised. In the alternative, it may be a good idea for anyone with
Unfortunately, when a spouse died leaving all of their assets
a trust drafted prior to 2010 to meet with a qualified
to their surviving spouse, then their $650,000 exemption
estate planning attorney to determine whether the trust
would die with them.
adequately addresses their needs.
D ELEONR EA LT Y.COM
| 7
COMMUNITY
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY FOR LOCAL TEACHERS, POLICE OFFICERS & FIREFIGHTERS By Michael Repka, Esq. Silicon Valley is one of the best places to live in the entire
Ken and I feel that local civil servants should be able to live in
world. From our robust economy and rich culture, to our
the towns that they serve so selflessly. Although 2% to 3% of
great weather and scenic beauty, there are few places on
the purchase price may only be a drop in the bucket, it’s still
earth that can compare to where we call home.
better than leaving the bucket entirely dry.
Unfortunately, the attractiveness of this area, coupled with
This program only applies to the above-mentioned
the tremendous financial resources afforded by the local
professionals that are buying a primary residence (that
successes of businesses, makes the American dream of
they will live in themselves) in the town in which they work.
owning a home nothing more than a fantasy for many of the
Unfortunately, it does not apply to people purchasing
area’s hardest working civil servants.
investment properties.
Although only a drop in the bucket, DeLeon Realty
Whether you are buying a home or not, we all thank you for
remains committed to doing what we can to alleviate this
your service to our community.
unfortunate situation for those that do so much to enhance our quality of life. Therefore, if any local teacher, school administrator, firefighter, or police officer wants to buy a primary residence in the town in which they work, then DeLeon Realty will rebate back 100% of the commission that we would have otherwise received on the buyers’ side of the transaction to that teacher, school administrator, firefighter, or police officer. Additionally, these buyers will receive access to all of the extra services for which we are known. These services include access to our in-house interior designers, handymen, and attorneys.
D ELEONR EA LT Y.COM
| 9
THE DELEON INSIGHT
THE UNFORTUNATE DOWNSIDE OF AUTOMATED SEARCHES By Michael Repka, Esq.
There’s no doubt that technology has made a significant
Because technology is so helpful, many real estate agents
impact on the search for homes. Nowadays, many buyers
have significantly reduced their marketing efforts. Listing
do the bulk of their searching online and, often, with little
agents often forgo the expense of newspaper ads, radio
assistance from buyer’s agents. That is one of the reasons
ads, TV commercials, direct mail, and professional produced
why DeLeon Realty does not take any commission when the
brochures, arguing that mere reliance upon automated
buyer finds one of our listings on their own, without the help
searches is sufficient.
of a real estate agent. In those situations, our sellers only pay a total of 3% in commission.
I often take over listings that other agents cannot sell. One of the common reasons that leads to our success when others
However, there is also a significant downside to the
have failed is that we market our listings very broadly and
widespread use of technology — both by home buyers and
aggressively, which drives more traffic to the website we
real estate agents. Specifically, many qualified home buyers
establish for each particular property.
never see properties that might be perfect for them because these properties fall slightly outside of the buyer’s inputted
That way, someone looking for a home in Midtown Palo Alto
search criteria.
may gain exposure to some great alternatives in Menlo Park or Los Altos. Once a potential buyer sees the property from
The majority of buyers use the internet significantly in their
one of our TV commercials or a full-page ad in an out-of-
search for a home. They often log on to websites and enter
town newspaper, they are directed to our website where
the criteria for a home they desire. For example, someone
they can watch a comprehensive video, which also includes
looking for a 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home in Midtown Palo Alto
information about the neighborhood and town.
may enter that into an automated search engine, which would then send them updates whenever such a home comes on
This expansion of the buyer pool is, perhaps, the number
the market.
one reason why we achieve such outstanding results for our sellers and why our price per square foot is higher than other
Unfortunately, the tools available to real estate agents are
top brokerages (per MLS for 2018 in Santa Clara County).
very similar. When a real estate agent meets a potential client, they offer to set them up for automated “drip campaigns” in
Make no mistake, having a home listed on the Multiple Listing
order to announce homes that fit into their criteria.
Service, as well as syndicated websites such as Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor.com is very important. However, all homes that are listed on the MLS are automatically syndicated out to all of these other websites. Therefore, the real distinguishing factor, is the quality of the online marketing once a potential buyer finds the website, and the agents’ ability to bring in potential buyers that would not otherwise see the property. In other words, new technology gives us important tools to market real estate. However, over-reliance on these tools is almost as bad as under-reliance. Selling real estate truly requires a balanced approach.
10 | DE LEO N REALT Y.CO M
LUXURY AND ELEGANCE IN WOODSIDE HILLS •
6 Bedroom
•
•
7 Full bath, 1 Half bath
• Oversized
Stunning Bay Area views
•
7,549 Sq. Ft. Home
•
•
3.83 acres
•
CHIC CRAFTSMAN WITH EVERY MODERN AMENITY • 5 Bedroom
• Smart home automation
• 4 Full bath, 1 Half bath
• Hidden wine cellar
Heated pool and jacuzzi
• 5,384 Sq. Ft. Home
• Large entertainment room
Separate guesthouse
• 9,847 Sq. Ft. Lot
• Outdoor sport court
formal living room
460 LAS PULGAS DRIVE, WOODSIDE Offered at $5,988,000
1321 HARKER AVE, PALO ALTO Offered at $6,988,000
For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.460LasPulgas.com
For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.1321Harker.com
PRISTINE EXCELLENCE IN OLD PALO ALTO
STUNNING NEW BUILD WITH SPECTACULAR VIEWS
•
5 Bedroom
•
Four spacious levels
•
5 Full bath, 1 Half bath
•
Private master balcony
•
6,044 Sq. Ft. Home
•
Professional home theater
•
12,000 Sq. Ft. Lot
• Outdoor
koi pond and fire pit
123 TENNYSON AVE, PALO ALTO Offered at $8,788,000 For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.123Tennyson.com
• 5 Bedroom
• Brand new home
• 5 Full bath, 1 Half bath
• Grand theater room
• 3,746 Sq. Ft. Home
• Stunning views
• 7,623 Sq. Ft. Lot
• Prestigious Location
1710 MILLER AVE, LOS ALTOS Offered at $4,988,000 For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.1 710Miller.com D ELEONR EA LT Y.COM
| 11
R E A L E S TAT E I N F LU E N C E
The H-1B Visa is a Lottery-Based Process
conferences, FaceTime or even virtual reality and augmented
According to USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigrant Services),
reality platforms. The need for people to be physically
a component of the United States Department of Homeland
stationed in an office to work is becoming increasingly rare.
Security, they received just under 200,000 petitions in the
In fact, more foreigners are starting to move back to their
2018 fiscal year. The selection process is solely based on luck,
homeland to start their own businesses. Google, Apple, and
also known as a lottery. The applications are first sent into the
other large enterprises have also opened many tech hubs in
mailroom and incomplete applications (such as those with
other countries, where salaries and other costs are lower. With
incorrect addresses, missing signatures, or any other errors)
our immigration laws tightening, Silicon Valley will likely lose
are rejected. After that, 65,000 and 20,000 applicants are
many of our skilled workers, and Vancouver is becoming the
randomly selected for the H-1B Regular and H-1B Master visas,
next best place for immigrants to start their new journey.
respectively. Once an application has been approved, the USCIS will send a notice to the employer that sponsored the
USCIS has already drafted a proposal scheduled to take
applicant. If the application is denied, everything mailed in will
effect in January 2019, stating that “our country’s immigration
be returned back to the employer, noting that the application
policies should be designed and implemented to serve, first
was not selected.
and foremost, the U.S. national interest. Visa programs for foreign workers… should be administered in a manner that
In Silicon Valley, the war for talent is extremely competitive, forcing
protects the civil rights of American workers and current lawful
companies to rely on talent from overseas. Oftentimes, employers
residents, and that prioritizes the protection of American
can fail to get an H-1B visa regardless of the worker’s skill level or
workers – our forgotten working people – and the jobs they
need for that skill, even after multiple petitions. At that point, the
hold.” With that being said, the real estate market in Silicon
employer’s only option is to look for all new employees or ask
Valley will likely be affected by less foreign investments and a
their skilled employees to continue to work from overseas until
shrinking international buyer pool.
they can try again for an H-1B visa one year later. All of this comes at a time when recently increased California Ethan Anderson, the founder and CEO of MyTime, Inc.
income tax rates, coupled with dramatic federal reductions
which is a Silicon Valley appointment scheduling and point-
in the deductibility of state and local taxes, have caused
of-sale startup, has applied for H-1B visas for many of his
companies to consider moving jobs from California to low, or
overseas software engineers and designers, but hasn’t had a
no-tax states, such as Washington, Nevada and Texas.
single application reviewed by USCIS in the past three years because of unlucky lottery numbers. As a result, more than
While there is still a strong demand for Silicon Valley homes
half of MyTime’s employees now work remotely from other
by foreign buyers, we are likely to see a drop in demand from
countries and the money going towards their salaries (and the
those foreign buyers that need an H-1B visa if the federal
subsequent economic multipliers from those salaries) leaves
changes go through. While this is certainly bad for the local
the country instead of staying here in Silicon Valley.
real estate market, it pales in comparison to the possible impact associated with tech companies moving ever larger
How is the H-1B Visa Changing Under the Current Administration?
parts of their operations to Canada, India, China, Singapore and a number of other countries with emerging tech centers.
Our current administration is looking for ways to tighten immigration laws, and under President Trump’s new executive
In an effort to increase demand for our listings, the DeLeon
order, “Buy American and Hire American”, the number
Team will help the buyer of any of our listings (purchased after
of immigrant workers allowed to work in the U.S. will be
12/01/2018) resell the property at our cost if the buyer is going
dramatically reduced. This new law will particularly affect
to lose money on the transaction because they are forced
Silicon Valley’s tech companies, since a large part of the
to leave the country for immigration reasons. Please contact
employee population here consists of immigrants. With today’s
Michael Repka for full details on this program.
advanced technology, people can communicate via video
D ELEON R EA LT Y.COM
| 13
2
1
1
-1
-1
Days on Market (DOM) DOM for home w/o price reductions 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
DOM for home w price reductions
86
43 23 13
2008-2012
2013-2018
R E A L E S TAT E S E L L I N G S T R AT E G Y
SALES PRICE TO ORIGINAL LIST PRICE RATIO
automatically assume there is a reason it hasn’t sold. Offers
(SP/OLP RATIO)
submitted for stale homes are typically below the list price
Homes with price reductions sell at an average of 91% of,
because buyers assume that the seller is motivated and the
or 9% below, their original list price vs. 107% for homes
home is worth less than the list price, since it has not yet
with no price reductions. This difference of 16% was the
sold at that price, hence a lower SP/OLP ratio. The lower
average difference from 2008 to 2018. During the lean years
sales price results in a lower price per square foot ratio for
of 2008-2012, the average difference was about 13% (89%
the home.
vs 102%), and during the good years since (2013-2018), the difference has been closer to 20% (93% vs 114%).
Given that the statistics so clearly demonstrate that it is imprudent to overprice a home, one may wonder why so
Sales Price to Original List Price Ratio (SP/OLP Ratio) difference SP/OLP Ratio di fference for home w/o price reductions
0% -5% -10% -15%
from the listings that Michael takes over from other agents price often came from the listing agent themselves. While
20% 10% 5%
sellers’ strong bias towards their particular home. However, who could not sell them, he is told that the artificially high
SP/OLP Ratio di fference for home w price reductions 14%
15%
many people do it. Certainly some of the blame falls on the
initially perplexing, there is actually a very logical, albeit sinister reason, that some agents recommend prices that
2% 2008-2012 -11%
2013-2018 -7%
are too high—it makes it easier for them to get the listing. Promising unrealistically high prices, coupled with listing agreements that are way too long (often 3 months or sometimes even 6 months), gives the listing agent months
PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT ($/SF)
to get the seller to reduce their price.
In the event that you happen to be thinking that the Sale Price to Original List Price (SP/OLP %) ratio is meaningless,
When agreeing to any price reduction, the Seller should
since a list price can be artificially low, please consider the
demand that the addendum include a clause giving the
following data regarding the difference in the price per
Seller the unilateral right to cancel the agreement after 14
square foot for homes with price reductions. Homes with
days if the price reduction does not result in a sale. Under
price reductions sell at an average of 10% less per square
this clause, the Seller should have no commission obligation
foot than homes with no price reductions. For example,
to the listing agent if they are unable to sell the property in
Palo Alto homes with price reductions sold for an average of
that amount of time.
4% less per square foot during the lean years of 2008-2012, and an average of 12% less per square foot in the years since (2013-2018), when compared to homes sold with no price reductions. When you decide to sell your home, it is absolutely critical to price it competitively if your intention is to sell it quickly and for the best possible price. If your home is overpriced, it will simply help competing homes sell quicker, and for a better price, because buyers will compare the homes and most likely purchase the one that appears to be the best overall value. This results in overpriced homes sitting on the market for longer than necessary, thus the extended days on market (DOM). Once a home has been listed for an extended period of time, it becomes stale and buyers
DELEON LISTING
777 Seale Ave, Palo Alto
DOM: 8 days List Price: $4,788,000 Sale Price: $5,700,000
D ELEONR EA LT Y.COM
| 15
R E A L E S TAT E I N F LU E N C E
2018: YEAR IN REVIEW By Michael Repka, Esq. By virtually any measure, 2018 has been a turbulent year for Silicon Valley real estate despite the general local economy doing very well. Overall, businesses have been thriving but there have been some hiccups along the way. In the spring, a variety of local tech companies found themselves answering questions about data usage and online influence, especially in light of the 2016 presidential election. Stories such as the activities of Cambridge Analytica remain front page stories, or, make that, trending topics for weeks, and ultimately brought about a level of congressional scrutiny generally unexperienced by local tech companies. On April 10, 2018, the CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, testified before Congress for the first time. While he was generally praised for his candor and demeanor, many began to speculate as to whether tech companies would see increasing governmental regulations and oversight. Some news outlets even started positing the idea of breaking up some of the area’s largest companies.
16 | D E LEO N RE ALT Y.CO M
Despite these bumps in the road, many of the local tech companies continued to generate strong profits and significantly expand their operations.
2018 Tax Changes
On December 22, 2017, President Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which represented the most significant overhaul to the U.S. tax system since 1986. This tax legislation included very significant tax cuts for corporations and a general lowering of tax rates for individuals. However, the devil is in the details. Overall, the tax legislation will end up negatively impacting affluent people in California particularly hard, especially if they are not already paying the alternative minimum tax.
Reduction in the Deductibility of State Income Taxes
California has the highest state tax in the United States, with a maximum tax rate of 13.3%, which was enacted as part of Proposition 30.
January 2019
Historically, state taxes were deductible when an individual filed a federal return. Therefore, the effective state tax rate was approximately 8% (net of the federal benefit) for someone in the highest tax bracket. However, now these affluent individuals will be paying at the marginal rate of 13.3% with no corresponding federal tax benefit. As a result of these changes, we have seen a material increase in people contacting DeLeon Realty about selling homes, especially in the $5 million to $15 million range. Many of these potential sellers are considering moving outside of the state of California in light of these changes. Some are nearing retirement age and would like to be closer to their kids and grandkids, while others plan to continue to work, but from an office in a low or no-tax state, such as Nevada. To illustrate how seriously local residents are taking these text changes, one only needs to look at the attendance at my January tax seminar. Typically my tax seminars attract around 100 to 120 homeowners looking to understand and minimize their state and federal real estate-related tax. This level of attendance is not bad for a local real estate seminar, but certainly nothing earth-shattering. However, when we presented the same topic in January, we had over 850 people sign up and attend—we had to split the session into two sessions and rent out a theater. Needless to say, this dramatic increase in attendance illustrates the serious level of concern amongst local residents.
Interest Rates
Another factor that seems to be lessening demand is the significant increase in interest rates over the past year. Buyers have seen interest rates climb materially in the past 12 months. For example, the 7-year Adjustable Rate Mortgage (“ARM”) rate has gone from 3.25% in November of last year to 4.25% in November of this year. While we have not seen a dramatic impact on the demand of higher-priced homes as a result of the rate increase, we have noticed a drop-off of buyers stretching to purchase entry-level homes.
Net Effect Market Changes
Although I have gone on more listing appointments for homes in the $5 million to $15 million range, a number of these sellers are still contemplating their future plans. I do expect to see an increase in the inventory for these higherpriced homes over the next two to three years, but there has not been a high level of panic or overreaction thus far.
reflects an increase in the average days on market from 45 days to 59 days. We have also seen the number of expired, canceled, or withdrawn listings increase from 39 properties in 2017 to 47 properties in 2018. Fortunately, this slowing of demand has only resulted in the marginal decrease in the average price per square foot from $1,639 to $1,610.
Homes Priced Under $5 Million
We have seen a significant decline in the number of homes sold for less than $5 million. In the period from September 1, 2017 until November 30, 2017 as compared to the same period in 2018, we saw a drop in sales from Sunnyvale to Atherton of over 20%. Additionally, the number of active listings has skyrocketed from 172 to 325. Days on market has also jumped from 23 to 29 days. The great news is, however, prices have remained remarkably resilient, with an average price per square foot increasing from $1,164 to $1,230.
Cost of Construction
With the fires in Santa Rosa last year, and the devastating Camp Fire near Chico this year, builders are seeing very material increases to the cost of skilled labor and construction materials. As a result, we estimate that construction costs are up approximately 25-30%.
Course Forward
There is still a significant shortage in the supply of housing within Silicon Valley. However, with the increase in inventory of homes available for sale and the increased cost of ownership, both in terms of higher interest rates and less favorable tax treatment, we do expect to see a more balanced housing market, with a slight shift towards a buyer’s market, over the next 24 to 36 months. There are still buyers that are interested in purchasing properties, but they will be more particular and have higher expectations. Despite the significant reduction in the number of homes sold in our primary market from Sunnyvale to Atherton, we have just completed our best year ever. We are finding that, in a slowing market, sellers realize the importance of having a higher level of service, enhanced legal protection, and very strong marketing. With this slowing market, sellers should also be more demanding of the services they receive from listing agents. Once again, it’s supply and demand. If fewer homes sell in the coming years, listing agents should be willing to step up their game with more marketing and enhanced services.
Homes Priced Above $5 Million
Overall, we have seen a slowing of demand for homes priced above $5 million. Our study of the period between September 1, 2017 and November 30, 2017 and the same period in 2018 D ELEONR EA LT Y.COM
| 17
INDUSTRIAL CHIC IN CRESCENT PARK
STATE-OF-THE-ART NEW CONSTRUCTION
•
6 Bedroom
•
Prestigious Crescent Park
•
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•
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•
5.5 Full bath
•
Smart home technologies
•
5,471 Sq. Ft. Home
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Generous lot
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4,068 Sq. Ft. Home
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417 SENECA STREET, PALO ALTO Offered at $ 7,788,000
1066 METRO CIRCLE, PALO ALTO Offered at $4,788,000
For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.41 7Seneca.com
For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.1066Metro.com
A BUCOLIC MASTERPIECE PERFECTLY LOCATED
SILICON VALLEY’S ULTIMATE ESTATE
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4 Bedroom
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5 Bedroom
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5 Full bath, 1 Half bath
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Tennis court and guest house
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7 Full bath, 5 Half bath
• Flawless
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10,969 Sq. Ft. Home
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Exquisite landscape
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20,982 Sq. Ft. Home
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Indoor pool and theater
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Nearly 3.93 acres
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Convenient access to trails
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Over 8 acre lot
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Separate office structure
370 MOUNTAIN HOME COURT, WOODSIDE Offered at $1 7,988,000 For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.370MountainHome.com
18 | DE LEO N REALT Y.CO M
Resort-like construction
27500 LA VIDA REAL, LOS ALTOS HILLS Offered at $49,990,000 For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.27500LaVida.com
R E A L E S TAT E TA X
benefits. While living in a period-appropriate and historic
While applying to all of California, the Mills Act contracts are
home can be rewarding in itself, the state of California could,
between the property owner and the local government that
in essence, pay you to maintain its original heritage by
grants the tax abatement.
considerably reducing your property tax in exchange for your efforts to preserve the property under certain guidelines.
Each local government establishes its own criteria including how many contracts it will let in, the terms of the contract, and
In addition to individual structures receiving historic status,
the application procedures. In Palo Alto, owners who wish to
Palo Alto boasts four districts listed in the National Register
participate in the Mills Act program must petition the city’s
of Historic Places which includes the Professorville Historic
Historic Resources Board ("HRB") individually negotiate, and
District, Ramona Street Architectural District, Green Gables
are typically required to do the following:
Historic District, and Greenmeadow Historic District. You can
1. Restore or rehabilitate the historic property, if necessary;
participate in hosted or self-guided tours that visit a number
2. Agree to maintain its character; and
of the city’s historic specimens under the guidance of PAST.
3. Use it in a manner compatible with its historic characteristics.
Mills Act
All work, according to the HRB, must conform to the rules
Palo Alto owners of historic residences are or may be eligible
and regulations of California’s Office of Historic Preservation,
for considerable property tax breaks if they meet qualifications
including compliance with the Secretary of the Interior’s
according to a state law. California is determined to honor its
Standards and the State Historic Building Code.
architectural heritage and incentivizes owners monetarily in a law that protects structures. According to California’s Office
Requirements to meet the Mills Act may initially seem
of Historic Preservation, the Mills Act “is the single most
daunting, but the hundreds of participating homeowners
important economic incentive program in California for the
in Palo Alto have discovered greater value in their owner
restoration and preservation of qualified historic buildings.”
experience and greater real value in their homes.
D ELEONR EA LT Y.COM
| 21
COMMUNITY
ELLEN FLETCHER -- SILICON VALLEY’S BICYCLING HERO By David Burkhard Palo Alto and the larger Silicon Valley can be proud of its
Bicycle Coalition) to address and boost bicycling in the area.
nationally-renowned, bicycle-boosting heritage, much of
Serving on Palo Alto’s City Council, she wielded her more
which is centered on the late Ellen Fletcher. Nearly 40 years
public position to convince Southern Pacific to allow bicycles
ago, forward-looking individuals recognized bicycling as an
on board what is now the Caltrain line between San Francisco
activity capable of transcending its simply-recreational image.
and the South Bay. It was Fletcher and the people who rallied
Over time, it slowly coalesced into grassroots organizations
around her that helped open a number of formerly restricted
in and around Silicon Valley. Fletcher would become the most
roadways, including Foothill Expressway in Santa Clara
recognized leader who advocated for a future beyond the
County, to bicyclists in the 1980s. Today, that expressway,
near-exclusive, car-centric model of today.
along with other formerly off-limit throughways, serve hundreds of commuters and recreational riders daily.
The former Palo Alto Councilwoman was an effective voice in first educating city and regional planners about the benefits
As the dedicated force behind so many of the opportunities
of bicycling as a significant factor to reduce congestion. She
that bicyclists enjoy today, Fletcher was recognized and
also advocated for an increased bicycle infrastructure, not
awarded innumerably, locally and nationally, for her
just in Palo Alto, but throughout the Peninsula and South
unwavering commitment to the cause. The senior bicyclist,
Bay cities. Fletcher began bicycling to work in London as a
who, even during her fight with cancer, could be seen
teenage refugee after escaping Nazi Germany.
pedaling her bicycle through town, passed away in 2012 at the age of 82. Palo Alto’s Bryant Street, the country’s first
Upon rejoining her parents in the United States, she moved to
“Bicycle Boulevard”, is named in her honor. Recently, the
Palo Alto where, as a mother, she served as the safety chair of
second-highest ranked middle school in the state (previously
the local PTA. It was then that her bicycling advocacy began
known as Terman Middle School in Palo Alto) was renamed
in earnest, as she pushed for better traffic control around
to honor the former PTA mom for expanding bicycling rights
schools to ensure safe student bicycling. She rejuvenated the
and infrastructure in the Bay Area and beyond.
Santa Clara Bicycle Association (now named the Silicon Valley
22 | DE LEO N REALT Y.CO M
COMMUNITY
For residents old and new, some of Silicon Valley’s top cycling
highways 280 and 87 in Downtown San Jose along its 12.5-mile
trails are detailed below:
route to the bay water’s edge in Alviso. After passing through the heart of San Jose and along parkways, it passes within a
San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail – Forms a paved, 5-mile, north-
block’s distance of San Jose’s airport. The trail serves as a spine
to-south route from the large parking lot at its trailhead in
for a network of several other trails and spurs.
Santa Clara near Monroe Street and San Tomas Expressway. It also runs past NVIDIA headquarters, crossing beneath U.S.
Coyote Creek Trail – There are actually two separate trails with
101, passing Great America, Levi’s Stadium, the Santa Clara
a similar name; each of them offering differing advantages.
Convention Center, all prior to crossing beneath Highway
The northern portion is more urban but with open spaces and
237 and connecting to the San Francisco Bay Trail.
begins in North San Jose at Charcot Avenue near Highway 880 and travels northward, ending where McCarthy Boulevard
Stevens Creek Trail – A gem of a trail, popular among both
intersects with Dixon Landing Road in Milpitas. The southern
commuter and recreational users, this highly-upgraded trail
portion connects San Jose, near the intersection of Tully and
now avoids all street-grade crossings. In addition, it offers
Senter Road, with the Anderson Lake Visitor Center in the
scenic views along its 6-mile, riparian course between the San
town of Morgan Hill along a scenic 22-mile pathway. This is,
Francisco Bay Trail in Shoreline Park, Dale Avenue in the North,
by far, the valley’s longest and mostly rural multi-use trail.
and Heatherstone Way in the South. The long-range vision for
Used by a few commuters, the trail is popular with walkers,
this trail is to extend its southern terminus to the creek’s source
joggers, and family-bicyclists along its northern portion
at Steven Creek Reservoir in the Cupertino Foothills.
and by experienced bicyclists who make the out-and-back a regular weekend ride as they ride across Coyote Creek,
Guadalupe River Trail – Was fully made possible in conjunction
lakes and fishing ponds, golf links, a model aircraft club,
with the completion of the Guadalupe River flood project. As
orchards, and suburban parks.
with all major, multi-use trails in the Silicon Valley, this one offers river views from its southern terminus near the interchange of
D ELEON R EA LT Y.COM
| 23
R E A L E S TAT E M A R K E T P U L S E
ATHERTON Atherton Median Sales Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio
Atherton Inventory # of New Listings
$12,000,000
$2,500
$10,000,000
$2,000
$8,000,000
$1,500
$6,000,000
$1,000
$4,000,000
$500
Sale Price, Median
$0
D ec -1 7 Ja n18 Fe b18 M ar -1 8 A pr -1 8 M ay -1 8 Ju n18 Ju l-1 8 A ug -1 8 Se p18 O ct -1 8 N ov -1 8
Nov-18
Oct-18
Sep-18
Aug-18
Jul-18
Jun-18
May-18
Apr-18
Mar-18
Jan-18
Dec-17
$0
Feb-18
$2,000,000
16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
Price/SqFt Ratio
LOS ALTOS Los Altos Median Sales Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio
Los Altos Inventory # of New Listings
Sale Price, Median
Nov-18
Oct-18
Sep-18
Aug-18
Jul-18
Jun-18
May-18
Apr-18
Mar-18
Feb-18
Jan-18
$2,800,000
Dec-17
$3,000,000
30 20 10 0 Fe b18 M ar -1 8 A pr -1 8 M ay -1 8 Ju n18 Ju l-1 8 A ug -1 8 Se p18 O ct -1 8 N ov -1 8
$3,200,000
40
n18
$3,400,000
50
Ja
$3,600,000
$1,650 $1,600 $1,550 $1,500 $1,450 $1,400 $1,350 $1,300 $1,250
D ec -1 7
$3,800,000
Price/SqFt Ratio
LOS ALTOS HILLS Los Altos Hills Median Sales Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio
Los Altos Hills Inventory # of New Listings
$5,000,000 $4,000,000 $3,000,000 $2,000,000
Sale Price, Median
Price/SqFt Ratio
24 | DE LEO N REA LT Y.CO M
Nov-18
Oct-18
Sep-18
Aug-18
Jul-18
Jun-18
May-18
Apr-18
Mar-18
Feb-18
Jan-18
$0
Dec-17
$1,000,000
$1,600 $1,400 $1,200 $1,000 $800 $600 $400 $200 $0
16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
Ja n18 Fe b18 M ar -1 8 A pr -1 8 M ay -1 8 Ju n18 Ju l-1 8 A ug -1 8 Se p18 O ct -1 8 N ov -1 8
$6,000,000
D ec -1 7
$7,000,000
R E A L E S TAT E M A R K E T P U L S E
MENLO PARK Menlo Park Median Sales Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio
Menlo Park Inventory # of New Listings
$1,500
$2,500,000 $2,000,000
$1,000
$1,500,000 $1,000,000
$500 $0
Ja
D ec -1 7
Oct-18
Nov-18
Sep-18
Aug-18
Jul-18
Jun-18
May-18
Apr-18
Mar-18
Jan-18
Sale Price, Median
Feb-18
$0
Dec-17
$500,000
70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Fe b18 M ar -1 8 A pr -1 8 M ay -1 8 Ju n18 Ju l-1 8 A ug -1 8 Se p18 O ct -1 8 N ov -1 8
$2,000
$3,000,000
n18
$3,500,000
Price/SqFt Ratio
MOUNTAIN VIEW Mountain View Median Sales Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio
Mountain View Inventory # of New Listings
$3,000,000
$2,000
$2,500,000
$1,500
$2,000,000
$1,000
$1,500,000 $1,000,000
$500 $0
D ec -1 7 Ja n18 Fe b18 M ar -1 8 A pr -1 8 M ay -1 8 Ju n18 Ju l-1 8 A ug -1 8 Se p18 O ct -1 8 N ov -1 8
Oct-18
Nov-18
Sep-18
Aug-18
Jul-18
Jun-18
May-18
Apr-18
Mar-18
Jan-18
Sale Price, Median
Feb-18
$0
Dec-17
$500,000
40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0
Price/SqFt Ratio
PALO ALTO Palo Alto Median Sales Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio
Palo Alto Inventory # of New Listings
Sale Price, Median
$0
40 30 20 10 0 D ec -1 7 Ja n18 Fe b18 M ar -1 8 A pr -1 8 M ay -1 8 Ju n18 Ju l-1 8 A ug -1 8 Se p18 O ct -1 8 N ov -1 8
Oct-18
Nov-18
$0
Sep-18
$500 Aug-18
$1,000,000 Jul-18
$1,000
Jun-18
$2,000,000
May-18
$1,500
Apr-18
$3,000,000
Mar-18
50
Feb-18
60
$2,000
Jan-18
$2,500
$4,000,000
Dec-17
$5,000,000
Price/SqFt Ratio
D ELEON R EA LT Y.COM
| 25
R E A L E S TAT E M A R K E T P U L S E
PORTOLA VALLEY Portola Valley Median Sales Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio
Portola Valley Inventory # of New Listings
$4,000,000 $3,000,000 $2,000,000 $1,000,000
Sale Price, Median
15 10 5 0 Ja
D ec -1 Ja 7 n1 Fe 8 b1 M 8 ar -1 A 8 pr -1 M 8 ay -1 Ju 8 n18 Ju l-1 8 A ug -1 Se 8 p1 O 8 ct -1 N 8 ov -1 8
$0
20
D ec -1 7
$1,600 $1,400 $1,200 $1,000 $800 $600 $400 $200 $0
n18 Fe b18 M ar -1 8 A pr -1 8 M ay -1 8 Ju n18 Ju l-1 8 A ug -1 8 Se p18 O ct -1 8 N ov -1 8
$5,000,000
Price/SqFt Ratio
REDWOOD CITY Redwood City Median Sales Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio
Redwood City Inventory # of New Listings $1,200
$2,000,000
$1,000 $800
$1,500,000
$600
$1,000,000
$400
$500,000
Sale Price, Median
Nov-18
Oct-18
Sep-18
Aug-18
Jul-18
Jun-18
May-18
Apr-18
Mar-18
Feb-18
Jan-18
Dec-17
$0
$200 $0
100 80 60 40 20 0 D ec -1 7 Ja n18 Fe b18 M ar -1 8 A pr -1 8 M ay -1 8 Ju n18 Ju l-1 8 A ug -1 8 Se p18 O ct -1 8 N ov -1 8
$2,500,000
Price/SqFt Ratio
Now that the market is shifting, strong marketing and presentation skills are more important than ever.
List with Michael Repka and the DeLeon Team We provide more marketing for each of our listings than any other brokerage in Silicon Valley, including 12 to 32-page home brochures, narrated videos, 3D tours and floor plans, TV commercials, radio ads, direct mail, Chinese and Indian newspaper ads and paid online ads. No one else even comes close.
26 | D E LEO N RE ALT Y.CO M
Vi
R E A L E S TAT E M A R K E T P U L S E
SUNNYVALE Sunnyvale Median Sales Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio
Sunnyvale Inventory # of New Listings
$2,000,000 $1,900,000 $1,800,000 $1,700,000
Sale Price, Median
Oct-18
Nov-18
Sep-18
Aug-18
Jul-18
Jun-18
May-18
Apr-18
Mar-18
Feb-18
Jan-18
$1,500,000
Dec-17
$1,600,000
$1,600 $1,400 $1,200 $1,000 $800 $600 $400 $200 $0
100 80 60 40 20 0 D ec -1 7 Ja n18 Fe b18 M ar -1 8 A pr -1 8 M ay -1 8 Ju n18 Ju l-1 8 A ug -1 8 Se p18 O ct -1 8 N ov -1 8
$2,100,000
Price/SqFt Ratio
WOODSIDE Woodside Median Sales Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio
Woodside Inventory # of New Listings
$5,000,000 $4,000,000 $3,000,000 $2,000,000
Sale Price, Median
Nov-18
Oct-18
Sep-18
Aug-18
Jul-18
Jun-18
May-18
Apr-18
Mar-18
Feb-18
Jan-18
$0
Dec-17
$1,000,000
$1,400 $1,200 $1,000 $800 $600 $400 $200 $0
20 15 10 5 0 D ec -1 7 Ja n18 Fe b18 M ar -1 8 A pr -1 8 M ay -1 8 Ju n18 Ju l-1 8 A ug -1 8 Se p18 O ct -1 8 N ov -1 8
$6,000,000
Price/SqFt Ratio
Save more with our 3% Modell
Video & T V Commercials Online M arketing
Proper t y B rochures
Meet with Michael to understand how our innovative business model makes it possible for us to do so much for our clients.
Our sellers have saved over $5.2 million since this program started in April 2017. To learn more about our 3% Model, please contact us.
D ELEON R EA LT Y.COM
| 27
THE DELEON INSIGHT
ATHERTON
LOS ALTOS
Preschool Storytime
New Year's Day Rogue Run
Every Friday in January 2019
Tuesday, January 1, 2019
Held every Friday at Atherton Library, fun activities include story
Taking place on New Year's Day, this City of Los Altos tradition is
telling, music playing, and craft activities help lay the foundation
fun, non-competitive and FREE! The distance is 5K or 3.1 miles.
for early learning and movement.
This family event is open to all ages. Participants may walk, run
TIME: 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM WHERE: Atherton Library, 2 Dinkelspiel Station Lane, Atherton
or roll (stroller or wheelchairs). Pre-registration is not required. All participants must sign in the day-of the event.
TIME: Starts at 9:00 AM WHERE: Veterans Community Plaza, Corner of State & Main Street, Los Altos
LOS ALTOS HILLS Monthly Senior Walk Tuesday, January 1, 2019
Event is held on the first Tuesday of every month. All hikes will be roughly 2 miles in length. For the Winter, you will be sticking to the paved roads and pathways around Town Hall. All ages welcome along with four-legged friends. Routes will be tailored to the needs of the participants in attendance. Inclement weather may cancel the hike.
Los Altos First Friday Friday, January 4, 2019
Los Altos First Fridays are community-building events held during the evenings of the first Friday of the month in Downtown Los Altos. First Fridays are meant to be a fun, social evening for residents of Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, and neighboring communities. It is a great opportunity to shop, dine, and explore what Downtown has to offer.
TIME: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM WHERE: Downtown Los Altos
TIME: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM WHERE: Town Hall, 26379 W Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills
Principles of Self-Defense Saturday, January 12, 2019
Interested in learning techniques to defend yourself? In this free workshop instructors will demonstrate and instruct a few defense techniques of Krav Maga. Krav Maga combines effective techniques from various fighting disciplines to create a practical style known for counterattacks.
TIME: All Day WHERE: Town Hall, 26379 W Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills
MENLO PARK Mark Bittner and Judy Irving: The "Wild Parrots" Whisperers Saturday, January 5, 2019
January is for the Birds! Meet filmmaker Judy Irving and author Mark Bittner, the duo made famous by their work (his book, her documentary film), “The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill.” Hear about their journey, their current projects, and the San Francisco birds that still live not so far away from them. No pre-registration is necessary to attend.
TIME: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM WHERE: City Council Chambers, 701 Laurel St, Menlo Park
28 | DE LEO N REALT Y.CO M
January 2019
Instrument Petting Zoo
MOUNTAIN VIEW
Thursday, January 17, 2019
Join the acclaimed musicians and teaching artists of Chamber Music by the Bay during their eighth season of bringing live music education to thousands of young audiences. Following the performance, audience members will get to visit the Instrument Petting Zoo to try their hand at the instruments.
TIME: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM WHERE: Menlo Park Library (the main hall, after the library closes), 800 Alma St, Menlo Park
A Workshop with Yogacharya O'Brian Thursday, January 31, 2019
Join award-winning author and teacher Yogacharya O’Brian for a 90-minute workshop exploring transformative insights into the
Exercise with the YMCA
Every Wednesday starting January 9, 2019 This class helps to develop balance, flexibility, strength, posture, coordination, and fall prevention. Led by instructors from the YMCA, the class is appropriate for all levels and backgrounds. Please bring your own Yoga mat or towel. Note: This is an adults only class.
TIME: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM WHERE: Mountain View Public Library (1st Floor Program Room)
Game On! Fridays Friday, January 11, 2019
You can play video games at the library! A Nintendo Switch, and
links between ancient Vedic tradition, the philosophy of yoga, and
extra joysticks are ready for you. Four players per round/turn can
prosperity in today’s rigorously fast-paced society.
be accommodated on the library Nintendo Switch but feel free to
TIME: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM WHERE: Kepler's Books,1010 El Camino Real Menlo Park TICKET: $40
bring your own and join in. Games include Splatoon 2, 1-2 Switch, Mario-Kart 8 Deluxe, and Kirby Star Allies.
TIME: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM WHERE: Mountain View Public Library (1st Floor Program Room)
PYT's The Cat in the Hat
Friday and Saturday, January 18- 19, 2018
REDWOOD CITY Paws for Tales
Saturday, January 5, 2019 Children can improve their reading skills and make a new friend by reading aloud to a therapy dog! Pet Assisted Therapy teams and their handlers will be present from the Peninsula Humane Society and the SPCA’s Paws for Tales program.
Dr. Seuss' beloved classic comes to life in this charming stage adaptation. This performance is 45 minutes long with no intermission and is appropriate for all ages.
TIME: Friday, January 18 at 9:30 AM,11 AM, 12:30 PM, Saturday, January 19 at 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM
WHERE: Mountian View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St, Mountain View
TICKET: $12
TIME: 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM WHERE: Redwood Shores Library, 399 Marine Parkway,
Art Hiking Class
Redwood City
Held every Wednesday at the Shoreline Lake Boathouse. This six-
Coding for Kids
Every Wednesday in January 2019 week series of classes combines fitness & creativity and gives you a great introduction to sketching under the expert direction
Every Sunday in January 2019
of Katy Lea and Caroline Mustard. Your first lesson is FREE with no
Join this FREE Library Code Workshops to learn how to code and
obligations.
make your own video games. All ages welcome and all materials provided. Ten students will be admitted on a first come, first
TIME: 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM WHERE: 3160 North Shoreline Boulevard, Mountain View
served basis.
TIME: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM WHERE: Downtown Library, 1044 Middlefield Road, Redwood City D ELEON R EA LT Y.COM
| 29
THE DELEON INSIGHT
PALO ALTO Vintage Toys: It's Child's Play! Friday, January 4, 2019
STANFORD Do Ho Suh: The Spaces in Between
Discover a variety of antique toys that captured and sparked
All Mondays and Wednesdays through Sundays from May through February
the imagination of children in the past. This exhibition will cover
In this free exhibition, artist Do Ho Suh uses a chandelier,
the origins of playtime, toy factories, toy trains, builder toys and
wallpaper, and a decorative screen to focus attention on issues
more. This exhibit aims to evoke childhood memories over the
of migration and transnational identity.
decades. The exhibit opens on September 28, 2018 and will run
TIME: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM WHERE: Cantor Arts Center, 328 Lomita Drive at Museum Way,
through February 17, 2019.
TIME: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM WHERE: Museum of American Heritage, 351 Homer Ave, Palo Alto
KidPower: Kids Safety And Self-Defense Workshop (6 - 11 years) Sunday, January 6, 2019
Your family will practice everyday ‘People Safety’ skills. Kids will also practice ‘emergency-only’ full force self-defense skills with a instructor. Child must be a minimum of 6 years old to be eligible to participate in the Workshop.
TIME: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM WHERE: Parents' Place, 200 Channing Ave, Palo Alto
Martin Rees: Prospects for Humanity
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
Martin Rees, world-renowned scientist and Astronomer Royal explains why the future of humanity is bound to the future of science. He offers a compelling look at how advancements in biotechnology, robotics and artificial intelligence, if applied wisely, can help address the growing challenges and threats.
TIME: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM WHERE: Oshman Family JCC, Schultz Cultural Hall, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto
Strategic Chess with Lauren Sunday, January 20, 2019
Learn all aspects of the game of chess with Lauren Goodkind, a Class A member of the United States Chess Federation, including winning tactics and strategies in a fun, supportive environment. All levels welcome, beginners included.
TIME: 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM WHERE: Rinconada Library, 1213 Newell Rd, Palo Alto
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Stanford, CA
Painting Nature in the American Gilded Age
All Mondays and Wednesdays through Sundays from August 2018 through August 2019 Drawing from the Cantor’s permanent collection, this exhibition considers how nature was depicted by American artists from the 1880s to 1910, an era of unprecedented industrialization and urban development.
TIME: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM WHERE: Cantor Arts Center, 328 Lomita Drive at Museum Way, Stanford, CA
Contact Warhol: Photography Without End
All Mondays and Wednesdays through Sundays from September through January This exhibition showcases photographs by Andy Warhol that have never been displayed publicly before, including over 130,000 photographic exposures and 3,600 contact sheets and corresponding negatives that represent the complete range of Warhol’s black-and-white photographic practice.
TIME: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM WHERE: Cantor Arts Center, 328 Lomita Drive at Museum Way, Stanford, CA
January 2019
PORTOLA VALLEY Tai Chi and Chi Kung
Every Wednesday in January 2019 Join Tai Chi and Chi Kung instructor Ben Dineen as he leads a 60-minute class in the Redwood Grove next to the Town Center Community Hall. Theses centuries-old Asian exercises help relieve stress and build stronger bodies, better balance, and sharper minds.
TIME: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM WHERE: 765 Portola Road, Portola Valley
SUNNYVALE Sunnyvale Farmers Market Every Saturday Year-Round
Open year-round, rain or shine. Enjoy fresh fruits, vegetables and arts and crafts from from local growers and artisans.
TIME: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM WHERE: Murphy Avenue at Washington Ave, Sunnyvale
Zumba Fitness Drop-In Classes Wednesday, January 2, 2019
Come by for a fun cardio, dance, and fitness class that incorporates a variety of Latin dance styles (hip-hop, soca,
My Neighbor Totoro Screening
Saturday, January 12, 2019
Join for a free screening of the entertaining and inspiring film My Neighbor Totoro at the Sunnyvale Public Library.
TIME: 3:00 PM – 5:30 PM WHERE: Sunnyvale Public Library, 665 W Olive Ave Sunnyvale
Sunnyvale CERT Winter 2019 Tuesday, January 15, 2019
CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) educates individuals about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT volunteers can assist others in their community following a disaster when professional responders are not immediately available to help.
TIME: 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM WHERE: Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety, 700 All America Way, Sunnyvale
WOODSIDE Dad and Me at the Library Puppet Show
samba, salsa, merengue and mambo). Open to adults aged
Saturday, January 12, 2019
18+, middle youth (ages 10 to 13) only if accompanied by parent
Under the artistic direction of Art Grueneberger, dads, kids and
or guardian and high school youth (ages 14 to 17) with signed
all family members are invited to attend this annual performance
waiver from parent or guardian.
by the Puppet Art Theater Co. This year's performance will be
TIME: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM WHERE: Columbia Neighborhood Center, 785 Morse Avenue,
The Boy Who Cried Wolf.
Sunnyvale
Free Legal Clinic Saturday, January 5, 2019
Free 20-30-minute legal consultation with a volunteer licensed attorney. First-come, first served, no appointments available. Recurring the 1st Saturday of each month (except on holiday weekends).
TIME: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM WHERE: 3140 Woodside Road, Woodside
Crystal Springs Trail Run Sunday, January 20, 2019
Experience the towering redwoods, lush ferns, and beautiful trails through Huddart Park, King's Mountain, and Bear Gulch.
TIME: 8:00 AM WHERE: Huddart Park, 1100 Kings Mountain Road, Woodside
TIME: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM WHERE: Columbia Neighborhood Center, 785 Morse Avenue, Sunnyvale
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