The DeLeon Insight - March 2020

®

THE DELEON INSIGHT S i l i c o n Va l l e y R e a l E s t a t e

O UR TE A M IS IN MOTION FOR YO U • Flaws in the Real Estate Industry

• The Vibrancy of India

• Why do Lender Rates Vary So Much in Pricing?

• Eight Things that Make DeLeon Different

• Uncovering Sharon Heights

• Downtown Menlo Park (Part 1 of 2)

• Life Lessons from Beating Cancer (Part I)

• Single Family Residential Dwelling with an

• Our Team is in Motion for You

ADU vs a Duplex: What’s the Difference? w ww ww w .. D DE E LL E EO ON NR RE EA A LL T TY Y .. cc o om m

March 2020

City Market Conditions $10,000,000

Average Sale Price

$9,000,000 $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

Average sale price for single-family homes from 01/2019 to 12/2019,

01/2018 to 12/2018

compared to the period from 01/2018 to 12/2018.

01/2019 to 12/2019

$2,000

Price/Square Foot Ratio

$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

Redwood City

Sunnyvale

Woodside

Price per square foot ratio for single-family homes from 01/2019 to 12/2019,

01/2018 to 12/2018

compared to the period from 01/2018 to 12/2018.

01/2019 to 12/2019 Data gathered from the Multiple Listing Service on 01/16/2020

2 | D E LEO N RE A LT Y.CO M

Table of Contents 04.

Flaws in the Real Estate Industry

07.

Why do Lender Rates Vary So Much in Pricing?

Our Team is in Motion for You

14.

Eight Things that Make DeLeon Different

18.

Uncovering Sharon Heights

20.

Skylines: Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour and Shanghai’s Huangpu River

DELEON INSIGHT OU R OFFICES ARE LO CAT ED AT : 1717 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303 650. 900.7000 www.DELEO N REALT Y.co m DR E #0 190 3 2 2 4 Managin g Bro ker: M i c h a e l Re pka DRE #01 8 5 48 8 0 Founder — Ken DeLeon CEO & General Counsel — Michael Repka Corporate Counsel — Colette Thomason Creative Director — Anthony Halawa Photographer — Zachary Kinovsky Copywriter — David Tobener Senior Graphic Designer — Nora Xu Graphic Designer — Monica Casorla CONTRIBUTORS: Ken DeLeon, Michael Repka, Audrey Sun, David Tobener, Ann Ho, Bernie Leung, and Monica Casorla

By Ken DeLeon

11.

THE

By Michael Repka

By David Tobener

By Michael Repka, Esq.

By Audrey Sun

By Ann Ho

22.

Life Lessons from Beating Cancer (Part I)

28.

The Vibrancy of India

By Ken DeLeon

By Ken DeLeon

31.

Meet Your Team Member-Monica Casorla

33.

Single Family Residential Dwelling with an ADU vs a Duplex: What’s the Difference?

34.

By Ann Ho

Downtown Menlo Park 2.0 (Part 1 of 2)

By Bernie Leung

Contact Ken DeLeon for exceptional buying opportunities at 650.543.8501 DRE #01342140 To learn about our Platinum packages and incredible listing services for sellers, contact Michael Repka at 650.900.7000 DRE #01854880 D ELEONREA LT Y.COM

| 3

THE DELEON INSIGHT

FLAWS IN THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY

By Michael Repka

Recently, I attended the country’s preeminent real estate convention, Inman Connect in New York City, where I had the opportunity to watch presentations by a variety of different luminaries in the real estate industry. The presenters were universally well spoken, dynamic, and interesting. Although I learned much over my four days in New York, many speakers reinforced my belief that the real estate industry is still fundamentally flawed in a few key ways.

firms are, by and large, infused with venture-capital money and not profitable; at least, not yet.

Old vs. New Speaker after speaker seemed to fall into one of two camps: “Traditional” or “Disruptor.”

Overlapping Industries The real estate industry is actually two very different, albeit confusingly linked, industries that overlap despite having disparate goals and objectives.

These distinct industries are: (1) brokerages; and (2) selling homes.

First, there were speakers from the traditional (or “old-guard”) real estate brokerages that generally follow the same commission-based, independentcontractor model employed by companies such as Coldwell Banker, Compass, Intero, and many more. Many of these brokerages have agents who have been in the industry for 10, 20, or more years.

These speakers focused on the fact that traditional brokerages are generally profitable, proven, and non-threatening.

On the other hand, there were speakers from new firms pejoratively labeled as “disruptors.” For the most part, these businesses were founded by very intelligent people from a variety of industries, but with very few coming from within the real estate industry. Traditional agents in attendance, and many of the speakers, quickly pointed out that these

4 | D E LEO N RE A LT Y.CO M

When I spoke with my fellow attendees, most seemed to believe that the two concepts are mutually exclusive. Few considered the possibility that a company with a lot of experience in “traditional” real estate could also be innovative, agile and client-focused— all while remaining profitable and independently owned.

The Brokerage Industry Traditional brokerages offer recognizable branding, conference rooms, and limited management and training to independent-contractor agents. As a practical matter, these brokerages face a significant amount of liability from any incorrect advice proffered by its affiliated agents, so they generally discourage or prohibit any sort of legal, tax, or other professional advice irrespective of the clients’ needs.

Furthermore, because agents are free to move from brokerage to brokerage in search of more favorable commission splits, the brokerages are reluctant to invest in substantive training for these agents, especially costly outside training, such as Harvard’s Program on Negotiation.

March 2020

In exchange for giving independent-contractor agents market recognition and credibility, these brokerages generally charge agents a monthly fee and a small percentage of the commission. In other words, the agent is paid on straight commission and the agent, not the brokerage, pays for most of the agent’s expenses, so there is little to no marginal cost for the brokerage to on-board an agent.

Due to this structure, the brokerages have an incentive to bring in as many agents as possible because the brokers will make money irrespective of how much the agent sells. Generally, these agents are advised to start with their friends and family members. Indubitably, brokerage managers recognize that friends and family members are more open to working with an inexperienced agent and less likely to sue if there’s a mistake.

Out of the above-mentioned fear of liability, brokerages often replace specific and substantive advice with a mere presentation of “facts” to the clients. The clients are then expected to determine their own course of action. With the exception of DeLeon Realty, few (if any) brokerages provide legal or tax advice (free of charge) to its sellers.

As a real estate attorney and tax attorney myself, I am often very disappointed with the level of knowledge that I encounter with many other real estate agents, and even some of their managers.

In my opinion, there is far too little technical training in real estate, and far too much focus on “prospecting” for potential clients.

Selling Houses Real estate salespeople are not in the “brokerage” business as defined above. Rather, they are in the business of selling properties.

Many clients would be very surprised to realize how little support, training, and oversight agents get from their brokerages, even brokerages with well -recognized names. This is not to say that there are not some very good agents who are “affiliated” with each of the different brokerages—there certainly are. However, the strength of an individual Realtor® is largely a result of the agent’s individual efforts and willingness to pay for outside technical training.

Another very important variable is how much money the individual agent is willing to invest in his or her listings. Given that the agent, not the brokerage, generally pays for inspections, staging, property

preparation, videos, TV commercials, newspaper ads, and any other marketing for their listings, there is a wide disparity as to the individual agent’s quality of service.

Personally, I have found that the agents who are willing to invest the most in marketing their listings are also the ones who are willing to invest in maintaining their own competency. This competency often begins with the agent’s experience and education prior to joining real estate. After entering real estate, agents keep up to date via Realtor® designation programs such as obtaining a CRS (Certified Residential Specialist), CIPS (Certified International Property Specialist) or a GRI (Graduate Realtor Institute), while others attend graduate level classes in real estate. If the agent happens to be an attorney, then he/she can attend the Legal Affairs Forum, which focuses on new case law, statutes, and regulatory issues impacting real estate. The Legal Affairs Forum is presented three times a year in California and is extremely valuable.

Additionally, as mentioned above, some agents attend Harvard University’s well-regarded Program on Negotiation, which is offered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. DeLeon Realty has sponsored five DeLeon employees to attend this fantastic program.

One of the challenges that clients face is determining the true skill level of the individual agent. I recall managers explaining to groups of agents how to make their background sound better than it really is. A waiter was told to explain that he was involved with customer service, a woman who worked at the front desk of a hotel was told to say she was in “hospitality management.”

Ultimately, the problem is that the brokerage industry focuses on agent count and total sales volume rather than maximizing the result to each seller. There is a stronger incentive for the brokerage to avoid its own liability by telling agents not to advise the client on what they should do, than there is for the brokerage to train agents to actually give substantive advice (or provide a lawyer at the brokerage’s expense), which would reduce the client’s liability and maximize the sales result.

We have built DeLeon Realty on the simple premise that clients deserve more. We have put our clients’ needs first, which, in turn, has attracted more clients to us than any other real estate team in the United States. As the old saying goes, you really can do well by doing good.

D ELEONREALT Y.COM

| 5

R E A L E S TAT E I N F LU E N C E

COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY

369 Churchill Avenue, Palo Alto New World Estate in Old Palo Alto

This revamped neo-English Tudor dazzles with 10,000-plus square feet of Ken Fulk-designed interiors highlighted by a chef ’s kitchen showcasing a unique La Cornue range and 3,500-bottle wine cellar. The outdoors is equally stunning, with a 55-foot pool sporting a large hot tub and waterfall, poolhouse, badminton and tennis courts, and more.

Listed by Michael Repka of the DeLeon Team, the #1 Team in Palo Alto.*

*Search Criteria as compiled by BrokerMetrics® using MLS Data: January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019, Palo Alto, All Residential Properties.

ichael 6 | D E LEO N REM A LT Y.CO M

2.5%

Commission Paid to Buyer’s Agent Waived if DeLeon buyer’s agent

For video tour & more photos, please visit:

www.369Churchill.com Offered at: 39,988,000

R e p k a , D R E # 0 1 8 5 4 8 8 0 | 6 5 0 . 9 0 0 . 7 0 0 0 | m i c h a e l @ d e l e o n r e a l t y. c o m w w w . d e l e o n r e a l t y . c o m | D e L e o n R e a l t y, I n c . | D R E # 0 1 9 0 3 2 2 4

Why do Lender Rates Vary So Much in Pricing?

By Ken DeLeon

Home buyers generally care more about the amount of their monthly mortgage payment than they do about the exact price of their home. The reality is, how much house you can afford is directly related to your monthly mortgage payment. While home prices generally fluctuate merely by a few percentages between a good deal and overpaying, there can be a much greater variance in mortgage rates.

This is because bank guidelines can greatly vary, and while one bank may be the perfect fit for one type of borrower, this same bank may be a poor choice for another borrower. At DeLeon Realty, we direct our clients to the right lenders by knowing all about the unique attributes of each lender and what bank is the best referral for our clients’ individual circumstances.

For example, the rates on a purchase of your primary home from the right Wells Fargo (“Wells”) representative can be ½ to a full point lower than another bank. While Wells always has competitive rates, these amazing rates are available because Wells considers your down payment to be part of their relationship pricing.

Many other banks also have relationship pricing, where in exchange for forming a relationship by giving the bank money or stocks to manage, the borrower will get a lower mortgage rate. Wells is unique in that they consider your down payment as part of that relationship and you do not need to keep any funds in the bank after closing. For example, if you buy a $4M home and put down the requisite 25%, or $1M, so long as this down payment is in your account sometime during escrow before it gets wired to the title company, you get a relationship discount of ½ point lower. On a $3M mortgage, that savings is $15,000 per year. Additionally, the lender I work with at Wells gives my clients a lower rate than others, as he makes it up in volume since I am one of his main referral sources. While the market rate for a 30-year mortgage at other banks is hovering around 3.5%, my clients are getting a 2.75% 30-year rate by putting in a million for their down payment to get a ½ point off and get another ¼ point off from my Wells representative to achieve such an amazingly low mortgage rate.

While Wells is presently my preferred bank for purchasing your primary residence, they are less advantages for an investment property. This is because they both lose their relationship pricing on investment properties and surcharge a much higher rate on investments, so you can pay up to 4.5% on a 30-year at Wells, nearly double the rate for primary homes. For investment properties, I often direct clients to my representative at Bank of America ("BoFA").

While BoFA is often not competitive for purchasing a primary home, they do not increase their rates for investment property like most banks do, so they are by far the best choice for investors.

For entrepreneurs who have variable incomes, First Republic and Silicon Valley Bank are well suited banks to understand an entrepreneur’s volatile income and unique circumstances. These banks will lend to those who have great futures, but are "out of the box" loan applicants.

Other real estate brokerages also offer advice on mortgages; however, the fundamental distinction is that for many other brokers it is a profit center, where clients get funneled to very few choices with high mortgage rates to provide additional income to the brokerage via referral fees. Conversely, at DeLeon Realty we employ a specialist who previously worked in both private banking and a large bank and who can expertly and unbiasedly advise clients. This is complimentary benefit to our clients, along with a myriad of other free services we provide.

Given that all buyers’ agents are compensated at the same rate by the seller and free to the buyer, shouldn't you work with America’s top real estate team that provides expertise and insight on every facet of your purchase including which lender will provide you with the best rate given your individual circumstances? Contact me at Ken@DeLeonRealty.com if you would like to hear about how we help our clients select the best loan for them.

D ELEONREALT Y.COM

| 7

THE DELEON INSIGHT

COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY

27500 La Vida Real, Los Altos Hills Silicon Valley’s Ultimate Estate

Searching for an executive retreat? Look no further than this expansive Santa Barbara-style compound. Boasting a separate office structure with the very best in home automation, this over 20,000 sq.ft. property also includes a five-bedroom main home with a theater, 3,000 bottle wine cellar, and sky-lit indoor pool. Topping it all off are 8+ resort-like acres with a vineyard and bell tower.

Listed by Michael Repka of the DeLeon Team, the #1 Team in Los Altos Hills.*

*Search Criteria as compiled by BrokerMetrics® using MLS Data: January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019, Los Altos Hills, All Residential Properties.

ichael 8 | DE LEO N REM A LT Y.CO M

2.5%

Commission Paid to Buyer’s Agent Waived if DeLeon buyer’s agent

For video tour & more photos, please visit:

www.27500LaVida.com Offered at: $39,998,000

R e p k a , D R E # 0 1 8 5 4 8 8 0 | 6 5 0 . 9 0 0 . 7 0 0 0 | m i c h a e l @ d e l e o n r e a l t y. c o m w w w . d e l e o n r e a l t y . c o m | D e L e o n R e a l t y, I n c . | D R E # 0 1 9 0 3 2 2 4

March 2020

PENDING

CRAFTSMAN STYLE AND A BRIGHT, INVITING AMBIANCE

TURN-KEY DUPLEX IN DOWNTOWN PALO ALTO

• 4 Bedroom

• Light, bright, and luxurious

• 5 Bedroom

• Desirable location

• 2 Bath

• Chef ’s kitchen

• 4 Bath

• 1/1 downstairs studio

• 2,020 Sq. Ft. Home

• Upstairs flex use space and

• 2,451 Sq. Ft. Home

• Investment/rental opportunity

• 2,480 Sq. Ft. Lot

• Great schools

• 6,655 Sq. Ft. Lot

bonus room

3330 ALAMEDA DE LAS PULGAS, MENLO PARK Offered at $2,488,000

250 COWPER STREET, PALO ALTO Offered at $2,988,000

For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.3330Alameda.com

For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.250Cowper.com

BR IGHT, MODERN, AND CLOSE TO IT ALL

CONTEMPORARY NEW CONSTRUCTION SUPERBLY LOCATED

• 3 Bedroom

• Open-concept floorplan

• 4 Bedroom

• Newly built home

• 2 Bath

• Well-designed kitchen

• 3.5 Bath

• Open-concept layout

• 1,506 Sq. Ft. Home

• Outdoor patio and garden

• 2,709 Sq. Ft. Home

• Comfortable spaces

• 3,208 Sq.Ft. Lot

• Great schools

• 7,564 Sq. Ft. Lot

• Low-maintenance yard

171 LINFIELD DRIVE, MENLO PARK Offered at $1,988,000

839 DARTSHIRE WAY, SUNNYVALE Offered at $3,050,000

For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.1 71Linfield.com

For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.839Dartshire.com

D ELEONREALT Y.COM

| 9

THE DELEON INSIGHT

COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY

25621 Vinedo Lane, Los Altos Hills Resort-Like Estate in Los Altos Hills

This spectacular Los Altos Hills estate presents the absolute best of luxury, sophistication, and elegance, offering 6 bedrooms, 8 baths, and 3 half-baths, plus grand formal rooms, a fabulous kitchen, and resort-like grounds with a pool, grotto, and cabana with outdoor kitchen.

Listed by Michael Repka of the DeLeon Team, the #1 Team in Los Altos Hills.*

*Search Criteria as compiled by BrokerMetrics® using MLS Data: January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019, Los Altos Hills, All Residential Properties.

ael Repka, 10 | DE LEO N REMAiLTc hY.CO M

2.5%

Commission Paid to Buyer’s Agent Waived if DeLeon buyer’s agent

For video tour & more photos, please visit:

www.25621Vinedo.com Offered at: $11,988,000

D R E # 0 1 8 5 4 8 8 0 | 6 5 0 . 9 0 0 . 7 0 0 0 | m i c h a e l @ d e l e o n r e a l t y. c o m w w w . d e l e o n r e a l t y . c o m | D e L e o n R e a l t y, I n c . | D R E # 0 1 9 0 3 2 2 4

®

R E A L E S TAT E D E S I G N

OUR T EAM I S IN MOTION FOR YO U

Photo by Anthony Halawa

By David Tobener

If you happened to visit the offices of DeLeon Realty on an otherwise normal morning this past November, you would have been greeted with what was undoubtedly an odd sight: almost every member of The DeLeon Team walking at a brisk pace, back and forth across the lobby floor, stopping for a few minutes, and then starting the process all over again.

Was this a weird new fitness fad? Some kind of new age team-building exercise? No, this was the vision of CEO Michael Repka and DeLeon Creative Director Anthony Halawa, and their new marketing campaign for DeLeon Realty: Our Team Is in Motion for You. “Our team is always moving, always working, always busy,” Halawa says. “I thought it would be effective to show that, rather than just say it.”

The new campaign shows founder Ken DeLeon along with Michael standing in the middle of the DeLeon Realty offices as a blur of team members moves around them, signifying that The DeLeon Team is always working for their clients. The effect was achieved through weeks of painstaking work and editing by Halawa, who took countless pictures on that November morning in order to achieve his vision.

The end result is a dynamic image that captures the frenetic pace at which The DeLeon Team works for our clients, with the hope that it conveys what we want people to know: we will always put in the work to make sure our clients’ expectations and goals are achieved.

Like the campaign says, our team is always in motion for you.

D ELEONREALT Y.COM

| 11

ENGLISH MANOR STYLE IN OLD PALO ALTO

GRACIOUS LIVING IN COVETED CENTRAL MENLO

• 3 Bedroom

• Spacious formal rooms

• 6 Bedroom

• Open and airy layout

• 3.5 Bath

• A superb chef ’s kitchen

• 4.5 Bath

• Extensive home automation

• 2,330 Sq. Ft. Home

• Big backyard with patio

• 5,088 Sq. Ft. Home

• Prestigious location

• 7,920 Sq. Ft. Lot

• Top schools

• 10,710 Sq. Ft. Lot

• Great schools

650 SANTA RITA AVENUE, PALO ALTO Offered at $4,988,000

765 COTTON STREET, MENLO PARK Offered at $6,788,000

For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.650SantaRita.com

For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.765Cotton.com

MEDITERRANEAN OASIS IN LOS ALTOS HILLS

CONTEMPORARY MEDITERRANEAN LUXURY

• 5 Bedroom

• Luxuriously appointed

• 5 Bedroom

• Excellent craftsmanship

• 6 Full bath/2 Half bath

• Spacious formal rooms

• 5.5 Bath

• Gourmet kitchen

• 5,326 Sq. Ft. Home

• Resort-like grounds

• 3,839 Sq. Ft. Home

• Main level guest suite

• 1.1 Acres Lot

• Outdoor kitchen and pool

• 9,040 Sq. Ft. Lot

• Top schools

11801 FRANCEMONT DRIVE, LOS ALTOS HILLS Offered at $6,488,000

301 STANFORD AVENUE, MENLO PARK Offered at $4,988,000

For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.11801Francemont.com

For information about this property, please call Michael Repka 650.900.7000

12 | DE LEO N RE A LT Y.CO M

COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY

142 Kellogg Avenue, Palo Alto Modern Technology, Supreme Luxury in Old Palo Alto

Gorgeous Italian design blends seamlessly with the best in modern luxury and technology in this newly completed 6-bedroom, 5-bath home, with topof-the-line materials, bright and inviting living space, soundproofing, and whole-home automation, with nearly 3,300 sq. ft. of living space (per permits) set on a 5,000 sq. ft. lot (per county) in the heart of coveted Old Palo Alto.

Listed by Michael Repka of the DeLeon Team, the #1 Team in Palo Alto.*

*Search Criteria as compiled by BrokerMetrics® using MLS Data: January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019, Palo Alto, All Residential Properties.

2.5%

Commission Paid to Buyer’s Agent Waived if DeLeon buyer’s agent

For video tour & more photos, please visit:

www. 142Kellogg.com Offered at: $4,988,000

M i c h a e l R e p k a , D R E # 0 1 8 5 4 8 8 0 | 6 5 0 . 9 0 0 . 7 0 0 0 | m i c h a e l @ d e l e o n r e a l t y. c o m D ELEONREALT Y.COM w w w . d e l e o n r e a l t y . c o m | D e L e o n R e a l t y, I n c . | D R E # 0 1 9 0 3 2 2 4

| 13

▲ Ken and Michael in front of The DeLeon Booth in LPS Shanghai in December 2019

EIGHT THINGS THAT MAKE DELEON DIFFERENT

By Michael Repka, Esq.

1) We never take money from both sides of any transaction Most brokerages, and even many individual agents, take money from both sides of the same transaction when they have the opportunity to do so. While some try to characterize these payments as “referral fees” and have another agent in their office submit the offer in the other agent’s name, the listing agent and/or the brokerage still have a financial incentive to favor one offer over others.

This creates a disincentive for the agent to persuade competing offers to increase their bids. Also, these agents would have a material financial incentive not to uncover other agents who might have interested buyers and procure higher offers from these alternative buyers. I believe that some agents’ (or offices’) desire to get commission from both sides of a transaction contributes to the number of “offmarket” listings that sell without all potential buyers knowing about the opportunity. It really is surprising how many agents ask their sellers to give them an opportunity to promote the property privately (e.g., to only their buyers or only select agents’ buyers) prior to letting all interested agents and buyers know

14 | D E LEO N RE A LT Y.CO M

about the listing. It only stands to reason that more buyers and enhanced competition would result in a higher price.

We believe that this financial conflict of interest, irrespective of whether disclosed or undisclosed, is untenable. Therefore, if a member of the DeLeon Team on the buyer’s side submits an offer on any DeLeon listing, we waive 100% of the commission from the buyer side. It is simply the right thing to do and keeps our focus on getting the highest possible price for our sellers. Today, our "Buy Direct" model has resulted in nearly $10 million in commission savings to clients. ®

®

DELEON

LISTING AGENT

3%

CO M M I S S I O N

DELEON

BU Y ER AGENT

0%

CO M M I S S I O N

March 2020

BEFORE

®

2) We do not let independent contractors use the DeLeon name or branding Traditional brokerages, such as Coldwell Banker, Compass, Intero, Keller Williams, RE/Max, Sotheby’s, and most of the others, do not employ real estate agents; rather, they permit independent contractor agents to affiliate with them and use their offices, resources, and branding. Although traditional brokerages do employ managers and other personnel, in my experience with traditional brokerages, most contracts and files are not even reviewed until well after the contract is binding and the client’s obligations and liabilities are set.

DeLeon Realty, on the other hand, actually hires, trains, and develops all of its agents, and other professionals, as full-time employees. They receive generous salaries, health insurance, 401(k) matching, paid vacations, fully-sponsored company trips and cruises (with spouses), and much more.

Given that we pay our employees, rather than having independent contractors pay us, we have to be very selective in the people we hire. We also have a strong incentive to train and retain these stellar professionals. For that reason, we have sent many of our agents to Harvard’s Program on Negotiation in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

AFTER

Additionally, our structure fosters collaboration and creates certain economies of scale, as well as other efficiencies.

▲ Michael Repka

CEO, Managing Broker & General Counsel of DeLeon Realty

▲ Colette R. Thomason

DeLeon Realty Corporate Counsel

3) We provide legal advice DeLeon Realty’s unique structure, and the fact that the brokerage is entirely attorney-owned, enables us to offer our sellers legal advice and guidance at no additional charge. Our sellers sit down with a trained real estate attorney to discuss their disclosures, the process of selling the home, title issues, and tax issues. This service is not, and cannot be, offered by most traditional real estate agents and brokerages.

Recently, we hired an additional attorney to help buyers throughout the purchase process. He explains the provisions of the contract, discusses the disclosures and explains the title report. Further, he strives to create the optimal deal structure, both from a tax and a transactional point of view.

D ELEONREALT Y.COM

| 15

THE DELEON INSIGHT

In the rare event of a legal dispute with another party, we assist sellers in understanding their rights and responsibilities and enforcing those rights.

However, in the interest of full transparency, we do not provide this assistance if the dispute involves a buyer represented by DeLeon Realty, or if there is any other unwaiveable conflict of interest. However, it should be noted that this would simply put clients back in the same position that they would be with a traditional brokerage. Additionally, DeLeon Realty only charges 3% total commission if the buyer of a DeLeon listing is represented by a DeLeon Buyer’s Agent.

5) We provide a professional interior designer We often receive compliments on how beautifully prepared and staged our listings are when compared to other homes on the market. Virtually all of the credit for this must go to our incredible interior designers.

Our interior designers are just that—professional interior designers. Although some of our competitors promise that they, or one of their assistants, will manage the process of designing and preparing the home, it is hard to imagine that they would do as well as a professional interior designer with years of schooling and experience (not to mention immense talent).

4) We provide a licensed contractor and handyman We have a licensed contractor and/or professionally trained handyman to pre-inspect our listings, make simple improvements, and oversee repairs and improvements done by outside vendors.

When we get a new listing, we have a “kickoff meeting” with our interior designer, licensed contractor or handyman, and a couple of people from my marketing team. We discuss my strategic vision for promoting the home, and some general thoughts about the marketing message.

Generally, real estate agents lack the professional expertise, tools, vans and quite frankly, the time to properly oversee all of the work that goes into preparing a home to command a premium over the fair market value. One solution would be to trust everything to outside vendors and let them decide what work to recommend. These vendors would then monitor themselves and have a financial incentive to recommend more work. However, our sellers gain a great deal of value by letting our trained professionals recommend the scope of work, review the estimates, and oversee the entire process. While I supervise the process, I gain tremendous insight from my robust and highly skilled team. Given that we do not take any money for supervising this work, or have any sort of kick-back or markup on the fees charged by outside vendors, our focus is to make sure that our sellers spend the minimum amount possible to maximize the sale price.

▲ DeLeon Field Coordinators

16 | D E LEO N RE A LT Y.CO M

Beyond that, and reviewing all of the estimates with my team to make sure that the financial investment is likely to result in a higher sales price, they craft the vision for which we are so well known.

6) We are very dominant in Silicon Valley and #1 nationwide When it comes to listing real estate, size matters. On the listing side, it is very important to know which agents have clients looking for a home like yours. I personally negotiate and sell well over 100 homes per year. Through this process, I am in constant contact with other agents who have clients looking for a particular type of home. Often, we will receive 6 or 8 offers on a home, which leaves us with knowledge of 5 or 7 disappointed buyers who we can redirect.

Our dominance in Palo Alto (last year we sold approximately 5 times as many listings as the #2

▲ The DeLeon Design Team

March 2020

agent or team), is particularly helpful to sellers in surrounding towns. This is because I can redirect Palo Alto buyers who get outbid on a house in Palo Alto to my other listings. In fact, I think that is why in 2018 we outsold all other agents or teams in Menlo Park for the first time in our history. In 2019 we were even stronger.

Additionally, we are the #1 real estate team in the entire United States in sales volume based on the results compiled by REAL Trends and published in the Wall Street Journal on June 28, 2019. This notoriety draws a lot of attention to our website, which prominently features our listings on the front page.

7) We create all of our own marketing materials (no third-party templates) While most real estate agents and teams rely on third-party templates for their marketing material, the DeLeon Team employs the most robust marketing team in the area to create unique and top-notch materials in-house. In addition to my personal experience as the area’s most active listing agent, we employ two full-time graphic designers, a professional writer, photographer, and photo editor, each of whom contributes immensely to the strength of our marketing collateral. These professionals are in addition to our international marketing manager and on-line marketing specialists mentioned below.

As is true with each of the professionals who make up the DeLeon Team, all of these full-time employees are hired to support our clients and there is never any additional charge for any of our time or expertise.

All of our materials are custom designed and produced to showcase the individual characteristics of each of our listings. Because we create all of our materials, they tend to stand out from the crowd and are widely acknowledged to be of higher quality.

For example, we use 9 inch x 9 inch, professionally bound brochures that range from 12 to 32 pages

for each of our listings. These brochures really stand out after a day of house hunting and help buyers remember our homes.

8) We have very strong Chinese and online marketing presence Expanding upon our fundamental belief that no one person can be good at everything, we have augmented our strengths through targeted hiring.

We employ a full-time marketing person specifically to promote our listings to the international community by: hosting a Chinese radio show that addresses real estate topics and promotes our listings; running ads promoting our open houses in various local Chinese newspapers; maintaining our Chinese website; and overseeing Chinese online advertising including aggressive use of the WeChat platform. My colleagues and I regularly travel to China, India, and the Middle East. We have also gone on business trips to Russia and Brazil.

Additionally, we frequently advertise in a variety of Indian publications, Indian fine restaurants, and Indian community centers as well.

Similarly, we hired a full-time person just to promote our homes online and via social media, both paid and unpaid.

Simply put, no one person can excel at all of the disparate tasks involved with properly preparing and marketing a home in Silicon Valley. Our annual payroll is in excess of $6 million and our operational budget, which includes the most aggressive marketing in real estate, is even higher.

Some agents argue that it is unfair to compare us to individual agents or small teams given our incredible resources, experience, sales volume, and marketing budgets. However, that is exactly the choice that sellers get to make when deciding the right representation for them.

D ELEONREALT Y.COM

| 17

R E A L E S TAT E I N F LU E N C E

UNCOVERING SHARON HEIGHTS

By Audrey Sun

Neighborhood

Shops/Restaurants

Settled in the hills of Menlo Park, Sharon Park offers an exclusive, upper-middle class, Norman Rockwelllike family-oriented community. The neighborhood is approximately 1.8 square miles of tree-lined streets and verdant terrain, and is often ranked as one of the prettiest neighborhoods in Menlo Park.

The undulating topography of Sharon Heights creates a beautiful curvature to its roads. The neighborhood mostly consists of ranch-style, singlefamily homes, townhouses, condominiums, and apartments. However, we have also seen a lot of new construction, and record sales in the neighborhood.

This exclusive enclave offers many shops and restaurants that are hard to resist – especially Mitsunobu, which is one of my personal favorites.

The small and comfortable lunch spot seems unassuming from the outside, but it will surprise people with their authentic Japanese cuisine. The creamy and ultra-fresh uni will melt in your mouth,

Famous Sand Hill Road Just off of interstate 280, Sharon Heights borders Stanford University and the famous Sand Hill Road. The road is home to many large Venture Capital firms, such as Andreessen Horowitz, Khosla Ventures, and Sequoia Capital. Sand Hill is still the undisputed epicenter of VC activiity, with nearly half of the nation's VC funding occurring in the Bay Area.

18 | DE LEO N RE A LT Y.CO M

COMMUNITY

Sharon Heights Sold Listings January 1 – December 31 Year

2017

2018

2019

Median Sale Price

$1,639,000

$1,735,000

$1,802,500

Median Days on Market

18.5

14

29

Total # of Sales

62

65

64

and the wide selection of nigari makes it one of the top sushi restaurants I’ve been to in the Bay Area.

Situated on Alameda de las Pulgas are two classic restaurants, Lulu’s and Dutch Goose, which are perfect options for a quick lunch or happy hour.

being slow, and days on market increasing, a lot of buyers may find great deals in this area. Sharon Heights presents an outstanding opportunity to get not only a great value, but a wonderfully convenient location in one of Menlo Park’s most beautiful neighborhoods.

Home Prices

One of the reasons Sharon Heights statistics are stagnant is because the active homes there typically have very little exposure in terms of marketing. Many of the homes are advertised mainly on the MLS, and are then automatically syndicated onto sites such as Zillow, Trulia, and Redfin. This charming neighborhood truly deserves more, as it offers a great location to raise a family in Silicon Valley. As the top listing team in all of Menlo Park*, DeLeon Realty is taking an active approach in marketing the homes in Sharon Heights to clients, and our goal is to educate potential buyers on this charming neighborhood.

In many ways, homes in Sharon Heights have been unfairly overlooked compared to some neighboring areas. With beautiful surroundings and easy access to major Silicon Valley companies, Sharon Heights is an ideal place for a Bay Area lifestyle. Overly exaggerated soil and slope issues with properties may have given Sharon Heights a bad reputation; however, newer construction has overcome these past issues, as the building requirements are much stricter to prevent any new homes having these issues.

From 2017 – 2019, the median sale price in Sharon Heights had a marginal increase, and the inventory stayed the same. With the trajectory of the prices

*Search Criteria as compiled by BrokerMetrics® using MLS Data: January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019, Menlo Park, All Residential Properties.

D ELEONREALT Y.COM

| 19

THE DELEON INSIGHT

Skylines: Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour and Shanghai’s Huangpu River

By Ann Ho

One day, I found myself strolling along the San Francisco Piers. More specifically, I was at Pier 7 and thinking how it has such a beautiful view, with the beaches and the Transamerica Pyramid in the background.

Thinking back on the numerous times I’ve walked down this same road, I still reminisce about the breathtaking views that the San Francisco Bay Area has to offer. From the classic red glow of the Golden Gate Bridge to the dazzling lights of the Bay Bridge, every landmark has a place in my heart. Being from the Bay Area, I could not help but think about all of the different skylines around the world that brings this same sense of awe for an individual.

On a recent trip late last fall with Michael Repka, I had the pleasure of visiting Hong Kong and experiencing its awe-inspiring skyline for myself.

Looking out from Victoria Harbour facing Hong Kong Island, there is an iconic view famous for its sky-high buildings, with the breathtaking mountain backdrop surrounding the area. At night, one can see the very same building transform into a LED screen and become a canvas for lights and animation. This skyline is the definition of modern and metropolitan.

Shortly after, I went overseas yet again with Michael and the DeLeon Team to Shanghai, China. In the limited spare time I had away from events like the

20 | D E LEO N RE A LT Y.CO M

Luxury Property Showcase, I made sure I set aside time to make a visit to a renowned area called the Bund. From the Lujiazui Skyline in the Pudong District, one can see the iconic Oriental Pearl and the modern financial skyscrapers surrounding it.

Interestingly, what I found memorable was the various architectural buildings of the Shanghai Bund just across the Huangpu River. Shanghai’s concession era buildings give the area a historic feel as one of Asia’s most prominent foreign trading ports of the past.

There is nothing quite like the skylines of Hong Kong and Shanghai. Hong Kong presents the pinnacle of modern high-rises, while Shanghai blends its colonial architecture of the past with an ever-evolving sea of commercial high rises. Both present their own distinct charm that definitely cannot be missed.

COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY

435 Santa Rita Avenue, Palo Alto Old Palo Alto Prestige on an Over One-Third Acre Lot

Located in Old Palo Alto’s most prestigious location, this gorgeous Tudorstyle home offers 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths, while charming heritage details adorn the large formal rooms, comfortable bedrooms, and convenient office, all on an expansive lot of over one-third acre (per county) on a superb treelined street close to everything Palo Alto has to offer.

Listed by Michael Repka of the DeLeon Team, the #1 Team in Palo Alto.*

*Search Criteria as compiled by BrokerMetrics® using MLS Data: January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019, Palo Alto, All Residential Properties.

2.5%

Commission Paid to Buyer’s Agent Waived if DeLeon buyer’s agent

For video tour & more photos, please visit:

www. 435SantaRita.com Offered at: $9,988,000

M i c h a e l R e p k a , D R E # 0 1 8 5 4 8 8 0 | 6 5 0 . 9 0 0 . 7 0 0 0 | m i c h a e l @ d e l e o n r e a l t y. c o m D ELEONREALT Y.COM w w w . d e l e o n r e a l t y . c o m | D e L e o n R e a l t y, I n c . | D R E # 0 1 9 0 3 2 2 4

| 21

THE DELEON INSIGHT

Left: A positive Ken DeLeon during cancer treatment. Rather than bemoan losing his hair due to chemotherapy, Ken threw a hair shaving party with his family and friends. Right: Ken giving motivational speeches about his life lessons.

LIFE LESSONS FROM BEATING CANCER (PART1)

By Ken DeLeon

Having come so close to death, I have gained a heightened appreciation for life. I now appreciate every moment, as I now know life can end in an instant.

Through the life lessons I learned while recovering from my nearly fatal car accident, I gained the courage to leave the practice of law in 2000 for my passion: real estate. Fast forward several years to 2007 - my life was going amazingly well, my real estate career was thriving, my young family was growing, and my first son was expected to join my two daughters in a few months. With all of these positives, I was trying to not let an onset of a sharp pain in my back bring me down.

However, even with a physical therapy regimen, the pain progressed and became so intolerable that I finally went to see a doctor. Upon initial examination, I appeared fine and was scheduled to get a cortisone shot to numb the pain after a precautionary MRI. Since my doctor’s appointment was scheduled for the next week, I was surprised when the doctor called me the day after my MRI asking me to rush in. Full of apprehension, I listened to the doctor’s diagnosis.

22 | DE LEO N RE A LT Y.CO M

With a concerned face, the doctor said, “Ken, we have both good news and bad news. The good news is that your back is fine. The bad news is that the MRI showed that you have a mass, likely a tumor, the size of a large softball. This mass is expanding and pushing on your spine and spleen, causing your back pain.”

Being only 35 and seemingly in good health, I was shocked. Thoughts of my daughters and unborn son rushed into my head and I asked incredulously, “Doctor, how can this be and what could it be?”

The doctor then asked me how I got the large scar running up and down my right leg. I told him that a speeding car hit my calf and all of the swelling required that my leg be cut and left open for a week as the muscle swelling subsided. The doctor hypothesized that I had lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph nodes. Lymphoma strikes younger victims and is associated with heavy trauma, such as my horrific car accident.

I went to a deserted restroom to process this shocking news. I cried for thirty minutes as I thought of all those I loved. My children needed me, and after my sister’s suicide, I was all that my parents had left. My love for my family and parents then

March 2020

turned into strength, and I resolved to battle this cancer with courage and grace. If I potentially only had 6 months to live, I was not going to waste a single second.

My childhood friends all came out to visit and support me. With their company and laughter, I was able to overcome my fear, and then felt I could conquer the cancer. Just after my first round of chemotherapy, my hair started falling out. Rather than bemoan this, my friends and I took it in good stride and they helped shaved off my remaining hair so that I could rock a Mohawk for a day.

I felt so tough!

Once fully shaved, my two- and four-year-old daughters would wake me up in the morning by banging on my bald head, giggling and saying, “Daddy drum, daddy drum!” I never told them that I was fighting for my life, as I felt the sadness and uncertainty that would come with that knowledge were best avoided so long as my prognosis looked good.

After six rounds of chemotherapy, I received a daily half-hour of radiation directed at my tumor. The radiation was so intense that even with the copper shield, the skin near my tumor turned dark red and brown, almost like a bad sunburn.

I stayed positive throughout my treatments, as I believe in the mind-body connection and felt optimism would increase my chances of recovery (now empirically proven). Slowly, my brilliant doctors at Stanford Cancer Center got the tumor to shrink, and after nine months I was cancer-free.

While no one ever expects to get cancer at such a young age, in the end, beating the cancer gave me more positives than negatives. After this second brush with death, I realized that love and the legacy you leave behind are the most important things in this world.

While battling the lymphoma, I learned several life lessons. I learned to accept and then optimize the negatives in life, such as my grave medical condition. By accepting what I could not control and instead focusing upon what I could control (positive

attitude, healthy diet, getting the best medical care possible), I focused on doing all the right things leading me closer to recovery. After losing my sister, I realized that it is family and its eternal bonds that matter most, and I now live for my four children.

Beating cancer also made me realize what was most important: my precious family and brilliant clients.

Ken and his four children

Another discovery I made was that I could positively impact the lives of my clients by helping them get a great house in an appreciating neighborhood, which is no small task here in Silicon Valley. Serving my clients and setting them up for success for the long-term gave my career great meaning beyond monetary success. Additionally, beating cancer endowed me with a sense of perspective of life, and I am now very calm. This calmness benefits clients, as I can be cool when a home purchase has issues.

I learned many other life lessons when beating cancer a second time, which I will discuss in my next installment.

I am so thankful to the Stanford Cancer Center, which provides Silicon Valley with the latest medical care, innovative research and treatments. I felt so fortunate to have world class medical care just minutes away, as other patients often drive hours to be treated at Stanford. I am trying to pay this forward through helping them fundraise and being a public speaker at their events where I describe the exceptional, cutting-edge care I received.

Please reach out to me at Ken@DeLeonRealty.com if I can be a volunteer speaker for cancer fundraising or awareness, or for more information on how to contribute to the Stanford Cancer Center.

D ELEONREALT Y.COM

| 23

BRIGHT, STYLISH, AND CLOSE TO IT ALL IN SHARON HEIGHTS

WELCOMING RESIDENCE ENJOYS ASTONISHING VIEWS

• 3 Bedroom

• Newly refinished floors

• 3 Bedroom

• Extensively upgraded

• 2.5 Bath

• 2 balconies

• 3.5 Bath

• 1 bd. 1 ba. cottage

• 2,030 Sq. Ft. Home

• Close to Venture Capital firms

• 6,293 Sq. Ft. Home

• Breathtaking views

• Spacious townhome

and Stanford Shopping Center

• 0.99 Acres Lot

• Great schools

2146 SAND HILL ROAD, MENLO PARK Offered at $1,498,000

5887 ARBORETUM DRIVE, LOS ALTOS Offered at $3,988,000

For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.2146SandHill.com

For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.5887Arboretum.com

P EN D I NG

BRIGHT, SPACIOUS, AND A COVETED LOCATION

MODERN, LUXURIOUS, AND CLOSE TO IT ALL IN SILICON VALLEY

• 4 Bedroom

• Bright, spacious home

• 4 Bedroom

• Extensively renovated

• 3 Bath

• Superb chef 's kitchen

• 3.5 Bath

• Light and bright interiors

• 2,122 Sq. Ft. Home

• Large backyard with patio

• 2,314 Sq. Ft. Home

• Low-maintenance backyard

• 13,350 Sq. Ft. Lot

• Top schools

• 6,014 Sq. Ft. Lot

• Close to Apple, LinkedIn

1400 HOLLY AVENUE, LOS ALTOS Offered at $2,988,000

975 REED AVENUE, SUNNYVALE Offered at $1,998,000

For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.1400HollyAve.com

For information about this property, please call www.975Reed.com

24 | DE LEO N RE A LT Y.CO M

COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY

370 Mountain Home Court, Woodside A Bucolic Masterpiece Perfectly Located

Immersed in timeless elegant this estate of 3.93 acres (per county) sits on the most sought after street in Woodside. This luxurious and private estate is every entertainer’s dream. Includes guesthouse, recreation room, gym, wine cellar, pool, tennis court, and with a total living area of 10,969 sq. ft. (per drawings). Stroll to downtown Woodside. Easily accessible to shopping, equestrian trails, and scenic open spaces.

Listed by Michael Repka of the DeLeon Team, the #1 Team in the Nation.* *As ranked by REAL Trends 2019 Team Volume list. Published in the Wall Street Journal in June 2019.

2.5%

Commission Paid to Buyer’s Agent Waived if DeLeon buyer’s agent

For video tour & more photos, please visit:

www.370MountainHome.com Offered at: $13,988,000

M i c h a e l R e p k a , D R E # 0 1 8 5 4 8 8 0 | 6 5 0 . 9 0 0 . 7 0 0 0 | m i c h a e l @ d e l e o n r e a l t y. c o m D ELEONREALT Y.COM w w w . d e l e o n r e a l t y. c o m | D e L e o n R e a l t y, I n c . | D R E # 0 1 9 0 3 2 2 4

| 25

THE DELEON INSIGHT

COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY

1023 Forest Avenue, Palo Alto The Grand Dame of Crescent Park

The elegance of the Victorian era blends seamlessly with modern amenities in this stunning Queen Anne Victorian home. Offering 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths, including the superb master suite, this home enjoys classic appointments like antique windows and embossed wall treatments, as well as modern delights such as updated baths, a gourmet kitchen, and third-level bonus space.

Listed by Michael Repka of the DeLeon Team, the #1 Team in Palo Alto.*

2.5%

Commission Paid to Buyer’s Agent Waived if DeLeon buyer’s agent

For video tour & more photos, please visit:

www.1023Forest.com Offered at: $5,488,000

*Search Criteria as compiled by BrokerMetrics® using MLS Data: January 1st, 2018 - December 31st, 2018, Palo Alto, All Residential Properties.

26 | D E LEO N REMAiLT c hY.CO a e lM R e p k a ,

D R E # 0 1 8 5 4 8 8 0 | 6 5 0 . 9 0 0 . 7 0 0 0 | m i c h a e l @ d e l e o n r e a l t y. c o m w w w . d e l e o n r e a l t y . c o m | D e L e o n R e a l t y, I n c . | D R E # 0 1 9 0 3 2 2 4

R E A L E S TAT E S E L L I N G S T R AT E G Y

COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY

4194 Oak Hill Avenue, Palo Alto Graceful, Luxurious Palo Alto Hills Estate

2.5%

Grace, elegance, and luxury – this stately three-level home of over 9,500 sq. ft. (per county) exemplifies all of these qualities and more, offering 7 bedrooms, 8.5 baths, and a 1-bed, 1-bath guest home, set on a private lot of nearly an acre (per county) in the beautiful Palo Alto Hills. Sumptuous appointments are everywhere you turn, from rich hardwood floors, to layers of crown molding, to dazzling light fixtures, while lofty ceilings and tall, arched windows give the home a light, airy feel. Expansive formal rooms present great space for entertaining, the superb kitchen is sure to inspire your inner Top Chef, a large media room is catered from a wet bar, and every bedroom includes an en suite bath, making this home ideal for multi-generational living. Outside, the private backyard provides ample space for al fresco enjoyment, and leads to the fitness center with an indoor pool, spa, sauna, and steam room. Topping it all off, this wonderful location puts you moments to the amenities of San Antonio Center, close to Highway 280 for Bay Area commuting, and offers access to acclaimed Palo Alto schools (buyer to verify eligibility).

Commission Paid to Buyer’s Agent Waived if DeLeon buyer’s agent

For more information about this home, please call:

Michael Repka 650.900.7000

Listed by Michael Repka of the DeLeon Team, the #1 Team in Palo Alto.*

*Search Criteria as compiled by BrokerMetrics® using MLS Data: January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019, Palo Alto, All Residential Properties.

M i c h a e l R e p k a , D R E # 0 1 8 5 4 8 8 0 | 6 5 0 . 9 0 0 . 7 0 0 0 | m i c h a e l @ d e l e o n r e a l t y. c o m D ELEONREALT Y.COM w w w . d e l e o n r e a l t y . c o m | D e L e o n R e a l t y, I n c . | D R E # 0 1 9 0 3 2 2 4

| 27

THE DELEON INSIGHT

The Vibrancy of India

By Ken DeLeon

While I have previously visited India on several business trips with Michael Repka, I had never before traveled there for pleasure. With Michael, I have attended real estate conferences in Delhi, and toured homes and talked to top agents in tech hubs such as Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, and Hyderabad.

Yet my clients from India said I was missing some of the most beautiful parts of the country. When the real estate market hibernates over the winter, I take my annual trip, and this time I focused on the picturesque state of Rajasthan, meaning “the land of the kings.”

My first adventure was a tiger safari. Tigers, the largest and strongest of the big cats, were approaching extinction due to habitat loss and illegal poaching.

Through preserving the park and other reserves, the tiger population has nearly doubled. Still, these stunning animals are hard to find, and it took days of searching until I was lucky enough to meet “Krishna,” a twelve-year-old female. With the striking juxtaposition of the most ferocious roar I have ever

28 | DE LEO N RE A LT Y.CO M

heard coupled with the most beautiful coat and calm demeanor of this stunning animal, this made for an unforgettable sojourn I highly recommend.

Next, I traveled to Udaipur, known as the “Venice of the East.” This city alone has four palaces: a city castle with a 200,000 sq. ft. main residence built for

March 2020

homes my clients might be looking at in their native country such as India, China, Russia, or Japan, I can better understand their housing criteria and goals when they are looking in Silicon Valley.

the Maharaj on a 1,100 acre lake; the Monsoon Palace on a summit to weather the intense rains and flooding; a lake palace that can only be accessed by boat; and my favorite, a party palace on the lake solely dedicated to lavish parties available for rental, where India’s richest man spent $100 million on his daughter’s wedding. This region is rich with five thousand years of history and culture.

From there, I viewed the worlds greatest monument of love - The Taj Mahal. With eternal love for his wife who bore him 14 children, but died young, Shah Jahan built a stunning marble monument to be a mausoleum for his wife and himself. Taking 20,000 laborers 20 years to complete (and we thought building was slow in Silicon Valley!) this scintillating testimonial of love is the most impressive manmade object I have ever seen.

While the country of India is beautiful, it is the culture and people that I love the most. Even in the face of widespread poverty, almost everyone seems content and enjoys their life as best they can. The concept of Karma, that good deeds will be rewarded in the future, and present difficulties stemming from past experiences, is pervasive, and this philosophy helps its believers accept the vicissitudes of life with positivity.

I also love how entrepreneurial the culture is and I understand why this culture creates so many successful CEO’s. As a rare male in America who loves to dance, I appreciate how integral dancing is to Indian society irrespective of gender.

While an experienced world traveler, how much I enjoyed this trip surprised me, as this was one of the best trips of my life that I would recommend to all of our great readers.

After the Taj Mahal, I explored the deep history and architectural beauty of New Delhi. I enjoyed visiting the house of one of the men I admire most, Gandhi.

I appreciate all of his philosophies, but particularly like his quote: -Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.

I enjoyed seeing all of the US tech companies that had large branch offices in India. I also enjoyed touring homes in Delhi and was impressed with how many new homes, particularly with contemporary architecture and its walls of glass and abundant natural light, were being built. By studying the

D ELEONREALT Y.COM

| 29

THE DELEON INSIGHT

COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY

187 Hardwick Road, Woodside Stunning Views, Supreme Privacy in Woodside Hills

Breathtaking views of the San Francisco Bay stretch for miles from this superb home of over 7,000 sq. ft. (per plans) in Woodside Hills. Offering 6 bedrooms and 5.5 baths, including a 1/1 guest home, this home presents luxurious interiors, spacious formal rooms, a chef ’s kitchen, and a sparkling backyard pool and spa, all on a 1-acre lot (per county).

Listed by Michael Repka of the DeLeon Team, the #1 Team in the Nation.*

*As ranked by REAL Trends 2019 Team Volume list. Published in the Wall Street Journal in June 2019.

chael Repka, 30 | D E LEO N REMAiLT Y.CO M

2.5%

Commission Paid to Buyer’s Agent Waived if DeLeon buyer’s agent

For video tour & more photos, please visit:

www.187Hardwick.com Offered at: $5,988,000

D R E # 0 1 8 5 4 8 8 0 | 6 5 0 . 9 0 0 . 7 0 0 0 | m i c h a e l @ d e l e o n r e a l t y. c o m w w w . d e l e o n r e a l t y . c o m | D e L e o n R e a l t y, I n c . | D R E # 0 1 9 0 3 2 2 4

CO M I NG S O O N

DELEON REALTY

PARK L AN E

Meet Your Team Member

IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES • 1.43 Acres Lot

• Peaceful atmosphere

• Prestigious West Atherton

• Excellent Schools

• Great opportunity to build your dream estate

226 PARK LANE, ATHERTON Offered at $14,998,000 For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.226Park.com The above photo is an artistic rendering of the home and property line.

Buyer to verify accuracy.

Monica Casorla Graphic Designer

Monica Casorla is a Graphic Designer in the DeLeon Realty marketing department.

Monica has a strong belief that images can convey a compelling story: “A nice design looks aesthetically pleasing, and leaves the viewers to interpret the work however they want. A great design, however, is not only aesthetically pleasing, it also has a strategy to communicate a message through visual design. It has a call to action, and a focal point.”

“Monica is an integral part of our marketing team,” says DeLeon CEO Michael Repka. “With our unique branding that we create in-house, we have to work both fast and smart to customize a marketing strategy for all of our clients. Monica brings tremendous skill in graphic design and marketing to help us optimize those strategies and achieve our goal of providing the best, most robust marketing in the business for our clients.”

NEWLY BUILT LUXURY IN COMMUNITY CENTER • 6 Bedroom

• Newly built in 2019

• 5 Bath

• Bright & refined living space

• 3,517 Sq. Ft. Home

• Open floorplan

• 10,000 Sq. Ft. Lot

• Top schools

734 CHANNING AVENUE, PALO ALTO For information about this property, please call Michael Repka 650.900.7000

Monica jumped into the corporate world right out of college, thriving as a graphic designer and taking on various roles in marketing. Combining her love of marketing and photography, she was thrilled to join The DeLeon Team where she works on all of the company’s marketing materials, including the beautiful architectural photoshoots. Her main goal at DeLeon is to present our listings in the best possible way, and reaching out to as many people as possible through web and social media.

Monica enjoys the more traditional form of art such as sketching, watercolor, and modern calligraphy. She also enjoys doing makeup, which for her, is another form or art and expression.

In every issue of The DeLeon Insight, we highlight one of the several DeLeon Realty employee specialists who is assigned to your property to make the selling or buying of your home as quick, easy, and prosperous as possible.

D ELEONREALT Y.COM

| 31

EXPANDE D EICHLER DAZZLES IN CENTRAL MENLO

BRIGHT AND SPACIOUS WITH BEAUTIFUL VIEWS

• 5 Bedroom

• Expanded Eichler

• 4 Bedroom

• Bright, spacious interiors

• 3 Bath

• Bright spaces

• 2 Bath

• Vast, private backyard

• 2,790 Sq. Ft. Home

• Large yard

• 2,166 Sq. Ft. Home

• View of the bay

• 10,174 Sq. Ft. Lot

• Great schools

• 1.23 Acre Lot

• Close to nature trails

565 OLIVE STREET, MENLO PARK Offered at $3,988,000

10776 MORA DRIVE, LOS ALTOS HILLS Offered at $3,788,000

For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.565Olive.com

For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.10776MoraDrive.com

P EN D I NG

STYL ISH AND SPACIOUS IN BARRON PARK

CLASSIC CHARM, MODERN AMENITIES IN CRESCENT PARK

• 3 Bedroom

• Peaceful cul-de-sac

• 4 Bedroom

• Updated 2-level home

• 2.5 Bath

• Light, bright, high ceillings

• 3 Bath

• Bright, spacious interior

• 2,090 Sq. Ft. Home

• Backyard w/pool

• 2,163 Sq. Ft. Home

• Blocks to the University Ave

• 7,600 Sq.Ft. Lot

• Top schools

• 4,335 Sq. Ft. Lot

• Top schools

866 SAN JUDE AVENUE, PALO ALTO Offered at $3,488,000

640 FULTON STREET, PALO ALTO Offered at $3,488,000

For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.866SanJude.com

For video tour and more photos, please visit: www.640Fulton.com

32 | DE LEO N RE A LT Y.CO M

COMMUNITY

Single Family Residential Dwelling with an ADU vs a Duplex: What’s the Difference?

By Ann Ho

California’s state legislature recently passed a statewide regulation, AB-881, legalizing two or more Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) on residential properties. The first of their kind, these new sets of laws are aimed to create incentives and ease of process as California continues to devote itself to solving the housing shortage. Some examples of new implementations include loosening parking requirements, and the quantity and size of these units. Other examples involve shortening the review approval time for ADU permits, as well as reducing fees to even start the process.

Development of these secondary units has been trending upward lately; however, there are important distinctions to be made between an ADU and a duplex, which is a different type of secondary unit entirely. Let’s explore these differences, and hopefully come away with a better understanding of what constitutes an ADU and a duplex.

First, an ADU is the official term for what we know as a guest house, an in-law unit, or a secondary apartment.

They are additional living spaces on single-family lots.

Along with a living area, they generally have a full kitchen or a kitchenette, bathroom, and a separate entrance. Oftentimes you can find them resembling a smaller version of the main house. ADUs can be attached as an added side or rear structure, or can be inside of the main house as a converted garage

with its own separate entrance. They can also be a detached unit similar to a cottage in the backyard with a design that resembles the main house.

An ADU can be different from a duplex in ways that are more distinct that you may think. ADUs are considered an addition to a single-family dwelling, where they can be used for extended family stays or for rental income. They can be either attached or detached from the main house.

On the other hand, duplexes are attached dwelling units for two families. The owner is not required to live in the main unit, and both units enjoy the option of being tenant-occupied. Essentially, zoning laws allow the units to be rented out as investment properties, which occurs more often than not. Duplexes can be found in R2 zoning districts, which are mediumdensity residential zones. These units often have their own separate mailing addresses, utilities, and meters, while ADUs typically share these with the main house.

With the handful of new housing laws passed for this year, we will continue to see progress in home development. I hope we can all have a better understanding of what makes an ADU and a duplex, the important differences between the two, and how these units may bring new possibilities to your homeowning experience.

D ELEONREALT Y.COM

| 33

EL CAMINO REAL / DOWNTOWN AREA DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THE DELEON INSIGHT

Complete and Nearly Complete Projects

OO W

AV E E OV

RE

AL

GR

NO

B

OA K

MI

EN

CA

GL

EL

DA VE

A

133 ENCINAL AVENUE

1020 ALMA STREET

AL

A 24“Marquis” Townhouse-Style Units

“Alma Station” C 25,156 SF Office / 324 SF Cafe / Public Plaza

M

A

ST

C

Status: Nearing Completion

Status: Nearing Completion

1400 EL CAMINO REAL

James Hotel” B “Park 61 Room Hotel / Restaurant Status: Complete

June 2019

Photo from City of Menlo Park website

DOWNTOWN MENLO PARK 2.0 (PART 1 OF 2)

By Bernie Leung

In the past, few people would use the terms

are either in the pipeline, under construction,

“exciting,” “vibrant,” or “tourist destination” when

nearly complete, or completed. This boom was

describing the charming town of Menlo Park. In

set in motion in 2007 when the city conducted an

fact, years ago some would even go so far as to

extensive, long-range planning project envisioning

describe it as “sleepy” or even “boring.”

a downtown that could put Menlo Park on the

However, we have seen a clear shift in the town over the past few years. Great new restaurants and events have begun to spring up, making the downtown area much livelier, and that trend shows no sign of slowing down.

same footing with cities such as Mountain View, Palo Alto, and Redwood City. This vision called for a village character unique to the city, shopping/ dining/neighborhood housing

and

office

amenities, space,

residential

revitalization

of

underutilized parcels and buildings, an integrated

There are sixteen projects in the “El Camino Real/

bike and pedestrian network, and a better

Downtown Specific Plan” area of Menlo Park that

train station.

34 | DE LEO N RE A LT Y.CO M

March 2020

Let me take you through the three projects (pictured

James Pollock, President and CEO of the Pollock

below) that have been completed:

Financial Group in Portola Valley. This boutique hotel also has a beautiful public courtyard and fine restaurant, Oak + Violet. From revolutionary in-room pour over coffee stations, cowhide restaurant walls, and marble-etched Silicon Valley catchphrases, the Park James Hotel is truly a Menlo Park gem.

Signature dishes from Oak + Violet include Wagyu steak tartare, olive oil-poached salmon with roasted sunchokes, crispy Brussels sprouts with balsamic glaze, and the lobster roll and crab club.

Project 1: “Marquis” on 133 Encinal Avenue – Right next to the entrance of Felton Gables and closely situated to El Camino Real, Holbrook-Palmer Park, and downtown Menlo Park, the Marquis offers 24 units, all of which are sold out, with the average unit selling for almost $2,000,000. Completed in 2019 and built by Pulte Homes on the 1.74 acre site of former Roger Reynolds Nursery.

Project 3: “Alma Station” on 1020 Alma Street – This 3-story, 25,000 sq. ft. office building with roofmounted solar panels, a 25-foot living green wall, public plaza, EV charging station, bike racks, and café pavilion is owned by Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google and his wife, Wendy Schmidt, to serve as an integrated office for their charitable endeavors including the Schmidt Family Foundation and the Schmidt Ocean Institute. It also houses Hillspire, the family office, while the ground-level retail space is occupied by Saint Frank Coffee.

In my next article, I will introduce the exciting Project 2: “Park James Hotel” on 1400 El Camino Real – On the corner of Valparaiso Road and El

projects that are currently underway in downtown Menlo Park, and also highlight what is to come.

Camino Real is the swanky Park James Hotel. The name comes from both Dennis “James” Oliver, cofounder of Menlo Park and an Irish immigrant, and D ELEONREALT Y.COM

| 35

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

Sale Price, Median

Dec-19

Nov-19

Oct-19

Sep-19

Aug-19

Jul-19

Jun-19

May-19

Apr-19

Mar-19

Feb-19

$8,000,000 $6,000,000 $4,000,000 $2,000,000 $0

Jan-19

$10,000,000

$2,500

25

$2,000

20

$1,500

15

$1,000

10

$500

5

$0

0 Ja n19 Fe b19 M ar -1 9 A pr -1 9 M ay -1 9 Ju n19 Ju l-1 9 A ug -1 9 Se p19 O ct -1 9 N ov -1 9 D ec -1 9

$16,000,000 $14,000,000 $12,000,000

Price/SqFt Ratio

LOS ALTOS Los Altos Median Sales Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio

Los Altos Inventory # of New Listings

$2,000,000

Sale Price, Median

Dec-19

Nov-19

Oct-19

Sep-19

Aug-19

Jul-19

Jun-19

May-19

Apr-19

Mar-19

Feb-19

$0

Jan-19

$1,000,000

60 50 40 30 20 10

0 Fe b19 M ar -1 9 A pr -1 9 M ay -1 9 Ju n19 Ju l-1 9 A ug -1 9 Se p19 O ct -1 9 N ov -1 9 D ec -1 9

$3,000,000

70

n19

$4,000,000

$1,600 $1,400 $1,200 $1,000 $800 $600 $400 $200 $0

Ja

$5,000,000

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

25

$1,500

20

$1,000

$2,000,000

Sale Price, Median

Price/SqFt Ratio

36 | D E LEO N RE A LT Y.CO M

Dec-19

Nov-19

Oct-19

Sep-19

Aug-19

Jul-19

Jun-19

May-19

Apr-19

Mar-19

Feb-19

Jan-19

$1,000,000 $0

$2,000

15 10

$500

5

$0

0 Ja n19 Fe b19 M ar -1 9 A pr -1 9 M ay -1 9 Ju n19 Ju l-1 9 A ug -1 9 Se p19 O ct -1 9 N ov -1 9 D ec -1 9

$6,000,000

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

$3,000,000 $2,500,000 $2,000,000 $1,500,000 $1,000,000

Dec-19

Nov-19

Oct-19

Sep-19

Aug-19

Jul-19

Jun-19

May-19

Apr-19

Feb-19

Sale Price, Median

Mar-19

$0

Jan-19

$500,000

$1,600 $1,400 $1,200 $1,000 $800 $600 $400 $200 $0

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Ja n19 Fe b19 M ar -1 9 Ap r-1 9 M ay -1 9 Ju n19 Ju l-1 9 Au g19 Se p19 O ct -1 9 N ov -1 9 De c19

$3,500,000

Price/SqFt Ratio

MOUNTAIN VIEW Mountain View Median Sales Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio

Mountain View Inventory # of New Listings

$1,500,000 $1,000,000

Sale Price, Median

Dec-19

Nov-19

Oct-19

Sep-19

Aug-19

Jul-19

Jun-19

May-19

Apr-19

Mar-19

Feb-19

$0

Jan-19

$500,000

50 40 30 20 10 0 Fe b19 M ar -1 9 A pr -1 9 M ay -1 9 Ju n19 Ju l-1 9 A ug -1 9 Se p19 O ct -1 9 N ov -1 9 D ec -1 9

$2,000,000

$1,600 $1,400 $1,200 $1,000 $800 $600 $400 $200 $0

n19

$2,500,000

Ja

$3,000,000

Price/SqFt Ratio

PALO ALTO Palo Alto Median Sales Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio

Sale Price, Median

Dec-19

Nov-19

Oct-19

Sep-19

Aug-19

Jul-19

Jun-19

May-19

Apr-19

Mar-19

Feb-19

$500 $0

20 10 0 Fe b19 M ar -1 9 A pr -1 9 M ay -1 9 Ju n19 Ju l-1 9 A ug -1 9 Se p19 O ct -1 9 N ov -1 9 D ec -1 9

$1,000

40 30

n19

$1,500

60 50

Ja

$2,000

Jan-19

$4,000,000 $3,500,000 $3,000,000 $2,500,000 $2,000,000 $1,500,000 $1,000,000 $500,000 $0

Palo Alto Inventory # of New Listings

Price/SqFt Ratio

D ELEONREALT Y.COM

| 37

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

$3,000,000 $2,000,000

Sale Price, Median

Dec-19

Nov-19

Oct-19

Sep-19

Aug-19

Jul-19

Jun-19

May-19

Apr-19

Mar-19

Feb-19

$0

Jan-19

$1,000,000

15 10 5 0 Fe b19 M ar -1 9 Ap r-1 9 M ay -1 9 Ju n19 Ju l-1 9 Au g19 Se p19 O ct -1 9 N ov -1 9 De c19

$4,000,000

20

n19

$5,000,000

$1,800 $1,600 $1,400 $1,200 $1,000 $800 $600 $400 $200 $0

Ja

$6,000,000

Price/SqFt Ratio

REDWOOD CITY Redwood City Median Sales Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio

Redwood City Inventory # of New Listings

$1,900,000

$1,100

$1,800,000

100

$1,050

80

$1,000

60

$950

40

$1,400,000

$900

20

$1,300,000

$850

Sale Price, Median

Price/SqFt Ratio

We don’t get great listings. We make great listings.

DeLeon Realty

38 | D E LEO N RE A LT Y.CO M

Ju l-1 9 Au g19 Se p19 O ct -1 9 N ov -1 9 De c19

0 Fe b19 M ar -1 9 Ap r-1 9 M ay -1 9 Ju n19

Dec-19

Nov-19

Oct-19

Sep-19

Aug-19

Jul-19

Jun-19

May-19

Apr-19

Mar-19

Feb-19

Jan-19

$1,500,000

n19

$1,600,000

Ja

$1,700,000

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 $1,200

$1,800,000

$1,150 $1,100

$1,700,000

$1,050

$1,600,000

$1,000

$1,500,000

Sale Price, Median

40 20

0 n19 Fe b19 M ar -1 9 Ap r-1 9 M ay -1 9 Ju n19

$900

80 60

Ja

Dec-19

Nov-19

Oct-19

Sep-19

Aug-19

Jul-19

Jun-19

May-19

Apr-19

Mar-19

Feb-19

Jan-19

$1,400,000

$950

120 100

Ju l-1 9 Au g19 Se p19 O ct -1 9 N ov -1 9 De c19

$1,900,000

Price/SqFt Ratio

WOODSIDE

$10,000,000

$2,000

20

$8,000,000

$1,500

15

$1,000

10

Sale Price, Median

Dec-19

Nov-19

Oct-19

Sep-19

Aug-19

Jul-19

Jun-19

May-19

Apr-19

Mar-19

Feb-19

$0

Jan-19

$2,000,000

$500

5

$0

0 n19

$4,000,000

Ja

$6,000,000

Ju l-1 9 Au g19 Se p19 O ct -1 9 N ov -1 9 De c19

Woodside Inventory # of New Listings

Fe b19 M ar -1 9 Ap r-1 9 M ay -1 9 Ju n19

Woodside Median Sales Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio

Price/SqFt Ratio

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

At DeLeon Realty, we are not limited to accepting only turn-key, luxury-grade listings.

®

Our innovative team of specialists enables us to transform every one of our listings into a truly must-have home. Let us show you what we can do for your home.

www.DeLeonRealty.com D ELEONREALT Y.COM

| 39

THE DELEON INSIGHT

ATHERTON Drop-In VR and 3D Printing

Tuesdays in March, 2020 Drop in the library for a relaxed and welcoming tutoring session on technology. Experience our VR system and learn how to use the 3D printers. VR is for ages 13 and up.

TIME: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM WHERE: Atherton Library, 2 Dinkelspiel Station Lane, Atherton, CA

LOS ALTOS HILLS Monthly Pathways Walk

Wednesday, March 4, 2020 Join Parks and Recreation on the first Wednesday of every month for a walk on the Town’s Pathways System. Each Pathway walk will be roughly 2 miles in length and feature various areas of Los Altos Hills.

Routes & walking speeds will be tailored to the wishes of the participants in attendance. Inclement weather may cancel the walk. For more information or to RSVP contact: 650-947-2506 or cknopf@ losaltoshills.ca.gov.

TIME: 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM WHERE: Los Altos Hills, CA

Mayor Office Hours

Friday, March 20, 2020 Mayor Michelle Wu is available to meet with residents of Los Altos Hills to listen to their concerns and comments. Although walk-ins will be welcomed, Mayor Wu strongly encourages setting up an appointment. In order to set up an appointment, please email City Clerk Deborah Padovan at dpadovan@losaltoshills.ca.gov or call at 650-941-7222.

TIME: 10:00 AM -12:00 PM WHERE: Los Altos Hills Town Hall, 26379 Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills

40 | D E LEO N RE A LT Y.CO M

LOS ALTOS Los Altos First Friday

Fridays, March 6, 2020 Los Altos First Fridays are community-building events held during the first Friday evenings 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, CA

57th Downtown Los Altos Easter Egg Hunt

Saturday, April 4, 2020 Join the merchants of Downtown Los Altos for the 57th Annual Downtown Los Altos Easter Egg Hunt.

Free for children ages 1-10. Thousands of candy and prize-filled eggs on Main and State Streets. Head to Veterans Community Plaza to meet the Easter Bunny and take pictures! Fun crafts, face painting, and more! Limit 5 eggs per child. Please bring your own Easter basket.

TIME: 10:00 AM -12:00 PM WHERE: Downtown Los Altos, Main and State Streets

MENLO PARK Read, Play, Learn

Saturday, March 14, 2020 English language learners are invited to a monthly story time for the whole family. Learn ways to get your children ready to read and to express their creativity. Help your children learn to love books, stories, arts, and crafts.

TIME: 10:00 AM -12:00 PM WHERE: Belle Haven Branch Library, 413 Ivy Drive, Menlo Park, CA 94025

March 2020

Science Night

Thursday, March 19, 2020 Our tenth Science Night is coming! Join us for fun and fascination, with exhibits plus hands-on activities and experiments aimed at elementary school-aged children, all the way up to adults.

TIME: 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM WHERE: Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St. Menlo Park

Teen Gaming

Friday, March 20, 2020 Drop in and hang out with your friends and play the Nintendo Switch in our new Teen Zone! We’ll have monthly video gaming tournaments to test your skills. Teen Zone. Grades 4-12 TIME: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM WHERE: Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St. Menlo Park

REDWOOD CITY Paws for Tales

Saturday, March 7, 2020 Dogs love to hear stories! Read to a specially trained dog provided by the Peninsula Humane Society.

TIME: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM WHERE: Redwood Shores Library, 399 Marine Parkway, Redwood City

Pajama Time Stories

Tuesday, March 17, 2019 Pajama Story Time for all ages.

TIME: 6:30 PM – 7:00 PM WHERE: Redwood Shores Library, 399 Marine Parkway, Redwood City

MOUNTAIN VIEW Knit & Crochet Club

Every Friday in March, 2020 Free, open to ages 8-adult, all skill levels (Children under 10 must have an adult present).

Learn something new, get answers to questions, or just bring your project and enjoy the company of other knitters. Supplies provided for beginners.

TIME: 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM WHERE: Mountain View Public Library (Teen Zone)

Lego Time

Thursday, March 19, 2020 It’s a Lego free-for-all! Everyone is welcome to join the building fun. We have Duplos for toddlers, too!

TIME: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM WHERE: Mountain View Public Library (1st Floor Program Room)

Saturday Stories: English/Spanish

Saturdays in March 14 & April 4, 2020 An English/Spanish storytime for children ages 2-5 and their parents, with stories, songs, and flannel boards. No registration required.

TIME: 10:15 AM- 10:45 AM WHERE: : Mountain View Public Library (1st Floor Program Room)

A-Z Animals

Thursday, March 26, 2020 Love animals? So do we! Come learn about fun animal facts with a different theme every month!

We'll do some learning, some playing, and some creating. It's going to be roar-some! For children ages 6-10 TIME: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM WHERE: Mountain View Public Library (1st Floor Program Room)

D ELEONREALT Y.COM

| 41

THE DELEON INSIGHT

PALO ALTO Open Studio Afternoons

Every Thursday from March to May, 2020 Every Thursday, all are invited to connect and create during an afternoon of artmaking in The Foster galleries. Bring your own art supplies, or visit our watercolor and drawing stations where you can create your own works of art, while surrounded by Tony Foster's wilderness landscapes and souvenir details.

Tea and biscuits will be served. Drop-ins are welcome, but RSVPs are appreciated.

TIME: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM WHERE: The Foster (940 Commercial St., Palo Alto)

Tax Seminar for Homeowners

Saturday, March 21, 2020 Gain insight from Michael Repka, the managing broker and general counsel of DeLeon Realty. Michael holds a degree in finance, a law degree, and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation from NYU School of Law. Also, hear the latest market updates from founder Ken DeLeon, the most successful real estate broker in Silicon Valley and former economics professor.

TIME: 10:00 PM – 12:00 PM WHERE: Haymarket Theater- Palo Alto High School, 50 Embarcadero Rd, Palo Alto

Life Skills Toolkit: Cooking and Nutrition

Thursday, March 26, 2020 Do you think of a balanced diet as a cookie in each hand? Do you avoid the stove for fear that you may start a fire? Then this is the course for you! Learn the essentials of cooking and nutrition from food educator and writer, Sara Kay. For ages 14+. Registration required.

TIME: 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM WHERE: Mitchell Park Library, 3700 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto

Mandarin Bilingual Storytime

Sundays, April 5 and May 3, 2020 The Bilingual Mandarin Storytime is for children, their parents, and caretakers. This storytime occurs once a month, every first Sunday of the month at the Mitchell Park Library's Midtown Room.

TIME: 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM WHERE: Mitchell Park Library, 3700 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto

42 | DE LEO N RE A LT Y.CO M

STANFORD Exhibition: Jim Campbell

All Mondays, and Wednesdays through Sundays from September 5, 2019 to August 3, 2020 Jim Campbell primarily utilizes LEDs to translate time-based subjects—scenes of jostling crowds, found home movies, and the rhythmic movements of nature, such as waves and clouds—into blurred or gridded forms that test the limits of perception. In its abstract orientation and encouragement of extended contemplation, Campbell’s art shares much with other works in the vibrant, light-filled, and expansive galleries in the Anderson Collection.

TIME: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM WHERE: Anderson Collection at Stanford University

Crossing the Caspian: Persia and Europe, 1500-1700

All Mondays, and Wednesdays through Sundays from January 22, 2020 to April 26, 2020 Crossing the Caspian explores the golden age of artistic exchange between the Safavid Empire of Persia and Europe. Featuring prints, drawings, miniature paintings, rare books and maps, as well as objects of porcelain and silk, this exhibition examines the opening of new geographic, diplomatic, and mercantile routes between Persia and Europe in the seventeenth century. The pieces assembled here include works by artists from Antwerp, Amsterdam, Paris, Hollstein, Qazvin, Isfahan, and Shiraz. Together, the works represent the process of coming to know a foreign culture through the medium of visual art.

TIME: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM WHERE: Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University

Surf Sequence by Ansel Adams

All Mondays, and Wednesdays through Sundays from November 20, 2019 to May 18, 2020 Explore this series of spontaneously-captured surf images, studies of nature, time, and organic line, in the context of Adams’s relationship with water in different forms.

TIME: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM WHERE: Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University

March 2020

PORTOLA VALLEY Tai Chi and Chi Kung

All Fridays in March, 2020 Join Tai Chi and Chi Kung instructor Ben Dineen as he leads a sixty-minute class in the Redwood Grove next to the Town Center Community Hall. These centuriesold Asian exercises help relieve stress and build stronger bodies, better balance, and sharper minds.

For all ability levels. For all adults including 55+.

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 local growers and artisans.

TIME: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM WHERE: Murphy Avenue at Washington Ave, Sunnyvale

State law [State Vehicle Code 23114 (a)] requires all loads to be covered. Uncovered loads will be charged $15 and provided a tarp. No Household Hazardous Waste items.

TIME: 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM WHERE: SMaRT Station, 301 Carl Road, Sunnyvale

Family Storytime

Saturdays in April, 2020 Families with children ages 0-5 are invited to hear fun stories and sing nursery rhymes.

TIME: 11:00 AM – 11:25 AM WHERE: Program Room, 665 W. Olive Ave., Sunnyvale

2's and 3's Storytime

Wednesday, April 29, 2020 Join us for fun stories and songs with a children's librarian. This storytime is intended for children ages 2 and 3.

TIME: 11:00 AM – 11:25 AM WHERE: Program Room, 665 W. Olive Ave., Sunnyvale

Less Traffic, Better Places: How Do We Get There?

Wednesday, March 11, 2020 Tired of worsening traffic? Join Patrick Siegman, founder of Siegman & Associates, as he explains how shifting away from a car-centric society can improve the environment, local economies, equity, and more.

This is a FREE event sponsored by City of Sunnyvale and the Sunnyvale Sustainability Commission.

Questions? Contact 408-730-7717 or green@ sunnyvale.ca.gov TIME: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM WHERE: Sunnyvale Council Chambers, 456 West Olive Avenue, Sunnyvale

Extra Dumping Weekends

Saturday and Sunday, March 28 & 29, 2020 Sunnyvale residents may dispose of extra garbage at no charge. Vehicles limited to one-ton capacity. On free dumping days, trailers may not exceed five feet by ten feet. Proof of Sunnyvale residency required.

WOODSIDE Morning Tea at the Library

Every Wednesdays in March, 2020 Drop in for a cup of tea, a tasty treat, and read one of many magazines as you gaze out at the beautiful garden.

TIME: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM WHERE: 3140 Woodside Road, Woodside

Tai Chi

Every Wednesdays in March and April, 2020 Join Tai Chi instructor Ben Dineen in the Native Plant Garden as he leads a sixty-minute class open to all ability levels. This centuries-old Asian exercise builds stronger bodies, better balance, and a sharper mind, and is a great stress reliever. For all adults including 55+.

TIME: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM WHERE: 3140 Woodside Road, Woodside

D ELEONREALT Y.COM

| 43

PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE PAID UNION CITY, CA PERMIT #35

DeLeon Realty 1717 Embarcadero Road Palo Alto, CA 94303

®

******ECRWSSEDDM******

RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER

TAX SEMINAR FOR HOMEOWNERS

TAX STRATEGIES FOR OWNING AND SELLING SILICON VALLEY REAL ESTATE Haymarket Theater- Palo Alto High School 50 Embarcadero Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94301 Saturday, March 21, 2020 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

®

RSVP: 650.543.8500 RSVP@DELEONREALTY.COM Seminars are for prospective clients only.

No outside real estate professionals permitted.

6 5 0 . 9 0 0 . 7 0 0 0 | w w w. D e L e o n R e a l t y. c o m | D e L e o n R e a l t y, I n c . | D R E # 0 1 9 0 3 2 2 4 If you would prefer to not receive mail from DeLeon Realty, please send your full name and address to DoNotMail@deleonrealty.com.