Market Conditions By City
Average Sale Price
$10,000,000 $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 Menlo Park Mountain Hills View
Palo Alto
Portola Valley
Redwood San Carlos Sunnyvale Woodside City
Average sale price for single-family homes from 5/2024 to 5/2025,
5/2024 - 5/2025
compared to the period from 5/2025 to 5/2026.
5/2025 - 5/2026
Price/Square Foot Ratio $2,500 $2,000 $1,500 $1,000 $500 $0
Atherton
Los Altos
Los Altos Menlo Park Mountain Hills View
Palo Alto
Portola Valley
Redwood San Carlos Sunnyvale Woodside City
Price per square foot ratio for single-family homes from 5/2024 to 5/2025,
5/2024 - 5/2025
compared to the period from 5/2025 to 5/2026.
5/2025 - 5/2026 Source: MLSListings, Inc., as of June 18, 2026 Criteria: Single Family Residential
2
July 2026
where sophisticated buyers are evaluating every cost, reducing commission friction can make a listing more compelling.
town offers. This helps buyers truly appreciate the unique charm of each town through our hundreds of communityfocused photos and videos.
The second major shift is geography. AI buyers are not coming from a single town. Many will be relocating from San Francisco for better schools, more space, more privacy, and a calmer lifestyle. Others will be moving within Silicon Valley as their wealth allows them to upgrade.
A third distinction is that AI buyers are drawn to move-in ready homes. AI buyers are extremely time-constrained. Many are working intense schedules and do not want to spend months remodeling, managing contractors, and making design decisions. They will pay a premium for a home that feels clean, updated, beautiful, and ready to enjoy immediately.
That means sellers should not rely on narrow local marketing. The ideal buyer for a Palo Alto home may currently live in San Francisco. The ideal buyer for an Atherton estate may work in OpenAI’s new Mountain View office. To maximize price, sellers need marketing that reaches the broadest possible buyer pool. This is another major DeLeon advantage. DeLeon Realty markets throughout Silicon Valley and San Francisco, using print, digital advertising, social media, international outreach, and extensive local visibility. Since luxury buyers do not always begin their search with a single neighborhood in mind, the right marketing can introduce them to a home they might not otherwise have considered. Additionally, our property videos and website content showcase the lifestyle amenities each
For sellers, this does not always mean a major remodel. In many cases, the best return comes from strategic improvements: paint, lighting, flooring, hardware, landscaping, deep cleaning, design-focused staging, and selective repairs. The goal is not to make the home perfect, but instead to remove objections, create emotional impact, and help the buyer imagine an easier life. The DeLeon Team, rather than simply recommending generic staging, uses an integrated preparation strategy that includes design guidance, staging, repairs, and targeted improvements. The objective is to make each home appeal to the most likely buyer profile. A young AI founder, an international executive, a privacy-focused CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
5
THE DELEON INSIGHT
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 family, and a downsizing local seller will all respond to different design cues. The home should be prepared, not merely decorated, with the buyer in mind. Our expertise in local real estate development, combined with the fact that the DeLeon Team sold over $500 million in homes to buyers alone last year, helps us understand the latest design trends and what Silicon Valley buyers want, allowing us to incorporate these insights into the preperation process. Pricing strategy also becomes more important in an AI wealth cycle. In a rising market, it is tempting for sellers to overprice. That can be a mistake. The strongest results often come from pricing that attracts attention, creates urgency, and encourages multiple buyers to engage. AI wealth may increase the depth of the buyer pool, but buyers are still data-driven. They compare price per square foot, lot size, condition, schools, commute patterns, privacy, and replacement cost. Pricing competitively must be coupled with the best marketing in Silicon Valley, which DeLeon Realty supports through a multi-million-dollar marketing budget to showcase our listings.
6
Timing also matters. Sellers should not assume the AI boom will last forever. As the dot-com bust showed, markets can move quickly and wealth cycles can reverse if valuations fall, IPO windows close, or stock prices decline after lockup periods expire. The best strategy is not to chase the top with hope but to prepare early, launch thoughtfully, and capture demand when buyer confidence is high. The time is now to contact DeLeon Realty so we can complete strategic improvements right as the AI liquidity wave fully reaches the Silicon Valley housing market. For Silicon Valley sellers, the AI IPO boom could be a remarkable opportunity and possibly the best time to sell in many years. But opportunity does not automatically translate into a great sale. The difference will come down to preparation, pricing, marketing, buyer access, and execution. The sellers who benefit most will be those who make their homes move-in ready and impossible to ignore through strong marketing. That is exactly where the DeLeon Realty model is built to help. Contact us to experience the DeLeon Difference in design.
July 2026
Redwood City: Climate Best and Much More By Francis Lopez
"Climate Best by Government Test." As you travel through Redwood City, you may see one of the signs on Broadway bearing this slogan. Situated between the heat of San Jose and the fog of San Francisco, Redwood City seemingly enjoys an ideal, temperate climate right in the middle. Redwood City's emergence should not come as a surprise. Buyers starting their search in Palo Alto or surrounding cities have often expanded their search to Redwood City in pursuit of better property values. Through June 11 of this year, the average sale price of a home between 2,000 and 2,500 square feet in Palo Alto is over $4.4 million, compared to just over $2.7 million in Redwood City. This is not a new phenomenon, either. When meeting clients preparing to sell their Redwood City homes, it is common for them to tell me that their search for their current home started in Palo Alto or a nearby city until they discovered Redwood City. What was supposed to be a starter home turned into a home for 15 to 20 years. Coincidentally, I recently worked with two homeowners who upgraded to larger homes in Redwood City as their families grew, since they had fallen in love with the city and did not want to leave.
areas of Redwood City such as Emerald Hills, Woodside Plaza, and Edgewood Park can feel like their own bubbles, residents across the city often congregate at weekend events, soccer practices and games, or for a night out downtown. Held once a month during the warmer months, Pub in the Park at Red Morton Park, featuring live music, has been a hit. In the evening, why not dine at one of the more than 75 restaurants downtown? Even global sensation BTS stopped by one of my favorite restaurants, Vesta, three times during their visit to the Bay Area for shows at Stanford Stadium in May. Redwood City is undoubtedly an up-and-coming city on the Peninsula. While buyers may eventually find their way to a Redwood City home, they often need to be introduced to a Redwood City listing to discover all the city has to offer. At our open houses in Redwood City, I have spoken with buyers who told me they were not considering Redwood City until they saw an ad for a home on television or in the newspaper. They did not realize how much the city has to offer, and homeowners moving away often tell me how much they will miss it. Redwood City is proving that it is much more than "Climate Best by Government Test," and that is something residents and future homeowners alike can attest to.
What has made residents and prospective homeowners fall in love with Redwood City? The great weather is only part of the story. While different
13
THE DELEON INSIGHT
BEFORE A home listed by DeLeon Realty before our design team made any changes.
AFTER The same home, refreshed and revitalized by the DeLeon Realty design team, sold for more than $1 million over asking.
20
July 2026
California Insurance Update: FAIR Plan Gets More Expensive, But Traditional Insurers Re-Enter the Market By Alex Lewicki, Esq.
Home insurance has, not-so-secretly, developed into an industry-wide crisis over the last decade. For many in hillside and rural communities, the California FAIR Plan has been the only respite from prohibitively expensive insurance and, in some cases, the complete absence of fire insurance from traditional carriers. Well, do not blame the messenger. The FAIR Plan has announced that it will increase its average rates by 29% this October. The rate hikes are largely a result of the 44% increase in policies issued from 2024 through 2025 plus the $4 billion in losses generated by the LA wildfires. This approved raise is down from the 36% increase that the Plan previously requested last year in an attempt to avoid bankruptcy. The good news is that not all 600,000+ policyholders under the FAIR Plan will see their premiums rise. Roughly a quarter of policyholders in lower-risk zones will actually see their rates decrease by up to 80%, while another half of policyholders will see their rates increase between 30% to 50%. The remaining quarter will see varied rates, some below the 30% increase, with others in the most high-risk areas, such as those in the Nevada foothills, potentially seeing their annual premiums double come fall. But while the insurance market becomes more expensive for some, there is also hope on the horizon as admitted carriers slowly return to the state. This re-entry is largely a result of the state’s recent efforts to allow insurers to adjust rates according to technology-driven catastrophe modeling systems. The statewide push toward wildfire mitigation efforts, such as mandatory home hardening and defensible-space regulations in high fire-risk areas, has also prompted major insurers to begin issuing policies once again. So far, these efforts have resulted in less reliance on the FAIR Plan, which added only 16,000 new policies in the first quarter of 2026, down from 35,000 and even 50,000 new policies issued in previous quarters of 2024 and 2025. The Department of Insurance has further touted
the insurance market’s stabilization by noting that nine insurance groups have requested rate increases below 7% so far. While that may seem like bad news at first glance, rate increases by major insurers, which previously were declining to issue new policies and dropping policyholders altogether, is a step in the right direction. The hope is that increased competition will eventually bring rates down, and at the very least, ease reliance on the FAIR Plan for many residents in areas such as Los Altos Hills, Woodside, and Portola Valley. Perhaps the combination of insurance-friendly regulations and increasing mitigation efforts will return the FAIR Plan to the last-resort option that it was always intended to be. One thing is certain: the California home insurance market has become more complex than ever before, and the right guidance has become absolutely necessary for buyers, even in areas that are not traditionally high fire-risk areas. Recently, I have even seen a listing agent suggest submitting an insurance quote alongside an offer as a consideration of buyer strength and seriousness. Luckily, buyers working with the DeLeon Team have access to the right insurers, neighborhood-specific insights, and guidance that includes when to walk away from a home due to insurance risks. Give me a call today at 650.847.7407 to benefit from insurance clarity prior to purchasing a home.
21
R E A L E S TAT E M A R K E T P U L S E
ATHERTON Atherton Median Sale Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio
Atherton Inventory # of New Listings
Sale Price, Median
20 15 10 5 0 ay -2 5 Ju n25 Ju l-2 5 A ug -2 5 Se p25 O ct -2 5 N ov -2 5 D ec -2 5 Ja n26 Fe b26 M ar -2 6 A pr -2 6 M ay -2 6
$0
M
May-26
Apr-26
$0
Mar-26
$500
Feb-26
$5,000,000
Jan-26
$1,000
Dec-25
$1,500
$10,000,000
Nov-25
$15,000,000
Oct-25
$2,000
Sep-25
$20,000,000
Aug-25
$2,500
Jul-25
$25,000,000
Jun-25
$3,000
May-25
$30,000,000
Price/SqFt Ratio
LOS ALTOS
Sale Price, Median
Los Altos Inventory # of New Listings 50
$2,100
40
$2,000
30
$1,900
20
$1,800
10
$1,700
0 ay -2 5 Ju n25 Ju l-2 5 Au g25 Se p25 O ct -2 5 N ov -2 5 De c25 Ja n26 Fe b26 M ar -2 6 Ap r-2 6 M ay -2 6
$2,200
M
May-26
Apr-26
Mar-26
Feb-26
Jan-26
Dec-25
Nov-25
Oct-25
Sep-25
Aug-25
Jul-25
May-25
$7,000,000 $6,000,000 $5,000,000 $4,000,000 $3,000,000 $2,000,000 $1,000,000 $0
Jun-25
Los Altos Median Sale Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio
Price/SqFt Ratio
LOS ALTOS HILLS Los Altos Hills Median Sale Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio
Los Altos Hills Inventory # of New Listings
Sale Price, Median
24
Price/SqFt Ratio
M
ay -2 5 Ju n25 Ju l-2 5 Au g25 Se p25 O ct -2 5 N ov -2 5 De c25 Ja n26 Fe b26 M ar -2 6 Ap r-2 6 M ay -2 6
0
May-26
$0
$0
Apr-26
5
Mar-26
$500 Feb-26
$2,000,000 Jan-26
10
Dec-25
$1,000
Nov-25
$4,000,000
Oct-25
15
Sep-25
$1,500
Aug-25
$6,000,000
Jul-25
20
Jun-25
$2,000
May-25
$8,000,000
R E A L E S TAT E M A R K E T P U L S E
MENLO PARK Menlo Park Median Sale Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio
Menlo Park Inventory # of New Listings
$1,400
Sale Price, Median
40 30 20 10 ay -2 5 Ju n25 Ju l-2 5 Au g25 Se p25 O ct -2 5 N ov -2 5 De c25 Ja n26 Fe b26 M ar -2 6 Ap r-2 6 M ay -2 6
0 M
Apr-26
May-26
$0
Mar-26
$1,500 Feb-26
$1,000,000 Jan-26
$1,600
Dec-25
$2,000,000
Nov-25
$1,700
Oct-25
$3,000,000
Sep-25
50
Aug-25
$1,800
Jul-25
60
$4,000,000
Jun-25
$1,900
May-25
$5,000,000
Price/SqFt Ratio
MOUNTAIN VIEW Mountain View Median Sale Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio $1,900 $1,800 $1,700 $1,600 $1,500
Sale Price, Median
40 30 20 10 0 ay -2 5 Ju n25 Ju l-2 5 Au g25 Se p25 O ct -2 5 N ov -2 5 De c25 Ja n26 Fe b26 M ar -2 6 Ap r-2 6 M ay -2 6
$1,300
50
M
May-26
Apr-26
Feb-26
Mar-26
Jan-26
Dec-25
Nov-25
Oct-25
Sep-25
Aug-25
Jul-25
Jun-25
$1,400 May-25
$3,500,000 $3,000,000 $2,500,000 $2,000,000 $1,500,000 $1,000,000 $500,000 $0
Mountain View Inventory # of New Listings
Price/SqFt Ratio
PALO ALTO Palo Alto Median Sale Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio
Palo Alto Inventory # of New Listings $2,000
$4,000,000 $3,000,000
$1,500 $1,000
$2,000,000
Sale Price, Median
May-26
Apr-26
Mar-26
Feb-26
Jan-26
Dec-25
Nov-25
Oct-25
Sep-25
Aug-25
Jul-25
Jun-25
$500 May-25
$1,000,000 $0
$0
80 60 40 20 0 ay -2 5 Ju n25 Ju l-2 5 Au g25 Se p25 O ct -2 5 N ov -2 5 De c25 Ja n26 Fe b26 M ar -2 6 Ap r-2 M 6 ay -2 6
$2,500
M
$6,000,000 $5,000,000
Price/SqFt Ratio
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 Sale Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio
Portola Valley Inventory # of New Listings
Sale Price, Median
ay -2 5 Ju n25 Ju l-2 5 Au g25 Se p25 O ct -2 5 N ov -2 5 De c25 Ja n26 Fe b26 M ar -2 6 Ap r-2 6 M ay -2 6
$0
16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 M
Apr-26
May-26
Mar-26
Jan-26
Feb-26
$500
$0
Dec-25
$2,000,000 Nov-25
$1,000
Oct-25
$1,500
$4,000,000
Sep-25
$6,000,000
Aug-25
$2,000
Jul-25
$8,000,000
Jun-25
$2,500
May-25
$10,000,000
Price/SqFt Ratio
WOODSIDE Woodside Median Sale Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio
Woodside Inventory # of New Listings
$25,000,000
$3,000 $2,500
$20,000,000
$2,000 $1,500 $1,000
Sale Price, Median
May-26
Apr-26
Mar-26
Feb-26
Jan-26
Dec-25
Nov-25
Oct-25
Sep-25
Aug-25
Jul-25
Jun-25
$0
May-25
$5,000,000
$500 $0
ay -2 5 Ju n25 Ju l-2 5 Au g25 Se p25 O ct -2 5 N ov -2 5 De c25 Ja n26 Fe b26 M ar -2 6 Ap r-2 6 M ay -2 6
$10,000,000
M
$15,000,000
30 25 20 15 10 5 0
Price/SqFt Ratio
SUNNYVALE Sunnyvale Median Sale Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio
Sunnyvale Inventory # of New Listings
$2,000,000 $1,500,000 $1,000,000
Sale Price, Median
26
Price/SqFt Ratio
May-26
Apr-26
Mar-26
Feb-26
Jan-26
Dec-25
Nov-25
Oct-25
Sep-25
Aug-25
Jul-25
Jun-25
$0
May-25
$500,000
$1,700 $1,650 $1,600 $1,550 $1,500 $1,450 $1,400 $1,350
100 80 60 40 20 0 ay -2 5 Ju n25 Ju l-2 5 Au g25 Se p25 O ct -2 5 N ov -2 5 De c25 Ja n26 Fe b26 M ar -2 6 Ap r-2 6 M ay -2 6
$2,500,000
M
$3,000,000
R E A L E S TAT E M A R K E T P U L S E
REDWOOD CITY Redwood City Median Sale Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio
Redwood City Inventory # of New Listings
$3,000,000
$1,500
$2,500,000 $2,000,000
$1,000
$1,500,000 $1,000,000
$500
Sale Price, Median
60 40 20 0 ay -2 5 Ju n25 Ju l-2 5 Au g25 Se p25 O ct -2 5 N ov -2 5 De c25 Ja n26 Fe b26 M ar -2 6 Ap r-2 6 M ay -2 6
$0
80
M
May-26
Apr-26
Feb-26
Mar-26
Jan-26
Dec-25
Oct-25
Nov-25
Sep-25
Aug-25
Jul-25
May-25
$0
Jun-25
$500,000
100
Price/SqFt Ratio
SAN CARLOS
Sale Price, Median
San Carlos Inventory # of New Listings 40
$1,400
30
$1,300
20
$1,200
10
$1,100
0 ay -2 5 Ju n25 Ju l-2 5 Au g25 Se p25 O ct -2 5 N ov -2 5 De c25 Ja n26 Fe b26 M ar -2 6 Ap r-2 6 M ay -2 6
$1,500
M
May-26
Apr-26
Feb-26
Mar-26
Jan-26
Dec-25
Oct-25
Nov-25
Sep-25
Aug-25
Jul-25
Jun-25
$3,500,000 $3,000,000 $2,500,000 $2,000,000 $1,500,000 $1,000,000 $500,000 $0
May-25
San Carlos Median Sale Price & Price/Sq. Ft. Ratio
Price/SqFt Ratio
Thinking about selling a house? We are here to help! To see how market trends affect the value of your home, and how we can help you maximize the value of your home in today’s market, contact us now! Managing Broker: Ken DeLeon | DRE #01342140 DELEONREALTY.COM | DeLeon Realty, Inc | DRE #01903224 Equal Housing Opportunity
Contact us today!
650.900.7000 27
LOCAL EVENTS
LOCAL EVENTS CALENDAR July - September 2026
LOS ALT O S EVENT
DATE
TIME
LOCATION
COST
Summer Concert Series
July 9, 16,
6:30pm
Grant Park Soccer Field (July 9)
Free
23, 30 47th Annual Los Altos Arts & Wine
Hillview Soccer Field (July 16, 23, 30)
July 11 - 12
10am - 6pm
Downtown Los Altos
Free
Arts Los Altos Downtown
August 7
5 - 6pm
169 State Street
Free
Walking Tour
September 4
Los Altos First Friday
August 7
Festival *Come by and see DeLeon Realty’s booth! (Meet at the Mandahlia Sculpture) 6 - 9pm
Downtown Los Altos
Free
September 4 Fine Art in the Park
August 8 - 9
LOS ALT O S H I L L S
10am - 5:30pm Lincoln Park
Free
EVENT
DATE
TIME
LOCATION
COST
LAH County Fire District Brush and
July 18
9am - 2pm
Foothill College, Parking Lot 1
Free
Yard Trimmings Collection
August 15
Movie Night at Purissima Park
August 7
6:30 - 10:30pm Purissima Park
Free
August 22
10am - 12pm
Purissima Park
Free
September 5
4 - 7pm
Westwind Community Barn
Free
EVENT
DATE
TIME
LOCATION
COST
Summer Concert Series
July 8, 15,
6pm
Fremont Park - 979 Santa Cruz Ave.
Free
-Zootopia 2 Adult Softball Game Los Altos Hills vs Los Altos Los Altos Hills Hoedown
M ENLO PA R K 22, 29, 31
(July 8, 15, 22, 29, August 5, 12)
August 5, 7,
Karl E. Clark Park – 313 Market Place
12
(July 31, Augist 7)
Document Shredding Event
August 1
9am – 12pm
City Corporation Yard
Free
National Night Out
August 4
5 – 9pm
Various Neighborhoods
Free
LOCAL EVENTS
M OUNTA I N V I E W EVENT
DATE
TIME
LOCATION
COST
Summer Outdoor Movie Night
July 10, 17,
8:30 – 10pm
Cuesta Park (July 10)
Free
24, 31
Sylvan Park (July 17)
August 7, 14
Stevenson Park (July 24) Whisman Park (July 31) Eagle Park (August 7) Rengstorff Park (August 14)
Concerts on the Plaza
Every Friday
6 - 7:30pm
Civic Center Plaza
Free
KidStock
August 15
10am – 1pm
Civic Center Plaza & Pioneer Park
Free
Mountain View Art & Wine Festival
Sept 12 - 13
9/12 11am – 7pm
Downtown Mountain View on Castro
Free
9/13 10am – 6pm
Street
PALO ALT O EVENT
DATE
TIME
LOCATION
COST
Family Movie Night Series
July 10, 17,
7:30 - 10:30pm
Mitchell Park Athletic Field
Free
Palo Alto Art Center
Free
31, August 14 Annual Clay and Glass Festival
July 11 - 12
10am - 5pm
Twilight Concert Series
July 11,18
6:30 pm - Midnight Rinconada Park
Palo Alto Festival of the Arts
August 22 - 23 10am – 6pm
University Avenue
Free Free
*Come by and see DeLeon Realty’s booth!
PO RTOLA VA L L E Y EVENT
DATE
TIME
LOCATION
COST
PV Summer Concert Series
July 9,
5:30 – 8pm
Portola Valley Town Center
Free
10:30am –
Portola Valley Town Center
Free
August 10 Portola Valley Palooza - Summer Music Festival
August 29
8:30pm
LOCAL EVENTS
R ED WOOD C I T Y EVENT
DATE
TIME
LOCATION
COST
Music in the Park
Every
6 – 8pm
Stafford Park
Free
8:30 - 10pm
Courthouse Square
$34
Wednesday Movies on the Square
Every Thursday
Music on the Square
Every Friday
6 – 8pm
Courthouse Square
$20
Pub in the Park
July 11
11am – 4pm
Red Morton Park
Free
11am – 3pm
Veterans Memorial Senior Center
Free
August 1, 29 10th Annual Car Show for Veterans
S AN CARLO S
August 22
EVENT
DATE
TIME
LOCATION
COST
Music in the Park
July 10, 17, 24, 31
6 – 8pm
Burton Park
Free
August 7-8
4pm – 10am
Burton Park
Free
EVENT
DATE
TIME
LOCATION
COST
Family Fun Nights at the Park
Every Thursday in
7 - 8pm
Washington Park (July 9, 16)
Free
August 14, 21 Family Campout
S UNNY VA L E July
Fairwood Park (July 23, 30)
Document Shredding
July 11
8am – 3pm
Sunnyvale SMaRT Station
Free
Family Movie - GOAT
July 26
2 – 4pm
Sunnyvale Public Library
Free
Sunset Movie Series
Every Friday Night
7pm
Serra Park (August 7)
Free
in August
Columbia Park (August 14) Murphy Park (August 21) Community Center (August 28)
WOOD SI D E EVENT
DATE
TIME
LOCATION
COST
Summer Stage at Filoli
August 9, 10, 11,
5:30 – 8:30pm
Filoli Gardens
$69 - $179
14, 15, 16, 17, 18