The DeLeon Insight - July 2026

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