DeLeon Insight- September 2025 Cover Page

The DeLeon Insight – September 2025



Tree Disputes with Neighbors

The care of trees creates a lot of work for arborists, which is not surprising. However, many attorneys have also put food on their tables thanks to trees and their various related issues. Few things spark tensions between neighbors as quickly as a dispute…

Neighborhood Spotlight – Los Altos Hills

The hills are alive with the sound of music, as well as multiple offers! After years of relatively slow growth lagging behind the communities in the flats, the affluent hillside communities of Portola Valley, Los Altos Hills, and Woodside have rebounded…

Housing vs Stocks: Why Silicon Valley Housing has been a More Profitable Investment

Having traveled the world as a real estate nerd, I always study the real estate market and tax structure of any country I visit. I have found that no government subsidizes homeownership as much as the United States. Two of the great benefits enjoyed by…

The Magic of the DeLeon Business Model—the Listing Side

DeLeon Realty’s new business model is the talk of the real estate community. We hear regular reports of our competitors’ office managers and other agents bringing us up at their sales meetings. That is very flattering, especially given that many of…

DeLeon Realty Expands the China Initiative

While still only a small part of the DeLeon team’s marketing approach, we have enjoyed tremendous success in tapping into the burgeoning Chinese buyer pool. In fact, we have become well-known to the Chinese community throughout the Bay Area through…

Agents’ Heightened Duties to Clients under Saffie v. Schmeling

Last year, the California Court of Appeals handed down a decision that may have serious repercussions for the real estate broker community (Saffie v. Schmeling, Fourth Appellate District, Case No. E055716, dated March 7, 2014). In Saffie, a Buyer’s…

Neighborhood Spotlight — Old Palo Alto

Unquestionably one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in Silicon Valley, Old Palo Alto has a unique blend of spectacular architecture, large parcels, great public schools, and a central location that has made the neighborhood highly desirable to multiple…

The Downside to Live Offer Presentations

In this hot Sellers’ market, multiple offers and above-asking bids are common. In fact, it is not unusual for a home to receive ten or more offers. Naturally, agents who are representing Buyers like the opportunity to present their clients’ offers…

Buying Real Estate Sight Unseen

The world is getting smaller and technology is getting better. It is no surprise then that the Silicon Valley real estate market has seen an increase in the number of people who are buying homes without personally visiting the properties. There are two…

Vacation Areas Poised for Strong Real Estate Appreciation

Over the past year or so, there has been a marked increase in people selling their Bay Area homes and moving to certain easily accessible get-a-way locations. In addition to offering a refreshing change of pace, many of these areas also offer a tempting…