DeLeon Insight- September 2025 Cover Page

The DeLeon Insight – September 2025



Pending IPOs Spark Confidence

By Michael Repka Although the end of 2018 and early 2019 revealed material weakness in the Silicon Valley real estate market, there is some reason for optimism. Recently completed IPOs, coupled with expected upcoming IPOs, seem to be breathing a sigh…

So Your Home Didn’t Appraise, Now What?

by Michael Repka, Esq. When a buyer submits an offer on a home, they need to decide which, if any, contingencies they will include in the proposed contract. Naturally, the more contingencies, the better for the buyer, but an offer with fewer contingencies…

The Chinese Trade War’s Impact on Silicon Valley Real Estate

By Audrey Sun Currently there is a lot of concern and consternation about the potential looming trade war with China. While there have been numerous scholarly articles addressing the current geo-political environment, this article will focus on…

The Unfortunate Downside of Automated Searches

By Michael Repka, Esq. There’s no doubt that technology has made a significant impact on the search for homes. Nowadays, many buyers do the bulk of their searching online and, often, with little assistance from buyer’s agents. That is one of…

Global Real Estate Trends – Part One: Russia and The UK

by Ken DeLeon First you master the game, then you change it! For the first 10 years of my career, I practiced real estate under the traditional model and became the #1 ranked agent in the nation by REAL Trends Inc. as published in the Wall Street…

Are Accessory Dwelling Units a Partial Solution to Silicon Valley’s Housing Crisis?

By Ken DeLeon, Esq There are no easy solutions to the Bay Area housing shortage that has caused our high home prices and long commutes. Facing pressure from both state regulators demanding more housing construction and due to requests from its…

Deductibility of State Taxes and Interest Under the New Tax Law

By Michael Repka, Esq. (LL.M. (Taxation) NYU School of Law '01) On December 22, 2017, President Trump signed into legislation public law 115-97, more commonly known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 ("TCJA"). The majority of commentators feel,…

Menlo Park Market Update With Ken DeLeon

Ellen Fletcher — Silicon Valley’s Bicycling Hero

by David Burckhard Palo Alto and the larger Silicon Valley can be proud of its nationally-renowned, bicycle-boosting heritage, much of which is centered on the late Ellen Fletcher. Nearly 40 years ago, forward-looking individuals recognized bicycling…

Patience Went From Being a Virtue to a Necessity When Constructing a Home