DeLeon Insight- September 2025 Cover Page

The DeLeon Insight – September 2025



The Trap of Long-Term Listing Agreements

Long-term listing agreements are great for Realtors® and bad for Sellers. Period. As a real estate attorney and real estate broker, I have encountered countless clients who felt their agent wasn’t living up to their expectations, yet the agent would…

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…

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…

Unlocking Value Before You Sell

In the March edition of the DeLeon Insight, we examined “fixer-uppers” as an opportunity for buyers to get a relative value in this red-hot sellers’ market. In this article, we will look at ways in which prospective sellers can make sure they aren’t…

Real Estate Matters—Conflicts of Interest

Although the practice is completely legal and widely accepted in California, it seems impossible for one real estate agent to zealously represent both the buyer and the seller in the same transaction, even when the situation is properly disclosed. Simply…

Tax Concerns Contribute to Housing Inventory Shortage

Between the demands of the federal government and the State of California, the “Tax Man” has played a key role in the current housing shortage in Silicon Valley. Although area real estate has been a remarkably good investment over the past 30 years,…

What Makes A Home Sustainable?

Sustainability is a term that is broadly used to describe materials and products that meet our current needs without negatively affecting the environment for future generations. If you are looking to add sustainable value to your home, we have a few helpful…

Finding a Real Estate Bargain—Fixer-Uppers

W ith home prices surging in the thriving Silicon Valley real estate market, buyers are constantly on the hunt for—and turning to us for advice on—the ever-elusive bargain. At DeLeon Realty, our team of in-house designers, contractors, handymen, and…

Contingent Real Estate Offers—The Efficient Assignment of Risk

There are a lot of theories out there regarding the use of contingencies in real estate offers. Unfortunately many agents and buyers shift towards absolutes, such as “all offers have to be non-contingent in this hot seller’s market” or “the buyers…