DeLeon Insight- September 2025 Cover Page

The DeLeon Insight – September 2025



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…

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…

The AI IPO Boom Is Coming. Here’s How Silicon Valley Sellers Can Benefit

By Ken DeLeon Silicon Valley real estate has always moved in cycles, but the next cycle may be unusually powerful. As an attorney at Wilson Sonsini during the dot-com boom, I had a front-row seat to new millionaires minted with each IPO. Yet the…

Preserving Your Prop 13 Basis When Moving on the Peninsula

By Ken DeLeon For many long-term California homeowners, Proposition 13 is one of the most valuable financial benefits of homeownership. Passed in 1978, Proposition 13 generally limits annual increases in a property’s assessed value to no more…

Antitrust Concerns as Compass Seeks to Control the American Dream

By Ken DeLeon As market concentration grows, off-market strategies and listing control deserve more scrutiny from buyers, sellers, and regulators alike. Housing is not just another industry. It is deeply tied to the American Dream, household…

OpenAI’s Legal Victory Could Send Silicon Valley Real Estate Higher Than a SpaceX Rocket

By Ken DeLeon Real estate in Silicon Valley has always been driven by more than square footage, school districts, and interest rates. At its highest levels, the market is powered by wealth creation. When technology companies are formed, funded,…

Silicon Valley’s Growing Interest in Napa Valley Properties

By Francis Lopez, Director of Listings Six years after the onset of the pandemic, lifestyle changes persist. Many companies have adopted more flexible work schedules in a variety of ways that make remote work a possibility. At DeLeon Realty, we have…

Will the New SALT Tax Deduction Cap Benefit Home Buyers?

By Alexander Lewicki, Esq. When the Big Beautiful Bill was signed into law in July of last year, one of the more impactful tax breaks included was the increase of the state and local tax deduction (SALT) cap from $10k to $40k. In theory, the SALT deduction…

Judge Makes Ruling on Zillow/Compass Injunction

By Francis Lopez In late 2024, Compass gained publicity with their three-phase marketing plan for sellers. Under the plan, sellers are first encouraged to place their listings on Compass’ exclusive platform, before entering a “coming soon” phase,…

Winning Offers in 2026: What Buyers Are Doing Differently

By Louisa Brunner, Buyer Specialist If there is one word that defines the 2026 Silicon Valley housing market, it is intentional. Buyers are no longer rushing into decisions or reacting emotionally to headlines. Instead, they are informed, strategic,…