Countertops – Natural vs. Engineered Stone

By Ryan Saroca and David Burckhard If a home’s heart is its kitchen, then its soul may be its countertops. They’re the surfaces upon which domestic memories are made. There’s no doubt that the workspaces of the busiest place in the house…

Tinsley Voluntary Transfer Program

By Audrey Sun Ask any real estate agent what the most important criteria are when it comes to buying a home, and you’ll likely hear “location, location, location” - a phrase that’s been used for decades. In Silicon Valley, we live among the…

Neighborhood Spotlight: Old Palo Alto

Locally regarded among the Bay Area’s most prestigious and esteemed areas, Old Palo Alto sits at the center of this famous and affluent city. Whether you’re out for a morning walk or hovering along on the latest piece of cutting-edge personal…

Global Real Estate Trends – Part Two: Japan and France

By Ken DeLeon I have always found that many of life’s greatest lessons are learned through traveling. Since discord is a greater teacher than concord, it is by challenging yourself and seeing new and distant lands where most growth and knowledge…

Conflicts of Interest with “Coming Soon” Marketing

By Michael Repka One of the fundamental problems with the real estate industry is that the interests of the sellers are often in conflict with the interests of their agents. The 100% commission-based compensation system employed by most brokerages,…

Caltrain Electrification Sparks Appreciation

By Michael Repka Over the past 15 years, we have seen a shift in buyers’ preferences away from remote estates located far up into the hills and towards fine properties closer to city centers. While no group is ever homogenous, many tech buyers…

Q&A Seminar 6/11: Your Real Estate Questions Answered

Resolving Real Estate Disputes

By Michael Repka, Esq. After obtaining my first law degree back in 1999, I took and passed the New York and New Jersey bar exams. In both states, real estate agents help clients buy and sell real estate, but they do not delve into all of the legal,…

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…