How the Real Estate Industry Works

As the real estate market heats up and commission checks continue to grow, people often wonder how the real estate industry works. This curiosity may stem from interest in a career move or surprise over the size of the commission checks in Silicon Valley—either…

4 Tips for Refurbishing Your Landscaping on a Moderate Budget

During the summer, we as Californians love taking advantage of our outdoor spaces. However, by spending more time in these spaces that we have forgotten most of the year, we tend to notice the imperfections we ignored all winter. That brown lawn or dead…

Real Property Tax Breaks Under the Mills Act

Many homeowners and homebuyers are attracted to historic homes due to their charm, majesty, and/ or history. Some areas, such as Professorville in Palo Alto, are known for their high concentrations of historic homes. Although the buyers and owners of…

Chinese Stock Market Woes and the RMB Devaluations Impact on Silicon Valley Real Estate

The recent turmoil in the Asian stock markets, most notably in China, and the devaluation of the Chinese currency have evoked many questions about the likelihood of continued investment in Bay Area real estate by Chinese buyers. Coincidentally, we were…

Resolving Real Estate Disputes

Most real estate transactions close without a hitch. Agents on both sides explain the rights and responsibilities to their clients, and everyone does as required and expected. By and large, agents are competent and thorough, and buyers and sellers are…

Neighborhood Spotlight – Appreciation Potential in Redwood City

The reputation of Redwood City is rising as rapidly as the many cranes dotting the downtown skyline. Once viewed as on the periphery of Silicon Valley, Redwood City’s vibrant downtown and thriving start-up scene is making this formerly sleepy town one…

Structuring Listing Agreements

Ask any real estate attorney about disputes between sellers and listing agents and you are likely to hear a lament about the lack of specificity in residential real property listing agreements. The forms widely used in Silicon Valley are generally written…

The Dangers of Off-Market Sales

Some real estate agents love to sell homes without putting them on the market. This makes a lot of sense from the agents’ point of view for at least two reasons. First, they avoid the time and expense of marketing the house. Second, selling homes off-market…

Marketing Your Home in the 21st Century

Silicon Valley is the home of both technology and innovation. Businesses and consumers now expect more than the status quo in nearly every aspect of their lives, and this is no different with regard to the home-buying and home-selling processes. There…

The Magic of the DeLeon Business Model—the Buyer’s Side

Silicon Valley thrives by disrupting and improving inefficient industries, and it has created many game-changing business models along the way. Yet in the epicenter of the world’s innovation, the practice of purchasing real estate had remained relatively…