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May 2017 Almaden Valley Real Estate Market Update

June 21, 2017/in Almaden Real Estate/by Therese Swan

May 2017 Almaden Valley real estate market update… The Almaden Valley real estate market shows little signs of slowing down for the summer, if last month’s data is any indication. Generally speaking, we start seeing single family inventory creep upwards during late spring/early summer, but this year we’ve seen a decided drop of almost 23% from April and 50% compared to the same time last year. Sales actually outpaced listings in May and the number of single family homes that were under contract last month increased quite notably from April.

The average price per square foot retracted slightly from April to May, from $618 to $612. However, it was an increase of a bit over 5% from May 2016 when it was about $582, which indicates a stable rate of growth.

If you’re thinking of buying or selling your home, give me a call!

May 2017 Almaden Valley Real Estate Market

Santa Clara County Horsemen’s Association

June 9, 2017/in Recreation/by Therese Swan

Calling all horse lovers and equestrians!

The Santa Clara County Horsemen’s Association is holding a series of playday events and shows though this summer. The scheduled dates are June 11, July 9, and August 13.

The events are in the 5D format and include barrels, speed-barrels, single-stake, pole bending, birangle and big-t.

To participate, you can sign up at the venue at 8:00 am. The events begin at 9:00 am. So, if you are a rider, a horse lover, or would just like to see some fine equestrian displays, come to one of these Santa Clara County Horsemen’s Association playdays!

Details at a glance:

Dates: June 11, July 9, August 11

Venue: 20350 McKean Rd., San Jose, 95120

Fees: Members – $30, for all events; non-members – $35, for all events. Fees are to be paid in cash.

For more information, contact Karen Tarasco at 408-705-7024 or visit www.horsemens.org.

Summer Fun at Almaden Valley Pools and Cabana Clubs

May 25, 2017/in Community, Family, Recreation/by Therese Swan

With summer around the corner, there’s nothing more inviting than a dip in the pool. Here’s a roundup of all the Almaden Valley pools and cabana clubs where you and your family can cool off from the sizzling heat.

Almaden Cabana Club

The Almaden Cabana Club is located on Bret Harte Drive and serves the residents of the Almaden Park and Shadow Brook II areas of Almaden Valley. It operates from May to September and is the perfect place to relax with your family and socialize with your neighbors.

The club is home to the Dolphins swim team. The Almaden Cabana Club also offers summer swim lessons for kids of both member and non-member families. For more information, visit http://www.almadencabana.com.

Shadow Brook Swim Club

The Shadow Brook Swim Club is a neighborhood cabana club for residents of the Shadow Brook neighborhood of Almaden Valley. Located at the corner of Almaden Expressway and Shadow Brook Drive, this club is home to the Shadow Brook Sharks swim team.

The pool is open annually between May and September. The club also offers summer swim lessons to kids. For more information, visit www.shadowbrook.org.

Almaden Swim and Racquet Club (ASRC)

The Almaden Swim and Racquet Club is a popular sports and recreation club in Almaden Valley. Serving about 300 members, it is located on Northridge Drive in the prestigious Country Club neighborhood of Almaden. The facility offers a swimming pool, a kids wading pool, and a hot tub, in addition to six USTA championship tennis courts. ASRC membership is open to all, though there is a wait list. The club offers swimming lessons in the summer. For more information go to www.almadensrc.org.

The ASRC is also home to the Quicksilver swim team and Masters (QSS), which offers year-round competitive swim training for kids and adults. QSS also has a summer swim team. For more information, go to https://www.teamunify.com/Home.jsp?team=pcqs.

Montevideo Cabana and Club

Residents of the Montevideo neighborhood in Almaden Valley can swim at the Montevideo Cabana Club. This club is home to the Piranhas swim team and offers summer swim lessons. The club also includes other fun facilities like a volleyball court. For more information, visit http://www.gopiranhas.com.

So, get ready for a summer packed with pool parties and grilling get-togethers, and go make a splash!

April 2017 Almaden Valley Real Estate Market Update

May 17, 2017/in Almaden Real Estate/by Therese Swan

April 2017 Almaden Valley real estate market update… April continued the spring upswing for Almaden Valley real estate. With the exception of the number of listings under contract, market data for single family homes was up from March. When we examine the graph below, two things stand out. One is that inventory is reaching a point where it cannot keep up with demand, and each of the past three months have ended with buyer activity almost outpacing sellers. When we note that the number of pending listings dropped from March to April, we get an indication that buyers are purchasing homes faster than sellers are putting them on the market.

Another point we notice is that although the same general pattern of pending and sold homes for the last few months is a repeat of the same time last year, the total numbers this year are much lower. Homes for sale, those in escrow and solds are down noticeably. However, average price per square foot is at a level we haven’t seen for quite a while. At $616/sqft, it is almost 9% higher than in April 2016. What we are seeing is a strong shift towards a seller’s market being fueled by tight inventory.

We are in the midst of a seasonal pattern of increased market interest this time of year, but a severely limited inventory of homes is frustrating buyers. The price per square foot increase indicates buyers are keen to buy. If you are thinking about selling, now may be the time. Give me a call or send me a message and let me show how I can help you make the most of our active market.

April 2017 Almaden Valley real estate market

Almaden Community Center Summer 2017 – UPDATED 2022

May 15, 2017/in Community, Kids, Recreation, Teens/by Therese Swan

[CLICK HERE FOR ACCESS TO MORE RECENT ALMADEN COMMUNITY CENTER ACTIVITY GUIDE.]

Registration has begun for Almaden Community Center Summer 2017 activities and camps. The Summer 2017 brochure has details of activities and camps from June 12, 2017 to August 18, 2017. There are various fun and exciting sports and educational programs on the offer for children and teens. Be sure to take advantage of them!

In addition to activities, here are some other important highlights noted in the brochure:

R.O.C.K. Afterschool Program

Registration for 2017-2018 school year begins on Saturday, July 22,at 10:00 am.

San Jose Recreation Preschool

Details regarding 2017-2018 sessions are provided in the brochure. Sessions span from August 21/22 2017 through May 31/June 1 2018. Contact the community center to register.

Almaden Valley Summer Concert Series

There’s live music coming to your neighborhood with the Almaden Valley Summer Concert Series! Every Thursday night in July you can relax with your friends and family at Graystone Park and enjoy live music. Remember to carry some food and drinks, and don’t forget your chairs. So, mark your calendars for July Thursday nights, 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm at Graystone Park.

For more details about these and other exciting activities and events, check out the Almaden Community Center Summer 2017 brochure here: https://issuu.com/sjparksandrec/docs/almaden_community_center_fd73e1ce307b83

Kudos to Quixilver FTC team 8404

May 5, 2017/in Community, Education/by Therese Swan

Quixilver FTC team 8404

Leland Robotics Quixilver FTC team 8404 recently competed against 72 teams from 13 states at the West Super Regional Championships in Tacoma Washington. Of the 203 teams from Northern California, Quixilver 8404 was the only team to advance from the Silicon Valley.

After making it to the top ten in their division in the super regionals, Quixilver 8404 will now compete in the World Championships against 128 teams from 39 countries. The team is now having a fund-raising drive to buy sensors, cameras and other parts. If you would like to help this Almaden team get an edge in the world championships, go to their Go Fund Me page on https://www.gofundme.com/help-ftc-8404-go-to-the-world-championship. For more information about how to get involved with the FIRST Robotics program, contact FTC 8404 Quixilver at ftc8404@gmail.com.

Summer Sports Camps in Almaden

May 3, 2017/in Kids, Sports, Teens/by Therese Swan

Summer is around the corner and if your kids are interested in sports, explore the following summer sports camps in Almaden…

Soccer

Almaden Soccer is offering 7 weeks of soccer summer camps from June to August 2017. These camps are open for young soccer players of all abilities, born between 2003 and 2010. They will be held at O’Malley Field 2 (Steinbeck School) from 9:00 am to noon on the following dates:

June: 19-23 and 26-30
July: 10-14, 17-21, and 24-28
August: July 31 – Aug. 4 and Aug. 7-11

The cost of the camps is $165/week. To register, go to: http://www.almadensoccer.org/summercamps.

Tennis

Skyhawks Sports in partnership with the Almaden Community Center is running summer tennis camps for kids of all abilities, ages 7 to 12. These camps will be held in July at the Leland High School tennis courts. The dates are as follows:

July 10-14, 17-21, and 24-28

The cost for the program is $166/ week. To register, go to: https://www.skyhawks.com/activity/tennis/skyhawks-tennis-camp/almaden-community-center/CA+san-jose+95120/36303/.

Basketball

The Almaden NJB Youth Basketball League (AVNJB), an affiliate of the National Junior Basketball League (NJB), will be running basketball camps in June and July. The dates are:

June 26-30
July 17-21

Fees are $210 for half day, and $325 for full-day camps. For more information and to register, go to: http://www.almadennjb.org/.

These camps fill up quickly and registration is now open, so be sure to sign up as soon as possible!

Almaden Valley Girls Softball League Tournament Tryouts

May 1, 2017/in Kids, Sports, Teens/by Therese Swan

The Almaden Valley Girls Softball League (AVGSL) is holding tryouts for the Almaden Lightning Tournament on Sunday, May 7, 2017. The tryouts are for girls in the 8U, 10U, 12U and 14U groups. The league is planning to field five to eight summer tournament teams in 2017.

Tryouts will be held at Bret Harte Middle School at the times below:

8U Pitcher and Catcher Tryouts	8:00 – 8:30
8U Team Tryouts	8:45 – 10:45
12U Pitcher and Catcher Tryouts	11:00 – 11:30
12U Team Tryouts	11:45 – 1:45
10U Pitcher and Catcher Tryouts	2:00 – 2:30
10U Team Tryouts	2:45 – 4:30
14U Tryouts	4:45 – 5:30

For more information and to register, go to http://avgsl.org/index.html.

Spring Cleaning Checklist for Your Home

April 19, 2017/in Education/by Therese Swan

Spring is now well and truly upon us here in the Bay Area. After the flurry of storms and a particularly wet winter, it is delightful to see hills covered with wildflowers, bare trees full of foliage and verdant green everywhere.

It is also time to get our homes in shipshape condition for the summer. Here’s a handy spring cleaning checklist for around the home and in the yard.

Roof, rafters and gutters – Clean out leaves and twigs left by the recent storms from your gutters. Check that the downspouts are properly connected and clear. Look for any broken or missing shingles. Check the frames of any skylights. Get a roofer to fix any damages.

Air-conditioning and heating vents – This includes a change or cleaning of filters as well as the air vents. Check the outside unit to ensure it has clear drainage, and trim away any plants or bushes around it.

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors – Check that these are working, and be sure to replace the batteries.

Carpets – The warm weather is a good time to get the carpets steam cleaned and shampooed. Make sure you choose a time with a few sunny days for the carpets to dry out.

Attics – This is a good time to venture into attics. Check for signs of seepage or mold as well as rodents and insects. If there are windows, let in the air and sunlight. Be sure to do this on a dry and sunny day.

Crawl space air vents – Take a walk around the house and check the crawl-space air vents and netting for any signs of tear or damage. If any, it is important to fix these to keep rodents and little critters out of the crawl space.

Fences and decks – After the wet and stormy winter this year, all the woodwork in the yard – from fences to decks – needs special attention. Nail down loose boards, and replace broken or rotten ones. Also, promptly treat decks for any mold and mildew as these could quickly spread to the house.

Driveway and walkways – Power washing is a great, low-cost way to restore the driveway and walkways to a brighter, cleaner look. Fix any loose pavers or bricks and fill in the cracks. If you notice extra unevenness caused by the ground lifting in any area, it might be a good idea to call in an arborist and check if the roots of any nearby trees are the problem.

Flower beds, hedges and lawns – De-weeding in spring is very important for all areas of the garden. Treat the soil with fertilizers and spread new mulch. Spread grass seed on the lawns to spur growth in any bald patches and fertilize. Prune all trees and bushes to encourage new growth.

Sprinklers and drip irrigation systems – Test all sprinklers and drip irrigation pipes for signs of damage or leakage. Replace any broken sprinkler heads or cracked pipes promptly.

Read more about spring cleaning do’s on the following websites:

http://www.hgtv.com/design/decorating/clean-and-organize/get-your-house-ready-for-summer

http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2014/05/16/12-must-do-home-maintenance-tasks-for-spring

March 2017 Almaden Valley Real Estate Market Update

April 13, 2017/in Almaden Real Estate/by Therese Swan

March 2017 Almaden Valley real estate market update… The Almaden Valley real estate market continues to heat up along with the temperature. The number of single family homes sold in March was up 8% from February (27 as compared to 25), while the number of homes under contract was up to 39 as compared to 27 over the same time frame – a whopping 44.4% increase! Sellers are starting to come back on the market as well – we saw an almost 21% increase in single family listings in March (29) as compared to February (24).

Comparing March 2017 to March 2016, we can see that the Almaden Valley real estate market continues to grow. The number of homes that sold in March 2017 (27) is up 17.4% from the number that sold the same time last year (23). The number of homes under contract did drop a bit last month – 39 in March 2017 vs. 43 in March 2016, for a 9.3% decrease – but this decrease could very well be due to the fact that inventory in February 2017 was down significantly from February 2016, while sold listings were dramatically higher this same time period. In other words, there simply weren’t enough homes to support the demand.

The changes in price per square foot bear out this theory. In January 2017, price per square foot was $517. In February, price per square foot increased to $549. In March, price per square foot jumped to $612, indicating buyer competition for a limited inventory of available homes.

If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home, give me a call!

March 2017 Almaden Valley Real Estate Market