Category Archives: Menlo Park

Why I Love Central Menlo Park

Did
you ever watch “Leave it to Beaver” and dream about moving in next door? If so,
do I have the neighborhood for you!

Central
Menlo Park is just about as close as you can get to the quintessential,
traditional small town. Bordered by Valparaiso Avenue, San Francisquito Creek,
and Arbor Drive, the neighborhood is full of charming, family homes and has a great
sense of community and a friendly, down-to-earth feel.

You
often see people strolling down the wide, tree-lined streets walking their dogs
or on their way downtown for dinner. Kids ride their bikes to friends’ houses
or to one of the great local schools. (Oak Knoll Elementary, Hillview Middle,
and Menlo-Atherton High) In the summer, many of the streets shut down for an
annual, old-fashioned block party where neighbors share conversation and
potluck dishes.

Certain
blocks even have a 50s look to them, with their updated and remodeled ranch
style homes on spacious lots. It’s notable that the lots tend to be larger in
Central Menlo than in the rest of Menlo Park—12,000-16,000 square feet are
typical, and you can even find some lots that are as large as a half acre.
Central Menlo tends to be a “move up” neighborhood for families looking for
more space and a bigger yard and that’s good for resale value. There is a nice
mix of residents, including young families, families with high school age kids,
and people who’ve lived there for the last 50 years.

Central
Menlo has four local parks—Tinker, Jack W. Lyle, Nealon, and Fremont. Nealon
features a dog park, barbeque field, tennis courts, and a senior center.
Fremont Park hosts a free summer concert series where family and friends gather
on blankets to picnic and enjoy music and the lovely Menlo Park weather.

It’s
a fantastic location—close enough to walk or bike to restaurants, shopping, and
Stanford University. If you commute out of town, it is centrally located between
San Jose and San Francisco, and there is easy access to Highway 280, Los Altos,
and Woodside.

I have
a wonderful listing the just sold in Central Menlo. Listing Contact me with any questions on this home or any others in the area.

Goodbye Old Palo Alto… Hello Old Redwood City!

Where the Heck is Old Redwood City?

Peninsula residents are always looking for the next big thing, from
electronic gadgets, websites, start-ups, to neighborhoods. Yes,
neighborhoods. More established neighborhoods like Old Palo Alto,
Crescent Park, and Central Menlo Park are being taken by storm by
the newest moniker to hit residential real estate: Old Redwood City.

Once you and the other established-city bullies stop clamoring about how
Redwood City used to be called a variety of other schoolyard names, you’ll
see how this super-neighborhood is taking the Peninsula by storm.
(Super, coming mainly by the size and how it encompasses a few other
smaller niche neighborhoods – but also because of its qualities.)

“Old Redwood City” is area that encompasses a few other areas within its
boundaries: Edgewood Park, Wellesley Crescent, and Mount Carmel
northwest of and including Brewster Ave. Within these boundaries you will
find some of the oldest and most historical housing stock in Redwood City,
as well as nearly every type of architecture you can imagine: Colonial,
Spanish Revival, Tudor, California Bungalow, mid-Century, etc.

The lots in Old Redwood City tend to be well-sized and spacious, ranging
anywhere from 6500 square feet to 1.5 acres, and the closer you get to
San Carlos (without entering San Carlos), the larger the lots and homes.
This is a neighborhood reminiscent of the best parts of Palo Alto, having
just as much charm and character, just as many (if not more) trees and
greenery, and wide, tree-lined avenues transecting the neighborhood.
Within this grid you will find narrower, less busy cross streets with deeper
lots but less frontage.

Around Old Redwood City you will find plenty of pedestrians throughout
all seasons of the year: runners, people walking dogs, parents with kids,
elderly people out for a stroll. The quantity and variety of pedestrian
demonstrates how the neighborhood is conducive to and safe for nearly
everybody. A neighbor of mine is in her eighties and can be seen
strolling the neighborhood at all times of the day! The nearby Stafford Park
is a local favorite gathering spot for walkers, families, and those looking for a
great picnic spot. A large play structure and interactive fountain entertains
the youngsters, while a summer music series entertains kids of all ages.
Neighbors brings chairs, blankets, picnic baskets, adult libations, and
many of their friends – what a great way to enjoy the summer!

If you haven’t been enticed by this article, go for a drive (or better yet a walk)
through Old Redwood City and see what all of the buzz is about. And keep
an eye out for Part two of this article, where we will further discuss the
economics of exploring a new neighborhood known as Old Redwood City!

Why I Love Linfield Oaks!

Linfield Oaks is the kind of place where the kids are playing outside on a Friday
night, a neighbor offers you a glass of wine and, before you know it, there’s a bunch
of people ordering pizza and having an impromptu party. Is there any wonder why I
love my neighborhood?

When I talk about Linfield Oaks, it’s a little embarrassing how much I love it. I’m like
a blushing bride! Yet, I’ve been here twelve years now and the bloom is not off the
rose!
Linfield Oaks, How do I love thee, Let me count the ways:

Location
Linfield Oaks is located in Menlo Park, east of El Camino, next to Burgess Park and
the Community Center, bordered by San Francisquito Creek.

The location is so convenient that we rarely drive to dinner—there are so many
great restaurants within strolling distance in Menlo Park and Palo Alto. Everything is
so close that the kids ride their bikes everywhere—to school, friend’s houses, sport’s
practices, to grab a bite to eat. Kids have a great sense of freedom and independence; parents save time driving and it’s all good for the environment.

Community

In the middle of the bustle of Silicon Valley, Linfield Oaks really feels like a
community. For example, on our block, every year we decorate for the holidays.
Every Sunday after Thanksgiving, we get together and have a potluck and decorate
the street and trees with lights and ornaments. The younger families help the elderly
residents who might have trouble participating.

I know a family that has an older woman living across the street and they bring her
dinner most nights. You really have a sense of who people are and a feeling of care
for your neighbors that you might expect to see in a small town.

Family Ambiance
When I moved here we had 34 kids on our block! There were many babies and
preschoolers who are now in middle and high school. They’ve played together and
grown up together over the years and it’s great to see that sense of community and
friendship.
After 12 years in the neighborhood, we are now seeing some younger families move
in. I can’t wait to watch them grow up!
It’s little wonder I get a call every other week from a real estate agent with buyers
asking if I want to sell my house. Sorry, realtors, I love it here and I’m staying put!
As a long-time resident, I have the inside track on Linfield Oaks. If you are interested
in buying or selling in our neighborhood, I’d love to help you!

116 Blackburn Avenue, Menlo Park

Open House Sunday, May 25th 1:30 to 4:30

A
white picket fence invites you to this charming Willows home. Lovely 3/1 bath
main house with dual pane windows, plantation shutters and recessed lighting.
The remodeled study has a full bath, loft area, kitchenette and French doors
that open to a lovely tile patio with an amazing wisteria vine, perfect for
alfresco dining. Corner lot with large front yard and mature landscaping.

Should I Stay or Should I Go? Renovating vs. Selling

Having trouble deciding whether you should remodel your place and stay put or search out a more suitable pad? Read on for some considerations which should hopefully help you with this decision:

Many of my clients like their house enough, but it’s just not the right one for them. If they could tweak the floor plan, upgrade the kitchen, and build out an extra family room – it would be perfect. Except for the howling dog, the drummer who works practices with his band twice each week, and the constant roar of the El Camino traffic. Or, the neighborhood is perfect, the neighbors periodically bring baked goods – but the half-sized lot won’t allow for the extra bedroom you need and the pool you have always wanted.

Neighborhood is key.

As you always hear, you can change almost anything about a house except for the neighborhood. This is where I always start with clients who aren’t sure. Are you happy where you are, should you have a house more suited to your needs? Are you near a busy street or another nuisance that drives you crazy on a regular basis?

Will you be able to recoup any money invested when it is time to resell?

It’s great that you might want to double your square footage, put in a custom kitchen and that hand-excavated 10,000 bottle wine cellar you have always wanted. But when you go to sell in 10, 20, or (heaven forbid) a job change forces a THREE year plan, will you be able to get out of your home without a decent sized “haircut” to your investment? Look around your neighborhood at what has recently sold. Compare that with how your neighborhood has fared over the years. Do you already have the biggest, most expensive house on the block? If so, you may not want to over-improve your current home beyond the standards set by the neighborhood.

Does renovation make financial sense?

Do you have the cash needed to make the necessary repairs, or are you already maximized on your monthly debt and have no cash reserves to cover any unexpected “bumps” in your proverbial road? Would taking an additional loan put you in an uncomfortable financial position?

Can you endure living through construction?

I probably should have put this at the top of the list because it is where most people will stop reading. Living through construction isn’t fun, it disrupts daily routines, and puts an extra layer of stress upon everybody in the household/construction zone. Renovations can be fun when you’re choosing finishes, but what about when the four month project is going on eight months and you can’t possibly endure anymore take out dinners? I’m not saying all projects go over time and budget, but how would you deal with the situation if it did?

Tally up your responses to these questions and ask others for their input if needed. Only you will have the right answer for your personal situation, but a real estate professional can help with a “before” and “after” valuation to determine if the cost of the improvements/changes to your home would be a wise investment. Your favorite Dreyfus agent would be happy to have a more in-depth conversation with you!

New Central Menlo Listing

1255 Santa Cruz Avenue will be on the market April 26th. This is a completely remodeled 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath single level home with an open floorplan. You will be surprised with all the natural light and the close proximity to downtown Menlo Park. Stop by my first open house on Saturday, April 27th or Sunday April 28th from 1:30 to 4:30.

Regional Bicycle Share Pilot Project

Coming to the Bay Area in August 2013 – Bike sharing!

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Air District) in partnership with the City and County of San Francisco, San Mateo County Transit District, City of Redwood City, County of San Mateo, and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is working to pilot bike sharing in the Bay Area.

A main goal of the pilot is to evaluate bike sharing’s potential to effectively reduce vehicle traffic and improve local air quality. Bike sharing offers a clean and healthy alternative to polluting single-occupancy vehicles, by providing a means for completing first- and last-mile trips in conjunction with regional transit, as well as stand-alone short distance trips.

The pilot system will launch in two phases. The first phase will deploy a fleet of approximately 700 bicycles and 70 kiosk stations and is anticipated launch in August 2013. Within 3-6 months after the first set of equipment has been deployed, it is anticipated that additional equipment will be added to grow the system to include a fleet of at least 1,000 bicycles. The communities participating in the pilot include: San Francisco, Redwood City, Mountain View, Palo Alto, and San Jose. More program announcements and updates will follow later this spring.

Bicycle stations will be located near transit hubs, high-density residential areas and key destination points such as shopping areas and employment centers making it easier to quickly and conveniently connect to and from transit or make a short distance trip by bike.

The results from the pilot will be used to assess opportunities for expanding the program to include other Bay Area communities.

In order for System to reach its full potential (between 6,000 to 10,000 bicycles) additional funding from a combination of user fees and private sponsorships will be needed. To this end, the Air District is currently developing a Request for Sponsorship and interested in sponsoring the system should contact the Air District at (415) 749-8660.

Pilot City Name	Title of Contact	Contact Email	Contact Website
Palo Alto, Mt. View, San Jose	Aiko Cuenco	aiko.cuenco@vta.org	Santa Clara VTA
4th & King, Redwood City, Mtn. View, Palo Alto, and San Jose Diridon Caltrain Stations	Douglas Kim, Samtrans Planning Director	kimd@samtrans.com	Samtrans
Redwood City	Redwood City Bike Share Liaison	bikeshare@redwoodcity.org	Redwood City
San Francisco	Bicycle Sharing Program Manager	heath.maddox@sfmta.com	SFMTA
San Mateo County	Peggy Jensen	pjensen@smcgov.org	N/A

(from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District press release: http://www.baaqmd.gov/Divisions/Strategic-Incentives/Alternative-Transportation/Bike-Share-Pilot.aspx)

Menlo Park and Redwood City New Homes – March 26, 2013

Inventory has been fluctuating substantially week by week, and based on
the booked schedules of stagers and home inspectors I would imagine
the first week in April will be a busy time. Here is a recap of homes that
have listed on the MLS in the past week:

MENLO PARK

1144 CASTLE WAY $4,450,000 | 6 Bed/5 Bath | 4,612 ft./9,956 Lot

In case you didn’t see it last time it was listed, Castle Way is back on the
MLS with a reduced price. This recently built home offers plenty of space
for a growing family as well as great access to downtown, nearby parks, and
the bike path to Stanford. Very nicely constructed with thoughtful finishes.

1361 SHERMAN AVENUE | $1,800,000 | 4 Bed/3 Bath | 3,010 ft./9,375 Lot

Sherman offers an expansive home in a central location, and by adding your
own touches you could have a house fit for entertaining all of your friends.

REDWOOD CITY

424 QUARTZ STREET | $1,449,000 | 4 Bed/2 Bath | 2,160 ft./11,682 Lot

Unique and charming are key words for this property. You won’t find anything
like it out there and being tucked away on a flag lot on top of a hill in the
precious stones street, you get views of much of the city. Don’t miss the
hide-away stairs to the rooftop for 360 degree views!

1227 FERNSIDE STREET | $775,000 | 3 Bed/2 Bath | 1,410 ft./6,272 Lot

A spacious fixer on a nice street makes this an ideal purchase for a first
time buyer. This home offers a traditional layout for this neighborhood in
great proximity to Stulsaft Park, commute routes, and walking in Woodside
Hills.

614 LANCASTER WAY | $749,999 | 2 Bed/1 Bath | 1,250 ft./5,500 Lot

A spacious two bedroom home offers a clean slate for first time buyers or
those looking to downsize. A gem with refinished floors and a quiet
neighborhood.

634 RUBY STREET $649,000 | 2 Bed/2 Bath | 1,190 ft./6,175 Lot

What a house! This is my pick for a tremendous starter home in Redwood City,
located in a nice pocket near the park. Ruby offers endless charm and
character with large bedrooms and a very efficient layout. Excellent choice
for first timers!

Palo Alto Tour Friday – February 22, 2013

Palo Alto Tour Friday Feb. 22^nd 2013

Like MP Tour on Tuesday, this week was light on inventory,
lots of kids off school and families out of town taking advantage of this, I
would assume. Only 9 properties on our District Tour sheet, and I saw an off
MLS that was open today too.

221 Bryant. Old original PA home, built early 1900’s with
the advantage of having been thoroughly updated like new! So it has all of the
wonderful features like bay windows and wide door casements and hardwood
floors, with all the modern perks like granite counters and recessed lighting.
There is even a wine cave. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathroom two-story home with 3800 sq.
ft. on a 5760 sq. ft. lot, typical for this neighborhood. And outdoor area is
increased by the creation of a large deck on the upper floor. Parking very
tight in this neighborhood. The plus is the close walk to everything! $3,190,000.

1350 Harker is a sunny traditional New England Colonial
style family home on a great street. Built
in 2001, the floor plan is open, airy and fluid. All of the bedrooms are on the
1^st floor, which, while many families with small children will
appreciate, it is always a beneficial to have a bedroom on the ground floor for
visitors. Open Kitchen/family room lines the backside of the house with large
French doors opening out to the patio and generous, sunny back yard. (8000sq ft.
lot) This home is turnkey perfect and should sell very quickly. $3,095,000.

I noticed there is a coming soon sign on a house a couple of
doors away on Harker, something to look out for.

736 Homer is an opportunity to buy a 2 bedroom 1 bathroom
home a stones throw from downtown PA. It is on a super-cute cul-de-sac and is a
cute (small) 660 sq. ft., which is painted and staged and spruced up for sale,
with nice new stainless appliances in the kitchen, but older tile and
countertops and cabinetry. This is a good alternative to condo living. Listed
for $859,000. See attached photo

1530 University Ave, don’t be put off by the street address,
the house is recessed from the street, on a flag lot, and surprisingly quiet
(check for yourself, these things are always subjective). It is a single level
(4bedroom 2.5bathrooms) nicely upgraded ranch style home, long and quite
narrow, with lots of established trees on the 15,950 sq. ft. property.
$2,750.000.

1830 Newell. Nicely recessed from Embarcadero in Leyland
Manor. This is a ranch style home that has been upgraded (coffered ceiling in
L/R and granite counters and new cabinets in the kitchen) and possibly even
expanded to create more square footage. Master suite opens onto the back yard. 4
beds 2.5 baths for $2,395,000. There is a one car attached garage. (Not on MLS)

2065 Alma Street. Property is impacted by traffic noise.
This is also a great advertisement for why we, as Realtors, recommend prepping
and staging (and preferably vacating) prior to putting on the market. It will
be a tough sell (in my opinion) for buyers to see beyond all of the personal
belongings and the tired looking cosmetics of the place. $998.000 – call it a
Million, 1386sq feet with 3beds, 2 baths on a 5000sq. ft. lot. Original
condition. In need of TLC (lots of it). (Or a bulldozing).

420 Cambridge Ave #3. Now this is a fun Townhome/Condo. It
is contemporary urban living at its best. Very stylish. Lots of great storage
space in the kitchen if you like to cook, you will appreciate this. The unit is
right at the back – way off of the street, and very bright. But this one is not
for the vertically challenged. By the time you get to the Master suite, you
have gone up 4 flights of stairs. I liked the astro-turf touch on the balcony off of the Master. Fall
out of bed and you are right there, on top of all of the fun that the downtown
area of California Ave has to offer! 3/2.5 for $1,498,000.

3500 South Court in Midtown PA is a new construction with
everything that today’s buyers are looking for, with an Italianesque feel. 5
beds and 3.5 baths in a 2400sq ft. space. Room sizes felt tight. 1 car attached garage. But it is new and many
buyers will pay a premium for this. Lot size is 6000sq ft. fairly typical for
the neighborhood. Some lovely features are the sun exposure and the open feel
from the kitchen/family room out to the back yard. $2,598,000.

3851 Corina Way is a contemporary home, flat roof, slab
foundation, very stylishly finished and decorated these homes are enjoying
great popularity at the moment. Nice glass wall out to back yard. Corner lot,
so side of the house is on Ross. This is a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom home totally
upgraded and turnkey priced at $1,398,000.

In Menlo Park:

940 College Ave in Allied Arts. This is a two-story home
with 4 bedroom 3 bathroom (plus an office) in 2936sq ft. on a 7800sq ft. lot.
It was added onto a few years ago, so has all of the great feeling of a newer
home, with good floor plan and upgraded finishes. Three of the bedrooms are
upstairs and the fourth is on the ground floor. A very traditional home this
will appeal to many. $2,795,000.

Where Do I Go?

The popular topic in the local real estate community is the
ongoing lack of inventory of homes for sale. According to our local MLS, the
number of homes for sale in our local market (Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton,
Portola Valley, Woodside) is down 40% – 60% versus this time a year ago,
depending on the price point and neighborhood. Since our are generally has
fewer homes for sale relative to the number of homes and buyers, this inventory
decrease translates to it feeling like there is NOTHING for sale, and multiple
offers on the few homes available are the norm, not the exception.

Adding to this, with the phenomenon of overseas buyers and
recent liquidity events and stock run ups for local companies, we are seeing
more wealth and resources available to purchase homes than ever before. This is
like adding gasoline to the proverbial fire, and driving prices upward at
impressive rates. Check out these charts, showing changes in median home prices
(half of the houses sold for more, half for less) in our communities over the
past year. Palo Alto up 20% 2011 to 2012, Menlo Park 11%, Woodside down 10%
(I’ll come back to that), and Portola Valley up 13%.

That’s better than the NYSE which is up 12.9% over the same
period, and you get a place to keep your stuff too.

So let’s assume you have been sitting in your house in North
Palo Alto for the last few years while your kids finish High School, watching
houses around you sell in a week at prices you can’t believe. You come home,
realize you don’t need a four bedroom house and the property taxes and say to
yourself “Self, let’s cash out!” (Actual clients’ example here). Your next step
would be to call me and say ‘Chris, what is my house worth?’. I’d give you a
range (say $3M – $3.2M) and you would say ‘wow, that’s like $500,000 – $700,000
more than I paid for it in 2006’ or something like that. Then you would ask me
the hard question:

Where do I go?

So you sell your house in Palo Alto and pocket a $500,000
net gain after selling costs, plus your original equity and you are going to
downsize to a three bedroom house. The kids are in college so schools don’t
matter much but you don’t want to move to Napa. Your new budget is $2M so your
property taxes will be lower and your mortgage is something you can pay off
before retirement.

Woodside:

OK, I’m biased as I am currently buying a home in Woodside.
Why? Read my other blog article “A Realtor Buys a House”. For our
fictional couple here, it’s close enough to all the fun stuff you did in Palo
Alto, the market isn’t as tilted in favor of sellers (prices down 10% last
year), and you get some land or a view depending on where you are in town. If
you have little ones, Woodside Elementary School is fantastic. Woodside Bakery
and Buck’s are experiences in and of themselves. Bring your horse.

Ladera
Ranch:

Ladera is really unincorporated San Mateo County, but it is
a closely knit community border Portola Valley with off-street walking paths
leading down to the shopping center and a community center with pool and tennis
courts, so it combines the best of rural and suburban living. Many of the homes
have views and the neighborhood feeds into the excellent Los Lomitas schools.
Convenient to 280 and open space preserves.

Portola
Valley:

Extra space and views of the Bay or open space are hallmarks
of Portola Valley. The small town vibe and peaceful feeling make it an escape
from the madness that defines most of Silicon Valley. Generally, there are more
bikes than cars and the open spaces define the views and feeling. If you feel
like Woodside is getting too uppity and flashy (the locals say too Palo Alto),
then PV is the place.

Emerald
Hills:

Views on a budget. Roy Cloud Elementary is excellent and the
market and prices make for a great downsizing option. You are car dependent,
and the narrow, winding roads will have you trading the Suburban for a Vespa.
If you like Tuscan hill towns, Emerald Hills may be just your thing.

Redwood City:

Redwood City is the largest city on the Peninsula and where
I think the biggest potential for appreciation is. Prices are relatively low
compared to the surrounding cities, and Redwood City has invested heavily in an urban renewal of its downtown that is
drawing more business to restaurants, The Fox Theatre and the Cineplex. As we
have seen in Mountain View over the past 20 years, an attractive, bustling
downtown leads to gentrification which leads to rising property values. Redwood
City, especially neighborhoods like Mount Carmel, is my appreciation pick for
the next decade.