I feel so lucky to live in this wonderful, little town of Los Gatos. There are always so many fun things to do here. I know that summertime is finally upon us when we get the new listings for the summer concerts series for both “Music in the Park” and “Jazz on the Plazz.”

• Music in the Park is held every Sunday from June 20 – August 29 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm on the Los Gatos Civic Center Lawn.
• Jazz on the Plazz is held on Wednesday evenings from June 23 – August 25 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm at the Los Gatos Town Plaza.

Not only do you get to hear some really good music, it’s a great time to get together with friends and family. Bring your chairs, food and drinks and then just sit back and enjoy!

Below please find the first artists for both Music in the Park and Jazz on the Plazz as well as the links to their websites with all of the details.

June 20 (Sun.): Music in the Park – Elton John/Billy Joel tribute by Lee Alverson |  Civic Center lawn – 110 E. Main St. – 5:00 to 7:00 PM (Los Gatos Music & Arts 408-354-1155)

June 23 (Wed.): Jazz on the Plazz – Artist: Kathleen Grace | Park Plaza – Main St. and Santa Cruz Ave. - 6:30 to 8:30 pm 

Alain Pinel Realtors is a proud Gold Sponsor for Music in the Park as well as a Jazz Ensemble Sponsor for Jazz on the Plazz. Come visit our booth at Music in the Park on Sunday, July 25 and Jazz on the Plazz on Wednesday, July 14.

Take care, Jeff

Posted by:  Jeff Barnett

Posted by:  Jeff Barnett

Considering that most of us have grown an extra appendage, namely some sort of smart phone, I have decided to share with you some of my favorite “apps.” Yes, that’s right…my extra appendage is an iPhone. Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that there are applications for just about everything you could want or need. You could spend hours or even days looking at all of the possible apps. Since I am in the Real Estate business, here are some related apps you might find useful (or just plain fun).

I use the Dragon Dictation iPhone app for a variety of things. You just press the red record button and speak into your phone and when you are done press the button again. What you have recorded is then on your screen in written form. You can make changes to your document if you need to. You can then send your results by text message, email or copy it to your iPhone clipboard.

Evernote takes your notes, ideas, snapshots and recordings from your iPhone and syncs them directly to your MAC or Windows desktop. A great way to stay organized!

Real Estate Headline News gives you daily updates of all of the latest Real Estate news and information.

Real Estate Investment Calculator – This app tells you what a property is worth based on its cash flow.

You can even go house hunting by phone! There are various apps out there with info on open houses, current listings, home amenities, school info and much more. Alain Pinel Realtors has a great smartphone application for any web phone. Go to www.apr.com/mobile

I’d love feedback on your favorite apps. If you need further information, please feel free to contact me.

Take care, Jeff

Posted by:  Jeff Barnett

I was reading an article the other day on this subject and thought it was worth revisiting. Of course there are some obvious things about keeping our homes safe from burglars such as always locking your doors when you leave the house and be creative when it comes to hiding the spare house key (you don’t really hide it under the front door mat, do you?).

Burglars look for homes that appear to be unoccupied so when you go on vacation have someone pick up your newspapers and mail daily. Have them move your car to different places in the driveway and put your interior and exterior lights on timers.

You don’t ever want to leave an outgoing message on your home phone message machine stating that you will be out of town. For that matter, you don’t want to shout it to the world on your Facebook page either!

Keep in mind that burglars want to get in and out as quickly as possible so you might want to think about fencing in your yard or planting low shrubs or hedges around your property to cause a barrier. Burglars know where you keep your jewelry (jewelry box, bedroom or bathroom counter, hidden in your sock drawer…) so even though it may be an inconvenience, lock up your valuables in your safe when you’re not using them. Which brings up another point; burglars also know that safes are often set to open with a half turn or an easy 123 access code for convenience sake so it’s in your best interest to use a difficult password or change it frequently.

Finally, if someone comes to the door and says they are with the phone company, for example, don’t just let them into your home, and always check their identification. Call their company for verification. The same thing goes for someone claiming to be with the police department. Get their badge number and call the station to make sure. It’s much better to be safe than sorry.

Stay safe and take care.

Jeff

Posted by: Jeff Barnett

Is it really May already? I can’t believe that in just about one month the kids will be out of school and starting their summer vacation. Even as summer approaches, if you are thinking of moving to a different school district or if your child is moving up from one school to the next, now is the time that you may want to do some research on your neighborhood schools. Some important information that you may want to look at is: the school ranking, test scores, class sizes, credentialed teachers, core academic courses and activities. If you are moving to a new area, you will also want to find out about registration requirements for the new school your child will be attending. There are plenty of places where you can get your school information. Of course my favorite is www.apr.com where an agent will be glad to help you. I have also listed a few other links for you to check out: School-ratings.com, GreatSchools.org, SchoolDigger.com. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Take care,

Jeff

Posted by:  Jeff Barnett

Being a self described wine connoisseur and wine collector I thought I would share one of my favorite activities with you – Wine Tasting! When you think of wine tasting you generally think of Napa Valley. I am here to tell you that you don’t need to go that far for a day of wine enjoyment. Here in Los Gatos we have many wonderful local wineries. There are over a dozen to visit! Please go to LosGatosChamber.com/Wineries.html for information on the wineries, their locations, wine tasting and upcoming events.

Don’t forget the upcoming community events for this weekend:

Sierra Madre & Graham Family Vineyard Release Weekend
Date: May 1, 2010 – May 2, 2010
Time: 11:00 AM – 04:00 PM

Children’s Fantasy Fair
Date: May 1, 2010 held on the Los Gatos High School front lawn
Time: 10:00 AM – 04:00 PM

Cheers!
Jeff

Posted By: Jeff Barnett

As a longtime resident of Los Gatos, I am always amazed that there is always something new and exciting to do here. Whether you want to shop at the antique stores, dine at one of the many wonderful restaurants, walk through a museum or go wine tasting there truly is something for everybody!

Here are a few of our upcoming events:

Rivers of Chocolate 2010!
This event consists of chocolate and wine tasting, Hors d’ouevres, a silent auction and live music. The event will be held at The Mountain Winery in Saratoga, CA on April 25th from 1:00 – 5:00 pm. Tickets are $95.00 and the proceeds go to programs that benefit EHC LifeBuilders. For more information, please go to: ehclifebuilders.org/roc

A Week of Wine and Fashion in Los Gatos
This event runs from April 26th – May 1st and will be held in Downtown Los Gatos. This event includes daily luncheon fashion shows and much more. For all of the details, please go to: losgatoschamber.com

Enjoy and take care,
Jeff Barnett

Posted By: Jeff Barnett

With all of the short sales and deed in lieu of foreclosures (DIL) that are happening now, I am happy to be able to provide the following information from the Treasury Department regarding HAFA – Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program. HAFA provides incentives used to avoid foreclosures. This program went into effect April 5th, 2010. Please click on the link below for all of the details.

http://www.realtor.org/governmentaffairs/shortsales_hafa

Please contact me for more information. Take care.

Jeff

Posted By: Jeff Barnett

The town of Los Gatos is in Santa Clara County approximately 60 miles south of San Francisco. It’s a quaint little town located at the base of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Its surrounding cities are Saratoga, Campell, San Jose and Monte Sereno. It’s just minutes away from the fast paced Silicon Valley. Los Gatos is made up of wooded hillsides, residential neighborhoods, businesses, shops, restaurants, walking and biking trails, creeks and streams. It even has its own Lake!

The town is a community with a mix of ages, income levels and family sizes. It boasts a beautiful downtown with many shops and restaurants. Downtown Los Gatos is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Because of its small town image, Los Gatos continues to be a favorite of community members as well as visitors.

The month of April is Keep Los Gatos Beautiful Month: www.losgatosca.gov/keeplosgatosbeautiful

For more information, please contact me. Take care.
Jeff Barnett

Posted By: Jeff Barnett

I recently returned from a meeting at our local MLS where I attended a very exciting demonstration of a product from our National Association of Realtors called Realtor Property Resource. We are the first MLS in the country to be able to beta test this new product which is for Realtors only. It is a software program which allows the Realtor to pull any property address in the United States for their clients. By doing so, they will get an automatic evaluation of what the property is valued at.

Agents can also use Realtor Property Resource to pull reports, comparable sales, property and tax records, school scores and much more. This is such a valuable tool for Realtors because it allows them to share their search results with clients.

Silicon Valley will be the first to roll out this program in the next 120 days. I will keep you updated as this proceeds. For more information, please call me.

Take care,
Jeff

Posted By: Jeff Barnett

I just returned from San Diego where I attended the National Association of Realtors Issues conference. The conference is an excellent way for Realtors to share and exchange ideas, examine market trends and cultivate relationships with Congressional leaders.

On the agenda were discussions about the top ten legislative priorities for 2010:

1. Mortgage Interest Deductions
2. The future of Freddie Mac/Fannie Mae and other GSA
3. Short Sales
4. Commercial Real Estate
5. Eminent Domain
6. National Flood Insurance
7. Small Business Health Coverage
8. Depreciation – Tenant Improvements
9. Wetlands/Clean Water Act
10. Transportation Reauthorization

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) volunteer leaders are given the opportunity to work with congressional leaders, their staff, and congressional political and policy experts. They are working together to try and make a difference on key federal issues affecting the real estate industry and the consumers it serves.

At this three day conference we covered a lot of issues and had a variety of speakers. My favorite speakers were Senator Johnny Isakson from Georgia, who is also a Realtor, and The Honorable Gary Miller – US Representative from California. They both spoke about the abysmal mess of the political system in Washington. Very interesting!

As a political contributor for NAR, I am fortunate to be able to attend these very informational meetings and I look forward to bringing you updates as I get them. As always, please feel free to contact me for more information on anything I’ve discussed.

Posted By: Jeff Barnett

HouseLogic.com – A Homeowners free source of information and tools supplied by the National Association of Realtor’s.

I wanted to share a great website that the National Association of Realtors has supplied to you, the homeowner. It is HouseLogic.com. HouseLogic is a free source of information and tools that can help you increase and protect the value of your home.

You will start by creating an account tailored specifically to you and your home. Once you sign into your account you can: plan and organize home projects, create “to do” lists and reminders, save important articles and information as well as set goals and measure your progress.

HouseLogic also provides information on such things as home maintenance, improvements, tax information, green remodeling, financing and insurance.

You will also receive continually updated relevant news about: the housing market, community, home energy, and much more. It’s a great way to protect the value of your home so log onto HouseLogic.com today.

Posted By: Jeff Barnett

I wanted to let you know that Alain Pinel Realtors is now offering a complete online open house website. Visit our user friendly website at Open.APR.com and get information on properties, agents, communities and more!

Posted By: Jeff Barnett

It’s important to take time to understand your real estate assessments, your property tax bill, and most importantly, whether or not you are paying too much in taxes. A large amount of revenue that is raised for your local schools, libraries and hospitals, etc. comes from you – the homeowner – and the property taxes that you pay. When real estate values decline, your local government gets less money from property taxes. That said, you’ll want to keep a close eye on your tax assessment letter for any potential discrepancies or mistakes. Your tax assessment letter will show what your local government thinks your property is worth. Your assessor will normally use one of two methods to figure out that amount. The method most commonly used is that from comparable home sales in your area. If there aren’t recent comparable sales the assessor will calculate how much it would cost to rebuild your home and add that price to your land value. With so much ground to cover, many assessors rely on formulas that assess neighborhoods or streets instead of one house at a time. So read your real estate assessment letter carefully and challenge it if the amount seems too high!

You’ll also want to see if you qualify for any property tax exemptions, as this could alter your tax bill. Whether you contest your tax bill or qualify for an exemption, you could save some money. For more information you should go online or call your local tax assessor’s office or your CPA.

Posted By: Jeff Barnett

When we think about the economy and job loss of 2009, it’s hard to believe that in Santa Clara County we experienced a 44% rise in home sales in December.

2009 was the busiest year for real estate sales since 2006. The year also showed an increase in the median sales price which went up 15% from Dec. 2008. One of the main reasons for the increases is that the high-end home sales in 2009 exceeded those of 2008. Also, in Santa Clara County, 14% of homes sold were for buyers of vacation and second homes, or investors. The federal tax credit for first time home buyers was also a good incentive to buy. This tax credit has been extended until April 2010!

I am hopeful that 2010 will be another good year for the real estate industry. Please contact me for any other information.

Posted By: Jeff Barnett

I’d like to start the new year off with some information about possible property tax exemptions as well as some local community information for Los Gatos, CA.

Posted By: Jeff Barnett

Jeff gives some information as to why foreign buyers are buying real estate here in the US. He also talks about the existing home buyer and new home buyer tax credit and about how now is a great time to buy real estate. Jeff also gives an update on the Los Gatos community holiday events.

Posted By: Jeff Barnett

The 3rd quarter of this year showed that more than 70% of homes sold were considered to be affordable and therefore now is a good time to buy. The affordability of homes along with the $8000 home buyer tax credit helped to drive many home buyers into the market last quarter.

The President and Congress extended the original Nov. 30 deadline for the Federal tax credit which will continue to help stimulate the housing market. As reported by the National Association of Home Builders, a typical American family with the average median income could afford to buy 70.1% of all the homes sold in the U.S. during the 3rd quarter of this year which is quite a leap from the 56.1% in the third quarter of 2008.

So with the extension of the “new home buyer” tax credit of $8000 along with the $6500 “existing home buyer” tax credit, the outlook for continued affordability of homes is looking good. Now is the time to buy!

Posted By: Jeff Barnett

Los Gatos Alain Pinel Regional Manager, Jeff Barnett giving an update on the rise of the median home prices in Santa Clara County and the San Francisco Bay area. Jeff shares some Los Gatos community and holiday event information.

Posted By: Jeff Barnett

As we approach the holiday season, I’m glad to be able to share this good news with you. With the best showing in the past two years, the U.S. economy grew 3.5% in the third quarter. Consumer spending on big-ticket goods rose at an annualized rate of 22.3% in the 3rd quarter as well. With the largest jump since 1986, spending on housing developments rose at an annualized pace of 23.4% nationwide!

The outlook is positive for Real Estate:
• According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), sales activity is at the highest level in over two years.
• Existing home sales jumped 9.4 % by October.
• According to Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist, NAR, housing supply is the lowest it’s been in two and a half years.

On a local level, inventory is low and buyers are active. As buyers absorb the inventory, home prices are predicted to rise in the first and second quarters of 2010. I’m also seeing some multiple offers for properties that are well-priced. High end properties are still moving slowly. Now may be the time to act. Give me a call with any questions.

Enjoy your Holiday Season!

Posted By: Jeff Barnett

Jeff Barnett, Manager of Los Gatos office of Alain Pinel Realtors, says the real estate market is exciting in Los Gatos and the surrounding communities, such as Campbell, Almaden, Rose Garden, Cambrian, Willow Glen, Santa Clara and San Jose. In the month of May, his office sold 115 units for a total of $90 million. Currently, the average sale price is $750,000. Lots of first time homebuyers in the market. Great REO (bank owned) properties are available under $500,000.

For more information watch this video below and visit APR.com.

Posted by:Michi Olson

Welcome to my blog about Los Gatos! My name is Mike Moresco and along with being a full time REALTOR®, I have been involved with Los Gatos for over 25 years. I would like to make this blog as interactive as possible. The plans I have is to update it as often as possible with relevant information about our town. If there is something you would specifically like to know about just drop me a line and I will be happy to research it for you.

Los Gatos is about 60 miles south of San Francisco and is neighbors to San Jose and Campbell. The town is up against the foothills called Sierra Azule with the beach town of Santa Cruz being on the other side of the mountains. There are approximately 32,000+ peole living in Los Gatos and it is a very active community. In the Los Gatos school district there are 4 public elementary schools, 1 private elementary school, one middle school and one high school. However there are more schools then those mentioned in the city limits, but belong to other school districts.

For now here are some links about the town’s history, chamber and API scores of the local schools:

Town of Los Gatos

History of Los Gatos

Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce

APIs as of 2008

Posted By: Mike Moresco