Looking at homes for sale in Los Gatos? I've compiled a bunch of searches of Los Gatos real estate for sale by price (see a list of homes) and by area (view sections of Los Gatos by map with house icons you can roll over with your mouse to get more details). None of these requires registration.
The first list is broken down by price point for the whole town (sorry, it's not separated by school district, acreage, home size etc. - just price).
The second is a map view of the town's homes on the market. Some areas are fairly large and some are just a particular (popular) subdivision, such as Surrey Farms.
If you are looking at Los Gatos homes for sale online, you've probably noticed that some sites require registration and some don't, and you probably assumed that the information is equally in depth for both. They're actually not the same, though they're close. The more in-depth info can be provided only if someone's registered (it's a legal thing, believe it or not). I believe that school districts are omitted on the non-registered sites, for instance.
I don't like to register to get information and I presume that most of my readers don't, either. So I do have a great variety of ways you can browse homes for sale on my sites, but also do include the sign-in type which delivers info to your email box as it happens. If you want the more detailed info, you can either ask to save your search from one of the above map searches or price searches, or you can go to PopeHandy.com and register for the Private MLS Search.
Overall, we have enjoyed a milder summer here in Los Gatos this year. We didn't have quite so many days that broke a hundred degrees. Just as well, since there were more "staycations" here too!
As the summer begins edging toward fall, perhaps you're not feeling relaxed and energiezed - maybe you've been all work, no play. But even if you're not going on a trip, you can still indulge in a little local R & R, and much of it's at no cost. Need a couple of ideas?
San Jose State also has a great, free music concert series called the Summer Pops Music Series that just began on Aug 22nd and the San Jose Music in the Park has one more event left. Please visit the San Jose Metblogs page for the schedule (which includes both) - there are four more to come, including one later today)
Are you "music'd out"? Need something else to do? Few more ideas:
Testarossa's Wine & Cheese Weekend is happening now! Today from noon to four pm, visit the Testarossa tasting room and for $10 per person, sample five cheeses along with their delicious wines. (Also note Sept 6th, "Music on the Patio". See site for more info.)
Los Gatos enjoys two museums (one art, one history) plus a museum gallery. Events and museum access are low cost to free - please see the museums' events page online for details
For a list of more venues, from the RIngling Brothers Circus to Mountain Winery events, please visit the Merc's events page online - loads of local events in San Jose, Saratoga, Campbell and all over Silicon Valley
Got a favorite local event? Feel free to post it in a comment below. Although normally I delete "ads" that seem like spam, this time I'll make an exception - feel free to promote YOUR favorite local South Bay event here on Live in Los Gatos!
August brings very little rainfall to Los Gatos, Saratoga, and San Jose. The long, dry days make our wooded hills and grassy meadows particularly vulnerable to fire. A small spark from an untended burn or an electric motor - perhaps even clearing the brush to prevent fires - can have disastrous consequences. The current fire just "over the hill" in Bonny Doon and close to Santa Cruz is a big reminder to us that we live with the risk of fire year-round, but especially at this time of year.
Los Gatos has an old history with fire disasters, both in town and in the nearby mountain communities. I'm not referring to the Lexington fire of 1985 (which happened about three weeks before my wedding). I'm referring to our collective "wild west" history. A serious fire levelled part of downtown Los Gatos on July 26, 1891, destroying nine "buildings on both sides of East Main Street from the bridge to College Avenue". Again on October 13, 1901, a livery fire on Montebello Road destroyed " much of the business district along West Main Street, from the bridge to the railroad tracks. Nearly 60 buildings burn to the ground." Among the casualties of that fire was the bell tower to alert the townspeople of fire! (Both of these quotes from a timeline produced by the Los Gatos Times Weekly.) See photos of the fires and the firefighters at the Santa Clara County Fire Department's page on Los Gatos and the hiistory of fire fighting in our town.)
In January 1934, there was a fire at the Jesuit Novitiate. The water supply was inadequate so the decision was made to pump out the wine to extinguish the fire. Some 60,000 gallons of newer wine was used - and saved 200,000 gallons of old wine (plus the vineyards, which would have taken years to be fruitful again if lost to fire). This was a repeat of a similar event in the mountains in the late 1800s, when red wine used to battle the fire caused the Los Gatos Creek to run red. We can only imagine how the townspeople felt when they saw the creek turn a plague-like red!
But back to today (even though the history - and what's above is only partial - of Los Gatos and fires is fascinating), we want to make sure that this type of history doesn't repeat itself. Besides, you probably don't have 60,000 gallons of wine to throw at a fire anyway.
What can you do to lower your risk of fire?
There are varying levels of risk. If you have a large parcel of land with a lot of vegetation that dries out in summer, you'll have much more risk than a homeowner with a green lawn and plants close to the home. In all cases, clear any dead brush, vegetation, bushes, etc away from your home; the Cal Fire site suggests 100' for riskier areas (which makes sense if you are in a rural area, but perhaps is not so feasible in a suburban or tract neighborhood). It's better to cut weeds, grass and bushes back prior to 10am, when there's more humidity (and less chance of a spark turning into a flame). Do not stack firewood up against your home. Do not have open fires or untended fires, particularly if embers can get away. It goes without saying, of course, to be especially careful with cigarettes, fireworks, and other burning or smoldering items. It's not worth the risk to be careless. Please see the Cal Fire site for more info for homeowners: http://www.fire.ca.gov/fire_prevention/fire_prevention_wildland_zones.php
If you are in a "very high fire danger area" - places next to large, open and wooded parks, homes on large parcels up against the hills - you should know if your home is in that zone - you'll have extra responsibilities. You will be required to have that clearance mentioned above, for instance. You can find the zone maps and the regulations here, on the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention site.
Fires are risky for homeowners, pets, wildlife, and the men and women who risk it all to battle the blazes for us. The cost is very high when a fire takes hold - when a home goes down from fire, so much is lost that simply can never be replaced. Nothing is worse than the loss of human life, though. Many thanks to the firefighters who are out there waging war on the flames right now. Let's do our best to give them nothing to do.
Are home prices rising in Los Gatos? It does appear that way. What is reported, though, may not be what it seems.
Below are the stats for the closed sales in July - they are still off, year over year, considerably, but they are up from the month before.
Los Gatos Single Family Home Statistics - Closed Sales
Trends At a Glance
Jul 2009
Previous Month
Year-over Year
Median Price
$1,185,000
$1,080,000 (+9.7%)
$1,347,500 (-12.1%)
Average Price
$1,333,290
$1,082,350 (+23.2%)
$1,492,650 (-10.7%)
No. of Sales
28
27 (+3.7%)
26 (+7.7%)
Pending Properties
23
40 (-42.5%)
23 (0.0%)
Active
168
157 (+7.0%)
164 (+2.4%)
Sale vs. List Price
96.0%
95.8% (+0.1%)
98.3% (-2.4%)
Days on Market
62
66 (-6.3%)
31 (+96.8%)
Los Gatos Condominium and Townhouse Statistics - Closed Sales
Trends At a Glance
Jul 2009
Previous Month
Year-over Year
Median Price
$518,000
$635,000 (-18.4%)
$668,000 (-22.5%)
Average Price
$534,806
$615,000 (-13.0%)
$605,600 (-11.7%)
No. of Sales
8
7 (+14.3%)
5 (+60.0%)
Pending Properties
12
9 (+33.3%)
5 (+140.0%)
Active
45
52 (-13.5%)
54 (-16.7%)
Sale vs. List Price
99.2%
95.4% (+4.1%)
95.3% (+4.2%)
Days on Market
86
112 (-23.7%)
44 (+94.9%)
What does it mean?
Clearly, while single family home sold prices are higher than a month ago, this is not the case for condos and townhomes (which have been "beat up" in this market, all over San Jose and also countywide). This is our first clue that "the Los Gatos Market" is again not one unified block, with everyone benefitting equally. Rather, there are micro-markets. Part of the market is advancing strongly - the lower priced homes in the Los Gatos School District - and those homes are selling and appreciating briskly. Other parts of the market, such as the townhouse and condominium market, the luxury market, and the homes not in the Los Gatos school area, are not faring as well. In fact, most homes in Los Gatos are not selling at all, and overall, it is still very much a buyer's market, but it IS improving.
Below, please see a chart displaying the "market barometer" for Los Gatos. NB the gap between the number of properties on the market (168) and those sold (28) - divide the former by the latter to get the "months of inventory", which is 6 months right now. According to the National Association of Realtors, 6 months is a "balanced market" or a "neutral market".
How can this be? How is it possible for it to be a neutral market (or in some segments of Los Gatos, a buyer's market) when prices are rising (and homebuyers are experiencing multiple offers in places)?
It's not happening in every segment of the Los Gatos market, that's how. The homes that are selling are doing well. But many - most - remain unsold.
Broad sweep - here's a view of inventory by Los Gatos zip code (95030 and 95032):
As you can see, inventory is rising among homes in the 95030 part of Los Gatos, but falling among 95032 (often more affordable).
Here's the 95030 zip code area by price quartile:
And here's the 95032 part of Los Gatos by price quartile:
Unfortunately, I cannot break out the school district differential with this subscription, but anecdotal information indicates that homes "in the schools" are the ones selling with multiple offers if they are priced low (close to or under $1 million). So I went to the MLS and checked a few numbers myself.
Right now in 95030 and 95032, there are 47 single family homes for sale in the Campbell Union High School District (meaning Leigh High & Westmont High), and 4 closed sales of the same in the last month. That is an 11.75 month supply of inventory.
Right now in 95030 and 95032 there are 159 single family homes for sale in the Los Gatos-Saratoga High School District, with 28 closed sales in the last month, which is a 5.67 month supply of inventory.
Price point aside, the school district is the driving force.
List prices by zip code in Los Gatos:
Prices are rising more in the 95032 part of Los Gatos than in the less-affordable 95030 part of town. Knowing what we do about the months of inventory, what we see are that the most affordable homes with the schools are the "hot" segment of the market.
What homes are these? The ones where a buyer can get into a single family home for close to a million dollars or less (up to about 1.3 mil max) and enjoy the Los Gatos Schools. Even so, houses must be "turnkey" and priced aggressively.
Homes outside of this parameter - which is most of the Los Gatos real estate market - are struggling.
Please contact me for help in buying or selling a home anywhere in Los Gatos.
A blog about Los Gatos real estate, homes, houses, condos, townhomes, housing market, neightborhoods, history, events, businesses, parks, schools, photos, issues, and lifestyle.
Mary Pope-Handy
Realtor, CRS, ABR, SRES, E-PRO
Luxor Real Estate Group
Mailing Address for Mary: PO Box 440 Los Gatos, CA 95031-0440
877 397-5391 (office/toll-free)
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