The gorgeous W.E. (Bill) Mason Carousel at Oak Meadow Park in Los Gatos is as historically interesting as it is beautiful. It conceals more than a surprise to two.
Built in 1915 in England, the carousel was made of horses from England and Germany (some horses made by a Frenchman too). It was a long voyage to California - it had to be shipped around the horn (the Panama Canal did not yet exist) and then it debuted at the Panama Pacific Expo in San Francisco (which began in 1915). Following the exposition, it toured around with a circus beginning in the 30s for awhile before finding itself in storage in Redwood City for an untold number of years.
Happily, though, the story doesn't end there. In 1980 the ride was purchased by the town with $50,000 in collected donations, and then it resettled in this sweet spot among Siicon Valley parks. The wooden horses, all hand painted, were lovingly restored over several years by volunteers. Additionally, upgrades were made to the mechanical side too, bringing it up to date. The ride was name after the late Bill Mason, Sr., of the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad fame, and dedicated in 1990.
The carosoul is a great compliment to the park with its train, airplane, open space and play structures, and it's a huge hit with kids and parents alike. Is is truly "living history" right in our own backyard.
Not to worry, parents, the ghost is benign - in fact, benevolent. Nothing scary happens here and it appears that the ghost simply loves the attraction. Some employees have experienced minor events such as noises without explanation and safety belts all mysteriously appearing latched when they should have been loose, and of course, that sense that someone's there or someone's watching when no one is visible.
I was at the park yesterday with Annette Martin, who asked me to introduce her to some of the haunted places in Los Gatos, and this was our last stop. Later this year she'll share her experiences of this visit in an article or book. Not to spoil her story, I'll let her tell "the rest of the story" at that time. (But be assured, she didn't find anything for children or parents to fear.)
This looks like the patron saint of Los Gatos High School grads, or maybe it's just a tribute to those who received their diplomas recently at the scenic old high school.
Where is it? The first one to answer correctly in a comment below will receive a $5 gift card to Starbucks and a copy of my book, "Get The Best Deal When Selling Your Home in Silicon Valley". (Deadline June 25th for entries.)
As noted many times in this blog about Los Gatos real estate, the market is varied from one price point and school district, among other things, to the next.
The homes in the lowest price points and "in the schools" seem to be selling faster. For today's view into the market, let's consider homes in Los Gatos, with Los Gatos Schools, with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, priced at under $1,500,000.
The days on market or "DOM" for all pendings is a misleading number of almost 100 days. If the average DOM is 100, buyers can take their time, right?
But let's have a closer look and sort the results. If we pull the data apart by the date of the sale (when buyers and sellers agreed on price and terms), a different picture of the market emerges. The average DOM now is 1/3 of what it was for the current pendings PRIOR to June 1st!
Street Address
Bldg SqFt
DOM
Pend Date
LAVENDER LN
2727
6
6/8/2009
CHIRCO CT
1605
128
6/8/2009
CAMELLIA TE
1783
5
6/6/2009
BERSANO LN
2324
14
6/6/2009
BOYER LN
2368
18
6/5/2009
NEW YORK AV
1890
95
6/5/2009
GOLF LINKS DR
3200
20
6/4/2009
SHANNON RD
2650
0
6/2/2009
CARLTON CT
2550
87
6/2/2009
LAS MIRADAS DR
1300
12
5/30/2009
CARLESTER DR
1520
284
5/30/2009
LA CANADA CT
1150
35
5/29/2009
LAS MIRADAS DR
1820
135
5/28/2009
CILKER CT
2856
113
5/27/2009
JACARANDA WY
2750
46
5/26/2009
TOURNEY RD
3438
208
5/21/2009
LONGRIDGE RD
1296
6
5/18/2009
MARCHMONT DR
2179
75
5/16/2009
LOMA ALTA AV
1496
42
5/12/2009
CERRO VISTA DR
1706
18
5/9/2009
SHANNON RD
2060
34
5/4/2009
CILKER CT
2674
194
5/2/2009
LOMA ALTA AV
1450
249
4/29/2009
QUARRY RD
1890
447
4/28/2009
GARDEN HILL DR
2016
17
4/24/2009
WINCHESTER BL
2665
311
3/23/2009
Av DOM all pendings
99.96
Av DOM since 6-1
41.44
Ave DOM before 6-1
130.94
While some homes are not selling too fast, the pace appears to be quickening dramatically. It may be awhile before this is seen in the sold data, but it's very much a "real time" snapshot of the market activity now.
Sellers, if you get your home into great shape and price it aggressively, you may be able to sell your home so fast that it will shock your neighbors.
Buyers, if you are trying to purchase a home that falls into this segment, it's important to see homes that interest you quickly now, since they may not last a week or two.
If you'd like more information on data pertaining to your home or the type of home you'd like to buy, please contact me. We can set up a meeting and go over the information that matches your own situation.
(Numbers by our MLS, MLSListings.com. Data exported, sorted and crunched by Mary Pope-Handy.)
In case you misplaced the mailing or haven't heard, West Valley Collection & Recycling is collecting an unlimited number of items from your curb at no additional cost for one day only. That day is Friday, June 12, 2009 at 6am.
Summer in Los Gatos is a joy - there's so much to do, and most of it doesn't cost a dime, thanks to the generosity of many sponsors. There are three free music concert series in Los Gatos, and together they provide a wide spectrum of musical styles and entertainment. Included are jazz, classical, rock & roll tribute bands, and much more.
Below please find the combined schedule - I have done my best to make it accurate but cannot guarantee anything so please double check with the website for each of the series. If you're here over Independence Day weekend, you're in for a double treat as there are 2 concerts on July 4th!
For general information about Music in the Park, Jazz on the Plazz and Vasona Vibrations, please see their websites:
Below please find the combined schedule of musical events in Los Gatos as planned with links to the musicians' websites when possible. Music in the Park will have local talent do lead-in music from 4:15 to 4:45 to get the ball rolling.Please arrive early to the shows to get a great spot!
Additonaly, on August 15 & 16 there's the Fiesta de Artes at the Civic Center, and music will be there as well.
And finally, the Los Gatos Shakespeare Festival is another fun (though not free) event to put on your calendar. Performances run from mid-July to early August and are held at Oak Meadow Park.
Enjoy the summer! Whether you live in Los Gatos, Saratoga, San Jose, or anywhere in Silicon Valley, the many events, mostly free, are a wonderful draw to our town. See you there!
Countywide, prices are marching upward! It is a HOT seller's market in the lower price ranges of Silicon Valley, especially if a home is not a distressed sale. Rising prices bring a cooler market in most areas and price points, though.
Los Gatos is a mixed bag too. Lower priced homes "in the schools" are selling nicely. Although it's more challenging to sell higher priced homes, there are quite a few homes over $2,000,000 which are sale pending.
Below please find a snapshot of the statistics for closed sales of single family homes in Los Gatos for May 2009:
As always, please remember that the market really is a collection of smaller markets. What's happening in one part of town or price range may not be happening in your home's area or price point. Please contact me for assistance in understanding the market you're most interested in.
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)
The 
Not to worry, parents, the ghost is benign - in fact, benevolent. Nothing scary happens here and it appears that the ghost simply loves the attraction. Some employees have experienced minor events such as noises without explanation and safety belts all mysteriously appearing latched when they should have been loose, and of course, that sense that someone's there or someone's watching when no one is visible.
RSS Blog Feed
