We wanted to sell our single-family home investment property in Cupertino and purchase a multi-residential building on the Peninsula.  I had known Connie through volunteering at our children’s school.    Thinking she would be as diligent in real estate as she was in her volunteering, we hired Connie.  She exceeded our expectations.  We were worried how the market would react to our Cupertino home as it was on a busy street.  Connie led the efforts to make sensible updates to the home prior to putting it on the market and did a fantastic job in the contract negotiations.  We ended up getting multiple offers and selling the home for more than we expected.  On the buy side, Connie sent a mailer to all apartment building owners whose property fit our criteria.  When we found the apartment building we wanted, we felt that she looked out for us, making sure all the information we needed to make a purchase decision was there before we committed, and we got the building for under asking price.  She managed the 1031 Exchange coordinating with the exchange and title companies without a glitch.  We were very pleased with Connie’s service.  We’ve been recommending Connie to everyone who has mentioned selling/buying, including our neighbors, who recently said they were thinking about talking to a few realtors to see what they might get for their house, and the next thing we knew the new owner is moving in, and we’re pretty sure our (former) neighbors never talked to another Realtor after they met Connie!  If you’re thinking of selling/buying, just take a few minutes to talk to Connie and you’ll be convinced that she can represent you brilliantly.    Diane and Harold Wachs – Los Altos Hills

Controlling the MDA, or maximum development area lets the town protect the hillsides against too much run off and erosion and also helps to retain the rural natural setting for which the town is revered.  Typical MDA for the standard one acre lot is 7,500 square foot.  This varies depending upon the slop of the lot and other factors.  Items that are included in MDA include concrete walk ways, paved driveways, tennis courts, pools and patios.   You can get an allowance for more MDA by using pavers that have holes in them through which grass can grow or gravel or other means. 

MFA stands for maximum floor area ratio.   Like MDA, MFA can be pretty complicated.  Floor area, as per the official town document, “shall be defined as the gross horizontal area of the several floors of all buildings, including garage and carport spaces, measured to the outside of exterior walls.”  Basements, if they fit the town definition of basements , are not included.  Typical MFA on a standard acre lot is 5,000SF.  This can be complicated and usually requires a survey to determine the exact MDA and MFA. 

It is best to reference the town documents and work with a planner to be certain of your constraints.  For more information see the Town’s worksheet and info at http://www.losaltoshills.ca.gov/doc-browse/doc_details/144-mfa-mda-worksheets

1. A great Realtor has time for you.  They don’t try to wow you with the dozens upon dozens of listings they have sold.  They manage your home sale or purchase personally and are the single point of contact for you.  They answer your calls within a few hours and make you feel as though yours is the only home sale or purchase on which they are working.  Your sale is never delegated to an assistant for important tasks.
2. A great Realtor shows you how they are going to market your house using a completely integrated marketing plan that includes, print, a strong  internet presence, direct mail and word of mouth.  For print pieces, your house gets more than a postage stamp sized mention.  For internet, your home is syndicated on as many web sites as possible and you have your own property specific web site.
3. The best Realtors are honest about the price they expect your home to command.  The Realtor who tells you your house has the highest value is not necessarily the Realtor who will get you the most money.  It is well known among Realtors that there are Realtors who ‘buy the listing’ by telling you an artificially indefensible number you want to hear, not one that the market may bear.
4. Hire a Realtor who walks the walk, not just one who talks the talk.  It is amazing the number of Realtors who rent the house in which they live.  A December 2008 study by Realtor magazine said only 41% of all Realtors own investment property.  Would you hire a stock broker who owned no stock?  Until a Realtor has been in your shoes, they cannot fully advise you.
5. A great Realtor belongs to a reputable brokerage.  The brokerage represents the Realtor’s support structure for you.  Do they have a market presence that can attract buyers?  Do they offer their Realtors legal support, training and advertising assistance that can insure your house is sold in a legally sound manner and for the highest price?  Real estate companies with only a handful of Realtors typically do not have the kind of infrastructure that can protect you and get you the best price for your home.  Nor do they have the network of agents who can get the word out about your home.
6. A great Realtor earns every cent of her commission and strives to keep it as vehemently as she strives to get you the highest possible price for your home.  If Discount Realtors are so quick to discount their own fees, how do you think they will be in standing up for you during a hard negotiation to get you a great price for your home?
7. A great Realtor knows your neighborhood.  They can quote the statistics of what is selling, why and where.  They know the schools, the stores, where to get a dog groomed, the traffic patterns and what the hot issues for the town are.  They know how far the parks are from your home.  In short, they know everything about your neighborhood so they can do the best job of selling your home.
8. A great Realtor has a track record of successful negotiations.  When you interview a Realtor, as her to recount a story or two about a really tough negotiation she has had and how she succeeded in getting what their client wanted.  If you get a deer in the headlight type response to this question pick another Realtor.
9. A great Realtor probably has some advanced designations.  Approximately ninety percent of Realtors have a Salesperson license while the balance has a Broker designation.  Brokers have to go through a more rigorous exam studying more Agency law, Disclosure law and other things that make them better able to navigate the complex process of buying and selling a home.  The National Association of Realtors currently offers 23 additional designations in a variety of specialties that require the designee to have additional matriculation and continued study.  The more a Realtor knows, the more they can make the process smoother for you.
10. 10) A great Realtor gives you a defensible, comprehensive market analysis to support their price and marketing recommendation.

I can make the buying and selling experience great for you.  Call me and I can help.  Connie 650-279-7074

It is common for buyers to go through a process before they actually figure out what they really want to buy.  The best realtors work as hard for you as you are loyal to them.  If you are playing several realtors simultaneously, the odds of their hard work paying off are diminished by the number of realtors you call.  If you show your loyalty to a realtor, they will reward you with theirs and put you first. 

Some buyers think they can get the best deal if they work directly with the listing agent and that they don’t need representation.  That is not my experience.  The sellers in the sale of a house pay the commission.  Usually half of that goes to the realtor representing the seller, the other half, to the realtor representing the buyer.  Typically, this is 3% for each side.  Buyers who employ this tactic feel that they can get the listing agent to discount their commissions since they would make commissions on both sides of the transaction and have commissions to give away.  I would caution a buyer against this unless there is incredible goodwill on each side and the paperwork is more of a formality.  But typically, there are price negotiations and repairs that need to be negotiated.  Why would a listing agent favor a buyer in any negotiation?  You might get one percent of the purchase price in commissions back if you are lucky, but you have no one looking out for you in the process.  Why risk one of the most important purchases of your life to one percent of the purchase price?  It makes no sense.  You need someone looking out for you and no one else.  Get your own buyer’s agent.

Interview a few realtors.  Pick one whose communication style matches yours.  Do they keep the hours you do?  Are they proficient in email and texting like you might be?  What response time do you expect?  Find someone who is knowledgeable about the area(s) you are interested in.  For example, if you are looking for a Los Altos Realtor, find someone who lives there.  Their office might not necessarily be there but they have to be able to articulate all the details of why certain areas are better than others.  If the agent you start with is not working out for you, be fair and tell this to the realtor before you begin the dance with another one.

27540 Sherlock Road
Los Altos Hills

Own 2.75 acres with a tranquil mountain setting and inspiring views in Los Altos Hills. The majority of the lot is gently sloped with a flat patio area off the home. The home of over 2,000SF+/- has 4 bedrooms and three full baths. Live in it now or build your dream home. The master has been remodeled to include a separate changing wing with generous closet space. The first floor has vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors and views. The town says up to 5 horses possible. Only 3 miles to Hwy 280 and El Monte. Coveted Los Altos Schools.

For more information visit the website.  This home is currently sale pending.  For more information about other properties like this one, please contact me, Connie Miller at 650-279-7074.

Live the perfect cul-de-sac lifestyle where children can walk to award-winning Oak Elementary and Mt. View High schools. Original owners are parting with this charming 3bed/2bath single-level home with a wonderful floor plan that features a large family room and living area and glistening hardwood floors. Your wonderful neighbors on this spacious lot over 10,080sf +/- with mature trees make it the perfect place to call home.

$1,198,000

With the recent rise in foreclosures, foreclosure-related scams have exploded onto the real estate scene. These so-called “foreclosure rescue companies” claim they will help save your home, but in reality are out to make a profit — at your expense.

Red Flags for Foreclosure Rescue Scams

If you are at risk of or in foreclosure, you should be on the lookout for foreclosure scams. Here are some of the red flags to

watch out for:

• Asks for money upfront before providing any service

• Instructs you not to contact your lender, lawyer, housing counselor, family, friends, or others

• Asks for mortgage payments to be made directly to his or her company or a bank account set up by that person, rather than your lender.

• Requires payment only in the form of cash, cashier’s check, or wire transfer

• Promises to stop the foreclosure process, no matter the circumstances

• Advises you to transfer your property deed or title to his or her company

• Offers to fill out paperwork for you

• Asks for something to be done immediately and without delay. This includes pressuring you into signing paperwork that you have not had the chance to read thoroughly or do not fully understand

• Encourages you to lease your house and buy it back over time

• Offers to buy your house for a fixed price that is not set by the housing market at the time of sale

• Asks for you to give a power of attorney

• Asks for signatures on a grant deed or deed of trust

• Asks for signatures on a document that has lines left blank

• Fails to provide copies of signed documents

• Refuses or fails to put an oral promise in writing

Report Fraud

If you have been a victim of a foreclosure-related scam or approached by a scam artist, you may report the incident to the following organizations and government enforcement agencies:

• California Attorney General

http://ag.ca.gov 

• California Department of Real Estate

www.dre.ca.gov 

• Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

www.hud.gov

• Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

www.ftc.gov

• Your local Better Business Bureau

www.bbb.org

Legitimate Resources

If you are at risk of foreclosure or have already received a foreclosure notice, you should contact your lender immediately.  Homeowners also may seek the advice of a reputable housing, financial or credit counselor, attorney, or other qualified professional.

Homeowners may visit the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Web site at http://www.hud.gov/ to view its Guide to Avoiding Foreclosure and its list of California HUD-approved housing counseling agencies. In addition, the non-profit

Homeownership Preservation Foundation has a 24/7 toll-free Homeowner’s HOPE Hotline at (999) 995-HOPE.

 Copyright© 2009 CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.). Permission is granted to C.A.R. members only to reproduce this material for non-commercial purposes. Other reproduction or use is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of the C.A.R. Legal Department. All rights reserved.

The information contained herein is believed to be accurate as of April 9, 2009. It is intended to provide general answers to general questions and is not intended as a substitute for individual

legal advice. Advice in specific situations may differ depending upon a wide variety of factors. Therefore, readers with specific legal questions should seek the advice of an attorney.

1020 Lupine Drive
Sunnyvale

Turn the key and move into this beautifully remodeled Ditz Crane home on a peaceful street near Ponderosa Park. The home has its own park like setting with an abundance of mature trees, fruit trees and a special rose garden. The granite kitchen opens to a family room. Parquet floors accent the large living / dining room.

A main-floor room with built-in shelves and cabinets can be a 5th bedroom or a welcome home office retreat for the Silicon Valley executive. Upstairs awaits four cheery bedrooms all with garden views and two fully remodeled bathrooms with granite counters and marble floors and enclosures on the shower and tub. Dual pane windows, a separate laundry room and ample storage throughout enhance the appeal of the home. Schools are allocated through open enrollment.

1510 Julie Lane
Los Altos, CA

Come to the home that boasts the biggest lot on the street, the one the builder of the subdivision saved for himself to build his family home. Named on a street after his daughter, Julie, the builder carefully crafted a home built for endurance, for comfort, and for parties. The whimsy of the dolphins, hand carved in the front flagstone posts, give you a hint of the fun you can have inside.

The back offers a resort lifestyle without having to leave home. The main focal point of the back yard is a pool with flowing waterfall made of natural stone elements. A generous proportioned cabana or fourth bedroom sits in close proximity. It has sliding glass doors that open up for a calming, alfresco atmosphere, complete with wet bar. As a cabana, the room is reminiscent of a Caribbean vacation with its light wood paneling and bamboo-decorated bar.

A nearby breezeway has a built-in barbeque ideal for outdoor eating or bringing in the house for a more formal occasion. Generous is the best word to describe the home. The rooms are all generously proportioned, especially the living room that can comfortably accommodate groups in the dozens. At almost every juncture, there is a large window that offers garden views, one, off the master bathroom, reveals a secluded garden, just for the master’s enjoyment.