Palo Alto California Homes, Realtors, Real Estate Brokers

   
Palo Alto

Palo Alto real estate is among the most sought-after real estate in Silicon Valley, and probably anywhere. Palo Alto is the home of Stanford University, Hewlett Packard, Xerox PARC, and many other high-tech firms and think tanks. It is known for its strong residential orientation. Palo Alto's parks, schools and tree-lined streets are appealing to all. Palo Alto now has a fine shopping and dining area around University Avenue downtown. There are tract homes in Palo Alto from the 1950's. Many of these Palo Alto homes are being rebuilt or replaced by larger new homes. Stately Spanish Revival, Tudor, and California Bungalows from the 1930's grace the Palo Alto neighborhoods further north, and many elaborately redone homes of different vintages are an important part of Palo Alto real estate.

Brand-new homes are usually either designed by a developer, or by his architect, and typically have 4-5 bedrooms. The developer needs to find a lot with an older house on it and tear the existing structure down to build the new home. Prices as of the beginning of 2004 range from $1,350,000 to over $3,500,000, depending on neighborhood and the size of the house. Because lots are small here, developers have resorted to creating large basement living areas to add living space to their products.

Prices in Palo Alto range from about $550,000 if you are lucky to find a cottage on an undersized lot, to some over $4,000,000 among the tree-lined streets of Old Palo Alto or Crescent Park. The median lot size is about 50 X 120 feet, and the median price as of the beginning of 2004 is over $1,300,000. There's a little bit of everything here, but very little that is truly inexpensive. Palo Alto schools have had an excellent reputation. There are many cultural amenities and a highly educated population. Inventory is at its lowest ever right now and there are many multiples offers on properties priced at the market.

Those wishing to buy a home in Palo Alto must consider the nature of the Palo Alto real estate market. With multiple offers on almost all homes coming on the market in Palo Alto, it requires a great deal of experience and skill on the part of a Palo Alto realtor to help you find a home. The internet may be a good source for getting oriented to list prices of Palo Alto homes, but definitely has its limitations when it comes to actual home shopping. Most successful buyers are represented by a local Palo Alto agent with considerable experience, who knows our market, and knows the sometimes subtle art of competing for a winning offer on a Palo Alto home.

Old Palo Alto

South Palo Alto

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