Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Price Trend of Santa Clara Eisenhower Elementary Condos on Mauricia Avenue

Condos are a good way to gauge the price trend of a neighborhood because condos provide a uniform apples to apples comparison. In this case, I chose the "apple" as the Mauricia Avenue 2 bedroom 2 bathroom 1067 square foot units. Click the hyperlink for the price trend graph of Santa Clara Eisenhower Elementary on Mauricia Avenue 2 bedroom 2 bathroom 1067 square foot condos.

If the above link doesn't work, then copy / paste this link in your browser:
http://siliconvalleyhouses.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/mauriciaav2bed2bathpricetrend.pdf

Friday, October 21, 2011

Cupertino, Santa Clara, Good schools, Convenient location for under $750,000

Now that the high-balance conforming loan limit has dropped from $729,750 down to $625,000, many homebuyers have now reduced their search criteria to $750,000 homes.

$625,000 <-- max loan without going into Jumbo loan territory
+ $125,000 <-- 20% = minimum down payment to get conventional loan without MI
-----------
= $750,000

What is the best real estate you can buy in the South Bay for $750,000? That depends on your priorities.

If your priorities are:
-- Single Family Home (no monthly HOA fee)
-- Good Schools (good API for elementary, middle, and high school)
-- Convenient to employment in the South Bay

then here are some choices:
-- Cupertino Sedgwick Elementary (API 936), Hyde Middle (API 858), Cupertino High Eichler house. This is a good option if you don't mind Eichler homes and just want the best schools you can afford for a single family home. As of this writing, homes are available on 10160 Calvert Dr, 10601 Johnson Ave, 10335 Moretti Dr, and 10550 Sterling Bl for under $750,000.

-- Santa Clara Sutter Elementary (API 902), Buchser Middle (API 799), Santa Clara High (API 772). This is a good option if you don't like Eichlers and care more about elementary than middle school.

-- Santa Clara Braly Elementary (API 854), Peterson Middle (API 863), Wilcox High (API 777). This is a good option if you plan to live at the house longer term for both elementary and middle school. 533 Sequoia Dr just came on the market and 826 Lusterleaf Dr is still available under $750,000.

Good schools, Convenient location for under $750,000

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Cupertino Lynbrook High School Math Curriculum

Many parents like to buy homes in neighborhoods that will get their kids into the top schools. One such neighborhood is the Lynbrook High School neighborhood. Lynbrook High is one of the top high schools in the state.

What can your child expect at Lynbrook High as far as math curriculum?

After holding multiple open houses in the Lynbrook High neighborhood, I took the opportunity to speak to some of the parents about what their kids actually learn while in Lynbrook High. Since math is a subject which builds upon itself from stage to stage, this is the most important subject to plan. The sequence of math classes in Lynbrook High is as follows:

8th Grade: Geometry
Freshman Year: Algebra2 & Trigonometry
Sophomore Year: Pre-Calculus
Junior Year: AP Calculus

I don't know yet what comes in Senior Year. I'll have speak to some parents who happen to have a child in their Senior Year.

Is it true that the only way for students at Lynbrook to keep up with their peers is to use a private tutor? I don't know whether it's the ONLY way, but I can tell you from my discussions with Lynbrook parents that indeed it is common to have outside tutoring. Why is this so? Because other students gain extra knowledge through outside tutors, your child may need one just to keep up. Some of the Lynbrook teachers know that their students are getting outside tutoring thus make up very challenging exams. Some kids who listen in class and do well on the quizzes, but find that the exams test much more challenging concepts than were on the quizzes.

By the way, two topics that I am very good at are real estate and math. I've been interested in real estate ever since I was little 3rd grader and heard the story of one of our neighbors who was set for life because he bought many homes during the Great Depression. As a 3rd grader I started saving money for a down payment by saving the money my father gave me for getting all A's on my report card. With math, I was naturally good at it. I competed against the smartest kids in my state and came out on top as NH State Math Champion my senior year in high school. As you probably guessed, I got an 800 on my GRE Math.

If you are interested in buying or selling a house in one of the good school districts, I can take care of your real estate transaction and also tutor your kids in math.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Selling or Buying a Short Sale Rental Property in a Rent Control Neighborhood

Be careful when you are selling or buying a short sale rental property in a rent control neighborhood.

Below is a list of California Bay Area Localities With Rent Control Ordinances:
City of Campbell
City of East Palo Alto
City of Berkeley
City of Fremont
City of Hayward
City of Oakland
City of San Leandro
City of San Jose
City of San Francisco

Before buying or selling a rental property in a city with rent control, you should consult a real estate attorney familiar with the Rent Control Board of the particular city in which the rental property is located.

For example, what happens if in the months leading up to the short sale, the tenants threaten to move out and in response the landlord drastically reduces the tenants' rent? Will this set a new monthly rental base with which the new owner must use in calculation of his future potential monthly rental rate? Or does a long history of higher market rental rates take precedence over a few short months at the drastically reduced rental rate? One real estate attorney associated with the Oakland Rent Control Board stated that as soon as the owner dropped the rent, he created a new rental rate that was subject to rent control.

The new owner would inherit the drastically lowered rent as his base and could not raise the rent for the existing tenants back to market rate. This killed off any interest from real estate investors.

In one case study, the seller did drastically lower the rent to his tenants soon after putting his investment property on the market. Did the seller unwittingly hurt his own chances of selling? Maybe that was exactly what the seller wanted. It was a short sale, and the seller might have simply been trying to collect as much rent as possible before losing his property to the bank.

To the seller faced with renters who are threatening to leave, then it might be in the seller's best self interest to lower the rent. This has two advantages in the mind of the short sale seller. #1) Better to collect some rent rather than no rent, and #2) The owner collects free rent for longer before losing his home. Making the property less attractive to buyers effectively delays the sale of the property. Since the deal no longer appeals to real estate investors, it will take longer to find a buyer. Only buyers willing to buy and live in Oakland as their primary residence will still be interested.

Every extra month of delay is extra rental income for the seller. However, when faced by an owner attempting such tactics, the banks would probably save a lot of money by simply foreclosing, booting out the tenants, and selling the property as a vacant unit. That seller is counting on his hope that a bank will not respond in this manner.

Disclaimer: I am not a real estate attorney. This discussion is just so you know what issues to think about and what questions you should ask. The bottom line is whether you are selling or buying a short sale property in a rent control neighborhood, you should consult a real estate attorney familiar with the Rent Control Board of the particular city in which the rental property is located.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Sunnyvale Cherry Chase Elementary Houses Near Highway 85 Power Lines

In a previous blog article, I wrote about the various school attendance boundaries in the Sunnyvale Union School District.
http://siliconvalleyhouses.blogspot.com/2010/05/sunnyvale-elementary-school-district.html

As you can see from the Sunnyvale School District Elementary School Site Boundaries Map, the western portion of the Cherry Chase Elementary attendance area is close to highway 85 and therefore is relatively close to the power lines that run along highway 85.

Those power lines can be an eye sore and the humming noise can sometimes get on your nerves, but the more important question is "Does the extra EMF radiation from those power lines increase the likelihood of cancer in the homeowners who live near power lines?"

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a study by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) titled "Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMF) Radiation from Power Lines"

Some takeaways from that report are:
1. The general scientific consensus is that, thus far, the evidence available is weak and is not sufficient to establish a definitive cause-effect relationship.
2. ... exposure to extremely low frequency EMF, the type found in homes near power lines. Based on studies about the incidence of childhood leukemia involving a large number of households, NIEHS found that power line magnetic fields are a possible cause of cancer.

Concerned home owners and potential home buyers should read the entire NIEHS report. For further discussion, home owners and buyers should read the various "Fact Sheets" from Transpower (a New Zealand power company).

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

School Codes for Santa Clara County

This is information that should help out many of my fellow REALTORS. Below I have listed the school codes for all of the schools (elementary, middle, and high) in Santa Clara County.

SchoolCode/School/Type/Status/DistrictCode
4 A. J. Dorsa Elementary Elementary OPEN 451 Alum Rock Union E
18 Ben Painter Elementary Elementary OPEN
12 Cesar Chavez Elementary Elementary OPEN
1 Clyde Arbuckle Elementary Elementary OPEN
5 Clyde L. Fischer Middle Middle OPEN
14 Donald J. Meyer Elementary Elementary OPEN
25 Harry Slonaker Elementary Elementary OPEN
3 Horace Cureton Elementary Elementary OPEN
6 Joseph George Middle Middle OPEN
1052 KIPP Heartwood Academy Elementary OPEN
11 Lee Mathson Middle Middle OPEN
24 Lester W. Shields Elementary Elementary OPEN
9 Linda Vista Elementary Elementary OPEN
10 Lyndale Elementary Elementary OPEN
7 Mildred Goss Elementary Elementary OPEN
13 Millard McCollam Elementary Elementary OPEN
15 Miller (Grandin) Elementary Elementary CLOSED
16 Mt. Hamilton Elementary Elementary CLOSED
8 O. S. Hubbard Elementary Elementary OPEN
17 Ocala Middle Middle OPEN
19 Pala Middle Middle OPEN
22 San Antonio Elementary Elementary OPEN
23 Sheppard Middle OPEN
2 Sylvia Cassell Elementary Elementary OPEN
21 Thomas P. Ryan Elementary Elementary OPEN
20 William R. Rogers Elementary Elementary OPEN
28 Brooktree Elementary Elementary OPEN 452 Berryessa Union E
29 Cherrywood Elementary Elementary OPEN
30 Laneview Elementary Elementary OPEN
31 Majestic Way Elementary Elementary OPEN
32 Morrill Middle Middle OPEN
33 Noble Elementary Elementary OPEN
34 Northwood Elementary Elementary OPEN
35 Piedmont Middle Middle OPEN
36 Ruskin Elementary Elementary OPEN
37 Sierramont Middle Middle OPEN
38 Summerdale Elementary Elementary OPEN
39 Toyon Elementary Elementary OPEN
40 Vinci Park Elementary Elementary OPEN
41 Bagby Elementary Elementary OPEN 453 Cambrian Element
43 Fammatre Charter Elementary OPEN
44 Farnham Charter Elementary OPEN
46 Price Charter Middle Middle OPEN
47 Sartorette Charter Elementary OPEN
49 Blackford Elementary Elementary OPEN 454 Campbell Union El
50 Campbell Middle Middle OPEN
51 Capri Elementary Elementary OPEN
52 Castlemont Elementary Elementary OPEN
55 Forest Hill Elementary Elementary OPEN
57 Hazelwood Elementary Elementary CLOSED
58 Lynhaven Elementary Elementary OPEN
59 Marshall Lane Elementary Elementary OPEN


60 Monroe Middle Middle OPEN
63 Rolling Hills Middle Middle OPEN
64 Rosemary Elementary Elementary OPEN
65 Sherman Oaks Elementary Elementary OPEN
1053 Village Elementary OPEN
1054 Boynton High Continuation OPEN 473 Campbell Union Hi
237 Branham High High School OPEN
239 Del Mar High High School OPEN
240 Leigh High High School OPEN
241 Prospect High High School OPEN
242 Westmont High High School OPEN
85 Abraham Lincoln Elementary Elementary OPEN 455 Cupertino Union S
68 Blue Hills Elementary Elementary OPEN
73 C. B. Eaton Elementary Elementary OPEN
93 Chester W. Nimitz Elementary Elementary OPEN
86 Christa McAuliffe Elementary Elementary OPEN
70 Cupertino Middle Middle OPEN
94 D. J. Sedgwick Elementary Elementary OPEN
75 Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary Elementary OPEN
77 Garden Gate Elementary Elementary OPEN
88 Joaquin Miller Middle Middle OPEN
84 John F. Kennedy Middle Middle OPEN
1056 John Muir Elementary Elementary OPEN
69 L. P. Collins Elementary Elementary OPEN
1057 Louis V. Stocklmeir Elementary Elementary OPEN
71 Manuel De Vargas Elementary Elementary OPEN
90 Montclaire Elementary Elementary OPEN
91 Muir Ok School Elementary CLOSED
1058 Murdock-Portal Elementary Elementary OPEN
72 Nelson S. Dilworth Elementary Elementary OPEN
96 Portal Instructional Center Elementary CLOSED
87 R. I. Meyerholz Elementary Elementary OPEN
1055 Sam H. Lawson Middle Middle OPEN
98 Stevens Creek Elementary Elementary OPEN
99 Stocklmeir-Ortega Intermediate Middle CLOSED
81 Warren E. Hyde Middle Middle OPEN
100 West Valley Elementary Elementary OPEN
76 William Faria Elementary Elementary OPEN
97 William Regnart Elementary Elementary OPEN
244 Andrew P. Hill High High School OPEN 474 East Side Union Hi
1064 Apollo High Continuation OPEN
1060 California Youth Outreach Academy High School OPEN
1059 Escuela Popular/Center for Training and Careers, F High School OPEN
895 Evergreen Valley High High School OPEN
1069 Foothill High Continuation OPEN
1062 Genesis High Continuation OPEN
246 Independence High High School OPEN
247 James Lick High High School OPEN
1066 Latino College Preparatory Academy High School OPEN
1065 MACSA Academia Calmecac High School OPEN
248 Mt. Pleasant High High School OPEN
249 Oak Grove High High School OPEN
1063 Pegasus High Continuation OPEN
1061 Phoenix High Continuation OPEN
251 Piedmont Hills High High School OPEN
1067 San Jose Conservation Corps Charter High School OPEN


252 Santa Teresa High High School OPEN
253 Silver Creek High High School OPEN
250 William C. Overfelt High High School OPEN
254 Yerba Buena High High School OPEN
101 Cadwallader Elementary Elementary OPEN 456 Evergreen Element
1070 Carolyn A. Clark Elementary Elementary OPEN
102 Cedar Grove Elementary Elementary OPEN
352 Chaboya Middle Middle OPEN
353 Dove Hill Elementary Elementary OPEN
103 Evergreen Elementary Elementary OPEN
106 George V. Leyva Intermediate Middle OPEN
104 Holly Oak Elementary Elementary OPEN
1071 James Franklin Smith Elementary Elementary OPEN
108 John J. Montgomery Elementary Elementary OPEN
111 Katherine R. Smith Elementary Elementary OPEN
105 Laurelwood Elementary Elementary OPEN
107 Millbrook Elementary Elementary OPEN
109 Norwood Creek Elementary Elementary OPEN
112 O. B. Whaley Elementary Elementary OPEN
110 Quimby Oak Intermediate Middle OPEN
354 Silver Oak Elementary Elementary OPEN
95 Tom Matsumoto Elementary Elementary OPEN
1073 Captain Jason M. Dahl Elementary Elementary OPEN 457 Franklin-McKinley
114 Franklin Elementary Elementary OPEN
115 G. W. Hellyer Elementary Elementary OPEN
1074 George Shirakawa Elementary Elementary OPEN
113 J. Wilbur Fair Junior High Middle OPEN
351 Jeanne R. Meadows Elementary Elementary OPEN
118 Los Arboles Elementary Elementary OPEN
119 McKinley Elementary Elementary OPEN
1072 Ramblewood Elementary Elementary OPEN
117 Robert F. Kennedy Elementary Elementary OPEN
120 Santee Elementary Elementary OPEN
121 Seven Trees Elementary Elementary OPEN
122 Stonegate Elementary Elementary OPEN
123 Sylvandale Junior High Middle OPEN
124 Windmill Springs Elementary Elementary OPEN
256 Cupertino High High School OPEN 475 Fremont Union Hig
257 Fremont High High School OPEN
258 Homestead High High School OPEN
259 Lynbrook High High School OPEN
260 Monta Vista High High School OPEN
1078 Antonio Del Buono Elementary Elementary OPEN 478 Gilroy Unified
268 Brownell Middle Middle OPEN
270 El Roble Elementary Elementary OPEN
269 Eliot Elementary Elementary OPEN
277 Gilroy High High School OPEN
271 Glen View Elementary Elementary OPEN
272 Jordan Elementary Elementary CLOSED
255 Kelley Rod Elementary Elementary OPEN
273 Las Animas Elementary Elementary OPEN
281 Luigi Aprea Elementary Elementary OPEN
1076 MACSA El Portal Leadership Academy High School OPEN
278 Mt. Madonna High Continuation OPEN
1077 Rucker Elementary Elementary OPEN



275 San Ysidro Elementary Elementary CLOSED
1075 Solorsano Middle Middle OPEN
276 South Valley Middle Middle OPEN
125 Lakeside Elementary Elementary OPEN 458 Lakeside Joint Ele
126 C. T. English Middle Middle OPEN 459 Loma Prieta Joint U
127 Loma Prieta Elementary Elementary OPEN
128 Almond Elementary Elementary OPEN 460 Los Altos Elementa
133 Ardis G. Egan Intermediate Middle OPEN
1079 Bullis-Purissima Elementary OPEN
130 Covington Elementary Elementary OPEN
129 Georgina P. Blach Intermediate Middle OPEN
134 Loyola Elementary Elementary OPEN
135 Oak Avenue Elementary Elementary OPEN
136 Santa Rita Elementary Elementary OPEN
137 Springer Elementary Elementary OPEN
139 Blossom Hill Elementary Elementary OPEN 461 Los Gatos Union E
140 Daves Avenue Elementary Elementary OPEN
142 Lexington Elementary Elementary OPEN
143 Louise Van Meter Elementary Elementary OPEN
141 Raymond J. Fisher Middle Middle OPEN
262 Los Gatos High High School OPEN 476 Los Gatos-Saratog
264 Saratoga High High School OPEN
285 Alexander Rose Elementary Elementary OPEN 479 Milpitas Unified
288 Anthony Spangler Elementary Elementary OPEN
292 Calaveras Hills Continuation OPEN
280 Curtner Elementary Elementary OPEN
287 John Sinnott Elementary Elementary OPEN
289 Joseph Weller Elementary Elementary OPEN
282 Marshall Pomeroy Elementary Elementary OPEN
293 Milpitas High High School OPEN
290 Pearl Zanker Elementary Elementary OPEN
283 Rancho Milpitas Junior High Middle OPEN
284 Robert Randall Elementary Elementary OPEN
291 Thomas Russell Junior High Middle OPEN
279 William Burnett Elementary Elementary OPEN
146 Montebello Elementary Elementary OPEN 463 Montebello Elemen
153 Country Lane Elementary Elementary OPEN 464 Moreland Elementa
155 Easterbrook Discovery Elementary OPEN
156 Elvira Castro Middle Middle OPEN
158 George C. Payne Elementary Elementary OPEN
149 Gussie M. Baker Elementary Elementary OPEN
157 Latimer Elementary Elementary OPEN
148 Leroy Anderson Elementary Elementary OPEN
160 Moreland Discovery (Elem) Elementary CLOSED
159 Samuel Curtis Rogers Middle Middle OPEN
1080 Ann Sobrato High High School OPEN 480 Morgan Hill Unified
1081 Barrett Elementary Elementary OPEN
294 Burnett Elementary Elementary OPEN
307 Central High (Continuation) Continuation OPEN
1082 Charter School of Morgan Hill Elementary OPEN



300 El Toro Elementary Elementary OPEN
295 Encinal Elementary Elementary CLOSED
297 Jackson Elementary Elementary OPEN
308 Live Oak High High School OPEN
298 Los Paseos Elementary Elementary OPEN
301 Nordstrom Elementary Elementary OPEN
304 P. A. Walsh Elementary Elementary OPEN
302 Paradise Valley/Machado Elementary Elementary OPEN
303 San Martin/Gwinn Elementary Elementary OPEN
261 Alta Vista High Continuation OPEN 477 Mountain View-Los
265 Los Altos High High School OPEN
266 Mountain View High High School OPEN
161 Benjamin Bubb Elementary Elementary OPEN 465 Mountain View-Wh
1083 Crittenden Middle Middle OPEN
166 Edith Landels Elementary Elementary OPEN
164 Frank L. Huff Elementary Elementary OPEN
163 Isaac Newton Graham Middle Middle OPEN
167 Kenneth N. Slater Elementary Elementary OPEN
162 Mariano Castro Elementary Elementary OPEN
1084 Monta Loma Elementary Elementary OPEN
1085 Theuerkauf Elementary Elementary OPEN
168 August Boeger Junior High Middle OPEN 466 Mt. Pleasant Eleme
1086 Ida Jew Intermediate Elementary OPEN
170 Mt. Pleasant Elementary Elementary OPEN
171 Robert Sanders Elementary Elementary OPEN
172 Valle Vista Elementary Elementary OPEN
173 Alex Anderson Elementary Elementary OPEN 467 Oak Grove Elemen
175 Bernal Intermediate Middle OPEN
194 Bertha Taylor Elementary Elementary OPEN
176 Blossom Valley Elementary Elementary CLOSED
179 Caroline Davis Intermediate Middle OPEN
178 Christopher Elementary Elementary OPEN
180 Del Roble Elementary Elementary OPEN
183 Earl Frost Elementary Elementary OPEN
182 Edenvale Elementary Elementary OPEN
187 George Miner Elementary Elementary OPEN
184 Glider Elementary Elementary OPEN
185 Hayes Elementary Elementary OPEN
174 Julia Baldwin Elementary Elementary OPEN
186 Leonard Herman Intermediate Middle OPEN
188 Oak Ridge Elementary Elementary OPEN
189 Parkview Elementary Elementary OPEN
1087 Rita Ledesma Elementary Elementary OPEN
190 Sakamoto Elementary Elementary OPEN
193 Samuel Stipe Elementary Elementary OPEN
191 San Anselmo Elementary Elementary CLOSED
192 Santa Teresa Elementary Elementary OPEN
195 Orchard Elementary Elementary OPEN 468 Orchard Elementar
309 Addison Elementary Elementary OPEN 481 Palo Alto Unified
310 Barron Park Elementary Elementary OPEN
329 David Starr Jordan Middle Middle OPEN
311 Duveneck Elementary Elementary OPEN
312 El Carmelo Elementary Elementary OPEN



313 Escondido Elementary Elementary OPEN
314 Fairmeadow Elementary Elementary OPEN
1088 Greendell Elementary Elementary OPEN
325 Henry M. Gunn High High School OPEN
316 Herbert Hoover Elementary Elementary OPEN
322 Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle Middle OPEN
317 Juana Briones Elementary Elementary OPEN
318 Lucille M. Nixon Elementary Elementary OPEN
319 Ohlone Elementary Elementary OPEN
327 Palo Alto High High School OPEN
320 Palo Verde Elementary Elementary OPEN
323 Terman Middle Middle CLOSED
315 Walter Hays Elementary Elementary OPEN
347 Abraham Lincoln High High School OPEN 482 San Jose Unified
355 Allen at Steinbeck Elementary OPEN
356 Almaden Elementary Elementary OPEN
361 Anne Darling Elementary Elementary OPEN
358 Booksin Elementary Elementary OPEN
339 Bret Harte Middle Middle OPEN
344 Broadway High Continuation OPEN
1098 Canoas Elementary Elementary OPEN
338 Castillero Middle Middle OPEN
1090 Community Career Academy (Continuation) Continuation OPEN
360 Cory (Benjamin) Elementary Elementary CLOSED
1096 Downtown College Preparatory High School OPEN
362 Empire Gardens Elementary Elementary OPEN
363 Erikson Elementary Elementary CLOSED
1100 Ernesto Galarza Elementary Elementary OPEN
364 Gardner Elementary Elementary OPEN
365 Grant Elementary Elementary OPEN
366 Graystone Elementary Elementary OPEN
345 Gunderson High High School OPEN
1091 Gunderson Plus (Continuation) Continuation OPEN
367 Hacienda Science/Environmental Elementary CLOSED
367 Hacienda Science/Environmental Magnet Elementary CLOSED
1099 Hammer Montessori at Galarza Elementary Elementary OPEN
340 Herbert Hoover Middle Middle OPEN
368 Hester Elementary Elementary CLOSED
371 Horace Mann Elementary Elementary OPEN
341 John Muir Middle Middle OPEN
346 Leland High High School OPEN
1094 Leland Plus (Continuation) Continuation OPEN
1089 Lincoln Plus High Continuation OPEN
369 Los Alamitos Elementary Elementary OPEN
370 Lowell Elementary Elementary OPEN
381 Merritt Trace Elementary Elementary OPEN
1097 Middle College High High School OPEN
337 Peter Burnett Middle Middle OPEN
348 Pioneer High High School OPEN
1093 Pioneer Plus (Continuation) Continuation OPEN
359 Rachel Carson Elementary Elementary OPEN
372 Randol (James) Elementary Elementary CLOSED
373 Reed Elementary Elementary OPEN
374 River Glen Elementary OPEN
349 San Jose High Academy High School OPEN
1095 San Jose High Academy Plus Continuation OPEN
375 Schallenberger Elementary Elementary OPEN
386 Selma Olinder Elementary Elementary OPEN



376 Simonds Elementary Elementary OPEN
342 Steinbeck Middle Middle CLOSED
377 Terrell Elementary Elementary OPEN
357 Walter L. Bachrodt Elementar Elementary OPEN
378 Washington Elementary Elementary OPEN
379 Williams Elementary Elementary OPEN
380 Willow Glen Elementary Elementary OPEN
350 Willow Glen High High School OPEN
343 Willow Glen Middle Middle OPEN
1092 Willow Glen Plus (Continuation) Continuation OPEN
1048 Alternative Placement Academy High School OPEN 954 Santa Clara County
1050 Bullis Charter Elementary OPEN
1049 Leadership Public Schools - East San Jose High School OPEN
1051 Pathfinder High High School OPEN
410 Adrian Wilcox High High School OPEN 483 Santa Clara Unified
382 Bowers Elementary Elementary OPEN
383 Bracher Elementary Elementary OPEN
384 Braly Elementary Elementary OPEN
385 Briarwood Elementary Elementary OPEN
406 Buchser Middle Middle OPEN
389 C. W. Haman Elementary Elementary OPEN
1101 Don Callejon Elementary PENDING
393 George Mayne Elementary Elementary OPEN
405 Juan Cabrillo Middle Middle OPEN
390 Kathryn Hughes Elementary Elementary OPEN
391 Laurelwood Elementary Elementary OPEN
1103 Marian A. Peterson Middle Middle OPEN
394 Millikin Elementary Elementary OPEN
395 Montague Elementary Elementary OPEN
1102 New Valley Continuation High Continuation OPEN
407 Peterson (Marian A.) High High School CLOSED
398 Pomeroy Elementary Elementary OPEN
399 Ponderosa Elementary Elementary OPEN
408 Santa Clara High High School OPEN
401 Scott Lane Elementary Elementary OPEN
402 Sutter Elementary Elementary OPEN
403 Washington Elementary Elementary OPEN
404 Westwood Elementary Elementary OPEN
196 Argonaut Elementary Elementary OPEN 469 Saratoga Union Ele
197 Foothill Elementary Elementary OPEN
198 Redwood Middle Middle OPEN
199 Saratoga Elementary Elementary OPEN
201 Bishop Elementary Elementary OPEN 470 Sunnyvale Elemen
202 Cherry Chase Elementary Elementary OPEN
203 Columbia Middle Middle OPEN
204 Cumberland Elementary Elementary OPEN
205 Ellis Elementary Elementary OPEN
206 Fairwood Elementary Elementary OPEN
208 Lakewood Elementary Elementary OPEN
209 San Miguel Elementary Elementary OPEN
210 Sunnyvale Middle Middle OPEN
211 Vargas Elementary Elementary OPEN
214 Alta Vista Elementary Elementary OPEN 471 Union Elementary
216 Carlton Elementary Elementary OPEN



218 Dartmouth Middle Middle OPEN
220 Guadalupe Elementary Elementary OPEN
222 Lietz Elementary Elementary OPEN
223 Lone Hill Elementary Elementary CLOSED
225 Noddin Elementary Elementary OPEN
226 Oster Elementary Elementary OPEN
229 Union Middle Middle OPEN
231 Crittenden Middle Middle CLOSED 472 Whisman Elementa
232 Monta Loma Elementary Elementary CLOSED
234 Theuerkauf Elementary Elementary CLOSED
235 Whisman Elementary Elementary CLOSED

Monday, October 3, 2011

Near Proposed New Apple Spaceship Campus De Soto Ave at Lawrence Expressway Potential Closure

Near the Proposed New Apple Computer "Spaceship" Campus, the neighborhood residents requested a study of a potential closure of De Soto Ave at Lawrence Expressway and its effects on the surrounding neighborhood. A Notice of Public Meeting was mailed out to residents who live on De Soto Avenue and/or live in the surrounding neighborhood. The postcard calls it a "De Soto Avenue Traffic Calming Study" and the Public Meeting to discuss it is scheduled for Wednesday, October 12, 2011 from 6pm-7pm at the Santa Clara City Council Chambers at 1500 Warburton Ave, Santa Clara, CA 95050.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Broccoli floating up into my laundry utility sink?! How did that happen?

Why is broccoli floating up into my laundry utility sink?! This could happen to you too. In some homes, the kitchen drain line connects to the laundry drain line. There's nothing wrong with this. However, make sure to finish your broccoli. I witnesses one homeowner have broccoli coming up through her laundry utility sink. Apparently, her kids didn't like broccoli, so she dumped lots of broccoli down her garbage disposal. The broccoli clogged the path from her kitchen sink toward the main plumbing line. With that direction blocked, the waste from the kitchen sink was now forced to flow in the other direction, toward the laundry utility sink in the garage. Bits of broccoli were floating up into that garage sink.

The solution was to call C&K Plumbing & Drain Service. He pointed out a vent that was sticking up out of the roof above the kitchen. That was the place to snake down into the kitchen drain lines. He pointed to another vent that was on the roof above the washer dryer hookup. Those were for the laundry lines. Furthermore, on the roof above the master bathroom and the hall bathroom were one vent each for snaking down into those two bathroom drain lines if needed someday.

C&K Plumbing provided this drain service for kitchen sink drain and laundry drain with roof power snaking for a total price of $120. That was quite reasonable for short notice call on a Sunday with his assistant having to carry that heavy snake machine up onto the roof.

Let this be a lesson to all, EAT your broccoli, do NOT toss it down the drain. Even if you chop it into tiny bits with the garbage disposal, it can mix with laundry lint to clog your drains. If you really can't stand broccoli, then throw it away in the garbage rather than down the kitchen sink.