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.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
It's Silicon Valley. Don't underestimate the intelligence of your buyers.
When in Silicon Valley, do not underestimate the intelligence of your buyers.
I wrote a Blog about high voltage power lines near a portion of the Cherry Chase neighborhood. Buyers here in Silicon Valley are not satisfied with emf is just "approx" same as a nearby microwave. They want an EXACT answer and will use Pythagorean theorem and inverse square law to compute relative emf of each Cherry Chase listing vs. Microwave in kitchen. I got my buyers the exact voltage and height of power lines.
Robert Lei
REALTOR, ePRO
Century 21 M&M and Associates
(408) 893-2410
Sent from my iPhone
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Santa Clara County Real Estate Report - September 2011
Santa Clara County Real Estate Report - September 2011
http://siliconvalleyhouses.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/real-estate-rhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifeport-september-rl.pdf
http://siliconvalleyhouses.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/real-estate-rhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifeport-september-rl.pdf
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Cupertino vs. Santa Clara vs. Berryessa property tax comparison
For buyers who are numbers driven, I did a detailed comparison of the property tax charges between sample houses in the 3 neighborhoods below:
1. Cupertino address with Cupertino schools
2. Santa Clara address with Cupertino schools
3. San Jose address with Berryessa schools
The overall property tax rates are very similar for all properties in Santa Clara County because for all properties, you start with the same 1% maximum levy on the assessed value and that 1% is the bulk of every property tax bill. The variations are due to the minor elements added on to that.
Three of the add-ons are based on the school district:
1. Community College Bonds is .000326 for CUSD/FUHSD and just .000170 for Berryessa School District.
2. Elementary or Unif School Bonds is .000308 for Cupertino Union School District (CUSD) but higher at .000507 for Berryessa School District.
3. High School Bonds is .000365 for FUHSD but higher at .000712 for East Side Union High School District.
Special assessments are also different for each community:
Some assessments are based on address (not school district).
The house with Cupertino address (based on address not school district) is charged special assessments for the following:
1. Sewer Service - Cupertino $288
2. County Library $33.66
3. Cupertino/Environment/Storm $12
In comparison, the house with San Jose address pays a San Jose Library Assessment of $27.80 and the house with Santa Clara address pays a SCCOSA Assessment of $12.
Other special assessments are based on school district (not address).
For instance, regardless of address, homes in the Cupertino Union School District (CUSD) and Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) pay CUSD Parcel Tax $125 and FUHSD Parcel Tax $98. In comparison, the Berryessa School District Parcel Tax is just $79.
In summary:
1. Cupertino address with Cupertino schools = Assessed Value*(Tax Rate = 0.011506 + 0.000072)+ $638.46
2. Santa Clara address with Cupertino schools = Assessed Value*(Tax Rate = 0.011482 + 0.000072)+ $316.80
3. San Jose address with Berryessa schools = Assessed Value*(Tax Rate = 0.012222 + 0.000072)+ $694.46
The final conclusion is that the property tax rates are only slightly different between different neighborhoods within Santa Clara County. If you are evaluating a potential purchase of investment property and need a rough property tax figure to enable you to compute cash flow then use a rough number of 0.0125 * Assessed Property Value (i.e. 1.25% * purchase price for year1)
1. Cupertino address with Cupertino schools
2. Santa Clara address with Cupertino schools
3. San Jose address with Berryessa schools
The overall property tax rates are very similar for all properties in Santa Clara County because for all properties, you start with the same 1% maximum levy on the assessed value and that 1% is the bulk of every property tax bill. The variations are due to the minor elements added on to that.
Three of the add-ons are based on the school district:
1. Community College Bonds is .000326 for CUSD/FUHSD and just .000170 for Berryessa School District.
2. Elementary or Unif School Bonds is .000308 for Cupertino Union School District (CUSD) but higher at .000507 for Berryessa School District.
3. High School Bonds is .000365 for FUHSD but higher at .000712 for East Side Union High School District.
Special assessments are also different for each community:
Some assessments are based on address (not school district).
The house with Cupertino address (based on address not school district) is charged special assessments for the following:
1. Sewer Service - Cupertino $288
2. County Library $33.66
3. Cupertino/Environment/Storm $12
In comparison, the house with San Jose address pays a San Jose Library Assessment of $27.80 and the house with Santa Clara address pays a SCCOSA Assessment of $12.
Other special assessments are based on school district (not address).
For instance, regardless of address, homes in the Cupertino Union School District (CUSD) and Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) pay CUSD Parcel Tax $125 and FUHSD Parcel Tax $98. In comparison, the Berryessa School District Parcel Tax is just $79.
In summary:
1. Cupertino address with Cupertino schools = Assessed Value*(Tax Rate = 0.011506 + 0.000072)+ $638.46
2. Santa Clara address with Cupertino schools = Assessed Value*(Tax Rate = 0.011482 + 0.000072)+ $316.80
3. San Jose address with Berryessa schools = Assessed Value*(Tax Rate = 0.012222 + 0.000072)+ $694.46
The final conclusion is that the property tax rates are only slightly different between different neighborhoods within Santa Clara County. If you are evaluating a potential purchase of investment property and need a rough property tax figure to enable you to compute cash flow then use a rough number of 0.0125 * Assessed Property Value (i.e. 1.25% * purchase price for year1)
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Sunnyvale Somerset of Sunnyvale by Summerhill Homes in Cumberland, Sunnyvale Middle, Homestead High School District
Somerset of Sunnyvale
"Somerset of Sunnyvale" is a cluster of Single-Family Homes built by Summerhill Homes in Cumberland Elementary, Sunnyvale Middle, and Homestead High School district in the mid 1990s. These homes are a good combination of being relatively new, yet built early enough that they have decent-sized lots and are located in a good neighborhood just south of Washington Park. To get to this community from Washington Park, walk south on Pescadero Terrace or Sunset Ave. The other streets in this community are Markham Terrace, Kearney Terrace, Redondo Terrace, and Pismo Terrace.
Schools
The schools for this community are all highly rated:
Cumberland Elementary
Sunnyvale Middle
Homestead High
Price Trend
The most common models and their price trend are as follows:
Large: 1644 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms
4/16/11 $1,007,900 <-- The recent price this spring was nearly back up to spring 2008 value
9/1/08 $1,000,000
6/28/08 $998,888
5/7/08 $1,009,161
Medium: 1568 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms
5/4/11 $952,000 <-- In less than a year, the price has gone up $30,000
7/30/10 $922,000
Small: 1354 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms
4/15/09 $815,000 <-- April 2009 was the BOTTOM of the recent downturn
5/2/08 $948,000
Sometimes statistics that are too general, such lumping the entire city of Sunnyvale, don't tell the price trend accurately because the median and average price for an entire city might simply describe a change in the mixture of sales between northern and souther Sunnyvale. However, since I am comparing EXACT same model homes in the same complex, my data above gives an accurate picture of the price trend. The bottom of this downturn was in April 2009 and ever since then the price trend has been gradually upward in the Cumberland Elementary/Sunnyvale Middle/Homstead High neighborhoods. Talk to me if you'd like me to analyze your particular neighborhood.
To see other posts is this blog:
Go to SiliconValleyHouses blogspot
94086 Education Level:
Friday, August 12, 2011
"Somerset of Sunnyvale" by Summerhill Homes in Cumberland Elementary, Sunnyvale Middle, and Homestead High School District
"Somerset of Sunnyvale" is a cluster of Single-Family Homes built by Summerhill Homes in Cumberland Elementary, Sunnyvale Middle, and Homestead High School district in the mid 1990s. These homes are a good combination of being relatively new, yet built early enough that they have decent-sized lots and are located in a good neighborhood just south of Washington Park. To get to this community from Washington Park, walk south on Pescadero Terrace or Sunset Ave. The other streets in this community are Markham Terrace, Kearney Terrace, Redondo Terrace, and Pismo Terrace.
The schools for this community are all highly rated:
Cumberland Elementary
Sunnyvale Middle
Homestead High
The most common models and their price trend are as follows:
Large: 1644 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms
4/16/11 $1,007,900 <-- The recent price this spring was nearly back up to spring 2008 value
9/1/08 $1,000,000
6/28/08 $998,888
5/7/08 $1,009,161
Medium: 1568 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms
5/4/11 $952,000 <-- In less than a year, the price has gone up $30,000
7/30/10 $922,000
Small: 1354 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms
4/15/09 $815,000 <-- April 2009 was the BOTTOM of the recent downturn
5/2/08 $948,000
Sometimes statistics that are too general, such lumping the entire city of Sunnyvale, don't tell the price trend accurately because the median and average price for an entire city might simply describe a change in the mixture of sales between northern and souther Sunnyvale. However, since I am comparing EXACT same model homes in the same complex, my data above gives an accurate picture of the price trend. The bottom of this downturn was in April 2009 and ever since then the price trend has been gradually upward in the Cumberland Elementary/Sunnyvale Middle/Homstead High neighborhoods. Talk to me if you'd like me to analyze your particular neighborhood.
The schools for this community are all highly rated:
Cumberland Elementary
Sunnyvale Middle
Homestead High
The most common models and their price trend are as follows:
Large: 1644 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms
4/16/11 $1,007,900 <-- The recent price this spring was nearly back up to spring 2008 value
9/1/08 $1,000,000
6/28/08 $998,888
5/7/08 $1,009,161
Medium: 1568 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms
5/4/11 $952,000 <-- In less than a year, the price has gone up $30,000
7/30/10 $922,000
Small: 1354 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms
4/15/09 $815,000 <-- April 2009 was the BOTTOM of the recent downturn
5/2/08 $948,000
Sometimes statistics that are too general, such lumping the entire city of Sunnyvale, don't tell the price trend accurately because the median and average price for an entire city might simply describe a change in the mixture of sales between northern and souther Sunnyvale. However, since I am comparing EXACT same model homes in the same complex, my data above gives an accurate picture of the price trend. The bottom of this downturn was in April 2009 and ever since then the price trend has been gradually upward in the Cumberland Elementary/Sunnyvale Middle/Homstead High neighborhoods. Talk to me if you'd like me to analyze your particular neighborhood.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
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