property nerds blog
The Property Nerds blog, by subject
Six collections from the Boyenga Team’s blog: selling, buying, Eichlers, trust and estate sales, city comparisons and market research. Start with the one that matches what you’re working on, or see every post, newest first.
collection 1 · selling
Selling a Silicon Valley home
What it costs to sell, what to fix first, when to list and how far over or under asking homes close, with 14 years of sales behind the numbers.
85 articles in this collection
- Silicon Valley seller net sheet: what it costs to sell a home
- Pre-sale inspections: why Silicon Valley sellers inspect first
- The Silicon Valley Seller’s Prep Math: What to Fix Before Listing—and What to Skip
- Sell first or buy first? A Silicon Valley move-up guide
- Buy Before You Sell in Silicon Valley: Bridge Loans, HELOCs and Contingent Offers
- Best Time to Sell a House in the Bay Area: 14 Years of Silicon Valley Sales, Month by Month
- How Much Over Asking Do Silicon Valley Homes Sell For? 14 Years of Bidding-War Data
- Do Homes Sell Under Asking in Silicon Valley? When and Where Buyers Still Get a Discount
- How Long Are Homes Sitting in Silicon Valley? Days on Market by City
- Rent it or sell it? Running the numbers on a Silicon Valley home
- The home-sale tax exclusion for longtime Silicon Valley owners
- How to Sell a Home with Tenants in Silicon Valley
- The Over-Improvement Trap: When a Silicon Valley Renovation Reduces a Seller's Return
- Why Staging Matters More in Palo Alto, Los Altos, Mountain View, and Sunnyvale Than Sellers Think
Best month to sell, city by city
when closings sell over asking most often
Over asking, neighborhood by neighborhood
where bidding is strongest in each city
Transfer tax
rates, examples and calculators
Selling a home in your city
how we’d price, prepare and launch your sale, and the homes we’ve listed and sold there
AthertonBelmontBrisbaneBurlingameCampbellCupertinoDaly CityEast Palo AltoFoster CityGilroyHillsboroughLos AltosLos Altos HillsLos GatosMenlo ParkMillbraeMilpitasMonte SerenoMorgan HillMountain ViewPalo AltoPortola ValleyRedwood CitySan BrunoSan CarlosSan FranciscoSan JoseSan MateoSanta ClaraSaratogaSouth San FranciscoSunnyvaleWoodside
More selling articles (12): prep and a 30-day checklist, Compass Concierge, private-first marketing, first impressions and remodel math, with Willow Glen, West San Jose and Cambrian
- How to Prepare a Silicon Valley Home for Sale in 15 Days: The Boyenga Team Transformation Process
- The Remodeling Penalty: Why Some Renovations Do Not Pay Off
- The First 90 Seconds: What Silicon Valley Luxury Buyers Notice Before They Read the Disclosures
- What Willow Glen Buyers Notice During the First 90 Seconds
- The Lincoln Avenue Premium: Does Walkability Translate Into Resale Value?
- Why Original West San Jose Homes Can Compete With Recent Remodels
- How to Make a Typical Cambrian Floor Plan Feel More Open Before Selling
- Cambrian Remodel Math: Addition, Reconfiguration, or Complete Rebuild?
- Checklist: Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in 30 Days
- Protecting and Maximizing the Value of Your Home using the 3 Phase Marketing Strategy from the Boyenga Team
- Maximize Your Home’s Value with Compass Concierge
- Who Says You Only Have One Chance to Make a First Impression?
toolsSell with us · Seller playbook · Prep Lab · Launch Lab · Offer Lab · Seller net sheet · Best Month to Sell · Disclosure Decoder · Homes we’ve sold
collection 2 · buying
Buying a Silicon Valley home
Writing an offer that wins without overpaying, reading the disclosure packet, buying before you sell, a down payment from company stock, and where houses and condos still sell under a given price, city by city.
81 articles in this collection
- How to write a winning offer in Silicon Valley without overpaying
- Reading a Silicon Valley disclosure packet like a Property Nerd
- What Does $1 Million Buy in Silicon Valley? Square Feet by City, 2012 vs Now
- Buy Before You Sell in Silicon Valley: Bridge Loans, HELOCs and Contingent Offers
- Using RSUs and Company Stock for a Down Payment: Taxes, Lender Rules and Timing
- First-Time Home Buyer Programs in Silicon Valley (2026): Down Payment Help in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties
- The Supplemental Property Tax Bill: What You’ll Owe After You Buy
- SB 9 in Silicon Valley: what lot splits mean for buyers
- Buying a Home With Solar in Silicon Valley: Net Metering, Leases and What Transfers
- Caltrain Went Electric: What It Means if You’re Buying Near the Tracks
- Who Built My House? How to Find Out in Silicon Valley
Houses under a price, city by city
where they sold, neighborhood by neighborhood
Belmont under $2MBelmont under $2.5MBurlingame under $2.5MBurlingame under $3MCampbell under $2MCupertino under $3MCupertino under $3.5MDaly City under $1MDaly City under $1.2MEast Palo Alto under $1MFoster City under $2MGilroy under $1MLos Altos & Los Altos Hills under $4MLos Gatos under $2MLos Gatos & Monte Sereno under $3MMenlo Park under $2MMenlo Park under $3MMillbrae under $2MMilpitas under $1.5MMorgan Hill under $1MMorgan Hill under $1.5MMountain View under $2MMountain View under $2.5MPalo Alto under $2.5MPalo Alto under $3MRedwood City under $1.5MRedwood City under $2MSan Bruno under $1.25MSan Bruno under $1.5MSan Carlos under $2MSan Carlos under $2.5MSan Francisco under $1.5MSan Jose under $1MSan Jose under $1.5MSan Mateo under $1.5MSan Mateo under $2MSanta Clara under $1.5MSanta Clara under $2MSaratoga under $3MSaratoga under $4MSouth San Francisco under $1.2MSunnyvale under $2MSunnyvale under $2.5M
Condos and townhomes under a price, city by city
what they are and where they sell
Belmont under $1MBurlingame under $1MCampbell under $800KCupertino under $1.2MDaly City under $600KFoster City under $1MGilroy under $600KLos Altos under $1.5MLos Gatos under $1MMenlo Park under $1.2MMillbrae under $800KMilpitas under $1MMorgan Hill under $800KMountain View under $1MPalo Alto under $1.2MRedwood City under $1MSan Bruno under $500KSan Carlos under $1MSan Jose under $500KSan Jose under $800KSan Mateo under $700KSanta Clara under $800KSaratoga under $1.5MSouth San Francisco under $800KSunnyvale under $1M
More buying articles (2): what it costs to furnish a home and the Compass–Rocket Mortgage alliance
toolsBuy with us · Buyer playbook · Budget Lab · Offer Lab · Mortgage Lab · Affordability calculator · Tour Lab · Homes Selling Under Asking · Relocation Lab
collection 3 · eichlers & midmods
Eichlers and mid-century homes
How to tell an Eichler from a look-alike, who designed it, what the rules allow, what they sell for and how to sell one.
77 articles in this collection
- Is It Really an Eichler? How to Tell Eichlers From Their Look-Alikes
- Anshen & Allen, Jones & Emmons or Claude Oakland? How to Tell Who Designed Your Eichler
- Which Eichlers Are Historic? Bay Area Listings and the Rules That Shape a Remodel
- Remodeling an Eichler in Silicon Valley: City Rules, Radiant Heat, Roofs and the Energy Code
- What Eichler Houses Sell For in Silicon Valley, City by City (2026)
- Eichler Sales in Silicon Valley, Q3 2026: Prices and Sales Over Asking
- What Mid-Century Modern Houses Sell For in Silicon Valley, City by City (2026)
- What Eichler Buyers Actually Pay For: Architecture, Originality, Condition, and Neighborhood Scarcity
- Mountain View Eichlers: What Sellers Should Know Before Going to Market
- Every Sunnyvale Eichler, Counted: 970 Houses by Tract, Year and Size
- Which Palo Alto Eichler Tracts Have a Single-Story Overlay?
- Can You Add a Second Story to a Sunnyvale Eichler? Single-Story Districts, Block by Block
- Eichlers in San Mateo: 19th Avenue Park and the San Mateo Highlands
- Eichler in San Francisco: Diamond Heights, Laguna Heights and The Summit
- Eichlers in Marin and the East Bay: 15 Tracts, from Terra Linda to Sequoyah Hills
- A Field Guide to Silicon Valley Modernism: Eichler, Mackay, Streng, and Custom Post-and-Beam Homes
- Eichler, ranch or new construction? A Silicon Valley guide
Mid-century modern homes by city
prices, neighborhoods and homes for sale
More Eichler and midmod articles (55): tracts, neighborhoods and history
- West San Jose's Mid-Century Housing Stock: Ranch Homes, Eichlers, and Postwar Design
- Sunnyvale Eichlers: Why Fairbrae and Other Mid-Century Pockets Still Stand Out
- Why Mountain View Buyers Love Single-Level Ranch and Mid-Century Homes
- The Deeper Monta Loma History: Eichler, Mackay, Mardell, and the Three-Builder Modernist Experiment
- Why Eichler Homes Still Command a Premium in Silicon Valley
- Fairglen: An Eichler Haven
- The History of Eichler Homes
- Eichler Homes: A Unique Style of Mid-Century Modern Architecture
- Mid-Century Modern Homes throughout Silicon Valley
- Fairbrae: A very special Eichler Neighborhood
- Los Altos Fallen Leaf Park Eichlers
- Discovering the Eichler Homes and Community of Rancho Verde
- Primewood Eichlers: Storybook Architecture in Sunnyvale
- Rancho Sans Souci: A Late Eichler Neighborhood in Sunnyvale
- Fairgrove Eichler Neighborhood : Cupertino
- Fairwood Eichlers: Where Design Meets Functionality
- The Rise, Fall, and Resurgence of Mid-Century Modern Architecture
- Step into Modernist Architecture: An Eichler Home in Fairgrove/Cupertino
- Exploring the Legacy of Eichler Architecture: Architects Anshen and Allen, Jones and Emmons, and Claude Oakland and Associates
- Eichler Homes of Fallen Leaf Park: A Living Legacy of Mid-Century Modern Design in Silicon Valley
- Redwood City Eichlers: A Dive into the Mid-Century Marvels of Atherwood and Beyond
- Atherton Eichler Homes: A Blend of Vision and Elegance
- Exploring Eichler Homes in Portola Valley and Ladera
- Fairbrae Eichler Home: A Modern Oasis in Sunnyvale
- Jones and Emmons: Pioneering the Eichler Aesthetic with Mid-Century Modern Brilliance
- The Mountain View Eichler Tracts: A Dive into Mid-Century Modern Excellence
- Grandmeadow: Eichler’s Mountain View Architectural Jewel
- Discovering Fairview: An Eichler Haven in Monta Loma
- Discovering the Rare Eichler Duplexes in Redwood City
- Discovering the Uncommon Legacy of Two-Story Eichler Homes
- Exploring the Fairpark Addition: A Unique Eichler Neighborhood in Sunnyvale
- Green Gables Eichler Neighborhood: Mid-Century Modern in Palo Alto
- Charleston Meadows: A Portrait of Community and Mid-Century Modern Elegance
- Eichler Atriums: Bringing Nature Inside
- Mackay Homes: Mid-Century Modern Developments in the Bay Area Historical Overview of John Mackay and Mackay Homes
- Gavello Homes: Mid-Century Modern Design in Silicon Valley
- Bahl Homes: Mid-Century Modern Design in Silicon Valley
- Eichler Homes: The Mid-Century Modern Marvels of the Bay Area
- Mid-Mod in Pop Culture: How Eichler Aesthetics Shaped Film, TV, and Fashion
- Sunnyvale Luxury Market Watch: From Eichlers to New Construction Estates
- Hidden Eichlers: Overlooked Silicon Valley Neighborhoods | Boyenga Team Compass
- Sunnyvale’s Ascendancy as a Key Market for Eichler Home Buyers
- How The Boyenga Team Helped Clients Sell Eichlers, Luxury Homes, and Off-Market Properties
- Preserving Mid-Century Modern in Sunnyvale: A Market Caught Between Past and Future
- Silicon Valley’s Eichler Legacy: A Comparative Analysis for the Discerning Buyer in San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Palo Alto
- The Midtown Tract: An Analytical Deep Dive into Sunnyvale’s Late-Era Eichler Enclave
- Fairbrae Eichler Neighborhood — A Deep Dive (Sunnyvale, 94087)
- San Mateo Highlands: A Review of the Eichler Development and Its Enduring Market Value
- Surrey Farms, Los Gatos — Where Mid-Century Roots Meet Modern Luxury
- Mid-Century Modern Tracts in Los Gatos: A Property Nerds Perspective
- Discovering Mid-Century Modern Homes in Campbell, California
- Willow Glen (San Jose) — Mid-Century Modern Homes Deep Dive
- The Eichler Staging Playbook: How the Boyenga Team Recreates the Mid-Century Look Buyers Crave
- Eichler Streets That Trade Like Blue-Chip Stocks
- Preparing Eichler Homes for Sale: The Boyenga Team’s Data-Driven, Design-Savvy Formula
toolsSell your Eichler or midmod · Eichler homes for sale · Eichler tracts · Midmod tracts · Eichler vs. midmod prices · Eichler Market Report · Home Styles Field Guide
collection 4 · trust & estate
Trust, probate and estate sales
For successor trustees, executors and their families: the steps before listing, selling from out of the area, and what Proposition 19 changes for inherited homes.
9 articles in this collection
- How to Sell a Trust Property in Silicon Valley
- What Trustees Should Know Before Selling a Silicon Valley Property
- The Silicon Valley Trustee's Pre-Market Checklist
- Before the Listing Agreement: Twelve Decisions Silicon Valley Trustees and Beneficiaries Should Make
- Selling a Silicon Valley Home as an Out-of-Area Trustee: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Selling a Trust Property in Palo Alto, Los Altos, Mountain View, or Sunnyvale
- Selling a Longtime Family Home in Los Altos: What Trustees and Adult Children Should Know
- Deferred-Maintenance Triage: Preparing an Estate Home in Los Altos Hills, Saratoga, or Portola Valley
- Prop 19 for Silicon Valley homeowners 55+: keep your tax base
toolsHow we handle trust and estate sales · Proposition 19 · Leasing services · Disclosure Decoder
collection 5 · comparisons
City and neighborhood comparisons
Side-by-side facts for cities buyers and sellers weigh against each other: trains, utilities, transfer tax, zoning, lots, and what homes sold for on each side of the city line.
98 articles in this collection
- Palo Alto vs. Los Altos vs. Mountain View vs. Sunnyvale: Home Prices Compared (2026)
- Silicon Valley and Peninsula Cities at a Glance: Trains, Power, Transfer Tax and Eichlers
- Townhouse vs. Condo in Silicon Valley: What Each Sold For, City by City (2026)
- Condos vs. Houses: The Price per Square Foot Gap in Every Silicon Valley City (2026)
- What Comes With a House in Each Silicon Valley City: 12 Features Compared (2026)
City vs. city: trains, utilities, taxes and zoning
fact-checked comparisons
Cambrian vs. Willow GlenCampbell vs. CambrianCampbell vs. Los GatosCupertino vs. SaratogaCupertino vs. SunnyvaleLos Altos vs. CupertinoLos Altos vs. Los Altos HillsLos Altos vs. Mountain ViewLos Altos vs. Palo AltoLos Altos vs. SunnyvaleLos Gatos 95030 vs. 95032Los Gatos vs. Monte SerenoLos Gatos vs. SaratogaLos Gatos vs. Willow GlenMenlo Park vs. AthertonMenlo Park vs. Palo AltoMountain View vs. SunnyvalePalo Alto vs. Los Altos vs. Mountain View vs. SunnyvalePalo Alto vs. Mountain ViewPalo Alto vs. SunnyvaleRedwood City vs. San CarlosSan Carlos vs. BelmontSan Jose vs. Santa ClaraSan Mateo vs. BurlingameSanta Clara vs. SunnyvaleThe 94025–94027 Trade-Off: Menlo Park Walkability vs. Atherton Lot Size, Privacy, and Estate LivingThe Crossings vs. Whisman StationThe One-Acre Equation: Los Altos Convenience vs. Los Altos Hills Land, Privacy, and Ownership CostsTwo Main Streets, Two Price Curves: Downtown Campbell vs. Willow Glen Real EstateWest San Jose vs. CupertinoWillow Glen vs. Campbell
City vs. city: prices, sizes and the city line
what houses sold for on each side
Atherton vs. HillsboroughBelmont vs. San MateoBurlingame vs. HillsboroughBurlingame vs. MillbraeCampbell vs. CupertinoCampbell vs. San JoseCampbell vs. SaratogaCupertino vs. Los GatosCupertino vs. Mountain ViewCupertino vs. Palo AltoCupertino vs. San JoseCupertino vs. Santa ClaraDaly City vs. San BrunoDaly City vs. South San FranciscoLos Gatos vs. Los AltosLos Gatos vs. San JoseMilpitas vs. San JoseMilpitas vs. Santa ClaraMorgan Hill vs. GilroyMorgan Hill vs. San JoseMountain View vs. Santa ClaraPalo Alto vs. AthertonPortola Valley vs. Los Altos HillsRedwood City vs. Menlo ParkSan Bruno vs. MillbraeSan Carlos vs. San MateoSan Mateo vs. Foster CitySan Mateo vs. Redwood CitySaratoga vs. Los AltosSaratoga vs. Los Altos HillsSouth San Francisco vs. San BrunoSunnyvale vs. MilpitasSunnyvale vs. San JoseWoodside vs. AthertonWoodside vs. Portola Valley
Neighborhoods by their lots and houses
lot sizes, house ages, flood and fire zones, city by city
Atherton, Woodside and Portola ValleyBelmontBurlingameCampbellCupertinoDaly CityEast Palo AltoFoster CityGilroyHillsboroughLos Altos & Los Altos HillsLos Gatos & Monte SerenoMenlo ParkMillbraeMilpitasMountain ViewPalo AltoRedwood CitySan BrunoSan CarlosSan FranciscoSan JoseSan MateoSanta ClaraSaratogaSouth San FranciscoSunnyvale
collection 6 · market research
Silicon Valley market research
Our own analysis of closed MLS sales: prices, bidding, price ladders, home types and features, city by city. Every dataset is listed in the Data Library.
111 articles in this collection
- Silicon Valley Housing Market Q3 2026: City-by-City Prices and Bidding vs. a Year Ago
- How Much Over Asking Do Silicon Valley Homes Sell For? 14 Years of Bidding-War Data
- How Many Homes Sell in Silicon Valley? Sales by City, 2012–2026
- Silicon Valley Housing Market by City: The 2026 Scorecard
- Silicon Valley’s Price Ladder Is Stretching: Entry-Level vs. Top-End Home Prices Since 2019
- Where Homes Sell Furthest Over Asking: Silicon Valley Neighborhoods Ranked (2026)
- Where Silicon Valley’s $5 Million Houses Sell, Neighborhood by Neighborhood (2026)
- Where Houses Still Sell Under $2 Million in Silicon Valley, Neighborhood by Neighborhood (2026)
- Which Home Features Start Bidding Wars in Silicon Valley? (2026)
- Single-Story Homes in Silicon Valley: What They Sell For, City by City (2026)
- Silicon Valley Homes With an ADU: What They Sell For, City by City (2026)
- Silicon Valley Homes With a Pool: What They Sell For, City by City (2026)
- Silicon Valley Homes With a View: What They Sell For, City by City (2026)
- Cul-de-Sac and Corner-Lot Homes in Silicon Valley: Do They Sell for More? (2026)
Housing market by the numbers, city by city
prices, bidding wars and the price ladder since 2012
Home types by the numbers, city by city
styles, features and what they sell for
AthertonBelmontBurlingameCampbellCupertinoDaly CityEast Palo AltoFoster CityGilroyHillsboroughLos AltosLos Altos HillsLos GatosMenlo ParkMillbraeMilpitasMorgan HillMountain ViewPalo AltoPortola ValleyRedwood CitySan BrunoSan CarlosSan JoseSan MateoSanta ClaraSaratogaAll of Silicon ValleySouth San FranciscoSunnyvaleWoodside
What each house style sells for
city by city across Silicon Valley
Condos by city
prices, sizes and where they sell
Townhomes by city
prices, sizes and where they sell
toolsProperty Nerds® Index · Data Library · Market Pulse · Home Price History · How Much Over Asking · Homes Selling Under Asking · Days on Market
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eric boyenga dre 01254725 · janelle boyenga dre 01254724 · compass · equal housing opportunity