The current trend is toward the more contemporary finishes with an overall ease of maintenance.  This is most predominate in the selection of  polished or metallic finished flooring and countertop materials. [caption id="attachment_542" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Stunning contemporary design of new home at Redwood Gate in Palo Alto. (Photo courtesy of Gun...

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Three and a half years ago, I’d never been to Union City.  My first visit to Talavera was right after I started at SummerHill.  For Talavera’s 1st sales release, there was a tent set-up in the parking lot to announce the release.  The homes were just barely started and the models hadn’t even opened yet. Well, Talavera has com...

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Okay, so we never did get around to Spring cleaning, so we figured better late than never especially before holiday decorations go up. Last week I cleaned the dryer vent – boy what a difference in how fast our clothes dry.  I guess that’s what they are saying when they say keep your dryer vent clean to maximize energy efficiency.  You can ...

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Community Spotlight this week is on Parkwood! The Parkwood community in San Jose has two types of homes... the Redwoods, a single family home and the Gardens, a townhome style condominium. A couple great advantages to this community? (more…)......

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Redfinnian that is. Just checking out the recent newsletter from RedFin (a real estate brokerage firm) that reviewed the recent Case Shiller index. Why does this matter? Because they report that home prices and sales are up! (more…)......

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What's new in technology?

The Wall Street Journal 2009 Technology Innovation Awards article got me thinking with everything from paper-thin flexibile speakers to small, lightweight fuel cells to EcoRock (a drywall substitute), there is a lot of innovation happening in technology to make our lives easier and more environmentally friendly. For homes, we're hearing about solar technology ...

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We're excited about the new Sub-Zero BI-36U!  It has been re-engineered — exterior and interior— to offer you the best in design options and the best in food preservation. [caption id="attachment_500" align="aligncenter" width="182" caption="Check out the new Sub-Zero BI-36U with Fresh Technology to keep your food fresher longer."][/caption] Fre...

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Here's this week's real estate news in six lines or less... hope you enjoy. SF bay area foreclosure activity is dropping, in fact, 10% fewer foreclosures are on the market. However, not all US cities are so lucky…Florida’s media home price is at $144,000, and is predicted to hit bottom still. In other news, going green gains momentum as prices for a new ...

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A few weeks ago, I shared that shared Village Square in San Jose got a 77.  Pretty great, right? And a good Walk Score is not the only thing Village Square offers. Village Square is really an oasis in the midst of Urban Living.  It reminds me of the row homes in San Francisco, but better because the weather in San Jose is pretty awesome year ro...

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Labor day. Possibly the best holiday for you hard workin’ 8 to 6er’s out there. A day off (a real one!) with no obligation to buy gifts, visit family, or travel for hours on end while playing “I spy with my little eye”… So in honor of this amazing holiday, let’s briefly review the labor of homebuilding and why we ALL dese...

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