real estate trends

Are Los Altos Condos or Townhouses A Good Investment?

2024-05-20 By Jeffrey R Keller

Compare Townhouses To Houses

Los Altos townhouse prices have tracked Los Alto house prices. Currently, the state of California is trying to increase the availability of “affordable” housing. Although townhouses are less expensive and houses, increased production of townhouses might occur in projects that also include condos, but the higher price of a townhouse vs. a condo makes it less desirable project (for the government) to address the cost of housing.

Sales price trends do not show an advantage for appreciation between either houses or townhouses.

Compare Condos To Houses

After 2020, Los Altos house prices increased faster than condo prices. This is probably due more to COVID-19 considerations than demand vs. supply. An opportunity for greater condo appreciation might exist. Unless supply increases for condos, the price differential will likely return to those seen during the previous 20 years.

More information about Los Altos real estate is available from the Juliana Lee Team.

Los Altos Hills Houses Reach All-Time Largest

2023-08-28 By Jeffrey R Keller

The Los Altos Hills average size of houses sold reached an all-time quarterly high on Aug 18, 2023.

Quarterly average size of Los Altos Hills houses sold

However, the average size of Los Altos homes sold was at the lower side of recent trends.

Quarterly average size of house sold in Los Altos.

What makes this catch our attention is that the average house size for eight San Mateo County cities (Foster City, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Pacifica, Portola Valley, San Carlos, San Mateo, and Woodside) and for Palo Alto spiked upward to their highest-ever quarterly values. The trend was so broad that the San Mateo County average size of houses sold also reached an all-time high.

Quarterly average size of houses sold in San Mateo County

Although no reason is known for the spike in the average size of houses sold in San Mateo County, it appears that Los Altos and Los Altos Hills are probably not similarly affected. Learn more about Los Altos real estate.

Corona Virus – Larger Lots?

2020-12-16 By Jeffrey R Keller

There have been a few reports (without data) that the corona virus pandemic is leading home buyers to prefer larger homes with larger lots. In Silicon Valley the city of Los Altos is known for having lots larger than most other Silicon Valley cities.

Comparing house sales price trends for Los Altos to downtown Palo Alto does not yet show any change in preferences. Prices have been relatively flat since the beginning of 2019 for both areas through the end of November 2020.