Palo Alto Weekly 07.27.2012 - Section 2

Open HOMe Guide 58Also online at PaloAltoOnline.com

Home FrontHome & Real Estate

Avoiding blood-sucking insects

bzzzzzz. Thwack. There’s nothing quite like the buzz of a mos-quito to ruin a summer barbecue — or a warm

night’s rest.Though 2012 has seen a de-

crease in mosquito activity in Palo Alto, late rains have created more possible nest-ing places in puddles. This excess of standing water has provided ample mosquito nest-ing grounds: This year so far, the Santa Clara County Vector Control District, the county sec-tor responsible for pest control, has assisted abatement in 150 residences. Much of it occurs in foreclosed homes or in homes that have been rented out while their owners are on vacation.

Mosquito season may be-gin as early as January, but droughts this year after heavy rains pushed the beginning of the season back to March. Typi-cally, the season lasts from early April to late August, with

a peak in June and July.While most folks don’t take

mosquitoes too seriously, last week’s discovery of a squirrel with West Nile virus in Menlo Park brings the potential prob-lem quite close to home.

Residents should take abate-ment measures to prevent mos-quitoes from nesting in their yards, especially in sources of still water, said Russell Par-man, acting district manager of the Santa Clara County Vector Control District. Close proxim-ity to mosquito nesting grounds mean a greater chance of being bitten and possibly contracting a disease, such as West Nile virus. Timeliness is paramount in abatement because eggs be-come adults in about 14 days. As mosquitoes continue to lay eggs in the water source, the water becomes a more attrac-tive venue for other mosquitoes to nest in, causing more mosqui-

Mosquitos can thrive in pools, ponds or even fountains

BIRDS AND BEES ... Master Garden-er Rebecca Schoenenberger will offer a free workshop on “Growing Flowers That Attract Birds, Bees, Humming-birds, Beneficial Insects and Other Organisms” on Tuesday, July 31, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Los Altos Library, 13 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos. Information: Master Gardeners at 408-282-3105, between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Monday through Fri-day or http://mastergardeners.org

GARDEN BONANZA ... Filoli will offer three days of demonstrations, walks and talks, plus crafts for children dur-ing its “Great Big Garden Bonanza” from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 3 and 4, and from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 5, at 86 Cañada Road, Wood-side. Highlights include a walk through the heirloom orchard; as well as walks and talks focusing on everything from picking pears to preparing food or flower arranging using seasonal fruit and blooms. There’s also a display of cutting garden flowers and an art exhibit, “Handcrafted and Through the Lens.” All activities are included in Filoli’s admission fee, which is $15 for adult nonmembers, $12 for seniors, $5 for children (ages 5 to 17). Informa-tion: 650-364-8300 or www.filoli.org (for complete schedule of events)

WHAT’S COOKING? . . . Hands-on cooking classes at Sur La Table, #57 Town & Country Village, Palo Alto, include: “Summer Berry Puddings Pies and Cakes” (Saul Flores, July 28, 11 a.m., $69; “Best of Thailand” (Terrina Wong, July 28, 5 p.m., $69); “Tame the Flame: Everyday Grilling” (Kim Henderson, July 29, 3 p.m., $69); “Date Night: Surf and Turf” (Will VanBrackle, Aug. 3, 6:30 p.m., $85); “Essential Knife Skills” (Saul Flores, Aug. 4, 11 a.m., $59); “Sum-mer Tapas Party” (Will VanBrackle, Aug. 4, 5 p.m., $69); “Fresh French Fruit Desserts” (Saul Flores, Aug. 5, 11 a.m., $69); and “Sizzling Mexico” (Will VanBrackle, Aug. 5, 5 p.m., $69). Information: 650-289-0438 or email [email protected]

INTRO TO ALESSI ... New and classic Alessi designs for kitchen, tabletop and home will be on display at Fibre Arts Design Studio, 935 Industrial Ave., Palo Alto, from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 28. Alessi staff will be on hand to answer questions, and at 2 p.m., Jens Menke of Alessi will offer stories behind the designs and the history of the Italian ceramic company, as well as high tea. The current exhibition at the design studio, “Hearth and Home,” which explores concepts of constructed spaces, con-tinues through Aug. 19. Information: www.fibreartsdesign.com or 650-485-2121 n

Send notices of news and events related to real estate, interior design, home improvement and gardening to Home Front, Palo Alto Weekly, P.O. Box 1610, Palo Alto, CA 94302, or email [email protected]. Deadline is one week before publication.

by Helen Carefoot

(continued on page 35)

www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • July 27, 2012 • Page 33

Page 34 • July 27, 2012 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com

Home & Real Estate

Menlo Park

Palo Alto Atherton

Portola Valley

Listens carefully

Communicates honestly

Is responsive and resourceful

Provides data to inform yourdecisions

Works diligently until your goals are achieved

you

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Realtor ®650.380.0085

[email protected]

DRE# 01349099

A GOOD REALTOR...toes to populate the same pond or fountain.

Parman advises residents to take care of any containers of standing water.

“People should empty or drain standing water of any size around the home,” he said, “especially swimming pools and spas.” Par-man says the most common mosquito nesting grounds in Palo Alto are old catch basins and dilapidated swimming pools.

Barron Park resident Nancy Hamilton expe-rienced abatement first hand when she discov-ered mosquito larvae living in her fountain. “I have a portable fountain on my deck that my dog sometimes drinks out of,” she said, “I watched it carefully and saw the larvae just below the surface, which looked like thin black hairs.”

After doing some research, she decided to replace the water in her fountain. Initially, Hamilton did not think it was possible for mosquito larvae to live in her fountain.

“I didn’t think I would have a problem because Palo Alto water has chloromine (a chemical used to clean water), but I was wrong. The chloromine doesn’t evaporate, so it doesn’t take care of the problem.”

Parman said Gambusia affinis, or mos-quito fish, “are an extremely effective means of abatement in urban residential settings be-cause they are environmentally friendly and able to re-populate by themselves.”

Originally introduced into California as early as 1922, mosquito fish have been one of the most effective non-insecticidal and non-chemical methods of controlling mosquitoes for more than 80 years, he said. The fish live near the surface of the water source and eat the mosquito eggs resting on the surface.

A resilient species, mosquito fish are ca-pable of surviving harsh conditions like water with low oxygen content or elevated salinity and only need to be planted once per season. In a given year, the fish may produce any-where from 50 to 100 live-born young in three or four broods. Each fish is capable of eating more than 100 mosquito larvae daily. The fish can be placed in ponds and fountains, as well as some swimming pools.

The fish require little upkeep and can live for two to three years. The fish do not need to be fed unless the pond they inhabit is new and without vegetation; in this case, the fish can eat tropical fish flakes. Algae are beneficial for mosquito fish, but they cannot survive in ponds or fountains containing duckweed or certain types of leaves like eucalyptus, pine, oak or pittosporum.

One Barron Park resident used mosquito fish to abate her empty swimming pool after it had collected excess rainwater and was very happy with the results. “I challenge anyone to find a mosquito in that pool,” she said. “They do their job and you don’t have to feed them

or anything.” She was also pleased with the ease of acquir-

ing and installing the fish. “I just researched online, called the vector control agency and they set me up with them. It was really easy.”

The fish are available to all Santa Clara County residents with free delivery from April through October. However, it is illegal to plant mosquito fish without a county-issued permit. Also, the fish cannot be released into the wild because they are prolific and are capable of displacing natural species. If and when mosquito fish are no longer needed or reach abundance, residents can return them to the county.

According to the Santa Clara County Vec-tor Control District website, the two types of mosquitoes most commonly found in Palo Alto, the Culex and the Culiseta, lay “rafts,” or groups of 200 to 300 eggs that float on the surface of stagnant water sources. A raft of eggs looks like a speck of soot floating atop the water and each raft is about a quarter-inch long and an eighth-inch wide.

The Culex tends to lay eggs in man-made water sources such as sewage or ponds; the Culiseta prefers warm, sheltered, foul or pol-luted water such as that found in neglected swimming pools or catch basins. Both mos-quito varieties have been known to cluster around creeks. n

Editorial Intern Helen Carefoot can be emailed at [email protected].

Mosquitos(continued from page 33)

For more Home and Real Estate news, visit www.paloaltoonline.com/real_estate.

Read MoRe onlinewww.PaloAltoOnline.com

How to prevent mosquitoes from nesting in your yard

• Cover containers (so mosquitoes cannot enter to lay eggs)

• Remove excess vegetation• Change outdoor pet bowls and bird

baths regularly• Destroy or dispose of tin cans, old

tires, buckets, plastic sheeting or other containers that collect and hold water

• Fill or drain puddles, ditches and swampy areas

• Remove, drain or fill tree holes and stumps with mortar

• Eliminate seepage from cisterns, cesspools and septic tanks

• Take care not to over-irrigate lawns.To obtain mosquito fish and assistance,

residents can call the district at 408-914-4770/800-675-1155 or enter a request for services at www.sccgov.org (search for “mosquito abatement”).

— Helen Carefoot

HOME SALESHome sales are provided by California REsource, a real estate information company that obtains the information from the County Recorder’s Office. Information is recorded from deeds after the close of escrow and published within four to eight weeks.

East Palo Alto1765 E. Bayshore Road #210 Yuen Trust to L. Giam for $331,000 on 6/22/12; previous sale 7/08, $332,0001012 Bradley Way Gonzalez Trust to G. & S. Geppert-Lal for $300,000 on 6/20/121224 Camellia Drive H. Chen to J. Qin for $262,000 on 6/22/122466 Gloria Way S. Maximo to Habitat For Humanity for $209,000 on 6/22/12; previous sale 1/07, $135,0001238 Laurel Ave. Equity Growth Asset Management to D. Mejia for $350,000 on 6/21/12; previous sale 9/99, $250,000

122 Mission Drive B. & S. Du-betsky to T. Hui for $240,000 on 6/21/12; previous sale 1/01, $381,0002250 Ralmar Ave. Wells Fargo Bank to H. Zheng for $273,000 on 6/22/12; previous sale 12/96, $179,5001027 Ruth Court Aurora Loan Ser-vices to A. Callejas for $246,000 on 6/20/12; previous sale 12/04, $520,000

Los Altos38 3rd St. #102 Blankenburg Trust to T. Rose for $1,195,000 on 6/29/12; previous sale 3/99, $621,0003378 Beaumont Square J. & M. Lee to R. Jain for $1,560,000 on 7/3/12728 Brentwood Court Fournier Trust to E. & Y. Shimoni for $1,520,000 on 7/2/12310 Costello Drive Park Trust to Golzen Trust for $2,202,000 on 6/27/12; previous sale 8/03, $1,510,000

1190 Grant Road Sun Trust to L. Yin for $1,285,000 on 6/29/12; pre-vious sale 4/05, $1,165,000231 Yerba Buena Ave. J. & W. Raabe to T. & C. Shaked for $2,070,000 on 7/3/12

Los Altos Hills28025 Arastradero Road Mead-ows Trust to Ranganathan Trust for $3,100,000 on 6/29/12; previous sale 4/88, $965,00012445 Hilltop Drive Hedayati-Flake Trust to P. & N. Tamer for $5,070,000 on 6/29/124270 Manuela Way Noble Trust to E. Stein for $2,325,000 on 6/29/1226462 Purissima Road Los Altos Homes to V. & V. Sikka for $6,150,000 on 6/29/1214085 Seven Acres Lane S. & T. Colby to T. & L. Ramgopal for $2,100,000 on 7/6/12; previous sale 5/09, $1,900,00013303 Wildcrest Drive B. & E.

(continued on next page)www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • July 27, 2012 • Page 35

Home & Real Estate

Credit and collateral are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. This is not a commitment to lend. Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. ©2011 Bank of America Corporation. 00-62-2985D 01-2012 ARP3C451

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Selling Cottages to Castles!“Local Sales since 1986”

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JAN STROHECKERRealtor, DRE00620365

650.906.6516 [email protected]

Taylor Properties Palo Alto

Trusted Real estate Professional

Kathleen [email protected]

OPEN SUNDAY 1:30-4:30 PM

LOS ALTOS425 OLD OAK COURT $2,095,000

Spacious Home, Close to Downtown. Large Kitchen with Eating Area. Formal Dining Room.

Living Room with Fireplace and Vaulted Ceiling. Powder Room, Ground Floor Master Bedroom Suite.

Two Additional Bedroom Suites Plus Office and Family Room Upstairs.

Private, Tiered Backyard. Association Pool and Tennis Court.

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

LOS ALTOS HILLSAMBIANCE OF ANOTHER ERA $4,995,000

A Long Tree-Lined Drive Leads to this Glorious Knoll-Top Setting. The Property is Situated Close to the Village,

is Extremely Private and Quiet, And Offers Abundant Trees and Level, Usable Land.

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MANSELLAND COMPANYRESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE

East Palo AltoTotal sales reported: 8Lowest sales price: $209,000Highest sales price: $350,000

Los AltosTotal sales reported: 6Lowest sales price: $1,195,000Highest sales price: $2,202,000

Los Altos HillsTotal sales reported: 6Lowest sales price: $2,100,000Highest sales price: $6,150,000

Menlo ParkTotal sales reported: 6Lowest sales price: $310,000Highest sales price: $3,452,000

Mountain ViewTotal sales reported: 20Lowest sales price: $285,000Highest sales price: $1,800,000

Palo AltoTotal sales reported: 13Lowest sales price: $197,000Highest sales price: $3,275,000

Redwood CityTotal sales reported: 9Lowest sales price: $210,000Highest sales price: $1,600,000

WoodsideTotal sales reported: 2Lowest sales price: $695,000Highest sales price: $3,275,000

Source: California REsource

SALES AT A GLANCECohen to E. Kita for $2,450,000 on 7/6/12

Menlo Park1440 Modoc Ave. Habitat For Humanity to M. Li for $315,000 on 6/18/12; previous sale 1/11, $257,500269 O’connor St. O’Connor Investment to A. Jain for $1,250,000 on 6/21/124 Pepperwood Court B. & J. Porter to V. Pilette for $3,452,000 on 6/20/12; previ-ous sale 2/07, $3,450,0002426 Sharon Oaks Drive Gardner Trust to J. Browne for $1,200,000 on 6/21/121330 University Drive G. Morrison to Tollinger Trust for $1,058,500 on 6/19/12; previ-ous sale 2/10, $695,0001212 Windermere Ave. G. & X. Nickings to M. & M. Baskaus-kas for $310,000 on 6/21/12; previous sale 5/97, $179,000

Mountain View2349 Carol Ave. Smith Trust to Diamond Trust for $1,385,000 on 7/2/12; previous sale 11/07, $1,298,000412 Chagall St. Shea Homes to P. Vemulapalli for $772,500 on 7/3/12405 Chesley Ave. Rosenfeld Trust to Engleman Trust for $1,800,000 on 7/3/121390 W. Dana St. D. Kaern to A. Drzewiecki for $889,000 on 6/29/12; previous sale 1/09, $710,00026 Dorchester Drive S. Lin to J. Rangaiah for $670,000 on 7/5/12; previous sale 6/03, $500,0001755 Ednamary Way #5 Chan Trust to D. Gandour for $701,000 on 6/29/12; previous sale 3/08, $710,000135 Escuela Ave. Bialson Trust to Hon Trust for $630,000 on 7/3/12; previous sale 3/00, $391,000193 Greyhawk Court K. Bellers to A. Tull for $685,000

on 6/27/12; previous sale 1/07, $710,500125 Huntington Court B. Gree-ley to A. Solomon for $650,000 on 6/29/12; previous sale 3/03, $525,0001437 Meadow Lane Rado Trust to J. & E. Han for $1,610,000 on 7/6/12; previous sale 5/02, $965,0002047 Montecito Ave. #3 A. & A. Olah to Mountain View Retirement for $285,000 on 7/5/121935 Mt. Vernon Court #1 Van-besouw Trust to Green Belt Invest-ment for $340,000 on 7/5/12; previ-ous sale 1/98, $187,5001930 Mt. Vernon Court #7 S. Tracy to C. Chuang for $435,000 on 7/6/12; previous sale 5/05, $455,0001438 Nilda Ave. M. & C. Walker to A. Vijendran for $1,200,000 on 6/29/1249 Showers Drive #W201 R. Cigarrero to B. Matenciuc-An-tonesc for $485,000 on 6/29/12; previous sale 5/07, $555,000

7 Sutter Creek Lane Barve Trust to T. & K. Beals for $525,000 on 6/29/12; previous sale 5/01, $440,000476 Sylvan Ave. T. Angelotti to D. Saito for $1,641,500 on 6/29/12; previous sale 7/08, $1,380,00032 Tyrella Court A. Kamath to M. Mammarella for $752,000 on 6/29/12; previous sale 1/98, $359,500736 Vaquero Drive R. & J. Schaef-fer to A. Powell for $830,000 on 7/3/122110 Windrose Place S. Brook to S. Tramiel for $670,000 on 6/29/12; previous sale 10/03, $552,000

Palo Alto2480 Agnes Way C. Schira to C. & L. Patnoe for $1,300,000 on 7/3/12407 Alder Lane G. Schisler to Chan Trust for $1,521,000 on 6/28/12; previous sale 9/08, $1,668,5002090 Columbia St. Brown Trust to C. Nebel for $1,380,000 on 6/28/124161 El Camino Way #E A. Stcyr to D. Mitchell for $197,000 on 6/29/123544 Emerson St. A. Arani to J. Liang for $1,348,000 on 7/6/12435 Fernando Ave. L. & J. Quill to U. Erlingsson for $1,545,000 on 6/28/12; previous sale 11/01, $490,000365 Forest Ave. #3a J. & J. Kang to D. Cohen for $1,140,000 on 6/27/12; previous sale 7/05, $960,0003195 Kipling St. Baker Trust to D. & H. Kim for $1,939,500 on 7/6/12; previous sale 8/03, $1,500,000300 Lowell Ave. Miller Trust to S. & C. Tierney for $3,275,000 on 6/29/124217 Manuela Ave. Barbeau Trust to J. Althoff for $3,000,000 on 6/29/12; previous sale 4/92, $715,0001780 Newell Road F. Huang to M. Zanganeh for $2,850,000 on 7/6/12; previous sale 6/08, $1,486,000568 Rhodes Drive J. & C. Wu to H. Kim for $1,900,000 on 7/2/12;

previous sale 2/91, $643,000259 Santa Rita Ave. R. & T. Lee to Green Trust for $2,595,000 on 6/29/12

Redwood City17 Cove Lane Norris Trust to P. & M. Calvinperez for $455,000 on 6/19/12; previous sale 4/88, $186,0001936 Goodwin Ave. Farwell Trust to Altick Trust for $775,000 on 6/20/12932 Governors Bay Drive G. Gitschel to N. Balthaser for $1,600,000 on 6/22/12; previous sale 1/07, $1,540,0001824 Hull Ave. E. & B. Voelk to J. Roessner for $970,000 on 6/22/12; previous sale 10/07, $1,101,000620 Hurlingame Ave. C. & R. Mendez to K. Lomeli for $210,000 on 6/15/12; previous sale 2/97, $135,000102 Moonbeam Lane E. & P. Menor to Y. Wang for $1,049,000 on 6/19/12; previous sale 11/04, $1,075,000530 Oak Ridge Drive M. & K. Parodi to S. Hoang for $660,000 on 6/22/12; previous sale 12/04, $676,000385 Sequoia Ave. Finato Trust to T. Lutz for $620,000 on 6/15/12; previous sale 9/03, $450,000807 Shepard Way Kester Trust to M. & K. Kurland for $950,000 on 6/22/12

Woodside232 Blakewood Way T. Bauer to D. Davenport for $695,000 on 6/21/12; previous sale 10/86, $155,0007 Oak Haven Way Ihrie Trust to G. & L. Hsu for $3,275,000 on 6/20/12; previous sale 12/00, $4,350,000

BUILDING PERMITSPalo Alto

101 Alma St. Palo Alto Condo Owners Assoc., install omni anten-na, GPS unit, equipment cabinet

(continued from previous page)

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Home & Real Estate

PALO ALTO LOS ALTOS LOS ALTOS HILLS MENLO PARK ATHERTON PORTOLA VALLEY WOODSIDE MT. VIEW REDWOOD CITY ...AND THE ENTIRE MID-PENINSULA

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S ituated in the award-winning Las Lomitas School District, this spacious remodeled residence features impeccable interior design. The 4 bedroom home includes a fabulous

Master Suite with adjacent nursery/ o� ce area and a custom walk-in closet. A beautifully landscaped private yard on a terraced lot with lush lawn area and expansive rear deck with views complete this elegant home.

T his elegant residence located on one of Old Palo Alto’s most desirable streets features 4 bedrooms plus a detached guest quarters and artist studio, situated on a lot of 9,000 sq

ft. An entry foyer welcomes the visitor to this � ne home with hardwood � oors throughout the main house. The � oor plan is highlighted by 4 bedrooms & 3 bathrooms upstairs and an open kitchen family room on the ground � oor. Custom designer details throughout. A gorgeous landscaped private garden completes this lovely traditional home.

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R ight now in the Town of Atherton, there are two properties that were repos-

sessed by the banks that loaned the former owners the money to buy (or refinance). These proper-ties have been through the fore-closure process, are currently for sale by the bank and on the open market. They are listed by real estate agents.

One is listed at $11,750,000 and was on the market two years ago for $25 million. The other home is priced at $4,400,000, is in a great location, but is in marginal condition; the listing mentions that it has no appliances. There are a few of these properties available in Menlo Park and Palo Alto too.

How do I buy one?The first challenge is finding

out about these properties. There are Internet sites that you can access to find houses that have Notices of Default filed on them. Banks file these notices because the owners are not making their mortgage payments or have not paid a balloon payment due on

the prop-erty. These notices are a matter of public re-cord.

The sites on the web that give a c c u r a t e i n fo r m a -t ion a re the ones

that you should subscribe to; subscriptions can run from a few hundred to a few thousand dol-lars a year. They provide numbers to call to check the status of the loan(s) and the amounts. A Notice of Default (NOD) is the first fil-ing, where someone has defaulted on his monthly payments or on her balloon payment. Banks are obligated to publish these notices for a 90-day period.

This is the time to do some dili-gent reconnaissance on compara-ble properties and try to ascertain the condition of the property. You can drive by the house, though you cannot get in, as generally someone is living there.

Are there other deeds of trust/

notes on the property? Past due property taxes? Does a family live there? This is the time to know a friendly Realtor and a title com-pany representative. Going back to your Internet foreclosure site, the next notice you will see is a Notice of Trustee’s Sale. You will see this about 90 days after the filing of the NOD. This gives the date that the property will be auc-tioned on the courthouse steps.

There are no actual steps at 400 County Road, Redwood City, where San Mateo County proper-ties are auctioned, but it is done outside the building. This is actu-ally a fascinating process — it is worth showing up at 1 p.m. (same time everyday) to watch the bid-ding. A man with a clipboard calls out the address of the first property to be auctioned and the minimum bid. Your Internet site should have given you the date and time of the auction and the mini-mum amount that the bank will accept to let you buy the property. If the amount owed to the bank is $786,456, you had better have that amount in your pocket — yes, in your pocket — in the form of cashier’s checks made out to cash. If you don’t have the exact amount, you will get a refund in the mail a few days later for your overpayment. They do not accept underpayments.

The opening bid stated by Mr. Clipboard is usually the amount of the loan. However, banks have

gotten smart lately, and some-times the opening bid is less than the loan. Banks have realized that the property may be so over-en-cumbered that the amount owed to them will never be realized in a regular sale. The higher priced the property, the more loathe the bank is to take it back. Banks generally figure that repossess-ing a house, with all the ensuing effort and cost of placing it on the market, will run them 15 to 30 percent over the cost of the loan.

The above primer is a rough draft of the complete process. Many, many hiccups can hap-pen along the way. What are the biggest pitfalls? If you nev-er get inside the house, what is the real condition? I have seen houses where rooms are noth-ing but Sheetrock — no plumb-ing, appliances or fixtures. Is there some loan or tax lien that was not cleared from title? Who is still living there? Do you want to be the one to evict a family? Are there permit issues? Zoning problems? Termites?

The list of potential issues is substantial. The rewards can also be substantial, but this process is definitely for those with large wallets and iron stomachs. n

Wendy McPherson manages about 145 agents for Coldwell Banker in two Menlo Park of-fices, plus Woodside and Porto-la Valley. She can be reached at [email protected].

Real Estate MattersAre there foreclosures around here,

and how do I buy one?by Wendy McPherson

and coaxial run on roof, $15,000551 Hilbar Lane C. Achtman, bath-room remodel, 41 sq. ft., $6,000765 San Antonio Road, #21 R. Salome, remodel kitchen, master bathroom and hall bathroom, $n/a4345 Silva Ave. R. de Huizon, new cabinets, some Sheetrock replacement, six LED recess lights, $24,400674 Florales Drive B. & J. Semer-ia, new second-story bedroom and bathroom addition, first-story kitch-en and laundry addition, remodel garage, 860 sq. ft., $219,000742 Ashby Drive M. Schumacher, bathroom remodel, $9,000505 N. California Ave. R. Sandel & R. Shpall, new beam in family room, remodel two bathrooms, $23,000989 Embarcadero Road Ho, 493-sq.-ft. addition of family room and bedroom, $78,9913539 Louis Road Eichler Swim & Racquet Club, replace pool me-chanical equipment, $58,0003350 W. Bayshore Road Alexan-dria Real Estate Inquiries, Inc., ten-ant improvement, new equipment in lab space, replace storefront window, $50,0001305 Greenwood Ave. B. Gee, ad-dition of porch roof cover, $142,000292 Carolina Lane J. Bracken, kitchen remodel, replace kitchen cabinet and countertop, 150 sq. ft., $17,5002328 Greer Road P. Bailey, master bathroom remodel, $8,0004104 Solana Drive T. Li & J. Pi, new two-story single-family resi-dence with attached one-car ga-rage, 3,324 sq. ft., $497,000103 Emerson St. P. Alexander, re-place bathtub with shower, $7,300600 Bryson Ave. D. Parker, replace three sliding-glass doors, patch walls and install cabinets in master bedroom, remodel master bath-room, $22,000

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Page 40 • July 27, 2012 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com

Open Saturday & Sunday 1:30 - 4:30

Los Altos724 Berry Avenue

4BD + Offi ce / 3.5BA

2,744 +/- SQ FT

Offered at $1,998,000

JeffandSteve.com

JEFF STRICKERBroker & [email protected]

STEVE TENBROECKBroker, President’s Club

[email protected]

Quality Is A Universal Language

www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • July 27, 2012 • Page 41

Jolaine & Jack Woodson

OLD PALO ALTO SPANISH-STYLE CHARMER

2330 EMERSON STREET Offered at $1,695,000

Open Sat & Sun

SALLY JONESCell:650.255.9601

www.SallyJonesHomes.com DRE# 00690964

49 Politzer Drive, Menlo Park

Nestled on a large and private lot in West Menlo Park,

this spacious home offers many opportunities for

enjoyment. There is plenty of room for expansion while

maintaining a spacious and tranquil garden sanctuary.

The 2 bedroom/2 bath home features an updated kitchen

(completed in 2010), a gracious living room overlooking

lovely gardens, an oversized family room/dining room

combination opening to the back gardens , and teak

hardwood floors in the main living areas.

Excellent Menlo Park School District

Open Saturday & Sunday

Offered at $1,998,500

Virtual tour available at www.SallyJonesHomes.com

Page 42 • July 27, 2012 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com

70 CUESTA DR515 TYNDALL ST

78 CUESTA DR

70 CUESTA DR515 TYNDALL ST

78 CUESTA DR

This information was supplied by reliable sources. Sales Associate believes this information to be correct but has not verified this information and assumes no legal responsibility for its accuracy. Buyers should investigate these issues to their own satisfaction. Sereno Group DRE # 01519580.

234 PEPPERMINT TREE TER #1, SNYVL

10550 MIRA VISTA AVE, CUPERTINO

SUN 1:00-4:00

S E R E N O G R O U P OPEN HOMES FOR JULY 28TH & 29TH

SUN 1:30-4:30SAT & SUN 2:00-4:00

SUN 1:30-4:30SUN 1:30-4:30

SAT & SUN 1:30-4:30SAT & SUN 1:00-4:00 SUN 2:00-4:00

SUN 1:30-4:30

1983 SAN LUIS AVE #33, PALO ALTO

1667 MERCY STREET, MOUNTAIN VIEW

101 2ND STREET, LOS ALTOS

521 LOWELL AVENUE, PALO ALTO

697 PETTIS, MOUNTAIN VIEW

1120 CASCADE DRIVE, MENLO PARK

1543 ASHCROFT WAY, SUNNYVALE

WWW.SERENOGROUP.COM

www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • July 27, 2012 • Page 43

Palo Alto3728 Feather Lane

Bright Sun-�lled Contemporary Condo

ne of Summerhill Homes’ distinctive newer developments in Palo Alto, this perfectly situated tri-level condo has the appeal of a single family home. The interior spaces are light �lled with ample windows and high ceilings. The spacious patio o� of the living room creates an inviting outdoor living space in addition to the beautifully landscaped common grounds throughout the condo community: walkways, BBQ, and children’s play area. All this in one of the best locations on the Peninsula with its proxim-ity to Stanford, the best public schools, shopping, recreation, and businesses. This home is not to be missed!

O

O�ered at $1,050,000

3 BR/2.5BA | 1,629 sq. ft Living Space | Built in 2009 | Top Schools: Gunn High, JLS Middle, Palo Verde Elementary

(650) 857 - 1000www.JulianaLee.com

MBA/LLB Stanford MS

李文Fluent in Mandarin

Juliana Lee is the #1 agent in Palo Alto for sales completed in the last 10 years

Page 44 • July 27, 2012 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com