Another year is about to come to a close. We have so many things to be grateful and thankful for with a healthy family, stable market prices and lower interest rates. This last quarter I have witnessed an uptick in open house traffic and the energy has become contagious. I have met many first time buyers who are anxious to purchase a home for themselves and start creating another avenue for wealth growth. At the same time  many customers are looking to downsize while remaining in our beautiful valley. The San Francisco Bay Area continues to be one of the most desirable places in the world to live and thrive.

Recent articles suggest that the real estate market is declining, however our local market is proving this information to be inaccurate. Housing inventory is dropping due to the holiday season. Homes that had been sitting on the market are selling and some with multiple offers.

As indicated in the graphs below the market is stable and on the move! It appears that the market is about to turn back into a sellers market in 2020 due to the high demand and low inventory.

One of Palo Alto’s most enduring holiday traditions began in 1940, when homeowners in the 1700 and 1800 blocks of Fulton Street decided to string lights and put up yule trees and other displays. The only time Palo Alto’s Christmas Tree Lane has gone dark was in 1942, when a black-out was ordered during World War II. Visitors are advised to park on adjacent streets and stroll over to Fulton Street.

Where and when: Fulton Street between Embarcadero Avenue and Seale Road, Palo Alto; 5-11 p.m. Dec. 14 to Dec. 31. 
 

Every year, San Jose’s two-acre Plaza de Cesar Chavez is transformed into a land of lights and holiday displays, including a 60-foot tree and a forest of smaller trees decorated by San Jose schools. Christmas in the Park also features entertainment by local groups and a variety of special events, including a Saturday night holiday movie series.

Where and when: Plaza de Cesar Chavez. Daily, 9 a.m. to midnight, including Christmas, through Jan. 5.

3. Los Gatos’ Fantasy of Lights

Enjoy a 1.5-mile drive through a “fantasy land” of lights, animated figures and a 90-foot twinkling tree from the comfort and warmth of your car. This show at Vasona Lake County Park comes courtesy of the Santa Clara County Parks Department.

Where and when: The route starts at 333 Blossom Hill Road, Los Gatos; nightly from 6 to 10 p.m, except on Christmas Day, through Dec. 30. You must purchase tickets in advance, $20 per car, at the park's website.

4. Big City Lights

Lace up your skates and enjoy turns around the ice rinks at San Francisco’s Union Square or Embarcadero Center — under the lights of grand hotels, skyscrapers, giant twinkling Christmas trees and, in the case of Justin Herman Plaza, the historic Ferry Building. These are signature San Francisco holiday events, and a great way to end a day of shopping and gazing at window displays at Tiffany’s and other shops.

When and where: Union Square ice rink, 333 Post Street, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. daily through Jan. 20. 

5. Gingerbread House

For more than a century, Fairmont San Francisco has enchanted guests with holiday festivities and exuberant ambiance.  It’s two-story, life-sized Gingerbread House in the hotel’s grand lobby has become a must-see attraction for guests from near and far.

Fairmont San Francisco’s talented culinary and engineering teams have joined forces to meticulously plan construction of this year’s enormous Gingerbread House, once complete, the impressive, edible abode will stand more than 25 feet high, 35 feet wide and 10.5 feet deep and will feature more than 6,000 house-made gingerbread bricks (largest bricks to date), 1,650 pounds of candy and 3,300 pounds of royal icing. The gingerbread house’s railroad track also delights guests of all ages, who happily gaze upon this favorite feature.