ATHERTON MARKET ACTIVITY IN 2012 AND EFFECT OF PRIVATE SALES ON THE ATHERTON MARKET

The listing inventory in Atherton continues to be at an all-time low. Private sales (off-Multiple Listing Services ("MLS") sales) are more frequent this year. These private sales are reducing the listing inventory on MLS and eventually will adversely affect sale prices.

As a general rule I advise my clients to give their home maximum exposure before accepting an offer, in order to obtain the highest possible sales price. Achieving maximum exposure requires a complex marketing plan, an integral part of which is listing the home on MLS.

 By listing a home on MLS, a seller ensures that it will be available to the hundreds of agents who subscribe to and use the MLS as the main source to find properties to their buyers. Conversely, in an off-MLS transaction a seller is relying only on one agent to market their home. 

Private sales transactions, which are not recorded on the MLS,often indirectly affect the public market activity and property values for other homes. For example a seller may get an acceptable offer from a buyer, but because of the lack of reported sales on the MLS the appraiser will not be able to appraise the house at the offer price. This in turn may prompt the buyer and seller to negotiate a lower sale price in order to close the transaction.

MLS MARKET ACTIVITY FOR ATHERTON IN 2012:

Active Listings: 21

Pending Listings: 11

Sold in 2012 On MLS : 9

ACTIVE LISTINGS:

Address Area	List Price List Date	BR	FBA	PBA	SqFt
93 PALMER LANE 292 Middlefield to El Camino	$1,495,000 4/6/2012	3	3	0	2,120
36 PARKER AVENUE 291 El Camino to Alameda	$2,495,000 4/2/2012	4	3	0	2,787
303 ATHERTON AVENUE 291 El Camino to Alameda	$9,388,000 4/1/2012	8	8	1	11,017
1 STERN LANE 291 El Camino to Alameda	$15,800,000 3/26/2012	6	7	2	12,089
82 LLOYDEN DRIVE 292 Middlefield to El Camino	$3,388,000 3/25/2012	5	4	1	4,182
238 ALAMEDA DE LAS PULGAS 290 Alameda to 280	$6,495,000 3/12/2012	5	5	1	5,330
187 ATHERTON AVENUE 291 El Camino to Alameda	$6,950,000 3/12/2012	4	4	1	7,197
1 BELBROOK WAY 290 Alameda to 280	$3,388,000 3/4/2012	3	2	0	2,130
2 BERGESEN COURT 291 El Camino to Alameda	$4,188,000 3/4/2012	4	3	1	4,320
29 SNOWDEN AVENUE 292 Middlefield to El Camino	$1,500,000 2/26/2012	3	2	0	1,600
92 Sutherland 290 Alameda to 280	$19,800,000 2/26/2012	5	4	2	9,308
196 SELBY LANE 291 El Camino to Alameda	$3,695,000 2/13/2012	5	4	1	4,580
23 BELBROOK WAY 290 Alameda to 280	$9,995,000 2/13/2012	6	4	2	9,883
6 CAMINO POR LOS ARBOLES 291 El Camino to Alameda	$6,500,000 2/2/2012	5	5	1	6,070
18 STOCKBRIDGE AVENUE 291 El Camino to Alameda	$2,500,000 2/1/2012	3	2	0	3,234
92 atherton AVENUE 291 El Camino to Alameda	$20,000 12/21/2011	6	4	1	6,250
70 BARRY LANE 291 El Camino to Alameda	$24,000,000 9/26/2011	6	8	2	17,000
84 NORA WAY 291 El Camino to Alameda	$6,180,000 8/14/2011	6	6	1	6,615
267 ATHERTON AVENUE 291 El Camino to Alameda	$12,999,000 4/26/2011	7	8	3	13,908
70 GRESHAM LANE 291 El Camino to Alameda	$2,995,000 2/25/2011	5	3	1	3,240
1 RIDGE VIEW DRIVE 290 Alameda to 280	$17,800,000 1/20/2011	6	9	2	13,000

PENDING LISTINGS:

Address Area	List Price List Date	Sale Price Con. Date	BR	FBA	PBA	SqFt	Close Date
83 ALEJANDRA AVENUE 291 El Camino to Alameda	$15,300,000 3/30/2012	N/A 4/3/2012	6	7	2	12,000	5/1/2012
73 NORA WAY 291 El Camino to Alameda	$1,798,000 3/19/2012	N/A 3/24/2012	4	3	1	2,980	7/16/2012
335 LLOYDEN PARK LANE 292 Middlefield to El Camino	$1,099,000 3/18/2012	N/A 3/29/2012	4	2	0	1,730	4/27/2012
9 ATHERTON OAKS LANE 291 El Camino to Alameda	$6,700,000 3/8/2012	N/A 3/19/2012	5	5	2	9,983	4/16/2012
149 LINDEN AVENUE 293 Lindenwood Area	$4,449,000 2/29/2012	N/A 4/3/2012	6	5	1	4,850	4/20/2012
298 ALAMEDA DE LAS PULGAS 290 Alameda to 280	$1,049,000 2/28/2012	N/A 3/29/2012	3	2	0	1,470	5/11/2012
58 WINCHESTER DRIVE 291 El Camino to Alameda	$4,380,000 2/26/2012	N/A 3/24/2012	4	3	0	3,300	4/12/2012
19 PRADO SECOYA STREET 291 El Camino to Alameda	$4,995,000 12/4/2011	N/A 4/7/2012	6	3	1	4,500	4/23/2012
29 ALMENDRAL AVENUE 291 El Camino to Alameda	$1,599,000 9/25/2011	N/A 3/31/2012	3	2	0	2,240	6/14/2012
212 SELBY LANE 291 El Camino to Alameda	$1,498,000 8/8/2011	N/A 3/20/2012	6	3	1	2,790	4/6/2012
142 GLENWOOD AVENUE 292 Middlefield to El Camino	$4,695,000 3/14/2011	N/A 3/10/2012	6	5	2	7,473	4/24/2012

SOLD LISTINGS ON MLS:

Address Area	List Price List Date	Sale Price Con. Date	BR	FBA	PBA	SqFt	Close Date
30 SOUTHGATE STREET 291 El Camino to Alameda	$1,498,000 2/13/2012	$1,550,000 2/21/2012	3	2	0	2,015	3/21/2012
5 ATHERTON OAKS LANE 291 El Camino to Alameda	$6,295,000 1/30/2012	$6,000,000 2/9/2012	6	5	1	7,040	3/10/2012
2 SELBY LANE 291 El Camino to Alameda	$1,355,000 1/30/2012	$1,350,000 3/6/2012	3	3	0	2,200	3/27/2012
231 CATALPA DRIVE 293 Lindenwood Area	$3,100,000 1/18/2012	$3,100,000 1/28/2012	4	3	0	2,730	3/8/2012
1 FREDRICK AVENUE 293 Lindenwood Area	$3,100,000 10/29/2011	$3,025,000 1/15/2012	4	3	0	3,860	2/10/2012
72 RALSTON ROAD 291 El Camino to Alameda	$7,950,000 10/28/2011	$7,550,000 2/17/2012	6	8	1	9,345	2/28/2012
372 EL CAMINO REAL 291 El Camino to Alameda	$949,000 10/23/2011	$900,000 3/1/2012	2	2	0	1,330	4/1/2012
271 STOCKBRIDGE AVENUE 290 Alameda to 280	$5,498,000 9/25/2011	$5,050,000 2/9/2012	5	4	1	7,070	3/1/2012
52 TUSCALOOSA AVENUE 291 El Camino to Alameda	$18,900,000 9/22/2011	N/A 3/6/2012	6	7	6	12,200	3/6/2012