The median price for a San Mateo house selling in 2011 was $805,138.  That’s for the city of San Mateo not the county.  The median price for all of California homes sold in December 2011 was $304,770.  The 2011 statewide median prices haven’t been published yet, but this is a good number for comparison.  San Mateo County is unique to California.  It’s unique to the US housing market.  It is not what you are hearing about on television, from the radio, on the internet or in print whether that’s a newspaper or magazine.

• The average price of a housing being listed in San Mateo was $839,380
• The average list price, which is the last price in the MLS when an offer comes in was $819,414
• The average sale price was $807,135.
• The most expensive sale in 2011 was $3,330,000
• The least expensive sale in 2011 was $257,250.
• The sales prices were averaging between 96% and 99% of the list price.

Why is this happening here and not other places in California?  There are a couple of reasons.  San Mateo County has little land for housing but lots of vacant land.  It’s built out and sits between San Francisco and Santa Clara Counties.  We have a vibrant tech community and businesses are generally doing well.  There is a shortage of housing here, and always has been.  If you want to live here you pay more to do so.

The condo market in San Mateo is large and prices vary significantly from entry level to luxury for people down sizing.  There were 317 condos or townhouses sold in 2011 in San Mateo.  Because of the way the Multiple Listing Service combines townhouses with condos, not everything is truly a condo in the 317 count.  Many of these may also be townhouses that sit on land that is owned by the homeowner and not part of a condo community.

It took an average of 102 days to sell one of these homes (condos and townhouses).  This is considerably longer than other communities in our area and that’s likely due to the shear number in the city as well as the larger number of entry level units.  Condos generally take longer to sell in comparison to either townhouses or houses.

• The average price was $389,705 and the median price was $340,000
• The most expensive condo was $1,378,000 and there were 2 others that sold for over a million dollars
• There were  5 that sold between $800,000 and $1 million
• The average sold price for the city was $390,263
• The sales prices were between 92% and 96% of list price but we did see some sell above asking price

We’re here to tell you more about our local real estate market and tell it like it really is.  Are there bargins out there?  Well, if you search hard enough, you do see a few.  We are seeing short sales but there are few bank owned out there and when the bank owned properties do come on the market the banks are now fixing them up and pricing them at market price.  It’s very hard to find a real deal in our area.  It’s not something you can do without the help of a seasoned Realtor so give us a call and talk with us about your wants and needs and let us help you.

Above all else, you must be pre-approved before starting your buying process.  The banks are making everyone jump through hoops so be prepared and be ready.

Here some of the current houses for sale in San Mateo

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 75. See more city of San Mateo real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $1,198,000 : 623 Maple St, San Mateo
   
   3 beds, 3 full baths

   Home size: 2,310 sq ft

   Lot size: 5,568 sq ft

   Year built: 1949
   
2. $1,800,000 : 519 Nevada Av, San Mateo
   
   4 beds, 3 full baths

   Home size: 2,730 sq ft

   Lot size: 7,200 sq ft

   Year built: 1938
   
3. $349,000 : 1758 Shoreview Av, San Mateo
   
   2 beds, 1 full bath

   Home size: 820 sq ft

   Lot size: 6,100 sq ft

   Year built: 1949
   
4. $525,000 : 3502 Martin Dr, San Mateo
   
   2 beds, 1 full bath

   Home size: 1,000 sq ft

   Lot size: 6,790 sq ft

   Year built: 1948
   
5. $478,000 : 1654 Wolfe Dr, San Mateo
   
   4 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,540 sq ft

   Lot size: 5,300 sq ft

   Year built: 1956
   

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Here are some of the current condos or townhouses for sale in San Mateo

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 67. See more city of San Mateo real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $200,000 : 3369 La Selva St, San Mateo
   
   2 beds, 1 full bath

   Home size: 723 sq ft

   Year built: 1963
   
2. $738,000 : 10 Crystal Springs Road #2311, San Mateo
   
   2 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,210 sq ft

   Year built: 2008
   
3. $585,000 : 555 Laurel Av #411, San Mateo
   
   1 bed, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,095 sq ft

   Year built: 1980
   
4. $227,000 : 155 N El Camino Real #18, San Mateo
   
   1 bed, 1 full bath

   Home size: 710 sq ft

   Year built: 1949
   
5. $139,900 : 240 N Bayshore Bl #210, San Mateo
   
   1 bed, 1 full bath

   Home size: 725 sq ft

   Year built: 1982
   

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Hillsborough only has single family homes.  There are no condos. No townhouses.  Only large stately homes on large lots.

The least expensive home sold for $1,195,000. There was only one at that price, probably a bank owned in need of work, and who ever bought it got a steal of a price.  The land value is probably more than that.

• 12 homes sold between $1,700,000 and $1,800,000.
• 9 homes sold between $1,600,000 and $1,700,000.
• 8 homes sold between $1,400,000 and $1,500,000.
• 14 sold between $1,800,000 and $2,000,000.
• 87 sales were above  $2,000,000.

The average list price for 2011 Hillsborough California homes was $2,775,773 and the average sales price was $2,627,551.  91% of the listings sold at the original price.  93% sold at a reduced price and the average time on the market from listing to close of escrow was 73 days.

Does this tell you that our market is in distress?  It sure doesn’t say that to me.  Homes are selling under 90 days.  Many places around the US would kill for statistics like this.  If you want to live in Hillsborough California and enjoy the benefits of this community, you pay for it.  Top schools.  Top weather.  Top location.  Privacy.  Close to everything.  Can we show you some of these homes?  Call us now and begin enjoying the Good Life in 2012!

Here’s what’s on the market in Hillsborough today.

Showing properties 1 - 15 of 39. See more city of Hillsborough real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $2,380,000 : 1125 Bromfield Rd, Hillsborough
   
   3 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 2,822 sq ft

   Lot size: 19,200 sq ft

   Year built: 1949
   
2. $5,495,000 : 145 Fallen Leaf Dr, Hillsborough
   
   5 beds, 5 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 6,500 sq ft

   Lot size: 36,630 sq ft

   Year built: 1976
   
3. $15,750,000 : 925 Seabury Rd, Hillsborough
   
   6 beds, 9 full, 2 part baths

   Home size: 14,250 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.27 ac

   Year built: 2007
   
4. $5,580,000 : 820 Chiltern Rd, Hillsborough
   
   7 beds, 6 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 7,870 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.13 ac

   Year built: 1981
   
5. $4,900,000 : 15 Tiptoe Ln, Hillsborough
   
   7 beds, 7 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 9,550 sq ft

   Lot size: 22,950 sq ft

   Year built: 1968
   
6. $1,398,000 : 1035 Tournament Dr, Hillsborough
   
   5 beds, 5 full, 2 part baths

   Home size: 4,850 sq ft

   Lot size: 26,350 sq ft

   Year built: 2001
   
7. $4,280,000 : 115 Glengarry Wy, Hillsborough
   
   5 beds, 5 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 4,992 sq ft

   Lot size: 22,284 sq ft

   Year built: 2002
   
8. $3,700,000 : 80 Tobin Clark Dr, Hillsborough
   
   4 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 3,896 sq ft

   Lot size: 24,500 sq ft

   Year built: 1978
   
9. $2,299,000 : 2370 Skyfarm Dr, Hillsborough
   
   4 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 2,930 sq ft

   Lot size: 22,638 sq ft

   Year built: 1974
   
10. $6,195,000 : 1255 La Canada Rd, Hillsborough
    
    5 beds, 6 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 8,615 sq ft

    Lot size: 33,236 sq ft

    Year built: 1930
    
11. $29,000,000 : 40 Verbalee Ln, Hillsborough
    
    12 beds, 12 full, 3 part baths

    Home size: 35,000 sq ft

    Lot size: 5.91 ac

    Year built: 1932
    
12. $4,495,000 : 355 Sierra Dr, Hillsborough
    
    5 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 6,212 sq ft

    Lot size: 27,834 sq ft

    Year built: 1988
    
13. $29,000,000 : 40 Verbalee Ln, Hillsborough
    
    12 beds, 12 full, 3 part baths

    Home size: 35,000 sq ft

    Lot size: 5 sq ft

    Year built: 1932
    
14. $4,899,000 : 632 Fairway Ci, Hillsborough
    
    4 beds, 6 full baths

    Home size: 3,680 sq ft

    Lot size: 17,323 sq ft

    Year built: 2010
    
15. $2,979,000 : 65 Verbalee Ln, Hillsborough
    
    6 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 4,500 sq ft

    Lot size: 33,540 sq ft

    Year built: 1977
    

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

There were 221 closed sales of single family homes in 2011 with an average of 51 days on the market.  For those of you who don’t know what that means, it is the time it takes from the listing to the close of the escrow and recording of the new owner with the county.

• The average price was $1,257,035 and the median price was $1,196,000.
• The largest number of homes sold was in the $1,200,000 to $1,300,000 price range, with 25 sold.
• Then 19 were sold between $1,100,000 to $1,200,000
• There were 18 sold between $1,400,000-$1,500,000 and 18 sold over $2,000,000.  The top end of the market was selling very well in 2011.
• The sale prices were averaging between 96% at the list price and 98% of sold price.

The condo market is Burlingame isn’t a huge one compared to the other communities around us but there were 31 closed sales of condos in 2011 with an average of 77 days on the market.

• The average price was $616,461 and the median price was $535,000.
• The majority of these sales was between $475,000 and $600,000 with 12 sold.
• Luxury condos do sit in Burlingame and there were 3 sold above $950,000.
• The sale price was averaging between 94% at the list price and 97% of sold price

So, what does it mean when there are two sales prices listed?  The list price is the original price that a listing comes to market, and homes were selling between 94-96% at that price, which isn’t shabby.  If there was a price reduction, the second number is the percentage of homes selling at that price.  97-98% of all of the properties with price reductions sold at the reduced price.  This means demand is strong in Burlingame for real estate and prices are holding.

The old saying is if you want to live here you’ll pay the price, is holding true.  Burlingame has great schools, weather and location.  Let us know how we can help you find your dream home by calling us now.

Here are some current Burlingame houses for sale.

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 34. See more city of Burlingame real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $1,749,500 : 2827 Hillside Dr, Burlingame
   
   3 beds, 4 full baths

   Home size: 2,990 sq ft

   Lot size: 12,096 sq ft

   Year built: 1936
   
2. $879,000 : 209 Channing Rd, Burlingame
   
   2 beds, 1 full bath

   Home size: 1,620 sq ft

   Lot size: 5,750 sq ft

   Year built: 1928
   
3. $1,295,000 : 1138 Douglas Av, Burlingame
   
   3 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,500 sq ft

   Lot size: 5,544 sq ft

   Year built: 1914
   
4. $2,550,000 : 3066 Hillside Dr, Burlingame
   
   4 beds, 4 full baths

   Home size: 4,200 sq ft

   Lot size: 10,640 sq ft

   Year built: 2008
   
5. $1,595,000 : 2673 Martinez Dr, Burlingame
   
   4 beds, 3 full baths

   Home size: 2,100 sq ft

   Lot size: 11,650 sq ft

   Year built: 1958
   

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Here are some current Burlingame condos for sale.

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 9. See more city of Burlingame real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $599,000 : 30 Lorton Av #205, Burlingame
   
   2 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,258 sq ft

   Year built: 1986
   
2. $499,000 : 1532 Floribunda Av #3, Burlingame
   
   2 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,190 sq ft

   Year built: 1993
   
3. $578,000 : 1110 Bayswater Av #105, Burlingame
   
   2 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,245 sq ft

   Year built: 1983
   
4. $439,000 : 1515 Floribunda Av #304, Burlingame
   
   1 bed, 1 full bath

   Home size: 935 sq ft

   Year built: 1977
   
5. $249,000 : 777 Morrell Av #103, Burlingame
   
   1 bed, 1 full bath

   Home size: 880 sq ft

   Lot size: 880 sq ft

   Year built: 1982
   

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

This chart shows the Median price in the county.  The county is made up of 19 cities.  If you want to see the real time stats for any of our local communities please ask and we can provide them for you.  Our research is almost real time, as it’s a week late by the time we get it and no one else can provide that kind of data to the market.

Here’s the condo and townhouse report for San Mateo County during 2011.  In our local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) condos and townhouses are listed together.  There is a difference, though, as most townhouses in the county sit on land that is owned by the family who owns the townhouse.  Condos are part of a shared property and all owners share the ownership of the land the units sit upon, even if they are townhouse style.

As you can clearly see, the value is in the house and the land.  We as a county, are built up, and no one is making any new land.  New construction taking place is mostly multi-family condo type of housing, not single family homes.  When you are buying a home in San Mateo County you are essentially buying the dirt the house sits on and then the sticks that make up the house.  If you can stretch to buy a single family house, that’s the way to go.

Prices corrected the most in the condo arena but this is the median price and doesn’t reflect the high end condos in Burlingame, San Mateo and Menlo Park.  Prices for those can, and often do, exceed $1 million.

Would you like a copy of your own report?  Let us know or sign up through the Market Mapper link.

Finally, a website has come along that aggregates demographic data including census data, and research data to provide a picture of a community.  Take Foster City for instance.  I ran a report on this city and some of the information being provided includes General Lifestyles, Neighborhoods, Schools, and Crime.  The website is PicketReport.com and as someone who has always loved data, this site is cool.  The picture on the left is a heat  map of the demographics in our immediate area.

According to the PicketReport, Foster City is made up of Flourishing Families (affluent middle-aged families and couples earning prosperous incomes and living very comfortable active lifestyles).  Foster City has a high walk-score, high school scores, and almost no crime.  Now, this is a lot of the data I can legally give about Foster City and do, but it also drills down further about the demographics, which is the stuff I can’t legally give.

If you’re a data wonk, and want to know more about the communities around Foster City such as San Mateo, Hillsborough and Burlingame, this will give you the info all in one place.  You will love this site if you are in marketing.  It’s not 100 percent accurate but it does give you an idea of what our communities are all about in one place.  The ask you to sign in but if you register I don’t see any value to you as the end user.  You can get your snap shot of the zip code you’re interested in without registering.

It’s a free service and you can get the information by zip code just keep in mind it isn’t totally perfect.  Then again, almost nothing is perfect, is it?

Here’s what’s for sale in Foster City today.

Showing properties 1 - 7 of 7. See more city of Foster City real estate.
(all data current as of 2/11/2012)

1. $1,179,000 : 269 Avocet Ct, Foster City
   
   5 beds, 3 full baths

   Home size: 2,690 sq ft

   Lot size: 6,630 sq ft

   Year built: 1969
   
2. $869,000 : 632 Matsonia Dr, Foster City
   
   4 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,760 sq ft

   Lot size: 5,320 sq ft

   Year built: 1964
   
3. $999,990 : 850 Gull Av, Foster City
   
   4 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 2,160 sq ft

   Lot size: 5,320 sq ft

   Year built: 1966
   
4. $1,529,000 : 1001 Monterey Av, Foster City
   
   3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 2,170 sq ft

   Lot size: 8,540 sq ft

   Year built: 1978
   
5. $975,000 : 54 Port Royal Av, Foster City
   
   3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 1,890 sq ft

   Lot size: 6,798 sq ft

   Year built: 1985
   
6. $1,189,000 : 760 Coronado Ln, Foster City
   
   3 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 2,110 sq ft

   Lot size: 4,857 sq ft

   Year built: 1977
   
7. $849,000 : 921 Swan St, Foster City
   
   5 beds, 3 full baths

   Home size: 2,540 sq ft

   Lot size: 5,700 sq ft

   Year built: 1966
   

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Things Not to Do When Buying a Home

Here are Ten Things a future Home Buyers Should Never Do Before Closing on a Home.  If you do any one of them, it could cause a huge delay in your closing.  Lenders are very tough on borrowers today and they check and double check your credit and work history prior to lending.  They don’t like surprises and you shouldn’t give them any.

The process is well underway for buying your new home. You’ve made the offer and the sellers have accepted it.  Your escrow has been opened. You’re counting the days until you close escrow and get the keys to start to make the house your home. Your lender pre-approved you and sent your application through underwriting, so buying the house is a sure thing, right?

Not quite. Nothing is certain until the keys are in your hand and the deed is recorded. There are still hurdles to get past before it’s yours, and your actions between now and closing can create headaches, slowdowns and even stop the transaction. Yes, stop the transaction cold.

1. Don’t Make a Major Purchase of ANYTHING without talking to your lender first

You’ve just found out your credit is A+. That’s great news, because a new car would look fantastic in the driveway of your new home. But hang on–if you are depending on a mortgage to move in, you’d better wait until after closing to buy that car.

An increase in your debt to income ratio reduces the amount of monthly income available for your mortgage payment.

If you tack on a higher car payment, the bank might decide you can’t afford the home.

Using cash to purchase the car could also create a problem, since banks consider cash reserves when approving your mortgage. If you must make a major purchase before closing, talk to your loan officer before you do it.

2. Don’t Change Jobs Unless It’s Necessary

Lenders like to see a consistent job history. They didn’t used to be nervous if you changed jobs within the same field, but it’s better to stay put until the house is yours. If you do need to change your job, your escrow will slow down while the lender waits to see four (4) pay stubs to make sure your new income will allow you to still purchase that home.  That slow down could effect not only your seller but others if the seller is buying a new home, too.  The seller could ask you for additional funds because of the delay.  Don’t do it unless it’s absolutely necessary.

3. Don’t Give an Earnest Money Deposit Directly to a For-Sale-By-Owner Seller

Your good faith deposit should go into a trust account. Some for sale by owner sellers don’t understand that funds are not their’s to spend until closing. The only place a trust account should sit is with a Title & Escrow Company.  Escrow Companies are neutral third parties to a purchase and they take their instructions from the buyer and the seller.  They are impartial and if you buy that For-Sale-By-Owner home write your deposit check out in an escrow company’s name only.

I’ve heard many stories about sellers who spent the deposit money prior to closing. When the transactions didn’t take place for valid reasons–such as financing or repair issues, the buyers had to fight for a refund.  That can’t happen when the funds sit in an escrow account.

Find an attorney or escrow company who will hold the deposit for you until closing day and make sure your contract dictates what happens to the funds if the transaction doesn’t close.

4. Don’t Let Your Emotions Take Over

Keep a cool head during the entire home buying process, especially during and after a home inspection. Be realistic. No home is perfect, especially older homes. It’s not unusual for new owners to take care of some repairs themselves. Don’t let the seller’s refusal to do a small repair kill the deal on a home you truly love.  Realors are able to negotiate for things you might not be able to do so ask your agent if some things are possible and let them work on it.

On the other hand, don’t fall so much in love with the house that you’ll buy it no matter what needs to be done–unless you’re sure you can handle it emotionally and financially. Decide what type of repairs you can realistically tackle, then stick with the decision.

5. Don’t Forget to Switch Utilities

That sounds simple, but you’d be surprised how many people forget to apply for utility service at their new home. Call the utility companies as soon as you have a contract. Find out how many days lead time they need to switch the service, then get back with them when you have a firm closing date.

Don’t forget to discontinue services at your old home.  That doesn’t mean to shut off utilities it means to make sure the new owner’s have their name on the bill from the day of closing forward.  If they haven’t done this call your Agent to help.

6. Don’t Forget to Line Up Your Fire & Hazard Insurance

A no-brainer, right? But it’s another often-forgotten task that buyers scramble to take care of at the last minute. Before closing, your lender will want to see an insurance binder showing you have coverage for the new home. Get it as early as possible so that closing isn’t delayed.  Your Escrow Officer will need the name of your Insurance Agent for her files, too.

In some locations, additional types of insurance coverage might be necessary such as Flood Insurance. Talk to your lender about insurance requirements well before the closing date.

7. Don’t Become Best Friends with the Seller

I’ll get some flack on this one. It’s great to be friendly, but don’t get into too many long discussions with the sellers, because personality conflicts often cloud judgments.

Remember, this is their home. You’re excited about moving in, and if you didn’t like the house you wouldn’t have offered to buy it. But you’ll make changes–everyone does. A casual statement about “ripping up that ugly carpet” might be hurtful enough to keep the seller from negotiating with you about repairs or other issues that crop up.

8. Don’t Panic if the Appraisal Comes in Low

At least not at first. There are some things you (and your agent) can do to correct the problem. Study your options and talk with your agent about the best things to do. Today it’s very difficult for an Appraiser to do his/her job with prices dropping significantly in some areas.  If your appraisal comes in really low, you can ask for a second appraisal from a second person.  Appraising is not done with computers so everyone doing it does it a little differently.  Lenders are also asking for sales comparisons closer to your purchase date and that isn’t always easy to provide today.

9. Don’t Go It Alone

If you’re working with an agent, it’s the agent’s duty to track many of the day to day details that involve the lender, the seller, or the seller’s agent. Be sure your agent schedules a final walk-through just before closing. At this final walk-through make sure everything is the same as it was when you made your offer.  It is the Seller’s responsibility to keep their home the same all during the escrow period.  If it isn’t, this is the time to find out, not after you own it.

Should you find additional problems during this walk-through, it’s not too late for additional inspections and negotiation with the seller.

10. Don’t Ignore Lender Requirements

Know what is expected of you and take care of it. For instance, a Certificate of Eligibility is required to move forward on a VA loan. That’s something you must handle yourself. Answer your lender questions and make sure that you provide required paperwork as quickly as possible–moving into your new home depends on it.

Your lender will call your employer to verify your employment.  They are likely to do this several times so don’t be surprised.  The lender talks with HR if you work in a large company or with your boss if it’s a small company.  The lenders do this to make sure you are still employed before giving you your loan.  They expect you to be able to pay them back and being employed is a large part of this.

If you follow these 10 things during your escrow period, you’ll get those keys and own your new home without any hiccups.

If you live in Foster City you know your City doesn’t show up as Foster City in many web sites when you go to order products online.  You input 94404 and up pops San Mateo.  We don’t live in San Mateo, we live in Foster City.  Sure we’re 1/3 the size of our sister city but we are own municipality and when other cities within this county, with smaller populations, have their own Zip Code and Post Office,  we’re being treated like third-class citizens.

Do you realize that you now must must go to San Mateo to do any postal business with the exception of mailing out packages?   All mail is now going out of the Delaware Street post office in San Mateo for Foster City mail,  making more work for the workers there so they don’t have time in the day to deliver our mail as regularly as it used to be delivered.  The local Foster City delivery people have been “repurposed”.   Expect to stand in long lines at the San Mateo post office if you hold your mail when you travel.  Plan on hours and hours of delay.

If you’re finding that your mail deliveries have been coming at different hours of the day, or on some days, not coming at all, this is the reason.  Sure the US Postal Service is having financial difficulties and they need to streamline processes but is this the way to do it?  How many other cities in San Mateo County no longer have post offices providing full services?  How many other cities of the same size as Foster City do not have their own Zip Code?

If you live in Foster City and want things to change you need to contact Jackie Speier’s office and tell her how you feel about this.  Contact her by email or phone: (650) 342-0300.  It’s also time for the City Counsel of Foster City to demand some changes.  Are you as mad as I am?  If you are, let’s do something about this!

Saturday afternoon at 3 PM listen to the Foster City Community Chorus sings a program called “We Are Lights” at Transfiguration Episcopal Church in San Mateo, and repeats it again Sunday afternoon same time and same place.  Ticket information here  and they are $20.

Also on the same weekend Peninsula Cantare performs their holiday program in Palo Alto at the First Baptist Church at 7:30 PM and the following afternoon, 3 PM at Trinity Presbyterian Church in San Carlos.  This is the final concert for Music Director Janice Gunderson, who is retiring and features Mozart Requiem and selections of the Handel messiah and solosits Susanna Jimenez, Soprano; Donia Gariaeff, Alto;  Brian Thorset, Tenor; and Michael Morris, Bass.  Tickets available at the door and are $20 for general admission and $15 for students/seniors.

Masterworks Chorale of San Mateo performs their program, “Carols Around”, the  following weekend, December 11 and 12. The Saturday program is at 8 PM and the Sunday program is at 4 PM, both are at Grace Lutheran Church in Palo Alto.  Buy tickets here and are $20 advance purchase, $25 at the door, and $10 for students.

Finally, Viva la Musica! performs Sunday December 11 at 4 PM and the following Sunday, December 18 at 4 PM.  The musical selections are Gloria’s by John Rutter and Randol Alan Bass accompanied by brass and percussion ensemble and organ.  Tickets available here are $25 preferred, $22 general, $20 seniors and $15 students/groups.

All of these choral groups are non-profit organizations and the sales of tickets helps to keep them singing.  If you love to sing, check them out and see which one might be a good fit for you.  They’re always looking for new voices to make music with.

This is a great family outing.  The 2011 San Mateo Harvest Festival is helping the Peninsula Humane Society/SPCA by donating half of the shopping bag proceeds and all of the parcel check proceeds to this non-profit helping animals in San Mateo County.  There are free drawings for an iPad 2 and handmade quilt that will take place at the conclusion of all of the Harvest Festival events taking place around California.  The quilt is seen on the left.

The 2011 San Jose Harvest Festival is helping the Humane Society Silicon Valley with the same proceeds.  If you’re a pet lover this is a no-brainer.

The Harvest Festival is a shop to you drop event with over 24,000 handmade arts and crafts.  You can find art, toys, jewelry, photography and more.  But that’s not all, there’s entertainment throughout the weekend and fun activities for the family from learning how to decorate a gingerbread house to making jewelry. It’s a full day of fun and activities.

The San Francisco Firefighters will be on-sight holding a toy drive and if you bring an unwrapped toy for donation you get $2 off your admission to the Festival in San Mateo. And anyone who brings an unwrapped toy, book or non-perishable food donation to the San Jose event will receive a $2 discount on admission and this is sponsored by the AT&T Pioneers, a group of retirees from AT&T.

Want to go?  I have 5 pairs of free tickets to the first 5 people to answer these questions correctly.

1. When is this event taking place?

2. Where is it taking place?

3.  How many gift items will be available for purchase?

Answer these questions in the comments section with a real email address attached so I can reach you and you’ve won a pair of ticket to either event.  So get back to me now.  First come.  First won.

Shop to you drop!

Have you counted how many clocks you have to change on Sunday?  I bet it’s more than 10.  From your watches to your clock radio to your car clocks, we have loads of them.  In our kitchen alone, we have 5 clocks to change!  Add in watches, the timer on the lights and the other clocks sitting around and it take us quite a while.

Don’t forget that this is a great time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors.  This is one of the most critical batteries you can have in your home.  You want it to work without fail so take a few minutes and replace the battery.  Your family and your life may thank you for being diligent about that.

Why don’t they just leave the clock set at one time for the entire year?  Good question.  Ask your Representative in Congress  about that.  They obviously have nothing else to do.