Name: Sophie Tsang & Associates
Address: 578 University Ave., Palo Alto, CA, 94301
Telephone: (650) 687-7388

Silicon Valley Real Estate Market February 2025

COMPASS ONE — One Place for Home

Compass One is the only platform designed to connect you and I through every phase of your real estate journey. Experience 24/7 transparency before, during, and after the transaction for total peace of mind. Please contact me to get started.

Fire Insurance in California

Some insurers have ceased offering new homeowner policies in areas vulnerable to climate change-related disasters. In 2023, State Farm stopped issuing new fire insurance policies in California. Recently also ceased renewing fire insurance policies for multi-unit properties.

Fortunately, the California Fair Plan remains a robust option, including in Los Angeles and Ventura County. It serves as a viable solution for those needing insurance for escrow closings, with the opportunity to explore alternatives once fires are fully contained. The maximum coverage provided is $3 million, regardless of replacement cost.

Insurance Issue for Properties Held in Trust

Some insurance claims are facing coverage issues because the property’s title is held in a Trust, while the insurance policy is in the individual homeowner’s name. It’s important to contact your insurance company to ensure the Trust name is included as the insured party if the property is held in Trust. This is especially crucial for rental properties.

SB 326 and SB 721

Senate Bills (SB) 721 and SB 326 are California laws designed to ensure the safety of exterior elevated elements (EEEs) in residential buildings through regular inspections and necessary repairs.

SB 326 applies to condominiums and homeowner associations (HOAs), mandating inspections every nine years. This includes balconies, decks, stairways, walkways, and railings.

SB 721 targets multifamily apartment buildings with three or more units, requiring inspections every six years. This covers balconies, decks, porches, stairs, walkways, and waterproofing systems. The deadline for this inspection and repair have been extended to January 1, 2026.

Mortgage Rates

Each time the Fed lowers rates, mortgage rates often rise because they do not directly correlate. It’s expected that mortgage rates will hover around 6% by the end of the year. Typically, mortgage rates align with the 10-year Treasury rates, with the 30-year fixed rates being approximately 2.25% higher. Below is a chart detailing the timeline of market events and their impact on the 10-year Treasury rates, which subsequently affect mortgage rates.

Resources Available

If you have any questions or require real estate resources, I am here to assist. I am part of a National Professional Network that includes very seasoned Realtors, Attorneys, CPAs, Financial Advisors, and more.

Below also stats for Santa Clara and San Mateo counties for last 24 months. Stats for other areas are available upon request.

Santa Clara County
last 24 months

San Mateo County
last 24 months

Compass Services Areas

DMCA NOTICE

Sophie Tsang & Associates strongly respects copyright protections. We will respond as promptly as possible to any reports of copyright infringement on our primary and supplemental websites, and in any IDX displays and IDX content. Sophie Tsang & Associates works within the guidelines of the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA") to address and rectify any and all reports and instances of copyright infringement.

Infringement Reporting Procedure. To report copyright infringement, please email (preferred), fax, or mail all of the below required information, in written English, to Sophie Tsang & Associates (our contact information follows):

i. Signature (hand-signed or electronic) of the owner, or a person authorized by the owner, of a copyright that is allegedly infringed.
ii. Identification of the original copyrighted work that is allegedly infringed, including website address / URL, location on the webpage, type of material (such as whether it is text, a photo, or both), a description of the work, and any other relevant information, sufficient for Sophie Tsang & Associates to identify it.
iii. Identification of the material in an Sophie Tsang & Associates website or display that is allegedly infringing upon the work from point ii. above, including website address / URL, location on the webpage, type of material (such as whether it is text, a photo, or both), a description of the work, and any other relevant information, sufficient for Sophie Tsang & Associates to identify it.
iv. Statement that the complaining Party has a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
v. Contact information for the complaining Party, including email address, mailing address, and phone number.
vi. Statement that the information in the notification is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, that the complaining Party is authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.

Copyright Agent Contact. Sophie Tsang & Associates's Copyright Agent contact information is as follows. Email is our preferred method of communication.

Sophie Tsang & Associates, Inc.

Attention: Sophie Tsang & Associates DMCA/Copyright Designated Agent

(650) 687-7388

sophie@compass.com

Take-Down Procedure. Upon receipt and verification of notice of infringement, Sophie Tsang & Associates will remove the infringing materials, at its sole discretion. To the extent possible, Sophie Tsang & Associates will notify the infringing party in writing after removal. Advance notice of removal is generally not possible.

Termination for Repeat Infringement. Sophie Tsang & Associates reserves the right to terminate access, for any or all of our Software and Services, to any Party, if that Party is found to be repeatedly infringing copyrights.

Last updated: 12/5/2025

Silicon Valley Real Estate Market February 2025

Silicon Valley Real Estate Market February 2025

Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

1.1. Information You Provide to Us

1.2. Information We Collect Automatically

1.3. Information from Third Parties

2. How We Use Your Information

3. How We Share Your Information

4. Your Rights Under CCPA

5. Data Retention

6. Data Security

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10. Text Messaging and FTC Compliance

11. International Data Transfers

12. User Rights and Control

13. Incident Response

14. Data Minimization and Accuracy

15. Children's Privacy

16. Email Communications and CAN-SPAM Act

17. Changes to This Privacy Policy

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DMCA NOTICE