Silicon Valley real estate, explained by the Property Nerds®

Solar panels on a listing raise questions most buyers don’t think to ask: which net metering plan the system is on, how many years are left on it, whether the panels are owned or leased, and how that affects your loan. Here’s what transfers with a Silicon Valley home that has solar, and what doesn’t

In most of the country, a single-family loan above $832,750 is a jumbo in 2026. In Santa Clara, San Mateo and San Francisco counties the line sits much higher, because federal regulators treat all three as high-cost areas. Here’s where the 2026 limits fall, what changes above them, and the financing

Homeowners insurance used to be a checkbox near the end of escrow. In California today it’s worth lining up early, while you can still walk away. Standard policies here leave out earthquake and flood, lenders have their own rules, and wildfire risk has changed who will write a policy. Here’s what bu