PopeHandy.com: Los Gatos, San Jose, and Silicon Valley Real Estate
Mary Pope-Handy and Clair Handy, Realtors and real estate bloggers covering Santa Clara County and adjacent areas

Welcome to popehandy.com, with info on Silicon Valley real estate
This site is part of a network of sites and blogs that we run, this one being the oldest and covering the broadest area (multiple counties in Silicon Valley / Bay Area), with a focus on home selling.
Please also visit our other sites, which also cover Silicon Valley real estate at the county or more local level:
- The Valley of Heart’s Delight blog – SanJoseRealEstateLosGatosHomes.com (main blog – the Valley of Heart’s Delight blog, focusing on Santa Clara County real estate market reports, neighborhood descriptions, info on trends in buying and selling, and more – over 1,000 articles on this site alone)
- Valley of Heart’s Delight website listings showcased, Santa Clara Valley info, real estate info
- Live in Los Gatos blog – info for people living in or moving to Los Gatos – Los Gatos real estate, neighborhoods, events, history, businesses, restaurant reviews, and loads more
- Move 2 Silicon Valley – relocation resource for the broader Silicon Valley area
- Belwood of Los Gatos and adjacent areas website – specific to one area in east Los Gatos
- popehandy.rereport.com – real estate statistics for 3 counties: Santa Clara County, San Mateo County, and Santa Cruz County – updated between the 5th and 10th of each month. (Sign up to receive this info by email.)

Mary Pope-Handy
As a Santa Clara Valley native and Realtor since 1993, I know Silicon Valley and Silicon Valley real estate like the back of my hand. I love the myriad of communities that make up the lower San Francisco Bay Area.
Silicon Valley encompasses a broad region, including Santa Clara County, San Mateo County, and a little of Alameda and Santa Cruz Counties.
Santa Clara County, now sometimes called "lower Silicon Valley", was once known as The Valley of Heart's Delight. This is where we focus our work in helping nice folks to buy and sell homes, but we do have experience throughout these counties and beyond.
Looking for information? We have a number of blogs, and between them there are over 2,000 articles on Silicon Valley real estate, neighborhoods, homes, and related tips for consumers. This one, popehandy.com, covers Silicon Valley more broadly than our other sites (which seldom go beyond Santa Clara County), but also will include San Jose, Los Gatos, and nearby areas.
Of course, no website (no matter how comprehensive) can take the place of personal guidance and advice. we'd welcome the opportunity to connect with you, discuss your home buying or selling plans, and see if we might be able to work together.
Mary Pope-Handy
Realtor, ABR, CIPS, CRS, SRES
Christie's International Real Estate Sereno (Los Gatos office)
DRE License # 01153805
408-204-7673
mary@popehandy.com
Clair Handy
Mary's daughter and long-time real estate assistant, I chose to obtain my real estate license and become a Realtor in 2021 to work alongside Mary to help even more nice folks buy and sell homes in Silicon Valley.
I have been researching and contributing to Mary's blogs for many years, and have a deep knowledge about the local real estate market, home styles, red flags (I have a very keen eye), and housing trends. With a special affection for both historic homes and resource-efficient home design, I'm always working to further my education. This passion allows me to be a tremendous asset to our clients.
With a bachelor's from LMU’s College of Communication and Fine Arts with honors, and a background in museums and historic homes, I combine research and data-driven analysis with clear and thoughtful communication for the benefit of our clients and readers.
Watch for my byline on our many sites!
Clair Handy
Realtor, GREEN
Christie's International Real Estate Sereno (Los Gatos office)
DRE License # 02153633
clairhandy@sereno.com
Neighborhood Info & Recent Articles
Menlo Park
Looking for a "close in" Silicon Valley community not to far from Palo Alto and the Peninsula? Menlo Park should make the short list, as it is home to many of the best elements that the San Francisco Bay Area has to offer and enjoys a big diversity of nearby...
Los Gatos real estate market trends
The Los Gatos real estate market trends point to a warm to hot seller's market in most price points for worry-free properties (in good shape, good location, no major issues). It's almost like there are two main markets: one is for newer listings that are in great...
Blossom Valley
Blossom Valley is a varied district in the City of San Jose, with some neighborhoods close to the Santa Teresa foothills and park and others close to shopping and commute routes. It's a moderately priced area that's also pretty convenient on many fronts, so it is of...
Redwood City
Redwood City is a vibrant Silicon Valley city. It is a popular place to call home for many reasons! Here are a few quick highlights: Downtown enjoys great shops, eateries, cafes, and the landmark Fox Theatre. Mediterranean climate: this area has milder summers than...
Saratoga California Real Estate
Saratoga California real estate is among the most desirable and the most expensive in the San Francisco Bay Area and with good cause. Saratoga is a scenic, upscale community which is snuggled into the base of the beautiful Santa Cruz Mountains. The area is popular due...
Campbell
A vibrant community with a much-loved, very walk-able downtown area, Campbell California is probably the most popular city in Santa Clara County or Silicon Valley today. It enjoys plenty of shops, restaurants and businesses in the heart of town, plus the bustling...
Real Estate Info
Sell one home and buy another
How do you sell one home and buy another? Most people who buy and sell a house need the equity from the current home to go into the next one. There are a few possible approaches. In order of what I believe to be the probability of success, these options include:...
Escrow
An escrow is an arrangement in which a disinterested or neutral third party, called an escrow holder, holds legal documents and funds on behalf of a buyer and seller, and distributes them according to the buyer's and seller's written instructions. Normally that means...
Pricing Your Silicon Valley Home Competitively
As a home seller, what do you need to know about pricing your Silicon Valley home competitively? At any point in time, there are several other properties for sale competing with yours, and others pending or just closed. The first thing to work toward understand is the...