September 05, 2008
By: Chuck
Category: Roy Cloud School, Sequoia High School
The 2008 Academic Performance Index (API) scores were released yesterday by the California Department of Education. The CDE’s website gives a detailed analysis of the scores, including sections on Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and Program Improvement (PI). If you’re interested in that level of detail, here’s the CDE site:
Accountability Progress Reporting
As far as local schools of interest, here’s how they fared:
- Roy Cloud Elementary: 877 — down 12 points from 889 in 2007.
- Woodside High School: 740 — down 3 points from 743 in 2007
- Sequoia High School: 710 — UP 11 points from 699 in 2007. Congrats, Sequoia!
For a terrific top-level summary of how all the San Mateo County schools scored, the San Mateo Daily Journal has pubished a nice article that outlines the most common parameters. Here’s their article:
San Mateo County API Scores
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August 27, 2008
By: Chuck
Category: Tips and Real Estate News
I’m currently reading Blink, which is a very interesting book written by Malcolm Gladwell, who also wrote Tipping Point. The whole premise behind Blink is that humans tend to make decisions subconsciously and very quickly, long before the conscious mind even realizes that a decision has been made. Gladwell makes a strong case that these subconscious decisions that we make in a snap and with very little data are remarkably accurate. You know this phenomenon as “gut instinct” or “first impression.” Blink takes a very interesting look at this whole process, and draws from many real-life examples. If you’re looking for a intriguing read, check out Blink…
So how in the world did I tie this book into the world of real estate? Well, I also read quite a few real estate blogs and publications every day, and lately the hot topic among Realtors seems to be real estate photography…or more specifically, photographic equipment. This initially struck me as odd — why would an agent care so much about lenses and filters and megapixels?
It then became evident to me that more and more agents are taking their own listing photos…
Why is this a big deal? Considering that nearly 90% of home buyers start their home search on the internet, the first impression they get of a home is a web description of the house. And what’s the first thing that every buyer looks at when they bring up a listing on the computer? The photos. So if you buy into the premise of Blink, people will form instant impressions and perhaps make snap decisions on a house solely on the listing photos. So why would an agent run the risk of taking their own pictures?
When an agent puts a new house on the market, all of the listing information is immediately picked up by scores of other real estate centric websites: Zillow, Trulia, Redfin, Movoto, Roost, and so on… They use the exact same photos that were filed in the listing. So whether the photos are professional or amateur, they’re replicated across the net in a flash for the world to see. And with more agents using multimedia to promote their listings, having great property photos is essential – because poor photos make for poor slideshows and poor virtual tours.
Without exception, I use the services of Robert Barbutti for all of my listing photos. Robert knows how to shoot real estate photos, plain and simple. He’s an expert at lenses, lighting, angles, apertures….all that stuff that a pro lives by. He also knows how and when to use software to bring out the best in the photos. But his eye for taking the “right” shot is far more valuable than any piece of photographic equipment you can buy. I would never consider taking my own listing photos.
Does this mean that Realtors are necessarily bad photographers? Not at all. There are a several agent/bloggers who are also accomplished photographers, and their work is excellent. But they are definitely in the minority — for every good agent-based photo, there are tons of bad ones. In fact, there’s an entire website devoted to bad real estate photography. If you want a good laugh, check this one out:
Bad MLS Photos
Photos don’t sell homes. But photos absolutely make the difference in whether a buyer decides to get in their car and view your home, or pass on it. Recently, one of my clients who viewed a brand new listing called me up and said:
“If this home looks half as good as it does in the pictures, then this could be the right place for us.”
In a nutshell, this is how good photography captures the essence of a home… And yes, they bought the house.
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May 22, 2008
By: admin
Category: Roy Cloud School
When people decide where they’re going to buy a home, the school district they will reside in can play a huge factor in that decision. Yesterday, the California API scores were released, and they bode well for residents of the Emerald Hills and Farm Hill areas. Roy Cloud School, Clifford School, and to a lesser degree John Gill School are the primary schools that feed this area, and you’ll note below that they occupy 3 of the top 5 on the list for all Redwood City schools. Here are the scores:
Redwood City Elementary School District 765
North Star Academy – 981
Roy Cloud Elementary – 889
Clifford Elementary – 804
Adelante Spanish Immersion Elementary – 797
John Gill Elementary – 786
Henry Ford Elementary – 774
Taft Elementary – 753
Selby Lane Elementary – 719
Hawes Elementary – 716
Roosevelt Elementary – 698
Fair Oaks Elementary – 694
Hoover Elementary – 687
Garfield Charter Elementary – 675
Newcomer Academy – 381
As you look at all of the communities on the Peninsula, the ones where the home values are remaining steady (or increasing) are those that reside in strong school districts — this is almost without exception. This is yet another reason why Emerald Hills and Farm Hills are highly sought-after areas by many home buyers.
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