Stephen Husted Rainmaker Real Estate

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Stephen Husted Rainmaker Real Estate San Jose native Stephen Husted wants clients to know they are his top priority. One of the things Stephen loves about real estate is its variety.

His lifelong knowledge of the region, marketing savvy, and expert negotiating skills can produce the best possible outcomes whether they’re buying, selling, or investing. During his years in the arts sector, many of Stephen’s clients were Silicon Valley tech types: highly skilled and analytical, but not predisposed to imaginative creativity. As an affable artist and a licensed real estate professional since 2008, Stephen has always engaged clients by projecting a vivid image on the blank canvas of their real estate aspirations, painting a picture for them to envision their dreams as a reality within their reach. Like every client, every transaction is different. He enjoys connecting with people, getting to know their likes, dislikes, and goals, and joining them on their journey to explore potential and possibilities. He combines out-of-the-box thinking with state-of-the-art tech and marketing techniques to create deals worthy of their consideration. Then, as a Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE), he’s able to close those deals to his client’s advantage. Stephen enjoys working with first-time buyers, sellers, and investors. In fact, his expanding purview increasingly includes investment properties both in California and out of state. His energetic, high-intensity work ethic, positivity, and friendliness are keys to growing a clientele based 100% on repeat and referral customers, and for getting the best possible outcomes. In his spare time, Stephen enjoys working out, cycling, and investing in out-of-state real estate. Married since 2010, Stephen spends as much time as he can with his wife and daughter. He’s also a semiprofessional mountain biker who races internationally. But if you ever join him for a ride, he promises not to leave you behind.

06/12/2026

A Zestimate is not a pricing strategy.

I pulled comps on a San Jose listing and came in at $1.6M. Zillow had it at $1.8M. That $200,000 gap can seriously hurt your sale if you go to market overpriced and sit.

The difference? I walked the property. I saw the finishes, the kitchen, the bathrooms. Zillow is pulling comps that are not even close to comparable and calling it a number. I'm calling it from the street, literally a block away, same home, same condition.

An algorithm does not know what I know standing in your living room.

Do you trust Zillow to price your home? Let me know in the comments.


02/05/2026

The California Association of Realtors' latest report confirms the harsh reality: buying a median-priced home in San Mateo County now requires earning $524,000 annually. Santa Clara County follows at $482,400, while San Francisco demands just over $400,000 (nbcbayarea).

These staggering figures stem from the Bay Area's unique combination of high tech salaries and critically low housing inventory (nbcbayarea) , a perfect storm pushing affordability beyond reach for most professionals.

What's particularly striking: these are minimum qualifying incomes for median-priced homes. Not luxury estates. Not dream properties. Just the middle-of-the-market option in Santa Clara County requires nearly half a million in earnings, while San Francisco's $400K threshold still places buyers among America's top earners.

But here's the opportunity: understanding these numbers means you can plan strategically. Whether it's exploring alternative financing, targeting emerging neighborhoods, or timing your entry when conditions shift, knowledge of the real landscape beats wishful thinking. The market rewards those who work with reality, not against it.

11/06/2025

Back in 2021, my clients bought a condo to live in while their new home was under construction. Paying cash saved them nearly $50K in Airbnb costs, and once their new place was finished, they decided to rent out the condo for two years, earning about $80K in the process.

Even with the recent market dip, they still came out ahead and are now gearing up for their next development project.

Real estate is a long game. When you play it with patience and intention, the rewards compound over time. 💪

11/04/2025

Earlier this year my client inherited a home that we fully rehabbed and sold. She used the proceeds to buy a duplex so her whole family could move in, cutting their $5K monthly rent down to a fraction.

The plan is to live there for a few years, save, and then buy another home. Eventually they’ll keep the duplex as a rental, turning one smart move into lasting generational growth. 💪

10/18/2025

Too many voices can stall your remodel before it even starts. Everyone means well, but when every opinion pulls in a different direction, your vision gets blurry and progress slows down.

The best remodels happen when you trust a small circle or a professional who gets your style and stick with it.

At the end of the day, you’re the one living there, so make sure your home reflects you.

Address

95 1st Street
Los Altos, CA
94022

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