Michael Majchrowicz, Realtor

09/06/2026

New Gilroy listing coming soon! 🏡🧄

08/27/2026

California just approved “Zone 0”, and if you own a home in a high fire hazard area this is important to know:

Zone 0 is the first five feet around your house.

That strip is where embers land during a wildfire, and the new rules limit what can sit there: firewood, wood chips and combustible mulch, dead leaves and branches, dead plants, and new wood fences or gates attached to the structure.

Maintained lawn, low-growing plants like succulents and bulbs, and small potted plants in non-combustible containers are still allowed, and mature trees can stay if they are trimmed to the standards.

Timing is the part most people miss. New construction has to comply right away, but existing homes get a phased approach.

Phase one is roughly the first three years and covers the easy stuff.

Phase two runs out to five years and covers the under-eave zone, gates, sheds and fencing, with your local jurisdiction setting the date.

Around here, it matters most in the hillside areas near Los Gatos, Saratoga, Almaden and the Santa Cruz Mountains side of the valley.

If you are buying in one of those neighborhoods, ask what work the home still needs.

08/24/2026

Don't make these mistakes!
1. Making large purchases while you're in escrow
2. Waiting too long to submit an offer
3. Offering too low of a price in a competitive market
4. Ignoring/not reading disclosures
5. Not being fully pre-approved for a loan.

I've seen transactions either fall apart or not come together for each of these reasons. Now you know. Let's get your offer accepted!

08/22/2026

08/10/2026

Mortgage rules for condos changed this month and if you're buying or selling a condo, it's important to know.

No more limited reviews on HOA developments. Lenders will now look at every aspect of the HOA's finances, insurance and the development's physical condition to see if it meets their underwriting standards

Many HOAs have already struggled with insufficient reserves, insurance coverage or deferred maintenance. This has made getting loans much more complicated, and this will compound that. A wise move, yet logistically difficult.

If you're a buyer, make sure you're reviewing all the HOA documents (I review them and go through it with my clients), and also have the lender check to see if there may be any financial hurdles.

Sellers should know that this will likely further shrink the buyer pool, depending on the HOA, and could result in more time on the market and a lower price.

Reach out if you're buying or selling a condo; this is important stuff to know!

07/28/2026

Some properties sell in a week, or before they go on the market.

Others sit for months.

Here are several examples, and why some properties fly off the market while others are taking time to sell.

Ultimately, location and schools are the biggest factors.

What city/neighborhood should I do next?

07/26/2026

Proper Pricing is crucial!

You may have done everything right getting your home ready to sell; making improvements, decluttering and staging, professional photos, etc.

But if you price too high you can kill the momentum you may have built.

If you're thinking of selling, let's look at market conditions, comparable sales and the condition of your home to build a realistic expectation and pricing strategy that matches.

07/17/2026

Thoughts on Prop 45?

It is meant to speed up environmental reviews on building to encourage development, with the aim of increasing affordability in California.

Check out the blog with links to descriptions on Prop 45
www.michaelmrealestate.com/blog/what-is-prop-45/

07/07/2026

Geoff Hollands and I have a new land listing in the Los Gatos mountains with incredible views. This $1.8m property has nearly 18 acres with large, flat areas and views from the SF bay to Monterey. This is 30minutes from Downtown Los Gatos. Let me know if you want to go on a field trip!

07/05/2026

Happy 4th of July!!!! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸