Google Breaking Ground on Mini-Airport at SJC in January

Signature Flight Support is a month or so away from breaking ground on an $82 million private jet center at SJC, which will also house Google's fleet. The location will have over a quarter million square feet of hanger space, making it the largest "fixed base operator" facility built in one phase over the last 30 years. They are moving quickly in order to minimalize push-back from Atlantic Aviation, the current fixed base operator at the airport that is trying to block the project from happening.

The project will create 200 construction jobs. As for the city of San Jose, they will be collecting $2.6 million each year in rent (every little bit helps).

Source: SVBJ

Portuguese Art From the Heart Video

I'd like to add a little touch of ethnic culture today. Helia Borges Sousa is a San Jose-based artist that specializes in artwork featuring the Portuguese countryside (especially the Azorean islands, which are gorgeous). Below is a short video of her work along with some Portuguese guitar by Chico Avila.

Happy Birthday San Jose (Courtesy of Mezlan)

Mezlan is a high-quality men's shoe store that recently opened in Valley Fair. However, they have done something I have never seen any other local store do, and that is produce a great documentary about San Jose's history. The video below is only about 8 minutes long, and is well worth your time! It's a fantastic tribute to San Jose's 236th Birthday.

Clearly this is a store that is looking to become a strong part of the community and is well-worth checking out on those merits alone (I do have the say their shoes look pretty nice as well). For more information on Mezlan, check out their website over here. And again, please watch the video below. This is a great summery of our City's history.

Saturday Stats: San Jose is the 3rd Best City for Home Sellers

Movoto looked at total homes for sale per capita, median days on market, crime rates, school quality, and unemployment rate to find the best home markets for sellers across 100 US Cities. San Jose came in 3rd place, while our nemesis came in second and Fremont surprisingly came in 1st. For more info just use the source links or scroll down.

Source: SocketSite, Movoto Blog

1. Fremont, CA

Source: Flickr user Don Debold

This modestly sized city of 216,916 located on the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay is home to the highest-earning home buyers in our top 10; they made a median household income of $98,513 a year. At the same time, sellers can anticipate a median listing price of $640,000, which is the third highest of all the cities we surveyed after San Francisco and Irvine.

Fremont is tied with Oakland, CA when it comes to fewest median days on market at 25 days. The city has the second-highest ratio of homes for sale to residents after San Francisco at one for every 689 residents.

2. San Francisco, CA

Source: Wikipedia user Kurykh

To the northwest of Fremont sits San Francisco, the City by the Bay. This hilly metropolis has the highest median list price of any city in our top 100—let alone the top 10—at $799,000. Its residents earn a median household income of $72,947 and the unemployment rate is 5.4 percent.

The median days on market in San Francisco is twice that of Fremont at 50 days. There is one home for sale for every 869 people who call the city home, making it the most competitive housing market out of our top 10.

3. San Jose, CA

Source: Wikipedia user Michael

One of the Bay Area’s three major metros, San Jose came in fourth in terms of median listing price and days on market at $609,000 and 43 days, respectively. Its residents make a median household income of $80,764 and the unemployment rate is 7.2 percent; the second-highest in the top 10 after Chula Vista.

San Jose is fourth out of the top 10 in terms of available home to resident ratio with one for sale for every 608 people.

4. Honolulu, HI

Source: Wikipedia user ErgoSum88

The Hawaiian capital came in fourth overall in terms of unemployment at 4.2 percent, just slightly more than Seattle’s 4 percent rate. Its median list price is seventh overall at $528,000 and the residents earn a median household image of $93,539 annually.

Honolulu has one home for sale for every 292 residents and a median days on market of 64 days.

5. San Diego, CA

Source: Flickr user Leandro Neumann Ciuffo

San Diego is the largest city in our top 10 at 1.3 million residents, which contributes to its low ratio of 1 home for sale for every 348 people. The median list price in San Diego is $469,000 which makes it ninth overall for that criterion.

Unemployment in San Diego is at 7 percent, placing it 45th out of 100 in terms of the cities we surveyed.

6. Plano, TX

Source: City of Plano, TX

As it turns out, one of our best suburbs in America is also a top spot for home sellers. Plano has one home for sale for every 289 residents and a median days on market of 60. The median listing price there is 275,000—a far cry from California prices, but good for Texas.

The residents of Plano make a median household income of $82,901 annually, placing it 27th for that criterion, and the unemployment rate is 6.4 percent.

7. Chula Vista, CA

Source: Flickr user Mark Sebastian

We head back to California and the San Diego area for seventh place Chula Vista. The median list price there is about $100,000 less than in San Diego proper at $370,000 and at one home on the market for every 378 residents, they’re just about even in that regard. Median days on market is 52, which is just one day longer than San Diego.

The unemployment rate is higher at 7.8 percent but the median household income is considerably lower at $65,526.

8. Seattle, WA

Source: Wikipedia user Daniel Schwen

Still on the West Coast, but considerably less sunny, Seattle immediately stands out by having the lowest unemployment rate of any city we surveyed at 4 percent. The median household income there, however, is the lowest in our top 10 at $61,856.

As for the rest of the criteria, it performed admirably. Its median list price is $425,000 and days on market are 45. There’s one home for sale for every 227 residents of the city.

9. Chandler, AZ

Source: Flickr user Dean Ouellette

As the first of two Arizona cities that round out our top 10, Chandler is superior in terms of median list price—at $284,900, it’s $14,800 better than No. 10. It’s $71,343 median household income is less, however, and its one home for sale for every 198 residents makes it not quite as competitive a market.

The median days on market in Chandler is 50 and the unemployment rate is 6.9 percent.

10. Gilbert, AZ

Source: Wikipedia user Tony the Marine

Like we said, Chandler has Gilbert beat for median list price; $284,900 versus $270,100, respectively. Gilbert’s residents make more, though, at $80,090 median household income, and there are fewer homes for sale per resident—one for every 158.

In terms of median days on market and unemployment rate, Gilbert is tied with Chandler at 50 and 6.9 percent, respectively.

Edgewater Networks Moves to South San Jose

Edgewater is an internet communications company with various solutions and services. They have been leasing 24,000 SQFT of space at 2895 Northwestern Parkway in Santa Clara for the last five years. The company has decided to upgrade their headquarters to 38,000 SQFT in South San Jose at Hellyer Oaks Technology Park. Low rents and a reverse commute seem to be attracting a little bit more attention to the area (Barracuda Networks made a big move here as well), but office vacancy in South San Jose is still hovering around 20%.

Source: SVBJ

Christmas in the Park Kicks Off Today!

Downtown San Jose's largest event--attracting half a million visitors--officially launches today with a Tree Lighting Ceremony at 6pm! For a list of events and more information, you can check out their website over here. Below is a handy map of key attractions inside of the park itself. There will also be carnival rides and vendor booths flanking both sides of the park.

Happy Thanksgiving San Jose!

I would like to wish all of you a great Thanksgiving! We have a lot to be thankful for this year in San Jose.

Photo from SanJose.com

Little Italy San Jose Updates!

Here is a little Thanksgiving treat for San Joseans. We have some exciting announcements related to San Jose's new Little Italy district. All but details are below but the quick summary is:

1.) Bel Bacio Imported Italian Coffee is officially open for business and their Grand opening will be this Sunday from 10am-12pm! (can't wait to check this out)
2.) The first home restored by SV Home is already being shown off and the cast from HGTV's Flip it to win it was onsite yesterday.
3.) Architectural and landscaping designs are being finalized for the Little Italy Cultural Center and Museum (yay!)
4.) The Little Italy Arch is ready to start construction. They are just waiting for the work permit.

Thanks Josh Melander for sending this in!

~~~

Bel Bacio Italian Café Now Open!!

Today Monday November 25th is the first day of business for Bel Bacio - Italian Cafe. Please stop by this week to try their authentic espresso from Barbera in Messina Sicily.  The Grand Opening will be Sunday December 1st from 10am -12pm.

First Home restored by SV HOME reveal and Open House!!

Yes, It has been only two months and the first home purchased by SV HOME has been restored and the reveal with SV HOME and the TV crew from HGTV and the cast from Flip it to win it will be this Wednesday November 27^th from 3pm -5pm.  SV Home will be paying for catered Food from Paesano Ristorante and would love all of you to attend.  We hope you can see all the progress that has been made in Little Italy.

~ We also are looking for a few people to be involved in a live casting for the TV show to be on camera looking at the home

Status of Little Italy Cultural center and Museum

We are finalizing architectural and landscaping designs for the Cultural center and Museum.  Thus far we have the following…….

~ Cleanup, Demo, and Framing – Donated by SV HOME

~ Electrical – Donated by Best Electrical

~ Cooling and Heating – Donated by A1 Cooling and Heating

~ Architecture – Donated by staff from SV HOME and Davide Giannella

~ Interior Design – Donated by James D’Ambrosio

We desperately need………….. In Kind Plumbing/HVAC, Roofing, Drywall, Windows, and Painting

Little Italy Arch Finally ready to start Construction!!

We are finally just about ready to start construction on the Little Italy Arch!!  We will be re-submitting the application this week to obtain the work permit to start construction.

~ We had to redo the entire arch and move it over 6 inches to avoid an underground electrical box that PG&E did not discover previously and had to get all the maintenance approvals for the Arch.

Stay tuned for a Groundbreaking date…………………