About Me
I have lived in the San Jose area since 1967, and have worked in banking & finance positions before becoming a Realtor in 2003. I joke that I have been in training my whole life, as I remember walking the streets of Willow Glen & Campbell growing up, thinking about which house I wanted to live in!
On the personal side, I have been married (forever) to my husband Earle, who has been in the construction industry for over 25 years. We have only ever purchased fixer-uppers, so I have first hand experience on everything from remodeling, decorating, to marketing & negotiating. I just love homes! We also have two wonderful sons, two dogs, and a cat.
I have been very fortunate to work mostly with clients who are either repeat clients or referred to me. I love all the various aspects of this business, with the biggest joy being to help my clients build wealth by buying or selling their home.
I look foward to helping you buy or sell your next house, so then you too can refer me to your friends and family as your trusted real estate advisor.
On the personal side, I have been married (forever) to my husband Earle, who has been in the construction industry for over 25 years. We have only ever purchased fixer-uppers, so I have first hand experience on everything from remodeling, decorating, to marketing & negotiating. I just love homes! We also have two wonderful sons, two dogs, and a cat.
I have been very fortunate to work mostly with clients who are either repeat clients or referred to me. I love all the various aspects of this business, with the biggest joy being to help my clients build wealth by buying or selling their home.
I look foward to helping you buy or sell your next house, so then you too can refer me to your friends and family as your trusted real estate advisor.
Testimonials
"My quality of service has been measured independently, as I am Quality Service Certified. To look up my results (I am rated at the highest level) go to http://www.qualityservice.org/search.aspx
and search for Linda Baker. These surveys are independent, and anonymous. The results speak for themselves."
All my clients Wed Apr 9, 2008
All my clients Wed Apr 9, 2008
My Q&A
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Linda Baker's Questions (1)
Linda Baker's Answers (87)
Linda Baker answered:
Many people like the idea of a "green home." There should be many benefits, including a lower cost to operate the home.
The difficulty is there are not that many LEED certified homes, so the appraiser hasn't been able to see a trend to determine that, yes, there is a market value for that.
Unless you are selling your home, there is no reason to have the home re-appraised. Enjoy your home knowing you have done your part for the environment!
The difficulty is there are not that many LEED certified homes, so the appraiser hasn't been able to see a trend to determine that, yes, there is a market value for that.
Unless you are selling your home, there is no reason to have the home re-appraised. Enjoy your home knowing you have done your part for the environment!
Linda Baker answered:
Greetings Mya,
I completely agree with Steve & Vinicius. Even with 50% down, you still have to show the bank that you have income to make the payments. And as a listing agent, it is difficult for me to take an offer seriously if there is not a pre-approval letter. If your credit is bad, even with 50% down, the bank may not approve the loan. It is better to have it figured out in advance than to wait until you are in contract. And you may miss out on the house you really want if you don't have that pre-approval.
Ask your agent for recommendations for a lender. Or if you want additional references, just let me know.
Thanks,
Linda
I completely agree with Steve & Vinicius. Even with 50% down, you still have to show the bank that you have income to make the payments. And as a listing agent, it is difficult for me to take an offer seriously if there is not a pre-approval letter. If your credit is bad, even with 50% down, the bank may not approve the loan. It is better to have it figured out in advance than to wait until you are in contract. And you may miss out on the house you really want if you don't have that pre-approval.
Ask your agent for recommendations for a lender. Or if you want additional references, just let me know.
Thanks,
Linda
Linda Baker answered:
Hi Katie,
Depending on the size, location, & condition of the home, homes around 95118 are selling from the mid-$500's up to mid-$700's. If you have one of the typical homes in the area, $599k is the sweet spot in the market, and is getting a lot of activity. Once again, it is difficult to respond without having any info about the house.
Let me know if you would like a market analysis of your home. The best way to make a decision is to have good information and evaluate all sides of the equation.
Cheers,
Linda
408.712.3432
Depending on the size, location, & condition of the home, homes around 95118 are selling from the mid-$500's up to mid-$700's. If you have one of the typical homes in the area, $599k is the sweet spot in the market, and is getting a lot of activity. Once again, it is difficult to respond without having any info about the house.
Let me know if you would like a market analysis of your home. The best way to make a decision is to have good information and evaluate all sides of the equation.
Cheers,
Linda
408.712.3432
Katie,
Depending on the price you are trying to sell your home for, there are many buyers in the Cambrian area. Folks are price sensitive, but good properties are selling!
The decision to sell or rent is based on your needs. If you have owned the property for a long time, you will still be making money!
I am very active in your neighborhood. Please let me know if I can answer any other questions for you. I can definitely give you good insight into the Cambrian market.
Cheers,
Linda Baker
Alain Pinel Realtors
408.712.3432
Depending on the price you are trying to sell your home for, there are many buyers in the Cambrian area. Folks are price sensitive, but good properties are selling!
The decision to sell or rent is based on your needs. If you have owned the property for a long time, you will still be making money!
I am very active in your neighborhood. Please let me know if I can answer any other questions for you. I can definitely give you good insight into the Cambrian market.
Cheers,
Linda Baker
Alain Pinel Realtors
408.712.3432
Linda Baker answered:
Hi Kim,
Welcome to the Bay Area. I have lived here since elementary school, and I just love it.
And we have never had this level of affordability that we do now, so your timing is perfect.
San Jose is the largest city in the South Bay, and it has many distinct neighborhoods.
There are still many neighborhoods that are available in this price range with good schools. I have a listing in Blossom Valley that is a 3bedroom/2 bath home for $525k and the schools there are outstanding!!
My recommendation is to sit down with your agent and discuss all of your wants and needs. It might be that a townhouse is the best fit for you, too.
There is just too much to cover in this kind of forum.
If you would like more info, or would like to speak to me, I would be happy to help you. My phone number is 408.712.3432 or my email is LBaker@apr.com.
Happy House Hunting!
Linda Baker
Alain Pinel Realtors
Welcome to the Bay Area. I have lived here since elementary school, and I just love it.
And we have never had this level of affordability that we do now, so your timing is perfect.
San Jose is the largest city in the South Bay, and it has many distinct neighborhoods.
There are still many neighborhoods that are available in this price range with good schools. I have a listing in Blossom Valley that is a 3bedroom/2 bath home for $525k and the schools there are outstanding!!
My recommendation is to sit down with your agent and discuss all of your wants and needs. It might be that a townhouse is the best fit for you, too.
There is just too much to cover in this kind of forum.
If you would like more info, or would like to speak to me, I would be happy to help you. My phone number is 408.712.3432 or my email is LBaker@apr.com.
Happy House Hunting!
Linda Baker
Alain Pinel Realtors
Linda Baker answered:
Greetings Di Xue,
First, congratulations on your decision to purchase a house in the best buyers market we have ever seen! It is very important to hire the best realtor, to help guide you through the potential pitfalls that can arise during a home purchase. As the saying goes, you don't know what you don't know. And hiring a realtor that has experience in REO's, short sales, as well as traditional sales will give you great benefits.
I work as both a listing agent as well as a buyer's agent. Many of my listings are repeat clients, which shows you a high level of client satisfaction. I have been in the real estate business for over 6 years, and in the business community in finance & marketing for over 25yrs.
I firmly believe in giving the buyers what they want, and I do not pressure my clients. I have the best team of inspectors who have great depth in experience and industry knowledge. As a numbers person, I also understand value, and can explain pricing strategies on a specific house, as well as be a sounding board regarding your loan.
You can see for yourself how my clients have felt as I am Quality Service Certified. Go to their website - http://www.qualitycertified.org/ and look up my name.
I would be happy to speak with you regarding the additional services I offer my clients. My phone number is 408.712.3432 or you can email me directly at LBaker@apr.com.
Happy House Hunting!
Linda Baker
Alain Pinel Realtors
First, congratulations on your decision to purchase a house in the best buyers market we have ever seen! It is very important to hire the best realtor, to help guide you through the potential pitfalls that can arise during a home purchase. As the saying goes, you don't know what you don't know. And hiring a realtor that has experience in REO's, short sales, as well as traditional sales will give you great benefits.
I work as both a listing agent as well as a buyer's agent. Many of my listings are repeat clients, which shows you a high level of client satisfaction. I have been in the real estate business for over 6 years, and in the business community in finance & marketing for over 25yrs.
I firmly believe in giving the buyers what they want, and I do not pressure my clients. I have the best team of inspectors who have great depth in experience and industry knowledge. As a numbers person, I also understand value, and can explain pricing strategies on a specific house, as well as be a sounding board regarding your loan.
You can see for yourself how my clients have felt as I am Quality Service Certified. Go to their website - http://www.qualitycertified.org/ and look up my name.
I would be happy to speak with you regarding the additional services I offer my clients. My phone number is 408.712.3432 or you can email me directly at LBaker@apr.com.
Happy House Hunting!
Linda Baker
Alain Pinel Realtors
My Blog Posts
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My Listings
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Specialties
My specialties focus on my clients' needs. I love working with first-time buyers, investors, folks selling and moving up (or downsizing). I have favorite areas in Silicon Valley, including Los Gatos & Almaden. But my favorite thing is helping my clients achieve their goals. The rest is all good!
Experience
Latest:
Realtor for Alain Pinel Realtors
I chose to work with the premier real estate firm since the beginning of my real estate career. I am used to working with the best, and I am proud to be associated with APR.
March 2003—present
Previous:
CFO/Director of HR for Silicon Valley Biz Ink
A start-up newspaper that ended due to the dot-com bust, I was a part of the start-up team, and responsible for negotiating contracts, budgets, and daily operations of the organization
January 2000—March 2003
Previous:
Director of Finance for The Business Journal
I was responsible for all budgets, financial statements, vendor negotiations & procurement, accounts receivable & payable, as well as the operations of the paper. In addition, I also was the project manager for outside publications & successfully managed numerous events, including the Entreprenuerial Awards (from managing entries to coordinating the awards program.)
It was a wonderful place to develop many different skills, from marketing to negotiating to budgeting and forecasting. Funny, it sounds very simililar to what I do now!
January 1989—December 1999
Certifications & Awards
Platinum status, Quality Service Certified
YWCA TWIN award (Tribute to Women in Industry)
Presidents Club, Alain Pinel Realtors
Member, National Assoc of Realtors, CA Assoc of Realtors
Member, SILVAR
YWCA TWIN award (Tribute to Women in Industry)
Presidents Club, Alain Pinel Realtors
Member, National Assoc of Realtors, CA Assoc of Realtors
Member, SILVAR
Interests
My interests revolve around my family & friends. I sponsor my husband's bicycle racing team. I love the outdoors & hanging out with our sons & the dogs.
I also love good wine, great conversation, playing games, good movies, reading & hiking. Of course, I enjoy getting on my bike as well!
I also love good wine, great conversation, playing games, good movies, reading & hiking. Of course, I enjoy getting on my bike as well!
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