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A roundup of local home and garden news and events, including rising rents, flushable items and a note to readers.
RENTS RISE … According to Chris Salviati of apartmentlist.com, an online apartment rental marketplace, rents in Palo Alto have remained flat over the past month, however, they have increased 1.5 percent year-over-year. Palo Alto’s median two-bedroom apartment rent of $3,150 is nearly $2,000 above the national average of $1,170. Over the past year, rent increases have been occurring not just in the city of Palo Alto, but across the entire state of California, with the largest 10 cities showing increases.
DON’T FLUSH THESE … The city of Palo Alto is situated along San Francisco Bay, as are many Peninsula cities. It’s gross, but true: It’s easy when you’re in the privacy of your home to think you can get rid of lots of things by flushing them away. But the city would like to be sure that residents and workers alike realize that “toilets are not trash cans.” The labels on things like baby wipes and kitty litter claim their products are “flushable,” but actually none of these items should be flushed down a toilet. “Flushable” wipes are usually made from plastic resins and don’t disintegrate like toilet paper. Things like cotton balls, dental floss, hair, and any cosmetic or disposable wipes should not be flushed either. Only three things should be flushed: water, human waste and toilet paper.
NEW REALTOR WEBSITE … Coldwell Banker NorCal’s Steven Gray has launched a website called helprealtor.com, which focuses on the Peninsula market. He said his site, which allows buyers and sellers to search for homes on the market using pull-down tabs of local cities, was designed to provide as much information as possible to make informed decisions “based on integrating modern technology with the influence and professional judgment” of a local real estate agent. Each listing includes photos and detailed descriptions providing context. Gray points out that sites like Zillow are “fantastic” tools but the “one-size-fits-all” algorithms used don’t always reflect a home’s “true value.”
Note to readers: Have you tried growing vegetables in your garden? Would you be willing to share your victories or failures with other Weekly readers and gardeners? How about that huge zucchini, or the delight of your child finding a ripe tomato? Or the attack of the killer snails? Send in your stories, anecdotes or photos to Elizabeth Lorenz, Home and Real Estate Editor, at elorenz@embarcaderopublishing.com and look for a future story to include them.
