I was born and raised in Los Gatos, which means my relationship with this town started decades before I ever held a real estate license. I’ve now sold exclusively in Los Gatos and Monte Sereno for 25 years, closed more than 99 transactions, and have a street in Monte Sereno — Seaborn Court — named after my family. I’ve never written down the full story of how I got here, so with this post, I wanted to.
Growing Up Here Before It Was “Silicon Valley”
Los Gatos looked different when I was a kid. It was already a wonderful place to grow up, but it hadn’t yet become the destination it is today for executives at Netflix, Apple, Google, NVIDIA, and dozens of other companies that didn’t exist yet, or existed in forms unrecognizable from today. Watching this transformation happen, gradually and then quickly, gave me a perspective that’s genuinely difficult to replicate as an outside agent moving into the market later in a career.
Why I Chose to Specialize Rather Than Expand
Early in my career, I made a deliberate choice that some people questioned at the time: rather than expanding into neighboring towns to grow my business faster, I chose to go deeper into Los Gatos and Monte Sereno specifically. Twenty-five years later, I’m confident it was the right call. That focus is exactly why I can tell you, off the top of my head, which streets feed into which specific schools, which listing agents have been active in this market for decades, and how a particular block has changed over the past twenty years.
The Insight That Took Years to Fully Understand
If there’s one thing 25 years in this specific market has taught me, it’s this: deals in Los Gatos and Monte Sereno are won on agent-to-agent trust as much as they’re won on price. I didn’t fully appreciate this early in my career — I assumed, like most new agents do, that the highest number always wins. It doesn’t. I’ve watched sellers choose a lower offer because they trusted the buyer’s agent to actually close smoothly, and I’ve helped my own clients win competitive situations against higher offers because the listing agent knew my reputation and trusted my representation. That insight has shaped how I run every transaction since.
Being Top 1% at Coldwell Banker Nationally
Achieving Top 1% status at Coldwell Banker nationally is something I’m genuinely proud of, but I mention it here less as a credential and more as evidence of a specific philosophy: depth beats breadth. I didn’t get here by selling across a wide territory. I got here by knowing two towns better than almost anyone else selling real estate professionally.
Seaborn Court and What It Means to Me
Having a street named after my family in Monte Sereno is something I don’t take lightly. It reflects a level of roots and relationship with this community that I think about every time I represent a client here, whether they’re a family relocating from across the country for a job at Netflix or Apple, or a longtime Los Gatos family selling the home where they raised their children.
What 99+ Transactions Has Taught Me
Every closed transaction teaches you something, even after decades of doing this. I’ve learned that relocating families need more patience and hand-holding through unfamiliar processes; that longtime local sellers often need help seeing their home objectively after years of memories shape how they view it; and that in a market moving as fast as ours does today — homes averaging just 17 days on market at a 101.3% list-to-sale ratio — preparation and speed matter as much as negotiation skill.
Why I’m Not Slowing Down
Twenty-five years in, I still walk these streets weekly, still preview new listings personally rather than relying solely on photos, and still get genuinely excited helping a family find the right home in the town where I grew up. Real estate here isn’t just my profession; it’s the continuation of a relationship with this community that started long before my career did.
What This Means for You
Whether you’re relocating from across the country for a role at Google or NVIDIA, considering a move between Monte Sereno and Los Gatos, or you’ve lived here for decades and are finally ready to sell, I bring the same depth of local knowledge and relationships to every single client, regardless of price point or circumstance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How long has Annette Seaborn been selling real estate in Los Gatos?
A: 25 years, exclusively in Los Gatos and Monte Sereno, with more than 99 closed transactions.
Q: What does it mean that Annette is ranked Top 1% at Coldwell Banker nationally?
A: It reflects consistent, high-volume performance measured against Coldwell Banker agents across the entire country, achieved through deep specialization in just two towns rather than broad geographic coverage.
Q: Is there really a street named after Annette in Monte Sereno?
A: Yes — Seaborn Court in Monte Sereno is named after Annette’s family, reflecting her deep, longstanding roots in the community.
If you’re thinking about a move to Los Gatos or Monte Sereno — or you’re already here and want a straight answer about what your home is worth — call or text me at (408) 859-5881 or email annette95030@gmail.com. I’ve sold real estate exclusively in this ZIP code for 25 years, and I still walk these streets every week. I’d love to help.
— Annette Seaborn, REALTOR®, Coldwell Banker, DRE #01348743
