When Tej Ravindra and Niket Sirsi bought a home in Menlo Park nearly a decade ago, they had no regrets — but they did feel they had made some compromises.
So in 2022, when the couple started looking for a place beyond their starter home, with space for their 10-year-old son, Jishnu, to grow into during his teenage years, they had no interest in settling.
“This time around, we felt like, ‘We’re not going to get just anything,’” Ravindra said.
“We’re looking for a unicorn,” Sirsi said.
A good school district for Jishnu was at the top of the list, along with a larger yard for their Dutch shepherd mix, Aurora. They had a preference for the Peninsula and would be willing to go as far south as Cupertino. Since both work for tech companies in remote roles, they also were seeking more space for home offices. Both stressed the desire to be near nature, on a lot with trees and a feeling of privacy.
A Palo Alto native, Sirsi knew that the Bay Area home prices typically moved in one direction: up. As their search extended from one year to two, and then into a third, they felt forced to adjust not only their expectations but also their budget. They began looking at homes in the $2.4 million range but ended up considering homes listed as high as $3.5 million.
“It was a moving target,” Ravindra said.
Here are the homes they considered:
Lush landscaping and a pool in Redwood City
This 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom home was on a property in the hills above Redwood City and came with a pool and lush, tree-covered lot. The home featured a brand new kitchen that opened up to a living room and fireplace area. The primary bedroom was massive, with tall, vaulted ceilings, but some of the home’s bathrooms were on the dated side. It was in the Sequoia Union High School District and listed for $2.75 million.
A ranch with views in Redwood City
This single-level 4-bed, 2.5-bathroom home was built in 1966 with major upgrades in 2017. The home featured a spacious deck that wrapped around the entire house, with a gas fire pit, BBQ area and views of Redwood Shores. The primary bedroom featured sliding glass doors out to a deck and an en suite bathroom with a copper tub. The kitchen included two islands, cork floors and custom cabinetry. It was in the Sequoia Union High School District and was listed for $2.9 million.
Creekside living in Cupertino
This 2,478-square-foot, 5-bedroom, 4-bath house was located on half an acre within a grove of tall trees at the end of a long private driveway. A creek ran along the back edge of the property but was separated by a fence, so Aurora would be safe. The bedrooms were located on the lower floor, and an open-concept living room and kitchen made up the top floor. It was in the Fremont Union High School District and listed for $3.5 million.
Which one did they choose?
Ravindra, Sirsi and Jishnu toured the first option and didn’t hesitate to submit an offer. Still, it turned out they were too late. Someone else had struck first, and the sellers, a group of siblings who were managing their parents’ trust, had decided to take it, even though Ravindra and Sirsi were willing to go higher.
Disappointed, they decided to work with a new agent, Debbie Wilhelm, who went with them to tour the Redwood City ranch. Again, the couple was eager to put in an offer. Though the home was listed at $2.9 million, Wilhelm advised them it would likely sell for much more.
“Go as high as you possibly can,” she told them. Tej and Niket submitted an offer at $3.8 million.
It still wasn’t enough. The owners accepted an all-cash offer for $4.05 million.
The constant ups and downs began to wear on the whole family, including Jishnu. After getting his hopes up too many times, he decided to stop touring homes with his parents. “You never get the house anyways,” his mother recalls him saying.
Sirsi, too, was exhausted. “I started doubting that we’d actually ever find anything,” he said.
But Ravindra kept looking.
“I have this never-give-up attitude,” she said.
In March, she came across the listing for the Cupertino home and sent the link to Sirsi. He reluctantly agreed to tour the house and was glad that he did. As they waited for their agent outside the house, they gushed over the tall redwoods, the grassy lawn, and the private location. Before they’d even toured the inside, they wanted to submit a bid.
At $3.5 million, it had the highest asking price of all the homes they looked at. To put themselves in the best-possible financial position to make an offer, the couple got pre-approved for an amount somewhat higher than what the home was listed for. They submitted a bid for $3.6 million, but the seller had another offer, so they went to $3.7 million. They won the house.
Closing, though, was another headache — because the property was surrounded by trees, home insurers didn’t want to sign a policy until the trees had been cut back and they agreed to replace the roof with a new material. After finding a new insurance agent through Wilhelm, their real estate agent, the couple finally closed on the house in April 2024 and moved in a few weeks later.
The family loves to spend time outside, especially on the deck right off the living room.
“It’s so quiet — you can see all these animals walk by,” Ravindra said. Jishnu has plenty of space to play outside with Aurora — although you’ll just as likely find him in his room playing video games.
There’s also plenty of space for guests — Ravindra’s parents recently traveled from India to spend Diwali with the family.
“I honestly didn’t think we would get it, because we’ve been through so many disappointments in the last few years,” Ravindra said. “I don’t know how we got so lucky.”
