Shopping for a luxury home in Silicon Valley, you're likely to expect a number of things. High purchase prices do not necessarily mean that a home is considered a luxury property, and a number of things contribute to a piece of property being considered a luxury estate. The property location, a wide variety of luxurious amenities, extravagant designs, and the amount of land sold with a house help contribute to this luxury classification. Most areas feature luxury properties priced anywhere from two million to three million dollars, although a Silicon Valley luxury home may occasionally be found for one million.

One of the main factors that help to categorize a home as a piece of Silicon Valley luxury real estate is the land value. The amount of land included with home determines whether or not it is considered an estate instead of a house. This amount varies depending upon the location of the property, but a good rule of thumb is that an acre should be the minimum amount of land for a property to be considered as a luxury estate. While several factors such as the size of the house and the designer or architect associated with its construction help classify a property as a luxury home, the land and land value is the main contributor.

With this in mind, real estate shoppers looking to purchase a Silicon Valley luxury property should consider location above most other details. Locations such as Hillsborough, Menlo Park, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Palo Alto, Saratoga and Woodside are excellent locations when looking for a Silicon Valley luxury home. The homes in the hills along highway 280 in northern Santa Clara County and San Mateo County are nearly always considered to be luxury properties due to location alone. Quiet, private locations wide panoramic views are musts for a luxury home, as are amenities such as golf courses, horse stables, or hiking trails. In short, the exterior of a property is possibly more important the interior of the home itself.

Most locations of Silicon Valley luxury homes are located in prime locations, just a short drive away from countless entertainment and relaxation options. Reno is a six hour journey from most communities, and Lake Tahoe's ski slopes and casinos are an hour closer than that. The famous Napa Valley vineyards are nearby, as are numerous beaches and state parks. And San Francisco lies a mere hour or less from Silicon Valley. With some of the most enviable properties in the country, thousands of magnificently designed homes, and beautiful landscapes, shopping for Silicon Valley Luxury real estate is an adventure in itself.