Silicon Valley Real Estate
Luxury Homes · Land · New Construction · CA DRE #02195155
Silicon Valley Agents
State of California
Transaction Range
Languages · EN & 中文
About Payne
Payne Sharpley's path to real estate is anything but ordinary. He earned a master's degree in economics at a university in China, became fluent in Mandarin, traded commodities in Chicago, and led operations for an international company in San Jose before bringing that discipline to the Peninsula market.
That background shapes how he works: he reads value like an economist, negotiates like an operator, and understands land and construction like a developer — because he is one. Today he represents buyers, sellers, and investors across the full spectrum, from first-time buyers to estate sellers to ground-up development.
Clear guidance, sharp strategy, and a standard of service worthy of the Forbes Global Properties name. That's what every client gets.
Recognized & Featured
How I Help
Every client is different. What stays constant is the strategy, the honesty, and the relentless attention to your goals.
From first-time buyers to seasoned collectors, you get off-market access, disciplined valuation, and a negotiator who protects your position in a market that moves quickly.
Precision pricing, Forbes Global Properties-caliber marketing, and negotiation that protects your outcome. Your home reaches the right buyers and sells for what it's truly worth.
I see what a parcel can become. From lot analysis and entitlements to spec homes and ground-up builds, I help you acquire, plan, and execute with a developer's eye.
As co-founder of Citis — a real estate intelligence platform for housing development and planning — I advise on feasibility, entitlements, and project structure, helping owners and investors turn Silicon Valley land into finished, profitable real estate.
Recently Sold
A selection of homes represented and sold across the Peninsula — including record-setting results in Old Palo Alto.
Where I Work
Deep, block-by-block expertise across the Peninsula's most sought-after addresses.







Client Words
"Payne understood our home's value better than anyone we interviewed. Sold over asking with a strategy that actually made sense."
"He guided us through a land purchase and new build like a true partner. The economics thinking is real — he saved us from costly mistakes."
"Professional, honest, and always available. Rare to find that combination at this level of the market."
Insights & Education
Weekly, plain-English guidance on Silicon Valley & Peninsula real estate, land, and development — so you make decisions from knowledge, not guesswork.
California's transit upzoning law took effect July 1. A plain-English guide to what it means for owners, sellers, and land value.
San Jose, Palo Alto, Mountain View and beyond — where each city stands on rezoning, exclusions, and alternative plans.
Residual value, entitlements, soils, and the four questions that kill deals — a developer's framework for buying land.
Entitlement diligence in California is slow and fragmented. How AI is changing that — and why it makes clients better buyers.
From a small town in Texas to the Peninsula — where the ten rules came from, and why I finally wrote them down.
Let's Connect
Buying, selling, investing, or building — reach out for a straightforward conversation about what's next. No pressure, just clear guidance from someone who works this market every day.