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newly built house on Goya Road in Portola Valley has sold for a record-breaking $18.8 million, potentially bridging the pricing gap between the affluent town and its even more expensive neighbors in Woodside. According to Brent Gullixson of Compass, who represented the buyer along with his mother Mary, this sale puts Portola Valley's real estate market on par with its neighbor in Woodside. The 7,000-square-foot, seven-bedroom, eight-bath minimalist-style home was listed by Michael Repka of DeLeon Realty and features a five-bedroom main residence, two-bedroom guest home, three-car garage, and lap pool.

    Repka confirmed that this is the most expensive sale in Portola Valley so far this year, although he noted that there could have been other off-market sales. The property was purchased by Sanjiv and Aruna Gambhir in 2019 for $2.5 million, who had a 1960s-era home on the property at the time. Sanjiv Gambhir was a renowned radiologist who passed away in 2020, while his wife Aruna died from cancer last year.

    The newly built home, which Repka described as an "epitome of sanctuary," was completed this year and features glass slideaway walls to take in the surrounding hills. It came on the market in June with a nearly $23 million asking price and sold for $18.8 million on October 29th. The buyer is listed as a trust in the name of Wei Chen, although Gullixson declined to comment further.

    Gullixson believes that homes like this one, with its "beautiful design and unquestionable quality," will help Portola Valley close the pricing gap with Woodside. He predicts that it's only a matter of time before the two towns achieve parity in terms of property prices.