PORTOLA HILLS LIVING by Kelly Turbeville

 I just took a look at the market stats for the first month of 2024 and WOW, homes values increased double digits in January.   Take a look at my full report below!  Do you see that percentage home values increase in the first month of the year!  21%!! The average price of a single family home in January 2023 was $1,286,539 vs. today at $1,629,858.    In January 24 the highest price home sold for $1,939,000 and the lowest price home was $599,000. Right now there are 7 active homes available in Portola Hills.   If you are considering a move, make sure to check out my video on the Truth of when is the best time to list your home!     Don't hesitate to reach out to me direct to review how we can help you achieve top dollar for your Portola Hills home!  Check out my full video market recap below!  If you are considering buying a home in Portola Hills, make sure to get a copy of our Portola Hills Home Buying Guide!   It is filled with valuable information about the Portola Hills communi

I am super excited to highlight a local favorite in our Monthly Giveaway!    Joe's Italian Restaurant and Bar in Ladera Ranch.  We miss having this popular restaurant right down the street, so I thought our neighbors would love a chance to visit a local favorite.  If you are not familiar with Joe's here is a bit direct from their website!  Joe’s Italian Restaurant & Bar, located in Ladera Ranch, California is a family-owned and operated restaurant and bar in Orange County. Our food represents traditional Italian cuisine with modern accents. Our goal is to provide an outstanding experience that will keep guests coming back again and again. We offer both contemporary interpretations of classic comfort dishes, as well as, unique ventures into new areas of Italian cooking. Why Joe's is one of my favorites.  Well just peek over at my Instagram Page, South OC Supper Club and you can see why.  But in short!  The food is excellent, the menu has a wide range of dishes and his w

Residents are moving in.. to where you might ask?  The Portola Senior Affordable Apartments!  This has been a long time coming and the final buildout of the IronRidge community in Portola Hills, Lake Forest.   A little behind the scenes of this development.  When zoning changed in Lake Forest the owner of the land had the opportunity to move from commercial properties to residential.  There was a small group of us Portola Hills residence to who started a steering committee to try and ensure the development followed the wishes of the residents and stayed within natural aesthetic of lovely Portola Hills.  That was not always an easy task between builders and the city and honestly the residents, me included had huge concerns about this development.    Two areas, I am proud of is the Portola Park Dog Park , which was a suggestion of mine and then agreed upon with the city. This was a four million dollar project. This was needed as we only had 1 park in the area, Concourse Park and it was

Maybe it is my age, but it is certainly a trend I have seen this past year with clients.  They are deciding to leave Orange County and following their family to new locations.  With over 700,000 people leaving California this is more than a trend, I fear. Have your kids or family moved out of state?  Are you considering following them so you can be close to the grandkids or perhaps you just feel it would be more affordable? Relocating to be near your grandkids is a significant decision, and there are several important factors to consider to ensure a smooth transition and a fulfilling experience for both you and your family. Here are some key considerations: Proximity to Grandkids: Determine how close you want to be to your grandkids. Consider whether you want to live in the same city, within driving distance, or even in the same neighborhood. Family Dynamics: Have open and honest discussions with your adult children and grandchildren about your relocation plans. Make sure everyone is

 So have you heard the 22 real estate market is starting off with a bang!  Overall in Orange County we have the lowest inventory on record.  Currently there are about 1200 homes available for extremely high demand throughout the OC.  In Portola Hills, we have about a half a month of inventory available.  So what does this mean... In order for us to have a more balanced market for buyers and sellers, we would need to have about 6000 homes available.  For the market to turn to a buyers market we would need about 8000 homes.  As you can see with the current inventory of under 1200, listings are needed, which is an amazing opportunity for sellers.  Especially if you are looking to make a move up, because right now interest rates are still low and we know they are projected to increase throughout the year. RIGHT NOW, provides the opportunity to sell high and save $$ on your purchase! Below is a look at how the Portola Hills real estate market performed!  Enter our Valentine's Giveaway C

  We took a look at the current real estate market and we only have 1 wish for Santa this Christmas... More Listings please!!  Overall, in the OC inventory is at record lows.  We are entering unprecedented levels when it comes to the number of homes on the market and available to buyers.    So we anticipate the market to remain strong in 2022, but there are a couple of factors that you should be aware of... but first let's look at how the Portola Hills real estate market performed last month.  As you can see in the above report the Portola Hills real estate market is extremely strong.  Currently there are only 6 Active Listings and 27 properties under contract.  That means we have less than half a month of inventory for prospective buyers.  With the majority of those homes, being new homes in IronRidge and Portola Oaks. The 3 hottest neighborhoods that sold in November were: Montecido at an average price of $590,000 Serenado at an average price of $885,667 IronRidge at an average p

Yep you did read that right!  Each month we do a deep dive into the previous month of real estate sales in the community and we noticed a trend a while back as the market started to get a bit crazy that no one is talking about.  In our March review we noted sellers who sold in March received an estimated $366,000 in extra equity/profit.  In April that figure almost doubled!  Homeowners who sold in April received over $766,000 in extra equity/profit. The number is the total profit received for the area.  The average equity per seller was about $65,000. Historically April and May are the two busiest months of the year for real estate sales, so it will be interesting to see how much of gain Seller's will receive in May.  Below is a snapshot of the Portola Hills real estate market performed overall in April.  There are two details in the above report that give us the biggest clue as to why sellers received so much equity.  First there is currently less than a half of month of inventory

Community parks are so important to neighborhoods and here in Portola Hills, there are two major parks that offer residence an ideal spot to get outside and enjoy the nature around them.  The new Portola Park and Concourse Park This morning, I took a walk up at Concourse Park and was feeling very blessed to have such a nice amenity in my backyard.  The Park of nearly 8 acres, offers a variety of amenities as well, but one of the most impressive details is it is set up right against Whiting Wilderness Ranch which provides a beautiful scenic views. Amenities of Concourse Park include: 2 Covered Picnic Areas 2 Barbeques Large Grassy Area Play Area for Kids Walking Path 4 Exercise Stations 2 Water Fountains (for the pups too) Basketball court Public Bathrooms For a fee of $25, Lake Forest residents may reserve a park shelters for gatherings of fewer than 50 people without a special event application. To reserve a park shelter, click here. Location of Concourse Park in Portola Hills: Take

 It is always exciting to have a contest in our local marketplace of Portola Hills. We find the community really enjoys them and it is an excellent way to get to know our neighbors.  Our Holiday Cash giveaway is always my favorite!  This year especially as we had to delay our Halloween/Fall decorating contest due to the recent Bond fire.  We had a great turnout and it was very exciting to deliver some holiday cash to our clients and community. GPS real estate group holiday cash winners We want to thank everyone who entered our contest and most importantly enjoy it.  We look at is a fun activity for the community and in 2020, I think we could all use a lot more fun!  Search Portola Hills Homes Watch for our next contest coming the spring 2021.  

Wow, October was a crazy month for our community!  Unfortunately the community had a slight scare with the Silverado Fire as it inched closer to Portola Hills and through part of Whiting Ranch.  The good news is the OCFA kept us safe with no homes near the fire, the community was evacuated as a precaution. Through it all, real estate continued to remain strong with 13 homes selling during the month of October.  The highest price home that sold in the community was $1,400,000 in the IronRidge community.   The lowest price home was $450,000 in the Canyon View community.  The average price of a home that sold in Portola Hills was $764,551.  Check out the details below.  What is the value of my Portola Hills Home? The overall real estate market in Orange County remains very strong this fall. Low inventory and high buyer demand continues to drive up pricing.  As we approach the holidays, inventory will remain low.  This is also driving buyers to new homes, which in Portola Hills has spurre

 The Portola Hills real estate market was hot, hot, hot and we aren't talking about the weather. Sales Prices and Sales Volume were both up from the same time last year. With record breaking pricing in the Montecido community.  The highest price sold for a 3 bedroom, 1300+ townhome in the Montecido community was sold for $622,000.  When home buyers come up the hill to preview townhomes in the Ironridge community the Montecido community offers a great value, which in turn is driving up pricing of this community.  As well, inventory is very low throughout South Orange County. Below is a look at how the Month of August performed in Portola Hills. Search Portola Hills Homes If you are thinking of making a move, this is the market you have been waiting for!  Interest rates are hovering between 2-3%, which provides you the ability to purchase your move up property for less.   Please don't hesitate to give Kelly Turbeville a call to review if now is the right time for you to make a mo

Who loves Fall? My favorite season here in Portola Hills, well maybe except for those lovely Santa Ana winds.  Fall to me feels like home. The day's are shorter, which actually makes me stop and relax, vs the summer and spring when it is go, go, go.  How about you! The real estate market also tends to slow down this time year, though this year buyers are out in force due to the lower interest rates and low inventory.  So how has Portola Hills fall market began this year, take a peek below. Looking at the numbers below we see a slight decrease in pricing from the same time last year, but I am not really concerned as the mix of homes sold in 2018 vs. this past month was much different.  The average size of home sold last year was 3100 square feet with 6 new homes selling vs. this year the average square footage was just over 2600 square feet and there were only 2 new homes sold.  The new homes in The Oaks and Ironridge are certainly impacting the area, but resal

The Portola Hills community in Lake Forest has seen a huge change on the real estate landscape with the addition of several new home communities. The Oaks and Iron Ridge are in full sales, with The Oaks beginning to sale in late 2017 and the Iron Ridge early 2018.   These new additions are selling well.  The Oaks would be considered luxury properties with the square footage ranging from 2600 square feet to over 5200.  Comprised of seven distinct neighborhoods, all within a private gated community featuring tree-lined streets and premium views, outdoor recreational spaces within our community including a Central Neighborhood Park and Swim Club, a large 5-acre public park with recreation and sports fields and three neighborhood parks.  Iron Ridge , the newest community is comprised of six distinct neighborhoods, ranging from Townhomes to large Single Family, ranging in size from 1100 square feet to over 3800 square feet. Each residence offers superb craftsmanship and spacious e

We just finished up our review of the Portola Hills real estate market for September and it was hot, hot, hot!!   Both home values and sales volume were higher last month then the same time period in 2017.    This is slightly different then the rest of the OC real estate market.   Though we are starting to see a slight shift towards a balanced market and homes are taking longer to sell, we did not see a decline in pricing. Search Available Portola Hills Homes Below is a snapshot of the Portola Hills real estate market in September Looking at the current real estate market, we see plenty of opportunity for both sellers and buyers.  Thus why it is called a balanced market.  Honestly, if you are thinking of moving up and/or downsizing, today's real estate market offers you the opportunity to take advantage of the equity you gained the last few years and now provides more buying power.  Especially before interest rates rise in 2019. What's the Value of my Porto

I got a chance to check out the second new community being built at the old Foothill Ranch Auto Center, Camden Square.  This community is a what I like to call a courtyard community. Single family detached homes, with zero lot lines.   Below are some features and details on sales pricing etc.    Residence One:  3 Bedroom 2.5-Baths, 2 Car Garage 1778 sq. ft. (this phase is sold out at the moment) Camden Sqaure Residence 1 Foothill Ranch Residence Two:  4 Bedroom, 3 Baths, 2 Car Garage, 2147 sq. ft.  Prices range from $750,850 to $786,697.   Move-in dates starts June/July Camden Square Residence 2 - Foothill Ranch Residence 5:  3 Bedroom, 2.5 Baths, 1901 Square Feet.  This plan is not released yet. Camden Square Residence 5 - Foothill Ranch There are two other floor plans for Residence Three and Four but they were not showing.  Pricing for Residence Three ranges from $776,480-$813,595 currently.  The gated community is located at 236 Primrose Drive, F