PORTOLA HILLS LIVING by Kelly Turbeville

Renting in Foothill Ranch, we can help!  When people think of Realtors they often do not think we also handle rental properties. The first thought is we Realtors just handle sales in real estate.  However a professional agent will handle rentals in several instances, i.e. buying investment properties for investors, handling the rental transaction with a tenant. Possibly even property management of the property, if licensed to do so. Even if agents do not handle rental transactions, it is important for agents to understand what the rents are in the area.   This week,  I took a quick look at the Foothill Ranch Rental Market.    Below is a snapshot by category of the average rents in the area.  It is important to note these are for properties owned by an individual and rented out not an apartment complex. Foothill Ranch Single Family Rentals 2015 In 2015 there were 33 Single Family Homes rented in Foothill Ranch with the average rent being $3064 for 1993 square foo

I was searching for a home in Portola Hills for a potential home buyer today and wow it is certainly moving along at a fast speed this month.  Currently there are only 3 homes available for sale in Portola Hills.    On average monthly there are about 10 homes for sale.  I put together this quick market snapshot video to give you an idea of what is happening in the market.    If you are thinking about listing your Portola Hills home this spring or summer you might want to move up that move... The low inventory is providing sellers the opportunity to receive top dollar for their home.   Now of course, today's home buyers know what they are looking for, so if homes are over market price and not presented well then home sellers may run into issues.  But homes priced right, presented well and marketed are bringing in multiple offers. Ever wonder why that home hasn't sold yet as you were driving down the street? The first step in making that move is understanding

Here in South Orange County, we have several new communities popping up. Locally we have  Baker Ranch ,  The Oaksat Portola Hills ,  Skyridge in Mission Viejo ,  Camden Square inFoothill Ranch  just to name few.   This is good, as resale inventory is very tight.   However, it is also an area that Home Buyers often do not think they can use a Realtor to assist them with finding a home or to negotiate terms.   Buyers often will pop in as they are driving around, fall in love and then maybe contact their local agent once they decided or have placed and offer.  The problem here is it is too late.   If you have already visited the property and registered most new home complexes will think of you as their client and will not let you use a agent.   Below are some tips of why it is a good idea to use an agent when looking at new homes: 1.   The Overall Real Estate Market:   Though new home pricing is going to be typically higher than resales, understanding the market trends is k

The first month of 2016 has come to a close.  I don't know about you but that was certainly fast.   Wondering if that is an indication of how fast 2016 is going to move along.  Maybe it's just age... that makes it feel like time is flying bye.   In terms of the Portola Hills Real Estate market this past month was a bit quieter than the last two years.   The reason... the number of homes on the market to sell was much less.  Inventory levels are extremely low in South Orange County and currently there are only three active properties available. Below is a snapshot of what homes sold last month in Portola Hills: Portola Hills January 2016 Homes Sold The listings at Highridge closed $11k over asking price. This is great to see as I preview properties around South Orange County I have noticed the Portola Hills area is a great value for home buyers.. but maybe a bit under market for home sellers.  The average price per square foot in the surrounding area is $3