PORTOLA HILLS LIVING by Kelly Turbeville

The new year always brings New Real Estate Laws, 2021 was no exception.  There were 4 laws that homeowners, home buyers, investors and tenants should be aware of.  As well, if you are hiring a Real Estate Agent to represent you, they absolutely should have extensive knowledge on these new laws.   Proposition 19 (Statewide Tax Basis Portability) With the passage of Proposition 19, a homeowner who is 55 years of age or older, severely disabled or whose home has been substantially damaged by wildfire or natural disaster may transfer the taxable value of their primary residence to: •    A replacement primary residence •    Anywhere in the state •    Regardless of the value of the replacement primary residence (with adjustments if "greater" in value) •    Within two years of the sale •    Up to three times (but without limitation for those whose houses were destroyed by fire) Proposition 19 will supersede the old rules which limited this exemption to the sale and purchase of a pri

Ever get the itch to do a DIY project? Whenever we do, our favorites involve getting outdoors and mixing up our landscaping features. Whether it's as simple as installing some lighting or a little more time-consuming like re-plotting plants, a fresh look for the lawn always gives your home a fresh look as well. Here are our top five easy landscaping projects! Create a pathway. To guide you and visitors throughout your yard and link different areas together, install a pathway. You can use materials from a variety of materials, including reclaimed pallet wood, flagstones, gravel, and more to add texture and color. Add a wall or border. Installing a flagstone, rock, or brick wall around flower beds or trees adds a sleek, clean look to your landscaping and helps separate different sections of your yard. Install a water feature. Nothing says zen quite like the sound of trickling water as you relax in your backyard. You can start simple with by purchasing and installing a small feature p

We bet you're happy 2020 is behind us!  What a crazy year, is all we can say!  We hope that you and your families were not impacted to harshly by it.  We took a look at how 2020 impacted the Portola Hills Market and all we can say is, who would have thunk (yes thunk) the real estate market would have been so strong!  I guess all that time at home, sparked buyers ideas that it is now time to move!  Did you make a move, or think you would like to? Below is a snapshot of how the Portola Hills Real Estate market performed for the the entire year!   What is the value of my Portola Hills Home? Overall the Portola Hills real estate market was very strong with 18% in sales volume from 2019, with 172 homes sold in 2020.   The most expensive home sold in the community was for $1.8 million in The Oaks and the least expensive was $335,000 in the Canyon View community.   Home values were up in both single-family and attached homes, but we have to look at this with an objective eye, as many of t