PORTOLA HILLS LIVING by Kelly Turbeville

Posts

From Condo Life to Room to Grow

June 26, 2025

When my clients moved from Utah to chase the California dream, they didn’t have it all figured out, who does? They landed in a 2-bedroom condo with a loft and two garages (bonus!), in the charming hillside community of Portola Hills . Nature, trails, and one of the best elementary schools in town sealed the deal. Fast-forward a bit… and life happened. Babies, grew to Pre-Teens But then, the mortgage gods dropped a 3% interest rate , and moving felt illegal. Who wants to give up that golden ticket? More time passed, and that once “spacious enough” condo started to feel like a clown car. Stairs, tight rooms, and no yard just weren’t cutting it anymore. So they called me. One Year, Many Showings, One Perfect Fit From the first “maybe we should move” call to closing, it took nearly a year. Why? Because when you love where you live, it’s hard to leave... even if your kids are growing like weeds and you’ve turned the loft into a work from home office! We sear...

Spring Surge in Portola Hills: Inventory is up - but so is buyers interest.

May 20, 2025

Spring Surge in Portola Hills: Inventory Is Up—But So Is Buyer Interest Spring is in full bloom here in Portola Hills, and so is the local real estate inventory. Over the past month, the number of active listings has nearly doubled, with 24 homes currently on the market and 5 under contract , giving us roughly 4 months of inventory to work with. More choices for buyers can sometimes mean more days on market—but not always. This past weekend, I hosted an open house at 18986 Canyon Summit , and we had 18 groups of buyers come through. That’s a huge turnout, especially considering that some nearby listings have been sitting idle for weeks. The difference? Strategic pricing, great presentation, and marketing that actually reaches people. Key March Market Highlights: 📈 Average Sales Price (All Homes): $1,227,200 🏡 Single-Family Homes Average: $1,500,333 🏘️ Attached Homes: No clo...

Spring is Blooming and so is the Inventory in Portola Hills

April 24, 2025

Looking at the numbers, this am for my monthly client update and we certainly see a market shift! The number of available homes in Portola Hills has nearly doubled in the past month. We’re currently seeing 22 active listings and 5 under contract, which translates to about 4 months of inventory on the market. As we step into the busy spring selling season, competition is heating up. If you're thinking about selling, strategic pricing and smart presentation will be key to standing out in this shifting market. Below is a snapshot of the Average Sold Price in Portola Hills, along with the hottest neighborhoods for March. In Other Real Estate News! Tariffs, Interest Rates, and—oh yes— Zillow did what now?! Let’s start with the good news: Inflation is finally cooling . That’s a win. But with potential new tariffs on the horizon, there’s still some uncertainty in the economic air. The bright side? Real estate remains the number one hedge against infl...

Portola Hills Market Shift: What It Means for You

March 14, 2025

Hello Spring... The Spring Real Estate market is here.. be careful not to blink because it may be over before we know it. Don't you agree time is moving so fast. I was just taking a look at some numbers and there certainly has been a shift in the market, not necessarily a bad one. But it is important to understand if you are looking to sell your Portola Hills home or move to the community. Take a look at our snapshot below.. The Orange County spring real estate market is off to a solid start! While prices in the first couple of months were slightly down from the highs of 2024, we've seen 10 homes close escrow, ranging from a stunning view pool home at $2.4 million to a cozy 2-bedroom condo at $624K. With interest rates coming down and open house traffic picking up, it's a promising sign for buyers and sellers alike. Remember, top dollar typically comes when inventory is low and demand is high — early spring is the time to make your move! There is a lo...

How does Prop 5 Impact Homeowners?

September 17, 2024

As we head into the November 5th election, we’re not just voting for a President and local Representatives. There are several important measures on the California ballot that directly impact homeowners, like Proposition 5! . At first glance, the wording seems harmless: 🙂 ALLOWS LOCAL BONDS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE WITH 55% VOTER APPROVAL." But what does this really mean? 🤔 In plain terms, Prop 5 LOWERS THE THRESHOLD for raising taxes! Right now, it takes 67% of the vote to pass new bonds (which lead to higher property taxes). Prop 5 would reduce that to 55%. (Do we really want to give the legislature more control?) Translation: 🙃 it makes it easier for the government to RAISE YOUR TAXES by taking on more bond debt. This is also a DIRECT THREAT TO PROP 13, which caps property tax increases at 2% per year. California already has the HIGHEST TAXES IN THE NATION and a $58 billion deficit. Why give the state more opportunities to raise taxes...

Mid-Year Portola Hills Home Report

July 18, 2024

I don't know about you, but I am pretty shocked we are halfway through 2024. There is so much going on around us in the world, I think it is truly speeding up time. One area that is a bit quieter, well maybe the only aspect is the number of sales.. in the overall real estate market. Other than that, there is a lot of talk around the real estate industry these days. So let's take a look at how the Portola Hills real estate market has faired so far in 2024.. As you can see from the above illustration, the average sold price for Portola Hills is $1,417,173, that includes an average sales price for single family homes at $1,885, 308 and attached homes at $856,327. These homes sold in average time of 27 days. What is the value of my Portola Hills Home The number of sales so far in 2024 is down about 23% compared to the same time last year. High Interest rates is impacting this the most and low inventory... But homebuyers in the area...