PORTOLA HILLS LIVING by Kelly Turbeville

Have you looked at the outside of your home lately and thought, man I need to paint.  But then thought, there is no way I can afford this now.  You may want to check the City of Lake Forest , Neighborhood Pride Program. Which is funded by the city's Frederal Community Development Block Grant.  This is a citywide program that assist qualified homeowners with the exterior painting of their homes.  This service is provided at NO Charge, Woo Hoo!   Over 75 homes have been assisted to date. Selection of owner-occupied homes will be by lottery.  Of course there are terms that need to be met along with a Maximum Income Limit.  Contact the city direct for the details. If interested in participating, you can pick up a an application packet at City Hall or Call 949.461.3552.  Applications are due no later then Thursday Oct. 28, 2010.

At the recent Portola Center Meeting in Portola Hills, many questions came up regarding the agreement between the developer and Saddleback Valley Unified School and ensuring those funds were used for the improvements at Portola Hills Elementary.  Below is a note direct from Lake Forest's Planning Manager, Cheryl Kuta. Thank you for attending the Portola Hills community meeting on August 18, 2010 and listening to the City’s presentation on the history of the Opportunities Study, including the Portola Center project, as well as a discussion of the City’s role in the review of the proposed plans for Portola Center. We are currently working on responses to the written questions received during the presentation, as well as a general list of Frequently Asked Questions that will be made available on the City’s website. Our goal is to maintain an open and productive dialog with the community throughout the review of the Portola Center project. One of the issues discussed at length at

Wondering how the real estate market in Lake Forest is doing? Click here for a quick overview. Lake Forest Real Estate Market Update When looking for Portola Hills real estate data it is important to consider the overall area. All real estate is local, but it is also driven overall by the outer market. The outer market for Portola Hills is unique, as the zip code actually falls under Trabuco Canyon. So it is important that the real estate agent you hire understand these two aspects when determining the market value of your home. Better yet, give us a call, we are here to help!

Just listed in the soughtafter community of Montecido in Portola Hills, this lovely 2 bedroom/2 bath Carriage Unit. Contact: Kelly to schedule a showing. Kelly's positive attitude towards fulflling her clients dreams has made her one the premier real estate professionals in the Saddleback Valley. Kelly grounds her optimism with sound business and marketing skills, as well as experience negotiating mult-million dollar contracts. More importantly Kelly takes a big-picture approach to her cleint's goals. She understands each sale is connected to another purchase, and each purchase to an eventual sale. Kelly is commited to make sure all your goals, both short and long term, are part ofa larger plan that's guiding you towards success. If you're looking to buy or sell a home, contact Kelly to schedule a free consultation. Whatever your Real Estate Dream is, with Kelly at your side, It's Possible! The above information is deemed reliable but not guarentee

As part of the Saddleback Valley our neighbor city Mission Viejo and also our mother city of Lake Forest are part of the Top 10 Safest Cities in America along with Irvine. If you don't live in Portola Hills , then you may wonder what is the relation. Well Portola Hills is a community surrounded by these neighborhoods. To all the residents keep up the great work of keeping the area safe and let's not forget beautiful! http://www.ocregister.com/articles/calif-ohio-mich-1925649-city-rock?referrer=facebook

I was looking for properties for a new buyers in Portola Hills recently and was a bit amazed that more weren't showing up. As I expanded my search I came across several homes that were listed in the wrong city. Wrong city you say, how could this be? In the example of Portola Hills this may happen because the area use to be part of the unicoroprated area of Trabuco Canyon. However, Portola Hills was annexed into the city of Lake Forest in 2000. This is a perfect example of why home sellers want to hire an agent who is active in their community and understand both the area, title requirements and mls requirements. First if you live in the Portola Hills, you understand all the benefits of the area and this is what you need sell! Second there are specific requirements about how your title will be held and the correct city is a major requirement. If you don't want delays in your escrow closing, your agent and the buying agent needs to make sure this is correct. Third, MLS requireme

What blessing to live in such a great community as Portola Hills and being part of Lake Forest is all the better. The city of Lake Forest is the 10th safest city in America for cities with a population of 75,000 and 99,999 according to the recent QC Press City Crime Rankings .

Check out our newest listing @ 28386 Pueblo Dr. Lake Forest, CA 92679 Priced at $362,000

I found this fascinating article today: The number crunchers at Real Estate Economics in Irvine have their third-quarter local housing market rankings out. The results parallel what we’ve been reporting: Strength has moved inland! Lake Forest called O.C.’s hottest housing market - Lansner on Real Estate - OCRegister.com , Oct 2008 check it out at the OC Register.com.  

Did you know the city of Lake Forest has a recreation center on wheels that visits city parks each week for just some FREE plain fun. Did you catch that it is FREE ! In Portola the events take place each Wednesday from 10:00 am-12:30 pm at Concourse Park. When the Rec N' Roll group rolls into the area there will be sports activities, board games, craft projects, water fun, carnival games with prizes. Each will the group will host a different fun theme to inspire creativity and fun. July 7-10 - Fear Factor July 14-17 - Craft Craziness July 21-24 - Carnival Madness July 28-31- Parents vs. Kids Aug 4-7 Obstacle Course Fun Aug 11-14 Water World Aug 18-21 Rec ' N Roll Olymics Contact the Community Services department in Lake Forest