PORTOLA HILLS LIVING by Kelly Turbeville

So I was out taking Pinot for a walk and thought how exciting.... the park is almost complete.  I love the covered shade areas over the play area but I have to say I am also impressed with excersise equipment on the walking path throughout the park. Love it but I might have to change my mind set that parks are for play and relaxation.. With the spirit of Concourse Park in mind we are going to offer any homeowner who list their home or buys a home in Portola Hills utilizing our services, we will donate a tree via the Lake Forest Program to the Park in your honor .   Contact Kelly for Details (terms apply) Ther city of Lake Forest is planning a celebration on Aug 24th....In the mean-time check out these pictures. Get out enjoy the park and the beauty Portola Hills offers you!

Thought those of you who live in Portola Hills II HOA section might be interested in some highlights from the HOA meeting on 8/10. I decided to attend for two reasons: one a presentation from the city of Lake Forest was to address the communities traffic concerns with the upcoming Portola Center Development and two there was to be a discussion about the upcoming Special Assessment coming to homeowners for the hill sliding off of Highridge. I have to say, 1st I was really shocked with the 2 topics at hand how light the attendance was. A total of 11 attendees was there and not all homeowners.   The Lake Forest City spokesperson spoke about recent changes to Saddleback Ranch..... Did you see that little pork chop figure when you come up Saddleback Ranch and make a right onto Malabar, that is it but other than that there was no discussion about the concerns regarding Portola Center. In addition, he spoke about the the Alton completion with a tentative schedule of April 2012.   He a

July was a pretty active month for Portola Hills Real Estate.  Below is snapshot of how the market performed. Portola Hills Sales:                 8 Attached                                    3 Bedroom / 2 Bath Average Square Feet:               1181 Average Sold Price:                  $284,000 Average Price Per Sq. Ft.          $238 Average Days on the Market:   100 Best Sold Property :  When looking at the numbers the property sold at 28366 Klondike beat the market percentages by 16%.  Yay, it just happens to be our listing and we have one happy hom seller. Description.                            3 Bed/ 2 Bath Monticedo Condo Sq. Footage                             1305 Price Per Sq. Ft.                      $256 Sold Price:                              $335,000 Days on the market:                79 Active Properties:   The month ended with 21 Active Properties, below is breakdown of current list price and description. Attached:                                2

So excited for our seller as she has moved into her new home and we successfully sold her Montecido Townhome in Portola Hills .  As you can see from the photo's this was a lovely home in a great location;   two key assets, along with our extensive understanding of the current market, ensuring our homeowner received top dollar in this tough market!   I admit, it drives me crazy to see homeowners sell their home at the bottom of the market, when there is opportunity to bring them a higher sales price.  That's why our track record speaks for itself. This home sold for 10% over most recent sales in the complex.  The best part of today's market is, if you price your home out of range, then it is not going to appraise. Lenders are being very stringent on the numbers and the money they are loaning on.  It will also stay on the market a longer time, which will eventually hurt your overall pricing strategy.  However, that does not mean you should price your home below market

Finally a little good news for those who need to short sale and have two loans.   Just a quick note so you have the information regarding  SB 458 , which mandates Junior Lien Holders to accept short sale terms as final payment.   As C.A.R President Beth Peerce notes, "SB 458 brings closure and certainty to the short sale process and ensures that once a lender has agreed to a accept a short sale payment on a property, All Leinholders - those in first position and in junior positions - will consider the outstanding balance as paid in full and the homeowner will not held responsible for any additional payments on the property" I believe the decision to short sale never comes easy and though I also believe the homeowner has to work hard to ensure they can keep their home, much of what is happening today is out of their control. I am a strong advocate for Homeowners rights and believe they have been getting a raw deal when it comes to the devastating housing market.  More a

Portola Hills made the news once again in June as the hottest place to buy a home in Orange County.  Below is a breakdown of how Real Estate faired in June for the area. Sold Properties:  7 Attached:  5 Average Floorplan:  2 Bedroom / 2 Bath Average Sq. Footage: 1029 Average Sold Price: $228,000 Average Price Per Sq. Footage: $218 Average Days On The Market: 110 Detached: 2 Average Floorplan:  4Bedroom / 3 Bath Average Sq. Footage: 2673 Average Sold Price: $624,995 Average Price Per Sq. Footage: $231 Average Days On The Market: 193 Current Active Properties:   Attached: 19 Average Floorplan:  2 Bedroom / 2 Bath Average Sq. Footage: 1012 Average Listed Price: $325,000 Average Price Per Sq. Footage: $247 Average Days On The Market: 109 Detached: 5 Average Floorplan:  4 Bedroom / 3 Bath Average Sq. Footage: 2557 Average Listed Price: $608,000 Average Price Per Sq. Footage: $241 Average Days On The Market: 156 Portola Hills Best Buy!   When you look at the n

We often here in the local news, Portola Hills is the hottest real estate market, below is a current look at how the market performed in May of 2011.  Hot it is! Current Active Properties: 23 Sold Properties: 10 Distressed Rate: 50% Average Attached Price Per Sq. Ft:   $218  List Price to Sale Price Ratio: 86% Average Single Family Homes Price Per Sq.Ft:   $258 List Price to Sale Price Ratio: 93% Average Days on the Market:   117 Below is a quick look at the overall real estate market in the surrounding areas.  As Portola Hills borders both Lake Forest and Trabuco Canyon it is important to understand these markets as well. Trabuco Canyon Market Conditions Lake Forest Market Conditions If you are wondering if it is a good time to list your home whether it may be a Standard, Relocation or Short Sale, we are here to help.  The same principles apply you want to get the most dollars possible and sold as quick as possible.  Our track record shows just that! Buyer Ne