PORTOLA HILLS LIVING by Kelly Turbeville

Shhhh....  It's quiet in Portola Hills and we are not just talking about the tranquil neighborhoods.  We are talking about the real estate market.  Typically March in the Saddleback Valley we see an uptick of homes coming on the market.  The inventory at the end of the 2013 was at an all time low, we saw about a 7% increase in inventory after the holidays. However, here in the Saddleback Valley and especially Portola Hills it was Quiet!! Reports indicate the market is heading back to 2006 levels  so looking at the number of homes that sold this time in 2006 (17) vs. what has sold this month (6), you can see it is pretty quiet.  Over the last few years the average number of homes sold in March is about 10. The good news here is for Home Sellers.  When the inventory is low and the buyer demand is high that means it's a sellers market.    The rule of supply and demand wins! Below is a summary of what sold in March in Portola Hills: March 2014 Portola Hills Sold Homes

Did you know the city of Lake Forest, California offers some great events for the family!  As the days are getting longer, the kids are getting ready for spring break and we celebrate the Easter Holiday make sure to mark your calenders for these fun events throughout the city. 3/29 - Borrego Trail Hike at Whiting Ranch Park in Foothill Ranch 4/12 - Bunny Bast at El Toro Park 4/19 - Spring skate and Egg Hunt at Etnies skatepark 4/26 - Park Safari at Lake Forest City Hall For more information and registration details you can call Community Services at 949-461-3450 or visit the cities event calender! Century 21 Award, Shredding Event Also mark your calender on 4/19, my office will be sponsoring a Free Shredding Day. More details to come but as you file away your taxes for this year, it;s time to shred those documents you no longer need.

When searching for a home whether you currently own or buying your first home, the details of the neighborhood are key.  The old saying, Location, Location, Location still rings true in today's Real Estate Market.   Take a  look at the infograph below provided by the California Association of Realtors... Do these traits fall in line for what is important to you? California Association of Realtors Infograph Neighborhood As you look for a home, make sure your needs for your desired neighborhood are reviewed with your Realtor.   It will save you time and frustration while out searching for your dream home.  Should you be looking for a move in the Saddleback Valley, please don't hesitate to give Kelly a call!

The month of February is filled with hearts, roses and love, well hopefully, right?  For the real estate market in Portola Hills I would say it was filled with love for Home Sellers. Comparing 2013 vs 2014 there wasn't much difference in the over all number of sales.  4 sold in 2013, 5 sold in 2014.  However if you look at the mix and the price per square foot that is where you see the difference. Of course this has too do with mix but if you compare averages and median you see the price per square foot in 2014 jumped 23%.  I would say that is love!! Take a look at the difference between 19602 Highridge and 28281 Harvest View Lane.  These homes are similar, Harvest View was larger square footage and had a larger lot versus Highridge which had smaller square footage but a view of the Saddleback Mountains.  Highridge sold for 15% more in 2014. Feb 2014 Portola Hills Closed Sales Feb 2013 Portola Hills Closed Sales So what is in store for March.  The inventory is still

Thought as we haven't seen too many larger single family homes on the market recently, it would be nice to see a couple that just closed escrow in Portola Hills.   Details:                                         Closed Escrow 2/19/2014 Average Days on the Market:       163 Days List price to Sale Price Ratio:        -2.08% Highridge Way Mountain View If you are considering a move a couple things you will want to consider.  Pricing your home at Fair Market Value is going to bring you the best results and often times bring you in multiple offers.  We are seeing in south orange county homes staying on the market a bit longer and a reduction in pricing. This generally means homes are priced higher then the market is willing to pay.  Of course sellers want to get the most for their home, but how it is positioned the moment you list will set the tone of your offers.    With the low inventory, the right positioning and high buyer demand, the one thing you shoul

The 1st Month of the 2014 is down and are you wondering how Portola Hills real estate market did....? Five homes sold in the community.  The average square footage was 1735 sq.ft. and closed at $552,580. The highest rice sold was $724,900 for 2694 sq.ft.  The lowest sold price was $312,000 for 1000 sq.ft. and was sold over the list price by $8000 and only on the market for 33 days. Portola Hills Average Closed Sales Jan 2014 Below are the properties that sold. Overall the days on the market averaged about 35 days which is pretty quick considering we were just finishing up the holidays. Portola Hills 2014 Sold Property Detail. Currently there are only 6 homes listed on the market in Portola Hills.  Which is low for this time of year as we begin the spring season.   If you are considering a move, give Kelly Turbeville a call to review the best strategy to get your home sold.  Inventory is low, buyer demand is still high and interest rates have rema

Hard to be believe we are finishing up the 1st month of the new year!   The year is starting off strong for Real Estate; Home Buyers are out and about and we are seeing slight increase in new listings overall.  However here in Portola the listings are still pretty light which brings opportunity for homeowners considering a move. Overall from 2012 to 2013, Portola was consistent with the rest of the market we saw about a 20% increase in pricing. Yay, Equity is building back up!!  With that said it is important to look at each segment of the market so you can determine what the best move for your home is. In Portola Hills there are 3 Property Segments.  The first is the Condo segment  which are attached properties that range from 900 sq.ft to 1300 sq.   26 homes condo's sold in 2013 with the average sold price of $312k for just over 1000 sq. ft.  The highest price point in 2013 was $408k for 1305 sq. ft.  Below is snapshot of the condo market. Portola Hills Condo Sales