PORTOLA HILLS LIVING by Kelly Turbeville

Are you crazy... we have too much going on with the holidays and such to put our house on the market, plus who would be out shopping for homes anyways..? Yes.. we often hear this sentiment when we are speaking to clients who know they want to sell soon but can't imagine it would be beneficial at this time of year.    But in reality, late fall/winter is a perfect time to sell your Portola Hills home. Check out our report on 5 reasons why listing your right now may actually be the best option for you. 1.  Demand Is Serious and Strong: The buyer pool is South Orange County continues to remain high and out pace supply. These buyers are ready, willing and able to buy.. and are in the market right now! 2.  There Is Less Competition:  Housing supply is still under the historical number of 6 months supply, currently less then 3 in Orange County, which means there are not enough homes for sale to satisfy the number of buyers in the market. This is good news for home pri

Portola Hills Sunsets We have officially entered into Fall in Portola Hills... Halloween has just passed and Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner. But I have to say Fall is my favorite season in PH...  Why the weather begins to crisp up, the house is decorated cozy and I can put on a nice pot of soup or something else yummy.  It just feels "homey" time to me!!  For the real estate market, this is the time of year it starts to quiet down... Why? Well pretty much for the same reason I noted above, people tend to be connected to the home this time of year.   So how did the real estate market perform in the first month of fall 2015.   Seven homes closed escrow in the area. Take a look at the homes that sold below. Portola Hills Sold Homes October 2015 I am always asked how does this compare to 2014.   As noted, in 2014, the number of sales was one higher but the mix was much different.  Which is going to affect the average or median pricin

The Montecido complex located in the city of Lake Forest in the community of Portola Hills is a lovely townhome community that offers 2 and 3 Bedroom spacious floorplans. In addition many of the homes have good size yards with views. This is always a popular complex for condo buyers who are looking in the south eastern area of South Orange County. In terms of sales there has been 14 homes sold so far this year.  Below is a listing of the Montecido homes that have sold so far in 2015... Montecido Portola Hills 2015 YTD sales As you will note the lowest priced home was a 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath Carriage Unit which sold for $327k earlier in the year.   The highest priced home recently closed escrow at $467,500 and it was the largest model a 3 Bedroom, 3 Bath, 2 Car Garage plan. The median price per square foot is $337k, comparing this to 2014 it is up 1%. The median price for the Montecido complex was $333 in 2014 for the same time period and 17 homes sold. 

As I write this post the feeling of fall is in the air.  It's a cool 70 degrees out.  A welcome relief, I believe from the hot September we had.   It is also the perfect metaphor for the Portola Hills real estate market.   Don't forget to enter our Fall Door Decorating Contest!!  In September there were 12 homes sold in Portola Hills, that is up from 8 in 2014, which is a 34% increase in volume.   So you can say the market in September was pretty hot... just like the weather.   Below is a look at the homes that closed escrow in the community.  September 2015 Portola Hills Real Estate Sales As we enter October, we should certainly see the number of sales fall i.e. decrease.  This is typical for the fall.  Homes begin to stay on the market longer, though buyer demand is still strong, people tend to want to be settled in their new home before school starts and the fall/holiday festivities begin. That doesn't mean fall is a bad time to list your home. Homes

Who is ready for Fall!  With this week being the official start of Fall 2015, I thought it would be fun to put together a Portola Hills Community Contest to celebrate the season.  Well maybe secretly I am hoping it will bring some cooler fall weather along with it! It is simple.. Decorate your Front Door, send us a picture and we will randomly pick the winning entry just in time for Thanksgiving!! The grand prize is a $50.00 grocery card.   Contest runs from 10/1/15-11/30/15. Portola Hills Fall Door Decorating Contest - Sponsored by Kelly Turbeville Terms apply... Contact Kelly direct for directions on how to enter. Open to Portola Hills residents only.  Participants agree photo will be shared publicly.

As Foothill Ranch is our neighbor and often lumped in with data and area information for Portola Hills, it is important to be aware of the real estate market trends for the overall area. This past month in Foothill Ranch 14 homes closed escrow with the Average price of $582k for 1725 square feet in 71 days. Foothill Ranch Closed Real Estate Sales August 2015 Foothill Ranch Closed Real Estate Sales August 2014 In 2014 during the same time period August, 8 homes closed escrow with the Average price of $664k for 1997 square feet in 81 days. Comparing the two years, though the number of sales are up in 2015, with the mix of what sold the average pricing for the area looks be down.  However, when you split out detached homes the average sold price was $739k, which is up about 11% from 2014. Comparing what homes sold in Foothill Ranch vs Portola Hills this past month, the price per square in foot in Portola Hills averaged $357 per square foot vs. Foothill Ranch $

Are you looking for a view home?  You will want to stop in and check out this lovely paired home in the community of Portola Hills in Lake Forest.  This is a 3 Bedroom, 2.5 bath home with over 1600 sq. ft and offers AMAZING views of the Saddleback Mountains... Open from 12:00 pm on September 5th.. Open House by Kelly Turbeville Want more information on this home or other homes located in Portola Hills... Contact Kelly  with Century 21 Award!