Today we’re going to take a look at what’s going on in the Santa Clarita Valley area real estate market. While data relating to pending and active listings can give us a decent idea of current trends, the best way to get a feel for our market is by examining the homes that have actually sold. In the last 90 days, we’ve had 921 properties sell in our area. Of those properties, 625 were single-family homes, while the remaining 296 were condos, townhomes, or manufactured dwellings. Here is the full breakdown of homes sold by area:
Canyon Country - 216
Castaic - 78
Newhall - 96
Saugus - 204
Stevenson Ranch - 43
Valencia - 283
“Santa Clarita” - 1 (This home was actually in Canyon County, but was listed otherwise).
“
The best way to get a feel for our market is by examining the homes that have actually sold.
”
Looking at how these 921 properties broke down between price points, it’s clear that some ranges see more activity than others. Here is the full breakdown of homes sold per price point:
$300,000 and below - 48 homes
$300,000 to $450,000 - 220 homes
$450,000 to $600,000 - 334 homes
$600,000 to $750,000 - 219 homes
$750,000 to $900,000 - 64 homes
$900,000 to $1 million - 13 homes
$1 million and up - 23 homes
If you have any other questions or would like more information about what this data means for you and your real estate goals, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
There’s a portion of sellers out there who know they want to list their home, but aren’t ready just yet. These same sellers wonder, though, what precursory steps they can take to ensure that they’re in good shape when the time to hit the market comes. If this is true for your situation, here are eight easy steps you can take: 1. Have us come out to the house. We’ll draw up a very specific, specialized plan for you and your home so that you’re not spending time on items that won’t bring the value you might otherwise expect. Even if you’re five years away from your move, we’re always happy to come out and offer our opinion on what it’ll take to get your home market-ready. 2. Raise your home’s curb appeal. Think like a buyer who’s stepping onto your property for the first time—what would you want to see if you were them? Maybe you need to do away with some of those dead spots in your lawn, add some colorful flowers, remove an old tree stump or a shabby-looking chair. Whatever the case may be, this is a good place to start. 3. Declutter the interior of your home. Create a smooth, easy walkway for future buyers to come through. An environment where a buyer has to squeeze through tight or cluttered spaces won’t bode well for your sale, and wide open spaces tend to show better. 4. Repaint walls that may have an “extreme” color. Paint over lurid-colored walls with a more neutral option, and while you’re at it, touch up any nicks in the baseboards or on the walls. These sorts of things are the normal wear-and-tear of a lived-in home, but should be dealt with before your home goes to market.
“
We’re always happy to come out and offer our opinion on what it’ll take to get your home market-ready.
”
5. Put your home to the “smell test.” This may be a bit of a hit to the pride, but it’s important to have an unbiased, third-party come into your home and give you an honest opinion. They’ll pick up things you probably wouldn’t—pet odors, the lingering smells of your cooking, etc., can all affect the salability of your home. Knowing this up front could determine your course of action when it comes to painting or recarpeting as well. 6. Perform a deep-cleaning. Whether it’s getting up to your high windows or dusting off shutters at harder-to-reach points, it’s a good idea to thoroughly clean these areas so that your home shows well and gets through the inspection with flying colors. 7. Start to hide valuables. You should begin to box up and put away valuable belongings if you won’t be using them in the next year or so. This way, you’ll know these items are in safekeeping when buyers are walking through your home. 8. Begin the staging process. Bulky, large furniture might be great for your current living situation, but when it’s “show-time,” they might make the room feel smaller and more cluttered. Because of this, it’s best to take early steps to remove some of these items, widen the open space, and create a great flow. We’d love to come out to your property and work with you to lay out a plan for your future sale. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you!
When talking about whether or not adding solar panels to your home is a good idea, there are two main points to think about. First, ask yourself, “Do you plan on living in your home for a short period, or are you planning to live there long-term?” For people who are looking to live in their home long-term, solar is a great idea. If you’re only considering a short-term stay in that property, it really comes down to whether you can afford to put solar panels on the house and purchase it. A leased solar panel tends to cause homebuyers some uncertainty; they don’t typically like to take on other people's leases. Mind you, we’ve sold a ton of homes with solar leases, some within a few months after the selling process, but if you want to appeal to most homebuyers, a solar lease isn’t the way to go.
“
For people who are looking to live in their home long-term, solar is a great idea.
”
It’s much easier to sell a house where the solar panels are owned by the homeowner. There are no additional payments, and it provides immediate savings in terms of utilities if you didn’t have to invest in the system. Now if you’re planning to stay in your home long-term and are considering purchasing solar panels, you need to think about your income. Do you have a relatively fixed income? How much money do you have in your savings? If you’re on a fixed income, have some money in your savings, and you can afford to make an investment in your house, solar panels will help you save on your electric bill over time by bringing it down to almost nothing. If you don’t have a ton of money in your savings but you do have a consistent income, a lease is a great idea. During the hotter summer months out here in Santa Clarita where temperatures get into the 100s, solar panels will help you save big time. For any questions you have about solar panels, the logistics of having them installed, and/or the savings they’ll provide you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to have an in-depth discussion with you.
