Santa Clarita Valley Real Estate

Walkable neighborhoods command price premiums A new study says that homes located in more walkable neighborhoods command a price premium over similar homes in less walkable areas. The study, “Walking the Walk: How Walkability Raises Home Values in U.S. Cities” was commissioned by CEOs for Cities and conducted by Joe Cortright using data from Walk Score. Key findings include: · In 13 out of 15 metro areas higher levels of walk-ability were directly linked to higher home values. · In the typical metropolitan area, a one point increase in Walk Score was associated with an increase in value ranging from $500 to $3,000. Gains were larger in denser, urban areas and smaller in less dense markets. · In the typical areas studied, the premium commanded for neighborhoods with above-average Walk Scores ranged from $4,000 to $34,000. More info

For 24 hour Info 1-800-422-8693 Ext 397 Embrace the Splendor! One of the best locations in Valencia with easy access to everything. Gorgeous and rare largest model in The Fairways features fresh upgrades inside! 3 bedroom, 2 baths, plus a den. Light and bright end unit town home on a cul-de-sac street is surrounded by large wrap around covered patio, expansive greenbelts, mature trees, community tennis courts, spas and sparkling pools. Spacious 1,462 sq. ft. home, plus attached double garage with newer furnace and A/C. Designer kitchen with recessed lighting, Corian countertop and sink. Newer laminate flooring downstairs and newer carpet in the downstairs bedroom and upstairs. Fresh paint thru out, home is ready to move into! Centrally located within walking distance to Valencia schools, parks, paseos and stores! This Valencia home is very clean and shows true pride of ownership! Directions: Exit I - 5 East on McBean Parkway to Tournament, Right @ 1st stop sign, Lema Dr. nex

Avoiding Burglary Showing you how to improve your life and helping you protect their belongings! Santa Clarita CA enjoys the reputation of being one of the safest cities in the nation. However this status does insure total safety in our lives and does not allow us to skip preventive measures and action to protect ourselves and our families.  With summer approaching, many of us are considering family vacations. You know who else is looking forward to their summer vacation? Neighborhood thieves! Keep in touch with your friends and help them protect their home by passing along a couple of useful articles on how burglars determine if a home is a good topic. From Reader's Digest, these two articles are great conversation starters: 13 Things a Burglar Won't Tell You http://www.rd.com/your-america-inspiring-people-and-stories/13-things-a-burglar-wont-tell-you/article156709.html 8 More Things a Burglar Won't Tell You http://www.rd.com/living-healthy/article-8-more-

Case-Shiller index improves for second consecutive quarter Home prices improved in the third quarter of 2009, posting their second quarter-over-quarter gain in three years, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index, released yesterday. See the complete data here.

CASH for Appliances— Coming Your Way SOON!! By the end of 2009, consumers nationwide will be able to take advantage of a federal "cash for appliances" program offering rebates on purchases of a wide array of home appliances certified as energyefficient by the EPA's Energy Star program. Backed by an initial $300 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the state-run rebate program is intended to help make American homes more energy-efficient while further stimulating the economy. Who Will Run the Program? Each state will administer its own cash for appliances program. The states will be free to select which residential Energy Star qualified appliances to include in their programs and the individual rebate amount offered for each appliance. What Can You Buy? The Department of Energy (DOE) has recommended that the states focus their cash for appliances rebate efforts on heating and cooling equipment, appliances, and water heaters as these products

For mortgages, 620 is the new magic number Near historic low mortgage rates, favorable home prices, and the federal tax credit for first-time home buyers have contributed to home purchases in the past year. However, the onset of the credit crisis, new regulations for home appraisals, and more stringent guidelines for purchases and refinances have resulted in confusion for some potential home buyers. While using a mortgage broker to find the best loan may work for some buyers, it may not always be the best route. In the past, mortgage brokers could “shop” a loan to multiple lenders to help find the best deal. However, new practices and procedures under the Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC) have hampered mortgage brokers’ abilities, namely that lenders may no longer accept home appraisals commissioned by brokers. As a result, consumers may have to pay for new appraisals with each lender, which costs time and money. However, consumers who are very busy or need guidance may fin

Walkable neighborhoods command price premiums A new study says that homes located in more walkable neighborhoods command a price premium over similar homes in less walkable areas. The study, “Walking the Walk: How Walkability Raises Home Values in U.S. Cities” was commissioned by CEOs for Cities and conducted by Joe Cortright using data from Walk Score. Key findings include: · In 13 out of 15 metro areas higher levels of walk-ability were directly linked to higher home values. · In the typical metropolitan area, a one point increase in Walk Score was associated with an increase in value ranging from $500 to $3,000. Gains were larger in denser, urban areas and smaller in less dense markets. · In the typical areas studied, the premium commanded for neighborhoods with above-average Walk Scores ranged from $4,000 to $34,000. More info

Santa Clarita Valley Single-Family Homes Statistics Santa Clarita Valley Single-Family Homes Sales Increase 23%, Posting 5 th Consecutive Month of Gains Santa Clarita Single Family existing single-family homes picked up during May in the Santa Clarita Valley, posting the fifth consecutive month of increases, the Southland Regional Association of Realtors ® reported. Realtors® closed escrow on 220 homes, an increase of 22.9 percent over a year ago May and 23.6 percent higher than the tally reported this April. May also marked the first time since June 2007 that more than 200 homes sold in a single month. Every month since January has seen more homes sold than the prior year. Santa Clarita Condominium sales remained sluggish as prospective buyers preferred to focus on single-family homes that for the first time in years are being offered at favorable prices by owners who are willing to negotiate and make repairs or concessions. The market is showing signs of stabilization as we ente

HouseValues got a lot of people talking this week. Questions about the long term survivability of the company echoed through the blogosphere, much of it spurred on by the grumbling of ex-employees . As one of the highest profile real estate 1.0 web properties, I believe HouseValues’ troubles are ultimately a result of the macro changes that are happening right across this industry. It’s pretty clear. Real estate professionals are no longer the gatekeepers of information. On the surface however, HouseValues has not evolved. It’s main sites JustListed.com and HouseValues.com still treat consumers and real estate agents like children and are obviously little more than lead capture tools. Homepages.com is so confusing and poorly designed, it borders on being virtually unusable. In the past, there may have been few other options to turn to; but consumers these days have many more friendly data sources to choose from - Trulia or Zillow , Redfin or Shackprices , and Cyberhomes just to