SCV Real Estate Insider

Santa Clarita Real Estate: The Scv Agents Team

2008-06-19T00:31:00.000-07:00

In the off chance you're looking for The Scv Agents Team, or Robert Mickalson, and you came across this blog, we'd like to let you know that his team is now located at www.TheScvAgents.com. Formerly known as www.TheScvAgent.com. Santa Clarita real estate will never be the same, check out what The Scv Agents Team is doing at their new website...see you there!

New Santa Clarita Real Estate Blog..

2007-10-13T18:53:00.000-07:00

Incase yo are stumbling across this older, original Santa Clarita real estate blog of mine the "SCV Real Estate Insider", you may be interested to know that you can now find me blogging away over at the Santa Clarita Real Estate Forum (www.SantaClaritaRealEstateForum.com)

Please make a note of the new blog, and be sure to visit!

I may post back here from time to time, but I had to make an upgrade!

Thanks!

- Robert

Santa Clarita Realtor

Vintage Sotheby's International Realty

SAME SANTA CLARITA BLOG - NEW LOCATION!

2007-01-07T15:53:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

Just incase any of you fell off the bus, I moved this blog to a different - BETTER location. It can be accessed from either my website address www.TheScvAgent.com, or from this link http://www.thescvagent.com/blogs/robert_mickalson/default.aspx. You can subscribe to the NEW blog location upon visiting it.

If you would still like an INSIDE look into the Santa Clarita real estate market, I suggest you take note of the links above, and join me at the SCV REAL ESTATE INSDER BLOG.

Thank you for your interest!

Robert Mickalson
Realtor ® & Property Management Specialist
Vintage Sotheby's International Realty
Peninsula Rentals and Property Management
Mobile: 661.373.2374 Office: 661.219.2260 Fax: 661.219.2264

"By The Way...I am NEVER to busy for your Referrals"
Go to www.TheScvAgent.com for expert real estate sales assistance!
Go to www.Pr-Pm.com for all your local property management needs!

How To Make Your Offer Attractive When You Have NO MONEY!

2006-11-11T13:28:00.000-08:00

One of the most important parts of the real estate transaction is in my opinion one of the least understood, at least when one first enters into the realm of a real estate purchase or sale, we're talking contingencies. This particular Blog is for those of you who are SERIOUS buyers, but have little to no money to put down on your home. Putting money down on a home usually makes your offer, at least in general, attractive to the seller. It makes you look serious. Well, how do you look serious with NO MONEY? I'll tell you how...please read on.

First, a background on what this contingency stuff is anyway. A real estate transaction, deal, purchase, sale - whatever you want to call it, is usually contingent upon several FACTORS, in order for it to successfully close escrow, finalize, be done, get finished, etc! Its usually the RICH buyer, or very SERIOUS buyer that has little or NO contingencies. But, this blog is for the not so rich. So lets discuss the most prevalent contingencies that you will likely have in your offer.

1st) Your LOAN CONTINGENCY - this contingency means that you, the buyer, must acquire financing (a loan) in order to close this deal. In other words you can't buy the home with out it...so the entire deal is contingent upon this happening.

2nd) Your APPRAISAL CONTINGENCY - this contingency means that the home you are buying MUST appraise at its sales price (or higher would be nice). In other words, if you buying a home for $400,000, you don't want the appraiser to come back and report to your lender that its only worth $350,000! Mr. Lender won't give you $400,000 if that happens!

3rd) Your INSPECTION CONTINGENCY - this contingency means that you, the buyer, MUST take the time to discover everything about the homes condition and the community in which its located. Your going to learn about the home via a home inspection most often, sellers disclosure paperwork, your own visual tour, looking at permits if any, calling any specialist in the world such as a geologist, surveyor, mold inspector, and the list can go on forever if you really want it to. Most people however simply opt for a home inspector to issue a report on the homes condition, and you then decide if its worth going forward or NOT with the deal. That is why its a contingency. No one is going to make you buy a home that is falling apart or you no longer feel comfortable about.

So what is the catch to these contingencies? Whats the big deal anyway? The BIG DEAL is that these contingencies need to be removed by a certain date as specified in your purchase contract. And by removing any one contingency, you as a buyer can no longer back out of the deal for that particular contingency (reason). SO, if you hook up with a lender who says on the 14th day of escrow - "yeah, your fine, remove the loan contingency, everything is smooth on this end" ...and you remove the loan contingency based on his/her advice, only to find out that he/she can't fund your loan on-time or at all because they made an error in your approval, OUCH, that'll make a good day bad. That means that you can't back out of the deal due to your financing. Same with the home inspection contingency removal. If you remove this contingency, and then realize that all the repairs your already aware of costs to much, well.. you can't back out anymore for any such reason related to the homes condition, because you removed the contingency already! You may lose your initial deposit if you back out anyway - which is generally thousands of dollars.

Thats just the loan and inspection contingency removals, you of course have to remove the appraisal contingency too - but that usually goes hand in hand with your loan removal since you really can't get the loan you want with out the home appraising at the sales price. You generally remove them all at the same time with one signature, but it can all be removed separately if need be.

So now that you have an idea how what these contingencies are all about, lets discuss how they can actually help you, the not so rich buyer, make a more competitive or attractive offer as the Subject suggests.

I mentioned that you have to remove the contingencies by a certain date. There is NO set date until its agreed upon between the seller and you within the purchase contract. It is built into the purchase contract however that you, the buyer, have 17 days to remove the loan and home inspection contingencies. If your writing up this offer, on a home you just have to have, the last thing you want to happen is another buyer come along at the same time and make an offer that you must compete with. What if they put more money down than you are!? You likely don't have a chance right? Wrong.

Aside from writing an offer at FULL PRICE or a very competitive price, you very well may want to minimize the days you are going to take to remove your contingencies. So, instead of the built in 17, say to your Realtor ..."lets remove the loan contingency in 12 days, or 10 days, and do the same with the home inspection contingency". Not only will your Realtor think to themselves how great it is to have a SERIOUS buyer, but SO WILL THE OWNER of the home, and their listing agent! Trust me, you will surprise your Realtor when you offer to minimize the time frames. They tend to think, and they tend to be right, most buyers don't understand them, no less what to DO WITH THEM! You can even take the credit for being so savvy.

So, you write your offer, and so does the guy (buyer #2) with MORE MONEY down than you! Uh oh. They get delivered at the same time to the owner. Which will he chose? Well, there is no RIGHT answer. The odds are against you due to the "no/little money down thing", but here is what I would be hoping for:
- Buyer # 2 may be coming in at the same price as you, or probably lower!
- Buyer # 2 hopefully did not "mess" with the time frames for contingency removal, and left them as they are built into the contract (17 days)... they can even opt for longer if they wanted to!
- Buyer # 2's Realtor hopefully has No rapport with the Listing agent, and or, does not package the offer attractively, by doing such things as writing an enticing Cover Letter why his client's offer should be chosen, or producing a letter from his clients to the seller pointing out why they should be chosen! You want to appeal to the owner and listing agents senses!
- Buyer #2 maybe, just maybe, MUST Sell their current home in order to buy their new one. Maybe they don't even have to since they have lots of money, but that is how they want to do the deal!

The seller will then look at your deal, all be it with not a lot of money down, if any, and compare it to Buyer #2's offer. First off, the listing agent is going to deliver your offer in a nice package to the seller, because you are going to choose a Realtor who will do that for you! Binding and all! Second, the seller will read your enticing introduction letter as to why you love his/her home so much and would love to be the new owner. Third, the seller will see the details of your offer. They will see that you offered a good price. They will see for a moment that you aren't putting a lot of money down. But then that QUICKLY gets over shadowed by the fact that your offer just got much more SERIOUS by you shortening the Contingency time frames. This tells the seller that you are not going to WASTE his/her time! Instead of them having the home off the market for more than two weeks for you, they will only have it off for a little over 1 week before you decide to remove your contingencies and move forward with the deal. This will make him/her sleep much easier at night time.

And wah-lah... you have yourself a VERY good chance at getting the deal now. All because you were flexible and knowledgeable.

I will caution two things however. First, if your credit is shakey, I would make sure to team up with a great lender who will advise you on how long it will take to give you a final loan approval. You don't want to remove your loan contingency before its okay. And people with shakey credit will sometimes run into bumps in the road with respect to loan approvals. Second, make sure you are diligent with getting your home inspection ordered right away so there is ample time to consider the homes condition and everything about the area before you remove the contingency in say 10 or 12 days.

Many more tips where this came from. I hope this will help "some" of you.

For all your real estate needs, call Robert @ 661 373 2374.

Visit Robert @ www.TheScvAget.com for more information on Santa Clarita real estate.

Santa Clarita 34th Safest City!

2006-11-01T01:30:00.000-08:00

According to Morgan Quitno Press' 13th annual safest city list, Santa Clarita is now the 34th safest city in the country with a population of 75,000 or more for the year 2005. This is a move up from the 2004 ranking of 36th safest.

Santa Clarita is however the 4th safest city when it comes to cities which have a population of 150,000 or more. The report that Quitno publishes on an annual basis is misleading according to some local SCV officials. One reason being that it is not necessarily fair to compare a city with about 180,000 citizens (Santa Clarita) to a city with about 100,000. Furthermore, crime that does occur in Santa Clarita is reportedly quite often perpetrated by individuals that live outside of Santa Clarita (ie Antelope Valley or Los Angeles). Which puts us at a disadvantage simply because of our proximity to much larger and more dangerous cities.

Normal crime and serious crime, does happen in Santa Clarita. While we all enjoy the local outdoors and feel much safer than those in other nearby cities...Its important to remember that you should always be aware of your surroundings and to not let your guard down, simply because we are the "34th" safest city in America.

Our city is SAFER than yours! Time to buy a home in a better neighborhood? =)

Call Robert @ 661 373 2374 for all you real estate needs or questions about the Santa Clarita Valley.

Want to search ALL SANTA CLARITA HOMES FOR SALE? Go to The Scv Agent.com

Want to sell your home? Trying to sell "By Owner"?? Then you MUST go to Why List With Robert.com

Take Advantage of the Buyer's Market!

2006-10-24T18:06:00.000-07:00

With over 2,300 real estate listings in Santa Clarita alone, of which all are fighting for the smaller pool of buyers, it has created what is known as a Buyer's Market. While a lot of buyers are sitting on the sidelines, waiting, hoping, praying, crossing their fingers that prices go down more, there are a few savvy people out there taking advantage of "deals", deals that otherwise haven't been around for years.

Seller concessions. Its a great thing if you are a buyer with little cash in reserves, but have an income to justify the mortgage payment. Why is it such a great thing? Well, imagine in a normal market that you want to buy a home. You enter escrow on it. You then are informed of the amount needed to close escrow, aka CLOSING COSTS. Typically these will run anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000 on a first time buyer's purchase. Now, imagine if you will, paying NO closing costs. Imagine, receiving a credit from the seller that not only covers ALL of your closing costs, but leaves money left over for you to apply towards buying your interest rate on a loan down, which in turn will make your monthly payment less expensive. Sounds nice right? Well, that my friends (and hopefully future client), is just part of the idea behind seller concessions.

This sort of thing rarely happens in a "Seller's market", but that isn't the case, we're in a Buyer's market, so its happening quite a bit these days - and as I mentioned, there are some SAVVY buyers out there getting some GREAT deals! While there are of course some sellers out there who are simply sticking to their "guns" and not budging on ANYTHING, there are about 50 other Sellers to that 1 who will be happy to entertain your "creative" offer.

Now in order to get "creative", and make the best offer possible, you really need the assistance of a Realtor who knows their stuff (hhuhm), because your choice in Realtor, you know that person who is supposed to negotiate a great deal on your behalf, could cost you thousands of dollars, or SAVE YOU thousands of dollars. When choosing your Realtor, make sure to ask for a list of properties they have successfully closed escrow on in the past 12 months. If they give you a list of 0, 1, 2, or 3 ...make sure to look very closely at other aspects of their qualifications, and how knowledgeable they sound when answering your questions.

So you have the perfect Realtor, and its a Buyer's market, now what? I know this is not a revolutionary idea, but here it goes...LOOK FOR A GREAT DEAL, SOMETHING UNDER MARKET VALUE! Now that you are amazed by my great idea, I will tell you some of the best ways to find a great deal.

Some key factors that CAN LEAD to a GREAT deal in the making:

A property that is priced about 5% or more below its best competition
A property that has been listed for a LONG TIME - over 90 days, over 120 is even better
A property that is vacant and has a stressed seller making two mortgage payments
A property that has been served with a Notice of Default, and the owner has Equity!
A property that needs some minor TLC, something you can fix yourself, but discount real dollars off the sales price for
A not so hot looking property in a GREAT neighborhood, with one or ALL of the factors listed above in play
A property that is offering up-front that seller will pay some or all closing costs
A property that is or is potentially a short sale, with one or ALL of the factors listed above in play

Those are just a few items to look out for when on the hunt for a great deal. Personally, I love to look at how long its been listed. If its been listed a LONG TIME, with NO price changes, you may have a problem in that the seller is not motivated to sell. This is a BUYERS MARKET. So we are looking for the sellers that realize this and are looking to SELL, and move on with the equity they "currently" have. Ask your Realtor to investigate and see how motivated the seller is if you come upon a property that sparks your interest. Your Realtor can simply place a call to the listing agent and learn a great deal about the seller and the seller's "situation" (ie Moving out of state, Needs larger living space, Divorce, etc).

Tomorrow the Federal Open Market Committee will vote on whether or not to leave interest rates at bay 5.25% (8.25% prime rate for banks, credit cards, HELOCs) or hike them due to fears over inflation that still seems to be somewhat present. The current level of demand for housing could see a more fierce drop were the FED to increase rates again. However they have left them alone for the last 3 meetings, as inflation fears have seemed more calm in recent months. So hopefully, for all of you who want to purchase a home in the coming weeks or months (and have little money down), let hope for a continued pause in interest rate increases and lets start taking advantage of some of these deals in the Santa Clarita housing market.

Call me for all of your real estate needs @ 661 373 2374

Want to sell your home? Trying to sell "By Owner"?? Then you MUST go to Why List With Robert.com

VISIT THE SCV AGENT.com for Santa Clarita Real Estate Info & Search The Local MLS!

VISIT Peninsula Rentals &amp; Management For All Of Your Rental & Property Management Needs!

California Foreclosures WAY UP!

2006-10-13T16:16:00.000-07:00

In a report out this week from RealtyTrac, California has shown a 40% increase in foreclosures JUST over the last 2 months! We have supassed Texas and Florida for having the "most new forclosure filings" in the country.

In September, there were approx 14,806 owners entering some stage of foreclosure! That is over 3 times as many in September 2005. That figure equates to 1 forclosure filing for every 825 households. This does not mean that the home has been foreclosed on, just that the proceeding has commenced for such action.

The nations largest foreclosure rates were recorded in Michigan, Colorado, and Nevada. Other states reporting foreclosure rates among the nation's 10 highest were Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Texas, Ohio and Utah. Nationwide, foreclosure activity has increased 63% from this time last year. An incredible figure.

Are things really that bad though? While the trend isn't one that is pleasant, it was expected with this real estate downturn. At the height of our real estate boom, many buyers,especiallyy broke first time buyers, were leveraging theirmortgagee to the hilt, and mortgage brokers were more than happy to accommodate. Nothing down? Stated income?Negativee amortization loan? SURE WHY NOT! Everyone was making money hand over fist with they way the market was appreciating. Well, all good things come to an end, okay, maybe a slooowwwsmoothh end, and people who purchased about a year ago or less, and those who took all of the equity in their home as if it were an ATM card have no place to go. Their home values aren't really rising any more. In the past when they couldn't afford the payments, you just got an equity line of credit, and paid your more pressing debts! No longer is this the case.

Lenders are being extra careful when they appraise a properties value now, to make sure they aren't over lending on a home that is potentially decreasing in value monthly. If the homeowner has no equity, the homeowner can no longer get that equity line, they can no longer "cash out". So what do they do...they sell and do a "short pay" (where you make an agreement with lender to sell for less than is owed on the home) and make NO money off their "investment", and or they FORECLOSE. I guess they could always make more money and just pay their mortgage, but that is much easier said than done.

As I mentioned, this foreclosure rate increase was expected. There were foreclosures happening in the height of the boom...just much less of them. The media will soon lose interest in reporting the surging increase in foreclosure rates, and will move on to other items of interest.

Just as I read articles of gloom and doom, I read of hope and positivity. The latter just gets reported much less often, if at all - you have to dig for it. Housing demand for instance, is expected to remain, I won't say remain strong, I'll just say remain. It's better than not being there at all! Low interest rates will be the key factor to keeping demand in-play. The fed meets again on Oct 24-25th to decide whether or not to keep rates at bay for the 3rd straight time or not. While inflation is a concern of the federal reserve, they realize the effect rising interest rates will have on the already staggering housing market.

In Santa Clarita we have "less" to worry about, as opposed to other areas of California, and regions in the country. We have a very strong local job economy. Santa Clarita is an unusually clean, well put together, master planned community (city actually). The schools are great, there is a variety of shopping to keep you in town, and now with things such as a Valencia comedy club, the city is keeping you here for entertainment as well. There really is not another city MUCH like it, if at all. The demand will always be a BIT higher here than in most parts of LA County and California for that matter.

Inventory of homes currently for sale in Santa Clarita is falling slightly, this was expected to happen as Summer passed and winter & holidays approach. Remember, lower inventory is better for sellers, in that prices won't fall as much if at all, and high inventory means more decisions for buyers, which equates to more seller competition (downward pressure on prices).

It will be interesting to see where Fall/Winter '06 leads us and what kind of year 2007 will be. Lets just get through the rest of the year and enjoy the coming Holiday season!

For all your real estate needs...call me @ 661.373.2374

Want to search ALL SANTA CLARITA HOMES FOR SALE? Go to The Scv Agent.com and click MLS SEARCH!

Want to sell your home? Trying to sell "By Owner"?? Then you MUST go to Why List With Robert.com

Its been 2 months!

2006-10-03T16:42:00.000-07:00

I can't believe its been about 2 months exactly from my last post. Shame on me. The real estate world needs me. So here I am. It has been an eventful 3rd quarter for me. Aside from my wife and I buying a new home, I have had one of my best quarters ever for sales - who said the real estate sky is falling?

I apologize for the absence to those of you who enjoy reading this post. I am committing to "blogging" from this day forward...at least once a week, hopefully 2 or 3 times a week schedule permitting.

Like I said, I have been extremely swamped with business this last quarter, mostly buyers, and since it has cooled down for me over the last two weeks, its time to get back to the basics.

As for the market, it really is something to behold. One moment people are making money buying and selling homes, money money money, hand over fist...Now, unless its your primary residence, nobody is buying and expecting to make a buck - at least in the near future, myself included. The run up of prices for several years, limited affordable housing, limited incomes, a media campaign to wish a bursting bubble upon us, and of course the enormous inventory of homes for sale has all but taken the last measure of air from a heavily inflated real estate market. Yes there is still some activity going on, as I noted from my own experience, but its mostly those who MUST move, MUST buy, and or are simply just positive thinkers and don't let the negativity of others get to them.

The number of homes for sale was bloated to around a 7 or so month supply, nearing at its height to about 2,600 homes for sale in Santa Clarita Valley during this summer. I am happy to tell you that the spooked sellers trying to get top dollar one by one are retreating by taking their home off the market for another day. They weren't serious sellers in the 1st place. They just caught "wind" from some TV outlet or work place water cooler conversation that prices are falling, and they thought they would get as much as they can - as soon as possible. Well when everyone is doing that very same thing, buyers in turn get a nice menu of homes to choose from, in turn making each seller compete heavily with on another spurring downward pressure on prices. . So who sold successfully? Basically the "serious" sellers sold, and on average, they were the ones who HAD to get to their "new job assignment", "couldn't afford mortgage payments", "had a baby and were outgrowing residence", etc etc etc...bottom line - they were serious about getting it sold and did what it took to do so, which normally meant listening carefully to their Realtor's advice.

No longer can you put your home on the market, and list 5-10-15% above the last one sold. To be honest, the last one's sold hardly matter with so much currently for sale, and so LITTLE in escrow - especially with prices holding steady and in some cases going down a "tad-bit". In order to sell (for you serious sellers), you must be extremely competitive about pricing, and more knowledgeable than ever about the differences in value between nearby sellers of similar product and your home. You can't over price for your "upgrades" either. A buyer these day will go for the cheaper home with same plan and no upgrades - they will just assume doing the upgrades themselves and save a buck, we have become a do-it-yourself nation you know!

Over all, this situation, has created a great buying opportunity for buyers. It's been a long time since the buyer had the upper hand, no less had a choice of 3-5 homes within on tract and no competition. The sellers are now competing for buyer business.

In the coming months, if inventory continues to decrease, this could be good news for sellers in that it creates less of a choice for the buyers who are actually out there looking. Less supply = good for seller. More supply = good for buyer.

As of today we have about 2,410 homes for sale in Santa Clarita. The buyers still have the upper hand. However, if you are serious about selling your home, team up with a Realtor that KNOWS the inventory and competition. You need a FULL SERVICE REALTOR, not a limited services/discount broker. Their goal is to get as many listings in volume as possible in order to make a profit. How can they serve your needs and give you the best advice when they are beholden to so many other sellers at the same time? You call them and get a voice mail! Its a lose lose situation. In this market, they don't end up selling your home & earn a minimal commission, and you don't end up selling your home & putting your equity in the bank!

Call me @ 661 219 2260 to discuss your potential sale or purchase. You'll be glad you did.

To search the Santa Clarita MLS - The Scv Agent.Com

For the BEST Santa Clarita Real Estate info - The Scv Agent.Com

SCV "New Home" Community update

2006-08-02T22:49:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

I would like to give you a short and friendly update for the Santa Clarita "New Home" market.

First, I have learned that KB Homes has decided to put one of their Saugus "Plum Canyon" projects on hold until further notice. The project is called Blackberry Briar. Models have pretty much already been built. Its located at the top of the hill of Golden Valley Rd off Plum Canyon. This comes in the midst of MAJOR price reductions on their other two Plum Canyon communities; Strawberry Fields and Citrus Grove.

Also, KB Homes is reportedly offering MAJOR incentives when using Countrywide Home Loans to fund your loan. They are paying as much as SIX POINTS on your loan! That is incredible. If you do the math, it might be possible with that kind of incentive to get an interest rate down into the 4 and 5 percent range on different loans programs.

Second, I wanted to let you know that Lennar is coming out with TWO NEW communities. One in Stevenson Ranch, called Hillside Village, and the other in Castaic, called Camino Del Lago. More details on these two new communities will be posted at my website www.TheScvAgent.com VERY SOON. Hillside Village will be approx 50+ detached condos. Interest list began TODAY! They will probably sell VERY fast as they are located right off of Pico Canyon Road, an ideal place for those who need to commute in the AM and desire easy freeway access. New homes in Stevenson Ranch always sell. If you are interested in this community, let me know. Pricing and floor plan NOT YET AVAILABLE. I am sure you won't be disappointed though!

As usual... you heard it here 1st. Make me your first and only stop for Santa Clarita real estate information before you buy or sell in this market. Have you joined my VIP CLIENT program yet? You Should! I'm here to help.

Take care!

Robert Mickalson
Realtor ® & Property Management Specialist
Vintage Sotheby's International Realty
Peninsula Rentals and Property Management
Mobile: 661.373.2374
Office: 661.219.2260
Fax: 661.219.2264

For the most Up-To-Date Santa Clarita Real Estate info... Visit THE SCV AGENT.Com!

NEW Santa Clarita developments update 6/27

2006-06-27T13:16:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

This morning I was apart of a special real estate broker meeting with Newhall Land & Farm. Below are some of the items discussed. You are hearing it from me first! Always go to my website THE SCV AGENT for this type of community information and more.

Let’s get started...

A NEW COMEDY CLUB AT THE WESTFIELD VALENCIA TOWN CENTER is coming soon! The owner is Walter Gause of the "Last Comic Standing". It will be located right next to the Food Court. There will be 300 seats. Santa Clarita adults really need this type of venue. It won't be as necessary to venture into Los Angeles for all our entertainment needs now as big name Comics will be coming to town to entertain us all!

MACY'S IS REPLACING ROBINSONS MAY AT THE WESTFIELD VALENCIA TOWN CENTER. The change is already underway. The sign is already up - but covered by a large temporary sign hanging that still says Robinsons May - they are just waiting until the transition is final to unveil the new signage.

NORDSTROMS IS BEING SAUGHT AFTER FOR WESTFIELD VALENCIA TOWN CENTER. As part of the second phase of changes at the Mall, LNR - the commercial division of Lennar is seeking Nordstrom’s to anchor the ever-changing Westfield Valencia Town Center. They are in negotiations and simple talks at this point, trying to come to terms on the details of such a huge deal. This would be located more than likely in what is now the main parking lot at the mall. A parking structure would have to be built to replace the lost parking spaces.

THE MADISON CONDOS AT VALENCIA TOWN CENTER - Are now available. Two models are open. Prices on 1 bedrooms start from $361,188, 2 bedrooms start from $449,109, and 3 bedrooms start from $558,150. The HOA fee is a whopping $394 - YIKES! Some of the amenities you will receive are state of the art fitness center with rock climbing wall, an internet café, gated resident parking, beautiful pool and spa area, elevator service, refurbished kitchens with black granite counters, stainless steel appliances, and new plumbing hardware. and they have been of course re-painted since all of the tenants have moved out! More info to follow, contact me to get on this list!

BRIDGEPORT MARKETPLACE – This big empty lot at the corner of Newhall Ranch Rd and Mc Bean is slated to open (or have some stores open) in early 2007. It has recently been fenced off to prepare for grading and construction. This great new shopping center will be anchored by the high-end Bristol Farms grocery store. Also there is a planned California Pizza Kitchen, a Church, and many other new stores and amenities to the local residents.

GOLDEN VALLEY SHOPPING PLAZA – This huge 618,000 sq ft shopping center which will rival the Stevenson Ranch area Valencia Marketplace, is being graded right now and is slated for some stores to open in early 2007. Located off the 14 freeway at Golden Valley Rd, this huge shopping center will feature TONS of stores such as a brand new Target, Lowes, Circuit City, and smaller retailers, and some restaurants such as Chili’s. That is just the tip of the ice berg as far as stores, a complete list will be made available in the future.

WEST CREEK/WEST HILLS Valencia – Over 2,300 new homes to be built here, including multi-family apartments. Over 2/3 of the homes in both communities will be attached type homes (condos/townhomes). Most of the single family residential will be located in West Hills, which will be located near Mc Bean and Copperhill across from Tesoro del Valle. West Creek will be located on the opposite side near Tesoro del Valle. Lennar will built most of the homes, and allow a few guest builders to develop some of the 18 new tracts within these communities. Models are slated to open late in 2006, with sales to start by 1st quarter of 2007. An elementary school will be added to this area, it will be the first fully completed school to be constructed by a home builder. More info to follow, contact me to get on this list!

RIVER VILLAGE of VALENCIA – Well this is part of the Valencia master plan but the zip code and area is more like Saugus. River Village will start where the east end of Newhall Ranch ends. The community will have just over 1,000 homes. About half will be attached, and the other half will be single family style. This community skirts along the Santa Clara River, and can be seen now as all of the grading and preparation for construction has already commenced. A beautiful park called “Arroyo Park” will sit in the middle of the Single Family portion of the community. It is nicely laid out! The attached type homes will be at the entrance of the community, and at the end of the community. The Cross Valley Connector will be the main entrance to this community. Although the Cross Valley Connector will not fully be “connected” once the community is finished. The Vons shopping center at the entrance of the River Village community (end of Newhall Ranch Rd @ Boquet) is currently under-going a face lift to update the shopping center. More info to follow, contact me to get on this list!

PIAZZA METRO IS NOW GOING TO BE “VILLA METRO” – This townhome community right off of Soledad just east of Saugus Speedway was first called Soledad Village, then Piazza Metro, and NOW they say its going to be called Villa Metro. I hope they make up their mind and stick with a name finally. It got final City Council approval and will probably be ready for sales sometime in 2007. This will be a community of about 400 townhomes. Check out my website for all the good details on this hot property. This is the FIRST time “Live/Work” units are being introduced to Santa Clarita, so go to my website and red all about them! More info to follow, contact me to get on this list!

BECLARO 55+ COMMUNITY HAS 3 HOME LEFT! – The most upscale 55+ active adult community in Santa Clarita has 3 brand new homes left for sale. Contact me if you or someone you know might be interested. After this, its only re-sales – FOREVER!

HILLSIDE VILLAGE of STEVENSON RANCH – As part of Stevenson Ranch phase 5, a new community off of Pico, called Hillside Village is slated for construction. These will be about 51 detached condos. There is only preliminary info about these right now. We will know a lot more by the end of 2006 and early 2007 about this! More info to follow, contact me to get on this list!

CASTAIC NEW HOUSING! - People love Castaic, and finally there are some new homes to talk about…There will be a limited 84 detached single family home community built called Camino del Lago. This is located right off the Lake Hughes exit. Models could be open in 6-8 months from now. Sq ft will be 1600-2300 approx. More info to follow, contact me to get on this list!

NEWHALL RANCH 21,000 NEW HOMES! - We won’t see much action until 2009-2010 on this, but we all now about 21,000 homes in 4 different phases will be located just west of the 5 freeway in what is called Newhall Ranch, Newhall Land and Farms project that will keep them busy likely until at least 2020. There will be 4 phases; the first one to be built and finished is called Landmark Village. Please visit my website for more details on this community. Information is all that will be available for sometime to come!

As a client of mine, you will always receive the most up-to-date info on Santa Clarita housing developments and city improvements! I will soon be rolling out my new VIP CLIENT program that will make it worth your while to always refer to me for your real estate needs. Out of 3,000+ realtors in Santa Clarita, there is NO ONE who is more in touch with what is going on in the community of Santa Clarita.

All of my clients will ALWAYS receive this type of advance notice and information of upcoming projects in Santa Clarita. My VIP CLIENTS will receive this continuing type of information and SO MUCH MORE. It will literally pay to work with me on your next real estate deal. EMAIL ME NOW robert@thescvagent.com with the subject “I want to be a VIP CLIENT” if you are interested in being among the FIRST added to my exclusive program - but make sure to leave your name, phone, and address incase I don’t have it already.

UNTIL NEXT TIME…

Robert Mickalson
Realtor
Vintage Sotheby’s Intl Realty

VISIT THE SCV AGENT FOR EXPERT REAL ESTATE ADVICE.

Vintage Sotheby's National Press Release!

2006-06-13T18:53:00.000-07:00

Here is a press release regarding the newest Santa Clarita brokerage, Vintage Sotheby's International Realty, enjoy!

SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY® LUXURY NETWORK
EXPANDS TO THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY IN CALIFORNIA

PARSIPPANY, N.J., and VALENCIA, Calif. (June 8, 2006) – Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, Inc. today announced that a leading Southern California real estate firm has joined the Sotheby’s International Realty® luxury real estate network. The firm, Fred Sands of Valencia, represents fine homes and properties in the Santa Clarita Valley and will now change its business name to Vintage Sotheby’s International Realty and provide its clients with enhanced luxury real estate services.

“We are very pleased to continue our global expansion by entering the Santa Clarita Valley market with such a strong and prestigious company like Fred Sands of Valencia,” said Michael R. Good, president & CEO of Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, Inc. “The firm’s name change to Vintage Sotheby’s International Realty emphasizes its expertise in luxury real estate services and ability to market properties to prospective buyers located around the world.”

“Our 70 sales associates are very honored to be part of this world-renowned luxury real estate network,” said Guy Arnone, one of the owners of Vintage Sotheby’s International Realty. “The affiliation provides us with a significant amount of new resources to better market our clients’ properties. Our new identity gives us instant name recognition for people new to our market, which is a significant competitive advantage that benefits our clients.”

Vintage Sotheby’s International Realty is located at 23822 Valencia Blvd. in Valencia, Calif., and is owned by Guy Arnone, Michael Tagliere and Glenn Smith. The firm represents fine properties, homes and estates in the Santa Clarita Valley, as well as the San Fernando, Conejo, Simi and Antelope Valleys. For additional information, please visit www.VintageSIR.com.

To search the Santa Clarita MLS, click The Scv Agent.Com

To get the best Santa Clarita real estate stats and info, click The Scv Agent.Com

Vintage Sotheby's International Realty - Formerly Fred Sands

2006-06-09T00:44:00.000-07:00

The exciting news is here. Santa Clarita Valley is now served by the most exclusive and prestigios real estate brokerage in the world, Vintage Sotheby's International Realty. Formerly Fred Sands of Valencia, Vintage Sotheby's International Realty will continue to offer the same great service Santa Clarita residents have become accustomed to, however the high profile of this Cendant Corporation subsidary will enable the brokerage to offer a better brand, exculsive global marketing, larger network to market with, and position themselves with a far-reaching qualified client base.

The move was stealth, and the Santa Clarita real estate market will never be the same. News will spread like a wild fire, and Vintage Sotheby's International Realty could spread as well when more and more agent will undoubtedly join this exclusive firm that offers the best of the most, and the most of the best.

In the coming days, weeks, and months, expect several prominant public ads announcing this great news. If you are represented by a Vintage Sotheby's International Realty agent, he or she will be contacting you as well in the near future to personally anounce their new affiliation.

But you heard it here first...In the tradition of Fred Sands of Valencia, Vintage Sotheby's International Realty will carry the torch and be the leader in client satisfation in our local Santa Clarita Valley real estate market. This high-end boutique type brokerage will cater to all of your needs and surpass your expectations on your next real estate transaction.

Next time you are looking to buy or sell a home in Santa Clartita, make sure your affiliated with the best brokerage in town...rather, the world - Vintage Sotheby's International Realty.

Located at: 23822 Valencia Blvd. Suite #101
Valencia, Ca 91355
Phone: 661-219-2260
Fax: 661-219-2264

Search the Santa Clarita MLS @ CLICK HERE!

Find out about about Santa Clarita New Homes & Construction @ CLICK HERE TOO!

Real Estate Market Conditions

2006-05-17T16:37:00.000-07:00

If you have your home on the market, or you are considering it, you might have already realized that homes aren't selling in 3 days any more, at least not usually. As we head into June, the Spring and Summer "rush" of buyers is not what I expected it to be. I feel lucky to have some business, I know there are Realtors with none. With over 3,000 or so Realtors in the Valley, and only about 465 homes in escrow, that's a lot of Realtors with no commission coming in.

So where are the buyers? Well, just about everyone who doesn't own a home yet and would like to buy, are kind of afraid to make a move. They hear the evening news anchors talk about rate hikes and they hear the pundants on cable TV sit around the round table talking about a bubble in prices. They have heard of the rising inventory of homes for sale, and how there are some more choices and discretion in the buyer's favor. Generally during this time of year, Spring and Summer, you would see your biggest increase in home appreciation rates and see homes flying off the market, one by one...at least that's how it was for the last 5 years or so. Those that are buying right now and or are in escrow, are either the very few who are motivated despite the market "jitters", those who HAVE to buy for various reasons such as job transfer in the area, or those still doing a move-up purchase before they "potentially" lose any equity in their current location.

While I can't predict the future, it seems like there is basically a wait and see attitude from buyers out there, no rush. They don't want to pay top dollar anymore. They want to pay 2005 prices (if they must), not 2006.

In this market you will find a buyer for your home if it has three important factors "right" with it...Price, Location, and Upgrades. If it doesn't have upgrades, it will have to be reflected in the price. And I'm not just talking $10,000 cheaper than the same floor plan on the market with upgrades, because buyers will finance $10,000 all day long if it means getting a home with upgrades vs. one with out. Conventional advertising isn't getting all the calls and leads to sell the home as it used to. With that in mind, its all the more reason to be the best priced home for the product offered compared to similar offerings nearby.

In this market, you can not afford to just hire a Realtor who is going to hang up a sign, and just hope for a call. You need a pro-active Realtor who will put today's latest technology and marketing methods to use in order to better sell your home. I'm talking Virtual Tours, Audio Tours, Call Capture 800 signs, Listing Website Domain Names, Professionally taken photos, Real Estate website advertising in as many as possible, postcard marketing to your neighbors, frequent open houses, caravans, listing pitched at network meetings, and the list goes on and on.

Even in the absence of significant sales volume in today's market, you can still sell your home, and buyers can still get a good deal. Its a "fair" market for all in my opinion.

Newhall Land developments!

2006-05-05T15:40:00.000-07:00

After attending the most recent broker open meeting, several new developments were talked about that you most likely would like to know about!

First and foremost, go to www.TheScvAgent.com for the latest in Santa Clarita New Construction and New home information.

Just a few of the cool new details are as follows:

The Valencia Town Center expansion - A new comedy club is set to enter as a hot spot for locals. It will be a 300 seat club. In addition to the town center upgrades you will find that Robinson-May will become a Macys, and eventually we will be humming to the tune of the piano player inside the new Nordstroms. To deal with the expansion, parking will have to be accommodated by building two new parking structures. The Nordstroms and remainder of the expansion will take place in the Mall's main parking lot that faces south towards Valencia Blvd.

Stevenson Ranch Phase five / 5 - Extending westward down Pico past Southern Oaks, you will one day be entering phase five of Stevenson Ranch. The community will be called Legacy "Legacy". In this new village, you will approximately 3,400 new home sites with a variety of single family detached homes, condos, and multi-family residential buildings. There will also be an active senior (55+) community within the Legacy community. Sales of homes are planned for 2012 as it is right now.

West Hills and West Creek - Newhall Land is going to be developing two new communities towards the end of Mcbean and Copperhill. These communities, West Hills and West Creek will primarily be smaller residential units such as condos, townhomes, and entry level sized homes. There will be however some larger homes as a smaller percentage of the communities, specifically in West Hills. West Hills is noted to be a gated community. There will be a school bond tax for both communities. Something to consider especially with rising interest rates! Go to www.TheScvAgent.com for more info on West Hills and West Creek.

Piazza Metro - Formerly Soledad Village, this live work community is going to have a name change to Piazza Metro. As a mixed use community that will feature commercial space in addition to residential townhomes, the community is centered around the notion that it is versatile in its mobility. The builder will construct a pedestrian bridge that will span across Soledad Canyon Road and allow Piazza Metro residents to walk to the commuter station across the street. Visit www.PiazzaMetro.com for more details!

Madison at Town Center - Formerly The Prado apartments, this condo conversion building, being sold by Lennar, is starting to register people on May 16, 2006. First phase of condos is going to be released on June 10th! CALL Robert right away to get in on this list, or just visit www.TheScvAgent.com for more details of this awesome opportunity to own a condo right at the Valencia Town Center.

River Village - For details on this community visit www.TheScvAgent.com . This community will be located at the far east end of Newhall Ranch Rd where it currently dead ends by the Burger King. A little over 1,000 new home sites will be built skirting along the Santa Clara river. Much Much more details at my website - but look for a nice, new , and fresh Shopping Center at the entrance to this community. Currently there is a Vons and Ross in this shopping center. After the upgrade they still may be there, but with a fresh remodel of this older shopping center, it will be an inviting entrance to a new development like River Village.

Bridgeport Shopping Plaza - Be on the look out for a Bristol Farms Market at Newhall Ranch Road, McBean, and Grand View intersection. Everyone loves Whole Foods Market, but I think everyone loves Bristol Farms more. Should be exciting! There will be many other retailers to join in that shopping center. Once they are announced it will be posted here and at www.TheScvAgent.com !

Call Robert anytime for updates!

Visit Robert at www.TheScvAgent.com to search the MLS or get updated on New Home communities and construction in Santa Clarita.

Santa Clarita average days on market to sell

2006-05-05T15:28:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would update everyone on the current average time it take someone to sell their home in the Santa Clarita Valley. The following statistics are per the Southland Regional Association of Realtors, and can be viewed in greater detail at www.SRAR.com .

Please contact Robert to find out what it will take and possibly how long to get your home sold in today's market!

Average Days On Market as of May 5, 2006 For:

ACTON - 81 days
AGUA DULCE - 111 days
SAUGUS/BOUQUET CYN AREA - 71 days
CANYON COUNTRY - 59 days
CASTAIC - 59 days
STEVENSON RANCH - 51 days
NEWHALL AREAS - 62 days
VALENCIA AREAS - 62 days

AVERAGE FOR SCV TOTAL - 65 days on market

As you can see, long gone are the days of selling your home, or new home that you bought solely for an investment, in about the first THREE hours of it being listed. Rather, now everyone is just having to wait patiently to get their home sold. Eventually a buyer will stroll along and buy it. There are always factors that make a house NOT sell though. These factors include the ever common OVER priced listing, a cluttered listing, bad curb appeal (simple landscape needs), smelly inside, or tenants don't cooperate (difficult!).

Its always great to do your home work before listing your home. The most important thing you can do however is find a trust worthy Realtor to sell your home, and listen carefully to their advice. It could save you thousands of dollars in more than one way!

Visit Robert @ www.TheScvAgent.com to search the MLS and get Santa Clarita new home and construction information!

Soledad Village to be Piazza Metro

2006-04-26T14:35:00.000-07:00

The Santa Clarita City Council held the public hearing for the new development Soledad Village yesterday evening. The development is going to have a name change to reflect the "commuter friendly" community that it is proposed to be. A heard from a friend who knows a friend that said the new name is going to be Piazza Metro.

The community, which the City Council approved the motion to continue the approval process at a future May 2006 meeting, is going to have several access points to a newly designed and built trail that skirts the Santa Clara river much to the dismay as some local enviornmentalist such as Lynne Plambeck who unsuccessfully ran for the recent April 11th City Council seats up for grabs. In addition to the trail access, this commuter friendly community, will also come with a new pedestrian bridge that will span across Soledad Canyon Rd to reach the Santa Clarita rail station to promote public transportation to residents and make it easier to access instead of using the cross walk down the road just west of the subject property.

This community will feature 407 units, in which 22 will be live/work units where the owner's will have the ability to transform the bottom floor of three, into their own business commercial space, lease it out to another business, and or incorporate into their own personal residence.

This new type of community that incorporates business, transportation, and personal residences all in one "village" is something the Planning Commission and City Council are looking closer at and wanting to do more of. For instance there is the proposed Monteverde Development Co project at the entrance to our city at the site of Smiser Mule Ranch, as well as a mixed-use plan for the Down Town Newhall area potentially.

Things-are-a-changing here in the Santa Clarita Valley. It will start to look more and more like a bedroom community meets 3rd street in Santa Monica, but with out the ocean, however we do have the "Bridgeport waterways" and the fierce Santa Clara River right?

Piazza Metro is welcome in my opinion. New and innovative communities are needed for the growth and diversity of our community. We don't want to be just another bedroom community, in which anyone can imitate. These developments will help to not only home buyers interested in Santa Clarita (demand), but they will enable businesses to keep finding reasons to relocate here from elsewhere in order to have a nice place for their employees live. Bottom line, if you are going to live in Los Angeles county, despite increased traffic, Santa Clarita is the place to be.

Top 10 Santa Clarita Schools Honored

2006-04-26T14:23:00.000-07:00

Ten elementary schools in the Santa Clarita Valley made the 2006 California Distinguished Schools list released April 25, 2006.
The schools are named below are grouped by District:

Newhall School District

1) Old Orchard
2) Peachland
3) Pico Canyon
4) Valencia Valley
5) Wiley Canyon

Sulphur Springs District

6) Fair Oaks Ranch
7) Mint Canyon
8) Mitchell
9) Sulphur Springs

Saugus District

10) Rosedell

Congratulations to these distinct schools, and those who are striving to do better. Of the states 5,000 public elementary schools, approx. 5% are selected for the award each year. Out of the 2,043 elementary schools statewide eligible to apply this year, only 377 earned the honor.

For detailed School reports, scores, and info visit http://www.greatschools.net/

Smiser Mule Ranch to become Residential and Business Oasis

2006-04-24T13:50:00.000-07:00

Upon entering the Santa Clarita Valley heading north on the I-5 freeway, you will notice to your right a 37 acre parcel of land where mules used to roam. I fondly remember, being in my Grandpa and Grandma's house on Wabuska St (right next to the Ranch in the Kelton Estates) hearing the reigns of these mules jingling heading on their way to the local Thrifty's shopping center (now Rite Aid) with Santa steering them from behind. They even made appearances at the Tournament of Roses parade. However those days are gone, and you don't see roaming mules, grazing cows, or onion fields in Santa Clarita anymore.

Jay and Joyce Rodgers, co-owners of Monteverde Development Co. Plan on changing things up on that piece land, quite a bit actually. You may one day see a 10 story high hotel glaring into the sky, with residential condos, shopping, restaurants, and a fitness center below. It is a new community they are tentatively calling The Commons. The Commons is set to be one of the new mixed-use developments that the City of Santa Clarita is starting to look keenly at. Another such development nearing approval is the Soledad Village community located off of Soledad Canyon Rd across and just east of the Saugus Speedway.

While nothing has been set in stone, and no leases have been signed as far as I am aware, this potential 600,000-square-foot business and retail center featuring a hotel; upscale shops, including a two-story anchor store; restaurants, a fitness center and 1,000 condos is sure to make for an attractive stop for those passing by north and south on the I-5. Something like this will probably be welcomed by those at City Hall mainly because it will make the best use out of the land and additionaly will be sure to divert local money away from the Stevenson Ranch shopping center located off of The Old Road which sends it's sales tax dollars directly to the Los Angeles County cougher. When centers like the one in Stevenson Ranch JUST oustide of city limits lure Santa Clarita residents to spend their money, it hurts the city in that it doesn't get a dime off of the sales tax generated.

To be noted, there is talk that the fitness center built at this new development would be that of the Santa Clarita Athletic Clubs. They would demolish their current facility located off of Calgrove and Wiley Canyon Road in order to establish the new fitness center.

All of this would have to be ran by the Planning Commission and then the City Council. Both the commission and the council have been pro-growth, so long as it fits within their vision of what Santa Clarita should look like. There are some concerns with the proposed development, such as it lying within a flood zone of sorts. There is also a Mobile Home Park sitting to the north of the Mule Ranch, I wonder if that will present a problem?

I look forward to seeing conceptual plans and more details in the future as things become more clear!

Santa Clarita Incumbents Sweep!

2006-04-12T16:10:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday April 11, 2006 the Santa Clarita City Council incumbents had a great night. Frank Ferry, Marsha McLean, and Laurene Weste swept the race. The incumbents now get another four year term at the helm of city affairs. According to unofficial ballot accounts, McLean came in first, Ferry in second, and Weste in third. Mark Hershey, sergeant at the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Dept., came in a close 4th place behind Weste, unofficially only 736 votes behind.

The voter turnout was possibly the lowest ever in the city's history. Is that surprising? Not really. In 2004 there was a meager 13.7 % of that years 74,723 voters showed up to the polls to cast their vote. This year it is estimated that as little as 13.2% of the 79,164 voters turned out. Its possible that residents of the city are simply satisfied with the direction Santa Clarita is going and think the current leadership is doing a good job. Lets face it, local elections aren't as glitzy, and never get the attention that state and federal elections get. People these days have the attention span of a gnat, if its not on their television, or AM radio dial, they very well may not know about it. Channel 20 SCVTV? Most resident don't know their local representatives names no less understand that they can watch the Tuesday proceedings of the City council or Planning commission on local cable.

I feel the city is headed in the right direction, and that the current leadership should have been re-elected. They were the most educated of the candidates about the affairs of our city, and honestly care about the direction our city is headed. Except for the minor possibility of Frank Ferry, not one of the incumbent winners (from what I can tell) have any higher political motivations for running in this election except to better our community. It sure isn't the measly Council member salary that keeps them there.

While a few challengers were running on single issues, such as the local environment, or street congestion, the victorious incumbents share a wider vision for the Santa Clarita Valley that is three dimensional and fair to all sides of the growth issue in one way or another.

Some advice if you don't like the results, get out and vote next time and bring your neighbors with you!

Visit Robert at his Santa Clarita Real Estate website & find homes @ http://www.thescvagent.com/

Santa Clarita Planning Commission Hits Pavement

2006-04-03T20:01:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday April 4th 2006, the Santa Clarita Planning Commission will hit the road and see first hand in a group setting to explore what type of improvements can be made to the Sierra Highway corridor starting from San Fernando road up to and as far as Sand Canyon road.

The commission and city council have received complaints at some of their meetings that western parts of the city have received more attention than the east side. In effort to clean up Sierra Highway, the planning commission is hoping to pin-point problem areas and make them a focus. Dennis Ostrom, planning commissioner for Santa Clarita was quoted as saying efforts along Sierra Highway need to "refocus and revitalize without (establishing) a revitalization zone."

There is a revitalization project under way for the "Downtown" Newhall area. Many Santa Clarita residents would like to see the same thing done with many areas of Canyon Country. The zone so to speak for the Newhall area is much smaller in size than that which would have to be created for Canyon Country. So it will just have to take a concerted effort on our city's part to stay on top of business owners, industrial companies, and HOA's to do their part in helping beautify the area in focus. Attracting new businesses and amenities to this area to better serve the "east side" is also important.

Watching a town hall meeting recently on Public Access TV, one where all of the candidates of the April 11 2006 election were in attendance pitching their objectives "if" elected, it was pointed out that residents in Canyon Country (east side) don't even have a place to go buy books, unless they want to go to Cosco, or get a "romance novel" at the local grocery store. Valencia enjoys 3 book stores, Barnes and Noble, Boarders, and a B. Dalton located at the Valencia Town Center.

It may very well be that Canyon Country has seen a lack of "newer" development in recent years proportionate with other parts of Santa Clarita, but I feel that is changing. Part of the change will come with developments in coming years that include the completion of the Cross Valley Connector. This will bring more commerce to Canyon Country area businesses, which will mean more money in local business owners and retail centers pocket books, which then in turn allows them to expand their business and make improvements, some that we may be able to see in the form of better curb appeal at what are now slightly blighted strip malls, graffiti, broken signs, and all.

Visit Robert at his Santa Clarita Real Estate website & find homes @ http://www.thescvagent.com/

Valencia Senior Community Offering Affordable Housing

2006-04-03T19:28:00.000-07:00

FountainGlen Properties, LP., headquartered in Irvine has agreed to offer 8 affordable apartment rental units at their new development called FoutainGlen at Valencia which is located near the corner of Decoro and McBean. This agreement, now puts the City of Santa Clarita ahead of schedule of its June 2007 deadline, putting them in compliance with state affordable housing regulations.

Whenever market-rate housing is developed within Santa Clarita Redevelopment Agency areas, a certain number of affordable housing units must also be built. Additionally the same developer also included two affordable units to be offered at a Newhall 14 unit building that was built in 2002.

The senior citizen community of FoutianGlen at Valencia will include 226 apartment homes that will feature 1 bedroom 1 baths, 2 bedroom 1 baths, and 2 bedroom 2 baths. Tenants must meet certain eligibility requirements in order to qualify for these units. There will be 3 different categories of affordable housing offered: "very low income ($16,650/yr income)", "low income ($27,700/yr income)", and "moderate income ($44,350 yr/income or less)."

It is difficult no matter where you go to find affordable housing for those with limited incomes. Assuming there is one, the waiting list for this type of housing program is likely to be pages and pages long. With prospective tenants likely to frequent the leasing office asking where their name is on the list. Developers this day in age, are certainly not going above and beyond to offer this type of housing with the bottom line always being an issue. If this type of housing is what city residents want to see more of, then you will need to lobby the planning commission and city council who quite possibly may have it in themselves to go above and beyond the status quo.

Visit Robert at his Santa Clarita Real Estate website & find homes @ http://www.thescvagent.com/

Non Santa Clarita residents get fee hike

2006-03-30T21:15:00.000-08:00

At the Santa Clarita city council meeting held Tuesday March 28th, the council in a 4-1 vote approved a fee hike for those who live beyond city limits in areas such as Castaic and Stevenson Ranch for Park programs and facilities. Councilman Cameron Smyth was the lone dissenter.
The fee will increase the cost of particular programs such as Basketball, and other popular children's programs that the city facilitates through its Park Dept.

During the public comment period of the hearing, Vice President of the West Ranch Town Council Dave Bossert said that the fee hike is a "slap in the face" to those who live beyond city limits but spend their money at local businesses within city limits, and added that the City Council should have suspended a vote and first attempt to meet with town councils of the areas affected by a vote. Frank Ferry was less than pleased with Mr. Bossert's comments. In an emotional outcry, that couldn't even be toned down by an attempt from Mayor Laurene Weste, Frank Ferry lashed out, and asked when - if ever, the City of Santa Clarita was given the same consideration prior to a vote that had specific ramifications for the residents of Santa Clarita. Ferry also pointed out that this subsidy of non-residents is just one more reason for those who live beyond city limits to annex into Santa Clarita. He made it very clear that if the residents beyond city limits want to annex, then they should vote on it. But until then, Ferry made it clear, that the residents in those areas should not be receiving all the benefits of being in a city, with out being a part of the city.

It is unfair for the residents of Santa Clarita to pay the same amount in fees for park programs, which their tax dollars help support, as those who pay nothing into the cities general fund, aside from their sales tax at retail stores and such. This fee hike will make it more fair, and lessen the subsidy of non residents by way of the general fund. While an argument can be maid that those who live in Stevenson Ranch for instance, spend a lot of dollars inside Santa Clarita which benefits the city, the same can be said for newer retail developments outside city limits such as the Valencia Marketplace off of the Old Road. Not a dollar in tax revenue goes to Santa Clarita from that shopping center, even if a majority of shoppers their are likely from within city limits.

This fee hike will take place for the 2006-2007 winter program season and will not apply to county developed sites within the city. Visit the city of Santa Clarita for more information at www.Santa-Clarita.com.

Visit Robert at his Santa Clarita Real Estate website & find homes @ www.TheScvAgent.com

Keystone Housing Development To Be Considered

2006-03-28T02:51:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday March 28, 2006, the Santa Clarita city Council will further consider various issues concerning the proposed Keystone project which will be located adjacent to Ermine St in Canyon Country.

The public hearings will be continued Tuesday and on through the April 26th 2006 City Council meeting. The developers Synergy, A Land + Development Company and Brookfield Homes, LLC have made substantial revisions to the project as a result of comments from planning staff, public agencies, members of the public, and the Planning Commissioners. For instance, The project proposes a total of 499 residential units (reduced from the original proposal of 979 single family and multi-family residential units). The total number of residential units is broken down into the following:
-96 single family lots [west of Department of Water and Power (DWP) right-of-way]
-223 detached single family units (east of the DWP right-of-way)
-180 townhome units (east of the DWP right-of-way)

The reduction in the number of residential units also includes the elimination of the rental product in the original proposal. All residential units proposed for this project are “for-sale” units.

The applicant is proposing to dedicate two graded and finished lots totaling 24 acres for a Junior High School and YMCA facility. The sites will be dedicated to the Hart Union School District and YMCA, respectively. In addition, the applicant is offering a contribution of two million dollars to the Hart Union School District for the Performing Arts program.
As part of the proposed project, the applicant is dedicating the following to the City of Santa Clarita:
-17.4 acres of the Santa Clara River;
-6-acres of public park that will be dedicated to the City;
-1/2 mile extension of the 35’-multi-use tail, a City Regional Trail; and
-0.5 acre Industrial Commercial lot south of the River

Approximately 137 acres of the project site will remain as open space, with natural open space lots and graded slope lots, to be owned and maintained by the HOA, with the exception of the items listed above.

On Tuesday, the Council will consider a General Plan Amendment, zone change, tract map, conditional use permit, Oak Tree permit, and an Hillside review permit for the Keystone project.

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