Step Up Properties

04/25/2024

The William S. Hart Union High School District once again has multiple schools being recognized by U.S. News & World Report for their exceptional academic performance,” Superintendent Mike Kuhlman said in a news release. “This prestigious honor reflects the hard work of our dedicated staff who continue to prepare students for future success.”

The rankings of Hart district schools are as follows:

West Ranch High School: No. 807 nationally, top 5%.
Valencia High School: No. 1,434 nationally, top 8%.
Saugus High School: No. 1,616 nationally, top 9%.
Canyon High School: No. 1,761 nationally, top 10%.
Hart High School: No. 2,062 nationally, top 12%.
Golden Valley High School: No. 2,953 nationally, top 17%.

04/24/2024

According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, about half of U.S. home buyers only meet with one mortgage lender before signing up for a home loan. But these borrowers could be missing out in a big way. Why? Because lenders’ offers and interest rates vary, and even nabbing a slightly lower interest rate can save you big bucks over the long haul.

In fact, the CFPB has found that a borrower taking out a 30-year fixed-rate conventional loan can get rates that vary by more than half a percent.

So to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible, meet with at least three mortgage lenders. You’ll want to start your search early (ideally, at least 60 days before you start seriously looking at homes). When you meet with each lender, get what’s called a good-faith estimate, which breaks down the terms of the mortgage, including the interest rate and fees, so that you can make an apples-to-apples comparison between offers.

04/22/2024

This applies to buying or selling your next home, adding a bathroom, or simply changing the curtains. Make your move this month!

04/21/2024

Should you find yourselves going into escrow this Spring/Summer, here are some tips on how to keep the deal from getting unnecessarily messed up.

04/21/2024

Spoiler Alert: It ain't over till it's over, in Canyon Country's blinding real estate eyesore.

The latest chapter in the city of Santa Clarita’s yearslong effort to remove solar panels from a Canyon Country hillside without having to pay for the removal or the panels included a reply brief from the mobile home park that installed the panels. In a 73-page filing Monday, attorneys for the Sei...

04/21/2024

Not everyone can wait out the toughest housing market in years.

Sellers are listing homes because they need to relocate, even if it means giving up superlow mortgage rates. Empty-nesters need to move to places without stairs and with walk-in showers. Growing families that are spilling out of starter homes need to upsize.

In year three of the Federal Reserve’s high-rate policies, some home sellers and buyers are giving up waiting for the central bank to change course. With inflation still elevated, the Fed is in no rush to cut its own rates. Mortgage rates once again rose above 7% this week.

“We can’t just let our kids grow up while the Fed figures out what they think about inflation,” said Luke Bolton, who listed his home in March and expects to close soon on a purchase.

The housing market needs more sellers like these to bounce back. Existing-home sales fell in March, marking a sluggish start to spring home-buying. Sales in 2023 dropped to the lowest level since 1995.
READ THE STORY:

Some owners need to upsize, downsize and change jobs, even if mortgage rates don’t fall soon.

04/19/2024

I am available 24/7 (well not 24/7... more like 18/7...😊 but definitely the 7..... To Help you find your next home. Let's talk very soon. April May June are THE months to get this done.

04/18/2024

California home sales decline as prices rise.
Homes priced at or above $1 million continued to perform well, showing a year-over-year increase of 9.9 percent in March. Conversely, the sub-$500,000 segment experienced a modest decline of 2.4 percent.

This shift in the mix of sales has contributed to the overall increase in the statewide median price, indicating resilience in higher-priced segments despite challenges in the lower end of the market.
Economic Factors
Higher mortgage rates since mid-November 2023 have presented challenges for the housing market to sustain the momentum observed earlier in the year. The recent uptick in rates may have hindered sales, but there is optimism for a potential rebound in housing activity following the latest inflation report.

04/17/2024

Now that you own the place, dress it up.

04/14/2024

Ask me about down payment assistance plans, and visit https://bit.ly/3Ueh5IW

04/13/2024

Prices for Condos/Townhomes... Now vs. Then (2016)
Reseda has risen from $342k to $841k.
Valencia has nearly doubled from $410k to $805k.
Even condominiums can build you vast amounts of equity!
Time to re-think prices.

04/12/2024

What do you think about Valencia Town Center adding over 2,000 homes?
“The outline for the mall calls for 2,550 housing units in the 111-acre planning area, and 630,000 square feet of commercial space.”