November Sees Second Highest SCV Home Prices Since Recession

Posted by: KHTS FM 98.1 & AM 1220 in Santa Clarita News December 19, 2013 - 10:32 am 0 178 Views

LEON WORDEN | SCV NEWS

Santa Clarita Valley home prices continued their upward march in November, hitting pre-recessionary levels.

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The typical previously owned SCV house changed hands for $445,000 in November, the second highest mark since the recession started in late 2008 and off just a tad from the $450,000 figure that was seen in August. That’s an improvement of 23.6 percent over November 2012′s median price of $360,000.

Meanwhile the typical SCV condominium traded for $295,000 in November–a price not seen since the pre-recession month of May 2008 when it cost an average of $305,000 to get into a pre-owned condo.

The November 2013 condo price represents a 5.4-percent improvement over the month and a whopping 49.7 percent increase over November 2012′s median of $197,000.

“The desirability of the community and the early effects of new home construction are giving sales a boost even at a time of year when activity typically wanes,” said Jim Link, CEO of the Southland Regional Association of Realtors.

The higher prices benefit sellers who are upside-down on their mortgages, said Bob Khalsa, president of the association’s SCV Division.

“With each price increase, more and more owners return to positive equity,” he said.

Link cautioned that the rapid price increases could be unsustainable.

“The same pressures that impact the rest of California are in play in the Santa Clarita Valley, so activity may yet level off in the coming months,” he said.

For now, more potential home sellers need to be enticed to enter the market. Only 531 homes and condos were listed for sale at month’s end on the association’s Multiple Listing Service. That’s a big improvement over last year’s paltry 332 listings, but it’s still only a 2-month supply of homes for sale. A 6-month supply is considered indicative of a healthy market.

A total of 171 single-family homes closed escrow in November, up 2.4 percent on the year, and 96 condos changed hands, up 23.1 percent. Both figures were down slightly from October 2013, which is normal for the season.

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