5 Reasons Families Are LEAVING Los Angeles & Moving To Santa Clarita
Are you considering leaving Los Angeles because you're just so tired of the traffic, the chaos, the pollution, and just the overall crazy city life? If that is you, I'm going to give you the top five reasons why people are leaving Los Angeles and moving to Santa Clarita, California. Stay tuned.
Okay, just this weekend, I had someone reach out to me saying that they were just tired of living in the city and that they were really considering moving to Santa Clarita. Why? Because of all that it has to offer for families. So if you have a family, small kids, you're married and you're thinking about starting a family, these are the five reasons why Santa Clarita is the perfect spot for you.
Before we get into that, I am Kelsey Joy, realtor out here in Santa Clarita, and your local guide. So be sure to subscribe to this channel so you do not miss out on any future videos, new videos every week. And if you are considering moving to Santa Clarita or moving to California, Los Angeles area, please feel free to reach out to me. Give me a call anytime, text me. I am more than happy to answer any questions about what it's like living out here in Santa Clarita, and I would absolutely love to help you as well.
So let's get into those reasons why people are really thinking about leaving the city in Los Angeles and coming out to Santa Clarita. Well, number one, Santa Clarita is a perfect family spot. The overall feel of Santa Clarita is just very family friendly. It's a more suburban town, so it has a big small town feel to it and a great spot to start a family if you are considering that as well.
On top of that, we have some of the best schools. So this person that actually reached out to me this weekend was saying how they were just so sick of living out in the city. It wasn't safe for their kid. He was tired of being in the middle of all of the traffic, in the middle of all of the chaos of it.
And they just weren't able to live the way that they wanted to as a family. So one of the things they said to me is that they wanted to move out here so that their daughter could be at a good school. And we have some of the best schools here. We actually have the top five schools in Santa Clarita in the top 20 % of the state of California.
So people are really attracted to that as there's great education, great school. Kids tend to go to great colleges after, either in the state of California or out of California. Next, we have way more single family homes out here. Now, if you are in the city, you get way less for your money for your home. Now, if you move out here to Santa Clarita, you get a lot more for your money.
So if you are currently in a small home in the city and you want just a lot more room, a lot more space so that your kids can run around, so that they will have a yard so that they can have somewhere that they can play. Again, this person that reached out to me, that was another big thing that they wanted. They wanted more space.
They wanted a bigger yard where they're living and paying way more for a small little house. We do have apartment complexes out here. We do have townhouses, condos that is all available. So if that is what you're needing for your budget, then that is totally doable. But if you have a larger budget and you are wanting something with more space, then we have so many more options to pick you back off of that, the lot sizes in general are just much larger here.
Again, you get a front yard, you get a backyard, you get a lot of value for what you're getting. Santa Clarita is a little bit more of a luxury market in certain areas like Valencia, Westridge, Stevenson Ranch. In Santa Clarita, you get tons of value with the schools, with the square footage, so it really holds the value. So if you do ever want to leave the state of California, your value will still remain, if not increase.
Now, if you do currently live out of Santa Clarita but are considering it, I do have a free local guide that you can go ahead and grab in the description below. This will just give you a better idea and a feel of what it's like living here and what is available when you live here. And next up, we have the fourth safest city in all of California. And it's also the 13th safest city in the United States.
So this was another point that the buyer reached out to me about that they wanted a safe place where they live right now in the city. Their daughter was not able to go outside in the front and just run around and play because they were on a street that had a lot of commotion on it.
So lots of cars coming in, lots of traffic, lots of noise. There's just a lot going on. So it didn't have that safe, family, quiet feel that they were really wanting. And out here, we have tons of cops, tons of fire fighters, people that really care about keeping our valley safe and our community safe. Everybody just really cares about making sure that we all feel safe out here. And last but not least, the lifestyle we have out here. For families, the lifestyle is exactly what you're looking for.
The quality of lifestyle is so different than the city. I know I have been to the city many times. My grandma lives out in the city. I really love the city, but I don't want to live in it with kids. So if I were young... Not saying that I'm not young. But if I were young and single without kids, then the city would be a great spot for me. Super fun, nightlife, all of the action. But if I am wanting a family, starting family or have a family, it's just not really the greatest spot for that. So being in Santa Clarita, you have the city so close by.
You're 20, 30 minutes from Los Angeles. You have great weather here. You have here. If it's too hot, you go again, 30 minutes to the beach, you got perfect weather. There's tons of stuff to do for families. And even if you're just a younger couple without any kids right now, it's still a great spot.
There's tons of activities for your kids outdoors, hiking, there's biking. Again, just 30 minutes from LA. A couple of hours to the mountains, go snowboarding, go to the lake. You got it all right here. And you have the safety, the cleanliness, the lifestyle, and just the great family feel that you are looking for here. So if you need any more information on what it's like living out here or anything that I mentioned above, please do not hesitate to reach out to me and give me a call.
This buyer that reached out to me over the weekend actually wants to sell his home that is in the city and move out here. So I'm just a quick phone call away. And I want to help you get what you're really looking for for you and your kids. So again, I am Kelsey Joy.
Be sure to subscribe. I am your local guide, giving you all the tips and information that you need to know for what Santa Clarita Living is like.
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Five Myths First-Time Homebuyers
Should Ignore
From searching for homes to picking up your new keys on closing day, buying a home is an exciting process. Many first-time homebuyers also have the benefit of receiving advice from family members or friends who’ve already gone through the process. While it is certainly good to hear a few different perspectives while you’re buying a home, buyers should also know to take any home-buying advice with a grain of salt.
First of all, every buyer’s experience is different. Secondly, there are a lot of myths that circulate about buying a home. Today, we’re debunking some of the most popular home-buying myths.
Here are five fallacies that first-time home-buyers can ignore:
1. You’ll save money if you don’t use a real estate agent.
Of course, this myth is one that we take personally. And why not? It is simply not true. Even if you think you’re prepared to search for a home, schedule all of your showings, complete the proper paperwork and take yourself through closing (all incredibly good reasons to have a real estate agent), why would you not get one – particularly if you know that sellers typically cover all agent fees? A real estate agent’s commission is built into the selling price of a home. That means it has already been determined by the time you might consider buying, or even touring through, a home.
2. You must put 20% down on a home to get a conventional home loan.
This myth may have been true many years ago, but it is completely outdated. In the past, some lenders would only approve a mortgage if a buyer could pay 20% of a home’s price up front. However, times have changed. Today, buyers can get a conventional home loan by putting down as little as 3% to 5% of a home’s price. Instead of covering that cost up front, they often pay private mortgage insurance, or PMI, until they reach the balance of the 20%.
3. You can skip the home inspection – especially on a new home.
This myth is simply poor advice no matter where it comes from. Home inspections are imperative to the buying process. Bringing in an impartial home inspector to make sure a home is structurally sound is, without a doubt, a great idea. Often, your home-buying contract may contain a clause that allows you to walk away from a potential home if an inspector finds a major issue. Even new homes may contain mistakes that are not visible to the everyday eye. Let an inspector help you make sure your home is move-in ready before you close on a home that has more issues than you’ve bargained for.
4. If the house is great the neighborhood doesn't really matter.
It's the perfect house at the perfect price, but the neighborhood is not quite what you imagined. Should you purchase it? Maybe not! Once you move in, you'll notice the neighborhood plays a bigger role than you ever imagined. So, before you buy, consider your commute, nearby amenities, accessibility, and other factors that will affect your daily life.
5. The amount you are pre-approved for is the amount you should spend.
This myth is a recipe for financial disaster. Just because a lender approves you for a certain amount does not mean that you should buy a home that will extend your budget to those lengths. What many first-time buyers may fail to realize is that there are many other costs that come along with home ownership. Just some of these responsibilities can include closing costs, monthly utilities, homeowner association fees, renovations, and regular home maintenance—to name a few! Buying a home that takes you to the full extent of your budget may only cause financial problems when any other issues arise in your home or personal life.
If you’re a first-time home buyer ready to begin exploring potential homes, get excited about the process. Take the advice that family members or friends want to give, but recognize that some of their advice may be mere opinions.
Make this Valentine’s Day Unforgettable!
One of my favorite days is coming up, Valentine’s day! I’m sharing with you my 5 favorite “best restaurants” to go out to in Santa Clarita for date night!
Le chene- A country estate with gardens & a wine cellar is the setting for upscale classic French fare. A beautiful garden and scenery. They have birthday and anniversary special discounts! Amazing filet mignon, soup/salad, fish, pasta. Also Voted “Most Romantic Restaurant” by both the Los Angeles Daily News and LA Magazine.
Piccolo trattoria- A Family Owned Authentic Italian Restaurant in Santa Clarita since 1993. The Best Italian restaurant in Santa Clarita. Amazing pastas, amazing wine and great atmosphere.
Salt Creek Grille- The Salt Creek Grille property combines craftsman style architecture with warm interior designs and an outdoor patio and fire pit to create a casual elegance perfect for any gathering. Enjoy Salt Creek Grille’s signature mesquite-grilled menu items paired with gracious, friendly service in a comfortable, yet sophisticated, atmosphere.
Newhall Refinery- A farm-to-table restaurant dedicated to serve natural sustainable products that produce the best possible flavor for guests to enjoy. built from reclaimed oak and knotty alder wood, softly illuminated with Edison Style light bulbs, this custom built space delivers a one of a kind look and feel for the Santa Clarita Valley.
Larsen’s Steakhouse- Classic steakhouse with a romantic vibe features live piano music & an abundance of candlelight. Amazing steak and a super romantic atmosphere. Quite expensive, but worth it for a special unforgettable night.
Want even more ideas and places to go? Get your Free Local Date Guide Here!
First Time Home Buying Checklist: Home Buying Process Steps: Things To Look For When Buying A House
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Millennials Home Buying: Millennial Home Ownership: Things To Look For When Buying A House Checklist + Steps When Buying Your First House In 2022 // with Kelsey Joy Rinker
Are you a millennial mom, ready to buy your dream home but are overwhelmed by the process? Feeling hopeless about buying a house? Maybe you've outgrown your current space and you're just so ready to expand, but you don't know where to start? Well, I'm here to help you make your buying process simple for you. Hey, there. I'm Kelsey Joy Rinker aka, Your joyful of real estate, mama. If you haven't, please be sure to click the subscribe button for more helpful videos and tips every week. If you aren't in California where I am, that's okay because this video will still help you as long as you are in the US. But if you're out of the country, you might want to move on to a different video. Alright, let's get started.
As a mama of however many you have, the process of buying a home can be very stressful. I'm already tired thinking about it. Coffee break.
Okay, so here are some steps to help you with your buying process. Number one, first, you are going to want to get preapproved. This is the number one thing, the number one step you must do before you go out and look at homes. I know it's so tempting to want to go look at homes and search for the perfect home already. But if you do not get preapproved yet, you will just be left disappointed and wishing that you had done it beforehand.
Because you may think that you are able to qualify for much more than you are, unfortunately. But you also may realize that you are able to qualify for much more than you thought as well. So usually the minimum FICO score, which is the credit score, is 640 or above. Now you want to go through a lender to get this process started. I can recommend a great trusted lender to you since my company has many lenders that we use, so that is not a problem.
But if you find one of your own, then great, you can use them as well. Number two, after you get pre approved, or during the process of getting pre approved, I suggest making a dream home list. Now you can write out ten things that you want in your home. Ten attributes, characteristics, qualities, whatever you want to call it to have in your home. Now I suggest maybe having your husband writing out five and you write another five.
This way he has some of his say and you have some of yours. So this is where you want to really get specific in. What are you looking for? What are your must haves? What is it that you know you cannot live without?
Maybe it's a nice open kitchen, or maybe it's a nice open living room. But make sure you know what it is that you are needing and wanting no matter what. Because during the whole process of looking at different places, you will get distracted, and you will see which different things are being offered. And you may change your mind here and there. But you want to go in there really knowing and being specific and sure of what you are wanting.
Now number three, this is where you will hire a realtor. Now, you do not pay a commission as a buyer. Lucky you. The commission comes from the seller. So do not worry about fees for commission for the realtor or anything like that.
But this is where you will want to find a realtor that you love, someone you trust, someone you have fun with, and someone that you really know will help you get the job done. Number four, you are going to start looking at houses. This is when you will start finding a house that you love. Now, when you start looking at houses, you need to know what neighborhood you're wanting. What is maybe the schools that you're looking for as a mom, as having a family. You're going to want to know what are the great schools, where is the location so that you are near places for your kids, where do you feel safe? These are all of the things that you want to take into consideration. So go check out different neighborhoods, see how you feel in them, test it out. And when you walk into a house, be really just aware of how this house makes you feel because that is really the most important thing. If you walk into a home and you feel warm fuzzy feelings, then that's a good chance that that is your home.
Even if the cabinet or the kitchen countertop is a little outdated, it's still doable. You can still fix it. So don't get caught up on the small things that in the end can be fixed in this way. If it is slightly outdated or not exactly what you're wanting, you can remodel later and even bring up your sales price when you end up selling because then it will be more to date. So number five, once you find a house that you have just fallen in love with, this is when you will write up the offer.
This is when your agent will write up the offer. This is when you will ask the seller if you want help with closing costs. Closing costs are at the end of your transaction. You will have to pay some fees, some costs, because there is escrow fees, there is title fees, there are other fees that are part of the transaction just as a buyer. But you can ask the seller to help with some of these things.
So sometimes they will accept it, sometimes they will not. But this is when you will negotiate and they will either decline it, they will either give you a counteroffer or they will accept it. That's what we want, right? We want to get accepted. Now, this is your agent's job to know what the best strategies are to get your offer accepted and to make sure that it is a smooth, easy process for you.
Now, once your offer is accepted, this is when you go into escrow. This is the escrow period, which is a neutral party that handles the buyer and the sellers transaction. This is where the money goes through the wires coming through. And this is when you have three days to do your earnest money deposits. So this is your initial deposit that secures your offer, really. And so you have three days to get that wire in, to get that deposit in, and to move along in the process. After you get that deposit in, then inspections will start taking place. This is when the appraisal will start. The appraiser will come in to give you the appraisal and you will start moving through that process and getting your loan funded. This is when all of that comes together.
Once you get all of that done, you get to the end and you have your final walkthrough. You go through your home to make sure everything is as it was left, or better, perhaps you ask the seller to fix some repairs because that is part of your inspection process. You go through the house to see if there are any repairs that are needed. And then you can ask the seller to give you credit for the repairs or request for them to fix it. So this is when you walk through the final walkthrough.
You go through the home, make sure everything is satisfying and how you like it. And then we have closing. The best day on earth, right as a new homeowner. This is what you've been waiting for. This is the day that you are finally here for.
So this is your closing day, when all of the transaction has been completed, when your wire has gone through, when your loan has funded and your transaction is done, and you get the keys, your Realtor will meet you to give you your keys so that you can start moving in to your home. It's an exciting day. So I hope this video was helpful for you. I hope it gave you some idea of what the buying process looks like, give you some tips, and helps you feel a little more at ease in considering buying. If you are a millennial mama and you are ready to get your dream home or moving to Santa Clarita, or are ready to expand in Santa Clarita, I'm here to help you.
Now, I did link a home buyer's guide for you so you can go to that and you can look through it and read it to also make this process easier. So go ahead and click that. And if you haven't again, be sure to subscribe so that you will not miss out on any of these tips or insightful information.
Is Santa Clarita Valley California A Good Place To Live: Pros & Cons
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Newhall Ca- Valencia Ca- What's it like living in Santa Clarita Valley California, Pros and Cons // with Kelsey Joy
So you want to move to Santa Clarita, but you don't really know much about it. Well, here are some pros and cons of moving here and living here.
Number one, it is one of the safest cities in the nation. It was ranked number 17 in the nation as the safest city and number five in California. I don't know about you, but I'm all about safety, and that is nonnegotiable. If you're a family, a young family, I mean, you must have that. Number two, it has some of the best schools in the nation as well.
If you are a family and you have kids, you want to send your kids to the top ranked schools, right? No brainer. And number three, there is so much outdoor goodness around here. We have trails all up here in Towsley Canyon place.
Nature centers. It is truly, truly beautiful. And there's miles and miles you can go on. So if you love the outdoors, there's a Castaic Lake just ten minutes from here, a whole lake. You can go boating, you can go play in there, you can camp there.
There's so much to do around here. So if you are an outdoors person, this is the perfect spot for you if you want to go biking on the trails in the safe neighborhoods. We have Paseos over here. People love to go on runs. They love to go on bike rides and walks.
I absolutely love going on walks with my kids because it is so peaceful, it is so nice, and we have the perfect spots for that. Now, some cons as to why you may not want to live around here. Number one, the heat can be pretty bad. Now if you live in SoCal, depending on where you're at. If you're at the beach, maybe not so bad.
But if you're in the Valley, Los Angeles, it's still pretty bad. It does get a little bit worse here, not going to lie. You are in a more desert area, so it can get quite hot. Like today, for example, it is about 110 degrees. But hey, quick 30 minutes’ drive to the beach and you're down to the 80s.
So nice, right? Quick drive to the mountains, 45 minutes, you're in the 70s, so it's really not so bad. And if you can't go somewhere else, just stay inside and crank up that AC. Now, number two, why you maybe don't want to live here. The nightlife not the best.
It is more family oriented. It is less clubs and singles and people ready to mingle. We do have some of that. We do have some bars. They get pretty cranked up at night.
And we do have a couple places that have live music and dancing and things like that. So it's really not so bad. As a young person myself, it is one of the things that I love. I love being able to go out and have some fun, but there's not too many options here. But it's just enough to be tolerable.
And if you really, really want to hit up that scene, 30 minutes you're there, 40 minutes Hollywood. I mean, Hollywood is really 25 minutes from here. You've got so many options there. And it's great because now you're away at a suburb in a nice peace and quiet instead of in the crazy La. Scene.
So it's a pro and a con. And number three, the traffic can be a little bad. Now, if you're commuting to Los Angeles. You probably won't love the drive at 06:00 a.m., it's a little bad. But if you're okay with it, put on some headphones.
Well, not while you're driving, so don't do that. Put on a podcast, put on the radio and listen to something while you're stuck in traffic. And if you don't have to go so far, then it's great. It's not bad, easy. You just are local, not so bad at all.
Now the streets, they do get a little bit congested because Santa Cruz has grown immensely in this time. It used to be hardly anything, but now we got lots of stuff going on. So some streets can get a little bad and some neighborhoods going down the street to get to the next little city, little subsidy here, it can be a little bad. But if you're used to La, this is nothing compared to that. Traffic is nothing like the city.
So I think it's a great option. I personally love it. It is just close enough to being able to go out, hit up the town, go have some fun at night and go down to Hollywood. It's just close enough to go to the beach, get out of this crazy heat. And I'm still in a lovely neighborhood.
So as a mom, as a family, as someone who wants safety, this is really a great spot. So if you have any questions, reach out to me. I'm happy to answer that. I'm realtor, Kelsey Joy hit me up 661-9496 four. And I would be happy to assist you and help you get started and looking into moving into Santa Clarita or moving around here or selling.
If you are ready to go somewhere else or if you just want to expand and go into a bigger house around here, I am available for you. You can look me up on Instagram at Joyful Real Estate mama. Or on Facebook at Joyful Real Estate mama. And I'm here ready to serve you and help make your real estate dreams come true.
What To Look For When Viewing A House | Things To Look For When Buying A House Checklist
What To Look For When Buying A House | Five Tips When Viewing a House | First Time Home Buyer Mistakes // with Kelsey Joy Rinker
The biggest mistake buyers make is worrying about minor cosmetic issues. I’m talking about walking into a home and not liking the paint color. Or not liking the carpet. Or thinking the backsplash is ugly. Too many buyers get caught up in the small details that they overlook the bigger picture and pass up an otherwise perfect house for something that can be changed out within a day or two for minimal effort.
When you’re checking out a property, look at these things:
The first is the location. This is something you’re stuck with and can’t change, regardless of how much money you put into the property. Do you like the neighborhood? Are there schools near by? Can you see yourself in that community?
The second is the floor plan. This CAN be fixed, but it’s just a matter of money. At a certain price, things just don’t make sense to fix - if you’re buying a property for $100,000 under market value, then maybe changing the floorpan will work. But if you’re buying at retail level and think the floorplan sucks, then maybe the house isn’t for you.
The third, like I mentioned, are cosmetic issues. These can easily be changed for very inexpensively, all things considered. Don’t get caught up here.
The fourth is to consider neighbor noise. Are the neighbors partiers? Loud at night? Trust me on this one…while neighbors come and go, and chances are they won’t be noisy forever, at least have an idea what you’ll be getting into.
The fifth is Foundation, you don't want to be in an unstable home! Make sure the foundation is solid with no cracks or unleveled floors. You don't want to feel like you are rocking on a ship! Finally…as a 6th bonus tip …don’t open up any lines of credit or buy anything expensive 6 months before getting your mortgage. The worst thing you can do right before getting a loan is to get yourself in debt or give the bank any reason not to give you the full amount promised. Always get the mortgage, first - then whatever you decide to do after that is on you.
5 Home Staging TIPS To Sell A House In Santa Clarita Valley California
TIPS ON HOW TO SELL YOUR HOUSE | Home Staging Tips 2023 - How to Stage A Home for Sale on a Budget Yourself: 5 Secrets + Hacks When Selling Your House // with Kelsey Joy Rinker
Today we are talking about how to stage your home on a budget. Hey, everyone. I am Kelsey Joy Rinker Aka, your Joyful Real Estate mama. If you're interested in buying or selling a home, please consider subscribing to this channel, because I will have very informative videos for you coming every week and tips that will help you in that process. So let's get started.
Number one declutter every room in your home. You want minimal objects everywhere, minimal furniture. If you can just open space. You want to create the feeling of openness. So consider going into every room, seeing what is on your tables, on your cabinets, seeing what is around that you need to either get rid of either store or give away.
But you want to create the feeling of openness. You do not want to be walking into the room and seeing clutter everywhere. A cluttered home makes you feel overwhelmed. It gives you that yucky feeling. It makes you not want to really be in there, because when you walk into a nice, clean, spacious feeling home, you feel that sense of peace and that sense of desire to be in that place.
Number two clean, clean. You do not want to start showing your home with dirty marks everywhere. Make sure that you see what's on the walls, paint over, maybe little spots on the walls. Go check out the kitchen. Make sure there's no stains anywhere.
Maybe your sink has just looked a little old. You want to get rid of that. Just make sure it looks nice and new. We want to give the buyers the feeling that they are walking into a nice, new, clean, updated home, like you're getting the most for what you're paying for. All right, number three you want to light up your room, every room in your home.
Open the windows, make the sunlight come in, turn the lights on, the lamps on. Consider getting brighter light bulbs that will make your room feel more alive, feel more bright, feel more open. Because when you have light in your home, it creates that larger feeling. So maybe your house is maybe on the smaller side. And so if you do these little tricks like turning on more lights, opening your windows, it will make your home feel larger.
Sure that your room is not pitch black, maybe even add some white into your room. Do simple things. But these things will add a lot of value and will add a lot to the buyer's eyes, give attention to the detail, and make them really feel more likely to want to be in that home. All right. Number four highlight the best features of your home.
So maybe you have a really beautiful fireplace. You want to make that the focal point. Arrange furniture to create that openness feeling, to draw attention to what it is that you really love about it. So perhaps you have these beautiful glass cabinets in your kitchen. Make that the focal point.
Put the nice china that you have right there visible for everyone to see. Make sure that your cabinet is going to be what is seen when you step into that kitchen. If that is something that is a beautiful feature. If you have a pool, pool in the yard, add, you know, make sure that you are able to see that pool when you walk in. If you are able to have these nice open windows.
So right when you're walking in, you see the pool. It's a highlight of it. It's a focal point. Do whatever you can to make sure that your home has these specific focal points. Right number five home decor.
Getting inexpensive home decor. You can go to Hobby Lobby, you can go to TJ. Maxx. You can go to Goodwill, but find little decor items like vases and bowls and maybe some nice pictures, some art getting bookends to add to your shelves. You can go to Goodwill and buy some books that you don't care about, but that add a great, lovely appeal to it.
Maybe this creates this luxury feeling or this more modern, contemporary feelings. Find things that are adding that feel to it because buyers are always looking for how they feel when they step into a home. If you need some ideas, you can go to Pinterest, look up how to decorate living room shelves or how to decorate my kitchen. So many different ways to give you ideas on how to really decorate. I hope you enjoyed those five ways to stage your home yourself.
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