Santa Clarita Homes & Real Estate

Santa Clarita Neighborhood Homes

The city of Santa Clarita, California is one of the largest cities in Los Angeles County with about 182,000 residents. Located in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Clarita is about 35 miles north of Los Angeles. It’s just over an hour’s drive to the Los Angeles International Airport. Major transportation routes in Santa Clarita include I-5 and Highways 14 and 126. The city comprises the communities of Canyon Country, Valencia, Newhall, and Saugus. The area is well-known for recreation ranging from national forests to theme parks and is steeped in gold rush and “black gold” history. Santa Clarita uses more than a dozen zip codes, including 91350 and 91351.

Median home prices in Santa Clarita are just under $500,000, an increase of about seven percent over last year. This figure is projected to increase by two to three percent within the next year. About 70 percent of residents are homeowners, and the median rent cost is about $1,500 per month. Prospective homebuyers can expect to pay a median figure in the low $700s, while condos and townhomes average in the upper $300s. Homes spend an average of about 35 days on the market. The city offers a variety of architectural styles, particularly in its historic neighborhoods, with classic ranch, rustic Southwestern, and Spanish Colonial among the most common. There are also example of Craftsman, cabin, and mid-century architecture.

As a “boomburb” of Los Angeles, Santa Clarita is growing rapidly, with a population increase of nearly 17 percent between the 2000 and 2010 census counts. Consequently, there are dozens of new construction neighborhoods throughout the city. Beazer Homes has recently built in several subdivisions in RiverVillage, including Kensington, Providence, and Hartford. Real estate in these neighborhoods starts in the mid $400s. TriPointe has new construction homes in Grayson at Five Knolls and Tierno at Aliento priced from the low $500s. Williams Homes for sale are available in Trestles from the upper $400s and Phantom Trail from the low $900s. Other prolific builders include K. Hovnanian Homes, Lennar, and KB Home.

High-end real estate priced over the million-dollar mark is available in neighborhoods such as Stevenson Ranch and Valencia’s Vista Ridge. Sprawling ranches of more than 80 acres are priced from the low $2 millions.

Santa Clarita Community Amenities

Santa Clarita is home to several large employers, with Six Flags Magic Mountain, Princess Cruises, and the Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital each providing more than 1,000 jobs. The median household income for the city is about $83,000 per year. The cost of living in Santa Clarita is about 37 percent above the national average, on par with California’s state figure.

The area’s most popular recreational destination is Six Flags Magic Mountain, a 262-acre theme park that holds the world record for the most roller coasters. Outdoor recreation is a huge draw as well, with sites including Vasquez Rocks, Pyramid Lake, and Towsley Canyon. The city itself contains a network of biking and pedestrian trails totaling more than 80 miles, and it’s surrounded by green space, including Angeles National Forest, Casaic Lake State Park, and Sespe Condor Sanctuary. Golf in Santa Clarita has exploded in popularity over the last decade. Major courses include Vista Valencia, Valencia Country Club, and Robinson Ranch.

Shopping in Santa Clarita is abundant and ranges from major retail centers, like Westfield Valencia Town Center and Outlets at Tejon, to markets showcasing unique, handmade, and green items such as Old Town Newhall, the Saugus Swap Meet open air market, and the Farmer’s Market at College of the Canyons. There are several local wineries, including Pulchella, Agua Dulce, and West Coast.

• Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center hosts concerts, plays, and ballet
• Santa Clarita Shakespeare Festival
• Historic sites include Heritage Junction Historical Park, Mentryville, and Tesoro Adobe
• Extensive public bus service provided by City of Santa Clarita Transit
• Designated a bicycle-friendly community by League of American Bicyclists

Santa Clarita Neighborhood Schools

Santa Clarita is served by five public school districts, including Castaic Union, Newhall, Saugus Union, and Sulfur Springs School Districts as well as the William H. Hart High School District. Two schools in Saugus, Emblem Academy and West Creek Academy, boast perfect 10 of 10 scores from the school ranking site GreatSchools.org. The district has eight other schools with excellent scores of eight or nine of 10. Five schools in Newhall and two in Castaic attained scores of eight or nine.

There are about 50 private schools and preschools serving the area, including Trinity Classical Academy and Santa Clarita Christian School. Higher education institutes within the city include California Institute of the Arts, College of the Canyons, and the Master’s College.

Santa Clarita is an ideal city for anyone looking to buy a home in a growing city within Los Angeles County. While it’s currently trending toward a seller’s market, this may change as home supply continues to increase thanks to new builders.

Santa Clarita Information Resources

• City of Santa Clarita
• Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce
• Santa Clarita Tourism Office
• Santa Clarita Wikipedia
• Santa Clarita City-Data.com