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Oak Park

Thou shall know thy neighorhood boundaries

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It’s so important to know exactly where one neighborhood ends and another begins. Misunderstanding neighborhood boundaries can have a dramatic impact on perceived property value. When dealing with a short sale situation, loan modification, property tax reduction, bankruptcy, or really any transaction, it could really backfire if the decision makers for your loan or legal documents do not take into account important market boundaries.

Let’s look at the map below as an example. The area traced in red is a portion of the Central Oak Park neighborhood in Sacramento, while the area traced in blue is known as Tahoe Park West.

Both of these areas are really separate neighborhoods despite being right next to each other (divided by Stockton Blvd). There is actually a huge difference in property value between these two areas as indicated on the trend graph below. The median price level throughout most of the past year in Tahoe Park West hovered around $150,000, while the median price level for Central Oak Park was closer to $60,000.

It’s easy to imagine how online valuation websites (like Zillow or Cyberhomes) or even inexperienced real estate professionals might make sincerely wrong value judgments by looking at all sales within a 1/4 mile radius or some other parameter that does not encapsulate the true neighborhood. That’s why it’s so important to work with professionals who really understand the local market.

How might misunderstanding neighborhood boundaries really do some damage?

If you have any real estate appraisal, consulting, or property tax appeal needs in the Greater Sacramento Region, contact me at 916.595.3735, by email, on our appraiser website or via Facebook.

Heavenly Stairway in the “Oak Park” area of Sacramento

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Here is a before and after image of a house in the “Oak Park” area of Sacramento that one of my clients rehabbed recently. It’s a joy to see properties like this get an “extreme makeover” because it’s great for the community and wonderful for one lucky buyer too. The previous stairs were apparently failing, and so someone built a very shoddy walkway on top of them (don’t miss the huge pile of dirt underneath too). The new stairs are quite an improvement, don’t you think? Neighbors just might appreciate the upgrade too.  

Higher Lower & Lower Higher in the South Oak Park Area of Sacramento

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What’s going on in the Sacramento real estate market in the South Oak Park area? I plotted some sales in the 95820 zip code and wanted to share the following. The trend graphs below are based on recorded single family residential sales in MLS for the following boundaries: 12th Avenue to the north, Highway 99 to the west, MLK Jr Blvd to the east, and Fruitridge Road to the south.

Do you see in the graph how a few horizontal lines help us see a clearer picture? It looks like the top has decreased, the bottom has increased, and the middle has become more tightly-packed together.

The second trend graph takes a closer look at the past year of sales from above. I like this one because it really shows a clear separation between the bulk of the resale market and the rest of sales in the neighborhood. Properties that were purchased previously as bank-owned fixers are now being rehabbed and they look to be selling between $100,000 to $125,000 for the most part.

How would you describe this market? What is influencing change? What has driven the upper end down and the bottom level up? Do you think government financing and tax credits are playing a role in some of the changes above?

Please share your insight. Questions? Contact me at 916.595.3735, “like” my Facebook Page, comment below or email ryan@LundquistCompany.com.