Dear Reader, Welcome to my May Monthly Letter. This month came with a moment worth celebrating—I have to take a proud mom pause. My daughter, Taylor Paschal, was named one of Beauty Launchpad’s Top 30 Under 30 Stylists! She works her magic locally at MOEF Salon in Montrose, and if you want to see her creativity in action, check out her Instagram or her wild TikTok @TaylorPaschalCosmo. On another personal note, I also laced up for my first 5K in quite a while. I’m not sure I’ll tackle a full marathon again, but a half marathon is on the calendar.
On the real estate front, patience is the word of the month—market time is shifting, and I’ve seen enough cycles to know when change is brewing. This month’s letter includes a 2024 vs. 2025 market comparison with surprising price trends, newly released fire zone updates, key tips for my 55+ clients navigating property tax transfers, and a few standout listings you won’t miss. Scan the QR code or go to MyMonthlyLetter.com for all the details.
First, here are a few special listings to consider or share.
5519 Terrace, La Crescenta – Beautiful 4 Bed / two bath 2,100 sq. ft. pool property with views, $1,558,000.
4117 Ocean View, Montrose – A mighty little Duplex Unit #1: 2 beds, one bath | Unit #2: 1 Bed, one bath, $950,000
Here are a few of my latest SOld closing in May:
317 Caruso Ave. in Glendale at The Americana. List Price $1,250,000 Sale Price $1,400,000
4390 Hayman in La Canada. List Price $1,625,000 Sal ePrice $1,825,000
Is Your Home in a New Fire Zone? California just expanded high-risk fire zones by 168%. That means new rules for selling, insuring, and hardening your home, especially in the Foothills. Checklists and tips are all online.
Curious how your neighborhood is performing in 2025? I just released a quarterly market comparison for La Crescenta, La Cañada Flintridge, Sunland-Tujunga, and Shadow Hills—tracking inventory, pricing, and days on market from February through April. Some areas are heating up while others are slowing down. See how your zip code stacks up and what to expect next. If your neighborhood isn’t listed, let me know—I’ll grab those stats for you.
And since this letter was sent out here is another bog post I posted a few days ago. This has all to do with pricing your home and what to examine when and if you need to do a price reduction. The art of pricing and price reductions.
My #1 call from homeowners 55+ concerns property taxes. If the fear of higher property taxes has you staying put, here’s good news—there are more options than you think. Did you know you can transfer your low tax base to a more expensive home, anywhere in California? You can even buy before you sell and still transfer your tax base. Learn more about transfering your property taxes and transfering a property from parent to child.
Until next month, give me a call—it’s always the friendliest way to connect.
Best
Robbyn Battles