Why do so many people want to buy a home in West Palmdale instead of other areas?
West Palmdale is the most sought after area throughout the high desert. Many people believe that the schools have a higher success rate and the area itself has a better class of people. This common belief may very well be true. If buyers who are looking for a better place to live all move to the same area, chances are it will become filled with people who are of like minds. Also located in West Palmdale is the Antelope Valley Mall, which is on the same lot as a Cinemark theater and rows of classy restaurants. The area also has the only Best Buy, in addition to many other shopping areas. West Palmdale is also pursued because it is close to the freeway, making a trip to the Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valley quicker.
How many West Palmdale homes go on the market compared to other neighboring cities?
About the same amount of homes go on the market in all areas, but the demand for West Palmdale is much greater than Lancaster, or even East Palmdale, you will have to act faster to get your home before the competition. Properties right now are going fairly fast everywhere because the prices are so low. If you want to get a home in this area, the best thing to do is to get pre-qualified right away because if you find a house before you speak with a lender, your dream home may be gone by the time you do. Then you will have to start looking for another.
How to I know what’s available in the area I want to live in?
The best thing to do is to contact an agent. You can look for properties on your own to see what is currently available, or ask a real estate agent to do the work for you. Driving around calling on signs may work to a degree, but many of those homes are already in escrow. Agents generally don’t take their signs down until the prorperty is completely sold. The reason they leave their signs up is because sometimes a buyer or seller will back out before the deal closes. When that happens, the agent has to put the sign back up. Because of this, you may be better off relying on your agent to do the looking for you.
What is the likelihood that I can find the right home in West Palmdale?
Very high. The most important factors are that the real estate agent and the buyer are both diligently looking for the perfect property and keeping an eye out for new deals that come on the market. Even if you do not need to move right away, it’s always a good idea to look at what’s available at least once per week to insure that you will spot your perfect home as soon as it comes along, instead of letting someone else see it and buy it first. One of the best ways to do that is to have your agent set up a portal that automatically emails you properties that match your desired criteria as soon as they become available.
What about other areas, such as West Lancaster?
West Lancaster is just as beautiful as West Palmdale. Many schools are also requested in this area and Antelope Valley College is located on Avenue K off 30th Street West, which is a major bonus for college students. For those who like a little more seclusion, the more willing you are to go to the outskirts of town and away from the freeway, the less populated the homes are likely to be. Many times, these homes tend to have more square feet of land. However if your goal is to buy a house with the shortest drive down the 14 freeway, consider the driving distance from the house to the the freeway when looking, paying attention to number of lights, speed limits and alternate routes. You may discover that it takes the same amount of time to get to your destination. The downside to living in West Lancaster is there are not as many places to shop, or eat. All in all, West Lancaster currently peeks almost as much interest as West Palmdale for buyers.
What about East Palmdale and East Lancaster?
The selling prices for this area are often lower than other homes with the same design on the West side. There’s simply less competition and therefore, less chance for someone else to submit a higher offer on a property. The East side has some very nice areas. It’s not specifically the side of city that is always better, but some areas are better looking an quieter throughout the high desert. A willingness to look at properties on the East side of both cities opens up hundreds more properties for the buyer. The perfect home may be sitting in a nice area that some buyers aren’t considering. While there are many grocery stores and shopping centers on the East side, there are not as many places to find entertainment as there are on the West side. If the cons don’t bother you, then your housing options open up.