Irvine, CA Zip 92603 One of Ten “Hottest” Zip Codes in the OC
I usually make it a point to scan the Real Estate sections of the L.A. Times, the Orange County Register, and the New York Times at some point over the weekend. However, I overlooked an article regarding 10 zip codes in Southern California that actually experienced price appreciation in the 1st quarter of 2008 as compared with the 1st quarter of 2007. Thankfully I came across Elaine Carlson’s article in PalosVerdesSource.com entitled Hottest SoCal Zip Codes.
The numbers were based on at least 20 sales in each of the zip codes as reported by DataQuick Information Systems. In Orange County, Irvine’s zip code 92603, which encompasses the villages of Quail Hill, Turtle Rock (including Shady Canyon), and Turtle Ridge, experienced an 18.0% increase in the median sales prices for existing single family detached homes as compared to the 1st quarter of 2007, Newport Coast’s 92657 zip code had an increase of 27.4% in the median sales price, and Newport Beach’s 92663 zip code encompassing Lido Isle and Balboa Peninsula had a 66.8% in the median sales price as compared to the 1st quarter of 2007.
Why do “some markets sizzle, while others fizzle?” Proximity to the beach where demand is high and inventory is relatively low has a great deal to do with price appreciation. These coastal areas have buyers who are able to qualify for good fixed rate loans, whereas the interior part of the state had borrowers who were stretching to afford homes, many of whom fell victim to the sub-prime mortgage debacle. (See my article entitled Which Cities are on Top for Home Sellers in California).
To view the cities with the biggest losses, Click here.
