Encino Overview
· THE AREA
· Homes in Encino
· Zip Code
· Prices
· Community
· Demographics
· Working in Encino
· The Galleria
· Hollywood
· THE LIFESTYLE
· Encino at Play
· Family Activities and Resources
· Schools
· Commuting
· Modes of Transportation
· Smog Issues
· THE MARKET
· Why Choose Encino?
· The Future
· Who’s Buying
· Liquid Properties for buyers and sellers
· New Developments
· Earthquakes
· Fires
· Appendix: Important Information
Although Encino is technically considered as part of the San Fernando Valley, its homes stretch up all the way over the lip of the Los Angeles basin to the southwest. If you’ve ever driven along the highly popular and populated Ventura artery, you’ve most likely seen the beautiful, expansive homes that rise up above the valley, its magnificent views stretching in all directions.
Encino is located in the hub of the southern boundary of the San Fernando Valley (the boundary closest towards the beach and LA’s highly coveted Westside region), and is surrounded by some of the most beautiful rural and residential regions in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, including the Santa Monica Mountains, Simi Hills, and San Gabriel Mountains.
All neighborhoods share the best features of Encino: year round moderate temperatures averaging in the low 70’s, a twenty minute commute to the beach just over the hill, and a highly educated community where over half the residents of Encino have bachelor’s degrees. Urban and rural at the same time, the 25,000 residents in the labor force have median incomes over $100,000, creating affluence among affordability in all neighborhoods of the small and intimate community of Encino.
From comfortable apartments, condominiums and homes near the highly commercialized Ventura district and Sherman Oaks Galleria zone to more pricey yet affordable upscale homes in the hills, and even mansions; there is a diversity of neighborhoods in Encino that ensure that the middle to upper class income will find the neighborhood most attractive and affordable and desirable to them and their needs.
We hope that you’ll find the following profile on Encino informative and useful on your search to find the perfect home. Please feel free to contact with any questions you might have.
· THE AREA
· THE LIFESTYLE
· THE MARKET
SECTION 1: The Area
Background
Encino is truly a link to California’s origins. A part of the San Fernando Valley, also known as “The Valley” (even though there are other Valleys in the Greater Los Angeles region including Antelope, Simi, San Gabriel, Santa Clarita, and San Bernardino), Encino’s name is taken from Rancho Los Encinos, Spanish for ‘Ranch of the Evergreens’. The name was originally bestowed on three Mission Indians in the early 1800’s by the Spanish government in a remarkable if unwitting act of repatriation when the Spanish government decided to abandon the many California missions it had settled in the California territory. The name is reminder of the pre-expansion past in California, and the Spanish and Indian heritage which pre-dates American settlers on this land.
Unlike many communities, the most significant standing historic landmarks in Encino are the natural ones. Until the last decade, there was the thousand year-old Encino Oak that stood until 1998. It fell due to the El Nino storm but a monument to the tree now stands at the corner of Ventura Boulevard and Louise Avenue where the Oak once stood. Also, the original aquifer that fed the Los Angeles River is located in Encino in Balboa Park, also known as the Sepulveda Dam Monument .
By investing in Encino real estate, you are investing in a rich California history.
· Homes in Encino
· Zip Code
· Prices
· Community
· Demographics
· Working in Encino
· The Galleria
· Hollywood
Homes in Encino
Encino is dominated by the classic Ranch style homes. Built along the flatlands, they are typically one story but are sprawling, and spread over relatively large land spaces. There are also classic stones that are visible in expansive areas such as Encino’s Rancho Estates area. Cathedral ceilings are also a popular interior feature of the Encino homes due to its background as a Spanish Mission area.
Recently, the general ranch style county in Encino has undergone all manner of change, as affluent, motivated, and dynamic homeowners and developers alike seek to expand and beautify both their residential and business districts in Encino. By adding their own architectural twist, through restoration or modernization of their homes, stores, or offices, owners are now setting a new standard for buildings in the area.
The Sherman Oaks Galleria renovation set a precedent for artful architecture restoration and innovation in the Encino area, adding to Encino’s general charm to as well as its reputation as an up and coming, dynamic neighborhood. Encino’s other recent architectural achievement was the 2004 National Architecture Institute Honor award, which went to the First Presbyterian church in Encino, designed by Abramson Teiger architects and commissioned by the Church’s Pastor Laing.
Not to be outdone, a lot of prominent architects have also put their own mark on the existing architecture in Encino. Look for some dramatic upgrades and further innovations to Encino architecture, as some of the most prominent and highest-ranking architectural firms in Los Angeles County are opening up new offices in the Encino area.
It’s an exciting time to invest in real estate in Encino - the future of the homes in the area looks bright. Along with the dramatic re-imagining of ranch homes, expect even more innovation in the state of the art condos going up in Encino apartment complexes. In short, there is no limit to the potential of Encino as we enter a new phase of architectural maturity.
Prices of Homes
It’s great for a buyer to have a choice for their next home, and in Encino, the range of housing stock varies quite a deal for a relatively small community. Small Encino park homes were built for veterans returning from World War II, and the more lavish homes in the same community were built to overlook the valley in the hills. The most prominent and ritzy area is south of Ventura, where the hills rise into the Santa Monica mountains, and magnificent homes with far ranging views are available there.
In Ventura, homes are in the $1.25 million dollar range, and go up from there. North of Ventura Boulevard are loads of apartment buildings of varying degrees of opulence, with prices for studio apartments starting at approximately $750 dollars a month while the cost for single-family homes starts at about $2,500. They are not exactly cheap, but certainly affordable for such a centralized area in the Los Angeles metropolitan playground.
Currently, the current median price of a home in Encino is 693,000 dollars. If you think Encino is right for you, we agree it is the perfect place to invest in property.
Know your Zip Codes!
Good Los Angeleans know their zip codes. It helps identify the overall potential of your new home, so make sure to always ask. Encino is officially made up of the 91316, 91416, 91426, 91436 codes. Of these, 91436 is the area that leads up into the hills. The magnificent, posh, and pricey homes as well as the secluded hilly neighborhoods and the green and well kept landscape clearly render this the most desirable section of Encino, and certainly one of the more desired sections of all Los Angeles.
The 91436 area, due to its affluence, places about $15,000 higher that the average median income of $102,000. The neighborhood of 91436 shows excellent growth as far as economic prosperity is concerned, as that median income for 91436 is up from $102,652 in 1999.
While there is a slightly higher rate of growth in the 91436 area, all of Encino is generally a stable and thriving community. The median household income in 91436 is over two times the median rate of California, and the median income in Encino is just under double the median income of California in general of $53, 629.
The Encino Community
You’ll love how close everything is. All of Los Angeles is accessible, and the area is still relatively affordable and modestly priced, creating a rich, diverse community of residents from all walks of life. Encino is also the geographical epicenter of the Southwest LA basin, and you’ll find yourself among a diverse crowd, including the real movers and shakers in the vast centralized industry hub that is Los Angeles.
The Galleria is a highly popular and well-known meeting place and entertainment venue. There are also magnificent drives along the hills and bluffs of Encino, from Mulholland through the Sepulveda Pass all the way down to Ventura Drive, and spinning around Valley Vista and Valley View roads. The best attraction is the mix of urban entertainment combined with the convenience on the strip of the massive Ventura Boulevard combined at such close proximity with the rural drives and walks that begin just to the west of Ventura Drive and up into the Encino Hills.
The Encino Chamber of Commerce offers vital community functions available to all residents, including monthly events such as the Business and Development Professional Lunch, Network Breakfasts, Mixers, and Community Meetings. The community meetings and local infrastructure are highly organized; it shows the concern the Encino governing body has for its community and the issues facing it.
The Chamber of Commerce events provide residents with community access for making changes, suggestions, or providing feedback about their area in order to maintain the quality of the neighborhoods that Encino represents. Group bodies and events sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce provide community access between the residents of Encino and their community leaders, in the interests of maintaining the standards of that community.
Special events sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce include annual Installation dinners, Teachers of Year ceremonies, the Miniature Golfing classic at the vast miniature golf complex in Encino, Taste of Encino, and the Justice Armand Arabian Luncheon, in which leaders in public service in and around Encino are recognized.
Encino Demographics
Today, the Encino market clearly caters to the needs of the upwardly mobile professional, with a high median income of $39,000. As expected, the Hollywood Rock and Roll lifestyle is apparent in some of the lavish homes visible in the Hills of Encino that stretches along the Sepulveda Pass and convertibles tooling along Ventura Boulevard.
The Encino Hills retain some of the most famous properties in Los Angeles, in contrast to the perceptions of the rest of the valley as a tacky or cheap urban sprawl. Encino and neighboring Sherman Oaks Hills, just east below Mulholland, are some of the most opulent and popular areas of LA and are not above hosting lavish house parties to match.
But enough about the Hollywood glamour - Encino is also a great place to raise a family, which more accurately reflects the community’s priorities. All manner of homes are available at relatively affordable prices.
This neighborhood is diverse, and caters to individuals who want an ethnic experience, and appreciate diversity. The specific breakdown of the foreign born population of 3,366 that comprise 25.7 % of the representative 91436 breaks down as follows:
- Iran (32%)
- Mexico (5%)
- Israel (5%)
- Russia (4%)
- Other Eastern Europe (4%)
- Canada (4%)
- Germany (4%)
The percentage of foreign born members of the population is actually just a tad lower than the state average of 26.2%, but where the state can be segregated to entire city areas hosting one ethnicity, Encino represents an interactive mix of cultural atmosphere, contained and visible in the restaurants and retail stores of the Galleria shopping mall and the highly concentrated Ventura district, brimming with life and international flavor.
Working in Encino
One of the many advantages of Encino is that it does not have a large business district that would cause major congestion. However, there is still a healthy concentration of commerce, thanks to the business center in the Galleria as well as the small number of high rises and stores that provide jobs for locals. Ventura Boulevard provides the majority of jobs in the service industry. Besides that, most people commute to work, some to Hollywood or downtown LA or the Westside, or a myriad of other destinations in greater Los Angeles. Encino provides commuter access to a variety of regions, lying beyond and served by the arteries of the 405 and 101 freeways.
As far the commute logistics, Burbank, Hollywood, downtown LA, and the LAX airport region are all fifteen to twenty minute drives. The Sherman Oaks Galleria is a local economic center as far as the myriad of jobs available to residents. There are also a myriad of strip malls along Ventura Boulevard, and a few significant office buildings in the three-mile line of Encino that encapsulates Ventura Boulevard. The community is actually very well laid out geographically and topographically, as all businesses and residences are concentrated on the three mile stretch from the Sherman Oaks Galleria to Lindley Boulevard, the western end of Encino on Ventura.
The boundaries of Encino are Victory Boulevard to the North; Mulholland Drive to the South, Lindley Avenue to the west, and the San Diego Freeway 405 to the East. The re-vitalized Sherman Oaks Galleria, which actually technically falls within the border of Encino just west of the 405, has provided new opportunities of late, with full-time jobs for people in various careers or for those looking for part time service work.
The Galleria
If you live in Encino, you’ll end up at the Sherman Oaks Galleria.
The Galleria has a rich pop culture legacy due to being a site for cult movie such as Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Then the song “Valley Girl” came along, featuring the monologue of Frank Zappa’s daughter as the ultimate Valley Girl rambling on about how much she liked to hang out in the “Galleria.”
However, in 1997, Douglas Emmet purchased the property and set about a full scale renovation that would transform the Galleria from its tacky tongue in cheek pop background to serve as a state of the art facility that would be an economic hub for the valley, and of course provide many new jobs for the local community in and around Encino. From an unappealingly white, windowless box that was the old outdated form of mall, the complex was transformed in to an open air, state of the art self proclaimed “lifestyle center” including 700,000 square feet of office space in three buildings which overlook a 300,000 foot retail and entertainment complex.
Today it doubles as a vibrant, business, professional, and creative tenant community during daylight business hours, while at night morphing into a night spot with trendy restaurants, entertainment, shopping and lifestyle services. Though located in Encino, it is a veritable Town Center for the entire San Fernando Valley.
Hooray for Hollywood
Encino is always a great place for actors to live, due to the beautiful homes that exist in the Hills. It has its own reputation as perhaps the epitome of the Los Angeles Valley Culture, housing the world famous galleria, popularized in the Frank Zappa song ‘Valley Girl’ in 1978. It was also the setting for the movie Encino Man, another valley parody, in 1992. Pop culture movies such as the Karate Kid and Fast Times at Ridgemont High and the 40 Year old Virgin all took place in Encino. The Jackson Family mansion, the first famous Jackson home that raised Michael, Janet and the rest of the famous siblings, is also located in Encino.
However, Encino’s relationship with old Hollywood goes much further back in history. Previous generations will remember Encino as the home of the RKO studios, a large movie and music studio conglomerate from an earlier era, as well as the site of iconic movies such as It’s a Wonderful Life and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. For those who remember past the 1980’s, recognizing Encino from those classics is a true delight.
Hollywood mystique has strong roots in Encino, and the scores of celebrities who live there and have lived there make it an enclave that is the equivalent of a mini Malibu for the Hollywood crowd. Even John Wayne chose to make his home here. Ranch style homes are mixed with newer housing stock in a strong suburban atmosphere for other celebrities including Hollywood entertainers Smokey Robinson, the Jackson family, Kirstie Alley, Tom Petty, Cybil Shepherd, John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson at one time or another.
SECTION 2: Lifestyle
Introduction:
Whether one is single and looking for the LA fast life, or is a parent looking to raise a family, Encino has proven to be ideal for all. The local economy is booming here thanks to its growing businesses and nightlife; this means all residents reap the benefits of a growing city, as Encino’s business district flourishes and the quality of the family-based atmosphere improves.
Living in Encino promises freedom for your lifestyle, your way. Work at home on-line, and set up a remote office in an apartment complex or residential home in Encino. Go out to eat, see a movie, or see some friends, knowing you have innumerable options in Encino and beyond. All the best that the city of LA has to offer is accessible from Encino, whether one likes to drive far or stay close to the homestead during their leisure hours.
Encino is ideal for all walks of life, but it certainly has demonstrated to have the most promising prospects for child rearing due to its safety, cleanliness, and superior public and private education system, as well as its recreational benefit such as Balboa Park. In general, the area caters most to mid and upper class families, high-income professionals and celebrities. The health care system is also considered among the finest in Los Angeles. Among the household of Encino, the percentage of families is relatively high, at 75.5%, compared to the state average of 68.9%.
· Encino at Play
· Family Activities and Resources
· Schools
· Commuting
· Modes of Transportation
· Smog Issues
Encino at Play
Despite a thriving nightlife, this sleepy area does not have large venues, or popular events that draw crowds worldwide, and most Encinans like it this way. In an area such as Los Angeles, there is no shortage of entertainment options. However, the Encino area remains relatively peaceful and removed from the congestion and hysteria of large events because there are no large venues to host massive events to bring large crowds into this small and cozy area.
The one relatively big event that takes place there each year is the largest Earth Day festival in the world at Woodley Park. It is called WorldFest and this year (2008) will take place on May 10th, from 10am to 6:30pm. It features entertainment, education and enlightenment for environmental issues and gives all individuals the opportunity to contribute to the improvement of our atmosphere and environment.
The event combines music and poetry of all forms and genres in its Earth Lounge, and also features activities sponsored by environmental groups in its Eco-Tent that hosts speakers, discussions, and displays about sustainable living and current environmental issues, as well as humanitarian and animal welfare groups.
Non-profit organizations have over 100 exhibits showcasing products and organizations. There is a high emphasis on children’s activities, with a Kids' World section featuring storytelling, face painting, and children's entertainers and other activities. A food court and mini-stage are also included in this extravaganza, all for $5 admission.
Family Activities and Resources
The main recreational attraction that Encino offers is the wondrous Balboa Park. Encino is an original aquifer (underground natural water supplier) to greater Los Angeles, where the LA river flows through Balboa Avenue between Ventura and Lindley Avenue. There are some other recreational draws, such as the Encino Velodrome, an outdoor bicycle racing track that has stood since 1963, and also the Sepulveda dam, one of LA’s finest historical sites.
The Sepulveda basin reservoir center on which Balboa Park sits, houses a massive reaction complex; one of the largest parks around, with multiple golf courses, tennis courts, soccer fields, baseball diamonds and a lake bordered by 2000 anonymously donated cherry trees that give one an amazing sense of being in the country even while in the middle of the massive urban sprawl and development of LA County.
Catering to Encino's Persian, Israeli, Asian and Russian residents, restaurants line Ventura Boulevard. Chic shopping plazas and boutiques, also along the boulevard, make Encino a shopper's paradise.
The Skirball Cultural Center sits just past the Encino foothills along the Sepulveda Pass towards Mulholland, and the fantastic (and free) J Paul Getty grounds lays just beyond that overlooking the ocean, LA Basin, with a panorama reaching Catalina on a clear day. The Laemmle Encino Theaters provides family and Fine Arts entertainment. And of course, the Galleria is also filled with shopping stores and movie theaters.
There is a Farmer’s Market twice a week as well. The OneGeneration Farmer’s Market provides a fun way for families to spend time together shopping for food. It is open year round from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at 17400 Victory Blvd. (between White Oak and Balboa) with plenty of convenient parking.
Encino Schools
Encino residents have access to many of the better schools supported by the Los Angeles Unified School District. The public school system is well kept, especially in comparison to similar communities where the quality of the school system is generally deteriorating. Encino has clearly avoided that decay, no doubt due to not only the dynamic and affluent nature of the community, but due to the communication channels that exist between the council and the community.
Elementary schools include Emelita Elementary School, Encino Elementary School, and Lania Elementary School. Middle schools include Mulholland Middle School and Portola Middle School. Public high schools include Birmingham High School, Reseda High School, and Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies, a magnet school where parents voluntarily bus in children for a diversified and enriched education experience. Adjacent high schools include Van Nuys Alternative and Zane Grey Continuation School is also in the Encino area.
Encino has a high concentration of private schools, including Children’s Community School, Los Encinos School, the Learning Centers Foundation, the widely known Valley Beth Shalom Jewish Day School, (perhaps the largest and most well known of its kind in the Los Angeles area), St. Cyril’s of Jerusalem, Westmark School, Holy Martyr’s Armenian School, Crespi Carmelite High School and our Lady of Grace.
Undoubtedly a diverse array of private and public schools, these excellent education options are available to all religions, learning speeds, lifestyles, and economic classes. Ratings for schools in the area are very high; both Valley Alternative High School in adjacent Van Nuys as well as Crespi High School achieve top rankings in the state.
The nearest University in the region is Cal State Northridge, but UCLA is also right over the hill on the 405 and up Sunset a few miles to the east, a mere fifteen minute drive away. In fact, UCLA is actually much closer to Encino than many areas on the Westside, though the valley sometimes seems far away from Los Angeles in theory. Nonetheless, there is a college in the state system and in the University of California system at close proximity to Encino, plus the myriad of community colleges stretching across all Los Angeles, from Los Angeles City College to Santa Monica City College to Valley community college. UCLA, California State Northridge and two community colleges, Los Angeles Valley and Pierce, are within commuting distance.
Before we completely lose ourselves lauding the merits of the Encino educational system, let us extend a word of caution to parents. The rash of priests being prosecuted and investigated for child abuse has not spared Encino, but is minimal. There is currently an investigation into the sexual misconduct charges against a school’s athletic director, who has been placed on administrative leave. There are also older charges that the LAPD is examining against another administrator at the all boys Catholic School. As part of the Roman Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which recently settled 570 sex abuse cases for $660 million, let us not turn a blind eye to the need for parents to remain on their guard as far as protecting their children is concerned, regardless of the level of quality that the schools achieve. As far as this ominous epidemic in America, we can safely say that Encino ranks at the bottom of these types of abuse cases.
Encino is an extremely safe community, but there is a difference between safety and false sense of security. But since all information is relative, we can say overall that the amount of sex offenders in the 91436 is only one, which is a dramatic drop from the state average. We still believe, relatively speaking, Encino is one of the safest places to raise children, if not in the country.
Commuting
We all know that Los Angeles is a driver’s town, and it has always been a challenge to find a good solution to the famous traffic congestion. The traffic in the Encino area has two distinct features; there are residents who commute to and from work, and then there are the thousands of commuters who pass through Encino and affect the traffic profile and air profile of the areas while on their way to work.
As far as life in Encino itself, like the rest of Los Angeles, most people drive a car to work alone (5,258, or 82% of the population). Only 273, or 4%, carpool to work, and only 1% take the bus or trolley to work. Another 1% percent walks, while other options such as bicycle and railroad were not significant enough to even count as a percentage point. The only other percentage of commuting to work that even cracked double figures is the 10% that work at home.
Anyone considering moving to Encino should be aware of these types of demographics as commuter options not only affect work but also leisure time; raising property value and neighborhood quality of life. The community continues to encourage carpooling. The ability to ride a bicycle to work is a viable option for those who live and work in the Encino community.
The truth is that the majority of Encinans commute to work outside of the community, and drive time must be taken into consideration for any residents. As far as destination and proximity is concerned, here is a realistic understanding of the time it takes to get to various spots in LA, and its impact on local traffic:
Travel time to work
Less than 5 minutes 92
5 to 9 minutes: 531
10 to 14 minutes: 469
15 to 19 minutes: 466
20 to 24 minutes: 863
25 to 29 minutes: 392
30 to 34 minutes: 1072
35 to 39 minutes: 258
40 to 44 minutes: 344
45 to 59 minutes: 731
60 to 89 minutes: 410
90 or more minutes: 138
Modes of Transportation
As far as access, transportation in Encino varies according to the neighborhood. If one lives up in the hills, they will need a car to get down to the freeway and shopping district of Encino. However, for those closer to Ventura Boulevard, the transportation is quite excellent. Metro Line Buses run up and down Ventura Boulevard regularly in both directions of Ventura. At the intersection of Ventura and Sepulveda, a Metro line bus takes commuters over the hill into the Westside, to the thriving Westwood entertainment district that also serves as a transfer zone to buses headed anywhere else in the greater Westside region.
But this is Los Angeles, so cars are of course recommended. While alternative transportation, from public to even bike riding, is possible, the centrality of Encino makes it perfect for the car lifestyle. However, this centrality is a double-edged word, as far as traffic is concerned. Placed between the massive commuter artery where the 101 Freeway and the 405 intersect, there are people passing in all directions, commuting to all places, from Thousand Oaks to downtown, from the Valley to the South Bay (on the southern tip of Los Angeles, from Burbank to the Westside.
There is an endless combination of commuters that can clog the 405 and 101 intersection at a given moment, and any drive can expect slowing at that interchange during regular activity hours. However, in Encino, you don’t have to get stuck on that interchange! You can get on the freeway going in any direction by picking up the freeway after the interchange. Encino has freeway on-ramps to the 405 in both directions, as well as the 101 in both directions. Thus it is only those passing through that clog the interchange.
While the reputation of LA traffic precedes it, in reality, good planning will go a long way. Sure, there are hours when the freeways get particularly backed up, but at the same time, the traffic around Encino honestly is not that bad. We also know all the ins and outs of Encino, so when you buy your home, be sure to ask us how to get around.
Smog
Let’s talk about the smog, a well-known issue in LA, where in all honesty the valley is one of the worst areas for air congestion. If there’s ever a lull in the usually strong Santa Ana winds, many airborne carbon monoxide fumes aren’t blown away and tend to settle in the area.
Even though the smog is at its worst in the valley, the effects are mitigated to a not so insignificant degree in Encino proper, as Encino’s hills and trees that hover above the community offer a cleansing effect. The many trees clean the air and the neighborhoods in the hills are always full of fresh air that filters off into the lower Ventura section of Encino, shielding the community from the harmful effects of global warming and the Greenhouse Effects as well as the infamous LA ‘sig alerts’.
Again, this natural air cleansing system is helpful, but not perfect, and the smog factor must be acknowledged as part of life in LA. Residents have to keep an ear out for local sig alert warnings, and stay inside as much as possible on those days when sig alerts are issued. Further, all residents should have an effective air purification system in operation in their houses to offset the pollution of the traffic artery in the area and the unhealthy air it can create on particularly hot days. Encino is in the middle of a lot of congestion, but Encino is relatively insulated, especially for the valley, and there is always some of the freshest air in the city available through a drive up in the hills.
SECTION 3: The Market
You’re interested in buying, but of course you want to find the best. Now there are many homes overlooking the Sepulveda Dam area, and Balboa Park, but the main attraction as far as property advantages belongs to the houses in the Hills and the magnificent view that they possess.
The truth is that all houses in Encino offer advantage, as Encino is a valley neighborhood that is accessible and in close proximity to all that Los Angeles has to offer; from Downtown to the beaches, and from Hollywood to Malibu, Encino has on ramps to two major freeways that can deliver you within 25 minutes to virtually any part of the city of Los Angeles, and to the many entertainment sites, historical sites, and beaches that LA has to offer.
This section will give you more information about the future of Encino, and your future living here.
· Why Choose Encino?
· The Future
· Who’s Buying
· Liquid Properties for buyers and sellers
· New Developments
· Earthquakes
· Fires
· Appendix: Important Information
Why Choose Encino over a similar neighborhood?
There might be similar communities in the Valley, but the mix of rural and urban settings in such a small community, combined with the high level of schooling in Encino and neighboring communities makes it truly unique among valley communities. The Galleria is an entertainment hub for the entire San Fernando Valley. Also, Encino is one of the closest of valley communities to the beach, just a twenty minute drive over the 405 Sepulveda Pass and down the connecting 10 Freeway connecting the Westside with downtown.
It’s also just so easy to live here. It is also one of the few areas that has access to two major freeway on-ramps going in either direction, of these being the massive 405 that connects to the Westside LAX and beach regions and the 101 Hollywood Freeway that connects to the downtown and Hollywood areas. The 101 West also is a jewel, providing access to Malibu and further northern beaches of the magnificent Southern California coastline.
If our Area and Lifestyle profiles haven’t convinced you already, call us and we’ll be happy to talk to you further. We know all it will take is a visit, one visit, to show you why your future is in Encino.
Future of the Encino market
The outlook for the real estate market in Encino is understandably extremely bright. A low crime rate, an effective range of options for both public and private schools, the expanding economy, the beauty yet affordability of the homes, all make Encino as attractive as ever in the real estate market.
In addition to the average home price in the $700,000 range, condominium prices average just under $400,000. There is all manner of real estate investment available here, either for investment opportunity or for living. Encino can definitely be characterized as a desirable if not ideal place to live by any standard.
These advantages are all enhanced by the fact that Encino stands at the edge of the highly prized and valued Los Angeles basin with gives access to other prized areas of Los Angeles such as Westside, downtown, and the beach. Demand is strong in the area, will remain strong, and surely will continue to rise, maintaining its inherent and traditional allure as an investment opportunity was well as residential area.
Who’s buying?
Homes in the Encino area are generally primary residences, but many buy a second home here because of its close proximity to the beautiful Southern California beaches. However the community features of Encino are geared towards primary residency, with their quality school system and proximity to LA business and entertainment zones. This is not a vacation spot, but a family oriented community where children are raised and lives established. Encino is definitely a settler’s zone, as opposed to a vacationer’s zone. Second homes in the California area, with its lush and fertile landscape, are usually kept in the closer proximity to the beach type setting.
As far as real estate is concerned, the figures further indicate the family setting as housing units in the desirable 91436 with mortgage ownership number 2,898, against 1,115 houses without a mortgage, almost half. The monthly cost for units with a mortgage is a relatively affordable yet prosperous $3,196, while monthly rent for units is a modest but high standard of $720—affordability and quality. In Encino, only 7.1 % of residents fall below the poverty line, half of the state average.
Encino is a place where people thrive.
Liquid Properties for Buyers and Sellers
Both condos and houses are liquid types of properties for buyers. There are 5,287 houses and condos, with only 777 renter-occupied apartments in the representative 91436 area. The percentage of renters here (15%) is substantially below the state average of 43%, demonstrating a high level of property ownership liquidity. Currently, there are a myriad of houses for sale in the Encino market, demonstrating a booming buyer’s real estate market both and a further spike in home liquidity.
For sellers, liquid properties are inclined more towards office spaces and store spaces, because Encino is pretty full as far as space is concerned. Thus, the liquid property most appealing and appropriate for the seller in Encino are business properties that are going to be opened, renovated, or transformed by entrants into the economic boom of Encino. Restaurants, storefronts, and office spaces are attractive liquid properties for sellers because they can quickly be sold to individuals who are not necessarily Encino residents but are looking to expand into the area to take advantage of the continuing economic boom in Encino.
New Developments
Currently, condominium developments are being added via re-development. Encino is a highly concentrated area, with minimal room for new subdivisions. The market is primarily made up of re-sell houses with some remodeling, but most ranging from traditional to a hybrid version of the original ranch style form that set the historical precedent for the cultural associations of the Encino community.
As far as the subdivision question, Encino is a subdivision of the San Fernando Valley and the 818 area code. As we have mentioned, Encino itself has four different zip codes at this point, with subdivisions such as Encino Ranch and Encino Hills that remain incorporated within the Encino community jurisdiction and zoning.
Nonetheless, in the interest of neighborhood improvement, the building of new homes and new construction are taking place all the time, from renovations and reconstructions of residential houses to remodeling of restaurants and stores. Encino figures to become a highly centralized hub of construction projects and contracting due to the opening of Construction Deal, Inc. This is a top-rated web site and service that matches contractors to property owners with remodeling and construction projects. Construction Deal, Inc. has created a new strategic partnership with a lading online consumer direct lender.
This will facilitate agreements between homeowners and contractors in the area, and the rate of development looks to increase qualitatively as well as quantitatively, with the new streamlined form of construction commerce being launched. Construction Deal is not only bringing Encino contractors and homeowners together in new, innovative and accelerated partnerships, but it is facilitating financing for homeowners as well. As the area of Encino nears its ceiling in site development capacity, new methods of construction agreements will facilitate increased project enhancement.
We look to a future where in Encino, both pre-existing businesses and residences will get facelifts and re-touches that will continue to beautify the community, in the spirit of the Galleria.
Earthquakes, honestly.
You are here for frank information, and we want to give it to you. Therefore, we must acknowledge the relatively serious proximity that Encino has to natural disasters. While fears are based more in panic than reality, we can and must point out the earthquake fault line factor.
The actual flashpoint for the huge earthquake in 1994 that rocked all of Los Angeles and is known as the Northridge Quake actually had its epicenter under an even closer valley neighborhood: Reseda, which lies on the southern border of Encino. That quake caused billions of dollars in property damage as well as some injury and loss of life. However, it turns out that nearby Northridge, also in the valley, bore the brunt of the damage.
Now, immensely powerful quakes in neighboring communities is by no means a regular occurrence in Encino, but the susceptibility of Encino to an earthquake certainly does exist. Encino was spared the brunt of the earthquake of 1994 that instead Northridge absorbed, but the quake was certainly felt quite strongly here.
The fact is, a fault line exists under the Los Angeles Basin. Since, 1994, further study has only provided more evidence of the possibility of earthquake related disaster, as a network of suspected fault lines has since been confirmed under the Los Angeles Metro Area. Encino is not considered part of the Los Angeles Metro area, but Southern California is earthquake country, plain and simple.
All manner of minor earthquakes have emitted from the center of earth under the Los Angeles Metro area bordering Encino, and seismic activity is a regular and ongoing occurrence in the Southern California region. Let’s not fool ourselves. The upshot is that Encino residents, like all residents for LA, have learned to live with the specter of that natural disaster, as the price for living in their version of paradise.
Encino, like all of Los Angeles, is earthquake country. As we write this, there have been 18 minor earthquakes in the Southern California area in the last week alone. Only one has touched the greater Los Angeles area, in El Monte east of downtown:
MAG DATE LOCAL-TIME LAT LON DEPTH LOCATION
y/m/d h:m:s deg deg km
1.6 2008/01/25 13:09:07 34.920N 117.573W 5.5 13 km ( 8 mi) SE of Boron, CA
1.6 2008/01/25 08:07:41 33.925N 117.216W 0.0 1 km ( 1 mi) E of Moreno Valley, CA
1.6 2008/01/24 18:25:52 34.051N 117.141W 11.2 2 km ( 1 mi) SW of Mentone, CA
1.6 2008/01/24 16:42:43 34.017N 117.147W 16.4 5 km ( 3 mi) SSE of Redlands, CA
1.6 2008/01/24 09:55:53 34.652N 117.136W 0.0 17 km (11 mi) NNE of Apple Valley, CA
1.4 2008/01/24 02:12:55 34.027N 117.242W 16.7 3 km ( 2 mi) SSE of Loma Linda, CA
1.6 2008/01/23 16:27:54 34.156N 117.423W 11.5 6 km ( 4 mi) NW of Rialto, CA
1.7 2008/01/23 13:31:22 33.843N 117.491W 0.0 8 km ( 5 mi) ESE of Corona, CA
1.7 2008/01/23 13:22:36 33.838N 117.478W 0.0 9 km ( 6 mi) ESE of Corona, CA
1.4 2008/01/21 12:16:08 33.958N 117.154W 16.6 8 km ( 5 mi) ENE of Moreno Valley, CA
1.6 2008/01/21 05:37:20 33.830N 117.699W 8.2 10 km ( 6 mi) SE of Yorba Linda, CA
1.2 2008/01/21 01:13:23 34.047N 117.264W 15.7 1 km ( 1 mi) W of Loma Linda, CA
1.6 2008/01/20 14:53:40 34.216N 117.508W 5.3 10 km ( 6 mi) W of Devore, CA
0.9 2008/01/20 04:33:17 34.211N 117.517W 5.7 11 km ( 7 mi) W of Devore, CA
1.7 2008/01/19 11:36:30 34.037N 117.262W 17.2 2 km ( 1 mi) SW of Loma Linda, CA
2.2 2008/01/19 03:05:31 34.083N 118.042W 16.5 2 km ( 1 mi) NW of El Monte, CA
1.3 2008/01/19 02:55:50 34.030N 117.271W 16.9 3 km ( 2 mi) SW of Loma Linda, CA
These are all minor quakes, but this information is presented herein as a “buyer beware” sign. Earthquakes and seismic activity are regular and ongoing occurrences and buyers should have a realistic notion of the seismic activity of the region. It is not stable or predictable, and hot zones can shift all the time or at any given moment.
Fires
The Los Angeles fires are also a well-known phenomenon and natural disaster that need no introduction. However, Encino has proven to be fire-free in the face of the massive fires that periodically rise up in Southern California, including the most and disastrous outbreak last fall. The greater impact of fires in the area has been the smoke in the air, which plagued Los Angeles Country and Southern California on a large scale due to the massive amounts of smoke from the fires. While rural areas all over LA burned for those days and weeks, there were no actual fires burning in the immediate neighborhood. The hills of Encino are certainly a potential flashpoint for fires, but in this relatively urban atmosphere there is a high concentration of local and neighboring fire departments available to quell any fire incident.
Further, while the hills are rural and bushy- conditions that give rise to rapidly spreading wildfires - the houses are closer together in the resident communities where fires can be detected and reported in order to promote swift preventative action. The main problem with the recent spate of California fires is that they started in rural regions, and the houses lost often stand alone or in smaller numbers, surrounded by large fields of brush and trees where fires spread quickly before being detected by area residents.
Once again, this is not to say a large fire could not rise up in Encino, as the materials are there. Historically there have been fires that have blackened the hills between Encino and Mulholland on the 405 overpass. However, these fires, while being unsightly and destroying large amounts of bush on the overpass between the Westside and the valley, did not result in any human loss or injury. Thus, as far as the fire disaster issue which plagues Southern California, Encino remains relatively safe, aside from compromised air quality.
Appendix: Important Real Estate Housing Info
We believe our buyers and sellers should have the most up to date information about the market. The better informed you are, the better choices you will make. Feel free to ask us any questions you might have – from home values, to the weather – there is no such thing as an irrelevant question when dealing with a home.
Home Value Estimates
Home value e stimate of home value of owner-occupied houses/condos in zip code 91436:
$25,000 to $29,999: 5
$40,000 to $49,999: 6
$80,000 to $89,999: 12
$90,000 to $99,999: 7
$100,000 to $124,999: 23
$125,000 to $149,999: 27
$150,000 to $174,999: 16
$200,000 to $249,999: 98
$250,000 to $299,999: 294
$300,000 to $399,999: 360
$400,000 to $499,999: 701
$500,000 to $749,999: 1371
$750,000 to $999,999: 588
$1,000,000 or more: 505
Rent paid by renters in 2000 in zip code 91436:
$150 to $199: 8
$350 to $399: 9
$400 to $449: 7
$450 to $499: 28
$500 to $549: 18
$550 to $599: 19
$600 to $649: 47
$650 to $699: 47
$700 to $749: 7
$750 to $799: 12
$800 to $899: 67
$900 to $999: 63
$1,000 to $1,249: 81
$1,250 to $1,499: 80
$1,500 to $1,999: 64
$2,000 or more: 161
No cash rent: 59
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Encino Residential Real Estate
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