LOS ANGELES, CA – Julian Park is getting his latest listing ready for potential home buyers, like Charlie Rivas.

  • Growing downtown attracting home buyers to San Fernando
  • Spike in average home price by 13 percent
  • Winter months are the best time to buy

Rivas is very specific about what he wants to buy and has his sights set on downtown San Fernando Valley. The buyer just sold his condo in Valencia and is looking to be closer to his family in Pacoima.

“I’m looking more toward the city so I can have everything closer," said Rivas.

Looking for an investment, Rivas said he is a young single guy with no kids. The duplex is he looking at offers him the opportunity to live in the front studio while he can rent the house in the back. Rivas thinks he can sell the property after a few years and make a profit.

With the area developing rapidly, new restaurants and businesses continue to pop up changing the landscape drastically over the past 10 years.

“You have this whole strip, where a lot of these businesses weren't here 10-years ago,” said Rivas.

The growing downtown area is one of the reasons Real Estate Agent Julian Park is convinced the City of San Fernando is the next hot spot.

“There’s a lot of unique architecture here, a lot of new trendy shops coming up, especially on Mclay street that are a fusion of old history and newer trends," said Park.

According to the multiple listings service, the average home prices in the City of San Fernando went up nearly 13 percent from 2017 to 2018. Surrounding areas like Pacoima, Sylmar and Arleta all saw below an 8-percent difference.

While San Fernando is seeing a higher increase, for Rivas, it is still affordable.

Park said the winter months are typically the best time to buy "because there’s less competition going on right now, if you’re approved and ready to go you can swoop right in because there’s a lot less competition.”