Are you thinking about making a move to Santa Clarita but want to know what it’s really like to live here? In this video, I’m going to share 10 things people complain about living in Santa Clarita, California. We’ll look at everything from the weather to housing prices so you can decide if settling here is right for you.
I know it might be weird to have a realtor telling you about the things that people don't like about an area. However, if something isn’t your cup of tea, you should know about it upfront before you decide to make a move here. We’re going to explore these 10 not-so-great things about Santa Clarita, starting with the weather.
#1: The Heat
Right now in August, it’s over 100 degrees in Santa Clarita—although it’s not over 100 degrees every day. Some days there’s a tepid humidity, though we don’t get a lot of it compared to most parts of the country. Just be prepared that there will be quite a few days over 100 degrees, sometimes even a week in a row.
When we’re not over 100 degrees, there are a lot of days in the 90s. So if heat is not your thing, Santa Clarita may not be the right place for you.
#2: Traffic
Santa Clarita has grown a lot in the last 10 to 30 years, so we do have some traffic issues here. We have put in a lot of new roads and a cross-valley connector that goes all the way from the 5 and across town to the 14. There's also Plum Canyon that now goes through as well.
Additionally, there has been road widening and all kinds of things to help with the issue. The bottom line, though, is there are still some traffic issues. If you compare it to the San Fernando Valley or LA, our traffic is not really a thing. But when compared to other parts of the country or other areas, we do have some traffic issues. Keep that in mind if you're thinking about making a move to Santa Clarita and traffic is not your thing.
#3: Track Homes
The third thing you might not like about Santa Clarita is we have mainly track homes. If you are looking for a custom home, we do have some areas that have that. However, if you're looking for an area where homes are a little unique and different, every neighborhood in Santa Clarita is track home driven.
There are areas in older neighborhoods where there's a lot more originality to some of the houses. This is because they've been redone and remodeled, making them look different than most of their neighbors. Overall, we are a track home type neighborhood. This also means a lot of smaller lots, though we have decent sizes when compared to LA.
#4: Mello Roos
Much of the newer construction out here does have what's called a Mello Roos tax. This is an additional tax that shows up on your property tax bill and covers things like your roads, infrastructure, police departments, fire departments, and more. Instead of paying that money upfront, some builders are actually putting that into the tax bill.
This means you are paying less for the house. If it didn't have the Mello Roos tax, you'd be paying more for the house. This is because the builder would have paid more to be able to build that house. With the Mello Roos tax, builders wouldn’t have to come up with quite so much upfront. They could get their build done, the consumer would buy the house, and they would have that extra bit onto their loan.
Those loans are usually 30-year bonds. If you buy a house that’s 20 years old, they may only have 10 years left on that bond. But if you buy a brand new house, it’s about 30 years—while some are 20 to 40. The majority of them are 30-year bonds. That being said, Mello Roos isn't a big, huge negative that a lot of people think it is.
It's not great, don't get me wrong. However, if you're comparing apples to apples and you had two houses that were exactly the same—where one had a Mello Roos tax and one didn't—you’re going to pay more for the house that does not have that Mello Roos tax. The purchase price is going to be higher, so it’s just something to keep in mind.
#5: HOAs
Number five is HOA fees. While this could be a positive for a lot of people, for some people it is negative. This is especially true if you don't like the fact that an HOA is going to tell you what color to paint your house and what you can and can't plant in your front yard.
A lot of people like HOAs because you know your neighbor next door is not going to paint their house green with purple polka dots. You also know that your neighbors are going to have to keep the landscaping up or else they could get a fine. And if their trim isn't painted or it starts peeling and there's peeling paint everywhere, the HOA will make them get that painted.
Another benefit to the HOA is that many of them have pools, spas, tennis courts, clubhouses, and park areas. Some even have swim teams organized for the kids and events for the family. HOA fees can be both positive and negative; it just depends upon you.
#6: Fires
Number six is fires. We are a valley surrounded by mountains, and we’re also in Southern California. This means we do have fires. In California, we have a fire season. You need to make sure you consider that when you're choosing your home.
Some houses are closer to the mountains and closer to the brush than others. Something you have to decide is what is important to you. If you want to live by the ocean, there's a possibility that there could be some issues when there's a high tide. It’s the same thing with fires. You have to make sure you keep all that in mind.
#7: Earthquakes
Another big one is number seven: earthquakes. If you live in California now or you're moving to California, you have to be aware there are earthquakes. I'm a California girl and I grew up here, so I have been through numerous earthquakes—and a couple of really big ones.
Even so, nobody likes them and nobody gets used to them. Depending on where you're at in the country, you're could have earthquakes, landslides, tornadoes, or floods. You’ve got to pick your poison. California has earthquakes and so does Santa Clarita.
#8: Around Town Traffic
While we already covered traffic, another thing to consider is traffic around town. We’re a bedroom community that’s growing our industrial area, and our office building area is growing immensely. This means a lot of big companies are moving to the area.
At the same time, a lot of people still commute to LA, the San Fernando Valley, Glendale, Palmdale, and Lancaster. I even have a client that commutes to Bakersfield. Depending upon where you're going to be working, you may be commuting. With that comes even more traffic.
As you get onto the 5 and the 14 freeways, you are going to hit some traffic, depending upon the time of day that you are traveling. My recommendation is if you know that you're going to start work at 8:00 in the morning and get off at 5:00 pm, those are the worst times. Make sure you're okay with that drive.
There will be better days and worse days. If it's a holiday weekend, Friday nights are horrible. Just FYI, Friday mornings are great, but Friday evenings coming back from San Fernando Valley or LA are horrible. If you are a commuter, definitely check out not just the miles but the commute times.
Miles don’t mean as much in California as they do in some other parts of the country. Make sure to check out the time of day that you're going to be traveling and what the actual commute will be like.
#9: Nightlife
Number nine is nightlife. We do not have as much nightlife as some people would like, so this doesn't affect me—especially because I've been married forever and ever. However, for some people it is. We do have some nightlife here, don't get me wrong. This includes some really good restaurants, with new eateries coming into the area that aren’t just chain restaurants.
Additionally, Downtown Newhall just went through a renovation. There’s also Main Street with really nice bars, restaurants, and wineries. However, in comparison to some other areas, we do not have much nightlife. If nightlife is important to you, then you are going to have to plan to drive for some nightlife. You’re either going to be driving down to the San Fernando Valley, LA, Glendale, or the Burbank area. It just depends on what you're looking for.
One spot we do have is The Canyon, which brings in bands and hosts dancing. There are a few other bars and restaurants around town that offer some extracurricular activities going on in the evening. For the most part, you're probably going to want to leave the valley if you're really looking for nightlife.
#10: The Price Of Housing
The final thing people don’t like about Santa Clarita is the price of housing. If you're coming from another state and you're moving to California, housing is going to be more expensive for most people, depending upon where you're coming from. There's just no way to get around it if you are moving to California.
However, if you're looking at Santa Clarita’s home prices, we are just above average for California based on a study done in 2020. For California, Santa Clarita is in the 86th percentile when it comes to the cost of housing. However, if you compare our housing prices to LA County, we're a little below average. It just depends on where in California you're looking.
So if you want to make a move here, prices are not super low, but they aren't crazy high either. They are a little above average for the state of California and a local low average if you're just looking at LA County.
Is Santa Clarita Right For You?
I hope this gave you a good idea of some things to keep in mind if you’re thinking about moving to Santa Clarita. I know you probably think it's weird that I’m a real estate agent telling you all the negatives of living here. However, I want you to make an educated decision and know what you’re getting into.
I don't care what people tell you: no place is going to be perfect. There are always going to be negatives, and I like to be honest and truly give you all the information you need. I’m not going to just sugar coat it and give you the positives. So if you ever have any questions, feel free to reach out and give us a call and we’ll be happy to connect with you.
Don’t forget to subscribe to my channel as we investigate the six different areas of Santa Clarita. Stay tuned to see what I feature next!