Why is competition so steep in this cozy Valley enclave?
Featured image credit: Eric Shalov
This entry in our Neighborhood Watch series will be a bit shorter than previous examples because Reseda isn’t its own city. Rather it’s a neighborhood situated in the San Fernando Valley. That being said, we get so many buyers searching for houses for sale in Reseda that it’s more than earned its place in the spotlight. One of the earliest suburbs established in the Valley, Reseda started small but has grown to become one of the most popular neighborhoods for homeowners.
A Conveniently Central Location
Reseda is comfortably nestled to the west of the Central Valley, smoothly integrating it into surrounding neighborhoods. That being said, its boundaries are pretty cut and dry. It’s bordered by Roscoe Boulevard to the north with Northridge just beyond. White Oak Avenue cuts its eastern boundary just before the Lake Balboa neighborhood. Victory Boulevard stretches across its southern border, creating a boundary between Encino and Tarzana. And finally, the west side is bordered by Corbin Avenue where Reseda meets Winnetka.
One of the First Neighborhoods in the San Fernando Valley
In the early 1900s, when the Pacific Electric Railway was laying its extension to what would become Canoga Park, the Suburban Homes Company purchased 48,000 acres of land in the San Fernando Valley. They drafted plans for three new towns: Van Nuys, Owensmouth (later Canoga Park), and Marian (later Reseda). Marian was named for Marian Otis Chandler, the daughter of Harrison Gray Otis (publisher of the Los Angeles Times) and wife of Harry Chandler (another newspaper publisher and namesake of Chander Boulevard).
Reseda was originally just the name of one of the Southern Pacific Railroad’s stations. But the expanding postal system rendered the name Marian confusing, so the town needed a new name. Reseda was the one that won out. The name derives from Reseda odorata, the scientific name of the mignonette plant common to the area.
Modern Day Reseda
Today, Reseda is a thriving neighborhood with 15 public schools and five private schools and a central location between the 101 and 405 freeways and Highway 27 connecting it to surrounding neighborhoods. This, of course, keeps houses for sale in Reseda in demand with families or expectant couples. As of the 2010 census, Reseda supported a population of roughly around 74,000 residents.
It’s relatively close to Pierce College, echoing its past as a major agricultural supplier. But Reseda’s economy today is much more diverse. Shipping companies tend to be the area’s top employers. But as part of the greater City of Los Angeles, Reseda is home to many residents who commute to other areas for work.
Recreation in Reseda
Reseda is often praised for its picturesque suburban splendor, earning it prominent placement in several films, TV shows, and commercials over the decades. It’s no wonder the parks system is so popular among those who purchase houses for sale in Reseda. The West Valley Family YMCA and Reseda Park both offer a myriad of fields and courts for playing sports, as well as community swimming pools. The latter even has a decorative lake and accompanying duck pond.
If hiking is more your thing, Randall D. Simmons Park has some beautifully scenic (although brief) trails. Bicyclists have it a bit better with Reseda being the site of the longest consecutive run of protected bike lanes in Southern California. When the bike lanes officially opened in March 2024, CicLAvia honored the progress by hosting their Ready for Reseda community ride.
Earthquake Safety
Prospective seekers of homes for sale in Reseda will want to make sure their properties are prepared for potential earthquakes. In 1971, the magnitude 6.6 Sylmar earthquake had a profound impact on the neighborhood. Likewise, the epicenter for the 1994 Northridge earthquake was located just west of Reseda Boulevard, bringing significant damage to the normally peaceful community.
Competition Amongst Houses for Sale in Reseda
But even with its earthquake history, houses for sale in Reseda tend to always be in high demand. We need only look at our absorption rates, used to indicate whether a neighborhood’s housing market favors buyers or sellers. Reseda is almost always in the seller’s favor. In fact, it’s one of only three neighborhoods that we publicly track that have had five consecutive months of rising absorption rates. That period spanned from November 2022 until March 2023. In 2024, our 12-month average absorption rate for Reseda was at 36%; well above the 15% threshold for a buyer’s market.
But statistics can’t compete with touring houses for sale in Reseda in person so that you can see the neighborhood’s allure for yourself. It’s a perfect representative of the unmistakable San Fernando Valley spirit with its suburban comforts. Whether you’re looking for your starter home or your forever home, Reseda’s a strong choice. Reach out to one of our agents today to get notified when Reseda properties become available or head over to our listings to see what’s already on the market.
With a brand that says as much as JohnHart’s, Senior Copywriter Seth Styles never finds himself at a loss for words. Responsible for maintaining the voice of the company, he spends each day drafting marketing materials, blogs, bios, and agent resources that speak from the company’s collective mind and Hart… errr, heart.
Having spent over a decade in creative roles across a variety of industries, Seth brings with him vast experience in SEO practices, digital marketing, and all manner of professional writing with particular strength in blogging, content creation, and brand building. Gratitude, passion, and sincerity remain core tenets of his unwavering work ethic. The landscape of the industry changes daily, paralleling JohnHart’s efforts to {re}define real estate, but Seth works to maintain the company’s consistent message while offering both agents and clients a new echelon of service.
When not preserving the JohnHart essence in stirring copy, Seth puts his efforts into writing and illustrating an ongoing series entitled The Death of Romance. In addition, he adores spending quality time with his girlfriend and Romeo (his long-haired chihuahua mix), watching ‘70s and ‘80s horror movies, and reading (with a particular penchant for Victorian horror novels and authors Yukio Mishima and Bret Easton Ellis). He also occasionally records music as the vocalist and songwriter for his glam rock band, Peppermint Pumpkin.
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