The name “patio home” suggests that you’re probably buying a home with a patio. However, that’s not actually what the term means. They were first popularized in the 1970s, and are also sometimes called garden or cluster homes. What the term refers to is a compact single-family home built on “zero lot lines,” which means they sit right up against the edge of other properties, often sharing at least one wall with a neighbor.
Because they often share walls with a neighbor, it can easy to confuse them with condos or townhouses. They are significantly different from condos in that condos only sell you the interior unit, leaving the land in the hands of a joint association. If you own a patio home, you also own the land, albeit there typically isn’t much. The primary difference between a patio home and a townhouse is that townhouses stretch vertically across two or three stories, while patio homes feature single-level layouts. It’s also possible for patio homes to be detached, while townhouses are always attached.
Patio homes are often good choices for first-time buyers or people who want to downsize. They offer accessible open-concept floor plans, usually with two or three bedrooms all on one floor. In addition, they are often located in planned communities with shared amenities like pools or clubhouses and offer you the chance for independent homeownership with minimal yard work.
Short answer, yes. Long answer, it may or may not have consequences depending on the contract and why you’re backing out. Prior to a seller accepting an offer from you, you can withdraw your offer anytime. Just be sure you do so in writing. The contract dictates under what terms you can cancel without penalty and how much in damages it would cost you if you just simply changed your mind and defaulted.
Once you and the seller have mutual acceptance, there will usually be contingencies in the agreement that will allow you to walk away without consequence, provided you cannot remove any of those contingencies within the prescribed times. Contingencies that give you the leeway to cancel a sale without any penalty include: the home being able to pass a home inspection, your obtaining loan approval or having to sell another residence first, and the seller being able to produce a clear title.
Many sellers want to upgrade their home before selling. This isn’t a bad idea, but not every home upgrade will increase the house’s value. In fact, some of the most expensive projects can end up hurting your resale value. Check to make sure your project is economically sound before starting it.
Extras sound appealing, but they’re not always something the buyer wants, or is willing to pay extra for. Expensive bathroom and lighting fixtures might look enticing to buyers, but they’re frequently more expensive to acquire than the increase in home value. It could get more people interested, but don’t expect to make a profit off of it. Similarly, buyers could get drawn in by a walk-in closet, but if you sacrificed an entire bedroom to get it, your home’s value actually went down. Even worse are high-maintenance extras that require significant upkeep, like sunrooms and koi ponds. They’re extremely expensive, and if the buyers don’t want it, not only will they not pay extra, but they will be turned off completely by the added maintenance.
If you do want to make changes like this, save it for your next house when you can actually make use of it yourself. When selling, simple and neutral are the real keys to success.
Many sellers completely remodel their kitchens before selling. This does typically increase value, but full kitchen remodels are also very expensive. Unless your cabinets are damaged and need to be replaced, you can usually achieve a profit by simply repainting the cabinets and swapping in clean modern handles and budget-friendly taps. Refreshing your curb appeal is a simple way to give a good impression, potentially without doing anything you wouldn’t normally do. Just mowing the lawn costs nothing and gets buyers interested. You can also set out potted plants or buy a new doormat.
Another important thing to consider is color and design choice. Neutrality is important here. Colorful statement walls and trendy tiles might express your personal flair, but most buyers just see a long list of redecorating chores. Instead, a fresh coat of warm neutrally colored paint instantly modernizes your space and lets buyers visualize their own furniture. Just don’t choose pure white; having everything completely white can make it feel clinical. Even though buyers likely will repaint regardless, a neutral color allows them to imagine themselves in the space.
When selling your property, it’s good to know what type of things will always appeal to a buyer, no matter when and where you are selling. Trends come and go, but certain features are always desirable. If you are preparing to list your property, think about emphasizing these core areas to set your home apart.
Though not everyone prioritizes it, very few buyers are unhappy with having an outdoor area. This is especially true if it’s covered, since a protected outdoor area represents entertainment and private escape regardless of weather. Buyers are drawn to covered patios, decks and pergolas that extend the home’s outdoor possibilities into all seasons.
Sustainability and low utility bills are major selling points. Modern buyers actively look for energy-efficient windows, good insulation and updated smart thermostats. Beyond green tech, a property with dry, well-maintained spaces, including hidden areas like attics and crawl spaces, signal that a property has been deeply cared for, instantly building buyer trust.
Pay attention to the classics — some things never change. Good kitchens and bathrooms are still high on the agenda in house sales, as are a dedicated home office or a cozy nook to read in. Buyers also look for effective storage solutions, like walk-in pantries or organized garage systems. Buyers always look for updates such as modern fixtures and refreshed cabinets.
A proof of funds (POF) letter proves that the buyer has the cash needed to close the sale. This may be required in addition to providing a seller a loan preapproval letter. Having stable enough income and credit to be able to get a loan doesn’t necessarily mean the buyer has ready cash.
Once you get preapproved for a loan, get your POF letter as soon as possible. Presenting a POF usually occurs early in contract negotiations so it can provide additional strength to your purchase offer. Proof of funds can be evidenced with a simple letter from your bank, bank statements or proof of an open line of credit. A letter from your bank needs to have the name and address of the bank and a signature from an authorized employee.
This is also the case for an all-cash transaction. Having the ready cash to buy doesn’t imply that you have the additional cash saved up to pay closing costs. In fact, a POF letter is often required for short-term investors such as house flippers, who often pay cash so they aren’t saddled with loans after the property is sold.
If you’re preparing to view houses in search of your new home, don’t forget the importance of looking beyond simple first impressions. You’ll need to pinpoint any issues that could affect the property in the long run earlier rather than later, saving you time, money, and a potentially wrong decision.
Keep in mind that what you’re looking for is issues that can’t be changed or are costly to change. You may not like how the current owners have decorated, but that can be changed easily. In many cases, that furniture and those decorations won’t be there when you move in anyway. Instead, look at the home’s layout, lighting, and structure.
Pay attention to damage. Past water damage, even if the issue has supposedly been resolved, isn’t necessarily just an isolated event. It could signify recurring plumbing issues. The owners might not even be aware of difficult to notice signs such as paint peeling or small damp spots. A bad smell is also a big indicator that there might be issues with drainage or mold. In addition, make sure to look out for cracks in the walls. Tiny cracks might not mean much right now, but they could grow, and large cracks signal structural issues that could be nearly impossible to fix later.
While it’s possible to repair windows, it’s quite expensive to do so. Make sure windows open and close properly to keep the house free of drafts and properly insulated. This also helps to regulate humidity, as well as energy efficiency and lowering bills. Damaged windows aren’t necessarily a dealbreaker, but it’s a cost that needs to be factored in.
A quitclaim deed is one type of legal document used for transferring property from one owner to another. But unlike most property transfer deeds, it doesn’t make the grantor liable for any future actions against the title to the property. It transfers all the assumed ownership rights from the grantor to the grantee but with no assurances as to what the transferred property rights are. A quitclaim deed action takes very little time because a title search is not required, but this also means it comes with no guarantees that a property is free of liens or encumbrances.
Quitclaim deeds are most commonly used in family matters. A common use of a quitclaim deed would be to move property from one family member to another or into a trust. They’re also effective for simply removing a spouse from the title or a homeowner giving up the title in order to add a new spouse to the title. Alternatively, quitclaim deeds can be a simple way to clean up title errors by removing names that show up in title searches in error.
Kelley Blue Book is a brand well-known for valuations of new and used cars. In partnership with True Footage, a home appraisal technology company, Kelley Blue Book will start providing valuations for homes as well. The public launch is expected in August in ten states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington. The plan is for Kelley Blue Book Homes to be available nationally in 2027.
Contrary to many other lead generation platforms, Kelley Blue Book Homes will charge agents a variable subscription fee based on market conditions and number of ZIP codes serviced, rather than a flat percentage of commissions. The expectation is that the agents using the service are more likely to be experts within their geographical area. For consumers, Kelley Blue Book Homes will be completely free to use.
It seems paradoxical to think stability and adaptability can both be important simultaneously — perhaps they’re two different strategies, but how can they come together? The reality is that sticking to what you’re used to doesn’t work in a constantly shifting industry, and adapting to changes doesn’t get you ahead unless there’s some baseline of predictability. Neither strategy works on its own, so the industry needs both.
For a long time, the multiple listing service has been the rock that agents rely on for cold, hard data. While this is still true, buyers and sellers also increasingly have access to this data. This shifts the narrative — buyers and sellers now rely less on agents for data, and more for the things that the MLS doesn’t tell you. This includes regulations, local trends, and insights drawn from experience.
This doesn’t mean the MLS isn’t important anymore. It’s still the source of all that data, and without it, agents, buyers, and sellers would all be lost. What it does mean is that success in the real estate industry — for both agents and their clients — relies more than ever on a deep understanding of local expertise. In also means communication between agent and client is both more important and also easier. A smaller gap in knowledge means the process is less of a black box for clients.
Last year, Google began partnering with HouseCanary — an AI driven real estate brokerage — for a pilot program to deliver real estate listings directly to viewers via simple Google searches. The pilot program was initially only available in eight major markets, but this summer, will be expanding to all fifty states.
Unlike standard Google searches, which take data from wherever they can be found, this data will be sourced directly from a multiple listing services to ensure as much accuracy as possible and comply with regulations. Not all MLSes are participating, though, so only data from participating MLSes will be available. Currently, these are My State MLS, California Regional MLS, and San Diego MLS, but Google and HouseCanary are hoping to get more on board.
The goal of this program is to increase discoverability. Right now, potential clients looking to buy or sell can find information about homes for sale via sites such as Zillow or Trulia, but these sites don’t direct them to an agent — or if they do, it’s an agent that paid these companies to promote them, not necessarily the agent with the relevant listing. With this program, there will a button allowing searchers to directly contact the listing agents.
The number of homes sold across the South Bay during April fell 6% below March sales. The only growth occurred on the Palos Verdes Hill where 7% more homes were sold than closed escrow in March. The Harbor area took the hardest hit with a decline of 11% in home sales.
While the monthly median price is still mostly positive, April saw a 14% drop in median price for the Beach Cities. That significant fall for an area that is traditionally strong indicates prices may soon follow volume on the way down.
April 2026 vs April 2025
Comparing this April to the same month last year finds the number of homes sold in the South Bay dropped 10% over the past 12 months. The Harbor and Hill areas took the worst beating, losing 18% and 20% respectively. Only the Beach area came in positive, with a mere 4% increase in sales—a collapse from the 31% growth the prior month.
On an annual basis, the median price was much like the monthly. Once again, only the Beach Cities showed red ink. This time with just a 3% loss in value. Median prices have had far ranging swings since the first of the year. The year started with a 40% decline in the median for the Beach area. The highest increase in median price was 10%, also at the Beach.
2026 Year to Date vs 2025
For the first four months of the year, sales volume has slipped by 6% across the region. In the same time frame, median prices have dropped modestly everywhere except the Harbor area, where prices are maintaining a 3% boost over the first four months of 2025.
Year to date sales and prices likewise show the negative impact of inflation. Price resistance is showing up both in purchases and in leases.
The Outlook for May
Sales volume has been negative three months out of four so far this year. March countered in all areas, but April took back the increases everywhere except the Beach. A quick look at the number of homes sold already in May does nothing to improve the outlook. At this point the best to be hoped for is going from double digit losses to single digit losses, with maybe an occasional positive.
Median prices are treading a borderline. If sales volume continues to slip, as everything indicates, prices will suffer. The market is essentially in stasis, and fewer active buyers will force price reductions from sellers who often have no choice but to sell.
On the other hand, all the wars could end and we could go back to building and selling homes for people.
Beach=Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, El Segundo Harbor=Carson, Long Beach, San Pedro, Wilmington, Harbor City PV Hill=Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates Inland=Torrance, Lomita, Gardena
If this is your first time buying a home, you may be surprised to find out that there are actually distinct terms for several different types of homes. You’ll want to know what these terms mean, so that you can look for the right type of home for you.
Single-Family Home: Your standard traditional “house,” often with a backyard and possibly a garage.
Duplex: A single building divided into two separate homes, each with its own entrance. A duplex usually has one owner owning both units.
Townhouse: A multifloor house that shares walls with adjacent houses but has its own entrance. The adjacent houses typically do not have the same owner.
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU): A secondary house or apartment on the same lot as a larger “main house.” ADUs can be attached or detached.
Mansion: A huge, impressive house, often with high-end amenities and lots of private land. There is no single legal definition, so there is some subjectivity.
Apartment: A private residence within a building or complex of other residences, often rented from a landlord or company. If one needs to disambiguate, a single residence could be called an apartment unit, while all residences taken together are called an apartment complex.
Condo(minium): As above, but a condo is owned rather than rented.
Cabin: A small, simple house, often in a remote location and typically built from natural materials like wood.
Tiny Home: A very small, cozy, minimalist dwelling that maximizes efficiency in a small space.
Co-Op: This is more of an ownership arrangement rather than a type of home in which residents own shares in a corporation that owns the building rather than owning it themselves.
Modular Home: A house built in sections in a factory and then transported to a site for final assembly. This could be several of the other types as well.
Mobile Home: A portable house with wheels, such as a caravan or trailer.
When a buyer and an agent enter into an agreement for the agent to represent the buyer in the purchase of a home, that agreement is called a buyer agency agreement. A buyer agency agreement usually spells out the duties the agent has towards the buyer in finding and closing on a home.
It is important for the buyer to make sure the right conditions are outlined in the agreement. The buyer can participate in negotiating the terms of the agreement, and the buyer has no obligation to continue working with the agent if the agent is not performing per the agreement.
Buyer agency agreements have typical term lengths of 90 days but can be negotiated for any length. A buyer can specify the kind of property being sought so the agent keeps on track during their search. The terms of the agent responsibilities should also include negotiating on behalf of the buyer and making sure the sales transaction successfully closes.
The day of the month that you close on the purchase of your home is important and should be part of your contract negotiations. Whether you want to close early or late in the month depends whether you want to save money or ensure the process goes smoothly.
Mortgage interest is paid in arrears. The amount of prorated interest that you will pay at closing will be determined by the day of the month you close. A later date in the month means less interest paid as part of your closing costs. For example, if you were to close on May 30, then you would only pay two days of interest plus the interest due for June. Your first payment wouldn’t be due until July 1.
Because of these savings, 95% of closings occur at the end of the month. What this also means is that title and escrow companies are not as busy near the beginning of the month, and the closing process tends to go a bit more smoothly.
Selling your home isn’t just about highlighting its best features. It’s also about removing the things that turn buyers off. Even small details can make a big difference in whether your property feels move-in ready or neglected.
The biggest thing to avoid is out of date, worn, or unmaintained home features. Maintaining your yard is a big boost to curb appeal, and ignoring it is a big downgrade. Worn out carpets signal a lack of maintenance, so your floors should be recarpeted or replaced with wood or tile. Buyers may even notice out of fashion styles for doorknobs, faucets, or cabinets.
You should also avoid making your home look too personalized. You want your buyer to be able to imagine themselves living in the space, not glimpse how you are living there. Keep personal effects out of view and remove clutter. Some staging is useful, but it should be neutral, not overly personal or polarizing. The same goes for paint colors — many buyers will repaint anyway, but you want them to be able to focus on the home itself, not your design choices.
We’re not going to spend a lot of effort talking about month to month real estate activity in this issue. February invariably has more closed sales than January, because the escrows that close in January are for deals that were negotiated in December, when most people were partying instead of buying a home.
The one monthly anomaly screaming for clarity is the 72% increase in monthly sales in the Beach area, while the total increase in sales for the South Bay is only 20%. That’s a real outlier, and we didn’t have an explanation last year when the numbers were nearly the same. In February of 2025 the Beach came in with a 70% increase in the number of sales closed while the total South Bay monthly increase was 24%. The other three areas are normal and the raw totals are normal, except for sales skyrocketing at the Beach for one month. Perhaps there’s a new tax “loophole” happening?
Overall, home sales are still off about 20% from pre-pandemic years. Activity has been gradually catching up, but the projection is for several years of improvement before sales volume is back to what used to be normal. The big surprise in sales volume comes in comparing last month to February of 2025, Last year had shown a solid growth of 19% over February of 2024, with positive numbers in all four areas. This year shows plummetting sales in all four areas, with a drop of 19% across the South Bay.
With that thought in mind, and looking at the year to date, for just January and February, 2024 showed 2% sales growth, and 2025 4% growth. In what appears a total reversal, 2026 is dropping by 18%. It’s still early in the year, so the direction may change. At this point it looks as though economic and war worries may be slowing the number of transactions closing. There was evidence of increased buyer risistance over the last half of 2025. The first quarter figures next month will give a more thorough picture of what to anticipate for the year.
Median Price:
Shifting gear and looking at the median price, shows a similar theme. Once again, the Beach area is showing a super-charged increase in comparison to the balance of the South Bay. The Harbor area was up 1%, the Inland area up 5%, PV down 5%, and the Beach was up 31%!
On one hand, it could be said “Money is migrating to the Beach at an increasing rate.” Or perhaps, “Owners are dumping the Beach for huge profits.” It’s conceivable both are correct. In any event it’s an interesting phenomenon.
Year over year, where the chance to look ahead comes alive, things look much more restrained. The Beach is up 1% in median price, which is significant change from being down 29% in January. At the same time, the Harbor is up 5% and the Inland area is up 2% — all very tame.
Median prices on the Hill dropped by 16%. One needs to remember there is a comparatively small number of homes selling in the PV area on a monthly basis, so one or two unique transactions show up as huge blips in the charts.
Year to date, median prices are more constrained than last year. The Harbor area, the largest of the markets in the South Bay, is up 5% over the same period for 2025. The Inland area is flat, while the Hill is down 10% and the Beach is up 15%.
Continuing on the vein we started at the beginning, the sales being reported now were negotiated in January, before the crisis in West Asia bloomed. This shows a tempered market with pullback in both the number of homes sold and in the median price of those homes. The day to day feel of the South Bay real estate market seems to be continuing on a roughly similar pace, but it will be another month before we can really see the statistical impact. Let’s look again next month.
Beach:
M-m, vol: 91, 72%, med: 2,200,000, 31%
y-y, vol: -17%, med: 1%
ytd, vol: -17%, -13% from 2019, med: -15%, up 63% from 2019
Harbor:
M-m, vol: 220, 21%, med: 800,000, 1%
y-y, vol: -19%, med: 5%
ytd, vol: -22%, -27% from 2019, med: 5%, up 49% from 2019
Hill:
M-m, vol: 36, -27%, med: 1,722,500, -5%
y-y, vol: -22%, med: -16%
ytd, vol: 9%, 10% from 2019, med: -10%, up 36% from 2019
Inland:
M-m, vol: 84, 14%, med: 920,000, 5%
y-y, vol: -18%, med: 2%
ytd, vol: -17, -21% from 2019, med: -0%, up 40% from 2019
Beach=Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, El Segundo Harbor=Carson, Long Beach, San Pedro, Wilmington, Harbor City PV Hill=Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates Inland=Torrance, Lomita, Gardena
An Earthship home is a home built around sustainability. These types of homes are built to work with nature rather than against it. The concept dates back to the 1970s, born during the early environmental movement. They’re often made using recycled and natural materials, be it old tires, glass bottles or reclaimed wood, combined in clever ways to create a strong insulating house.
Anyone can pile up tires and wood in a vague house shape, but what sets Earthships apart is how they function day to day. They’re designed to collect their own energy using solar or wind power, harvest rainwater and naturally regulate indoor temperatures through smart design rather than relying on heating or air conditioning. Many even include indoor growing spaces, allowing homeowners to grow herbs, fruit or vegetables year-round.
Sustainability sounds great, but Earthship homes aren’t for everyone. You can’t build an Earthship home just anywhere — they work best in moderate climates. Tropical or arctic conditions can just be too much of a strain on the house. Also, they can take a lot of work to keep them functioning, so you’d need to be able to expend the time and energy to keep them running.
Buying your first home can feel overwhelming without the right preparation. It doesn’t need to be, though. If you do your research and manage your expectations, you’ll be able to make better choices. All you need is a good plan.
Start by figuring out what you need and what you can afford. Consider what you really need not just in a home, but in a neighborhood, and plan ahead for the future. For example, good schools might be more important if you’re planning to have kids soon, even if you don’t have any right now. Look at your income, savings and ongoing expenses to determine a comfortable budget. This includes not just the purchase but also life after moving in. Homeownership comes with regular costs such as utilities, maintenance and repairs, so it’s wise to leave room for the unexpected.
A professional support network can help you every step of the way. They’re not just here to sign the legal documents and be done with it. Your real estate agent can guide you through viewings, offers and negotiations, while professionals such as inspectors and appraisers can help uncover potential issues before you commit. Ask about local housing markets, typical prices and how competitive things are. You can also visit neighborhoods yourself to reveal details you won’t see in listings alone.
It’s also important to stay grounded. Yes, you should be excited about the home you’re about to buy, but you need to temper your expectations as well. Your first home doesn’t need to be perfect; it needs to work for your life right now while setting you up well for the future.
Many sellers skip staging their home, either because they think it’s not worth the time or money, or because they want their home to feel lived in. This might be sound logic if the staging is bad, but if you get your staging done well, it’s definitely worth it.
A competitively priced home that has also been staged to appear move-in ready will help justify its listing price. A positive first impression will motivate agents, who will put your home at the top of their list when showing properties to their clients. Successful staging will give your home an edge over the competition without having to compromise on price. It can sometimes feel like it’s just an added cost, but it’s actually an advertising investment.
It’s true that when you stage your home, it’s marketed in a more neutral way. This can feel like it’s lost its personality. But a properly staged home should actually help buyers more easily visualize themselves living in your home. It does this by helping define spaces and room sizes and giving every room a purpose. Remember that the buyer isn’t you — they want to imagine themselves living there, not you living there.
As we enter spring cleaning season, consider cleaning up not just the inside of your home, but the outdoor space as well. It’s easy to forget that a few smart landscaping updates can go beyond just transforming your outdoor space; it can also add value to your home. Here are some ideas to improve both the look and the value of your home.
Native plants, especially trees, are an excellent addition. Plants that naturally thrive in your local climate will need less nurturing, attract pollinating wildlife and blend seamlessly into the natural landscape, creating a low-maintenance, visually appealing space. Trees in particular have a significant impact on home value for many reasons. It helps to create a sense of privacy, allows for shaded areas in the hot summer months, and can make the outdoor space feel generally more interesting and intriguing to potential buyers.
Think about all the various ways you use your outdoor space, and considerbreaking up large spaces in your garden into defined spaces. A gravel dining area, a paved fire pit corner, or a shady hammock nook are clear examples of usability that help buyers imagine themselves in the space. Installing edging between the lawn and flower beds helps keep the garden looking neat and well cared for.
Consider upgrades that are both functional and visually appealing. If the concrete is starting to crack, replace it with stepping stones, gravel, or reclaimed brick. Artistic arrangement of these features can also serve as a guide for buyers.Outdoor lighting helps to make the space feel usable beyond daylight hours as well as creating a sense of safety and security.
