Finding a property for $180,000 may be a fantasy for most SoCal home shoppers, but for those looking in the high desert of Southern California, it’s a reality—and, not surprisingly, increasingly harder to come by.
KCRW’s Benjamin Gottlieb made the two-and-a-half hour drive from L.A. to Wonder Valley, which is having it’s own hot market moment as property values have jumped some 20 percent in just the last year. Whether driven by big city dwellers fleeing the pandemic or bohemian investors looking to make an Airbnb buck, the region is seeing increased interest.
Rob Grace, a real estate agent who specializes in desert living, tells KCRW that with such a comparatively low price point, the biggest driver at the moment are all-cash sales. “People [are] willing to forgo appraisals, and go way over asking price,” he adds.
But increased demand is putting new strains on an already neglected part of the region. Head to KCRW to listen to the full story by clicking here.