Did you know what is now El Sereno was once known as Otsunga, “place of roses” 🌹, and that El Sereno home values have appreciated nearly 230% over the past decade?
Click through to our IG post to learn more about El Sereno history and the real estate market, or read on below:
THE NEIGHBORS
El Sereno is surrounded by the neighborhoods of Highland Park, South Pasadena, Alhambra, City Terrace, and Lincoln Heights.
THE VIBE
Largely residential (mostly single family and smaller multi-family residences), with a population hovering just under 50k spread over 4.1 square miles of flat and hillside land. A few commercial stretches with a majority family-run or independent businesses and multiple accessible green spaces (Ascot Hills, Elephant Hill, Ernest Debs). Minimal industrial areas on the fringes. Cal State LA and University Hills are encompassed by El Sereno.
THE HISTORY*
pre-1800s
The Tonga tribe of indigenous people migrated from the Sonoran desert and set up the village of Otsunga–which translates to "place of roses"–along the local stream.
late 1700s - early 1800s
Mission Hills, owned by the Mission San Gabriel Arcangel, was founded in 1771 and primarily used for cattle grazing by Spanish colonizers.
early 1800s
Following Mexiean Independence from Spain, the Rancho Rosa de Castilla (named after the stream) was granted to
Juan Ballesteros and later passed to Francisco Lopez following the secularization of the missions.
late 1800s
The land eventually passed to Juan Bautista and Catalina Batz, the latter of which continued to acquire surrounding land after her husband's death, eventually owning over 3,200 acres of land which was used primarily for ranching,
shepherding, and farming.
late 1800s - early 1900s
After Batz's death in1882, the land was divided between six of her children, and the area would see development with the arrival of various railway lines.
1915
Bairdstown, as it was then known, was annexed to the city of Los Angeles, and one year later renamed El Sereno–serene, quiet, unruffled place.
*h/t El Sereno Historical Society for all the great info 🙌
THE MARKET
Over the past decade, home prices for single family residences in El Sereno have jumped from an average of $252k in 2012 to $828k in 2021, representing a 229% ROl.
From 2017's average of $545K, the return over the past 5 years is 52%, and last year's $828k average
marked an 18% improvement from 2020's average of $704k.
225 El Sereno homes sold in 2021, sitting on the market for an average of 20 days.
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