Talk about chasing the damn market down. Seller – Get thee to Jesus. Now!

Also, I guess a few more gang killing inside the hallowed “incorporated” city limits, this time, can’t exactly help prices, huh? http://www.redfin.com/CA/Monrovia/779-Norumbega-Dr-91016/home/7973581

If your north of Huntington Dr. in Monrovia, there’s less crime than there is in Arcadia. Arcadia has more than ten times more purse snatching, armed robberies, assaults, auto burglaries, home burglaries, car jacking, rapes, drug crimes etc. than Monrovia. How often do you hear of a purse snatching or a strong arm robbery taking place in Monrovia ? Not often where as it happens every day with in Arcadia.

Any home north of Foothill in Monrovia is safer than any other city in the SGV. The neighborhoods north of Foothill Blvd. in Monrovia are one of the few neighborhoods in California where a good looking young woman could walk down the street at 3:00 a.m. and just not feel safe but is safe except the possibility of being attacked by a mountain lion.

Monrovia has many Victorian and craftsman homes and Arcadia doesn’t. Rule of thumb, the newer a home is, the less quality in workmanship and materials will be found compared to older homes.

Most homes built in the past thirty years are poorly constructed. Most were built by unskilled tradesmen. What counts is what is hidden behind the walls. Are the water lines all copper ? Are the electrical circuit runs Romex or are all the conductors run through metal conduit (EMT, rigid pipe, flex) ? Are all of the basic circuits for lighting and receptacles on a 20 amp circuit using # 12 ga. THHN wiring or did the contractor cut corners and used # 14 ga. wiring on a 15 amp circuit ? Remember the building codes are just the minimum. A contractor who takes pride in his work will go beyond what the code calls for as a minimum.

While Arcadia is desirable for it’s schools at what point does it make more sense to buy 2x the property for the same money and send junior to private school?

Right now, Monrovia has much more upside for the next boom. Gangs or no gangs, demand for nice homes close to LA and SGV attractions will win out.

You look by district and by individual school.

So the credit bubble is causing issues in the banking industry.

I hear about Wamu, Wachoiva, Countrywide, etc…. I almost never hear about Wells Fargo…

Does anyone else hear anything about Wells Fargo…

The comparisons, really show the effects of the credit bubble and the RE mania… Arcadia prices almost look sane compared to the Monrovia ones…

Thanks! I’m glad you find the post helpful. This is also a learning experience for me since Monrovia has never been on my radar until we started doing research on Arcadia and its surrounding neighbors.

If you’re really looking for home vs price value, then Monrovia should be on your radar. They were just as affected by this housing bubble and I expect price declines to hit harder than Arcadia’s.

Monrovia has always been, buy more home, send to private school area.

So if we have referenced Arcadia at $200 to $300 p/sqft, then I figure Monrovia will bottom out at $175 to $200 p/sqft.

and can someone post the url for comparing high schools again…

Thanks,

David

It’s really a shame though – it has a charming downtown and a wonderful Friday night street fair. Hopefully the city and its residents will be able to weather the gang storm and turn the tide around.