Million-Dollar Home Sales Rise in Golden State

February 2, 2005

La Jolla, CA.----More million-dollar homes were sold in California last year than in the two previous years combined, a real estate information service reported.

A total of 33,107 Golden State homes sold for a million dollars or more last year. That was up 73.5 percent from 19,080 in 2003. The total was 13,871 in 2002, according to DataQuick Information Systems.

Last year's surge was strongest during the second quarter when year-over-year sales were up 109.3 percent. During the year's final quarter, sales were up 61.0 percent.

"A million dollars just isn't what it used to be when it comes to California real estate. Because of appreciation across the board, more homes are in the million-dollar category than was the case earlier. We don't expect home prices to go up as much this year as in 2004, so we anticipate that sales counts will level off," said Marshall Prentice, DataQuick president.

Million-dollar sales accounted for 5.0 percent of all California home purchases in 2004. In 2003 it was 3.0 percent, and in 2002 it was 2.3 percent.

Statewide, there were 221 sales for more than $5 million last year, 237 sales were in the $4-$5 million range, 690 in the $3 million range, 2,894 sales in the $2 million range, and the rest between $1 million and $2 million.

DataQuick, a subsidiary of Vancouver-based MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates, monitors real estate activity nationwide and provides information to consumers, educational institutions, public agencies, lending institutions, title companies and industry analysts.

The numbers include home sales where it could be determined from public records that there was a buyer, a seller, that money changed hands, and that there was a legal transfer of property ownership. Not included were property swaps, sales of multiple lots, teardowns, and large farm or ranch properties. Home sales to companies were included, as were sales to trusts.

The most expensive confirmed purchase was a 10,900 square-foot 5-bedroom, 4-bathroom San Francisco house which went for $22,500,000 in December. The largest was an 8-bedroom, 10-bathroom 35,735 square-foot house on 2.3 acres in Beverly Hills which went for $13,000,000 in October.

Ross in Marin County and Rancho Santa Fe in San Diego County were communities where virtually all home sales were in the million- dollar category.

Newly-built homes accounted for 5,210 of last year's sales, up 141.8 percent from 2,155 for 2003. San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles counties were the most active markets for newly-built homes, DataQuick reported.

There were 1,677 condo sales in the million-dollar category, up 90.8 percent from 879 a year ago. Most were sold in West Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco.

The median-sized million-dollar home was 2,644 sq.ft. with 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. The median price per square-foot for all million-dollar homes was $489, up 5.4 percent from $464 a year ago, DataQuick reported.

Around 15 percent of the buyers paid cash, up from 12 percent in 2003. Of those who financed their purchase, the median down payment was 25 percent of the purchase price. Lending institutions most willing to provide mortgage financing were Washington Mutual, Countrywide Home Loans and Wells Fargo.

Top 25 California Zip Codes
Ranked by the number of million-dollar homes sold in 2004

Community	Zip Code	2003 Sales#	2004 Sales#	2004's Most Expensive*
La Jolla	92037	307	464	$9.70 mill.
Manhattan Beach	90266	381	458	$4.85 mill.
Hillsborough	94010	277	384	$5.99 mill.
Laguna Beach	92651	232	348	$13.50 mill.
Newport Beach	92660	293	343	$5.88 mill.
Saratoga	95070	243	334	$4.30 mill.
Del Mar	92130	221	327	$6.80 mill.
Rolling Hills Estates	90274	279	309	$6.15 mill.
Calabasas	91302	217	305	$6.00 mill.
Trabuco/Coto	92679	182	296	$5.31 mill.
Laguna Niguel	92677	146	295	$6.10 mill.
Pacific Palisades	90272	251	277	$11.45 mill.
Rancho Palos Verdes	90275	173	274	$3.91 mill.
Los Altos	94024	221	270	$4.35 mill.
Danville	94506	187	270	$5.28 mill.
Mill Valley	94941	195	262	$5.90 mill.
Alamo	94507	193	261	$3.04 mill.
Cupertino	95014	127	247	$2.40 mill.
Beverly Hills	90210	207	234	$13.00 mill.
Brentwood	90049	219	226	$6.30 mill.
Rancho Santa Fe	92067	208	226	$10.00 mill.
Malibu	90265	203	220	$12.00 mill.
Encinitas	92024	193	211	$3.63 mill.
Los Altos	94022	194	211	$4.50 mill.
Coronado	92118	147	210	$5.85 mill.

*Where the sales price could be determined from public records

Media Inquiries: John Karevoll (909) 867-9534

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