Above: Beale's Cut, a man-made canyon in Newhall. Once the only economical route out of Los Angeles to San Francisco, the shortcut made it possible for Newhall to become a stopping point for travellers heading both directions.
Newhall in photos
Newhall has the widest variety of homes built in all of Santa Clarita. Ranch homes...
Modern
And classical..
Newhall's 4th of July Parade
Old Town Newhall Main Street
Old Town Library
Newhall Pass
The Masters College
McGrath Elementary in Hidden Hills
Melody Ranch, movie studio, home to HBO's "Deadwood."
Valle De Oro hillside view.
You'll find only one Fortune 500 company doing business in Newhall: Disney. Beyond that, you are looking at a town that is especially small-town in its feel and looks. Several distinct neighborhoods exist in Newhall:
- Happy Valley
- Old Town
- Valle De Oro
- Friendly Valley
- Placerita Canyon
- Wildwood Canyon
Happy Valley
The closer you are to the 5 freeway and EAST of the 5, the further you go back in time. The opposite is true WEST of the 5, as you venture into Stevenson Ranch. Homes for sale south of Lyons Ave. have many streets that are tree-lined, and boast unique homes, of all shapes and sizes, all built at least 50 years ago or more. These are where the true hidden treasures of Newhall are. Big lots, big shady trees.. Happy Valley and Peachland Estates are well worth your consideration.
Old Town
The City of Santa Clarita has clearly not forgotten about Old Town Newhall. It will be less "old" each and every year for the next several years, as new developments will turn this neighborhood into a bustling arts and entertainment district.
The aim: Pasadena Old Town but on a smaller scale. Santa Clarita's Vision 2020 document spelled out the plans for mixed use properties, with storefronts on the ground floor and new condominiums for sale and apartments on 2nd or 3rd floors in downtown Newhall. This will spread new money to the rest of the downtown area, and slowly gentrify Newhall from a withering, forgotten train stop in the 80's into a central hub for millennials who want to use mass transportation, and use WalkScore website rankings in their decision making.
Downtown Newhall has many community features the entire Santa Clarita area considers valuable: a state of the art library and senior center, 2 city parks, a Metrolink station, the DMV and of course, Old Town.
Real estate in this area is currently comprised of older, smaller homes for sale built from the 1940's to 1970's, but with these new developments, home values will rise, allowing for renovations and remodels galore.
A large light-industrial center, Gate King Industrial Park, has broken ground just south of downtown, along the 14 freeway. They are carving up some nice open space previously used for hiking. Beneath your feet, you might be walking where the first stagecoach stop in Newhall was built, or where over 1,000 Chinese railway workers died. Newhall is brimming with history, as well as interesting real estate.
Valle De Oro/Hidden Knoll/Lantana Hills
The neighborhood of Lantana Hills sits alongside the 14 freeway in south Newhall, and might be the nicest properties for sale available to people who simply must have the shortest commute time possible. Homes for sale there go for the high 500's and low 600's.
Just to the right of these homes, is the Hidden Knoll neighborhood off Deputy Jake Drive. Homes there are very nicely appointed, with 4 and 5 bedroom properties in the 2400-2800 sf range. McGrath Elementary is there. The area is pin drop silent with the exception of the occasional blasts from the Metrolink and freight trains that carry from the intersection of Newhall Ave. and Railroad Ave. about a mile away.
Their close neighbor is The Vistas, a sprawling condominium community on Dockweiler Drive atop the hills leading up from Valle de Oro. The Vistas offer modest 1,2 and 3 bedroom condos for sale from the low $300's to mid $400's.
Don't let the lower prices of the condos at The Vistas fool you: some of them have stunning views of Placerita and Quigley Canyons, while others overlook all of Santa Clarita. Not bad for the usual $295,000 prices seen there.
One of the largest condominium complexes in Santa Clarita, The Vistas has fairly high HOA fees.
Friendly Valley
Friendly Valley is a sprawling community made up of 11 different Homeowners Associations, each with their own minor variations on the 55+ lifestyle.
An expensive buy-in, of approximately $5,500 gets the new homeowner many niceties, not the least of which is membership in the 9 hole private golf course. Almost all of the homes there are single story bungalows built in the late 60's but have been well maintained over the years.
Placerita Canyon
Equestrian properties abound here, and the Melody Ranch is a focal point of the area. Many TV shows and films have lensed there, including Deadwood (HBO). The area is Western. Adjoining Quigley Canyon is the home of the prestigious The Masters College.
One chief concern with the area, is that there is only one way in or out, via the dated intersection at 13th street in Newhall. This is a HUGE area, to have only one road in and out. Residents saw to that by gating the southern entrance to the area on Placerita Canyon Road years ago, basically keeping Placerita Canyon frozen in time.
Wildwood Canyon
Is the best always last? No, but in this case, it's pretty close. Located between William S. Hart Park and the 5/14 freeway, are rugged foothills, complete with bison on display in the park.
Most homes here sit on multi-acre properties, with wonderful views, room for horses, pools and a commute to LA shorter than almost all of Santa Clarita. The good life indeed.
That is Newhall... in a nutshell. No city can be summed up in a single webpage, so give us a call, and let's talk more about where you might find your next dream home.
Scenes From Newhall
Finally, a 60 second trip through the architecture and a few amenities in Newhall.
The Highest Rated Newhall Restaurants According To Trip Advisor
Credits:
Image Credit: Fæ - "Newhall Pass (AAA-NG-8250)"