Culver City Schools: A Plus for Local Real Estate

The other day, I attended a parent/student wrap-up party for the Culver City Middle School's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. My youngest daughter was in the play and a lot of fun was had by all. 

While there, I got chatting with a mom whose daughter was graduating middle school and moving up to the high school. As our conversation progressed, the mom revealed that she drives 40 minutes each way to ensure that her daughter received a great education. It was quite a contrast to my own children, who literally walk a couple of blocks to the same school!

Of course as a real estate agent, I know that one of the key reasons people with children—or those who are thinking of having them—consider Culver City as preferred area to purchase a home on the Westside is because of the great reputation of Culver City schools. Couple that with much lower prices than some of its neighboring cities, such as Beverly Hills, Santa Monica or Westwood, and you can see why a good school system can have a positive effect on the local real estate market.

Just how much of a positive effect do the schools actually have? In truth, it is hard to be extremely specific. However, I can tell you that since the height of the market in 2007, Culver City home prices have dropped right around the 20 percent range. Consider that fact in comparison with Venice or Mar Vista—both around the 30 to 35 percent range—and you can see why Culver City homeowners have a vested interest in making sure out schools continue to outperform many of its neighboring schools.

As one parent who drives her daughter to a Culver City school for a total of nearly an hour and a half every day told me, "It's so worth it."