Journal · selling
Why does my tax bill show a lower value?
As of October 15, 2026, California's Proposition 13 lets a home's taxable value rise by no more than 2% a year until a change in ownership or new construction, per the State Board of Equalization, so a Tujunga home owned for decades often carries an assessed value far below what buyers pay. The Assessor's parcel record shows your figure. Neither number is a sale price. This is general information, not tax advice; ask a CPA about your own bill.
What makes two Tujunga homes price differently?
The lot, more than in most of Los Angeles. LA Recreation and Parks' history of Bolton Hall records that Tujunga's first settlers bought acre and half-acre lots in 1913, so lot sizes still vary widely from one block to the next. A large hillside lot with a studio, a flat lot near Foothill Boulevard and a canyon-side lot with long driveway access attract different buyers. On hillside streets, buyers also ask about storm flow; LA County Public Works maps debris basins, including Blanchard, Zachau and Denivelle, at canyon mouths in the Tujunga foothills.
Do permits and the fire zone change the number?
They can. Tujunga is part of the City of Los Angeles, so the building record comes from LADBS and the parcel profile from ZIMAS, which shows zoning and whether the parcel is in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. A second unit or converted garage that is not on the City record is usually valued differently than permitted space. In the Very High zone, LAFD requires brush cleared within 200 feet of structures, and the Natural Hazard Disclosure under Civil Code section 1103.2 reports the zone. Rules as of October 15, 2026; they change, so check the official source and ask a California attorney about your sale.
What does a home value review look at?
A review compares recent nearby sales of similar homes, then adjusts for lot size, slope, access, living area, condition and permitted structures. It is a pricing opinion to help you plan, not an appraisal. Sidney Manzo can prepare your home value review for your Tujunga address. Get my free home review. You can also read about Tujunga home values and local facts.
Questions homeowners ask next
- Is my assessed value what my Tujunga home is worth?
- No. As of October 15, 2026, Proposition 13 limits increases in taxable value to 2% a year until a change in ownership or new construction, so a long-held Tujunga home's assessed value on the County Assessor's roll usually sits well below what buyers would pay. The likely sale price comes from recent sales of comparable homes nearby, adjusted for lot, slope and condition, not from the tax bill. This is general information, not tax advice; a CPA can explain your own bill.
- What is the median price in Tujunga?
- The Tujunga city guide shows a dated community-wide figure with its source and the MLS notice, and it labels months when only a few sales closed. A median blends hillside and flat lots, large colony-era parcels and small ones, so it is context, not an appraisal and not the value of a particular house. Start instead with recent sales of homes like yours, adjusted for lot size, slope, access and condition.
- Does being in the Very High fire zone lower my home's value?
- There is no single dollar figure. Buyers weigh insurance, brush clearance and the hazard disclosure along with the house itself. ZIMAS shows whether a parcel is in the City's Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, the Natural Hazard Disclosure under Civil Code section 1103.2 reports it, and Civil Code section 1102.19 in most cases calls for defensible space documentation at sale. Having LAFD clearance records ready lets buyers compare homes on equal terms. This is general information, not legal advice.
- Is Tujunga valued like La Crescenta?
- Not directly. The two share foothills, but Tujunga is in the City of Los Angeles, with LADBS permits, while La Crescenta is unincorporated County land. The LA County Registrar-Recorder names five cities that add their own transfer tax (Culver City, Los Angeles, Pomona, Redondo Beach and Santa Monica), and the purchase contract allocates who pays it. Lot patterns differ too: many Tujunga parcels trace to the 1913 acre and half-acre lots. Comparable sales should come from homes like yours within Tujunga where possible, and a review sorts the sales that fit your address.
- How do I get a value for my specific Tujunga home?
- Start with a free home review of your address. The review compares recent nearby sales of similar homes and adjusts for lot size, slope, access, living area, condition and permitted structures, then gives a pricing opinion you can plan around. It is not an appraisal and not a promised sale price. Share recent work, such as a roof, panel, sewer line or brush clearance, and anything a buyer would notice. A request does not create a listing agreement.
Sources
- boe.ca.gov/proptaxes/pdf/pub29.pdf
- portal.assessor.lacounty.gov
- recreation.parks.lacity.gov/historic/bolton-hall-historical-museum
- dpw.gis.lacounty.gov/dpw/rest/services/SWPD_Watersheds/MapServer/24
- zimas.lacity.org
- ladbs.org/services/check-status/online-building-records
- lafd.org/fire-prevention/brush/brush-clearance-requirements
- leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV§ionNum=1103.2
- leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV§ionNum=1102.19
- lavote.gov/home/recorder/property-document-recording/documentary-transfer-taxes/general-info

