| Summary | National Percentile | Rank vs Metro |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | 81st | Best |
| Demographics | 54th | Good |
| Amenities | 58th | Good |
Multifamily Valuation
| Property Details | |
|---|---|
| Address | 20954 Vanowen St, Canoga Park, CA, 91303, US |
| Region / Metro | Canoga Park |
| Year of Construction | 1990 |
| Units | 24 |
| Transaction Date | 2019-01-03 |
| Transaction Price | $6,800,000 |
| Buyer | Melvin Plutsky |
| Seller | David Zaslow |
20954 Vanowen St Canoga Park Multifamily Investment
Positioned in a renter-heavy Los Angeles submarket with steady occupancy and strong home value pressures that support rental demand, according to WDSuite’s CRE market data.
The property sits within an Urban Core neighborhood in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale metro that rates B+ overall and is above the metro median on several housing metrics. Neighborhood occupancy trends are solid (top quartile nationally), which helps underpin income stability for multifamily assets. Renter-occupied housing accounts for a high share of units locally, indicating a deep tenant base and consistent leasing velocity for comparable properties.
Daily-needs access is a relative strength: grocery and pharmacy availability track in the mid-80s national percentiles, while restaurants are similarly above national norms. By contrast, cafes and parks are limited, which may slightly temper lifestyle appeal versus denser Los Angeles neighborhoods. For investors, these dynamics suggest reliable convenience for residents without paying for premium “lifestyle” adjacencies.
Median home values in the neighborhood rank in the upper 90s percentiles nationally, denoting a high-cost ownership market that tends to reinforce reliance on multifamily housing and supports pricing power and retention. At the same time, rent-to-income levels remain manageable by national standards, a favorable combination for lease stability when paired with professional asset management and thoughtful commercial real estate analysis.
Demographic statistics aggregated within a 3-mile radius indicate modest population growth in recent years with an increase in households; forward-looking projections show household counts continuing to rise even as average household size trends lower. That pattern typically expands the renter pool and supports occupancy stability for well-managed properties. The building’s 1990 vintage is newer than the neighborhood’s average stock (late 1960s), offering relative competitiveness versus older assets while still warranting selective modernization of systems and finishes for durable rent positioning.
Neighborhood safety indicators are comparatively favorable: overall crime performance sits in the 81st percentile nationally, with violent incidents around the upper third of U.S. neighborhoods and property offenses trending down year over year. In practical terms, this positions the area as competitive among Los Angeles neighborhoods, though investors should underwrite with standard precautions and ongoing monitoring of local trends.
The immediate area draws from a diverse employment base spanning insurance, life sciences, energy, engineering, and entertainment—supports that help sustain renter demand and commute convenience for workforce tenants.
- Farmers Insurance Exchange — insurance (0.9 miles) — HQ
- Thermo Fisher Scientific — life sciences (1.1 miles)
- Occidental Petroleum — energy (12.5 miles) — HQ
- AECOM — engineering & infrastructure (13.6 miles) — HQ
- Live Nation Entertainment — entertainment (13.7 miles) — HQ
20954 Vanowen St is a 24-unit asset with larger average floor plans (about 970 sq. ft.) in a renter-concentrated Los Angeles neighborhood where occupancy trends are strong and daily-needs retail is readily accessible. The property’s 1990 vintage is newer than the neighborhood’s late-1960s average, suggesting competitive positioning versus older stock, with potential to capture value through targeted modernization. Elevated home values locally support sustained renter reliance on multifamily housing, while rent-to-income levels remain reasonable for retention and leasing stability, based on CRE market data from WDSuite.
Within a 3-mile radius, recent growth in households and projections for further increases—alongside smaller household sizes—point to a broadening tenant base that can support occupancy and renewal rates. Risks to watch include limited park and cafe density relative to lifestyle districts and normal macro volatility, which argue for disciplined renovations and asset management to maintain pricing power.
- Newer 1990 vintage than local stock, with value-add potential via selective upgrades
- Renter-heavy neighborhood and solid occupancy trends support income durability
- High-cost ownership market reinforces multifamily demand and pricing power
- 3-mile household growth and smaller household sizes expand the renter pool
- Risks: fewer parks/cafes than lifestyle districts; maintain active leasing and renovation strategy