Welcome to this week’s Rob & Kristi Experience Newsletter — your quick dose of local market insights, helpful real estate tips, and community highlights from around the High Desert and Inland Empire. We’re here each week to keep you informed and inspired, whether you’re thinking of buying, selling, or simply loving where you live.
| 🏡 Featured Home of the Week — Apple Valley Pool Home on Nearly Half an Acre | |||||
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📍 12720 Yorkshire Drive, Apple Valley, CA 92308 💲 List Price: $620,000
Single-Story Floorplan
Private Pool & Spa
RV Access & 3-Car Garage
Solar (Lease)
This 4-bedroom, 3-bath Apple Valley home offers about 2,803 sq ft of single-story living on an approx. 0.45± acre lot with a private inground pool and spa. Inside, you’ll find a nice open kitchen with breakfast nook, plus a formal living room, dining area, and a separate family room with fireplace, giving everyone their own space to relax or entertain. All bedrooms are generously sized, and the indoor laundry room with extra storage keeps day-to-day life convenient. Outside, enjoy a large covered patio, separate gazebo, storage shed, and RV access—perfect for toys, trailers, or guests. The home also features solar on a lease, helping offset energy use in our High Desert summers. With its pool, spa, and flexible layout, this property sets up nicely as a long-term home, move-up purchase, or lifestyle upgrade. 💡 Talk Strategy: Pool Home, Solar Lease & Move-Up Plans
Loan programs, rates, and terms are subject to change and buyer qualification. Always confirm current options with a licensed lender. Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed; subject to change without notice. |
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| 🌮 Local Business Spotlight — El Patron Family Restaurant (Phelan) | |||||||||||
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El Patron Family Restaurant – Mexican & Seafood Favorite in Phelan If you ask Phelan locals where to go for a “real” sit-down Mexican meal, El Patron Family Restaurant comes up again and again. Tucked right along Phelan Road, this family-owned spot feels like a neighborhood hangout: friendly staff, generous portions, and plates that hit the table steaming hot. Regulars rave about their Street Taco Tuesdays, crispy taco specials, hearty combination plates, and seafood dishes like shrimp and mojarra that are surprisingly hard to find elsewhere in the High Desert. It’s the kind of place where they remember your usual order, keep the salsa coming, and make you feel like part of the family whether you’re grabbing a quick midweek dinner or meeting friends for a long, chatty lunch. If you’ve been meaning to explore more of Phelan’s local food scene, El Patron is an easy yes.
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| 🏢 Commercial Spotlight — High-Visibility Auto / Flex Opportunity | |||||||||||
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📍 15865 Bear Valley Rd, Hesperia, CA 💲 Offered at $1,500,000
Vacant Now
Owner-Operator Ready
Investment Potential (~5% est.)
High-visibility Bear Valley frontage with excellent signage and an estimated 52,000+ cars per day. Purpose-built for auto service with tall clearances, secure yard, and efficient flow. A rare chance to own your shop in a corridor that delivers traffic to your door.
Not just an auto shop — imagine:
Traffic counts, zoning, and use options subject to buyer verification. |
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🐾 Adoptable Pet of the WeekMeet Doug – Sweet 3-Year-Old Cocker Spaniel Looking for His Forever Family
🐾 Meet Doug! 🐾 Doug is a sweet and lovable 3-year-old Cocker Spaniel who is already neutered and ready to find his forever family. He’s got that classic Cocker charm — gentle, friendly, and full of love. Doug isn’t asking for much: a cozy home, some comfy spots to nap, and people who will give him the affection and stability he deserves. If you’ve been looking for a loyal companion with a heart of gold, Doug might be your perfect match. He’s the kind of dog who will happily join you on walks, hang out during movie nights, and greet you at the door like you’re the best part of his day — every day. 🏡✨ If you’re interested in meeting Doug or learning more about him, please reach out to the rescue to set up an appointment. Let’s help this sweet boy find the loving home he’s been waiting for. 💙 🐕 Year-End Help Needed: Support We Rescue 4 Pawz
As we head into the end of the year, We Rescue 4 Pawz is still working around the clock to help dogs like these — from emergency desert rescues to vet care, grooming, food, and safe housing. They rely almost entirely on community support and tax-deductible donations to keep going. If you’ve been looking for a meaningful way to give back before December 31st, this is a powerful place to start. 💙
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🎄 Holiday Lights SpotlightOver-the-top local displays that make the High Desert sparkle.Phelan’s 30,000-Light Christmas House
If you’re looking for a true “wow” holiday lights experience without leaving the High Desert, you’ll want to add this one to your list. My friend Chris in Phelan decorates his home with nearly 30,000 lights every year — and it’s not just a static display. The lights are computer-controlled and synchronized to music, with animations and patterns that change from season to season. He starts putting everything up in July (yes, really) because that’s how long it takes to wire, test, and fine-tune the show. The house sits on a stretch of 5-acre lots along a well-graded dirt road, just the second parcel in from the pavement, so there’s plenty of space to pull over, stop, and really take it in. The display grows or changes a bit every year, and pictures barely do it justice when the lights are dancing in sync with the music. Fun fact: my personal contribution is a 12-foot lighted tree that I gave him last year, which is now part of the show. It’s one of those passion projects that makes our local community feel extra special during the holidays. ✨
📍 Address: 6556 Del Rosa Rd, Phelan, CA The road is wide and there’s room to park along the shoulder, but please still drive slowly, use your hazards if you stop, and keep things safe for other visitors enjoying the show. |
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🎓 Free SoCal Homebuyer Class for Renters
Planning to buy in the next 6–18 months? This session is for you.
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Turn “Maybe Someday” Into a Clear Plan to OwnIn one short session, we’ll walk you through exactly what it takes to go from renter to homeowner here in the High Desert & Inland Empire.
Live local class • No sales pitch • Straight answers from Rob & Kristi Not a big “webinar person”? Just hit reply and say “WEBINAR” and we’ll send you the next date and details personally. |
| Tap here to learn more about the workshop → |
💡 Did You Know? – Why Winter Can Be a Smart Time to BuyFewer buyers in the market can mean more leverage for you. ❄️🏡
Buying in the “off-season” can give you more leverage and a clearer picture of how a home lives in winter.
While many buyers hit pause until spring, the market often slows down in late fall and winter. That usually means fewer active buyers and less competition, which can translate into fewer bidding wars and a better chance for you to negotiate on price, closing costs, or repairs with sellers who genuinely need to move. In some cases, builders and sellers also offer off-season incentives (like rate buydowns or credits) to keep deals moving this time of year. A quieter market also gives you more breathing room to schedule showings, inspections, and second looks without feeling rushed. Plus, seeing a home in cooler weather can reveal things you might miss in the spring — like drafty windows, heating performance, drainage issues, or how cozy the home actually feels when everything is closed up. In other words, buying “off-season” can give you extra leverage and extra peace of mind. ✨
Let’s Talk Winter Buying Strategy
Have questions about timing, payments, or what’s realistic in today’s market? Hit reply or click the button to schedule a no-pressure chat. |
🏘️ Hometown HistorySurprising stories and little-known facts from the communities we call home.Hesperia Edition
🤯 Wow fact: Long before Hesperia became the city we know today, it was pitched as a future desert resort town — complete with a luxury three-story hotel in the 1880s. The Hesperia Hotel, built between 1885 and 1887 near what’s now Hesperia Road and Spruce, boasted hot and cold running water, restrooms on every floor, and a communications system that connected all three levels. For a remote high-desert outpost, it was unbelievably modern for its time. When the land boom fizzled, the grand hotel slowly emptied out and was eventually abandoned — today, only pieces of its story and a few remnants remain. But that little slice of history is a reminder that Hesperia has been dreaming big for more than a century, with roots that include one of the Mojave’s most ambitious early “destination hotels.” 🌵🏨 Image credit: Hesperia Hotel circa 1915 — 3 stories, hot and cold water, restrooms and a communications system for all three floors. Built between 1885–1887. Thanks, Griz Drylie. |
We Rescue 4 Pawz is a local nonprofit doing incredible work in the High Desert to rescue, foster, and rehome dogs in need. Every week, we spotlight one of their adoptable pups right here in this newsletter.
And here's something personal: I now make a donation to We Rescue 4 Pawz every time I close a real estate deal. If you're ever looking for a cause to support, this one’s close to my heart. 💛
You can support their mission in a few simple (and meaningful) ways:
- 💸 Make a tax-deductible donation
- 📣 Share adoptable dogs on social media
- 🏡 Consider fostering or adopting a rescue dog
🔗 werescue4pawz.org | Instagram | Facebook
Zelle
Venmo
PayPal
📊 This Week’s Market Snapshot
🏔️ Up the Hill (High Desert)
| Apple Valley | |
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Active: 333 Contingent: 25 Pending: 91 Sold (7 days): 16 |
Median Active Price: $479,900 Median Sold Price: $440,000 Avg DOM: 80 |
| Hesperia | |
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Active: 259 Contingent: 32 Pending: 85 Sold (7 days): 14 |
Median Active Price: $510,024 Median Sold Price: $469,950 Avg DOM: 73 |
| Victorville | |
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Active: 322 Contingent: 52 Pending: 100 Sold (7 days): 20 |
Median Active Price: $461,989 Median Sold Price: $395,000 Avg DOM: 78 |
| Helendale | |
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Active: 51 Contingent: 5 Pending: 13 Sold (7 days): 5 |
Median Active Price: $410,000 Median Sold Price: $380,000 Avg DOM: 115 |
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🧭 Want a personalized market report for your home or neighborhood? |
🏞️ Down the Hill (Inland Empire)
| Fontana | |
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Active: 161 Contingent: 39 Pending: 74 Sold (7 days): 17 |
Median Active Price: $720,000 Median Sold Price: $655,887 Avg DOM: 79 |
| Rialto | |
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Active: 71 Contingent: 13 Pending: 33 Sold (7 days): 5 |
Median Active Price: $594,900 Median Sold Price: $550,000 Avg DOM: 58 |
| Ontario | |
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Active: 131 Contingent: 20 Pending: 50 Sold (7 days): 4 |
Median Active Price: $769,000 Median Sold Price: $667,000 Avg DOM: 64 |
| Rancho Cucamonga | |
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Active: 148 Contingent: 38 Pending: 29 Sold (7 days): 12 |
Median Active Price: $922,344 Median Sold Price: $797,500 Avg DOM: 66 |
| Redlands | |
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Active: 116 Contingent: 28 Pending: 32 Sold (7 days): 11 |
Median Active Price: $725,000 Median Sold Price: $755,000 Avg DOM: 67 |
🔎 Just Listed & Just Sold in Your Area
Stay on top of what’s happening in the market with our most up-to-date snapshots:
📍 High Desert
🏡 Just Listed | 🏠 Just Sold
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🏡 Just Listed | 🏠 Just Sold
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Rob St Onge Realtor® | Certified Probate & Trust Specialist DRE #01914112 | First Team Real Estate
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