Sentinel staff report–
The home once occupied by Joseph DeAngelo, the suspected Golden State Killer, was sold off-market for $320,000 last month, according to reports in multiple news outlets.
DeAngelo’s home, on Canyon Oak Drive off Old Auburn Road, was built in 1979 and features a 3-bed, 2-bath 1,499-square-foot layout. A bargain sale price was expected, given the home’s association with an accused serial killer — but how much of a bargain the price turned out to be is hard to tell.
Beth Moran, a local real estate broker from Citrus Heights, said it’s difficult to determine how the sale price compared to similar homes, without knowing the condition and amenities of the property. However, she said a “model match” in the same neighborhood, with the same square footage and design, sold for $390,000 at the end of April.
“I think the price was probably competitive given the circumstances and that it was sold without the benefit of utilizing the multiple listing service, which is the standard in the industry,” Moran told The Sentinel in an email. “The average price in that area for that size home is about $375K, so this price would reflect the stigma and condition.”
Ryan Lundquist, an appraiser who runs www.sacramentoappraisalblog.com, posted his assessment of the sale in a Dec. 17 blog post. He said the home “clearly sold at the lower end of the market,” but noted that the price could have been due to a lack of upgrades rather than stigma.
Lundquist disclosed the property’s sale history, which was originally purchased for $77,000 in 1980, refinanced several times, privately transferred to a family member in 2019 and then privately sold for $320,000 last month.
DeAngelo, 74, was arrested last year at his home and is awaiting trial on 13 counts of murder and 13 counts tied to sexual assaults across the state.
