SB 9 in the Valley: who actually qualifies?
Lot size, owner-occupancy, historic districts and fire zones — a plain-English walk through California’s lot-split law.
Coming soonSan Fernando Valley · Keller Williams Studio City
A clearer view
of the Valley — and
your next move.
I’m Matt Bissell. I understand the property — the land, the zoning, where the neighborhood is headed — and the life decision behind the move. And I stay with you from the first showing to the closing table.
01 / 05Hillside neighborhoods
Moving up, scaling down or changing communities — every kind of move, and every kind of house.
Live MLS search launches soon — until then, I’ll send matching homes (including ones not yet on the market) personally.
Your Valley agent
I’m Matt Bissell
Planner by training, homeowner and father of four. I help buyers, sellers, downsizers and investors across the Valley — scouting, evaluating, negotiating and staying involved all the way to closing.
Keller Williams Studio CityDRE# 02077447Cal Poly Pomona — Urban Planning
Why work with Matt
A move is a property decision and a life decision. I bring a planner’s read of the place, a parent’s read of the stakes, and stay in your corner through the negotiation.
My Urban & Regional Planning degree helps me understand land, infrastructure, zoning and neighborhood change. Being a homeowner and a father of four helps me understand what the move actually means for the people making it. My job is to put both to work — scouting, evaluating, setting the strategy, negotiating, and pushing back when the facts justify it.
#1in GCI & units on my KW team, 2019–2022
2018licensed & working the Valley since
9neighborhoods tracked block by block
FreewaysLA RiverVentura BlvdSchematic · not to scale
The Valley, mapped
Nine neighborhoods. Nine different markets.
Hover or tap a neighborhood. A Northridge ranch on a 9,000 sq ft lot and a Studio City hillside home follow completely different rules — and price accordingly.
See all neighborhood guides →Neighborhood guides
Every neighborhood
has a story.
Pockets, price ranges, housing character and a planner’s notes on what’s changing — for each of the nine areas I work.
Southeast Valley
Studio City
Ventura Blvd village life, canyon hillsides and the Carpenter Charter draw.
Central Valley
Sherman Oaks
The Valley’s crossroads — estate streets, Dixie Canyon and condo-friendly corridors.
Central Valley
Encino
Space, privacy and prestige — from Royal Oaks estates to Lake Balboa-side streets.
Southeast Valley
North Hollywood
The NoHo Arts District and the Valley’s biggest transit hub.
Central Valley
Valley Village
Small-town streets between NoHo and Studio City.
Southeast Valley
Toluca Lake
Old Hollywood quiet next to the studios.
Central Valley
Van Nuys
The Valley’s civic center — and its biggest new rail line.
Mid-Valley
North Hills
Big postwar lots and some of the Valley’s best ADU / SB 9 math.
Mid-Valley
Northridge
CSUN, big lots and accessible prices.
The planner’s read
How I look at
a property.
The same four questions, every time — before you write an offer or set a list price.
01
The parcel
Zoning, lot size, slope, overlays and easements — pulled from ZIMAS and city records, not assumed.
02
The pocket
Comps from the same micro-neighborhood, not zip-code averages. Two blocks can be a $200K difference.
03
The trajectory
Transit, approved projects and proposals nearby — with a clear line between what’s approved and what’s just talk.
04
The strategy
Price, timing, terms and what to fix (or not). A plan you can explain to your family in one minute.
Start to close
Personally involved,
from scouting to keys.
No handoffs to a junior team member at the hard part. I’m the one scouting, advising and negotiating.
01
Scout
Neighborhoods and properties, on the ground and in the records — including homes that aren’t on the market yet.
02
Evaluate & plan
What a property is worth, what it could become, and a strategy for timing, pricing and coordinating your sale and purchase.
03
Negotiate
Offers, counters, inspection credits and repairs. In this market, knowing when to push back — and when not to — is the job.
04
Advocate to close
Appraisal, loan, escrow and the surprises in between. I keep your interests at the center until it records.
Life transitions
Every move starts
with a reason.
Upsizing, downsizing and moving between communities each come with their own trade-offs. I help you see them clearly before you commit.
Moving up
More room for the next chapter.
I’m raising four kids in a home I own, so I know what changes: space, schools, commutes, yards, and how to sell and buy without moving twice.
Upsizing guide → Scaling downUnlock equity. Simplify on your terms.
Lifestyle, timing, taxes and where you want to live next — thought through carefully, without pressure.
Downsizing guide → Changing communitiesStudio City to Ventura. Redondo to Torrance.
A new community means new trade-offs. I help you compare places and line up the sale, purchase and finances.
Relocation guide →Work together
Buying, selling
or building value.
01 · Buy
Find the right house — and the right block.
Neighborhood matching by lifestyle and budget, plus a parcel check before you commit.
- Pocket-level comps
- Zoning & lot review before offers
- Off-market opportunities
Price it right. Show its full potential.
If your lot can support an ADU or a split, buyers should know — and pay for it.
- Honest, pocket-level valuation
- Development-potential positioning
- Investor pool + full MLS exposure
ADUs, SB 9 and small multifamily.
I run the zoning and the numbers before you make an offer — and tell you when a deal doesn’t pencil.
- Lot-potential snapshots
- 2–4 unit acquisitions
- Builder & investor network
Meet Matt
A planner’s eye.
A parent’s perspective.
Your advocate.
I came to real estate through city planning — the study of how neighborhoods are shaped, zoned and rebuilt. I’m also a homeowner and a father of four, so I know a move is never just a transaction.
Since 2018 I’ve worked with buyers, sellers, downsizers, investors and families on the move from the Keller Williams Studio City office. You’ll get straight answers, numbers you can check, and someone in your corner through every negotiation.
CA DRE #02077447Keller Williams Studio CityB.S. Urban & Regional Planning, Cal Poly Pomona
Insights
The Valley, in context.
What the Van Nuys Blvd light rail means for nearby homes
Where stations are planned, what changes first around them, and what’s still uncertain.
Coming soonSelling and buying at the same time: your options
Contingencies, bridge loans, rent-backs and timing — how to move up or down without moving twice.
Coming soonThe Valley Letter
A clearer view of the Valley — every Wednesday.
One short, readable email: what’s being built, what’s been proposed, what sold and what it means — written by someone trained in city planning. Pick the neighborhoods you care about.