Riverside California Real Estate

Fast-growing Riverside is the county seat of Riverside County California and a part of the Greater Los Angeles Area. Founded in the late nineteenth century, Riverside citizens eventually built the first golf course and polo fields ever seen in Southern California.

Riverside is well known for its thriving citrus industry which, at one time, housed almost half the orange groves in Southern California but is now rapidly giving way to development in the area.

Commuters have access to three major freeways: I-215, CA-60 and CA-91. Metrolink commuter rail stations – Riverside Downtown and Riverside-La Sierra – offer commuters an option to freeway driving. The Riverside Transit Agency provides limited bus service although expansion of these services is being initiated.

Higher educational needs of Riverside residents are met by the University of California at Riverside California Baptist, La Sierra University and Riverside Community College.

All the expected big city amenities are available in Riverside with numerous shopping malls, fine restaurants, parks and playgrounds, theatres and art galleries. Employment opportunities are varied. The leading industries are in aircraft and aerospace, plastics, pre-fabricated buildings, food and beverages, medical equipment, and electronics and machinery.

With regard to the real estate picture in Riverside, a “cooling down” is gradually occurring as upward pressures on the cost of borrowing fueled by the Federal Government's fears of inflation have slowed sales and dampened appreciation. However, the region's housing sales as of April/May 2006 were still the strongest in Southern California.

Median home prices in Riverside, as of this writing, are in the high $300,000's to low $400,000's. It is important to note that an experienced real estate agent working in the area will be your best bet to finding homes priced within your allotted housing allowance.

An example of recent Riverside MLS listings:

• Single family home, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 car garage, built in 1984, 1,345 square feet with ceiling fans, updated kitchen, fireplace in living room and master bedroom, island kitchen…..asking price $374,900
• Single family home, 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, 2 car garage, 1,137 square feet, built in 1955, located on quiet cul-de-sac, back yard patio with fenced yard, workshop in garage…..asking price $285,000
• Single family home, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, two levels, 2,016 square feet, built in 1997, 2 car garage, formal dining room, island kitchen, breakfast bar, new dishwasher, all appliances, freshly painted, close to schools and shopping…..asking price $499,900
• Single family home, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 car garage, 1,595 square feet, built in 1978, fireplace in living room and in master bedroom, granite counters in kitchen, bathrooms have double sinks, fenced back yard with custom patio…..asking price $439,900
• Single family home, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, two story, 1,794 square feet, built in 2003, many upgrades, tiled kitchen and dining room floors, ceiling fans, fireplace in paneled great room and master bedroom…..asking price $499,000.