Los Banos, like many California Cities has seen a real run up in real estate values in the last few years.

While there are some local realtors who will tell you that there is absolutely no real difference between the areas of town, it is our considered OPINION that the quality of life is better on the southern side of town and certainly warrants extra investment. While the realtor's statement above may hold true for monetary home values and the recent run up in Los Banos Real Estate prices there is a real and palpable difference in feel and flavor on each side of California highway 152.

Though the statements below are blanket statements and do not apply to every single neighborhood or every parcel in each section, we opine that as a general rule the Southern portion of Los Banos is far more desirable for families who politely respect others rights and demand the same considerate behavior in return.

It is no accident that these areas are also some of the most expensive in town.

Cresthills: In particular the area known as Cresthills is considered by many to be the very best neighborhood in Los Banos. The homes there are semi-custom or custom and property in this area commands much higher prices than the median home price. The people in Cresthills just seem to be more warm and friendly. In addition the pride of ownership is very obvious when you drive through the Cresthills area. It is rare to see unmowed lawns or homes that need paint or other maintenance. Cresthills sports some of the most beautiful homes in town and most have very beautiful custom landscaping. Of course this comes at a price and people who move into Cresthills are willing to pay for such benefits. The area tends to be quiet and the neighbors respect each other's right to peaceful enjoyment of their properties. Loud parties are rare and people tend to care about their neighbors rights and needs.

Here are a few photos of homes in Los Banos' Cresthills subdivision:

In our personal opinion closely following Cresthills there are 3 other areas that also very desirable, show considerable pride of ownership by the residents, and have a 'feel' to them that is friendly and family oriented. Those areas are Cresthills II, College Greens, and the 'old' south side, particularly the Presidential Estates neighborhood. Each of these has their own particular flavor and flair.

Cresthills II - The line between Cresthills 1 and Cresthills 2 is hard to see easily as the neighborhoods are very similar and they border each other. While Cresthills 1 has more full-on custom homes, Cresthills 2 has fewer custom dwellings but even the tract homes are maintained by the residents very nicely. There are several semi-custom homes and most of the dwelling in Cresthills II have been substantially improved by their owners. The neighborhoods in Cresthills 2 are just as quiet and family oriented as Cresthills 1, and the people are just about as friendly. Though commanding a little smaller pricetag due to the fact that not everything is custom and the homes are a bit smaller, the prices still reflect the Cresthills II area as one of the most desirable in the city of Los Banos. As with Cresthills 1, residents of Cresthills 2 are respectful of each other's rights and loud parties and other disturbances or illegal activities are frowned upon. Young families tend to really love the Cresthills 2 area because it is affordable without being pretentious and respect for neighbors is encouraged.

College Greens - College Greens is a bit newer than the Cresthills area and it tends to be a nice area as well. College Greens has a fairly large number of young families living in it and the neighborhood homes tend to be well kept and pretty. The family atmosphere in the College Greens area is apparent during holidays like Halloween and Christmas when the decorating bug makes a spectacular appearance at most of the homes. 'Angel's have been seen above some houses in December which were 'haunted' only the October before. While the neighborhood is not as quiet as the Cresthills areas it is still considered a polite and nice part of town.

Here are a few photos of real estate in Los Banos
College Greens subdivision:

The "Old" South Side & Presidential Estates - The older area of the Southern End of Los Banos is a very well cared for community. The homes are quaint and interesting and because they were built individually there are few if any repeats. Floorplans and the exteriors are unique and naturally enough done in an older style. The homes here are usually exquisitely maintained and the yards sport beautiful established older plants and trees. It is rare to see an unkempt lawn or home needing much work or paint. This area has beautiful mature tree-lined streets a few which even have a shady canopy covering them.

Here are a few photos of real estate in Los Banos
Presidential Estates subdivision:

Homes in the areas listed above naturally require a bit more of a personal investment, but in our opinion it is well worth considering if you are willing to maintain your property to high standards and can live without the loud weekend beer bashes that you might find in other areas of town. These appear to be semi-exclusive neighborhoods and they seem to be geared better toward resident owners and less to rental units or investment speculators.

This piece was written in early 2006. Photos were added in 2007.

We have several other pages of Los Banos Ca real estate related articles including the following pictures of some of the homes in Los Banos.

A Presidential Estates home

A Nice House In Los Banos

An Interesting Older Home

Our very favorite house (so far) in Los Banos

A picture of one home for sale in Cresthills I

Something unique! A Palm tree grows through the roof of a home in Los Banos

A tree lined neighborhood

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