Exploring La Verne, CA Real Estate
In the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, the Los Angeles suburb and college town of La Verne, CA is home to more than 30,000 residents. It sits between downtown Los Angeles and San Bernardino, right at the eastern edge of the Inland Empire.
Once a vital center of the California citrus industry, this Southern California city transformed into a college town in the years following the Second World War. In a city that occupies just 8.55 square miles, La Verne is home to six public schools, three parochial schools, one community college, and the University of La Verne, ranked as one of the best colleges in 2019-2020.
Foothill Boulevard, along the historic Route 66, is a vibrant commercial corridor, with lively entertainment and retail centers. La Verne’s proximity to Los Angeles, just 21 miles away, and the Inland Empire makes it a prime choice for professionals looking for reasonable work commutes. The excellent schools under the Bonita Unified School District and colleges also make La Verne, CA real estate ideal for those raising school-age kids or adults hoping to complete their education.
Homes and condos for sale in La Verne, CA are good for investors as well, as these housing options can become rental properties servicing the needs of the area’s university population, which numbered close to 7,400 full-time students in 2019.
With “tight knit” and “small town” often used to describe the community and the vibe of the city, La Verne has become a haven for families, students, retirees, young professionals, and diversity. The city employs 15,000 residents, with Education Services, Health Care and Social Assistance, and Retail Trade as the top three sectors with the most local employees. Moreover, the view of the magnificent San Gabriel Mountains and the walkable, tree-lined streets make this picturesque community a very good place to live.
What’s inside
- How La Verne Became the Community it is Today
- Real Estate in La Verne, CA
- La Verne Neighborhoods
- Living in La Verne, CA
- Your new home awaits you in La Verne, CA
How La Verne Became the Community it is Today
The greater San Gabriel valley was first occupied by Native Tongva until the Spanish arrived in 1771. The area that would later become the city of La Verne was once part of the Rancho San Jose land grant awarded to Ygnacio Palomares and Ricardo Vejar by the Mexican Governor, Juan Bautista Alvarado, in 1837.
In the 1880s, entrepreneur Isaac W. Lord purchased part of the land and convinced the Santa Fe Railroad Company to run its line through the area towards Los Angeles, triggering a land boom, and the creation of a new town he would christen Lordsburg in his own honor.
While the Lordsburg land rush fizzled out, it did lead to the construction of the Lordsburg Hotel, which never had a single paying guest. There would be brighter prospects ahead after the hotel was sold to become Lordsburg College and later, the University of La Verne.
The citrus industry would become the economic driving force of the town, with the growing, packing and shipping of oranges, lemons and grapefruit affecting all aspects of town life. Lordsburg would be renamed La Verne, a French term meaning “growing green” or “spring-like,“ befitting the area’s agricultural economy.
Crop failures eventually took their toll in the 1940s, with citrus growers selling their groves to residential developers. The boom of houses for sale in La Verne, CA completed the city’s transformation from citrus farming town to a suburban community and college town.
Real Estate in La Verne, CA
Today, La Verne remains a bedroom community. Like most towns and cities across the country, it felt the impact of the pandemic, from the economic downturn caused by the lockdown to the reduction of students flocking in and out of town. As a result, the city’s 2021-2022 city budget allocated funds to the Community Services Department to provide for the post-pandemic social and recreational needs of residents.
While covid put a lot of pressure on home prices, the California housing market quickly rebounded, with Los Angeles County median home sale prices hitting $668,220, a 17.7% year on year increase. Demand drove up real estate prices as inventory plummeted to just 1.6 months instead of the usual of 5 to 8 months’ supply.
The state of the housing market led to sellers facing multiple offers at 100% or more of the home’s price tag with some buyers agreeing to waive contingencies. However, historically low interest rates have taken some of the sting out of rising home prices.
La Verne’s median home sale price is at $860,000 according to Realtor.com, making La Verne pricier than most homes in LA County but significantly lower than the properties in nearby Los Angeles. Median list prices have risen 8.4% year-over-year, and a sales-to-list-price ratio of 100.13% means that homes in La Verne tend to sell at close to their list price.
While there are fewer homes for sale, Realtor.com rates La Verne as a balanced market, with supply and demand being fairly close. On average, homes for sale in La Verne, CA stay on the market for around 47 days, a number that tends to go lower over time.
- Single-family homes
Curb appeal at its finest. View details of this single-family home in La Verne, CA.
Single-family homes dominate the homes for sale in La Verne, CA. American Craftsman and California Bungalow style homes are prevalent, reflecting the city’s post-war expansion, with a number of Victorian-style homes that harken back to the early days of the city around the neighborhood of Lordsburg. Given the warm inland California climate, covered porches are favored architectural features, and swimming pools and shaded gardens are popular additions - Condominiums
Condominium developments are a little sparser on the ground in La Verne, as the city’s suburban nature isn’t as conducive to high-rises. Condos for sale in La Verne, CA are more likely to be set up like townhouses or multi-unit homes unlike the towering buildings in denser, more urban communities. If you can find them, condos and townhouses in La Verne make for an excellent investment. - Luxury homes
La Verne’s position along the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley makes it conducive for custom luxury homes, with empty lots available on the northern edge of the city. Developments like Mountain Springs, Live Oak, and Saddleback Crest Estates offer larger hillside lots than the area closer to the city center.
Browse La Verne, CA homes for sale here
La Verne Neighborhoods
La Verne’s neighborhoods provide a variety of options to homebuyers seeking everything from college town charm, to easy access to parks and natural attractions, to more posher communities. Here are some of the major neighborhoods in La Verne.
- Old Lordsburg
- Foothill Boulevard Corridor
- North La Verne
- South La Verne
The heart of the city of La Verne, Old Lordsburg is the central hub around which the city has grown. Traditional Victorian, American Craftsman and California Bungalow-style homes dominate the area, and tree-lined streets and verdant parks give this neighborhood a homey vibe. Old Lordsburg is host to the University of La Verne, with businesses like book stores and restaurants serving the student body and the surrounding residents of Lordsburg.
Just north of old Lordsburg is the Foothill Boulevard Corridor (part of Historic Route 66), linking La Verne to the rest of the San Gabriel Valley and Los Angeles to the west, and the Inland Empire to the east. The Foothill Corridor is the entertainment and retail heart of the area, with acres of shopping spaces, restaurants, entertainment centers, as well as national and local retailers.
Closer to the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains lie the upscale neighborhoods of North La Verne. Larger lots and more high-end developments give the neighborhood the kind of exclusivity that’s so different from the more traditional college town of Old Lordsburg.
Brackett Field Airport and the heights around the Puddingstone Reservoir define the southern end of La Verne, with real estate ranging from single-family homes to more accessible manufactured homes. South La Verne is close to Arrow Highway and the San Bernardino Freeway (I-10), as well as Brackett Field Airport and the large outdoor recreational space provided by Bonelli Park.
Living in La Verne, CA
Like much of the greater Los Angeles metro, La Verne enjoys warm weather, a higher cost of living than the national average, while also enjoying a range of standout schools and nearby natural attractions.
Cost of Living
As part of the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area, La Verne’s cost of living is 46% higher than the national average, mainly due to the cost of housing. Median income is $88,131 for households and $41,955 for individuals, which is 14% higher than the rest of California.
Jobs
La Verne’s economic and employment opportunities come mostly from education services – no surprise as it’s a college town. Jobs in health care and social services come next with employment in retail coming from the commercial center along the Foothill Corridor.
Climate
The area around the San Gabriel Valley, including La Verne, has a Mediterranean climate characterized by dry summers and mild winters. The area averages 19 inches of rainfall per year, but is spared snowfall. La Verne enjoys 280 days of sunshine a year.
The Los Angeles region is highly dependent on cars with the nearby hills trapping the pollutants responsible for poor air quality. While La Verne’s location puts it at a distance from the urban hubs of Los Angeles and San Bernardino, air pollution can still rise to significant levels.
Schools
The city of La Verne is served by the Bonita Unified School District, which consistently receives above average ratings and puts them ahead of the state average. The school district scored high on test scores, academic achievement, educational equity, and student body diversity.
Parents looking to enroll their children in BUSD schools can count on a solid educational foundation for their children. The University of La Verne and nearby institutions like Cal Poly or Claremont University make it easier for high school graduates of La Verne to enter college.
Elementary schools
- Grace Miller Elementary
- La Verne Heights Elementary School
- Oak Mesa Elementary School
- Roynon Elementary School
Middle school
High school
The University of La Verne is one of the city’s oldest institutions, founded in 1891 when it was first known as the Lordsburg College by the Church of the Brethren. The university offers courses under its College of Arts & Sciences, College of Business & Public Administration, LaFetra College of Education, and College of Law. It also has satellite campuses in the greater Los Angeles area. The university offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral courses in a variety of disciplines.
Shopping
The Foothill Boulevard Corridor, part of historic Route 66, is the retail and entertainment heart of the city, with shopping centers like La Verne Town Center, The Commons, and Gateway Pointe hosting national brands and local shops. Look for local businesses like book stores and restaurants in the area surrounding the University of La Verne.
Transportation
La Verne sits along a number of transport arteries, such as part of Route 66 along Foothill Boulevard and the Foothill Highway (I-210), with I-10 San Bernardino Freeway just a mile south of the city.
The nearest rail transit to Los Angeles is at the nearby Metrolink line, with a station at 205 Santa Fe Street, Pomona, just south of Bonita. The Metro Gold rail line is slated to complete a station at the south end of La Verne in 2025.
Foothill Transit provides bus services connecting La Verne with the Pomona and San Gabriel valleys, with routes passing through Foothill Boulevard and Bonita Avenue.
Ontario Airport, 10 miles to the east of La Verne, is the nearest commercial airport. Private planes can take off from Brackett Airport at the southern end of La Verne.
Attractions
The city of La Verne boasts more than a hundred acres of public parks, as well as a range of nearby attractions. Whether you’re looking to play golf, beat the summer heat at the water park, or walk, jog, and ride your bike, La Verne has something to offer you.
- Frank G. Bonelli Park & Puddingstone Lake
- Heritage Park
- La Verne Sports Park
- Raging Waters LA
- Golf courses
Covering an area of approximately 1,975 acres around the Puddingstone Lake and reservoir, the Frank G. Bonelli Park offers an array of recreational facilities and activities that allow visitors to go windsurfing and to engage in other watersports on Puddingstone Lake. There are also campgrounds, hiking trails, horseback riding, golf courses, and bicycling areas. The Marshall Canyon Trail begins here at Bonelli Park, winding its way through the city of La Verne and out the opposite end of the valley culminating at the Marshall Canyon Regional Park.
Heritage Park in the heart of the Lordsburg neighborhood serves as a community park and events space, while also paying homage to La Verne’s past as a bastion of the California citrus industry. The park spans 4 acres and features a gazebo, concrete stage, picnic tables, and barbecues, as well as the historic Sloan Barn and Weber House, which is the site of the last orange grove in the city.
A sprawling 21-acre complex next to Bonita High School, the La Verne Sports Park offers a wide variety of sports facilities that are open to the public. Facilities include tennis courts, two baseball fields, multipurpose fields, a skate park, shelter and restrooms, as well as ample parking space.
Raging Waters Los Angeles is California’s largest water park, featuring a battery of rides and slides for the adventurous. Guests can also splash in a variety of other water features such as waves, rivers, and child-friendly pools. This place is to beat the sweltering summer heat.
Avid golfers will be spoiled for choice, as there are numerous golf courses near the city. Courses like Mountain Meadows Golf Course (near Bonelli Park), Marshall Canyon Golf Course (north of La Verne) and San Dimas Canyon Golf Course to the west, all take advantage of the San Gabriel Valley countryside terrain to provide varied challenges to golfers.
Your new home awaits you in La Verne, CA
An affluent suburb strategically located between downtown Los Angeles and the Inland Empire, La Verne has all the advantages of a well-established, tight-knit community with an array of top-rated educational institutions. Homes for sale in La Verne, CA are ideal for families and first-time homeowners, as well as buyers looking for a place to settle down or spend their golden years.
Top Realtor Julian Lopez and his team can help you find your perfect home in La Verne, CA. Julian combines local knowledge with 20 years of experience to know exactly the kind of home his clients will be happy with. He and his team want their clients to “save money, sell smart” and their commitment to this ethos has made them a consistent Top 1% Producer since 2010.
If you wish to explore La Verne, CA and neighboring communities in the Inland Empire, including Chino, Chino Hills, Ontario, Corona, Norco, and others, Julian and his team will be more than happy to assist you.
Browse homes for sale in the communities Julian represents
What Julian Lopez’s clients are saying
Julian’s experience and ability to close a smart deal for his clients, along with his transparency, balanced approach, and in-depth market knowledge, have earned him numerous accolades. Here’s what a few of his clients have to say about him:
“Julian made the process so easy. He was always there to answer all of our questions. He knew what we needed and made it all happen! His team was great as well. From the very beginning they took amazing pictures of our home to help buyers see what we were offering. He kept us informed as to when buyers were coming to view the property and worked with our schedule. Most importantly he sold our home quickly!”
– Chandra Lujan
“I believe Julian’s business model should be a norm in all real estate sales. Julian is flexible and very easy to work with. From offers to escrow closing, he and his assistant handle all. He has helped me save $20,000 in commission. I highly recommend him if you need to purchase or sell your home.”
– Jack MJ Wong
Start your real estate journey with Julian Lopez today
Choosing Julian as your partner when you buy or sell a home gives you access to a comprehensive service package. From professional photography and 3-D home tours to masterful negotiation tactics and online/traditional marketing, Julian’s services are designed to give you a smooth and seamless real estate experience in the Inland Empire.
To learn more about the available homes in La Verne, CA, call Julian and his team at 909.996.4470 or send them an email at soldbyjulianlopez(at)gmail(dotted)com.
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