If you’re wondering where to find a house in California, you don’t have to look far to locate communities that offer plenty of dream homes for sale. Many of the markets in Orange County or LA communities feature spacious homes with the latest upgrades.

That’s why this part of California is considered a popular area to search for real estate. Communities feature properties that continue to appreciate over time. Currently, the top real estate markets are sellers’ markets, and many of the communities are selling homes above the asking price. That is the kind of demand that you can’t help but notice nor overlook.

The listing below gives you further information about the top California real estate markets in and around LA, with the number one listed market being Brea, California.

1. Brea Homes for Sale: A Great Market to Find Real Estate

When you look at Brea homes for sale, you can’t help but be impressed. Not only are the homes spectacular, the culture and history of Brea are interesting as well. Brea, once the place to go to find “black gold” or oil, is now a town where you can find high-quality real estate.

Brea is definitely a seller’s market, as most homes sell above the asking price and vary, on average, in price between $1,000,0000 and $1,890,000. Most of the homes sold have 4 or 5 bedrooms and are single family residences that range in size from 1,700 to 3,500 square feet.

Amenities, such as a private pool, distressed wood flooring, plantation shutters, elegant customized drapes, and quiet hillside views, make living in Brea both inviting and pleasant. 

City officials believe Brea is one of the most prosperous housing markets in Orange County, given its new homes, shopping mall, and continued downtown development.

Home to about 40,000 residents, Brea is also the base for Carbon Canyon Regional Park, where oil was discovered in 1896. The park was once the site for a town known as Olinda. However, Olinda faded from view, and 114 acres of the land was established for a park during the 1960s.

Because Brea is the top market on this list, it pays to look at the stats. Homes sell out fast in Brea, as the listing time averages around 10 days. Most of the houses are significantly more expensive than they were at this time last year (or in 2021).

2. Yorba Linda Real Estate

Another prime California community is Yorba Linda, located in the same general vicinity as Brea. Like Brea, Yorba Linda is another seller’s market - a place where real estate sells well and homeowners receive amounts above the asking price. Most of the homes featured are 4 bedrooms with about 2,550 square feet of living space. They sell, on average, for around $1,450,000.

The city, which is called the Land of Gracious Living, features premier school systems and a connection of trails spanning about 100 miles. Park land and green spaces cover 200 acres in this family-friendly community and business hub.

3. Houses for Sale in Fullerton

Another California area real estate market, close to both Yorba Linda and Brea, is Fullerton. Homes in this family-friendly community sell, on average, for about $850,000 and are usually smaller, featured at about 2,000 square feet in size.

The LA suburb is home to a little over 140,000 people. It is considered one of the best places for people to live in the Golden State. Residents like Fullerton as it combines an urban and suburban atmosphere that is home to coffee shops, parks, and a variety of dining.

4. La Habra Real Estate 

La Habra real estate, at this time, sells for around $750,000, on average. The single-family residences offer a median living space of around 1,500 square feet. Life is good in La Habra, as residents regularly walk and bike. They also can breathe easily, as the air quality index is good in the California community. Therefore, you can take a stroll and enjoy the scenery in this urban-suburban LA enclave.

5. Living in Placentia

Another place where the air quality is good, as well as the overall quality of life, is Placentia. A lot of 2 bedroom, 2 bath single family residences are featured in the suburb. Homes sell, on average, for about $850,000 and square footage range from around 1,200 square feet for a 2- or 3-bedroom house to 3,000 square feet for a 5-bedroom house.

LIvability in Placentia is ranked above average. The rating given to Placentia is based on the area’s education, crime statistics, general cost of living, and the resident’s happiness. 

Choosing a Real Estate Market

When targeting a market to search for homes, you need to consider specific factors besides the overall costs for housing. To ensure you’re the right fit for a real estate market, you have to review several variables.

The variables will differ, depending on your lifestyle and budget. For example, if you’re a retiree, you want to choose a community that caters to people in your age range, which features access to excellent medical facilities.

If you’re a professional person or employed and younger, you’ll want to review the community’s unemployment ratings and population growth. The population growth covers both the target real estate market as well as the metro statistical area, or MSA. You can find out this information when you visit the Census Bureau website online.

Next, you’ll want to review the general age range. Many areas, currently experiencing a growth spurt, are homes to people around 25 to 34 years old. 

In addition, you’ll need to consider what kinds of jobs are featured in the real estate market where you’re planning to live. A market that is diverse with respect to job offerings should hire about 25% of the population per industry. 

Check to find out which companies are major area employers. Review the cultures of the companies and find out how they’re contributing economically to the community.

Get the Insights You Need to Search a Specific Market

Reviewing the above information and the top real estate markets will give you market insights - insights that you can use to improve your quality of life and narrow down your real estate choices.