5 Best Tips Before Moving to Temecula in 2023
Housing
Purchasing a Residence in Temecula, California
It’s no secret that housing prices throughout America have gone up substantially over the past year and a half. In Temecula, California, specifically, the house that sold for $550,000 two years ago is now selling for between $700,000 and $775,000. That’s a massive jump for anyone to swallow. One of the best tips we can give you before moving to Temecula in 2023 is to research what your monthly house payment is going to be for the square footage you need. Many times, families will have to downsize when moving to Southern California because of the home prices. Be aware that going from a 3000 square foot home to a 2000 square foot home is a huge jump, especially if you are working from home.
We help many families from all over the United States, and this is what we have learned over the past 1-2 years. If you do plan on purchasing a home in Temecula, you need to be aware that your house hunt could take months. Finding a property you like to get an offer accepted, is not an easy task in the current market. Homes are often getting bid up anywhere from $20,000 to $70,000, especially for pool or view homes. If you are flying in to look at homes on weekends, the costs will add up when it comes to paying for a rental car, hotels, and food. If you fly into Temecula on weekends to look at properties, this will cost thousands of dollars and needs to be taken into consideration.
Because you can’t predict what homes will come on the market or which ones you will want to see and put offers on, oftentimes you will have to purchase last-minute flights and hotel stays, which cost much more than planning ahead.
Make sure that you have an ironclad pre-approval letter from a reputable lender. We suggest that you talk with more than one lender, with one of them being local to the Temecula, Murrieta, or Menifee areas.
I have included a video and article of the 9 BEST REASONS YOU SHOULD MOVE TO TEMECULA to give you some insight as to why Temecula is such a great place to live.
Bottom line? If you want to buy a home, make sure you prepare yourself and become a great buyer candidate. This is probably the best and most important tip before moving to Temecula in 2023.
Renting a House in Temecula, California
If you decide to rent, understand that this will not be any easier than purchasing a property in many cases. Often, there are 20 to 50 applicants for a desirable rental property. Our suggestion? If you can find a short-term rental, that is optimal. Rent somewhere for 3 to 4 months while you look for either a long-term rental or a purchase. If you decide to rent for a year, don’t be picky. Get into something and figure out whether or not you even like it in Temecula. After your year’s lease is up, do a month-to-month lease and look for an area and home in which you would consider living long-term. These are some of our best tips when it comes to either buying or renting a home in Temecula for the year 2022.
Here is an article and video we put together on “10 Tips to Save You Money When Moving to Temecula.”
Employment
Employment in Temecula consists of the service industry, firemen, policemen, teachers, and nurses. We are generalizing, but Temecula is a commuter town when it comes to employment. Many people drive to San Diego, Orange County, or even Los Angeles. Our suggestion would be to secure employment before deciding to make the move to Temecula, if possible. Costs will build up quickly, and thinking you will get a great job within the city limits quickly is not a great idea in our opinion. especially one that will pay the bills.
Cost of living
Everybody’s cost of living has gone up over the past 6 months to 1 year. Temecula is no different; although housing will be your biggest expense, utilities and food have definitely risen substantially. At this moment, gas is around $4.50 a gallon. If you are driving with any sort of consistency or have long commutes, this will be a major expense.
We enjoy going out a couple of times a week for dinner, and we have noticed that food prices at restaurants have gone up a great deal. We have started to cut back on going out to eat once a week as the average bill for two people has gone from $40 to $60 or $70.
Over the past 10 years, solar has become very popular in Southern California. Many homes have installed solar panels that drastically reduce your electricity bill, especially in the summer. Take advantage of this if you are looking for a home to purchase. Many sellers will pay off well at the close of escrow. The best part is that you will usually get a significant discount based on what the seller actually paid for the solar system versus the purchase price.
We do have an in-depth monthly cost of living video and article here.
Savings
We do have a great deal of experience when it comes to moving. We have lived in many places throughout Southern California, and every time we move, it seems like it costs thousands of dollars. If you decide to rent, first and last month’s rent, upfront utility bills, furniture, TVs, car insurance, and a large initial grocery bill are just a few of the expenses that you can expect to pay. If I were to move to Temecula, a safe number in my head would be anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000. If you don’t have employment right away, I would increase that number to $30,000 to be safe. It could be two to three months before you secure a good job.
Facebook Marketplace and garage sales are great ways to save money on furniture and household items. There is no shortage of garage sales on a weekly basis, and Facebook Marketplace often has great deals on household items of good quality. Facebook Marketplace also seems to be the best when it comes to personal safety compared to other alternatives like Craigslist. Having a healthy savings account is probably one of the best tips we can give you before moving to Temecula in 2022.
Research
Researching the area that you want to move to seems like a no-brainer, but we thought we would give a few examples to help the process. The number one expense is going to be housing; finding a real estate agent that understands values when it comes to both rentals and purchases is very important. They will also be able to guide you through the best areas of the city that suit your family’s needs. Do you want a community pool? Do you want to live north or south? What communities have the best amenities for their residents? How far from the freeway do you want to live? These are all questions that need to be answered because they will make a huge difference in your quality of life.
Another great way to get questions answered is through Facebook groups. Temecula specifically has a couple of groups called Temecula Talk. Join these groups to ask questions of the locals. Everything from restaurants, schools, locations, and overall costs of living can be answered.
Thank you for reading our blog. If you have any interest in moving to Temecula or the surrounding area, please read the Google reviews here for Greenleaf Real Estate & Appraisal.
We are licensed as both real estate brokers and certified residential appraisers. We love what we do and will bring a great deal of passion, experience, and expertise to the table for you.
