Temecula, California, in 2023! How Does It Feel to Live Here?
You might have stumbled across this blog post or video because you’re wondering, “Is the grass greener anywhere else in America?” Should I make a lifestyle change? Where in America can I live that has sunshine and warmth most of the year? Well, this blog post and video will go into detail about Temecula, California, and what it’s actually like to live here.
Full disclosure, I was born and raised in Canada but have lived in Southern California for over 15 years now. At first, coming from a small town, it was definitely a culture shock. I started in Huntington Beach. The amount of traffic, the number of people, and the hustle and bustle overwhelmed me. To be totally honest, I don’t even think I liked it the first few years I lived in Southern California.
That being said, I was not established, work was tough, and I was up at 5 a.m. doing construction, right after I graduated college as an educator. It really wasn’t the best circumstance or the best representation of a good life in Southern California that it could be.
The reason I bring this quick story up is very simple. In my opinion, depending on where you live, your employment, and your overall circumstance, you can determine whether or not Southern California will be a good fit for you. This blog post is about Temecula, California, so I’ll get to that quickly, but did you know that I’ve lived in many different cities throughout the area? including the beach.
We have lived in Temecula for about 2 years now, but this is far from our first experience in the Temecula Valley. When we lived in Riverside, California, Temecula was a staple for us, not only for weekend getaways but for day trips. We would constantly be driving the 30 minutes to come down and spend time at the wineries, Old Town, and restaurants. When we moved from Riverside, we had two choices: San Clemente (the beach; 5 years of living) or Temecula. We decided to go to the beach and have no regrets, but Temecula, California, is, without a doubt, our favorite place we have ever lived.
HOME PRICES
I’m not going to spend a great deal of time on this, but as a prominent real estate brokerage, I feel I have to mention a few things. Southern California is inexpensive when it comes to housing. When you compare Temecula home prices to other nice areas of Southern California, home prices are very affordable. People are beginning to realize this, and while home prices are rapidly rising, you can still find a nice home in Temecula for under $700,000.
If you want to buy a house in this market, you need to know that you need to be quick and aggressive and have a very experienced and hard-working agent if you want your offer to be accepted. You’re also going to have to think about releasing appraisal contingencies, especially on pool homes. In general, homes will be bid up between $10,000 and $50,000. That $550,000 pool house you’ve been eyeing? Be ready to pay $620,000. I don’t make the rules; I’m just telling you how it is.
Now, one of the best things about Temecula and the housing market is the zoning of many areas throughout Temecula. One of the reasons Temecula will always have a country feel is the zoning of many areas. Deluz, Los Ranchitos, Meadowview, and the Wine Area have parcels ranging from half an acre to hundreds of acres. A developer can’t come in and build a hundred homes on a 5-acre parcel; that just won’t happen. In return, residents of Temecula will see population growth, but not like major metropolitan cities across Southern California; the zoning just doesn’t allow it. If you are looking for a new build, Somers Bend is your best bet. Call me, and I can get you more information and talk to you about the area.
STRESS LEVELS
I feel this is an important conversation to have. Southern California is frequently described as having a laid-back lifestyle. Yes, this is true, but it can also be very stressful. Costs make things difficult. Home prices are generally going to be more expensive in Southern California than anywhere else in America. Add to that some extra taxes and high gas prices, and you have a recipe for stress. for people moving from smaller towns? The initial shock of population density can be overwhelming and stressful as well. I have definitely felt this in many places throughout Southern California, but not Temecula. When I wake up in the morning and the sun is shining, I don’t feel like I’m on top of everybody, and I have room to breathe. One of the biggest negatives about the beach or bigger cities in Southern California is how cramped they can be. Unless you’re a millionaire, you can’t live in a huge home. Although we had a beautiful condo on the ocean, I was still banging my head, struggling to get out of my car in the small garage, and having people constantly walk by our condo, day in and day out. For me, although fun at first, life at the beach got old after a while. I love having my own space in Temecula, a nice home office, fresh air to breathe, and a true country feel that is hard to find in Southern California.
Things to do
It really doesn’t matter where you live in Southern California; each city is unique and has a ton of things to do. When it comes to Temecula specifically, we have Old Town for dining and the bar scene, wineries with beautiful scenery, and overnight stays. An outdoor shopping mall, a casino with live entertainment, a swimming pool, a spa, restaurants a beautiful RV park, hiking, and much more.
If I were to go into specifics about some of our favorite things to do in Temecula, the wineries, and a few sports bars on Sunday. Those would be the two things that we regularly do. Sometimes, I won’t even drink when we go to the wineries. I just enjoy being there, talking with friends, enjoying cool breezes, admiring the Temecula Valley hills, and much more.
One of the main reasons I feel Temecula is superior in regard to things to do is its location. As I mentioned earlier in the blog post, every city in Southern California has something unique and fun. Temecula is in the middle of everything, so we can get to all of these beautiful cities in about an hour. San Diego, Coronado, the beach, the mountains, Palm Springs, airports, and Los Angeles are all feasible day trips or definitely amazing weekend getaways. Personally, I don’t know of another place in America with so much to do within an hour’s drive.
WEATHER
You can’t do a Southern California blog without talking about the weather. When it comes to Temecula’s weather, specifically, I absolutely love it. There will be a handful of days a year when it gets up to 110 degrees. For the warmer months, you’re probably going to see an average of between 90 and 100. Those months include June, July, August, and September. Keep in mind, it’s not 95° all day, just for a few hours in the afternoon. One of the best things about those warm days in the summer is patio dining in the evening. One of our favorite things to do is get our flip-flops and tank tops on, go sit on a patio, have a beer, and enjoy the absolutely perfect Hawaii weather.
During winter, which is right now, I am staring out my window at the beautiful sunny weather. The temperatures in the mornings are going to be around 55 and will top out around 70 to 80 degrees. The winter months are when we get rain, usually 10 days in a three-month span, depending on the year. When we had our drought, it seemed like it didn’t rain for two years straight. In a normal year, we get up to 20 days of rain. When it does rain in Temecula, it usually rains really hard, like thunderstorm-type rain. I really don’t mind this, especially coming from Canada, where we had some massive storms. It’s cool to sit inside, watch a movie, and hear your house rumble. Bottom line? Cool-weather, sunshine, vitamin D, and always being outside are some of the reasons California will always be popular. I personally absolutely love the weather in Temecula; I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. One of the things I still don’t take for granted is the sunshine every morning.
FOOD
One of the best things about Temecula is the variety of food at your fingertips. I’m not necessarily a foodie, but I do enjoy going out to eat and trying new places. If you are a foodie, Southern California is literally one of the best places on the planet when it comes to diversity and different types of cuisine. Everything from Indian to pizza to barbecue to wine bars to cocktail lounges—you name it, we have it all within 20 minutes. The convenience is really unbelievable.
One of the things that really made me realize how easy and convenient my life is in California is traveling the world. We took one year, traveled around the world, and found out very quickly how lucky we are in Southern California. Yes, it can get busy, but if you need something, it’s right there in your backyard. Whether it’s fixing your computer, buying records, finding great Indian food, or getting that weird part from the vacuum cleaner store, we have it all. LOL
Here is a video of one of our favorite sports bars in Temecula.
THE PEOPLE
Coming from Canada, I’ve always been accustomed to having really nice people around. helpful, kind, considerate, hardworking, etc. Throughout Southern California, you’re going to find areas that generally have different types of people. I’m not trying to put a blanket statement on any particular area, but people in Newport Beach are going to be generally different than people in Los Angeles. It is what it is. In regards to Temecula, in my opinion, we have some of the nicest people in all of Southern California.
Overall Vibe and Feel
Temecula, to me, is the Beverly Hills of the Inland Empire without the snobs. Everything is nice and clean, people take pride in their homes, and there is a mixture of both plentiful amenities or things to do along with that quiet, relaxed feeling. It’s really the best of both worlds. The home you get is going to be on a nice-sized lot; you’re not going to be squished or feel cramped. It really is amazing to me that as I finish up this blog post on January 14th, the temperature is around 75 degrees. I’m about to go take a walk around the lake in Harveston, come back, and maybe hit a winery or two this afternoon. Anyway, hopefully, this blog post has a good depiction of one of the best cities in all of America, in my opinion. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
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.
