Discover life in the country
Many people who are considering buying new construction for their next home might fall into one of a number of distinct mindsets. Some buyers dream of luxurious townhome communities near transportation and things to do with friends and family. Others seek spacious interior living areas with low-maintenance exteriors in communities that are close to dining, recreation and entertainment.
Still others crave luxury homes near urban areas, where the common ingredients of new homes are energy efficiency, modern design and built-in technology.
But there is a growing number who crave the contemporary benefits of new-home design, efficiency and technology in an area where they can truly “get away” from it all.
For them, builders are meeting the demand by building neighborhoods in areas surrounded by foothills, farms, mountains, wildlife preserves and more — all within reasonable proximity to the Bay Area.
Motivated by buyers’ needs, builders are responding by creating communities that offer a wide range of prices and amenities. As a result, buyers from all stages of life are able to enter the country, whether purchasing their first home or trading in their decades-old California house for a new phase of life.
For starters, within commute distance of Silicon Valley, but refreshingly close to Monterey Bay, sits the city of Hollister. Meanwhile, about 40 miles east of Hollister sits the city of Los Banos, which
manages to be a little over an hour from both the Tri-valley and Yosemite National Park.
In new-home communities in these cities, residents say the living is easy in a best-of-both-worlds kind of way.
Hollister, for starters, features everything from the San Benito County Wine Trail and farmers markets to concert series, great dining and restaurants,
all surrounded by lush foothill views.
Among builders there, Denova Homes offers The Meadows at Allendale.
In Hollister, community members seem to enjoy a common mindset, central to which is appreciation for small-town values and a supportive community. The nonprofit Hollister Downtown Association promotes this community of caring and helps local business owners and community members help each other.
In one example, the owner of the popular, local Farmhouse Cafe recently teamed up with the culinary arts teacher from a local high school to create the “Soup-er Hero” campaign to bring soup meals to seniors who are unable to leave their homes due to current restrictions.
The continued revitalization of downtown Hollister is as much a priority as maintaining the area’s historic charm, as is the case in the historic city of Los Banos, about 40 miles east.
The Los Banos Downtown Association describes the area as providing “the historic commercial environment of yesterday, while offering the modern needs of today,” including top restaurants, tree-lined streets and fabulous, one-of-a-kind shopping, music, and dining.
New-home builders and buyers, likewise, have taken note. Builder Stonefield Home, which has four communities in Los Banos, realizes that the affordable, peaceful serenity of country living
are primary reasons for people to live there.
Many Stonefield Home buyers commute to Silicon Valley cities such as Morgan Hill, Hollister, Gilroy and San Jose; some commute to the Tri-valley area. And many work from home year-round.
And nearly all of them seem to enjoy the proximity to Yosemite National Park. Other peaceful attractions in and around Los Banos include the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge — with its 26,800
acres of wetlands, riparian forests, native grasslands and vernal pools — and the Los Banos Creek Reservoir.
Not to be forgotten, for those who prefer the action of city and suburban life over open space and proximity to Earth’s natural attractions, watch this space next week. We’ll explore the benefits of the upscale and convenient features of more densely-populated communities near transit and amenities for day-to-day-life.