There are a number of 55+ active adult communities under development in Riverside County. There's one in Temecula known as Four Seasons - the developer is K. Hovnanian. Sheas Homes is building a community known as Trilogy in the Glen Ivy area which also caters to active adults and includes a clubhouse, golf course etc.<BR><BR>Shea Homes is also in the process of designing a similar project in the desert community of La Quinta. There is also a similar community known as Sun City in the desert, but it's in a wind zone which can be a detriment to some people. <BR><BR>There's also a development known as Sun Lakes Country Club in Banning. Banning is around 30 minutes outside of Palm Springs. While Banning is a small town that doesn't offer much, the Sun Lakes development is a very popular development.<BR><BR>The desert area does offer a lot more in terms of golf courses, restaurants, resort hotels, etc., but it is quite a ways out there if you're going to be traveling to Corona and Temecula on a regular basis. While the heat does get bad during the summer, the weather is generally beautiful for 8 months out of the year.<BR><BR>Temecula is a nice communuty, but tends to be pretty geared to families with young families. It is wine country though, which means that they have attracted some nice restaurants that cater to the wine tourists.<BR><BR>Canyon Lake is a nice development, but resell can be a little tougher due to the school district. But on the flip side, the lake does help with attracting buyers.<BR><BR>Good luck with your decision!

I don't know anything about this, but I've heard there is a nice golfing community called Bear Creek. I believe the homes are in your price range and what I've heard it sounds nice. Not sure which is nicer Bear Creek or Canyon Lake....heard both are nice but really don't know. Not sure about the Palos Verdes of Riverside County but Palos Verdes is a gorgeous area....too bad you're not servicing LA county. Helen

Ben, Congratulations on your promotion!I live in San Diego , my ex used to live in Canyon Lake. It's very nice there. From you description of the things you like to do, I believe you'd like it. There is a lovely golf course for residents use only. I find, when I drive north on 15, that about 15 miles or so north of Canyon Lake and Lake Elsinore, you come to a "wall" of smog. Truly, the sky goes from clear and blue to murky and gray in the space of a couple of miles. Temecula is also nice, with ever improving shopping. You will be aghast at the endless new housing developments that are springing up all the time. I agree with Native that it would be a good idea to rent for a while until you find an area you really like.

Congratulations, Ben. I used to cover that territory for the company I was at. I second the suggestion for Sun Lakes in Banning. They were one of my accounts. It is a great community with nice people. You would find things to do and have lots of people to do them with.

Temecula is nice, Redlands is a college town and would be my choice, I wouldn't move over in the Palm Springs area. It's just too hot in the summer. And.....as for smog, we used to live in Pasadena and the smog didn't kill us. The whole basin suffers from a smog problem. San Dimas is another place to consider.

Thanks Again!!<BR>Ben

palm springs is a great place to have a second home but i wouldn't want to HAVE to live there year round...by 9:30 a.m. it's too hot in the summer to do much of anything outside. temecula is in a good area.

I think Kam's been gone from the area too long. San Dimas is in Los Angeles county and would not be at all suitable for your needs in terms of commuting. Redlands is a great town, but is in San Bernardino County. Redlands Country Club is one of the oldest in the state and is a beautiful course. While not in the same county, it's actually a very feasible place to commute the entire Riverside County. Might be worth considering.

Barbara,<BR>I was a little confused...you mention that approximately 15 miles NORTH of Canyon Lake, the smog thickens. Since this is heading towards Orange County, I thought the air quality would be improving there?? Is the air quality pretty bad through out all of Riverside County? Someone suggested finding the Palos Verdes of Riverside County....can anyone relate to this suggestion? By the way, renting first is not really a feaable option for us...I will lose a GREAT relo package including differential housing cost should I rent first. I'd really like to make the correct decision the first go around. Anyone heard of Menifee? <BR>Thanks, Ben

The Rancho Palos Verdes of Riverside County...wow...now that's a stretch. Menifee is...ok. It is on the I-215 between Riv./Moreno Valley and Temecula. Based on what you can afford in housing though, not sure if it would meet your expectations. Canyon Lake is a good suggestion. I will throw another into the mix: Cherry Valley. It is located in the San Gorgonio Pass area between Calimesa and Beaumont off the I-10. You would not have any trouble finding an estate sized property in your budget. Also, it is easy to Ontario Airport and L.A./OC one way, the Palm Springs area the other, and the San Bernardino Mountains, i.e. Oak Glen very close by.<BR><BR>Best of fortunes.<BR>PSL

Ben, yes, about 15 or so miles north of Canyon Lake, as you get closer to Corona. I don't know how close you are to OC at that point, I never think of it as Orange County. South Riverside County is fine. Menifee is adjacent to Murrietta and Temecula and might be OK.

I know San Dimas is in LA county but it's very far out toward Riverside. And, Redlands is in San Bernardino Co. but with the availability of freeways out there I think either might work. I certainly think either is preferable to Palm Springs year round. And Banning?? I think that's just near Cabazon where the Indian reservation is and the big outlet mall. My son used to train guide dogs for the blind on the streets of Banning and hated it in the summer.

I used to live in San Dimas. Nice town, but probably too out of the way to be practical for daily commuting around Riverside County - atleast 30 minutes just to get to Riverside County. Definitely could do better with other choices.<BR><BR>Redlands actually isn't a bad idea. Kind of a midpoint. 45 minutes to Palm Springs, 60 minutes to Temecula, 30 minutes to Corona. <BR><BR>Yes, Riverside County is smoggy, but so is most of Southern California. I was in downtown LA over the weekend and could barely see.

<BR>Ben, <BR><BR>no one seems to have mentioned that Temecula is 40-45 minute drive from Riverside. Are you willing to do that?<BR><BR>Temecula is overrated. I've had to live there for many months at a stretch, on several different occasions (work related). Congested traffic, strip malls and "big box" discount outlets, all separated by 8-lane roads and highways, very pedestrian UN-friendly. Rapid cookie-cutter housing tract growth and all the problems that brings. Overcrowded schools, bursting at the seams. <BR><BR>Even though you have no kids, check the quality of the schools (eg standardized state-wide test scores are readily availaible in Calif) because that is an excellent indication and predictor of a community's long term stability, quality, and housing market appreciation. So many school districts in Calif are crap, that a good school district is a major draw and tends to up-lift most aspects of a community.<BR><BR>Also, the Sunday Los Angeles Times Real Estate section publishes weekly, the median home sale price by zip code. That will help your planning. Every few weeks the listings rotate back to the same zip codes, so if you don't see Riverisde one week, check prior Sunday issues. This info may be at LA Times web site, but I haven't checked.

Canyon Lake sounds quite nice and the photos look lovely. Thanks for the web site.<BR>How has their appreciation been? I know So. Calif. is on a "boom" right now but I want to prepare for the worst incase I need to sell/relocate in 5 years as well. All and all, it sounds nice but I'd love to hear any bad comments as well compared to other areas. Thanks guys! (Bear with me....I'm almost there!) Ben

Canyon Lake is fine from inside. But not much else around the area that is worth much. Pretty boring area and hot in the summer months. School districts leave a lot to be desired in that area. Lake Elsinore is near by and seems to attract a seedy beer drinking jetski type.

California real estate is hugely over-priced. Who will ever be able to predict real estate prices in 5 years? 5 years ago, no one would have predicted the current economy!

I think Ben is just curious if Canyon Lake has fared better or worse than other areas in So. California with regards to increasing in value. Even under the best of markets, some areas will most likely do better than others.<BR> (At least this is how I interpret his posting) right Ben???<BR>Alice

Ray,<BR>Although I don't live in this area, from what I read in the LA Times (O.C. edition), it sounds like there are many new housing tracts going in the Menifee, Murietta, Lake Elsinore areas. With all these housing tracts, don't you imagine they will be building shopping centers, grocery stores etc. that will be close to Canyon Lake?? My husband wants to go take a ride out to look at Canyon Lake to consider buying in there since he's retiring. Do you feel this area will remain so isolated during the next year or two? Barb

3 years ago (before being transferred) my sister lived in Canyon Lake. The air quality always seemed very good there. Yes, I recall driving through some yukky skies to get to her home off the 15 freeway from Yorba Linda, but once we were on the main highway toward the community, the skies cleared up immensly and the entire community of Canyon Lake had very clear, blue sunny skies....I can't believe things could have changed this much in 3 years. Anyone out there familiar with how the air quality in Canyon Lake is now??? I'm quite curious since it's been 3 years. Thanks. Vicki