DeeAnn Noland has created her personal paradise in Southern California, where her estate sprawls across nearly seven acres atop a hill, overlooking the city below. With its Spanish villa-style architecture, this property offers 6,000 square feet of indoor space, an inviting pool, and palm trees providing shade from the blazing sun.
However, her dream home is not located in Beverly Hills, Bel-Air, or Malibu; it’s in Hemet, and she purchased this luxury property for just $740,000. While Southern California has its fair share of affluent luxury enclaves, buying a home in these exclusive areas often demands substantial financial resources. With soaring property prices in Los Angeles, some residents have opted to escape the hustle of city life, moving to hotter, dryer, and more isolated regions like Riverside County, San Bernardino County, or Kern County in search of ultra-affordable estates.
In the Los Angeles region, $1 million may no longer secure even a two-bedroom home, but driving a few hours into the countryside can yield a dream estate. At 67, DeeAnn, who grew up in Alhambra, a suburb of East Los Angeles, remembers her modest beginnings. After marrying her husband Manuel, their first home was a cramped space in Baldwin Park.
A Tropical Paradise for Exotic Animals
From those early days, DeeAnn started to crave more space. The further she moved away from the city, the larger her homes became—all while keeping the price comparable to what she sold. Her first move took her to Cherry Valley, just outside Yucaipa, where she bought a 2,600-square-foot home on an acre of land. In 2015, she sold that property and purchased her Hemet mansion, transforming it into a tropical haven filled with animals, including goats and exotic birds such as toucans and African crowned cranes.
Though DeeAnn is comfortably financially secure, she wouldn’t label herself as wealthy. Her late husband was a civil engineer with a decent salary, and now she supplements her income by breeding animals. Living in the cheaper Hemet area allows her to enjoy life in a style reminiscent of royalty.
Hemet is located in the San Jacinto Valley, where the median household income is $49,901 and the median home price is $444,221, according to data from Zillow. Just five years ago, Business Insider ranked it as the 44th worst city to live in the U.S., primarily citing high poverty and crime rates.
A World Tour Without Leaving Home
During a visit in July, the temperature outside exceeded 100 degrees before noon, but DeeAnn wouldn’t have it any other way. “I have air conditioning and a swimming pool,” she quipped. Although she acknowledges Hemet’s issues with homelessness and crime, she rarely ventures into the city, having grown accustomed to her home.
The savings from her Hemet purchase have allowed DeeAnn to transform her estate into a paradise she never wants to leave. “Since I have so many animals, I can’t travel, so I decorated each room as if it were a travel destination that I dream of visiting,” she explained.
Her living room boasts an ocean theme, while a corner of the kitchen is adorned with tropical rainforest plants. Her small study has been gradually transformed into an African safari, complete with faux zebra skin on the walls, carved wooden elephants on the floor, and replicas of ostrich eggs in the corners, alongside a six-foot-tall stuffed giraffe. “I can explore the world without leaving my home,” she said.
The Ephemeral Nature of Luxury
Los Angeles’s real estate appeal lies in its temperate climate, proximity to the coast, and a myriad of affluent neighborhoods that provide lavish lifestyles. For example, in Brentwood, even the least expensive homes start at $2 million, and some reach over $50 million. Celebrities and entrepreneurs are often seen leaving their hillside mansions to shop at local markets.
However, in remote places like Hemet, Palmdale, or Ridgecrest, options for luxury living become quite limited. Wealthier residents share shopping and dining locations with the general population, frequenting local shops, chain restaurants, and big-box stores like Target, Walmart, and Home Depot. Yet, some who purchase mansions in these isolated areas have discovered ways to compensate for the lack of opulent lifestyle amenities.
Joe Napoli, a real estate agent in San Dimas, noted that these individuals no longer feel the need to shop on Rodeo Drive. Instead, they order online and have items delivered to their doorstep. Their dining doesn’t depend on five-star restaurants, as many can cook gourmet meals in their kitchens. For these homeowners, shopping trips and fine dining have become less significant.
The Pandemic Spurs Desert Mansion Buying
Kenward Cooper, an agent who sold a mansion in the area, observed that since the pandemic, wealthy buyers have been increasingly drawn to desert and mountain properties. They’ve found that the same investment yields much more space, offering enhanced privacy. While the local luxury options are limited, many believe the trade-offs are worth it.
“Many people are willing to sacrifice a bit of lifestyle quality to buy the luxury home they desire here,” he shared. With the recent opening of a Sprouts Farmers Market in Palm Valley and the anticipated arrival of a Whole Foods, the situation is expected to improve further. Additionally, owning the largest home in a small community instills a sense of pride, akin to being the biggest fish in a small pond, naturally boosting one’s confidence.
Owning a mansion in a remote area can give homeowners the sensation of skyrocketing from middle-class to wealthy status overnight. However, the market can be unpredictable. While the demand for luxury homes in the countryside rose during the pandemic, there are still relatively few willing to invest millions in secluded properties. Over the past few years, real estate prices in the Los Angeles area have consistently increased, with some homes doubling or tripling in value since the onset of the pandemic.
Investing in Los Angeles real estate is typically seen as a safe bet, as land tends to maintain its value better than the structures on it. This explains why some wealthy buyers purchase luxurious homes, only to tear down existing structures afterward, or buy land and leave it undeveloped for decades.
William Gordon, a real estate agent in Bakersfield, pointed out that while land is generally more valuable in Los Angeles, the opposite is true in Bakersfield, where improvements, such as homes or other developments, significantly exceed land value. Consequently, remote luxury homes are increasingly larger, with additions like extra rooms or stunning pools, as owners feel confident they can recoup their investments. However, finding another “big fish” to occupy a spot in the small pond may prove challenging.
In larger cities like Bakersfield, which holds significance in oil and agriculture, there is indeed a demand for grand estates. Gordon recounted a transaction from 2017 involving a 9,595-square-foot mansion. An elderly owner wanted to downsize, and a young local surgeon was looking to upgrade. Gordon successfully facilitated a trade between them, resulting in a win-win situation for both parties.
Gordon emphasized that while many associate Bakersfield with cattle prods and sweltering summers, the area still possesses attractive elements. For some, scoring a bargain in the desert is an opportunity too good to pass up.
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