Tell me about Rancho Cucamonga (San Bernardino, Ontario: for sale, foreclosures, renters)

[HB2HSV]

I will be working on a new job out in Victorville but I am not willing to live there. I am looking at Rancho as it's against the rush hour traffic and reverse commute. My budget is about $700K.

It look like good school district are in the northeast section of city, bounded by 15-210-10, west end by Day Creek Blvd. Does that sound about right? How far toward west should I consider?

Alta Loma - no City Data profile. How's that area? Safe? School rating is mediocre 8-8-8. Elem-middle-high school.

OK I gotta ask this question- Fontana. On paper I see the home prices are lower than Rancho by $100K - $150K for comparable homes. Is it worth the risk to consider Fontana?

Thanks

[kttam186290]

There's no "data" on Alta Loma because it is part of Rancho Cucamonga itself. Alta Loma would be the place to look with your budget, as it the part of Rancho with the better reputation.


North Fontana isn't bad. It's basically spillover from Rancho. That whole part of the IE (Rancho, Fontana, Rialto) has changed, some would argue for the "better" since the late 1990s and early 2000s.

If you're willing to look at Rancho, then also look at Upland, Chino Hills, Ontario Ranch and maybe even Eastvale? Although the drive from Eastvale to Victorville would be rough.


With your budget, it sounds like you're looking into a Warden position at one of the prisons in Adelanto?

[HB2HSV]

Thanks Kttam for the explanation

It looks like Rancho Cucamonga has 5 neighborhoods, Etiwanda, Alta Loma, North Cucamonga, Grapeland, and Rochester. I've been reading the archives here on CD Data and it would appear the desirable neighborhoods are north of Foothill Blvd, even better if it's north of 210 fwy.

Fontana offers a lot of values especially the coyote canyon neighborhood west of 15. It shares the same high school as RC at Etiwanda HS.

I am also looking at Chino Hill but RC cuts 23 miles, 20-25 minutes commute with no traffic. Also just from the first look, you get more for your money in RC. But Chino Hills is closer to LA /OC in case future job commuting situation changes.

Haha, not looking at the Warden position but it's an interesting idea

[Beardown91737]

In order of driving distance from the previous posts:
Closest:
North Fontana
Etiwanda (Rancho Cucamonga 91739)
Alta Loma (91737)
Alta Loma (91701)
Rancho Cucamonga (Cucamonga proper) 91730 - this will also be further from the 15 and/or 210 freeways
Upland
Eastvale

Chino Hills is a good area but also at least another 25 min

[SW20TD06]

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

I will be working on a new job out in Victorville but I am not willing to live there. I am looking at Rancho as it's against the rush hour traffic and reverse commute. My budget is about $700K.

It look like good school district are in the northeast section of city, bounded by 15-210-10, west end by Day Creek Blvd. Does that sound about right? How far toward west should I consider?

Alta Loma - no City Data profile. How's that area? Safe? School rating is mediocre 8-8-8. Elem-middle-high school.

OK I gotta ask this question- Fontana. On paper I see the home prices are lower than Rancho by $100K - $150K for comparable homes. Is it worth the risk to consider Fontana?

Thanks

Why not try Apple Valley or Oak Hills/Hesperia? For 500-700K in Apple Valley you could get 1-2 acre lot 3000+ sq ft house, pool, or even a gated community in AV, etc.

Or if you want more land you can get an even bigger lot in Oak Hills for that price. You wouldn't have to worry about the Cajon Pass traffic and you would live in a nicer area of the high desert.

[2008user]

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

I will be working on a new job out in Victorville but I am not willing to live there. I am looking at Rancho as it's against the rush hour traffic and reverse commute. My budget is about $700K.

It look like good school district are in the northeast section of city, bounded by 15-210-10, west end by Day Creek Blvd. Does that sound about right? How far toward west should I consider?

Alta Loma - no City Data profile. How's that area? Safe? School rating is mediocre 8-8-8. Elem-middle-high school.

OK I gotta ask this question- Fontana. On paper I see the home prices are lower than Rancho by $100K - $150K for comparable homes. Is it worth the risk to consider Fontana?

Thanks

If you want Rancho Cucamonga or Fontana, a good option would be the area by the West End (Fontana). Its a nice neighborhood with good homes. As for Alta Loma, it's farther from the 15 freeway given that you would be commuting to Victorville, which is north of the Cajon Pass.

However, since you are going to work in Victorville, you have to be prepared for stuff like wildfires, big accidents (they sometimes congest traffic for many miles), and ice on the Cajon Pass. Also, the change of elevation, and the steep Cajon pass will cause many problems, including the wear and tear and excessive use of gasoline due to the steep climb up. So, with that in mind, it isn't feasible to commute that far unless you're ok with these problems with your commute. (wear and tear, wildfires, etc)

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by SW20TD06

Why not try Apple Valley or Oak Hills/Hesperia? For 500-700K in Apple Valley you could get 1-2 acre lot 3000+ sq ft house, pool, or even a gated community in AV, etc.

Or if you want more land you can get an even bigger lot in Oak Hills for that price. You wouldn't have to worry about the Cajon Pass traffic and you would live in a nicer area of the high desert.

Funny that you mentioned Apple Valley. I was just talking to a coworker who's been living there since 1984. He pointed out where the good neighborhoods are, particularly the Jesse Ranch area plus several others. May need to give it a serious consideration.

[kttam186290]

A lot of people who don't want to live in the middle of Victorville pick places like Wrightwood, Crestline, Phelan, Oak Hills, Silver Lakes or Apple Valley in the surrounding area.

if you insist on living "down the hill" as they say in the High Desert, have you looked into Rosena Ranch?

It is a very new development by Lennar homebuilders on the edge of North Fontana where it meets with the far-northern reaches of Rialto and San Bernardino. It officially has a San Bernardino zip code, although nobody really thinks of it as San Bernardino at all. It is, for all intents and purposes basically a part of the Rancho Cucamonga-Fontana nexus and is connected -- both commercially and at the street-level -- to both Rancho and Fontana, and not to San Bernardino.

[SW20TD06]

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

Funny that you mentioned Apple Valley. I was just talking to a coworker who's been living there since 1984. He pointed out where the good neighborhoods are, particularly the Jesse Ranch area plus several others. May need to give it a serious consideration.

Yes those are nice areas in Apple Valley. We've been here 13+ years. It is actually named "Jess Ranch". If you look on the map, try the intersection of Apple Valley Road and Bear Valley Road. This intersection in particular is the retail hub of the whole city. There is some retail on Highway 18/Dale Evans near Town Hall, but more businesses seem to pop up faster on AV/BV Roads.

Jess Ranch area has gated communities as well, but home lot sizes are on the smaller size. There is a gated community called the "Estates". Homes here go for 400-600k Nice, but we wanted more lot size.

There is a very nice gated community at the corner of Sitting Bull and AV road called Stonebrook Estates. Homes start at 500k+ There are quite a few for sale there now since a builder is putting in new homes on some of the remaining vacant lots. For your 700k, expect a custom home in the 4k sq feet range, pool, landscaped front and back yards, just under an acre lot, some with RV garages, etc. Basically these homes are equivalent to a 800k-1 million dollar home you would find "down the hill".

There are highly rated schools in this area, Sitting Bull Elementary, Rio Vista and further out AAE.

If you look close to Highway 18 and AV Road, I believe they refer to as Sycamore Rocks area there are huge mansions and custom homes. These homes also range in the 500-700 range. Although not gated, the surrounding homes seem well kept. Square footage is in the 3k range and some have pools. Also look at intersections behind Tao Road and Highway 18. This is near St. Mary's Hopsital on Highway 18. Very large homes as well.

We also looked into moving down the hill and looked at Rosena Ranch, Coyote Canyon, even further west to Chino Hills, etc and those homes go for 500-800k. Very nice homes, but your neighbors are very close to you and your lot size is small. Just a bit of information, but the Rosena Ranch area has a very high rate of foreclosures as the homeowners pay for mello roos and HOA. It was our perception that although nice from afar, we drove around and seemed like owners did not do much upkeep to their properties. Dead grass, cars parked on lawns, etc. But just like any other city, you can have that anywhere.

If you must be down the hill in Rancho/Fontana, the Etiwanda School District has great reviews if you have kids to worry about. If I had 700k budget for a home and worked in Victorville I would just buy a mini mansion in Oak Hills/Apple Valley/Spring Valley Lake (lots of renters here though) and enjoy your short commute. Or buy in a nice mountain community home in Big Bear Wrightwood, etc. The Rancho/Fontana area is getting really crowded and expect the same for the high desert (if not already) in the next 5-10 years. Might as well be close to home and not worry about cajon pass. If I didn't have to commute 200+ miles a day and make the same amount I do now, I would take it in a heartbeat. Are you hiring? lol

[HB2HSV]

Thank you SW20TD06,

Those are GREAT suggestions on neighborhoods. Thanks. We will take your suggestions and follow up & check them out.