Sitting in Orange County at the base of the foothills, Brea is home to about 40,000 people. Its upbeat tempo makes it the ideal place to shop, work, dine, and engage in neighborhood events. If you’re seeking a home in Brea, you will find several subdivisions and neighborhoods that you’ll want to investigate.
Before you check out some of these areas, you’ll want to acquaint yourself with the city and its history. Known for oranges and oil, the city now has expanded. Its efforts toward redevelopment has made it a flourishing place to live.
How It All Began
One July night in 1769, Gaspar de Portola spent the night in what is now Brea. He noticed that Native Americans smeared a substance on their face, not realizing it was actually crude oil - something they used as medicine. As the Spanish explorer slept beside Brea Canyon, oil was bubbling through the ground beneath him.
It was this oil that drew the attention of companies, such as Union Oil Company in 1894. In 1895, riggers drilled the first well - causing the area to become an oil field. Once known as Randolph, Brea became a home to oil worker families.
Town official renamed the town to Brea in 1911 - “Brea,” or the Spanish name for “tar.” Records show 732 people lived in Brea in 1917 when it was incorporated. The city now covers 10 square miles of contemporary-styled homes, parks, and offices.
Brea Real Estate
The median home value for Brea real estate is about $885,000. Homes have appreciated, during the last 10 years at about 3.7%.
3 Top Brea Communities
1. Olinda Ranch in Brea/Blackston
Established in 2001, Olinda Ranch is a lovely family community that showcases homes, priced from around $780,000 to $1,900,000. Builders completed initial construction of the homes in the neighborhood in 2006. Therefore, homes date back from 2001 to 2006. Newer homes, that have since been built, may be found that date back, on average, to 2011.
Home types include attached dwellings designed as condominiums, townhouses, and lofts, and single family residences. Most of the homes range around 2,000 to 2,500 square feet and feature 3 to 5 bedrooms and 2 to 5 baths.
A home valued at around $1,150,000 will typically feature an open floor plan. Some homes in the area sit on a single-loaded street - one where homes are featured on one side across from a green belt on the other side of the roadway. Many homes highlight double glass doors that open up to backyards that display all the desired amenities (patio, fire pit, grill, etc.) for relaxing and entertaining. Olinda Ranch Homes showcase second story contemporary designs as well ceiling fans and high roofs.
The area’s award-winning Brea-Olinda school district is another draw for buyers with families. Close to hiking trails and the Birch Hills golf facility, including the Brea Mall and the Freeway 57, homes in the neighborhood offer a quiet place to live with all the conveniences that people in larger cities typically enjoy.
2. Olinda Village in Brea
Olinda Village, another sought-after Brea subdivision, features large homes that are high in value. The community was established in 1964 and, from that time, has developed and prospered.
Most of the home listings in this location range from just $1,000,000 to $3,700,000, on average. The median sales price falls at around $1,550,000. Just like Olinda Ranch, homes featured include attached dwellings, such as loft designs, townhouses, and condos as well as single-family residences. Homes date back to 1964 to 2015 and some homes feature lots as large as three acres. The property tax is low here. Residents pay about 1.1%.
Some of the newer homes in the community are custom-built and cover an area of about 3,500 feet. A 4 bedroom and 5 bath house, including a loft, sells for around $1,500,000. You’ll find features such as custom two-tone paint, plantation wood shutters, master private balcony, and gourmet kitchen with an island center.
You’re close to parks and can enjoy activities such as hiking and biking. Quiet and accessible, this community in Brea offers families a place they can truly call home.
3. Glenbrook Brea Real Estate
Homes in Glenbrook are mid-sized with a high value. The established community highlights closing sales prices from $810,000 to $1,200,00. The median sales price on homes is around $1,025,000. The neighborhood is home to single-family homes that date back to 1967 to 1971. Homes feature 3 to 6 bedrooms and 2 to 3 baths.
A typical listing in Glenbrook is around $995,000 in the 92821 zip code. A contemporary house, built in 1969, for instance, will feature 2.245 square feet of living space and flooring such as tile, vinyl, and carpet.
Cathedral ceilings, granite counters, formal entry, family room, and a bedroom on the main level is usually part of the design. You will find most homes in Brea, the above-listed popular communities, feature a contemporary architectural style, concrete or brick patios, and tile roofs. Most people have about a 30-minutes commute from the LA suburb to major area employers.
Major Area Corporations
Some of the major corporations headquartered in Brea include Ventura Foods, LLC, Beckman Coulter, Inc., Nature’s Best, ViewSonic North American, and the American Suzuki Motor Company.
Brea Work Styles
The community is home to residents who work as executive managers, salespeople and administrators. Most residents have some college or a bachelor’s degree. The majority of businesses in the city are small and have about 1 to 4 employees. According to the City of Brea website, most of the people in Brea (65%) own homes.
A Top Suburb in LA
If you’re seeking a quiet and pleasant place to live - one that is also convenient to dining, the mall, parks, and golf, Brea is a top suburb in LA. Home to top-ranked schools, green spaces, and houses that feature tile roofs and contemporary designs, Brea is a welcoming city - one that draws notice from families and older and younger people alike.