For information about the Four major communities covered by our offices, please scroll down the page or click on the city name in which you are interested: Los Banos, Gustine or Dos Palos or Newman.

Los Banos

Located six miles west of the intersection of highways I-5 and 152-two major highways that dissect the state-Los Banos is a community with deep agricultural roots. Because of its central location at the heart of California and its proximity to Silicon Valley, Los Banos is changing into a small metropolitan community with a broader and more diverse economy than traditional farm towns. A city operated airport as well as cargo rail service provide additional possibilities to companies and entrepreneurs in the area.

The city offers the benefits of large communities, providing its citizenry with full-time police, fire, and recreational departments. Memorial Hospital of Los Banos allows the community to take care of medical problems quickly and locally. Housing within the city is inexpensive by California standards-the median selling price for a 3 bedroom, 2-bath home is $320k.

Los Banos also boasts a new and state-of-art junior high facility which just began use in 1999. Adults and high school students can attend coursework at a satellite campus of Merced Junior College which is located in the City of Los Banos. A new from the ground now under construction Campus is in the planning stages. After finishing high school, students can take advantage of two junior colleges, a California State University and The University of California Merced that all lie within 30 to 40 miles north of the town.

Los Banos has an ethnically diverse population of 35,000 and offers cultural events reflective of the various races that built the town. Major recreational areas are also within easy access such as: the Sierra Nevada mountains, the San Francisco Bay Area, Monterey bay, Yosemite and Los Angeles. Los Banos is famous for its duck hunting and other forms of hunting, while the nearby San Luis Dam and Reservoir offer numerous water sports and fishing.

Gustine

Nestled against the coastal range mountains, Gustine is a quiet and small rural town with tree-shaded neighborhoods and a family atmosphere. A charming town that has kept its historic buildings and main street over mini-malls, Gustine is extremely proud of its heritage. Cultural ceremonies, such as the Our Lady of Miracles celebration and Portuguese bullfighting, can involve the entire community.

The city is just five minutes from Interstate-5, the commuter corridor that provides easy access to jobs and businesses in the Silicon Valley, Bay Area communities and other Central Valley locations. Indeed, close to 40% of Gustine's population of 4,500 commute to nearby jobs. Gustine is also close to many recreational destinations including wetlands famous for duck hunting, foothills, the San Luis Dam which offers water sports and fishing, the Sierra Nevada mountains, San Francisco and the Monterey Bay.

In addition to providing a parochial elementary school, Gustine offers very good public schools from kindergarten to 12th grade. Total student enrollment is around 1,200, and the average student-to-teacher ratio is approximately 19:1. Advanced studies can be pursued at junior colleges in Merced or Modesto as well as at four year colleges such as California State Stanislaus (in Turlock) and the University of California at Merced.

And, Gustine is a safe town. Its full-time police force has created a community with one of the lowest crime rates in California. The average three bedroom home sells for only $290k.

Dos Palos

Home to approximately 6,000 people, Dos Palos is a small rural town located at the heart of the San Joaquin Valley. This ethnically diverse community has a reputation for working together and supporting its youth, as is evidenced by its strong public school system which spans kindergarten through 12th grade. Many of the town's students pursue higher education and attend Merced Junior College which lies 20 mile to the north in the City of Merced. Fresno State University is also within commuting distance as is the University of California Campus at Merced. Somewhat geographically closer to Fresno than San Jose, Dos Palos is approximately a one hour commute to the City of Fresno.

Dos Palos' economy revolves heavily around agriculture, and the opportunity to live on a small family farm is a real possibility. Average housing prices are very affordable by California's standards, whereby the average 3 bedroom, 2 bath home of 1,650 square feet costs around $310k in this city.

Like many of the communities in the heartland of California, Dos Palos has qualities to attract manufacturing firms. The city lies within close proximity to major arterial highways (Interstate-5 and highway 152); 135 acres within the city are vacant and zoned for light and heavy industry; and, the city has an industrial park with reasonably priced land that is level, has good drainage, and has water and sewer lines. Within the last 3-4 years Dos Palos has experienced a residential building boom. New home prices begin at $315k bringing buyers from as far away as San Jose.

 Newman

Four miles due North of Gustine lies the City of Newman, population 8,500 or roughly 3,000 more than its nearby neighbor. Only 18 and 24 miles from downtowns Turlock and Modesto, respectively, Newman is also only about 5 miles from highway I-5 for people who desire easy driving access. The city has a vibrant and functioning old-time main street unaffected by big box retailers in nearby cities; moreover, the architecture, preservation and actualuse of these old buildings are impressive.

The town's Fourth of July parade remains a well-preserved local tradition and is famous in Central California for its 1950s feel. Nearby outdoor activities are  numerous. Foothills with oaks lie to the East, as does the 23,000 acre Henry Coe State Park which continues nearly to Morgan Hill. Geographically, the town lies at the head of the San Joaquin River, just before it breaks into dozens of streams and tributaries that create the area's unique natural habitat so liked by ducks.

Historically, Portuguese dairymen and farmers defined this town as to a lesser degree did German, English and some Italians. It still remains an extremely safe place to live, boasting crime statistics well below state averages. The median home price for a 3 bedroom house is $337,000.