River Estates is a private waterfront community in Blythe, California. Because it fronts the Colorado River (state line), you are literally across the river from the state of Arizona. River Estates at Hidden Beaches (its full name) has a total of 99 lots and is located just north of the city. The community was developed by Roger Snellenberger in the 2005 time frame. At the time, oceanfront lots were selling for over $300,000 and there were oceanfront homes selling in the $600,000 to $700,000 range. Obviously, the bursting of the real estate bubble has had a dramatic effect on prices, however, River Estates remains arguably the most sought after single-family home area in Southeast California.

While Blythe is by no means a high-value real estate market—in fact, it’s one of the least expensive places to live in Southern California—River Estates’ riverfront homes still sell in the upper-middle-range. $300,000. Riverfront is a key factor. While people who live across the street from the river can still take advantage of the community boat dock and a short walk to the Colorado River, they are not yet waterfront and this can make a difference of $100,000 or more in value. Because the community is new, all the houses are new houses and there are no houses that are out of place or in need of demolition. Homes typically have a number of upgrades such as granite counter tops, tile flooring, deep boat garages, etc. The HOA takes care of homeowners’ front yards, ensuring better curb appeal for the community at large.

River Estates still has foreclosures and short sales being processed as of 2013; however, these numbers are declining. In the coming year, experts anticipate that virtually every home and lot will be in stronger hands with lower interest rates locked in that make another wave of foreclosures unlikely. With riverfront lots selling for as low as $69,000, new construction is possible in the near future, but those buyers are more likely to stick around for a few years until sale prices for housing increases significantly for new construction to make sense. Because River Estates homes are attractive to some of Blythe’s highest income earners, home price appreciation will likely require further income growth from individuals such as physicians, business executives and retired investors. While this has not been the case in the desert areas of California for the past few years, this could change in the not too distant future.