California Popular Locations For 1 Storey Homes 

If one state in the Union has the richest history, it's California, hands down. Ownership by Native Americans, Europeans, the Spanish, and the Mexicans, the Gold Rush, citrus growing, oil, the film industry, as well as electronics and technology all combined to give California the facets and the aura it enjoys today. 


One portion of the California dream is the houses in which people live. Many live on multiple acres of forested land bordered by fences eight to ten feet high. Inside these “compounds” are forty-room mansions with pools, tennis courts, mini-golf courses, small zoos for exotic animals, landing strips and shelters for their planes, what seems like a car dealership with limos, Teslas, and Alfa Romeos, and much more.


That's only a few of the residents of California, though. Others just as important or visible live in quite different surroundings. The thing about California is that size is magical. People want to come here for the magic, so they want a house that's palatial and spreads over the landscape. There are several ways to do this, so let's take a look at them here.


California Deserts


If there's one place Californians don't need superfluous rooms in homes, it's in the California deserts. Californians living in the Colorado, the Mojave, or the Great Basin or Death Valley deserts know all about living in 1 storey home s [sic]. The big California ranches with livestock or crops feature large, rambling single storey homes.


Low roofs, open floor plans, a main floor master, banks of windows, sliding doors, and more give those looking for the California lifestyle their dream homes. The climate is good for those with COPD and asthma, while the dry air benefits those with arthritis and other joint troubles. These folks might appreciate living in desert cities like Twentynine Palms and Palm Springs.


California Mountains


The complete opposite of the desert dweller can be found in the mountains of California: the Sierra Nevada on the eastern boundary of the state and the Coast Range on the western boundary. There's a list as long as your arm of the peaks and ranges, complete with hunting, fishing, skiing, zip-lining, and other amusements peculiar to mountains.


Why would residents want 1 storey home s [sic] on a mountainside? One reason would be decks surrounding the house, from which residents could enjoy the cool breezes, the flora, as well as the wildlife. Another reason would be to eschew the hustle and bustle of the cities. Why not try a vineyard of your own with imaginative products and your own brand on your own slice of a mountainside?


Palatial spreads feature several bedrooms, butler's pantry, media rooms, home gyms, home offices, main floor master suites, in addition to stunning kitchens and living rooms. The California mountain lifestyle can be lived in towns, villages, and cities at the foothills of the mountains such as Sonora, El Dorado, Nevada City, and Coloma, to name a few.


Coastal California


Not all of the state is mountains or deserts. Parts of the state feature lush valleys and coastal cities. Here, potential residents will find single storey homes in which to live their dream California lifestyle. It's here that beaches and boats, surf and turf, as well as horses and citrus can be found.


On the California coast, one storey ranch-style houses morph into bungalow s [sic]. Of the five types of bungalows, California and Mission type bungalows are the most popular.


The California bungalow features steeply pitched roofs, Craftsman-style architecture, deep covered porches, and numerous windows. The floor plan is open, so potential residents can move about without harm. There are typically no stairs in a bungalow for potential senior residents to worry about. Some Craftsman bungalows feature gables.


The Mission bungalow offers Spanish-influenced architecture. Lots of arches, wrought iron touches, and red-tiled roofs differentiate the Mission style from others. Bungalows are generally one-story structures with covered porches, columns atop brick or stone bases, lots of windows, and short chimneys. Look here for bungalow s [sic]: Malibu, San Diego, Santa Cruz, Coronado, Venice Beach, and La Jolla.


Retiring To California


Albert Hammond sang a song about “it never rains in California” in 1972. Most Baby Boomers were young then and working hard to put their kids through college and to retire themselves. With taxes and cost of living notwithstanding, seniors could definitely find the California dream in cities like San Rafael with the highest rating, followed by Burlingame, Newport Beach, and Menlo Park, to name a few. 


There's a reason or two why California is the most populous state in the country. It teems with natural resources, coasts, mountains, and people. Silicon Valley alone contains some of the most astounding brains in the state today. Buying a lavish one-story home in California will put you in good company.