The State - News from May 16, 1989

The three least expensive medium to large cities for an executive to live in in California all are in the San Joaquin Valley, according to a survey by Coldwell Banker. The real estate company checked 29 cities for prices of three-bedroom homes with 2,000 square feet, a family room, two-car garage and located in an upper-income area. Fresno’s prices for such a home, averaging $115,500, are the lowest among the cities surveyed. Visalia was next at $123,500 and Modesto third at $145,817. That put the valley well below California’s urban metropolises where all homes average near $250,000 in sales value, not just executive dwellings. But valley home values are considerably higher than the nation’s midsection, according to Coldwell Banker’s nationwide statistics. Tulsa, Okla., for example, had the lowest-priced executive homes at $75,000. Not surprisingly, Beverly Hills was the highest at $841,667.