Fountain Valley Real Estate

The history of what is now known as the City of Fountain Valley, California stretches all the way back to the 18th Century when the King of Spain granted the land to one of his Dons. The city sits on a portion of land which was part of the Las Bolsas Land Grant. This land was later given to an ex-soldier, Manuel Nieto, in 1784 by a Spanish Governor, Pedro Fages.

In May of 1834, after Mexico had taken over California, the Las Bolsas Land Grant was given to Catarina Ruiz by a Mexican Governor, Jose Figueroa. Upon the conclusion of the Mexican - American War, the United States Government officially recognized several of the old Spanish Land Grants and reverted them to their original owners.

Several public land auctions were held in the 1850's. During one of the auctions, Abel Stearns bought the land, then called Rancho Las Bolsas, and renamed it The Stearns Ranch Company. The original area comprised portions of what are now the cities of Huntington Beach, Westminster, Garden Grove and the entire city of Fountain Valley.

In 1878, a sheep man from the San Francisco area, Roch Courreges, leased land from the Stearns Ranch Company. He later purchased the land from the company and made his permanent home there. From the 1880's to the turn of the century the area became known as the "Gospel Swamps" by the members of the surrounding communities. The present name, "Fountain Valley", derives its name from the many artesian wells and the abundant local water supply. Fountain Valley was incorporated as the 21st city into Orange County in 1957. Presently, the city's physical growth is approximately 92% complete with the projected total population expected to peak at 58,000.

Whether you are a first time buyer or an experienced investor, you will find useful information about how to choose the "right" property, making an offer, negotiating, financing, mortgage rates, moving, and everything involved in making an informed real estate decision in today's market.

If you currently own property and are thinking of placing it on the market, this site contains information about preparing your home for sale, selecting the right agent, pricing your home appropriately, marketing it effectively, going through the inspection processes, and receiving a timely market evaluation.