He Wanted a Three-Bedroom House for $350,000. Here’s the California City Where He Found It. (2024)

Javier Herrera, an elementary school teacher in Bakersfield, Calif., is dedicated to improving his community through education. But he’s also on a mission to achieve financial security through the local real estate market.

“My parents were renting in 2018, and I bought a house for us to live in with my sisters,” Mr. Herrera, 32, said. “The plan was always to sell it to one of my sisters so I could buy another house for myself.”

That plan changed in 2021, if only slightly: One of his sisters did buy the property from him, but Mr. Herrera stayed on to save money and go back to school.

“When the pandemic hit and we were all doing distance learning, I decided to get my master’s in education, since I could do that remotely,” he said. “My salary is higher with a master’s degree, and I stayed with my parents to pay off all my debt, including my car loan.”

All the while, his hometown of Bakersfield, a city about 100 miles north of Los Angeles known for its agriculture and energy production, was growing rapidly. The population — roughly half Hispanic or Latino, according to the 2020 U.S. Census — eclipsed 400,000 residents for the first time, in part thanks to more affordable housing.

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Home prices followed suit. So did mortgage rates, which jumped from an average of 4.7 percent when Mr. Herrera bought his first house in 2018, to an average of 6.8 percent in 2023.

“The average sale price in Bakersfield now is $430,000, which is low compared to other parts of California, but way up from an average of $320,000 two years ago,” said Mr. Herrera’s broker, Brian Ostrovski, of eXp Realty in Bakersfield, who pointed to “a lot of demand and not much for sale.”

Mr. Herrera’s budget was $350,000. He had saved money for a down payment, but hoped he could find a seller who would help with closing costs.

“We looked at a lot of houses from late 2023 into the spring of 2024,” Mr. Ostrovski said. “Javier is about the same age as one of my sons, so I felt like I was helping a family member. I didn’t want him to get into a home he couldn’t afford.”

Regular check-ins with his lender helped Mr. Herrera compare monthly payments at various interest rates, improve his credit and determine how much he could comfortably spend.

His goal was a home in a nice neighborhood, not far from where he grew up, in southwest Bakersfield. “My job can be pretty stressful, so it was important to me to find a house that’s quiet and to be in a neighborhood where I can go for a walk or a run at night,” he said.

He also wanted three bedrooms: “I’m single now, but I want to have the space for the future in case I get married and have a family.”

Among his options were three single-family homes built between 1979 and 1982, all of which had three bedrooms, two bathrooms and an attached two-car garage.

No. 1

Renovated on a Cul-de-sac

This 1982 house was about 1,140 square feet. The open living room had a vaulted ceiling, a brick fireplace and carpeted floors. The bedrooms were carpeted, too, although the floors in the kitchen and dining area were ceramic tile. The grassy backyard was fenced and had a partially covered stone patio. Mr. Herrera liked the quiet of the cul-de-sac, but the house needed updating, particularly in the kitchen. The asking price was $319,000.

No. 2

Fixer-Upper With Promise

This 1981 house was 1,044 square feet and needed a lot of work. The carpets were dirty, the vinyl floors ripped and the kitchen cabinets unvarnished. Also, each room was painted a different bright color. Still, Mr. Herrera appreciated the big yard with its new fence, citrus trees, lawn and covered patio. He also liked the generous size of the rooms, the built-in closets and the fireplace. The $299,000 asking price would leave plenty of funds for renovating.

No. 3

Larger Home With Turf Yard

This 1979 house was a bit bigger than the other two, at 1,264 square feet. It had wood floors in the kitchen, tile floors and a fireplace in the living room, and carpeting in the bedrooms. The roof had been replaced in 2018. The backyard had a covered patio and artificial turf grass, which Mr. Herrera liked because it required less maintenance. The house was a bit closer to shops and restaurants, which was nice, but when he toured it he noticed there were neighbors outside having an argument. The asking price was $359,000.

Which Would You Choose?

Which Did He Buy?