$566,711Average Value$249Average Price per Sq Ft10Homes For Sale
A master-planned feel in northwest Bakersfield
About 7 miles from downtown Bakersfield, Brighton is a collection of subdivisions near the Westside Parkway, as well as shopping and dining. “People are drawn here for the master-planned feel of the community. Everything fits together very nicely,” says William Gordon, who’s sold homes here since 2007 and leads the Gordon Team at Watson Realty. “You have really great access to the Westside Parkway. Previously, to get downtown it was kind of a slog. Brighton is a great place for working professionals because they can literally come home from lunch. It’s 10 or 15 minutes each way.” Some subdivisions are gated and have community amenities like pools and clubhouses, and the overall CAP Crime Index Score is 2 out of 10, lower than the national average of 4. Highly rated schools are nearby, as are the shops and park along the River Walk.
Custom Mediterranean-style homes in distinct subdivisions
Brighton has four subdivisions, all with custom or semi-custom homes built mostly in the early 2000s, with Mediterranean-style details like clay-tiled roofs, arched front entrances and stucco exteriors. Three of the subdivisions are gated communities with homeowners associations, shared amenities and different demographics. “In Brighton Estates, you typically have established buyers," Gordon says. "You have young professionals in Brighton Place, which has amenities for kids like a pool and a residents-only park. Then you can have Grandma and Grandpa nearby in Brighton Parks, a 55-plus community.” Brighton's only non-gated subdivision is Spring Meadows, which is, according to Gordon, "more of an established community of semi-custom homes that have nice large lots, with no HOA.”
Homes in Brighton Estates have layouts of 2,600 to 4,700 square feet, and range in price from $600,000 to $1.1 million, depending on a home's size and luxury amenities. Homes in the three other subdivisions have layouts between 1,300 and 2,700 square feet, and prices ranging from $350,000 to $700,000. Monthly HOA fees cost between $130 and $180, covering shared amenities like a community pool and security.
Many of the homes in Brighton have a Craftsman inspired styling.
Most of the two story homes of Brighton have a three car garage and solar panels.
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Football champions at Liberty High
Local kids can start school at American Elementary and then attend Rosedale Middle; both earn an A-minus from Niche. Liberty High earns an A and is ranked by Niche as the No. 2 best high school in the Bakersfield area. “Liberty High is widely regarded as the best or second-best school in town, depending on where your loyalties lie,” Gordon says. “Liberty has great academics, and they even went on to win state recently for football, so they’re a powerhouse for sports, too.” The Liberty High Patriots football team won the state championship in 2022, and other sports teams include basketball and volleyball. The A-rated Bakersfield Christian High is a nearby private school ranked by Niche as the No. 1 Christian high school in the area. California State University, Bakersfield is just 3 miles from Brighton and enrolls over 9,000 students in nearly 60 degree programs.
Rosdale Middle has a 20 to 1 Teacher/Student Ratio.
Liberty High School is home of the Patriots and serves 9th-12th Grades.
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Playgrounds and green space at Liberty Park
Neighborhood parks include the 21-acre Liberty Park, with a playground and soccer fields, and the 14-acre Aera Park, where youth baseball leagues play. Residents of the Brighton Parks 55-plus community have access to private amenities. “It has a beautiful clubhouse and pocket parks where people can walk through the community,” says Judy Miller, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Preferred Realtors who’s sold homes here for 26 years. “They also have a pool, pickleball courts and a nice indoor gym.”
Just south of the river, the 32-acre Park at River Walk has greenspace with picnic tables, playgrounds and lakes where locals can cast a fishing line or watch the ducks. The 30-mile paved Kern River Parkway Trail passes through the park and follows the Kern River to downtown.
Bakersfield residents find different activities at The Park at River Walk.
Aera Park provides some of the best baseball fields in Bakersfield.
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Independence Day at The Park at River Walk
Locals can attend events at California State University, Bakersfield, including sports events, musical performances and plays. At The Park at River Walk, the city holds some of its biggest annual events, like the annual Independence Day celebration, which includes fireworks, a DJ and food trucks. Residents of the Brighton Parks 55-plus community have a full events calendar of their own. “Name the season and they usually have a party going on,” Miller says. “There are also different clubs, and in summer they have water aerobics. From time to time, they’ll do road trips to a winery, or they’ll schedule some type of out-of-town trip.”
A Bakersfield fisherman keeps an eye on his competition at The Park at River Walk.
Two Brighton students hang out in front of the student union at CSU Bakersfield.
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Easy access to the Westside Parkway
The Westside Parkway (State Route 58) passes through the neighborhood, leading about 7 miles east to downtown Bakersfield. While a sound wall separates houses from the freeway, some residents may hear traffic noise. “The noise impacts are more than offset by the convenience,” Gordon says. The Golden Empire Transit bus makes several stops in the neighborhood, and bike lanes provide a car-free alternative. While there are sidewalks in the area, most residents drive or bike to get around. Valley Children's Hospital is right in the neighborhood, and Dignity Health’s Mercy Hospital Southwest is about 3 miles away. Bakersfield's international Meadows Field Airport is a roughly 10-mile trip.
The nearby Shops at River Walk
The Shops at River Walk is the area’s main commercial district, just across the river from Brighton. Here, locals can shop at national retailers like Target, Nordstrom Rack and TJ Maxx. There are also several national chain restaurants, including Yard House and California Pizza Kitchen. In the neighborhood’s southwest, the locally owned Flame & Fire Brazilian Steakhouse offers carved meats in a modern atmosphere. To the south, diners can enjoy lighter fare at Smitten, a casual eatery serving coffee and pastries in the morning and cocktails and burgers at night. Nearby grocery stores include Albertsons, Grocery Outlet and Sprouts Farmers Market.
Brighton residents can find all their fresh organic food at Sprouts.
Brighton residents can get all their everyday items at the nearby Target.
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High air pollution levels throughout Bakersfield
The American Lung Association often ranks Bakersfield as having the highest annual particle pollution of any United States city. “We’re at the south end of the San Joaquin Valley, surrounded on three sides by mountain ranges, so some of the pollution from the Bay Area and Sacramento drifts down and gets stuck,” Miller says. “Once we have a rain or nice breeze to get it out, it can be beautiful here. If you have COPD or lung issues, it may not be the best place for you, but it’s better than it used to be.” Residents can download the IQAir AirVisual App to monitor local air quality.
A Fairway Oaks couple take in a brisk morning walk around the nearby Liberty Park.
Red roses bloom outside the gated community of Brighton Estates.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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On average, homes in Brighton, Bakersfield sell after 29 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Brighton, Bakersfield over the last 12 months is $549,000, up 4% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Welcome to the esteemed gated community of Brighton Estates. Nicely situated near Westside Park Freeway and The Shops at Riverwalk, it offers an exceptional combination of peace and convenience. Thoughtfully designed split wing floor plan featuring elegant hardwood flooring, luxurious granite countertops, a formal dining area, central vacuum system, and state-of-the-art stainless steel
Highly sought-after Brighton Village home in a prime NW location! This spacious 4-bedroom, 2.75-bath home features a downstairs office with 3/4 bath and an upstairs bonus/family room perfect for today's lifestyle. The inviting great room boasts hardwood floors, a cozy fireplace, and built-in bookshelves. You'll love the open kitchen with granite counters, stainless appliances including a Bosch
The lush and flower-filled landscaping and Malibu lighting in the front yard of this corner-lot home is the envy of the entire neighborhood, and welcomes you into this spacious, well-lit home with a very open and inviting floor plan. As you enter the foyer, the formal living room and the formal dining room surrounds you. This is a split-wing home, with the main bedroom/bath on the east wing and
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
