Paradise

Magalia comes from the Latin word for cottages, the tiny homes settlers lived in when the town was established during the gold rush of 1850. Magalia has come a long way since then. This unincorporated community outside Paradise is full of modern homes, restaurants and local businesses. Although it is an incorporated community in the hills of Butte County, Magalia doesn't feel remote. Homes are organized on residential roads, and the main thoroughfare through the neighborhood winds past shopping and dining. After the Camp Fire in 2018 destroyed much of the homes and trees around Magalia, the community has come back with newly built homes and an influx of new residents. Buyers come to Magalia to seek some space. “The majority of homes have nice parcels of land,” says Rhonda Maehl, Paradise resident and a long-time Realtor at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Welcome Home. “There is a mix of older homes. However, since the fire in 2018, a third of the town has been rebuilt and is brand new. Most of the new houses are builder speculation homes.” These newer speculation houses, typically Modern Traditional in style, sell between $290,000 and $450,000. Older homes, a mix of ranch-styles and Modern Traditional, sell between $200,000 and $600,000. The fire left many build-ready lots available, which sell anywhere from $12,000 to over $600,000 depending on acreage. “It’s a more affordable area. Historically, it's cheaper than anywhere else in Butte County,” says Dave Donnan, a Realtor with the Ryno Company with 25 years of experience. Fires are common in the area. “It’s heavily wooded and prone to fires,” says Donnan. “What you save in buying a house, you pay for in insurance.” The 2018 Camp Fire was abnormally destructive, resulting in the total destruction of a large percentage of Magalia's homes. Magalia Fire Center, managed by Butte County, serves the area and keeps track of potential fire outbreaks. The fire center makes safety plans to mitigate damage and keep community members safe. The Paradise Unified School District serves Magalia. Most kids start school at Cedarwood Elementary School, graded B by Niche. They can go on to attend Paradise Intermediate School, graded B, and Paradise Senior High School, B-plus, where senior students can enroll in Butte Community College to earn college credit. Residents will need a car to get around the neighborhood and to travel into surrounding communities. Paradise is five miles south, but Chico is farther away, sitting 20 miles west. The Skyway is the main thoroughfare through Magalia and one of the main drags through Butte County. This roadway leads down to Paradise and up into the hills. “It doesn’t feel far out,” says Maehl. “We have restaurants and shopping, but there aren’t doubles of anything: there’s one sushi restaurant, one pizza restaurant, one diner.” Izzy’s Too Burgers and Barbeque, Sakura Sushi, Red Lion Pizza and the Hilltop Cafe are all located along the Skyway. Holiday Market grocery store and the local Rite Aid are also stops along the Skyway. Magalia is surrounded by parks, so citizens will be within a short distance of public green space anywhere in the community, from Magalia Community Park to Poa Trailhead. Residents can hike around the Paradise Reservoir and take in views of the water, or explore the trails around the Green Belt. Magalia is in the hills of Butte County and situated between the Magalia Reservoir and the Little and Middle Butte Creek. The reservoir’s waters offer plenty of opportunities for recreation, from fishing to kayaking. Residents hike and take in views of the creek from Loch Lomond Glen Foundation. Magalia Community Park hosts community events throughout the year. Most are regular, smaller scale events like dance and yoga classes and other senior citizen fitness initiatives. They do host more seasonal events, like a summer concert series and a children’s Christmas party and tree lighting.