Contemporary subdivisions and properties for rural life in Winchester
Surrounded by Diamond Valley Lake and the communities of Murrieta, Temecula and Hemet, the community of Winchester offers two diverse lifestyles. “Winchester has newer construction communities from 2000 to the current day,” says Tom Bashe, a broker associate and founder of Localist Realty, who has over 20 years of experience. “People like the more contemporary home styles, the newer neighborhoods and the nice amenities, like parks.” North of Winchester’s recently developed subdivisions, single-family and manufactured homes with room for horses, recreational vehicles and other hobbies sit on acreage.
New Traditional houses, ranchers and manufactured homes on acreage
Clouds of sand settle slowly on Winchester’s gravel residential streets every time a car passes by. New traditional homes with Spanish Revival touches built starting in the early 2000s — interspersed with a variety of palm trees — have private, fenced backyards. Some are sandy, while others have artificial turf lawns or pools, depending on their prices, which range from $560,000 to $850,000.
A handful of ranch-style homes from the 1960s and the 1970s come on about an acre of land, allowing room for horses, chickens, other livestock and recreational vehicle parking. Manufactured and mobile homes are also common throughout the area. Fetching between $140,000 and $810,000, these homes come with the acreage they sit on. Those part of Santiago Park Vista Mobile Homes Estates, a 55-plus community, range from $30,000 to $115,000. Monthly lot rents between $500 and $600 maintain amenities like a pool, a clubhouse and a greenbelt.
Diamond Valley Lake, and athletic amenities in Winchester parks
Winchester sits north of Diamond Valley Lake, one of the largest man-made reservoirs in the region. Originally created to provide water for surrounding communities during periods of drought, the lake is now known for black bass, bluegill, sunfish and rainbow trout fishing. Swimming — along with any body contact — is prohibited. Within the community, Winchester-Domenigoni Park offers three baseball diamonds, two soccer fields, a tennis court and a basketball court next to Francis Domenigoni Community Center, home to more indoor athletic amenities. Conestoga Park serves residential pockets in southwestern Winchester with four basketball half-courts, two tennis courts and a soccer field. Its playground features a spiral slide and a climbing structure fashioned from rope. Electric, competition go-karts whir along the roughly mile-long outdoor racing track at K1 Circuit, which also hosts a monthly competition league.
Career technical education and Advanced Placement at Tahquitz High
Children may start their K-12 journeys at Winchester Elementary School, which receives a C-plus grade from Niche. They may then move forward to C-rated Rancho Viejo Middle School before concluding their secondary education at B-rated Tahquitz High School. The high school offers 17 Advanced Placement courses — including AP Calculus B/C, Art History and European History — as well as career technical education in construction technology, sports medicine, digital media and technical theater, among other disciplines. Its visual and performing arts program includes a jazz ensemble, a folklorico dance class and up to three years of ceramics.
Winchester Road’s local eateries, a country market and nearby wineries
A few restaurants line Winchester Road, toward the center of town. Breakfast is served all day at Chris Burgers, which also offers hamburgers, sandwiches, casual dinners and Mexican dishes. A few blocks south, more pizza and burger options can be enjoyed with live music or game-day broadcasts at Whiskey Babes. Surrounded by farm fields and country roads, Winchester Farms Country Market carries fresh produce, eggs and honey from local suppliers. Its on-site restaurant, Jolene’s Country Kitchen, is a popular choice for breakfast and tamales. WinCo Foods, Stater Bros. Markets and Sprouts Farmers Market are all located farther east along California state Route 74 in Hemet. “Proximity to wine country is also a consideration,” Bashe says. “That’s more of a thing to do around here.” Nearly 20 wineries are scattered south of French Village, about 20 miles away or less from Winchester.
State highway connections to French Valley, Interstates 15 and 215
Winchester Road, also known as California state Route 79, runs through the center of the community, leading south to French Valley and eventually merging into Interstate 15. California state Route 74 runs along the north side of Winchester and connects to Interstate 215 in the west.
The Riverside Transit Agency maintains two routes that service Winchester and take passengers to the nearby communities of Hemet, Menifee, Sun City, French Valley, Murrieta and Temecula. Thirteen airlines maintain 30 direct flights from Palm Springs International Airport, which is about 55 miles away. The Ontario International Airport, roughly 50 miles from Winchester, offers 27 direct flights across the country and to a handful of international airports as well.
Environmental factors
Winchester and the surrounding area are at a higher risk of earthquakes, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Winchester is also at a higher risk of wildfires.
Photography Contributed By
Kory Ross
