Overlooking Riverside from the foothills of the Temescal Mountains, Woodcrest is a growing collection of suburbs, hillside estates and sprawling ranch properties surrounded by nature preserves. “It’s a more rural branch of Riverside, where they allow for larger lots for horses, goats, really whatever you want,” explains Molly Silva-Gurrola, Owner and Realtor with Modern Dwellings Real Estate. “You pay lower taxes here because it’s unincorporated, but you’re still close to all the city’s amenities.” Local kids attend Riverside Unified Schools, and many parents either commute into the city to work for Riverside County or the nearby March Air Reserve Base. Woodcrest’s proximity to Riverside’s downtown district and shopping malls also continues to be an area draw, but the community has seen increasing commercial development. “There’s tons of growth in Woodcrest, in terms of new homes and commercial space,” Silva-Gurrola says.
Find your dream home in Woodcrest, a beautiful hillside community just outside Riverside, CA.
The Woodcrest welcome sign greets you to a hillside community with ranch homes in Woodcrest, CA.
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Suburbs, hillside estates and ranch-style homes
As of early 2025, Woodcrest’s median home price is $880,000, higher than Riverside’s $650,000 and more than twice the national median. “There’s a lot of estate properties out in Woodcrest, where you can get more land than you would in Riverside,” says Silva-Gurrola. Large new traditional homes from the 2010s with Spanish- and Tudor-style details are common in Canyon Ridge , where many of the properties are either custom-built into the hilly terrain or set along the area’s private streets. In central Woodcrest and Lake Mathews , midcentury ranch-style homes often sit on a quarter acre or more of flat, exposed earth.
Spacious quarter acre lots complement the beauty of midcentury ranch homes in Woodcrest, CA.
Discover beautiful Spanish style homes featuring clay tile roofs in Woodcrest, CA.
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Award-winning Riverside Schools
Woodcrest’s students are served by the Riverside Unified School District, which earns an A-minus from Niche. Most of Woodcrest is zoned for the A-rated Martin Luther King High School, a three-time California Distinguished School awardee whose sports teams have won five state championships between 2020 and 2024.
Families in Woodcrest, CA, choose Woodcrest Elementary School for their children's learning.
The school day begins as students walk to Martin Luther King Jr High School in Woodcrest, CA.
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Nature centers and reserves abound
“There’s very little park space in Woodcrest because it’s unincorporated, but it’s super close to places like the Santa Ana River, Lake Perris and plenty of horse trails,” Silva-Gurrola explains. The Santa Ana River is around 14 miles north, its banks dotted with large passive parks that include the horse-friendly Hidden Valley Nature Center and Santa Ana River Regional Park. Lake Perris to the east is filled with boats in the summertime, and in winter it becomes a hotspot for duck hunting and fishing. Just south of Woodcrest, the 325-acre Harford Springs Reserve has juniper woodlands and desert hills that are popular with horseback riders. The massive Lake Mathews-Estelle Mountain Reserve also lies immediately east of Woodcrest, but is off-limits to the public in order to protect the Lake Mathews Reservoir and vital area bird habitats.
Residents of Woodcrest enjoy public golfing at the nearby General Old Golf Course, CA.
Head to Arlington Heights Sports Park near Woodcrest, CA, for a fun basketball game.
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New commercial spaces along Van Buren Boulevard
Although Downtown Riverside and the Galleria at Tyler shopping mall were once shopping destinations for Woodcrest residents, commercial growth has followed the community’s residential developments. “There’s no real need to go into the city anymore because Woodcrest has great stores and cafes opening up,” Silva-Gurrola says. A handful of strip malls and shopping plazas can be found along Van Buren Boulevard, many of which are home to casual eateries and small-scale retailers. Woodcrest Plaza — the community’s largest shopping center — is home to a Stater Bros. Market grocery store, a western-themed cafe and a collection of global eateries.
Sprouts provides Woodcrest residents with a healthy grocery shopping option in the area.
Woodcrest Plaza provides a convenient spot for dining and shopping for locals in Woodcrest, CA.
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Near State Road 91 and Interstate 25
Van Buren Boulevard runs through the center of Woodcrest, leading 2 miles west to California State Road 91 and 4 miles east to Interstate 25. Riverside, a regional employment hub, is immediately north of the community, reachable via local streets. The Riverside Community Hospital is 9 miles north, and San Bernardino International Airport is 22 miles north.
High wildfire risk in Woodcrest
Woodcrest experiences a high risk of wildfires due to the warm, arid Santa Ana winds.The most recent wildfire to impact the area was the Gavilan Wildfire in July 2023, which burnt over 200 acres, including some of the Harford Springs Reserve. Riverside County Parks has since rehabilitated the reserve and opened it to visitors.
As a Southern California Native, and a knowledgeable real estate professional, I recognize and value the trust my clients place in me and I strive every day to exceed their expectations. I began real estate during my summer time off of work with the Los Angeles Unified School District and quickly discovered a passion for helping families fulfill their dreams of homeownership that I decided to start my real estate career full-time. Now for almost 20 years, I have been dedicated to serving my clients with the utmost integrity, respect, and honesty in order to skillfully guide them to achieve their real estate goals throughout Palm Springs, surrounding Coachella Valley desert cities, the Inland Empire, Southbay/L.A. County, Orange County and San Diego County.
In representing you in selling your home, I will do an intensive market data search of active, pending and closed sales so that together we can determine the best listing price to get your home sold in the shortest amount of time and for top dollar. Your home will get the maximum local, national, and international exposure with the latest technologies supported by the iconic brand and marketing powerhouse, Sotheby’s International Realty. In representing you on the purchase of your home, I will listen to your needs to find your family's dream home and negotiate the best price and terms possible. My number one priority is my clients and with my unparalleled service, I make it their best experience.
In my spare time, I enjoy family time and discovering new restaurants all over the community!
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