California Real Estate News

Forbes.com has a list of the top 10 best places to be rich in the United States.  Among the list were the popular California cities; San Francisco(3), Santa Barbara(4), San Jose(7) & San Diego(9).

San Francisco was rich in beauty, luxury goods, dining, pricey homes, charity & culture.

Those who occupy the lofty elevations of Russian Hill, Pacific Heights and Presidio Heights would surely agree that San Francisco should be high on the desirability list. The weather may be damp and fickle, but this West Coast city has far more than its fair share of good food, good shopping, culture and high society. Anyway, the days of this being a hipster heaven are long gone as today you need plenty of bucks to live here.

Santa Barbara was rich in food, service, charity & culture.

With a median home price of $960,000, it's no wonder Santa Barbara ranked 4th on our list. The posh coastal city also ranked in the top ten in the fine dining category. Even though there is no local Louis Vuitton store, it does boast a high percentage of personal chefs, butlers and, of course, celebrities neighbors like Oprah Winfrey. Oh yes, it's also really beautiful.

San Jose was rich in luxury goods, charity & culture.

If you live in Atherton or Palo Alto, you know why San Jose made it onto our list. Ranking high in luxury goods, charity and culture measures, this California city attracts the wealthy and has the services to keep them happy.

San Diego was rich in beauty & pricey homes.

Though it didn't score particularly well in the culture or charity departments, San Diego doesn't weigh in too far from the top when it comes to pricey homes. It's tough, after all, not to be swayed by a year round average temperature of 70 degrees--not to mention La Jolla's stunning coastal views.

Click here to view the slide show from Forbes.com on the 10 Best Places To Be Rich.