Grass Valley, CA Real Estate

Each year families are leaving behind the congestion and clutter of the urban areas to immerse themselves in the charm of Grass Valley, California. Located within Nevada County, Grass Valley offers its 12,000 residents a casual country lifestyle, community celebrations, civic and special interest clubs, farmer's markets, outdoor fun, recreational opportunities and cultural events for everyone to enjoy. In years past Time Magazine has named Grass Valley as one of California's "Hot Small Towns".

In spite of its rural appeal, Grass Valley is not isolated. The California State Capitol, Sacramento, is only an hour's drive away. San Francisco is 150 miles to the west. To the east, Sacramento, Reno and the Lake Tahoe basin are all an hour to two hours away.
Grass Valley and the surrounding areas of Nevada County afford some of the most beautiful properties in the country. Whether you are looking for a quaint Victorian in town or serene, lushly forested acreage in the surrounding Sierra foothills, Grass Valley has much to offer prospective homebuyers.

Grass Valley's history is part of the colorful lore of the California Gold Rush. The first notations about the area are from the late 1840's when a party of men searching for cattle came upon a "grassy valley". Grass Valley holds significant California history due to the immense amounts of gold discovered in its underground mines. In 100 years of mining, Grass Valley became the wealthiest of California gold mining towns.

Today Grass Valley is a town filled with natural beauty, a rich history and a talented arts cultural and educational community.
The Grass Valley School District has a 140 year-old heritage in the heart of the California Gold Country. It is widely recognized for its excellent teachers, creative approach to learning, and care for students and families. The district serves 1700 children, pre-school to eighth grade, in seven schools - two pre-schools, two K-5 schools, one 6-8 school, one K-8 charter school and two community day schools. The district boasts excellent teachers, a strong academic program including technology, science, music and visual and performing arts and a wide variety of extracurricular activities.
With an average elevation of 2,500 feet, Grass Valley enjoys a mild, four-season climate. From May to October average temperatures range from 70 to 90 degrees during the daytime, cooling off in the evenings. From November to April daytime temperatures are in the 40's and nighttime temperatures in the 30's. The average rainfall is 55 inches per year. While light snow may fall a few times a year, it rarely lasts very long. Also a veritable recreation mecca; winter, spring, summer and fall - whatever the season - between Grass Valley, Truckee, Nevada City and Nevada County, this area has it all: mountain biking, kayaking, rafting, hiking, fishing, snow sports and water sports.

In addition to being an excellent place to be active and enjoy the outdoors, Grass Valley is also the cultural center of Nevada County featuring a new Center for the Arts that regularly features popular music & theatrical venues in addition to wine tasting rooms and the recently renovated Del Oro Theatre.