The Hillcrest Approach to Real Estate Development

Hillcrest Homes acquires, develops, entitles and sells land in Southern California. Our primary focus is on the residential real estate market, although our work also encompasses commercial properties.

There's no one "right size" development project for Hillcrest Homes. Size and purchase price are less important to us than a project's profit potential, margin, or its efficient use of capital. That's why you'll find Hillcrest Homes doing everything from entitling a 35-lot in-fill parcel in suburban San Marcos; to developing and marketing a 30-acre retail center in Riverside; and acquiring, entitling and marketing planning areas on multiple 100-acre former dairy farms in the growing community of Eastvale; and much more.

What motivates a "go" decision for Hillcrest Homes is potential. We know the communities in which we operate: the real estate market, local economic conditions and political climate. We study each project carefully, weighing its potential financial success against the market and capital risk it presents. And we answer every question about the physical development that will be needed, both outside our project boundaries and within, before we release any non-refundable purchase funds.

Among the areas we've targeted since our founding are the San Diego County communities of Oceanside, San Marcos, Vista and Escondido; the Riverside County communities of Temecula, Murietta and Eastvale; the San Bernardino County communities of Chino, Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana, Ontario and Victorville; and a number of Ventura County communities, including Calabasas, Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park and Simi Valley.

We're careful. We're deliberate. We're flexible. And we're decisive. Those characteristics enable Hillcrest Homes to seize the right opportunity whenever -- and wherever -- it knocks.

HOW WE WORK

Hillcrest Homes has the expertise to take any development project from start to finish:

  • acquire raw, unentitled land;

  • take that property through the entitlement process, working closely with cities, government agencies and community representatives to ensure a win-win outcome for all concerned;

  • redesign and value-engineer the land plan on previously entitled property to enhance its value and marketability;

  • perform any necessary external, on-site or planning area improvements; and

  • market the property, whether at the post-entitlement or post-site-improvement stage, to residential or commercial developers and builders.

We move quickly, but deliberately, when we identify a promising investment. Following our initial assessment of the land, the required entitlements, the local governing jurisdiction, and the area's market potential, we develop, among other things, preliminary cost and time estimates before committing to a purchase.

Once a project is green-lighted, we assemble a team of project consultants -- civil and soils engineers, geologists, environmental and political consultants, planners and landscape architects, water and sanitary sewer experts, and legal, accounting, public relations and marketing professionals. That consulting team works closely with Hillcrest's executives to see the project through to completion.