The San Francisco Chronicle is not known for its coverage of San Joaquin County, but on March 8, all that changed when it featured River Islands in a front page story about the migration of Bay Area buyers across the Altamont. In 2020, as people left the more-congested areas around San Francisco and San Jose for more open space and an opportunity to work from home, San Joaquin County became the home to more former Bay Area residents than ever.

In a year that broke records for home sales, approximately 76% of our community’s 641 home sales in 2020 came from Bay Area zip codes. Many thanks to River Islands residents Leslie and Chad Boundin and Virgra “Bing” Banaag for being willing to be interviewed in this article. And thanks, Bing, for your final statement in the piece: “I had never even heard of River Islands before and now everybody wants to live here. It’s the talk of my friends right now.”

So why is our gorgeous master-planned community the talk of Northern California? Here are some of the reasons people are making the move from the hustle and bustle of the Bay Area to River Islands – the home of the seven-day weekend.

Impressive Homes

Whether your family is growing or you’re looking for an “empty nest” home, River Islands offers a variety of beautiful residences to fit your unique lifestyle or life stage. Our community features stunning neighborhoods with plenty of versatile floorplans to choose from. Our generous and affordable homes offer an abundance of space for you to attain your #workfromhome goals or explore your hobbies. To find your family’s happy place in Lathrop, use our Homefinder tool at RiverIslands.com.

Amazing Amenities

When you live at River Islands, there are a variety of outdoor adventures just steps away from your front door. Our breathtaking community offers several parks that are the perfect venue for a weekend picnic or a friendly game of basketball. You can also enjoy a bike ride along our riverside trail, or participate in a water activity on one of our 13 man-made lakes. After your day of fun, take in the scenery while enjoying a delicious meal at The Boathouse, River Islands’ very own restaurant.

Stellar Schools

River Islands takes pride in providing an environment where your kids can thrive and reach their full academic potential. Our community is home to two charter K-8 schools, River Islands Technology Academy and STEAM Academy, and both are part of the newly formed River Islands Academies. In addition, River Islands is also designing an all-new K-8 charter school on-site that is expected to be completed in the 2022-23 academic year.

Do you have a child that will be ready for high school soon? Great news! Thanks to a recent voter turnout in favor of expanding Banta Elementary into a Unified School District, plans are now underway for a high school in our community! Click HERE to find out more about the River Islands Academies.

So, what are you waiting for? Now is the time to plant your roots in our fantastic community! Visit RiverIslands.com to start searching for your forever home and follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay connected.

Tags: Lathrop, Lathrop Real Estate, River Islands, New Homes Lathrop, River Islands Lathrop, Bay Area Homes, River Islands CA, New Homes Bay Area, RiverIslands, River Islands Technology Academy, RiverIslandsCA, Master Planned Community, NorCal Homes, NorCal Real Estate, New Homes NorCal