The Terraces at San Joaquin Gardens — How Fresno Homeowners Sell Their Home to Move In

The Terraces at San Joaquin Gardens is unlike any other senior living community in Fresno. Set on 26 acres of beautifully maintained gardens at 5555 N Fresno Street, it is a nonprofit Life Plan Community (also called a Continuing Care Retirement Community, or CCRC) operated by HumanGood, one of the largest nonprofit senior living organizations in the country.

What makes The Terraces unique is its continuum of care model: residents can move in as independent living residents and, if their care needs change, transition to assisted living, memory care, or skilled nursing — all on the same campus, without having to move to a different facility. For many families, this is the most important feature: you choose The Terraces once, and it takes care of you through every stage.

What The Terraces Costs

The Terraces operates on an entrance fee plus monthly fee model, which is common for Life Plan Communities. Entrance fees at The Terraces vary significantly by unit type and contract structure — ranging from roughly $100,000 to $500,000 or more for larger units. Monthly fees typically range from $3,000 to $6,000+ depending on care level and unit size. The entrance fee is partially refundable in most contract types, which means a portion of it comes back to your estate when you leave.

For most Fresno homeowners, the entrance fee is funded directly from the home sale proceeds. This is the primary reason families contact us: they need to sell the family home quickly to secure a specific unit at The Terraces before it is taken by another applicant.

The Waitlist and Timing

The Terraces has waitlists for most unit types, particularly independent living cottages and larger apartments. When a unit becomes available, the community contacts the next person on the waitlist and gives them a limited time to commit. If you are not financially ready — meaning your home has not sold — you may lose your spot.

This is where a cash sale becomes essential. A traditional listing in Fresno takes 45 to 90 days. A cash sale closes in 5 to 7 days. If The Terraces calls and says your unit is available in 30 days, a cash sale is the only way to be ready. We also offer rent-back arrangements so you can close on your home, receive your cash, and continue living there while you finalize your move to The Terraces.

Selling a Parent's Home to Fund The Terraces

Many of the families we work with are adult children managing the sale of a parent's home to fund a move to The Terraces. Whether the parent is moving from their own home or from another facility, the process is the same: sell the home, use the proceeds for the entrance fee, and establish the monthly fee from ongoing income and investments. We work with Power of Attorney holders, trustees, and families managing this transition from out of town. Call (559) 281-8016 or visit alderheritagehomes.com/sell-parents-house-fresno for more information.