Westminster, California Real Estate Agent - Hannah Nguyen

I have tried many professions in my career, but decided to join the real estate profession 5 years ago, first as an investor and eventually became a licensed REALTOR. I have yet looked back since.

My family moved to Garden Grove in 1990 and we shared a room. We had very little space for 5 people in our room. I worked full time and attend school part-time and eventually earned my first license as Manicurist. I continued going to beauty school also earned Professional Cosmetologist license. Though this is a good start in my career and earnings, I've decided to look into real-estate profession since this is my dream of becoming a homeowner and the excitement of helping other first time buyer.

Since becoming a REALTOR, my experience had helped me starting from owning my first modest home in Anaheim, California and upgrade to my big dream house in Garden Grove, California. I had also helped many first-time buyers experience the joy and happiness of owning their dream home like my first experience. Real Estate profession has really fulfilled my dream of becoming a homeowner and helped many other first-time buyers, upgraders, and investors.

Westminster Facts, History, and Local Events

The city of Westminster occupies the northwestern end of Orange County of California. Bordered by urban centers like Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, Garden Grove, and Fountain Valley, the city surrounds almost all of the unincorporated Midway City. Westminster is a vibrant urban community, and has much to offer both residents and visitors. This Orange County city was founded by a Presbyterian minister as a temperance colony, and named after the Westminster Assembly of 1643. The city was originally part of Tri-City, a three city amalgamation consisting of Westminster, Midway City, and Barber City. At the time of incorporation, Midway City declined, and Barber City was absorbed to become the western portion of the City of Westminster. The city today is a thriving and diverse community, with a large Asian American population. Once covered in orchards of orange and lemon trees, the city today attracts myriad visitors with its rich diversity of food, recreation and sights. The area of Little Saigon is one of the biggest tourist attractions, and offers a huge number of Southeast Asian restaurants, jewelry stores and arts and crafts.

Westminster, California Area Map Westminster was one of the few colonies in Orange County that were deliberately founded. Lemuel P. Webber, a Presbyterian Reverend, bought 6000 acres of land in the area in 1870 to fulfill his lifelong dream of founding a temperance colony. He invited like minded people to settle on 40 acre farms and form the colony. John Y. Anderson, from Virginia, was the first settler. However, these were not the first people to live in this area. The Oak Grove people lived in the area something like 8,000 years ago. Later, the Gabrieleno Indians occupied the area. In the more recent time, after its founding, the 1880's the city continued to grow. Primarily an agricultural community, with thousands of acres of productive soil, the city became one of the largest producers, and suppliers, of celery world wide. The building of the Santa Fe and the Southern Pacific railroads increased the influx of settlers leading to a land boom.

By 1942, the population was around 2,500, including many Japanese farmers. However, the city saw a number of changes before, during and just after the Second World War. The global war affected the growth and development if the city of Westminster in a lot of ways. Younger men of the city enlisted to go and fight in the war, leaving the older population, women, and children behind. The Japanese farmers in the area were all moved out of the County altogether. As shipyards and aircraft factories opened nearby, defense workers moved in, and settled here, from all over the Midwest to work at those yards and factories. The end of the war saw many returning servicemen choosing to stay in the area, being fond of the climate and peace of the city. Huge housing developments grew in areas surrounding Westminster.

By the time the 1960's rolled around, the population of the city had grown fourfold. The construction of new freeways linking the city with the Southland Freeways added to the growth, making Westminster better connected and giving easier access. The 1970's and 1980's were a boom time for commerce, and a large influx of Southeast Asian refugees, began the process that would make the city so unique. Having escaped from the civil wars and conflicts in their native lands, large masses of Asians, especially Vietnamese, chose to settle in this area. They set up businesses, and brought their regional influences of culture, food, and crafts, making Westminster the largest Vietnamese population outside of Vietnam. The city was awarded the All-America City title in 1996, something given each year by the National Civic League to cities showing exemplar civic accomplishments. The city has continued to grow since the turn of the century, and in the first decade.

Life in Westminster provides the visitor and the local with all the benefits of an inland community while living just near the beach. Minutes away from coastal communities like Long Beach or Huntington Beach, the city is a model of diversity. Its rich history of cooperation between citizens and local government ensures the best possible lifestyle for its residents, and excellent - and ample - recreational opportunities and services, annual cultural events, quality progressive education for the young and a strong economy able to weather most economic storms.