8 California Master-Planned Communities Among Nation's Top-Selling
Los Angeles-based real estate advisor RCLCO recently released its 2017 list of the nation’s most lucrative master-planned communities. California’s very own Irvine Ranch, along with seven other developments throughout the state, made the company’s top 50 list.
Even though Irvine Ranch fell to second place due to a nine percent drop in home sales from 2016, many of the other communities experienced sales increases over the past year. According to the report, growth within each master-planned development can be attributed to an increased attraction to the area from international buyers, as well as the focus on targeting age-specific communities such as young families and 55+ buyers.
Learn about each of these California master-planned communities below:
Irvine Ranch - Irvine
Irvine Ranch in Orange County is considered one of the nation’s largest and most successful master-planned developments. Sprawled across 93,000 acres, the residential community encompasses the city of Irvine and even areas of Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Tustin, Orange, and Anaheim. A city in itself, Irvine Ranch neighborhoods include a mixture of townhomes, luxury condominium units, and even 55+ housing. The locally based Irvine Company oversees the vast property and has worked towards land preservation rather than selling off parcels to the highest bidder. The master-planned community took second place overall.
Great Park Neighborhoods - Irvine
Another Orange County community that landed on the report’s list was Great Park, which consists of three popular neighborhoods called Parasol Park, Beacon Park, and Pavilion Park, claiming the ninth spot. Homes in this community range from chic three-story townhomes starting in the high $500,000s to massive 5+ bedroom mansions in the $2 millions. Developer Five Point Communities focuses on creating not only a tight-knit community but also a nature-inspired development filled with landscaped walking and biking paths.
Rancho Mission Viejo - San Juan Capistrano
After closing out an estimated 595 home sales in 2017, Rancho Mission Viejo in San Juan Capistrano ranked 11th overall. The approximately 23,000-acre development is part of what was once three family ranches stretching from Los Angeles to Long Beach and Anaheim. The family-owned Rancho Mission Viejo, LLC has built a solid reputation as a family-oriented community, open to all homeowners, whether they’re young families or 55+ residents. Home prices for the development start in the high $400,000s.
Otay Ranch - Chula Vista
Sitting pretty at 13th overall on the nation’s top-selling list is Otay Ranch, a master-planned community in San Diego, which recently opened in 2017. Situated in Chula Vista and Carlsbad, the 5,300-acre development combines classic old-style architecture with the latest modern community designs. Homeowners enjoy pedestrian-friendly amenities including several pedestrian parks, plenty of walking paseos and bike trails, and even promenade streets. Read more about the community here.
Baker Ranch - Lake Forest
Another activity-oriented community is Baker Ranch in Lake Forest, which came in 17th on the top 50 list. Named after the Baker family, who once owned much of the land that now makes up Lake Forest, Baker Ranch first opened in Orange County in 2014. The luxury master-planned community is overseen by two home builders, Shea Homes and Toll Brothers.
Wallis Ranch - Dublin
Voted 2017 National Community of the Year by the National Association of Home Builders, Wallis Ranch in Dublin, which also opened in 2017, placed 34th in the rankings. The development has seven homebuilders, so homeowners can expect a variety of homes from single-family homes to townhomes and condominiums in each neighborhood.
Westpark - Roseville
Like Wallis Ranch, the Northern California master-planned community Westpark in Sacramento also opened in 2017. Although the Roseville development is still in its initial building phases, there are plenty of additional homes and amenities to come. The development made a strong start, selling 368 homes last year, which landed it at 36th on the list.
Ontario Ranch - Ontario
It looks like the master-planned community Ontario Ranch in Ontario finally hit its stride since home builder Brookfield Residential announced the newest neighborhood New Haven opened last August. The assorted collection of townhomes not only incorporates smart designs, but also tries to provide residents with family-focused amenities and lots to do. Brookfield hopes to reach new homeowners, such as first-time buyers and millennials, with its reasonably priced homes starting from the high $200,000s.