Centrally located, immaculately kept and extremely manicured
Irvine is one of the country's largest planned urban communities, a Southern California stunner with over 300,000 residents, making it the second-largest city in Orange County. "Why Irvine? Well, it's centrally located, it's immaculately kept and extremely manicured. Everything at the city level is well maintained, and the schools are amazing," says EQTY Realtor Daniel Finder, who is among the city's top sellers and called Irvine home for over 30 years. Bucking the population decline trend of broader California, Irvine is a growing city known as a great place to raise a family because of its top-notch school district. It is also home to the University of California Irvine, one of the best schools in the UC system. The school is one of the biggest employers in the city, along with Edwards Lifesciences, Allergan, Broadcom, Rivian, and even Taco Bell. Irvine isn't known for nightlife, but it has high-profile shopping centers and dynamic dining destinations all over town. The city often brings people together through a series of annual events, including one signature event that celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2021. About 80 miles north of San Diego and 40 miles south of Los Angeles, the city's location is ideal for many and highly desirable. "You're also not far from the water. You can drop down to the 133 and be in Laguna Beach in 15 minutes or less," Finder says.
Turtle Rock offers convenient suburban living with outdoor activities and great schools.
University Park and Town Center is homes to UC Irvine.
Neighbors in University Park take pride in their town and their landscaping.
Turtle Rock residents head to bustling University Center for shopping and dining options.
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The Irvine Global Village Festival is an annual highlight
Irvine is known for community events, but the Irvine Global Village Festival is the annual calendar highlight. The first festival occurred in 1988, and the second in 2000, before becoming a mainstay event in 2002. The most recent occurrence in October 2024 included dance and music performers, food stands and trucks, handmade goods and art from a global marketplace and interactive kids' activities. Irvine's signature event highlights the city's vibrant and culturally diverse community.
Kids of demonstrate their martial arts prowess at the Irvine Global Village Festival.
The Irvine Global Village Festival plays host to booths representing a variety of cultures.
Kids of all ages love the petting zoo at the Irvine Global Village Festival in the Great Park.
Learn how to cha-cha with dance troupes at the Irvine Global Village Festival in the Great Park.
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Homes are very expensive by both state and national standards
Homes in Irvine are expensive by any standard — state, national, and even Los Angeles prices are all lower. “I deal with a fair share of relocation clients, and many start with ‘I want to move to Irvine,’ but it’s really about whether or not they can afford it,” Finder says. In September 2024, the median home price in the city was upward of $1.7 million, compared to $900,000 in broader California, $420,000 nationally and over $1 million in LA. Many Southern California communities experience a lot of investor activity, but because homes in the city sell for an absolute premium, many steer clear of Irvine. “If someone is looking for a long play and something to lease out no problem, then maybe Irvine is a good fit, but people don’t usually want to pay top dollar for an investment property,” Finder says. Homes in the city favor the Tuscan Mediterranean style, though there have been some different designs in newer communities. Finder says Shady Canyon is Irvine’s Beverly Hills — in October 2024, the least expensive home was around $8 million, while the most expensive was about $45 million. Turtle Rock is another millionaire’s playground with custom hilltop estates. “My favorite community in Irvine is Woodbridge. It’s oval shaped with an east loop and a west loop, and in the middle of the loops, you have lakes, lagoons and walking paths,” Finder says. “The houses are a little older, but the HOA has gotten a little more liberal about allowing more custom estates. I like the community amenities that Woodbridge provides compared to other neighborhoods.”
Taxes are a consideration everywhere, and Irvine is no different. The Mello-Roos is a special assessment tax that was put in place in the 1980s
Neighbors in University Park take pride in their town and their landscaping.
Woodbridge, in Orange County, is one of the best places to live in California.
Many homes in Shady Canyon have panoramic views of the mountains.
Shady Canyon is a gated community tucked in the hills of Irvine.
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Irvine Unified is one of the top districts in the state
The schools in Irvine are a draw to homebuyers. One of the best in the state, Irvine Unified is a public school district graded A-plus by Niche. "One thing the city is great at is the strategic placement of their schools within the community to create ideal living standards. Irvine is such a well-developed place," Finder says. With 45 of its 48 campuses receiving an A or A-plus rating, Niche ranks it in California's top 15 school districts and lists it on the 2022 Best Schools in America report. One of the top performers is University High School, rated in California's top 10 public schools by Niche. Its team placed first in the Orange County Academic Decathlon in 2021. University of California Irvine students make up 12% of this city's total population, and it's one of the top 10 public universities in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report.
UC Irvine is an NCAA Division I School.
University Park Elementary is one of the top rated schools in South Orange County.
Rancho San Joaquin Middle School prides itself on excellence in education.
University High School near UC Irvine is a top school in the Irvine Unified School District.
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The Great Park is a city highlight with a balloon ride
Irvine has 22 community parks and more than 40 neighborhood parks, meaning a cultivated green space is walkable from just about anywhere in the city. Great Park is arguably the most iconic of Irvine’s 62 parks, where visitors can ride its signature orange tethered helium balloon 500 feet above the city. It’s the first of its kind in the U.S. “This balloon is massive, and you can see all of Irvine from the air. It’s unbelievable,” Finder says. The park, which sits on 500 acres, with nearly 300 additional acres in its future, is home to the Great Park Carousel, a beautiful attraction renovated and hand-painted in 2021. The park has a 5,000-square-foot visitor center, robust sports facilities, and trails. The Layover, Great Park's new quick-service eatery, is a great place to grab a bite. On-site each Sunday, the Great Park Certified Farmers Market offers locally grown produce, artisan vendors and gourmet food trucks.
Irvine is currently working to develop a 110-acre parcel of the former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro into a cultural complex. The project was announced in 2022, and plans for the adaptive reuse of two 140,000-square-foot hangars and a 40,000-square-foot warehouse that could become a museum complex, library, event space, community center and city offices. Multipurpose outdoor spaces will connect the buildings. Three miles south of central City Hall, the San Joaquin Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary has 300 acres of wetlands and over 200 bird species that call them home. Visitors can cross its San Diego Creek to access another 300 acres at William R. Mason Regional Park, where they might hike, bike and fish. The park’s northern region also houses The Museum of Woman and Irvine Historical Society. For more outdoor recreation, neighborhood parks often have athletic fields, playgrounds and shelters.
Great Park residents can shoot some hoops at the basketball courts.
The Great Park has many soccer fields for matches and practices.
Take figure skating lessons at the Great Park Ice & Fivepoint Arena.
There are plenty of baseball and softball diamonds at the Great Park for competition.
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Irvine Spectrum is one of Irvine's most notable attractions
One of Irvine’s biggest attractions is the Irvine Spectrum, a prominent and large outdoor mall with dining destinations and plenty of entertainment. “It’s so big that to get from one side to the other, you’re huffing and puffing a little bit by the end,” Finder says. “It’s beautiful with every store imaginable, dining chains like Wood Ranch and smaller venues for fine dining.” For engaging in a little retail therapy, there are massive retailers like Apple, Lululemon and Nordstrom as well as smaller boutique shops. Dining destinations include popular national chains like The Cheesecake Factory, P.F. Chang's and Shake Sack, plus small local chains and mom-and-pop shops like The Alley, a highly trafficked and high-end coffee and tea spot, and Curry Up Now, which serves authentic Indian cuisine. In terms of entertainment, visitors have the arcade at Dave & Busters, the Regal movie theater, Odyssey VR, an escape room called The Escape Game, and the Improv comedy club. Heritage Plaza and University Center are among the many other commercial stretches in Irvine.
Enjoy Movies Under the Stars with the backdrop of the Giant Wheel during summer.
Irvine Spectrum is a large shopping center with a variety of shopping and dining options.
Irvine Spectrum is a popular spot for shopping, dining, and entertainment.
Irvine Spectrum residents can enjoy the carousel for families.
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Nearly 300 miles of on-street bikeways and direct highway access
Spread across 66 square miles, Irvine is a pedestrian-friendly city with miles of multiuse paved paths and sidewalks. Cyclists enjoy nearly 300 miles of on-street bikeways, though they should exercise caution on high-traffic roads like University and Ridgeline drives. There are local ride-share programs like iShuttle and Spectrumotion, but most people travel by car and have direct highway access to interstates 5 and 405, along with state routes 133 and 241. "Irvine is built like a major city, but its transportation system hasn't quite caught up, though," Finder says. To catch a flight, John Wayne Airport is 4 miles away, and Disneyland is only 15 miles north. Orange County Transportation Authority’s buses are not abundant but can take residents to Huntington Beach, Anaheim and other neighboring cities. For roughly hour-long trips to Los Angeles, about 40 miles northwest of the city, or San Bernadino, the Metrolink light rail passes through the Irvine Business Complex.
Nearly two miles of Irvine City streets close to cars and are open for people to stroll.
Turtle Rock Trail feature panoramic views of Irvine and other surrounding cities.
Northwood offers a mix of single-family homes, townhouses, and apartments.
Bikers enjoy the San Diego Creek Trail in Irvine Spectrum.
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Crime is low by any standard and fire risk is moderate
According to FBI reports, crime is relatively low in Irvine compared to national and state averages. “The city prides itself on safety, and the police department does a good job of adapting to a city that has gotten very big,” Finder says. In late 2023, the city said that based on FBI statistics, Irvine is among the safest cities in the country with a population of 250,000 or more. Unlike many places in Orange County, which contract services through the sheriff’s office, Irvine has a dedicated police force comprising six divisions, each with specialized bureaus and units.
Irvine faces a moderate fire risk, particularly on the city’s northeastern edge, which sits against the Santa Ana Mountains and thousands of acres of natural space. The dry Santa Ana Winds are known to kick up fires in the summer, and residents are sometimes impacted. In October 2020, the Silverado Fire burned 13,400 acres north of the city and evacuated 100,000 residents. In July 2023, a brush fire charred an undeveloped portion of Great Park, though it caused no significant damage. The Orange County Fire Authority monitors the area to control brush and fire access roads. They encourage drought-tolerant and fire-resistive landscaping for high-risk residential areas. The weather is temperate and mild — the average temperature in January is 56 degrees and it's 71 degrees in August. Between 10 and 13 inches of rain fall each year, mostly in the winter months.
I’m Mike Weller, The Team Leader for the Weller Group at Keller Williams Realty. I’m a 16+ year real estate professional.
Since arriving in my current city of Yorba Linda a little over 10 years ago, I have sold my listings on average for 2% more than the List Price, for an average of 10 Days. And while it is never suggested to choose an agent-based purely on who sells the most houses (Quantity does not always equal Quality), I do rank among the Top 10 Realtors in this home city for units sold over this time!
I pride myself on this commitment to staying current on industry trends & education, having been trained and certified with the following certifications and designations: Certified Condominium Specialist (CCS) Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) California Probate Specialist (CPS) Certified e-Technology Professional (e-PRO) Short Sale & Foreclosure Specialist (SFR) Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES). In particular, the specialized Probate training and Senior training have helped to support me as I assist families and seniors working to sell homes in family trusts, probate, or conservatorship estates, or for seniors transitioning into a more appropriate senior setting.
I hold an active California Broker’s license, acting as a Broker-Associate with my local Keller Williams brokerage, in addition to an active Nevada real estate license with my Las Vegas-based brokerage. In addition to my almost 2 decades as a licensed real estate professional, I have been investing in real estate for over 20 years personally buying & selling property in California, Nevada, Florida, Pennsylvania & New York. I received my undergraduate degree from the University at Albany (NY) & went on to earn an MBA w/ an emphasis in Marketing at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, PA. Prior to my full-time real estate career, I worked in professional sports management with the Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball Club, Utah Grizzlies & Centennial Management in Salt Lake City, UT, and Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
I look forward to connecting with you to assist in achieving your real estate goals!
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
