Hundreds of homes geared toward Baby Boomers and Gen X buyers are set to be added to a growing collection of neighborhoods on one of Southern California’s last working cattle ranches.
Master-planned community Rancho Mission Viejo said it’s adding five 55-plus neighborhoods to its growing presence, one that already includes thousands of houses in Orange County. In total, 326 residences are expected to open in early 2026 in Gavilán Ridge village.
The expansion comes as leaders at the family-owned company expect an influx of retired Baby Boomers and GenX buyers entering the housing market, according to a news release.
“Demand for 55-plus living is at an all-time high,” Kris Maher, senior vice president of community development at Rancho Mission Viejo, said in a statement. “Our newest village, Gavilán Ridge, will help to meet this housing demand while weaving in the elements of wellbeing, community connection and intergenerational living that make The Ranch one of the most desirable places to live in Southern California.”
Data from the National Association of Realtors seemed to confirm those expectations. The trade group’s latest Profile of Homebuyers and Sellers indicated that homebuyer ages are at all-time highs. In 2024, the median age for homebuyers was 56, up from the previous year’s median of 49. At the same time, more than half of buyers were older than 55, the data suggested.
Various home styles will be available
Tri Pointe Homes, Lennar and Del Webb will build the five neighborhoods. They will all have wider doorways, zero-step entrances and less yard space, but the styles will vary.
In the Lavender neighborhood by Tri Point Homes, for example, buyers can choose from paired or detached houses with private yards and first-floor primary bedrooms. The Elara neighborhood by Del Webb will offer two-story houses with three bedrooms, and the Nova neighborhood by Lennar will feature single-level duplexes.
Residents will also gain access to a newly built 5-acre amenity site slated to open in the summer of 2026. The site will include a garden patio, lap pool, spa, bocce ball courts, a fitness center, a ballroom and studio rooms for clubs and other activities.
Gavilán Ridge residents will also have access to the all-age amenities throughout the entire development.
More development is planned for Rancho Mission Viejo, one of the nation's first and largest master-planned communities, the company said. By the time it's completed, the development is set to encompass about 6,000 acres with 14,000 homes. The remaining 17,000 acres of the working ranch will be preserved as a habitat conservation area.