All Blog Entries by Sam Smith

The Irvine Real Estate market has been one of the most active places in all of Orange County as there has been a huge surge in buyers wanting to buy a home in the Irvine area.  This is especially true with new construction homes as the demand for these property is higher than what is actually available.  it's not uncommon to see homes selling for $100,000 to $200,000 over asking price depending on the price point of the home.  As real estate agents we have noticed the latest trend that agents are using to sell the home in the fastest and most profitable way.  Here is a brief explanation of the latest trend.

First, real estate agents that are taking listings are putting them on the market on a Wednesday or Thursday and advertise an open house for that

One of the more popular places to find rental properties in the Irvine area is the Portola Springs community.  One of the reasons for it's popularity is that there is a wide range of properties that can be found here from New Construction to properties that were built in the last several years.  This area of Irvine has seen a real increase in the number of homes over the years due to it's prime location near the 241 and 133 freeways that connect down 5 and 405 freeways making it easier to commute to work.  Rental prices for Portola Springs will vary depending on if the property is a condo or single family home.  For example, two bedroom condos with an approximate 1,304 square feet currently start at $3,600 a month while a four bedroom single family home

The idea of a lease option is often very foreign to a lot of real estate buyers but can make a lot of sense depending on your current living situation.  We get a lot of clients moving from outside the Irvine area and want to lease home so they can figure out the kind of neighborhood they want to live in.  Often times these clients are those that will most likely but in the next 12 months and can potentially be excellent candidates for doing a lease option.  The other kind of candidate would be those who currently don't have enough money for a down payment on a home but through assistance from the landlord might be able to save up enough money to afford a home.  Both of these situations are the kind of clients we see doing lease options in today's market.

Central Park West is considered one of the more popular places to buy a residential condo in the Irvine area.  There are a lot of reasons for those which first begin with it's prime location situated on the ocean side of the 405 freeway.  It's really a 5 star location that offers easy freeway access and a short proximity to the John Wayne Orange County airpot as well as local shopping and restaurants in the immediate area.  Another reason for it's popularity is that there is a wide range of condos and townhouses located here.  Each of the buildings located here have their own personality and unique floor plans so there is a lot of choices when looking to buy here.  Finally, the amenities rival what you find in a hotel resort with a large gated community

The Oak Park community in Irvine, California often features long term rentals that typically start as a 12 month lease.  The location is ideally positioned between the 5 and 405 freeway which means you have access to many local shopping, restaurants in the surrounding areas.  It's also one of the most affordable places to find a rental with lease prices often in the mid $2,500 a month range for a one or two bedroom condo.  The nice thing about these units besides the great price point is the great floor plans that can include an interior washer/dryer and a covered carport parking space or a two car attached garage.

The location of this community often means that you are located within the Irvine United School District which has some really great

If you ever get a chance to fly into the John Wayne Airport (SNA) is worth a try since it offers a more leisurely experience from the hustle and bustle of LAX airport.  The location is actually near some of the best condo buildings in the Irvine area and the airport has taken great measures to minimize the noise when taking off and landing here.  This area is also very popular with students going to UCI which saw a housing shortage this year causing many of our clients to look for rentals in this area.  One of the most affordable and popular places to live is the Watermarke condo building.  Real Estate prices are the driving factor with condo sales that still can be found in the $400,000 range with rental properties in the low $2,000 a month price point.

One of the more popular gated communities in the Irvine area is the Hidden Canyon community in Irvine.  Over the last 4 years we have seen over 50 homes sold often for prices over $3 to $4 million dollars.  What makes this community unique is it's private and remote location in the Laguna Altura area that is set off from other communities but still close enough to be within a short driving distance to local grocery stores, restaurants and some really great shopping.  The floor plans are very well thought out with large square footages that often showcase large rooms with vaulted ceilings and outdoor entertainment spaces with many owners installing private pools and spas.  If you are thinking about doing a quick drive through of this community make sure to

One of the hottest homes on the market right now in Irvine are the residential condos commonly referred to as the Nova Flats.  If you have been looking for newer construction properties at really great price points.  The multi-level condos commonly in the upscale Great Park area of Irvine are often referred to as Novel Park that were built by a variety of homes builders like Taylor Morrison and William Lyon home builder.  Many of these were built between 2019 to 2020 and have a lot to offer with modern smart home features with two car garages.  The area is near the 133 freeway and Irvine Blvd making it an easy commutes to work with lots of walking and biking trails and local parks in the surrounding areas.  The best part about living here for families is

One of the best places to look for condo rentals In the Irvine area is the Metropolitan condo building.  Rentals in this complex are very abundant with a good mix of one and two bedroom condos to choose from.  It's all about the location here with a prime location in the Airport Area of Irvine with a close proximity to the UCI campus as well as the John Wayne Orange County airport.  We have provided a rental comp chart which shows what places have rented for in the past couple of years.  It's not uncommon to find one bedroom condos lease for around the $2,250 a month range while the large two bedrooms condos tend to be in the low $3,000 a month range.  For the most part, all of these rentals are 12 month leases with the tenant paying the first months

The Park Lane community is one of the smaller gated communities in Irvine for homes that were mainly built between 2001 to 2002.  The value of these homes is very much high in demand as many of these homes are typically only on the market for several weeks.  One of the most popular floor plan is the 3 bedroom model that features 1,516 square feet of living space that features an office that has the potential of being converted into a 4th bedroom. There are a lot of benefits of living here too which includes a community pool, spa, tennis and basketball courts.  The location is also near a large greenbelt area as well as being within some of the award winning Irvine schools.  What I really like to find here for my clients are detached single family homes